At the United Nations, talking about the importance of vaccines and how they have saved millions of children from debilitating illnesses across the world, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev ends up spreading the very misinformation that anti-vaxxers spread on social media. I was today alerted about a dangerous tweet and message on vaccination by Jaggi Vasudev. The … Continue reading Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, stop spreading vaccine misinformation
OPV
India eradicated wild polio virus but at what cost
Despite oral polio vaccine causing vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) and vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) cases, India did not switch over from OPV to inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). While circulating VDPV strains are tracked, and outbreaks and cases recorded, little is known about VAPP cases. The justification that VAPP cases are “sporadic and pose little or no … Continue reading India eradicated wild polio virus but at what cost
Global ‘switch’ to reduce vaccine-derived polio cases
Beginning Monday, April 25, India will stop using the oral polio vaccine (OPV) with all three strains of the poliovirus (type 1, type 2 and type 3) and instead use OPV vaccines with only two strains — type 1 and type 3. The global vaccine “switch”, from trivalent to bivalent OPV, has been recommended by … Continue reading Global ‘switch’ to reduce vaccine-derived polio cases
Pakistan’s polio plan needs global support
After a year of relative success, the polio eradication drive in Pakistan received a setback on Wednesday (January 13) when a blast near a polio vaccination centre in Quetta killed at least 15 people and injured nearly two dozen others. The Pakistani Taliban and Jundullah have claimed responsibility for the attack. In recent years, militants have … Continue reading Pakistan’s polio plan needs global support
IPV vaccine boost to India’s polio fight
After nearly five polio-free years, and with the launch of the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) injection in the national immunisation programme tomorrow (November 30), India will be pushing for “endgame polio”. The injectable vaccine, which uses killed polio viruses, will be used alongside the oral polio vaccine (OPV). For now, immunisation using IPV will be … Continue reading IPV vaccine boost to India’s polio fight
Why oral polio vaccination must for India-bound Pakistanis
With no cases of polio being reported for three consecutive years, India will be declared as polio-free by the WHO on February 11 when random samples tested by the global health body turns out to be negative for polio. On February 24, 2012 WHO removed India from the list of countries with active, endemic, wild … Continue reading Why oral polio vaccination must for India-bound Pakistanis
‘We are fighting a war against polio without a General’
A 10-month-old baby in Beed district, Maharashtra who was recently diagnosed of polio caused by the vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) type 2 turns the spotlight on the shortcomings of using a live, weakened polio virus in oral polio vaccine. Dr. T. Jacob John, member of the WHO committee on global polio eradication, in an email to … Continue reading ‘We are fighting a war against polio without a General’
Bring in injectable polio vaccine
A 10-month-old baby in Beed district, Maharashtra who recently got infected by a vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) type 2 is yet another reminder that despite India being declared polio free more than two years ago, children are getting infected with the polio virus. The only difference is that the virus in question is not the wild … Continue reading Bring in injectable polio vaccine
Editorial: The oral polio vaccine is safe
Published in The Hindu on December 25, 2008 Ever since four infants died in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvallur district after they were vaccinated against measles in April 2008, there has been some apprehension about the safety of vaccination. More recently, the death of three children in Tamil Nadu and one child in Karnataka following oral polio … Continue reading Editorial: The oral polio vaccine is safe
A vaccine boost to India’s polio fight
Published in The Hindu on November 29, 2015 After nearly five polio-free years, and with the launch of the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) injection in the national immunisation programme tomorrow (November 30), India will be pushing for “endgame polio”. The injectable vaccine, which uses killed polio viruses, will be used alongside the oral polio vaccine … Continue reading A vaccine boost to India’s polio fight
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