Americans Are Underestimating Bird Flu. In A Future Pandemic, That Could Be A Problem The public just isn’t concerned enough about H5N1, suggests new research. Laura Simmons IFLScience

The general public are showing “ignorance and apathy” towards the threat of bird flu, say the authors of a new editorial, based on a survey they conducted of US residents. It found that many were unaware of or unwilling to take simple precautions that might decrease their risk of exposure to the virus.

As bird flu hits cattle herds in U.S., scientists say these H5N1 factors worry them most Bird flu infections have been rare among people, but the pathogen is evolving, which has scientists worried about a possible pandemic. CBS News

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What causes breakthrough measles infections? A small number of people who are fully vaccinated may get sick during a large outbreak, doctors say. NBC News

...Infectious diseases doctors are at pains to emphasize that the MMR vaccine is one of the most effective vaccines on the market, but as Rodney Rohde, a professor at Texas State University explains, a small number of people who are fully vaccinated may get sick during a large outbreak.

Trump turns a COVID information website into a promotion page for the lab leak theory A federal website that used to feature information on vaccines, testing and treatment for COVID-19 has been transformed into a page supporting the theory that the pandemic originated with a lab leak. AP News

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Studies across 14 nations show 25% to 30% rate of long COVID Among the 25% of participants in 1 study who said they experienced long-COVID symptoms, 13% reported sleep disorders. CIDRAP

A new study in BMJ Global Health across 13 middle- and high-income countries reveals that 25% of patients reported symptoms of long COVID after symptomatic COVID-19, and long COVID is significantly more prevalent in participants from less wealthy nations and in patients of Arab or North African ethnicity.

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Beyond Ivy League, RFK Jr.’s NIH Slashed Science Funding Across States That Backed Trump - KFF Health News A KFF Health News analysis underscores how the terminations have spared no part of the country, politically or geographically. Of the organizations that had grants cut in the first month, about 40% are in states President Donald Trump won in November. khnkit KFF Health News

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CDC considers narrowing its Covid-19 vaccine recommendations | CNN The US Centers and Disease Control and Prevention is considering recommending annual Covid-19 shots to those who are older or who have compromised immune function, rather than the current blanket recommendation for everyone 6 months of age and older. Brenda Goodman CNN

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In the West Texas measles outbreak, a new battle emerges — misinforma… Vaccine critics have downplayed the role of measles in two Texas girls’ deaths, peddled unproven measles treatments and exaggerated the dangers of the vaccine. By Yuriko Schumacher, Pooja Salhotra and Terri Langford The Texas Tribune

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World Health Organization agrees legally binding pandemic treaty The agreement is designed to ensure more cooperation between nations in the event of another pandemic. BBC News

Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed the text of a legally binding treaty designed to better tackle future pandemics.

The pact is meant to avoid the disorganisation and competition for resources seen during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Key elements include the rapid sharing of data about new diseases, to ensure scientists and pharmaceutical companies can work more quickly to develop treatments and vaccines.

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