#MMWR Booster

[broadlyepi]

MMWR Booster for: Federal Retail Pharmacy Program Contributions to Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccinations Across Sociodemographic Characteristics — United States, September 1, 2022–September 30, 2023 / Weekly / April 4, 2024 / 73(13);286–290

Top 5 Takeaways

Significant Contribution by FRPP: The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program (FRPP) partners administered 67.7% of the 59.8 million COVID-19 bivalent vaccine doses in the U.S. during the study period.

Variation Across Age Groups: The highest uptake of bivalent vaccine doses administered by FRPP partners was observed among adults aged 18–49 years (70.6%), while the lowest was among children aged 6 months–4 years (5.9%).

Equitable Access Across Racial and Ethnic Groups: FRPP partners administered a significant portion of bivalent doses to racial and ethnic minority groups, demonstrating a key role in ensuring equitable vaccine access.

Urban vs. Rural Distribution: FRPP partners administered a higher proportion of bivalent doses in urban areas (81.6%) compared to rural areas (60.0%), highlighting differences in pharmacy accessibility.

Potential Model for Future Public Health Responses: The success of the FRPP in administering bivalent COVID-19 vaccine doses suggests it could serve as a model for future vaccine-preventable disease responses.

Original Article Author and Citation

Corresponding Author

Roua El Kalach, PharmD, qld9@cdc.gov

Suggested Citation

El Kalach R, Jones-Jack N, Elam MA, et al. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program Contributions to Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccinations Across Sociodemographic Characteristics — United States, September 1, 2022–September 30, 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:286–290. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7313a2.

Summary

This study evaluates the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program's contribution to administering COVID-19 bivalent mRNA vaccine doses across various sociodemographic groups in the U.S. from September 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. It found that 67.7% of the total 59.8 million doses were administered by FRPP partners, with significant variations across age groups, and equitable access across racial and ethnic groups.

Methods

The analysis utilized two data sources: FRPP bivalent dose administration data reported directly to CDC and all-provider data on bivalent vaccine dose administration reported to CDC by each jurisdiction. It examined the proportion of doses administered by FRPP partners across different age cohorts, sexes, racial and ethnic groups, and urban-rural classifications.

Discussion

The FRPP's substantial role in administering bivalent doses indicates its effectiveness in making COVID-19 vaccines accessible across the U.S. Differences in vaccine uptake among different demographic groups highlight areas for further investigation and potential improvement in public health strategies.

Conclusion

The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program has been crucial in ensuring access to bivalent COVID-19 vaccinations across the U.S., demonstrating the potential for pharmacies to play a key role in future public health responses. Further strategies are needed to improve data collection and reporting, especially in pharmacy settings, to guide public health practices effectively.

This has been your booster shot of MMWR Info! Please check back for more MMWR, Public Health, and Programming Tutorial content daily.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive (Daily updates!)

By Stephanie Soucheray, MA

During the 2023-24 cold and flu season, healthcare workers, including nursing home personnel and staff, had low uptake of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and seasonal flu vaccines, despite a consistent recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to stay up to date on those vaccines.

The findings, published yesterday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, showed regional differences in uptake.

The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) tracks vaccination among healthcare workers in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. From October 2023 to March 2024, NHSN defined up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination as receipt of a 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, and up-to-date seasonal flu vaccine with that season's immunization.

Among approximately 8.8 million healthcare personnel working in more than 4,000 acute care hospitals, flu vaccine coverage was 80.7%. Among approximately 2.1 million healthcare personnel working in 14,294 nursing homes, flu vaccine coverage was 45.4%.

COVID vaccine uptake lower than for flu COVID vaccine uptake was much lower. Among the employees working in acute care hospitals, only 15.3% were vaccinated. The percentage was even lower in nursing homes, at 10.5% overall.

Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines was highest in the Pacific region for both acute care hospital staff and nursing home staff. Uptake was lowest in Mountain and Southern states, the authors said.

For the flu vaccine, uptake was highest in the Mountain region (84.5%) and lowest in the Pacific region (74.3%) for acute care hospitals. Vaccination coverage was highest in the Northeast region (58.6%) and lowest in the South region (38.1%) for nursing homes.

The authors said uptake in COVID-19 vaccines decreased sharply from the previous year.

"Coverage with COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare personnel in nursing homes decreased from 22.8% during the 2022–23 respiratory virus season to 10.5% during the 2023–24 respiratory virus season," they wrote. "Like findings in previous studies, the current findings highlight the need to further investigate barriers to vaccination among health care personnel and identify additional strategies to address these challenges.

Study link: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7343a2.htm

[lavender-resonance]

Debunking Tetanus

Tetanus is one of the most misunderstood diseases, largely due to misinformation and fear-based narratives. Let’s break down the myths and uncover the truth about tetanus, its transmission, and the effectiveness of the vaccine.

1. Tetanus Is Extremely Rare

Tetanus is caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium tetani, a bacterium found primarily in animal feces and manure-treated soil. Despite the fear surrounding it, tetanus is rare, with only about 30 cases per year in the U.S., resulting in approximately seven deaths annually.

Historically, World War I and II saw the highest cases due to poor sanitation and wound care. Today, most cases occur in IV drug users with unclean needle use—not from minor cuts or rusty nails.

2. Tetanus Toxin Dies with Oxygen

A common misconception is that tetanus thrives in rust. In reality, Clostridium tetani is anaerobic, meaning it cannot survive in oxygen-rich environments. This means:

Rusty nails do not cause tetanus—this was a fear tactic promoted by pharmaceutical companies.

Proper wound care is the key to prevention—allowing wounds to bleed and cleaning them thoroughly prevents infection.

If tetanus exposure is suspected, the best course of action is immunoglobulin therapy, which neutralizes the toxin immediately.

3. The Tetanus Vaccine Is Useless in Emergencies

The tetanus vaccine does not provide immediate protection—it takes weeks for antibodies to form. Injecting the vaccine after an injury does nothing to stop tetanus and only burdens the body unnecessarily. The only effective emergency treatment is tetanus immunoglobulin (TIG), which should be given immediately if a high-risk exposure occurs.

4. The Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Vaccine Fails Repeatedly

While discussing the TDAP vaccine, it’s important to address pertussis (whooping cough), which is included in the shot. Outbreaks almost exclusively occur in vaccinated populations. Hospitals often misdiagnose vaccinated children with "croup" instead of testing for pertussis, further masking the vaccine's failure.

Children receive five doses of TDAP by age six and a booster before 7th grade.

Despite this, pertussis outbreaks still happen almost yearly.

Instead of questioning vaccine efficacy, the blame is shifted to unvaccinated pregnant women and the "solution" is always more booster shots.

Final Thoughts

The fear-based narratives surrounding tetanus and pertussis serve pharmaceutical interests rather than public health. Tetanus is preventable through proper wound care and, if necessary, immunoglobulin therapy, not repeated vaccinations. Meanwhile, pertussis outbreaks among the vaccinated raise serious concerns that remain ignored.

It’s time to question the narrative, examine the facts, and prioritize real science over fear-driven propaganda.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/tetanus/hcp/clinical-guidance/index.html?utm

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5706.pdf?utm

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/rr/rr6702a1.htm?utm

[longwindedbore]

Cold hard facts about Covid

‘Overall mortality rates among unvaccinated persons were 14.1 times the rates among bivalent vaccine recipients; mortality rates among monovalent-only vaccine recipients were 2.6 times the rates among bivalent vaccine recipients’ {1}

‘The 65 and older age group also constituted 61% of intensive care unit admissions and nearly 90% of COVID-19-related deaths.’ {2}

‘Despite their higher risk, federal data show only about 43% of adults aged 65 and older received the previous bivalent booster shot which was available from September 2022 to May of this year. Among those hospitalized, 16% had not received any COVID-19 vaccination at all.’ {2}

======================================

Maybe it’s all the lead from car exhausts and factory smoke stacks we boomers inhaled for three decades. As well as the lead in the yellow paint on the pencils we chewed like beavers in school.

Or maybe it’s a streak of ornery contentiousness in rural/suburban AmeriKKKa. Our small town doctor quietly coming to our home to inoculate me and my brother with the polio vaccine?

‘anti-vaccination movements had gained momentum in the early 20th century, questioning "the state's authority to require parents to get their children vaccinated, on the grounds that that is authoritarianism." {3}

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

{1} ——-https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7206a3.htm

{2}——-https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/dying-covid-now-new-study-shows-who-s-highest-18409105.php

{3}———https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-june-9-2020-1.5604421/polio-vaccine-set-off-wave-of-relief-and-a-wave-of-resistance-covid-19-era-may-be-similar-says-jill-lepore-1.5604925

[reportwire]

Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid, and Acellular Pertussis Vaccines: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2019

Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid, and Acellular Pertussis Vaccines: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2019

Summary of Key Findings Safety and immunogenicity. Two clinical trials found no increased risk for adverse events among adults who received Tdap, compared with those who received Td 10 years after receipt of the initial Tdap dose (30,31). In addition, the proportion of persons with seroprotective levels of antibodies to tetanus and diphtheria was similar in the Tdap and Td groups. Another…

[ghostofasecretary]

Based on the information I was able to find it is possible that ACIP will restrict recommending updated vaccines for those 65+, but 75+ seems to be an off the cuff comment from Dr. Paul Offit, not from the CDC. Here is the current ACIP Interim Recommendation that will presumably be voted on September 12th: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7224a3.htm. The quote in many of these Tweets is from a PBS article (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/your-fall-guide-to-covid-rsv-and-flu-vaccines) and it is indirectly quoting FDA Vaccine Advisor Dr. Paul Offit. This article from fiercehealthcare.com contains more information about Dr. Offit and recent discussions, which indicate that the idea is to shift from boosters to a single “harmonized” bivalent vaccine given yearly to most individuals, with boosters available for vulnerable groups. Here is a 27 minute conversation with him held in early February of this year. In the first few minutes, he states that Covid-19 will be with us for a very long time; that he believes it is important to target intense interventions towards the most vulnerable members of our population; and that the main benefit of vaccination here is to prevent severe disease. He does not believe Covid is over, and he seems to think one vaccine will have higher uptake than previous vaccine recommendations. The comment due date is September 8th. The comments I read earlier today were wild. They ranged from the charmingly brief asshole who took time out of their day to write just “I will not comply;” to people talking about vaccine harm (arguing both for and against the current recommendations, depending on the person writing); to people like us who would like more vaccinations rather than fewer. I think it’s worthwhile for those of us who are still concerned about Covid-19 to comment, and that we do it off of more information than one quote from a PBS article.

The CDC is trying to limit the new COVID booster to only people 75+, pregnant people, and the immunocompromised.

We have two days (as of September 6th, 2023) to let them know this isn't acceptable.

Direct link to the page to submit your comments: click here!

Please, PLEASE fill this out and boost this post!

[rnewspost]

Bivalent booster recipients show slightly higher protection against infection and significantly higher protection against death than monovalent booster recipients

In a recent report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), researchers reported on the immune protection conferred by monovalent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and bivalent booster doses. Study: COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality Among Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Persons Aged ≥12 Years by Receipt of…

[health28]

Serious health events rare in children after COVID-19 vaccine booster, says CDC study

Serious health events rare in children after COVID-19 vaccine booster, says CDC study

In a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published on the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC) website, researchers published the effects of a homologous booster dose of the BNT162b2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in children aged five to 11 years. Study: Safety Monitoring of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses Among Children…

[broadlyepi]

MMWR Booster #10: Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Coinfection and Clinical Characteristics Among Children and Adolescents Aged <18 Years Who Were Hospitalized or Died with Influenza — United States, 2021–22 Influenza Season

Top 5 Takeaways

6% of pediatric influenza hospitalizations had concurrent SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) coinfection during the 2021–22 influenza season.

Coinfected patients exhibited a higher need for respiratory support (invasive or noninvasive) compared to those with influenza only.

Among pediatric deaths linked to influenza, 16% had SARS-CoV-2 coinfection; vaccination and antiviral use were notably low in these cases.

Data from the CDC's surveillance networks highlighted the importance of dual-testing for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms.

The report underscores the need for preventive strategies like vaccinations and mask use during high respiratory virus circulation periods.

link: BroadlyEpi.com

Enjoying these summaries? Check back every day at 8am and 4pm Pacific Time (UTC - 8) for a new MMWR Booster. A reblog would also be greatly appreciated, and thanks to everyone who already has! BroadlyEpi hopes to make Epidemiology and Public Health more approachable to anyone who's interested.

[cultistsonly]

I agree with the sentiment of this post but I did some further digging and it’s not quite accurate.

Here is the actual study the misquoted “75% of people who die of COVID have 4+ comorbidities” statistic comes from: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/pdfs/mm7101a4-H.pdf

Important notes:

- The study’s sample was 1.2 million vaccinated people. Over the course of the study 36 died of Covid-19 and 28 of those people had four or more of the comorbidities.

- the above list of comorbidities was not the one the study was using. Their list only included the factors most closely linked to Covid-19 deaths. (For the record, I still fall into one of these groups.)

- the conclusion argues for more care and assistance for people who are at higher risk. Here is a summary pulled straight from the article:

“Summary

What is already known about this topic?

COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against COVID-19-associted hospitalization and death.

What is added by this report?

Among 1,228,664 persons who completed primary vaccination during December 2020-October 2021, severe COVID-19-associated outcomes (0.015%) or death (0.0033%) were rare. Risk factors for severe outcomes included age ≥65 years, immunosuppressed, and six other underlying conditions. All persons with severe outcomes had at least one risk factor; 78% of persons who died had at least four.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Vaccinated persons who are older, immunosuppressed, or haveother underlying conditions should receive targeted interventons including chronic disease management, precautions to reduce exposure, additional primary and booster vaccine doses, and effective pharmaceutical therapy to mitigate risk for severe outcomes. Increasing vaccination coverage is a critical public health priority.”

The way the US treats disabled people is horrible and it fails them every day, in terms of the pandemic and in general. This is not an argument that some loses are acceptable. The data shows that vaccines are effective, not that Covid isn’t dangerous. The people using this to argue that completely reopening is safe are flat out wrong about what it says, and would rather risk their lives and others than do the bear minimum for the public good.

It’s not “encouraging” that “people with 4+ comorbidities” are most of the people who die with Covid.

People saying it’s “encouraging” that most deaths are people with 4 or more comorbidities are trying to imply that only disabled people are going to die.

And I’m glad a lot of you are on board with the fact that it’s fucking evil to cheer for the idea that vulnerable people will be most affected.

It’s also just not true.

You as a healthy abled person can easily have 4+ of these comorbidities.

The CDC’s list of “comorbidities” (not to be confused with “underlying conditions”, they’re different) is 152 pages long and includes things like:

lactose intolerance

marijuana use

mild depressive episode

pollen allergy

“obesity”

vaginal/vulval yeast infection

autism/”childhood autism”/Asperger’s

“short stature not otherwise classified”

migraines, also, headache (they’re 2 different ones)

insomnia

tinnitis

gerd (a common type of acid reflux)

constipation

acne

“pain in joint”

“pain in limb”

“low back pain”

UTI

heavy periods

cough

hiccough

sneezing

urinary incontinence or retention

eating “too much” or too little

broken bones

medication overdoses

drug “of addictive potential” in bloodstream

traffic accident

fall

“contact with hot tap water”

and just… basically anything medical or medicalized that a person can have.

Ever told a doctor literally anything about your body? You probably have four or more of these.

Anything in your chart is a comorbidity, even your lactose intolerance or your acne.

While some conditions on the list might mean you’re more likely to get severely ill, many of them really don’t. They aren’t meant to - that’s not what the list IS.

It’s just a list of conditions that were in a patient’s chart when they died.

The idea that “people with 4+ comorbidities are 75% of deaths” means “most people are safe” is complete and utter nonsense.

A lot of people are going to die in the next few months, and the official story is that they were going to die anyways because they were already just so sick before covid! so YOU shouldn’t try to be careful or agitate for better covid protection! because YOU aren’t at risk! (unless you’re one of those disableds we’ve already written off.)

It’s fucking bullshit, and it’s eugenicist bullshit trying to train you to see disabled lives as unworthy of protection. Don’t fall for it.

[mariebenz]

CDC: Effectiveness of COVID-19 Booster Wanes with Time But Still Best Protection Against Severe Illness

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Mark G. Thompson, PhD Deputy Chief – Science COVID-19 Response Team CDC Influenza Division MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  - Protection against COVID-19 after 2 doses of mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) wanes, but little is known about durability of protection after 3 doses. - CDC conducted a multistate analysis of emergency department (ED) visits, urgent care (UC) visits, and hospitalizations from August 26, 2021–January 22, 2022. Among adults who had either received two or three doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, effectiveness waned over time. MedicalResearch.com:  What are the main findings? - Getting a third dose was still highly effective at preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations during this period. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) waned over time since receiving the second dose, increased after getting a third dose, and then waned over time since getting a third dose. During the Omicron period, VE against hospitalization was 91% during the first 2 months after a third dose and decreased to 78% after more than 4 months. Comparatively, VE against ED/UC visits was 87% during the first two months after a third dose and decreased to 66% after 4 to 5 months. Overall, VE was higher for protection against hospitalizations than against ED/UC visits. Although protection waned with time, these findings show receipt of a third dose of mRNA vaccines remains highly effective at preventing severe COVID-19.  All people should remain up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations to best protect against severe illness with COVID-19.  MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? - COVID-19 boosters are effective, and CDC continues to recommend everyone 5 and older remain up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, to ensure the best possible protection against severe COVID-19 illness. For most people, that means getting a booster dose 5 months after receiving an mRNA vaccine or 2 months after receiving Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. - CDC is continuing to closely monitor the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines to help inform public health efforts.  MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work? - This data was part of CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness research, and we’ll continue to use these systems to study how COVID-19 vaccines perform in real life.   No disclosures: Citation: Ferdinands JM, Rao S, Dixon BE, et al. Waning 2-Dose and 3-Dose Effectiveness of mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Predominance — VISION Network, 10 States, August 2021–January 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 11 February 2022. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7107e2  The information on MedicalResearch.com is provided for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any medical or other condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health and ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In addition to all other limitations and disclaimers in this agreement, service provider and its third party providers disclaim any liability or loss in connection with the content provided on this website.   Read the full article

[mhealthyliving]

Three New Studies Confirm Power of Booster Shots Against Omicron

Three New Studies Confirm Power of Booster Shots Against Omicron

By Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, Jan. 21, 2022 — Booster shots are keeping the Omicron variant from landing millions of Americans in hospitals, emergency rooms and urgent care clinics across the country, three new government studies show. In one study, published Friday in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), a third dose of…

[bubblebunsss]

COVID-19 Update Eps. 3

Wawwww.. Baru buka data-data maning trus mengkaget ternyata Amrik sedang memasuki gelombang tsunami kedua.

Bahkan rerata kematian per 7 harinya masih sama dengan sebelum vaksinasi 1.485 dan 1.544 di rerata kasus 160.000.

Fully vaccinatednya mana tinggi banget 53%. Pantesan kemaren pada mau minta booster, ternyata ada kasus setinggi ini ges..

Lama juga ga buka email MMWR CDC. Panteslah gua ketemu banyak komentar miring soal vaksin di kolom replynya para nakes dan ilmuwan yang promote vaksin.

But hey, dont forget. Kasus banyak ini karena pembukaan banyak sektor yang mengakibatkan banyak orang-orang yang ga mau atau ga bisa divaksin jadi harus terpapar. Oh, kini aku baru tau kenapa CDC promote masker lagi.

Lesson learned: mok kate kasus udah turun, mok kate PPKM turun level, masker is a must and please avoid the crowded setting (padahal pekan lalu sempet kendor ngemall dan bulan depan pen pulkam huhuhu, gagal maning maning maning gagal). The at least 1 dose vaccinated and the fully vaccinated person still have the probability to be hospitalized even if 17x less likely. Bertahanlah jiwa jiwa demen mengembara!

[steveemfield]

The CDC is pushing EVERYONE to be vaccinated. First, they stressed movement toward herd immunity which Fauci at the NIH told us masks were useless. Now the CDC wants "unapproved" vaxes shot into everyone's arm, denies herd immunity and even long-term immunity, while Fauci and the NIH want nearly-constant masks, even at home, and multiple masks.

You would think the public would be confused.

While pushing universal vaccinations, the CDC admits there is no conclusive data to support their claim that the unvaccinated are causing the spread of Covid, but blame the non-jabbers anyway -- in the same report!:

Currently, limited evidence concerning the protection afforded by vaccination against reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 is available.(MMWR, CDC, 8/6/21)

Similarly, we were told that one shot would do the trick (without efficacy data), then two shots, then a third booster, in conjunction with a new flu shot every year, etc. These unapproved products-for-profit are being bundled and COERCED into our bodies with all kinds of threats, contradictory positions, and data based on tests now rejected by, guess who, the CDC itself.

[broadlyepi]

MMWR Booster #1: Early Estimates of Bivalent mRNA Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department or Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Immunocompetent Adults

Top 5 Takeaways

1. Effectiveness of Bivalent mRNA Vaccine: The bivalent mRNA vaccine, which includes a component against the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 sublineages, was found to be effective in preventing COVID-19–related medical encounters and hospitalizations among immunocompetent adults. 2. Comparative Vaccine Effectiveness (VE): VE of the bivalent booster, after 2, 3, or 4 monovalent doses, was significant against emergency department/urgent care encounters and hospitalizations when compared with no vaccination or only monovalent vaccination. 3. Duration of Protection: The relative protection offered by the bivalent vaccine increased with time elapsed since the last monovalent dose, suggesting waning immunity from the monovalent vaccine. 4. Study Period and Context: The study was conducted during the prevalence of the Omicron BA.5 sublineage and other Omicron sublineages in the U.S., from September to November 2022. 5. Limitations and Future Research: The study acknowledges limitations like not accounting for previous SARS-CoV-2 infections and potential residual confounding factors. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effectiveness of the bivalent vaccine and its optimal timing. Link: BroadlyEpi.com

[broadlyepi]

MMWR Booster #35:  Epidemiologic and Clinical Features of Children and Adolescents Aged <18 Years with Monkeypox — United States, May 17–September 24, 2022

Top 5 Takeaways

Prevalence and Demographics: Monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections in children and adolescents aged <18 years constituted only 0.3% of all U.S. cases during the study period, with no critical illnesses or deaths reported. The majority of these cases were among non-Hispanic Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino children and adolescents.

Transmission Modes: Younger children typically acquired MPXV through skin-to-skin contact with infected caregivers, while adolescents were more frequently exposed through male-to-male sexual contact.

Clinical Features and Treatment: Most cases in children and adolescents were not severe, and the majority did not require hospitalization. Common symptoms included lesions on the trunk, and some received antiviral treatments.

Prevention and Public Health Implications: The study underscores the importance of prevention measures, such as vaccination and education about monkeypox transmission, particularly in household settings and among sexually active adolescents.

Equity in Health Care Access: The findings highlight the need for equitable access to monkeypox vaccination, testing, and treatment, particularly among Black and Hispanic communities.

Note:

This MMWR Article was created prior to the conventional renaming of Monkeypox to its more standard and appropriate name, Mpox. To avoid confusion, Monkeypox is retained when writing this article, but all future works should use Mpox.

Full summary link: BroadlyEpi.com

Enjoying these summaries? Check back every day at 8am and 4pm Pacific Time (UTC - 8) for a new MMWR Booster. A reblog would also be greatly appreciated, and thanks to everyone who already has! BroadlyEpi hopes to make Epidemiology and Public Health more approachable to anyone who's interested.