Measles has made an unwelcome return to the U.S., with dozens of children across multiple states having caught the highly contagious viral disease so far this year. There are several reasons why measles has become a larger problem both here and worldwide as of late, but there’s one commonly speculated suspect for its…
A German man seems to be no worse for wear after having allegedly gotten more than 200 covid-19 vaccine doses. In a new study out this week, scientists examined the man’s blood and saliva and found no evidence that the “hypervaccination” he went through harmed his immune response to covid-19 or his general health. If…
Here’s one weird trick for making the most out of your next two-dose vaccine: get a shot in both arms. A recent study found evidence that a two-arm approach can noticeably, if modestly, improve the body’s immune response to covid-19 compared to two shots in the same arm. More research will be needed to confirm whether…
Parents are increasingly finding ways to keep their children unvaccinated as they enter kindergarten, new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. The percentage of parents claiming vaccine exemptions for their children has increased nationwide this year, with many states rising over 5%.…
The anti-vaccination movement is going to the dogs. Recent survey data has suggested that a substantial proportion of American dog owners have doubts about their pets’ vaccines, including the rabies shot. Rabies is almost always fatal if not treated promptly, and routine canine vaccination has helped make pet and…
As if life isn’t hard enough already: rabid otters are apparently a thing. Florida health officials reported this week that a 74-year-old man and a dog were bitten by an aggressive otter, one that later tested positive for the usually fatal viral infection. Both victims have reportedly received treatment and the otter…
This week, the Food and Drug Administration has approved updated mRNA vaccines for covid-19. The vaccines are intended to increase people’s protection from the latest circulating variants of the coronavirus, which has started to cause a recent uptick in illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will soon…
Getting enough sleep is refreshing for both you and your immune system, a new review of research out Monday suggests. A team found that sleeping fewer hours a night around the time of vaccination was associated with lower levels of vaccine-related antibodies, at least in some groups. More research is needed to…
Scientists at the University of Washington School of Medicine are winners of the 2023 Gizmodo Science Fair for their experimental breast cancer vaccine.