scholarly journals Vaccinating children against COVID-19: commentary and mathematical modelling

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T Hawkes ◽  
Michael F Good
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Childhood Vaccination ◽  
Minimal Risk ◽  
Childhood Immunization ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
The Public ◽  
Child Morbidity

With the recent licensure of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 in the 5-11 year old age group, the public health impact of a childhood immunization campaign is of interest. Using a mathematical epidemiological model, we project that childhood vaccination carries minimal risk and yields modest public health benefits. These include large relative reductions in child morbidity and mortality, although the absolute reduction is small because these events are rare. Furthermore, the model predicts altruistic absolute reductions in adult cases, hospitalizations, and mortality. However, vaccinating children to benefit adults should be considered from an ethical as well as a public health perspective. From a global health perspective, an additional ethical consideration is the justice of giving priority to children in high-income settings at low risk of severe disease while vaccines have not been made available to vulnerable adults in low-income settings.

scholarly journals The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e004275
Author(s):  
Caitlin M Pley ◽  
Anna L McNaughton ◽  
Philippa C Matthews ◽  
José Lourenço
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Hepatitis B Virus ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
The Public ◽  
B Virus ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has resulted in a myriad of interventions with the urgent aim of reducing the public health impact of this virus. However, a wealth of evidence both from high-income and low-income countries is accruing on the broader consequences of such interventions on economic and public health inequalities, as well as on pre-existing programmes targeting endemic pathogens. We provide an overview of the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on hepatitis B virus (HBV) programmes globally, focusing on the possible consequences for prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Ongoing disruptions to infrastructure, supply chains, services and interventions for HBV are likely to contribute disproportionately to the short-term incidence of chronic hepatitis B, providing a long-term source of onward transmission to future generations that threatens progress towards the 2030 elimination goals.

scholarly journals Understanding the Potential Impact of Different Drug Properties On SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Disease Burden: A Modelling Analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Whittaker ◽  
Oliver J Watson ◽  
Carlos Alvarez-Moreno ◽  
Nasikarn Angkasekwinai ◽  
Adhiratha Boonyasiri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Supportive Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Public Health Impact ◽  
The Public ◽  
Hospitalised Patients ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Potential Therapeutics

Abstract Background The public health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has motivated a rapid search for potential therapeutics, with some key successes. However, the potential impact of different treatments, and consequently research and procurement priorities, have not been clear. Methods Using a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, COVID-19 disease and clinical care, we explore the public-health impact of different potential therapeutics, under a range of scenarios varying healthcare capacity, epidemic trajectories; and drug efficacy in the absence of supportive care. Results The impact of drugs like dexamethasone (delivered to the most critically-ill in hospital and whose therapeutic benefit is expected to depend on the availability of supportive care such as oxygen and mechanical ventilation) is likely to be limited in settings where healthcare capacity is lowest or where uncontrolled epidemics result in hospitals being overwhelmed. As such, it may avert 22% of deaths in high-income countries but only 8% in low-income countries (assuming R=1.35). Therapeutics for different patient populations (those not in hospital, early in the course of infection) and types of benefit (reducing disease severity or infectiousness, preventing hospitalisation) could have much greater benefits, particularly in resource-poor settings facing large epidemics. Conclusions Advances in the treatment of COVID-19 to date have been focussed on hospitalised-patients and predicated on an assumption of adequate access to supportive care. Therapeutics delivered earlier in the course of infection that reduce the need for healthcare or reduce infectiousness could have significant impact, and research into their efficacy and means of delivery should be a priority.

scholarly journals Snus and snus-like nicotine products moving across Nordic borders: Can laws protect young people?

2021 ◽  
pp. 145507252199570
Author(s):  
Marjut Salokannel ◽  
Eeva Ollila
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The Public ◽  
European Court ◽  
Wide Availability ◽  
Personal Use ◽  
Health Studies ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Eu

Background: Use of snus and snus-like nicotine products is increasing, in particular among young people, in several Nordic countries and Estonia, while snus is legally on the market only in Sweden and Norway. Snus is available in a great variety of tastes and packaging particularly catering for young users. Recently, strong snus-resembling nicotine pouches have emerged on the market. This research investigates the regulatory means to counteract this development. Methods: European Union (EU) and national tobacco control legislation, case law of the European Court of Justice (CJEU) and relevant public health studies are analysed. Results: The research finds that the judgement of the CJEU relating to the sale of snus on Finnish ferries has not been enforced. Permitted large traveller imports for personal use have contributed to wide availability of snus in Finland. Even if the legislation in Sweden is in conformity with the exemption it obtained in the Accession Treaty, the public health impact of snus use for young people in its neighbouring countries has become considerable. Nicotine pouches, -which are not regarded as medical products in terms of medicine legislation, lack harmonised EU-wide regulation. Controlling smuggling across open borders is challenging. Conclusions: The legislation at the EU and national levels should be able to protect young people from new tobacco and nicotine products. It is urgent to harmonise regulation relating to new tobacco and nicotine products taking as a base a high level of protection of health as required in the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

scholarly journals The Public Health Impact of Coccidioidomycosis in Arizona and California

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1150-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard F. Hector ◽  
George W. Rutherford ◽  
Clarisse A. Tsang ◽  
Laura M. Erhart ◽  
Orion McCotter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Public Health Impact ◽  
The Public

The congenital anomalies registry in Belarus: a tool for assessing the public health impact of the Chernobyl accident

2003 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 659-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Lazjuk ◽  
P Verger ◽  
B Gagnière ◽  
Zh Kravchuk ◽  
I Zatsepin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Chernobyl Accident ◽  
Congenital Anomalies ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Public Health Impact ◽  
The Public
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