Cancer rates have fallen by as much as 33% in the U.S. over the last three decades, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society. 

The report credited the decline in cancer cases to improvements in cancer treatment, early detection strategies and a drop-off in smoking. It highlighted one measure in particular that has been hugely effective in combating cervical cancer, especially—namely, the human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine. 

It’s been long-known that HPV, which is the most common sexually transmitted infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can cause a range of cancers. Since becoming available in 2007, the HPV vaccine has been shown to provide almost 100% protection against several high-risk strains of HPV. Specifically, the report noted that cervical cancer is down about 65% in women in their 20s from 2012 to 2019—a testament to the efficacy of the HPV vaccine.

Read more at Northeastern Global News.

I keep getting into debates with people about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. I’m not talking about anti-vaxxers (though I’ve encountered plenty of them), but level-headed, rational people who genuinely have doubts.

Usually their doubts about vaccines come from dubious sources, but there’s so much misinformation out there, often coming from people with the letters M.D. or Ph.D. after their names, that I can understand why it’s confusing.

So let me engage in what is sometimes called “both-sides-ism” (a disparaging term, of course) and consider, briefly, the pluses and minuses of vaccines. While I’m at it, I’ll include some points specific to the Covid-19 vaccines.

Read more at Forbes.

A case of measles has been confirmed in Kentucky, according to state, although the specific location is unknown.

In a release from the Louisville Department of Public Health and Wellness, the case is connected to an outbreak in Columbus, Ohio, where 85 children got sick. The outbreak in Columbus started in October.  

Currently, there are no confirmed cases in Jefferson County. 

Measles can be very dangerous to babies and children. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose or red and watery eyes. Children can also suffer complications from measles including pneumonia and encephalitis. 

Read more at WDRB.

The global network led by the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute (OMPHI) at the University of Oxford has today published, in the Lancet, the results of the ‘2022 INTERCOVID Study’ conducted in 41 hospitals across 18 countries.

To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 Omicron variant on maternal and neonatal outcomes the researchers studied 1,545 pregnant women diagnosed with the variant and 3,073 non-diagnosed, concomitant pregnant women as controls. The study was conducted between 27 November, 2021, and 30 June, 2022, during which time Omicron was the variant of concern. Vaccine effectiveness against the variant was also assessed.

Read more at News Medical.

The Covid vaccine is here to stay after a development process that broke the record books at both Moderna and Pfizer, but a new golden age ofvaccines may only be at its beginning.

Both companies have released results from RSV vaccine trials with efficacy results strong enough to expect expedited approval from the FDA. The latest was Moderna, which on Tuesday night share results from its RSV vaccine trial of over 37,000 individuals in 22 countries, effective at preventing lower respiratory tract disease.

Pfizer, whose RSV vaccine is focused on pregnant women able to transfer the antibodies to the fetus and offer protection for the first six months of life, previously released efficacy results of approximately 82% for the first 90 days of a child’s life.

Read more at CNBC.

Vaccine rates for measles, polio, diphtheria and other diseases are decreasing among US children, according to a new study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rate of immunizations for required vaccines among kindergarten students declined from 95% to approximately 94% during the 2020-21 school year. It dropped further — to 93% — in the 2021-22 school year.

That’s still a high number, so why is this drop in immunization significant? What accounts for the decline? What might be the consequences if these numbers drop further? If parents are unsure about vaccinating their kids, what should they do? And what can be done on a policy level to increase immunization numbers?

Read more at CNN.

Effective now, parents of elementary school-aged children can expect a text message from the Colorado health department if their kids are due for COVID vaccine.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced Friday it would be texting and emailing parents of kids 5-11 years old.

“While children are at a lower risk of severe COVID-19, they can still get sick and have serious and long-lasting symptoms,” CDPHE said in news release. “The COVID-19 vaccine is the protection against severe infection and can help children stay healthy while protecting their loved ones and communities. COVID-19 vaccines are free. Parents and guardians are entitled to paid time off from work while they take their children to get vaccinated.

Read more at KKTV.

Immunization rates for measles, polio and other diseases once again dropped among kindergartners last school year, a trend public health officials warn puts kids at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases. 

About 93% of kindergartners during the 2021-22 school year completed vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella; diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; polio; and chickenpox. The coverage dropped nearly 1% from 2020-21 and about 2% from the year before the COVID-19 pandemic started, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released Thursday.

The study did not track the number of kids who received COVID-19 vaccines or boosters. 

Public health officials said the report showed school-age vaccination rates worsened during the pandemic as families missed doctor’s visits and school routines were disrupted. But another CDC study, also released Thursday, reported vaccination rates among 2-year-olds were similar to pre-pandemic levels

Read more at USA Today.

State and federal health officials are frustrated that thousands of seniors have landed in the hospital with Covid-19 since the holidays — despite the widespread availability of a vaccine designed to prevent exactly that.

Less than 40 percent of people over 65 have taken the updated booster shot that became available in the fall, according to the CDC, leaving millions with little protection against the latest strain sweeping the U.S.

The paltry uptake among seniors, who remain most at risk of dying from the virus, underscores the Biden administration’s challenge of beating back a third winter wave when so many Americans are either unaware or uninterested in another shot.

Read more at Politico.

There’s been a lot of talk about kids’ vaccines these past couple of years. While many of those conversations not surprisingly surrounded the new COVID-19 vaccines, it’s important to remember all of the other recommended immunizations for children from birth through adolescence. It’s a lot to keep track of, though, and with everything else you’re juggling — hello, mental workload of motherhood — it’s possible to fall behind schedule or occasionally miss an immunization appointment. So, how bad is that, really? Does the standard pediatric vaccine schedule leave any wiggle room for catching up? Fortunately, staying up-to-date doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it may seem.

Immunizations like those that can prevent measles have been studied for decades, and carefully planned schedules have been created to lower children’s risks of infection. Pediatricians around the globe agree — including those we spoke to recently, who shared their advice on the importance of immunization schedules and what to do if you miss a vaccine appointment.

Read more at Scary Mommy.