Many annual traditions are rightfully loved, but there are a few to dread every year.

Much like tax day, flu season remains one of those traditions that’s disliked by almost everyone. That’s because each year two main types of the influenza virus – types A and B – spread around the world. All it takes is droplets from a cough, sneeze or even speaking to spread the virus from person to person.

While the flu can cause various symptoms from a cough and sore throat to fatigue and body aches, it can be much worse. The flu can range from a mild illness to severe, especially in those who are at a higher risk for flu complications.

[Read more…]

A common saying is that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

This applies to vaccines in the sense that it’s better to prevent a disease than to treat one, especially since many deadly diseases don’t have cures.

Vaccines are something that, while we have scientific proof of their importance and success, can be an overwhelming topic for new parents. According to the CDC, “newborn babies are immune to many diseases because they have antibodies they got from their mothers. However, this immunity goes away during the first year of life.”

In Quebec, doctors are utilizing a new approach to help sway these parents who are hesitant in getting their infants vaccinated.

[Read more…]

A promising step in developing an HIV vaccine will start later this year as the pharmaceutical company, Johnson & Johnson starts testing a vaccine for the virus on human subjects.

Doctors, experts and millions of others around the world have looked for some help against this virus for decades. According to the CDC, almost 1 million people die due to AIDS every year. With new hope for the long-awaited vaccine, that number could drastically change.

[Read more…]

Foreign travelers have likely noticed that many countries require yellow fever vaccinations. They might also need proof that a person was vaccinated. Whether that’s a card or certificate, those countries won’t let you enter without the vaccine.

But, what makes this one immunization so important?

For many countries, vaccinated visitors might mean the difference between a manageable virus and full-blown epidemics.

[Read more…]

The CDC recently issued a travel alert for Yemen due to the country’s extensive cholera outbreak. The ongoing epidemic is already considered the worst recorded event of its kind in history – and it’s not over yet. Almost 20,000 suspected cases of the illness occurred recently in just one July week.

Overall, the epidemic has affected a considerable amount of the country: 22 out of 23 governorates and 301 out of 333 districts. From the start of the outbreak in October 2016 to June 2019, over 1.8 million potential cholera cases and 3,500 deaths have been reported.

More than 460,000 suspected cholera cases have occurred in Yemen in 2019 alone. There were 19,459 possible cases and 11 associated deaths during the one-week period between the 15th and the 21st of July.

[Read more…]