Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

Ruth Link-Gelles, PhD1; Elizabeth A.K. Rowley, DrPH2; Malini B. DeSilva, MD3; Kristin Dascomb, MD, PhD4; Stephanie A. Irving, MHS5; Nicola P. Klein, MD, PhD6; Shaun J. Grannis, MD7,8; Toan C. Ong, PhD9; Zachary A. Weber, PhD2; Katherine E. Fleming-Dutra, MD1; Charlene E. McEvoy, MD3; Omobosola Akinsete, MBBS3; Daniel Bride, MS10; Tamara Sheffield, MD11; Allison L. Naleway, PhD5; Ousseny Zerbo, PhD6; Bruce Fireman6; John Hansen, MPH6; Kristin Goddard, MPH6; Brian E. Dixon, PhD7,12; Colin Rogerson, MD7,13; William F. Fadel, PhD7,14; Thomas Duszynski, PhD7,15; Suchitra Rao, MBBS9; Michelle A. Barron, MD9; Sarah E. Reese, PhD2; Sarah W. Ball, ScD2; Margaret M. Dunne, MSc2; Karthik Natarajan, PhD16; Erica Okwuazi, MSc1,17; Ami B. Shah, MPH1,17; Ryan Wiegand, PhD1; Mark W. Tenforde, MD, PhD18; Amanda B. Payne, PhD1 (View author affiliations)

What is already known about this topic?

In September 2023, CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended updated 20232024 (monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 vaccination for all persons aged 6 months to prevent COVID-19, including severe disease, with optional additional doses for persons with immunocompromising conditions; such persons are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and might also have reduced immune responses to vaccination.

What is added by this report?

Among adults aged 18 years with immunocompromising conditions, receipt of an updated COVID-19 vaccine provided increased protection against COVID-19associated hospitalizations compared with not receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Few persons (18%) in this high-risk study population had received updated COVID-19 vaccine.

What are the implications for public health practice?

All persons with immunocompromising conditions should receive updated COVID-19 vaccination and may get additional updated COVID-19 vaccine doses 2 months after the last recommended COVID-19 vaccine.

In September 2023, CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended updated 20232024 (monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 vaccination for all persons aged 6 months to prevent COVID-19, including severe disease. As with past COVID-19 vaccines, additional doses may be considered for persons with immunocompromising conditions, who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and might have decreased response to vaccination. In this analysis, vaccine effectiveness (VE) of an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose against COVID-19associated hospitalization was evaluated during September 2023February 2024 using data from the VISION VE network. Among adults aged 18 years with immunocompromising conditions, VE against COVID-19associated hospitalization was 38% in the 759 days after receipt of an updated vaccine dose and 34% in the 60119 days after receipt of an updated dose. Few persons (18%) in this high-risk study population had received updated COVID-19 vaccine. All persons aged 6 months should receive updated 20232024 COVID-19 vaccination; persons with immunocompromising conditions may get additional updated COVID-19 vaccine doses 2 months after the last recommended COVID-19 vaccine.

On September 12, 2023, CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended updated 20232024 COVID-19 vaccination with a monovalent XBB.1.5derived vaccine for all persons aged 6 months to prevent COVID-19, including severe disease (1). Most persons aged 5 years are recommended to receive 1 updated dose. Persons with moderate or severe immunocompromising conditions, who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and might have a decreased response to vaccination, have the option to receive additional doses, guided by the clinical judgment of a health care provider and personal preference and circumstances* (2). Understanding vaccine effectiveness (VE) among persons with immunocompromising conditions is important to guiding vaccine policy and patient and provider decisions. This analysis estimated effectiveness of updated 20232024 COVID-19 vaccines against COVID-19associated hospitalizations among adults aged 18 years with immunocompromising conditions during September 2023February 2024.

Methods for Virtual SARS-CoV-2, Influenza, and Other respiratory viruses Network (VISION) VE analyses have been reported (3). VISION is a multisite electronic health care records (EHR)based network that utilizes a test-negative design to estimate COVID-19 VE. This analysis included hospitalizations among adults aged 18 years with immunocompromising conditions and who had COVID-19like illness with SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing during the 10 days preceding admission or up to 72 hours after admission. Case-patients were persons who received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result using a molecular test and received a negative or indeterminate or had an unknown test result for both respiratory syncytial virus and influenza, and control patients were those who received a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result using a molecular test and received a negative influenza test result or had an unknown influenza test result. Nine persons who received >1 updated COVID-19 vaccine dose were included.** Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were estimated using multivariable logistic regression comparing persons who received an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose with those who did not, irrespective of the number of previous original or bivalent COVID-19 vaccine doses received (if any), among case- and control patients. Regression models were adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, calendar time, and geographic region. VE was calculated as (1 adjusted OR) 100%. Analyses were conducted using R software (version 4.3.2; R Foundation). This activity was reviewed by CDC, deemed not research, and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy. VISION activities were reviewed and approved by the Westat and site institutional review boards.

Among 14,586 patients with immunocompromising conditions who were hospitalized with COVID-19like illness, 1,392 case-patients and 13,194 control patients were included (Table 1). The most common immunocompromising conditions among both case-patients and control patients were solid organ malignancy (36% and 43%, respectively) and other intrinsic immune conditions or immunodeficiency (38% and 35%, respectively). A total of 195 (14%) case-patients had received an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose compared with 2,401 (18%) control patients. VE against COVID-19associated hospitalization was 38% in the first 759 days after receipt of an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose and 34% in the 60119 days after receipt of an updated dose (Table 2).

In this multisite analysis among adults with immunocompromising conditions during September 2023February 2024, receiving an updated 20232024 COVID-19 vaccine dose provided additional protection against COVID-19associated hospitalizations, compared with not receiving an updated vaccine dose. Effectiveness estimates in this report were slightly lower than those in a recently published analysis from VISION and another CDC VE network showing COVID-19 VE against COVID-19-associated hospitalizations in adults without immunocompromising conditions was approximately 50%, but this report includes the analysis of an additional month of data compared with the previous report (3). However, lower COVID-19 VE among adults with immunocompromising conditions compared with adults without immunocompromising conditions has been previously reported (4,5); persons with moderate or severe immunocompromising conditions are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and might have decreased response to vaccination (2).

Relatively few persons in this analysis had received an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose, despite those with immunocompromising conditions being at higher risk for severe COVID-19. For example, among those with an organ or stem cell transplant, a group known to be at particularly high risk for severe COVID-19 (6), only 18% had received an updated dose, representing a missed opportunity to prevent severe COVID-19.

The findings in this report are subject to at least two limitations. First, the use of selected discharge diagnoses as surrogates for presumed immunocompromise status and the absence of medication and other relevant data might have led to misclassification of immunocompromise status, which might have biased estimated VE in either direction. Second, immunocompromising conditions are heterogeneous and likely to create differential risk for severe COVID-19, as well as differential response to vaccination (2). This analysis did not have statistical power to estimate VE by individual risk group or for those receiving more than one dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine; however, CDC will continue to monitor VE in these groups. In addition, this analysis is subject to limitations similar to those in previous VISION VE analyses, including the potential that case-patients might have been hospitalized for reasons other than COVID-19, potential misclassification of vaccination status, no accounting for previous infection status, and potential residual confounding (3).

Receipt of an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose provided increased protection against COVID-19associated hospitalization among adults with immunocompromising conditions compared with no receipt of an updated dose. CDC will continue to monitor VE of updated COVID-19 vaccines in populations at high risk, including those with immunocompromising conditions. All persons aged 6 months should receive updated 20232024 COVID-19 vaccination; persons with immunocompromising conditions may get additional updated COVID-19 vaccine doses 2 months after the last recommended COVID-19 vaccine.

Allison Ciesla, Monica Dickerson, Josephine Mak, Abby L. Martin, Morgan Najdowski, Caitlin Ray, Emily Reeves, Ralph D. Whitehead, Jr., CDC.

1Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC; 2Westat, Rockville, Maryland; 3HealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota; 4Division of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Epidemiology, Intermountain Health, Salt Lake City, Utah; 5Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, Oregon; 6Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California; 7Center for Biomedical Informatics, Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana; 8Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; 9School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado; 10Enterprise Analytics, Intermountain Health, Salt Lake City, Utah; 11Immunization Programs, Intermountain Health, Salt Lake City, Utah; 12Department of Health Policy and Management, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; 13Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; 14Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; 15Department of Epidemiology, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; 16Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; 17General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, Virginia; 18Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC.

Abbreviations: ICU=intensive care unit; KPNC=Kaiser Permanente Northern California; KPNW=Kaiser Permanente Northwest; NA = not applicable; SMD=standardized mean or proportion difference; VISION=Virtual SARS-CoV-2, Influenza, and Other respiratory viruses Network. * Patient received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result using a molecular test and received a negative or indeterminate test result or had an unknown test result for both respiratory syncytial virus and influenza. Patient received a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result using a molecular test and received a negative influenza test result or had an unknown influenza test result. A larger SMD indicates a larger difference in variable distributions between hospitalizations for vaccinated versus unvaccinated patients, or for patients who received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result versus patients who received a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result. For mRNA COVID-19 vaccination status, a single SMD was calculated by averaging the absolute SMDs obtained from pairwise comparisons of each vaccinated category versus unvaccinated. Specifically, SMD was calculated as the average of the absolute value of the SMDs for 1) updated dose, 759 days earlier versus no updated dose; and 2) updated dose, 60119 days earlier versus no updated dose. The no updated dose group included all eligible persons who did not receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose, regardless of number of previous (i.e., original monovalent and bivalent) doses (if any) received. ** Date ranges of hospitalizations by site: HealthPartners (September 21, 2023February 17, 2024), Intermountain Health (September 21, 2023February 17, 2024), KPNC (September 21, 2023February 17, 2024), KPNW (September 21, 2023February 17, 2024), Regenstrief Institute (September 21, 2023February 13, 2024), and University of Colorado (September 21, 2023February 4, 2024). Other, non-Hispanic race persons reporting non-Hispanic ethnicity and any of the following options for race: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, other races not listed, and multiple races; because of small numbers, these categories were combined. Unknown includes persons with missing race and ethnicity in their electronic health records. Underlying condition categories included pulmonary, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, musculoskeletal, neurologic, hematologic, endocrine, renal, and gastrointestinal. All persons in the analysis had one or more immunocompromising condition. *** Chronic respiratory condition was defined using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision discharge codes for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, or other lung disease. Persons included in the analysis might have one or more immunocompromising conditions; therefore, column totals might add to more than 100%. In-hospital death was defined as death while hospitalized within 28 days after admission. The JN.1 predominant period was considered to have started December 24, 2023.

Abbreviations: Ref=referent group; VE=vaccine effectiveness; VISION=Virtual SARS-CoV-2, Influenza, and Other respiratory viruses Network. * VE was calculated as (1 odds ratio) 100%, with odds ratios calculated using logistic regression. The odds ratio was adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, geographic region, and calendar time (days since January 1, 2021). The no updated dose group included all eligible persons who did not receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose, regardless of number of previous (i.e., original monovalent and bivalent) doses (if any) received.

Suggested citation for this article: Link-Gelles R, Rowley EA, DeSilva MB, et al. Interim Effectiveness of Updated 20232024 (Monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 Vaccines Against COVID-19Associated Hospitalization Among Adults Aged 18 Years with Immunocompromising Conditions VISION Network, September 2023February 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:271276. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7312a5.

MMWR and Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report are service marks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of the date of publication.

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Interim Effectiveness of Updated 20232024 (Monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 Vaccines Against COVID-19Associated ... - CDC

GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a global company advancing protein-based vaccines with its Matrix-M adjuvant, will showcase continued progress on data from its updated COVID-19 vaccine (NVX-CoV2601) and provide an overview of its influenza and COVID-19-Influenza Combination (CIC) vaccine candidates at theWorld Vaccine Congress 2024(WVC) inWashington, DC,April 2 to 4, 2024.

New data from Novavax's ongoing research on its updated XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine in participants who previously received an mRNA vaccine showed robust neutralizing antibody titers for the XBB.1.5 subvariant as well as for the currently circulating JN.1 subvariant. Data also showed that the vaccine's safety and reactogenicity profile was consistent with its prototype vaccine (NVX-CoV2373).

Differencesobserved in immunoglobulin (IgG) subclass responses and Fc-mediated effector functions following mRNA and protein-based COVID-19 vaccinations will be shared.

Novavax will also discuss its influenza and CIC vaccine candidates, including a recap of data to date and the timeline for the Phase 3 trial anticipated to start during the second half of 2024.

Dr. Robert Walker, Chief Medical Officer, Novavax, will participate in a panel discussion on The Future of COVID-19 Vaccinations on April 3, exploring the benefits of developing broadly protective antigens or combination vaccines.

Novavax presentations during WVC:

Mallory, R

Safety and Immunogenicity of the Novavax XBB.1.5 SARS- CoV-2 Vaccine in Previously mRNA Vaccinated Participants

Oral Presentation

April 3, 2024

10:10am (EDT)

Kalkeri, R

Distinct Differences in IgG4 switch and Fc effector functions between mRNA and Novavax protein-based COVID Vaccination

Oral Presentation

April 3, 2024

10:25am (EDT)

Mallory, R

Update on Novavax influenza and COVID- influenza combination vaccine

Oral Presentation

April 3, 2024

2:40pm (EDT)

About Novavax Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) promotes improved health by discovering,developing and commercializing innovative vaccines to help protect against serious infectious diseases. Novavax, a global company based inGaithersburg, Md., U.S., offers a differentiated vaccine platform that combines a recombinant protein approach, innovative nanoparticle technology and Novavax's patented Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response. The Company's portfolio includes its COVID-19 vaccine and its pipeline includes a vaccine for COVID-19 and influenza combined. In addition, Novavax's adjuvant is included in the University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India's R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine. Please visit novavax.comand LinkedInfor more information.

Contacts: Investors Erika Schultz 240-268-2022 [emailprotected]

Media Ali Chartan 240-720-7804 [emailprotected]

SOURCE NOVAVAX, INC

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Novavax Presents Data on Updated COVID-19 Vaccine and Progress to Date on its COVID-19-Influenza Combination ... - Novavax Investor Relations

The following is a summary of Increased Risk of Thyroid Eye Disease Following Covid-19 Vaccination, published in the February 2024 issue of Endocrinology by Muller, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to analyze the risk of thyroid eye disease (TED) following COVID-19 vaccination, considering the potential association between SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 vaccines, and thyroid disorders.

The self-controlled case series study was conducted at a tertiary referral center specializing in TED. A total of 98 consecutive patients with newly developed (n = 92) or reactivated (n = 6) TED between January 1, 2021, and August 31, 2022, were included. TED occurrence was assessed in patients who underwent COVID-19 vaccination. Person-days were categorized as exposed if TED manifested 1 to 28 days after vaccination and unexposed if occurring outside this timeframe. Conditional Poisson regression models were employed to calculate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and corresponding 95% CI comparing exposed vs unexposed periods. Sensitivity analyses were conducted considering different exposed periods and exploring effect modification by potential TED risk factors.

Among 81 individuals who received COVID-19 vaccines, 25 (31%) developed TED during exposed periods, compared to 56 (69%) during unexposed periods. The IRR for TED was 3.24 (95% CI 2.01-5.20); among patients below 50 years of age, the IRR was 4.70 (95% CI 2.39-9.23). The association between TED and vaccination was not modified by sex, smoking status, or radioiodine treatment. TED risk was not associated with the number of vaccine doses and showed a decreasing trend following vaccination (P trend = .03).

The study found a significant increase in TED risk following COVID-19 vaccination, particularly among individuals below 50 years of age. Possible mechanisms for this association include spike protein interaction with the angiotensin-converting enzyme II receptor, cross-reactivity with thyroid self-proteins, and immune reactions induced by adjuvants. The findings suggest the importance of monitoring individuals undergoing COVID-19 vaccination, especially those young and at risk for autoimmunity.

Reference: academic.oup.com/jcem/article/109/2/516/7250476

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Elevated Risk of TED After COVID-19 Vaccination - Physician's Weekly

By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu, PolitiFact April 1, 2024

From spring break parties to Mardi Gras, many people remember the last major normal thing they did before the novel coronavirus pandemic dawned, forcing governments worldwide to issue stay-at-home advisories and shutdowns.

Even before the first case of covid-19 was detected in the U.S., fears and uncertainties helped spur misinformations rapid spread. In March 2020, schools closed, employers sent staff to work from home, and grocery stores called for physical distancing to keep people safe. But little halted the flow of misleading claims that sent fact-checkers and public health officials into overdrive.Some peoplefalselyasserted covids symptoms were associated with 5G wireless technology. Faux cures anduntested treatmentspopulated social media and political discourse. Amid uncertainty about the viruss origins, some people proclaimedcovid didnt exist at all. PolitiFact named downplay and denial about the virus its2020 Lie of the Year.

Four years later, peoples lives are largely free of the extreme public health measures that restricted them early in the pandemic. But covid misinformation persists, although its now centered mostly on vaccines and vaccine-related conspiracy theories.

PolitiFact has publishedmore than 2,000 fact checksrelated to covid vaccines alone.

From a misinformation researcher perspective, [there has been] shifting levels of trust, said Tara Kirk Sell, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Early on in the pandemic, there was a lot of: This isnt real, fake cures, and then later on, we see more vaccine-focused mis- and disinformation and a more partisan type of disinformation and misinformation.

Here are some of the most persistent covid misinformation narratives we see today:

A Loss of Trust in the Vaccines

Covid vaccines were quickly developed, with U.S. patients receiving the first shots in December 2020, 11 months after the first domestic case was detected.

Experts credit the speedy development with helping tosave millions of livesand preventing hospitalizations. Researchers at the University of Southern California and Brown University calculated thatvaccines saved 2.4 million livesin 141 countries starting from the vaccines rollout through August 2021 alone. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows there were 1,164 U.S. deaths provisionallyattributed to covidthe week of March 2, down from nearly 26,000 at the pandemics height in January 2021, as vaccines were just rolling out.

But on social media and in some public officials remarks, misinformation about covid vaccine efficacy and safety is common.U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has built his 2024 campaign on a movement that seeks to legitimize conspiracy theories about the vaccines. PolitiFact made that its 2023 Lie of the Year.

PolitiFact has seen claims that spike proteins from vaccines arereplacing spermin vaccinated males. (Thatsfalse.) Weve researched the assertion that vaccines can change your DNA. (Thatsmisleading and ignores evidence). Social media posts poked fun at Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce for encouraging people to get vaccinated, asserting that the vaccine actually shuts off recipients hearts. (No, it doesnt.)And some people pointed to an American Red Cross blood donation questionnaire as evidence that shots are unsafe.(PolitiFact rated that False.)

Experts say this misinformation has real-world effects.

A September 2023 survey byKFF found that 57% of Americanssay they are very or somewhat confident in covid vaccines. And those who distrust them are more likely to identify as politically conservative: Thirty-six percent of Republicans compared with 84% of Democrats say they are very or somewhat confident in the vaccine.

Immunization rates for routine vaccines for other conditions have also taken a hit. Measles had been eradicated for more than 20 years in the U.S. but there have been recent outbreaks instates including Florida,Maryland, and Ohio. Floridas surgeon general has expressedskepticismabout vaccines andrejectedguidancefrom the CDC about how to contain potentially deadly disease spread.

The vaccination rate among kindergartners has declined from 95% in the 2019-20 school year to 93% in 2022-23, according to theCDC. Public health officials have set a 95% vaccination rate target to prevent and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks. The CDC also foundexemptions had risen to 3%, the highest rate ever recordedin the U.S.

Unsubstantiated Claims That Vaccines Cause Deaths or Other Illness

PolitiFact has seen repeated and unsubstantiatedclaims that covid vaccines have caused mass numbers of deaths.

A recent widely shared post claimed17 million people had diedbecause of the vaccine, despite contrary evidence from multiple studies and institutions such as the World Health Organization and CDC that the vaccines are safe and help to prevent severe illness and death.

Another online post claimed the booster vaccine hadeight strains of HIVand would kill 23% of the population. Vaccine manufacturers publish theingredient lists; they do not include HIV. People living with HIV were among the peoplegiven priority accessduring early vaccine rollout to protect them from severe illness.

Covid vaccines also have been blamed forcausing Alzheimersandcancer. Experts have found no evidence the vaccines cause either conditions.

You had this remarkable scientific or medical accomplishment contrasted with this remarkable rejection of that technology by a significant portion of the American public, said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.

More than three years after vaccines became available, about 70% of Americans have completed a primary series of covid vaccination,according to CDC figures. About 17% have gotten the most recentbivalent booster.

False claimsoften pullfrom and misuse datafrom theVaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. The database, run by the CDC and the FDA, allows anybody to report reactions after any vaccine. The reports themselves are unverified, but the database is designed to help researchers find patterns for further investigation.

AnOctober 2023 surveypublished in November by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania found 63% of Americans think it is safer to get the covid-19 vaccine than the covid-19 disease that was down from 75% in April 2021.

Celebrity Deaths Falsely Attributed to Vaccines

Betty White, Bob Saget,Matthew Perry, andDMXare just a few of the many celebrities whose deaths were falsely linked to the vaccine. The anti-vaccine filmDied Suddenly tried to give credence to false claims that the vaccine causes people to die shortly after receiving it.

Cline Gounder, editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News and an infectious disease specialist, said these claims proliferate because of two things:cognitive bias and more insidious motivated reasoning.

Its like saying I had an ice cream cone and then I died the next day; the ice cream must have killed me, she said. And those with preexisting beliefs about the vaccine seek to attach sudden deaths to the vaccine.

Gounder experienced thispersonally when her husband, the celebrated sports journalist Grant Wahl, died while covering the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Wahl died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm but anti-vaccine accounts falsely linked his death to a covid vaccine, forcing Gounder topubliclyset the record straight.

It is very clear that this is about harming other people, said Gounder, who was aguestat United Facts of America in 2023. And in this case, trying to harm me and my family at a point where we were grieving my husbands loss. What was important in that moment was to really stand up for my husband, his legacy, and to do what I know he would have wanted me to do, which is to speak the truth and to do so very publicly.

Out-of-Control Claims About Government Control

False claims that thepandemic was plannedby government leaders and those in power abound.

At any given moment, Microsoft Corp. co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, World Economic Forum head Klaus Schwab, or Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, are blamed for orchestrating pandemic-related threats.In November, Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) falsely claimed Fauci brought the virus to his state ayear before the pandemic.There isno evidenceof that. Gates, according to the narratives, is using dangerous vaccines to push a depopulation agenda. Thatsfalse. And Schwab has not said he has an agenda to establish a totalitarian global regime using the coronavirus to depopulate the Earth and reorganize society. Thats part of aconspiracy theorythats come to be calledThe Great Resetthat has beendebunkedmanytimes.

The United Nations World Health Organization is frequently painted as a global force for evil, too, with detractors saying it is using vaccination to control or harm people. But the WHO has not declared thata new pandemicis happening, as some have claimed. Its current pandemic preparedness treaty is in no way positioned to remove human rights protections or restrict freedoms, asone post said. And the organization has not announced plans to deploy troops to corral people andforcibly vaccinate them. The WHO is, however, working on a new treaty to help countries improve coordination in response to future pandemics.

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You must credit us as the original publisher, with a hyperlink to our kffhealthnews.org site. If possible, please include the original author(s) and KFF Health News in the byline. Please preserve the hyperlinks in the story.

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Four Years After Shelter-in-Place, Covid-19 Misinformation Persists - Kaiser Health News

PADUCAH, KY In a move heralded by administrators as an essential investment in human capital and institutional sustainability, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Board of Regents approved an annual budget just shy of one billion dollars, featuring a $2,000 salary raise for full-time staff and a modest tuition hike for students, Kentucky Todays Tom Latek reports.

The decision, which was reached during an intensive two-day session at the West Kentucky Community and Technical College, was met with a measure of jubilation among the college systems faculty and staff. The new budget, slated for the fiscal year 2023-2024, stands at a formidable $992,588,400.

KCTCS Interim President Larry Ferguson extolled the boards decision. A sustainable investment in our workforce is important, Ferguson said. Their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence are the driving forces behind our success as a community college system.

This salary increment marks the second consecutive year that the board has moved to increase base pay, indicative of an unwavering commitment to faculty and staff, who are seen as the backbone of the institution.

However, this budget also signals an increase in tuition fees, albeit modest. The board unanimously decided to increase tuition by $4 per credit hour across all KCTCS colleges. This puts in-state tuition at $186 per credit hour, while out-of-state students will need to budget $250 per credit hour. Notably, despite this augmentation, KCTCS tuition still undercuts other Kentucky institutions and is about half the cost of university tuition in the state.

Additionally, the Regents gave their nod to the initial recommendations from a sweeping study conducted by Huron Consulting Group. The study, which was commissioned last year, scrutinizes a wide spectrum of the institutions business practices.

Hurons preliminary recommendations are based on an amalgam of priorities, including space utilization, academic program optimization, and financial and organizational assessments.

James Stevens, Chair of the Board of Regents, put the decision in perspective, considering KCTCSs milestone 25th anniversary. Taking a detailed look at how we are currently conducting business and making some necessary adjustments is the only way forward towards those next twenty-five years, he remarked.

A more comprehensive report delineating Hurons findings and recommendations will be published in the near future.

KCTCS, a colossus in Kentuckys higher education landscape with 16 colleges under its aegis, caters to nearly 100,000 students each academic year. This budget, a testament to its growth and commitment to quality education, highlights the pivotal role KCTCS plays in the broader educational ecosystem in Kentucky.

Educators, students, and stakeholders will be watching keenly as KCTCS embarks on the implementation of this ambitious budget and the possible reverberations across the state and beyond.

Photo credit: KCTCS

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State House kills bill that would have banned Covid-19 vaccine mandates, after it takes a fast, unusual tr ... - The Lexington Times

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024 Neph Rivera : contact

Four years after COVID-19 began to spread worldwide, a University of Texas at Arlington social worker says work still needs to be done to address the importance of getting vaccinated.

Research led by Hui Huang, associate professor in the School of Social Work, shows some apprehension remains among pregnant woman in getting vaccinated against the virus. The findings are published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Huang and her colleagues took an innovative approach in gathering feedback from pregnant women by partnering with the app Count the Kicks to analyze pregnancy survey results from women who had recently given birth. For the study, the team took a close look at responses regarding beliefs and behaviors related to COVID-19 vaccinations and found about two-thirds of respondents had been vaccinated.

Previous studies focused on asking for patients willingness to get the vaccine but did not explore if they actually received it, Huang said. This was one innovative aspect of our work.

In addition, the findings revealed no relationship between vaccination and birth outcome, reinforcing the scientific communitys belief that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for expecting moms.

When those who were not vaccinated were asked why, their primary concerns were safety of their unborn child, lack of trust in the vaccine and a concern over side effects. Results also revealed that vaccination rates are lower among African American mothers. Huang suspects, based on empirical evidence from other studies, that this is due to a feeling of distrust that some in the African American community have toward the medical system.

They have historical trauma with the medical system due to unethical research and medical practice done to the community, she said. Another concern is social media misinformation. Those concerns could be among the reasons why minority groups are more hesitant to get vaccinated.

Huang says a team effort is still needed to not just stress the importance of the vaccine and the fact that it is safe, but also to increase its accessibility in all communities.

We need to get the information out there, she said. We can do this, for example, through public awareness campaigns engaging trusted spokespersons, especially those from minority populations who can demonstrate the vaccine is safe to take.

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UTA study: Vaccination mistrust still widespread - News Center - The University of Texas at Arlington - uta.edu

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Novavax , Inc. (NASDAQ:), a biotechnology company specializing in protein-based vaccines, announced its recent findings on an updated COVID-19 vaccine and the development of its influenza and COVID-19-Influenza Combination (CIC) vaccine candidates at the World Vaccine Congress in Washington, DC, which will take place from April 2 to 4, 2024.

The company shared new data from its ongoing research on the updated XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine, NVX-CoV2601, in participants who had previously received mRNA vaccines. The findings indicated that the updated vaccine elicited strong neutralizing antibody responses against the XBB.1.5 subvariant and the currently circulating JN.1 subvariant.

Additionally, the safety and reactogenicity profile of NVX-CoV2601 was consistent with Novavax's original COVID-19 vaccine, NVX-CoV2373.

Novavax also highlighted differences in immunoglobulin (IgG) subclass responses and Fc-mediated effector functions observed between mRNA and protein-based COVID-19 vaccines. These details will be further discussed during the congress presentations.

The timeline for the Phase 3 trial of Novavax's influenza and CIC vaccine candidates is set to begin in the second half of 2024. The company will recap data to date and provide an overview of these vaccine candidates during the event.

Dr. Robert Walker, Chief Medical Officer at Novavax, is scheduled to contribute to a panel discussion titled "The Future of COVID-19 Vaccinations" on April 3. The panel will explore the development of broadly protective antigens and combination vaccines.

The presentations by Novavax at the World Vaccine Congress will include safety and immunogenicity of the Novavax XBB.1.5 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, distinct differences in IgG4 switch and Fc effector functions between mRNA and Novavax protein-based COVID vaccination, and updates on the company's influenza and COVID-influenza combination vaccine.

Novavax's vaccine platform combines recombinant protein technology, nanoparticle technology, and its patented Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance immune responses. The company's product portfolio includes a COVID-19 vaccine, and its pipeline features a combination vaccine for COVID-19 and influenza. Novavax's adjuvant is also part of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India.

This information is based on a press release statement from Novavax.

As Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX) continues to make strides in vaccine development, highlighted by their presentations at the World Vaccine Congress, the financial health and market performance of the company remain critical factors for investors.

With a market capitalization of $668.98 million, Novavax is navigating through a challenging period. The company's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q4 2023 stands at $983.71 million, yet it has experienced a significant revenue decline of 50.36% during the same period. This decline is mirrored in the quarterly figures, with an 18.48% drop in Q4 2023. These figures are crucial for investors to consider, as they reflect the company's current financial trajectory.

InvestingPro Tips reveal that Novavax holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, which is a positive sign of liquidity. However, the company is quickly burning through cash, which, coupled with the fact that it does not pay a dividend, may raise concerns about its cash flow sustainability. Analysts also point out that Novavax is expected to see a sales decline in the current year and do not anticipate the company will be profitable this year. These insights suggest that while Novavax is advancing scientifically, it faces financial challenges that investors should monitor closely.

For those interested in a deeper analysis, there are additional InvestingPro Tips available, which can be accessed through the InvestingPro platform. For instance, investors might find it noteworthy that Novavax is trading at a low revenue valuation multiple and that the stock price has been quite volatile. To gain access to these insights and more, use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription. Currently, there are 11 additional tips listed on InvestingPro that can provide further guidance for those evaluating Novavax's financial health and investment potential.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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Novavax reports progress on updated COVID-19 vaccine By Investing.com - Investing.com

The Louisiana House approves a bill that could result in fines of up to $50,000 on hospitals, public agencies, and other employers for mandating the COVID-19 vaccine. Bill sponsor, Monroe Representative Michael Echols

Theres government entities in south Louisiana, in particular around New Orleans requiring or mandating the vaccine. And then there are spotty instances across the state where businesses are still doing it. I think its an egregious overreach and thats why Im doing the bill.

Small businesses, defined by the SBA of 500 employees or less, who violate the ban would be fined $10 thousand dollars. Large businesses would face a $50 thousand fine.

If passed, Echols said the bill would empower the state Attorney Generals Office to investigate complaints about employers.

In the event that an employer or government entity was mandating a vaccine like COVID. The COVID vaccine in particular, they can investigate and penalize them if they did try to mandate that.

The bill also includes restrictions on mask mandates, prohibiting employers from enforcing them as a preventive measure against COVID-19.

Echols says the bills provisions reflect ongoing debates among his constituents. He says opponents advocate for public health measures. But he believes its about individual freedom.

I think its just the pendulum swinging back towards logic and reason to put the power back into peoples hands. If you want a vaccine then go get it, but a business or government can not force you to do it.

The bill heads to the Senate for discussion.

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House pass legislation that would impose fines of up to $50000 on businesses and government entities that mandate ... - Louisiana Radio Network

Republican voters are more likely than Democrats to report side effects after receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, a study has found.

Public health researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis published the findings Friday in JAMA Network Open. They compared state-level percentages of Republican votes in the 2020 presidential election to 620,456 reports of side effects after COVID-19 jabs, recorded in the Department of Health and Human Services Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System from 2020 to 2022.

The studyfound that a 10% increase in a states Republican voting numbers was associated with a 5% increase in the odds of a patient or doctor reporting vaccine side effects, a 25% increase in the odds of reporting a severe symptom and a 21% increase in the odds that anything reported would be severe.

According to the researchers, the study is the first to examine the link between voting patterns and reported side effects. They pointed to earlier data showing that counties that voted for former President Donald Trump in 2020 had lower COVID-19 vaccination rates and higher COVID-19 mortality rates.

These results suggest that either the perception of vaccine [side effects] or the motivation to report them was associated with political inclination, the researchers wrote.

For comparison, the study also analyzed 12,620 reports of adverse effects after flu vaccines recorded in the VAERS database between 2019 and 2022. It found that voting Republican in the 2020 presidential race made no difference to the odds of reporting side effects from a flu shot.

Reached for comment, some medical experts not connected with the study said it confirmed the influence of dueling political narratives about vaccination during the pandemic.

As there is no physiological plausibility to vaccine side effects tracking with political ideology, the study is an example of how the value of the vaccine, for some individuals, is not based on its biological characteristics but on what value the majority of the tribe they belong to assigns it, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Katy Talento, an epidemiologist who served as Mr. Trumps top health adviser at the White House Domestic Policy Council before the pandemic, noted that Biden administration policies forced many Trump voters to get COVID-19 shots to keep their jobs despite valid concerns about a lack of long-term research supporting them.

You dont see the same mass tyranny, coercion and public shaming of Trump voters around flu vaccines, Ms. Talento said. When youre getting a COVID vaccine you dont want to get, youre going to be more hyper-vigilant about its effects.

The authors of Fridays study said their findings were consistent with either an over-reporting of side effects among Democrats or an underreporting among Republicans. They noted the limitation of focusing only on state-level voting percentages.

Nevertheless, the only way the results might not support a relatively increased [adverse effect] reporting rate among individual Republican-voting citizens is if Republican-voting citizens were less likely to report but far more likely than Democrat-voting citizens to be vaccinated in the first place or if, as the proportion of Republican-voting citizens in a state increased, the reporting rates among the progressively fewer Democrat-voting citizens increased at an even steeper rate, the researchers wrote. Neither possibility seems likely.

For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.

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Full disclosure: GOP voters likelier than Dems to report side effects from COVID vaccines - Washington Times

Snow fell on Thursday, and so did Minnesotas COVID-19 vaccination rate.

The monthly vaccination rate data released Thursday, March 21 by the Minnesota Department of Health show only 12.5 percent of Minnesotans, including only 1 percent of those age 65 or older, are up to date on their COVID vaccines. This is down from the 21 percent up-to-date rate, including over 58 percent among the older adult crowd, released last month.

It is not that Minnesotans are somehow becoming unvaccinated. It is just that the departments latest vaccination rate data now considers the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) latest guidance on vaccination, issued on Feb. 28, recommending all adults ages 65 and older receive an additional doseof the version of the COVID-19 vaccine released early last fall.

The definition of up to date did not change for those younger than 65, and vaccination rates improved for that large age group but by less than one percentage point. Demand for the new version of COVID-19 vaccine continues to be tepid with less than 15 percent of any age group below age 50 in Minnesota receiving the shot to date.

According to the health departments new data, only 8,407 Minnesotans ages 65 or older had gotten their second dose of the new vaccine as of March 16. The effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination in protecting against severe illness and even death wanes over time. While fewer people are dying from COVID-19 than in the first three years of the pandemic, the state has reported 331 deaths at least partially due to COVID-19 so far in 2024, 308 of which have been among those ages 65 and older.

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continue to trend downward, now for the ninth consecutive week. The amount of COVID-19 measured in the states wastewater is also down by 20 percent in the most recent weekly comparison. According to data from the University of Minnesotas ongoing Wastewater Surveillance Study, levels are down in all but two regions of the state, Southwest and Northeast. Levels are also down in those regions looking back four weeks.

Hospital admissions due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are also down again in the most recent weeks data, but hospitalizations due to influenza ticked up again. Two hundred and six Minnesotans were admitted to the hospital with the flu during the latest week with complete data (ending March 2), nearly matching this seasons high of 297 admissions during Christmas week.

While measles cases continue to pop up in other parts of the country, the Minnesota Department of Health has not reported any new cases in the state for the past month.

According to self-reported data collected through the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse survey, 15 percent of Minnesota adults indicate they have experienced long COVID at some point in the past four years, including the six percent who are currently experiencing long COVID. Minnesotas rates are just slightly lower than those reported nationally.

Medical treatment for long COVID remains unclear, so the National Institutes of Health (NIH) generated some excitement last week by announcing the launch of two new clinical trials as a part of its larger on-going long COVID program dubbed RECOVER.

These trials specifically address post-COVID adults with postural orthostatic tachycardia (POTS), which is characterized by commonly experiencing unexpected fast heart rate, dizziness, fatigue or a combination of these symptoms when a person stands up from sitting or lying down.

Together, these new trials will examine three treatments: an antibody-containing infusion (Gamunex-C), a heart-race reducing medicine (Ivabradine), and coordinator-guided, non-drug care, which includes a series of activities managed through weekly phone calls with a care coordinator, such as wearing a compression belt and eating a high-salt diet, which are recommended for patients with POTS to counteract excessive loss of fluids.

Researchers are currently enrolling patients so results will not be available for some time. Along with other ongoing research in the area, these new studies provide some glimmer of hope for those coping with long COVID.

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This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here.

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Report: Only 1 percent of Minnesotans ages 65 or older are up to date on COVID vaccine - INFORUM