News
Schaffner suggests masks in crowds regardless of vaccination status
Sep. 20, 2021—Concerts, festivals and sporting events are back and people are coming out in huge numbers to attend. Some of these events are requiring guests to have a negative COVID-19 test or prove they’re vaccinated. Health experts warn even with these precautions, there’s still a chance you could get infected with the virus. There have been...
Neuzil comments a large-scale COVID-19 vaccine booster rollout
Sep. 20, 2021—At the center of the COVID-19 vaccine debate are concerns about waning immunity. Though there is evidence that vaccine efficacy against infection is diminishing over time, efficacy against severe illnesses remains strong. One study found that vaccine efficacy dipped from 91 to 84 percent after six months, while efficacy against severe illness remained at 97 percent. And...
Moore and Schaffner explain the importance of both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines
Sep. 17, 2021—With flu season swiftly approaching in a country already battling a resurgence of the coronavirus, experts are urging Americans to avail themselves of any and all vaccines they are eligible for — whether it’s their first coronavirus vaccination, a booster vaccine dose to combat waning immunity or a flu shot. “It’s terribly important” to get...
Jameson discusses her child policy research on ACEs and community action
Sep. 16, 2021—Rachael Jameson, Master of Public Health ’22, conducted a practicum with the Tennessee Department of Health in the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) with Vanderbilt MPH alumnus JW Randolph, (MPH ’18) who serves as the Assistant director. Jameson’s practicum work evaluated Tennessee’s policies around adverse childhood events (ACEs). She developed a toolkit for county health...
Schaffner comments on fake COVID-19 cures
Sep. 15, 2021—Iodine was once a popular treatment for your typical cut and scratch, and now anti-vaxx circles are claiming that gargling or snorting it works as a preventive for Covid-19. “Iodine is a disinfectant,” says William Schaffner, M.D., professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “Its use has [slowed down] because even on scratches and cuts, its effectiveness...
Schaffner discusses recent COVID-19 testing challenges
Sep. 14, 2021—Some people have said its harder to get a COVID testing appointment, especially for rapid tests for people who need to go back to work or school. “With so much emphasis on COVID vaccinations, we haven’t thought quite as much about testing,” Vanderbilt University Dr. William Schaffner said. As we head into the fall season,...
Edwards discusses tracking COVID vaccine safety with v-safe
Sep. 9, 2021—Of the 203 million people who have received at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine, more than 9 million have enrolled in a program to share information about their health since getting the shot. The initiative was created for the covid-19 vaccines to complement the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine safety monitoring...
Schaffner urges travelers to stay home if unvaccinated
Sep. 7, 2021—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a simple message for Labor Day weekend — if you’re unvaccinated, stay home. Dr. William Schaffner, Vanderbilt University infectious disease specialist, told CNBC at the time that the weekend was an “accelerator weekend” that would set the stage for the fall. “This is another holiday and we will see what the...
It’s time to curb expectations for the COVID-19 vaccine says Edwards
Sep. 7, 2021—When COVID-19 vaccines were reported last fall to be roughly 95 percent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infections, the world rejoiced — and even veteran scientists were blown away. The vaccines are wondrous weapons, but they aren’t impenetrable armor. “We all wish that that this would be gone. That we would get a vaccine and … we would...
Clayton comments as mask debates moves to courtrooms
Aug. 31, 2021—Mask rules in public schools vary widely. Some states require them; others ban mandates. Many more leave it up to individual districts. Public health experts say masks are a key coronavirus-prevention tool that does not pose health risks for children older than toddler age, and truly effective when worn by a large number of people....
Talbot encourages parents to get the COVID-19 vaccine
Aug. 31, 2021—An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday unanimously recommended the Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccine for people age 16 and older, an important step that could help accelerate vaccine mandates in the United States. Some panel members said increasing vaccinations before the fall season was critical...
Griffin honored for her contributions to diversity, inclusion
Aug. 31, 2021—Marie Griffin, M.D., M.P.H., and John Sergent, M.D., were recognized for their contributions to diversity and inclusion during a portrait unveiling ceremony in Langford Auditorium on Aug. 16, sponsored by the Office of Diversity Affairs. “This is a unique day for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Our heritage of greatness...
Schaffner comments on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation
Aug. 30, 2021—For many months, vaccine skeptics and critics of vaccination mandates have pointed to the fact that the coronavirus vaccines were available only under emergency-use authorizations. So when the Food and Drug Administration this week fully authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, these folks had some accounting to do. Increasingly, some of them have landed on a rather...
Creech hopes FDA approval will encourage people to get vaccinated
Aug. 27, 2021—By granting full regulatory approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, scientists say the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has provided a critical tool to help the nation stem a worrisome rise in new infections driven by the Delta variant. Public health experts hope the FDA’s decision will convince people who have been wary of COVID-19 vaccines...
Children are highly contagious for Covid-19 says Hartert
Aug. 27, 2021—A new study by Public Health Ontario, published in JAMA Pediatrics finds that infants and toddlers (0-3 years) are less likely to bring SARS-CoV-2 into the home but are more likely to transmit SARS-CoV-2 compared with older children (14-17 years). This study reinforces the urgent need to protect children and those they live with as they return in person to...