COVID vaccine hesitancy linked to 'nocebo' side effects CIDRAP

Vaccine hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccines is a positive predictor of negative side effects with vaccination—an example of the "nocebo" effect—according to a study today in Scientific Reports.

Nocebo, a play on placebo, is a phenomenon in which people experience negative effects on health when they have negative views or expectations surrounding medical interventions.

Boston establishing 11 wastewater COVID-19 testing sites BOSTON (AP) — Boston is planning to establish 11 wastewater testing sites across the city to help monitor for spikes in the COVID-19 virus. The head of the Boston Public Health Commission said the city is partnering with vendors to create the sites as COVID-19 levels in wastewater across the region have begun rising. AP NEWS

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Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Boston’s public health commissioner, said the city will be sampling water from the sites on a weekly basis. Ojikutu said the testing will also help the city monitor for the appearance of new variants of the disease.

Exercise may increase the effectiveness of your Covid-19 vaccine, a new study found: Here’s how to get the most benefit

Having the most protection from severe outcomes following Covid-19 infection is largely attributed to vaccination. But, the shot’s effectiveness may be enhanced by physical activity, a new study found.

Elevated levels of physical activity appeared to be associated with higher effectiveness from the primary series of the Covid-19 vaccination, according to new research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. 

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Flu vaccine appears to be a very good match to circulating strains, CDC says | CNN This year's flu shot appears to be "a very good match" to the circulating strains, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday. However, she noted that flu vaccinations are lagging behind the pace of previous years. Brenda Goodman CNN

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Beijing drops COVID testing burden as wider easing beckons Residents of China's capital were allowed into parks, supermarkets, offices and airports without a negative COVID-19 test on Tuesday, the latest in a mix of easing steps nationwide after unprecedented protests against a tough zero-COVID policy. Ryan Woo,Martin Quin Pollard Reuters

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Difficulty getting care for Covid-19 has become an increasingly common problem for poor, uninsured Americans. After paying about $25 billion to health care providers over the course of the pandemic to reimburse them for vaccinating, testing and treating people without insurance, the federal government is running low on funds for Covid care for the nearly 30 million Americans who are uninsured.

COVID resurgence prompts new CDC mask guidance for Long Island and parts of NYC It's the season of giving, but be wary of giving your family members COVID​. The virus is rebounding in 5 New York counties. CBS New York

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The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, Suffolk counties are all in the orange, with positivity rates between 7-10%.

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UK Says Long Covid May Explain Much of Spike in Inactivity Rate More than 200,000 Britons who left the UK labor market in the year to July reported suffering from long-Covid, official statistics show. Philip Aldrick Bloomberg.com

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Analysis by the Office for National Statistics found a link between the virus and the soaring levels of workforce inactivity since the pandemic struck, which is posing severe economic problems for the UK.

Pfizer asks FDA to clear updated COVID shot for kids under 5 Pfizer is asking U.S. regulators to authorize its updated COVID-19 vaccine for children under age 5 — not as a booster but part of their initial shots. Children ages 6 months through 4 years already are supposed to get three extra-small doses of the original Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine — each a tenth of the amount adults receive — as their primary series. AP NEWS

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China eases controls, gives no sign when 'zero COVID' ends BEIJING (AP) — China is easing some of the world’s most stringent anti-virus controls and authorities say new variants are weaker. But they have yet to say when they might end a “zero-COVID” strategy that confines millions of people to their homes and set off protests and demands for President Xi Jinping to resign. AP NEWS

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