Search API

0 min read

U.S. citizens who are allowed to enter the Cayman Islands must apply to receive pre-travel approval. For questions and queries, contact the Travel Cayman team directly by email at [email protected]

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on April 2, 2021; there is a 'Low Level of COVID-19 in the Cayman Islands.'

'If you travel to the Cayman Islands, get fully vaccinated before travel. Even fully vaccinated travelers are at risk for getting and spreading new COVID-19 variants,' says the CDC's Level 1 Travel Alert.

The Cayman Islands government provides daily updates regarding COVID-19 on their COVID-19 website.

As of early April 2021, about 501 cases of coronavirus have been detected since March 2020. There are currently 22 active cases of the virus among those in isolation and quarantine, with four people suffering symptoms of the virus, reported local media.

Around 47% of the population has received one dose of the experimental Pfizer - BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and around 31% the full course.

Furthermore, the CDC says, 'visit your doctor at least a month before departure to get travel vaccines or medicines you may need. There are several recommended vaccines for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas in the Cayman Islands.'

As of April 12, 2021, several restrictions on travel are in place, which are listed on this government webpage. As an example, visitors wishing to travel between the Cayman Islands must request travel authorization and may, in some cases, be subject to a COVID-19 test.

And all visitors are required to quarantine for 14 days after their arrival. Find more information regarding quarantine policies on the Cayman Islands COVID-19 website.

The US Department of State says travelers to the Cayman Islands may experience border closures, airport closures, travel prohibitions, stay-at-home orders, business closures, and other emergency conditions within the Cayman Islands due to COVID-19. If you decide to travel to the Cayman Islands, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

And, U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergencies.

The Cayman Islands is a self-governing British Overseas Territory located in the western Caribbean Sea. Grand Cayman, the largest island of three and is best known for its beach resorts.

Vaccine Treats: 
Image: 
Live Blog Update Author: 
Location Tags: 
olympic rings
Conducting Olympic games during the COVID-19 pandemic presents health risks
0 min read

Florida-based Longeveron Inc. announced the completion of the Company’s Phase I/II clinical study of the use of Lomecel-B to improve immune response to influenza vaccine in subjects with Aging Frailty.

Longeveron stated in a press release issued on April 15, 2021, 'it is anticipated that the top-line trial results will be announced in the 3rd quarter of 2021.'

Lomecel-B is an allogeneic, bone marrow-derived medicinal signaling cell product manufactured under current good manufacturing practices by Longeveron.  

The company says 'Lomecel-B has the potential to reduce inflammation associated with Aging Frailty and to promote an anti-inflammatory state by releasing anti-inflammatory molecules, which can balance the immune system and improve the function of B lymphocytes.

As B cells are responsible for antibody production in response to vaccines, Lomecel-B may boost antibody generation and immunity following vaccination in subjects with Aging Frailty.'

“Completion of this clinical study to investigate Lomecel-B as a new therapeutic approach to boost immune response serves as an important initial step to meet the critical unmet medical need for those with Aging Frailty, who often respond poorly to vaccines,” said Sean Leng, MD, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health and the study’s principal investigator.

Aging Frailty is a life-threatening geriatric condition affecting approximately 15% of Americans over 65 or 8.1 million individuals. Aging Frailty patients are vulnerable to poor clinical outcomes compared to their age-matched peers despite sharing similar comorbidities and demographics. Therefore it is considered by some as an extreme form of unsuccessful aging. 

Geoff Green, CEO of Longeveron. “From the inception of Longeveron, we have focused our efforts on using a regenerative medicine approach to treat chronic, aging-related diseases and conditions, such as frailty and Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of improving healthspan.”

Miami-based Longeveron is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing cellular therapies for specific aging-related and life-threatening conditions.

Vaccine Treats: 
Image: 
Live Blog Update Author: 
Location Tags: 
0 min read

Hawai'i Governor David Ige recently told residents they should keep their COVID-19 vaccination records if they are needed for a vaccination passport program for interisland travel.

Gov. Ige stated on April 5, 2021, two developers of digital health applications, Clear and CommonPass, are currently piloting so-called vaccine passports, which could allow fully vaccinated individuals to travel without testing and restrictions.

“They’re both piloting validation of PCR testing, and they are seeing good results. Both have committed to including vaccination data into their platforms when available. It’s going to take some time, but these companies are at the forefront of verifying vaccination status.”

Furthermore, Gov. Ige announced that starting April 17, 2021, travelers from Taiwan and Southern California’s Ontario International Airport may bypass the State of Hawaiʻi’s mandatory 10-day quarantine if they take a COVID-19 test from a trusted testing partner.

In all cases, the test must be taken no earlier than 72 hours before departure, and the negative test result submitted prior to departure for Hawaiʻi.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health has approved the use of the COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test for Taiwan’s pre-travel test, conducted by a laboratory authorized by the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, listed on this webpage.

Taiwanese nationals traveling abroad are still subject to a 14-day quarantine upon their return to the country. Travel restrictions on U.S. travel to Taiwan remain in place.

In addition to the state’s program, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires proof of a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 for all air passengers arriving from a foreign country to the United States. The CDC requirement has been in effect since January 26, 2021.

Vaccine Treats: 
Image: 
Live Blog Update Author: 
Location Tags: 
0 min read

The Israeli Health Ministry confirmed it would allow vaccinated foreigners into the country starting on May 23, 2021. However, tourists who want to visit Israel will have to undergo a PCR Covid-19 test before their flight and another PCR and a serological test before leaving Ben Gurion Airport.

Local media reported on April 13, 2021, health Minister Yuli Edelstein states: “After we have opened up the economy, it is time to carefully and thoughtfully facilitate tourism. The opening of tourism is an important line for one of the industries that were particularly damaged in the year of coronavirus."

And as of April 20th, Israelis will no longer be required to wear a face mask when outdoors.

For international travelers intending to visiting Isreal, the U.S. CDC issued a Level 4 Travel Alert on April 2, 2021, which informs 'travelers to avoid all travel to Isreal, the West Bank, and Gaza because even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.'

The CDC says, 'If you must travel to Isreal, get fully vaccinated before travel.'

And travelers should check with the Office of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Health or the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Country Information page for details about entry requirements and restrictions for arriving travelers.

Vaccine Treats: 
Image: 
Live Blog Update Author: 
Location Tags: 
0 min read

The 2021 Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 tennis tournament is a player and fan-favorite due to its magnificent location, the red-clay Monte-Carlo Country Club.

Founded in 1215 as a colony, Monaco has been ruled by the House of Grimaldi since 1297 and continues to host this world-class event.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, attending this tennis event in 2021 requires various challenges. However, even Spain's Rafael Nadal returned to add to his 11 titles at the event.

According to the local government, the current health situation requires everyone to refer to this information before making a trip to and from the Principality of Monaco.

Specifically, the Government recommends not to go to the Department of the Alpes Maritimes except for compelling reasons. The Alpes Maritimes Department is 'Confined.'

Once in Monaco, per H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince's instruction, the Prince’s Government has decided to apply new COVID-19 measures, which are in effect until at least April 18, 2021. 

These measures include but are not limited to the imposition of a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am, and local restaurants are open only for lunch and only accessible to residents of Monaco and those who work in the country.

For Americans visiting Monaco, the U.S. CDC issued a Level 4 Travel Alert on April 2, 2021, which informs 'travelers to avoid all travel to Monaco. Because of the current situation in Monaco, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Monaco.'

The CDC says, 'If you must travel to Monaco, get fully vaccinated before travel.'

The Principality of Monaco website publishes several FAQs but doesn't specify which of the twelve COVID-19 vaccines it has authorized.

 

Vaccine Treats: 
Image: 
Live Blog Update Author: 
Location Tags: 
0 min read

A new study published by Cell conducted by an international team of researchers, including the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), found high-density natural Wolbachia infections in Anopheles mosquito populations.

These researchers also showed that two strains of this bacteria are maternally transmitted to following generations and have genes associated with rapidly invading mosquito populations.

This study is the first to show that Wolbachia strains naturally occur at high prevalence in wild Anopheles moucheti and Anopheles demeilloni mosquito populations, the vectors of the malaria parasite.

Furthermore, this study raises hopes that bacteria used to control the dengue virus may also help prevent malaria transmission.

Dr. Tom Walker at the LSHTM and the study’s first author commented in a related article, “Wolbachia bacteria have been used in mosquito biocontrol strategies to reduce the transmission of arboviruses such as dengue in Aedes mosquitoes."

"It reduced dengue incidence by 77% in Wolbachia-treated communities. It is exciting to see that we now have the evidence that opens the possibility to do the same against malaria.”

An overview of yellow fever vaccines and vaccine candidates is posted on this Vax-Before-Travel webpage.

Vaccine Treats: 
Image: 
Live Blog Update Author: 

mRESVIA RSV Vaccine

mRESVIA® (mRNA-1345) RSV Vaccine Clinical Trials, Dosage, Efficacy, Side Effects

Moderna Inc.'s mRESVIA® (mRNA-1345) Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine that encodes for a prefusion F glycoprotein and uses lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), eliciting a superior neutralizing antibody response. The prefusion conformation is a significant target of potent neutralizing antibodies, and the protein sequences are primarily similar across both RSV-A and RSV-B subtypes. This mRNA is entirely made in a laboratory and instructs your body to create small pieces of proteins. In addition, this RSV vaccine contains the mRNA code for the RSV glycoprotein F. It does not cause RSV infection but helps the body's immune system recognize and protect itself if it encounters the RSV virus. Furthermore, receiving Moderna's RSV vaccine prevents you from becoming infected with RSV.

Moderna initiated a rolling submission of a Biologics License Application (STN: 125796) for mRNA-1345 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On May 31, 2024, the FDA approved mRESVIA. The FDA previously granted Fast Track and Breakthrough Designation designations for mRNA-1345 in adults older than 60. On August 23, 2024, the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorization for mRESVIA in thirty European countries. On June 12, 2025, the FDA expanded the indications for individuals 18-59 years of age who are at increased risk for RSV. This approval expands the previous indication of mRESVIA, which was approved in May 2024 for adults aged 60 years and older.

On February 14, 2025, Moderna reported $15 million in mRESVIA sales in the fourth quarter of 2024, representing $25 million for the full year 2024.

Massachusetts-based Moderna's mRNA platform builds on continuous advances in basic and applied mRNA science, delivery technology, and manufacturing and has allowed the development of therapeutics and vaccines. To learn more, visit www.modernatx.com.

mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) Vaccine Availability

Moderna expects to have mRESVIA available in the U.S. and Europe for the 2024/2025 RSV season.

mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) Vaccine Indication

The mRNA-1345 RSV vaccine candidate is indicated for the prevention of illness caused by RSV, a leading cause of respiratory disease in young children and older adults (65 years and older). RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lungs) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children under one year of age. According to the U.S. CDC, RSV leads each year, on average, to approximately 58,000 hospitalizations among children younger than five years old, 177,000 hospitalizations among adults 65 years and older, and 14,000 deaths among adults 65 years and older.

mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) Vaccine Dosage

The data from a Phase 1 study in older adults ages 65-79 showed that a single mRNA-1345 vaccination of 50 µg, 100 µg, or 200 µg boosted neutralizing antibody titers against RSV-A by approximately 14-fold and against RSV-B by about 10-fold. The U.S. FDA updated the data.

mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) Vaccine Efficacy

Moderna's presentation to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on June 26, 2024, disclosed that mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) showed about 81% efficacy after 3.7 months but only 50% efficacy in preventing the illness after 18 months. On October 25, 2023, the ACIP confirmed the Work Group was reviewing the safety and efficacy of Moderna's mRNA-1345 for use in adults 60 and older. On February 29, 2024, the ACIP committee reviewed the results of the Pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical trial (36,557 Participants Enrolled in 22 Countries). The mRNA-1345 vaccine was generally well tolerated in >19,500 individuals with no safety concerns. The ACIP reviewed a Phase 1 trial: Concomitant administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.

mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) Vaccine Safety

The U.S. FDA published an updated Package Insert. The NEJM published an ORIGINAL ARTICLE in December 2023 - Efficacy and Safety of an mRNA-Based RSV PreF Vaccine in Older Adults. A single dose of the mRNA-1345 vaccine resulted in no evident safety concerns. It led to a lower incidence of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease and RSV-associated acute respiratory disease than placebo among adults 60 years of age or older. (Funded by Moderna; ConquerRSV ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05127434) Moderna announced in July 2023 that the vaccine candidate was well-tolerated and had a favorable safety profile. Most solicited adverse reactions were mild or moderate, and the most commonly reported solicited adverse reactions in the mRNA-1345 group were injection site pain, fatigue, headache, myalgia, and arthralgia. Moderna presented: Safety and Efficacy of mRNA-1345, an mRNA-based Vaccine Against RSV, in Adults 60 Years and Older on February 23, 2023, at the 7th ReSViNET Conference. Conclusion: mRNA-1345 was well tolerated and had an acceptable safety profile; solicited adverse reactions were mostly grade 1 or grade 2 in severity.

mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) Vaccine News

June 12, 2025 - Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, stated in a press release, "We appreciate the FDA's review and thank all the participants in our clinical trial as well as the Moderna team for their dedication to protecting people against RSV."

August 23, 2024 - The EC marketing authorization follows the Positive Opinion from the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. It is valid in all 27 EU member states, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

June 28, 2024 - Moderna's chief Executive Officer said in a press release, "mRESVIA protects older adults from the severe outcomes of RSV infection, and it is the only RSV vaccine available in a pre-filled syringe designed to maximize ease of administration, saving vaccinators' time and reducing the risk of administrative errors."

May 31, 2024 - Stéphane Bancel, Chief EStéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. "mRESVIA safeguards older adults against severe RSV outcomes and is uniquely offered in a pre-filled syringe to enhance ease of administration, which can save healthcare professionals time and reduce administrative errors.

February 29, 2024 - Moderna Inc. presented an RSV vaccine update to the U.S. CDC's ACIP committee.

February 7, 2024 - Moderna Inc. posted: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): What You Need to Know.

July 5, 2023 - "We are proud to announce these filings for the use of our RSV vaccine candidate, mRNA-1345, in the European Union, Switzerland, Australia, and the U.S. RSV is a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in older adults and significantly burden to health systems through hospitalizations and emergency care admissions," said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, in a press release.

March 24, 2022 - Moderna confirmed that a Phase 1 RSV trial (mRNA-1345) is ongoing, evaluating tolerability, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity in children, younger adults, older adults, and women of childbearing age. In an interim analysis, mRNA-1345 boosted RSV-neutralizing antibodies and was well-tolerated at all doses in younger and older adults.

August 3, 2021 - Moderna, Inc. announced that the U.S. FDA had granted Fast Track designation for mRNA-1345, its investigational single-dose mRNA vaccine against RSV in adults older than 60.

April 14, 2021 - Moderna shared the first interim analysis of the Phase 1 study after 1-month post-vaccination of younger adults (18-49).

mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) Vaccine Clinical Trials

The pivotal ConquerRSV Phase 3 study of RSV in older adults (60+ years) the pivotal ConquerRSV study met both its primary efficacy endpoints, with vaccine efficacy (VE) of 83.7% (95.88% CI: 66.1%, 92.2%; p<0.0001) against RSV-LRTD as defined by two or more symptoms, and a VE of 82.4% (96.36% CI: 34.8%, 95.3%; p=0.0078) against RSV-LRTD defined by three or more symptoms. No Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases have been reported with mRNA-1345 in the Phase 3 RSV trial. In addition to older adults, mRNA-1345 is being investigated in a fully enrolled, ongoing Phase 1 trial in pediatric populations.

Clinical Trial NCT04528719: A Dose Escalation Study to Evaluate Safety, Reactogenicity, and Immunogenicity of mRNA-1345 in Healthy Adults and Children Who Are Respiratory Syncytial Virus Seropositive. Estimated Completion Date: September 30, 2023. The study will be conducted in 2 phases: Phase 2 and Phase 3. In the Phase 2 segment, 400 and 2,000 participants will be randomly assigned to receive a single injection of either the mRNA-1345 vaccine at the selected dose or a placebo in a 1:1 randomization ratio.

On December 14, 2023, the New England Journal of Medicines published an Original Article that concluded a single dose of the mRNA-1345 vaccine led to a lower incidence of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease and RSV-associated acute respiratory disease than placebo among adults 60 years of age or older in a phase2/3 clinical trial. Vaccine efficacy was 83.7% (95.88% confidence interval [CI], 66.0 to 92.2) against RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease with at least two signs or symptoms and 82.4% (96.36% CI, 34.8 to 95.3) against the disease with at least three signs or symptoms. Vaccine efficacy was 68.4% (95% CI, 50.9 to 79.7) against RSV-associated acute respiratory disease. Serious adverse events occurred in 2.8% of the participants in each trial group. On December 14, 2023, a New England Journal of Medicine op-ed discussed these results.

0 min read
Availability: 
United States, Canada, EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Taiwan
Generic: 
mRNA-1345
Clinical Trial: 
https://conquerrsv.com/
Drug Class: 
mRNA Vaccine
Last Reviewed: 
Sunday, June 15, 2025 - 07:10
Brand: 
mRESVIA
Status: 
Manufacturer Country ID: 
FDA First In Class: 
Yes
Location tags: 
0 min read

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine on April 9, 2021, discusses that the cause of the thrombosis in some patients vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines could be insufficient purification that leads to the emergence of significant quantities of free DNA.

This study concluded by saying, 'Vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCov-19 (AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine (Vaxzevria)) can result in the rare development of immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia mediated by platelet-activating antibodies against PF4, which clinically mimics autoimmune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.'

However, 'insufficient purification or use of very high doses of target DNA/RNA could result in adverse interaction of a patient’s antibodies that activate thrombocytes with elements of the vaccine itself, including free DNA, and consisting of PF4 factor and heparin or nucleic acid - PF4/DNA and PF4/RNA,' stated the Gamaleya Center in Russia on April 14, 2021.

'Thus, all of the above vaccines based on adenoviral vectors have significant differences in their structure and production technology. Therefore, there is no reason and no justification to extrapolate safety data from one vaccine to safety data from other vaccines,' says the Gamaleya Center.

Vaccine Treats: 
Image: 
Live Blog Update Author: 
0 min read

China-based LintonPharm Co., Ltd. announced that the National Medical Products Administration had authorized the company to proceed with a Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of catumaxomab in patients with Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer whose tumors have recurred due to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine failure.

This is LintonPharm’s second clinical program evaluating catumaxomab. In July 2020, the company announced the authorization of a Phase 3 trial in advanced gastric cancer which screened its first patient in October 2020.

Recently, Lindis Biotech, partner of LintonPharm, initiated a dose-finding Phase 1 trial with catumaxomab in NMIBC patients in Germany (NCT04819399) and reported an excellent safety profile, which supports the conduct of the Phase 1/2 trial in China.

“Regulatory clearance to move forward with our clinical program evaluating catumaxomab in bladder cancer is another significant milestone for LintonPharm and supports our goal of exploring the potential for this targeted therapy in a broad range of cancers,” commented Robert Li, Ph.D., DABT, Co-founder and CEO of LintonPharm, in a press release. 

“Patients with NMIBC BCG failure have high rates of tumor recurrence and often face a lifetime of surgical intervention which may impact bladder function. New treatment options are needed and we are hopeful that this study puts us one step closer toward helping these patients.”

Bladder cancer is the 10th most common cancer worldwide. In 2020, bladder cancer was diagnosed in approximately 573,278 patients globally and approximately 1.8 million people were living with this form of cancer over a five-year period.

NMIBC is a cancer found in the tissue that lines the inner surface of the bladder and accounts for approximately 75 percent of all bladder cancer.

Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is the current standard of treatment for NMIBC. Relapse is common after TURBT (up to 70 percent at five years) and as a result, patients often undergo multiple surgical procedures over a longer period. 

Intravesical BCG is commonly used as an adjuvant treatment after TURBT. However, a large number of patients experience tumor recurrence, which is referred to as BCG failure. Radical cystectomy (RC) is usually recommended after BCG failure, but many physicians and patients refrain from RC in favor of preserving bladder function.

Catumaxomab was approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2009 for the treatment of malignant ascites.

This bispecific antibody binds to a transmembrane glycoprotein on the tumor cell--the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)--and CD3 on the T cell, and also recruits immune accessory cells through FcγR binding. Catumaxomab destroys tumor cells by engaging T cell and accessory cell mediated cytotoxicity and has the potential to induce long-term vaccinal effects which has been verified in animal models.

Recently, catumaxomab was authorized by regulatory authorities in China, Taiwan (China) and South Korea to conduct a global Phase 3 clinical trial for treating patients with advanced gastric cancer.

LintonPharm Co., Ltd. is a clinical-stage, research-oriented biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative T cell engaging bispecific antibodies with the goal of turning malignant cancers into manageable and possibly curable diseases.

Vaccine Treats: 
Image: 
Live Blog Update Author: 
Location Tags: