How did vaccines, once hailed as essential tools for global peace, security and international cooperation, become something that some now fear could kill them?
A new study in the Journal of Public Health suggests that it is more effective to emphasize the harms that come from not getting vaccinated rather than emphasizing the benefits of vaccination at the individual or community level.
... where do we realistically go from here, given that it is clear that COVD-19 is far from over? While much progress has been made in terms of vaccination and treatment, the current surge is a stark reminder that complacency is not an option. The road ahead will require a renewed commitment to public health, both from government leaders and from individuals.
“One of the challenges of today is just that people aren’t going to get vaccinated,” said Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist and director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. “Most people are confused. They don’t really understand what’s happening or what the risk to them is,” when it comes to Covid.
... the study found that individuals with a favorable lifestyle had a lower risk of hospitalization, lower incidence of long-term or on-going health issues affecting multiple parts of the body, and reduced risk of post-COVID death, compared to those with an unfavorable lifestyle.
...the likelihood of developing long Covid has dropped since the start of the pandemic but remains substantial, especially for people who aren’t vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Since the widespread adoption of air conditioning in the 1970s, Americans have moved in droves from cold northern climes to sunny southern ones. That has led to booming populations in states such as Florida, Texas and Arizona, and a shift in economic activity from north to south.
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