Good Day BIO: 3 ways we can increase vaccinations in the U.S.

A new report explains how policy can boost vaccination in the U.S., and a plant pandemic could be closer than we think. (573 words, 2 minutes, 51 seconds)

3 ways we can increase vaccinations in the U.S.

Disinformation and misinformation are causing distrust in vaccines, not only for COVID-19 but also for vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, polio, and hepatitis, says Vaccinate Your Family’s 6th Annual State of the ImmUnion Report. Here’s how policy can help.

The key point: “Policymakers must take action now to reunite the country around the importance of vaccines, thus ending the current pandemic and preventing future outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases,” says Vaccinate Your Family’s report, released earlier this week. 

Policy should focus on three key pillars, according to the report:

1. Rebuilding our immunization infrastructure, including allowing better data-sharing between jurisdictions and other electronic health systems, and onboarding new vaccination providers.
2. Ensuring access to all recommended vaccinations, by expanding access to no-cost vaccines and increasing awareness of the importance of maternal vaccination.
3. Re-establishing a culture of immunization, by sharing information online about where to get vaccinated and how to pay for vaccines, and promoting science-based information about vaccines on government websites. 

The context: Vaccines have given us the ability to prevent and even eliminate diseases, but the pandemic created alarming trends, such as a decline in baby vaccination and greater risk of measles outbreaks. 

Share the report on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with hashtag #StateoftheImmUnion. 

Want to help combat vaccine mis- and disinformation? Visit www.Stronger.org, a campaign to combat vaccine misinformation online.

More Health Care News: 

Biogen: Building a more diverse neurology workforce
“Neurological conditions such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease are leading causes of disability and premature death, afflicting women, people of color, and low-income communities at much higher rates than average. Yet these populations are underrepresented in the field of neurology.”

What is a plant pandemic – and when is it coming?

The last thing anyone wants to discuss right now is another pandemic—but we need to take steps now to address crop resilience, explains BIO’s Cornelia Poku. 

What is a plant pandemic? “‘Plant pandemic’ is the newer mainstream term for a problem that has plagued society forever—our crops are just as susceptible to disease as we are,” she writes. (Prime example: Irish potato famine.)

So…when’s the next one coming? We can’t predict the exact date, but we know climate change is already allowing disease to thrive and devastate crops, from cassava in Central Africa, to bananas in South America, to citrus in Florida. 

What can we do? Biotechnology is already developing solutions, such as genetic engineering, to help crops withstand disease, heat, and pests—like 2Blades, a foundation working to develop tomatoes resistant to Bacterial Leaf Spot. 

The bottom line: “We are reaching the limits of what we can achieve with traditional breeding and advanced science is the only way to stave off the next plant pandemic,” she concludes—read the whole thing. 

Read More: 5 gene editing advances to know

More Agriculture and Environment News:

New Scientist: Countries agree to end plastic pollution in ambitious global treaty
“A legally binding agreement between 175 countries encompasses all stages of plastic’s life cycle, from production to consumption and disposal.”

President Biden’s Friday: He’s expected to make an announcement related to Made in America commitments at 12:25 PM ET. He’ll then meet with President of Finland Sauli Niinistö before heading to Delaware. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: “A bill by Senate Republicans to terminate the national emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic passed 48 to 47 Thursday on a party-line vote,” reports POLITICO. President Biden has threatened to veto the bill should it pass the House.