COVID-19 remains a global public health threat despite its current non-pandemic status.
Researchers found a surprising twist in a study of Omicron infection in older adults. The new information highlights the importance of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.
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We still have much to learn about many aspects of COVID-19 — including its lingering health effects and the mechanics of its endless mutations — but we do know one thing: we can’t let our guard down.
More than 70 per cent of the world’s population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccination.
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New analysis answers questions about the ongoing effectiveness of COVID vaccines: How well they protect against infection, hospitalization and death months after initial doses or after a booster shot.
COVID-19 is still with us, and is still causing serious illness and death. However, it is disproportionately affecting older people.
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COVID-19 is the third-leading cause of death in Canada, but it’s older people who are dying. That we accept this and carry on as if the pandemic is over reveals our ageism: We don’t value older people.
Model of an influenza virus. Flu season is expected to make a big comeback this year.
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Flu and COVID-19 are expected to make headway during the current respiratory virus season. The best way to stay healthy is vaccination in conjunction with personal protective measures.
Viral surveillance and prediction may be key parts of figuring out what goes into a vaccine.
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A new generation of vaccines and boosters against SARS-CoV-2 may take a page from the anti-influenza playbook, with shots periodically tailored to target the most commonly circulating virus strains.
Boosters and vaccinating children mean we’re relying on two pharmaceutical companies to supply Australia’s COVID vaccines. That needs to change.
Although the COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives, they have been insufficient at preventing breakthrough infections.
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It’s too soon to recommend booster shots for younger children. But we can watch what’s happening in the US, where children as young as 12 are receiving theirs.
With a COVID-19 booster shot, vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization goes up to 90%.
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If you or your child test positive for COVID, you clearly can’t go to that vaccination or booster appointment you had booked this week. So, when can you go?
The best way to stop new variants from arising is to increase the proportion of vaccinated individuals while maintaining infection prevention measures like wearing masks and social distancing.
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Even with a variant like Omicron that may be more transmissible than earlier variants, vaccines remain the most effective tool for protection against COVID-19 and for ending the pandemic.
Understanding how much protection a vaccine offers is not as simple as it sounds.
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If it’s been six months since your second COVID vaccine dose, it’s time to book in for your booster. Here’s why.
People queuing to get vaccinated. Instead of vaccinating 12-17 year olds, government should focus on giving boosters to people who need it.
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The focus of the government seems to be about how many people can get vaccinated rather than ensuring the greatest protection against severe disease and deaths.
Public health officials have been waiting for good data before making any decisions about booster shots for people who received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
Your body produces antibodies after an infection or vaccine, but these slowly decline over time. New Johnson & Johnson data sheds light on the duration of protection and the need for booster shots.
‘Breakthrough’ infections can happen because of waning immunity or high viral doses. But our vaccines are still excellent at preventing severe disease and death.
You’ll read lots of different figures on this — six months, eight months, more — and that’s because the research is ongoing. We don’t yet have a concrete answer.
Dean Faculty of Health Sciences and Professor of Vaccinology at University of the Witwatersrand; and Director of the SAMRC Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand