Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Polio -WHO Africa Region

Global Polio Eradication Initiative applauds WHO African Region For Wild Polio-Free certification
Support from national governments and global donors critical to the region’s success against wild polio and must continue to achieve a polio-free world

GENEVA, 25 August 2020 – Today, the Africa Regional Certification Commission certified the WHO African Region as wild polio-free after four years without a case. With this historic milestone, five of the six WHO regions – representing over 90% of the world’s population – are now free of the wild poliovirus, moving the world closer to achieving global polio eradication.

Only two countries worldwide continue to see wild poliovirus transmission: Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) congratulates the national governments of the 47 countries in the WHO African Region for today’s achievement.

“Ending wild polio virus in Africa is one of the greatest public health achievements of our time and provides powerful inspiration for all of us to finish the job of eradicating polio globally,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “I thank and congratulate the governments, health workers, community volunteers, traditional and religious leaders and parents across the region who have worked together to kick wild polio out of Africa.”

Strong leadership and innovation were instrumental in stopping the wild poliovirus in the region. Countries successfully coordinated their efforts to overcome major challenges to immunizing children, such as high levels of population movement, conflict and insecurity restricting access to health services, and the virus’s ability to spread quickly and travel across borders.

In addition, the continued generosity and shared commitment of donors – including governments, the private sector, multilateral institutions and philanthropic organizations – to achieving a polio-free world helped build the infrastructure that enabled the African region to reach more children than ever before with polio vaccines and defeat wild polio.

“During a challenging year for global health, the certification of the African region as wild poliovirus-free is a sign of hope and progress that shows what can be accomplished through collaboration and perseverance,” said Rotary International President Holger Knaack. “Since 1996, when Nelson Mandela joined with Rotary, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and governments of the African region we’ve achieved something remarkable. Today’s milestone tells us that polio eradication is possible, as long as the world remains committed to finishing the job. Let us work together to harness our collective energies to overcome the remaining challenges and fulfil our promise of a polio-free world.”

The resources and expertise used to eliminate wild polio have significantly contributed to Africa’s public health and outbreak response systems. The polio programme provides far-reaching health benefits to local communities, from supporting the African region’s response to COVID-19 to bolstering routine immunization against other vaccine-preventable diseases.

While this is a remarkable milestone, we must not become complacent. Continued commitment to strengthening immunization and health systems in the African region is essential to protect progress against wild polio and to tackle the spread of type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2), which is present in 16 countries in the region. Pockets of low immunity mean such strains continue to pose a threat and the risk is magnified by interruptions in vaccination due to COVID-19, which have left communities more vulnerable to cVDPV2 outbreaks.

The GPEI calls on countries and donors to remain vigilant against all forms of polio. Until every strain is eradicated worldwide, the incredible progress made against polio globally will be at risk.

The WHO African Region’s success against wild polio has shown the world that progress against some of the biggest global health challenges is possible. The GPEI is grateful for every person, partner, donor and country who helped bring about this incredible achievement.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

IHR Review

WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 27 August 2020
27 August 2020
…Last month I announced the establishment of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, to evaluate the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has been an acid test for many countries and organizations, as well as for the International Health Regulations, the legal instrument agreed by countries that governs preparedness and response for health emergencies.

Even before the pandemic, I have spoken about how emergencies such as the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC have demonstrated that some elements of the IHR may need review, including the binary nature of the mechanism for declaring a public health emergency of international concern.

The International Health Regulations allow for a review committee to be established to evaluate the functioning of the IHR and to recommend changes to it.

Earlier today I informed WHO’s Member States that I plan to establish an IHR Review Committee to advise me on whether any changes to the IHR may be necessary to ensure this powerful tool of international law is as effective as possible.

The committee will be made up of independent experts, who will examine various aspects of the IHR.

Although the review committee’s remit is specific to the IHR, it will communicate with the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, and with the Independent Oversight Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, to exchange information and share findings.

Depending on the progress it makes, the committee will present a progress report to the resumed World Health Assembly in November, and a full report to next year’s Assembly in May.

WHO is committed to ending the pandemic, and to working with all countries to learn from it, and to ensure that together we build the healthier, safer, fairer world that we want.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

COVID-19 Vaccines – Supply/Allocation

172 countries & multiple candidate vaccines engaged in COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility
:: Nine CEPI-supported candidate vaccines are part of the COVAX initiative, with a further nine candidates under evaluation, and procurement conversations on-going with additional producers not currently receiving research and development (R&D) funding through COVAX – giving COVAX the largest and most diverse COVID-19 vaccine portfolio in the world

:: 80 potentially self-financing countries have submitted non-binding expressions of interest to the Gavi-coordinated COVAX Facility, joining 92 low- and middle-income economies that are eligible to be supported by the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC)

:: Goal of bringing the pandemic under control via equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines needs urgent, broadscale commitment and investment from countries

Geneva/Oslo, 24 August 2020 – 172 economies are now engaged in discussions to potentially participate in COVAX, a global initiative aimed at working with vaccine manufacturers to provide countries worldwide equitable access to safe and effective vaccines, once they are licensed and approved. COVAX currently has the world’s largest and most diverse COVID-19 vaccine portfolio – including nine candidate vaccines, with a further nine under evaluation and conversations underway with other major producers.

COVAX, the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization (WHO) – working in partnership with developed and developing country vaccine manufacturers. It is the only global initiative that is working with governments and manufacturers to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide to both higher-income and lower-income countries.

In order to be able to secure enough doses of vaccines to protect the most vulnerable populations, such as health workers and the elderly, the next step for the partnership is to confirm potential self-financing participants’ intent to participate by 31 August and to turn these into binding commitments to join the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX Facility) by 18 September, with first upfront payments to follow thereafter, and no later than 9 October.

“Equal access to a COVID-19 vaccine is the key to beating the virus and paving the way for recovery from the pandemic,” said Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden. “This cannot be a race with a few winners, and the COVAX Facility is an important part of the solution – making sure all countries can benefit from access to the world’s largest portfolio of candidates and fair and equitable distribution of vaccine doses.”

The COVAX Facility is a Gavi-coordinated pooled procurement mechanism for new COVID-19 vaccines, through which COVAX will ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for each participating economy, using an allocation framework currently being formulated by WHO. The COVAX Facility will do this by pooling buying power from participating economies and providing volume guarantees across a range of promising vaccine candidates, allowing those vaccine manufacturers whose expertise is essential to large scale production of the new vaccines, to make early, at-risk investments in manufacturing capacity – providing participating countries and economies with the best chance at rapid access to doses of a successful COVID-19 vaccine.

“In order to save lives in this pandemic, we must make sure that COVID-19 vaccines are available to all countries, including the most vulnerable,” said Dag-Inge Ulstein, Norway’s Minister of International Development.

The success of COVAX hinges not only on countries signing up to the COVAX Facility, but also filling key funding gaps for both COVAX R&D work and a mechanism to support participation of lower-income economies in the COVAX Facility.

“COVID-19 is an unprecedented global health challenge that can only be met with unprecedented cooperation between governments, researchers, manufacturers and multilateral partners,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “By pooling resources and acting in solidarity through the ACT Accelerator and the COVAX Facility, we can ensure that once a vaccine is available for COVID-19, it’s available equitably to all countries.”

CEPI is leading COVAX vaccine research and development work, which aims to develop three safe and effective vaccines which can be made available to countries participating in the COVAX Facility. Nine candidate vaccines are currently being supported by CEPI; seven of which are currently in clinical trials. Governments, vaccine manufacturers (in addition to their own R&D), organisations and individuals have committed US$ 1.4bn towards vaccine R&D so far, but an additional US$ 1bn is urgently needed to continue to move the portfolio forward.

A further nine candidate vaccines which complement the current CEPI portfolio are currently being evaluated for inclusion in COVAX.  Furthermore, COVAX will consider procuring vaccines that complement the portfolio from any producer in the world; conversations are already underway with a number of additional manufacturers not receiving R&D support from CEPI to procure their vaccines if they are successful. Maximising the portfolio of vaccines increases the probability of success as individual vaccines historically have a high failure rate.

“In the scramble for a vaccine, countries can act alone – creating a few winners, and many losers – or they can come together to participate in COVAX, an initiative which is built on enlightened self-interest but also equity, leaving no country behind,” said Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI. “Only by taking a global view can we protect those most at risk around the world from the terrible effects of this disease. COVAX can deliver the vaccines that could end the pandemic, but it needs countries to step forward both to join the COVAX Facility, and also to address the serious funding shortfalls, including for R&D. The decisions that are taken now about COVID-19 vaccines have the power to change our future. We must be courageous and ambitious in striving for a multilateral solution.”

A collaboration between Serum Institute of India (SII), Gavi and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced earlier this month will ensure up to 100 million doses of AstraZeneca or Novavax’s candidate vaccines, if successful, will be available to low- and middle-income economies through the COVAX Facility at just US$ 3 per dose. The arrangement also provides an option to secure additional doses if COVAX sees a need for it. Separate agreements between Gavi, CEPI and AstraZeneca, announced in June, guarantee a further 300 million doses of their candidate vaccine, if successful, for the COVAX Facility.

In addition, in June Gavi launched the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), a financing instrument aimed at supporting the participation of 92 lower and middle income economies in the COVAX Facility. The COVAX AMC has raised more than US$ 600 million against an initial target of securing US$ 2 billion seed funding from sovereign donors as well as philanthropy and the private sector, needed by the end of 2020. Funding the COVAX AMC will be critical to ensuring ability to pay is not a barrier to accessing COVID-19 vaccines, a situation which would leave the majority of the world unprotected, with the pandemic and its impact continuing unabated.

80 higher-income economies, which would finance the vaccines from their own public finance budgets, have so far submitted Expressions of Interest ahead of the 31 August deadline for confirmation of intent to participate. They will partner with 92 low- and middle-income countries that will be supported by the AMC if it meets its funding targets. Together, this group of 172 countries represents more than 70% of the world’s population. Among the group are representatives from every continent and more than half of the world’s G20 economies.

“The momentum we are witnessing behind this unprecedented global effort means there could be light at the end of the tunnel: A vaccine is our best route to ending the acute phase of the pandemic and the COVAX effort is the best way to get there,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “For higher-income countries it represents a win-win: not only will you be guaranteed access to the world’s largest portfolio of vaccines, you will also be negotiating as part of a global consortium, bringing down prices and ensuring truly global access. Signing up to the COVAX Facility gives each country its best chance at protecting the most vulnerable members of their populations – which in turn gives the world its best chance at mitigating the toll this pandemic has taken on individuals, communities and the global economy. To make this end-to-end vision a reality, we need countries to make end-to-end commitments: funding R&D, signing up to the Facility, and supporting the COVAX AMC.”

The COVAX Facility is coordinated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and forms a key part of COVAX – the vaccines pillar of the ACT Accelerator, a ground-breaking global collaboration involving vaccine manufacturers to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. The overall aim of COVAX is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world. It will achieve this by sharing the risks associated with vaccine development, and where necessary investing in manufacturing upfront so vaccines can be deployed at scale as soon as they are proven to be safe and effective, and pooling procurement and purchasing power to achieve sufficient volumes to end the acute phase of the pandemic by 2021.

The goal of COVAX is by the end of 2021 to deliver two billion doses of safe, effective vaccines that have passed regulatory approval and/or WHO prequalification. These vaccines will be offered equally to all participating countries, proportional to their populations, initially prioritising healthcare workers then expanding to cover vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. Further doses will then be made available based on country need, vulnerability and COVID-19 threat. The COVAX Facility will also maintain a buffer of doses for emergency and humanitarian use, including dealing with severe outbreaks before they spiral out of control.

Notes to editors
The full list of CEPI-supported COVAX candidate vaccines is as follows:
Inovio, USA (Phase I/II)
Moderna, USA (Phase III)
CureVac, Germany (Phase I)
Institut Pasteur/Merck/Themis, France/USA/Austria (Preclinical)
AstraZeneca/University of Oxford, UK (Phase III)
University of Hong Kong, China (Preclinical)
Novavax, USA (Phase I/II)
Clover Biopharmaceuticals, China (Phase I)
University of Queensland/CSL, Australia (Phase I)

The nine candidate vaccines that are currently being evaluated for inclusion in the Facility include two from the USA, two from China, two from India, two from the USA, one from South Korea, one from the UK and one global, multi-manufacture partnership. Two of these are in Phase I trials, two are tech transfers and the remainder are at the discovery stage.

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ACIP Presentation Slides: August 2020 Meeting
August 26, 2020
We will add links to presentations as they are available. Note: These files are temporarily available for meeting and are not yet 508.

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Vaccines
Introduction pdf icon[8 pages] Dr. B Bell

COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring pdf icon[32 pages] Dr. T Shimabukuro

Epidemiology of Individuals at Increased Risk of COVID-19 Disease pdf icon[2 MB, 54 pages]
Dr. N McLung

Modeling Allocation Strategies for the Initial SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Supply pdf icon[17 pages]
Dr. R Slayton

COVID-19 Vaccines: Work Group Interpretations pdf icon[2 MB, 26 pages]
Dr. S Oliver

COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization: Work Group Considerations pdf icon[28 pages]
Dr. K Dooling

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
A Framework for Equitable Allocation of Vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus
Despite the worldwide effort to develop safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 and ramp up production capacity, it is inevitable that initial vaccine supply will be limited. Therefore, policymakers must develop plans to ensure the equitable allocation of limited doses until there is sufficient global supply.

In response to a request from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Academies have formed a committee that will produce a consensus study to assist policymakers in the U.S. and global health communities in planning for equitable allocation of vaccines against COVID-19.

As part of the study, the committee will consider what criteria should be used to set priorities for equitable distribution among groups of potential vaccine recipients, taking into account factors such as population health disparities; individuals at higher risk because of health status, occupation, or living conditions; and geographic distribution of active virus spread. In addition, the committee will consider how communities of color can be assured access to COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. and recommend strategies to mitigate vaccine hesitancy among the American public.

Public Listening Session: Discussion Draft of the Preliminary Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine
On Wednesday, September 2, from 12:00 to 5:00 pm ET, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will host an open online session to receive public comments on a Discussion Draft of the Preliminary Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine, as part of a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/equitable-allocation-of-covid-19-vaccine-public-listening-session-tickets-118114225829

Public Comment Opportunities: Discussion Draft of the Preliminary Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine | Announcement
Public Comment Period
On September 1, 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will invite public comment on the Discussion Draft of the Preliminary Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine, part of a study commissioned by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Input from the public, especially communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19, is essential to produce a final report that is objective, balanced, and inclusive. The public comment period will be open for 4 days, from 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 1, until 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, September 4. 

Members of the public are encouraged to submit written comments for consideration by the study committee (as individuals or on behalf of an organization). Commenters will be able to download and review the discussion draft before submitting a comment through a form (uploaded documents accepted). All materials and comments received will be placed in the committee’s Public Access File, and may be provided to the public upon request.

You can access the discussion draft and public comment form from https://www.nationalacademies.org/VaccineAllocationComment
(link will not be live until September 1, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. ET).

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

FDA – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Announces Advisory Committee Meeting to Discuss COVID-19 Vaccines
August 28, 2020
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that a public meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will be held on Oct. 22, 2020, to discuss the general matter of the development, authorization, and/or licensure of vaccines indicated to prevent COVID-19.

“The FDA has scheduled a meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee to address the general development of COVID-19 vaccines on October 22nd. The agency is also prepared to rapidly schedule additional meetings of this committee upon submission of any applications as appropriate,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D.

“I want to assure the American people that the process and review for vaccine development will be as open and transparent as possible. A discussion with this committee, made up of outside scientific and public health experts from around the country, will help ensure clear public understanding regarding clinical development of these vaccines indicated to prevent COVID-19 and the data needed to facilitate their authorization or licensure. It is critical for people to see FDA’s expectations for data to support safety and effectiveness.”

The meeting will be held on Oct. 22, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. ET to 5:00 p.m. ET via webcast. The FDA intends to make background material available to the public, including the meeting agenda and Committee roster, no later than two business days before the meeting. In general, advisory committees include a Chair, several members, plus a consumer, industry and sometimes a patient representative. Additional experts with special knowledge may be added for individual meetings as needed. Although the committees provide advice to the agency, final decisions are made by the FDA…

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Moderna Confirms Discussions with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to Supply Japan with 40 Million Doses of mRNA Vaccine Against COVID-19 (mRNA-1273)
August 28, 2020

Moderna Confirms Discussions with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to Supply Japan with 40 Million Doses of mRNA Vaccine Against COVID-19 (mRNA-1273)
August 28, 2020

Moderna Confirms Advanced Discussions with European Commission to Supply Europe with 80 Million Doses of mRNA Vaccine Against COVID-19 (mRNA-1273)
August 24, 2020

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

COVID-19 Vaccines – Regulatory/Licensing

IFPMA [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
Innovative vaccine industry strongly committed to rigorous regulatory standards for approval of COVID-19 vaccines
Geneva, 28 August 2020 – In the face of an unprecedented public health and economic crisis, the world’s leading innovative vaccine companies are working in partnership with international organizations, governments, academia and many others across the world in answering the call to develop novel vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Our goal is to provide vaccines to people once national regulatory agencies (NRAs) have approved them, on the basis of solid validation of the vaccines’ quality, safety and effectiveness.  Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of those receiving a vaccine, and that hasn’t changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

:: We strongly support the rigorous and objective scientific review of safety and efficacy data for the approval of COVID-19 vaccines. We call on regional and national regulatory agencies (NRAs) to work as fast as science and regulatory compliance allow AND at the appropriate pace needed to ensure delivery of safe and effective vaccines.

:: No matter how urgently action is needed against the coronavirus public health emergency, it is imperative that the highest standards of quality, safety and efficacy are upheld everywhere.  We are fully committed to transparency in clinical trial results whether their results are good or bad, and support the need to inform the public of what we know, as well as what we don’t know about the vaccines in development.

:: We believe that ensuring appropriate engagement with society whilst assessing and approving vaccines will be key to gaining public’s trust in COVID-19 vaccines and helping end the coronavirus pandemic.

:: Rigorous application of regulatory science and openness in the process will ensure that everybody, starting with healthcare workers, have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines once they have been approved by NRAs based on their quality, safety, and efficacy.

Thomas B. Cueni, Director General, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (IFPMA)

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

COVID-19 – Immunization Impacts

Low adult immunization rates decline further due to pandemic
– Prior to pandemic, less than half of adults received the vaccines recommended for their age group[1]
– Vaccine demand declined an average of more than 60 percent across adult vaccines during height of pandemic[2]
– Survey by The Harris Poll underscores importance of healthcare professional recommendations and need for increased education

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — A recent survey, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of GSK, finds that many adults ages 50-79 are unfamiliar with the vaccines recommended for them. The online survey of more than 3,000 US adults ages 50-79 (older adults) and more than 300 US primary care physicians indicates that adults are unlikely to receive many of the vaccines recommended for them:

:: Approximately 1 in 4 older adults have never heard of or are unfamiliar with the adult vaccines for shingles (27%), tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) (28%), and pneumonia (30%).
:: Many older adults say they are not likely to receive the influenza (i.e., flu) (28%), shingles (38%), Tdap (44%), or pneumococcal (i.e., pneumonia)[3] (54%) vaccines.
:: More than half of older adults have never heard of or are unfamiliar with the vaccines for hepatitis B (55%) and hepatitis A (56%).

“Low adult immunization rates have declined even further due to the pandemic, putting the country at risk for a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases. Manufacturers, healthcare providers and the entire public health community must redouble efforts to ensure older adults are fully immunized,” said Judy Stewart, Senior Vice President, Head of US Vaccines at GSK. “Increasing public health efforts to administer existing vaccines is as important as the efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine…

EMERGENCIES

Coronavirus [COVID-19]
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Weekly Epidemiological and Operational updates August 2020
Confirmed cases :: 24 587 513 [week ago: 22 812 491]
Confirmed deaths :: 833 556 [week ago: 795 132]
Weekly Operational Update
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
28 August 2020
Weekly Epidemiological Update
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
24 August 2020 : 14 pages
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Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 19 August 2020
:: On 25 August, the Africa Regional Certification Commission certified the WHO African Region as wild polio-free after four years without a case. With this historic milestone, five of the six WHO regions – representing over 90% of the world’s population – are now free of the wild poliovirus, moving the world closer to achieving global polio eradication.
[See Milestones above for detail]
:: Following the certification of the WHO African Region as wild polio-free, Chair of the WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee and of the AFRO Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group Helen Rees explains the current cVDPV situation in Africa and its implications.
:: The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on polio eradication is an independent body charged with advising and making recommendations to the ministry of health and Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners on polio eradication programme policies, strategies and operations. The WHO has issued a call for nomination for experts to serve on the Technical Advisory Group on polio eradication in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and environmental samples):
:: Afghanistan: two cVDPV2 cases and six cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
:: Pakistan: 13 WPV1 positive environmental samples
:: Benin: one cVDPV2 case
:: Chad: one cVDPV2 case
:: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo): two cVDPV2 cases
:: Somalia: one cVDPV2 case
:: Sudan: 11 cVDPV2 cases

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Emergencies

Ebola – DRC+
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Last WHO Situation Report published 23 June 2020

Ebola outbreak in western Democratic Republic of the Congo reaches 100 cases
21 August 2020
Brazzaville – The number of cases in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached 100, a near two-fold increase in a little over five weeks.
This latest outbreak, DRC’s 11th, was declared on 1 June 2020 in Equateur Province. A cluster of cases was initially detected in Mbandaka, the provincial capital. The outbreak has since spread to 11 of the province’s 17 health zones. Of the 100 cases reported so far, 96 are confirmed and four are probable. Forty-three people have lost their lives.
The outbreak presents significant logistical challenges, with affected communities spanning large distances in remote and densely-forested areas of the province, which straddles the Equator. At its widest points, the outbreak is spread across approximately 300 km both from east to west and from north to south. It can take days to reach affected populations, with responders and supplies often having to traverse areas without roads, necessitating long periods of river boat travel.
An Ebola outbreak occurred in the same province in May 2018 and was contained in less than three months with 54 cases and 33 deaths recorded.
“With 100 Ebola cases in less than 100 days, the outbreak in Equateur Province is evolving in a concerning way,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “The virus is spreading across a wide and rugged terrain which requires costly interventions and with COVID-19 draining resources and attention, it is hard to scale-up operations.”…

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WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 29 Aug 2020]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: Ebola outbreak in western Democratic Republic of the Congo reaches 100 cases 21 August 2020

Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 29 Aug 2020]
Iraq
:: WHO delivers ambulances and health technologies to Ministry of Health in the Kurdistan region to support emergency referrals and COVID-19 containment efforts Erbil, 25 August 2020

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Angola – No new digest announcements identified
Burkina Faso [in French] – No new digest announcements identified
Burundi – No new digest announcements identified
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified
Libya – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi – No new digest announcements identified
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017) – No new digest announcements identified
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 29 Aug 2020]

Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Djibouti – Page not responding at inquiry
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic
:: Syria ǀ Situation Report #2, Alouk Water Station, 28 August 2020
:: Syria ǀ Situation Report #1, Alouk Water Station, 25 August 2020

Yemen
:: 23 August 2020 Yemen Situation Report, 23 Aug 2020 [EN/AR]
Highlights
:: Funding shortage closes life-saving programmes as humanitarian needs rise
:: COVID-19 strategy refreshed as COVID-19 continues to spread across Yemen
:: Fuel crisis is another shock to the humanitarian situation in northern governorates
:: Hopes of a UN assessment mission to avert a catastrophic oil spill from the Safer tanker falter
:: Air strikes causing civilian casualties double in the second quarter of 2020

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UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
COVID-19
:: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report 41: occupied Palestinian territory, issued 27 August 2020, information for period: 5 March – 27 August 2020

East Africa Locust Infestation
:: Desert Locust situation update – 24 August 2020

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WHO & Regional Offices [to 29 Aug 2020]

27 August 2020 News release
World Mental Health Day: an opportunity to kick-start a massive scale-up in investment in mental health

25 August 2020 News release
Global polio eradication initiative applauds WHO African region for wild polio-free certification
[See Milestones above for detail]

24 August 2020 News release
172 countries and multiple candidate vaccines engaged in COVID-19 vaccine Global Access Facility
[See Milestones above for detail]

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Weekly Epidemiological Record, 28 August 2020, vol. 95, 35 (pp. 409–416)
Interpreting influenza surveillance data in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 update 409

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WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Push for stronger health systems as Africa battles COVID-19 26 August 2020
:: Africa eradicates wild poliovirus 25 August 2020

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
No new digest content identified

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
No new digest content identified

WHO European Region EURO
:: Inaugural meeting of Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development takes place 28-08-2020
:: Fanny Lopez, paediatric nurse supporting premature newborns and their parents 28-08-2020
:: Romania: trust, dialogue and cooperation at community level to combat COVID-19 27-08-2020
:: WHO/Europe to establish a mental health coalition to support system reforms and COVID-19 recovery 26-08-2020
:: Rehabilitation needed by every two out of three COVID-19 patients recovering from intensive care – The story of Samantha 26-08-2020

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Statement by WHO’s Regional Director on COVID-19 developments in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
28 August 2020 – As of 26 August 2020, a total of 1 862 635 COVID-19 cases has been reported in the Eastern Mediterranean Region since the start of the novel coronavirus outbreak, which represents 8.0% of the global burden of more than 23 million cases reported to date….
:: WHO Regional Director Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari congratulates the African Region on becoming wild poliovirus-free 25 August 2020 –

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified

CDC/ACIP [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases
Dr. Robert R. Redfield Statement on “Preventing and Mitigating SARS-CoV-2 Transmission — Four Overnight Camps, Maine, June–August 2020”
Wednesday, August 26, 2020

COVID-19 Testing Overview
Updated Aug. 24, 2020

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, August 28, 2020
Progress Toward Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Elimination by Using a Catalytic Funding Model — Tashkent, Uzbekistan, December 6, 2019–March 15, 2020

COVID-19 Among American Indian and Alaska Native Persons — 23 States, January 31–July 3, 2020 (Early release August 19, 2020)

Limited Secondary Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Child Care Programs — Rhode Island, June 1–July 31, 2020 (Early release August 21, 2020)

Primary Indicators to Systematically Monitor COVID-19 Mitigation and Response — Kentucky, May 19–July 15, 2020 (Early release, August 25, 2020)

Africa CDC [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
Saving lives, economies and livelihoods campaign launches in Africa
20 August 2020
… “Last two weeks, Africa passed one million cases of COVID-19. Noting that we do not have a vaccine yet, and recognizing the socioeconomic effects of the pandemic on Member States, we must continue to be proactive so that we do not lose the precious gains made with the preventive measures. I am therefore proud to announce the official launch of the African Union Africa Against COVID-19: Saving Lives, Economies, and Livelihoods as an effort to use innovative tools, methods and partnerships to prevent further transmission, deaths and socioeconomic harm on the continent as economies, borders and schools re-open,” said H.E. Amira Mohammed.
The Saving Lives, Economies and Livelihoods campaign will facilitate the development of a harmonized strategy to protect borders, travellers, economies, livelihoods, and schools in Africa from the risk of increased COVID-19 transmission as countries begin to re-open their borders…

China CDC
http://www.chinacdc.cn/en/
No new digest content identified.

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
Aug 29: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Aug 28, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 9 new cases of confirmed infections.

COVID-19 vaccine candidate produced from insect cells to enter human trials
2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
CHENGDU — China has approved human trials for a new COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which was produced by the use of insect cells.
The recombinant protein vaccine was issued with a clinical research permit from the National Medical Products Administration, said the vaccine developer the West China Hospital of Sichuan University on Aug 24.
According to hospital researchers, it will be China’s first COVID-19 vaccine candidate grown in insect cells on humans. The vaccine is designed to trigger antibodies against specific areas on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Results of animal tests were published in the journal Nature on July 29, which showed that the vaccine could induce immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice, rabbits and non-human primates as early as seven or 14 days after a single dose injection, with no obvious side effects.
Co-author Wei Yuquan, a senior researcher of the hospital’s state key laboratory of biotherapy, said the vaccine was produced by inserting genes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into insect cell cultures, which can grow viral proteins. Such an approach is suitable for large-scale manufacturing of vaccines…

Announcements

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
News
No new digest content identified.

BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Pages/default.aspx
BARDA News
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.gatesmri.org/
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.

CARB-X [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://carb-x.org/
CARB-X is a non-profit public-private partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research to tackle the global rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria.
No new digest content identified.

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
172 countries & multiple candidate vaccines engaged in COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility
24 Aug 2020
[See Milestones above for detail]

How to measure the success of a COVID-19 vaccine?
21 Aug 2020
Melanie Saville, Director of Vaccine Development, CEPI

EDCTP [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
Latest news
No new digest content identified.

Emory Vaccine Center [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.

European Medicines Agency [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

European Vaccine Initiative [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News
No new digest content identified.

FDA [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
Press Announcements
August 28, 2020 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Announces Advisory Committee Meeting to Discuss COVID-19 Vaccines

August 28, 2020 – COVID-19 Update: FDA Broadens Emergency Use Authorization for Veklury (remdesivir) to Include All Hospitalized Patients for Treatment of COVID-19

August 28, 2020 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup August 28, 2020

August 27, 2020 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup August 27, 2020

August 26, 2020 – COVID-19 Update: FDA Authorizes First Diagnostic Test Where Results Can Be Read Directly From Testing Card

August 26, 2020 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup August 26, 2020

August 25, 2020 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup August 25, 2020

August 24, 2020 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup August 24, 2020

August 23, 2020 – FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Convalescent Plasma as Potential Promising COVID–19 Treatment, Another Achievement in Administration’s Fight Against Pandemic

Fondation Merieux [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
Mérieux Foundation co-organized event
ACDx Webinar focused on the critical role of diagnostics in the COVID-19 pandemic – 4 regional perspectives
September 15, 2020 – Webinar 3:00pm to 5:00pm (CET)
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the major role of diagnostics in the patient’s management. Around the globe, the regions and countries have put in place different diagnostics strategies and policies to tackle this COVID-19 sanitary crisis.
The Mérieux Foundation and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) are jointly organizing a 2 hour webinar on September 15 at 3pm (CET) on the critical role of diagnostics in the COVID-19 crisis management to share best practices & lessons learnt from experiences around the world.

Gavi [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.gavi.org/
News releases
28 August 2020
Australia commits AU$ 80 million to guarantee access to COVID-19 vaccines for all
:: The funding will support the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), which aims to secure doses of COVID-19 vaccines for 92 low- and middle-income countries and economies at the same time as wealthier nations
:: The Gavi COVAX AMC forms part of the COVAX Facility, a mechanism hosted by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, designed to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for both higher-income and lower-income countries

24 August 2020
172 countries & multiple candidate vaccines engaged in COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility
[See Milestones above for detail]

GHIT Fund [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 2012 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News/Updates
COVID-19 Situation Report – 25 August 2020
A new issue of the COVID-19 Situation Report is available

Hilleman Laboratories [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.

Human Vaccines Project [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
Press Release
No new digest content identified.

IAVI [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
FEATURES
August 28, 2020
How Can We Bridge the Gender Gap for STEM in Africa?

International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities [ICMRA]
http://www.icmra.info/drupal/en/news
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Research
No new digest content identified.

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.

IFRC [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Asia Pacific, Bangladesh
Cox’s Bazar: Almost 1 in 5 people in treatment have lung disease as COVID-19 spreads
Kuala Lumpur, Cox’s Bazar, Geneva, 24 August 2020: New data reveals that nearly one in five (17.9%) people being treated for medical conditions in displacement camps in Cox’s Bazar are already experiencing some form of lung disease as COVID-19 spreads …
24 August 2020

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index
Media highlights
Press Release
As COVID cases rise 1000% in Northeast Syria, IRC calls on UN Security Council to reopen critical Yaroubiya aid crossing
August 26, 2020

Press Release
New IRC report: More than 300,000 Rohingya refugee children need Internet access for remote learning during COVID-19 pandemic
August 24, 2020

IVAC [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
Webinar: Avoiding Barriers to Access for a COVID-19 Vaccine
Register: The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) on September 16, 2020 at 8:00 EDT/21:00 KST will host a 60-minute webinar, “Avoiding Barriers to Access for a COVID-19 Vaccine.”
Description: Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, countries worked to overcome a myriad of challenges when introducing new safe and effective vaccines. While policy makers and health advocates addressed barriers, from understanding disease burden and cost effectiveness to establishing cold chain systems, preventable diseases spread, sicken populations, and cost lives. Learning from the past failures of vaccine introductions will be crucial for ensuring equitable access to a COVID-19 vaccine. Leaders and scientists in the international vaccine field will discuss the barriers to vaccine access we must overcome to avoid and the role the international community will play in promoting equity in delivering a COVID-19 vaccine.

IVI [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News & Announcements
The Embassy of China in Seoul donates 20,000 USD to IVI to support vaccine R&D
On August 25, 2020, the Chinese Embassy in Korea donated 20,000 USD to IVI for vaccine research and development as well as efforts to advance international cooperation for vaccines against infectious diseases including COVID-19…

JEE Alliance [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Syria
“In Al-Hol camp, almost no healthcare is available and the consequences are dev…
Project Update 27 Aug 2020

Bangladesh
Rohingya refugees remain in limbo three years after mass exodus
Project Update 25 Aug 2020

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
NVAC Meetings
September 23-24, 2020 Meeting (Virtual)
February 4-5, 2021 NVAC Meeting
June 16-17, 2021 NVAC Meeting

NIH [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
Selected News Releases
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities disproportionately affected by COVID-19
August 28, 2020 — NIH-funded researchers call for restoration of support services or alternatives.

NIH establishes Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases
August 27, 2020 — Global network to focus on spillover potential.

NCI, Cancer Research UK launch Cancer Grand Challenges partnership to support bold new ideas for cancer research
August 27, 2020 — Effort will foster a highly competitive process designed to stimulate scientific creativity.

PATH [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
Washington COVID-19 biorepository supports global quest for affordable diagnostics
August 25, 2020 by PATH
A global resource for the development and validation of diagnostics
SEATTLE, August 25, 2020 – The current pandemic showcases a critical need to accelerate the development and validation of quality diagnostic products for COVID-19. To support this effort, PATH, a global health non-profit, has created a biorepository of qualified clinical samples to support and accelerate the development and validation of quality in-vitro diagnostics.
With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PATH has been coordinating with clinical partners across the Seattle area since the beginning of the pandemic to create a catalogue of inactivated virus and clinical samples, including nasal swabs, tongue swabs, nasopharyngeal swabs, serum, and plasma to assist developers in the verification and validation of diagnostic tests. These clinical samples include those collected from patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 using an FDA EUA COVID-19 RT PCR diagnostic test…

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
27 August 2020
“Do not guess, get tested” – Free testing for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C in Yerevan

25 August 2020
Sex work during COVID-19 in Tanzania

25 August 2020
A way to optimized HIV investments in the EECA region

UNICEF [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Press releases/Announcements
Press release
08/27/2020
Severe water shortages compound desperate situation for children and families in Beirut
UNICEF and partners rehabilitating and reconnecting critical water infrastructure

Press release
08/26/2020
COVID-19: At least a third of the world’s school children unable to access remote learning during school closures, new report says
UNICEF’s Reimagine campaign calls for urgent investment to bridge the digital divide, reach every child with remote learning, and, most critically, prioritize the safe reopening of schools

Press release
08/26/2020
Ericsson and UNICEF launch global partnership to map school internet connectivity
Three-year initiative to identify connectivity gaps in 35 countries is a critical first step in connecting every school to the internet

News note
08/25/2020
UNICEF delivers critical supplies to support children and families affected by Beirut explosions

Press release
08/25/2020
Rohingya children bearing brunt of COVID disruptions in Bangladesh refugee camps as education facilities remain closed

Press release
08/23/2020
UNICEF airlifts more supplies to respond to COVID-19 in Yemen

Unitaid [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
No new digest content identified.

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
Research and Reports
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
No new digest content identified.

The Wistar Institute [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News
International Cooperation and Leadership – Africa is Now Polio Free
Thursday, 27 August 2020
Africa is now rid of this terrible disease which has crippled and killed so many people. “The reason Africa is able to be declared Polio Free is through international cooperation and leadership”, according to Dr Michael Moore, Chair of the International Immunization Policy Task Force of the World Federation of Public Health Associations and Rotary International 9705 District Governor in Australia…

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2020/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Press Releases
FDA’s Peter Marks Reiterates the Agency’s Continued Commitment to Gene Therapy in Meeting With ARM’s Executive Committee
August 27, 2020
Washington, DC
In a videoconference Thursday with the Executive Committee of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the FDA’s Dr. Peter Marks reiterated the agency’s continued commitment to gene therapy, and explained that there have been no changes to FDA’s policies or approaches to gene therapies. The FDA remains focused on safety and efficacy in its evaluations of potentially transformative cell and gene therapies. ARM and its 360+ members remain bullish about the promising pipeline of advanced therapies that seek to treat, and possibly cure, a wide range of debilitating diseases and conditions. The FDA in January 2019 stated that, by 2025, it expects to approve between 10 and 20 gene and cell therapies each year.

BIO [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.

ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://internationalbiotech.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

IFPMA [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
Innovative vaccine industry strongly committed to rigorous regulatory standards for approval of COVID-19 vaccines
27 August 2020
[See COVID-19 Vaccines above for detail]

PhRMA [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
No new digest content identified.

Journal Watch
Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review continues its weekly scanning of key peer-reviewed journals to identify and cite articles, commentary and editorials, books reviews and other content supporting our focu-s on vaccine ethics and policy. Journal Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues the Center is actively tracking. We selectively provide full text of some editorial and comment articles that are specifically relevant to our work. Successful access to some of the links provided may require subscription or other access arrangement unique to the publisher.
If you would like to suggest other journal titles to include in this service, please contact David Curry at: david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org

BMC Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation
http://resource-allocation.biomedcentral.com/
(Accessed 29 Aug 2020)
Cost-effectiveness evaluation of the 10-valent pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine for children in Taiwan
Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) and non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) are substantial contributors to morbidity and mortality of diseases including invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs), pneumon…
Authors: Chun-Yi Lu, Ching-Hu Chung, Li-Min Huang, Eliza Kruger, Seng-Chuen Tan, Xu-Hao Zhang and Nan-Chang Chiu
Citation: Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 2020 18:30
Content type: Research
Published on: 28 August 2020

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 29 Aug 2020)

Using routine health information data for research in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review
Routine health information systems (RHISs) support resource allocation and management decisions at all levels of the health system, as well as strategy development and policy-making in many low- and middle-inc…
Authors: Yuen W. Hung, Klesta Hoxha, Bridget R. Irwin, Michael R. Law and Karen A. Grépin
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2020 20:790
Content type: Research article
Published on: 25 August 2020

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 29 Aug 2020)

A case study of an influenza vaccination program for health care workers in Vietnam
In 2017, the Vietnam Ministry of Health conducted a demonstration project to introduce seasonal influenza vaccination to health care workers. A total of 11,000 doses of influenza vaccine, single-dose prefilled…
Authors: Nga T. Ha, Thoa T. M. Nguyen, Tung X. Nguyen, Phu D. Tran, Hang M. Nguyen, Van T. Ha, Kathryn E. Lafond, Jane F. Seward, Jeffrey W. McFarland and Susan Y. Chu
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2020 20:785
Content type: Research article
Published on: 24 August 2020

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 29 Aug 2020)

Integrated delivery of family planning and childhood immunisation services in routine outreach clinics: findings from a realist evaluation in Malawi
Family planning (FP) needs among postpartum women in low- and middle-income countries remain largely unmet. Integrating FP with childhood immunisation services could partially reduce this unmet need by creatin…

Authors: Jessie K. Hamon, Shari Krishnaratne, Jenna Hoyt, Misozi Kambanje, Shannon Pryor and Jayne Webster
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2020 20:777
Content type: Research article
Published on: 24 August 2020

BMC Medicine
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/content
(Accessed 29 Aug 2020)

The burden of laboratory-confirmed pertussis in low- and middle-income countries since the inception of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in 1974: a systematic review and meta-analysis
An effective vaccine against Bordetella pertussis was introduced into the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) by WHO in 1974, leading to a substantial global reduction in pertussis morbidity and mortality. I…
Authors: Rudzani Muloiwa, Benjamin M. Kagina, Mark E. Engel and Gregory D. Hussey
Citation: BMC Medicine 2020 18:233
Content type: Research article
Published on: 28 August 2020

BMC Research Notes
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/content
(Accessed 29 Aug 2020)

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown on invasive meningococcal disease
Few data are available on the association between SARS-CoV-2 and secondary bacterial infections. Such an association was described for flu and invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). We aimed exploring such a co…
Authors: Muhamed-Kheir Taha and Ala-Eddine Deghmane
Citation: BMC Research Notes 2020 13:399
Content type: Research note
Published on: 27 August 2020

The CRISPR Journal
Volume 3, Issue 4 / August 2020
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/crispr/3/4

Editorial
In Times Like These, We All Need a Moment of Science
Rodolphe Barrangou
Published Online:24 Aug 2020 https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2020.29102.rba
… The monumental challenges that lie ahead of us can be solved by science—and science alone. The most promising solutions on the way with regard to diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines, all come from a tireless and committed science community, which transcends the pervasive skepticism and disturbing antiscience bias still on the rise. Without the scientific enterprise, there will be no vaccine, no effective therapy; without the medical and health care community, there will be no recovery nor reprieve.
Making an Impact
Despite such difficult times, there are opportunities to rise to the challenge and monitor in real time how the scientific community is doing…

The CRISPR Journal
Volume 3, Issue 4 / August 2020
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/crispr/3/4

Perspectives Free
An Examination of Public Discourse on Human Gene Editing Using Natural Language Processing
Micah Musser
Pages:237–247
Published Online:24 August 2020
https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2020.0003
This research aims to explore the different ways in which scientists, ethicists, journalists, and commissions speak to the public about new gene-editing technologies. The research collected more than 100,000 sentences from books, news articles, and …

The European Journal of Public Health
Volume 30, Issue 4, August 2020
https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/issue/30/4

Editorials
Re-thinking health inequalities
Johan P Mackenbach
European Journal of Public Health, Volume 30, Issue 4, August 2020, Page 615, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa001
Extract
The world we live in is hugely unequal, not only in terms of income and wealth, but also in terms of life-span and health. What makes it worse is that the two are correlated: people who have less material resources also tend to die younger and to have more health problems within their shorter lives. Wide-spread concern with these health inequalities has over the past decades led to an impressive stream of increasingly sophisticated research to find explanations. The growth in scientific understanding has also inspired confidence that we can…

The European Journal of Public Health
Volume 30, Issue 4, August 2020
https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/issue/30/4

Child and adolescent health
Factors associated with the uptake of the UK routine childhood immunization schedule in a bi-ethnic population
Gillian Santorelli, Jane West, Dan Mason, Chris Cartwright, Leena Inamdar …
European Journal of Public Health, Volume 30, Issue 4, August 2020, Pages 697–702, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa069

Gates Open Research
https://gatesopenresearch.org/browse/articles
[Accessed 29 Aug 2020]

Study Protocol metrics AWAITING PEER REVIEW
Rejoice architecture meets social norms to accelerate vaccination in Nepal: Protocol for a mixed-method quasi-experimental study [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
Alicia Paul, Kamana Upreti, Shraddha Nepal, Jeevan Lohani, Kriti Adhikari, Rajiv Rimal
Peer Reviewers Invited
Funder: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
PUBLISHED 26 Aug 2020

Global Public Health
Volume 15, 2020 Issue 9
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rgph20/current

Article
Governing COVID-19 without government in Brazil: Ignorance, neoliberal authoritarianism, and the collapse of public health leadership
Francisco Ortega & Michael Orsini
Pages: 1257-1277
Published online: 14 Jul 2020
ABSTRACT
Brazil’s governance of the COVID-19 pandemic has been described as nothing short of tragic by several commentators. President Jair Bolsonaro’s dangerous brew of neoliberal authoritarianism, science denialism and ableism has plunged this country into catastrophe. In this article we argue that this form (or lack) of public health governance can best be described as governance without (central) government. We begin with an overview of public health governance in the country before introducing the main theoretical concepts that guide our analysis, namely the notions of ‘government by exception’ and ‘strategic ignorance’. Finally, we sketch the main features of this emerging form of (non)governance of COVID-19. We highlight the new forms of solidarity and mutual aid that have emerged in favelas and Indigenous communities, which have stepped in to fill the void left by a limited federal presence. The article concludes by reflecting on what this collapse of public health reveals about the limitations of democratic governance in the age of Bolsonaro.

Human Gene Therapy
Volume 31, Issue 15-16 / August 2020
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/hum/31/15-16

Research Articles
Gene Editing for Treatment and Prevention of Human Diseases: A Global Survey of Gene Editing-Related Researchers
Leonardo Fernandes Moutinho Rocha, Luiza Amara Maciel Braga, and Fabio Batista Mota
Pages:852–862
Published Online:27 July 2020
https://doi.org/10.1089/hum.2020.136
Abstract
In the next decades, gene editing technologies are expected to be used in the treatment and prevention of human diseases. Yet, the future uses of gene editing in medicine are still unknown, including its applicability and effectiveness to the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, cancer, and monogenic and polygenic hereditary diseases. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing the views of over 1,000 gene editing-related researchers from all over the world. Some of our survey results show that, in the next 10 years, DNA double-strand breaks are expected to be the main method for gene editing, and CRISPR-Cas systems to be the mainstream programmable nuclease. In the same period, gene editing is expected to have more applicability and effectiveness to treat and prevent infectious diseases and cancer. Off-targeting mutations, reaching therapeutic levels of editing efficiency, difficulties in targeting specific tissues in vivo, and regulatory and ethical challenges are among the most relevant factors that might hamper the use of gene editing in humans. In conclusion, our results suggest that gene editing might become a reality to the treatment and prevention of a variety of human diseases in the coming 10 years. If the future confirms these researchers’ expectations, gene editing could change the way medicine, health systems, and public health deal with the treatment and prevention of human diseases.

International Health
Volume 12, Issue 5, September 2020
https://academic.oup.com/inthealth/issue/12/5

COMMENTARIES
The ethical case for global measles eradication—justice and the Rule of Rescue
David N Durrheim, Jon K Andrus
International Health, Volume 12, Issue 5, September 2020, Pages 375–377, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaa038

JAMA Network
COVID-19 Update August 29, 2020

These articles on COVID-19 were published across the JAMA Network in the last week.

JAMA
August 25, 2020, Vol 324, No. 8, Pages 725-816
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Viewpoint
Attacks on Public Health Officials During COVID-19
Michelle M. Mello, JD, PhD; Jeremy A. Greene, MD, PhD; Joshua M. Sharfstein, MD
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2020;324(8):741-742. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.14423
This Viewpoint discusses ongoing harassment and threats against US public health officials who propose or take steps to protect communities from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and it proposes possible responses, including a call to elected leaders to implement protection of the officials from illegal harassment, assault, and violence.

The Lancet
Aug 29, 2020 Volume 396 Number 10251 p583-648, e21
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Editorial
Research and higher education in the time of COVID-19
The Lancet

New England Journal of Medicine
August 27, 2020 Vol. 383 No. 9
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Perspective
Covid-19 and Immunity in Aging Populations — A New Research Agenda
Wayne C. Koff, Ph.D.,
and Michelle A. Williams, Sc.D.
The race is on throughout the world to develop Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics and end a pandemic that threatens to infect a substantial portion of the planet’s population and perhaps kill millions of people, especially older adults. As billions of dollars flow into research and development efforts aimed at controlling the virus, the pandemic response remains hamstrung by our limited understanding of how to generate effective immunity, particularly in the elderly…

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/

Research Article
Incidence of intussusception before and after the introduction of rotavirus vaccine in Korea
Hye-Kyung Cho, Se Hwan Hwang, Hye Na Nam, Kyungdo Han, Bongsung Kim, Insik Kong, Kwangsuk Park, Jaeyoung Lee
Research Article | published 28 Aug 2020 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238185

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/

Willingness to participate in future HIV vaccine trials among men who have sex with men and female sex workers living in Nairobi, Kenya
Elizabeth Mueni Mutisya, Gaudensia Mutua, Delvin Nyasani, Hannah Nduta, Rhoda W. Kabuti, Vincent Muturi-Kioi, Gloria Omosa-Manyonyi, Andrew Abaasa, Krysia Lindan, Matt A. Price, Joshua Kimani, Aggrey Omu Anzala
Research Article | published 24 Aug 2020 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238028

Science
28 August 2020 Vol 369, Issue 6507
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

Editorial
The danger of DIY vaccines
By Arthur L. Caplan, Alison Bateman-House
Science28 Aug 2020 : 1035
Summary
The world needs to trust science if vaccines are to prove useful, particularly those being developed to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). That is what makes the recent appearance of highly visible “do-it-yourself” (DIY) vaccine research so morally troubling. It’s an obstacle to securing this trust.

Science
28 August 2020 Vol 369, Issue 6507
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

In Depth
In plasma OK, critics see politics, not science
By Kai Kupferschmidt, Jon Cohen
Science28 Aug 2020 : 1038-1039 Full Access
FDA’s emergency move raises fears of rushed approval for other experimental medicines.
Summary
Flanked at a Sunday evening press conference by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn, President Donald Trump claimed convalescent plasma, which comes from people who have recovered from COVID-19, was “safe and very effective,” and had been “proven to reduce mortality by 35%”—what he called “a tremendous number.” But that number has received a tremendous amount of scrutiny. It surprised even the researchers who conducted the study, which has been posted as a preprint but has yet to be peer reviewed, on which Trump apparently based the declaration. Researchers’ best guess was that it reflected cherry picking of data from a small subset of the study—and that FDA’s emergency use authorization for the plasma, issued on the eve of the Republican National Convention, represented as much political theater as science. Critics worry the evidence has been overstated and there could be worrisome consequences for the evaluation of other experimental medicines.

Science
28 August 2020 Vol 369, Issue 6507
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

Policy Forum
Computational social science: Obstacles and opportunities
By David M. J. Lazer, Alex Pentland, Duncan J. Watts, Sinan Aral, Susan Athey, Noshir Contractor, Deen Freelon, Sandra Gonzalez-Bailon, Gary King, Helen Margetts, Alondra Nelson, Matthew J. Salganik, Markus Strohmaier, Alessandro Vespignani, Claudia Wagner
Science28 Aug 2020 : 1060-1062 Restricted Access
Data sharing, research ethics, and incentives must improve
Summary
The field of computational social science (CSS) has exploded in prominence over the past decade, with thousands of papers published using observational data, experimental designs, and large-scale simulations that were once unfeasible or unavailable to researchers. These studies have greatly improved our understanding of important phenomena, ranging from social inequality to the spread of infectious diseases. The institutions supporting CSS in the academy have also grown substantially, as evidenced by the proliferation of conferences, workshops, and summer schools across the globe, across disciplines, and across sources of data. But the field has also fallen short in important ways. Many institutional structures around the field—including research ethics, pedagogy, and data infrastructure—are still nascent. We suggest opportunities to address these issues, especially in improving the alignment between the organization of the 20th-century university and the intellectual requirements of the field.

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 40 Pages 6191-6346 (11 September 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/40

Discussion Full text access
Planning for COVID-19 vaccines safety surveillance
Sonali Kochhar, Daniel A. Salmon

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 40 Pages 6191-6346 (11 September 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/40

Review article Open access
A review of the costs of delivering maternal immunisation during pregnancy
Simon R Procter, Omar Salman, Clint Pecenka, Bronner P Gonçalves, … Mark Jit

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 40 Pages 6191-6346 (11 September 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/40

Research article Full text access
Prospective associations of regional social media messages with attitudes and actual vaccination: A big data and survey study of the influenza vaccine in the United States
Man-pui Sally Chan, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Dolores Albarracin

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 40 Pages 6191-6346 (11 September 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/40

Research article Abstract only
Social-psychological determinants of maternal pertussis vaccination acceptance during pregnancy among women in the Netherlands
Charlotte Anraad, Birthe A. Lehmann, Olga Visser, Pepijn van Empelen, … Hilde M. van Keulen

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 40 Pages 6191-6346 (11 September 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/40

Research article Abstract only
Intussusception and Kawasaki disease after rotavirus vaccination in Taiwanese infants
Wan-Ting Huang, Yi-Chen Juan, Chia-Hung Liu, Yen-Yun Yang, K. Arnold Chan

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 40 Pages 6191-6346 (11 September 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/40

Research article Abstract only
Beliefs about causes of autism and vaccine hesitancy among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder
Robin P. Goin-Kochel, Eric Fombonne, Sarah S. Mire, Charles G. Minard, … Julie A. Boom

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 37 Pages 5877-5962 (18 August 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/37

Research Article
The effects of switching from 10 to 5-dose vials of MR vaccine on vaccination coverage and wastage: A mixed-method study in Zambia
Kirstin Krudwig, Barbara Knittel, Ali Karim, Natasha Kanagat, … Robert Steinglass
Highlights
:: Fear of vaccine wastage may lead to lower immunization coverage.
:: Mixed method study compared the use of 5-dose and 10-dose vials of measles-rubella.
: Districts using 5-dose MR saw increase coverage and reduced wastage.
: Health workers reported more willing to open a 5-dose MR vial.
: Switching to 5-dose MR vials can be accommodated within existing cold chain capacity and the wastage-adjusted cost differential per dose is negligible.

Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 29 Aug 2020)

Open Access Article
Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China
by Jiahao Wang , Rize Jing , Xiaozhen Lai , Haijun Zhang , Yun Lyu , Maria Deloria Knoll and Hai Fang
Vaccines 2020, 8(3), 482; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8030482 – 27 Aug 2020
Abstract
Background: Faced with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the development of COVID-19 vaccines has been progressing at an unprecedented rate. This study aimed to evaluate the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in China and give suggestions for vaccination strategies and immunization programs accordingly. Methods: In March 2020, an anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted online among Chinese adults. The questionnaire collected socio-demographic characteristics, risk perception, the impact of COVID-19, attitudes, acceptance and attribute preferences of vaccines against COVID-19 during the pandemic. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the influencing factors of vaccination acceptance. Results: Of the 2058 participants surveyed, 1879 (91.3%) stated that they would accept COVID-19 vaccination after the vaccine becomes available, among whom 980 (52.2%) wanted to get vaccinated as soon as possible, while others (47.8%) would delay the vaccination until the vaccine’s safety was confirmed. Participants preferred a routine immunization schedule (49.4%) to emergency vaccination (9.0%) or either of them (41.6%). Logistic regression showed that being male, being married, perceiving a high risk of infection, being vaccinated against influenza in the past season, believing in the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination or valuing doctor’s recommendations could increase the probability of accepting COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible, while having confirmed or suspected cases in local areas, valuing vaccination convenience or vaccine price in decision-making could hinder participants from immediate vaccination. Conclusion: During the pandemic period, a strong demand for and high acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination has been shown among the Chinese population, while concerns about vaccine safety may hinder the promotion of vaccine uptake. To expand vaccination coverage, immunization programs should be designed to remove barriers in terms of vaccine price and vaccination convenience, and health education and communication from authoritative sources are important ways to alleviate public concerns about vaccine safety.

Media/Policy Watch
This watch section is intended to alert readers to substantive news, analysis and opinion from the general media and selected think tanks and similar organizations on vaccines, immunization, global public health and related themes. Media Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues CVEP is actively tracking. This section will grow from an initial base of newspapers, magazines and blog sources, and is segregated from Journal Watch above which scans the peer-reviewed journal ecology.
We acknowledge the Western/Northern bias in this initial selection of titles and invite suggestions for expanded coverage. We are conservative in our outlook in adding news sources which largely report on primary content we are already covering above. Many electronic media sources have tiered, fee-based subscription models for access. We will provide full-text where content is published without restriction, but most publications require registration and some subscription level.

The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Ideas
I’m Optimistic That We Will Have a COVID-19 Vaccine Soon
But will everyone be able to get it?
6:00 AM ET
Alan Bernstein
Member of the Canadian COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Health
Coronavirus: Health workers’ army to be trained to deliver Covid vaccine
By Rachel Schraer Health reporter
The government plans to train up an army of health professionals to be ready to give the coronavirus vaccine, if and when one is shown to work.

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Science & technology
The coronavirus pandemic
Anti-covid-19 medicines are being approved too easily
And maybe for the wrong reasons
Aug 29th 2020
WHAT DO A malaria drug, a Russian vaccine and the blood plasma of people who have recovered from covid-19 have in common? All have been approved for use by governments in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with little or no scientific substance to back those decisions up…

A first-world problem
Conspiracy theories about covid-19 vaccines may prevent herd immunity
Anti-vaccination sentiments are more prevalent in rich countries than in poor ones

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Moderna
US government’s Darpa probes Moderna’s vaccine patents
…The US Department of Defense’s research arm is probing patents filed by and awarded to Moderna, a US biotech company developing a Covid-19 vaccine, after researchers accused the company of failing to…
August 29, 2020

Coronavirus treatment
Covid-19 vaccine makers lobby EU for legal protection
…The European pharmaceutical industry’s vaccines lobby has pushed the EU for exemptions that would protect its members from lawsuits if there are problems with any new coronavirus vaccines, according to…
August 26, 2020

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
While You Weren’t Looking |
Africa Is Officially Polio-Free
The continent has largely eradicated wild polio, the crowning achievement of a massive, globally coordinated public health effort.
Amy Mackinnon

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Asia Pacific
Sinovac’s Coronavirus Vaccine Candidate Approved for Emergency Use in China-Source
Sinovac Biotech Ltd’s coronavirus vaccine candidate CoronaVac was approved for emergency use as part of a programme in China to vaccinate high-risk groups such as medical staff, a person familiar with the matter said.
By Reuters Aug. 29

Americas
Sao Paulo to Provide Vaccine Even Without Federal Govt Help, Governor Says
The Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, which is in advanced trials of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine, will inoculate its population even if the federal government declines to help, governor Joao Doria told Reuters in an interview on Friday.
By Reuters Aug. 28

Europe
Exclusive: WHO Sweetens Terms to Join Struggling Global COVAX Vaccine Facility-Documents
Wealthier countries that join the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 vaccine plan are being offered a new option to pick and choose which shots they get while reserving a right to receive their “full share” of doses, documents seen by Reuters show.
By Reuters Aug. 28

Europe
UK to Allow Emergency Use of Any Effective COVID-19 Vaccine
Britain is preparing to revise its laws to allow the emergency use of any effective coronavirus vaccine before it is fully licensed — but only if the shots meet required safety and quality standards.
By The Associated Press Aug. 28

Olympics
Japan, Eyeing Olympics, Lines Up Half-Billion Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine
Japan is making an aggressive move to grab enough coronavirus vaccine to inoculate its population four times over, a push the government hopes will instil confidence that it can host a delayed Summer Olympics next year.
By Reuters Aug. 28

Europe
Russia, Expecting Plaudits for Vaccine, Is Miffed by Its Cool Reception
Russian officials and scientists dismiss warnings about safety as Western jealousy and sour grapes. But only 24 percent of Russian doctors would take the vaccine, one survey shows.
By Andrew E. Kramer

Americas
South American Presidents Agree to Team Up on COVID-19 Vaccine Knowledge and Access
A group of South America presidents agreed on Thursday to information sharing and coordination on access to eventual COVID-19 vaccines to counter the virus which has the continent within its grip, Chile’s foreign minister said.
By Reuters Aug. 28

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Proposal to allow COVID vaccine exceptions dies in committee
By Associated Press
August 26, 2020 at 10:33 a.m. EDT
RICHMOND, Va. — A committee in Virginia’s legislature has halted legislation that would create exceptions for people who don’t want to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Roanoke Times reported Tuesday that the proposal was defeated in the House of Delegates’ Democratically controlled Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee.
Proposals from Republican Delegates Mark Cole and David LaRock would have created exceptions. The measure included exceptions for religious reasons as well as for people who don’t want to receive a mandated vaccine during a public health emergency.
One proposal also would have prevented the state health commissioner from requiring people to take vaccines during a public health epidemic.
Dr. Norman Oliver, Virginia’s health commissioner, caused a recent stir when he told WRIC that he would mandate COVID-19 vaccinations. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s office said afterward that he did not plan for the state government to mandate vaccinations.
A federally approved vaccine currently does not exist. But researchers have been working to develop one.

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Order from Chaos
The US cooperated with the Soviets on smallpox – it should do the same with China on COVID-19 vaccine distribution
James Haynes and Cheng Li
Thursday, August 27, 2020

Center for Global Development [to 29 Aug 2020]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
August 25, 2020
The COVID-19 Multi-model Comparison Collaboration Releases Its First Two Outputs
Since April 2020, a group of national governments, funders, and development partners supporting COVID-19 responses in low- and middle-income countries have been working together as the COVID-19 Multi-model Comparison Collaboration (CMCC) to support the use of epidemiological models during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the CMCC releases its first two outputs—an important step towards enhancing the informed use of models in COVID-related policymaking.
Kalipso Chalkidou et al.

Chatham House [to 29 Aug 2020]
https://www.chathamhouse.org/
[No new relevant content]

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Upcoming Event
Online Event: The Scramble for a Vaccine: Putin’s Sputnik V— “Trust me!”
September 2, 2020

Podcast Episode
Coronavirus Crisis Update: Can COVAX Change the Equation in the Scramble for Covid-19 Vaccines?
August 26, 2020 | By J. Stephen Morrison

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines
What Is the World Doing to Create a COVID-19 Vaccine?
The search to find a vaccine for the new coronavirus is well underway. Governments and researchers are aiming to provide billions of people with immunity in eighteen months or less, which would be un…
Backgrounder by Claire Felter

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 29 Aug 2020
[No new relevant content]