Vaccines - GHealth News

Nov122021 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

University of Oxford starts new Ebola vaccine trials

Vaccines

Clinical trials have begun for a new Ebola vaccine developed by the University of Oxford. The jab has been designed to tackle the Zaire and Sudan types of Ebola, which together have caused nearly all Ebola outbreaks and deaths worldwide. The University of Oxford has launched phase one of its trials, testing the vaccine in human volunteers. Ebola vaccines exist for the Zaire species but Oxford researchers hope the new jab will have a wider reach. Teresa Lambe, lead scientific investigator at the University of Oxford, said: "Sporadic Ebolavirus outbreaks still occur in affected countries, putting the lives of individuals, especially frontline health workers, at risk. We need more vaccines to tackle this devastating disease." There are four species of Ebola virus that have been...

Sep12021 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Why Is It Taking So Long to Get a Covid Vaccine for Kids?

COVID19, Vaccines

By: Tara Parker-Pope As kids around the country head back to school, there has been disappointing news this week for parents of children under 12. While many health experts had hoped for an early fall approval of a vaccine for young children, two of the nation’s top public health officials said it’s not going to happen. “I’ve got to be honest, I don’t see the approval for kids 5 to 11 coming much before the end of 2021,” said Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, on the NPR program “Morning Edition.” Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, offered a slightly more hopeful timeline. He told the “Today Show” on NBC that there was a “reasonable chance” that Covid-19 shots would be available to children under 12 by mid- to ...

Jul142021 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

FDA adds warning about rare reaction to J&J COVID-19 vaccine

COVID19, Vaccines

U.S. regulators on Monday added a new warning to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine about links to a rare and potentially dangerous neurological reaction, but said it’s not entirely clear the shot caused the problem. The Food and Drug Administration announced the new warning, flagging reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome, an immune system disorder that can cause muscle weakness and occasionally paralysis. Health officials described the side effect as a “small possible risk” for those getting the shot. The action comes after the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed reports of about 100 people developing the syndrome after receiving the one-dose vaccine. Almost all of were hospitalized and one person died, the FDA said. Guillain-Barre syndrome occurs w...

Jan82021 by GHealth News1 Comment

WHO issues its first emergency use validation for a COVID-19 vaccine and emphasizes need for equitable global access

COVID19, Vaccines

The World Health Organization (WHO) today listed the Comirnaty COVID-19 mRNA vaccine for emergency use, making the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine the first to receive emergency validation from WHO since the outbreak began a year ago. The WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL) opens the door for countries to expedite their own regulatory approval processes to import and administer the vaccine. It also enables UNICEF and the Pan-American Health Organization to procure the vaccine for distribution to countries in need. “This is a very positive step towards ensuring global access to COVID-19 vaccines. But I want to emphasize the need for an even greater global effort to achieve enough vaccine supply to meet the needs of priority populations everywhere,” said Dr Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant-Dire...