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A masked doctor in a white coat and blue gloves administers a vaccine into the arm of a masked child.
Pfizer Vaccine Less Protective for Younger Kids: Preprint
The vaccine’s effectiveness in children ages 5 to 11 rapidly declined over the course of a month, according to new research that looked at the health outcomes of hundreds of thousands of children in New York during the Omicron surge.
Pfizer Vaccine Less Protective for Younger Kids: Preprint
Pfizer Vaccine Less Protective for Younger Kids: Preprint

The vaccine’s effectiveness in children ages 5 to 11 rapidly declined over the course of a month, according to new research that looked at the health outcomes of hundreds of thousands of children in New York during the Omicron surge.

The vaccine’s effectiveness in children ages 5 to 11 rapidly declined over the course of a month, according to new research that looked at the health outcomes of hundreds of thousands of children in New York during the Omicron surge.

vaccine, microbiology

Man in personal protective equipment (glasses, gloves, cap, and coat) watching plants go through a piece of machinery.
Canada Approves World’s First Plant-Based COVID-19 Vaccine
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Feb 25, 2022 | 2 min read
Canada has ordered 76 million doses of Covifenz, the main ingredient of which was manufactured in the leaves of a tobacco relative.
People waiting in line for COVID Vaccine
CDC: COVID-19 Booster Effectiveness Wanes After Four Months
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Feb 14, 2022 | 2 min read

The agency also finds that third shots prevented hospitalizations during the Omicron wave.


Photo of carved bust in front of building labeled "Institut Pasteur"
Luc Montagnier, Virologist who Codiscovered HIV, Dies at Age 89
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Feb 11, 2022 | 3 min read
The Nobel laureate had courted controversy in recent years on vaccines and other matters.
blue gloved hand putting vial of blood into centrifuge machine
Studies Identify Risk Factors for Long COVID
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Jan 26, 2022 | 4 min read
Two recent papers provide insight into possible risk factors for developing the chronic condition, including autoantibodies and diabetes.
line of people waiting outside mass vaccination site
“Nocebo” Effect May Cause Majority of COVID-19 Vaccine Symptoms
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Jan 18, 2022 | 2 min read
A negative version of the placebo effect may be behind many instances of mild side effects associated with the jabs, a study suggests.
images related to COVID-19 pandemic, including sign reading "please keep your distance," illustration of the virus, various pills, vaccine syringes
What We Learned About COVID-19 in 2021
Shawna Williams | Dec 16, 2021 | 3 min read
As Omicron induces a sense of deja vu at the close of the year, we look back at a few key ways in which our understanding has moved forward.
black-and-white image of an open mouth
The Common Mouth Microbe That Keeps Popping Up in Tumors
David Adam | Dec 15, 2021 | 6 min read
Lab studies link the oral bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum to cancers from the gut to the head and neck. Could targeting the microbe tackle tumors?
Two vaccine syringes on a baggy labelled with San Diego Zoo and Bonobo
The Rise of COVID-19 Vaccines for Animals
Chris Baraniuk | Dec 9, 2021 | 6 min read
Thousands of animals have had their shot already. How many more really need it?
black-legged deer tick waits on leaf for host to feed on
A Lab-Stage mRNA Vaccine Targeting Ticks May Offer Protection Against Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases
Andaleeb Sajid | Nov 18, 2021 | 3 min read
NIH researcher Andaleeb Sajid discusses her study’s finding that ticks were unable to feed on vaccinated guinea pigs, preventing transmission of the pathogen that causes Lyme disease.
gloved hands put a band-aid on the shoulder of a child wearing a mask
CDC Green Lights Pfizer’s Vaccine for Younger Kids
Shawna Williams | Nov 3, 2021 | 2 min read
With the final hurdle cleared, the COVID-19 vaccine could be administered to US children ages 5 through 11 as early as today.
Colored 3D rendered image SEM view of Ebola virus
New Ebola Case Confirmed in DRC Months After Previous Outbreak
Chloe Tenn | Oct 11, 2021 | 3 min read
Ebola virus was detected in samples from a child who died last week, the World Health Organization and Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ministry of Health announce.
Updated Mar 8
A healthcare worker holds up three syringes with clear medicine
To Booster or Not: Scientists and Regulators Debate
Jef Akst | Sep 16, 2021 | 7 min read
President Biden’s planned rollout of additional COVID-19 vaccine doses is set to begin next week, but questions remain about who should get them.
Black male doctor wearing a white lab coat and a mask vaccinates Black woman (also wearing a mask) in a medical office.
Study Reveals Declining COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy Against Infection
Annie Melchor | Aug 25, 2021 | 2 min read
The vaccines remain protective against serious disease and death.
photograph of a syringe and vial of colorless liquid
FDA Approves Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Annie Melchor | Aug 23, 2021 | 3 min read
The milestone marks the first fully-approved COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.
photograph of blue surgical masks overlaying one another
The Data Behind the CDC’s New Masking Recommendations
Annie Melchor | Aug 2, 2021 | 2 min read
As a result of massive summer gatherings in and around Cape Cod, hundreds of vaccinated people tested positive for COVID-19 with viral titers similar to unvaccinated patients.
cartoon of a scientist holding a magnifying glass up to test tubes of blood
How the Second mRNA Vaccine Bolsters Immunity
Annie Melchor | Jul 23, 2021 | 6 min read
A study looks beyond T and B cell responses to show how the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine elicits a strong innate immune response.
rice plants growing in a room with metal walls under artificial light
Rice-based Cholera Vaccine Induces Antibodies in Small Trial
Alejandra Manjarrez, PhD | Jul 8, 2021 | 4 min read
Immune-response levels to the edible vaccine varied among the subjects, possibly due to differences in the gut microbiome.
Illustration of the BCG vaccine and resulting immune response
Infographic: TB Vaccines in the Pipeline Take Varied Approaches
Anthony King | Jul 1, 2021 | 3 min read
More than a dozen vaccines for tuberculosis are currently being tested in clinical trials. Some use whole bacteria as BCG does, while others deliver protein subunits or genetic material carried by viral vectors.  
False-colored micrograph of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Tuberculosis: The Forgotten Pandemic
Anthony King | Jul 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
This month marks the 100-year anniversary of BCG, still the only approved vaccine against the lethal pathogen. But there are new vaccines for this wily foe on the horizon.
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