Coronavirus

The COVID-19 pandemic has confronted health communicators with unprecedented challenges. To achieve widespread “vaccine literacy,” health communicators must apply basic educational principles to promote trustworthy, straightforward communication …

A nationwide COVID-19 vaccination program is currently underway in the US. Where can you get vaccinated and when? What side effects can you expect? Will COVID-19 vaccines help end the pandemic? Read recent news of interest from the world of infectious diseases, with a focus on COVID-19 vaccination …

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently held two important meetings to review data on vaccines for influenza, hepatitis, pneumococcal disease, shingles, and other diseases, and to approve the new Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Marla Dalton, executive director and CEO of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), talks with NFID Medical Director William Schaffner, MD, about the significance of these meetings for healthcare professionals and the public …

As we continue to tackle health equity issues, it is important to be open to embracing new partners and creating new champions. Although highlighting the contributions of Black scientists during Black History Month is important, addressing health equity can and should be done anytime and anywhere …

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are starting to decline in the US, and vaccination rates are starting to increase. However, public health experts are concerned about new variants, the possibility of reinfection, and the overall risk of complacency. In this episode of the Schaffner Report, NFID Executive Director and CEO Marla Dalton, CAE, talks with NFID Medical Director William Schaffner, MD, about COVID-19 vaccines, masks, and reinfection …

Given the increased rates of vaccine hesitancy among the communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic, health equity principles should be applied across the board to overall COVID-19 response and vaccine administration …

Only one year after the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) first emerged, the US has begun a national COVID-19 vaccination program …

In this edition of the Schaffner Report, William Schaffner, MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), talks with NFID Executive Director and CEO Marla Dalton, CAE, about ways to reduce risk during holiday season celebrations…

Multiple mechanisms exist to ensure the safety and efficacy of vaccines in the US. We need to extrapolate what we have learned from years of experience with influenza and apply those learnings to COVID-19 vaccines…

As if Halloween weren’t scary enough, respiratory viruses can also haunt trick-or-treating traditions. Although some Halloween activities may increase the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19 or influenza (flu), there are things you can do to help protect yourself and your family while still having fun…

The 2020 elections bring a new set of challenges amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Large crowds and longer wait times for in-person voting can increase the risk of spreading respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and influenza (flu). But there are steps you can take to protect yourself and others…

Read recent news of interest from the world of infectious diseases, with a focus on COVID-19 and preparing for the 2020-2021 influenza (flu) season…