Latest news with #Echo
eNCA
9 hours ago
- Health
- eNCA
UK battles anti-vax misinformation after child's death
UK - A child's death from measles has sparked urgent calls from British public health officials to get children vaccinated, as the UK faces an onslaught of misinformation on social media, much of it from the United States. Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications. It is preventable through double MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jabs in early childhood. Health Secretary Wes Streeting on July 14 confirmed to parliament that a child had died in the UK of measles. No details have been released, but The Sunday Times and Liverpool Echo newspapers reported the child had been severely ill with measles and other serious health problems in Alder Hey hospital in the northwestern city. Anti-vaxxers quickly posted unconfirmed claims about the death on social media. One British influencer, Ellie Grey, who has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video denying the child died from measles. "Measles isn't this deadly disease... it's not dangerous," she said. Grey criticised Alder Hey for posting a video "really, really pushing and manipulating parents into getting the MMR vaccine". Her video was reposted by another British influencer, Kate Shemirani, a struck-off ex-nurse who posts health conspiracy theories. "No vaccine has ever been proven safe and no vaccine has ever been proven effective," Shemirani claimed falsely. Liverpool's public health chief Matthew Ashton attacked those "spreading misinformation and disinformation about childhood immunisations" in the Echo newspaper, saying "they need to take a very long, hard look at themselves." "For those of you that don't know, measles is a really nasty virus," he said in a video, adding that the jab is a way of "protecting yourself and your loved ones". Alder Hey said it has treated 17 children with measles since June. It posted a video in which a paediatric infectious diseases consultant, Andrew McArdle, addresses measles "myths", including that the MMR jab causes autism. This false claim comes from a debunked 1998 study by a British doctor, Andrew Wakefield, who was later struck off. But it sparked an international slump in vaccinations. - 'Lingering questions' - Benjamin Kasstan-Dabush, a medical anthropologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told AFP there are still "lingering questions around the Wakefield era". He talked to parents who had delayed vaccinating their children, finding reasons included life events and difficulty getting health appointments, but also misinformation. "We're obviously talking about a different generation of parents, who might be engaging with that Wakefield legacy through social media, through the internet, and of course through Kennedy," he said. US President Donald Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr as health secretary despite his promotion of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Kennedy fired all 17 experts on a key vaccine advisory panel and appointed a scientist who warned against Covid jabs. In the United States, "misinformation is being produced in the highest echelons of the Trump administration", which "circulates across the internet", Kasstan-Dabush said. In a sign of how narratives spread, a Telegram group airing conspiracies called Liverpool TPR, which has around 2,000 members, regularly posts links to anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense once chaired by Kennedy. In the past few weeks the UK Health Security Agency has amplified its social media coverage on vaccinations, a spokesman said. In a video in response to the reported death, Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist, explained the MMR jab protects others, including those "receiving treatment like chemotherapy that can weaken or wipe out their immunity". Take-up of the MMR jab needs to be 95 percent for herd immunity, according to the World Health Organisation. The UK has never hit this target. In Liverpool, uptake for both doses is only around 74 percent and below 50 percent in some areas, according to Ashton, while the UK rate is 84 percent. After Wakefield's autism claims, confirmed measles cases topped 2,000 in England and Wales in 2012 before dropping. But last year, cases soared again. The same trend is happening in other countries. Europe last year reported the highest number of cases in over 25 years; the United States has recorded its worst measles epidemic in over 30 years. Canada, which officially eradicated measles in 1998, has registered more than 3,500 cases this year. An Ontario infectious diseases doctor, Alon Vaisman, told AFP: "You're fighting against the wall of disinformation and lies."
Int'l Business Times
14 hours ago
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
UK Battles Anti-vax Misinformation After Child's Death
A child's death from measles has sparked urgent calls from British public health officials to get children vaccinated, as the UK faces an onslaught of misinformation on social media, much of it from the United States. Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications. It is preventable through double MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jabs in early childhood. Health Secretary Wes Streeting on July 14 confirmed to parliament that a child had died in the UK of measles. No details have been released, but The Sunday Times and Liverpool Echo newspapers reported the child had been severely ill with measles and other serious health problems in Alder Hey hospital in the northwestern city. Anti-vaxxers quickly posted unconfirmed claims about the death on social media. One British influencer, Ellie Grey, who has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video denying the child died from measles. "Measles isn't this deadly disease... it's not dangerous," she said. Grey criticised Alder Hey for posting a video "really, really pushing and manipulating parents into getting the MMR vaccine". Her video was reposted by another British influencer, Kate Shemirani, a struck-off ex-nurse who posts health conspiracy theories. "No vaccine has ever been proven safe and no vaccine has ever been proven effective," Shemirani claimed falsely. Liverpool's public health chief Matthew Ashton attacked those "spreading misinformation and disinformation about childhood immunisations" in the Echo newspaper, saying "they need to take a very long, hard look at themselves." "For those of you that don't know, measles is a really nasty virus," he said in a video, adding that the jab is a way of "protecting yourself and your loved ones". Alder Hey said it has treated 17 children with measles since June. It posted a video in which a paediatric infectious diseases consultant, Andrew McArdle, addresses measles "myths", including that the MMR jab causes autism. This false claim comes from a debunked 1998 study by a British doctor, Andrew Wakefield, who was later struck off. But it sparked an international slump in vaccinations. Benjamin Kasstan-Dabush, a medical anthropologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told AFP there are still "lingering questions around the Wakefield era". He talked to parents who had delayed vaccinating their children, finding reasons included life events and difficulty getting health appointments, but also misinformation. "We're obviously talking about a different generation of parents, who might be engaging with that Wakefield legacy through social media, through the internet, and of course through Kennedy," he said. US President Donald Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr as health secretary despite his promotion of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Kennedy fired all 17 experts on a key vaccine advisory panel and appointed a scientist who warned against Covid jabs. In the United States, "misinformation is being produced in the highest echelons of the Trump administration", which "circulates across the internet", Kasstan-Dabush said. In a sign of how narratives spread, a Telegram group airing conspiracies called Liverpool TPR, which has around 2,000 members, regularly posts links to anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense once chaired by Kennedy. In the past few weeks the UK Health Security Agency has amplified its social media coverage on vaccinations, a spokesman said. In a video in response to the reported death, Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist, explained the MMR jab protects others, including those "receiving treatment like chemotherapy that can weaken or wipe out their immunity". Take-up of the MMR jab needs to be 95 percent for herd immunity, according to the World Health Organisation. The UK has never hit this target. In Liverpool, uptake for both doses is only around 74 percent and below 50 percent in some areas, according to Ashton, while the UK rate is 84 percent. After Wakefield's autism claims, confirmed measles cases topped 2,000 in England and Wales in 2012 before dropping. But last year, cases soared again. The same trend is happening in other countries. Europe last year reported the highest number of cases in over 25 years; the United States has recorded its worst measles epidemic in over 30 years. Canada, which officially eradicated measles in 1998, has registered more than 3,500 cases this year. An Ontario infectious diseases doctor, Alon Vaisman, told AFP: "You're fighting against the wall of disinformation and lies."
NZ Herald
14 hours ago
- Health
- NZ Herald
UK battles anti-vax misinformation after child's death
One British influencer, Ellie Grey, who has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video denying that the child died from measles. 'Measles isn't this deadly disease ... it's not dangerous,' she said. Grey criticised Alder Hey for posting a video 'really, really pushing and manipulating parents into getting the MMR vaccine'. Her video was reposted by another British influencer, Kate Shemirani, a struck-off ex-nurse who posts health conspiracy theories. 'No vaccine has ever been proven safe and no vaccine has ever been proven effective,' Shemirani claimed falsely. Liverpool's public health chief Matthew Ashton attacked those 'spreading misinformation and disinformation about childhood immunisations' in the Echo newspaper, saying 'they need to take a very long, hard look at themselves'. 'For those of you that don't know, measles is a really nasty virus,' he said in a video, adding that the jab is a way of 'protecting yourself and your loved ones'. Alder Hey said it has treated 17 children with measles since June. It posted a video in which a paediatric infectious diseases consultant, Andrew McArdle, addresses measles 'myths', including that the MMR jab causes autism. This false claim comes from a debunked 1998 study by a British doctor, Andrew Wakefield, who was later struck off. But it sparked an international slump in vaccinations. 'Lingering questions' Benjamin Kasstan-Dabush, a medical anthropologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told AFP there are still 'lingering questions around the Wakefield era'. He talked to parents who had delayed vaccinating their children, finding reasons included life events and difficulty getting health appointments, but also misinformation. 'We're obviously talking about a different generation of parents, who might be engaging with that Wakefield legacy through social media, through the internet, and of course through Kennedy,' he said. US President Donald Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy jnr as Health Secretary despite his promotion of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Kennedy fired all 17 experts on a key vaccine advisory panel and appointed a scientist who warned against Covid jabs. In the US, 'misinformation is being produced in the highest echelons of the Trump Administration', which 'circulates across the internet', Kasstan-Dabush said. In a sign of how narratives spread, a Telegram group airing conspiracies called Liverpool TPR, which has around 2000 members, regularly posts links to anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defence, once chaired by Kennedy. In the past few weeks, the UK Health Security Agency has amplified its social media coverage on vaccinations, a spokesman said. In a video in response to the reported death, Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist, explained that the MMR jab protects others, including those 'receiving treatment like chemotherapy that can weaken or wipe out their immunity'. Take-up of the MMR jab needs to be 95% for herd immunity, according to the World Health Organisation. The UK has never hit this target. In Liverpool, uptake for both doses is only around 74% and below 50% in some areas, according to Ashton, while the UK rate is 84%. After Wakefield's autism claims, confirmed measles cases topped 2000 in England and Wales in 2012 before dropping. But last year, cases soared again. The same trend is happening in other countries. Europe last year reported the highest number of cases in over 25 years; the US has recorded its worst measles epidemic in over 30 years. Canada, which officially eradicated measles in 1998, has registered more than 3500 cases this year. An Ontario infectious diseases doctor, Alon Vaisman, told AFP: 'You're fighting against the wall of disinformation and lies'. -Agence France-Presse
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I put Alexa+ to the test with my chaotic family — here's 5 things I liked and 2 that could use work
With three kids and constant chaos, I rely on anything that can make life a little easier, more scheduled and quieter (if possible). So when I got the chance to test Alexa+, Amazon's upgraded AI assistant, I was curious whether it could actually keep up with my family of five. Spoiler: it can do a lot more than set timers and play 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' for the hundredth time. Built on Amazon's new large language model, I discovered just how much Alexa+ turns your Echo speaker into something much smarter. My experience with Alexa+ proved the assistant to be more like a helpful, proactive assistant than a glorified Bluetooth speaker (something I honestly have felt about Alexa in the past). After a week of testing it on an Echo Show 21 in our real-life madhouse, I found a lot to love, and a couple of things that could use some fine-tuning. Alexa+ is still in its "Early Access" testing phase, so it's not been widely released yet, as Amazon is working out the kinks. Here are five things I love about Alexa+ and two that still bug me. What I noticed right away is how much more conversational and human-like Alexa+ in comparison to the older version. It is also much more natural to talk to because you can interrupt it at any time. I can also interrupt myself mid-sentence to completely change topics or backtrack. It follows me and get this, it even follows my four-year-old who stumbles over his words and doesn't always speak in complete sentences. I noticed that Alexa+ adapts to him when it talks. For example, if I ask for the weather, it just gives me the weather. But if one of my kids asks what the weather is like today, Alexa+ says something like, 'Let me put on my weather goggles…' It's the little details that set this version apart. It also remembers the context of earlier questions and can handle follow-ups without me needing to rephrase. Yes, even when my kids talk fast, in Gen Alpha slang or from across the room. It's the first time Alexa has felt like a true back-and-forth assistant. It remembers facts about the family, our preferences and routines. This has been a game-changer for busy week days, like when I forget to change the thermostat at bedtime to our preferred temperature. It does it for me. I've noticed that the more I use it, the personalization has gotten better over time. One of the most underrated upgrades in Alexa+ is how much more intuitive the screen has become. It now works more like a true smart display; proactively showing relevant visuals based on your context, without needing precise voice commands. When chatting with Alexa, it actually shows the chat on the screen almost like a text message or chatbot. It's nice for a variety of reasons like, ensuring it understands what I'm saying, understanding what it is saying (especially if the room is noisy) and for reference later. Ask for a recipe, and you get a step-by-step visual layout with timers you can tap. Even home controls are easier: instead of listing devices, Alexa+ now presents touch-friendly tiles organized by room, making it simple to dim lights or change the thermostat with a swipe. The layout feels cleaner, faster and more responsive. With our previous versions of Alexa, controlling smart home devices often meant memorizing exact phrases or setting up rigid routines in the app. For example, if I said 'Turn on the lights in the mud room at 7 p.m.,' it might respond with, 'I don't understand,' if I hadn't programmed that exact routine. WIth the older version of Alexa, I felt like I was always one step behind it, while this version definitely feels like it knows my routine and my house better than I do. Alexa+ allows for much more natural, flexible phrasing. Having tested LLMs (large language models), I can only guess that the updated model is better because it can understand context, time references and the way real people actually talk. Sometimes it understands my four-year-old better than I do. For example, you can now say: 'Turn off the lights in the kids' rooms after breakfast.''Dim the family room when the movie starts.''Make sure the porch light is on before we get home.'The real game-changer for me is that Alexa+ interprets time-based cues like 'after dinner' or event-based triggers like 'when the movie starts' without needing a strict routine tied to a clock. It can even infer what 'the kids' rooms' refers to based on your device setup and previous conversations. For a family of five, this is the tool I've needed. I really like that I don't have to micromanage every device or update schedules constantly. Instead, I just speak naturally and trust Alexa+ to fill in the gaps, which makes this multitasking mom very happy. One of the best things about Alexa+ is how seamlessly it works across your entire ecosystem whether you're at home or on the go. The Alexa app now mirrors many of the assistant's upgraded capabilities, meaning you can control your smart home remotely with ease. This is a total game changer for me because sometimes I'll leave the house and wonder if I remembered to turn the outside lights off or close the garage. I've used the app while away from home to turn off forgotten porch lights, adjust the thermostat before heading back and even check if the front door is locked; all with natural, conversational commands. Thanks to Alexa+ syncing context across devices, the system knows what I've asked before, so I don't have to start from scratch each time. Whether I'm speaking to a smart speaker in the kitchen or tapping through the app at the grocery store, Alexa+ keeps everything in sync, giving me consistent, proactive help no matter where I am. What sets Alexa+ apart is how well it connects the dots between my preferences, schedule, shopping habits, and smart home activity. It's no longer just responding to commands — it's anticipating needs based on what it knows about my life. For example, it keeps track of my most frequently purchased items on Amazon, making it easy to restock household essentials with a quick 'reorder my buy-again items' prompt. No more scrambling when we run out of paper towels or dog food. But where Alexa+ really shines is in how it understands time and priorities. The other night, I asked when I should squeeze in a workout — and instead of just giving a random suggestion, it scanned my calendar, noticed my kid's soccer game, and even reminded me of a catch-up coffee I had forgotten to reschedule. That level of situational awareness is new — and genuinely helpful. Alexa+ feels more like a personal assistant who knows my routines, commitments, and habits, rather than just a voice waiting for commands. It's thoughtful, responsive, and increasingly capable of adapting to real-world complexity in a way that feels natural and surprisingly human. While there's a lot to love about Alexa+, it's not quite perfect. As with most early AI rollouts, there are still a few kinks to work out. From inconsistent audio performance to occasional inaccuracies, Alexa+ sometimes feels like it's still finding its voice, literally and figuratively. Hopefully, as Amazon continues refining the system, these growing pains will smooth out. Alexa+ has a more expressive, natural-sounding voice — which is great... until it isn't. The responses are warm and personable, but sometimes they don't always apply to what was asked. Also, she pauses at the slightest interruption even if you put down a book or your phone near it. There have been moments when I had to repeat myself multiple times before being understood, even in a quiet room. Additionally, sometimes the sound randomly goes off and I have to tell Alexa that I cannot hear it. Personality is great, but efficiency still matters — especially when you're in the middle of making dinner or wrangling kids. In my testing, Alexa+ occasionally got key facts wrong, including movie ticket prices and a restaurant's hours of operation. These might seem like small errors, but they show the limits of Alexa+ when it comes to sourcing real-time information. Because Alexa+ still relies heavily on third-party data, the accuracy of its responses is only as good as the sources it pulls from. That's fine for casual queries, but it's not yet dependable enough to be your go-to for time-sensitive or critical decisions. Until the system gets better at verifying info or flagging uncertainty, it's best to double-check anything important. Alexa+ is a big leap forward for smart assistants. After a week of living with it in a house full of noisy kids, forgotten appointments and endless to-do lists, I can confidently say it's the smartest Alexa has ever felt. This version anticipates, adapts and genuinely helps. From adjusting the thermostat when I forget, to following my four-year-old's half-formed voice commands, Alexa+ proves it can thrive in the beautiful chaos of real family life. It's not perfect yet. There were moments where I had to repeat myself or double-check answers, and sometimes I wished it would skip the extra friendliness and just get to the point. But these feel like early-version quirks, not dealbreakers. And given how quickly AI tools are evolving, I wouldn't be surprised if these issues are ironed out soon. The bottom line? Alexa+ certainly feels like a true assistant and it seems to get smarter the more we use it. For busy households, this upgrade is a total game changer. In the weeks and months to come, I'll be testing out Alexa+ further, to see how it develops. Is there anything you'd like to know about it? Leave a note in the comments!
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Kennedy nominated for prestigious music award
About four months ago, the Echo ran a story on a Woodstock woman and musician dealing with the tragedy of her daughter's suicide in 2022. Traci Kennedy wrote and recorded 'You Never Said Goodbye' and decided to release it. What happened next was nothing short of a country music explosion as the song climbed up the Canadian Indie Country Countdown. The song has also been nominated for the Social Impact Song of the Year at the upcoming Josie Music Awards in the fall. 'My jaw dropped. I was sitting on the couch when I saw the nomination come in, and I had to take a few minutes to absorb it before I could even speak and say anything to my husband. It was surreal to know this song made that much of an impact and was noticed,' explained Kennedy. The Josie Music Awards are one of the largest independent music award shows in the world. They recognize and honor the achievements of independent artists across a wide variety of genres and roles in the music industry. It was founded in 2015 to celebrate independent music artists, songwriters, producers, and industry professionals who are not signed to major labels. It covers not only country, but rock, pop, gospel and other genres. Nominees are chosen based on musical talent, work ethic, promotion, engagement, and impact, not just popularity or sales. The awards ceremony has been held at prestigious venues, including the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, where this year's event will be held on Sunday, November 2. Kennedy said she has no idea who nominated her, but she's looking forward to the red-carpet event. 'Country singer Lorrie Morgan, who I idolized when I was getting into country music, was big on the scene in the early 90s and she's receiving a lifetime achievement award that night. It's exciting to be able to see someone I idolized at the same event where I am up for an award.' The Canadian Indie Country Countdown is a fan-voted, weekly radio show featuring Canadian artists. An indie artist (short for independent) is a musician or band who creates, records, and releases music without the backing of a major record label. Kennedy was ironically notified the song had reached number one on the chart on the third anniversary of K'Lee's passing, July 6. 'At a time when I needed somebody to lift me up, that came through and it felt like a warm hug from above. We had been out on the boat at Long Point for the day to get out and reflect on memories and find some peace and quiet.' She said when they arrived home there were a few messages from people who follow the chart. 'Check the chart, check the chart! It's recognition, it helps radio stations look at you a little more seriously as an independent artist to see how your song has resonated with people and has continued to rise. I was just happy to make the chart period in the beginning, but to see it go up each week has been amazing.' Just as important to Kennedy is the message of hope and comfort her song provides to people who have lost loved ones to suicide. 'It's reached people all over the world, as far away as Australia, Japan, Ireland and Mexico. It's mind-blowing to see how your song can just get out there and find people who didn't know they needed to hear it.' The 58-year-old took nearly two decades off from making any music. She isn't ruling out the possibility of coming up with more original tracks. 'I was talking with my song tracker to let him know how everything is just going crazy and he said he thinks it's time I thought about putting out another song.' Kennedy explained she swore up and down she was likely done because she hadn't done any new music since 2006. 'I put my whole heart and soul into 'You Never Said Goodbye', thinking that would be my last kick at the cat but at the same time my head had been filling up with lines.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
