Air Pollution

Office buildings in Beijing shrouded by pollution haze. Photo - Wong/AP

The European Commission has crafted a set of pollution rules for the European Union to implement by 2030. The end goal is to fully eliminate harmful pollutants in the air, water, and soil by 2050. While the fate of this policy and its actual outcomes remains to be seen, it has sparked a renewed focus… Continue reading Air Pollution

COVID-19 Update: January 2023

Jan 6 2023 in Shanghai. With hospitals overwhelmed, patients are being treated in every available space. Image courtesy of Washington Post.

As we move into 2023, the situation globally continues to evolve. The COVID-19 pandemic is likewise changing rapidly, and in some ways, that wasn’t fully anticipated as the previous year came to a close. As new trends, data, and circumstances emerge, projections and guidelines around COVID-19 will need to change, update, and adapt. Similarly, the… Continue reading COVID-19 Update: January 2023

Stories from 2022: Vaccine-Derived Polio

World Health Organization

In spring 2022, public health authorities in both the United States and Great Britain reported the discovery of vaccine-derived poliovirus in several environmental samples from their respective countries. In July, the New York State Department of Health informed the CDC that they had identified a case of polio caused by vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2)… Continue reading Stories from 2022: Vaccine-Derived Polio

Ebola Outbreak Reported In Uganda

Ebola outbreak identified in Uganda.

  Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a rare and deadly illness in humans and nonhuman primates. It was first discovered in 1976 when two outbreaks of a fatal hemorrhagic fever illness occurred in Central Africa. It is thought that the natural host of the virus is fruit bats, but more research is needed to confirm… Continue reading Ebola Outbreak Reported In Uganda

Flu Season is Here: Breakdowns and Projections for 2022-2023

2022-2023 Flu Season is looking to be very very tough. Source: CDC

October marked the official beginning of the 2022-2023 flu season, and signs indicate that it might be active. Although restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic softened the blow for the flu season in 2020 and 2021, things have changed again, and we may all need to be more cautious this fall and winter. The Shape… Continue reading Flu Season is Here: Breakdowns and Projections for 2022-2023

New COVID-19 Booster Shots

On August 31, 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. This amendment authorized bivalent formulations of the vaccines for use as a single booster dose. This blog aims to detail how the new COVID-19 booster shots differ from previous formulas, the effectiveness and… Continue reading New COVID-19 Booster Shots

Monkeypox: What You Need to Know

Monkeypox rash on hands. Image courtesy of the CDC. 2022

On July 23, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency for the second time in two years.  This time, it’s for the monkeypox virus. The virus is endemic and found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Any cases outside of… Continue reading Monkeypox: What You Need to Know

Antibiotic Resistance

In what is considered the most comprehensive global study of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the peer-reviewed Lancet Medical Journal found that nearly 5 million deaths in 2019 were associated with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. In addition, the study found that drug-resistance bacteria accounted for 1.2 million deaths in 2019 – more than HIV and malaria. COVID-19… Continue reading Antibiotic Resistance

What You Need to Know About the Omicron “Stealth Variant”

Since the pandemic’s start, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has infected 392 million people and caused 5.7 million deaths worldwide. The highly transmissible omicron variant, first discovered in November 2021, accounts for nearly all active coronavirus infections globally. Recently, headlines have appeared around a new and more powerful subvariant to omicron. The subvariant, also known as the… Continue reading What You Need to Know About the Omicron “Stealth Variant”

Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests from the Government

At-home testing for COVID-19 is an essential tool that can help mitigate the spread of the virus. The US government launched a new website last Tuesday, January 18, allowing households to order up to four free at-home coronavirus tests. Type of At-Home COVID-19 Tests In December, the Biden administration announced the purchase of one billion at-home,… Continue reading Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests from the Government

Webinar: SARS-COV-2 Omicron Variant of Concern

Join us on December 14th at 11 am EST/8 am PST for a webinar featuring VIGILINT Emergency Medicine Physicians Drs Ossmann and Cellini as they discuss the newly discovered omicron variant and the potential impact on holiday travel. You have questions, and we want to hear from you! Please submit your questions you’d like addressed… Continue reading Webinar: SARS-COV-2 Omicron Variant of Concern

COVID-19 Vaccine for Children & The Pandemic’s Impact on Working Parents

COVID-19 Vaccine Approved for Children 5-11 Kids 5 and up can now get their age-appropriate dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is the most effective way to protect against the virus—hard stop. After a year that saw parents scrambling to find ways to protect their children from illness and keep their kids educated in a… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccine for Children & The Pandemic’s Impact on Working Parents