There are two approved monkeypox vaccines in the US. Both use a related poxvirus called vaccinia to produce an immune response that protects against smallpox and monkeypox.
To control monkeypox, there is a short window — weeks, not months — in which to vaccinate the most susceptible and to encourage and support self-isolation for those who have symptoms.
The Albanese government will reinstate the pandemic leave payment for workers who have to isolate but do not have sick leave, after earlier vigorously defending its ending on budgetary grounds.
We have reached a hinge point in the pandemic, and coming weeks pose a huge challenge for political leaders. The community has moved on from COVID. But COVID has not moved on from the community. It has dug in.
Australia currently has its first cases of childhood respiratory diphtheria since 1992. So why are we seeing diphtheria now? And what role does travel play in its spread?
With COVID-19 shots finally available for infants and preschoolers, knowing how to combat misinformation on social media and elsewhere could be more important than ever.
If you’re over 65, you’ll likely get an immune-boosting flu shot. And there are options for those who don’t want a vaccine made with eggs – though the standard shots are safe for those with allergies.
Katie Attwell, The University of Western Australia and Tauel Harper, The University of Western Australia
Contrary to the popular belief that social media creates rumours about COVID vaccine harms, new research suggests social media generally only aids the spread of these rumours.
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.
Matthew Hobbs, University of Canterbury; Alex Kazemi, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau, and Lukas Marek, University of Canterbury
The last time New Zealanders even had a flu season was in 2019. The flu, along with COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses, is expected to hit hard this winter.
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