Measles is one of the deadliest and most contagious infectious diseases – and one of the most easily preventable

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“You don’t count your children until the measles has passed.” Dr. Samuel Katz, one of the pioneers of the first measles vaccine in the late 1950s to early 1960s, regularly heard this tragic statement from parents in countries where the measles vaccine was not yet available, because they were so accustomed to losing their children to measles.

I am a pediatrician and preventive medicine physician, and I have anxiously watched measles cases rise worldwide while vaccination rates have dropped since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic due to disruptions in vaccine access and the spread of vaccine misinformation.

Ream more at The Conversation.

CDC finds flu shots 42% effective this season, better than some recent years

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This season’s influenza vaccines have been 42% effective so far, according to a new interim estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, amounting to protection against the virus that appears as good or better than seasons going back to 2016.

First previewed Wednesday at a meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, details of the latest vaccine effectiveness, referred to as VE, estimates were published Thursday in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 

“We’re right in the range that we typically see when the vaccine is a good match with the viruses that are circulating. Good VE, and it’s working consistent with past years,” said Sascha Ellington, head of the CDC’s influenza prevention and control team. 

Read more at CBS.

Older US adults should get another COVID-19 shot, health officials recommend

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Americans 65 and older should get another dose of the updated vaccine that became available in September — if at least four months has passed since their last shot. In making the recommendation, the agency endorsed guidance proposed by an expert advisory panel earlier in the day.

“Most COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations last year were among people 65 years and older. An additional vaccine dose can provide added protection … for those at highest risk,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement.

Read more at AP.

CDC braces for shortage after tetanus shot discontinued, issues new guidance

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging doctors to conserve shots of a kind of tetanus vaccine, as the agency braces for a potential shortage of those shots this year.

Doctors should switch from using the so-called Td vaccine – the immunization that protects against both tetanus and diphtheria infections – to giving the broader Tdap vaccine instead whenever possible, the CDC now says. In addition to tetanus and diphtheria, the Tdap vaccine also offers protection against pertussis, the infection also known as “whooping cough.”

This year’s shortage risk stems from a decision by nonprofit vaccinemaker MassBiologics to discontinue production of its Td vaccine, branded as TdVax. 

Read more at CBS.

Polio: It’s Not Necessarily A Disease of the Past

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It’s happening more and more. Measles outbreaks are in the news on what seems like a daily basis. As measles cases creep up across the country, Coloradans should look at their immunization records to ensure they’re adequately protected against measles and all other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Vaccines only work to prevent disease spread when enough people in a community have been vaccinated. While measles reigns supreme in today’s headlines, we could easily see headlines with mentions of outbreaks of other VPDs. Let’s turn our attention today to polio, another serious disease once common in the U.S. that still exists in some parts of the world.

What is polio?

Polio is a very contagious virus. Some people who get polio have no symptoms at all. For others, infection can lead to paralysis and even death. Those who do survive an initial polio infection may develop new symptoms like muscle weakness, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue years later. This is known as post-polio syndrome (PPS). Polio is mainly spread through fecal-oral contamination when a person comes into contact with the stool from an infected person or a contaminated object. The virus replicates in the intestinal tract. From there, it can enter the bloodstream and infect the brain and spinal cord. There is no cure for polio. Vaccination is the only protection we have against polio.

Polio vaccines and the fight to end polio

In 1979, polio was eliminated from the United States. Worldwide, cases of wild polio have decreased by 99% since 1988 when there were 350,000 cases in 125 countries; in 2022, there were only 30 cases in 3 countries. This is attributed to the powerful impact of high vaccine uptake. In July 2022, the U.S. saw its first case of polio since 2013. An unvaccinated individual from New York contracted a form of polio that can be traced to the live, weakened oral polio vaccine. 

The oral polio vaccine (OPV) uses a weakened version of the poliovirus. OPV has not been used in the United States since 2000. We use the inactivated (or dead) polio vaccine (IPV) developed by Jonas Salk in 1955. In other parts of the world where wild polio is still regularly occurring, the oral polio vaccine is still used since it can be easily administered and does not require an injection. Neither IPV nor OPV can cause wild polio. However, the virus used in OPV can be excreted in feces and spread to others, especially in areas with poor hygiene and low vaccination coverage. If it circulates enough, it can, in very rare cases, mutate and genetically change into a form of vaccine-derived polio that can cause paralysis. The 2022 New York case was this type of vaccine-derived paralytic polio. People who have been vaccinated against polio are not at risk for vaccine-derived polio. The best way to protect against wild and vaccine-derived polio is to get vaccinated!

Being unvaccinated comes with risks

Since polio is still present in other parts of the world, travelers can transmit it and bring it to our communities. When that happens, unvaccinated people become vulnerable to infection. We’ve seen drops in routine immunizations since the COVID-19 pandemic. In Colorado, 1 in 5 children is missing vaccines. All Coloradans, especially children, deserve to live healthy lives where they can thrive without the worry of preventable diseases.

The polio vaccine is very safe and, like all other vaccines, it undergoes continuous monitoring. Vaccination against polio may cause pain and redness at the injection site. Infection from polio may cause sore throat, fever, stomach pain, vomiting, stiff neck, headache, paralysis, or even death. The benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks!  It is recommended that four doses of IPV are given: one dose each at 2, 4, and 6 – 18 months of age, and a fourth dose at 4 – 6 years of age. If your child needs the polio vaccine or other vaccines, talk with their provider about getting caught up. It’s up to all of us to ensure we don’t see headlines and the impact of preventable disease outbreaks in Colorado!

Immunize Colorado was formed in 1991 in response to alarmingly low vaccination rates across the state. At the time, only about 50% of Colorado’s children were adequately vaccinated. A group of physicians and other concerned individuals came together to strategize how to protect Coloradans from vaccine-preventable diseases and increase vaccine uptake. Much work remains. Discover ways to support our commitment to healthy Colorado communities or make a donation today!

Major COVID vaccine study finds heart risks are rare — and the real threat is being unvaccinated

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Even while the COVID-19 vaccines have been hailed as one of the greatest achievements in modern science, they have been swirled in misinformation perpetuated by anti-vaccine figures and organizations who question their efficacy and robust safety record. The shots have even been wrongly blamed for high-profile health events, like when LeBron “Bronny” James Jr. suffered a cardiac arrest during practice. While research has shown that a COVID-19 infection is linked to an increased risk in myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, how — and if — that translates to causation from vaccines has been widely taken out of context.

Read more at Salon.

Children’s MMR vaccine rate drops 2%, 250,000 kindergarteners vulnerable to measles: CDC

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National MMR coverage has dropped 2% from the 2019-2021 school year to the 2022-2023 school year, which means approximately 250,000 kindergartners are at risk for measles infection around the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 93.1% rate during the 2022–23 school is 2% lower than the 95% rate in the 2019-2020 school year and leaves measles coverage below the national target of 95% for the third consecutive year.

Doctors said this nationwide trend is a concerning backdrop to measles outbreaks in Florida and Philadelphia so far this year.

Read more at ABC.

What to Know About the HPV Vaccine and Cancer Prevention

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Nearly 20 years after the first vaccine against human papillomavirus became available, many eligible Americans still are not getting the shot — even though it provides powerful protection against the leading cause of cervical cancer and a strong risk factor for anal cancer.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, and while most infections are asymptomatic and clear up on their own within two years, a small number persist and can cause cancer. HPV causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer, and can also lead to penile, anal, oral, vulvar and vaginal cancers.

Read more at The New York Times.

Measles infections pose far more risks than most realize

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Erica Finkelstein-Parker planned her daughter’s 8th birthday party with love.

Because Emmalee adored airplanes, Finkelstein-Parker chose the theme “Flying High with Emmalee.” Finkelstein-Parker filled nearly two dozen brightly colored goody bags for Emmalee’s friends — one for every child in her class, so no one would feel left out.

Months later, the treat bags remained unopened in Finkelstein-Parker’s bedroom, reminders of a birthday party that was never held.

Read more at NBC.

Why It’s So Hard to Get Kids Vaccinated Against COVID-19

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When medical treatments or vaccines are hard to get, it’s usually because of too much demand and not enough supply. But in the case of COVID-19 vaccines for kids, it’s the other way around: low demand for the shot is tanking supply.

While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that anyone ages six months and older get vaccinated against COVID-19, parents are finding it hard to track down kid-sized doses. Usually, they would rely on their pediatricians for all childhood vaccines, but many are not stocking the latest COVID-19 shot.

Read more at Time.

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