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.
A new COVID variant, BA.2.75, has been detected in the UK and several other countries. But the data we have at the moment doesn’t suggest there’s any reason to panic.
‘Hybrid immunity’ is the term for immunity acquired from both prior infection and vaccination.
With mask mandates and vaccine requirements lifting, public health information remains crucial so people can weigh their own COVID-19 risks.
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To help people make informed decisions about ongoing COVID-19 risks, public health messaging needs to adapt as the pandemic evolves, just as immune systems adapt to new viruses and variants.
The COVID-19 vaccines continue to be effective against severe illness leading to hospitalization and death in all age groups, including children ages 5 to 11.
A yet-to-be-verified study found health-care workers who’d had a flu shot were a third less likely to test positive for COVID – and 90% less likely to develop severe COVID symptoms.
Scientists are working on intranasal COVID vaccines. Not only are these vaccines delivered differently – but they also target a different part of our immune system.
Sales of vitamins are booming in pandemic times. But is there any evidence that vitamin and mineral supplements can protect you from COVID or help you recover from infection?
Are you due your third or fourth dose? What about your parents? What about your kids? It can be hard to keep track, so here’s the current advice.
Researchers can test blood samples taken for other reasons to see if patients have previously had COVID-19.
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Your blood can hold a record of past illnesses. That information can reveal how many people have had a certain infection – like 58% of Americans having had COVID-19 by the end of February 2022.
The stress of exercising while sick could potentially make our immune cells less effective.
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Fourth doses are now being offered to vulnerable groups. But if you’re young and healthy, will you need one?
Viewing immunity as a carpet that we weave together evokes labour and artistry, and suggests we have a role in crafting something rather than simply being acted upon by a virus.
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The metaphor of a collective “carpet of immunity” invites us to imagine immunity as a collaborative project, spreading out to protect those for whom the end of mandates means increased vulnerability.
It feels like everyone around you has or is recovering from COVID. Maybe you’re fatigued and wondering if it’s an after-effect? Antibody tests could confirm it one way or another.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught most people more than they ever expected to know about immunology.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought immunology terms that are typically relegated to textbooks into our everyday vernacular. These stories helped us make sense of the ever-evolving science.