As people flock back to offices and pack public transport, we’re seeing more cases of the flu than in recent years. The flu shot isn’t perfect but it cuts your chance of being hospitalised.
The pandemic has disrupted national immunisation programmes. As a result, the African continent is seeing more outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases.
The risk of serious disease outbreaks among NZ children is now very real. Some childhood immunisation rates have dropped from about 80% in early 2020 to 67% by June 2022, and as low as 45% for Māori.
Emerging evidence shows the COVID pandemic has seen fewer people receiving routine medical care across many areas. Here’s what we know about the impact that’s having – and could have down the track.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available for children aged 5-11 from January 10, after it cleared the final regulatory step. Here’s what you need to know.
Australia’s regulator has approved the Pfizer COVID vaccine for 5-11 year olds, with the rollout expected to start on January 10. Here’s how to prepare your child if they’re fearful of needles.
Many countries, including South Africa, use regulations to control smoking in public so that they do not harm non-smokers. Likewise, getting vaccinated is for the common good of society.
Vaccinating a population requires a proactive approach to health promotion and community preparedness.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy president David Mabuza, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize visiting the Aspen Pharmacare sterile manufacturing facility.
Lulama Zenzile/Die Burger/Gallo Images via Getty Images
Vaccine manufacturing doesn’t come cheap. It depends heavily on support from developed countries. It also requires much more than relaxing intellectual property rights and a desire for vaccine equity.
A health worker administers an injection to a child below the age of one year during a routine immunisation at a health center in Kampala, Uganda.
Xinhua/Nicholas Kajoba via Getty Images
Ghana’s mid-year target of procuring and administering 17.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses may be constrained by global supply, cold chain capacity, and vaccine hesitancy.
It’s no secret many kids (and adults) don’t like needles. But where needle phobia can be a barrier to vaccine acceptance, it’s important to set your children up not to fear injections. Here’s how.
Vaccine hesitancy is a growing public health problem.
Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images
Vaccine hesitancy has resulted in multiple vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Research on vaccine hesitancy in South Africa is limited. But growing evidence suggests that it’s becoming a problem.
There’s no guarantee future COVID-19 vaccines will work in the elderly. So we can consider vaccinating the young first to protect them. Here’s what we need to work out first.
Whether a coronavirus vaccine involves a live virus or a carrier organism, it will probably require more than one injection. But that’s not a bad thing.
If your immunisation record is incomplete, you might repeat a vaccination unnecessarily, or miss out on government support, child care, or work. So it pays to check.
Paediatrician at the Royal Childrens Hospital and Associate Professor and Clinician Scientist, University of Melbourne and MCRI, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Paediatrician, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance; Clinical Lecturer, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney