Florida Covid Vaccine Probe Yields Zero Evidence Of Criminal Wrongdoing
In its report, the grand jury did recommend greater transparency in clinical trials and a ban on pharmaceutical ads. The CDC maintains the vaccines are safe. Also, it's not too late to get seasonal covid and flu shots as cases of those respiratory viruses are skyrocketing after holiday gatherings.
AP:
Florida Grand Jury Investigating COVID-19 Vaccines Finds No Evidence Of Criminal Activity
A statewide grand jury convened at the request of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to investigate “any and all wrongdoing” concerning COVID-19 vaccines did not find any evidence of criminal activity, according to a report unsealed on Tuesday. “(N)ot finding any indictable criminal activity does not mean we did not find any problems. On the contrary, there are profound and serious issues involving the process of vaccine development and safety surveillance in the United States,” the grand jury wrote in its final report. (Payne, 1/7)
NPR:
Winter Illnesses Return With A Vengeance
The winter holiday rituals are behind us. It's cold and snowy in many places. And, now, unfortunately, another annual tradition is upon us. "Respiratory season is here," says Dr. Brendan Jackson, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It is getting to be in full swing now with a lot of people getting sick, a lot of people missing work, missing school, just feeling lousy in general." "It is ugly out there right now," says Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist who writes the Your Local Epidemiologist newsletter. The flu, in particular, is at high or very high levels all around the country, according to the CDC. "We're buried with influenza. Things are very, very busy and intense," says Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease researcher at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. (Stein, 1/8)
AFP:
Forgotten But Not Gone: Covid Keeps Killing, Five Years On
From October to November last year, there were more than 3,000 deaths from Covid across 27 countries, according to the WHO. (1/8)
On HMPV and mpox —
CIDRAP:
WHO: No Unusual Patterns Seen In China’s Respiratory Infection Surge
The WHO said it is in contact with Chinese officials and that it has not received any reports of unusual outbreak patterns. “Chinese authorities report that the health care system is not overwhelmed and there have been no emergency declarations or responses triggered,” the WHO added. (Schnirring, 1/7)
The Hill:
India Confirms First HMPV Cases Amid Surge In China
India confirmed its first cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in children, with a total of seven cases reported as of Tuesday. The Indian federal government urged states to increase surveillance and spread awareness to prevent transmission of the virus, but officials also urged the public not to panic. Many experts have stressed that HMPV has been around for decades and is not as fatal as COVID-19. (Fortinsky, 1/7)
CIDRAP:
France Reports First Clade 1b Mpox Case
France’s health ministry today reported the country’s first clade 1b mpox case, which involves a person from Brittany who hadn’t traveled abroad, but was in contact with two people who had returned from Central Africa. The case from France marks the eleventh country outside of Africa to detect clade 1 mpox, which is different than the clade 2 virus circulating globally. (Schnirring, 1/7)
