Three Things Thursday highlights three things I am paying attention to as an epidemiologist each week.
This week, respiratory disease case counts, including COVID and RSV, are down. However, numbers associated with the stomach bug are (still) high. Both norovirus and rotavirus are spreading across the country. Be sure to wash your hands!
This week’s Three Things Thursday focuses on updates on COVID booster shots from WHO, the approval of Narcan for over-the-counter sales, and a series of hoax school shooting 911 calls.
Hoping these posts help to educate and empower you
to be healthy and create healthy communities.
Summary of the WHO Roadmap Report
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a summary from the meeting of its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization.
The report is not final, but the recommendations provided are important.
Here are the Cliff Notes from the meeting —
The WHO will likely recommend additional COVID boosters (only) for high-risk individuals (not for everyone). Data do show that the benefit of a booster dose(s) really only benefited those in high-risk groups. It is really important to note that the vaccine is still safe and effective, but with the virus becoming less virulent and most of the world’s population having some form of immunity (from previous vaccinations, infections, or both) the benefit of the vaccine is not as evident for those who are at low risk for severe outcomes associated with the disease.
A longer post is forthcoming (right here) where I will review the data (by age and risk groups) and will discuss the phenomenon of “negative imprinting” that is associated with the vaccine.
Be sure you are signed up to get all of my posts —
The benefit of a booster shot in high-risk groups (especially those who are immune compromised) is significant. And the WHO says that high-risk groups may need more than one booster shot per year.
The WHO also noted that pregnant people need a booster shot, especially if their last dose was more than six months ago. Booster shots protect the pregnant person and provide the developing fetus with antibodies, which will protect them during the fragile neonatal period.
Finally, the WHO stated that vaccines are still safe and effective for children, but they are recommending that children only be given the vaccine when the burden of disease is high and spreading among children in that specific age group. The Omicron variants are less virulent and the rate of severe disease and death in children is low. The cost-benefit analysis does not justify vaccinating all kids at this point in time.
Not sure I agree with the recommendation for kids. Still thinking it through. What I do know is that we cannot make all decisions based on just a cost-benefit analysis.
A lot more to think about…
But at this point in time, WHO is recommending booster shots for only individuals at high risk and pregnant.
FDA Approves Over-the-Counter Sales of Narcan
On Wednesday, the FDA approved over-the-counter sales of Narcan. Narcan is a nasal spray that dispenses the drug naloxone. It is a lifesaving medication designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The FDA stated on Wednesday that —
“Today's action paves the way for the life-saving medication to reverse an opioid overdose to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, and gas stations, as well as online.”
More than 100,000 American die from overdoses each year.
Advocates who are celebrating the availability of Narcan over-the-counter, state that this approval is part of a larger strategy to control the overdose crisis in the U.S.
Series of Hoax 911 Calls Claiming a Shooter at Schools
On Wednesday, not long after the mass shooting at a school in Tennessee, a series of hoax calls were made to 911 call centers across Pennsylvania. According to a report by Erie News Now —
“A spate of threats and false reports of shooters have been pouring into schools and colleges across the country for months, raising concerns among law enforcement and elected leaders. Schools in Pennsylvania were the latest targeted by so-called swatting. Computer-generated calls on Wednesday made claims about active shooters, but it was all a hoax.”
The mental health stress this put on teachers, students, and administrators was immense. And the resources needed to clear schools (where there were no shooters) were costly.
This hoax hit a little too close to home yesterday… at 11:09 yesterday morning, my 9th-grade daughter sent me a text that said —
“There was just a non-emergency lockdown at MASH. Apparently 3 dudes came in with big guns.”
Following some back-and-forth texts, we learned that “3 dudes with big guns” translates to the police being here with their guns out.
Gun violence is an epidemic.
These hoax calls are uncalled for and a source of terror.
And we need a public health solution to prevent more violence.
Thoughts? Questions?
And if you live nearby, do NOT miss the Community Health Fair on Saturday.