Study: Highlighting harms of skipping COVID vaccines more effective than promoting benefits In the personal-benefit group, 65.5% said they will likely get vaccinated. CIDRAP

A new study in the Journal of Public Health suggests that it is more effective to emphasize the harms that come from not getting vaccinated rather than emphasizing the benefits of vaccination at the individual or community level.

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Mosquito-borne illnesses are rising: Here's how to protect yourself Mosquitos love heat. And as summers get warmer, mosquito-borne illnesses are rising, in the U.S., Europe, and South and Central America. Here are some tips to protect yourself. NPR

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Here’s what you need to know about protecting yourself from a potentially infectious mosquito bite.

Summer COVID surge shows we may have to return to 2020 pandemic measures As the summer of 2024 draws to a close, the United States finds itself once again grappling with a surge in COVID-19 infections. ckulat The Hill

... where do we realistically go from here, given that it is clear that COVD-19 is far from over? While much progress has been made in terms of vaccination and treatment, the current surge is a stark reminder that complacency is not an option. The road ahead will require a renewed commitment to public health, both from government leaders and from individuals.

‘Most people are confused’: What to know about the latest Covid shot While the risk of hospitalization and death is nowhere near what it was in 2021, there is still a danger, particularly for the elderly or those with compromised immune systems. POLITICO

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“One of the challenges of today is just that people aren’t going to get vaccinated,” said Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist and director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. “Most people are confused. They don’t really understand what’s happening or what the risk to them is,” when it comes to Covid.

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