Latest news with #RSV
ABC News
5 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
Perth mother urges parents to vaccinate their babies as WA government renews free RSV jabs for second year
When Conor Gibbons was just nine months old, he developed a cold that quickly turned into a four-day hospital stay. He was diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which then led to bronchiolitis and pneumonia. His mother Delaney Gibbons watched as the virus wore down her son's body to the point where he needed a feeding tube to eat. "That was absolutely awful to watch," Ms Gibbons said. "He had to have IV [intravenous therapy] and antibiotics, he was so weak and tired." Ms Gibbons said she hoped her family's traumatic experience could push other parents to get their children immunised against RSV. In a bid to reduce hospitalisations for RSV, the WA government has committed $7.6 million to rolling out free jabs for infants and children under the age of two across the state. RSV is the number one condition children are admitted to hospital for in their first year of life, according to the state government. The program will run alongside the Commonwealth government's newly funded RSV vaccine rollout for pregnant women. The vaccine will be available at a range of healthcare facilities, including community health clinics, GP clinics, Aboriginal medical services, antenatal clinics and maternity hospitals. Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton said nearly 22,000 babies were immunised through the program last year, resulting in a 57 per cent reduction in babies being hospitalised. Ms Winton said she was concerned about declining immunisation rates in the community and hoped making vaccines more accessible would help change that. "It is a priority for me to do everything I can to increase the vaccination rates," she said. "Not only for this important announcement to protect our young kids, but around the flu and COVID."
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
FDA OKs new COVID-19 vaccine for 65 and older, others with conditions
May 31 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration has approved Moderna's new COVID-19 vaccine, days after the federal government tightened vaccine standards for the virus. The FDA announced Friday that mNEXSPIKE can be given to adults 65 and older and those 12 to 64 with at least one underlying condition that could put them at risk of severe infection. Recipients also must have been previously vaccinated for COVID-19. The company, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., said Saturday it expects to have the vaccine available for the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season. Moderna also produces Spikevax for COVID-19, and mRESVIA for the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. "The FDA approval of our third product, mNEXSPIKE, adds an important new tool to help protect people at high risk of severe disease from COVID-19," Stéphane Bancel, chief executive officer of Moderna, said. "COVID-19 remains a serious public health threat, with more than 47,000 Americans dying from the virus last year alone. We appreciate the FDA's timely review and thank the entire Moderna team for their hard work and continued commitment to public health." STAT reported the next-generation COVID-19 vaccine uses a refined target to generate antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The dose is one-fifth the doage used in Spikevax, the current vaccine. Moderna conducted a randomized, observer-blind Phase 3 clinical trial of approximately 11,400 participants aged 12 years and older to test the mRNA-1283. The primary efficacy was to demonstrate the vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 starting 14 days after mNEXSPIKE compared with Spikevax, Moderna's updated COVID-19 vaccine approved on Sept. 6, 2024. The new vaccine showed a 9.3% higher relative vaccine efficacy than the mRNA-1273 in individuals aged 12 years and older. It was 13.5% better in adults aged 65 and older. In the Phase 3 trial, the most common side effects were injection site pain, fatigue, headache and myalgia. The company said there is a very small chance that mNEXSPIKE could cause a severe allergic reaction, usually within a few minutes to 1 hour after getting a dose of mNEXSPIKE. Myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, which is inflammation of the lining outside the heart, have occurred in some people who have received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Moderna said. Of those with problems, they are among males12 through 24. The FDA has asked Moderna to conduct post-marketing studies to continue to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the product. This includes a study on the outcomes of pregnant people and their babies when the vaccine was administered during pregnancy. The study is to be submitted by the end of 2032. Pfizer was the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive emergency approval in December 2020 and Moderna was followed one week later. The first COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States in January 2020. The FDA first granted Pfizer-BioNTech full COVID-19 approval for those 12 and older in August 2021 and Moderna in January 2022. They remain available under emergency use authorization for children as young as 6 months. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said children without underlying health conditions "may receive" a COVID-19 vaccine, contradicting a directive by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier in the week. The CDC updated the childhood immunization schedule published late Thursday. Kennedy, who said the agency would stop recommending the shots for healthy children, noted the guidelines would be changed. The new schedule also requires health insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid plans to continue to cover the vaccines for children. COVID-19 shots during pregnancy are listed as "No Guidance/Not Applicable," where they were previously recommended for all pregnant adults. Earlier this month, the FDA approved Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine with age restrictions after a six-week delay. The agency approved the vaccine only for people 65 and older and those 12 and older with at least one underlying condition at a higher risk of severe illness. This week, HHS notified Moderna that it was canceling contracts worth $766 million to develop, test and license vaccines for flu subtypes that could trigger future pandemics, including the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus. The first COVID-19 case was reported in the United States on Jan. 20, 2020. About 23% of U.S. adults are estimated to be up to date with the vaccine, according to the CDC through April. For children 6 months and up to 18, it is an estimated 13.%, the CDC reported.
UPI
18 hours ago
- Health
- UPI
FDA OKs new COVID-19 vaccine for 65 and older, others with conditions
A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in the Meuhedet Clinic in Jerusalem on January 3, 2022. The FDA approved a new version of the vaccine on Friday. File photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo May 31 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration has approved Moderna's new COVID-19 vaccine, days after the federal government tightened vaccine standards for the virus. The FDA announced Friday that mNEXSPIKE can be given to adults 65 and older and those 12 to 64 with at least one underlying condition that could put them at risk of severe infection. Recipients also must have been previously vaccinated for COVID-19. The company, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., said Saturday it expects to have the vaccine available for the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season. Moderna also produces Spikevax for COVID-19, and mRESVIA for the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. "The FDA approval of our third product, mNEXSPIKE, adds an important new tool to help protect people at high risk of severe disease from COVID-19," Stéphane Bancel, chief executive officer of Moderna, said. "COVID-19 remains a serious public health threat, with more than 47,000 Americans dying from the virus last year alone. We appreciate the FDA's timely review and thank the entire Moderna team for their hard work and continued commitment to public health." STAT reported the next-generation COVID-19 vaccine uses a refined target to generate antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The dose is one-fifth the doage used in Spikevax, the current vaccine. Moderna conducted a randomized, observer-blind Phase 3 clinical trial of approximately 11,400 participants aged 12 years and older to test the mRNA-1283. The primary efficacy was to demonstrate the vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 starting 14 days after mNEXSPIKE compared with Spikevax, Moderna's updated COVID-19 vaccine approved on Sept. 6, 2024. The new vaccine showed a 9.3% higher relative vaccine efficacy than the mRNA-1273 in individuals aged 12 years and older. It was 13.5% better in adults aged 65 and older. In the Phase 3 trial, the most common side effects were injection site pain, fatigue, headache and myalgia. The company said there is a very small chance that mNEXSPIKE could cause a severe allergic reaction, usually within a few minutes to 1 hour after getting a dose of mNEXSPIKE. Myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, which is inflammation of the lining outside the heart, have occurred in some people who have received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Moderna said. Of those with problems, they are among males12 through 24. The FDA has asked Moderna to conduct post-marketing studies to continue to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the product. This includes a study on the outcomes of pregnant people and their babies when the vaccine was administered during pregnancy. The study is to be submitted by the end of 2032. Pfizer was the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive emergency approval in December 2020 and Moderna was followed one week later. The first COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States in January 2020. The FDA first granted Pfizer-BioNTech full COVID-19 approval for those 12 and older in August 2021 and Moderna in January 2022. They remain available under emergency use authorization for children as young as 6 months. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said children without underlying health conditions "may receive" a COVID-19 vaccine, contradicting a directive by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier in the week. The CDC updated the childhood immunization schedule published late Thursday. Kennedy, who said the agency would stop recommending the shots for healthy children, noted the guidelines would be changed. The new schedule also requires health insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid plans to continue to cover the vaccines for children. COVID-19 shots during pregnancy are listed as "No Guidance/Not Applicable," where they were previously recommended for all pregnant adults. Earlier this month, the FDA approved Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine with age restrictions after a six-week delay. The agency approved the vaccine only for people 65 and older and those 12 and older with at least one underlying condition at a higher risk of severe illness. This week, HHS notified Moderna that it was canceling contracts worth $766 million to develop, test and license vaccines for flu subtypes that could trigger future pandemics, including the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus. The first COVID-19 case was reported in the United States on Jan. 20, 2020. About 23% of U.S. adults are estimated to be up to date with the vaccine, according to the CDC through April. For children 6 months and up to 18, it is an estimated 13.%, the CDC reported.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
How to keep infections and germs from spreading at the gym
(WKBN) – If you joined a gym or plan to this summer, it's important to clean any equipment you use. Some people might not know that germs can spread this way. Doctors say you can get infections from touching skin or using shared equipment. To lower your risk, wipe down any equipment with disinfectant spray. Most gyms have spray and wipes available. It's also a good idea to shower when you get home. Dr. Donald Dumford, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, warns that we should be careful of other germs, too. 'We do have to think about the fact that the gym is a shared airspace, so you do put yourself at risk for the possibility of viruses such as flu, cold viruses, COVID, RSV. So really, if you are feeling ill, if you're having a fever, if you're having a cough, consider staying home from the gym until your symptoms are improved,' he said. Dumford says if you see anything unusual on your skin, like redness, itching or swelling, it's best to see a doctor. There are different treatments you can try. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
West Australian
a day ago
- Health
- West Australian
Free RSV jabs for infants extended as WA braces for surge in cases this winter
The State Government has extended its free RSV immunisation programme for babies and young children, as WA braces for a surge in cases of the potentially life threatening illness this winter. With the number of respiratory syncytial virus cases for 0-4-year-olds already totalling 688 so far this year, parents are being urged to take advantage of the free immunisations for infants. The free immunisations — for 0-2 year-olds and available at community health clinics and antenatal clinics for all, regardless of Medicare access — commenced last July and was supposed to finish at the end of June. But the WA-funded free vaccination programme will now run until July next year at a cost of $7.6 million. 'Every year 1 in 30 babies in WA require emergency care for RSV — a potentially life-threatening illness that can easily be prevented,' Premier Roger Cook said. 'My government's free RSV immunisation program has more than halved the number of hospitalisations in babies under one year old, saving parents the heartache of seeing their children seriously ill, and easing pressure on our health system.' RSV is a common virus that infects the airways and lungs. It spreads easily by coughing and sneezing. Symptoms of RSV include runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever and reduced appetite. It can also make breathing difficult and cause wheezing. According to the government, RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for infants during the first year of life and is eight times higher than admission from influenza. Every year one in 30 babies are hospitalised with RSV. The WA Government says the free immunisations have resulted in a 57 per cent reduction in hospitalisations of babies younger than 12 months, easing pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, and saving the WA health system millions of dollars in hospitalisation costs. Almost 22,000 babies were protected during the 2024 RSV season. 'The results from our nation-leading rollout of the RSV vaccine for infants were remarkable, sparing hundreds of families the distress of seeing their babies in emergency care,' Health Minister Meredith Hammat said. 'This vaccination saves lives. 'Continuing to support the program is an easy decision for our government, and one that we hope will bring peace of mind for parents and parents-to-be, particularly during these colder months.'
