Zika virus vaccine
The first experimental Zika virus vaccine has been published, and in this episode of Virus Watch, I explain how it works – it’s a DNA vaccine – and I compare it with all the other vaccines out there.
immunization
New Yorkers like their science from scientists
I cannot pass up the opportunity to point out this wonderful quote by Ginia Ballafante in her NY Times piece, Fear of Vaccines Goes Viral. The article starts by noting an article on plummeting vaccination rates in Los Angeles: The piece had the virtue of offering New Yorkers yet another opportunity to feel smugly superior to …
Petition to ban intelligence involvement in public health campaigns
A petition has been created which asks the Obama Administration to ban intelligence involvement in public health campaigns: We petition President Obama to amend Executive Order 12333, adding a paragraph after the prohibition on covert action related to US domestic politics. The amendment should ban persons in the intelligence community or acting on their behalf …
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Can India remain polio-free?
India has been free of polio for over one year. This is a remarkable accomplishment, considering that just 30 years ago the country recorded 200,000 cases of the disease annually, or one every three minutes. With polio endemic in two neighboring countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and in the more distant Nigeria (figure), can India remain …
Are you receiving the influenza 2009 H1N1 vaccine?
All the evidence I’ve seen so far points to a poor uptake of the influenza 2009 H1N1 vaccine in the United States. This is not good news – inadequate immunization means more infections and more deaths. A few weeks ago I asked a class of about 50 students in a course on Emerging Infections whether …
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Seasonal influenza vaccine
Here at Columbia University Medical Center, all employees and students may receive, at no charge, influenza vaccine every year. I just went to the lobby of the Milstein Hospital, showed my ID, and received the seasonal influenza vaccine. Here is the proof: As I’ve written before, vaccine records provide interesting information. The medical center administration …