COVID vaccine efficacy against severe illness just under 50%, per early estimates from 2023 Two European observational studies estimate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccine approved in fall 2023 against hospitalization, the first one finding 49% overall VE in adults, and one showing good protection—but uneven uptake—among pregnant women. CIDRAP

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Harris-Walz Ticket Sharpens Contrast With Trump-Vance on Health Care - KFF Health News As Democrats convene in Chicago to make official their presidential and vice presidential nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz together are raising the prominence of health care as a 2024 election issue. paulavirna KFF Health News

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COVID-related loss of smell tied to changes in the brain A new study of 73 adults recovering from COVID-19 finds that those who lost their sense of smell showed behavioral, functional, and structural brain changes. CIDRAP

..."Given the significant global incidence of COVID-19, identifying factors that can distinguish individuals at risk of developing brain alterations is crucial for prioritizing follow-up care," the study authors wrote. 

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Congo gives update on mpox vaccine amid global emergency The Congo's health minister announced the country will soon receive its first batch of mpox vaccines. Newsweek

The Congo is set to receive its first batch of vaccine doses from the United States to combat the ongoing mpox outbreak next week, the country's health minister said in a press conference on Monday.

U.S. Health and Human Services launches awareness campaign on viruses, vaccines - UPI.com Health and Human Services announced a national campaign on Monday to increase public awareness of common respiratory viruses and available vaccines. UPI

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Now that mpox is a global health emergency, will it trigger another pandemic? The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing outbreaks of mpox in Congo and elsewhere in Africa to be a global emergency, requiring urgent action to curb the virus’ transmission. AP News

Is mpox going to trigger another pandemic:

That seems highly unlikely. Pandemics, including the most recent ones of swine flu and COVID-19, are typically sparked by airborne viruses that spread quickly, including by people who may not be showing symptoms.

COVID activity shows signs of slowing in parts of US Wastewater levels are at the very high level nationally, but show downward trends in the South and Midwest. CIDRAP

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Nationally, wastewater detections of SARS-CoV-2 are at the very high level for the second straight week. The highest levels are still in the West and South, followed by the Midwest and the Northeast. The CDC's latest update, however, shows downward trends from high levels in the South and Midwest.

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ALSO SEE: https://thehill.com/homenews/4832099-covid-19-summer-surge-us/

Antiviral used for mpox no better than placebo, NIH says Just as mpox is declared a global health emergency, the antiviral tecovirimat is found to be no better than placebo against it. Jason Mast STAT

The National Institutes of Health said Thursday that an antiviral often used to treat mpox did not resolve patients’ symptoms faster than placebo in a randomized trial.

The results are notable because the drug, tecovirimat, has rarely been studied clinically for mpox, despite its wide use during the 2022 and 2023 outbreaks in the U.S. and Europe.

IFRC says shortage of testing, vaccines hampers mpox response in Africa | Reuters

Socioeconomic disadvantage magnifies COVID-19 effects, slows recovery, data suggest Recovery from COVID-19 takes longer, and infection has a greater effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), among socioeconomically disadvantaged patients, suggests an observational study published in BMC Infectious Diseases. CIDRAP

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