What to know about the vaccines available this respiratory virus season | CNN Covid-19 levels in the United States are high and rising, flu season is approaching quickly and RSV cases are already starting to tick up. Deidre McPhillips CNN

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Scientists have warned that a “more contagious” variant of the Covid virus, dubbed XEC, is starting to spread more rapidly across Europe and could soon become the dominant strain.

“At this juncture, the XEC variant appears to be the most likely one to get legs next,” Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, said in a post on X on Sunday....

About half of Americans plan to skip COVID and flu shots. A doctor explains why that is "very concerning." It's critical to get COVID and flu vaccinations as we head into the fall and winter months, an infectious disease expert said. CBS News

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3 studies uncover flu, COVID vaccine reluctance, impact of mental illness on uptake Three new observational studies on influenza and COVID-19 vaccine uptake find that more than a third of US adults say they don't need any vaccines, 64% of French healthcare workers got the flu shot but not the COVID vaccine in 2022-2023, and psychiatric illness is tied to a significantly higher likelihood of receiving a flu vaccine but lower odds of getting a COVID vaccine. CIDRAP

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Thinking about fall vaccines? Doctors say there's no time like the present Your guide to what vaccines you should get and when to get them. PBS News

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Experts who spoke with PBS News say regular vaccination is one of the most important ways to protect yourself against respiratory diseases, including COVID, flu and RSV. Here’s what to know about the vaccinations they recommend adults and children prioritize getting this fall.

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Estimate: COVID vaccines saved up to 2.6 million lives in Latin America, Caribbean COVID-19 vaccines saved about 610,000 to 2.61 million lives in 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in the first 1.5 years of vaccine availability, estimate researchers from Yale University, Brazil, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). CIDRAP

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Mpox And Cholera Outbreaks Underscore Importance Of Gavi’s African Vaccine Initiative - But Can It Ensure Equity? - Health Policy Watch Back in June, the vaccine platform, Gavi, launched the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), together with the African Union and Africa Centres Health Policy Watch

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First on CNN: US faces maternity care crisis, with 1 in 3 counties lacking obstetric doctors to provide care, report warns | CNN The United States is facing an ongoing maternity health crisis in which 1 in every 3 counties does not have a single obstetric clinician, affecting women’s access to care, according to a new report. Jacqueline Howard CNN

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Corruption review finds 'red flags' in more than 130 Covid contracts An anti-corruption charity finds significant concerns in £15.3bn worth of contracts awarded during the pandemic. BBC News

An anti-corruption charity says it has identified significant concerns in contracts worth over £15.3bn awarded by the Conservative government during the Covid pandemic, equivalent to one in every £3 spent.

Transparency International UK found 135 “high-risk” contracts with at least three red flags - warning signs of a risk of corruption.

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Teen brains 'aged' during Covid lockdowns, new research suggests Brain scans show that girls were especially affected by the loss of social interaction. NBC News

Covid lockdowns, such as school closures, canceled sports activities and stay-at-home orders, prematurely aged teen brains by as much as four years, researchers from the University of Washington found.