Study: Highlighting harms of skipping COVID vaccines more effective than promoting benefits In the personal-benefit group, 65.5% said they will likely get vaccinated. CIDRAP

A new study in the Journal of Public Health suggests that it is more effective to emphasize the harms that come from not getting vaccinated rather than emphasizing the benefits of vaccination at the individual or community level.

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Analysis: Journalists often didn't communicate uncertainty of evidence on unproven COVID drugs Scientific evidence of the efficacy of the unproven COVID-19 therapies hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, and convalescent plasma was often presented in US news stories in the first months of the pandemic, but scientific uncertainty was commonly omitted and only rarely appeared in headlines or ledes, with possible implications for public health, researchers reported yesterday in JMIR Infodemiology. CIDRAP

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U.S. COVID update (September 1): Deaths remain above 1,000 The COVID summer wave in the U.S. continued this week with nearly 178,000 new cases, along with more than 1,000 new deaths for the third week in a row, according to figures collected by BNO News. Cases however appear to be at or near a peak in most areas. At least 177,573 new cases were reported between August […] BNO News BNO News

The COVID summer wave in the U.S. continued this week with nearly 178,000 new cases, along with more than 1,000 new deaths for the third week in a row, according to figures collected by BNO News. Cases however appear to be at or near a peak in most areas.

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COVID map update shows states with highest US rates While cases have steadily declined in some states, other areas are seeing a steady rise in infections. Newsweek

New data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that the highest rates of infection are found in nine Southern and Central, with nearly 1 in 5 COVID tests coming out positive in these regions. However, the most significant rise in infections has been seen in the Northeast.

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ALSO SEE: COVID still on the rise in parts of US

FDA authorizes Novavax's updated COVID vaccine targeting JN.1 strain

Aug 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday granted emergency use authorization for an updated version of Novavax's (NVAX.O)

Mosquito-borne illnesses are rising: Here's how to protect yourself Mosquitos love heat. And as summers get warmer, mosquito-borne illnesses are rising, in the U.S., Europe, and South and Central America. Here are some tips to protect yourself. NPR

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Here’s what you need to know about protecting yourself from a potentially infectious mosquito bite.

Summer COVID surge shows we may have to return to 2020 pandemic measures As the summer of 2024 draws to a close, the United States finds itself once again grappling with a surge in COVID-19 infections. ckulat The Hill

... where do we realistically go from here, given that it is clear that COVD-19 is far from over? While much progress has been made in terms of vaccination and treatment, the current surge is a stark reminder that complacency is not an option. The road ahead will require a renewed commitment to public health, both from government leaders and from individuals.

Nigeria receives 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines from US

ABUJA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Nigeria has received 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the first batch of the vaccine to reach the country which has confirmed 40 cases with no fatalities so far.

ALSO SEE: Africa's mpox response is less than 10% funded, says Africa CDC

‘Most people are confused’: What to know about the latest Covid shot While the risk of hospitalization and death is nowhere near what it was in 2021, there is still a danger, particularly for the elderly or those with compromised immune systems. POLITICO

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“One of the challenges of today is just that people aren’t going to get vaccinated,” said Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist and director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. “Most people are confused. They don’t really understand what’s happening or what the risk to them is,” when it comes to Covid.

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EEE, West Nile, malaria: Know the difference between these mosquito-borne diseases Diseases spread by mosquitoes are in the spotlight again because of recent U.S. illnesses. People in some areas of Massachusetts have been warned to stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active after a rare case of eastern equine encephalitis was discovered. AP News

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