#vaccine preventable diseases surveillance

[howdoesone]

How does one track and monitor vaccine coverage in a population?

Tracking and monitoring vaccine coverage in a population is essential for evaluating the success of immunization programs and identifying areas that require improvement. It allows public health authorities to assess the reach and impact of vaccination efforts, identify gaps in coverage, and make informed decisions to enhance immunization rates. This article explores the methods and considerations…

[gumjrop]

This year’s flu shot will be missing a strain of influenza it’s protected against for more than a decade.

That’s because there have been no confirmed flu cases caused by the Influenza B/Yamagata lineage since spring 2020. And the Food and Drug Administration decided this year that the strain now poses little to no threat to human health.

Scientists have concluded that widespread physical distancing and masking practiced during the early days of COVID-19 appear to have pushed B/Yamagata into oblivion.

This surprised many who study influenza, as it would be the first documented instance of a virus going extinct due to changes in human behavior, said Dr. Rebecca Wurtz, an infectious disease physician and epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

“It is such an interesting and unique story,” Wurtz said, adding that if it were not for COVID, B/Yamagata would still be circulating.

One reason COVID mitigation efforts were so effective at eliminating B/Yamagata is there was already a fair amount of immunity in the population against this strain of flu, which was also circulating at a lower level, said Dr. Kawsar Talaat, an infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 was a brand new virus that no one had encountered before; therefore, masking and isolation only slowed its transmission, but did not stop it.

The absence of B/Yamagata won’t change the experience of getting this year’s flu shot, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends to everyone over 6 months old. And unvaccinated people are no less likely to get the flu, as B/Victoria and two influenza A lineages are still circulating widely and making people sick. Talaat said the disappearance of B/Yamagata doesn’t appear to have lessened the overall burden of flu, noting that the level of illness that can be attributed to any strain varies from year to year.

The CDC estimates that between 12,000 and 51,000 people die every year from influenza.

However, the manufacturing process is simplified now that the vaccine is trivalent — designed to protect against three flu viruses — instead of quadrivalent, protecting against four. That change allows more doses to be produced, said Talaat.

Ultimately, the costs of continuing to include protection against B/Yamagata in the flu shot outweigh its benefits, said Talaat.

"If you include a strain for which you don't think anybody's going to get infected into a vaccine, there are some potential risks and no potential benefits," she said. "Even though the risks might be infinitesimal, the benefits are also infinitesimal."

Scientists and public health experts have discussed for the past couple years whether to pull B/Yamagata from the flu vaccine or wait for a possible reemergence, said Kevin R. McCarthy, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Vaccine Research. But McCarthy agrees that continuing to vaccinate people against B/Yamagata does not benefit public health.

Additionally, there is a slight chance of B/Yamagata accidentally infecting the workers who manufacture the flu vaccine. The viruses, grown in eggs, are inactivated before being put into the shots: You cannot get influenza from the flu shot. But worker exposure to live B/Yamagata might occur before it's rendered harmless.

That hypothetically could lead to a reintroduction of a virus that populations have waning immunity to because B/Yamagata is no longer making people sick. While that risk is very low, McCarthy said it doesn’t make sense to produce thousands of gallons of a likely extinct virus.

It is possible that B/Yamagata continues to exist in pockets of the world that have less comprehensive flu surveillance. However, scientists aren’t worried that it is hiding in animals because humans are the only host population for B lineage flu viruses.

Scientists determined that B/Yamagata disappeared in a relatively short period of time, and this in and of itself is a success, said McCarthy. That required collaboration and data sharing from people all over the world, including countries that the U.S. has more tenuous diplomatic relationships with, like China and Russia.

“I think the fact that we can do that shows that we can get some things right,” he said.

Sarah Boden is an independent health and science journalist based in Pittsburgh.

[covid-safer-hotties]

9 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID as Summer Wave Surges - Published Aug 19, 2024

The answer "damn near everywhere people go" may shock you.

COVID’s surge shows no sign of slowing down as the biggest summer wave in two years continues. In fact, COVID levels are “very high” in 27 states, according to the CDC’s wastewater data. “Currently, the COVID-19 wastewater viral activity level is very high nationally, with the highest levels in the Western US region,” Dr. Jonathan Yoder, deputy director of the CDC’s Wastewater Surveillance Program, said to CNN. “This year’s COVID-19 wave is coming earlier than last year, which occurred in late August/early September.” Fortunately, death rates and hospitalization rates are nothing like they were during previous waves due to greater immunity and vaccines. But catching COVID still comes with risks, including LONG COVID, which can result in chronic, debilitating illness. So how do you stay safe? Use caution before entering these nine places you’re most likely to catch COVID now, as the summer wave surges.

Crowded indoor events COVID spreads primarily through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes, especially in close-contact settings or poorly ventilated areas. “People who are higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 should consider taking extra precautions for the next few weeks, like limiting time in crowded indoor settings or wearing a mask in crowded indoor settings. People rarely get COVID-19 outdoors, so outdoor events remain quite safe,” say the experts at the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Airports, airplanes and public transportation Given the COVID rates right now, the CDC urges travelers to “get up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before you travel and take steps to protect yourself and others. Consider wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas, including on public transportation and in transportation hubs. Take additional precautions if you were recently exposed to a person with COVID-19. Don’t travel while sick.” They go even further for certain folks: “If you have a weakened immune system or are at increased risk for severe disease, talk to a healthcare professional before you decide to travel. If you travel, take multiple prevention steps to provide additional layers of protection from COVID-19, even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. These include improving ventilation and spending more time outdoors, avoiding sick people, getting tested for COVID-19 if you develop symptoms, staying home if you have or think you have COVID-19, and seeking treatment if you have COVID-19.”

Shopping malls Studies are just now coming out with an analysis of what happened during the height of the pandemic. Although times are different now, these results can be instructive. For example, one study published in April 2024 “examines the transmission of COVID-19 through casual contact in retail stores using data from Denmark. By matching card payment data with COVID-19 test results, researchers tracked over 100,000 instances where infected individuals made purchases in stores. They found that customers exposed to an infected person in the same store within a 5-minute window had a significantly higher infection rate in the following week. The study concludes that retail store transmissions contributed notably to the spread of COVID-19, particularly during the period when the Omicron variant was dominant.”

Religious gatherings The transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus during religious events has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with a communal gathering in which people, well, commune. “The smallest SARS-CoV-2 droplets can remain airborne and travel farther than six feet. The scientific community does not agree upon what is a ‘safe distance,’ but standing near an infectious person is riskier than standing farther away,” says the AMA. Additionally, “the amount of virus a person is exposed to can influence the chance of infection and the severity; consequently, staying in one place for a longer time creates a higher risk of infection.”

Movie theaters The box office is back, as hits like Deadpool & Wolverine, It Ends With Us, and Alien: Romulus pack them in after a few dark pandemic years of low attendance, the rare Barbenheimer proving the exception to the rule. For movie buffs, it’s a thrill. But check your theater’s ventilation before lining up around the block. One study published this year “investigates the risk factors for COVID-19 transmission during an outbreak in a movie theater in Incheon, South Korea, in November 2021. It involved 48 confirmed cases, primarily among theater attendees, with a high attack rate of 84.8% during one screening. The study found that inadequate ventilation and close proximity among audience members were key contributors to the spread of the virus despite most attendees being fully vaccinated. The study emphasizes the importance of proper ventilation in enclosed spaces like theaters to prevent airborne transmission of COVID-19.”

Healthcare facilities “Some hospitals across the United States are reinstating indoor masking rules amid rising cases and hospitalizations of respiratory illnesses including COVID-19 and influenza,” reported ABC News earlier this year. "Ultimately, health systems, hospitals, places that deliver care are going to see some of the most vulnerable and at-risk individuals -- many, with underlying conditions," Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children's Hospital and an ABC News contributor, told the network. "Those are especially the places where we want to protect individuals, and so when we have this rapid rise in respiratory illness, those are going to be the first places to try to use measures to reduce chances of transmission, both to protect patients, those receiving care, as well as workforce."

Gyms and fitness studios Common sense will tell you transmission of an airborne disease may increase the more frequently people breathe in and out—as you might do at the gym. One “study looked at the number of aerosol particles 16 people exhaled at rest and during workouts. These tiny bits of airborne matter — measuring barely a few hundred micrometers in diameter, or about the width of a strand of hair, and suspended in mist from our lungs — can transmit coronavirus if someone is infected, ferrying the virus lightly through the air from one pair of lungs to another,” reported the New York Times during the pandemic. “The study found that, at rest, the men and women breathed out about 500 particles per minute. But when they exercised, that total soared 132-fold, topping out above 76,000 particles per minute, on average, during the most strenuous exertion.”

Bars and Nightclubs Just when some of us wanted to drink the most, bars were verboten during the height of the pandemic. There was a good reason to use caution. One study published last year “analyzed over 44,000 COVID-19 cases in Tokyo in 2020, focusing on transmission in various settings, including healthcare and nightlife venues like bars and nightclubs. It found that nightlife settings were more likely to involve clusters of five or more infections and were more likely to lead to further spread compared to other settings. The highest case-fatality rate was observed in healthcare settings. The findings suggest that targeting interventions in nightlife venues could be crucial for controlling COVID-19 transmission, especially during the early stages of an outbreak.”

Restaurants and cafés Last year, the Washington Post asked virus experts if they’d eat in restaurants. Joanna Dolgoff, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, offered an answer that may be a decent North Star for you today. “At this time, I will continue to eat in restaurants as long as they are well-ventilated and not overly crowded. If somebody near me shows signs of illness, I will be prepared to leave immediately. If covid cases continue to spike and if illness becomes more severe, I will stop eating inside restaurants until cases subside,” she said.

[collapsedsquid]

In the U.K., the Health Security Agency recently raised its threat level to 4 out of 6, the stage immediately before large-scale human outbreaks. In Europe, countries are proactively vaccinating dairy and poultry workers against infection, with 15 nations already securing a total of 40 million doses through the European Commission. In the United States, despite having a stockpile of those vaccines, we are not distributing them, instead focusing on standing up voluntary supplies of seasonal flu vaccines to frontline workers. (The hope is that this will prevent animal infections of human flu that might aid in the further mutation of H5N1.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has cited the low number of cases to justify its inaction, but it has also moved remarkably slowly to promote the kind of widespread surveillance testing that could actually identify cases. Only recently has the agency begun to mobilize real funding for a testing push, after a period of months in which various federal groups batted around responsibility and ultimate authority like a hot potato. And as was the case early in the Covid-19 pandemic, the C.D.C.’s preferred test for bird flu “has issues.” Three months into the outbreak, only 45 people had even been tested; six weeks later, the total number of people tested had grown only to “230+.” [...] Most farms aren’t supplying N95 masks, goggles or aprons to protect workers, either, and when Amy Maxmen of KFF News surveyed farm workers to ask why they weren’t getting tested, “no one had heard of bird flu, never mind gotten P.P.E. or offers of tests,” she reported. “One said they don’t get much from their employers, not even water. If they call in sick, they worry about getting fired.” Last month, a crew was deployed to slow the spread of the disease by killing every last chicken of 1.78 million on a large Colorado farm where H5N1 had broken out and six of the workers contracted the virus, partly because the gear they’d been provided was hard to use in the punishing 104-degree heat. In June, Robert Redfield, former director of the C.D.C., echoed many epidemiologists in predicting that “it’s not a question of if, it’s more of a question of when we will have a bird flu pandemic.” In July, Brown’s Jennifer Nuzzo warned that the steady beat of new cases “screams at us that this virus is not going away.” Tulio de Oliveira, a bioinformatician who studies global disease surveillance, marveled that the American effort to track the spread of the disease was absolutely amateurish and the country’s apparent indifference “unbelievable.”

[rathockey]

Have some COVID resources!! I recently started looking into the current state of COVID when I saw that cases were surging again and realized I was pretty uninformed about the current state of things, so I figure other people might be too.

So I‘m linking a few resources I‘ve bookmarked that has some good info about COVID and how to protect yourself and others.

Few things that stuck out to me:

1. We should all be masking at the very least indoors and in crowded outdoor settings (like concerts/festivals/etc)! PLEASE please mask if you are able to. N95/KN95 if you can! Surgical masks and cloth masks are better than nothing, but really try to get the respirator masks. You can reuse them as long as they don‘t get wet or crumpled.

2. The vaccine helps with severity but is actually not that great at preventing infection. Another good reason to be masking up - reducing the viral load you get exposed to helps the vaccine out.

3. Advocate for air purifiers in indoor spaces. We should be breathing clean air!

4. All COVID infections are severe or should be treated as such- ‚mild‘ cases included. Any infection is going to do damage to your body, and repeated infections increase your risk of Long COVID.

5. If you get COVID and you are able to, REST! Mind and body. This will go a long way to preventing long COVID. I know not everyone is in a position that they can do this, but take whatever time you can and let your body rest and heal.

And here are the resources I‘ve found:

This has a great PDF with a lot of good info and sources for all of it, as well as a small zine version you can hand out - https://linktr.ee/act_up_mask_up

This is a map with wastewater data, so you can see how things are trending nationwide (US only sorry!) and in various regions. Check and see if your state or city has its own tracker as well - I know Chicago does.

And here is a site that provides information to some questions/statements people say in attempts to get people to „move past“ COVID. This also has a lot of good information about the current state of COVID.

In conclusion (because this is a middle school paper now i guess)

MASK!

Get the boosters! There are new vaccines being developed that will hopefully help us stay ahead of these variants that keep evolving, but the best way to help those are to mask! Less infections mean less variants :)

AND ADVOCATE FOR BETTER COVID PROTECTIONS AND PROTOCOLS!!! We can only do so much as individuals, we have to lobby for governmental and systemic changes.

Also pls reblog this (and feel free to add your own resources! especially if you have resources for non-usamericans, mine are all pretty US focused unfortunately)

[follow-up-news]

The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization launched on Friday a continent-wide response plan to the outbreak of mpox, three weeks after WHO declared outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency. The estimated budget for the six-month plan is almost $600 million, with 55% allocated to the response to mpox in 14 affected nations and boosting readiness in 15 others, Africa CDC director-general Dr. Jean Kaseya told reporters on Friday. The other 45% is directed towards operational and technical support through partners. The organization didn’t give an indication of who would be funding it. The plan focuses on surveillance, laboratory testing and community engagement, Kaseya said, underscoring the fact that vaccines aren’t enough to fight the spreading outbreak. The organization said that since the start of 2024, there have been 5,549 confirmed mpox cases across the continent, with 643 associated deaths, representing a sharp escalation in both infections and fatalities compared to previous years. The cases in Congo constituted 91% of the total number. Most mpox infections in Congo and Burundi, the second most affected country, are in children under age 15. The plan comes a day after the first batch of mpox vaccines arrived in the capital of Congo, the center of the outbreak. The 100,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine, manufactured by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic, have been donated by the European Union through HERA, the bloc’s agency for health emergencies. Another 100,000 are expected to be delivered on Saturday, Congolese authorities said.

[mariacallous]

Toward the end of last year, US health authorities got a tip-off about an upcoming wave of respiratory syncytial virus, a seasonal virus that kills 160,000 people globally every year. Before hospitals reported an uptick in patients, they could see that RSV was more acute in the northeast of the country, with concentrations of the virus ultimately reaching levels more than five times greater than in the western United States. Their early warning system? Wastewater.

By regularly testing virus levels in public wastewater, health institutions are able to target treatments and interventions to the worst-affected areas before doctors on the ground realize something’s going on. “If you can get the information to hospitals or clinics weeks earlier, that gives the opportunity to start thinking about what treatments they might need,” says Marisa Donnelly, senior principal epidemiologist at Biobot Analytics, which helped develop a wastewater surveillance system for the US Centers for Disease Control.

RSV is very common: Every year, 64 million people worldwide get an RSV infection, according to the US National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases—but it’s particularly problematic for the very old and very young. Preventative measures are available, including vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. But often, by the time a community recognizes it has an RSV outbreak, it’s too late to mount the most effective response. Getting hold of enough drugs can also be tricky. “Wastewater analysis gives you better situational awareness of what’s going on and how much it’s fluctuating over time, because we have [historically] very much underdetected RSV cases,” says Bill Hanage, associate director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The concept of tracking a virus through wastewater came to prominence in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, says Tyson Graber, associate scientist at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, who worked on wastewater analysis as part of Ontario’s Covid response. Initially, researchers weren’t too hopeful. “Nobody thought that you could actually detect bits and pieces of material from a respiratory virus,” says Graber. Yet it proved possible: The scientists were able to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind Covid-19.

This near-real-time analysis of the virus’s spread helped improve responses to the pandemic not just in Ontario, but worldwide. In the US, the CDC launched its National Wastewater Surveillance System in September 2020.

While each pathogen has its own “predilections and eccentricities,” says Graber, it was possible to adapt the process to look for RSV. Regular RSV testing in wastewater now takes place in the US, Canada, Finland, and Switzerland.

A study of the Ontario experiment in RSV wastewater tracking found that it gives more than a month’s notice in identifying when RSV season begins, and nearly two weeks’ warning of a surge, compared to waiting for people to turn up sick. “We definitely see increases in [RSV in] wastewater starting before we see those same increases in clinical data like hospitalizations,” says Donnelly.

Jasmine Reed, a CDC spokesperson, says that wastewater analysis complements other surveillance systems. “It can capture asymptomatic cases and other cases independent from medical systems, and provides a broader population-level perspective on disease spread,” she says.

The CDC’s program is set up so that, if RSV levels are high in a particular community, local health departments can prioritize interventions, including testing, infection control, and vaccination efforts.

Donnelly envisions wastewater surveillance becoming like a public health “weather app” where communities can check virus activity in their area and make informed decisions on behaviors like masking or vaccination​. “We want this system to be expanded across the United States so that everybody has access to wastewater information and add additional tools to keep themselves healthy,” she says. Hanage foresees wastewater analysis being used to track other communicable viruses, like mpox.

While there’s plenty of excitement about the technique, others are more cautious. “It’s one of those sciences that has got a lot of people really excited,” says Paul Hunter, a virologist and professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia. “You either think it’s brilliant or you think it’s pointless, and there’s very little in between.”

Hunter recognizes that wastewater analysis can pick up the spread of disease—and points to evidence that it did so in the Covid-19 pandemic—but questions whether the extra cost is worth the extra insights it provides. “Certainly in Covid, we didn’t think it was [necessary] in the UK, and I think that was the correct judgment,” he says.

But proponents say it’s worth it for RSV—especially given some of the challenges around drug shortages. Last year’s RSV season proved particularly vexing to the US health system, as shortages of nirsevimab, an antibody injection given to infants, were reported across the country.

There’s hope that things will be different when RSV season begins again in the coming weeks. “If you can get the information to hospitals or clinics weeks earlier, that gives the opportunity to start thinking about what treatments they might need,” says Donnelly.

[weiwhat]

'Social Media: The Unexpected Hero of the Pandemic?'

Social media? That cesspool of doomscrolling, misinformation, and endless arguments? But Hero of the pandemic? No way! Erdem, however argues the pandemic have enable social media to influence modern schooling of public health, essentially saving lives (Erdem 2021). Public health, as defined by Winslow, involves the science and practice of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting community health through organized efforts and informed choices made by various stakeholders (Winslow n.d.). These stakeholders include public and private entities, communities, individuals, and organizations. In contrast. Social media, on the other hand according to Gregersen, encompasses online platforms for mass communication, enabling users to connect and share content such as messages, ideas, and information(Gregersen 2024). In the modern era, public health and social media have increasingly intertwined. This interconnectedness prompts an important question: How effective is social media in disseminating information about COVID-19?

While pre-existing concerns about misinformation and echo chambers were amplified, the crisis also revealed the unprecedented power of these platforms for disease surveillance, information dissemination, community engagement, and health promotion. Social media became a virtual battleground where accurate information and dangerous falsehoods clashed, influencing public perception and behavior in ways never seen before.   

Disease Surveillance and Public Health Monitoring

-First Alarm of Covid Emergence From Twitter (X)

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of information in public health crises, with social media emerging as a dominant force. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook became primary sources for real-time updates, enabling organizations like the WHO and CDC to communicate directly with the public (Moorhead et al. as cited in Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023). This allowed for rapid dissemination of vital information about symptoms, prevention, and evolving public health recommendations, proving crucial in a dynamic situation with frequently changing guidelines (Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023).

-Snapshot of Facebook lives, providing updates in times of lockdown (Facebook-5.3 Million)

Furthermore, social media facilitated public health advocacy and policy shaping. Health professionals and advocacy groups utilized these platforms to engage with the public and decision-makers, promoting evidence-based policies like mask mandates and vaccination strategies (Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023). By amplifying diverse voices and marginalized perspectives, social media fostered a more inclusive and equitable public health response, ensuring a broader range of perspectives informed policy discussions and interventions.

 Information Dissemination

However, this same speed and accessibility that made social media a valuable tool for public health communication also fueled the spread of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and unverified claims (Pool, Fatehi & Akhlaghpour 2021). The "infodemic" that accompanied the pandemic, as termed by the WHO (2020), hindered public health efforts, fueled distrust in authorities, and even led to harmful behaviors such as the rejection of vaccines or the promotion of unproven remedies (Pool, Fatehi & Akhlaghpour 2021). This effectively eluded the needs for effective strategies to combat misinformation and promote critical media literacy in the digital age.

-Infodemic sources/Misinformation were censored and surveilled on Twitter (X)

Despite these challenges, social media also emerged as a powerful tool for combating misinformation. Experts and fact-checkers utilized these platforms to debunk false claims, provide evidence-based information, and promote adherence to public health guidelines (Sharma et al as cited in Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023). Social media also facilitated the rapid dissemination of research findings, clinical trial data, and treatment protocols, accelerating the global exchange of knowledge and helping healthcare professionals stay updated on the latest developments in COVID-19 management (Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023). This accelerated pace of information sharing proved crucial in a dynamic pandemic situation where scientific understanding and best practices were constantly evolving.

 Community Engagement

-Solidarity among Malaysian Healthcare workers ticked up via social media, in times of Movement Control Order (MCO)

Beyond its role in information dissemination, social media played a crucial role in fostering a sense of community and providing support during a time of unprecedented isolation and anxiety. Online communities and forums became spaces for individuals to connect, share their experiences, and offer encouragement (Naslund et al. as cited in Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023). This virtual support network helped mitigate the mental health impacts of lockdowns and social distancing measures, reminding people that they were not alone in their struggles. Social media platforms also became hubs for organizing mutual aid initiatives, coordinating donation drives, and providing support to frontline healthcare workers, showcasing the potential of these platforms to galvanize collective action and foster resilience in the face of adversity (Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023).

Health promotion

-Facebook groups 'Caremongering' bring communities to our screens during MCO

Social media platforms also offer a opportunity to engage with individuals and communities in promoting healthy behaviors and facilitating positive change (Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023). Targeted campaigns and interventions can be delivered through social media, reaching specific demographics with tailored messages about disease prevention, healthy lifestyles, and mental well-being (Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023). Studies have shown the effectiveness of social media interventions in addressing issues such as risky drinking ,cannabis use among young adults and most importantly during Covid isolation (Kanchan & Gaidhane 2023).

Concluding, the COVID-19 pandemic served as a powerful demonstration of both the potential and the challenges of social media in public health. While the spread of misinformation and ethical concerns remain significant challenges, the pandemic also highlighted the unprecedented ability of these platforms to disseminate vital information, foster community support, empower individuals and communities to take action, and shape public health policies. As we move forward, it is crucial to learn from the experiences of the pandemic and harness the power of social media responsibly and ethically to build a more informed, connected, and resilient global community.

References

Erdem, B 2021, ‘The Role of Social Media in the Times of the Covid-19 Pandemic’, European Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 4, no. 2, p. 110.

Gregersen, E 2024, ‘Social Media’, Encyclopædia Britannica, viewed <https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-media>.

Kanchan, S & Gaidhane, A 2023, ‘Social Media Role and Its Impact on Public Health: a Narrative Review’, Cureus, vol. 15, no. 1, p. e33737, viewed <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9925030/>.

Pool, J, Fatehi, F & Akhlaghpour, S 2021, ‘Infodemic, Misinformation and Disinformation in Pandemics: Scientific Landscape and the Road Ahead for Public Health Informatics Research’, Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, vol. 281, pp. 764–768, viewed 31 August 2021, <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34042681/>.

Winslow, C n.d., Public Health 101 Series Instructor name Title Organization, viewed <https://www.cdc.gov/training-publichealth101/media/pdfs/introduction-to-public-health.pdf>.

[mightyflamethrower]

lorida’s surgeon general has warned healthcare providers against using Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccines due to concerns over genetic contamination.

Joseph Ladapo requested that providers prioritise other non-mRNA vaccines and treatments to ensure patient safety. He also called for the FDA to take greater regulatory responsibility in ensuring the integrity of the human genome.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has echoed concerns over mRNA vaccines and recently stated that Floridians would not be used as “guinea pigs” for unproven booster shots.

In November, Ladapo asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate reports of foreign DNA material in Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines. Ladapo argued that if mRNA vaccines were efficient delivery vehicles for mRNA, they may also be vehicles for delivering contaminant DNA, resulting in a process known as DNA integration. However, on Dec. 14, the FDA Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Peter Marks, wrote to Ladapo stating that animal studies over the past decade and global surveillance data showed no evidence of genotoxicity or genomic disruption.

Despite Ladapo’s concerns, the FDA stated that the practical risk of DNA integration was “quite implausible” and refuted the idea that mRNA vaccines presented a viable risk.

Ladapo contested the FDA’s claims, arguing that they had not performed adequate DNA integration assessments and that genotoxicity studies were an insufficient tool for assessing DNA integration risk. According to Ladapo, “If the risks of DNA integration have not been assessed for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, these vaccines are not appropriate for use in human beings.”

The COVID vaccine destroyed my health. Since I had the vaccine I have not felt good two days in a row. It has caused me to have open heart surgery, ruptured my appendix, and left me with Stage Three Kidney disease. I am not the only one. My biggest fear is SDS. It's like my heart has become a living time bomb. Ironically I caught Covid two months AFTER the vaccine so.......so it didn't even work. --KD

--

[digitaldetoxworld]

Monkeypox Vaccine How Global Health Systems Are Responding

 Introduction

Monkeypox Vaccine , a viral zoonotic sickness that ordinarily impact animals but may be transmitted to humans has garnered international interest because of its recent outbreaks. In India, the nation of Haryana has confronted its own demanding situations related to this sickness. This articles delves into the emergence of monkeypox in Haryana, the kingdom responses to the outbreak and the results of public health and safety.

Overview of Monkeypox

It is caused by the Monkeypox Symptoms  virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, which additionally consists of smallpox. The disease became first recognized in laboratory monkey in 1958, and the first human case became pronounced inside the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. It is characterised by signs and symptoms similar to smallpox, although generally milder. These signs and symptoms include fever, headache, muscles aches, Backaches, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. A hallmark of the disorder is the development of a rash that progresses via extraordinary levels, subsequently forming scrabs.

The ailment is generally Monkeypox treatment transmitted to people through contact with inflamed animals, which include rodent or primates, or via direct touch with physical fluids or infected materials. Human to human transmission can occur via breathing droplets or touch with pores and skin lesions. 

Monkeypox in India and Haryana

Monkeypox virus vaccine in current years there had been sporadic instances of monkeypox said worldwide, including in diverse areas of India. Haryana, a state in northern India, has now not been proof against this worldwide fitness difficulty. The first big cases in Haryana were reported in mid-2023, marking a high-quality development in the country’s public fitness panorama.

The initial cases in Haryana raised alarms among fitness authorities due to the potential for fast spread and the results for public fitness. As monkeypox is not as well-known or as widely understood as different illnesses like COVID-19, its emergence supplied unique challenges for both healthcare vendors and the general public.

Initial Response and Measures

Upon the identification of monkeypox cases in Haryana, the state authorities, in conjunction with countrywide health agencies, carried out a sequence of measures to manipulate the spread of the sickness. 

Surveillance and Monitoring

Health authorities multiplied surveillance efforts to track the unfold of monkeypox. This involved monitoring folks who had come into touch with confirmed cases and carrying out follow-up assessments to pick out any new infections.

Public Awareness Campaigns

Recognizing the importance of public recognition, the government launched instructional campaigns to tell residents about monkeypox signs, transmission strategies, and preventive measures. This protected disseminating information thru numerous media channels 

Healthcare Preparedness:

Hospitals and healthcare centers had been ready with the important assets to address monkeypox instances. This included training healthcare workers on a way to recognize, diagnose, and deal with monkeypox, in addition to ensuring that appropriate isolation and infection manage measures have been in vicinity.

Travel and Movement Restrictions

In areas where monkeypox instances have been concentrated, localized journey and movement restrictions had been imposed to prevent in addition unfold. This was in particular relevant in densely populated urban regions in which the hazard of transmission changed into higher.

Coordination with National and International Agencies

Haryana's reaction was coordinated with national health authorities, along with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and global businesses just like the World Health Organization (WHO). This ensured that the country’s moves had been aligned with broader public fitness techniques and first-rate practices.

Challenges Faced

Limited Awareness and Stigma

It  became no longer well known among the overall public, main to confusion and misinformation. Additionally, the stigma related to infectious diseases now and again impeded open discussion and well timed reporting of symptoms.

Healthcare System Strain

Managing an epidemic requires significant assets and may strain the healthcare machine. Hospitals and clinics had to balance their ordinary responsibilities with the improved demands of coping with monkeypox cases.

Public Compliance

 Ensuring public compliance with fitness advisories and restrictions become another project. Some people can also were reluctant to stick to guidelines or may had been skeptical approximately the severity of the ailment.

Data Management

Accurate information collection and management are important for powerful disease control. The want for actual-time information on case numbers, contacts, and geographic unfold offered logistical challenges.

Impact on Public Health

Increased Health Awareness

The outbreak highlighted the significance of being vigilant approximately emerging infectious illnesses. It spurred discussions on enhancing public fitness infrastructure and disorder preparedness.

Strengthened Health Policies

The experience brought about a reassessment and strengthening of health regulations and protocols associated with infectious ailment management, specifically zoonotic diseases.

Enhanced Surveillance Systems

The outbreak underscored the want for strong surveillance structures to come across and respond to comparable outbreaks within the destiny.

Community Engagement

The response efforts emphasised the position of network engagement in handling fitness crises. Educating the general public and concerning network leaders were essential additives of the reaction approach.

Preventive Measures and Future Outlook

Ongoing Education

Continuous public schooling on monkeypox and different rising illnesses is critical. Awareness campaigns ought to cope with signs, preventive practices, and the importance of looking for scientific interest.

Strengthened Surveillance

Maintaining and improving surveillance systems enables in early detection and speedy reaction to ability outbreaks.

Research and Development

 Investing in studies to higher apprehend  and expand powerful vaccines and remedies is critical for lengthy-time period prevention and manipulate.

International Collaboration

 Monkeypox prevention global collaboration is critical for coping with sicknesses that cross borders. Sharing information, sources, and information can help in efficaciously addressing outbreaks.

[gumjrop]

The Weather

As of September 13, 2024, national wastewater levels remain high. The CDC’s national wastewater map has contracted viral activity levels from ten grades of color to five grades of color while our map below maintains the original ten grades of color based on CDC data. We will adjust to the five grades in future reports. With schools in full session and the weather transitioning in northern regions to cooler temperatures, transmission continues to occur. Wastewater activity is either “High” or “Very High” in 37 states according to the Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) dashboard. Activity is “Moderate” in 8 states and the District of Columbia, and there is no data available for New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. 

According to the Wastewater COVID-19 National and Regional Trends dashboard, COVID wastewater levels have plateaued, remaining between high and very high in all regions except for the West, which is having a slight increase. The highest levels remain in the West as of 9/7/2024 (data captured on 9/13/2024). 

In order to access local COVID wastewater levels, you can refer to the CDC’s state/territory trends page as well as the WastewaterSCAN dashboard. State and local public health wastewater trackers may also be available for example in Illinois, they are reporting over 80 locations. Also, the National Academies of Medicine recently published a second report stressing the importance of a robust wastewater surveillance system and its invaluable role in infectious disease surveillance. They recommend improving the consistency and quality of wastewater surveillance for COVID and other infectious diseases.

As of September 10, 2024, COVID levels are “likely growing” in 3 states and territories according to the CDC Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics dashboard. Thirteen states have reached “stable or uncertain” levels, and 31 states are seeing “declining” or “likely declining”, while levels are “not estimated” in 4 states. 

Note, this model utilizes emergency department visit data to estimate COVID transmission’s Rt, which is an estimate of the average number of new infections caused by each infectious person. An Rt greater than 1.0 indicates that infections are growing, while an Rt less than 1.0 indicates that they’re declining.

According to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker, there has been an increase to nearly 1,000 deaths and slightly more than 1,000 deaths per week from COVID during the entire month of August 2024. The last time this occurred was during the winter months of 2024. This total count of weekly COVID deaths is likely to be an underestimate due to limited COVID testing and reporting. The loss of these lives could have been prevented if layers of protections were consistently implemented in preventing infections. 

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine highlights the importance of preventing infections especially during periods of high rates of transmission. It notes that COVID death rates were higher when healthcare systems faced a larger strain as a result of increased levels of transmission. Comprehensive policies that protect people and prevent healthcare-acquired COVID infections are needed to prevent healthcare system overload.

Variants

According to the CDC’s variant tracking dashboard, KP.3.1.1 remains the dominant variant of all currently circulating strains. Nowcast modeling projects that KP.3.1.1 will increase to 52.7% by 9/14/2024, followed by KP.2.3 at 12.2%, followed by LB.1 at 10.9%, and KP.3 at 10.6%, respectively. The most prevalent circulating variants are JN.1-derived, and closely related to both JN.1 and KP.2. Updated vaccination with any of the available options (Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax) is recommended to better match current variants.

Vaccines and Treatment

Although the Bridge Access Program, covering the updated vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults, has ended, several states including California’s Bridge Access Program and other departments of health have taken steps to partially address this major gap by either providing funding for no-cost access to COVID vaccines or using budgets to acquire a limited supply for their residents. Ultimately, the federal government must contribute resources to ensure no-cost access for all who are uninsured or underinsured. We continue to demand from the federal government to provide continued funding for the Bridge Access Program as well as the Vaccines for Adults Program. As people access the updated COVID vaccines, it is notable that a longer 1.5 inch needle may be needed for adults with higher body weights, in order to pass through subcutaneous tissue into muscle. Complete guidelines for vaccine administration in consideration of age, weight, and injection site can be found on the CDC's website.

It is important to seek treatment when facing a COVID infection. A recent study, reviewing population data of nonhospitalized individuals ages 18 and older during the period of January 2022 and December 2023, showed that nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid)—treatment for COVID—was less commonly used among those who identified as non-Hispanic Black and Latinx/e patients. Although the Test-to-Treat program prematurely ended, there continue to be programs available to ensure financial access to Paxlovid.

Wins

This is a reminder that another batch of no-cost COVID rapid antigen tests can be ordered and sent to your home address at the end of September 2024. Through the CDC’s Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program, no-cost access to COVID testing access is limited to those who are uninsured or underinsured at places including CVS, Walgreens, eTrueNorth, and other local sites as well as in New York City, which is supported by the NY Department of Public Health.

We are eagerly awaiting news on updates from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid on mandatory reporting of COVID infections in healthcare systems, which begins November 1 thanks to our community’s advocacy. It is invaluable that all healthcare systems participate as case data is paramount for keeping track with current COVID trends and understanding the volume of healthcare acquired COVID infections. 

Take Action

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is seeking public comment and feedback on the next phase of RECOVER clinical trials, which focus on Long COVID. Meetings will be held virtually and on-site between September 23 and 25 to solicit feedback and comments. Register to attend these virtual or on-site sessions by September 25, 2024. It is very important to participate and ask NIH to commit to studies that will result in developing a better understanding of Long COVID, effective treatments for Long COVID, and key approaches to preventing Long COVID. 

Amid ongoing COVID spread, masking in healthcare remains central to safe access to healthcare. As we await implementation of COVID hospitalization reporting and prepare for CDC’s next Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee meeting in November, you can use this letter campaign to ask your elected officials to take action for healthcare masking.

And finally, because all of us need access to the updated COVID vaccines regardless of our insurance status or ability to pay, use our letter template to demand free COVID vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults nationally.

[covid-safer-hotties]

also preserved on our archive

By Korin Miller

Many COVID-19 variants have come and gone since the pandemic began, but some get more buzz than others. Now, there’s another new variant getting attention from the infectious disease community. It’s called XEC, and it’s currently spreading in Europe.

XEC is an Omicron variant that descended from subvariants KS.1.1 and FLiRT variant KP.3.3, according to Scripps Research’s Outbreak.info. XEC has several spike mutations, which is what the virus uses to infect you—and it might be more infectious that previous strains because of it.

So, will the new variant hit the U.S.? What symptoms should be on your radar? Here’s the deal.

Meet the experts: Amy Edwards, MD, associate professor at Case Western Reserve University and director of the Pediatric COVID Recovery Clinic at UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital; Mark Cameron, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Emily Smith, ScD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and an assistant professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.

What symptoms should I watch for? XEC is a pretty new variant and, with that, there isn’t a ton of information right now on symptoms people have experienced with it. However, early reports don’t suggest that it causes dramatically different symptoms from other strains of COVID-19.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms may include:

Fever or chills

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Sore throat

Congestion or runny nose

New loss of taste or smell

Fatigue

Muscle or body aches

Headache

Nausea or vomiting

Diarrhea

When will the new variant hit the U.S.? While the XEC variant is getting a lot of attention in Europe, it’s already hit the U.S. As of Sept. 3, data show that there have been 23 cases of COVID-19 caused by the XEC variant in the U.S., with three happening in California.

The virus was first detected here on July 14, but hasn’t been detected since Aug. 16. That doesn’t mean it’s no longer here, though. Because so many people do home tests (or don’t test at all) when they have symptoms of COVID-19, it can be tricky to get information on different strains of COVID-19.

Will it become the dominant COVID variant? That’s not clear. As of this second, XEC isn’t even a blip on the CDC’s radar. The CDC’s variant surveillance system shows that KP.3.1.1 is the dominant strain in the U.S., followed by KP.2.3, and LB.1. XEC isn’t even listed on the surveillance.

That doesn’t mean it won’t spread, though.

“Just like JN.1 emerged from BA.2.86 late last year to drive new COVID infections through last fall and winter, XEC may have similar potential,” says Mark Cameron, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “But we need to know more about the XEC variant and perhaps those still to come.”

But lately we’ve seen several variants circulate heavily at the same time, points out Amy Edwards, MD, associate professor at Case Western Reserve University and director of the Pediatric COVID Recovery Clinic at UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. “Dominant is a strong word,” she says. “With so many very contagious variants, I think the days of having one dominant variant is gone.”

How can I protect myself? The CDC currently recommends that everyone aged 6 months and up get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, making that a good place to start. “As yet another Omicron family member, being up to date on the latest COVID-19 booster is a protective measure we can take right now,” Cameron says.

"The main thing we can do to slow a new variant or new wave is to get our booster shots this fall," says Emily Smith, ScD, MPH, an epidemiologist and an assistant professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. "Generally, we find the boosters give us broad protection, even against new variants."

It’s also a good idea to wear a mask in crowded indoor areas when levels of COVID-19 are high in your area, especially if you’re consider high risk for complications of the virus. And, of course, if you develop symptoms of the virus, it’s a good idea to test yourself to see if you have the virus so you can lower the odds you’ll spread it to others.

If you do, in fact, have COVID-19 and are considered high risk for serious complications from the virus, you may want to contact your primary care physician about taking an antiviral medication like Paxlovid.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil to start widespread dengue vaccinations

Brazil plans to vaccinate millions of people against dengue after becoming the first country to incorporate Qdenga, manufactured by Japan's Takeda Pharma, into its public health system.

Infection by dengue virus, transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitos, has surged in recent years in Brazil, with many blaming higher temperatures and prolonged rainy seasons. Data from WHO show that Brazil registered close to 3 million cases in 2023, of more than 5 million cases globally.

Concerned about these increasing numbers, Brazil's Health Ministry has approved vaccination following the authorisation of Qdenga for people aged 4–60 years by Brazil's Health Regulatory Agency in March, 2023. “Our hope is that this arbovirus becomes a vaccine-preventable disease”, says Ethel Maciel, Secretary of Health and Environmental Surveillance for Brazil's Ministry of Health.

“Brazil has been fighting the dengue virus for at least four decades. It's been four decades of a war, in which the virus has been winning”, says Alexandre Naime Barbosa, Vice President of the Brazilian Society of Infectiology. “Not only are we losing this war, but the number of deaths is increasing, which shows the ineffectiveness of the conventional strategies we are using, which is combating the vector”, he said.

Continue reading.

[gossip-with-yourbestie]

WHO Declares Mpox a Global Health Emergency

In response to the alarming rise in mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its spread to neighboring countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency. This is the highest alert level under international health regulations.

On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the decision after a special meeting of experts. “The emergency committee has advised that the current situation constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and I have accepted this advice,” Tedros stated at a press conference.

The PHEIC designation is a serious move, signaling the need for a coordinated global response to tackle the outbreak and prevent further loss of life. Tedros expressed concern over the emergence of a new mpox strain in eastern DRC and its detection in neighboring countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The situation is dire. This year alone, over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported in the DRC, surpassing last year’s totals. The new pox strain, clade 1b, which seems to spread primarily through sexual contact, is particularly troubling.

Dimie Ogoina, who led the emergency committee, described the upsurge as “an extraordinary event,” warning that without stronger surveillance, the full scale of the crisis remains unclear. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s head of emerging diseases, stressed that halting pox transmission is possible with concerted effort but emphasized the need for a better understanding of the disease’s spread.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first identified in the DRC in 1970. It is a viral infection that spreads from animals to humans and can also be transmitted between people through close contact. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and distinctive skin sores.

This is the second PHEIC declaration for pox, following the global outbreak in 2022 linked to the clade 2b strain, which primarily affected men who have sex with men. That outbreak, which lasted from July 2022 to May 2023, saw nearly 140 deaths from around 90,000 cases. The current clade 1b strain is more severe, with a higher fatality rate.

PHEICs have only been declared a few times since 2009, for issues like H1N1, polio, Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19. Marion Koopmans from Erasmus University highlighted that while a PHEIC raises international alarm, the core needs—improving diagnostic capabilities, public health responses, treatment support, and vaccination—remain the same. The DRC and its neighbors face significant resource challenges in addressing this outbreak.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is ramping up preparedness efforts across Africa, particularly in the hard-hit eastern DRC, to help contain the disease in the most affected areas.

[liberty1776]

Video Link According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency “is actively engaged in safety surveillance” of the COVID shots. They also claim that medical doctors and epidemiologists at the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “continuously screen and analyze” reports filed with the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) “to identify potential signals that would indicate the need for further study.”1 Facts suggest otherwise. Even officials at the FDA itself have stated that VAERS is not operating as intended, and that safety signals are not being addressed. Among them are Peter Marks, director of the … Continue reading →

[homeopathypharma]

Surveillance Systems for Early Lumpy Skin Disease Detection and Rapid Response

Introduction

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects cattle and has the potential to cause significant economic losses in the livestock industry. Rapid detection and effective management of LSD outbreaks are essential to prevent its spread and mitigate its impact. In recent years, advancements in surveillance systems have played a crucial role in early LSD detection and rapid response, leading to improved LSD care and control strategies.

The Threat of Lumpy Skin Disease

Lumpy Skin Disease is caused by the LSD virus, a member of the Poxviridae family. It is characterized by fever, nodules, and skin lesions on the animal's body, leading to reduced milk production, weight loss, and decreased quality of hides. The disease can spread through direct contact, insect vectors, and contaminated fomites, making it a major concern for livestock industries globally.

To know more about : -

Surveillance Systems for Early Detection

Traditional methods of disease detection relied on visual observation and clinical diagnosis. However, these methods can delay the identification of LSD cases, allowing the disease to spread further. Modern surveillance systems leverage technology to enhance early detection. These systems utilize a combination of methods, including:

Remote Sensing and Imaging: Satellite imagery and aerial drones equipped with high-resolution cameras can monitor large livestock areas for signs of skin lesions and changes in animal behavior. These images are analyzed using machine learning algorithms to identify potential LSD outbreaks.

IoT and Wearable Devices: Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as temperature sensors, accelerometers, and RFID tags can be attached to cattle. These devices continuously collect data on vital parameters and movement patterns, allowing for the early detection of abnormalities associated with LSD infection.

Data Analytics and Big Data: Surveillance data from various sources, including veterinary clinics, abattoirs, and livestock markets, can be aggregated and analyzed using big data analytics. This enables the identification of patterns and trends that may indicate the presence of LSD.

Health Monitoring Apps: Mobile applications allow farmers and veterinarians to report suspected cases of LSD and track disease progression. These apps facilitate real-time communication and coordination, aiding in early response efforts.

Rapid Response and LSD Care

Early detection is only half the battle; a rapid and coordinated response is equally crucial. Surveillance systems are not only capable of identifying potential outbreaks but also play a pivotal role in implementing effective LSD care strategies:

Isolation and Quarantine: Detected infected animals can be isolated and quarantined promptly, preventing the further spread of the disease. Surveillance data helps identify high-risk areas and individuals for targeted quarantine measures.

Vaccination Campaigns: Based on surveillance data indicating disease prevalence in specific regions, targeted vaccination campaigns can be initiated to immunize susceptible animals and halt the spread of LSD.

Vector Control: Surveillance systems can track insect vectors responsible for transmitting the LSD virus. This information enables the implementation of vector control measures to reduce disease transmission.

Resource Allocation: Effective response requires proper resource allocation. Surveillance data helps authorities allocate veterinary personnel, medical supplies, and equipment to affected areas efficiently.

Challenges and Future Directions

While surveillance systems offer promising solutions, challenges remain. Limited access to technology, particularly in rural areas, can hinder the implementation of these systems. Data privacy concerns and the need for robust cybersecurity measures are also crucial considerations.

In the future, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can further enhance the accuracy of disease prediction models. Real-time genetic sequencing of the virus can provide insights into its mutations and evolution, aiding in the development of more effective vaccines.

Conclusion

Surveillance systems have revolutionized the way we detect, respond to, and manage Lumpy Skin Disease outbreaks. The ability to identify potential cases early and respond rapidly has significantly improved LSD care and control strategies. As technology continues to advance, these systems will play an increasingly vital role in safeguarding livestock industries against the threat of Lumpy Skin Disease and other contagious infections. Effective collaboration between veterinary professionals, farmers, researchers, and technology developers will be key to successfully harnessing the potential of surveillance systems for the benefit of animal health and the global economy.

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