1 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to Wellness on Mass. I'm doct Nicole Sapphire and 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 1: this is your weekly rundown. It has been a very 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: busy news cycle this week and if you're keeping up, 4 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: one of the big announcements came from the AHHS where 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: the CDC is overhauling their entire childhood vaccine recommendations. Now 6 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: you have a lot of people cheering, you have a 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: lot of people criticizing, and I think most people are 8 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: somewhere in between and they just want to know what's 9 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: going on. So let's break it down. The main vaccines 10 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: are still being recommended, like the MMR, polio, chicken pox, 11 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: DTaP T, dap HIB new macaucus, and HPV. Now those 12 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: are all still routinely recommended for all children at various 13 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: different ages. The only change there is the HPV. Remember 14 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: human papaloma virus. This is a pre cancerous virus that 15 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: causes majority of cervical cancer as well as a ton 16 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: of head and net cancers as well as others. I 17 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: see it every single day in my day job. HPV 18 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: vaccine in the United States has been recommended to be 19 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: two or three doses. The CDC is now saying one 20 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: dose in teenagers is enough. Where did they make this 21 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: change from? Well, it's actually supported by the science. About 22 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: eighty countries only recommend one dose of the HPV vaccine. 23 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 1: A large study recently from December twenty twenty five, that's 24 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: how recent it was out of a different country. A 25 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: five year follow up showed looking at twenty thy teens 26 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: who got a single dose versus two doses, the efficacy 27 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: to prevent infection was about the same, really really high 28 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: ninety seven percent. So obviously a very successful vaccine in 29 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: that sense. But one dose versus two dose looks the same. 30 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: The only caveat I have here is they don't necessarily 31 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: have long term studies like ten to twelve or twenty 32 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: year follow us up showing that the one dose is 33 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: comparable to the two dose, So we will have to 34 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: follow up the data on that, But for now, the 35 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: data does support switching from two to one doses. Now 36 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: here's where the bigger changes happen. RSV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, 37 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:22,119 Speaker 1: meninga cockle. Those are now only being recommended for high 38 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: risk group. A lot of people are up in arms, 39 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: most specifically about the meninga cockle. Now meninja cockle. That 40 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: is a vaccine that protects against a certain bacteria that 41 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: causes a very fatal meningitis, very high mortality rate, very 42 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 1: high morbidity rate. So here's the deal with that. It 43 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: is a very rare infection. Even before vaccines, it was 44 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 1: a very rare infection. Where we see it mostly are 45 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: in infants. Well, we've never recommended the vaccine in infants 46 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: because it's a different Sarah group. But we also see 47 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 1: it in young adults and teenagers who are congregating together 48 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: with reports of outbreaks in college dorms. So it was 49 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: really important for that age group. Well, good news, the 50 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 1: CDC is still saying, hey, high risk groups, those who 51 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: are immuno compromise and those kids going off to college 52 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: living in dorms, they still recommend it. So everybody who's 53 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: very worried about this one just read the fine print. 54 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: They still recommend it in those high risk groups. And 55 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: then the other thing that there is a big upset 56 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: they are saying for the flu, influenza, covid, and rotavirus 57 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: it's no longer routinely recommended. Now I've been saying for 58 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: years now, I don't think COVID should be routinely universally 59 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: recommended in all children are fed. Certain high risk groups 60 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: of kids get the COVID vaccines. Perhaps, but I am 61 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: not convinced of the efficacy in healthy kids, especially pre 62 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: adolescent boys, the benefit risk profile for that. They have 63 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: yet to convince me of this, so I'm not really 64 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: that upset with their COVID change. I expected it. I 65 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: think it should have been done years ago. The flu shot, 66 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: I don't really know. I think this is again one 67 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: to have a conversation between the doctor and the parent. 68 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,919 Speaker 1: Flu shots are more efficacious in younger kids where the 69 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: risk of severe illness is higher, like under the age 70 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: of five. In school age children, does it help? It 71 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: can help, but do they all need it? Maybe? Maybe not. 72 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: Healthy young kids tend to just have a more mild infection. 73 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,799 Speaker 1: Sometimes they're severe. Sometimes they wind up in the hospital. 74 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: So that's why you get the flu shot, to try 75 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 1: and keep kids out of the hospital, try and get 76 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 1: them back in school sooner, and keep parents working so 77 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: they don't have to take more time off. But the 78 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 1: road of virus one, this one has me scratching my head. 79 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: Roadavirus causes a severe diarrheal illness in young kids, toddlers 80 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: and infants. In fact, kids are hospitalized because of such 81 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: severe diarrhea it causes dehydration. The roadavirus vaccine, now, there 82 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: was some hiccups with some safety signals with the roadavirus 83 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: vaccine the initial one, but the updated one has a 84 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: much more safer profile and remains very effective in these kids. 85 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 1: I was really crunching the numbers here, and the risk 86 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:24,559 Speaker 1: of a severe outcome from the roadavirus vaccine is exceedingly low. 87 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: The good news is the risk of a severe outcome 88 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: from rotavirus itself is also exceedingly low, but it is 89 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: still three times higher than the side effects from the vaccine. 90 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: So I kind of am okay with the way that 91 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: the CDC worded it, like they're not recommending every kid 92 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: gets it because there are some serious side effects that 93 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: can land a child in the hospital. But on the 94 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: other hand, I think it should be widely available, should 95 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: continue being paid for, and there should be a discussion, 96 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: and if your physician feels that your child would benefit 97 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 1: from it, have that conversation. The good news is here 98 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 1: in the United States, most kids have access to adequate healthcare. 99 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: These vaccines help most people who do not have adequate access, 100 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: and this points to more the underserved areas. So perhaps 101 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: people who live in underserved areas and children don't have 102 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: readily available access to their pediatrician or primary care doctor, 103 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: that vaccine is probably much more beneficial. So that's my 104 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: rundown regarding the whole updated vaccine schedule. I know it 105 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: causes a lot of concern. I think the rollout and 106 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 1: the communication by the administration could have been better. That's 107 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: my strongest criticism. I don't think we should be saying, hey, 108 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: we just want to do what other countries are doing. 109 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 1: Absolutely not. We're the United States. We should be leaders 110 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: on the international stage, not followers. And by the way, 111 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: we can't really compare ourselves to like Denmark and Japan. 112 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: It's like apples and oranges. They are homogeneous societies with 113 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: very low chronic illness. They don't have the same amount 114 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: of money that we have, so they may not be 115 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 1: able to afford certain vaccines the way that we do. 116 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: They also have different communical diseases and different healthcare structures 117 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: in general. So I didn't really like the way they 118 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: communicated these new changes. I think it created a lot 119 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: more confusion. But at the end of the day. I 120 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: would ignore the headlines. I think that the changes are okay. 121 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: You read the fine print. They are not trying to 122 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: take vaccines away from anyone. They are wanting to give 123 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: more individualized thought and that is what the public has 124 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: been demanding since COVID. So that's it for this weekly 125 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: rundown on doctor Nicole Sapphire. Make sure you listen to 126 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 1: Wellness and Masks with Doctor Nicole Sapphire on iHeartRadio or 127 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts, and I will see you 128 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: next week.