The University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) today announced a new collaboration with The Evidence Collective and Unbiased Science to support and expand access to clear, evidence-based vaccine information.

Under the partnership, CIDRAP (publisher of CIDRAP News) will work with the two organizations, which specialize in science communication across multiple platforms, to provide rapid and clear responses to emerging vaccine safety claims, inaccurate vaccine information, and major changes in federal vaccine policy. The responses will draw on independent reviews of vaccine safety and effectiveness conducted by CIDRAP’s Vaccine Integrity Project.

“Accurate vaccine information is essential for informed decision-making,” CIDRAP Director Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, said in a CIDRAP news release. “But the challenge Americans face today in trying to sort fact from fiction is bigger than it has ever been. By partnering with Unbiased Science and The Evidence Collective, we are connecting CIDRAP’s research and policy expertise with teams that know how to explain complex scientific information in real time in terms people can understand through the channels they use.”

Improving the reach of accurate information

Founded by Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, and Jess Steier, DrPH, The Evidence Collective is a team of 25-plus scientists and clinicians with a combined reach of more than 150 million across media and digital platforms. The group’s vision is to empower the general public with timely, evidence-based information by translating science into plain language.

“By aligning scientific expertise with coordinated communication, this partnership can improve the reach of accurate information, helping to ensure that trusted voices have the tools they need to respond quickly and accurately to protect people’s health,” Jetelina said.

Steier is also founder of Unbiased Science, an interdisciplinary team that uses social media infographics, video, podcasts, and long-form storytelling to debunk health science myths and break down complex health and science topics for general audiences.

“Science doesn’t help anyone if it isn’t understood,” Steier said. “This partnership will further our efforts to bring credible, evidence-based vaccine information directly to communities in ways that are human, relatable, and grounded in empathy.”

Seasonal influenza vaccination reduced the risk of related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations among US children both with and without underlying medical conditions, though protection was somewhat lower in children with chronic conditions, suggests an analysis published in Pediatrics.

Led by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the team analyzed data from 15,875 children aged 6 months to 17 years who presented to EDs or were admitted to hospitals across the United States during five flu seasons (2015 to 2020). Influenza was confirmed using molecular testing, and vaccination status was verified through immunization registries or health records.

Among the children included in the analysis, 2,821 (18%) tested positive for flu, and 40% of those with confirmed cases had at least one underlying medical condition, most commonly respiratory conditions such as asthma.

Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against flu-related ED visits or hospitalizations was 43% among children with underlying conditions, compared with 53% among children without underlying conditions. 

Effectiveness varies by condition type

VE varied by type of condition. Protection was lowest among children with respiratory conditions, at 31%. Higher VE estimates were observed among children with endocrine conditions (64%) and neurologic or neuromuscular conditions (53%). For children with oncologic and/or immunosuppressive conditions, VE was 48%. But “all demonstrated significant protection,” write the authors, “suggesting that influenza vaccination remains broadly effective for all children.”

The team noted that, during the study, vaccine uptake appeared low in both kids with and without underlying conditions and that coverage is likely even lower now with the increase in vaccine hesitancy since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

“Given the increased risk for severe influenza complications in children with underlying conditions, it is crucial to identify strategies to improve vaccination uptake and investigate new approaches to vaccination in these populations,” write the authors. 

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