SOURCE: Reuters – The U.S. health regulator on Monday proposed one dose of the latest updated COVID-19 shot annually for healthy adults, similar to the influenza immunization campaign, as it aims to simplify the country’s COVID-vaccine strategy.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also asked its panel of external advisers to consider the usage of two COVID vaccine shots a year for some young children, older adults and persons with compromised immunity. The regulator proposed the need for routine selection of variants for updating the vaccine, similar to the way strains for flu vaccines are changed annually, in briefing documents ahead of a meeting of its panel on Thursday.

The FDA hopes annual immunization schedules may contribute to less complicated vaccine deployment and fewer vaccine administration errors, leading to improved vaccine coverage rates. The agency’s proposal was on expected lines, following its announcement of its intention for the update last month.

The Biden administration has also been planning for a campaign of vaccine boosters every fall season.

Currently, most people in the United States need to first get two doses of the original COVID vaccine spaced at least three to four weeks apart, depending on the vaccine, followed by a booster dose a few months later.

Pfizer’s primary vaccine doses for children and people involve three shots, with the third a bivalent shot given about two months later.

If the panel votes in favor of the proposal, Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Moderna Inc’s (MRNA.O) bivalent vaccines, which target both the Omicron and the original variants, would be used for all COVID vaccine doses, and not just as boosters.

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This processor was closed because it lacked the corresponding health records issued by that vice-ministry.

Furthermore, pseudomonas, a type of bacteria that frequently causes severe infections in humans, was detected in the processed water tests, as well as unsanitary conditions and a lack of heating.

Concerning the cholera disease, the Ministry of Public Health advises the public not to be alarmed, to pay attention to official reports, and to practice preventative measures such as frequent hand washing and food washing.

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The remaining four cases are imported and pertain to Haitian nationals, two men aged 47 and 31, a woman aged 72, and a 9-year-old girl.

There are 31 confirmed positive cases of the disease in the country, in addition to these six. The patients were admitted between January 18 and 20, according to a press release, after presenting with whitish watery diarrhea and vomiting. “When they were treated at the health center, they were hydrated and stabilized before proceeding immediately to take stool samples, which turned out to be positive for cholera this Sunday,” according to the Ministry of Health.

He adds that the medical report confirms that the patients have been without bowel movements for more than 24 hours, that they are stable and in good spirits, and that they will be discharged in the next few hours.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Nearly four months after its reappearance in Haiti, the number of cholera victims has risen to 496 dead, the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) reported Saturday.

The country has already registered 25,182 suspected cases and 21,407 hospitalized, 73 new, while 312 of the 496 deaths occurred in health institutions and 184 in the communities.

In a bulletin, the health authorities state that the average age of those infected is 19 years, and the positivity rate is 37.25%.

56.60% of the accumulated suspected cases are men, and the remaining are women. The most affected age group is 1 to 4 years old, with 374 confirmed cases out of more than 3,000 suspected cases.

The most affected department is the West, where Port-au-Prince is located and where more than one-third of the population lives, with 1,155 confirmed cases for 16,408 suspected cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned last week that the world is suffering unprecedented cholera outbreaks in countries affected by climate disasters and other crises. As a result, vaccines to prevent this disease have become “extremely scarce.”

During the meeting, the president of the Health Cabinet also evaluated the implementation of the “Malaria Elimination Strategy” carried out by the technical team of epidemiologists of the San Juan Provincial Health Directorate and presented by Dr. Rosa Alvino, focused on projecting and reinforcing strategies that can reduce the indicators of the disease.

“Today we are here to kick off a strategic program carried out by epidemiological team, since this province has the highest number of cases registered in the country; no one has died from the disease, but we have to focus on reducing cases,” the official said.

He suggested visiting the transmission centers two or three times a week to keep control of the situation and continue with the prevention strategies in the area, “it is very important to work on the operational part, taking into account the specific points of transmission, we have to go to the field where the active focus is,” he recommended.

Before the meeting, Dr. Rivera visited the facilities of the company Maguana Tropical, where he spoke with its production manager, Edwin Ordas, about the safety and hygiene measures that are being carried out to prevent malaria, cholera, and other diseases.

He also held a meeting with the director of the Centro Universitario Regional Oeste Curo- UASD, Carlos Manuel Sánchez, with whom he discussed health issues and analyzed the support to students of different careers in the prevention of viral diseases and other types of operations carried out by the Provincial Health Office.

He also went to the call of the bishop, Monsignor Tomas Concepción of the church Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana, along with the priest Pedro Pablo Mateo, to agree to expedite the process of requesting medicines; so that they arrive on time when requested by the episcopate.

“Those processes can be expedited through Habilitation and Accreditation; it is neither difficult nor impossible; besides, for us, the church should always be given priority,” concluded Dr. Rivera.

Santo Domingo
This Friday, another person died in the Villa Liberación sector, in El Almirante, Santo Domingo East, presumably from cholera, but laboratory tests will be needed to confirm this.

This death occurs amid the concern generated in this sector by the spread of cholera, which according to community members, has left at least five dead.

At least six cases have been confirmed, and others are awaiting test results.

The Public Health authorities intervened in the sector to stop the disease, installing a mobile hospital in the Center for Diagnosis and Primary Attention of the Villa Liberation sector to treat suspected cases.

Among the actions they carry out is searching for suspected cases to provide immediate Attention. In addition, they have asked those with diarrheal symptoms not to waste time and seek assistance.

Since the first case of cholera was registered in the country, following the increase in cases in Haiti, the authorities have set up a cordon in La Zurza, Capotillo, and other sectors near the banks of the Isabela River, where the presence of the bacteria that causes cholera has been confirmed.

The Ministry of Public Health and the Santo Domingo Water and Sewage Corporation (Caasd), among other government institutions, are involved in the actions.

The subject was brought up by Dr. César José Herrera, director of the Cardiovascular Center of Diagnostic, Advanced Medicine, and Telemedicine Centers (CEDIMAT). Herrera was accompanied by executives from the University of Bologna, Italy, with whom a collaboration agreement in the field of education was recently signed.

Herrera explained that young people with athletic bodies and even well-trained quads come to the services, but they have a history of using steroids and are suffering from the aortic disease. In that order, he and the European university’s directors both emphasize the importance of conducting research and gathering data to aid decision-making. The Dominican Republic ranks fourth in the Caribbean region in terms of cardiovascular mortality, trailing only Haiti, Guyana, and Suriname, indicating a public health issue.

As a result, the Centers for Diagnosis and Advanced Medicine and Medical Conferences and Telemedicine (CEDIMAT) received a visit from directors of the University of Bologna, Italy, as part of their efforts to promote cardiovascular health, and an important agreement was recently signed to develop joint projects in everything related to cardiovascular surgery.

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The purpose of this petition is to eliminate illegal littering & dumping in Grenada

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