Those Nerdy Girls will answer questions about long COVID, outdoor transmission, rapid antigen testing, and more. Featuring: Amanda Simanek, PhD, MPH, DP Founding Member Chana Davis, PhD – DP Contributing Writer ➡️ Welcome, Intros, and chit chat (0:00-0:53) ➡️ Should I vaccinate my child against COVID-19? (0:54-3:39) Check out this link to the live Q&A Read more…
An investigation is underway of a possible poliovirus outbreak in London. The threat to public health is very low, but this is a good time to make sure you’re up-to-date on polio vaccines! Many kids have fallen behind on the vaccine schedule during the past 2+ years. In the UK, babies get vaccinated for poliovirus Read more…
New data point toward yes! We already knew that moms vaccinated during pregnancy pass on anti-spike protein antibodies to their unborn babies that last up to 6 months after birth, and that these antibodies are found in breast milk as well. We also know that vaccinated moms pass on higher amounts of antibodies than moms Read more…
Q&A Special: COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids Under 5 Featuring: Dr. Malia Jones of Dear Pandemic And Dr. Katelyn Jetelina of Your Local Epidemiologist
Two vaccines were authorized for children in the 6 months-5 years age group on the same day, leaving many parents wondering which is best. Each has its pros and cons. The bottom line: if low side effects is your priority and you don’t mind three visits to the clinic over the course of three months, Read more…
A fourth vaccine against COVID-19 may be authorized in the near future in the US. Meet: Novavax! What is Novavax? Novavax is a little different than the other COVID-19 vaccines available in the US. The SARS-CoV2 spike protein is the little piece of the virus that allows it to enter cells where it can make Read more…
What are the health impacts of COVID-19 on young children? How does the burden of COVID-19 compare to other vaccine-preventable diseases? COVID-19 is usually mild and short-lived in young kids. Yet, a small fraction of cases result in severe outcomes like Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, long-term symptoms, or even death. These tragedies strike children with and Read more…
With COVID-19 vaccines for kids down to 6 months becoming available this week in the U.S., our Nerdy friend Dr. Katelyn Jetelina of Your Local Epidemiologist makes the strong case for vaccinating your kids, *even* if they’ve already been infected. TL;DR: ➡️ Kids ARE at risk from COVID. Thankfully kids die less often of almost Read more…
BREAKING NEWS: The Vaccine and Other Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), an FDA advisory committee, met over the last two days to discuss data for COVID-19 vaccines in children under 5 years of age (among other topics). Here are the big takeaways!!! The committee voted unanimously that the benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Read more…
💥 In a press release earlier this week, Moderna shared a first peek at the safety and performance of their updated Omicron-inspired “bivalent” COVID-19 vaccine. The results are encouraging, and suggest that the newer jab may provide both stronger and longer lasting protection. CEO Stéphane Bancel stated that this updated vaccine is now their lead Read more…
This is part 2 in a series by Dr. Kristen Panthangani of You Can Know Things covering the story of the COVID vaccines in the US, looking back at how well they have worked and why the communication around them has been confusing. It was late November 2020, and we were just about to start Read more…
Live COVID Q&A with Those Nerdy Girls of Dear Pandemic Those Nerdy Girls answer your latest questions about COVID and beyond. This month’s topics include: * Monkeypox * Shingles & the shingles vaccine * The SIDS study that went viral * Variant-specific COVID vaccines There’s also a speed round with quick answers to common questions Read more…
Earlier this year, Moderna started a small human trial of a vaccine against HIV infection using the same mRNA technology that led to the success and rapid availability of COVID-19 vaccines. They expect to have safety data (and some hints about effectiveness) in 2023. mRNA technology has been in development for decades, and we can Read more…
The recent guidance from the CDC is straightforward: Anyone 5 or older should receive a booster 5 months after their last dose. People over the age of 50 and children 12 or older who are immunocompromised are eligible for a second booster 4 months after their last dose. Here are answers to a few more Read more…
Confused about vaccines? This is the first post in the series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things covering the story of the COVID vaccines: The COVID vaccines are undoubtedly among the most impressive medical feats in history. One model estimated they have saved millions of lives in the United States alone. As Read more…
TL; DR: Everyone aged 5+ years *should* get their *first* booster dose 5 months after their primary series and everyone aged 50+ years or aged 12+ years with a weakened immune system *should* get a *second* booster dose 4 months after their first booster dose. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted authorization for a Read more…
