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Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Opinion: How falling vaccination rates are fuelling the antibiotic resistance crisis
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest health threats we face today. It's often blamed on the overuse of antibiotics, and for a good reason. But there is another major factor quietly driving this crisis that doesn't get as much attention: low vaccination rates. Measles had been eliminated in Canada since 1998, but are now reappearing, largely due to missed or delayed vaccinations. On the surface, these might seem like a limited viral outbreak. But the ripple effects go much further, causing more illness, more complications and, ultimately, more antibiotic use. Measles itself is a viral infection, so antibiotics don't treat it directly. But the virus weakens the immune system, leaving people vulnerable to bacterial infections like pneumonia or ear infections, conditions that do require antibiotics. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Unsurprisingly, this pattern isn't new. A 2019 study published in Pediatrics showed that many children hospitalized with measles in the U.S. developed secondary infections that required antibiotic treatment, especially pneumonia and ear infections. Here is where it gets dangerous. Every time we use antibiotics, we give bacteria a chance to adapt. The most vulnerable bacteria die, but tougher ones survive and spread. This leads to antibiotic resistance where treatments that used to work no longer do. Even appropriate use of antibiotics, like treating a bacterial infection after measles, adds to the problem. And the more often we need to prescribe antibiotics, the faster this resistance builds. A 2022 global study published in The Lancet estimated that antimicrobial resistance directly caused 1.27 million deaths in 2019 and contributed to many millions more. As resistance spreads, doctors are forced to use more toxic, expensive or last-resort drugs, and sometimes, no effective treatment exists at all. Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools we have not just to prevent disease, but to reduce antibiotic use and slow resistance. By stopping infections before they happen, vaccines reduce the need for antibiotics in the first place. Some vaccines protect directly against bacteria. Pneumococcal vaccines (PCV13, PCV15, PCV20) guard against a major cause of pneumonia, brain infections and ear infections. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and diphtheria vaccines prevent other respiratory bacterial diseases. Other vaccines protect against viruses, which can weaken the body and open the door to bacterial infections called as secondary bacterial infections. The MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine not only prevents measles but also reduces the chance of bacterial pneumonias that often occur after measles due to immunosuppression. The seasonal flu and COVID vaccines help prevent viral infections that can trigger secondary bacterial complications. The rotavirus vaccine that protects against diarrheal disease in children has also been shown to reduce antibiotic use by more than 20 per cent, according to a 2024 study in Vaccine. In fact, a 2020 study in Nature found that improving childhood vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries could reduce antibiotic-treated illnesses in kids under five by more than 20 per cent. That's a massive step forward in the fight against antibiotic resistance. In early 2025, Ontario had a measles outbreak with 2,200 cases as of mid-July, mostly in people who hadn't been fully vaccinated. An outbreak in Alberta that began in March has expanded to more than 1,300 cases as of mid-July . These measles outbreaks aren't just local issues; they are a global warning. Each missed vaccine doesn't just put one person at risk; it potentially means more infections, more complications and more antibiotics. That, in turn, means more antibiotic resistance for everyone. Vaccines are not just about individual protection. They are a public health strategy that keeps antibiotics effective for when we really need them, especially for vulnerable people like cancer patients, transplant recipients and the elderly, who rely on antibiotics to survive routine infections. Vaccines, in fact, do more than prevent disease. They protect our ability to treat infections by reducing the need for antibiotics and slowing the rise of resistant bacteria. With preventable diseases like measles making a comeback, now is the time to recognize the broader impact of vaccine hesitancy. Choosing to vaccinate is more than a personal decision. It's a way to protect our communities and preserve the life-saving power of antibiotics for generations to come. Ruchika Gupta is assistant professor and medical microbiologist in the department of pathobiology and lab medicine at London Health Sciences Centre and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. This commentary is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence.
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Move on HPV vaccine rollout to adolescent girls raises other vaccination priorities for Kerala: epidemiologists
Kerala's decision to introduce HPV vaccination targeting adolescent girls, to protect them from cervical cancer is generally hailed as a positive public health measure. However, health experts have pointed out that the State has other pressing public health concerns, where also vaccination strategies must be prioritised. Going by the current data from the population-based and hospital-based cancer registries in Kerala, the incidence of cervical cancer has been on a steady decline in the State over the past several years and it no longer figures among the top five cancers affecting women in Kerala, according to epidemiologists. This is consistent with improvements in women's health and hygiene, better sexual practices, education and healthcare access in Kerala. Even though the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended HPV vaccination for adolescent girls, in Kerala cervical cancer incidence is only eight per lakh population, even when at the national level, cervical cancer remained the second highest of all cancers reported amongst women as in 2022. 'Only if there is an uptick' The committee headed by Dr. B. Ekbal, which submitted the State's Vaccine Policy recommendations in November 2022, had noted that HPV vaccination should be considered in Kerala only if there is an increasing trend in the incidence of cervical cancer from the current baseline. It said that given the fact that the cost of vaccinating 13 lakh adolescent girls would be over ₹200 crore, HPV vaccination was not indicated, nor was it cost effective. Dr. Ekbal says that this picture has changed given that Serum Institute of India is now producing HPV vaccines at much competitive rates. While HPV vaccine manufactured by pharma majors are available in the range of ₹2,000-₹4,000/dose (there is also the HPV vaccine which protects against nine strains of HPV, costing around ₹10,850/dose), Cervavac produced by Serum Institute of India is available at ₹2,000/dose. 'HPV vaccine cost has come down and as far as dosage is concerned, there is some emerging evidence, (as per the WHO), that even a single dose delivers solid protection against HPV. That changes the picture completely. From a gender perspective, I am happy about the State's decision to protect adolescent girls against HPV,' Dr. Ekbal said. Current public health concerns However, the State should not forget its current public health concerns, which included protecting children from rabies through anti-rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis vaccine and from mumps, through an additional dose of MMR vaccine, he said. Rabies is emerging as a serious public health issue in the State, with children being a major casualty, he reminded. 'The mortality and morbidity due to influenza and pneumococcal infections is high in the elderly, the immunocompromised and those with co-morbidities. The State should prioritise annual flu vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine to protect elderly against pneumonia and meningitis,' Dr. Ekbal pointed out. He said that the Health department should recommend these vaccines so that there is more uptake for the same, which can bring down the cost of vaccines. Time to push for elimination 'Introducing HPV for adolescent girls is a policy decision that the Government had taken much earlier. Questions whether HPV vaccination is a priority now can be controversial. It is true that cervical cancer incidence is going down steadily and thus this would be the right time to push through elimination strategies. HPV vaccination is being introduced as part of the State's efforts to eliminate cervical cancer and the operational details are being worked out,' PK Jameela, member, State Planning Board, said.
Times of Oman
3 days ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
Real estate sales expand for 1st time in June in last 12 months, pricing growth remains firm
New Delhi: India's residential real estate market saw a notable turnaround in June 2025, as housing sales (absorption) across the top eight tier-1 cities rose 2 per cent year-on-year--the first annual growth in 12 months. This uptick comes after declines of 11 per cent and 2 per cent in April and May, respectively, and is largely attributed to the base effect fading from the high absorption seen in April-May 2024. However, every quarter, sales were still down 4 per cent YoY. According to a UBS report, city-wise sales trends were mixed. Delhi-NCR's prominent realty market Gurugram led the recovery with a 68 per cent YoY jump in volumes, followed by Chennai (24 per cent) and Hyderabad (15 per cent). On the other hand, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) saw a 29 per cent decline in volumes, while Pune and Bengaluru recorded drops of 27 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively. According to the analysis, despite volume moderation in some cities, housing prices continued to rise robustly. In June 2025, average absorption prices in top-tier cities surged 20 per cent YoY, compared to 10 per cent in May. "Pricing growth remained firm across cities, aided by healthy inventory levels (driven in turn by calibrated supply)," the report added. On a quarterly basis, prices were largely flat sequentially but still posted a solid 14 per cent YoY gain. Gurugram again led the trends with a sharp 40 per cent YoY price increase, followed by Chennai (21 per cent) and Bengaluru (14 per cent). MMR, Pune, and Hyderabad recorded more moderate gains of 8-10 per cent, signalling continued pricing resilience despite varied sales performance. The report observed that the new residential launches across major cities declined 12 per cent YoY in June, indicating a demand-calibrated approach by developers. As a result, the inventory-to-sales (I/S) ratio, which measures the amount of inventory developers are carrying compared to the number of sales orders being fulfilled across top cities, remained largely stable, rising slightly to 1.68x in June from 1.66x in May--well below the peak of 3x seen during the downcycle. Conversely, inventory levels in southern cities such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai increased YoY. The data confirms expectations that YoY sales trends would improve starting June as base effects fade. The UBS analysts maintain a positive outlook for MMR and Gurugram, citing strong price growth and controlled inventories, while expressing caution over Bengaluru and Hyderabad due to rising inventory ratios.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'We have forgotten how serious measles can be'
Health officials are urging parents in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire to check their children are fully vaccinated against measles. NHS figures reveal uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab has fallen across the two regions. Grimsby GP Dr Nathalie Dukes said: "The evidence is clear that the increase in the number of people who are getting infected is coinciding with the rates of vaccination dropping." Dr Dukes said she believed one of the reasons behind the fall in vaccination numbers is that people have "forgotten how serious conditions like measles can be". She said: "We have come to the luxurious position where up until recently these conditions were not really around anymore. "We didn't see many cases so it was out of our remit of relevance to a degree. "Information overload is another factor. I think people have got a bit vaccine fatigue since Covid in terms of being told what to do and in terms of concerns, so people have maybe taken that to childhood vaccinations as well." Measles is a highly contagious disease spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes and it can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications in some people, including infections of the lungs and brain. The target set by the World Health Organisation to prevent the spread of measles through herd immunity is a 95% overall vaccination rate. Latest NHS figures show 83% of children received their second dose of the MMR vaccine by the age of five in North Lincolnshire and Hull in 2023/24 - down from 91% in 2013/14. Uptake is also 83% in Lincolnshire - 4% lower than 10 years ago, while rates have also dropped by 4% to 91% in North East Lincolnshire. In 2024, there were more than 2,900 confirmed measles cases in England - the highest number of cases recorded annually since 2012. Since the beginning of this year, there have been 529 confirmed cases reported in England, according to figures by the UK Health Security Agency. In July, a child died at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital after contracting the disease. Birmingham experienced an outbreak, with government figures showing 26 confirmed cases between January and June, while Bristol had recorded the most cases to date outside London with 11% of the national total. Speaking at a children's play centre in Hull, mum-of-two Lily Kemp said it was important to make sure children were fully vaccinated against infections, such as measles. She said: "I think social media doesn't help because people share their experiences and some might comment on the short-term effects rather than the long-term benefits of what they're protecting against if they get vaccinated." A joint statement from the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and Hull City Council said: "While the majority of children are protected, there remain pockets of low uptake that increase the risk of measles outbreaks. "Vaccination remains the best protection against measles, mumps and rubella. "We urge all parents and carers to check their child's Red Book or contact their GP if they are unsure whether their child is up to date." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices Related internet stories Measles holiday warning as cases rise in Europe Child dies at Alder Hey after contracting measles Why are measles cases rising in the UK? Related internet links NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB Hull City Council
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Health
- Scotsman
How to check if your child has had the MMR jab
Measles can cause life threatening complications 🏥 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Measles is nearly twice as contagious as the common cold. Cases of measles have been increasing across the UK. Health officials are warning parents to get their children vaccinated. Parents are being urged to vaccinate their children as the number of measles cases continues to rise. It comes after earlier this month, a child who had contracted measles died at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cases of measles have been on the rise, since January 1, there have been 529 laboratory confirmed measles cases reported in England, an increase of 109 cases since the last report on June 5. The decline in the uptake of vaccinations including the MMR, means that vaccination rates are well below the World Health Organisation's (WHO) target of 95%, leaving thousands of children left unprotected. Speaking in June, Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency said: 'The MMR vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your family from measles. Babies under the age of one and some people who have weakened immune systems can't have the vaccine and are at risk of more serious complications if they get measles. They rely on the rest of us getting the vaccine to protect them. 'It is never too late to catch up, if you're not sure if any of your family are up to date, check their Red Book or contact your GP practice. Don't put it off and regret it later.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Parents are being encouraged to get their children vaccinated from measles. |What is measles? Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that can lead to serious complications and in rare cases even death. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles often first materialises as cold-like symptoms including a high temperature, a blocked or runny nose, sneezing and a cough. Small white spots may also appear inside the cheeks and back of lips, according to the NHS, along with a visible rash. What is a measles rash? A measles rash is usually appears a few days after developing the cold-like symptoms, brown or red in appearance, it starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Who is eligible for the MMR vaccine? The MMR vaccine is offered to all babies and young children as part of the NHS vaccination schedule. It is delivered in two doses, the first when the child is one-years-old and the second when the child is three years and four months old. Babies between six and 12 months can have an extra dose of the MMR vaccine before this if: they're travelling abroad to an area with a lot of measles they've been close to someone with measles there's an outbreak of measles The MMR vaccine is also available to older children and adults who may have missed their vaccination at GP surgeries and in some pharmacies. How can I check my child's MMR status? If you are unsure as to whether or not your child is up to date with their MMR vaccinations you can check your child's vaccinations Red Book, or contact your GP practice who can provide more information. If your child is not up to date, your GP will then be able to provide the vaccinations they need. You can find out more about the signs and symptoms of measles and how to access the MMR vaccine at
