Measles, Vaccination, Choice, Public Health Options
É uma continuação do tópico Measles, Vaccination, Choice, Public Health Options.
Este tópico foi continuado por Vaccination, Choice, Public Health Options.
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1margd
#144 on previous thread (measles' years long erasure of immune system--one reason why vaccination is even more beneficial when/where more infectious agents are floating around)--more:
Measles erases the immune system’s memory
Beyond the rash, the infection makes it harder for the body to remember and attack other invaders
Laura Sanders | May 21, 2019
...Measles silently wipes clean the immune system’s memory of past infections. In this way, the virus can cast a long and dangerous shadow for months, or even years, scientists are finding. The resulting “immune amnesia” leaves people vulnerable to other viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia, ear infections and diarrhea.
...The virus quickly replicates inside the cells, then spreads to places packed with other immune cells — bone marrow, thymus, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes. “The virus has an enormously strong predilection to infect cells of the immune system,” says Bert Rima, an infectious disease researcher at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland...
...In 2013, (virologist Rik de Swart of Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands) and colleagues saw an opportunity to study the immune effects of the virus in children who are part of an insular community of Orthodox Protestants in the Netherlands, called the Dutch Bible Belt. Parents there refuse vaccinations, a decision that ushers in regular bouts of measles. The community’s last measles outbreak ended in 2000; it was just a matter of time before the virus took hold again.
The researchers...(took) blood samples from healthy, unvaccinated children to study their immune cells. Then, the researchers waited for an outbreak, so they could test the kids again after an infection...de Swart and colleagues collected before and after samples from 77 children who contracted measles.
“The virus preferentially infects cells in the immune system that carry the memory of previously experienced infections,” de Swart says. Called memory B and T cells, these cellular protectors normally remember threats the body has already neutralized, allowing the immune system to spring into action quickly if those threats return. After a measles infection, the numbers of some types of these memory cells dropped, creating an immune amnesia, the researchers reported in 2018 in Nature Communications.
The immune system might take months, or even years, to bounce back from this memory loss. Researchers including de Swart and (infectious disease epidemiologist and pathologist Michael Mina of Harvard University) compared health records of U.K. children from 1990 to 2014. For up to five years after their bout of measles, children who had previously had the virus experienced more diagnosed infections than children who hadn’t. Children who'd had measles were 15 to 24 percent more likely to receive a prescription for an infection than children who never had measles, the researchers reported in 2018 in BMJ Open.
Mina and colleagues found similar results for deaths from non-measles infections in children in England, Wales, the United States and Denmark, before and after the introduction of the measles vaccine. When measles was rampant, children were more likely to die from other infections.
When the researchers looked out several years after the measles, the connection between measles and non-measles deaths grew stronger (SN: 5/30/15, p. 10). “Every little blip in the mortality data could be explained by the measles incidence data over the previous 30 months,” Mina says. It’s not clear how the immune system eventually recovers its memories. With new methods that can measure these cellular memories, Mina and others hope to understand that rebuilding process...
Citations
Brigitta M. Laksono et al. Measles virus host invasion and pathogenesis. Viruses. July, 2016. doi: 10.3390/v8080210
B.M. Laksono et al. Studies into the mechanism of measles-associated immune suppression during a measles outbreak in the Netherlands. Nature Communications. Vol. 9, November 23, 2018. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07515-0
K. Gadroen et al. Impact and longevity of measles-associated immune suppression: a matched cohort study using data from the THIN general practice database in the UK. BMJ Open. Vol. 8, November 8, 2018. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2017-021465
I.V. Allen et al. Macrophages and dendritic cells are the predominant cells infected in measles in humans. mSphere. Vol. 3, May/June, 2018. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00570-17
M.J. Mina et al. Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality. Science. Vol. 348, May 8, 2015. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa3662
...
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/measles-immune-system-memory-infection
Measles erases the immune system’s memory
Beyond the rash, the infection makes it harder for the body to remember and attack other invaders
Laura Sanders | May 21, 2019
...Measles silently wipes clean the immune system’s memory of past infections. In this way, the virus can cast a long and dangerous shadow for months, or even years, scientists are finding. The resulting “immune amnesia” leaves people vulnerable to other viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia, ear infections and diarrhea.
...The virus quickly replicates inside the cells, then spreads to places packed with other immune cells — bone marrow, thymus, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes. “The virus has an enormously strong predilection to infect cells of the immune system,” says Bert Rima, an infectious disease researcher at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland...
...In 2013, (virologist Rik de Swart of Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands) and colleagues saw an opportunity to study the immune effects of the virus in children who are part of an insular community of Orthodox Protestants in the Netherlands, called the Dutch Bible Belt. Parents there refuse vaccinations, a decision that ushers in regular bouts of measles. The community’s last measles outbreak ended in 2000; it was just a matter of time before the virus took hold again.
The researchers...(took) blood samples from healthy, unvaccinated children to study their immune cells. Then, the researchers waited for an outbreak, so they could test the kids again after an infection...de Swart and colleagues collected before and after samples from 77 children who contracted measles.
“The virus preferentially infects cells in the immune system that carry the memory of previously experienced infections,” de Swart says. Called memory B and T cells, these cellular protectors normally remember threats the body has already neutralized, allowing the immune system to spring into action quickly if those threats return. After a measles infection, the numbers of some types of these memory cells dropped, creating an immune amnesia, the researchers reported in 2018 in Nature Communications.
The immune system might take months, or even years, to bounce back from this memory loss. Researchers including de Swart and (infectious disease epidemiologist and pathologist Michael Mina of Harvard University) compared health records of U.K. children from 1990 to 2014. For up to five years after their bout of measles, children who had previously had the virus experienced more diagnosed infections than children who hadn’t. Children who'd had measles were 15 to 24 percent more likely to receive a prescription for an infection than children who never had measles, the researchers reported in 2018 in BMJ Open.
Mina and colleagues found similar results for deaths from non-measles infections in children in England, Wales, the United States and Denmark, before and after the introduction of the measles vaccine. When measles was rampant, children were more likely to die from other infections.
When the researchers looked out several years after the measles, the connection between measles and non-measles deaths grew stronger (SN: 5/30/15, p. 10). “Every little blip in the mortality data could be explained by the measles incidence data over the previous 30 months,” Mina says. It’s not clear how the immune system eventually recovers its memories. With new methods that can measure these cellular memories, Mina and others hope to understand that rebuilding process...
Citations
Brigitta M. Laksono et al. Measles virus host invasion and pathogenesis. Viruses. July, 2016. doi: 10.3390/v8080210
B.M. Laksono et al. Studies into the mechanism of measles-associated immune suppression during a measles outbreak in the Netherlands. Nature Communications. Vol. 9, November 23, 2018. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07515-0
K. Gadroen et al. Impact and longevity of measles-associated immune suppression: a matched cohort study using data from the THIN general practice database in the UK. BMJ Open. Vol. 8, November 8, 2018. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2017-021465
I.V. Allen et al. Macrophages and dendritic cells are the predominant cells infected in measles in humans. mSphere. Vol. 3, May/June, 2018. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00570-17
M.J. Mina et al. Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality. Science. Vol. 348, May 8, 2015. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa3662
...
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/measles-immune-system-memory-infection
2margd
#144 on previous thread (measles' years long erasure of immune system--one reason why vaccination is even more beneficial when/where more infectious agents are floating around)--more:
Measles erases the immune system’s memory
Beyond the rash, the infection makes it harder for the body to remember and attack other invaders
Laura Sanders | May 21, 2019
...Measles silently wipes clean the immune system’s memory of past infections. In this way, the virus can cast a long and dangerous shadow for months, or even years, scientists are finding. The resulting “immune amnesia” leaves people vulnerable to other viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia, ear infections and diarrhea.
...The virus quickly replicates inside the cells, then spreads to places packed with other immune cells — bone marrow, thymus, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes. “The virus has an enormously strong predilection to infect cells of the immune system,” says Bert Rima, an infectious disease researcher at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland...
...In 2013, (virologist Rik de Swart of Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands) and colleagues saw an opportunity to study the immune effects of the virus in children who are part of an insular community of Orthodox Protestants in the Netherlands, called the Dutch Bible Belt. Parents there refuse vaccinations, a decision that ushers in regular bouts of measles. The community’s last measles outbreak ended in 2000; it was just a matter of time before the virus took hold again.
The researchers...(took) blood samples from healthy, unvaccinated children to study their immune cells. Then, the researchers waited for an outbreak, so they could test the kids again after an infection...de Swart and colleagues collected before and after samples from 77 children who contracted measles.
“The virus preferentially infects cells in the immune system that carry the memory of previously experienced infections,” de Swart says. Called memory B and T cells, these cellular protectors normally remember threats the body has already neutralized, allowing the immune system to spring into action quickly if those threats return. After a measles infection, the numbers of some types of these memory cells dropped, creating an immune amnesia, the researchers reported in 2018 in Nature Communications.
The immune system might take months, or even years, to bounce back from this memory loss. Researchers including de Swart and (infectious disease epidemiologist and pathologist Michael Mina of Harvard University) compared health records of U.K. children from 1990 to 2014. For up to five years after their bout of measles, children who had previously had the virus experienced more diagnosed infections than children who hadn’t. Children who'd had measles were 15 to 24 percent more likely to receive a prescription for an infection than children who never had measles, the researchers reported in 2018 in BMJ Open.
Mina and colleagues found similar results for deaths from non-measles infections in children in England, Wales, the United States and Denmark, before and after the introduction of the measles vaccine. When measles was rampant, children were more likely to die from other infections.
When the researchers looked out several years after the measles, the connection between measles and non-measles deaths grew stronger (SN: 5/30/15, p. 10). “Every little blip in the mortality data could be explained by the measles incidence data over the previous 30 months,” Mina says. It’s not clear how the immune system eventually recovers its memories. With new methods that can measure these cellular memories, Mina and others hope to understand that rebuilding process...
Citations
Brigitta M. Laksono et al. Measles virus host invasion and pathogenesis. Viruses. July, 2016. doi: 10.3390/v8080210
B.M. Laksono et al. Studies into the mechanism of measles-associated immune suppression during a measles outbreak in the Netherlands. Nature Communications. Vol. 9, November 23, 2018. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07515-0
K. Gadroen et al. Impact and longevity of measles-associated immune suppression: a matched cohort study using data from the THIN general practice database in the UK. BMJ Open. Vol. 8, November 8, 2018. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2017-021465
I.V. Allen et al. Macrophages and dendritic cells are the predominant cells infected in measles in humans. mSphere. Vol. 3, May/June, 2018. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00570-17
M.J. Mina et al. Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality. Science. Vol. 348, May 8, 2015. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa3662
...
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/measles-immune-system-memory-infection
Measles erases the immune system’s memory
Beyond the rash, the infection makes it harder for the body to remember and attack other invaders
Laura Sanders | May 21, 2019
...Measles silently wipes clean the immune system’s memory of past infections. In this way, the virus can cast a long and dangerous shadow for months, or even years, scientists are finding. The resulting “immune amnesia” leaves people vulnerable to other viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia, ear infections and diarrhea.
...The virus quickly replicates inside the cells, then spreads to places packed with other immune cells — bone marrow, thymus, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes. “The virus has an enormously strong predilection to infect cells of the immune system,” says Bert Rima, an infectious disease researcher at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland...
...In 2013, (virologist Rik de Swart of Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands) and colleagues saw an opportunity to study the immune effects of the virus in children who are part of an insular community of Orthodox Protestants in the Netherlands, called the Dutch Bible Belt. Parents there refuse vaccinations, a decision that ushers in regular bouts of measles. The community’s last measles outbreak ended in 2000; it was just a matter of time before the virus took hold again.
The researchers...(took) blood samples from healthy, unvaccinated children to study their immune cells. Then, the researchers waited for an outbreak, so they could test the kids again after an infection...de Swart and colleagues collected before and after samples from 77 children who contracted measles.
“The virus preferentially infects cells in the immune system that carry the memory of previously experienced infections,” de Swart says. Called memory B and T cells, these cellular protectors normally remember threats the body has already neutralized, allowing the immune system to spring into action quickly if those threats return. After a measles infection, the numbers of some types of these memory cells dropped, creating an immune amnesia, the researchers reported in 2018 in Nature Communications.
The immune system might take months, or even years, to bounce back from this memory loss. Researchers including de Swart and (infectious disease epidemiologist and pathologist Michael Mina of Harvard University) compared health records of U.K. children from 1990 to 2014. For up to five years after their bout of measles, children who had previously had the virus experienced more diagnosed infections than children who hadn’t. Children who'd had measles were 15 to 24 percent more likely to receive a prescription for an infection than children who never had measles, the researchers reported in 2018 in BMJ Open.
Mina and colleagues found similar results for deaths from non-measles infections in children in England, Wales, the United States and Denmark, before and after the introduction of the measles vaccine. When measles was rampant, children were more likely to die from other infections.
When the researchers looked out several years after the measles, the connection between measles and non-measles deaths grew stronger (SN: 5/30/15, p. 10). “Every little blip in the mortality data could be explained by the measles incidence data over the previous 30 months,” Mina says. It’s not clear how the immune system eventually recovers its memories. With new methods that can measure these cellular memories, Mina and others hope to understand that rebuilding process...
Citations
Brigitta M. Laksono et al. Measles virus host invasion and pathogenesis. Viruses. July, 2016. doi: 10.3390/v8080210
B.M. Laksono et al. Studies into the mechanism of measles-associated immune suppression during a measles outbreak in the Netherlands. Nature Communications. Vol. 9, November 23, 2018. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07515-0
K. Gadroen et al. Impact and longevity of measles-associated immune suppression: a matched cohort study using data from the THIN general practice database in the UK. BMJ Open. Vol. 8, November 8, 2018. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2017-021465
I.V. Allen et al. Macrophages and dendritic cells are the predominant cells infected in measles in humans. mSphere. Vol. 3, May/June, 2018. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00570-17
M.J. Mina et al. Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality. Science. Vol. 348, May 8, 2015. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa3662
...
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/measles-immune-system-memory-infection
3margd
Though less deadly than Ebola, measles is far more infectious--so herd immunity requires higher vaccination rate, 92-95% v 42-63% vaccination rate for Ebola. (However, because current vaccines are not 100 percent effective against Ebola’s various strains, some researchers argue that the vaccination threshold may actually be somewhat higher.)
One number can help explain why measles is so contagious
Helen Thompson | May 28, 2019
A disease’s R0 is the average number of people a person can infect in an unvaccinated population...
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/one-number-can-help-explain-why-measles-so-c...
One number can help explain why measles is so contagious
Helen Thompson | May 28, 2019
A disease’s R0 is the average number of people a person can infect in an unvaccinated population...
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/one-number-can-help-explain-why-measles-so-c...
4John5918
‘My mum didn’t vaccinate me – this is what happened next’ (BBC)
Meredith's mother was suspicious about vaccines and would never let her have them as a child. For a while it didn't seem to matter, but eventually Meredith (not her real name) starting coming down with some frightening illnesses...
Vaccines: Low trust in vaccination 'a global crisis' (BBC)
Public mistrust of vaccines means the world is taking a step backwards in the fight against deadly yet preventable infectious diseases, warn experts...
Polie: The Final Battle (BBC)
a mass vaccination at a village school in the suburbs of Peshawar had ended in violence and arson.
The headmaster of the school, in Mashokhel village, had previously refused to allow the polio vaccine. This time he had bowed to government pressure and the inoculations had gone ahead. But shortly afterwards he rang parents to tell them their children were fainting and vomiting.
Dozens of students from the school were taken to hospital. All were found to have no symptoms and were discharged. But it was too late to contain the panic, which had spread quickly via social media.
Furious parents gathered outside a local government health facility, broke down its boundary wall with hammers and sticks, kicked down the front gate, and barged inside to burn it down. All of this was shown live on local TV, which sparked even greater alarm in Peshawar...
Survey shows crisis of confidence in vaccines in parts of Europe (Guardian)
Around the globe, 84% of people acknowledge that vaccines are effective and 92% say their child has received a vaccine. But in spite of good healthcare and education systems, in parts of Europe there is low trust in vaccines. France has the highest levels of distrust, at 33%...
Vaccinations were a major issue in the 2018 elections (in Italy) (BBC)
Scientists say, repeatedly, that vaccines have never been safer - or more effective. So why do some people still refuse to trust them?
Outbreaks of diseases are happening in countries where they haven't been seen for decades. And the number of people choosing not to vaccinate their children seems to be on the rise. It's one of the top ten global health risks this year, according to the WHO.
BBC Population Reporter Stephanie Hegarty went to Italy, where vaccines have become a big issue in recent years, to explore a debate that's riddled with misinformation and fake news.
Meredith's mother was suspicious about vaccines and would never let her have them as a child. For a while it didn't seem to matter, but eventually Meredith (not her real name) starting coming down with some frightening illnesses...
Vaccines: Low trust in vaccination 'a global crisis' (BBC)
Public mistrust of vaccines means the world is taking a step backwards in the fight against deadly yet preventable infectious diseases, warn experts...
Polie: The Final Battle (BBC)
a mass vaccination at a village school in the suburbs of Peshawar had ended in violence and arson.
The headmaster of the school, in Mashokhel village, had previously refused to allow the polio vaccine. This time he had bowed to government pressure and the inoculations had gone ahead. But shortly afterwards he rang parents to tell them their children were fainting and vomiting.
Dozens of students from the school were taken to hospital. All were found to have no symptoms and were discharged. But it was too late to contain the panic, which had spread quickly via social media.
Furious parents gathered outside a local government health facility, broke down its boundary wall with hammers and sticks, kicked down the front gate, and barged inside to burn it down. All of this was shown live on local TV, which sparked even greater alarm in Peshawar...
Survey shows crisis of confidence in vaccines in parts of Europe (Guardian)
Around the globe, 84% of people acknowledge that vaccines are effective and 92% say their child has received a vaccine. But in spite of good healthcare and education systems, in parts of Europe there is low trust in vaccines. France has the highest levels of distrust, at 33%...
Vaccinations were a major issue in the 2018 elections (in Italy) (BBC)
Scientists say, repeatedly, that vaccines have never been safer - or more effective. So why do some people still refuse to trust them?
Outbreaks of diseases are happening in countries where they haven't been seen for decades. And the number of people choosing not to vaccinate their children seems to be on the rise. It's one of the top ten global health risks this year, according to the WHO.
BBC Population Reporter Stephanie Hegarty went to Italy, where vaccines have become a big issue in recent years, to explore a debate that's riddled with misinformation and fake news.
5John5918
The medical student who died of measles (BBC)
Until recently health authorities thought they had almost eliminated measles from Europe. But now the potentially deadly illness is on the rise because of a dramatic fall in vaccination rates. Worst hit is Ukraine, now suffering the one of the worst measles epidemics in the world, with more than 100,000 cases since 2017...
Until recently health authorities thought they had almost eliminated measles from Europe. But now the potentially deadly illness is on the rise because of a dramatic fall in vaccination rates. Worst hit is Ukraine, now suffering the one of the worst measles epidemics in the world, with more than 100,000 cases since 2017...
6John5918
Measles in South Sudan calls for emergency response (Relief Web)
“It doesn’t have to be this way; measles is entirely preventable... “The children of this country deserve better and should have the opportunity to be protected”...
Because of crisis in South Sudan, it has not been possible to implement routine immunisations on large scale. James has seen first-hand how measles spreads quickly.
“Measles always starts in the far areas where people don’t always know about this disease,” said James. “They are a long way from the hospital and many children become infected. For many years people have been on the move and have missed receiving vaccinations"...
“It doesn’t have to be this way; measles is entirely preventable... “The children of this country deserve better and should have the opportunity to be protected”...
Because of crisis in South Sudan, it has not been possible to implement routine immunisations on large scale. James has seen first-hand how measles spreads quickly.
“Measles always starts in the far areas where people don’t always know about this disease,” said James. “They are a long way from the hospital and many children become infected. For many years people have been on the move and have missed receiving vaccinations"...
7John5918
Cases of measles in Africa rise by 700 percent: UN body (Al Jazeera)
World Health Organization says measles cases jump by 700 percent in parts of Africa as access to vaccines difficult
World Health Organization says measles cases jump by 700 percent in parts of Africa as access to vaccines difficult
8margd
With school about to commence,
NY Parents Ask Judge to Allow Religious Exemption to Vaccine Law
Posted Aug. 14, 2019, 5:26 AM Updated Aug. 14, 2019, 2:32 PM
New state law says only vaccinated children can attend schools
Parents hope for ruling before start of classes
Lawyers for a group of parents who don’t want their children vaccinated told a state judge in New York Aug. 14 that their First Amendment rights will be violated if they are forced to do so.
More than 1,000 parents and children, dressed in white for solidarity, flooded a courthouse in Albany, hoping Justice Denise A. Hartman will block a law passed in June or at least issue a preliminary injunction. The measure bars unvaccinated minors from school or day care unless they have a medical condition that justifies not getting the vaccine.
The law eliminated exemptions to vaccination requirements...
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/pharma-and-life-sciences/ny-parents-ask-judge-to-a...
_______________________________________________________________
The only religious group I was aware of that might oppose vaccination is the Amish with their general rejection of modern innovation, but I believe some Amish, at least, accept technology for good reason (like stopping an epidemic).
FYI, overview below discusses other religions' possible hesitation to vaccinate:
Gordana Pelčić et al. 2016. Religious exception for vaccination or religious excuses for avoiding vaccination. Croat Med J. 2016 Oct; 57(5): 516–521.
doi: 10.3325/cmj.2016.57.516 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5141457/
NY Parents Ask Judge to Allow Religious Exemption to Vaccine Law
Posted Aug. 14, 2019, 5:26 AM Updated Aug. 14, 2019, 2:32 PM
New state law says only vaccinated children can attend schools
Parents hope for ruling before start of classes
Lawyers for a group of parents who don’t want their children vaccinated told a state judge in New York Aug. 14 that their First Amendment rights will be violated if they are forced to do so.
More than 1,000 parents and children, dressed in white for solidarity, flooded a courthouse in Albany, hoping Justice Denise A. Hartman will block a law passed in June or at least issue a preliminary injunction. The measure bars unvaccinated minors from school or day care unless they have a medical condition that justifies not getting the vaccine.
The law eliminated exemptions to vaccination requirements...
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/pharma-and-life-sciences/ny-parents-ask-judge-to-a...
_______________________________________________________________
The only religious group I was aware of that might oppose vaccination is the Amish with their general rejection of modern innovation, but I believe some Amish, at least, accept technology for good reason (like stopping an epidemic).
FYI, overview below discusses other religions' possible hesitation to vaccinate:
Gordana Pelčić et al. 2016. Religious exception for vaccination or religious excuses for avoiding vaccination. Croat Med J. 2016 Oct; 57(5): 516–521.
doi: 10.3325/cmj.2016.57.516 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5141457/
9John5918
Johnson urges social media firms to block anti-vaccine messages (Guardian)
Boris Johnson will call on social media companies to do more to stop anti-vaccination messages spreading online as he visits a hospital in the south-west of England...
Edited to add:
MMR vaccine: one in seven five-year-olds in England may not be immunised (Guardian)
Public Health England issues warning as UK loses measles-free status and PM pledges action on social media firms
Boris Johnson will call on social media companies to do more to stop anti-vaccination messages spreading online as he visits a hospital in the south-west of England...
Edited to add:
MMR vaccine: one in seven five-year-olds in England may not be immunised (Guardian)
Public Health England issues warning as UK loses measles-free status and PM pledges action on social media firms
10John5918
'Major milestone': Africa on brink of eliminating polio (Guardian)
Nigeria marks three years without a wild polio case, meaning Africa could be declared free of the disease in 2020
The result of concerted vaccination campaigns in very difficult circumstances over many years.
Nigeria marks three years without a wild polio case, meaning Africa could be declared free of the disease in 2020
The result of concerted vaccination campaigns in very difficult circumstances over many years.
11margd
>10 John5918: Africa eliminating polio and successful campaigns against acid rain and ozone are stories that feed my flicker of hope that we'll meet the challenge of climate change.
12John5918
Stop return of measles by making MMR jab compulsory, say GPs (Guardian)
The MMR jab should be compulsory for children before they are allowed to start primary school to stop the resurgence of measles and mumps, leading GPs are demanding...
They want school entry procedures toughened so that the only exceptions made to the new rule would be for children whose parents have registered a conscientious objection to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine or those whose health means they cannot have it...
The MMR jab should be compulsory for children before they are allowed to start primary school to stop the resurgence of measles and mumps, leading GPs are demanding...
They want school entry procedures toughened so that the only exceptions made to the new rule would be for children whose parents have registered a conscientious objection to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine or those whose health means they cannot have it...
13John5918
And a different disease: Defeat malaria in a generation - here's how (BBC)
The world could be free of malaria - one of the oldest and deadliest diseases to affect humanity - within a generation, a major report says.
Each year there are still more than 200 million cases of the disease, which mostly kills young children.
The report says eradicating malaria is no longer a distant dream, but wiping out the parasite will probably need an extra $2bn (£1.6bn) of annual funding...
I have a personal interest in this one having had malaria many times and nearly died of it on one occasion.
The world could be free of malaria - one of the oldest and deadliest diseases to affect humanity - within a generation, a major report says.
Each year there are still more than 200 million cases of the disease, which mostly kills young children.
The report says eradicating malaria is no longer a distant dream, but wiping out the parasite will probably need an extra $2bn (£1.6bn) of annual funding...
I have a personal interest in this one having had malaria many times and nearly died of it on one occasion.
14margd
Because other species host Lyme pathogen, herd immunity isn't possible, so won't matter whether or not others are vaccinated.
A big downside is the number of shots individuals will need.
Lyme Vaccines Show New Promise, and Face Old Challenges
Cassandra Willyard | 10.02.2019
The first human Lyme vaccine was pulled off the market nearly twenty years ago. A new effort faces lingering suspicions.
...Valneva is conducting its phase II clinical trial in the U.S. to determine the final dose and vaccination schedule. The company should have the initial data by the middle of 2020. The next step will be to launch two efficacy trials including about 8,000 people each, one in Europe and one in the U.S. The company could seek regulatory approval in about five years.
...Demand for a Lyme vaccine should be greater than ever before. When LYMErix first hit the market in 1998, the number of reported cases was about 17,000. By 2017, that number had climbed to roughly 30,000 confirmed cases. And the CDC estimates that far more — some 300,000 people — are actually diagnosed each year.
...Convincing the public to get immunized could also prove challenging. Valneva has yet to determine the number of vaccine doses, and when those doses must be administered. But (Thomas Lingelbach, Valneva’s CEO) anticipates people will need three shots over the first two to six months, a booster after a year, and then additional boosters perhaps every three years....
https://undark.org/article/new-landscape-lyme-vaccines/
A big downside is the number of shots individuals will need.
Lyme Vaccines Show New Promise, and Face Old Challenges
Cassandra Willyard | 10.02.2019
The first human Lyme vaccine was pulled off the market nearly twenty years ago. A new effort faces lingering suspicions.
...Valneva is conducting its phase II clinical trial in the U.S. to determine the final dose and vaccination schedule. The company should have the initial data by the middle of 2020. The next step will be to launch two efficacy trials including about 8,000 people each, one in Europe and one in the U.S. The company could seek regulatory approval in about five years.
...Demand for a Lyme vaccine should be greater than ever before. When LYMErix first hit the market in 1998, the number of reported cases was about 17,000. By 2017, that number had climbed to roughly 30,000 confirmed cases. And the CDC estimates that far more — some 300,000 people — are actually diagnosed each year.
...Convincing the public to get immunized could also prove challenging. Valneva has yet to determine the number of vaccine doses, and when those doses must be administered. But (Thomas Lingelbach, Valneva’s CEO) anticipates people will need three shots over the first two to six months, a booster after a year, and then additional boosters perhaps every three years....
https://undark.org/article/new-landscape-lyme-vaccines/
15John5918
School gates 'breeding ground' for vaccine myths, says NHS chief (Guardian)
School gates can be a “breeding ground for harmful myths” about vaccines, the chief executive of NHS England has said, as he called for a zero-tolerance approach to misinformation about their alleged dangers.
Simon Stevens said it was often the parents who did their best to find out more about the impact and effect of vaccines on their children who were liable to be deceived by “fake news”.
“In this way the school gates themselves can be a breeding ground for harmful myths to catch on, spread and ultimately infect parents’ judgment”...
“That parents’ efforts and anxiety to make the right decision for their children are jeopardised by wilful misinformation is unacceptable”...
School gates can be a “breeding ground for harmful myths” about vaccines, the chief executive of NHS England has said, as he called for a zero-tolerance approach to misinformation about their alleged dangers.
Simon Stevens said it was often the parents who did their best to find out more about the impact and effect of vaccines on their children who were liable to be deceived by “fake news”.
“In this way the school gates themselves can be a breeding ground for harmful myths to catch on, spread and ultimately infect parents’ judgment”...
“That parents’ efforts and anxiety to make the right decision for their children are jeopardised by wilful misinformation is unacceptable”...
16John5918
Health Secretary Matt Hancock wrong on compulsory child vaccinations - top doctor (BBC)
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health expert Dr David Elliman said it could be counter-productive and make people more suspicious.
He joined others in calling for vaccines to be offered in places such as supermarkets and music festivals...
He said {compulsory vaccination} risked breaking the trust that exists between health professionals and the public and creating a row about civil liberties.
He also pointed out that it would do nothing to encourage those who have already missed vaccinations to take part in catch-up programmes, citing the need to reach out to people in their 20s who did not have the MMR vaccine at the height of the scare two decades ago.
Instead, he wants the government, which is drawing up a new vaccinations strategy, to focus on accessibility, saying he would like to see pop-up clinics being held at music festivals to reach out to those who missed out on the MMR jab at the turn of the century when uptake rates were even lower than they are now.
Prof Helen Bedford, of University College London, agreed accessibility was key.
"People live busy lives so if we can make it easier for them to get vaccinated I think we would see an increase in uptake."
She said clinics could be held in children's centres and even supermarkets, but warned it would require investment in vaccination teams and nurses to give the jabs...
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health expert Dr David Elliman said it could be counter-productive and make people more suspicious.
He joined others in calling for vaccines to be offered in places such as supermarkets and music festivals...
He said {compulsory vaccination} risked breaking the trust that exists between health professionals and the public and creating a row about civil liberties.
He also pointed out that it would do nothing to encourage those who have already missed vaccinations to take part in catch-up programmes, citing the need to reach out to people in their 20s who did not have the MMR vaccine at the height of the scare two decades ago.
Instead, he wants the government, which is drawing up a new vaccinations strategy, to focus on accessibility, saying he would like to see pop-up clinics being held at music festivals to reach out to those who missed out on the MMR jab at the turn of the century when uptake rates were even lower than they are now.
Prof Helen Bedford, of University College London, agreed accessibility was key.
"People live busy lives so if we can make it easier for them to get vaccinated I think we would see an increase in uptake."
She said clinics could be held in children's centres and even supermarkets, but warned it would require investment in vaccination teams and nurses to give the jabs...
17margd
>15 John5918: I think, too, wellness centers like chiropractors? People who may have been failed by regular medicines tend to head there and reinforce one another?
18John5918
Two unborn babies die in New Zealand after mothers contracted measles (Guardian)
Health officials say a total of five pregnant women had become infected with the illness
Health officials say a total of five pregnant women had become infected with the illness
20margd
'Game changing' tuberculosis vaccine a step closer
Soutik Biswas | 29 October 2019
A vaccine which could "revolutionise" tuberculosis treatment has been unveiled by researchers.
It is hoped the vaccine will provide long-term protection against the disease, which kills 1.5 million people around the world each year.
The highly contagious disease is caused by bacteria, and the current vaccine, the BCG jab, is not very effective.
However, while initial trials have proved successful, the vaccine is still a few years away from being licensed.
The team of researchers, who come from all over the world, revealed the vaccine, which is made up of proteins from bacteria which trigger an immune response, during a global summit on lung health in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad on Tuesday.
It has already cleared a critical phase of clinical trials and been tested on more than 3,500 adults in TB endemic regions of South Africa, Kenya and Zambia, researchers said.
David Lewinsohn, a TB expert, told the BBC the potential vaccine was a "real game changer". "What is really remarkable is that it was effective in adults who were already infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is the causative agent of TB...As most people who are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis do not get TB, we have believed that infection confers some degree of protection. As a result it is really exciting that a vaccine has been shown to improve on this natural immunity."...
Tuberculosis facts
TB is a bacterial infection spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person
It mainly affects the lungs, but it can affect any part of the body, including the tummy (abdomen) glands, bones and nervous system
The most common symptoms of TB are a persistent cough for more than three weeks, unexplained weight loss, fever and night sweats.
TB is difficult to catch and you need to spend many hours in close contact with a person with infectious TB to be at risk of infection
TB can be fatal if left untreated - but can be cured if it's treated with the right antibiotics over a course of six months
The BCG vaccine offers protection against TB, and is recommended for babies, children and adults under the age of 35 who are at risk of catching TB
At-risk groups include: children living in areas with high rates of TB and people with close family members from countries with high TB rates
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50205762
Soutik Biswas | 29 October 2019
A vaccine which could "revolutionise" tuberculosis treatment has been unveiled by researchers.
It is hoped the vaccine will provide long-term protection against the disease, which kills 1.5 million people around the world each year.
The highly contagious disease is caused by bacteria, and the current vaccine, the BCG jab, is not very effective.
However, while initial trials have proved successful, the vaccine is still a few years away from being licensed.
The team of researchers, who come from all over the world, revealed the vaccine, which is made up of proteins from bacteria which trigger an immune response, during a global summit on lung health in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad on Tuesday.
It has already cleared a critical phase of clinical trials and been tested on more than 3,500 adults in TB endemic regions of South Africa, Kenya and Zambia, researchers said.
David Lewinsohn, a TB expert, told the BBC the potential vaccine was a "real game changer". "What is really remarkable is that it was effective in adults who were already infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is the causative agent of TB...As most people who are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis do not get TB, we have believed that infection confers some degree of protection. As a result it is really exciting that a vaccine has been shown to improve on this natural immunity."...
Tuberculosis facts
TB is a bacterial infection spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person
It mainly affects the lungs, but it can affect any part of the body, including the tummy (abdomen) glands, bones and nervous system
The most common symptoms of TB are a persistent cough for more than three weeks, unexplained weight loss, fever and night sweats.
TB is difficult to catch and you need to spend many hours in close contact with a person with infectious TB to be at risk of infection
TB can be fatal if left untreated - but can be cured if it's treated with the right antibiotics over a course of six months
The BCG vaccine offers protection against TB, and is recommended for babies, children and adults under the age of 35 who are at risk of catching TB
At-risk groups include: children living in areas with high rates of TB and people with close family members from countries with high TB rates
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50205762
21John5918
Release of Vaxxed sequel prompts fears dangerous propaganda will spread again (Guardian)
Anti-vaccination film to premiere in theatres as several states have been battling against localised outbreaks of measles
Anti-vaccination film to premiere in theatres as several states have been battling against localised outbreaks of measles
22margd
Before the measles vaccine was introduced in the 1960s, an estimated 50% of childhood deaths (in high-income England and Wales, the United States, and Denmark) may have been associated with infections that kids caught after surviving a bout of measles (Mina et al. 2015).
In new study, measles caused elimination of 11 to 73% of the antibody repertoire across 77 unvaccinated individuals in the Netherlands. (Mina et al. 2019)
Measles Wipes Your Immune System's 'Memory,' So It Can't Fight Other Infections
Nicoletta Lanese | 10/31/2019
Two new studies detail how the measles virus causes "immune amnesia."
The notorious measles virus not only makes people sick, it also sneaks inside important immune cells in the body and wipes their "memories," new research suggests.
Once infected, the amnesic immune system no longer recognizes the harmful pathogens that it has fought off in the past. This means measles survivors can remain susceptible to dangerous diseases — such as the flu and pneumonia — for years to come, despite having weathered their initial illness.
...before the measles vaccine was introduced in the 1960s, an estimated 50% of childhood deaths (in high-income England and Wales, the United States, and Denmark ) may have been associated with infections that kids caught after surviving a bout of measles (Mina et al. 2015. Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality. Science 8; 348(6235): 694–699. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa3662
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4823017/ )
...One thing that is clear here is that the measles vaccine is a fantastic thing," Wesemann said. The vaccine equips the body with an arsenal of anti-measles antibodies, just as the virus itself would, he said. But unlike infection, inoculation does not blunt the body's ability to build antibodies against other pathogens — the Science study shows this incredible feat in action. "You get all of the good and none of the bad with the vaccine," Wesemann said.
In light of the recent measles outbreaks in the U.S., Schaffner said that research like this highlights the integral role of the measles vaccine to public health.
"Measles should not be underestimated," Schaffner said. "It is clearly a disease worth preventing."
https://www.livescience.com/measles-wipes-immune-memory.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael J. Mina et al. 2019. Measles virus infection diminishes preexisting antibodies that offer protection from other pathogens. Vol. 366, Issue 6465, pp. 599-606
DOI: 10.1126/science.aay6485 (Read entire article at https://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6465/599 )
The toll of measles on the immune system
Many of the deaths attributable to measles virus are caused by secondary infections because the virus infects and functionally impairs immune cells. Whether measles infection causes long-term damage to immune memory has been unclear. This question has become increasingly important given the resurgence in measles epidemics worldwide. Using a blood test called VirScan, Mina et al. comprehensively analyzed the antibody repertoire in children before and after natural infection with measles virus as well as in children before and after measles vaccination. They found that measles infection can greatly diminish previously acquired immune memory, potentially leaving individuals at risk for infection by other pathogens. These adverse effects on the immune system were not seen in vaccinated children. (Science, this issue p. 599)
Abstract
Measles virus is directly responsible for more than 100,000 deaths yearly. Epidemiological studies have associated measles with increased morbidity and mortality for years after infection, but the reasons why are poorly understood. Measles virus infects immune cells, causing acute immune suppression. To identify and quantify long-term effects of measles on the immune system, we used VirScan, an assay that tracks antibodies to thousands of pathogen epitopes in blood. We studied 77 unvaccinated children before and 2 months after natural measles virus infection. Measles caused elimination of 11 to 73% of the antibody repertoire across individuals. Recovery of antibodies was detected after natural reexposure to pathogens. Notably, these immune system effects were not observed in infants vaccinated against MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), but were confirmed in measles-infected macaques. The reduction in humoral* immune memory after measles infection generates potential vulnerability to future infections, underscoring the need for widespread vaccination.
...Measuring the consequences of measles on immune memory...
Measles modulates the diversity of the antibody repertoire and causes loss of preexisting antibodies...
Measles decreases the strength of epitope recognition...
Measles disrupts recognition of pathogen epitopes across the cohort...
The MMR vaccine does not impair the immune repertoire...
Reconstruction of the antibody repertoire with high-transmission pathogens is spatially clustered...
Reconstruction of the antibody repertoire through reexposure after measles carries risks...
Experimental MV infection confirms a decrease in previously acquired immune memory...
Cumulative evidence supports the establishment of an immune amnesia state after measles...
* humoral--relating to the body fluids, especially with regard to immune responses involving antibodies in body fluids as distinct from cells.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
margd: I'll update when link activated to another paper just published in Science Immunology.
In new study, measles caused elimination of 11 to 73% of the antibody repertoire across 77 unvaccinated individuals in the Netherlands. (Mina et al. 2019)
Measles Wipes Your Immune System's 'Memory,' So It Can't Fight Other Infections
Nicoletta Lanese | 10/31/2019
Two new studies detail how the measles virus causes "immune amnesia."
The notorious measles virus not only makes people sick, it also sneaks inside important immune cells in the body and wipes their "memories," new research suggests.
Once infected, the amnesic immune system no longer recognizes the harmful pathogens that it has fought off in the past. This means measles survivors can remain susceptible to dangerous diseases — such as the flu and pneumonia — for years to come, despite having weathered their initial illness.
...before the measles vaccine was introduced in the 1960s, an estimated 50% of childhood deaths (in high-income England and Wales, the United States, and Denmark ) may have been associated with infections that kids caught after surviving a bout of measles (Mina et al. 2015. Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality. Science 8; 348(6235): 694–699. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa3662
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4823017/ )
...One thing that is clear here is that the measles vaccine is a fantastic thing," Wesemann said. The vaccine equips the body with an arsenal of anti-measles antibodies, just as the virus itself would, he said. But unlike infection, inoculation does not blunt the body's ability to build antibodies against other pathogens — the Science study shows this incredible feat in action. "You get all of the good and none of the bad with the vaccine," Wesemann said.
In light of the recent measles outbreaks in the U.S., Schaffner said that research like this highlights the integral role of the measles vaccine to public health.
"Measles should not be underestimated," Schaffner said. "It is clearly a disease worth preventing."
https://www.livescience.com/measles-wipes-immune-memory.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael J. Mina et al. 2019. Measles virus infection diminishes preexisting antibodies that offer protection from other pathogens. Vol. 366, Issue 6465, pp. 599-606
DOI: 10.1126/science.aay6485 (Read entire article at https://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6465/599 )
The toll of measles on the immune system
Many of the deaths attributable to measles virus are caused by secondary infections because the virus infects and functionally impairs immune cells. Whether measles infection causes long-term damage to immune memory has been unclear. This question has become increasingly important given the resurgence in measles epidemics worldwide. Using a blood test called VirScan, Mina et al. comprehensively analyzed the antibody repertoire in children before and after natural infection with measles virus as well as in children before and after measles vaccination. They found that measles infection can greatly diminish previously acquired immune memory, potentially leaving individuals at risk for infection by other pathogens. These adverse effects on the immune system were not seen in vaccinated children. (Science, this issue p. 599)
Abstract
Measles virus is directly responsible for more than 100,000 deaths yearly. Epidemiological studies have associated measles with increased morbidity and mortality for years after infection, but the reasons why are poorly understood. Measles virus infects immune cells, causing acute immune suppression. To identify and quantify long-term effects of measles on the immune system, we used VirScan, an assay that tracks antibodies to thousands of pathogen epitopes in blood. We studied 77 unvaccinated children before and 2 months after natural measles virus infection. Measles caused elimination of 11 to 73% of the antibody repertoire across individuals. Recovery of antibodies was detected after natural reexposure to pathogens. Notably, these immune system effects were not observed in infants vaccinated against MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), but were confirmed in measles-infected macaques. The reduction in humoral* immune memory after measles infection generates potential vulnerability to future infections, underscoring the need for widespread vaccination.
...Measuring the consequences of measles on immune memory...
Measles modulates the diversity of the antibody repertoire and causes loss of preexisting antibodies...
Measles decreases the strength of epitope recognition...
Measles disrupts recognition of pathogen epitopes across the cohort...
The MMR vaccine does not impair the immune repertoire...
Reconstruction of the antibody repertoire with high-transmission pathogens is spatially clustered...
Reconstruction of the antibody repertoire through reexposure after measles carries risks...
Experimental MV infection confirms a decrease in previously acquired immune memory...
Cumulative evidence supports the establishment of an immune amnesia state after measles...
* humoral--relating to the body fluids, especially with regard to immune responses involving antibodies in body fluids as distinct from cells.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
margd: I'll update when link activated to another paper just published in Science Immunology.
24John5918
Majority of anti-vaxx ads on Facebook are funded by just two organizations (Guardian)
Study finds Robert F Kennedy Jr’s World Mercury Project and Larry Cook’s Stop Mandatory Vaccinations bought 54% of ads
Study finds Robert F Kennedy Jr’s World Mercury Project and Larry Cook’s Stop Mandatory Vaccinations bought 54% of ads
25John5918
Samoa declares state of emergency over deadly measles epidemic (Guardian)
At least six deaths have been linked to the outbreak, in a nation where vaccination rates are alarmingly low
At least six deaths have been linked to the outbreak, in a nation where vaccination rates are alarmingly low
26John5918
DR Congo measles: Nearly 5,000 dead in major outbreak (BBC)
Measles has killed nearly 5,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019, authorities said, after the disease spread to all the provinces in the country.
Close to a quarter of a million people have been infected this year alone...
Measles has killed nearly 5,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019, authorities said, after the disease spread to all the provinces in the country.
Close to a quarter of a million people have been infected this year alone...
27John5918
Samoa measles epidemic kills 20 (Guardian)
Children under five account for all but one of the deaths as suspected cases double to 1,644
Children under five account for all but one of the deaths as suspected cases double to 1,644
28John5918
'There are no words': Samoa buries its children as measles outbreak worsens (Guardian)
In six weeks, a measles outbreak has infected 3,000 people out of a population of 200,000, killing 42, mostly children
In six weeks, a measles outbreak has infected 3,000 people out of a population of 200,000, killing 42, mostly children
29John5918
Samoa measles: Unvaccinated families told to hang red flag on door (BBC)
Families that have not been vaccinated against measles in the Pacific nation of Samoa have been asked to hang a red flag outside their homes to help fight a deadly outbreak of the disease. The flags will assist medical teams travelling door to door inoculating residents...
Sixty people have died so far, many of whom were children under five. Samoa declared a state of emergency in November to combat the outbreak and vaccinations are now compulsory...
Families that have not been vaccinated against measles in the Pacific nation of Samoa have been asked to hang a red flag outside their homes to help fight a deadly outbreak of the disease. The flags will assist medical teams travelling door to door inoculating residents...
Sixty people have died so far, many of whom were children under five. Samoa declared a state of emergency in November to combat the outbreak and vaccinations are now compulsory...
30John5918
Typhoid vaccine 'works fantastically well' (BBC)
A new typhoid vaccine works "fantastically well" and is being used to help stop an almost untreatable strain of the infection, doctors say. Cases of the bacterial disease fell by more than 80% in trials, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Experts said the vaccine was a game-changer and would reduce the "terrible toll wrought by typhoid". Nine million children are being immunised in Pakistan, where typhoid is now extremely resistant to antibiotics...
I got typhoid last month despite being vaccinated with the old vaccine. Must try and get a jab of this new one!
A new typhoid vaccine works "fantastically well" and is being used to help stop an almost untreatable strain of the infection, doctors say. Cases of the bacterial disease fell by more than 80% in trials, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Experts said the vaccine was a game-changer and would reduce the "terrible toll wrought by typhoid". Nine million children are being immunised in Pakistan, where typhoid is now extremely resistant to antibiotics...
I got typhoid last month despite being vaccinated with the old vaccine. Must try and get a jab of this new one!
31John5918
142,000 died from measles last year, WHO estimates (Guardian)
Number of cases reported so far this year is three times higher than at same stage in 2018
Number of cases reported so far this year is three times higher than at same stage in 2018
32John5918
'These babies should not have died': How the measles outbreak took hold in Samoa (Guardian)
Samoa’s vaccination rate was too low to protect its people when measles arrived, probably brought by a traveller from New Zealand, which has suffered its own measles outbreak over the last year.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that in order to have immunity, there needs to be at least 95% coverage of people who have had two doses of measles-containing vaccine. Four years ago, roughly 85% of one-year-olds in Samoa were vaccinated, in 2017 that dropped to 60%.
The rate plummeted sharply after a scandal that rocked Samoa in July 2018, when two Samoan nurses administered MMR vaccines to babies who subsequently died. The problem was not with the vaccine, an investigation determined, but rather its administration, after it emerged that one of the nurses mixed the MMR vaccine powder with expired muscle relaxant anaesthetic instead of water. But the impact on public trust in vaccination was profound.
The Samoan government suspended the country’s vaccination programme for 10 months, despite advice from the WHO that the country immediately restart the programme. By 2018, only 31% of infants had been vaccinated.
“When you pause for 10 months that’s enough time for thousands of kids {without immunity} to accumulate”...
Samoa’s vaccination rate was too low to protect its people when measles arrived, probably brought by a traveller from New Zealand, which has suffered its own measles outbreak over the last year.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that in order to have immunity, there needs to be at least 95% coverage of people who have had two doses of measles-containing vaccine. Four years ago, roughly 85% of one-year-olds in Samoa were vaccinated, in 2017 that dropped to 60%.
The rate plummeted sharply after a scandal that rocked Samoa in July 2018, when two Samoan nurses administered MMR vaccines to babies who subsequently died. The problem was not with the vaccine, an investigation determined, but rather its administration, after it emerged that one of the nurses mixed the MMR vaccine powder with expired muscle relaxant anaesthetic instead of water. But the impact on public trust in vaccination was profound.
The Samoan government suspended the country’s vaccination programme for 10 months, despite advice from the WHO that the country immediately restart the programme. By 2018, only 31% of infants had been vaccinated.
“When you pause for 10 months that’s enough time for thousands of kids {without immunity} to accumulate”...
33John5918
DR Congo measles: More than 6,000 dead in world's worst outbreak (BBC)
The number of people killed by a measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has passed 6,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. The WHO says the epidemic is the world's largest and fastest moving. Around 310,000 suspected measles cases have been reported since the start of 2019, the WHO says. The Congolese government and the WHO launched an emergency vaccination programme last September. More than 18 million children under five were vaccinated across the country in 2019, the WHO says. But poor infrastructure, attacks on health centres and a lack of access to routine healthcare have all hindered efforts to stop the spread of the disease...
The number of people killed by a measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has passed 6,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. The WHO says the epidemic is the world's largest and fastest moving. Around 310,000 suspected measles cases have been reported since the start of 2019, the WHO says. The Congolese government and the WHO launched an emergency vaccination programme last September. More than 18 million children under five were vaccinated across the country in 2019, the WHO says. But poor infrastructure, attacks on health centres and a lack of access to routine healthcare have all hindered efforts to stop the spread of the disease...
34margd
You Are Unvaccinated and Got Sick. These Are Your Odds.
Comparing the dangerous effects of three diseases with the minimal side effects of their corresponding vaccines.
Peter J. Hotez | Jan. 9, 2020
...As a vaccine scientist, pediatrician and the parent of an adult daughter with autism, I meet regularly with pediatricians, nurses and worried parents. Parents want to do what’s best for their child, but too often they become the victims of anti-vaccine misinformation campaigns.
Medical professionals need to find a way to counter the anti-vaccine media empire by mounting a vigorous pro-vaccine advocacy response that rebuilds public trust...
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/opinion/vaccine-hesitancy.html
Comparing the dangerous effects of three diseases with the minimal side effects of their corresponding vaccines.
Peter J. Hotez | Jan. 9, 2020
...As a vaccine scientist, pediatrician and the parent of an adult daughter with autism, I meet regularly with pediatricians, nurses and worried parents. Parents want to do what’s best for their child, but too often they become the victims of anti-vaccine misinformation campaigns.
Medical professionals need to find a way to counter the anti-vaccine media empire by mounting a vigorous pro-vaccine advocacy response that rebuilds public trust...
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/opinion/vaccine-hesitancy.html
35John5918
South Sudan launches a nationwide campaign to protect 2.5 million children against measles (Relief Web)
The campaign is essential for children’s health in South Sudan, as the country is still battling an unprecedented measles outbreak with over 4 700 confirmed cases and 26 deaths since January 2019 to date. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect children against this very contagious disease...
“We need to boost the vaccination coverage to protect children against measles outbreaks”, said Dr Makur Matur Kariom, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health. “Unfortunately, in South Sudan routine vaccination coverage against measles remains low at only 59 per cent. That means many children in our country are not protected against the disease. Hence the importance of this vaccination campaign cannot be over emphasized”...
The campaign is essential for children’s health in South Sudan, as the country is still battling an unprecedented measles outbreak with over 4 700 confirmed cases and 26 deaths since January 2019 to date. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect children against this very contagious disease...
“We need to boost the vaccination coverage to protect children against measles outbreaks”, said Dr Makur Matur Kariom, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health. “Unfortunately, in South Sudan routine vaccination coverage against measles remains low at only 59 per cent. That means many children in our country are not protected against the disease. Hence the importance of this vaccination campaign cannot be over emphasized”...
36John5918
Advocates blame anti-vaxxers after four-year-old boy dies from flu (Guardan)
Colorado boy’s mother admitted in a Facebook post she refused to fill the doctor’s prescription for Tamiflu
Colorado boy’s mother admitted in a Facebook post she refused to fill the doctor’s prescription for Tamiflu
37John5918
Couple who opposed council vaccinating their child lose appeal (Guardian)
A couple who tried to prevent the local authority from vaccinating their child, who is in care, have failed to overturn the decision by requiring courts to become routinely involved in such disputes.
The court of appeal has rejected the parents’ request to intervene in the case of their young infant, who was due to receive the usual sequence of childhood immunisations against diseases such as diphtheria, polio and whooping cough.
The claim, which predates the Covid-19 pandemic, comes at a time when there is hope that a vaccine will be found to halt future outbreaks...
A couple who tried to prevent the local authority from vaccinating their child, who is in care, have failed to overturn the decision by requiring courts to become routinely involved in such disputes.
The court of appeal has rejected the parents’ request to intervene in the case of their young infant, who was due to receive the usual sequence of childhood immunisations against diseases such as diphtheria, polio and whooping cough.
The claim, which predates the Covid-19 pandemic, comes at a time when there is hope that a vaccine will be found to halt future outbreaks...
38margd
David Frum @davidfrum | 4/10/2020
https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1248818178052034560
An important backstory to the hydroxychloroquine enthusiasm is the weird paranoid fears of virus vaccine research. Apparently, Bill Gates is researching vaccines in order to insert controlling microchips into our bodies...*
Bill Gates is the George Soros of the anti-vaxxers.
Ha ha, you say, that sounds like utter lunacy. As it is.
But it's slowly percolating from the anti-vax fringe into the conservative ecosystem (Newsmax, Washington Times, Fox News) -
as @mmfa details...mediamatters.org*
Newsmax especially is promoting deranged fantasies about virus vaccines.
Emerald Robinson is the Newsmax White House correspondent, frequently called upon by President Trump
Image ( https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1248819550336045058/photo/1 )
EG just this past April 8.
Quote Tweet
--------------------------------------------------------
Laura Ingraham @IngrahamAngle | 10:13 AM · Apr 8, 2020
At some point, the president is going to have to look at Drs. Fauci and Birx and say, we're opening on May 1.
Give me your best guidance on protocols, but we cannot deny our people their basic freedoms any longer.
https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/status/1247890349743198208
--------------------------------------------------------
Emerald Robinson @EmeraldRobinson · Apr 8
Today I asked President Trump when America was going to open again for business.
"Easter is a very important day..." he told me.
"I don't think we are going to be very far behind..."
--------------------------------------------------------
The fringe promotes hydroxychloroquine not only to cover for President's Trump's early failures -
not only because of its susceptibility to promises of miracle cures -
but as an alternative to the scientific vaccines it fears and abhors
Image (https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1248822134551560197/photo/1)
Isn't that baffling?
______________________________________________________
* A Bill Gates coronavirus conspiracy theory spread on social media and then to a Fox News host
Alex Kaplan | 04/08/20
Conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers, white nationalists, and QAnon supporters spread the false claim online...
...The spread of the conspiracy theory comes as multiple other conspiracy theories about the coronavirus have circulated on social media, including others about Gates and the virus.
https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/bill-gates-coronavirus-conspir...
.
.
.
Putin is smiling, I bet.
https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1248818178052034560
An important backstory to the hydroxychloroquine enthusiasm is the weird paranoid fears of virus vaccine research. Apparently, Bill Gates is researching vaccines in order to insert controlling microchips into our bodies...*
Bill Gates is the George Soros of the anti-vaxxers.
Ha ha, you say, that sounds like utter lunacy. As it is.
But it's slowly percolating from the anti-vax fringe into the conservative ecosystem (Newsmax, Washington Times, Fox News) -
as @mmfa details...mediamatters.org*
Newsmax especially is promoting deranged fantasies about virus vaccines.
Emerald Robinson is the Newsmax White House correspondent, frequently called upon by President Trump
Image ( https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1248819550336045058/photo/1 )
EG just this past April 8.
Quote Tweet
--------------------------------------------------------
Laura Ingraham @IngrahamAngle | 10:13 AM · Apr 8, 2020
At some point, the president is going to have to look at Drs. Fauci and Birx and say, we're opening on May 1.
Give me your best guidance on protocols, but we cannot deny our people their basic freedoms any longer.
https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/status/1247890349743198208
--------------------------------------------------------
Emerald Robinson @EmeraldRobinson · Apr 8
Today I asked President Trump when America was going to open again for business.
"Easter is a very important day..." he told me.
"I don't think we are going to be very far behind..."
--------------------------------------------------------
The fringe promotes hydroxychloroquine not only to cover for President's Trump's early failures -
not only because of its susceptibility to promises of miracle cures -
but as an alternative to the scientific vaccines it fears and abhors
Image (https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1248822134551560197/photo/1)
Isn't that baffling?
______________________________________________________
* A Bill Gates coronavirus conspiracy theory spread on social media and then to a Fox News host
Alex Kaplan | 04/08/20
Conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers, white nationalists, and QAnon supporters spread the false claim online...
...The spread of the conspiracy theory comes as multiple other conspiracy theories about the coronavirus have circulated on social media, including others about Gates and the virus.
https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/bill-gates-coronavirus-conspir...
.
.
.
Putin is smiling, I bet.
39John5918
Measles resurgence fear amid coronavirus (BBC)
Measles outbreaks may occur as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, officials say, because some vaccination programmes are having to be delayed.
Unicef says 117 million children in 37 countries may not get immunised on time.
There have been several large outbreaks in countries across Europe where MMR vaccine uptake has been low.
The UK has already lost its measles-free status, because of rising cases of the potentially deadly infection...
Coronavirus derails measles vaccination across the globe (The New Humanitarian)
Illnesses from measles and other preventable diseases, like polio and cholera, are expected to rise...
Measles outbreaks may occur as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, officials say, because some vaccination programmes are having to be delayed.
Unicef says 117 million children in 37 countries may not get immunised on time.
There have been several large outbreaks in countries across Europe where MMR vaccine uptake has been low.
The UK has already lost its measles-free status, because of rising cases of the potentially deadly infection...
Coronavirus derails measles vaccination across the globe (The New Humanitarian)
Illnesses from measles and other preventable diseases, like polio and cholera, are expected to rise...
40John5918
Coronavirus causing some anti-vaxxers to waver, experts say (Guardian)
While some are doubling down on their rejection of vaccines, the scale of the Covid-19 crisis is eroding resistance in others...
While some are doubling down on their rejection of vaccines, the scale of the Covid-19 crisis is eroding resistance in others...
41John5918
Vaccines work at all ages, everywhere (World Health Organisation)
There’s no question that immunization is one of the greatest success stories in global health, saving millions of lives every year from vaccine-preventable diseases. Every year more than 116 million, or 86% of all infants born are vaccinated – a number than has been holding firm for a decade.
More than 20 life-threatening diseases can now be prevented by immunization, and new vaccines for major killers like diarrhoea, cervical cancer, cholera and meningitis are quickly being introduced in countries that did not use them previously. While, vaccination has routinely prioritized children in the past, today it is increasingly protecting health among people of all ages.
Commitment to research and development has led to developing new vaccines to protect against malaria, typhoid and Ebola, and many more vaccines are under development for emerging diseases, like COVID-19.
All of this is good news. But it also shows the challenges we’re facing as we try to ensure no one misses out on life-saving vaccines...
There’s no question that immunization is one of the greatest success stories in global health, saving millions of lives every year from vaccine-preventable diseases. Every year more than 116 million, or 86% of all infants born are vaccinated – a number than has been holding firm for a decade.
More than 20 life-threatening diseases can now be prevented by immunization, and new vaccines for major killers like diarrhoea, cervical cancer, cholera and meningitis are quickly being introduced in countries that did not use them previously. While, vaccination has routinely prioritized children in the past, today it is increasingly protecting health among people of all ages.
Commitment to research and development has led to developing new vaccines to protect against malaria, typhoid and Ebola, and many more vaccines are under development for emerging diseases, like COVID-19.
All of this is good news. But it also shows the challenges we’re facing as we try to ensure no one misses out on life-saving vaccines...
42margd
A malaria "vaccine" for mosquitoes?
Malaria 'completely stopped' by microbe
James Gallagher | 5/4/2020
The malaria-blocking bug, Microsporidia MB... lives in the gut and genitals of the insects (on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya).
The researchers could not find a single mosquito carrying the Microsporidia that was harbouring the malaria parasite. And lab experiments...confirmed the microbe gave the mosquitoes protection.*
...Microsporidia MB could be priming the mosquito's immune system, so it is more able to fight off infections...or...having a profound effect on the mosquito's metabolism, making it inhospitable for the malaria parasite.
Microsporidia MB infections appear to be life-long. If anything, the experiments show they become more intense
...At the very least, 40% of mosquitoes in a region need to be infected with Microsporidia in order to make a significant dent in malaria.
The microbe can be passed between adult mosquitoes and is also passed from the female to her offspring.
So, the researchers are investigating two main strategies for increasing the number of infected mosquitoes.
Microsporidia form spores which could be released en masse to infect mosquitoes
Male mosquitoes (which don't bite) could be infected in the lab and released into the wild to infect the females when they have sex
...relatively uncontroversial as the species is already found in wild mosquitoes and is not introducing something new...would not have an impact on ecosystems that are dependent on them as food...
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52530828
_______________________________________________________
* Herren, J.K., Mbaisi, L., Mararo, E. et al. 2020. A microsporidian impairs Plasmodium falciparum transmission in Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes. Nat Commun 11, 2187 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16121-y https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16121-y
Abstract
A possible malaria control approach involves the dissemination in mosquitoes of inherited symbiotic microbes to block Plasmodium transmission. However, in the Anopheles gambiae complex, the primary African vectors of malaria, there are limited reports of inherited symbionts that impair transmission. We show that a vertically transmitted microsporidian symbiont (Microsporidia MB) in the An. gambiae complex can impair Plasmodium transmission. Microsporidia MB is present at moderate prevalence in geographically dispersed populations of An. arabiensis in Kenya, localized to the mosquito midgut and ovaries, and is not associated with significant reductions in adult host fecundity or survival. Field-collected Microsporidia MB infected An. arabiensis tested negative for P. falciparum gametocytes and, on experimental infection with P. falciparum, sporozoites aren’t detected in Microsporidia MB infected mosquitoes. As a microbe that impairs Plasmodium transmission that is non-virulent and vertically transmitted, Microsporidia MB could be investigated as a strategy to limit malaria transmission.
Malaria 'completely stopped' by microbe
James Gallagher | 5/4/2020
The malaria-blocking bug, Microsporidia MB... lives in the gut and genitals of the insects (on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya).
The researchers could not find a single mosquito carrying the Microsporidia that was harbouring the malaria parasite. And lab experiments...confirmed the microbe gave the mosquitoes protection.*
...Microsporidia MB could be priming the mosquito's immune system, so it is more able to fight off infections...or...having a profound effect on the mosquito's metabolism, making it inhospitable for the malaria parasite.
Microsporidia MB infections appear to be life-long. If anything, the experiments show they become more intense
...At the very least, 40% of mosquitoes in a region need to be infected with Microsporidia in order to make a significant dent in malaria.
The microbe can be passed between adult mosquitoes and is also passed from the female to her offspring.
So, the researchers are investigating two main strategies for increasing the number of infected mosquitoes.
Microsporidia form spores which could be released en masse to infect mosquitoes
Male mosquitoes (which don't bite) could be infected in the lab and released into the wild to infect the females when they have sex
...relatively uncontroversial as the species is already found in wild mosquitoes and is not introducing something new...would not have an impact on ecosystems that are dependent on them as food...
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52530828
_______________________________________________________
* Herren, J.K., Mbaisi, L., Mararo, E. et al. 2020. A microsporidian impairs Plasmodium falciparum transmission in Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes. Nat Commun 11, 2187 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16121-y https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16121-y
Abstract
A possible malaria control approach involves the dissemination in mosquitoes of inherited symbiotic microbes to block Plasmodium transmission. However, in the Anopheles gambiae complex, the primary African vectors of malaria, there are limited reports of inherited symbionts that impair transmission. We show that a vertically transmitted microsporidian symbiont (Microsporidia MB) in the An. gambiae complex can impair Plasmodium transmission. Microsporidia MB is present at moderate prevalence in geographically dispersed populations of An. arabiensis in Kenya, localized to the mosquito midgut and ovaries, and is not associated with significant reductions in adult host fecundity or survival. Field-collected Microsporidia MB infected An. arabiensis tested negative for P. falciparum gametocytes and, on experimental infection with P. falciparum, sporozoites aren’t detected in Microsporidia MB infected mosquitoes. As a microbe that impairs Plasmodium transmission that is non-virulent and vertically transmitted, Microsporidia MB could be investigated as a strategy to limit malaria transmission.
43John5918
A report on Kenya's Citizen TV news this evening that child vaccinations have dropped dramatically in recent weeks as mothers are afraid to take their children to health centres for fear of catching the coronavirus. Medical experts are assuring the public that there are adequate safety measures in place at health centres, and that failing to vaccinate their children poses a huge health risk.
44margd
Vaccine opponents are gaining in Facebook ‘battle for hearts and minds,’ new map shows
Meredith Wadman | May. 13, 2020
A first-of-its-kind analysis of more than 1300 Facebook pages with nearly 100 million followers has produced a network map that’s alarming public health professionals. Antivaccine pages have fewer followers than pro-vaccine pages but are more numerous, faster growing, and increasingly more connected to undecided pages, the study finds. If the current trends continue, the researchers predict, antivaccine views will dominate online discussion in 10 years—a time when a future vaccine against COVID-19 may be critical to public health...
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/vaccine-opponents-are-gaining-facebook-b...
_______________________________________________________
Neil F. Johnson et al. 2020. The online competition between pro- and anti-vaccination views. Nature (May 13, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2281-1 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2281-1
Abstract
Distrust in scientific expertise is dangerous. Opposition to vaccination with a future vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, for example, could amplify outbreaks as happened for measles in 2019. Homemade remedies and falsehoods are being shared widely on the Internet, as well as dismissals of expert advice. There is a lack of understanding about how this distrust evolves at the system level. Here we provide a map of the contention surrounding vaccines that has emerged from the global pool of around three billion Facebook users. Its core reveals a multi-sided landscape of unprecedented intricacy that involves nearly 100 million individuals partitioned into highly dynamic, interconnected clusters across cities, countries, continents and languages. Although smaller in overall size, anti-vaccination clusters manage to become highly entangled with undecided clusters in the main online network, whereas pro-vaccination clusters are more peripheral. Our theoretical framework reproduces the recent explosive growth in anti-vaccination views, and predicts that these views will dominate in a decade. Insights provided by this framework can inform new policies and approaches to interrupt this shift to negative views. Our results challenge the conventional thinking about undecided individuals in issues of contention surrounding health, shed light on other issues of contention such as climate change, and highlight the key role of network cluster dynamics in multi-species ecologies.
Meredith Wadman | May. 13, 2020
A first-of-its-kind analysis of more than 1300 Facebook pages with nearly 100 million followers has produced a network map that’s alarming public health professionals. Antivaccine pages have fewer followers than pro-vaccine pages but are more numerous, faster growing, and increasingly more connected to undecided pages, the study finds. If the current trends continue, the researchers predict, antivaccine views will dominate online discussion in 10 years—a time when a future vaccine against COVID-19 may be critical to public health...
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/vaccine-opponents-are-gaining-facebook-b...
_______________________________________________________
Neil F. Johnson et al. 2020. The online competition between pro- and anti-vaccination views. Nature (May 13, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2281-1 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2281-1
Abstract
Distrust in scientific expertise is dangerous. Opposition to vaccination with a future vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, for example, could amplify outbreaks as happened for measles in 2019. Homemade remedies and falsehoods are being shared widely on the Internet, as well as dismissals of expert advice. There is a lack of understanding about how this distrust evolves at the system level. Here we provide a map of the contention surrounding vaccines that has emerged from the global pool of around three billion Facebook users. Its core reveals a multi-sided landscape of unprecedented intricacy that involves nearly 100 million individuals partitioned into highly dynamic, interconnected clusters across cities, countries, continents and languages. Although smaller in overall size, anti-vaccination clusters manage to become highly entangled with undecided clusters in the main online network, whereas pro-vaccination clusters are more peripheral. Our theoretical framework reproduces the recent explosive growth in anti-vaccination views, and predicts that these views will dominate in a decade. Insights provided by this framework can inform new policies and approaches to interrupt this shift to negative views. Our results challenge the conventional thinking about undecided individuals in issues of contention surrounding health, shed light on other issues of contention such as climate change, and highlight the key role of network cluster dynamics in multi-species ecologies.
45margd
In Georgia (the country), Clerics Use Anti-Vaxx Rhetoric, Call Pandemic a “Bluff”
May 15, 2020
...The global scientific community has joined forces to develop a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 respiratory syndrome. While the world awaits the results, a segment of the Georgian (Orthodox) clergy has begun questioning the vaccine and the benefits of vaccinations in general.
Meanwhile, Russia has been promoting anti-vaccination conspiracy theories targeting billionaire tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to build factories to produce the COVID-19 vaccine once it is ready.
Among the bogus Gates conspiracy theories are claims that he wants to inject people with surveillance microchips and knew about the pandemic before it emerged in December.
In fact, Gates has advocated for pandemic preparedness for years. His foundation has spent millions on the prevention and treatment of contagious diseases and distributed vaccines in developing countries.
In his 2015 TED talk, given amid the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, Gates warned that a highly infectious virus, rather than a nuclear war, would be the greatest global catastrophe that could claim millions of lives.
After the outbreak of COVID-19, Gates contributed a quarter billion dollars to several coronavirus vaccine initiatives...
https://www.polygraph.info/a/in-georgia-clerics-use-anti-vaxx-rhetoric-call-coro...
May 15, 2020
...The global scientific community has joined forces to develop a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 respiratory syndrome. While the world awaits the results, a segment of the Georgian (Orthodox) clergy has begun questioning the vaccine and the benefits of vaccinations in general.
Meanwhile, Russia has been promoting anti-vaccination conspiracy theories targeting billionaire tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to build factories to produce the COVID-19 vaccine once it is ready.
Among the bogus Gates conspiracy theories are claims that he wants to inject people with surveillance microchips and knew about the pandemic before it emerged in December.
In fact, Gates has advocated for pandemic preparedness for years. His foundation has spent millions on the prevention and treatment of contagious diseases and distributed vaccines in developing countries.
In his 2015 TED talk, given amid the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, Gates warned that a highly infectious virus, rather than a nuclear war, would be the greatest global catastrophe that could claim millions of lives.
After the outbreak of COVID-19, Gates contributed a quarter billion dollars to several coronavirus vaccine initiatives...
https://www.polygraph.info/a/in-georgia-clerics-use-anti-vaxx-rhetoric-call-coro...
46margd
Vaccinations Fall to Alarming Rates, C.D.C. Study Shows
David Waldstein | May 18, 2020
...During the pandemic, the rates of childhood vaccinations have dropped significantly as many parents have been reluctant to schedule well-child visits at their doctors’ offices, for fear of contracting the coronavirus. As a result, children have fallen behind on vaccinations for diseases like measles and pertussis, better known as whooping cough.
According to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccination rates in May for children under 2 years old in Michigan fell to alarming rates, including fewer than half of infants 5 months or younger.
...The Michigan study also noted that doctors could employ strategies to reduce the potential for coronavirus infection by creating separate rooms for healthy children and even by administering vaccinations to children in cars in parking lots. Those efforts could alleviate the fears among parents and improve the likelihood they catch up on their children’s vaccinations...
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/health/vaccinations-rates-coronavirus.html
David Waldstein | May 18, 2020
...During the pandemic, the rates of childhood vaccinations have dropped significantly as many parents have been reluctant to schedule well-child visits at their doctors’ offices, for fear of contracting the coronavirus. As a result, children have fallen behind on vaccinations for diseases like measles and pertussis, better known as whooping cough.
According to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccination rates in May for children under 2 years old in Michigan fell to alarming rates, including fewer than half of infants 5 months or younger.
...The Michigan study also noted that doctors could employ strategies to reduce the potential for coronavirus infection by creating separate rooms for healthy children and even by administering vaccinations to children in cars in parking lots. Those efforts could alleviate the fears among parents and improve the likelihood they catch up on their children’s vaccinations...
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/health/vaccinations-rates-coronavirus.html
47margd
First clinical trial with genetically modified malaria vaccine completed
Radboud University | May 20, 2020
...an innovative study*... tested a candidate vaccine based on a genetically weakened malaria parasite. The results of this clinical trial...show that the vaccine is safe and elicits a defense response against a malaria infection.
...researchers made a weakened malaria parasite by removing two genes and developed it into a vaccine...This parasite reaches the first liver stage in humans, but the genetic weakening means that it does not continue to later stages or lead to infection of the blood. In earlier phases of the research, important genes were identified that, in their absence, prevented the parasite from developing in the liver....
Safe and partially effective
The results of the trial show that the vaccine is safe. It does not lead to infection of the blood and therefore does not cause malaria symptoms. It was also observed that the vaccinated volunteers developed an immune defense against a malaria infection, although this protection was not complete. This means that the disease is delayed but not prevented. According to the researchers, the measured immune responses and demonstrated safety are strong incentives to further develop a vaccine based on genetically attenuated malaria parasites.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-clinical-trial-genetically-malaria-vaccin...
________________________________________________________
GMOs for good
Despite decades of progress and a multitude of approaches, a durable malaria vaccine remains elusive. Two new clinical studies in this issue report initial testing of genetically engineered malaria vaccines in malaria-naïve adults. Roestenberg et al. studied PfSPZ-GA1, a Plasmodium falciparum SPZ vaccine attenuated by deletion of b9 and slarp. Reuling et al. examined PbVac, SPZ of the rodent-specific parasite P. berghei modified to express the circumsporozoite protein from P. falciparum. Both vaccines were well tolerated and immunogenic. Controlled malaria challenge also indicated some evidence of protection. These genetically engineered vaccines are part of the new wave of malaria vaccines and warrant further clinical testing.
* Meta Roestenberg et al. 2020. A double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1/2a trial of the genetically attenuated malaria vaccine PfSPZ-GA1. Science Translational Medicine (2020). Science Translational Medicine 20 May 2020: Vol. 12, Issue 544 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz5629 https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/12/544/eaaz5629
Abstract
Immunization with attenuated Plasmodium sporozoites can induce protection against malaria infection, as shown by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoites attenuated by radiation in multiple clinical trials. As alternative attenuation strategy with a more homogeneous population of Pf sporozoites (PfSPZ), genetically engineered Plasmodium berghei sporozoites (SPZ) lacking the genes b9 and slarp induced sterile protection against malaria in mice. Consequently, PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine, a Pf identical double knockout (Pf∆b9∆slarp), was generated as a genetically attenuated malaria parasite vaccine and tested for safety, immunogenicity, and preliminary efficacy in malaria-naïve Dutch volunteers. Dose-escalation immunizations up to 9.0 × 105 PfSPZ of PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine were well tolerated without breakthrough blood-stage infection. Subsequently, groups of volunteers were immunized three times by direct venous inoculation with cryopreserved PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine (9.0 × 105 or 4.5 × 105 PfSPZ, N = 13 each), PfSPZ Vaccine (radiation-attenuated PfSPZ, 4.5 × 105 PfSPZ, N = 13), or normal saline placebo at 8-week intervals, followed by exposure to mosquito bite controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). After CHMI, 3 of 25 volunteers from both PfSPZ-GA1 groups were sterilely protected, and the remaining 17 of 22 showed a patency 9 days or more (median patency in controls, 7 days; range, 7 to 9). All volunteers in the PfSPZ Vaccine control group developed parasitemia (median patency, 9 days; range, 7 to 12). Immunized groups exhibited a significant, dose-related increase in anti-Pf circumsporozoite protein (CSP) antibodies and Pf-specific interferon-γ (IFN-γ)–producing T cells. Although no definite conclusion can be drawn on the potential strength of protective efficacy of PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine, the favorable safety profile and induced immune responses by PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine warrant further clinical evaluation.
Radboud University | May 20, 2020
...an innovative study*... tested a candidate vaccine based on a genetically weakened malaria parasite. The results of this clinical trial...show that the vaccine is safe and elicits a defense response against a malaria infection.
...researchers made a weakened malaria parasite by removing two genes and developed it into a vaccine...This parasite reaches the first liver stage in humans, but the genetic weakening means that it does not continue to later stages or lead to infection of the blood. In earlier phases of the research, important genes were identified that, in their absence, prevented the parasite from developing in the liver....
Safe and partially effective
The results of the trial show that the vaccine is safe. It does not lead to infection of the blood and therefore does not cause malaria symptoms. It was also observed that the vaccinated volunteers developed an immune defense against a malaria infection, although this protection was not complete. This means that the disease is delayed but not prevented. According to the researchers, the measured immune responses and demonstrated safety are strong incentives to further develop a vaccine based on genetically attenuated malaria parasites.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-clinical-trial-genetically-malaria-vaccin...
________________________________________________________
GMOs for good
Despite decades of progress and a multitude of approaches, a durable malaria vaccine remains elusive. Two new clinical studies in this issue report initial testing of genetically engineered malaria vaccines in malaria-naïve adults. Roestenberg et al. studied PfSPZ-GA1, a Plasmodium falciparum SPZ vaccine attenuated by deletion of b9 and slarp. Reuling et al. examined PbVac, SPZ of the rodent-specific parasite P. berghei modified to express the circumsporozoite protein from P. falciparum. Both vaccines were well tolerated and immunogenic. Controlled malaria challenge also indicated some evidence of protection. These genetically engineered vaccines are part of the new wave of malaria vaccines and warrant further clinical testing.
* Meta Roestenberg et al. 2020. A double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1/2a trial of the genetically attenuated malaria vaccine PfSPZ-GA1. Science Translational Medicine (2020). Science Translational Medicine 20 May 2020: Vol. 12, Issue 544 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz5629 https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/12/544/eaaz5629
Abstract
Immunization with attenuated Plasmodium sporozoites can induce protection against malaria infection, as shown by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoites attenuated by radiation in multiple clinical trials. As alternative attenuation strategy with a more homogeneous population of Pf sporozoites (PfSPZ), genetically engineered Plasmodium berghei sporozoites (SPZ) lacking the genes b9 and slarp induced sterile protection against malaria in mice. Consequently, PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine, a Pf identical double knockout (Pf∆b9∆slarp), was generated as a genetically attenuated malaria parasite vaccine and tested for safety, immunogenicity, and preliminary efficacy in malaria-naïve Dutch volunteers. Dose-escalation immunizations up to 9.0 × 105 PfSPZ of PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine were well tolerated without breakthrough blood-stage infection. Subsequently, groups of volunteers were immunized three times by direct venous inoculation with cryopreserved PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine (9.0 × 105 or 4.5 × 105 PfSPZ, N = 13 each), PfSPZ Vaccine (radiation-attenuated PfSPZ, 4.5 × 105 PfSPZ, N = 13), or normal saline placebo at 8-week intervals, followed by exposure to mosquito bite controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). After CHMI, 3 of 25 volunteers from both PfSPZ-GA1 groups were sterilely protected, and the remaining 17 of 22 showed a patency 9 days or more (median patency in controls, 7 days; range, 7 to 9). All volunteers in the PfSPZ Vaccine control group developed parasitemia (median patency, 9 days; range, 7 to 12). Immunized groups exhibited a significant, dose-related increase in anti-Pf circumsporozoite protein (CSP) antibodies and Pf-specific interferon-γ (IFN-γ)–producing T cells. Although no definite conclusion can be drawn on the potential strength of protective efficacy of PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine, the favorable safety profile and induced immune responses by PfSPZ-GA1 Vaccine warrant further clinical evaluation.
48margd
False claim about early-years vaccines spreading on social media
Thomas Saint-Cricq | 21 May 2020
A post shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook claims that a list of 26 substances, some said to be “carcinogenic” or “toxic,” will be administered to children six years old and younger through vaccination. The claim is false. Although some of the ingredients listed do feature in children’s vaccines, the doses involved are not toxic, pass through the body and ensure the reliability of the vaccination...Health Canada points out that vaccines may contain “minute amounts of chemicals that are used during the production process, such as for the growth or purification of specific antigens or the inactivation of toxins.”
Here are some specific examples where specialists examined the individual ingredients and found the doses are too small to be toxic.
Formaldehyde
Potassium chloride
Potassium phosphate & sodium bicarbonate
Antibiotics
Aluminum
Gelatin and polysorbate 80
Vaccine schedule
https://factcheck.afp.com/false-claim-about-early-years-vaccines-spreading-socia...
Thomas Saint-Cricq | 21 May 2020
A post shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook claims that a list of 26 substances, some said to be “carcinogenic” or “toxic,” will be administered to children six years old and younger through vaccination. The claim is false. Although some of the ingredients listed do feature in children’s vaccines, the doses involved are not toxic, pass through the body and ensure the reliability of the vaccination...Health Canada points out that vaccines may contain “minute amounts of chemicals that are used during the production process, such as for the growth or purification of specific antigens or the inactivation of toxins.”
Here are some specific examples where specialists examined the individual ingredients and found the doses are too small to be toxic.
Formaldehyde
Potassium chloride
Potassium phosphate & sodium bicarbonate
Antibiotics
Aluminum
Gelatin and polysorbate 80
Vaccine schedule
https://factcheck.afp.com/false-claim-about-early-years-vaccines-spreading-socia...
49margd
Misinformation on US flu shot ingredients resurfaces during pandemic
Louis Baudoin-Laarman | 07 May 2020
...ingredients contained in this year’s flu shots...alleged...mercury, antifreeze, phenol, animal blood, animal viruses, and formaldehyde. Trace amounts of formaldehyde are present in flu vaccines authorized in the US this year, and the mercury-based product thimerosal is present in some of them....
Here we examine each ingredient allegedly present in (2019-2020) flu shots.
Mercury
Antifreeze
Ethylene glycol
Phenol
Animal Blood
Animal Viruses
Formaldehyde
https://factcheck.afp.com/misinformation-us-flu-shot-ingredients-resurfaces-duri...
Louis Baudoin-Laarman | 07 May 2020
...ingredients contained in this year’s flu shots...alleged...mercury, antifreeze, phenol, animal blood, animal viruses, and formaldehyde. Trace amounts of formaldehyde are present in flu vaccines authorized in the US this year, and the mercury-based product thimerosal is present in some of them....
Here we examine each ingredient allegedly present in (2019-2020) flu shots.
Mercury
Antifreeze
Ethylene glycol
Phenol
Animal Blood
Animal Viruses
Formaldehyde
https://factcheck.afp.com/misinformation-us-flu-shot-ingredients-resurfaces-duri...
50margd
Flu shots in Canada: ingredients explained
Louis Baudoin-Laarman | 23 October 2018
...ingredients contained in this year’s flu shots...alleged...mercury, antifreeze, phenol, animal blood, animal viruses, and formaldehyde. While trace amounts of formaldehyde is present in flu vaccines authorized in Canada this year, as well as the mercury-based product thimerosal in some of them,...ingredients list is misleading and mostly inaccurate.
Here we examine each ingredient allegedly present in (2018-2019) flu shots.
Mercury
Antifreeze
Phenol
Animal Blood
Animal Viruses
Formaldehyde
https://factcheck.afp.com/flu-shots-canada-ingredients-explained
Louis Baudoin-Laarman | 23 October 2018
...ingredients contained in this year’s flu shots...alleged...mercury, antifreeze, phenol, animal blood, animal viruses, and formaldehyde. While trace amounts of formaldehyde is present in flu vaccines authorized in Canada this year, as well as the mercury-based product thimerosal in some of them,...ingredients list is misleading and mostly inaccurate.
Here we examine each ingredient allegedly present in (2018-2019) flu shots.
Mercury
Antifreeze
Phenol
Animal Blood
Animal Viruses
Formaldehyde
https://factcheck.afp.com/flu-shots-canada-ingredients-explained
51margd
Thimerosal: the mercury-based preservative at the center of flu vaccine misinformation
AFP Canada | 14 November 2019. Updated on Friday 15 November 2019
According to social media posts, flu shots contain 25 micrograms of mercury, despite the safe limit for injected mercury being zero. This is misleading; of the nine flu vaccines authorized in Canada this year, only five contain thimerosal, a mercury-containing organic compound used to preserve vaccines. Additionally, studies find that the amount of mercury contained in vaccines is too low to have an adverse impact on health...
Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative that prevents bacterial and fungal contamination of vaccines, and other consumer products such as cosmetics...
...important difference between the ethylmercury contained in thimerosal, and the methylmercury present in fish, which is a known to be dangerous if consumed in large amounts...
...Health Canada states, “The amount of thimerosal in vaccines is small, and no studies have documented any associated adverse effects.”
The World Health Organization also states on its website, “There is no evidence to suggest that the amount of thimerosal used in vaccines poses a health risk.”
...dementia...Alzheimer's Disease...autism...
The five thimerosal-containing vaccines (of nine authorized) this season...only contain thimerosal when they are dispensed from multi-dose vials, as the larger quantity makes preservation more difficult...if people are uncomfortable with thimerosal in flu shots, they may ask their doctor for a pre-filled, single-dose vaccine, which does not contain any...
https://factcheck.afp.com/thimerosal-mercury-based-preservative-center-flu-vacci...
AFP Canada | 14 November 2019. Updated on Friday 15 November 2019
According to social media posts, flu shots contain 25 micrograms of mercury, despite the safe limit for injected mercury being zero. This is misleading; of the nine flu vaccines authorized in Canada this year, only five contain thimerosal, a mercury-containing organic compound used to preserve vaccines. Additionally, studies find that the amount of mercury contained in vaccines is too low to have an adverse impact on health...
Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative that prevents bacterial and fungal contamination of vaccines, and other consumer products such as cosmetics...
...important difference between the ethylmercury contained in thimerosal, and the methylmercury present in fish, which is a known to be dangerous if consumed in large amounts...
...Health Canada states, “The amount of thimerosal in vaccines is small, and no studies have documented any associated adverse effects.”
The World Health Organization also states on its website, “There is no evidence to suggest that the amount of thimerosal used in vaccines poses a health risk.”
...dementia...Alzheimer's Disease...autism...
The five thimerosal-containing vaccines (of nine authorized) this season...only contain thimerosal when they are dispensed from multi-dose vials, as the larger quantity makes preservation more difficult...if people are uncomfortable with thimerosal in flu shots, they may ask their doctor for a pre-filled, single-dose vaccine, which does not contain any...
https://factcheck.afp.com/thimerosal-mercury-based-preservative-center-flu-vacci...
52margd
No, flu shots do not make people contagious
Louis Baudoin-Laarman | 23 October 2019
As Canada enters flu season, many online posts warn individuals that getting vaccinated will cause them to be contagious for several weeks. This is false; flu shots contain dead influenza viruses that are not infectious, according to the Canadian Public Health Agency (CPHA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC).
...Some vaccines...have not only been inactivated but have also been split, and sometimes even purified down to the protein needed to create the vaccine...
https://factcheck.afp.com/no-flu-shots-do-not-make-people-contagious
Louis Baudoin-Laarman | 23 October 2019
As Canada enters flu season, many online posts warn individuals that getting vaccinated will cause them to be contagious for several weeks. This is false; flu shots contain dead influenza viruses that are not infectious, according to the Canadian Public Health Agency (CPHA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC).
...Some vaccines...have not only been inactivated but have also been split, and sometimes even purified down to the protein needed to create the vaccine...
https://factcheck.afp.com/no-flu-shots-do-not-make-people-contagious
53margd
A Lot of People Believe Bill Gates Wants to (use a mass vaccination program) to Microchip Them
Kevin Drum | May 22, 2020
50% of Fox viewers!
19% of Democrats!
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2020/05/a-lot-of-people-believe-bill-gate...
Kevin Drum | May 22, 2020
50% of Fox viewers!
19% of Democrats!
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2020/05/a-lot-of-people-believe-bill-gate...
54John5918
>53 margd:
While it's understandable that some parents are worried about claims that vaccines may harm their children, even though all the serious evidence is to the contrary, I find it incredible that so many people believe this Bill Gates conspiracy theory. I'd better rush off and put on my tinfoil helmet to protect myself from the aliens - they're the ones who are really trying to microchip us, don't you know? Or maybe Bill Gates is an alien in disguise?
While it's understandable that some parents are worried about claims that vaccines may harm their children, even though all the serious evidence is to the contrary, I find it incredible that so many people believe this Bill Gates conspiracy theory. I'd better rush off and put on my tinfoil helmet to protect myself from the aliens - they're the ones who are really trying to microchip us, don't you know? Or maybe Bill Gates is an alien in disguise?
55margd
>54 John5918: One fellow's reaction:
Sh*t! Don’t tell my mobile phone, my Apple Watch, my laptop, my Google Maps or Alexa.
I’m trying to keep a low profile from the government tracking me.
- Aaron Guy @AaronGuyPT8:47 PM · May 22, 2020
_______________________________________
Also, don't tell margd's Fitbit, 360, Chevy Silverado, social media accounts, Amazon, etc.!
My dog's microchip is ~ the size of a grain of rice: imagine the bore of the needle! (Sorry, Annie...)
Sh*t! Don’t tell my mobile phone, my Apple Watch, my laptop, my Google Maps or Alexa.
I’m trying to keep a low profile from the government tracking me.
- Aaron Guy @AaronGuyPT8:47 PM · May 22, 2020
_______________________________________
Also, don't tell margd's Fitbit, 360, Chevy Silverado, social media accounts, Amazon, etc.!
My dog's microchip is ~ the size of a grain of rice: imagine the bore of the needle! (Sorry, Annie...)
56John5918
Europe's Covid predicament – how do you solve a problem like the anti-vaxxers? (Guardian)
In front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate a politically incongruous crowd of protesters gathered yesterday. They wore flowers in their hair, hazmat suits emblazoned with the letter Q, badges displaying the old German imperial flag or T-shirts reading “Gates, My Ass” – a reference to the US software billionaire Bill Gates...
The alliance of anti-vaxxers, neo-Nazi rabble-rousers and esoteric hippies...
In front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate a politically incongruous crowd of protesters gathered yesterday. They wore flowers in their hair, hazmat suits emblazoned with the letter Q, badges displaying the old German imperial flag or T-shirts reading “Gates, My Ass” – a reference to the US software billionaire Bill Gates...
The alliance of anti-vaxxers, neo-Nazi rabble-rousers and esoteric hippies...
57Kuiperdolin
Anti-vaxxers are just anti-GMO who are bad at PR.
58John5918
>57 Kuiperdolin:
No, they're not. See for example the discussion on the SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 (8) thread from about #99 onwards.
No, they're not. See for example the discussion on the SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 (8) thread from about #99 onwards.
59Kuiperdolin
Nothing in this thread (*) addresses the fact anti-vaxxing and anti-GMO stem from the same well : hidebound luddism, conspiracy-theory mad libs, anti-intellectual ochlocracy...
(*) though to be fair I have several posters there blocked so their posts might address it. Then again they're blocked for a reason.
(*) though to be fair I have several posters there blocked so their posts might address it. Then again they're blocked for a reason.
60John5918
>59 Kuiperdolin:
Well, well have to agree to disagree about "hidebound luddism, conspiracy-theory mad libs, anti-intellectual ochlocracy",even though I had to look up ochlocracy, and I have no idea what a "mad lib" is.
Well, well have to agree to disagree about "hidebound luddism, conspiracy-theory mad libs, anti-intellectual ochlocracy",even though I had to look up ochlocracy, and I have no idea what a "mad lib" is.
61krolik
>59 Kuiperdolin:
There's no excuse for jerks on the left who have promoted anti-vaxx sentiments. But they have no monopoly. E.g.,
https://rassemblementnational.fr/communiques/la-politique-vaccinale-de-la-france...
https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2019/03/15/vaccins-smic-europe-les-...
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/27/anti-vaccine-republican-mainstream-134...
There's no excuse for jerks on the left who have promoted anti-vaxx sentiments. But they have no monopoly. E.g.,
https://rassemblementnational.fr/communiques/la-politique-vaccinale-de-la-france...
https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2019/03/15/vaccins-smic-europe-les-...
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/27/anti-vaccine-republican-mainstream-134...
62kiparsky
I would suggest that anti-GMO campaigns and anti-vaccine campaigns tend to appeal to the same sorts of people, who are also susceptible to various other health-related delusions, but they are not particularly related. There are lots of such delusions - I remember "chemtrails", anti-fluoride campaigns, all sorts of such things. The anti-vaccine people are just a particularly malignant strain, since they pose a serious public health risk as well as a risk to their children.
63mikevail
>62 kiparsky:
It's damn near criminal behavior. Vaccinated children develop autism at the same rate as unvaccinated children. Anti-vaxx movement is less about the children and more about their parents narcissism.
It's damn near criminal behavior. Vaccinated children develop autism at the same rate as unvaccinated children. Anti-vaxx movement is less about the children and more about their parents narcissism.
64kiparsky
>63 mikevail: I do not disagree with that. This is one reason I don't think it's helpful to lump the anti-vaccine people together with the anti-GMO people. If someone wants to look for a "no GMO" label on their frozen broccoli, I have little problem with that. I'd rather focus on the people who are doing harm to their children and to those around them.
65Kuiperdolin
> 60 : "Mad Libs is a phrasal template word game where one player prompts others for a list of words to substitute for blanks in a story before reading aloud." By extension, any verbiage that's seemingly random and nonsensical, like the anti-GMO doctrine.
> 61 : I didn't say anything about the left. You're obsessed.
> 61 : I didn't say anything about the left. You're obsessed.
66John5918
>65 Kuiperdolin:
Thanks for the definition. I had never hear of this word game. But the idea that some people would like to know what is in the food they buy, and want food labelling that is already commonplace within Europe, is "verbiage that's seemingly random and nonsensical", is, er "verbiage that's seemingly random and nonsensical".
Thanks for the definition. I had never hear of this word game. But the idea that some people would like to know what is in the food they buy, and want food labelling that is already commonplace within Europe, is "verbiage that's seemingly random and nonsensical", is, er "verbiage that's seemingly random and nonsensical".
67margd
A recent anti-vaxx campaign is quickly refuted. However:
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." (Winston Churchill)
Do Vaccinations Violate Human Rights Under The Nuremberg Code?
Medical ethics and legal experts said the principles,* named after the Nuremberg trials, are compatible with vaccination.
AFP | 30 May 2020
..."Vaccines are in direct violation of the Nuremberg Code," a flyer photographed and shared on Facebook in Canada on May 25, 2020 warns...
https://www.boomlive.in/world/do-vaccinations-violate-human-rights-under-the-nur...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*(from Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals under Control Council Law No. 10. Nuremberg, October 1946–April 1949. Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O, 1949–1953.)
Permissible Medical Experiments
The great weight of the evidence before us is to the effect that certain types of medical experiments on human beings, when kept within reasonably well-defined bounds, conform to the ethics of the medical profession generally. The protagonists of the practice of human experimentation justify their views on the basis that such experiments yield results for the good of society that are unprocurable by other methods or means of study. All agree, however, that certain basic principles must be observed in order to satisfy moral, ethical and legal concepts:
1. The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.
2. The experiment should be such as to yield fruitful results for the good of society, unprocurable by other methods or means of study, and not random and unnecessary in nature.
3. The experiment should be so designed and based on the results of animal experimentation and a knowledge of the natural history of the disease or other problem under study that the anticipated results will justify the performance of the experiment.
4. The experiment should be so conducted as to avoid all unnecessary physical and mental suffering and injury.
5. No experiment should be conducted where there is an a priori reason to believe that death or disabling injury will occur; except, perhaps, in those experiments where the experimental physicians also serve as subjects.
6. The degree of risk to be taken should never exceed that determined by the humanitarian importance of the problem to be solved by the experiment.
7. Proper preparations should be made and adequate facilities provided to protect the experimental subject against even remote possibilities of injury, disability, or death.
8. The experiment should be conducted only by scientifically qualified persons. The highest degree of skill and care should be required through all stages of the experiment of those who conduct or engage in the experiment.
9. During the course of the experiment the human subject should be at liberty to bring the experiment to an end if he has reached the physical or mental state where continuation of the experiment seems to him to be impossible.
10. During the course of the experiment the scientist in charge must be prepared to terminate the experiment at any stage, if he has probably cause to believe, in the exercise of the good faith, superior skill and careful judgment required of him that a continuation of the experiment is likely to result in injury, disability, or death to the experimental subject.
https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/online-exhibitions/special-focus/d...
_________________________________________________________
FYI, the US and Cdn reporting systems for adverse events associated with vaccines:
Canadian Adverse Events Following Immunization Surveillance System (CAEFISS)
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/canadian-adverse-ev...
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
https://vaers.hhs.gov/data.html
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." (Winston Churchill)
Do Vaccinations Violate Human Rights Under The Nuremberg Code?
Medical ethics and legal experts said the principles,* named after the Nuremberg trials, are compatible with vaccination.
AFP | 30 May 2020
..."Vaccines are in direct violation of the Nuremberg Code," a flyer photographed and shared on Facebook in Canada on May 25, 2020 warns...
https://www.boomlive.in/world/do-vaccinations-violate-human-rights-under-the-nur...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*(from Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals under Control Council Law No. 10. Nuremberg, October 1946–April 1949. Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O, 1949–1953.)
Permissible Medical Experiments
The great weight of the evidence before us is to the effect that certain types of medical experiments on human beings, when kept within reasonably well-defined bounds, conform to the ethics of the medical profession generally. The protagonists of the practice of human experimentation justify their views on the basis that such experiments yield results for the good of society that are unprocurable by other methods or means of study. All agree, however, that certain basic principles must be observed in order to satisfy moral, ethical and legal concepts:
1. The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.
2. The experiment should be such as to yield fruitful results for the good of society, unprocurable by other methods or means of study, and not random and unnecessary in nature.
3. The experiment should be so designed and based on the results of animal experimentation and a knowledge of the natural history of the disease or other problem under study that the anticipated results will justify the performance of the experiment.
4. The experiment should be so conducted as to avoid all unnecessary physical and mental suffering and injury.
5. No experiment should be conducted where there is an a priori reason to believe that death or disabling injury will occur; except, perhaps, in those experiments where the experimental physicians also serve as subjects.
6. The degree of risk to be taken should never exceed that determined by the humanitarian importance of the problem to be solved by the experiment.
7. Proper preparations should be made and adequate facilities provided to protect the experimental subject against even remote possibilities of injury, disability, or death.
8. The experiment should be conducted only by scientifically qualified persons. The highest degree of skill and care should be required through all stages of the experiment of those who conduct or engage in the experiment.
9. During the course of the experiment the human subject should be at liberty to bring the experiment to an end if he has reached the physical or mental state where continuation of the experiment seems to him to be impossible.
10. During the course of the experiment the scientist in charge must be prepared to terminate the experiment at any stage, if he has probably cause to believe, in the exercise of the good faith, superior skill and careful judgment required of him that a continuation of the experiment is likely to result in injury, disability, or death to the experimental subject.
https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/online-exhibitions/special-focus/d...
_________________________________________________________
FYI, the US and Cdn reporting systems for adverse events associated with vaccines:
Canadian Adverse Events Following Immunization Surveillance System (CAEFISS)
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/canadian-adverse-ev...
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
https://vaers.hhs.gov/data.html
68margd
Meme Misrepresents Fauci’s Position on Vaccine Trials
Katherine Hartzell | June 5, 2020
Quick Take
A viral meme falsely suggests Dr. Anthony Fauci supports administering a COVID-19 vaccine before clinical trials are completed. Fauci supports the manufacture of vaccines while trials are underway — but only administering the vaccine once the trials are over and it is deemed effective and safe...
https://www.factcheck.org/2020/06/meme-misrepresents-faucis-position-on-vaccine-...
Katherine Hartzell | June 5, 2020
Quick Take
A viral meme falsely suggests Dr. Anthony Fauci supports administering a COVID-19 vaccine before clinical trials are completed. Fauci supports the manufacture of vaccines while trials are underway — but only administering the vaccine once the trials are over and it is deemed effective and safe...
https://www.factcheck.org/2020/06/meme-misrepresents-faucis-position-on-vaccine-...
69John5918
'It’s psychologically easier': how anti-vaxxers capitalised on coronavirus fears to spread misinformation (Guardian)
While teams around the world race to create a vaccine for Covid-19, the anti-vaxxers are racing to convince people that it will be dangerous...So there is a genuine concern that if and when the vaccine “ticket out” is found, efforts to get people to take it will flounder. While the pandemic that has infected millions and killed hundreds of thousands of people continues to rage, the anti-vaccination movement has capitalised on the fear and confusion created to spread viral propaganda...
While teams around the world race to create a vaccine for Covid-19, the anti-vaxxers are racing to convince people that it will be dangerous...So there is a genuine concern that if and when the vaccine “ticket out” is found, efforts to get people to take it will flounder. While the pandemic that has infected millions and killed hundreds of thousands of people continues to rage, the anti-vaccination movement has capitalised on the fear and confusion created to spread viral propaganda...
70margd
>69 John5918: Yup...article captures the situation out there. I think strategy described near end of the article is good one.
71margd
Abortion opponents protest COVID-19 vaccines’ use of fetal cells
Meredith Wadman | Jun. 5, 2020
Senior Catholic leaders in the United States and Canada, along with other antiabortion groups, are raising ethical objections to promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates that are manufactured using cells derived from human fetuses electively aborted decades ago. They have not sought to block government funding for the vaccines, which include two candidate vaccines that the Trump administration plans to support with an investment of up to $1.7 billion, as well as a third candidate made by a Chinese company in collaboration with Canada’s National Research Council (NRC). But they are urging funders and policymakers to ensure that companies develop other vaccines that do not rely on such human fetal cell lines and, in the United States, asking the government to “incentivize” firms to only make vaccines that don’t rely on fetal cells.
...The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life declared in 2005 and reaffirmed in 2017 that in the absence of alternatives, Catholics could, in good conscience, receive vaccines made using historical human fetal cell lines...
*Clarification, 8 June, 12:10 p.m.: This story has been updated to clarify that the Vatican approves of Catholics receiving vaccines manufactured using human fetal cells only in the absence of alternatives.
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/06/abortion-opponents-protest-covid-19-vacc...
Meredith Wadman | Jun. 5, 2020
Senior Catholic leaders in the United States and Canada, along with other antiabortion groups, are raising ethical objections to promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates that are manufactured using cells derived from human fetuses electively aborted decades ago. They have not sought to block government funding for the vaccines, which include two candidate vaccines that the Trump administration plans to support with an investment of up to $1.7 billion, as well as a third candidate made by a Chinese company in collaboration with Canada’s National Research Council (NRC). But they are urging funders and policymakers to ensure that companies develop other vaccines that do not rely on such human fetal cell lines and, in the United States, asking the government to “incentivize” firms to only make vaccines that don’t rely on fetal cells.
...The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life declared in 2005 and reaffirmed in 2017 that in the absence of alternatives, Catholics could, in good conscience, receive vaccines made using historical human fetal cell lines...
*Clarification, 8 June, 12:10 p.m.: This story has been updated to clarify that the Vatican approves of Catholics receiving vaccines manufactured using human fetal cells only in the absence of alternatives.
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/06/abortion-opponents-protest-covid-19-vacc...
72John5918
Demand for flu vaccine soars as countries plan for second Covid-19 wave (Guardian)
Fears of a second wave of coronavirus have sparked a global scramble for influenza shots from countries that hope to vaccinate great swathes of the population to reduce pressure on their health services.
Health officials in the UK are considering whether to offer flu shots to everyone as part of planning for a resurgence of coronavirus in the autumn, but with other countries hitting on the same strategy, demand for flu vaccines has soared.
Mass immunisation would aim to slash the number of people hospitalised with the flu this winter, giving the NHS a better chance of coping with any surge in Covid-19 patients that follows the easing of lockdown restrictions. The flu vaccine does not protect against coronavirus infection...
Fears of a second wave of coronavirus have sparked a global scramble for influenza shots from countries that hope to vaccinate great swathes of the population to reduce pressure on their health services.
Health officials in the UK are considering whether to offer flu shots to everyone as part of planning for a resurgence of coronavirus in the autumn, but with other countries hitting on the same strategy, demand for flu vaccines has soared.
Mass immunisation would aim to slash the number of people hospitalised with the flu this winter, giving the NHS a better chance of coping with any surge in Covid-19 patients that follows the easing of lockdown restrictions. The flu vaccine does not protect against coronavirus infection...
73margd
Misleading Image Links Vaccine Ingredients To Lethal Injections Potassium chloride is a salt and medical experts say the minimal amount used in vaccines will not harm recipients. By - AFP | 15 Jun 2020
https://www.boomlive.in/world/misleading-image-links-vaccine-ingredients-to-leth...
Claim Review : Potassium Chloride, an ingredient in vaccines, is also used in lethal injections used to execute death row inmates. Claimed By : Posts on Facebook and Instagram
Fact Check : Misleading
https://www.boomlive.in/world/misleading-image-links-vaccine-ingredients-to-leth...
https://www.boomlive.in/world/misleading-image-links-vaccine-ingredients-to-leth...
Claim Review : Potassium Chloride, an ingredient in vaccines, is also used in lethal injections used to execute death row inmates. Claimed By : Posts on Facebook and Instagram
Fact Check : Misleading
https://www.boomlive.in/world/misleading-image-links-vaccine-ingredients-to-leth...
74rastaphrog
>73 margd: And many people purposely ingest it daily as a salt substitute.
76margd
Here’s how we’ll know when a COVID-19 vaccine is ready
Roxanne Khamsi | June 30, 2020
Health officials have set targets for how good and how safe a COVID-19 vaccine needs to be, but communicating that to the public can present challenges...
...debacle. The hastily-developed (1976 flu) vaccine was linked to more than 500 cases of paralysis, and 25 people died from it. Soon after news of the Fort Dix outbreak first broke, half of the general public had voiced their intentions to get immunized. But as events unfolded, only 22 percent of the U.S. population ended up getting the vaccine by year’s end.
...as COVID-19 sweeps across the world and more than 140 vaccines are in the works to protect against it, the question is: How will we know when one is good enough and safe enough to counsel people to take it?
Although a typical vaccine can take years to get off the ground, those designed in this pandemic are moving ahead at a pace never seen before...
Some scientists are wary of settling on the first vaccine that comes to fruition. It’s a delicate balancing act for public health officials to decide when a vaccine is ready for mass rollout to the public.
If, for instance, they scale up production of a vaccine with limited effectiveness and promote it heavily, that might dissuade developers from striving to bring a better one to the market.
...For the COVID-19 vaccine, the ideal candidate would be able to establish immunity in at least 70 percent of the population, including the elderly, as outlined in April by the World Health Organization (WHO)...
On the flipside, the WHO says that the minimum acceptable would be a COVID-19 vaccine that was 50 percent effective. On June 30, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mirrored this guidance, releasing a document that set the same baseline target. Some researchers aren’t convinced: “Fifty percent would be terrible,” says Byram Bridle, a viral immunologist at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College in Canada. “For this pandemic to end, we need to achieve herd immunity,” says Bridle, and a vaccine only effective for 50 percent falls short of getting us to that goal.
...there have been rare but noteworthy surprises in the past. For example, the first vaccine for diarrhea-causing rotavirus was withdrawn from the market in 1999 when it was linked to an uncommon and potentially fatal sliding of one part of the bowel into another. This severe adverse event wasn’t detected in the clinical trials leading up to its rollout. More recently, in 2009, the Pandemrix vaccine against the swine flu showed signs of a link to narcolepsy in Europe. (The vaccine was never licensed for use in the United States.)
...In its phase one trials for the Moderna vaccine against COVID-19, four of 45 individuals who received the vaccine had a medically significant adverse reaction, including one man who developed a high fever and fainted. Yet researchers already knew that mRNA vaccines can sometimes overstimulate an immune system, and three of the four subjects who had these side effects were taking the highest dosage in the trial, which has now been discontinued.
...The key challenge for the future, as (Matthew Laurens, pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore) sees it, is to explain to people how they can do their part in stopping the pandemic by getting immunized once a suitable vaccine is available. “We have to do our utmost to educate the public about how vaccines are tested and the safety profiles of vaccines and what they can actually do, and how they can prevent disease in a community”...
Vaccine hesitancy might not be the only hurdle to overcome. (Charlie Weller, head of the vaccines program at Wellcome, a London-based biomedical research funder) anticipates a scenario where—at least initially—public interest in obtaining the vaccine might outstrip the amount available.
Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore says that there might be “chaotic” scenes if demand is high and the rollout is not done carefully “Just think about Black Friday and what happens when people are in lines”...
Coordinators of past immunization campaigns for other ailments are watching the COVID-19 vaccine development process closely, in hopes of heading off missteps that would undermine uptake and access. “It will not take much to discredit the vaccine in the eyes of the population,” (Roland Sutter, who was coordinator for research, policy, product development, and containment for polio at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, until retiring in December) says. “The rollout has to be carefully thought out so that it will not destroy confidence in the vaccine.”...
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-we-will-know-when-coronav...
Roxanne Khamsi | June 30, 2020
Health officials have set targets for how good and how safe a COVID-19 vaccine needs to be, but communicating that to the public can present challenges...
...debacle. The hastily-developed (1976 flu) vaccine was linked to more than 500 cases of paralysis, and 25 people died from it. Soon after news of the Fort Dix outbreak first broke, half of the general public had voiced their intentions to get immunized. But as events unfolded, only 22 percent of the U.S. population ended up getting the vaccine by year’s end.
...as COVID-19 sweeps across the world and more than 140 vaccines are in the works to protect against it, the question is: How will we know when one is good enough and safe enough to counsel people to take it?
Although a typical vaccine can take years to get off the ground, those designed in this pandemic are moving ahead at a pace never seen before...
Some scientists are wary of settling on the first vaccine that comes to fruition. It’s a delicate balancing act for public health officials to decide when a vaccine is ready for mass rollout to the public.
If, for instance, they scale up production of a vaccine with limited effectiveness and promote it heavily, that might dissuade developers from striving to bring a better one to the market.
...For the COVID-19 vaccine, the ideal candidate would be able to establish immunity in at least 70 percent of the population, including the elderly, as outlined in April by the World Health Organization (WHO)...
On the flipside, the WHO says that the minimum acceptable would be a COVID-19 vaccine that was 50 percent effective. On June 30, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mirrored this guidance, releasing a document that set the same baseline target. Some researchers aren’t convinced: “Fifty percent would be terrible,” says Byram Bridle, a viral immunologist at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College in Canada. “For this pandemic to end, we need to achieve herd immunity,” says Bridle, and a vaccine only effective for 50 percent falls short of getting us to that goal.
...there have been rare but noteworthy surprises in the past. For example, the first vaccine for diarrhea-causing rotavirus was withdrawn from the market in 1999 when it was linked to an uncommon and potentially fatal sliding of one part of the bowel into another. This severe adverse event wasn’t detected in the clinical trials leading up to its rollout. More recently, in 2009, the Pandemrix vaccine against the swine flu showed signs of a link to narcolepsy in Europe. (The vaccine was never licensed for use in the United States.)
...In its phase one trials for the Moderna vaccine against COVID-19, four of 45 individuals who received the vaccine had a medically significant adverse reaction, including one man who developed a high fever and fainted. Yet researchers already knew that mRNA vaccines can sometimes overstimulate an immune system, and three of the four subjects who had these side effects were taking the highest dosage in the trial, which has now been discontinued.
...The key challenge for the future, as (Matthew Laurens, pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore) sees it, is to explain to people how they can do their part in stopping the pandemic by getting immunized once a suitable vaccine is available. “We have to do our utmost to educate the public about how vaccines are tested and the safety profiles of vaccines and what they can actually do, and how they can prevent disease in a community”...
Vaccine hesitancy might not be the only hurdle to overcome. (Charlie Weller, head of the vaccines program at Wellcome, a London-based biomedical research funder) anticipates a scenario where—at least initially—public interest in obtaining the vaccine might outstrip the amount available.
Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore says that there might be “chaotic” scenes if demand is high and the rollout is not done carefully “Just think about Black Friday and what happens when people are in lines”...
Coordinators of past immunization campaigns for other ailments are watching the COVID-19 vaccine development process closely, in hopes of heading off missteps that would undermine uptake and access. “It will not take much to discredit the vaccine in the eyes of the population,” (Roland Sutter, who was coordinator for research, policy, product development, and containment for polio at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, until retiring in December) says. “The rollout has to be carefully thought out so that it will not destroy confidence in the vaccine.”...
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-we-will-know-when-coronav...
77margd
Infant deaths did not decrease during the pandemic due to a reduced use of vaccines;
vaccines are not associated with sudden infant death syndrome
Flora Teoh, Science Editor, Health Feedback
CLAIM
Vaccines are a cause of sudden infant death death syndrome; infant deaths decreased dramatically during the lockdown, when the number of vaccines administered was reduced
VERDICT MISLEADING
SOURCE: Amy Becker, Mark Blaxill, Children's Health Defense, Health Choice, 18 Jun. 2020
DETAILS
Lacks context: The claim that child deaths decreased significantly during the pandemic is based on incomplete data. Deaths in the U.S. are reported to the CDC only after death certificates are received by local health authorities, which can take weeks to months. The most recent CDC data therefore always underreport the most recent deaths. The authors of the article did not sufficiently account for this underreporting in their analysis.
Misrepresents a complex reality: The article compares only pediatric vaccine uptake during the pandemic to child deaths and does not consider the many other factors which may have contributed to the recent decline in child deaths, such as lockdowns leading to reduced travel and social contact, culminating in fewer traffic accidents and infectious diseases, respectively.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Vaccines are safe and scientific studies have found no association between vaccination and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Blaxill and Becker’s report is based on incomplete data, as they did not account sufficiently for the lag time that occurs between a death and its reporting to the U.S. CDC. Their findings that child deaths have significantly decreased compared to previous years are therefore spurious and premature. The duo also failed to account for other factors which may have contributed to changes in child mortality, such as stay-at-home orders, which would have limited the spread of other infectious diseases besides COVID-19.
FULL CLAIM: Vaccines are a cause of sudden infant death death syndrome; infant deaths decreased dramatically during the lockdown, when the number of vaccines administered was reduced
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/infant-deaths-did-not-decrease-during-the...
vaccines are not associated with sudden infant death syndrome
Flora Teoh, Science Editor, Health Feedback
CLAIM
Vaccines are a cause of sudden infant death death syndrome; infant deaths decreased dramatically during the lockdown, when the number of vaccines administered was reduced
VERDICT MISLEADING
SOURCE: Amy Becker, Mark Blaxill, Children's Health Defense, Health Choice, 18 Jun. 2020
DETAILS
Lacks context: The claim that child deaths decreased significantly during the pandemic is based on incomplete data. Deaths in the U.S. are reported to the CDC only after death certificates are received by local health authorities, which can take weeks to months. The most recent CDC data therefore always underreport the most recent deaths. The authors of the article did not sufficiently account for this underreporting in their analysis.
Misrepresents a complex reality: The article compares only pediatric vaccine uptake during the pandemic to child deaths and does not consider the many other factors which may have contributed to the recent decline in child deaths, such as lockdowns leading to reduced travel and social contact, culminating in fewer traffic accidents and infectious diseases, respectively.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Vaccines are safe and scientific studies have found no association between vaccination and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Blaxill and Becker’s report is based on incomplete data, as they did not account sufficiently for the lag time that occurs between a death and its reporting to the U.S. CDC. Their findings that child deaths have significantly decreased compared to previous years are therefore spurious and premature. The duo also failed to account for other factors which may have contributed to changes in child mortality, such as stay-at-home orders, which would have limited the spread of other infectious diseases besides COVID-19.
FULL CLAIM: Vaccines are a cause of sudden infant death death syndrome; infant deaths decreased dramatically during the lockdown, when the number of vaccines administered was reduced
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/infant-deaths-did-not-decrease-during-the...
78margd
Covid-19 conspiracy theories: 6 tips on how to engage anti-vaxxers
Jovan Byford | August 4, 2020
...I have been researching conspiracy theories for over two decades and have spoken to many believers. Here are the six rules I use for talking to conspiracy theorists in the effort to change their mind.
1. Acknowledge scale of the task...
2. Recognize the emotional dimension...
3. Find out what they actually believe...
4. Establish common ground...
5. Challenge the facts, value their argument...
6. Finally, be realistic...
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/04/health/conspiracy-theories-covid-19-response-tips...
Jovan Byford | August 4, 2020
...I have been researching conspiracy theories for over two decades and have spoken to many believers. Here are the six rules I use for talking to conspiracy theorists in the effort to change their mind.
1. Acknowledge scale of the task...
2. Recognize the emotional dimension...
3. Find out what they actually believe...
4. Establish common ground...
5. Challenge the facts, value their argument...
6. Finally, be realistic...
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/04/health/conspiracy-theories-covid-19-response-tips...
79Cubby.R.S.
>78 margd:
I am not an "anti-vaxxer", but as someone who has been lucky enough to have good health, I believe it is very important to allow my system to develop antibodies. I also believe it is important to stay home when I feel sick and notice flu like symptoms. Our family gets all other vaccinations.
Do you think by taking a vaccine; that we may not develop symptoms and potentially mask the virus? Does that mean that I would be more likely spread the virus unknowingly? I am always very cautious about washing my hands and touching things that others might, which I will admit has been developed further as a parent. We do not get flu shots, and we have had very few cases. In fact, the year my wife did get the flu shot (she just had our youngest and was convinced by her doctor), our whole family ended up with it. I just don't see the value in getting a shot that decreases our likelihood of developing natural antibodies. If by chance there is a strand of deadly flu, that destroys even healthy immune systems, then I doubt that there will be a commensurate virus.
I am not an "anti-vaxxer", but as someone who has been lucky enough to have good health, I believe it is very important to allow my system to develop antibodies. I also believe it is important to stay home when I feel sick and notice flu like symptoms. Our family gets all other vaccinations.
Do you think by taking a vaccine; that we may not develop symptoms and potentially mask the virus? Does that mean that I would be more likely spread the virus unknowingly? I am always very cautious about washing my hands and touching things that others might, which I will admit has been developed further as a parent. We do not get flu shots, and we have had very few cases. In fact, the year my wife did get the flu shot (she just had our youngest and was convinced by her doctor), our whole family ended up with it. I just don't see the value in getting a shot that decreases our likelihood of developing natural antibodies. If by chance there is a strand of deadly flu, that destroys even healthy immune systems, then I doubt that there will be a commensurate virus.
80margd
>79 Cubby.R.S.: Excellent NYT article from COVID thread touched on the advantages of vaccine over natural infections and disease:
Scared That Covid-19 Immunity Won’t Last? Don’t Be
Akiko Iwasaki and Ruslan Medzhitov, professors of immunobiology at Yale | July 31, 2020
...Vaccines come in different flavors — they can be based on killed or live attenuated viral material, nucleic acids or recombinant proteins. But all vaccines consist of two main components: an antigen and an adjuvant.
The antigen is the part of the virus we want the adaptive immune response to react to and target. The adjuvant is an agent that mimics the infection and helps jump-start the immune response.
One beauty of vaccines — and one of their great advantages over our body’s natural reaction to infections — is that their antigens can be designed to focus the immune response on a virus’s Achilles heel (whatever that may be).
Another advantage is that vaccines allow for different kinds and different doses of adjuvants — and so, for calibration and fine-tuning that can help boost and lengthen immune responses.
The immune response generated against a virus during natural infection is, to some degree, at the mercy of the virus itself. Not so with vaccines.
Since many viruses evade the innate immune system, natural infections sometimes do not result in robust or long-lasting immunity. The human papillomavirus is one of them, which is why it can cause chronic infections. The papillomavirus vaccine triggers a far better antibody response to its viral antigen than does a natural HPV infection: It is almost 100 percent effective in preventing HPV infection and disease.
Not only does vaccination protect against infection and disease; it also blocks viral transmission — and, if sufficiently widespread, can help confer so-called herd immunity to a population...
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/31/opinion/coronavirus-antibodies-immunity.html
___________________________________________________
Also from the COVID thread is some discussion on yet another advantage of live attenuated vaccines like BCG (for TB) and MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella): they appear to "provide nonspecific protection against lethal infections unrelated to the target pathogen of the vaccine by inducing “trained” nonspecific innate immune cells for improved host responses against subsequent infections." BCG vaccine is helpful in treating bladder cancer and may reduce COVID harm in countries where it is commonly given to children. Below is proposal to test live attenuated MMR vaccine for similar benefit:.
Paul L. Fidel Jr. and Mairi C. Noverr. 2020. Could an Unrelated Live Attenuated Vaccine Serve as a Preventive Measure To Dampen Septic Inflammation Associated with COVID-19 Infection? (Opinion/Hypothesis) mBio DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00907-20 https://mbio.asm.org/content/11/3/e00907-20
ABSTRACT
We propose the concept that administration of an unrelated live attenuated vaccine, such as MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), could serve as a preventive measure against the worst sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is mounting evidence that live attenuated vaccines provide nonspecific protection against lethal infections unrelated to the target pathogen of the vaccine by inducing “trained” nonspecific innate immune cells for improved host responses against subsequent infections. Mortality in COVID-19 cases is strongly associated with progressive lung inflammation and eventual sepsis. Vaccination with MMR in immunocompetent individuals has no contraindications and may be especially effective for health care workers who can easily be exposed to COVID-19. Following the lead of other countries conducting clinical trials with the live attenuated Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG) vaccine under a similar concept, a clinical trial with MMR in high-risk populations may provide a “low-risk–high-reward” preventive measure in saving lives during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
...According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are few contraindications against administration to adults of a live attenuated vaccine such as MMR if the recipient is immunocompetent and not pregnant and has not shown previous allergic responses to vaccination (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/hcp/recommendations.html). In fact, MMR vaccination is recommended in high-risk adults (i.e., health care workers) and people born before 1957 who did not receive the vaccine as a child. Adults who had received the MMR vaccine in childhood likely still possess antibody titers against the targeted viruses but not the shorter-lived trained innate leukocytes. Hence, at the very least, the MMR vaccine would provide added protection against measles, mumps, and rubella for older adults. But with the added induction of the trained innate cells, the MMR vaccination could provide protection against the worst sequelae of COVID-19...
Scared That Covid-19 Immunity Won’t Last? Don’t Be
Akiko Iwasaki and Ruslan Medzhitov, professors of immunobiology at Yale | July 31, 2020
...Vaccines come in different flavors — they can be based on killed or live attenuated viral material, nucleic acids or recombinant proteins. But all vaccines consist of two main components: an antigen and an adjuvant.
The antigen is the part of the virus we want the adaptive immune response to react to and target. The adjuvant is an agent that mimics the infection and helps jump-start the immune response.
One beauty of vaccines — and one of their great advantages over our body’s natural reaction to infections — is that their antigens can be designed to focus the immune response on a virus’s Achilles heel (whatever that may be).
Another advantage is that vaccines allow for different kinds and different doses of adjuvants — and so, for calibration and fine-tuning that can help boost and lengthen immune responses.
The immune response generated against a virus during natural infection is, to some degree, at the mercy of the virus itself. Not so with vaccines.
Since many viruses evade the innate immune system, natural infections sometimes do not result in robust or long-lasting immunity. The human papillomavirus is one of them, which is why it can cause chronic infections. The papillomavirus vaccine triggers a far better antibody response to its viral antigen than does a natural HPV infection: It is almost 100 percent effective in preventing HPV infection and disease.
Not only does vaccination protect against infection and disease; it also blocks viral transmission — and, if sufficiently widespread, can help confer so-called herd immunity to a population...
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/31/opinion/coronavirus-antibodies-immunity.html
___________________________________________________
Also from the COVID thread is some discussion on yet another advantage of live attenuated vaccines like BCG (for TB) and MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella): they appear to "provide nonspecific protection against lethal infections unrelated to the target pathogen of the vaccine by inducing “trained” nonspecific innate immune cells for improved host responses against subsequent infections." BCG vaccine is helpful in treating bladder cancer and may reduce COVID harm in countries where it is commonly given to children. Below is proposal to test live attenuated MMR vaccine for similar benefit:.
Paul L. Fidel Jr. and Mairi C. Noverr. 2020. Could an Unrelated Live Attenuated Vaccine Serve as a Preventive Measure To Dampen Septic Inflammation Associated with COVID-19 Infection? (Opinion/Hypothesis) mBio DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00907-20 https://mbio.asm.org/content/11/3/e00907-20
ABSTRACT
We propose the concept that administration of an unrelated live attenuated vaccine, such as MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), could serve as a preventive measure against the worst sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is mounting evidence that live attenuated vaccines provide nonspecific protection against lethal infections unrelated to the target pathogen of the vaccine by inducing “trained” nonspecific innate immune cells for improved host responses against subsequent infections. Mortality in COVID-19 cases is strongly associated with progressive lung inflammation and eventual sepsis. Vaccination with MMR in immunocompetent individuals has no contraindications and may be especially effective for health care workers who can easily be exposed to COVID-19. Following the lead of other countries conducting clinical trials with the live attenuated Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG) vaccine under a similar concept, a clinical trial with MMR in high-risk populations may provide a “low-risk–high-reward” preventive measure in saving lives during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
...According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are few contraindications against administration to adults of a live attenuated vaccine such as MMR if the recipient is immunocompetent and not pregnant and has not shown previous allergic responses to vaccination (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/hcp/recommendations.html). In fact, MMR vaccination is recommended in high-risk adults (i.e., health care workers) and people born before 1957 who did not receive the vaccine as a child. Adults who had received the MMR vaccine in childhood likely still possess antibody titers against the targeted viruses but not the shorter-lived trained innate leukocytes. Hence, at the very least, the MMR vaccine would provide added protection against measles, mumps, and rubella for older adults. But with the added induction of the trained innate cells, the MMR vaccination could provide protection against the worst sequelae of COVID-19...
81margd
>79 Cubby.R.S.: Another reason to be vaccinated against pneumonia and flu?
Flu, Pneumonia Vaccines Tied to Lower Alzheimer's Risk
Judy George | July 27, 2020. Updated July 30, 2020
Flu and pneumonia vaccinations were linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease, research from the virtual Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) suggested.
People who were vaccinated against pneumonia when they were ages 65 to 75 years had nearly 40% less risk of Alzheimer's disease depending on their genetic profile, reported Svetlana Ukraintseva, PhD, of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues.
...Total count of pneumonia and flu vaccinations between ages 65 and 75 also correlated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's later in life, but this effect was not seen for flu shots alone.
...And having at least one influenza vaccination was associated with a 17% reduction in Alzheimer's prevalence, an analysis by Albert Amran, a medical student at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and colleagues showed.
...Links between flu vaccination and Alzheimer's were strongest for people who had their first vaccine at a younger age: those who received their first documented flu shot at age 60 benefitted more than those who received their first shot at age 70.
...Dallas Anderson, PhD, MPH, of the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Maryland..."There may be health effects beyond preventing the flu. For example, there has been some research looking at reduced risk for stroke and stroke hospitalization. It makes sense to also look at reduced risk for dementia"
"Observational studies can never show definitively that getting flu shots will prevent Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The evidence will be suggestive at best," Anderson continued. "Is it the flu shot itself that's important? Or is it key differences between those who opt for flu shots and those who don't? Studies need to account for those differences."
Besides these limitations, the research was constrained by the underlying data: clinical codes may reflect other dementia, not just Alzheimer's disease. In both studies, unmeasured variables may have influenced results.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aaic/87752
--------------------------------------------------------------
Conference presentations not yet peer-reviewed:
Ukraintseva S, et al "Repurposing of existing vaccines for personalized prevention of Alzheimer's disease: Vaccination against pneumonia may reduce AD risk depending on genotype" Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2020.
Amran, A et al "Influenza vaccination is associated with a reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease" Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2020.
Flu, Pneumonia Vaccines Tied to Lower Alzheimer's Risk
Judy George | July 27, 2020. Updated July 30, 2020
Flu and pneumonia vaccinations were linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease, research from the virtual Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) suggested.
People who were vaccinated against pneumonia when they were ages 65 to 75 years had nearly 40% less risk of Alzheimer's disease depending on their genetic profile, reported Svetlana Ukraintseva, PhD, of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues.
...Total count of pneumonia and flu vaccinations between ages 65 and 75 also correlated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's later in life, but this effect was not seen for flu shots alone.
...And having at least one influenza vaccination was associated with a 17% reduction in Alzheimer's prevalence, an analysis by Albert Amran, a medical student at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and colleagues showed.
...Links between flu vaccination and Alzheimer's were strongest for people who had their first vaccine at a younger age: those who received their first documented flu shot at age 60 benefitted more than those who received their first shot at age 70.
...Dallas Anderson, PhD, MPH, of the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Maryland..."There may be health effects beyond preventing the flu. For example, there has been some research looking at reduced risk for stroke and stroke hospitalization. It makes sense to also look at reduced risk for dementia"
"Observational studies can never show definitively that getting flu shots will prevent Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The evidence will be suggestive at best," Anderson continued. "Is it the flu shot itself that's important? Or is it key differences between those who opt for flu shots and those who don't? Studies need to account for those differences."
Besides these limitations, the research was constrained by the underlying data: clinical codes may reflect other dementia, not just Alzheimer's disease. In both studies, unmeasured variables may have influenced results.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aaic/87752
--------------------------------------------------------------
Conference presentations not yet peer-reviewed:
Ukraintseva S, et al "Repurposing of existing vaccines for personalized prevention of Alzheimer's disease: Vaccination against pneumonia may reduce AD risk depending on genotype" Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2020.
Amran, A et al "Influenza vaccination is associated with a reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease" Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2020.
82margd
Vaccines undergo strict safety testing before they are licensed for use in the U.S. and many other countries; no validity to the claim of a 33% “death rate” from COVID-19 vaccine
CLAIM
“Would you take a vaccine with a 33% death rate to feel safe from a virus with a .06% death rate?”
VERDICT
Inaccurate
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook, 30 Jul. 2020
DETAILS
Inaccurate: The claim that a COVID-19 vaccine has a 33% death rate is not supported by scientific evidence. This claim is likely based on a separate false claim about a nonexistent COVID-19 vaccine trial from Ukraine.
KEY TAKE AWAY
More than a hundred COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the midst of testing worldwide. The claim that a COVID-19 vaccine has a 33% “death rate” is false; there is no evidence to support it. The claim is most likely based on a separate false claim that five out of 15 volunteers—among whom were four Ukrainian soldiers—died in a vaccine trial in Ukraine, which was refuted by the Ukrainian military. Despite efforts to accelerate the usual timelines used in vaccine development, COVID-19 vaccines are not being approved by public health authorities until they undergo rigorous testing for safety and effectiveness. A vaccine with a demonstrated 33% “death rate” has not been and would never be approved for use in the U.S. or most other countries.
...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/vaccines-undergo-strict-safety-testing-be...
CLAIM
“Would you take a vaccine with a 33% death rate to feel safe from a virus with a .06% death rate?”
VERDICT
Inaccurate
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook, 30 Jul. 2020
DETAILS
Inaccurate: The claim that a COVID-19 vaccine has a 33% death rate is not supported by scientific evidence. This claim is likely based on a separate false claim about a nonexistent COVID-19 vaccine trial from Ukraine.
KEY TAKE AWAY
More than a hundred COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the midst of testing worldwide. The claim that a COVID-19 vaccine has a 33% “death rate” is false; there is no evidence to support it. The claim is most likely based on a separate false claim that five out of 15 volunteers—among whom were four Ukrainian soldiers—died in a vaccine trial in Ukraine, which was refuted by the Ukrainian military. Despite efforts to accelerate the usual timelines used in vaccine development, COVID-19 vaccines are not being approved by public health authorities until they undergo rigorous testing for safety and effectiveness. A vaccine with a demonstrated 33% “death rate” has not been and would never be approved for use in the U.S. or most other countries.
...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/vaccines-undergo-strict-safety-testing-be...
83margd
US government slow to act as anti-vaxxers spread lies on social media about coronavirus vaccine
Elizabeth Cohen and Dana Vigue | August 13, 2020
(CNN)While anti-vaxxers flood social media with lies about the upcoming coronavirus vaccine -- that it contains monkey brains, that it's a CIA plot to take over the world -- the government's multi-billion-dollar vaccine effort has yet to come up with a public education campaign to counteract that propaganda.
"We are behind here," said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health. "We haven't done a good job of getting coronavirus vaccine information out there...Speaking for myself, I think I underestimated the level of public resistance...I didn't expect it to be that widespread."
...A CNN poll in May found one-third of Americans said they would not try to get vaccinated against coronavirus, even if the vaccine is widely available and low cost.
A spokesman for "Operation Warp Speed," the Trump administration's effort to get a coronavirus vaccine on the market, said a public education campaign will "soon focus" on vaccine education.
"We see more vaccine hesitancy with the Covid vaccine than with other vaccines. We know that. This concerns us, of course," said Michael Caputo, an assistant secretary for the US Department of Health and Human Services.
...Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, and others say they expect a vaccine could be on the market in December or January...
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/health/anti-vaxxers-covid-19/index.html
Elizabeth Cohen and Dana Vigue | August 13, 2020
(CNN)While anti-vaxxers flood social media with lies about the upcoming coronavirus vaccine -- that it contains monkey brains, that it's a CIA plot to take over the world -- the government's multi-billion-dollar vaccine effort has yet to come up with a public education campaign to counteract that propaganda.
"We are behind here," said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health. "We haven't done a good job of getting coronavirus vaccine information out there...Speaking for myself, I think I underestimated the level of public resistance...I didn't expect it to be that widespread."
...A CNN poll in May found one-third of Americans said they would not try to get vaccinated against coronavirus, even if the vaccine is widely available and low cost.
A spokesman for "Operation Warp Speed," the Trump administration's effort to get a coronavirus vaccine on the market, said a public education campaign will "soon focus" on vaccine education.
"We see more vaccine hesitancy with the Covid vaccine than with other vaccines. We know that. This concerns us, of course," said Michael Caputo, an assistant secretary for the US Department of Health and Human Services.
...Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, and others say they expect a vaccine could be on the market in December or January...
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/health/anti-vaxxers-covid-19/index.html
84margd
No evidence to link flu vaccinations to increased COVID-19 risk, say experts
AAP FactCheck | August 14, 2020
(1) The Statement
A Facebook post claims medical studies show the flu vaccination will increase a person’s susceptibility to COVID-19 and could be “contributing to the outbreak”.
The post features an image of US Congress with text overlaid which reads, “Medical studies showing the flu shot not only increases susceptibility to the Corona Virus but could be contributing to the outbreak”.
The post’s caption asks, “Wait, what? Not another conspiracy theory being validated?”
The caption links to a website called Australian National Review which features a response by a “retired paediatrician from New York” on the risk of being more susceptible to coronavirus infections from the flu shot.
The August 9 post has received more than 270 shares and more than 27,000 views.
(2) The Analysis...
(3) The Verdict
Based on the evidence, AAP FactCheck found the Facebook post to be false. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the 2012 flu vaccination study referred to in the post did not make people more susceptible to other respiratory infections. A vaccine researcher from the University of Melbourne and an infectious diseases paediatrician from the University of Sydney told AAP FactCheck that making a connection to COVID-19 from the study was impossible.
False – The claims in the post are factually inaccurate.
https://www.aap.com.au/no-evidence-to-link-flu-vaccinations-to-increased-covid-1...
AAP FactCheck | August 14, 2020
(1) The Statement
A Facebook post claims medical studies show the flu vaccination will increase a person’s susceptibility to COVID-19 and could be “contributing to the outbreak”.
The post features an image of US Congress with text overlaid which reads, “Medical studies showing the flu shot not only increases susceptibility to the Corona Virus but could be contributing to the outbreak”.
The post’s caption asks, “Wait, what? Not another conspiracy theory being validated?”
The caption links to a website called Australian National Review which features a response by a “retired paediatrician from New York” on the risk of being more susceptible to coronavirus infections from the flu shot.
The August 9 post has received more than 270 shares and more than 27,000 views.
(2) The Analysis...
(3) The Verdict
Based on the evidence, AAP FactCheck found the Facebook post to be false. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the 2012 flu vaccination study referred to in the post did not make people more susceptible to other respiratory infections. A vaccine researcher from the University of Melbourne and an infectious diseases paediatrician from the University of Sydney told AAP FactCheck that making a connection to COVID-19 from the study was impossible.
False – The claims in the post are factually inaccurate.
https://www.aap.com.au/no-evidence-to-link-flu-vaccinations-to-increased-covid-1...
85margd
(Massachusetts) Is Requiring Its Students to Get Flu Vaccine by End of Year — and, Yes, It’s Legal
Colin Kalmbacher | Aug 19th, 2020, 7:07 pm
Massachusetts will mandate that all students obtain the flu vaccine by the end of 2020 in order to attend classes next year. This is a valid and constitutional use of the Bay State’s police power.
According to a Wednesday announcement from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, “all children 6 months of age or older who are attending Massachusetts child care, pre-school, kindergarten, K-12, and colleges and universities” will be required to obtain influenza immunizations by December 31, 2020 “unless either a medical or religious exemption is provided.”
The only exceptions are for students who are homeschooled, certain higher education students “who exclusively attend classes online and never visit campus in person,” and those with either valid medical or religious objections.
“Every year, thousands of people of all ages are affected by influenza, leading to many hospitalizations and deaths,” the Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences Medical Director Dr. Larry Madoff said. “It is more important now than ever to get a flu vaccine because flu symptoms are very similar to those of COVID-19 and preventing the flu will save lives and preserve healthcare resources.”
The announcement set off a predictable wave of condemnation on social media from people who criticized the order using colorful language. Some characterized the public health initiative as an attempt to exert control and/or questioned its legality. While such responses are more or less perennial and largely beyond the realm of this explainer, in legal terms, the order is on sure footing.
In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a mandatory smallpox vaccination law in the landmark case stylized as Jacobson v. Massachusetts. Under the law in question, those who ran afoul of the requirement were subject to fines and potential imprisonment. The petitioner objected to the law under the 14th Amendment and the nation’s high court issued a 7-2 majority opinion in favor of the state and it’s public health mandate...
https://lawandcrime.com/covid-19-pandemic/one-state-is-requiring-its-students-to...
Colin Kalmbacher | Aug 19th, 2020, 7:07 pm
Massachusetts will mandate that all students obtain the flu vaccine by the end of 2020 in order to attend classes next year. This is a valid and constitutional use of the Bay State’s police power.
According to a Wednesday announcement from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, “all children 6 months of age or older who are attending Massachusetts child care, pre-school, kindergarten, K-12, and colleges and universities” will be required to obtain influenza immunizations by December 31, 2020 “unless either a medical or religious exemption is provided.”
The only exceptions are for students who are homeschooled, certain higher education students “who exclusively attend classes online and never visit campus in person,” and those with either valid medical or religious objections.
“Every year, thousands of people of all ages are affected by influenza, leading to many hospitalizations and deaths,” the Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences Medical Director Dr. Larry Madoff said. “It is more important now than ever to get a flu vaccine because flu symptoms are very similar to those of COVID-19 and preventing the flu will save lives and preserve healthcare resources.”
The announcement set off a predictable wave of condemnation on social media from people who criticized the order using colorful language. Some characterized the public health initiative as an attempt to exert control and/or questioned its legality. While such responses are more or less perennial and largely beyond the realm of this explainer, in legal terms, the order is on sure footing.
In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a mandatory smallpox vaccination law in the landmark case stylized as Jacobson v. Massachusetts. Under the law in question, those who ran afoul of the requirement were subject to fines and potential imprisonment. The petitioner objected to the law under the 14th Amendment and the nation’s high court issued a 7-2 majority opinion in favor of the state and it’s public health mandate...
https://lawandcrime.com/covid-19-pandemic/one-state-is-requiring-its-students-to...
86John5918
Africa declared free of wild polio after decades of work (Guardian)
Achievement comes following Nigeria vaccination drive, with last cases of wild virus recorded four years ago...
Achievement comes following Nigeria vaccination drive, with last cases of wild virus recorded four years ago...
87margd
A person’s response to vaccination is not associated with birthmarks or the presence of mutations in a gene involved with vitamin B9 (folate) production
CLAIM
Birthmarks are indicators of the MTHFR gene; “When people have MTHFR their chances of vaccine reactions increase because they cannot detox the toxins from the vaccines”
VERDICT
INCORRECT
SOURCE:
Facebook users, Facebook, 3 Nov. 2018
DETAILS
Incorrect: Birthmarks are not indicators of mutations in a gene that codes for an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR gene) or any other genetic condition. Mutations in this gene, involved in vitamin B9 production, are also not associated with a higher risk of adverse effects of vaccines. Some rare mutations in the MTHFR gene lead to a metabolic disorder, but most of the common MTHFR mutations have little or no impact on human health.
Misrepresents source: The claim misrepresents findings from a single study to incorrectly associate mutations in the MTHFR gene with adverse effects from vaccination. The authors of the study denounced the inappropriate use of their article to support medical exemptions to vaccination in children who have variations in the MTHFR gene.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Every person has a gene that produces an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR gene), which converts folic acid into its active form folate, also called vitamin B9. This gene helps repair DNA and remove free radicals. People with some rare mutations in the gene may have an increased risk of developing skeletal and neurological problems or blood clots, due to a reduction in MTHFR enzyme activity. However, most of the common MTHFR mutations either do not affect enzyme activity or only require individuals with the mutation to supplement their diets with folic acid. No scientific evidence supports the claim that mutations in the MTHFR gene are associated with either birthmarks or a higher risk of adverse reactions to vaccines...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/a-persons-response-to-vaccination-is-not-...
CLAIM
Birthmarks are indicators of the MTHFR gene; “When people have MTHFR their chances of vaccine reactions increase because they cannot detox the toxins from the vaccines”
VERDICT
INCORRECT
SOURCE:
Facebook users, Facebook, 3 Nov. 2018
DETAILS
Incorrect: Birthmarks are not indicators of mutations in a gene that codes for an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR gene) or any other genetic condition. Mutations in this gene, involved in vitamin B9 production, are also not associated with a higher risk of adverse effects of vaccines. Some rare mutations in the MTHFR gene lead to a metabolic disorder, but most of the common MTHFR mutations have little or no impact on human health.
Misrepresents source: The claim misrepresents findings from a single study to incorrectly associate mutations in the MTHFR gene with adverse effects from vaccination. The authors of the study denounced the inappropriate use of their article to support medical exemptions to vaccination in children who have variations in the MTHFR gene.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Every person has a gene that produces an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR gene), which converts folic acid into its active form folate, also called vitamin B9. This gene helps repair DNA and remove free radicals. People with some rare mutations in the gene may have an increased risk of developing skeletal and neurological problems or blood clots, due to a reduction in MTHFR enzyme activity. However, most of the common MTHFR mutations either do not affect enzyme activity or only require individuals with the mutation to supplement their diets with folic acid. No scientific evidence supports the claim that mutations in the MTHFR gene are associated with either birthmarks or a higher risk of adverse reactions to vaccines...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/a-persons-response-to-vaccination-is-not-...
88margd
Flu vaccinations not linked to increased COVID-19 risk
Dibash Kumar Das | September 24, 2020
According to a recent study, the flu vaccine does not increase a person’s risk of getting COVID-19 and is not associated with severe illness and death from the disease...
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/flu-vaccinations-not-linked-to-increas...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe G. Zein et al. 2020. Safety of Influenza Vaccine during COVID-19. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science ( Accepted manuscript, pp. 1-6, 17 September 2020) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.543 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-clinical-and-translational-sc... https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/C26A4170...
...Overall, our analysis demonstrates that influenza vaccination does not increase the incidence of COVID-19 or worsen the related morbidity or mortality. This is consistent with the prevailing evidence that the influenza vaccine is safe and serious adverse events, such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome, are rare... Although our data is reassuring, many uncertainties deserve further consideration. Surveillance data needs to be prospectively collected in fall 2020 to study the outcome of concurrent SARS-CoV-2 and influenza infection, and to assess any interaction between influenza vaccinations, a newly developed vaccine against coronavirus, influenza and COVID-19 infection. The effect of influenza vaccines, and adjuvanted vaccines in particular, on Th17 immune responses in corona virus immunopathology and on vaccine-induced immune enhancement...is unknown and need to be closely monitored. Occasionally, non-neutralizing antibodies following influenza vaccination or infection have amplified disease severity following a heterologous influenza challenge. In humans, the 2008-2009 seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine was associated with increased pandemic H1N1 disease severity...This might be relevant in fall 2020,as new avian-like H1N1 swine influenza virus with 2009 pandemic viral genes have been recently reported... However, based on our data, influenza vaccine is not associated with increased pandemic COVID-19 severity, providing reassurance that the vaccination strategy for global influenza should proceed as planned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dibash Kumar Das | September 24, 2020
According to a recent study, the flu vaccine does not increase a person’s risk of getting COVID-19 and is not associated with severe illness and death from the disease...
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/flu-vaccinations-not-linked-to-increas...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe G. Zein et al. 2020. Safety of Influenza Vaccine during COVID-19. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science ( Accepted manuscript, pp. 1-6, 17 September 2020) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.543 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-clinical-and-translational-sc... https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/C26A4170...
...Overall, our analysis demonstrates that influenza vaccination does not increase the incidence of COVID-19 or worsen the related morbidity or mortality. This is consistent with the prevailing evidence that the influenza vaccine is safe and serious adverse events, such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome, are rare... Although our data is reassuring, many uncertainties deserve further consideration. Surveillance data needs to be prospectively collected in fall 2020 to study the outcome of concurrent SARS-CoV-2 and influenza infection, and to assess any interaction between influenza vaccinations, a newly developed vaccine against coronavirus, influenza and COVID-19 infection. The effect of influenza vaccines, and adjuvanted vaccines in particular, on Th17 immune responses in corona virus immunopathology and on vaccine-induced immune enhancement...is unknown and need to be closely monitored. Occasionally, non-neutralizing antibodies following influenza vaccination or infection have amplified disease severity following a heterologous influenza challenge. In humans, the 2008-2009 seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine was associated with increased pandemic H1N1 disease severity...This might be relevant in fall 2020,as new avian-like H1N1 swine influenza virus with 2009 pandemic viral genes have been recently reported... However, based on our data, influenza vaccine is not associated with increased pandemic COVID-19 severity, providing reassurance that the vaccination strategy for global influenza should proceed as planned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
89margd
COVID-19 vaccines do not modify the human genome and do not involve hydrogels; Hydrogels are not internet-connecting devices
Pablo Rougerie
CLAIM
Hydrogels are part of the genome-modifying COVID-19 mRNA vaccines' delivery system. Hydrogels will connect you to the internet.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: Facebook user, Facebook, 16 Sep. 2020
DETAILS
Incorrect: The claim incorrectly alleges that mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines will modify the human genome, even though they cannot be integrated into the DNA-based genome. In addition, hydrogel-based sensors do not connect themselves to the internet.
Unsupported: The social media posts do not present supporting evidence for the claim that mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines will use hydrogels.
Misleading: The claim describes hydrogels as a recent groundbreaking invention, however, they were discovered decades ago and have been extensively used in biomaterial and biomedical research.
KEY TAKE AWAY
No evidence suggests that COVID-19 vaccines will use hydrogels, which are polymers that swell without dissolving when in contact with water. Hydrogels are not a recent discovery; they have been publicly known and extensively used in biomedical research for decades. Hydrogels do not connect to the internet. Finally, mRNA-based vaccines for COVID-19 cannot alter the human genome, which is made of DNA.
FULL CLAIM: Hydrogels are part of the genome-modifying COVID-19 mRNA vaccines' delivery system. Hydrogels will connect you to the internet.
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/covid-19-vaccines-do-not-modify-the-human...
Pablo Rougerie
CLAIM
Hydrogels are part of the genome-modifying COVID-19 mRNA vaccines' delivery system. Hydrogels will connect you to the internet.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: Facebook user, Facebook, 16 Sep. 2020
DETAILS
Incorrect: The claim incorrectly alleges that mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines will modify the human genome, even though they cannot be integrated into the DNA-based genome. In addition, hydrogel-based sensors do not connect themselves to the internet.
Unsupported: The social media posts do not present supporting evidence for the claim that mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines will use hydrogels.
Misleading: The claim describes hydrogels as a recent groundbreaking invention, however, they were discovered decades ago and have been extensively used in biomaterial and biomedical research.
KEY TAKE AWAY
No evidence suggests that COVID-19 vaccines will use hydrogels, which are polymers that swell without dissolving when in contact with water. Hydrogels are not a recent discovery; they have been publicly known and extensively used in biomedical research for decades. Hydrogels do not connect to the internet. Finally, mRNA-based vaccines for COVID-19 cannot alter the human genome, which is made of DNA.
FULL CLAIM: Hydrogels are part of the genome-modifying COVID-19 mRNA vaccines' delivery system. Hydrogels will connect you to the internet.
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/covid-19-vaccines-do-not-modify-the-human...
90margd
See graph of worldwide polio deaths pre- and post-vaccine...
Our history is a battle against the microbes: we lost terribly before science, public health, and vaccines allowed us to protect ourselves
Max Roser | July 20, 2020
Humanity’s history is a continuous battle between us and the microbes. For most of our history we were on the losing side.
It wasn’t even close. We were losing very decisively. Billions of children died from infectious diseases. They were the main reason why child mortality was so high: No matter where or when they were born, around half died as children. We looked at the evidence of child mortality in pre-modern times here.
The recurring epidemics of influenza, measles, cholera, diphtheria, the bubonic plague, and smallpox also killed large parts of the adult population. Within just a few years the Black Death killed half of Europe’s population. The epidemics – especially of smallpox, but also measles, typhus and other diseases – that the colonialists brought from Europe with them to the Americas killed often an even larger share of the population in many places.
The world today is obviously very different. Infectious diseases are the cause of fewer than 1-in-6 deaths, and as the world made progress against the microbes our lives became much longer. Life expectancy doubled in every world region and the global average is now 73 years....
https://ourworldindata.org/microbes-battle-science-vaccines
Our history is a battle against the microbes: we lost terribly before science, public health, and vaccines allowed us to protect ourselves
Max Roser | July 20, 2020
Humanity’s history is a continuous battle between us and the microbes. For most of our history we were on the losing side.
It wasn’t even close. We were losing very decisively. Billions of children died from infectious diseases. They were the main reason why child mortality was so high: No matter where or when they were born, around half died as children. We looked at the evidence of child mortality in pre-modern times here.
The recurring epidemics of influenza, measles, cholera, diphtheria, the bubonic plague, and smallpox also killed large parts of the adult population. Within just a few years the Black Death killed half of Europe’s population. The epidemics – especially of smallpox, but also measles, typhus and other diseases – that the colonialists brought from Europe with them to the Americas killed often an even larger share of the population in many places.
The world today is obviously very different. Infectious diseases are the cause of fewer than 1-in-6 deaths, and as the world made progress against the microbes our lives became much longer. Life expectancy doubled in every world region and the global average is now 73 years....
https://ourworldindata.org/microbes-battle-science-vaccines
91John5918
Measles in DR Congo: By air, boat and foot to deliver the vaccine (BBC)
For the past two years, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been grappling with the world's worst outbreak of measles, which has killed more than 7,000 children. The minister of health says the outbreak is over but experts say that with a relatively low rate of vaccination - just 60% - it is just a matter of time before there is another. Journalist Sara Assarsson and photographer Johannes Tegner meet the health workers going to great lengths delivering these vital but delicate supplies...
For the past two years, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been grappling with the world's worst outbreak of measles, which has killed more than 7,000 children. The minister of health says the outbreak is over but experts say that with a relatively low rate of vaccination - just 60% - it is just a matter of time before there is another. Journalist Sara Assarsson and photographer Johannes Tegner meet the health workers going to great lengths delivering these vital but delicate supplies...
92margd
As US battles Covid-19, flu shot misinfo spreads
AFP |10/16/2020
...Misinformation on social media, particularly that a flu shot will increase the risk of contracting the coronavirus or cause you to test positive for Covid-19 -- it won't -- is undermining the public health message.
One false claim circulating on Facebook and Instagram said a flu shot would raise the probability of Covid-19 infection by 36 percent. Another on Instagram said Sanofi's flu vaccine Fluzone was 2.4 times more deadly than Covid-19.
...misinformation, including the belief that it is not effective...
...Aside from misinformation, measures aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 resulted in fewer in-person preventive medical visits, during which many receive the vaccine. And other flu shot clinics typically offered by employers, churches or schools have been on hold.
High unemployment due to the economic fallout of the pandemic has also left millions of Americans without health insurance, meaning states will need to pick up the vaccine cost for more patients.
While the effectiveness of the flu shot can vary depending on whether the strain of flu circulating in communities matches the strain in the vaccine, the CDC said it prevents millions of illnesses each year.
While social media platforms host misinformation, they also take actions to spread reliable guidance about vaccines.
This week, Facebook announced it would start directing US users to information about where they can get a flu shot, and promised to reject ads that discourage vaccination.
Prior to the pandemic, Twitter and Pinterest put in place policies to redirect searches of certain vaccine-related keywords to public health organizations.
...Adam Dunn, head of Biomedical Informatics and Digital Health at The University of Sydney, ...Methods developed to encourage user engagement on social media "could be used more judiciously to guide people to credible and evidence-based information," Dunn said. He also advocated for the creation of more "communities of pro-vaccine advocacy that are welcoming, honest, and aligned with a diversity of worldviews."
Libby Richards, associate professor at the Purdue School of Nursing, said that "a flu shot is more important than ever this year," cautioning that severe cases of Covid-19 and the flu require the same life saving equipment... take the time to fact-check information...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/as-us-battles-covid-19-flu-shot-misinfo-spread...
AFP |10/16/2020
...Misinformation on social media, particularly that a flu shot will increase the risk of contracting the coronavirus or cause you to test positive for Covid-19 -- it won't -- is undermining the public health message.
One false claim circulating on Facebook and Instagram said a flu shot would raise the probability of Covid-19 infection by 36 percent. Another on Instagram said Sanofi's flu vaccine Fluzone was 2.4 times more deadly than Covid-19.
...misinformation, including the belief that it is not effective...
...Aside from misinformation, measures aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 resulted in fewer in-person preventive medical visits, during which many receive the vaccine. And other flu shot clinics typically offered by employers, churches or schools have been on hold.
High unemployment due to the economic fallout of the pandemic has also left millions of Americans without health insurance, meaning states will need to pick up the vaccine cost for more patients.
While the effectiveness of the flu shot can vary depending on whether the strain of flu circulating in communities matches the strain in the vaccine, the CDC said it prevents millions of illnesses each year.
While social media platforms host misinformation, they also take actions to spread reliable guidance about vaccines.
This week, Facebook announced it would start directing US users to information about where they can get a flu shot, and promised to reject ads that discourage vaccination.
Prior to the pandemic, Twitter and Pinterest put in place policies to redirect searches of certain vaccine-related keywords to public health organizations.
...Adam Dunn, head of Biomedical Informatics and Digital Health at The University of Sydney, ...Methods developed to encourage user engagement on social media "could be used more judiciously to guide people to credible and evidence-based information," Dunn said. He also advocated for the creation of more "communities of pro-vaccine advocacy that are welcoming, honest, and aligned with a diversity of worldviews."
Libby Richards, associate professor at the Purdue School of Nursing, said that "a flu shot is more important than ever this year," cautioning that severe cases of Covid-19 and the flu require the same life saving equipment... take the time to fact-check information...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/as-us-battles-covid-19-flu-shot-misinfo-spread...
93margd
The pandemic is amplifying the U.S. anti-vaccine movement — and globalizing it
Emily Rauhala | Oct. 7, 2020
...vaccine hesitancy is mixing with coronavirus denial and merging with far-right American conspiracy theories, including QAnon, which claims that President Trump is secretly fighting a cabal of Satanist pedophiles embedded in the so-called “deep state.”
What’s emerging is a sprawling, international movement that opposes basic public health measures such as vaccines and masks, denies or downplays the reality of the pandemic, and is increasingly, though not always, linked to the politics of the far right.
It features American figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine campaigner, who in August addressed a massive rally in Berlin against coronavirus measures.
...A major turning point was the May 4 release of a conspiracy video, “Plandemic,” featuring a discredited American scientist with ties to the anti-vaccine movement. ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/05/07/plandemic-youtube-facebook-... )
...“Plandemic” ricocheted across the Internet, bouncing from anti-vaccine groups to anti-lockdown groups, spreading among “Make America Great Again” enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists, as well as seemingly apolitical neighborhood bulletin boards...it was watched millions of times before fact checks started circulating widely. By then, it was spreading in at least 10 languages.
...as the pandemic continues, these causes (vaccines, masks, 5G, Q-Anon, etc.) may continue to feed off one another online, invigorating hardcore communities and converting newcomers who happen to find conspiratorial, anti-vaccine content in their digital spaces...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/coronaviurs-antivax-conspiracies/2020/10/06...
Emily Rauhala | Oct. 7, 2020
...vaccine hesitancy is mixing with coronavirus denial and merging with far-right American conspiracy theories, including QAnon, which claims that President Trump is secretly fighting a cabal of Satanist pedophiles embedded in the so-called “deep state.”
What’s emerging is a sprawling, international movement that opposes basic public health measures such as vaccines and masks, denies or downplays the reality of the pandemic, and is increasingly, though not always, linked to the politics of the far right.
It features American figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine campaigner, who in August addressed a massive rally in Berlin against coronavirus measures.
...A major turning point was the May 4 release of a conspiracy video, “Plandemic,” featuring a discredited American scientist with ties to the anti-vaccine movement. ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/05/07/plandemic-youtube-facebook-... )
...“Plandemic” ricocheted across the Internet, bouncing from anti-vaccine groups to anti-lockdown groups, spreading among “Make America Great Again” enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists, as well as seemingly apolitical neighborhood bulletin boards...it was watched millions of times before fact checks started circulating widely. By then, it was spreading in at least 10 languages.
...as the pandemic continues, these causes (vaccines, masks, 5G, Q-Anon, etc.) may continue to feed off one another online, invigorating hardcore communities and converting newcomers who happen to find conspiratorial, anti-vaccine content in their digital spaces...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/coronaviurs-antivax-conspiracies/2020/10/06...
94John5918
UN urges resumption of mass measles and polio vaccinations (Guardian)
Unicef and the World Health Organization have called for urgent action to prevent millions of avoidable child deaths from measles and polio by resuming mass vaccinations disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. They say that while there is no vaccine against the coronavirus yet, there are very effective immunisations against these two killer diseases, and children should not be left at risk...
95John5918
Two children die, 30 ill after measles outbreak in South Sudan (The EastAfrican)
Two children have died of measles and 30 others are in critical condition in a Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) health facility in Pibor Administrative Area, South Sudan, the medical charity has said... “We believe measles is now widespread and getting out of control... The severity of the outbreak is being magnified by other illnesses like severe malaria, pneumonia and severe malnutrition"...
96John5918
Vaccinating 1.5 million children to curb polio outbreak in South Sudan (WHO)
A campaign aiming at vaccinating 1.5 million children against polio was launched in South Sudan. Currently 15 cases of vaccine-derived poliomyelitis are confirmed in seven counties across five states... The reported cases are children under five years of age who now have irreversible paralysis. In order to stop the outbreak and prevent further spread, the Ministry of Health formed an emergency task force comprising of WHO, UNICEF and other partners to quickly make necessary arrangement for the response while increasing surveillance efforts respecting basic infectious prevention and control measures. The only way of stopping the spread and prevent more children from catching the potentially deadly virus is through immunization...
97margd
Although fetal cell lines are used to grow viruses for some COVID-19 vaccines, the cells are not part of the vaccines
Flora Teoh, editor
CLAIM
“CONFIRMED - aborted male fetus in COVID-19 vaccine”
VERDICT
INACCURATE
SOURCE: Anonymous, Facebook, 15 Nov. 2020
DETAILS
Inaccurate: Although fetal cell lines derived from elective abortions are used to grow viruses for making certain vaccines, the cells and most of their genetic material are removed during the purification process and are therefore not present in the vaccines.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Some vaccines require the production of viruses, which can only replicate with the help of living host cells. While certain viruses for vaccines, such as some COVID-19 vaccine candidates, are produced using human fetal cell lines, these cells and most of their genetic material are removed during the purification process and are therefore not present in the vaccine. Any residual DNA is also broken down into fragments during the purification process, which are harmless and do not affect our DNA.
FULL CLAIM: “CONFIRMED - aborted male fetus in COVID-19 vaccine”; the vaccine contains “aborted fetal tissue” and can change your DNA
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/although-fetal-cell-lines-are-used-to-gro...
Flora Teoh, editor
CLAIM
“CONFIRMED - aborted male fetus in COVID-19 vaccine”
VERDICT
INACCURATE
SOURCE: Anonymous, Facebook, 15 Nov. 2020
DETAILS
Inaccurate: Although fetal cell lines derived from elective abortions are used to grow viruses for making certain vaccines, the cells and most of their genetic material are removed during the purification process and are therefore not present in the vaccines.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Some vaccines require the production of viruses, which can only replicate with the help of living host cells. While certain viruses for vaccines, such as some COVID-19 vaccine candidates, are produced using human fetal cell lines, these cells and most of their genetic material are removed during the purification process and are therefore not present in the vaccine. Any residual DNA is also broken down into fragments during the purification process, which are harmless and do not affect our DNA.
FULL CLAIM: “CONFIRMED - aborted male fetus in COVID-19 vaccine”; the vaccine contains “aborted fetal tissue” and can change your DNA
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/although-fetal-cell-lines-are-used-to-gro...
98margd
No evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause more severe disease; antibody-dependent enhancement has not been observed in clinical trials
...Unsupported
...A Facebook post claiming that the COVID-19 vaccine will lead to more severe disease, was published in November 2020 and went viral on the social media platform. Similar claims have also been published in other social media posts, like this one and this one. The claim is based on the observation of more severe disease occurring in individuals who received a dengue vaccine and a vaccine candidate for the respiratory syncytial virus. Both are likely due to a phenomenon known as antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), however ADE has not been shown to occur in individuals that received COVID-19 vaccines to date. One of the authors of these posts previously claimed to be a toxicologist, despite lacking the necessary training and credentials for that title...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/no-evidence-that-covid-19-vaccines-cause-...
...Unsupported
...A Facebook post claiming that the COVID-19 vaccine will lead to more severe disease, was published in November 2020 and went viral on the social media platform. Similar claims have also been published in other social media posts, like this one and this one. The claim is based on the observation of more severe disease occurring in individuals who received a dengue vaccine and a vaccine candidate for the respiratory syncytial virus. Both are likely due to a phenomenon known as antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), however ADE has not been shown to occur in individuals that received COVID-19 vaccines to date. One of the authors of these posts previously claimed to be a toxicologist, despite lacking the necessary training and credentials for that title...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/no-evidence-that-covid-19-vaccines-cause-...
99margd
Covid-19 vaccines face a varied and powerful misinformation movement online
New research shows the bigger threat to public trust in a Covid-19 vaccine comes from smaller, better-connected Facebook groups.
Brandy Zadrozny | Nov. 30, 2020
...although membership in online anti-vaccination groups was smaller than in pro-vaccination groups, there were more of them, their messages were more diverse, emotive and often persuading, and they were better at spreading those messages outside their groups, meaning they were able to reach more people.*
...a forthcoming paper..., currently in review for publication, shows members of communities previously considered unrelated or “undecided” on vaccines — groups for pet lovers, parent school groups, yoga fans and foodies, for instance — are increasingly connecting with the anti-vaccination movement.
...While the anti-vaccination activists’ favored platform, Facebook, has taken a number of steps recently to limit the reach of anti-vaccine content, the movement has thrived during the pandemic — a success largely due to a pivot toward Covid-19 misinformation and a communication strategy that’s allowed the anti-vaccination message to circumvent platforms’ policy enforcement and reach users outside its network.
...A report by the London-based nonprofit organization Center for Countering Digital Hate found that the anti-vaccination movement gained about 8 million followers since 2019. Conspiracy theories about a coming Covid-19 vaccine have flooded social media, particularly on Instagram and Facebook, according to a new report from First Draft, a global nonprofit organization that researches online misinformation.
Such conspiracy theories (which purported the vaccine to be a clever cover for various forms of population control by a government “deep state,” private philanthropists or even Satan) weren’t limited to anti-vaccine fringe groups, First Draft reported, but were resonating with outside networks. Disparate communities including Libertarian, New Age, QAnon and anti-government groups, as well as more mainstream communities, seem to be uniting around the opposition to a coming Covid-19 vaccine.
The biggest pages banned by Facebook had already been preparing for a crackdown.
...An unknowable number of private groups remain, spaces that have been hubs for misinformation regarding Covid-19 and vaccines. These include the 224,000-member Vaccination Re-education Discussion Forum, a private anti-vaccination group exclusively focused on Covid-19 vaccines.
...new research shows the anti-vaccination movement has effectively used the pandemic to reach more than 100 million susceptible Facebook users, and seems to be winning the battle for hearts and minds.
..."The anti-vaccination network is all about passing on narratives, passing on stories, supporting each other, just like an insurgency," (Neil Johnson, a physicist at George Washington University who studies online extremism) said. "And just like an insurgency, it is embedded with the mainstream civilian population as it were. And that is their strength.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/covid-19-vaccines-face-varied-powerful-mi...
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* Neil F. Johnson et al. The online competition between pro- and anti-vaccination views. Nature volume 582, pages230–233 ( May 13, 2020) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2281-1
Abstract
Distrust in scientific expertise...is dangerous. Opposition to vaccination with a future vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, for example, could amplify outbreaks..., as happened for measles in 2019... Homemade remedies... and falsehoods are being shared widely on the Internet, as well as dismissals of expert advice... There is a lack of understanding about how this distrust evolves at the system level1... Here we provide a map of the contention surrounding vaccines that has emerged from the global pool of around three billion Facebook users. Its core reveals a multi-sided landscape of unprecedented intricacy that involves nearly 100 million individuals partitioned into highly dynamic, interconnected clusters across cities, countries, continents and languages. Although smaller in overall size, anti-vaccination clusters manage to become highly entangled with undecided clusters in the main online network, whereas pro-vaccination clusters are more peripheral. Our theoretical framework reproduces the recent explosive growth in anti-vaccination views, and predicts that these views will dominate in a decade. Insights provided by this framework can inform new policies and approaches to interrupt this shift to negative views. Our results challenge the conventional thinking about undecided individuals in issues of contention surrounding health, shed light on other issues of contention such as climate change..., and highlight the key role of network cluster dynamics in multi-species ecologies...
New research shows the bigger threat to public trust in a Covid-19 vaccine comes from smaller, better-connected Facebook groups.
Brandy Zadrozny | Nov. 30, 2020
...although membership in online anti-vaccination groups was smaller than in pro-vaccination groups, there were more of them, their messages were more diverse, emotive and often persuading, and they were better at spreading those messages outside their groups, meaning they were able to reach more people.*
...a forthcoming paper..., currently in review for publication, shows members of communities previously considered unrelated or “undecided” on vaccines — groups for pet lovers, parent school groups, yoga fans and foodies, for instance — are increasingly connecting with the anti-vaccination movement.
...While the anti-vaccination activists’ favored platform, Facebook, has taken a number of steps recently to limit the reach of anti-vaccine content, the movement has thrived during the pandemic — a success largely due to a pivot toward Covid-19 misinformation and a communication strategy that’s allowed the anti-vaccination message to circumvent platforms’ policy enforcement and reach users outside its network.
...A report by the London-based nonprofit organization Center for Countering Digital Hate found that the anti-vaccination movement gained about 8 million followers since 2019. Conspiracy theories about a coming Covid-19 vaccine have flooded social media, particularly on Instagram and Facebook, according to a new report from First Draft, a global nonprofit organization that researches online misinformation.
Such conspiracy theories (which purported the vaccine to be a clever cover for various forms of population control by a government “deep state,” private philanthropists or even Satan) weren’t limited to anti-vaccine fringe groups, First Draft reported, but were resonating with outside networks. Disparate communities including Libertarian, New Age, QAnon and anti-government groups, as well as more mainstream communities, seem to be uniting around the opposition to a coming Covid-19 vaccine.
The biggest pages banned by Facebook had already been preparing for a crackdown.
...An unknowable number of private groups remain, spaces that have been hubs for misinformation regarding Covid-19 and vaccines. These include the 224,000-member Vaccination Re-education Discussion Forum, a private anti-vaccination group exclusively focused on Covid-19 vaccines.
...new research shows the anti-vaccination movement has effectively used the pandemic to reach more than 100 million susceptible Facebook users, and seems to be winning the battle for hearts and minds.
..."The anti-vaccination network is all about passing on narratives, passing on stories, supporting each other, just like an insurgency," (Neil Johnson, a physicist at George Washington University who studies online extremism) said. "And just like an insurgency, it is embedded with the mainstream civilian population as it were. And that is their strength.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/covid-19-vaccines-face-varied-powerful-mi...
------------------------------------------------------------
* Neil F. Johnson et al. The online competition between pro- and anti-vaccination views. Nature volume 582, pages230–233 ( May 13, 2020) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2281-1
Abstract
Distrust in scientific expertise...is dangerous. Opposition to vaccination with a future vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, for example, could amplify outbreaks..., as happened for measles in 2019... Homemade remedies... and falsehoods are being shared widely on the Internet, as well as dismissals of expert advice... There is a lack of understanding about how this distrust evolves at the system level1... Here we provide a map of the contention surrounding vaccines that has emerged from the global pool of around three billion Facebook users. Its core reveals a multi-sided landscape of unprecedented intricacy that involves nearly 100 million individuals partitioned into highly dynamic, interconnected clusters across cities, countries, continents and languages. Although smaller in overall size, anti-vaccination clusters manage to become highly entangled with undecided clusters in the main online network, whereas pro-vaccination clusters are more peripheral. Our theoretical framework reproduces the recent explosive growth in anti-vaccination views, and predicts that these views will dominate in a decade. Insights provided by this framework can inform new policies and approaches to interrupt this shift to negative views. Our results challenge the conventional thinking about undecided individuals in issues of contention surrounding health, shed light on other issues of contention such as climate change..., and highlight the key role of network cluster dynamics in multi-species ecologies...
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Experts refute false claim that Covid-19 vaccine can 'manipulate' human genes
Taylor Thompson Fuller, AFP | 01 December 2020
https://factcheck.afp.com/experts-refute-false-claim-covid-19-vaccine-can-manipu...
Taylor Thompson Fuller, AFP | 01 December 2020
https://factcheck.afp.com/experts-refute-false-claim-covid-19-vaccine-can-manipu...
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Coronavirus vaccines: health experts identify ways to build public trust
Ann Christiano and Jack J Berry | November 24, 2020
...16 social and behavioral psychologists, medical anthropologists, behavioral economists, neuroscientists and political communications scholars...over five days. We asked questions like: What makes people resilient against misinformation? What drives vaccine hesitancy? Which frames will be most effective? What kinds of message strategies have been effective with specific communities? And finally, what are some of the best ways to make taking the vaccine a social norm?
Eight principles emerged from those conversations that we believe can increase trust, acceptance and demand for vaccination. We have shared these principles with the leaders across the U.N. as part of their global efforts to reduce vaccine hesitancy and overcome misinformation related to COVID-19.
1. Work within worldviews, identities and moral values. Each of us has a unique set of identities, worldviews and moral values that influence our choices and behaviors, and even what we believe to be true. It’s worthwhile to understand what others see as right and wrong and to connect with what’s most important to them. Find the common ground between what you hope to achieve and what matters to them. For example, taking a vaccine, then, would become a way to return to activities and behaviors that matter most to them.
2. Use timing to the best advantage. It’s far easier to build trust when you’re the first to articulate a message. People are most likely to trust – and stick to – the version of information they hear first. It’s equally important, however, that they hear that same message multiple times from an array of sources.
3. Use the right messengers for the audience. People act when they trust the messenger, the message and their motivations. Trusted messengers vary greatly from community to community, but there are some broad lessons you can apply. Ideally, the messenger is someone with deep expertise: a doctor, a scientist or a public health practitioner. But trusted messengers are also those in our “in-groups,” people we see as being like us and who share our values. As behavioral economist David Fetherstonhaugh put it, “I couldn’t stress enough the importance of a message coming from within an in-group — someone that’s automatically on the inside. It’s almost like such messages even bypass deliberate cognition because they are coming from a trusted source: ‘They’re my family, or it’s my pastor, or it’s my party leader.’ So the source of a message, in-group vs. out-group, is extraordinarily important for how a message is received.”
4. Make the content concrete, supply a narrative and provide value. If messages aren’t concrete and don’t include stories, our powerful sense-making brains will fill the abstraction with stories and ideas that make sense to us. One particular space to build that narrative is around vaccine trials. Instead of saying “we’re in stage 3,” name the number of people who have participated in successful trials and share stories of individuals who participated in those trials.
5. Recognize that communities have different relationships with vaccination. In some societies, people may be fearful of vaccines, but have a strong trust in authority. In others, mandatory vaccinations have created distrust of government authorities. In others, decades of mistreatment and exploitation have resulted in a profound lack of trust in new medical treatments. Different societies also have different relationships with authority. In societies where people trust authority, they’re more likely to accept direction even if they don’t support it.
6. Reinforce positive behaviors. We are deeply affected by the behavior and choices of people in our networks – even people we may not have met. So to change behavior, you have to shift people’s perceptions of what normal behavior looks like. Examining vaccine hesitancy through the lens of social norms offers two opportunities to make a difference. The first is activating trusted influencers within social networks and people’s perceptions of what others are doing. The second is in shifting the communications norms among those communicating on behalf of the vaccine.
7. Evoke the right emotions. It’s tempting to activate emotions like fear or shame to get people to take a vaccine, but it’s unlikely to work. Fear immobilizes people, and shame is likely to achieve the wrong reaction. Look to more constructive emotions like awe, hope and parental love to get people to act.
8. Be explicit and transparent about motivations. Our perceptions of the motivations of the messenger matters. Our motivations in seeking information are equally important. We’re less likely to trust a vaccine if we question the motives of the people advocating for us to take it...
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-vaccines-health-experts-identify-ways-to...
Ann Christiano and Jack J Berry | November 24, 2020
...16 social and behavioral psychologists, medical anthropologists, behavioral economists, neuroscientists and political communications scholars...over five days. We asked questions like: What makes people resilient against misinformation? What drives vaccine hesitancy? Which frames will be most effective? What kinds of message strategies have been effective with specific communities? And finally, what are some of the best ways to make taking the vaccine a social norm?
Eight principles emerged from those conversations that we believe can increase trust, acceptance and demand for vaccination. We have shared these principles with the leaders across the U.N. as part of their global efforts to reduce vaccine hesitancy and overcome misinformation related to COVID-19.
1. Work within worldviews, identities and moral values. Each of us has a unique set of identities, worldviews and moral values that influence our choices and behaviors, and even what we believe to be true. It’s worthwhile to understand what others see as right and wrong and to connect with what’s most important to them. Find the common ground between what you hope to achieve and what matters to them. For example, taking a vaccine, then, would become a way to return to activities and behaviors that matter most to them.
2. Use timing to the best advantage. It’s far easier to build trust when you’re the first to articulate a message. People are most likely to trust – and stick to – the version of information they hear first. It’s equally important, however, that they hear that same message multiple times from an array of sources.
3. Use the right messengers for the audience. People act when they trust the messenger, the message and their motivations. Trusted messengers vary greatly from community to community, but there are some broad lessons you can apply. Ideally, the messenger is someone with deep expertise: a doctor, a scientist or a public health practitioner. But trusted messengers are also those in our “in-groups,” people we see as being like us and who share our values. As behavioral economist David Fetherstonhaugh put it, “I couldn’t stress enough the importance of a message coming from within an in-group — someone that’s automatically on the inside. It’s almost like such messages even bypass deliberate cognition because they are coming from a trusted source: ‘They’re my family, or it’s my pastor, or it’s my party leader.’ So the source of a message, in-group vs. out-group, is extraordinarily important for how a message is received.”
4. Make the content concrete, supply a narrative and provide value. If messages aren’t concrete and don’t include stories, our powerful sense-making brains will fill the abstraction with stories and ideas that make sense to us. One particular space to build that narrative is around vaccine trials. Instead of saying “we’re in stage 3,” name the number of people who have participated in successful trials and share stories of individuals who participated in those trials.
5. Recognize that communities have different relationships with vaccination. In some societies, people may be fearful of vaccines, but have a strong trust in authority. In others, mandatory vaccinations have created distrust of government authorities. In others, decades of mistreatment and exploitation have resulted in a profound lack of trust in new medical treatments. Different societies also have different relationships with authority. In societies where people trust authority, they’re more likely to accept direction even if they don’t support it.
6. Reinforce positive behaviors. We are deeply affected by the behavior and choices of people in our networks – even people we may not have met. So to change behavior, you have to shift people’s perceptions of what normal behavior looks like. Examining vaccine hesitancy through the lens of social norms offers two opportunities to make a difference. The first is activating trusted influencers within social networks and people’s perceptions of what others are doing. The second is in shifting the communications norms among those communicating on behalf of the vaccine.
7. Evoke the right emotions. It’s tempting to activate emotions like fear or shame to get people to take a vaccine, but it’s unlikely to work. Fear immobilizes people, and shame is likely to achieve the wrong reaction. Look to more constructive emotions like awe, hope and parental love to get people to act.
8. Be explicit and transparent about motivations. Our perceptions of the motivations of the messenger matters. Our motivations in seeking information are equally important. We’re less likely to trust a vaccine if we question the motives of the people advocating for us to take it...
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-vaccines-health-experts-identify-ways-to...
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Anti-Vax Ideas Have Metastasized in 2020 (14:20)
Brandy Zadrozny | Hosted by Bob Garfield, On the Media, WNYC Studios | December 4, 2020
To understand how to combat anti-vaccination sentiment, we have to understand how the misinformation virus spreads. And to understand that, we have to first know where it has resided from birth. Brandy Zadrozny, an investigative reporter at NBC News covering misinformation online, has spent years tracking the contagion. This week, Zadrozny explains to Bob how what began with a debunked study has spread all across Facebook — and why the social media company's efforts to shut down major anti-vaccine pages might be too little, too late.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/anti-vax-metastasized-on-the-m...
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A Pastor's Plight to Address Vaccine Skepticism in Black Communities (9:24)
Fr. Father Paul Abernathy | Hosted by Bob Garfield, On the Media, WNYC Studios | December 4, 2020
A Pew study conducted this fall found that only 32 percent of Black Americans are likely to take a coronavirus vaccine, compared to about half of white people. The reasons are manifold: a legacy of exploitation of Black people in medical trials, predating and continuing after the horrors of the Tuskegee Study; medical racism; mistrust in government; and more. In Pittsburgh, Father Paul Abernathy is working to address vaccine skepticism in predominantly Black neighborhoods, focusing on earning trust by sharing information, meeting people where they are, and recruiting people to participate in vaccine trials. He tells Bob how community engagement will be critical to the rollout of a vaccine, and explains how his nonprofit works with researchers to convince skeptics.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/pastors-plight-address-vaccine...
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How to Earn Trust in a Coronavirus Vaccine (15:25)
Michael Kinch & Matt Motta | Hosted by Bob Garfield, On the Media, WNYC Studios | December 4, 2020
The great news is that there are multiple vaccines headed our way. At least two vaccines undergoing review — Moderna and Pfizer — have efficacy rates above 90 percent, which is stunning compared to, say, the 2019–2020 flu vaccine, which had an efficacy of just 45 percent. But the vaccine still needs to be approved, delivered, and administered to 300-or-so million Americans. And those Americans have to be willing to take the vaccine in order for the country to achieve "herd immunity" and curb COVID-19 in a meaningful way.
This week, Bob talks to Michael Kinch, author of Between Hope and Fear: A History of Vaccines and Human Immunity, about rollouts of mass vaccinations dating back hundreds of years. He also interviews Matt Motta, assistant professor of political science at Oklahoma State University, who specializes in science communication. Motta tells us who current vaccine skeptics are, and how we can reach them.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/how-earn-trust-coronavirus-vac...
_____________________________________________________________
Th(ese are) segment(s) from our December 4, 2020 program, A Dose Of Reality.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments
Brandy Zadrozny | Hosted by Bob Garfield, On the Media, WNYC Studios | December 4, 2020
To understand how to combat anti-vaccination sentiment, we have to understand how the misinformation virus spreads. And to understand that, we have to first know where it has resided from birth. Brandy Zadrozny, an investigative reporter at NBC News covering misinformation online, has spent years tracking the contagion. This week, Zadrozny explains to Bob how what began with a debunked study has spread all across Facebook — and why the social media company's efforts to shut down major anti-vaccine pages might be too little, too late.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/anti-vax-metastasized-on-the-m...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Pastor's Plight to Address Vaccine Skepticism in Black Communities (9:24)
Fr. Father Paul Abernathy | Hosted by Bob Garfield, On the Media, WNYC Studios | December 4, 2020
A Pew study conducted this fall found that only 32 percent of Black Americans are likely to take a coronavirus vaccine, compared to about half of white people. The reasons are manifold: a legacy of exploitation of Black people in medical trials, predating and continuing after the horrors of the Tuskegee Study; medical racism; mistrust in government; and more. In Pittsburgh, Father Paul Abernathy is working to address vaccine skepticism in predominantly Black neighborhoods, focusing on earning trust by sharing information, meeting people where they are, and recruiting people to participate in vaccine trials. He tells Bob how community engagement will be critical to the rollout of a vaccine, and explains how his nonprofit works with researchers to convince skeptics.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/pastors-plight-address-vaccine...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to Earn Trust in a Coronavirus Vaccine (15:25)
Michael Kinch & Matt Motta | Hosted by Bob Garfield, On the Media, WNYC Studios | December 4, 2020
The great news is that there are multiple vaccines headed our way. At least two vaccines undergoing review — Moderna and Pfizer — have efficacy rates above 90 percent, which is stunning compared to, say, the 2019–2020 flu vaccine, which had an efficacy of just 45 percent. But the vaccine still needs to be approved, delivered, and administered to 300-or-so million Americans. And those Americans have to be willing to take the vaccine in order for the country to achieve "herd immunity" and curb COVID-19 in a meaningful way.
This week, Bob talks to Michael Kinch, author of Between Hope and Fear: A History of Vaccines and Human Immunity, about rollouts of mass vaccinations dating back hundreds of years. He also interviews Matt Motta, assistant professor of political science at Oklahoma State University, who specializes in science communication. Motta tells us who current vaccine skeptics are, and how we can reach them.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/how-earn-trust-coronavirus-vac...
_____________________________________________________________
Th(ese are) segment(s) from our December 4, 2020 program, A Dose Of Reality.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments
104margd
By targetting the stalk of the viral hemagglutinin protein, looks like virologists have uncovered key to universal flu vaccine.
Hit and miss approach of seasonal flu vaccines may give way to a much more effective universal vaccine:
Florian Krammer (virologist Icahn) @florian_krammer | 11:52 AM · Dec 7, 2020:
1) Finally this (is) out. It took a few years of my life to get this into clinical trials (with the help of many others). A first step towards the clinical development of universal influenza virus vaccines. With Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Peter Palese.
A chimeric hemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine approach induces broad and...*
nature.com
2) This could potentially be a way to replace the seasonal flu vaccine and to be much better prepared for future flu pandemics. With funding from @gatesfoundation @ceirsinfluenza NIAID CIVICs @PATHtweets and help from many many awesome colleagues including Raffael Nachbagauer.
3) By the way, here are people who are on Twitter and contributed to this over the years...
- that's just the ones on twitter
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* Raffael Nachbagauer,…Florian Krammer. 202o A chimeric hemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine approach induces broad and long-lasting immunity in a randomized, placebo-controlled phase I trial. Nature Medicine (Dec 7, 2020)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-1118-7
Abstract
Seasonal influenza viruses constantly change through antigenic drift and the emergence of pandemic influenza viruses through antigenic shift is unpredictable. Conventional influenza virus vaccines induce strain-specific neutralizing antibodies against the variable immunodominant globular head domain of the viral hemagglutinin protein. This necessitates frequent re-formulation of vaccines and handicaps pandemic preparedness. In this completed, observer-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase I trial (NCT03300050), safety and immunogenicity of chimeric hemagglutinin-based vaccines were tested in healthy, 18–39-year-old US adults. The study aimed to test the safety and ability of the vaccines to elicit broadly cross-reactive antibodies against the hemagglutinin stalk domain. Participants were enrolled into five groups to receive vaccinations with live-attenuated followed by AS03-adjuvanted inactivated vaccine (n = 20), live-attenuated followed by inactivated vaccine (n = 15), twice AS03-adjuvanted inactivated vaccine (n = 16) or placebo (n = 5, intranasal followed by intramuscular; n = 10, twice intramuscular) 3 months apart. Vaccination was found to be safe and induced a broad, strong, durable and functional immune response targeting the conserved, immunosubdominant stalk of the hemagglutinin. The results suggest that chimeric hemagglutinins have the potential to be developed as universal vaccines that protect broadly against influenza viruses.
Hit and miss approach of seasonal flu vaccines may give way to a much more effective universal vaccine:
Florian Krammer (virologist Icahn) @florian_krammer | 11:52 AM · Dec 7, 2020:
1) Finally this (is) out. It took a few years of my life to get this into clinical trials (with the help of many others). A first step towards the clinical development of universal influenza virus vaccines. With Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Peter Palese.
A chimeric hemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine approach induces broad and...*
nature.com
2) This could potentially be a way to replace the seasonal flu vaccine and to be much better prepared for future flu pandemics. With funding from @gatesfoundation @ceirsinfluenza NIAID CIVICs @PATHtweets and help from many many awesome colleagues including Raffael Nachbagauer.
3) By the way, here are people who are on Twitter and contributed to this over the years...
- that's just the ones on twitter
---------------------------------------------------------------------
* Raffael Nachbagauer,…Florian Krammer. 202o A chimeric hemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine approach induces broad and long-lasting immunity in a randomized, placebo-controlled phase I trial. Nature Medicine (Dec 7, 2020)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-1118-7
Abstract
Seasonal influenza viruses constantly change through antigenic drift and the emergence of pandemic influenza viruses through antigenic shift is unpredictable. Conventional influenza virus vaccines induce strain-specific neutralizing antibodies against the variable immunodominant globular head domain of the viral hemagglutinin protein. This necessitates frequent re-formulation of vaccines and handicaps pandemic preparedness. In this completed, observer-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase I trial (NCT03300050), safety and immunogenicity of chimeric hemagglutinin-based vaccines were tested in healthy, 18–39-year-old US adults. The study aimed to test the safety and ability of the vaccines to elicit broadly cross-reactive antibodies against the hemagglutinin stalk domain. Participants were enrolled into five groups to receive vaccinations with live-attenuated followed by AS03-adjuvanted inactivated vaccine (n = 20), live-attenuated followed by inactivated vaccine (n = 15), twice AS03-adjuvanted inactivated vaccine (n = 16) or placebo (n = 5, intranasal followed by intramuscular; n = 10, twice intramuscular) 3 months apart. Vaccination was found to be safe and induced a broad, strong, durable and functional immune response targeting the conserved, immunosubdominant stalk of the hemagglutinin. The results suggest that chimeric hemagglutinins have the potential to be developed as universal vaccines that protect broadly against influenza viruses.
105margd
COVID-19 vaccine candidates show high efficacy and a safe profile in clinical trials, contrary to claims in viral video
Iria Carballo-Carbajal
CLAIM
“The COVID-19 pandemic is not a real medical pandemic”; “The COVID-19 vaccine is not proven safe or effective”
VERDICT
INACCURATE
SOURCE: World Doctors Alliance, BrandNewTube, 7 Dec. 2020
DETAILS
Factually Inaccurate: As a disease that has caused millions of infections and 1.5 million deaths in all countries and continents, COVID-19 qualifies as a “pandemic.”
Inaccurate: Results from clinical trials demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccine candidates are generally safe, including those using RNA technology. RNA from vaccines cannot integrate into our DNA nor persist long enough in the cell to cause autoimmune or other chronic diseases.
Unsupported: Although antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is a potential side effect of a COVID-19 vaccine, no study has reported increased COVID-19 severity in vaccinated animals or humans.
KEY TAKE AWAY
COVID-19 vaccine candidates must pass the same safety standards as any other candidate to demonstrate their efficacy and safety before approval and public use. However, the pandemic situation has removed many of the usual handicaps that such trials face, including funding, recruitment, or bureaucratic red tape, which resulted in faster completion of safety tests. Phase 3 trial’s data from tens of thousands of participants show that COVID-19 vaccine candidates efficiently prevent the infection and are generally safe...
...In summary, COVID-19 is a pandemic that has spread to every continent and country, causing millions of infections and deaths worldwide, contrary to what the BrandNewTube video participants claim. Vaccine candidates, including those for COVID-19, must pass several stages of clinical trials to demonstrate a high level of safety and efficacy before being approved for public use, whether fully or emergency use. Clinical trials in thousands of people show that COVID-19 vaccine candidates prevent viral infection with high efficacy and are generally safe, including those using RNA technology. Therefore, the claim that a COVID-19 vaccine is not effective or can cause autoimmunity, infertility, ADE, or chronic diseases is unsupported.
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/covid-19-vaccine-candidates-show-high-eff...
Iria Carballo-Carbajal
CLAIM
“The COVID-19 pandemic is not a real medical pandemic”; “The COVID-19 vaccine is not proven safe or effective”
VERDICT
INACCURATE
SOURCE: World Doctors Alliance, BrandNewTube, 7 Dec. 2020
DETAILS
Factually Inaccurate: As a disease that has caused millions of infections and 1.5 million deaths in all countries and continents, COVID-19 qualifies as a “pandemic.”
Inaccurate: Results from clinical trials demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccine candidates are generally safe, including those using RNA technology. RNA from vaccines cannot integrate into our DNA nor persist long enough in the cell to cause autoimmune or other chronic diseases.
Unsupported: Although antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is a potential side effect of a COVID-19 vaccine, no study has reported increased COVID-19 severity in vaccinated animals or humans.
KEY TAKE AWAY
COVID-19 vaccine candidates must pass the same safety standards as any other candidate to demonstrate their efficacy and safety before approval and public use. However, the pandemic situation has removed many of the usual handicaps that such trials face, including funding, recruitment, or bureaucratic red tape, which resulted in faster completion of safety tests. Phase 3 trial’s data from tens of thousands of participants show that COVID-19 vaccine candidates efficiently prevent the infection and are generally safe...
...In summary, COVID-19 is a pandemic that has spread to every continent and country, causing millions of infections and deaths worldwide, contrary to what the BrandNewTube video participants claim. Vaccine candidates, including those for COVID-19, must pass several stages of clinical trials to demonstrate a high level of safety and efficacy before being approved for public use, whether fully or emergency use. Clinical trials in thousands of people show that COVID-19 vaccine candidates prevent viral infection with high efficacy and are generally safe, including those using RNA technology. Therefore, the claim that a COVID-19 vaccine is not effective or can cause autoimmunity, infertility, ADE, or chronic diseases is unsupported.
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/covid-19-vaccine-candidates-show-high-eff...
106margd
Image--clinical-trials infographic ( https://twitter.com/ScienceMagazine/status/1339125636779151360/photo/1 )
David M. Knipe et al. 2020. Ensuring vaccine safety (perspective). Science 11 Dec 2020: Vol. 370, Issue 6522, pp. 1274-1275
DOI: 10.1126/science.abf0357 https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6522/1274
...There is an urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines and exciting progress to that end, but there remains a critical public health obligation to conduct rigorous evaluation to ensure safety as well as efficacy. Vaccines remain one of the most successful biomedical tools for prevention of disease. The urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines must be balanced with the imperative of ensuring safety and public confidence in vaccines by following the established clinical safety testing protocols throughout vaccine development, including both pre- and postdeployment.
David M. Knipe et al. 2020. Ensuring vaccine safety (perspective). Science 11 Dec 2020: Vol. 370, Issue 6522, pp. 1274-1275
DOI: 10.1126/science.abf0357 https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6522/1274
...There is an urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines and exciting progress to that end, but there remains a critical public health obligation to conduct rigorous evaluation to ensure safety as well as efficacy. Vaccines remain one of the most successful biomedical tools for prevention of disease. The urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines must be balanced with the imperative of ensuring safety and public confidence in vaccines by following the established clinical safety testing protocols throughout vaccine development, including both pre- and postdeployment.
107margd
Pressure won't help build vaccine trust: OPINION
Transparency, patience and vigilance are the best Rx to improve uptake.
Richard Besser | December 13, 2020
...Today is a time to listen rather than preach, and at this critical moment, it’s a time to act. The solutions must come from within each community, and the messengers must be that community’s trusted voices including faith leaders, medical practitioners and community organizers. Congress must provide additional funding to fiscally-strapped states and localities to ensure they can deploy not just the vaccines themselves, but provide outreach and communications support to trusted community groups to help build trust in the pandemic’s hardest-hit places.
...As I learned back in my San Diego pediatrician’s clinic nearly 30 years ago, sometimes one of the greatest tools of a public health practitioner is the willingness to listen. A vaccination campaign that meets people where they are, hears their concerns and values their too-often painful history -- an effort that listens -- is what our nation needs today.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/pressure-build-vaccine-trust-opinion/story?id=7462...
Transparency, patience and vigilance are the best Rx to improve uptake.
Richard Besser | December 13, 2020
...Today is a time to listen rather than preach, and at this critical moment, it’s a time to act. The solutions must come from within each community, and the messengers must be that community’s trusted voices including faith leaders, medical practitioners and community organizers. Congress must provide additional funding to fiscally-strapped states and localities to ensure they can deploy not just the vaccines themselves, but provide outreach and communications support to trusted community groups to help build trust in the pandemic’s hardest-hit places.
...As I learned back in my San Diego pediatrician’s clinic nearly 30 years ago, sometimes one of the greatest tools of a public health practitioner is the willingness to listen. A vaccination campaign that meets people where they are, hears their concerns and values their too-often painful history -- an effort that listens -- is what our nation needs today.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/pressure-build-vaccine-trust-opinion/story?id=7462...
108JamesSanders
Este utilizador foi removido como sendo spam.
109margd
No, chip on COVID-19 vaccine syringes would not be injected or track people
Bill McCarthy | December 15, 2020
A video circulating on social media wrongly claims that some COVID-19 vaccines could include microchips to let government officials track patients. That’s inaccurate.
COVID-19 vaccines do not include microchips for tracking patients.
A medical technology company has been producing prefilled syringes for coronavirus vaccines. The syringes can include an optional chip on the label — not inside the injected dose itself — that would show if a particular dose is expired or counterfeit.
The chips would not be injected with the vaccine, nor would they gather information on patients or allow their locations to be tracked...
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/15/facebook-posts/no-chip-covid-1...
Bill McCarthy | December 15, 2020
A video circulating on social media wrongly claims that some COVID-19 vaccines could include microchips to let government officials track patients. That’s inaccurate.
COVID-19 vaccines do not include microchips for tracking patients.
A medical technology company has been producing prefilled syringes for coronavirus vaccines. The syringes can include an optional chip on the label — not inside the injected dose itself — that would show if a particular dose is expired or counterfeit.
The chips would not be injected with the vaccine, nor would they gather information on patients or allow their locations to be tracked...
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/15/facebook-posts/no-chip-covid-1...
110John5918
>109 margd:
I want to say it's unbelieveable the sort of fake news that is going around, about injecting microchips into people along with the vaccine. Good grief. But sadly some (many?) people do believe it. What a world we live in.
I want to say it's unbelieveable the sort of fake news that is going around, about injecting microchips into people along with the vaccine. Good grief. But sadly some (many?) people do believe it. What a world we live in.
1112wonderY
>109 margd: Stephen Colbert made the observation that the tracking device is already in place with the phones that are welded to our hands.
112margd
>111 2wonderY: And our cars! Even if you didn't buy package, there's some kind of black box in most vehicles that the car's manufacturer can access in case of accident (to assess their liability)? I remember being startled when my vehicle correctly reported me in the middle of the St Lawrence R--on a ferry!
114margd
Flurry of fact checks as COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out:
No, the new coronavirus vaccines are not more dangerous than COVID-19
Samantha Putterman | December 18, 2020
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/18/facebook-posts/no-new-coronavi...
Nurse’s collapse does not mean Covid-19 vaccines are unsafe
AFP | Friday 18 December 2020
https://factcheck.afp.com/nurses-collapse-does-not-mean-covid-19-vaccines-are-un...
Anti-Vaccine Posts Use Deceptively Edited Video Clip
Saranac Hale Spencer | December 18, 2020
https://www.factcheck.org/2020/12/anti-vaccine-posts-use-deceptively-edited-vide...
Fact Check: Is Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Not Halal, as Viral Video Claims?
Basit Mahmood | 12/18/20
https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-halal-1555998
Social media posts inaccurately compare Covid-19 vaccines to 1950s-era drug
Manon Jacob | 18 December 2020
https://factcheck.afp.com/social-media-posts-inaccurately-compare-covid-19-vacci...
No, the new coronavirus vaccines are not more dangerous than COVID-19
Samantha Putterman | December 18, 2020
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/18/facebook-posts/no-new-coronavi...
Nurse’s collapse does not mean Covid-19 vaccines are unsafe
AFP | Friday 18 December 2020
https://factcheck.afp.com/nurses-collapse-does-not-mean-covid-19-vaccines-are-un...
Anti-Vaccine Posts Use Deceptively Edited Video Clip
Saranac Hale Spencer | December 18, 2020
https://www.factcheck.org/2020/12/anti-vaccine-posts-use-deceptively-edited-vide...
Fact Check: Is Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Not Halal, as Viral Video Claims?
Basit Mahmood | 12/18/20
https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-halal-1555998
Social media posts inaccurately compare Covid-19 vaccines to 1950s-era drug
Manon Jacob | 18 December 2020
https://factcheck.afp.com/social-media-posts-inaccurately-compare-covid-19-vacci...
115margd
>114 margd: Contd--flurry of fact checks as COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out:
Fact Check: Nurse Receiving Coronavirus Vaccine Has Not Died As Claimed By Many Social Media Users
The Logical Indian Crew India | 22 Dec 2020
https://thelogicalindian.com/fact-check/coronavirus-vaccine-25616
Viral tweet cites made-up CDC ‘COVID-19 survival rates’ to downplay vaccine
Bill McCarthy | December 22, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not released “COVID-19 survival rates,” an agency spokesperson said, and it doesn’t have the data to do so.
...False
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/22/tweets/viral-tweet-cites-made-...
Nancy Pelosi did not fake Covid-19 vaccination with capped needle
AFP USA | 21 December 2020
https://factcheck.afp.com/nancy-pelosi-did-not-fake-covid-19-vaccination-capped-...
Fact Check: Nurse Receiving Coronavirus Vaccine Has Not Died As Claimed By Many Social Media Users
The Logical Indian Crew India | 22 Dec 2020
https://thelogicalindian.com/fact-check/coronavirus-vaccine-25616
Viral tweet cites made-up CDC ‘COVID-19 survival rates’ to downplay vaccine
Bill McCarthy | December 22, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not released “COVID-19 survival rates,” an agency spokesperson said, and it doesn’t have the data to do so.
...False
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/22/tweets/viral-tweet-cites-made-...
Nancy Pelosi did not fake Covid-19 vaccination with capped needle
AFP USA | 21 December 2020
https://factcheck.afp.com/nancy-pelosi-did-not-fake-covid-19-vaccination-capped-...
116rastaphrog
>114 margd: In regards to the nurse from Tennessee, you'd think she'd have passed on getting the shot on TV if she had a history of passing out from pain.
117margd
A Nashville nurse did not develop Bell’s Palsy after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine
Daniel Funke | December 30, 2020
The Tennessee Department of Health has no record of any licensed nurses who go by the name given in a viral video.
There is no evidence of a direct link between the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and Bell’s Palsy...
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/30/youtube-videos/nashville-nurse...
Daniel Funke | December 30, 2020
The Tennessee Department of Health has no record of any licensed nurses who go by the name given in a viral video.
There is no evidence of a direct link between the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and Bell’s Palsy...
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/30/youtube-videos/nashville-nurse...
118margd
Not Sure About the COVID-19 Vaccine? Get the Facts, Then Decide
Kara Gavin | December 23, 2020
Heard a claim about the vaccines? Check here before sharing or acting on the information.
Speed of vaccine development
Vaccines and your DNA
Vaccine side effects
What’s in a COVID vaccine
Pregnancy & fertility
Worries about specific groups
Mutations
Immune system
https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/wellness-prevention/not-sure-about-covid-19-va...
Kara Gavin | December 23, 2020
Heard a claim about the vaccines? Check here before sharing or acting on the information.
Speed of vaccine development
Vaccines and your DNA
Vaccine side effects
What’s in a COVID vaccine
Pregnancy & fertility
Worries about specific groups
Mutations
Immune system
https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/wellness-prevention/not-sure-about-covid-19-va...
120margd
SO important that concerned moms reaching out not be brushed off or MD/RN-splained, IMHO.
Radio story (below) captures what I'm seeing:
concerned mother brushed off by healthcare worker,
finds 'answers' in anti-vax community (online, wellness centers),
paralyzed by anxiety--easier to not vax,
anti-vax movement is metasticizing, e.g., strong influence in petcare group I follow,
pandemic creating some pushback among vaccine-hesitants inspired to dig deeper into info = opportunity!
How Anti-Vaccine Movement Could Hurt Efforts To End Pandemic
Rachel Martin | January 18, 20215:04 AM ET
Heard on Morning Edition | 11-Minute Listen
The anti-vaccine movement has existed in various forms for decades. The Internet and social media created a surge in misinformation. We profile a mother who got pulled in, and how she got out.
https://www.npr.org/2021/01/18/957981974/how-anti-vaccine-movement-could-hurt-ef...
Radio story (below) captures what I'm seeing:
concerned mother brushed off by healthcare worker,
finds 'answers' in anti-vax community (online, wellness centers),
paralyzed by anxiety--easier to not vax,
anti-vax movement is metasticizing, e.g., strong influence in petcare group I follow,
pandemic creating some pushback among vaccine-hesitants inspired to dig deeper into info = opportunity!
How Anti-Vaccine Movement Could Hurt Efforts To End Pandemic
Rachel Martin | January 18, 20215:04 AM ET
Heard on Morning Edition | 11-Minute Listen
The anti-vaccine movement has existed in various forms for decades. The Internet and social media created a surge in misinformation. We profile a mother who got pulled in, and how she got out.
https://www.npr.org/2021/01/18/957981974/how-anti-vaccine-movement-could-hurt-ef...
121margd
VAERS reports alone don’t demonstrate that the COVID-19 vaccines caused adverse events; evidence does not indicate vaccines caused Bell’s palsy and deaths
Flora Teoh
CLAIM
“Thousands of COVID Vaccine Injuries and 13 U.S. Deaths Reported in December Alone”; “In December, 3,916 COVID vaccine-related adverse events, including 13 deaths, were reported to VAERS”
SOURCE: Anonymous, Children's Health Defense, 14 Jan. 2021
VERDICT: UNSUPPORTED
DETAILS
Inadequate support: The 3,916 adverse events attributed to the COVID-19 vaccines are based on the number of reports made in the U.S. Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). However, while VAERS records adverse events occurring after vaccination, it does not demonstrate a causal relationship between a vaccine and adverse events.
Misleading: The article cites instances of adverse events like Bell’s palsy and death occurring post-vaccination as “vaccine injuries”, implying that the vaccines caused these events (the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy). However, simply because an event occurred after vaccination does not mean that vaccination caused the event. Furthermore, some of the events cited have already been established as unrelated to the vaccine or are of dubious origin.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Both COVID-19 vaccines approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration were thoroughly reviewed for safety and efficacy before approval. The U.S. Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) enables the public and healthcare providers to report adverse events that occur after vaccination. It serves as an early warning system for potential problems with vaccines. However, determining whether there is a causal link requires further investigation into these reports. VAERS data only tells us that an adverse event occurred after vaccination; on its own it cannot prove that vaccines caused the adverse event.
REVIEW...
Conclusion
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/vaers-reports-alone-dont-demonstrate-that...
Flora Teoh
CLAIM
“Thousands of COVID Vaccine Injuries and 13 U.S. Deaths Reported in December Alone”; “In December, 3,916 COVID vaccine-related adverse events, including 13 deaths, were reported to VAERS”
SOURCE: Anonymous, Children's Health Defense, 14 Jan. 2021
VERDICT: UNSUPPORTED
DETAILS
Inadequate support: The 3,916 adverse events attributed to the COVID-19 vaccines are based on the number of reports made in the U.S. Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). However, while VAERS records adverse events occurring after vaccination, it does not demonstrate a causal relationship between a vaccine and adverse events.
Misleading: The article cites instances of adverse events like Bell’s palsy and death occurring post-vaccination as “vaccine injuries”, implying that the vaccines caused these events (the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy). However, simply because an event occurred after vaccination does not mean that vaccination caused the event. Furthermore, some of the events cited have already been established as unrelated to the vaccine or are of dubious origin.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Both COVID-19 vaccines approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration were thoroughly reviewed for safety and efficacy before approval. The U.S. Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) enables the public and healthcare providers to report adverse events that occur after vaccination. It serves as an early warning system for potential problems with vaccines. However, determining whether there is a causal link requires further investigation into these reports. VAERS data only tells us that an adverse event occurred after vaccination; on its own it cannot prove that vaccines caused the adverse event.
REVIEW...
Conclusion
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/vaers-reports-alone-dont-demonstrate-that...
122margd
Fact check: Not likely that COVID-19 vaccine was cause of Hank Aaron's death
Miriam Fauzia | Jan 26, 2021
Hall of Famer Henry "Hank" Aaron (86) died at his home in Atlanta on Jan. 22. ...
A Jan. 22 article published by The Defender, an outlet of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Children's Health Defense, intimates a connection between Aaron's death and the vaccine that he received Jan. 5 alongside other civil and human rights leaders at the Morehouse Healthcare Clinic, part of the Morehouse School of Medicine...
In the wake of Aaron's death, Morehouse released a statement to CBS Alabama affiliate CBS 42 on Jan. 25, affirming the former athlete's death was unrelated to the COVID-19 vaccine...
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's office confirmed with NBC Atlanta affiliate 11 Alive that there was no evidence the COVID-19 vaccine caused Aaron's death. ...
11 Alive also spoke to former Atlanta Mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, who received the vaccine with Aaron (Jan. 5 in Atlanta); veteran broadcasting executive Xernona Clayton and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Louis Sullivan. Young recounted that a conversation with Aaron's driver did not reveal any alarming indicators.
Baseball legend Hank Aaron receives a COVID-19 vaccination on Jan. 5 in Atlanta...
Aaron, however, did suffer from arthritis, had a partial hip replacement after a fall in 2014 and used a wheelchair during his vaccination. Young, Clayton and Sullivan — age 88, 90 and 87 — have said they did not experience any severe vaccine reactions...
Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist and dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, weighed in on Jan. 22 tweeting, "There is zero evidence a #COVID19 vaccination contributed to the death of Henry Aaron."
The next day, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also tweeted, "He passed in his sleep, the same way my dad died nearly 30 yrs ago. I share that because the vaccine won't stop ALL death, but it will go a long way in preventing deaths from coronavirus, which is disproportionately impacting minority communities."
As The Defender notes, Aaron's passing follows reports of elderly deaths in Europe. The 33 fatalities in Norway among nursing home residents, ages 75 and over, was investigated by the Norwegian Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization, the latter of which ruled the deaths "in line with the expected, all-cause mortality rates and causes of death in the sub-population of frail, elderly individuals."
In Germany, the "seven cases of elderly people dying shortly after vaccination" were evaluated by the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which concluded most probably died due to preexisting illnesses including carcinomas, kidney deficiencies and Alzheimer's disease, and not vaccination....
Dr. Michael Osterholm, epidemiologist and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, stated the phenomenon of elderly deaths after vaccination is not unexpected.
"If you look at heart attacks in the United States and you look at the incidence per 10 million people getting vaccinated... which is roughly the number we have vaccinated in the U.S., in that age group from 55 to 64, you would expect to see 793 individuals die from a heart attack in that week following vaccination, just by chance alone, if vaccination never occurred...So imagine, just on a daily basis, it wouldn’t be surprising to find adverse health outcomes occur associated with the vaccine by time, but not associated by actual cause-and-effect."
Osterholm cautioned more reports of seemingly causal events as vaccination efforts proceed will continue to surface but that public health experts would also keep a close eye on the deployment of the vaccine.
"To date we’ve seen nothing that supports that these vaccines, other than the reaction you have at the time of the vaccination or... after the first 24 to 36 hours which during that time you can feel a little rough, particularly after your second dose of vaccine, but beyond that we’ve not seen anything yet that supports these vaccines have any adverse health outcomes," he said.
We rate this claim MISSING CONTEXT because without additional context it might be misleading. Former Braves baseball player and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron died on Jan. 22, almost three weeks after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. His death has been declared due to natural causes and unrelated to his earlier inoculation. Reports of elderly deaths following vaccination in Norway and Germany do not implicate the vaccine, as those are most likely due to frailty with old age, terminal illness or other underlying conditions. Aside from reactions such as allergies, occurring the day of or within a few days of vaccination, there is no evidence to suggest that adverse vaccine health outcomes, like death amongst the elderly, are occurring at an unusual frequency compared to what would normally occur in the absence of vaccination...
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/01/26/fact-check-hank-aaron-d...
Miriam Fauzia | Jan 26, 2021
Hall of Famer Henry "Hank" Aaron (86) died at his home in Atlanta on Jan. 22. ...
A Jan. 22 article published by The Defender, an outlet of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Children's Health Defense, intimates a connection between Aaron's death and the vaccine that he received Jan. 5 alongside other civil and human rights leaders at the Morehouse Healthcare Clinic, part of the Morehouse School of Medicine...
In the wake of Aaron's death, Morehouse released a statement to CBS Alabama affiliate CBS 42 on Jan. 25, affirming the former athlete's death was unrelated to the COVID-19 vaccine...
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's office confirmed with NBC Atlanta affiliate 11 Alive that there was no evidence the COVID-19 vaccine caused Aaron's death. ...
11 Alive also spoke to former Atlanta Mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, who received the vaccine with Aaron (Jan. 5 in Atlanta); veteran broadcasting executive Xernona Clayton and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Louis Sullivan. Young recounted that a conversation with Aaron's driver did not reveal any alarming indicators.
Baseball legend Hank Aaron receives a COVID-19 vaccination on Jan. 5 in Atlanta...
Aaron, however, did suffer from arthritis, had a partial hip replacement after a fall in 2014 and used a wheelchair during his vaccination. Young, Clayton and Sullivan — age 88, 90 and 87 — have said they did not experience any severe vaccine reactions...
Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist and dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, weighed in on Jan. 22 tweeting, "There is zero evidence a #COVID19 vaccination contributed to the death of Henry Aaron."
The next day, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also tweeted, "He passed in his sleep, the same way my dad died nearly 30 yrs ago. I share that because the vaccine won't stop ALL death, but it will go a long way in preventing deaths from coronavirus, which is disproportionately impacting minority communities."
As The Defender notes, Aaron's passing follows reports of elderly deaths in Europe. The 33 fatalities in Norway among nursing home residents, ages 75 and over, was investigated by the Norwegian Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization, the latter of which ruled the deaths "in line with the expected, all-cause mortality rates and causes of death in the sub-population of frail, elderly individuals."
In Germany, the "seven cases of elderly people dying shortly after vaccination" were evaluated by the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which concluded most probably died due to preexisting illnesses including carcinomas, kidney deficiencies and Alzheimer's disease, and not vaccination....
Dr. Michael Osterholm, epidemiologist and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, stated the phenomenon of elderly deaths after vaccination is not unexpected.
"If you look at heart attacks in the United States and you look at the incidence per 10 million people getting vaccinated... which is roughly the number we have vaccinated in the U.S., in that age group from 55 to 64, you would expect to see 793 individuals die from a heart attack in that week following vaccination, just by chance alone, if vaccination never occurred...So imagine, just on a daily basis, it wouldn’t be surprising to find adverse health outcomes occur associated with the vaccine by time, but not associated by actual cause-and-effect."
Osterholm cautioned more reports of seemingly causal events as vaccination efforts proceed will continue to surface but that public health experts would also keep a close eye on the deployment of the vaccine.
"To date we’ve seen nothing that supports that these vaccines, other than the reaction you have at the time of the vaccination or... after the first 24 to 36 hours which during that time you can feel a little rough, particularly after your second dose of vaccine, but beyond that we’ve not seen anything yet that supports these vaccines have any adverse health outcomes," he said.
We rate this claim MISSING CONTEXT because without additional context it might be misleading. Former Braves baseball player and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron died on Jan. 22, almost three weeks after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. His death has been declared due to natural causes and unrelated to his earlier inoculation. Reports of elderly deaths following vaccination in Norway and Germany do not implicate the vaccine, as those are most likely due to frailty with old age, terminal illness or other underlying conditions. Aside from reactions such as allergies, occurring the day of or within a few days of vaccination, there is no evidence to suggest that adverse vaccine health outcomes, like death amongst the elderly, are occurring at an unusual frequency compared to what would normally occur in the absence of vaccination...
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/01/26/fact-check-hank-aaron-d...
123mamzel
To sully Aaron's death with such unfounded nonsense is further proof that some people should have their hands slapped when they consider posting something. I'm sure most of us saw that and dismissed it with the scorn it deserved.
124margd
COVID-19 vaccines currently in use stimulate immunity to the same degree as natural infection without exposing the vaccinated person to the risks associated with the disease
Iria Carballo-Carbajal, Science Editor, Healthfeedback.org
CLAIM
“Merck Scraps COVID Vaccines; Says It’s More Effective To Get The Virus And Recover”
VERDICT: MISLEADING
SOURCE: Steve Watson, Summit News, 26 Jan. 2021
DETAILS
Misleading: Merck stopped COVID-19 vaccine development due to the poor efficacy of its vaccine candidates. The company didn’t say that getting infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 is more effective than getting vaccinated against it. The claim fails to consider the significant risks associated with COVID-19 infections, including death and potential long-term health effects in survivors, such as heart and lung damage or neurological issues.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Vaccination stimulates the development of immunological memory and protects individuals from infectious diseases in the same way that natural infection does. However, vaccination is safer than natural infection because it doesn’t expose the person to the risks associated with the disease. COVID-19 poses serious health risks to infected individuals that can lead to potential long-term health effects or death. Therefore, COVID-19 vaccines are an important tool to minimize complications from the disease.
...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/covid-19-vaccines-currently-in-use-stimul...
Iria Carballo-Carbajal, Science Editor, Healthfeedback.org
CLAIM
“Merck Scraps COVID Vaccines; Says It’s More Effective To Get The Virus And Recover”
VERDICT: MISLEADING
SOURCE: Steve Watson, Summit News, 26 Jan. 2021
DETAILS
Misleading: Merck stopped COVID-19 vaccine development due to the poor efficacy of its vaccine candidates. The company didn’t say that getting infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 is more effective than getting vaccinated against it. The claim fails to consider the significant risks associated with COVID-19 infections, including death and potential long-term health effects in survivors, such as heart and lung damage or neurological issues.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Vaccination stimulates the development of immunological memory and protects individuals from infectious diseases in the same way that natural infection does. However, vaccination is safer than natural infection because it doesn’t expose the person to the risks associated with the disease. COVID-19 poses serious health risks to infected individuals that can lead to potential long-term health effects or death. Therefore, COVID-19 vaccines are an important tool to minimize complications from the disease.
...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/covid-19-vaccines-currently-in-use-stimul...
125margd
Anti-Vaxxers Won’t Stop Harassing Nurse They’re Convinced Is Dead
Emily Shugerman | Feb. 01, 2021
For weeks now, commenters have flooded Tennessee nurse Tiffany Dover’s Facebook wall with messages of tribute, praising her kindness and beauty and offering their condolences for her loss.
...According to all official sources, she is alive and well and working as a nurse at CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. Last week, she was pictured on the front of the local newspaper caring for a north Georgia police chief who had been in the hospital for nearly 100 days.
Dover is not the victim of some medical mishap, as her mourners allege, but of a massive global conspiracy theory that has united anti-vaxxers and COVID skeptics in a dangerous attempt to prove themselves right.
...in mid-December,...Dover can be seen getting the injection in her left arm, her deep-set blue eyes shining over the top of her surgical mask. A few minutes later, she stands to take questions from reporters, then stops and puts her hand to her head. She tells reporters she feels dizzy. Then she sinks slowly to her knees. Two other employees rush to her side to catch her before she hits the ground.
Minutes later, Dover is back on her feet, telling television cameras that she suffers from a medical condition that makes her prone to fainting. “I have a history of having an overactive vagal response, and so with that if I have pain from anything—hangnail or if I stub my toe—I can just pass out,” she said.
It was a dramatic moment with a simple explanation: a common and largely benign medical condition that affects some 20 percent of the population. But for vaccine skeptics, it was all they needed to construct a vast conspiracy—and incite a targeted harassment campaign that shows no signs of stopping...
https://www.thedailybeast.com/anti-vaxxers-wont-stop-harassing-tiffany-dover-nur...
Emily Shugerman | Feb. 01, 2021
For weeks now, commenters have flooded Tennessee nurse Tiffany Dover’s Facebook wall with messages of tribute, praising her kindness and beauty and offering their condolences for her loss.
...According to all official sources, she is alive and well and working as a nurse at CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. Last week, she was pictured on the front of the local newspaper caring for a north Georgia police chief who had been in the hospital for nearly 100 days.
Dover is not the victim of some medical mishap, as her mourners allege, but of a massive global conspiracy theory that has united anti-vaxxers and COVID skeptics in a dangerous attempt to prove themselves right.
...in mid-December,...Dover can be seen getting the injection in her left arm, her deep-set blue eyes shining over the top of her surgical mask. A few minutes later, she stands to take questions from reporters, then stops and puts her hand to her head. She tells reporters she feels dizzy. Then she sinks slowly to her knees. Two other employees rush to her side to catch her before she hits the ground.
Minutes later, Dover is back on her feet, telling television cameras that she suffers from a medical condition that makes her prone to fainting. “I have a history of having an overactive vagal response, and so with that if I have pain from anything—hangnail or if I stub my toe—I can just pass out,” she said.
It was a dramatic moment with a simple explanation: a common and largely benign medical condition that affects some 20 percent of the population. But for vaccine skeptics, it was all they needed to construct a vast conspiracy—and incite a targeted harassment campaign that shows no signs of stopping...
https://www.thedailybeast.com/anti-vaxxers-wont-stop-harassing-tiffany-dover-nur...
126margd
MeidasTouch.com @MeidasTouch | 9:01 PM · Feb 3, 2021
Shutting down vaccination sites isn’t protesting.
It’s biological warfare brought to you by the terrorist GOP.
New from the MeidasTouch Podcast (with guest Michael Cohen).
Anti-Vaxxers Shut Down Dodger Stadium Vaccine Site...
1:12 ( https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1357147220139626496 )
Shutting down vaccination sites isn’t protesting.
It’s biological warfare brought to you by the terrorist GOP.
New from the MeidasTouch Podcast (with guest Michael Cohen).
Anti-Vaxxers Shut Down Dodger Stadium Vaccine Site...
1:12 ( https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1357147220139626496 )
127margd
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is barred from Instagram over false coronavirus claims.
Jennifer Jett | Feb. 11, 2021
Instagram took down the account of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the political scion and prominent anti-vaccine activist, on Wednesday over false information related to the coronavirus.
“We removed this account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines,” Facebook, which owns Instagram, said in a statement.
Mr. Kennedy, the son of the former senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, worked for decades as an environmental lawyer but is now better known as an anti-vaccine crusader. A 2019 study found that two groups including his nonprofit, now called Children’s Health Defense, had funded more than half of Facebook advertisements spreading misinformation about vaccines.
He has found an even broader audience during the pandemic on platforms like Instagram, where he had 800,000 followers. Though Mr. Kennedy has said he is not opposed to vaccines as long as they are safe, he regularly endorses discredited links between vaccines and autism and has argued that it is safer to contract the coronavirus than to be inoculated against it.
Facebook is becoming more aggressive in its efforts to stamp out vaccine misinformation, saying this week that it would remove posts with erroneous claims about the coronavirus, coronavirus vaccines and vaccines in general, whether they are paid advertisements or user-generated posts. In addition to Mr. Kennedy’s Instagram account, the company said it had removed eight other Instagram accounts and Facebook pages on Wednesday under its updated policies.
...Mr. Kennedy’s Facebook page, which was still active as of early Thursday and makes many of the same baseless claims to more than 300,000 followers. The company said it did not automatically disable accounts across its platforms and that there were no plans to take down Mr. Kennedy’s Facebook account “at this time.”...
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/us/robert-f-kennedy-jr-instagram-covid-vaccin...
Jennifer Jett | Feb. 11, 2021
Instagram took down the account of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the political scion and prominent anti-vaccine activist, on Wednesday over false information related to the coronavirus.
“We removed this account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines,” Facebook, which owns Instagram, said in a statement.
Mr. Kennedy, the son of the former senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, worked for decades as an environmental lawyer but is now better known as an anti-vaccine crusader. A 2019 study found that two groups including his nonprofit, now called Children’s Health Defense, had funded more than half of Facebook advertisements spreading misinformation about vaccines.
He has found an even broader audience during the pandemic on platforms like Instagram, where he had 800,000 followers. Though Mr. Kennedy has said he is not opposed to vaccines as long as they are safe, he regularly endorses discredited links between vaccines and autism and has argued that it is safer to contract the coronavirus than to be inoculated against it.
Facebook is becoming more aggressive in its efforts to stamp out vaccine misinformation, saying this week that it would remove posts with erroneous claims about the coronavirus, coronavirus vaccines and vaccines in general, whether they are paid advertisements or user-generated posts. In addition to Mr. Kennedy’s Instagram account, the company said it had removed eight other Instagram accounts and Facebook pages on Wednesday under its updated policies.
...Mr. Kennedy’s Facebook page, which was still active as of early Thursday and makes many of the same baseless claims to more than 300,000 followers. The company said it did not automatically disable accounts across its platforms and that there were no plans to take down Mr. Kennedy’s Facebook account “at this time.”...
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/us/robert-f-kennedy-jr-instagram-covid-vaccin...
128margd
I work in a nursing home. Here’s why my colleagues are skipping the vaccine.
Asif Merchant* | Feb. 12, 2021
...When you talk to people, when you take them seriously, you can change their minds. I really believe that. I have to believe it.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/nursing-home-skip-vaccine/2021/02/12/4d31...
* Asif Merchant is a geriatrician and associate clinical professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. He serves on the COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group for the governor of Massachusetts.
Asif Merchant* | Feb. 12, 2021
...When you talk to people, when you take them seriously, you can change their minds. I really believe that. I have to believe it.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/nursing-home-skip-vaccine/2021/02/12/4d31...
* Asif Merchant is a geriatrician and associate clinical professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. He serves on the COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group for the governor of Massachusetts.
129margd
Misleading to compare the safety of COVID-19 and flu vaccines based solely on VAERS reports;
VAERS reports alone cannot demonstrate that a vaccine caused an adverse event
CLAIM
One person is 300 to 900 times “more likely to die” after getting the COVID-19 vaccine than the flu vaccine; “Adverse events are widely underreported”
VERDICT: MISLEADING
SOURCE: Alex Berenson, Instagram, Twitter, 14 Feb. 2021
DETAILS
Misleading: The U.S. Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) records adverse events occurring after vaccination. However, VAERS reports alone cannot demonstrate that a vaccine caused the adverse event nor whether one vaccine is safer than another.
Inadequate support: Careful investigation found no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines caused or contributed to any of the deaths reported to VAERS.
KEY TAKE AWAY
BioNTech/Pfizer and ModernaBoth COVID-19 vaccines demonstrated a high level of safety and efficacy during clinical trials in order to receive emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Extensive post-approval monitoring also indicates that the vaccines are safe. Apart from severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), the data so far doesn’t indicate that the vaccines cause severe side effects in the general population. The U.S. Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) is an important tool for monitoring vaccine safety, but VAERS reports alone don’t demonstrate that a vaccine caused the adverse event. Further investigation of reported deaths found no causal link with COVID-19 vaccines.
FULL CLAIM: One person is 300 to 900 times “more likely to die” after getting the COVID-19 vaccine than the flu vaccine; “Adverse events are widely underreported”
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/misleading-to-compare-the-safety-of-covid...
VAERS reports alone cannot demonstrate that a vaccine caused an adverse event
CLAIM
One person is 300 to 900 times “more likely to die” after getting the COVID-19 vaccine than the flu vaccine; “Adverse events are widely underreported”
VERDICT: MISLEADING
SOURCE: Alex Berenson, Instagram, Twitter, 14 Feb. 2021
DETAILS
Misleading: The U.S. Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) records adverse events occurring after vaccination. However, VAERS reports alone cannot demonstrate that a vaccine caused the adverse event nor whether one vaccine is safer than another.
Inadequate support: Careful investigation found no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines caused or contributed to any of the deaths reported to VAERS.
KEY TAKE AWAY
BioNTech/Pfizer and ModernaBoth COVID-19 vaccines demonstrated a high level of safety and efficacy during clinical trials in order to receive emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Extensive post-approval monitoring also indicates that the vaccines are safe. Apart from severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), the data so far doesn’t indicate that the vaccines cause severe side effects in the general population. The U.S. Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) is an important tool for monitoring vaccine safety, but VAERS reports alone don’t demonstrate that a vaccine caused the adverse event. Further investigation of reported deaths found no causal link with COVID-19 vaccines.
FULL CLAIM: One person is 300 to 900 times “more likely to die” after getting the COVID-19 vaccine than the flu vaccine; “Adverse events are widely underreported”
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/misleading-to-compare-the-safety-of-covid...
130margd
False claims tying coronavirus vaccines to infertility drive doubts among women of childbearing age
Ariana Eunjung Cha | Feb. 22, 2021
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/02/22/women-vaccine-infertility-disin...
Ariana Eunjung Cha | Feb. 22, 2021
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/02/22/women-vaccine-infertility-disin...
131margd
Melinda C Mills and Jonas Sivelä. 2021. Should spreading anti-vaccine misinformation be criminalised?
BMJ 2021;372:n272. (Published 17 February 2021) doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n272 https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n272
The spread of false health information casts a shadow over required vaccine coverage. Melinda Mills says that we must, reluctantly, consider criminalising people who deliberately spread false information—but Jonas Sivelä argues that the definitions are too murky and that criminalisation may do more harm than good
Yes—Melinda Mills
The many faces of false information
Criminalisation and knowledge voids
No—Jonas Sivelä
Murky waters
More harm than good?
Biographies
Melinda Mills is a professor of demography and sociology at the University of Oxford and director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science. She is on the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies’ Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviour (SPI-B) and Ethnicity subgroups and its Vaccines Science Coordination Group, the Royal Society’s Science in Emergency Tasking COVID-19 (SET-C) group, and the High Level Advisory Group for the European Commissioner for the Economy.
Jonas Sivelä is a senior researcher at the Unit for Infectious Disease Control and Vaccinations at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). He currently leads the work package on vaccine hesitancy and uptake in the ongoing EU Joint Action on Vaccination, is co-principal investigator of the Academy of Finland project Reconstructing Crisis Narratives for Trustworthy Communication and Cooperative Agency, as well as managing other research projects related to vaccine acceptance and crisis communications. Before joining THL he conducted ethnographic research about AIDS related myths and misconceptions in South Africa. He also has a long work experience in communications, media intelligence, journalism, and marketing.
BMJ 2021;372:n272. (Published 17 February 2021) doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n272 https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n272
The spread of false health information casts a shadow over required vaccine coverage. Melinda Mills says that we must, reluctantly, consider criminalising people who deliberately spread false information—but Jonas Sivelä argues that the definitions are too murky and that criminalisation may do more harm than good
Yes—Melinda Mills
The many faces of false information
Criminalisation and knowledge voids
No—Jonas Sivelä
Murky waters
More harm than good?
Biographies
Melinda Mills is a professor of demography and sociology at the University of Oxford and director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science. She is on the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies’ Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviour (SPI-B) and Ethnicity subgroups and its Vaccines Science Coordination Group, the Royal Society’s Science in Emergency Tasking COVID-19 (SET-C) group, and the High Level Advisory Group for the European Commissioner for the Economy.
Jonas Sivelä is a senior researcher at the Unit for Infectious Disease Control and Vaccinations at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). He currently leads the work package on vaccine hesitancy and uptake in the ongoing EU Joint Action on Vaccination, is co-principal investigator of the Academy of Finland project Reconstructing Crisis Narratives for Trustworthy Communication and Cooperative Agency, as well as managing other research projects related to vaccine acceptance and crisis communications. Before joining THL he conducted ethnographic research about AIDS related myths and misconceptions in South Africa. He also has a long work experience in communications, media intelligence, journalism, and marketing.
132margd
This Italian scientist has become a celebrity by fighting vaccine skeptics
Douglas Starr | Jan. 2, 2020 , 1:15 PM
In May 2016, Roberto Burioni, a virologist at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy, was asked to appear on a popular TV talk show to face off against two opponents of vaccines—a former DJ, Red Ronnie, and an actress and TV personality, Eleonora Brigliadori. The host gave most of the air time to the Italian celebrities. Then, with just a few minutes left, he turned to Burioni.
Burioni realized he didn't have time to make the usual arguments about statistics and scientific uncertainty, so he kept his message simple: "The Earth is round, gasoline is flammable, and vaccines are safe and effective," he said. "All the rest are dangerous lies."
"It went off like a bomb," Burioni recalls. Emails from viewers poured into the show, with some questioning how the publicly funded TV network hosting it could allow such ill-informed personalities to speak about medicine. Burioni took up the theme on his Facebook page, asking how one branch of government could broadcast lies about vaccines while its health agency promoted immunization. More than 5 million people responded to his comments. Radio journalist Alessandro Milan called Burioni's rebuttal to Red Ronnie "the 13 most beautiful words heard on TV in the last year."
So began the unlikely media career of Roberto Burioni...
...Burioni says he wants to promote a respect for expertise. "I know something about vaccines, viruses, and bacteria because I have been studying them for a lifetime," he writes in "Conspiracy of Dunces: Why Science Can't be Democratic" (no touchstones), his second book. "But I have no idea how to bake a cake or wire a lamp, so I go to a bakery or call an electrician."
Trouble begins, he says, when electricians, bakers, and other nonscientists feel qualified to weigh in on vaccination. The internet abets the problem, he says: Unfiltered by editors, it levels the playing field between experts and "dunces." A mass media committed to presenting both sides of every issue makes things worse. "I can't support a world in which lies are given the same dignity as the truth," he heatedly remarked on an interview show. "Enough already! Enough!" The audience burst into applause.
Burioni's books, postings, and media presence have made him a celebrity scientist in Italy...Yet it hasn't all been fun...
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/01/italian-scientist-has-become-celebrity-f...
Douglas Starr | Jan. 2, 2020 , 1:15 PM
In May 2016, Roberto Burioni, a virologist at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy, was asked to appear on a popular TV talk show to face off against two opponents of vaccines—a former DJ, Red Ronnie, and an actress and TV personality, Eleonora Brigliadori. The host gave most of the air time to the Italian celebrities. Then, with just a few minutes left, he turned to Burioni.
Burioni realized he didn't have time to make the usual arguments about statistics and scientific uncertainty, so he kept his message simple: "The Earth is round, gasoline is flammable, and vaccines are safe and effective," he said. "All the rest are dangerous lies."
"It went off like a bomb," Burioni recalls. Emails from viewers poured into the show, with some questioning how the publicly funded TV network hosting it could allow such ill-informed personalities to speak about medicine. Burioni took up the theme on his Facebook page, asking how one branch of government could broadcast lies about vaccines while its health agency promoted immunization. More than 5 million people responded to his comments. Radio journalist Alessandro Milan called Burioni's rebuttal to Red Ronnie "the 13 most beautiful words heard on TV in the last year."
So began the unlikely media career of Roberto Burioni...
...Burioni says he wants to promote a respect for expertise. "I know something about vaccines, viruses, and bacteria because I have been studying them for a lifetime," he writes in "Conspiracy of Dunces: Why Science Can't be Democratic" (no touchstones), his second book. "But I have no idea how to bake a cake or wire a lamp, so I go to a bakery or call an electrician."
Trouble begins, he says, when electricians, bakers, and other nonscientists feel qualified to weigh in on vaccination. The internet abets the problem, he says: Unfiltered by editors, it levels the playing field between experts and "dunces." A mass media committed to presenting both sides of every issue makes things worse. "I can't support a world in which lies are given the same dignity as the truth," he heatedly remarked on an interview show. "Enough already! Enough!" The audience burst into applause.
Burioni's books, postings, and media presence have made him a celebrity scientist in Italy...Yet it hasn't all been fun...
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/01/italian-scientist-has-become-celebrity-f...
133margd
Will mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Wreak ‘Havoc on The Lungs’ in 4 to 14 Months?
Sherri Tenpenny might want to use research conducted after 2019 when presenting her next scientifically baseless claim about COVID-19.
Alex Kasprak | 1 March 2021
Claim
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines will become deadly a few months after administration because the antibodies they create have been shown to cause deadly immune reactions resulting in damage to the lungs.
Rating
False
...The most effective medical misinformation — and this claim certainly fits the bill — often blends real scientific concepts with baseless assertions in service of a larger distortion. The factual reality Tenpenny is exploiting stems from real concerns researchers had raised about the plausibility of creating a safe vaccine for previous coronavirus-caused diseases such as SARS and MERS. For several complex immunologic reasons discussed below, pre-COVID efforts to create a vaccine for these diseases raised several legitimate vaccine safety concerns...
...The larger distortion Tenpenny is attempting to push with pre-2020 studies about those efforts is that they were “ignored” by the scientists designing vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), and that their findings hold direct relevance to the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Robert Atmar, a professor of infectious disease at the Baylor College of Medicine who was a co-author on one of two studies Tenpenny relies on extensively to make her faulty argument, told us by email that their “findings do not apply to SARS CoV-2 viruses.” Below, we explain why that is the case...
...Perhaps the most malicious distortion presented by Tenpenny is that the research on SARS and MERS vaccination was “ignored” by scientists developing COVID-19 vaccines. In fact, the work she highlights very explicitly informed the development of safe COVID-19 mRNA vaccines...
...She asserts, for example, that COVID-19 vaccines create non-neutralizing antibodies that lead to ADE...This is aggressively false...
The Bottom Line
Zhiwei Chen, one of the authors on the other study Tenpenny primarily relied on to make her faulty argument, told us by email that “we should not copy and paste the knowledge learnt from SARS” into COVID-19 research. While Tenpenny is certainly guilty of that logical fallacy, the larger distortion she has been creating comes by way of omission. By actively ignoring any vaccine research that has been conducted since the start of the pandemic, she presents outdated theoretical concerns as real while ignoring a scientific reality that refutes them.
Because mRNA vaccines induce strongly neutralizing antibodies and a Th-1 biased response, and because the theoretical mechanisms Tenpenny invokes require non-neutralizing antibodies and a Th-2 biased response, her concerns are without merit. The claim that massive lung damage from COVID-19 mRNA vaccination is months away is, therefore, “False.”
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/vaccine-lung-damage/
Sherri Tenpenny might want to use research conducted after 2019 when presenting her next scientifically baseless claim about COVID-19.
Alex Kasprak | 1 March 2021
Claim
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines will become deadly a few months after administration because the antibodies they create have been shown to cause deadly immune reactions resulting in damage to the lungs.
Rating
False
...The most effective medical misinformation — and this claim certainly fits the bill — often blends real scientific concepts with baseless assertions in service of a larger distortion. The factual reality Tenpenny is exploiting stems from real concerns researchers had raised about the plausibility of creating a safe vaccine for previous coronavirus-caused diseases such as SARS and MERS. For several complex immunologic reasons discussed below, pre-COVID efforts to create a vaccine for these diseases raised several legitimate vaccine safety concerns...
...The larger distortion Tenpenny is attempting to push with pre-2020 studies about those efforts is that they were “ignored” by the scientists designing vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), and that their findings hold direct relevance to the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Robert Atmar, a professor of infectious disease at the Baylor College of Medicine who was a co-author on one of two studies Tenpenny relies on extensively to make her faulty argument, told us by email that their “findings do not apply to SARS CoV-2 viruses.” Below, we explain why that is the case...
...Perhaps the most malicious distortion presented by Tenpenny is that the research on SARS and MERS vaccination was “ignored” by scientists developing COVID-19 vaccines. In fact, the work she highlights very explicitly informed the development of safe COVID-19 mRNA vaccines...
...She asserts, for example, that COVID-19 vaccines create non-neutralizing antibodies that lead to ADE...This is aggressively false...
The Bottom Line
Zhiwei Chen, one of the authors on the other study Tenpenny primarily relied on to make her faulty argument, told us by email that “we should not copy and paste the knowledge learnt from SARS” into COVID-19 research. While Tenpenny is certainly guilty of that logical fallacy, the larger distortion she has been creating comes by way of omission. By actively ignoring any vaccine research that has been conducted since the start of the pandemic, she presents outdated theoretical concerns as real while ignoring a scientific reality that refutes them.
Because mRNA vaccines induce strongly neutralizing antibodies and a Th-1 biased response, and because the theoretical mechanisms Tenpenny invokes require non-neutralizing antibodies and a Th-2 biased response, her concerns are without merit. The claim that massive lung damage from COVID-19 mRNA vaccination is months away is, therefore, “False.”
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/vaccine-lung-damage/
134margd
Pregnant women can decide whether to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; safety monitoring suggests that COVID-19 vaccines don’t pose any specific risk for pregnant women
Iria Carballo-Carbajal | 01 Mar 2021
CLAIM
“Health officials push pregnant women to get covid shots, despite known risks”
VERDICT
Inaccurate
SOURCE: Anonymous, Children's Health Defense, 23 Feb. 2021
DETAILS
Inaccurate: Pregnant women can choose whether or not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. No public health authority is “pushing” pregnant women to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Unsupported: There is no support for the claim that COVID-19 vaccines pose a danger to pregnant women. On the contrary, safety monitoring data so far indicates that COVID-19 vaccines don’t increase the incidence of adverse events in pregnant women compared to unvaccinated pregnant women.
KEY TAKE AWAY
COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration demonstrated a high level of safety and efficacy in clinical trials. However, limited data is available regarding the safety and efficacy of these vaccines in pregnant women because they were excluded from initial clinical trials. Available evidence from animal studies and ongoing vaccine safety monitoring suggests that COVID-19 vaccines don't pose any specific risk for pregnant women. In contrast, pregnant women have an increased risk of suffering complications from COVID-19, which may affect pregnancy outcomes.
FULL CLAIM: “Health officials push pregnant women to get covid shots, despite known risks”; “There are multiple reasons why pregnant women might question the push for 'inclusion' — not least are the concerns about possible infertility”; “Studies of influenza vaccination during pregnancy link the shots, some of which contain thimerosal, to vastly increased risks of miscarriage as well as autism”
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/pregnant-women-can-decide-whether-to-rece...
Iria Carballo-Carbajal | 01 Mar 2021
CLAIM
“Health officials push pregnant women to get covid shots, despite known risks”
VERDICT
Inaccurate
SOURCE: Anonymous, Children's Health Defense, 23 Feb. 2021
DETAILS
Inaccurate: Pregnant women can choose whether or not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. No public health authority is “pushing” pregnant women to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Unsupported: There is no support for the claim that COVID-19 vaccines pose a danger to pregnant women. On the contrary, safety monitoring data so far indicates that COVID-19 vaccines don’t increase the incidence of adverse events in pregnant women compared to unvaccinated pregnant women.
KEY TAKE AWAY
COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration demonstrated a high level of safety and efficacy in clinical trials. However, limited data is available regarding the safety and efficacy of these vaccines in pregnant women because they were excluded from initial clinical trials. Available evidence from animal studies and ongoing vaccine safety monitoring suggests that COVID-19 vaccines don't pose any specific risk for pregnant women. In contrast, pregnant women have an increased risk of suffering complications from COVID-19, which may affect pregnancy outcomes.
FULL CLAIM: “Health officials push pregnant women to get covid shots, despite known risks”; “There are multiple reasons why pregnant women might question the push for 'inclusion' — not least are the concerns about possible infertility”; “Studies of influenza vaccination during pregnancy link the shots, some of which contain thimerosal, to vastly increased risks of miscarriage as well as autism”
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/pregnant-women-can-decide-whether-to-rece...
135margd
You just know some Catholics and their vaccine-hesitant brethren will out-bishop the bishops, refusing the vaccines entirely, when actually US Bishops statement was nuanced: "...if one can choose among equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen. Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s...While we should continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the world-wide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good..."
(J&J's is a one-dose, easily stored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. My understanding is that human fetal cell LINES were originally used to develop this kind of vaccine because of viral contamination encountered many vaccines ago using monkey cell lines? Less chance of such contamination in human fetal lines, which sometimes come from abortions that occurred many years ago? (ETA: 1985 for J&J cell line, as heard on 1A.) Fetuses were not aborted with intent to produce the cell lines.)
Bishops urge Catholics to avoid the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because it was developed using cells from an aborted fetus
Julie Gerstein | March 3, 2021
US Catholic bishops released a statement urging people to avoid the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
The virus developed using human fetal tissue replicated from aborted stem cells.
Pope Francis previously said taking vaccines derived from aborted cells would be "morally acceptable."...
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has advised that people avoid taking the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine because it was developed using cells from an aborted fetus.
"Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines raised concerns because an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them, but not in their production," a statement* from the conference said.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, was "developed, tested, and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines raising additional moral concerns."...when possible, people should take either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines instead...
https://www.insider.com/catholic-bishops-say-avoid-vaccine-made-with-aborted-fet...
----------------------------------------------------------
* U.S. Bishop Chairmen for Doctrine and for Pro-Life Address the Use of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 Vaccine
March 2, 2021 By Public Affairs Office
WASHINGTON– On March 2, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recently approved for use in the United States.
“The approval of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in the United States again raises questions about the moral permissibility of using vaccines developed, tested, and/or produced with the help of abortion-derived cell lines.
“Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines raised concerns because an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them, but not in their production. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, was developed, tested and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines raising additional moral concerns. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has judged that ‘when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available … it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.’1 However, if one can choose among equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen. Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s.
“While we should continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the world-wide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good.”
For further details, we refer people to our earlier December 2020 statement, to our Answers to Key Ethical Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines, to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith’s Note, and to the statement of the Vatican Covid-19 Commission in collaboration with the Pontifical Academy for Life.
https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/us-bishop-chairmen-doctrine-and-pro-life-address...
(J&J's is a one-dose, easily stored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. My understanding is that human fetal cell LINES were originally used to develop this kind of vaccine because of viral contamination encountered many vaccines ago using monkey cell lines? Less chance of such contamination in human fetal lines, which sometimes come from abortions that occurred many years ago? (ETA: 1985 for J&J cell line, as heard on 1A.) Fetuses were not aborted with intent to produce the cell lines.)
Bishops urge Catholics to avoid the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because it was developed using cells from an aborted fetus
Julie Gerstein | March 3, 2021
US Catholic bishops released a statement urging people to avoid the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
The virus developed using human fetal tissue replicated from aborted stem cells.
Pope Francis previously said taking vaccines derived from aborted cells would be "morally acceptable."...
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has advised that people avoid taking the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine because it was developed using cells from an aborted fetus.
"Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines raised concerns because an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them, but not in their production," a statement* from the conference said.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, was "developed, tested, and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines raising additional moral concerns."...when possible, people should take either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines instead...
https://www.insider.com/catholic-bishops-say-avoid-vaccine-made-with-aborted-fet...
----------------------------------------------------------
* U.S. Bishop Chairmen for Doctrine and for Pro-Life Address the Use of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 Vaccine
March 2, 2021 By Public Affairs Office
WASHINGTON– On March 2, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recently approved for use in the United States.
“The approval of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in the United States again raises questions about the moral permissibility of using vaccines developed, tested, and/or produced with the help of abortion-derived cell lines.
“Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines raised concerns because an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them, but not in their production. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, was developed, tested and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines raising additional moral concerns. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has judged that ‘when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available … it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.’1 However, if one can choose among equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen. Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s.
“While we should continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the world-wide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good.”
For further details, we refer people to our earlier December 2020 statement, to our Answers to Key Ethical Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines, to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith’s Note, and to the statement of the Vatican Covid-19 Commission in collaboration with the Pontifical Academy for Life.
https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/us-bishop-chairmen-doctrine-and-pro-life-address...
136margd
Kentucky monastery Covid-19 cases not evidence of vaccine problems
Louis Baudoin-Laarman | 03 March 2021 at 17:05
Online articles say that dozens of nuns in the US state of Kentucky tested positive for Covid-19 after being vaccinated against the disease and two died, questioning the efficacy and the safety of the shots. But one nun said another sister at the monastery contracted the disease prior to the vaccinations, prompting others to be tested after receiving the vaccine, and that the deaths were the result of Covid-19.
...Martha Sharan, a spokeswoman for the CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, said in an email that “vaccination does not cause Covid, it’s not a live vaccine,” meaning that Covid-19 vaccines authorized in the United States do not use a living, “weakened form of the germ that causes a disease,” according to the CDC’s website...
https://factcheck.afp.com/kentucky-monastery-covid-19-cases-not-evidence-vaccine...
Louis Baudoin-Laarman | 03 March 2021 at 17:05
Online articles say that dozens of nuns in the US state of Kentucky tested positive for Covid-19 after being vaccinated against the disease and two died, questioning the efficacy and the safety of the shots. But one nun said another sister at the monastery contracted the disease prior to the vaccinations, prompting others to be tested after receiving the vaccine, and that the deaths were the result of Covid-19.
...Martha Sharan, a spokeswoman for the CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, said in an email that “vaccination does not cause Covid, it’s not a live vaccine,” meaning that Covid-19 vaccines authorized in the United States do not use a living, “weakened form of the germ that causes a disease,” according to the CDC’s website...
https://factcheck.afp.com/kentucky-monastery-covid-19-cases-not-evidence-vaccine...
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Canadian activist makes inaccurate claims about Covid-19 vaccine safety
AFP Canada | 05 March 2021
An Ontario anti-mask activist makes false claims in an Instagram video about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines available in Canada and misleadingly refers to potential adverse vaccine reactions recorded in the United States. Medical experts said the shots do not alter the DNA of recipients or make people infectious, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it has not detected safety issues with the vaccines...
https://factcheck.afp.com/canadian-activist-makes-inaccurate-claims-about-covid-...
_______________________________________________________
Luminescent enzymes not in Covid-19 vaccine and other myths debunked
Abbas Panjwani | 5 March 2021
“{The Covid-19 vaccine} will change your DNA”
“{The vaccine} is being made by MIT which is a deep state cabal company and it’s got luciferase”
“It has been pushed through in record time...”
“...on a supposed virus that is no more dangerous than the seasonal flu”
“{The vaccine} has what’s called transinfection in it”
“We do have a remedy for this so called Covid-19—it’s hydroxychloroquine and zinc it’s been used all over the world successfully but it was pulled by a corrupt Surgisphere supposed study also backed by the Lancet. It was a corrupt study”
https://fullfact.org/health/nottingham-conspiracy-theories/
_______________________________________________________
No, the Israeli Health Ministry Didn’t Say the Pfizer Vaccine ‘Killed 40 Times More Elderly’ Than COVID-19
Israel has undertaken an aggressive push to get its population vaccinated against COVID-19.
Bethania Palma | 5 March 2021
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pfizer-vaccine-israel/
AFP Canada | 05 March 2021
An Ontario anti-mask activist makes false claims in an Instagram video about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines available in Canada and misleadingly refers to potential adverse vaccine reactions recorded in the United States. Medical experts said the shots do not alter the DNA of recipients or make people infectious, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it has not detected safety issues with the vaccines...
https://factcheck.afp.com/canadian-activist-makes-inaccurate-claims-about-covid-...
_______________________________________________________
Luminescent enzymes not in Covid-19 vaccine and other myths debunked
Abbas Panjwani | 5 March 2021
“{The Covid-19 vaccine} will change your DNA”
“{The vaccine} is being made by MIT which is a deep state cabal company and it’s got luciferase”
“It has been pushed through in record time...”
“...on a supposed virus that is no more dangerous than the seasonal flu”
“{The vaccine} has what’s called transinfection in it”
“We do have a remedy for this so called Covid-19—it’s hydroxychloroquine and zinc it’s been used all over the world successfully but it was pulled by a corrupt Surgisphere supposed study also backed by the Lancet. It was a corrupt study”
https://fullfact.org/health/nottingham-conspiracy-theories/
_______________________________________________________
No, the Israeli Health Ministry Didn’t Say the Pfizer Vaccine ‘Killed 40 Times More Elderly’ Than COVID-19
Israel has undertaken an aggressive push to get its population vaccinated against COVID-19.
Bethania Palma | 5 March 2021
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pfizer-vaccine-israel/
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Russian Disinformation Campaign Aims to Undermine Confidence in Pfizer, Other Covid-19 Vaccines, U.S. Officials Say
Websites linked to Russian intelligence services publish false information questioning vaccines’ safety, efficacy
(Paywall: Russian intelligence agencies have mounted a disinformation campaign to undermine confidence in Pfizer’s and other Western #COVID19 vaccines, using online publications that question their development and safety, US officials said.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-disinformation-campaign-aims-to-undermine-c...
______________________________________
ETA: No paywall at Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-covid-disinformation/u-s-says-russ...
Websites linked to Russian intelligence services publish false information questioning vaccines’ safety, efficacy
(Paywall: Russian intelligence agencies have mounted a disinformation campaign to undermine confidence in Pfizer’s and other Western #COVID19 vaccines, using online publications that question their development and safety, US officials said.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-disinformation-campaign-aims-to-undermine-c...
______________________________________
ETA: No paywall at Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-covid-disinformation/u-s-says-russ...
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Fact Check: Have 966 People Died After Receiving the COVID vaccine?
By Ed Browne On 3/8/21
...it is false to say that COVID vaccines have caused 966 deaths, because the VAERS database is not designed to give this information. For example, in the dataset published by The Epoch Times, one of the people who died after getting a vaccine had also been injured in a car crash between getting the jab and the date of their death, but the case was still included in the dataset.
The CDC said on its adverse events page, updated March 1: "To date, VAERS has not detected patterns in cause of death that would indicate a safety problem with COVID-19 vaccines."
Kent Woods, former chief executive of the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, previously told Newsweek that a person suddenly dying after having a vaccine is not proof that the vaccine caused the death....
https://www.newsweek.com/covid-vaccine-deaths-cause-pfizer-moderna-fact-check-96...
By Ed Browne On 3/8/21
...it is false to say that COVID vaccines have caused 966 deaths, because the VAERS database is not designed to give this information. For example, in the dataset published by The Epoch Times, one of the people who died after getting a vaccine had also been injured in a car crash between getting the jab and the date of their death, but the case was still included in the dataset.
The CDC said on its adverse events page, updated March 1: "To date, VAERS has not detected patterns in cause of death that would indicate a safety problem with COVID-19 vaccines."
Kent Woods, former chief executive of the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, previously told Newsweek that a person suddenly dying after having a vaccine is not proof that the vaccine caused the death....
https://www.newsweek.com/covid-vaccine-deaths-cause-pfizer-moderna-fact-check-96...
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No, the Israeli Health Ministry Didn’t Say the Pfizer Vaccine ‘Killed 40 Times More Elderly’ Than COVID-19
Israel has undertaken an aggressive push to get its population vaccinated against COVID-19.
Bethania Palma | 5 March 2021
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pfizer-vaccine-israel/
Israel has undertaken an aggressive push to get its population vaccinated against COVID-19.
Bethania Palma | 5 March 2021
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pfizer-vaccine-israel/
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Does J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Contain Aborted Fetal Cells?
The claim was a mischaracterization of how scientists use cell "factories" to create the immunization's ingredients.
Jessica Lee | 11 March 2021
Claim: Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine contains aborted fetal cells.
Rating: False...
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/covid-vaccine-aborted-fetal-cells/
_______________________________________________________
Can Getting COVID-19 Vaccine Disqualify You From Life Insurance Benefits?
As COVID-19 vaccines distribution ramped up in early 2021, so did misinformation.
Madison Dapcevich | 11 March 2021
Claim: Receiving the COVID-19 vaccination could disqualify policyholders from receiving life insurance benefits if they died as result of the vaccine because the immunization is considered “experimental.”
Rating: False...
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/covid-vaccine-life-insurance/
________________________________________________________
Vaccines are safe and aren’t associated with autoimmune disease, contrary to claim in viral video by chiropractor Steven Baker
Flora Teoh
Inaccurate: The COVID-19 vaccines cannot change our DNA. Vaccines don’t contain aborted fetal tissue or animal cells.
Unsupported: Studies so far haven’t found a higher incidence of autoimmune diseases in vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated people. Current data available from clinical trials and ongoing vaccination campaigns also didn’t show a higher incidence of Bell’s palsy in people who had received the COVID-19 vaccines...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/vaccines-are-safe-and-arent-associated-wi...
The claim was a mischaracterization of how scientists use cell "factories" to create the immunization's ingredients.
Jessica Lee | 11 March 2021
Claim: Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine contains aborted fetal cells.
Rating: False...
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/covid-vaccine-aborted-fetal-cells/
_______________________________________________________
Can Getting COVID-19 Vaccine Disqualify You From Life Insurance Benefits?
As COVID-19 vaccines distribution ramped up in early 2021, so did misinformation.
Madison Dapcevich | 11 March 2021
Claim: Receiving the COVID-19 vaccination could disqualify policyholders from receiving life insurance benefits if they died as result of the vaccine because the immunization is considered “experimental.”
Rating: False...
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/covid-vaccine-life-insurance/
________________________________________________________
Vaccines are safe and aren’t associated with autoimmune disease, contrary to claim in viral video by chiropractor Steven Baker
Flora Teoh
Inaccurate: The COVID-19 vaccines cannot change our DNA. Vaccines don’t contain aborted fetal tissue or animal cells.
Unsupported: Studies so far haven’t found a higher incidence of autoimmune diseases in vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated people. Current data available from clinical trials and ongoing vaccination campaigns also didn’t show a higher incidence of Bell’s palsy in people who had received the COVID-19 vaccines...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/vaccines-are-safe-and-arent-associated-wi...
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Early concerns raised over levels of intact mRNA in Pfizer vaccine
James Kingsland | March 12, 2021
Last year, there were doubts about early commercial batches of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine. Marcos del Mazo/Getty Image Recent studies confirm that mRNA vaccines are safe and provide a high degree of protection against COVID-19.
However, leaked emails show that there were doubts last year about early commercial batches of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine.
The emails reveal that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) raised concerns with Pfizer that the vaccine contained lower levels of intact mRNA molecules than expected.
The company resolved the issue to the satisfaction of the EMA and regulatory agencies in the United States and Canada...
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/early-concerns-raised-over-levels-of-i...
_____________________________________________________
Risk of allergic reaction to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines 'extremely low'
Timothy Huzar | March 12, 2021
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are a new technology at the forefront of the vaccine response to COVID-19.
Anxiety about possible allergic reactions may lead to vaccine hesitancy.
Researchers behind a study* that included more than 50,000 people who had received this type of vaccine found allergic reaction rates to be “extremely low.”...
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/risk-of-allergic-reaction-to-mrna-covi...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
* Kimberly G. Blumenthal et al. 2021. Acute Allergic Reactions to mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines (Research Letter). JAMA. Published online March 8, 2021. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.3976 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2777417
Anaphylaxis to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines is currently estimated to occur in 2.5 to 11.1 cases per million doses, largely in individuals with a history of allergy.1 Allergic concerns contribute to vaccine hesitancy; we investigated acute allergic reaction incidence after more than 60 000 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine administrations....
Discussion
In this prospective cohort of health care employees, 98% did not have any symptoms of an allergic reaction after receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The remaining 2% reported some allergic symptoms; however, severe reactions consistent with anaphylaxis occurred at a rate of 2.47 per 10 000 vaccinations. All individuals with anaphylaxis cases recovered without shock or endotracheal intubation.
The incidence rate of confirmed anaphylaxis in this study is larger than that reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based on passive spontaneous reporting methods (0.025-0.11/10 000 vaccinations). However, the overall risk of anaphylaxis to an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine remains extremely low and largely comparable to other common health care exposures. Although cases were clinically compatible with anaphylaxis, the mechanism of these reactions is unknown.
Most of the vaccine recipients with anaphylaxis had allergy histories, with 31% having prior anaphylaxis. However, given that approximately 5% of adults have severe food allergy histories and 1% of adults have severe drug allergy histories, this MGB employee cohort likely included almost 4000 individuals with severe food or medication allergy histories who were safely vaccinated.
Limitations of this study include the use of self-reported data. However, cohort participants were largely health care workers, and therefore self-report data reliability may be high. The use of vaccine administrations as the denominator for allergic reaction incidence may have resulted in some inaccuracy. Although study methods might have missed cases of potential anaphylaxis, comprehensive prospective surveillance methods were used, and symptom survey alone captured 81% of all vaccinated employees. A northeastern US cohort may not be generalizable.
James Kingsland | March 12, 2021
Last year, there were doubts about early commercial batches of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine. Marcos del Mazo/Getty Image Recent studies confirm that mRNA vaccines are safe and provide a high degree of protection against COVID-19.
However, leaked emails show that there were doubts last year about early commercial batches of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine.
The emails reveal that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) raised concerns with Pfizer that the vaccine contained lower levels of intact mRNA molecules than expected.
The company resolved the issue to the satisfaction of the EMA and regulatory agencies in the United States and Canada...
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/early-concerns-raised-over-levels-of-i...
_____________________________________________________
Risk of allergic reaction to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines 'extremely low'
Timothy Huzar | March 12, 2021
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are a new technology at the forefront of the vaccine response to COVID-19.
Anxiety about possible allergic reactions may lead to vaccine hesitancy.
Researchers behind a study* that included more than 50,000 people who had received this type of vaccine found allergic reaction rates to be “extremely low.”...
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/risk-of-allergic-reaction-to-mrna-covi...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
* Kimberly G. Blumenthal et al. 2021. Acute Allergic Reactions to mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines (Research Letter). JAMA. Published online March 8, 2021. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.3976 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2777417
Anaphylaxis to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines is currently estimated to occur in 2.5 to 11.1 cases per million doses, largely in individuals with a history of allergy.1 Allergic concerns contribute to vaccine hesitancy; we investigated acute allergic reaction incidence after more than 60 000 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine administrations....
Discussion
In this prospective cohort of health care employees, 98% did not have any symptoms of an allergic reaction after receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The remaining 2% reported some allergic symptoms; however, severe reactions consistent with anaphylaxis occurred at a rate of 2.47 per 10 000 vaccinations. All individuals with anaphylaxis cases recovered without shock or endotracheal intubation.
The incidence rate of confirmed anaphylaxis in this study is larger than that reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based on passive spontaneous reporting methods (0.025-0.11/10 000 vaccinations). However, the overall risk of anaphylaxis to an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine remains extremely low and largely comparable to other common health care exposures. Although cases were clinically compatible with anaphylaxis, the mechanism of these reactions is unknown.
Most of the vaccine recipients with anaphylaxis had allergy histories, with 31% having prior anaphylaxis. However, given that approximately 5% of adults have severe food allergy histories and 1% of adults have severe drug allergy histories, this MGB employee cohort likely included almost 4000 individuals with severe food or medication allergy histories who were safely vaccinated.
Limitations of this study include the use of self-reported data. However, cohort participants were largely health care workers, and therefore self-report data reliability may be high. The use of vaccine administrations as the denominator for allergic reaction incidence may have resulted in some inaccuracy. Although study methods might have missed cases of potential anaphylaxis, comprehensive prospective surveillance methods were used, and symptom survey alone captured 81% of all vaccinated employees. A northeastern US cohort may not be generalizable.
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Catholic doctors in Kenya reject Covid-19 vaccines, repeat false claims in statement
Mary Kulundu, James Okong'o, AFP Kenya Facebook | 15 March 2021 at 10:52
The Kenya Catholic Doctors Association recently issued a press statement discouraging people from getting Covid-19 vaccines, calling them “unnecessary” and “unsafe”...
(See 10 p statement at website.)
The association’s chairman, Dr Stephen Karanja, is known for voicing anti-vaccination sentiments...
The Catholic Bishops in Kenya distanced themselves from the association’s statement and expressed support for the Kenyan government’s efforts to provide Covid-19 vaccines to the population.
...Kenya’s Minister of Health, Mutahi Kagwe also assured the public of the vaccine’s efficacy and safety.
The World Health Organization (WHO)...“The AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India and now being distributed in Kenya has been reviewed and found safe not only by the WHO’s rigorous process but also by the stringent regulatory authorities, including the United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the European regulatory authority”...
https://factcheck.afp.com/catholic-doctors-kenya-reject-covid-19-vaccines-repeat...
Mary Kulundu, James Okong'o, AFP Kenya Facebook | 15 March 2021 at 10:52
The Kenya Catholic Doctors Association recently issued a press statement discouraging people from getting Covid-19 vaccines, calling them “unnecessary” and “unsafe”...
(See 10 p statement at website.)
The association’s chairman, Dr Stephen Karanja, is known for voicing anti-vaccination sentiments...
The Catholic Bishops in Kenya distanced themselves from the association’s statement and expressed support for the Kenyan government’s efforts to provide Covid-19 vaccines to the population.
...Kenya’s Minister of Health, Mutahi Kagwe also assured the public of the vaccine’s efficacy and safety.
The World Health Organization (WHO)...“The AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India and now being distributed in Kenya has been reviewed and found safe not only by the WHO’s rigorous process but also by the stringent regulatory authorities, including the United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the European regulatory authority”...
https://factcheck.afp.com/catholic-doctors-kenya-reject-covid-19-vaccines-repeat...
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Canadian doctors make inaccurate Covid-19 claims in video
AFP Canada | 12 March 2021 at 17:12
A video titled “Canadian Doctors Speak Out,” which claims to offer the top reasons not to fear Covid-19, has been shared thousands of times on social media. But public health experts said it includes misleading claims about variants of the disease and immunity, and recommends treatments that have not been proven effective against the virus.
The nearly 12-minute video, which has circulated since March 8, 2021, features commentary from doctors in British Columbia and Ontario. They are licensed medical professionals but not coronavirus specialists, and claim to offer Canadians tips on how to protect their health “that do not include getting a shot with a vaccine.”...
https://factcheck.afp.com/canadian-doctors-make-inaccurate-covid-19-claims-video
AFP Canada | 12 March 2021 at 17:12
A video titled “Canadian Doctors Speak Out,” which claims to offer the top reasons not to fear Covid-19, has been shared thousands of times on social media. But public health experts said it includes misleading claims about variants of the disease and immunity, and recommends treatments that have not been proven effective against the virus.
The nearly 12-minute video, which has circulated since March 8, 2021, features commentary from doctors in British Columbia and Ontario. They are licensed medical professionals but not coronavirus specialists, and claim to offer Canadians tips on how to protect their health “that do not include getting a shot with a vaccine.”...
https://factcheck.afp.com/canadian-doctors-make-inaccurate-covid-19-claims-video
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David N. Durrheim et al. 2021. A dangerous measles future looms beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Nature Medicine volume 27, pages 360–361(15 February 2021) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01237-5
To the Editor — Children are the invisible victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although they have a low risk of severe COVID-19 disease and death, they are suffering disproportionate harm from non-pharmaceutical public-health measures, including deleterious educational effects of school closures, and decreased social care, school feeding programs and health-service attendance1. Of grave concern are the profoundly negative effects of the pandemic on childhood immunization coverage. All six World Health Organization Regions have reported disrupted immunization activities, with major adverse effects on routine immunization, mass vaccination campaigns (101 were cancelled in 56 countries during the first six months of the pandemic), outreach services and surveillance2.
One deadly, highly infectious virus—measles—is unforgiving of immunity gaps and is certain to resurge after the COVID-19 pandemic, with a resultant catastrophic impact on young lives. The precarious measles immunity gaps resulting from suspended immunization activities and delayed campaigns are an ominous precursor to a measles resurgence. Increased malnutrition, due to effects of this pandemic on food supplies for impoverished children, and interruption of vitamin A supplementation during campaigns, may lead to increased measles-related deaths...
...The COVID-19 pandemic offers a platform for accelerating progress toward the elimination of measles. New tools that have assisted in contact tracing could be repurposed to enhance measles surveillance, while novel vaccine-delivery innovations under development, including microarray patches, slow-release vaccine preparations and enhanced thermostability, could contribute to reaching every child with potent measles vaccines.
...The COVID-19 pandemic has delivered a critical immunity-gap legacy, particularly in many vulnerable countries, which demands urgent action to reverse a pending measles catastrophe.
To the Editor — Children are the invisible victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although they have a low risk of severe COVID-19 disease and death, they are suffering disproportionate harm from non-pharmaceutical public-health measures, including deleterious educational effects of school closures, and decreased social care, school feeding programs and health-service attendance1. Of grave concern are the profoundly negative effects of the pandemic on childhood immunization coverage. All six World Health Organization Regions have reported disrupted immunization activities, with major adverse effects on routine immunization, mass vaccination campaigns (101 were cancelled in 56 countries during the first six months of the pandemic), outreach services and surveillance2.
One deadly, highly infectious virus—measles—is unforgiving of immunity gaps and is certain to resurge after the COVID-19 pandemic, with a resultant catastrophic impact on young lives. The precarious measles immunity gaps resulting from suspended immunization activities and delayed campaigns are an ominous precursor to a measles resurgence. Increased malnutrition, due to effects of this pandemic on food supplies for impoverished children, and interruption of vitamin A supplementation during campaigns, may lead to increased measles-related deaths...
...The COVID-19 pandemic offers a platform for accelerating progress toward the elimination of measles. New tools that have assisted in contact tracing could be repurposed to enhance measles surveillance, while novel vaccine-delivery innovations under development, including microarray patches, slow-release vaccine preparations and enhanced thermostability, could contribute to reaching every child with potent measles vaccines.
...The COVID-19 pandemic has delivered a critical immunity-gap legacy, particularly in many vulnerable countries, which demands urgent action to reverse a pending measles catastrophe.
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Covid-19 vaccination does not invalidate US life insurance policies
Marisha Goldhamer | 19 March 2021
Social media posts say that life insurance companies will not pay claims if a person dies within one year of receiving a vaccination against Covid-19. This is false, according to the organization that represents American life insurance firms and several US state regulators...
https://factcheck.afp.com/covid-19-vaccination-does-not-invalidate-us-life-insur...
Marisha Goldhamer | 19 March 2021
Social media posts say that life insurance companies will not pay claims if a person dies within one year of receiving a vaccination against Covid-19. This is false, according to the organization that represents American life insurance firms and several US state regulators...
https://factcheck.afp.com/covid-19-vaccination-does-not-invalidate-us-life-insur...
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Are mRNA Covid Vaccines Risky? Here’s What the Experts Say
Robert Langreth | March 22, 2021
1. How do mRNA vaccines work?
2. What do we know about their efficacy?
3. What do we know about their safety?
4. Who’s spreading disinformation about the vaccines?
Traditional anti-vaccine activists have increasingly joined forces with figures on the alt-right, a primarily online political movement based in the U.S. whose members espouse extremist beliefs typically centered on ideas of white nationalism. High-profile conservatives including Fox News personality Tucker Carlson have raised doubts about Covid vaccines generally. According to the U.S. State Department, several online platforms linked to Russian Intelligence have spread disinformation about mRNA vaccines; Moderna and Pfizer are U.S.-based companies. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that vaccine refusers are disproportionately reliant on Facebook for their information, whereas people who want the vaccine are more likely to read newspapers or watch network TV news.
5. What are they saying?
That steps were skipped in developing and authorizing the vaccines: It’s true that the vaccines reached the market in record time, but that’s not because any testing steps were skipped. Companies sped up the process by performing some testing steps in parallel, and, in the case of Moderna’s vaccine, the U.S. government took financial risks by paying to gear up manufacturing before results were in.
The vaccines have never been approved by the FDA: That’s true in the sense that the agency has given only emergency-use authorization so far. This is a pre-existing mechanism created to speed access to medical countermeasures in the event of a public health emergency such as the Covid pandemic. The FDA established in advance that to win authorization, Covid vaccines had to prove to be at least 50% effective in preventing illness in large-scale trials and had to demonstrate safety with two months’ of follow-up data on trial participants. Also, the vaccines were vetted by a panel of independent advisers. Both Moderna and Pfizer have said they plan to apply for regular approval for the vaccines this year.
Critics have taken to labeling mRNA vaccines a form of gene therapy, insinuating that the shots might somehow alter your DNA: They don’t. While the messenger RNA they employ is a type of genetic material, the vaccines differ from what is typically thought of as gene therapy in that they do not change the DNA inside cells. “They do not affect or interact with our DNA in any way,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains. In fact, mRNA molecules in the vaccines, which are short-lived, don’t enter the nucleus of cells, where DNA is stored, the CDC notes.
That the lipid nanoparticles in the vaccines may contain antifreeze: That’s not true. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which is toxic. The lipid nanoparticles instead include polyethylene glycol, an inert compound found in everyday products like toothpaste and shampoo and in many drugs including laxatives.
That the vaccines can cause antibody-dependent enhancement, or a worse case of disease in those who become sick despite inoculation: This was a theoretical concern when testing of Covid vaccines began. There were hints of this problem in animal studies of some vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which is caused by a coronavirus related to SARS-CoV-2. However, no indication of this emerged in human trials of mRNA vaccines for Covid, according to Stanley Perlman, a coronavirus researcher at the University of Iowa, who served on the FDA advisory panel that reviewed the vaccines.
That we don’t know the long-term effects of the vaccines: That’s always the case with new vaccines. But vaccine side effects usually show up within the first couple of months after vaccination, which is why the FDA insisted on two months of safety data before authorizing them. Adverse event reports since then have not detected patterns of death that would indicate a problem with the vaccines, the CDC says.
That there are more adverse event reports for Covid vaccines than there have been for influenza vaccines: That’s not an appropriate or meaningful comparison, says Aaron Kesselheim, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. The number of these reports tends to surge when a treatment or vaccine is in the news, and nothing has been more in the headlines than Covid vaccines. In the U.S., these reports can be filed by anyone and don’t constitute confirmation that a vaccine caused an adverse event. Given the large numbers being inoculated, some unlucky people will get sick and even die shortly after getting shots, regardless of the vaccine.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-22/are-mrna-covid-vaccines-risky...
Robert Langreth | March 22, 2021
1. How do mRNA vaccines work?
2. What do we know about their efficacy?
3. What do we know about their safety?
4. Who’s spreading disinformation about the vaccines?
Traditional anti-vaccine activists have increasingly joined forces with figures on the alt-right, a primarily online political movement based in the U.S. whose members espouse extremist beliefs typically centered on ideas of white nationalism. High-profile conservatives including Fox News personality Tucker Carlson have raised doubts about Covid vaccines generally. According to the U.S. State Department, several online platforms linked to Russian Intelligence have spread disinformation about mRNA vaccines; Moderna and Pfizer are U.S.-based companies. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that vaccine refusers are disproportionately reliant on Facebook for their information, whereas people who want the vaccine are more likely to read newspapers or watch network TV news.
5. What are they saying?
That steps were skipped in developing and authorizing the vaccines: It’s true that the vaccines reached the market in record time, but that’s not because any testing steps were skipped. Companies sped up the process by performing some testing steps in parallel, and, in the case of Moderna’s vaccine, the U.S. government took financial risks by paying to gear up manufacturing before results were in.
The vaccines have never been approved by the FDA: That’s true in the sense that the agency has given only emergency-use authorization so far. This is a pre-existing mechanism created to speed access to medical countermeasures in the event of a public health emergency such as the Covid pandemic. The FDA established in advance that to win authorization, Covid vaccines had to prove to be at least 50% effective in preventing illness in large-scale trials and had to demonstrate safety with two months’ of follow-up data on trial participants. Also, the vaccines were vetted by a panel of independent advisers. Both Moderna and Pfizer have said they plan to apply for regular approval for the vaccines this year.
Critics have taken to labeling mRNA vaccines a form of gene therapy, insinuating that the shots might somehow alter your DNA: They don’t. While the messenger RNA they employ is a type of genetic material, the vaccines differ from what is typically thought of as gene therapy in that they do not change the DNA inside cells. “They do not affect or interact with our DNA in any way,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains. In fact, mRNA molecules in the vaccines, which are short-lived, don’t enter the nucleus of cells, where DNA is stored, the CDC notes.
That the lipid nanoparticles in the vaccines may contain antifreeze: That’s not true. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which is toxic. The lipid nanoparticles instead include polyethylene glycol, an inert compound found in everyday products like toothpaste and shampoo and in many drugs including laxatives.
That the vaccines can cause antibody-dependent enhancement, or a worse case of disease in those who become sick despite inoculation: This was a theoretical concern when testing of Covid vaccines began. There were hints of this problem in animal studies of some vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which is caused by a coronavirus related to SARS-CoV-2. However, no indication of this emerged in human trials of mRNA vaccines for Covid, according to Stanley Perlman, a coronavirus researcher at the University of Iowa, who served on the FDA advisory panel that reviewed the vaccines.
That we don’t know the long-term effects of the vaccines: That’s always the case with new vaccines. But vaccine side effects usually show up within the first couple of months after vaccination, which is why the FDA insisted on two months of safety data before authorizing them. Adverse event reports since then have not detected patterns of death that would indicate a problem with the vaccines, the CDC says.
That there are more adverse event reports for Covid vaccines than there have been for influenza vaccines: That’s not an appropriate or meaningful comparison, says Aaron Kesselheim, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. The number of these reports tends to surge when a treatment or vaccine is in the news, and nothing has been more in the headlines than Covid vaccines. In the U.S., these reports can be filed by anyone and don’t constitute confirmation that a vaccine caused an adverse event. Given the large numbers being inoculated, some unlucky people will get sick and even die shortly after getting shots, regardless of the vaccine.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-22/are-mrna-covid-vaccines-risky...
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COVID-19 vaccines are critical for controlling the pandemic; vaccines still offer partial protection against new variants of the virus
Iria Carballo-Carbajal (editor)
CLAIM
COVID-19 mass vaccination will select for more virulent variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, which will escape vaccine-induced immunity and cause more severe disease
VERDICT
MISLEADING
SOURCE: Geert Vanden Bossche, Children's Health Defense, The Highwire, 6 Mar. 2021
DETAILS
Inadequate support: No evidence indicates that vaccination will lead to more virulent variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. The claims that vaccination will select for viral variants that can escape vaccine-induced immunity and cause more severe disease than those that evolve naturally in unvaccinated populations are unsupported.
Lacks context: Preliminary data suggest that COVID-19 vaccines very likely reduce viral transmission to some degree, contrary to Vanden Bosschen’s claim. COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing disease and also confer partial protection against variants of the virus. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccines can be reformulated if needed to match new variants.
Incorrect: Vaccines stimulate the humoral immune response without weakening innate immunity. Immunization may even enhance natural antibody response.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Emerging variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, some of which are more transmissible, have led to speculation about the efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines. Emerging variants are subject to continuous monitoring to evaluate their potential impact on COVID-19 transmission and disease outcomes. The evidence so far indicates that COVID-19 vaccines still confer partial protection against these variants. Furthermore, the COVID-19 vaccines in use can be rapidly modified, and manufacturers are already anticipating new vaccine formulations to improve their efficacy against the new variants.
FULL CLAIM: “all these kinds of highly infectious variants, it's very clear, that this is driving immune escape and will ultimately drive resistance to the vaccines”; “prophylactic vaccines should typically not be administered to people who are exposed to high infectious pressure”; “when we vaccinate somebody we are turning this person into a potential asymptomatic carrier that is shedding the virus”; “these long-lived antibodies, which have high specificity of course for the virus, they out-compete our natural antibodies”
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/covid-19-vaccines-are-critical-for-contro...
Iria Carballo-Carbajal (editor)
CLAIM
COVID-19 mass vaccination will select for more virulent variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, which will escape vaccine-induced immunity and cause more severe disease
VERDICT
MISLEADING
SOURCE: Geert Vanden Bossche, Children's Health Defense, The Highwire, 6 Mar. 2021
DETAILS
Inadequate support: No evidence indicates that vaccination will lead to more virulent variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. The claims that vaccination will select for viral variants that can escape vaccine-induced immunity and cause more severe disease than those that evolve naturally in unvaccinated populations are unsupported.
Lacks context: Preliminary data suggest that COVID-19 vaccines very likely reduce viral transmission to some degree, contrary to Vanden Bosschen’s claim. COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing disease and also confer partial protection against variants of the virus. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccines can be reformulated if needed to match new variants.
Incorrect: Vaccines stimulate the humoral immune response without weakening innate immunity. Immunization may even enhance natural antibody response.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Emerging variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, some of which are more transmissible, have led to speculation about the efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines. Emerging variants are subject to continuous monitoring to evaluate their potential impact on COVID-19 transmission and disease outcomes. The evidence so far indicates that COVID-19 vaccines still confer partial protection against these variants. Furthermore, the COVID-19 vaccines in use can be rapidly modified, and manufacturers are already anticipating new vaccine formulations to improve their efficacy against the new variants.
FULL CLAIM: “all these kinds of highly infectious variants, it's very clear, that this is driving immune escape and will ultimately drive resistance to the vaccines”; “prophylactic vaccines should typically not be administered to people who are exposed to high infectious pressure”; “when we vaccinate somebody we are turning this person into a potential asymptomatic carrier that is shedding the virus”; “these long-lived antibodies, which have high specificity of course for the virus, they out-compete our natural antibodies”
REVIEW...
https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/covid-19-vaccines-are-critical-for-contro...
149margd
Why this former anti-vaxx influencer is getting the Covid vaccine (5:20)
Heather Simpson had a following online due to her anti-vaccine beliefs. Now, she worries the anti-vaccine misinformation she promoted hurt other children. She explains her change of heart to CNN Business' Donie O'Sullivan.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/03/26/anti-vaccine-mother-covid-19-misi...
Heather Simpson had a following online due to her anti-vaccine beliefs. Now, she worries the anti-vaccine misinformation she promoted hurt other children. She explains her change of heart to CNN Business' Donie O'Sullivan.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/03/26/anti-vaccine-mother-covid-19-misi...
150margd
Health-Care Workers Are Bragging on TikTok About Forging Vax Cards
‘Profoundly Unethical’
A new trend is emerging that could have huge implications for the vulnerable Americans some health-care professionals serve.
Larrison Campbell | Mar. 28, 2021
...“I’m just sitting here flummoxed, thinking about the implications of it all,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. “Anyone who works in the health-care environment obviously contributes to the safety of the environment, which is their own safety, their colleagues’ safety as well as the patients they serve.”
He said those caught doing it would likely lose their jobs, if not their careers.
“We’re trying to make the whole health-care environment a COVID-free zone and by undermining that in a deliberate fashion, that’s beyond unprofessional. It’s profoundly unethical and contrary to whatever oath a health-care worker took when they accepted their degree. I would imagine there would be implications at the licensing level.”
...Of course, health-care workers aren’t alone among anti-vaxxers trying to pass as vaccinated and, on Thursday, the Office of the Inspector General warned those who’ve been vaccinated to not post images of their vaccine cards online because of an increase in fake cards.
...backlash against ...crusade to uncover anti-vaxxer health-care workers on TikTok has been harsh...
https://www.thedailybeast.com/zipline-above-bears-and-kayak-with-gators-in-flori...
‘Profoundly Unethical’
A new trend is emerging that could have huge implications for the vulnerable Americans some health-care professionals serve.
Larrison Campbell | Mar. 28, 2021
...“I’m just sitting here flummoxed, thinking about the implications of it all,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. “Anyone who works in the health-care environment obviously contributes to the safety of the environment, which is their own safety, their colleagues’ safety as well as the patients they serve.”
He said those caught doing it would likely lose their jobs, if not their careers.
“We’re trying to make the whole health-care environment a COVID-free zone and by undermining that in a deliberate fashion, that’s beyond unprofessional. It’s profoundly unethical and contrary to whatever oath a health-care worker took when they accepted their degree. I would imagine there would be implications at the licensing level.”
...Of course, health-care workers aren’t alone among anti-vaxxers trying to pass as vaccinated and, on Thursday, the Office of the Inspector General warned those who’ve been vaccinated to not post images of their vaccine cards online because of an increase in fake cards.
...backlash against ...crusade to uncover anti-vaxxer health-care workers on TikTok has been harsh...
https://www.thedailybeast.com/zipline-above-bears-and-kayak-with-gators-in-flori...
151margd
US doctor makes false claims in video about Covid-19
AFP USA | 26 March 2021
A video from a Texas doctor warning against Covid-19 immunizations and touting drugs he says can treat the disease has been shared tens of thousands of times on social media. But medical experts say the physician’s claims about the safety and efficacy of the widely-used vaccines are false, and medications he advocates are not recommended by health authorities.
...“All about mRNA So Called Vaccines,” says the title of a 17-minute video published on March 15, 2021 featuring Steven Hotze, a doctor and conservative activist from Texas, who heads the Hotze Health and Wellness Center...
Claim 1: mRNA vaccines are not actual vaccines
Claim 2: Covid-19 vaccines do not provide immunity
Claim 3: Covid-19 vaccines are unsafe
Claim 4: mRNA vaccines can make infections worse
Claim 5: Hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin
Claim 6: Herd immunity
https://factcheck.afp.com/us-doctor-makes-false-claims-video-about-covid-19
______________________________________________________________
Texas Doctor Spreads False Claims About COVID-19 Vaccines
Angelo Fichera | March 26, 2021
https://www.factcheck.org/2021/03/scicheck-texas-doctor-spreads-false-claims-abo...
AFP USA | 26 March 2021
A video from a Texas doctor warning against Covid-19 immunizations and touting drugs he says can treat the disease has been shared tens of thousands of times on social media. But medical experts say the physician’s claims about the safety and efficacy of the widely-used vaccines are false, and medications he advocates are not recommended by health authorities.
...“All about mRNA So Called Vaccines,” says the title of a 17-minute video published on March 15, 2021 featuring Steven Hotze, a doctor and conservative activist from Texas, who heads the Hotze Health and Wellness Center...
Claim 1: mRNA vaccines are not actual vaccines
Claim 2: Covid-19 vaccines do not provide immunity
Claim 3: Covid-19 vaccines are unsafe
Claim 4: mRNA vaccines can make infections worse
Claim 5: Hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin
Claim 6: Herd immunity
https://factcheck.afp.com/us-doctor-makes-false-claims-video-about-covid-19
______________________________________________________________
Texas Doctor Spreads False Claims About COVID-19 Vaccines
Angelo Fichera | March 26, 2021
https://www.factcheck.org/2021/03/scicheck-texas-doctor-spreads-false-claims-abo...
152margd
Fact Check: Is There No Proof That the Moderna COVID Vaccine Works?
Ed Browne | 3/24/2021
...The Mississippi State Health Department (MSHD) came under fire on Tuesday after a Twitter user claimed her father was told by an employee there is "no documented proof the Moderna vaccine works" when he tried to book an appointment via its hotline.
The MSHD later apologized, said there had been a "miscommunication," and scrapped the offending section of its telephone hotline script it believed to be behind the confusion.
The original tweet highlighting the issue has gone viral on Twitter, where it has more than 40,000 likes and about 6,600 retweets...
https://www.newsweek.com/moderna-covid-vaccine-fact-check-no-proof-works-1578328
Ed Browne | 3/24/2021
...The Mississippi State Health Department (MSHD) came under fire on Tuesday after a Twitter user claimed her father was told by an employee there is "no documented proof the Moderna vaccine works" when he tried to book an appointment via its hotline.
The MSHD later apologized, said there had been a "miscommunication," and scrapped the offending section of its telephone hotline script it believed to be behind the confusion.
The original tweet highlighting the issue has gone viral on Twitter, where it has more than 40,000 likes and about 6,600 retweets...
https://www.newsweek.com/moderna-covid-vaccine-fact-check-no-proof-works-1578328
Este tópico foi continuado por Vaccination, Choice, Public Health Options.
