How to improve preparedness for the next pandemic The key to improving pandemic preparedness in the U.S. is not simply additional funding, but also better management of federal resources. ckulat The Hill

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Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an unfortunate decline in policy interest in preparations for the next one.  

Covid’s scientific silver lining: A chance to watch the human immune system respond in real time Covid wreaked havoc on the world. It also provided an unprecedented look at the human immune system. Helen Branswell STAT

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The Covid pandemic marked the first time people armed with powerful scientific tools could study how the immune system awakens to and develops defenses against a new threat, in real time, in the global population.

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Opinion | How to counter vaccine misinformation in political discourse Childhood immunizations should not be a partisan talking point. Leana S. Wen The Washington Post

This fact might be hard to believe, but there’s no denying it: Anti-vaccine sentiments are likely to play a key role in this year’s election. ...

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FDA settles lawsuit over ivermectin content that doctors claimed harmed their practice | CNN The US Food and Drug Administration has settled a lawsuit over some of its posts about ivermectin, including what may have been one of its more popular pandemic-era social media campaigns. Jen Christensen CNN

The FDA said in an email to CNN on Wednesday that it “has chosen to resolve this lawsuit rather than continuing to litigate over statements that are between two and nearly four years old.”

Surging dengue cases in Americas cause alarm as potentially worst-ever season looms Dengue cases in the Americas rose in the first three months of this year by three times the number of infections reported in the same period last year, the head of the Pan American Health Organization said on Thursday. Marion Giraldo Reuters

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Mpox cases in the US are on the rise as vaccination rates lag and new threats loom | CNN Mpox cases in the United States are twice as high as they were at this time last year, and experts are stressing the importance of improving vaccination coverage as transmission risks rise. Deidre McPhillips CNN

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Transmission rates are still far below levels from 2022, when there were tens of thousands of cases in the US. But after a quieter year last year, experts say the US is vulnerable to increases in spread in a number of ways.

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UnitedHealth offers over $3.3 bln in loans to providers hit by attack on unit UnitedHealth Group said on Wednesday it has advanced more than $3.3 billion in loans to care providers impacted by a cyberattack on the U.S. healthcare conglomerate' tech unit last month. Reuters Reuters

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Swedish study suggests link between long COVID and severity of illness Of those who had long COVID, 61% had been hospitalized after contracting the virus. CIDRAP

... high blood pressure may be a risk factor for developing the chronic condition. The study is published in BMJ Public Health.

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Do you need a spring COVID-19 vaccine? Research backs extra round for high-risk groups | CBC News Various Canadian provinces are rolling out spring COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, allowing higher-risk individuals to get an extra dose. CBC

New guidelines suggest certain high-risk groups could benefit from having another dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this spring — and more frequent shots in general — while the broader population could be entering once-a-year territory, much like an annual flu shot.

Medical experts told CBC News that falling behind on the latest shots can come with health risks, particularly for individuals who are older or immunocompromised.

Here's what to know about dengue, as Puerto Rico declares a public health emergency Most people with dengue will show no signs of infection or experience only mild symptoms, but in rare cases infections can become severe and potentially fatal. NPR

Puerto Rico has issued a public health emergency after recording an unusually rapid rise in dengue cases over the first few months of this year.