Massachusetts Health Care Workers Refusing Free Flu Shots
Story Highlights Hundreds of health care workers in Massachusetts are declining the annual flu shot. Health care worker flu shot requirements vary from state to state. A recent study questions the scientific validity of mandating annual influenza vaccinations for hospital workers. Hundreds of health care workers in Massachusetts, including those in nursing homes and kidney […]
Samoa Measles Emergency Extended
On Dec. 20, 2019, the government of Samoa announced that 94 percent of the island nation’s population of about 200,000 people had been vaccinated against measles as part of a government-led mandatory, mass vaccination campaign. As of Dec. 20, the Samoan Ministry of Health (MOH) had confirmed 5,463 reported cases with 1,762 hospitalizations and 78 […]
Fluzone Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine Approved by FDA for Elderly
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental Biologics License Application (BLA) for the Fluzone high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine for use by adults 65 years of age and older. Fluzone is manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur, Inc. of France.1 2 The Fluzone high-dose influenza vaccine was approved by the FDA in 2009 as […]
American Academy of Neurology Recommends Routine Vaccination for MS Patients
New guidelines released by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) recommend that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) should get routine vaccinations, including annual influenza vaccinations. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that can affect a person’s brain, optic nerves and spinal cord. Patients with MS often experience muscle weakness and have difficulty with balance and […]
Experimental Oral Rabies Vaccines Will Target Wildlife in Nine States
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Services (WS) is conducting a rabies control program using an experimental oral rabies vaccine (ORV) to try to stop the spread of rabies among wildlife populations. The USDA is set to use baited traps on the ground or planes to spray wildlife with the experimental oral rabies vaccine, […]
Harris Poll: 45 Percent of Americans Doubt Vaccines are Safe
A new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) revealed that 45 percent of Americans have doubts about vaccination. The survey, which was given to more than 2,000 adults, asked two questions. Respondents were asked questions about their views on vaccination and, if they had concerns, what kind […]