Vaccine
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Health-seeking behaviors change during pandemics and may increase with regard to illnesses with symptoms similar to the pandemic. The global reaction to COVID-19 may drive interest in vaccines for other diseases. ⋯ A peak in worldwide interest in pneumococcal and influenza vaccines coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic in February and March 2020. Trends are likely not seasonal in origin and may be driven by COVID-19 hotspots. Global events may change public perception about the importance of vaccines. Our findings may herald higher demand for pneumonia and influenza vaccines in the upcoming season.
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With the advent of live-attenuated, quadrivalent, and cell-cultured vaccines for influenza, there have been discussions on the safety of these vaccines compared to conventional vaccines (such as inactivated, trivalent, and egg-cultured vaccines) because of the development of neurological adverse events (AEs). This study aimed to compare the trends and safety signals in the AE reporting systems of the US and South Korea and, more particularly, to evaluate the association between influenza vaccination and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). ⋯ Our analysis of the VAERS and KAERS reports for AEs following immunization (AEFI) for influenza shows the need for cautious monitoring regarding the development of GBS after influenza vaccination, particularly, after live-attenuated vaccination. However, owing to potential reporting bias caused by limited AEFI reports after the introduction of new types of influenza vaccines, further prospective safety studies are needed.
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While a human challenge study holds the prospect of accelerating the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, it may be opposed due to risks of harm to participants and researchers. Given the increasing number of human deaths and severe disruption to lives worldwide, we argue that a SARS-CoV-2 challenge study is ethically justifiable as its social value substantially outweighs the risks. ⋯ In this paper, we contribute to the debate by addressing the misperception that a challenge study for the coronavirus would lower scientific and ethical standards for vaccine research and development, and examine how it could be ethically conducted. We also set out information that needs to be disclosed to prospective participants to obtain their consent.
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'No Jab, No Play' and 'No Jab, No Pay' mandatory immunisation policies were introduced in the state of Victoria and Australia-wide, respectively, in January 2016. They restrict access to childcare/kindergarten and family assistance payments respectively, for under-vaccinated children. We aimed to describe the proportion of attendees to immunisation services of a tertiary hospital, the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne (RCH), who were motivated by the policies to discuss or catch-up vaccination. We explored the association between motivation by policies, vaccine hesitancy (VH) and intent to seek medical exemption, with vaccine-uptake. ⋯ The 'No Jab' policies motivated attendance to a tertiary immunisation service. However, children of vaccine hesitant parents and those seeking medical exemption to immunisation were less likely to be fully immunised after attendance, than at baseline. The 'No Jab' policies may not be changing vaccination behavior as intended for vaccine hesitant parents who are one of the key target groups, with further evaluation required.