Lower infant death rates
A global program, called the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), began in 1974. In a look back over the 50 years of the program, a modeling study estimated that more than 150 million lives were saved by immunizations during that period. According to the report, vaccines were directly responsible for a 40% decrease in infant deaths over the last 50 years.
We are living at a moment in history when some people are questioning the continued need for vaccines and suggesting that vaccines have replaced deadly diseases with chronic diseases. While these assertions about chronic diseases are incorrect, as demonstrated through numerous studies, it is worth considering that if we did not have vaccines as a tool to protect our babies, about 4 of every 10 children may not have survived infancy — and 4 of every 10 adults under 50 may not be here either.
WHO estimates rates of long COVID
According to a recent global update on long COVID, it was estimated that almost 410 million people were affected by lingering symptoms of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. This number, representing data through late 2023, indicated that about 6 or 7 of every 100 adults and about 1 of every 100 children are affected. These data were presented in late September 2024 during a meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), which advises the World Health Organization (WHO) on vaccines.
While the effects are variable across individuals, the report also described three “clusters” of symptoms:
- Persistent fatigue
- Cognitive issues
- Respiratory issues
Research related to individual experiences suggests that recovery rates are low, but vaccination appears to decrease the likelihood of experiencing lingering symptoms. Researchers continue to evaluate potential treatments and therapies for affected individuals.
Resistant bacteria, a concern in Ukraine
When we think about war, most of us don’t think about infectious diseases. Unfortunately, because pathogens are opportunistic, they will appear wherever the conditions make their survival easiest. War zones offer such conditions, particularly for bacteria when injured soldiers have open wounds and treatment occurs wherever it can be done. In many cases, medical professionals treating wounded soldiers in war zones give them lots of antibiotics in the hope of fending off infection at the site of a wound.
Even before the war with Russia, Ukraine was a place where antibiotics were not always used judiciously. The war has made the situation worse, and as a result, reports of extremely drug-resistant forms of bacteria are raising concerns.
While it may be easy to dismiss this as a far-away problem, the reality is that even in the U.S. people die from bacterial infections that are not treatable with any available antibiotic. Even more concerning, we may get to a time when these untreatable bacteria become the norm since they have an evolutionary survival advantage over the same type of bacteria that are susceptible to antibiotics. The idea that resistant bacteria become the norm is referred to by some as a “post-antibiotic era.” As such, prevention will become even more important.
Check out the article related to the situation in Ukraine.
Lower infant death rates
A global program, called the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), began in 1974. In a look back over the 50 years of the program, a modeling study estimated that more than 150 million lives were saved by immunizations during that period. According to the report, vaccines were directly responsible for a 40% decrease in infant deaths over the last 50 years.
We are living at a moment in history when some people are questioning the continued need for vaccines and suggesting that vaccines have replaced deadly diseases with chronic diseases. While these assertions about chronic diseases are incorrect, as demonstrated through numerous studies, it is worth considering that if we did not have vaccines as a tool to protect our babies, about 4 of every 10 children may not have survived infancy — and 4 of every 10 adults under 50 may not be here either.
WHO estimates rates of long COVID
According to a recent global update on long COVID, it was estimated that almost 410 million people were affected by lingering symptoms of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. This number, representing data through late 2023, indicated that about 6 or 7 of every 100 adults and about 1 of every 100 children are affected. These data were presented in late September 2024 during a meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), which advises the World Health Organization (WHO) on vaccines.
While the effects are variable across individuals, the report also described three “clusters” of symptoms:
- Persistent fatigue
- Cognitive issues
- Respiratory issues
Research related to individual experiences suggests that recovery rates are low, but vaccination appears to decrease the likelihood of experiencing lingering symptoms. Researchers continue to evaluate potential treatments and therapies for affected individuals.
Resistant bacteria, a concern in Ukraine
When we think about war, most of us don’t think about infectious diseases. Unfortunately, because pathogens are opportunistic, they will appear wherever the conditions make their survival easiest. War zones offer such conditions, particularly for bacteria when injured soldiers have open wounds and treatment occurs wherever it can be done. In many cases, medical professionals treating wounded soldiers in war zones give them lots of antibiotics in the hope of fending off infection at the site of a wound.
Even before the war with Russia, Ukraine was a place where antibiotics were not always used judiciously. The war has made the situation worse, and as a result, reports of extremely drug-resistant forms of bacteria are raising concerns.
While it may be easy to dismiss this as a far-away problem, the reality is that even in the U.S. people die from bacterial infections that are not treatable with any available antibiotic. Even more concerning, we may get to a time when these untreatable bacteria become the norm since they have an evolutionary survival advantage over the same type of bacteria that are susceptible to antibiotics. The idea that resistant bacteria become the norm is referred to by some as a “post-antibiotic era.” As such, prevention will become even more important.
Check out the article related to the situation in Ukraine.