Vaccine

Oliver Varhelyi, the Hungarian nominee for European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, has been sent back for a second round of questioning after MEPs expressed dissatisfaction with his responses. The hearing, which took place in Brussels, involved Varhelyi addressing the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, as well as Agriculture and Rural Development committees.

Greeks are putting their trust in pharmacists for flu vaccinations, and with the upcoming COVID vaccinations and distribution of colorectal cancer tests, pharmacists and their role in primary healthcare are being highlighted.

The latest health bulletin from the National Public Health Organization (NPHO) covers a variety of health topics, featuring questions about vaccinations directed to the Chair of the National Vaccination Committee, Professor Emerita of Pediatrics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Maria Theodoridou, along with her responses.

Health authorities stress the importance of vaccinations for high-risk groups as the flu season typically begins in December.

The Health Ministry has reported only sporadic cases so far, but citizens are urged to get vaccinated by mid-November to allow time for immunity to develop.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today on X (formerly Twitter) that the second round of the polio vaccination campaign has started in central Gaza.

Vaccinations for Covid-19 will, for the first time, be available at neighborhood pharmacies as of this fall, in an effort to simplify the process so that an ever larger part of the population can get the shot. 

Covid vaccinations will also continue to be administered at public health structures by appointment through the online platform emvolio.gov.gr. 

This vaccine, known as BNT116 and developed by BioNTech, targets non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common type of lung cancer. Its aim is to eliminate cancer cells and prevent their recurrence by training the immune system to recognize and attack these cancerous cells.

The African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared a public health emergency across the continent due to a monkeypox outbreak affecting Central and East Africa, as reported by the BBC. The outbreak is particularly concerning because it involves a new and more dangerous variant of the virus.

Next-generation Covid-19 vaccines targeting the virus’s entry points, such as the nose and mouth, may achieve what traditional vaccines cannot: limit the spread of respiratory infections by preventing their transmission.

The President of Athens and Piraeus Hospital Doctors’ Association (EINAP) Matina Pagoni, stressed that “compared to 2023 when there were about 186 cases this month, we currently have about 478 cases in terms of covid