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A disease originating in a remote area halfway around the world can travel to the U.S. in as little as 72 hours. That's why the Biden administration has launched a new effort to improve the ability of the U.S. to prevent, detect and respond to the spread of infectious diseases. ... "It will help protect people — across our nation and around the world — from security threats, particularly those posed by infectious diseases," said President Joe Biden in a statement. "It will make the United States stronger, safer and healthier than ever before." (Emanuel, 4/16)

A survey of more than 4,100 healthcare personnel (HCP) at a New York healthcare system from 2021 to 2022 reveals that 17% were hesitant to receive the recommended COVID-19 vaccine booster, and 33% were unsure about vaccinating their children. Many of the HCP polled held unsubstantiated beliefs not only about COVID vaccines but also childhood vaccines. (Van Beusekom, 4/15)

While physicians may not have a blanket diagnostic tool that works for all patients with long COVID, they have refined existing tests for more accurate results, said Nisha Viswanathan, MD, director of the University of California Los Angeles Long COVID Program at UCLA Health. Also, a range of new treatments, now undergoing clinical trials, have emerged that have proved effective in managing long COVID symptoms. (Novak, 4/16)

The owners of a Colorado funeral home accused of mishandling nearly 200 sets of human remains are now facing charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $880,000 in Covid-19 relief funds and using it for personal expenses like trips and jewelry, federal prosecutors said. (Alonso and Babineau, 4/16)

Another flock in Michigan is detected to have the contagious highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. MDARD officials say the virus, which was first detected in Michigan in 2022, was found in Newaygo County, making it the seventh flock in the state in the last two years. It was previously detected in a commercial flock in Ionia County. (Booth-Singleton, 4/16)

Montgomery County's Office of Public Health is investigating an increase in whooping cough cases primarily among high school students, a county spokesperson told CBS News Philadelphia on Monday. ... Montgomery County officials said the whooping cough vaccine, although effective, does wane with time for those who received the shot during childhood which is why the majority of the cases they're monitoring are among high schoolers. (MacAulay, 4/16)

British drugmaker GSK announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted an application for review of the company's 5-in-1 meningococcal vaccine. GSK's MenABCWY vaccine candidate will target the five groups of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y) that cause most cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) globally. It combines the antigenic components of GSK's well-established meningococcal vaccines, Bexsero and Menveo. (Dall, 4/16)

British drugmaker GSK (GSK.L), opens new tab said on Wednesday long-term data showed that its blockbuster shingles vaccine, Shingrix, had 79.7% efficacy in participants aged 50 years and above, six to 11 years after vaccination. The vaccine's efficacy remained high at 82% at year 11 after initial vaccination, GSK said, citing data from a long-term follow-up, late-stage trial that tracked participants for up to about 11 years after they were first vaccinated with Shingrix. (4/17)