Highlights • Unvaccinated individuals put communities at risk of disease. • Parental vaccine refusal and hesitance is an emerging issue. • We conducted a systematic review for interventions to reduce ...refusal/hesitance. • We found limited evidence on effective strategies to guide policy makers. • There is a need for appropriately designed, executed and evaluated intervention studies.
The paper discusses the scene simulation of radiometric imagers and its use to illustrate the phenomenology of full-body screening of people for weapons and threats concealed under clothing. The ...aperture synthesis technique is introduced as this offers benefits of wide field-of-views and large depths-of-fields in a system that is potentially conformally deployable in the confined spaces of building entrances and at airport departure lounges. The technique offers a non-invasive, non-cooperative screening capability to scrutinize all human body surfaces for illegal items. However, for indoor operation, the realization of this capability is challenging due to the low radiation temperature contrasts in imagery. The contrast is quantified using a polarimetric radiometric layer model of the clothed human subject concealing threats. A radiation frequency of 20 GHz was chosen for the simulation as system component costs here are relatively low and the attainable half-wavelength spatial resolution of 7.5 mm is sufficient for screening. The contrasts against the human body of the threat materials of metal, zirconia ceramic, carbon fiber, nitrogen-based energetic materials, yellow beeswax, and water were calculated to be ≤7 K. Furthermore, the model indicates how some threats frequency modulate the radiation temperatures by ∼±1 K. These results are confirmed by experiments using a radiometer measuring left-hand circularly polarized radiation. It is also shown using scene simulation how circularly polarized radiation has benefits for reducing false alarms and how threat objects appear in canyon regions of the body, such as between the legs and in the armpits.
This Review updates the scientific evidence assessing possible causal associations of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) compiled in the 2012 report from the Institute of Medicine and the ...2014 report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. For 12 of 46 AEFI examined, a causal relationship has been established with at least one vaccine currently routinely recommended to the general USA population: anaphylaxis, arthralgia or arthritis (mild, acute, and transient, not chronic), deltoid bursitis (when vaccine is administered improperly), disseminated varicella infection (in immune deficient individuals for whom the varicella vaccine is contraindicated), encephalitis, febrile seizures, Guillain-Barré syndrome, hepatitis (in immune deficient individuals for whom the varicella vaccine is contraindicated), herpes zoster, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, meningitis, and syncope. Other than mild acute and transient arthralgia or arthritis, which is very common in adult women after rubella vaccine, these adverse reactions are rare or very rare. Vaccines have an excellent safety profile overall and provide protection against infectious diseases to individuals and the general population.
Since the first case of COVID-19 was identified in the USA in January, 2020, over 46 million people in the country have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Several COVID-19 vaccines have ...received emergency use authorisations from the US Food and Drug Administration, with the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine receiving full approval on Aug 23, 2021. When paired with masking, physical distancing, and ventilation, COVID-19 vaccines are the best intervention to sustainably control the pandemic. However, surveys have consistently found that a sizeable minority of US residents do not plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The most severe consequence of an inadequate uptake of COVID-19 vaccines has been sustained community transmission (including of the delta B.1.617.2 variant, a surge of which began in July, 2021). Exacerbating the direct impact of the virus, a low uptake of COVID-19 vaccines will prolong the social and economic repercussions of the pandemic on families and communities, especially low-income and minority ethnic groups, into 2022, or even longer. The scale and challenges of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign are unprecedented. Therefore, through a series of recommendations, we present a coordinated, evidence-based education, communication, and behavioural intervention strategy that is likely to improve the success of COVID-19 vaccine programmes across the USA.
Vaccines are among the most effective public health interventions against infectious diseases. However, there is evidence in the United States for parents either delaying or refusing recommended ...childhood vaccination. Exemptions to school immunization laws and use of alternative schedule from those recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American Academy of Pediatrics cannot only increase the risk of children contracting vaccine-preventable diseases but also increases the risk of infecting others who are either too young to be vaccinated, cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons or did not develop a sufficient immunological response to the vaccine. Healthcare providers are cited as the most influential source by parents on vaccine decision-making. Vaccine hesitancy needs to be addressed by healthcare providers and the scientific community by listening to the parental concerns and discussing risks associated with either delaying or refusing vaccines.
Summary Background The influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccination programme was the largest mass vaccination initiative in recent US history. Commensurate with the size and scope of the ...vaccination programme, a project to monitor vaccine adverse events was undertaken, the most comprehensive safety surveillance agenda in the USA to date. The adverse event monitoring project identified an increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after vaccination; however, some individual variability in results was noted. Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare but serious health disorder in which a person's own immune system damages their nerve cells, causing muscle weakness, sometimes paralysis, and infrequently death. We did a meta-analysis of data from the adverse event monitoring project to ascertain whether influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent inactivated vaccines used in the USA increased the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome. Methods Data were obtained from six adverse event monitoring systems. About 23 million vaccinated people were included in the analysis. The primary analysis entailed calculation of incidence rate ratios and attributable risks of excess cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome per million vaccinations. We used a self-controlled risk-interval design. Findings Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent inactivated vaccines were associated with a small increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (incidence rate ratio 2·35, 95% CI 1·42–4·01, p=0·0003). This finding translated to about 1·6 excess cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome per million people vaccinated. Interpretation The modest risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome attributed to vaccination is consistent with previous estimates of the disorder after seasonal influenza vaccination. A risk of this small magnitude would be difficult to capture during routine seasonal influenza vaccine programmes, which have extensive, but comparatively less, safety monitoring. In view of the morbidity and mortality caused by 2009 H1N1 influenza and the effectiveness of the vaccine, clinicians, policy makers, and those eligible for vaccination should be assured that the benefits of inactivated pandemic vaccines greatly outweigh the risks. Funding US Federal Government.
Various efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates have been employed in the United States. We sought to rapidly investigate public reactions to these efforts to increase vaccination, including ...self-reported responses to widespread reduced masking behavior, monetary incentive programs to get vaccinated, and work vaccination requirements. Using a unique method for data collection (Random Domain Intercept Technology), we captured a large (N = 14,152), broad-based sample of the United States Web-using population (data collected from June 30 -July 26, 2021). About 3/4 of respondents reported being vaccinated. The likelihood of vaccination and vaccination intention differed across various demographic indicators (e.g., gender, age, income, political leaning). We observed mixed reactions to efforts aimed at increasing vaccination rates among unvaccinated respondents. While some reported that specific efforts would increase their likelihood of getting vaccinated (between 16% and 32%), others reported that efforts would decrease their likelihood of getting vaccinated (between 17% and 42%). Reactions differed by general vaccination intention, as well as other demographic indicators (e.g., race, education). Our results highlight the need to fully understand reactions to policy changes, programs, and mandates before they are communicated to the public and employed. Moreover, the results emphasize the importance of understanding how reactions differ across groups, as this information can assist in targeting intervention efforts and minimizing potentially differential negative impact.
Enhancing uptake of influenza maternal vaccine Ellingson, Mallory K; Dudley, Matthew Z; Limaye, Rupali J ...
Expert review of vaccines,
02/2019, Letnik:
18, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Influenza vaccination during pregnancy can offer many benefits to both mother and infant. Despite recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, vaccine coverage rates among ...pregnant women during pregnancy are below 40% in the United States. There is a need for a greater understanding of what interventions can improve vaccine uptake among pregnant women.
This review synthesizes the existing evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to improve maternal influenza vaccine uptake. These interventions are examined within the framework of the three psychological propositions: thoughts and feelings, social processes and changing behavior directly.
A number of promising and effective interventions were identified in this review. Nudge-based interventions that build on favorable intentions to vaccinate such as provider prompts and standing orders have demonstrated significant success in improving influenza vaccine uptake. However, substantial gaps in the literature still exist. Provider recommendations are the most important predictor of vaccine receipt among pregnant women, yet few studies evaluated intervening to improve the dialogue between patient and provider. With the potential for even more vaccines to be added to the maternal immunization schedule, it is vitally important to understand how to improve uptake.
To estimate the proportion of influenza vaccines administered in non‐medical settings in Australia in 2019 and identify factors associated with vaccination site.
We surveyed 1,444 Australian adults ...online in October 2019. To identify factors associated with vaccination site, we used Pearson's chi‐square test. We used thematic analysis to describe responses to the question, ‘Please explain why you chose to get vaccinated there’.
Most participants (73%) received the influenza vaccine in a medical setting, while 13% received it at a pharmacy and 14% at their workplace. Being vaccinated in pharmacy was associated with being under 65 years of age (p<0.01), marital status (p=0.01), and not having a high‐risk comorbidity (p<0.01). Workplace vaccination was associated with being under 65 (p<0.01), household income (p<0.01), not having a regular general physician/practice (p=0.01), having private insurance (p<0.01), and not having a high‐risk comorbidity (p<0.01). There was no association between site of vaccination and first‐time vaccination (p=0.71, p=0.22).
Despite new policies allowing pharmacists to administer influenza vaccines, most Australian adults are still vaccinated in medical settings. Pharmacy and workplace vaccination settings were more common among younger adults without high‐risk comorbidities.
Workplaces, pharmacies and other non‐medical settings may provide an opportunity to increase influenza vaccination among healthy, working‐age adults who might otherwise forego annual vaccination. Pharmacies may also provide a convenient location for the rollout of the COVID‐19 vaccine, particularly in medically underserved areas.
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