Two child deaths in Colorado linked to seasonal flu

Feb 06 2020

Two children have died of complications from influenza in Colorado since January, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. One of the children was preschool-aged and lived in southern Colorado, and the other was “school-aged” and lived in a rural community outside the Denver area. The state health department isn’t releasing additional information, to protect the families’ privacy. Children younger than 5 and older adults are vulnerable to flu complications, as are pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems or other chronic health conditions.

Source: Denver Post

MEASLES OUTBREAK IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY: FIVE NEW CASES CONFIRMED AS HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN OF POSSIBLE EXPOSURE

Feb 06 2020

Five new cases of measles have been confirmed by Los Angeles County health officials, who have warned of people possibly being exposed at several locations over the past two weeks. In an advisory, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health said four residents were "exposed to an unimmunized, international visitor who was infectious with measles" in Los Angeles County. Officials warned there was a possible risk of exposure to measles at a number of locations the individual visited between January 26 and February 1.

Source: Newsweek

Children with Cancer Need Vaccinated Communities

Feb 05 2020

I want to tell you about the children that are impacted by those who choose not to vaccinate—children like my 4 year old grandson who has leukemia. His chemotherapy treatment will last 3 ½ years, and by the end, it will wipe out any immunity he had received from vaccinations. He is also immuno-compromised during this time. We recently learned that he would not be able to attend preschool because there were too many unvaccinated children at the school! It just wasn’t safe for him–contracting measles or flu could kill him. My grandson has already dealt with more than any child should and now, because of the choices of those in his community, he is unable to just be a kid and go to preschool. Meanwhile, unvaccinated children go through life enjoying the benefit of herd immunity provided by those who have done the responsible thing and vaccinated their children.

Source: Voices for Vaccines

What You Need to Know About the Updated Vaccine Schedule for Kids

Feb 04 2020

Major medical groups released an annual update to the childhood and adolescent vaccine recommendations this month. There aren’t any major changes — mostly just clarifications. In a time when some parents find vaccines controversial, doctors say they should stick to the schedule. The document aims to make it clearer to doctors which children should receive which vaccines and when. The schedule includes recommended vaccines from birth through age 18. It also includes a catch-up schedule for children who haven’t received vaccines on time.

Source: Healthline

The Vaccine Mom Talks with Dr. Nicole Baldwin

Feb 04 2020

The Vaccine Mom, a molecular biologist, talks with Dr. Nicole Baldwin, pediatrician and mother of two, about her mission to further vaccine education post-TikTok video.

Source: Shot of Prevention

Conservatives Are Pushing for “Parental Rights” in Colorado. Here’s What That Means.

Feb 03 2020

For some conservatives, it’s their “parental right” to send their kids to a public school where sex education is designed only for heterosexual teenagers–or to a school that asks no questions about whether students are vaccinated. And this year, advocates of these so-called “parental rights” are going on the offensive, pushing passage of two pieces of legislation proposed by Republicans in Colorado’s General Assembly. One bill sets out to establish parental rights as a fundamental right in Colorado law, defining them as the right to “direct the upbringing, education, and care of a parent’s child.”

Source: Colorado Times Recorder

Colorado governor says he’ll support new vaccine bill

Feb 03 2020

Amid growing concerns about the spread of measles and other preventable illnesses, Colorado lawmakers are bringing back a bill that seeks to make it harder for families to exempt children from vaccines required by public schools. And Democratic Gov. Jared Polis — who played a key role in killing last year’s bill — says he will support it. The Senate bill, unveiled Monday, would require parents seeking an exemption for nonmedical reasons to first speak with an immunizing provider and then have the provider sign an exemption form to submit to the school, or take an online class about vaccinations, print the confirmation and submit it to the school with their exemption form. Currently, parents simply must sign a request and submit it to their children’s school.

Source: Denver Post

Gov. Polis Says He’ll Back New Regulations For Vaccination Opt-Outs

Feb 03 2020

A bill that aims to boost immunization rates and make it more difficult for parents in Colorado to opt their children out of vaccinations is expected to soon be introduced at the state capitol. The proposal is sure to heat up the discussion on immunizations, protecting public health and parents’ rights. The bill would require parents who want to opt-out to get a signed document from a medical professional or watch an online video, produced by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Right now parents simply submit a form to a child’s school. The proposal would not eliminate non-medical or personal belief exemptions. Gov. Jared Polis’ office said as it stands, he backs the measure. “The governor is encouraged by the conversations he has had with the bill sponsors and appreciates their hard work,” said the statement from his office. “The most recent draft of the bill honors the rights of parents while supporting the administration’s efforts to boost immunization rates and that is a bill that the governor can support. He will continue to monitor as it moves through the legislature.”

Source: CPR

Labs Worldwide Working on Coronavirus Vaccine, But Rollout Could Take Time

Feb 03 2020

MONDAY, Feb. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- A mad dash is afoot to craft a vaccine for the new coronavirus that's ravaging China and starting to spread across the globe, with possibly dozens of labs working on permanent protection against the pathogen. Researchers say an effective vaccine could be created in a matter of weeks, using advanced techniques. "We know enough. We can do this. We can actually make a vaccine in the lab in two weeks," said Florian Krammer, a professor of vaccinology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York City. "But -- here's the but -- that doesn't help us much."

Source: US News

How Anti-Vax Activists Use Conspiracy Theories To Spread Fear Of Vaccines

Feb 03 2020

The World Health Organization recently declared that "vaccine hesitancy," as they called it, was one of the top 10 threats to global health. That's right: it was up there with air pollution, climate change, influenza, Ebola, and other threats. For the WHO, "vaccine hesitancy" is a polite phrase designed to engage the public and highlight how serious the problem is, without angering those who are guilty of it. I'm not going to be quite so polite here: "vaccine hesitant" means anti-vax. The anti-vax movement, which aggressively spreads fear and misinformation about vaccines, has become a major, worldwide threat. It also resembles a cult, as I'll explain.

Source: Forbes