Journal of travel medicine
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Some refugee and migrant populations globally showed lower uptake of COVID-19 vaccines and are also considered to be an under-immunized group for routine vaccinations. These communities may experience a range of barriers to vaccination systems, yet there is a need to better explore drivers of under-immunization and vaccine hesitancy in these mobile groups. ⋯ These findings hold direct relevance to current efforts to ensure high levels of global coverage for a range of vaccines and to ensure that marginalized refugee and migrant populations are included in the national vaccination plans of low-, middle- and high-income countries. We found a stark lack of research from low- and middle-income and humanitarian contexts on vaccination in mobile groups. This needs to be urgently rectified if we are to design and deliver effective programmes that ensure high coverage for COVID-19 and routine vaccinations.
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This review aims to summarize the transmission patterns of influenza, its seasonality in different parts of the globe, air travel- and cruise ship-related influenza infections and interventions to reduce transmission. ⋯ The differences in influenza seasonality between hemispheres have substantial implications for the effectiveness of influenza vaccination of travellers. Health care providers should be aware of influenza activity when patients report travel plans, and they should provide alerts and advise on prevention, diagnostic and treatment options. To mitigate the risk of travel-related influenza, interventions include antivirals for self-treatment (in combination with the use of rapid self-tests), extending the shelf life of influenza vaccines to enable immunization during the summer months for international travellers and allowing access to the influenza vaccine used in the opposite hemisphere as a travel-related vaccine. With the currently available vaccines, the most important preventive measure involves optimizing the seasonal influenza vaccination. It is also imperative that influenza is recognized as a travel-related illness among both travellers and health care professionals.
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Evidence on long-term associations between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and risks of multi-organ complications and mortality in older population is limited. This study evaluates these associations. ⋯ COVID-19 is associated with long-term risks of multi-organ complications in older adults (aged ≥ 60). Infected patients in this age-group may benefit from appropriate monitoring of signs/symptoms for developing these complications.
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South Korea implemented restrictions on travel from China in January of 2023. In this scenario-based model, we estimated that the travel restrictions for inbound travellers from China were associated with a 0.3–9.8% decrease in the internal spread of SARS-CoV-2 in South Korea (95% Confidence Interval, 0.2–11.7%).