“In 21 studies involving more than 104 million participants in Europe, Asia and North America, vaccination against shingles was associated with a 24 percent reduction in the risk of developing dementia. Flu vaccination was linked to a 13 percent reduction. Those vaccinated for pneumococcal infection had a 36 percent reduction in Alzheimer’s risk.

The Tdap vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) is recommended for adults every 10 years, with vaccination among older adults often prompted by the birth of a grandchild, who cannot be fully vaccinated for months. It was associated with a one-third decline in dementia.

Other researchers are investigating the effects of shingles vaccination on heart attacks and stroke and of Covid vaccination on cancer survival.

What causes such vaccine bonuses? Most hypotheses focus on the inflammation that arises when the immune system mobilizes to fight off an infection.”

From New York Times.

“An Oxford-designed vaccine for Nipah virus has launched phase two trials, in a ‘major milestone’ for efforts to curb the deadly pathogen and boost pandemic preparedness.

The disease – which inspired the Hollywood blockbuster Contagion – is rare but extremely deadly, with a fatality rate as high as 75 per cent. The World Health Organization considers it a priority pathogen for research, as no vaccines or treatments currently exist to tackle it.

This month a jab developed by the University of Oxford, which uses the same ChAdOx platform as the institution’s Covid-19 shot, became the first Nipah vaccine candidate to enter phase two clinical trials to assess safety and the immune response.

It is also the first vaccine to be trialled in a region directly affected by the virus. Bangladesh has sporadic outbreaks every year, with Nipah mostly spreading from fruit bats to people via contaminated raw date palm sap – although some human-to-human transmission through bodily fluids is also possible.”

From Telegraph.

“Taiwan has achieved its hepatitis C elimination targets ahead of schedule and plans to apply for World Health Organization certification by year’s end…

Taiwan was the first country to introduce universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns in 1986, sharply reducing hepatitis B prevalence and liver cancer rates among younger generations. The hepatitis C virus was identified by the international medical community in 1989.

Taiwan launched a second major campaign against hepatitis with HCV treatment programs in 2003 and accelerated progress under a national policy framework in 2016. The government set a target of eliminating hepatitis C by the end of this year.

Health Promotion Administration Director-General Shen Ching-fen (沈靜芬) said Taiwan exceeded gold-standard benchmarks, with a diagnosis rate of 90.2% and a treatment rate of 90.6%.”

From Taiwan News.

“Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has completed the first full round of R21 malaria vaccine in Ethiopia, and the first ever completed in a refugee camp globally. In Kule refugee camp, in Gambella region, home to more than 55,000 South Sudanese refugees, 2,100 children under five received their fourth and final dose in November 2025.

‘This is the first time the R21 vaccine has been fully implemented in Ethiopia, and one of the earliest comprehensive rollouts on the African continent. It is also the first full vaccination round carried out in a refugee camp anywhere in the world.’ …

In 2024, malaria transmission in the camp reached the highest level in five years. In response, MSF introduced the R21 vaccine in August as part of an expanded prevention package…

In the period after the first vaccination campaign and other preventive measures, Kule hospital saw close to 50 percent fewer malaria-related deaths in 2025 compared to 2024. Where multiple factors could have had an impact on this significant decrease, it is highly likely the efforts carried out by the medical teams in the camp played a key role in this reduction.”

From Doctors Without Borders.