Category: Corona Virus Vaccine

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Scientists argue over the origins of COVID-19 before U.S. Senate panel Virginia Mercury – Virginia Mercury

June 20, 2024

WASHINGTON Scientists debated the origins of COVID-19 on Tuesday, trading barbs over whether the bulk of evidence available points to a natural spillover event from a wild animal or a virus designed in a lab and then let loose through an inadvertent leak.

The hearing in front of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee was part of ongoing efforts in Congress to apply the lessons learned during the pandemic to prevent or blunt the next outbreak.

Gregory Koblentz, associate professor and director of the Biodefense Graduate Program at George Mason University in Virginia, said during thetwo-hour hearingthat debate continues in the scientific community about the origins.

The possibility that SARS-CoV-2 was deliberately developed as a biological weapon has been unanimously rejected by all U.S. intelligence agencies, Koblentz testified. While the intelligence community is divided on the origin of the pandemic, most of the agencies have determined that the virus was not genetically engineered.

Residents in Wuhan, China, were first diagnosed with an atypical pneumonia-like illness in December 2019, according to a COVID-19timelinefrom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Initial cases all appeared linked to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market at the time, though there has since been much speculation about the types of research taking place at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Koblentz said he believes the available evidence points to a spillover event from an animal, though he added a research-related accident cant be ruled out at this time.

The lack of transparency and data from the Chinese government has significantly hindered scientists efforts to unify around the origin of COVID-19, he said.

Richard Ebright, board of governors professor of chemistry and chemical biology and laboratory director at the Waksman Institute of Microbiology at Rutgers University in New Jersey, testified he believes a large preponderance of evidence indicates SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, entered humans through a research incident.

Ebright also leveled criticism at fellow panelist Robert Garry, who, along with a handful of co-authors,published an opinion articlein the journal nature medicine in March 2020, titled The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2.

In the commentary, Garry and the other scientists wrote, we do not believe that any type of laboratory-based scenario is plausible.

Ebright said during Tuesdays hearing that the opinion article represented scientific misconduct up to and including fraud, a characterization that Garry rejected during the hearing.

The authors were stating their opinion, but that opinion was not well-founded, Ebright said. In March of 2020, there was no basis to state that as a conclusion, as opposed to simply being a hypothesis.

Garry, professor and associate dean of the School of Medicine at Tulane University in Louisiana, argued on behalf of the spillover event during the hearing, testifying that the virus likely didnt move directly from a bat to humans, but went to an unidentified intermediary animal.

The bat coronaviruses are viruses that are spread by the gastrointestinal route, Garry said. For a virus like this to become a respiratory virus its just going to require too many mutations, too many changes for a bat virus to spill directly over to a human being. That could only really happen in nature with replication through an intermediate animal.

Garry also defended gain-of-function research during the hearing, arguing that it has had some beneficial impact, though he noted that it does need appropriate safeguards and restrictions.

Lawmakers and pundits have used several, often evolving, definitions for gain-of-function research in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Society for Microbiologydefinesit as techniques used in research to alter the function of an organism in such a way that it is able to do more than it used to do.

When research is responsibly performed on highly transmissible and pathogenic viruses, it can lead to advances in public health and national security, Garry testified.

Without gain-of-function research, wed have no Tamiflu. Without gain-of-function research, we wouldnt have a vaccine to prevent cancer caused by infection by the human papilloma virus, Garry said. And without gain-of-function research, we wont be able to identify how novel viruses infect us. And if we dont know how they infect us, we cannot develop appropriate treatments and cures for the next potential pandemic creating virus.

New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan raised several questions about whether theres enough oversight of how the United States spends research dollars as well as what mechanisms are in place to monitor how private entities conduct certain types of research.

While their research has the potential to cure diseases and boost our economy, unless they accept federal funding, there is very little federal oversight to ensure that private labs are engaged in safe and ethical research, she said.

Koblentz from George Mason University said there is much less oversight of biosafety and biosecurity for private research facilities that dont receive federal funding.

In order to expand the scope of oversight to all privately funded research, (it) would require legislative action, Koblentz said.

Congress, he said, should establish a national bio-risk management agency that would have authority over biosafety and biosecurity regardless of the source of funding.

At the end of the day, it shouldnt matter where the funding comes from in terms of making sure this research is being done safely, securely and responsibly, Koblentz said.

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, ranking member on the committee, said the panel will hold an upcoming hearing specifically on gain-of-function research, including what steps Congress should take to ensure it doesnt put the public at risk.

Committee Chairman Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, said during the hearing that lawmakers must learn from the challenges faced during this pandemic to ensure we can better protect Americans from future potential biological incidents.

Our government needs the flexibility to determine the origins of naturally occurring outbreaks, as well as potential outbreaks that could arise from mistakes or malicious intent, Peters said.

Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, after listening to some of the debate, expressed exasperation that so much attention is going toward what caused the last pandemic and not on how to prepare for the next one.

Given the fact that it could have been either, we know what action we ought to take to protect from either, Romney said. And so why theres so much passion around that makes me think its more political than scientific, but maybe Im wrong.

The United States, he said, shouldnt be funding gain-of-function research and should insist that anyone who receives federal funding follow the standards of the International Organization for Standardization.

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Scientists argue over the origins of COVID-19 before U.S. Senate panel Virginia Mercury - Virginia Mercury

Navigating the impact of COVID-19 on childhood vaccinations – Open Access Government

June 20, 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected every aspect of daily life, including routine childhood vaccinations. Immunize Canada recognizes the importance of addressing concerns and providing insights into how the pandemic has influenced childhood immunization practices, its implications on public health, strategies to tackle vaccine hesitancy among parents, and the ground-breaking advancements in vaccine development that emerged during this crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health systems worldwide, leading to widespread interruptions and gaps in routine immunization services for children. Lockdown measures, fear of contracting the virus, and strained health resources resulted in missed or delayed vaccinations for many children. Routine visits to health providers declined significantly, leading to a backlog of missed vaccinations. The closure of schools, which often serve as vaccination centres, further exacerbated the issue. Consequently, a substantial number of children fell behind on their vaccination schedules, leaving them vulnerable to preventable diseases.

The repercussions of missed or delayed childhood vaccinations extend beyond individual health outcomes to affect public health on a broader scale. Vaccination rates serve as a critical measure of community immunity (also known as herd immunity). When vaccination rates decline, the risk of outbreaks and resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases rises. Diseases such as measles, pertussis, and polio, which were once under control, may resurface and spread rapidly among unvaccinated/ under-vaccinated populations. This not only poses a threat to the health of children but also places a burden on health systems already grappling with the demands of the pandemic.

Vaccine hesitancy, fueled by misinformation, disinformation and distrust in vaccines, presents a significant challenge to public health efforts. To address this issue, it is essential to engage in transparent and clear communication, provide evidence-based information, encourage and develop community-led strategies and address concerns with empathy and understanding. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in building trust and providing accurate information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Tailored educational campaigns aimed at dispelling myths and addressing common misconceptions can help alleviate vaccine hesitancy. Fostering partnerships with community leaders and leveraging social media platforms to disseminate accurate information can further enhance vaccine acceptance and uptake. Communication and collaborations between specific communities and healthcare providers should be sought to better understand the barriers to vaccination and also optimize access.

The development of COVID-19 vaccines marked a monumental achievement in scientific innovation and collaboration. The unprecedented speed at which vaccines were developed underscores the power of investment in research, technology, and global cooperation during times of crisis. The mRNA vaccine technology demonstrated remarkable efficacy and safety profiles. This breakthrough has paved the way for potential applications in vaccine development for other infectious diseases, including influenza, HIV, and Zika virus, to name a few. The mRNA platform offers advantages such as rapid development, scalability, and versatility, making it a promising tool in the fight against emerging infectious threats.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching implications for childhood vaccinations, underscoring the importance of maintaining immunization services amid crises. Addressing missed or delayed immunizations, combating vaccine hesitancy, and leveraging lessons from COVID-19 vaccine development are crucial steps in safeguarding public health and ensuring a resilient health system for future generations. Immunize Canada remains committed to advocating for vaccination as a cornerstone of disease prevention and control, working towards a healthier and more resilient society.

Anne

Pham-Huy MD, FRCPC

Chair

Immunize Canada

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Navigating the impact of COVID-19 on childhood vaccinations - Open Access Government

Novavax applies for FDA nod for its updated COVID vaccine – University of Minnesota Twin Cities

June 18, 2024

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A new report in Emerging Infectious Diseases reveals an 11.8% prevalence of long COVID during the Omicron BA.5 wave in Japan, based on outcomes seen among 25,911 adults 20 years and older.

Japan experienced the seventh wave of COVID-19 in July 2022, caused by the Omicron subvariant BA.5 lineage, the authors said.

"The Omicron variant tends to cause less severe acute symptoms and has a similar or lower risk for postCOVID-19 condition than the previous variant," the authors wrote. "Longer sequelae and risks for postCOVID-19 condition in persons infected with the Omicron variant compared with noninfected populations remain unknown."

The study was based on adults 20 to 69 years of age who had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during July to August 2022 and answered a survey about the presence of 26 symptoms roughly 6 months following their Omicron infection. Cases were matched with controls, and any symptoms were ranked on severity and impact on daily activities.

The percentage of postCOVID-19 condition for cases was 11.8%, and the percentage of persistent symptoms among controls was 5.5%. According to the authors, the most frequent postCOVID-19 condition was cough (3.7%), followed by difficulty concentrating (3.1%), hair loss (2.8%), fatigue (2.4%), and brain fog (2.2%).

The odds ratio (OR) of any persistent symptoms for cases versus controls was 2.33 (95% confidence interval, 2.05 to 2.64).

Among the cases, female sex, underlying medical conditions, and severity of acute COVID-19 were associated with having postCOVID-19 condition.

"Among the cases, female sex, underlying medical conditions, and severity of acute COVID-19 were associated with having postCOVID-19 condition. We recommend a longer follow-up study of the effects on daily life and socioeconomic status after infection during the Omicron-dominant wave," the authors concluded.

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Novavax applies for FDA nod for its updated COVID vaccine - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Opinion | Long covid research foreshadows a disability wave – The Washington Post – The Washington Post

June 18, 2024

Long covid, the symptoms that can linger for months or even years after infection with the pandemic virus, is still a subject of considerable uncertainty. The virus can damage the body in a multitude of ways, leading researchers to list more than 200 symptoms, and there is no single diagnostic test or cure. But even with the unknowns, evidence suggests that long covid could burden millions of people. Its effects on individuals, but also on society at large could be protracted and expensive.

This is the implication of two just-published studies from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The first study, published on June 5, examined the potential impairment and disability caused by long covid. The second study, published on June 11, provided a much-needed consensus definition there have been numerous different ones previously to help patients, doctors, researchers and policymakers work from the same page.

The new definition states that long covid is an infection-associated chronic condition that occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection, is present for at least 3 months and is a continuous, relapsing and remitting, or progressive disease state that affects one of more organ systems. The definition adds that long covid can manifest itself in multiple ways, can range from mild to severe; impact children and adults; follow asymptomatic, mild or severe covid; and exacerbate preexisting health conditions.

The first study says the symptoms of long covid include: chronic fatigue, cognitive difficulties, sleep disturbances, muscle and joint pain, and brain fog that encompasses inattention, forgetfulness and inability to concentrate or form words. Long covid can impact people across the life span, from children to older adults, as well as across sex, gender, racial, ethnic, and other demographic groups, the study found. There is as yet no diagnostic test for long covid, and because pandemic viral testing was so uneven, the study suggests that a positive coronavirus test should not be the sole criterion for diagnosing long covid. New research from Washington University in St. Louis and the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care system finds that patients who were hospitalized with covid are more likely to have serious health impacts several years later.

Researchers are just beginning to characterize the mechanisms and health effects of long covid. Still unknown is the degree to which it will add to the burden of disability, over the baseline morbidity people would have experienced without it. Along with the health effects might come a fiscal one: If long covid prevents people from working or studying, it could lead to a wave of disability claims to governments, a significant new social expense.

The first study notes that the Social Security Administration runs two programs to provide disability benefits: Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, and Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. As of December, 8.5 million Americans received benefits through SSDI and 7.4 million Americans through SSI. Based on population surveys, the researchers found, in 2022 approximately 8.9 million adults in the United States reported long covid symptoms. Just recently, a separate study found an estimated 6.9 percent of adults 17.8 million had ever had long covid as of early 2023. So far, applications for disability benefits have remained flat since the onset of the pandemic. But if some fraction of those who had long covid apply and qualify for benefits, that would mean sizable new spending.

To receive U.S. disability benefits today, an applicant must meet a statutory definition of disability, which for adults is the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can lead to death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. The process of determining whether an individual qualifies is based in part on the Social Security Administrations Listing of Impairments so far, long covid is not included, although disability from long covid can be established with certain medical evidence. Importantly, the study points out there are three frequently reported health effects that can significantly interfere with the ability to perform work or school activities and might not be captured in the listings: chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment, and dysfunction of the nerves that control body functions such as heart rate, body temperature, breathing rate, digestion and sensation.. According to the first study, the Social Security Administration is already expanding its guidance for dealing with long covid applicants.

These studies are early warnings in what will probably be a long process. The nation must prepare to cope accurately and compassionately with a wave of illness and impairment that might come.

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Opinion | Long covid research foreshadows a disability wave - The Washington Post - The Washington Post

War on Chinese Vaccines! Pentagon’s Secret Psy-Op Against China’s COVID-19 Vaccines Revealed – The Daily Gazette

June 18, 2024

The U.S. Department of Defense ran a secret psychological operation on social media for over a year, aimed at undermining Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies. Utilizing fake accounts, it questioned the efficacy and religious permissibility of China's vaccines across multiple countries. While some U.S. officials objected, the controversial campaign continued through both Trump and Biden administrations before ending in mid-2021.#ChineseVaccine #Covid19 #Covid19Vaccine #Sinovac #Covaxin #Covishield #ChinavsUS #Pentagon #Indianews #Worldnews #Oneindia #Oneindianews ~PR.320~ED.102~HT.318~GR.121~

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War on Chinese Vaccines! Pentagon's Secret Psy-Op Against China's COVID-19 Vaccines Revealed - The Daily Gazette

Kansas sues Pfizer over ‘misleading claims’ COVID-19 vaccine – KNSS

June 18, 2024

The state of Kansas has filed a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, alleging the company made misleading claims about its COVID-19 vaccine.

The lawsuit was filed by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach (R), and in it, he says that Pfizer made false claims about the effectiveness and the risks associated with the vaccine.

Kobach filed the lawsuit in the District Court of Thomas County. He claims in the filing that the drug company misled the states residents when it said the vaccine was safe and allegedly hid evidence of the shots link to myocarditis and pregnancy issues.

It also says that Pfizer boasted about the vaccine being effective but at the same time knew the shot would wane over time and not be effective against variants of the virus.

Pfizer made multiple misleading statements to deceive the public about its vaccine at a time when Americans needed the truth, Kobach said in a statement.

The suit says that Pfizer not only misled but worked with social media employees to censor speech critical of the vaccines and attempted to avoid oversight from the government.

Kobach is arguing that the language Pfizer used in its statements was in violation of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act and is seeking monetary damages for the companys actions. The amount Kobach is seeking has not been shared.

The Food and Drug Administration added a warning about the rare heart inflammation conditions myocarditis and pericarditis that were found to be connected to Pfizer and Modernas vaccines in June 2021.

However, it was discovered in a review by the National Institute of Health last year that the COVID-19 vaccine was not linked to an increased risk of miscarriage.

Pfizer has responded to the suit, telling The Hill that the case has no merit and is planning on responding in due course.

We are proud to have developed the COVID-19 vaccine in record time in the midst of a global pandemic and saved countless lives. The representations made by Pfizer about its COVID-19 vaccine have been accurate and science-based, the company said, adding later, Patient safety is our number one priority, which is why we follow diligent safety and monitoring protocols.

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Kansas sues Pfizer over 'misleading claims' COVID-19 vaccine - KNSS

Vaxart Receives BARDA-Funded Project NextGen Award Valued Up to $453 Million to Conduct a Phase 2b Study … – GlobeNewswire

June 14, 2024

10,000-subject Phase 2b study will evaluate Vaxarts next generation oral pill COVID-19 vaccine against an approved mRNA vaccine comparator

Vaxart anticipates initiating enrollment as early as summer 2024

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaxart, Inc. (Nasdaq: VXRT) announced today that it received a project award valued at up to $453 million through the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle (RRPV). The RRPV is a Consortium funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The funds will be used to conduct a Phase 2b comparative study evaluating Vaxarts oral pill COVID-19 vaccine candidate against a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved mRNA vaccine comparator. In preparation for the trial, Vaxart created and manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards a next-generation oral COVID-19 vaccine tablet candidate that based on preclinical data is more potent than Vaxarts prior COVID-19 vaccine constructs.

Funding under the award will be provided in two parts with approximately $65.7 million available immediately to continue study start-up activities, and the remainder of approximately $387.2 million provided when Vaxart and BARDA have determined that the study may further proceed and paid over the course of the study. Currently, Vaxart anticipates initiating enrollment as early as summer 2024. An interim analysis for vaccine efficacy compared to an approved mRNA comparator may occur as early as the first quarter of 2025.

We are grateful to BARDA for this funding, which will enable Vaxart to conduct a Phase 2b trial for our COVID-19 oral pill vaccine candidate. This trial will evaluate whether our oral pill vaccine candidate compares favorably against an approved mRNA injectable vaccine, said Dr. James F. Cummings, Vaxarts Chief Medical Officer. We are excited to explore the results of this head-to-head comparison. Previous research showed that our earlier COVID-19 vaccine constructs triggered long-lasting immune responses and induced a cross-reactive immunogenic response against all tested SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Vaccine delivery has relied primarily on injection for more than 150 years. This funding from BARDA will assist us in determining whether we can bring a transformational, next-generation approach to global vaccination, said Steven Lo, Vaxarts Chief Executive Officer. We believe our oral pill vaccine platform can better meet societal needs not just for COVID-19, which is now in the endemic phase, but for other infectious diseases that present significant endemic and pandemic threats.

Vaxart was the first U.S. company to complete a Phase 2 clinical trial of an oral vaccine for COVID-19. In earlier clinical trials, Vaxart demonstrated its COVID-19 vaccine candidates generated robust cross-reactive mucosal IgA responses, boosted immune responses to existing COVID-19 vaccines, increased neutralizing antibodies against Omicron 4/5, and had a benign tolerability profile.

Funding for this award was received under Project NextGen, a $5 billion initiative by HHS to develop new, innovative vaccines and therapeutics that provide broader and more durable protection against COVID-19 than the first generation COVID-19 vaccines and medicines. This project has been funded with federal funds from HHS; ASPR; BARDA, under Other Transaction (OT) number 75A50123D00005.

About the COVID-19 Phase 2b Trial

The Phase 2b trial is a double-blind, multi-center, randomized, comparator-controlled study to determine the relative efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of Vaxarts oral pill COVID-19 vaccine candidate against an approved mRNA COVID-19 injectable vaccine in adults previously immunized against COVID-19 infection. The study design anticipates enrolling approximately 10,000 healthy adults 18 years and older in the United States with 5,000 receiving Vaxarts COVID-19 vaccine candidate and 5,000 receiving an approved mRNA comparator. At least 25% of the participants should be at least 65 years old.

The study will measure efficacy for symptomatic and asymptomatic disease, systemic and mucosal immune induction, and the incidence of adverse events. The primary endpoint is relative efficacy of Vaxarts COVID-19 vaccine candidate compared to an approved mRNA comparator for the prevention of symptomatic disease. Primary efficacy analysis will be performed when all participants have either discontinued or completed a study visit 12 months post-vaccination.

An independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) will review safety data of the participants.

Execution of this Phase 2b study will be funded by BARDA through the RRPV.

About Vaxart Vaxart is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a range of oral recombinant vaccines based on its proprietary delivery platform. Vaxart vaccines are designed to be administered using pills that can be stored and shipped without refrigeration and eliminate the risk of needle-stick injury. Vaxart believes that its proprietary pill vaccine delivery platform is suitable to deliver recombinant vaccines, positioning the company to develop oral versions of currently marketed vaccines and to design recombinant vaccines for new indications. Vaxarts development programs currently include pill vaccines designed to protect against coronavirus, norovirus and influenza, as well as a therapeutic vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), Vaxarts first immune-oncology indication. Vaxart has filed broad domestic and international patent applications covering its proprietary technology and creations for oral vaccination using adenovirus and TLR3 agonists.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding Vaxart's strategy, prospects, plans and objectives, receipt of funding from BARDA for the Phase 2b study, results from preclinical and clinical trials and the timing of such trials and results, commercialization agreements and licenses, and beliefs and expectations of management are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as "should," "believe," "could," "potential," "will," "expected," anticipate, "plan," and other words and terms of similar meaning. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Vaxarts receipt of funding from BARDA for the Phase 2b study (or for any other purpose), Vaxart's ability to develop and commercialize its product candidates, including its vaccine booster products; Vaxart's expectations regarding clinical results and trial data, and the timing of receiving and reporting such clinical results and trial data; Vaxarts expectations regarding timing of enrollment in studies; and Vaxart's expectations with respect to the effectiveness of its product candidates. Vaxart may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions, or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions, expectations, and projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that Vaxart makes, including uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement, and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates, and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from the clinical studies; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, and safety that could affect the availability or commercial potential of any product candidate, including the possibility that Vaxart's product candidates may not be approved by the FDA or non-U.S. regulatory authorities; that, even if approved by the FDA or non-U.S. regulatory authorities, Vaxart's product candidates may not achieve broad market acceptance; that a Vaxart collaborator may not attain development and commercial milestones; that Vaxart or its partners may experience manufacturing issues and delays due to events within, or outside of, Vaxart's or its partners' control; difficulties in production, particularly in scaling up initial production, including difficulties with production costs and yields, quality control, including stability of the product candidate and quality assurance testing, shortages of qualified personnel or key raw materials, and compliance with strictly enforced federal, state, and foreign regulations; that Vaxart may not be able to obtain, maintain, and enforce necessary patent and other intellectual property protection; that Vaxart's capital resources may be inadequate; Vaxart's ability to resolve pending legal matters; Vaxart's ability to obtain sufficient capital to fund its operations on terms acceptable to Vaxart, if at all; the impact of government healthcare proposals and policies; competitive factors; and other risks described in the "Risk Factors" sections of Vaxart's Quarterly and Annual Reports filed with the SEC. Vaxart does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

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Vaxart Receives BARDA-Funded Project NextGen Award Valued Up to $453 Million to Conduct a Phase 2b Study ... - GlobeNewswire

Study: Previous COVID-19 infection may protect against common colds – University of Minnesota Twin Cities

June 14, 2024

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Patients who received one or more COVID-19 vaccine doses after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) had similar rates of all-cause death, heart attack, stroke, urgent coronary revascularization, major cardiovascular events, and hospitalization for chest pain, heart failure, and respiratory infections as their unvaccinated peers, according to a secondaryanalysis of a randomized clinical trial.

The research was published inJAMA Network Open.

An international team led by researchers from Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo, Brazil, analyzed results from the Vaccination Against Influenza to Prevent Cardiovascular Events After Acute Coronary Syndromes trial.

The trial evaluated the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine post-ACS from July 2019 to November 2020, while the secondary analysis compared the rate of cardiopulmonary events in patients who received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Brazil with that of unvaccinated participants. Patients were not randomized to the COVID vaccine in the secondary analysis.

In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial, patients who received at least 1 COVID-19 vaccine dose after ACS had similar rates of the primary composite end point and MACE compared with unvaccinated patients.

Of 1,801 patients (median age, 56.7 years; 30.3% women), 16.2% had a history of heart attack, and 35.7% smoked. In total, 1,665 patients did not have cardiopulmonary events in the first 90 days, of whom 50.2% had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Most (63.9%) received at least one Oxford/AstraZeneca dose during follow-up.

In the 90-day event-free follow-up analysis of unvaccinated individuals, the rate of all-cause death, heart attack, stroke, urgent coronary revascularization, major cardiovascular events, and hospitalization for chest pain, heart failure, and respiratory infections per 100 patient-years was 9.37, versus 4.81 for vaccinated patients (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.41).

Vaccination didn't significantly lower the rate ofMACE (aHR, 0.32), all-cause death (aHR, 0.29), or cardiovascular death (aHR, 0.42).

"In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial, patients who received at least 1 COVID-19 vaccine dose after ACS had similar rates of the primary composite end point and MACE compared with unvaccinated patients," the researchers wrote. "However, retrospective studies have demonstrated a short-term reduction in MACE risk after COVID-19 vaccination."

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Study: Previous COVID-19 infection may protect against common colds - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Here to help: How to manage COVID this summer – The Seattle Times

June 14, 2024

As new variants of the coronavirus continue to gain traction, doctors and researchers are bracing for a potential rise in cases this summer. Heres what to know about symptoms, testing and treatment if you fall ill.

WATCH OUT FOR THE USUAL SYMPTOMS.

Theres no evidence that symptoms of the new dominant COVID variants, KP.3 and KP.2, which account for nearly half of all cases, are any different from other recent strains of the virus, said Aubree Gordon, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Michigan. The symptoms include sneezing, congestion, headaches, sore muscles, nausea or vomiting. Many people also report exhaustion and a blah feeling.

In general, the more immunity youve built up from vaccination or past infections, the milder your next bout with the virus is likely to be. (Though its possible to experience more intense symptoms.)

GET TESTED.

In an ideal world, experts said, people would take a COVID test as soon as they develop symptoms or learn they were exposed, and then test again a day or two later.

If you have other symptoms but few at-home rapid tests on hand, you may want to wait a few days to test, to reduce the chance of a false negative. If youve had symptoms for more than three days but are still testing negative, its unlikely youll ever test positive on an at-home test, Dr. Gordon said either because you do not have COVID, or because you are shedding amounts of the virus that are too low for a rapid test to pick up.

CONSIDER MEDICATIONS TO PREVENT AND TREAT COVID.

People age 12 and older who have tested positive can take Paxlovid within five days of developing symptoms. The medication halts the virus from replicating in the body and lowers the risk of death for people who are more vulnerable to severe disease. There is no evidence that Paxlovid is less effective against the current leading variants than previous strains of the virus, experts said. Scientists are still debating whether Paxlovid can reduce the risk of developing long COVID.

Doctors advise resting as much as possible while sick. Some people like to take long walks, said Dr. Davey Smith, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Diego. I just stay in bed and read a book. Basically, you just suffer through it.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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Here to help: How to manage COVID this summer - The Seattle Times

Knowledge a factor in closing Black-white COVID-19 vaccination gap | Penn Today – Penn Today

June 14, 2024

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Americans were more hesitant to take the COVID vaccine than were White Americans. As the pandemic went on, however, the disparity in vaccination rates between Black and White adults declined. In a paper titled What Caused the Narrowing of Black-White COVID-19 Vaccination Disparity in the US? A Test of 5 Hypotheses, published in the current issue of the Journal of Health Communication, researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) assessed explanations for the positive change.

Using April 2021 to July 2022 data from the Annenberg Science and Public Health (ASAPH) survey, a national panel of over 1,800 U.S. adults, a team led by APPC research director Dan Romer assessed potential explanations, including: increased trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to pro-vaccination messages in the media, awareness of COVID-inflicted deaths among personal contacts, and improved access to vaccines. None of these factors explained the decline in disparity, however. Only increased knowledge about COVID-19 vaccination made a difference. Knowledge about the COVID vaccine among Black Americans increased over time, and this increase was associated with their receipt of the vaccine.

Black Americans became less skeptical of the safety and efficacy of the vaccine as time proceeded, which appeared in our data to be an important contributor to increased vaccination rates among them, says Romer.

In the initial wave of the survey, in April 2021, Black respondents were more likely to believe various forms of misinformation about COVID vaccines, such as that the vaccines are responsible for thousands of deaths and that the vaccines can change someones DNA. By the end of the survey period, knowledge about the vaccine among Black Americans had increased significantly.

Read more at Annenberg Public Policy Center.

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Knowledge a factor in closing Black-white COVID-19 vaccination gap | Penn Today - Penn Today

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