The Pentagon is partially walking back its decision to make the influenza vaccine entirely voluntary, granting exemptions to the policy change for the services, including requiring it for all recruits entering basic training.
Military Will No Longer Require Annual Influenza Vaccines for Personnel
Annual influenza vaccines are no longer mandatory for military personnel.
Hospitalized Veterans With RSV, Influenza—But Not COVID-19—Face a Higher Risk for S. pneumoniae Infection
Hospitalized veterans with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or influenza infections but not COVID-19 are at increased risk of developing secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae infections, according to a recent study.
RSV Infection Can Lead to Serious Risks, Including Cardiac Events
During the 2022 to 2023 season, infection with SARS-CoV-2 was associated with more severe disease outcomes than influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), although differences were less significant during the 2023 to 2024 season, according to a VA study.
Melatonin Appears to Have Some Effect Enhancing Flu Vaccine
Noting that vaccine immunogenicity is affected by a variety of factors, melatonin has been reported to affect immune responses to vaccines and infection, according to a new study.
Past COVID-19 Infection Increases Frailty in Older Veterans
COVID-19 survivors appear to be at greater risk for new medical conditions. A new study sought to determine if previous infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is associated with a change in frailty among older U.S. veterans.
Older White Veterans Most Likely to Get Flu Vaccines
How do race, ethnicity, sex and rurality affect influenza vaccination adherence in a VHA cohort?
COVID-19 More Severe in Veterans With Chronic Lung Diseases
Veterans with chronic lung diseases, particularly idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), other interstitial lung diseases (ILD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), have an increased risk of experiencing more severe 30-day outcomes with COVID-19, according to a recent study.
COVID-19 Complications Continue to Arise Three Years After Infection
The long-term effects of COVID-19 might last longer and manifest themselves later than was previously thought, according to a new study that followed patients for three years after their initial illness.
In a Turnaround, Nearly All VA Hospitals Require Personnel to Get Flu Shots
In 2017, almost no healthcare personnel at VA hospitals reported in a survey that they had received mandatory influenza vaccinations. By 2021, almost all VA respondents said they had.
Influenza Associated With Coronary, Cerebrovascular Events in Older Veterans
Influenza is a significant contributor to coronary and cerebrovascular events in U.S. veterans and exacerbates underlying conditions, according to a new study.
Risk of Dying from COVID-19 Remains Much Greater Than With Influenza
The risk of dying while hospitalized for COVID-19 might have decreased since the pandemic began, but SARS-CoV-2 still has a considerably higher mortality rates than seasonal influenza, according to a new VA study.
With High Awareness of Long COVID, Researchers Put Spotlight on Long Flu
Clinicians are well aware of long COVID, the enduring health conditions caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus’ ability to attack multiple organ systems.
Trial of Fluticasone Furoate Didn’t Show Benefits for COVID-19 Outpatients
Inhaled glucocorticoids do not appear to be effective in shortening the time to symptom resolution or preventing hospitalization or death among outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, according to a recent study.
No Excess Late Mortality for Veterans Who Survived COVID-19
The devastating toll of acute COVID-19 infections on human lives is well documented. Yet a pressing question remains: Do survivors of acute COVID-19 face a higher risk of mortality in the aftermath of their infection and, if so, for how long does this risk persist?
Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab Found Effective in Immunocompromised Veterans
The risk of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality is much higher for immunocompromised patients, and, while vaccines have been highly successful at preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and decreasing the likelihood of severe disease in the general population, those who are immunocompromised still face a greater danger for breakthrough infections and persistent viral replication, according to a new study.
Veterans Who Got COVID Shots More Likely to Accept Flu Vaccine
A new VA study sought to determine whether acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine might have influenced update of annual influenza vaccination.
Racial Disparity Common in Receipt of High-Dose Influenza Vaccines
Racial disparities in receipt of high-dose influenza vaccine (HDV) have been documented nationally, but a new study sought to determine if small-area geographic variation in such disparities also exists.
Comparison of the Adjuvanted, High-Dose Influenza Vaccines for Older Adults
Which provides better protection for older adults: the adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (aIIV) or high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV)?
Highly Rural Areas Appear to Have Lower Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines
Public health officials can better target their message if they better understand where COVID-19 primary and booster vaccine uptake is low. A new VA study suggests that whether the potential recipient lives in a rural or urban area can be an important factor.
New York’s Operation COVID-19 Is Largest Domestic Mobilization in US History
On March 7, 2020, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order 202 declaring a state of emergency for the state of New York. Within days, military forces in the state mobilized to respond to the pandemic with the deployment of 270 servicemembers from the New York Army National Guard and Air National Guard to New Rochelle in Westchester County
VA Faces Challenges in Diagnosing, Caring for Long COVID
In the early days and months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the VA and other healthcare systems were focused on the daunting work of helping patients survive the acute effects of the disease.
Vaccinations Can Help Prevent Flu, COVID-19 Co-Infection
While co-infection with more than one respiratory virus was especially a problem this fall and winter, it has happened before, especially in an environment where SARS-CoV-2 is circulating.
Study Examines Reasons for Vaccine Hesitancy in Patients With IBD
Even after years of the COVID-19 pandemic, data remains somewhat limited on the safety profile of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients taking immunosuppressive medications.
Severe COVID-19 Illness Low for Veterans After Vaccination Plus Booster
Veteran patients who received a COVID-19 vaccination series, plus a booster vaccine dose, had a low incidence of hospitalization, death or severe illness from COVID-19, according to a new study.
Race Appeared to be Factor in Treatment of Veterans Hospitalized With COVID-19
Black veteran patients received different medical interventions than white patients when hospitalized with COVID-19 in VAMCs across the country, according to a new study.
Blood Sugars Higher for Flu Vaccine Recipients With Diabetes
The Vaccine Adverse Effect Reporting System, established by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has more than 350 reports of hyperglycemia post-influenza vaccine, according to a new study.
Elderly Veterans More Likely to Die from COVID-19 Than Flu
An often repeated misconception during the COVID-19 pandemic is that the Sars-C0V-2 and influenza viruses are similarly fatal for older adults, although there have been limited data to support that observation.
Yellow Fever Vaccine Response Lower After Flu Vaccine
The DoD’s support of the United States government’s response to the Ebola crisis in Liberia, beginning in 2014‐2015, was the first U.S. military operation to support a disease‐driven foreign humanitarian assistance mission.
Despite Allergic-Type Reactions, Military Study Found Many Patients Can Tolerate Second Dose of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine
Although serious allergic reactions to mRNA vaccines are extremely rare, fear of them has driven hesitancy among some potential recipients. That especially has been the case when an adverse effect occurred after the first dose.
