Champions for Vaccine Education, Equity and Progress

Many people at high risk of developing severe #COVID19 don't know their risk and may miss out on available #antiviral treatments. Learn more about risk factors for severe COVID-19 and how to access effective #treatments: cveep.org/treatments/

Should I get a COVID booster now or wait until fall? For those over age 65, a “summer booster” could make sense, especially if you have upcoming travel or events. You can still get the updated version later in the fall to maximize holiday protection. But waiting is also a reasonable choice. Read the full post from Jennifer Dowd here: https://lnkd.in/emxE8h_V Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) #ThoseNerdyGirls #Covid19 #vaccines

We’re excited to team up with the National Press Foundation for a webinar for journalists on why #COVID19 and #flu #vaccines require periodic updates. Featured speakers include Dr. Bertha Hidalgo, PhD, MPH of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dr. Ariangela Kozik, PhD of MCDB Michigan, Dr. William Schaffner of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), and Apoorva Mandavilli of The New York Times.   Register here: https://lnkd.in/ecJdFnC7

#COVID19 #vaccines are updated regularly to provide protection against changing viruses. The next update will target expected variants this fall. Our new timeline highlights when COVID-19 vaccines have been updated in response to the changing virus: bit.ly/45MvGzy

Viruses are tiny germs responsible for illnesses such as #COVID19, #flu, and #RSV. The best defense against these viruses is #vaccination. Protect yourself from illness and discover more about the science of viruses through each week's #WordoftheWeek.

Los virus que causan el #COVID19 y la #gripe cambiar a medida que se propaga. Por suerte, las vacunas se actualizan para ayudar a protegerte. Mantente protegido, mantente informado y vacúnate. Para más información: https://lnkd.in/d3Ygh98C

#DYK? The bacteria that causes pneumococcal disease can result in many different types of infections. The best way to help prevent pneumococcal disease is to get vaccinated. Learn more about the two vaccines recommended by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in our Immunization Glossary: bit.ly/3R8aZb8

This post is sponsored by Champions for Vaccine Education, Equity and Progress Flu and COVID-19 remain major public health threats, leading to significant mortality and morbidity each year globally. 🦠 The World Health Organization estimates 290,000 to 650,000 annual flu deaths worldwide. In the U.S., the CDC reports 100,000 to 710,000 flu hospitalizations and 4,900 to 51,000 deaths annually. COVID-19 has been even more devastating, with over 6.8 million global deaths and 1.1 million U.S. deaths reported as of April 2024. The U.S. also saw nearly 7 million COVID-19 hospitalizations since 2020. While everyone is at risk, certain groups face higher risks of severe outcomes from these viruses, including older adults, young children, pregnant people, and those with underlying health conditions. Thankfully, we have effective vaccines and treatments that can protect against and mitigate the worst outcomes. Flu vaccines reduce hospitalization risk by over 1/3 and death risk by 31% in vaccinated adults. COVID-19 vaccines slash hospitalization risk by 80% and death risk by 90%. Both vaccines are safe and highly recommended during pregnancy to protect pregnant people and pass antibodies to babies before birth. Numerous studies involving tens of thousands of pregnant people show no increased risks. Beyond hospitalizations and deaths, flu and COVID-19 can also lead to complications like pneumonia, heart issues, and long COVID-19. Vaccination and early treatment remain crucial. And don’t forget about antivirals! Clinical trials have shown that oral antivirals can reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by up to 88%. According to the CDC, users of oral antivirals had a 51% lower hospitalization rate compared to non-users. In a future post, we’ll dive deeper into available antiviral treatments that can reduce symptoms and prevent increased severity when taken promptly after infection. Stay tuned! 💊

This post is sponsored by Champions for Vaccine Education, Equity and Progress Both flu and COVID-19 vaccines have excellent safety records. While side effects can occur, they are typically mild. Serious adverse events are extremely rare, with benefits greatly outweighing the risks. No medical product has been studied more rigorously than COVID-19 vaccines. Clinical trials involved tens of thousands of participants, exceeding most historical trials. 🔬 Extensive data were collected through pre-clinical testing, clinical trials, post-marketing surveillance across the globe, and rigorous review by regulatory bodies like the FDA and WHO. One study monitoring over 245,000 doses in young kids under 5 identified no concerning safety signals like myocarditis. Clinical trials and other safety monitoring systems align with these reassuring results. Robust, multilayered safety surveillance continues globally through passive systems like VAERS and proactive methods like the CDC's Vaccine Safety Datalink. Any potential issues are rapidly investigated. Claims of infertility, cancer, or other long-term effects from COVID-19 vaccines lack scientific evidence. Our understanding of how vaccines work indicates side effects almost always occur shortly after vaccination. How well do they work? Countless studies have provided real-world evidence of the vaccines' remarkable effectiveness at preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death. 💉 For example, a recent study found the updated bivalent booster reduced infection risk by 54% and symptomatic infection risk by 49% in children/teens, even against immune-evading Omicron subvariants. Some mistakenly claim no true randomized controlled trials (RCTs) occurred for COVID-19 vaccines. However, RCT data was indeed collected before later ethical "unblinding" to offer vaccines to placebo recipients. Flu vaccines must be updated annually due to antigenic drift of influenza viruses. Even so, they consistently reduce hospitalizations by over 1/3 and deaths by 31% in vaccinated adults during average seasons. Sources: https://lnkd.in/e8_Fr2Rm https://lnkd.in/dCGCcfy https://lnkd.in/eZyFauZ5 https://lnkd.in/eXA_hRP8 https://lnkd.in/egHJG_iT https://lnkd.in/dqSEJE_6 https://lnkd.in/dCGCcfy https://lnkd.in/extp9eFZ https://lnkd.in/enDq-xqU https://lnkd.in/eJt5UAjx

This post is sponsored by Champions for Vaccine Education, Equity and Progress While vaccines provide the best protection, antiviral medications are crucial tools for treating flu and COVID-19 infections early to reduce symptoms and prevent severe complications. 💊 For COVID-19, antivirals play a vital role by targeting different stages of the virus's life cycle through various mechanisms like nucleoside analogs, protease inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies. The oral medication Paxlovid has been a game-changer, cutting hospitalization/death risk by up to 88% in high-risk outpatients when taken promptly after symptoms start. Tragically, Paxlovid is being underutilized despite its proven efficacy. Barriers include a lack of awareness from patients and providers about eligibility and tight treatment windows. Molnupiravir is another oral option that reduces hospitalization/death risk by 31%. It may be used if other options are unavailable. Remdesivir, given intravenously for hospitalized patients, is the first FDA-approved COVID antiviral. It reduced hospital stays by 3-4 days in trials when given early. Improving access and uptake involves empowering patients to seek early treatment, improving test-to-treatment pathways, and ensuring providers follow guidelines on prescribing antivirals. Flu antivirals like Tamiflu, Relenza, Rapivab, and Xofluza work by inhibiting viral release or replication. When started within 2 days of symptoms, they can shorten illness duration and reduce viral shedding. Clinical trials show flu antivirals significantly decrease the time to symptom relief and resumption of normal activities compared to placebo. They are well-tolerated, with mostly mild side effects. While instances of viral resistance exist, rotating and combining antiviral mechanisms help maximize their effectiveness against ever-evolving flu and COVID-19 strains. Widespread vaccination remains the best way to reduce severe illness and the need for antivirals. However, these treatments provide a crucial line of defense when breakthrough infections occur.