Hundreds of residents of Toronto’s M3N postal code, a hotspot for COVID-19 infections, line up at a pop-up vaccine clinic on In April 2021.
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Hotspot neighbourhoods with greater COVID-19 risk exposure continued to have higher infection rates even when they achieved vaccination levels equal to lower-risk neighbourhoods.
The question of whether we should be vaccinating children and adolescents against COVID-19 is currently being debated. Here’s why the answer is ‘not yet’.
The messages people under 60 have been getting about the AstraZeneca vaccine this week have been confusing, to say the least. Experts say to consider the risks and benefits. But how do you do this?
Some of the first South African COVID-19 vaccine trial volunteers at the Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, in 2020.
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The strong disapproval of the South African government’s handling of the pandemic is a warning that crafting persuasive pro-vaccine messages is not enough.
The COVID-19 resurgence in South Africa is likely to take a heavy toll. It is important for vaccination efforts to be ramped up.
As a printer’s apprentice in 1721, Franklin had a front-row seat to the controversy around a new prevention technique.
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When Bostonians in 1721 faced a deadly smallpox outbreak, a new procedure called inoculation was found to help fend off the disease. Not everyone was won over, and newspapers fed the controversy.
Pondering the ethical considerations?
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Should people be compelled to take the vaccine? Should you feel guilty for skipping the line? And what about parts of the world where vaccines aren’t readably available? Ethicists have it covered.
While Pfizer is still the preferred vaccine for under 40s, those who don’t want to wait can now talk to their GP about getting an AstraZeneca shot. But what risks and benefits do you need to weigh up?
The rules around allocation, and the enforcement of those rules, can’t rest with each individual. Responsibility lies with those in charge of delivering vaccines.
A COVID-19 field hospital in Santo Andre, Brazil. The pandemic has killed over 503,000 people in Brazil; just 11% of the population is fully vaccinated.
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New Zealand’s approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for 12-15 year olds will bring the number of people eligible for the jab to 85% of the population, raising the chance of reaching collective immunity.
One of this and one of that might be a good strategy to coronavirus vaccination.
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Various companies use different ingredients and different delivery systems in their COVID-19 vaccines. Researchers are investigating whether it’s better for individuals to mix what’s available.
Though many adults report a fear of needles, most research on needle fear has focused on children.
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Free doughnuts and lotteries may drive some people to get their COVID-19 vaccine. But for those who are afraid of needles, other interventions may be necessary.
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