PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 27 Mar 2021]

Influenza vaccine effectiveness against influenza A in children based on the results of various rapid influenza tests in the 2018/19 season
Masayoshi Shinjoh, Norio Sugaya, Yoshio Yamaguchi, Ichiro Ookawara, Yuji Nakata, Atsushi Narabayashi, Munehiro Furuichi, Naoko Yoshida, Akinobu Kamei, Yuu Kuramochi, Akimichi Shibata, Motoko Shimoyamada, Hisataka Nakazaki, Naohiko Maejima, Erika Yuasa, Eriko Araki, Naonori Maeda, Takuma Ohnishi, Mitsuhiro Nishida, Nobuhiko Taguchi, Makoto Yoshida, Kenichiro Tsunematsu, Meiwa Shibata, Yasuhiro Hirano, Shinichiro Sekiguchi, Chiharu Kawakami, Keiko Mitamura, Takao Takahashi
Research Article | published 26 Mar 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249005

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 27 Mar 2021]

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance: Correlates in a nationally representative longitudinal survey of the Australian population
Ben Edwards, Nicholas Biddle, Matthew Gray, Kate Sollis
Research Article | published 24 Mar 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248892

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 27 Mar 2021]

The effects of scientific messages and narratives about vaccination
Ozan Kuru, Dominik Stecula, Hang Lu, Yotam Ophir, Man-pui Sally Chan, Ken Winneg, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Dolores Albarracín
Research Article | published 24 Mar 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248328

Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública/Pan American Journal of Public Health (RPSP/PAJPH)
https://www.paho.org/journal/en

Selected Articles
24 Mar 2021
Space-time spread of COVID-19 deaths in Argentina
Original research | Spanish |

Science
26 March 2021 Vol 371, Issue 6536
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

Editorial
Volatility of vaccine confidence
By Heidi J. Larson, David A. Broniatowski
Science26 Mar 2021 : 1289
Summary
Last week, the European Medicines Agency declared the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine safe and effective, after several European Union member states had suspended its use because of blood clot concerns. Will the public trust this message? This week’s news could help—a U.S. phase 3 clinical trial of the vaccine shows promising efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. But sentiments toward vaccines are volatile and reflect external events—such as recent concern about AstraZeneca’s efficacy data—as well as internal emotions.

Science
26 March 2021 Vol 371, Issue 6536
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

Research Articles
Age groups that sustain resurging COVID-19 epidemics in the United States
By Mélodie Monod, Alexandra Blenkinsop, Xiaoyue Xi, Daniel Hebert, Sivan Bershan, Simon Tietze, Marc Baguelin, Valerie C. Bradley, Yu Chen, Helen Coupland, Sarah Filippi, Jonathan Ish-Horowicz, Martin McManus, Thomas Mellan, Axel Gandy, Michael Hutchinson, H. Juliette T. Unwin, Sabine L. van Elsland, Michaela A. C. Vollmer, Sebastian Weber, Harrison Zhu, Anne Bezancon, Neil M. Ferguson, Swapnil Mishra, Seth Flaxman, Samir Bhatt, Oliver Ratmann, on behalf of the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team
Science26 Mar 2021 Open Access
More targeted interventions in the 20-to-49 age group could bring epidemic waves under control and facilitate the safe reopening of schools.
Age-specific contact
How can the resurgent epidemics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during 2020 be explained? Are they a result of students going back to school? To address this question, Monod et al. created a contact matrix for infection based on data collected in Europe and China and extended it to the United States. Early in the pandemic, before interventions were widely implemented, contacts concentrated among individuals of similar age were the highest among school-aged children, between children and their parents, and between middle-aged adults and the elderly. However, with the advent of nonpharmaceutical interventions, these contact patterns changed substantially. By mid-August 2020, although schools reopening facilitated transmission, the resurgence in the United States was largely driven by adults 20 to 49 years of age. Thus, working adults who need to support themselves and their families have fueled the resurging epidemics in the United States.

Science Translational Medicine
17 March 2021 Vol 13, Issue 585
https://stm.sciencemag.org/

Perspective
Reproducibility in machine learning for health research: Still a ways to go
By Matthew B. A. McDermott, Shirly Wang, Nikki Marinsek, Rajesh Ranganath, Luca Foschini, Marzyeh Ghassemi
Science Translational Medicine24 Mar 2021 Restricted Access
Abstract
Machine learning for health must be reproducible to ensure reliable clinical use. We evaluated 511 scientific papers across several machine learning subfields and found that machine learning for health compared poorly to other areas regarding reproducibility metrics, such as dataset and code accessibility. We propose recommendations to address this problem.

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 272 March 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/social-science-and-medicine/vol/272/suppl/C

Research article Full text access
Associations of COVID-19 risk perception with vaccine hesitancy over time for Italian residents
Marta Caserotti, Paolo Girardi, Enrico Rubaltelli, Alessandra Tasso, … Teresa Gavaruzzi
Article 113688

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 272 March 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/social-science-and-medicine/vol/272/suppl/C

Research article Full text access
Correlates and disparities of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19
Timothy Callaghan, Ali Moghtaderi, Jennifer A. Lueck, Peter Hotez, … Matthew Motta
Article 113638

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 272 March 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/social-science-and-medicine/vol/272/suppl/C

Research article Full text access
Can a COVID-19 vaccine live up to Americans’ expectations? A conjoint analysis of how vaccine characteristics influence vaccination intentions
Matt Motta
Article 113642

Travel Medicine and Infectious Diseases
Volume 40 March–April 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/travel-medicine-and-infectious-disease/vol/40/suppl/C

Editorial Full text access
Variants, vaccines and vaccination passports: Challenges and chances for travel medicine in 2021
Patricia Schlagenhauf, Dipti Patel, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales, Philippe Gautret, … Karin Leder
Article 101996

Travel Medicine and Infectious Diseases
Volume 40 March–April 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/travel-medicine-and-infectious-disease/vol/40/suppl/C

Editorial Full text access
Mass religious gatherings events and COVID-19 –easing of COVID-19 restrictions and a staged approach to scaling up the Umrah Pilgrimage
J.A. Al-Tawfiq, Z.A. Memish, A. Zumla
Article 101986

Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 13 Pages 1797-1876 (26 March 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/13

Research article Abstract only
A validated modification of the vaccine hesitancy scale for childhood, influenza and HPV vaccines
Laura J. Helmkamp, Peter G. Szilagyi, Gregory Zimet, Alison W. Saville, … Allison Kempe
Pages 1831-1839

Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 13 Pages 1797-1876 (26 March 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/13

Research article Open access
Effectiveness of a universal vaccination program with an HPV quadrivalent vaccine in young Brazilian women
Eliana M. Wendland, Natália Luiza Kops, Marina Bessel, Juliana Comerlato, … Gerson Fernando Mendes Pereira
Pages 1840-1845

Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 27 Mar 2021)

Open Access Article
Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season
by William David Strain, James Mansi, Constantina Boikos, Michael Boivin and William A. Fisher
Vaccines 2021, 9(4), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9040312 – 26 Mar 2021
Abstract
Older adults (≥65 years) are at elevated risk of influenza-related morbidity and mortality. Many developed countries do not achieve the World Health Organization influenza immunization target of 75% in people ≥65 years. We aimed to determine whether a brief pharmacy phone call could […]

Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 27 Mar 2021)

Open Access Article
COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among French People Living with HIV
by Alexandre Vallée, Erwan Fourn, Catherine Majerholc, Pauline Touche and David Zucman
Vaccines 2021, 9(4), 302; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9040302 – 24 Mar 2021
Abstract
People living with HIV are a high-risk population concerning the coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) infection, with a poorer prognosis. It is important to achieve high COVID-19 vaccination coverage rates in this group as soon as possible. This project used self-reporting to assess vaccine hesitancy […

Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 27 Mar 2021)

Open Access Article
Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
by Patricia Soares, João Victor Rocha, Marta Moniz, Ana Gama, Pedro Almeida Laires, Ana Rita Pedro,
Sónia Dias, Andreia Leite and Carla Nunes
Vaccines 2021, 9(3), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9030300 – 22 Mar 2021
Abstract
It is critical to develop tailored strategies to increase acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine and decrease hesitancy. Hence, this study aims to assess and identify factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Portugal. We used data from a community-based survey, “COVID-19 Barometer: Social […]

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 sheer volume of vaccine and pandemic-related coverage is extraordinary. We will strive to present the most substantive analysis and commentary we encounter.

The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Ideas
Democracies Keep Vaccines for Themselves
President Biden’s pledge to Mexico is an exception from a stark pattern.
3/27/2021
Thomas J. Bollyky
Director of the Global Health Program at the Council on Foreign Relations

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Covid-19: Vaccines and vaccine passports being sold on darknet
By Joe Tidy
Cyber reporter
March 23, 2021
Covid-19 vaccines, vaccine passports and faked negative test papers are being sold on the darknet.
Prices range between $500 (£360) and $750 for doses of AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Sinopharm or Johnson & Johnson jabs.
Fake vaccination certificates are also being sold by anonymous traders for as little as $150.
Researchers say they have seen a “sharp increase” in vaccine-related darknet adverts, while the BBC has been unable to verify if the vaccines are real.
The darknet, also known as the dark web, is a portion of the internet that is only accessible through specific browser tools…

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Fighting the P.1 variant
Brazil’s mismanagement of covid-19 threatens the world
Jair Bolsonaro has a lot to answer for
Mar 27th 2021 edition

Banyan
India and China are finding vaccine diplomacy tricky
Helping both their own citizens and foreigners is an immense task
Mar 27th 2021 edition

Financial Times
https://www.ft.com/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Pascal Soriot
Pascal Soriot: the pharma CEO navigating a vaccine storm
March 27, 2021

Covid-19 vaccines
Europe warns hospitals at ‘breaking point’ as third Covid wave hits
March 26, 2021
Top of Form
Bottom of Form

Covid-19 vaccines
India rethinks vaccine export plans as infections surge
Government says it is ‘calibrating’ supply schedules to suit domestic needs
March 26, 2021

Bottom of Form

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Mar 27, 2021
New York Just Launched A Digital Vaccine Pass To Restart Concerts, Sports Events And Other Activities
The Excelsior Pass aims to be a ticket back to a life that looks and feels a lot more normal.
By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher Forbes Staff
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced the launch of the Excelsior Pass — a free, voluntary digital app developed in partnership with IBM that will verify if an individual user is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or has recently tested negative for the illness.
The platform is intended to fast-track the reopening of sports arenas, music venues, restaurants and other businesses with capacity limitations due to Covid-19 in accordance with New York State Department of Health guidelines.
New York is the first state in the U.S. to formally launch a digital passport for Covid-19. The launch follows two successful pilot demonstrations and a beta test that included thousands of New Yorkers in a limited rollout…

Mar 25, 2021
Rutgers Becomes First Major University To Require Covid-19 Vaccination
There will be medical and religious exemptions, and students attending school online will not be subject to the requirement.
By Alison Durkee Forbes Staff

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Argument
At China’s Borders, “Vaccine Passports” Just Got Real
In announcing it would prioritize travelers who had received Chinese-made vaccines, Beijing sparked outrage in countries where those aren’t available.
By Rajni George
| March 25, 2021, 4:09 PM

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Asia Pacific
India’s case surge hits highs not seen in months as festival season begins.
Infections are soaring in the country, which has severely curtailed exports of Covid-19 vaccines as it tries to prevent a second wave.
By Sameer Yasir Mar 27

World
Argentina delays second doses to focus on broader vaccinations with first dose, fearing a variant-fueled wave.
The country plans to defer second shots for three months to give more residents first doses as variants drive case surges in neighboring Brazil, Chile and Paraguay.
By Daniel Politi and Andrew E. Kramer Mar 27

World
Kenya imposes sharp restrictions on Nairobi and surrounding counties as a surge builds.
Several variants have been found in the country, but there is little data on whether they are playing a role in the rapid increase in infections and hospitalizations.
By Declan Walsh Mar 26

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Behavior and the dynamic of epidemics
Andrew G. Atkeson
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
 
 
Center for Global Development [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Publication
March 26, 2021
How Can We Encourage COVID-19 Vaccine Developers to Expand Manufacturing Capacity?
Safe and efficacious vaccines are our best tools for defeating COVID-19. An unprecedented research and development effort has led to 12 vaccines with full or limited use emergency authorizations globally, but vaccinating everyone in the world as quickly as possible will require additional production capacity. Currently, there is not enough manufacturing capacity globally to accelerated immunization around the world in the next six months.
Burak Kazaz, Scott Webster and Prashant Yadav

Incentivizing COVID-19 Vaccine Developers to Expand Manufacturing Capacity
Publication
3/26/21
Safe and efficacious vaccines are our best tools for defeating COVID-19, and an unprecedented research and development effort has led to 12 vaccines being approved for full, emergency, or limited use, globally. But to vaccinate the global population as quickly as possible requires additional production capacity. The available global production capacity may be sufficient in aggregate across all vaccine manufacturing platforms over an 18- to 24-month window.

March 23, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination and the Multilateral Development Banks: Moving Towards a More Systematic and Strategic Approach
How should the MDB vaccine effort intersect with global efforts like COVAX, or indeed plans to share or donate vaccine amongst countries? In this blog, we look at two issues raised by the World Bank’s approach so far and offer options for a better way forward.
Amanda Glassman, Erin Collinson and Janeen Madan Keller
 
 
Chatham House [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.chathamhouse.org/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
[No new digest content identified]

 
 
CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
Upcoming Event
Trusting a Covid-19 Vaccine: What’s Next?
April 9, 2021

Transcript
Intersecting Pandemics: Adrian Thomas of J&J on Tuberculosis (TB) & Covid-19
March 24, 2021

Commentary
Serbia’s Vaccine Influence in the Balkans
March 24, 2021 |
By Heather A. Conley, Dejana Saric
 
 

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
March 22, 2021 News Release
From Accessing Health Care to Work, Childcare, and Caregiving, the COVID-19 Pandemic Continues to Disproportionately Impact Women
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, gender-based disparities have been amplified, particularly for women of color and those who are low-income. Two new issue briefs, using data from the 2020 KFF Women’s Health Survey that took place in November and December of 2020, examine women’s experiences during COVID-19. Women’s…
 
 
World Economic Forum [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://agenda.weforum.org/news/
Media
Accessed 27 Mar 2021
[No new digest content identified]

Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review is a weekly digest  summarizing news, events, announcements, peer-reviewed articles and research in the global vaccine ethics and policy space. Content is aggregated from key governmental, NGO, international organization and industry sources, key peer-reviewed journals, and other media channels. This summary proceeds from the broad base of themes and issues monitored by the Center for Vaccine Ethics & Policy in its work: it is not intended to be exhaustive in its coverage. You are viewing the blog version of our weekly digest, typically comprised of between 30 and 40 posts below all dated with the current issue date

.– Request an Email Summary: Vaccines and Global Health : The Week in Review is published as a single email summary, scheduled for release each Saturday evening before midnight (EDT in the U.S.). If you would like to receive the email version, please send your request to david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org.

– pdf version:  A pdf of the current issue is available here: 

– blog edition: comprised of the approx. 35+ entries posted below.

– Twitter:  Readers can also follow developments on twitter: @vaxethicspolicy.
.
– Links:  We endeavor to test each link as we incorporate it into any post, but recognize that some links may become “stale” as publications and websites reorganize content over time. We apologize in advance for any links that may not be operative. We believe the contextual information in a given post should allow retrieval, but please contact us as above for assistance if necessary.

Support this knowledge-sharing service: Your financial support helps us cover our costs and to address a current shortfall in our annual operating budget. Click here to donate and thank you in advance for your contribution.

.
David R. Curry, MS
Executive Director
Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Assessing Country Readiness for COVID-19 Vaccines – First Insights from the Assessment Rollout
World Bank – Publication :: March 11, 2021 :: 28 pages
PDF: http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/467291615997445437/pdf/Assessing-Country-Readiness-for-COVID-19-Vaccines-First-Insights-from-the-Assessment-Rollout.pdf

Executive Summary
The global COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the largest public health initiative ever undertaken, presents challenges unprecedented in scale, speed and specificities, especially in low and middle-income countries. In November 2020, anticipating the availability of safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19, the World Bank together with WHO, UNICEF, the Global Fund, and Gavi rolled out readiness assessments in more than 100 low and middle-income countries. The key insights from the assessments to date present a high-level snapshot of country readiness to deploy COVID-19 vaccines based on initial findings from ongoing assessments in 128 countries. The World Bank is providing $12 billion for developing countries to purchase and distribute COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments and strengthen health and vaccination systems to ensure that vaccines get to those who need them. The assessments provide highly valuable insights into countries’ preparedness and will feed into World Bank projects.

Initial findings from the ongoing assessments show that the world’s poorest countries are at varying degrees of readiness for the massive undertaking of vaccinating their populations against the deadly COVID-19 disease.

The assessments reveal that while 85% of countries have developed national vaccination plans and 68% have vaccine safety systems, only 30% have developed processes to train the large number of vaccinators who will be needed for the campaign and only 27% have created social mobilization and public engagement strategies to encourage people to get vaccinated. Given the worrying vaccine hesitancy levels, strategies to generate confidence, acceptance and demand for the vaccine are urgently needed.

The assessments further show that most countries are focusing on strengthening essential aspects of the vaccine delivery chain – enough to advance vaccination schedules and begin inoculating their populations. The pandemic’s devastating toll on health and economies, fear of highly contagious variants and public pressure to start vaccinations have prompted many countries to prepare aggressive vaccine delivery schedules. Although countries have many gaps in readiness, most have prepared well enough in select essential areas to begin inoculating their populations as soon as vaccines become available. Most countries are approaching the COVID-19 vaccine rollout as an emergency and are emphasizing speed and expediency over deliberative system-strengthening. As a result, they are missing out on the benefits of long-lasting improvements that a systems approach could bring.

The assessments show that COVID-19 vaccination campaigns offer unique opportunities for countries to develop specialized digital systems to track vaccines and vaccinated individuals, and monitor vaccine safety and report adverse reactions. In addition, the large-scale vaccination mobilization provides
opportunities to countries to sustainably strengthen the cold chain and introduce environmentally-friendly options that could be of use well beyond the current crisis.

Finally, it is noteworthy that in most countries the assessments have succeeded in elevating the importance of readiness to the highest levels of decision-making. The assessments have brought together government officers, healthcare professionals, the private sector and communities as well as global partners in the largest vaccination campaign in history, and have generated an unprecedented momentum as countries begin inoculating large swathes of the adult population to overcome the virus that has redefined the world in the last fifteen months.

MAIN REPORT FINDINGS
[1] As countries ramp up efforts to vaccinate their populations against the deadly COVID-19 disease, the world’s poorest countries show varying degrees of readiness for this massive undertaking.

[2] The existence of well-functioning child immunization systems is not a strong predictor of country readiness to deliver COVID-19 vaccines.

[3] Most countries are focusing on strengthening essential aspects of the vaccine delivery chain –enough to advance vaccination schedules and begin inoculating their populations.

[4] Few countries are using the opportunity provided by the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines to strengthen health systems and find long-lasting solutions for similar future challenges

[5] COVID-19 vaccination campaigns offer unique opportunities for countries to digitize their information systems for tracking vaccines and monitoring vaccinations

[6] The COVID-19 vaccine rollout is an opportunity to create environmentally friendly cold chain that could be of use well beyond the current crisis

[7] More countries are using indicative top-down methodologies instead of the new assessment framework and associated tools to cost gaps in readiness.

Media Release
Gaps Remain in Countries Readiness to Deploy COVID-19 Vaccines
Assessments by World Bank and partners provide insights into more than 120 countries’ readiness to safely distribute vaccines
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 – As countries undertake the largest vaccination campaign in history, the World Bank has worked with governments, WHO, UNICEF, the Global Fund and GAVI on assessing countries’ readiness to safely deploy COVID-19 vaccines in 128 low- and middle-income countries. The results indicate that income level and other economic indicators correlate weakly with vaccine preparedness. The report focuses on ten key indicators, including cold chain & logistics, population prioritization, budgeting, training of healthcare personnel, and safety surveillance, among others.

Initial findings show that 85% of countries that participated in the assessments have developed national vaccination plans and 68% have safety measures in place, including systems for reporting adverse reactions. However, only 30% have developed plans to train the large number of vaccinators who will be needed and only 27% have created social mobilization and public engagement strategies to encourage people to get vaccinated. Given worrying  vaccine hesitancy, strategies to generate confidence, acceptance and demand for vaccines are urgently needed. Countries affected by conflict and fragility (37 out of 128) scored lower than other countries on almost all indicators.

“Many developing countries are in the midst of preparing aggressive COVID19 vaccine delivery plans,” said Mamta Murthi, Vice President for Human Development at the World Bank. “While most countries are well enough prepared to begin inoculating their populations, there are still important gaps that must urgently be addressed for wide, large scale vaccination rollouts to succeed.”

The World Bank is providing $12 billion for developing countries to purchase and distribute COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments and strengthen health and vaccination systems to ensure that vaccines get to those who need them. Our vaccination programs will reach over 40 countries in the near-term, amounting to $3 billion out of the $12 billion available. The readiness assessments will inform our projects and help governments and healthcare professionals better understand and manage the complex task of vaccinating large adult populations in a very short timeframe…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Coronavirus [COVID-19] – WHO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Weekly Epidemiological and Operational updates
Last update: 23 January 2021
Confirmed cases :: 121 969 223 [week ago: 118 754 336] [two weeks ago: 115 653 459]
Confirmed deaths :: 2 694 094 [week ago: 2 634 370] [two weeks ago: 2 571 823]
Countries, areas or territories with cases :: 223

1

6 March 2021
Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 –  16 March 2021
Overview
In the past week, new cases continued to rise globally, increasing by 10% in the past week to over 3 million new reported cases. After peaking in early January 2021 when there were just under 5 million cases, new cases then declined to around 2.5 million in the week commencing 15 February 2021 but in the past three weeks have increased again. This week, the Americas and Europe continue to account for over 80% of new cases and new deaths, with rises in new cases seen in all regions apart from Africa, where a decrease by 4% has been reported.
In this edition, special focus updates are provided on:
:: Building and maintaining trust – what countries should do to prepare communities for a COVID-19 vaccine, treatment, or a new test; and
:: SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern:

16 March 2021
Weekly operational update on COVID-19 – 16 March 2021
Overview
In this edition of the Weekly Operational Update on COVID-19, highlights of country-level actions and WHO support to Member States include:
:: Historic roll-out of shipments from COVAX facility gathers pace globally
:: International Women’s Day 2021: Challenging barriers women face accessing life-saving knowledge for COVID-19 response
:: Vaccination data now available on the WHO COVID-19 dashboard
:: Preparedness activities including enriched Intra-Action Reviews, WHO facilitated learning on safe hospitals and reviewing preparedness assessment tools for enhancements
:: The Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) 2021 Operational Planning Guidelines, resource requirements and progress made to continue investing in the COVID-19 response and for building the architecture to prepare for, prevent and mitigate future health emergencies
:: Updates on WHO/PAHO procured items, participation in the Unity Studies, and select indicators from the COVID-19 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

WHO – COVID Vaccines EUAL, Prequalification

Statement of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) COVID-19 subcommittee on safety signals related to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
19 March 2021 Statement
The GACVS COVID-19 subcommittee met virtually on 16 and 19 March 2021 to review available information and data on thromboembolic events (blood clots) and thrombocytopenia (low platelets) after vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The subcommittee reviewed clinical trial data and reports based on safety data from Europe, the United Kingdom, India, and Vigibase, the WHO global database of individual case safety reports.

Based on a careful scientific review of the available information, the subcommittee came to the following conclusions and recommendations:
:: The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (including Covishield) continues to have a positive benefit-risk profile, with tremendous potential to prevent infections and reduce deaths across the world.
:: The available data do not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions such as deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism following administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Reported rates of thromboembolic events after COVID-19 vaccines are in line with the expected number of diagnoses of these conditions. Both conditions occur naturally and are not uncommon. They also occur as a result of COVID-19.  The observed rates have been fewer than expected for such events.
:: While very rare and unique thromboembolic events in combination with thrombocytopenia, such as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), have also been reported following vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Europe, it is not certain that they have been caused by vaccination. The European Medicines Agency’s Pharmacovigilance and Risk Assessment Committee has reviewed 18 cases of CVST out of a total of more than 20 million vaccinations with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Europe. A causal relationship between these rare events has not been established at this time (1).
:: Adequate education should be provided to health-care professionals and persons being vaccinated to recognize the signs and symptoms of all serious adverse events after vaccinations with all COVID-19 vaccines, so that people may seek and receive prompt and relevant medical care and treatment.
:: The GACVS subcommittee recommends that countries continue to monitor the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines and promote reporting of suspected adverse events.
:: The GACVS subcommittee also agrees with the European Medicines Agency’s plans to further investigate and monitor for these events.

The GACVS COVID-19 subcommittee will continue to review the safety data from all COVID-19 vaccines and update any advice as necessary. The WHO COVID-19 vaccine safety surveillance manual provides guidance to countries on the safety monitoring and adverse events data sharing for the new COVID-19 vaccines, and can be accessed here…
[See EMA and European Commission announcement below under “Europe”]

17 March 2021 Statement
WHO statement on AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine safety signals
…At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue.

::::::

Draft landscape and tracker of COVID-19 candidate vaccines
12 March 2021  | Publication
The COVID-19 candidate vaccine landscape and tracker database compiles detailed information on COVID-19 vaccine candidates in development.
The landscape is updated regularly – twice a week (Tuesday and Friday, 17:00 CET).
Download: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/blue-print/12.03.2021-novel-coronavirus_landscape_covid-19.xlsx.zip?sfvrsn=c2a25511_3&download=true

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Status of COVID-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process 17 Mar 2021
For 16 vaccine candidates, the presents Manufacturer, Name of Vaccine, NRA of Record, Platform, EOI Accepted Status, Pre-submission Meeting Held Status, Dossier Accepted for Review, Status of Assessment; Anticipated/Completed Decision Date
[click on the link above for full scale view]

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

UNICEF COVID-19 Vaccine Market Dashboard :: Agreements Table Accessed 20 Mar 2021
An overview of information collected from publicly announced bilateral and multilateral supply agreements [Agreements view from 2021-03-07 to date]

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Our World in Data
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations – Fully Vaccinated Population Percentage

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

U.S.: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment

White House [U.S.]
Briefing Room
Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris During a Briefing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
March 19, 2021 • Speeches and Remarks

Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
March 19, 2021 • Press Briefings

Readout of the First Principals Committee Meeting on Advancing Equity
March 18, 2021 • Statements and Releases

Remarks by President Biden on the 100 Million Shot Goal
March 18, 2021 • Speeches and Remarks

Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
March 17, 2021 • Press Briefings

Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
March 15, 2021 • Press Briefings

COVID Data Tracker Friday, March 20, 2021

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Europe: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment

EMA
News: COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca: benefits still outweigh the risks despite possible link to rare blood clots with low blood platelets (updated)
PRAC, Last updated: 19/03/2021
EMA’s safety committee, PRAC, concluded its preliminary review of a signal of blood clots in people vaccinated with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca at its extraordinary meeting of 18 March 2021.

The Committee confirmed that:
:: the benefits of the vaccine in combating the still widespread threat of COVID-19 (which itself results in clotting problems and may be fatal) continue to outweigh the risk of side effects;
:: the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of blood clots (thromboembolic events) in those who receive it;
:: there is no evidence of a problem related to specific batches of the vaccine or to particular manufacturing sites;
:: however, the vaccine may be associated with very rare cases of blood clots associated with thrombocytopenia, i.e. low levels of blood platelets (elements in the blood that help it to clot) with or without bleeding, including rare cases of clots in the vessels draining blood from the brain (CVST).

These are rare cases – around 20 million people in the UK and EEA had received the vaccine as of March 16 and EMA had reviewed only 7 cases of blood clots in multiple blood vessels (disseminated intravascular coagulation, DIC) and 18 cases of CVST. A causal link with the vaccine is not proven, but is possible and deserves further analysis.

The PRAC involved experts in blood disorders in its review, and worked closely with other health authorities including the UK’s MHRA which has experience with administration of this vaccine to around 11 million people. Overall the number of thromboembolic events reported after vaccination, both in studies before licensing and in reports after rollout of vaccination campaigns (469 reports, 191 of them from the EEA), was lower than that expected in the general population. This allows the PRAC to confirm that there is no increase in overall risk of blood clots. However, in younger patients there remain some concerns, related in particular to these rare cases.

The Committee’s experts looked in extreme detail at records of DIC and CVST reported from Member States, 9 of which resulted in death. Most of these occurred in people under 55 and the majority were women. Because these events are rare, and COVID-19 itself often causes blood clotting disorders in patients, it is difficult to estimate a background rate for these events in people who have not had the vaccine. However, based on pre-COVID figures it was calculated that less than 1 reported case of DIC might have been expected by 16 March among people under 50 within 14 days of receiving the vaccine, whereas 5 cases had been reported. Similarly, on average 1.35 cases of CVST might have been expected among this age group whereas by the same cut-off date there had been 12. A similar imbalance was not visible in the older population given the vaccine.

The Committee was of the opinion that the vaccine’s proven efficacy in preventing hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 outweighs the extremely small likelihood of developing DIC or CVST. However, in the light of its findings, patients should be aware of the remote possibility of such syndromes, and if symptoms suggestive of clotting problems occur patients should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare professionals of their recent vaccination. Steps are already being taken to update the product information for the vaccine to include more information on these risks.

The PRAC will undertake additional review of these risks, including looking at the risks with other types of COVID-19 vaccines (although no signal has been identified from monitoring so far). Close safety monitoring of reports of blood clotting disorders will continue, and further studies are being instituted to provide more laboratory data as well as real-world evidence.  EMA will communicate further as appropriate…

European Commission
Statement following the European Medicines Agency review of the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca
Statement 18 March 2021
… “Security and trust in vaccines is key for vaccinations. The priority of the Commission has always been the safety and the efficacy of any COVID-19 vaccine authorised for use in the EU. This is why we have ensured that all vaccines, before being administered, go through the rigorous and independent safety scrutiny of the European Medicines Agency. This has always been non-negotiable for us. The EU conditional marketing authorisation also requires a robust pharmacovigilance system to ensure that any possible medicine related problem, however rare it is, does not go undetected.
“ As the European Medicines Agency has clearly stated today, the benefits of the vaccine in combating COVID-19 continue to outweigh the risks of side effects. It is an effective and safe vaccine that greatly contributes to the efforts to address the impact of COVID-19 and the very serious health risks of an infection. Vaccination is one of our strongest means to put an end to the pandemic and we must all continue our efforts to ensure that the roll-out is proceeding as quickly as possible whilst ensuring that the rigorous safety monitoring continues as part of the EU pharmacovigilance process.”

Statement 16 March 2021
Commission Statement on BioNTech-Pfizer top-up for Quarter 2 deliveries

Statement 13 March 2021
Statement of the European Commission on the methodology used to determine the allocation of doses of vaccines under the Advance Purchase Agreements

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Africa: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment

Statement to African Union Member States on the deployment of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine to the continent and concerns about adverse event reports coming from Europe
19 March 2021
…Africa CDC’s recommendations to AU Member States and health authorities
COVID-19 vaccines remain a strategic approach for the prevention of severe cases of and COVID-19 related deaths. Africa CDC encourages AU member States to facilitate rapid access to safe and effective vaccines that reduce COVID-19 severity and COVID-19 related hospitalizations. This is strategic for the control of the epidemic and the rapid return of the growth and development of the continent.
On Tuesday 16th of March, Africa CDC called for a special session of the African Taskforce for Coronavirus (AFTCOR), which include experts from across Africa and the world, to review the AstraZeneca situation. From the evidence available and discussed during the AFTCOR special session, Africa CDC concluded that the benefits accruable from the AstraZeneca COVID-19, continue to outweigh its risks. Accordingly, Africa CDC recommends:
:: AU Member States continue to roll-out the AstraZeneca vaccine as part of their vaccination campaigns.
:: AU Member States ensure the routine monitoring, reporting and evaluation of Adverse Events Following Immunization.
:: Policy decisions pertaining to vaccination roll-out be based on evidence and thorough regulatory review processes.
Africa CDC will continue to monitor the adverse events following immunization with all the COVID-19 vaccines and provide evidence-based recommendations as the situation evolves.
Download the PDF Version: Statement to AU Member States on the deployment of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Russia: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment

Russia: Sputnik V – “the first registered COVID-19 vaccine”
https://sputnikvaccine.com/newsroom/pressreleases/
Press Releases
Sputnik V authorized in Seychelles
Press release, 19.03.2021

Cameroon approves Sputnik V
Press release, 19.03.2021

RDIF and Stelis Biopharma partner to supply 200 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine
Press release, 19.03.2021
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund), and Stelis Biopharma Pvt. Ltd., the biopharmaceutical division of Strides, a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in India, have partnered to produce and supply a minimum of 200 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus sufficient to vaccinate 100 million people. The agreement between RDIF and Stelis Biopharma was reached under the aegis of Enso Healthcare LLP (part of Enso Group), RDIF’s coordination partner for sourcing Sputnik V vaccines in India…
The parties intend to commence supplies from the Q3 of 2021. Stelis will also continue to work with the RDIF to provide additional supply volumes beyond the initial agreement…

Sputnik V registered in Philippines
Press release, 19.03.2021

RDIF thanks Mexico for seizing illegal shipment of fake Sputnik V vaccine
Press release, 18.03.2021
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund) expresses gratitude to the Government of Mexico, its Customs and Armed Forces for seizure of a batch of fake Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus.
Earlier today Mexican authorities seized a batch of vaccines designed and packaged as Sputnik V. For more details please see the official statement by the Government of Mexico:
https://www.gob.mx/sat/prensa/aduanas-y-ejercito-mexicano-decomisan-vacunas-sputnik-v-en-aeronave-privada-en-la-aduana-de-campeche-043-2021
Analysis of the photographs of the seized batch, including the design of containers and labels, suggests that it is a fake substance which has nothing to do with the original vaccine…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

India: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment

Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)
https://www.icmr.gov.in/media.html
No new digest content identified.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

China: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment

National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/news.html
News
China’s recombinant protein vaccine to aid global fight against COVID-19: Expert
2021-03-08
China’s homegrown recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine, recently approved for use in Uzbekistan, is expected to be another “powerful weapon” in fighting the global pandemic, a senior Chinese CDC official has said.

Scientists should bolster defense against COVID-19 strains, senior biomedical engineer says
2021-03-08
The country’s scientific community should continue its rigorous and intensive research on COVID-19, and bolster the nation’s preparedness by developing vaccines and diagnostic kits against mutated strains of SARS-CoV-2, a senior biomedical engineer said during the second plenary meeting of the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on March 7

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

COVID Vaccine Developer Announcements

Moderna Announces First Participants Dosed in Phase 2/3 Study of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate in Pediatric Population
Phase 2/3 study expected to enroll 6,750 healthy pediatric participants less than 12 years of age
March 16, 2021

First Participants Dosed in Phase 1 Study Evaluating mRNA-1283, Moderna’s Next Generation COVID-19 Vaccine
mRNA-1283 is being developed as a potential refrigerator stable mRNA vaccine that will facilitate easier distribution and administration by healthcare providers
March 15, 2021

Takeda and IDT Support Manufacturing of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine
Takeda will make manufacturing capacity available at IDT’s facilities in Germany
March 15, 2021
… With this agreement, Takeda is now supporting global access to three different COVID-19 vaccines. Takeda previously announced its commitment to providing rapid and sustained access to COVID-19 vaccines in Japan through partnerships with Novavax and Moderna…

Featured Journal Content

Science
19 March 2021 Vol 371, Issue 6535
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl
Editorial
COVID-19 vaccination passports
By Christopher Dye, Melinda C. Mills
As countries grow eager to reignite their economies and people increasingly yearn for mobility and normalcy in life, pressure is mounting for some form of COVID-19 health status certificate that would support these desires. There has already been an explosion of COVID-19 passport initiatives for domestic use and international travel. But scientific, legal, and ethical concerns abound with such documentation. Given the high stakes, what is the path forward?

From doctors’ examinations to ship inspections, clean bills of health have secured passage through centuries of human plagues. Today’s best-known health passport is the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, created by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO’s Yellow Card has certified vaccinations for cholera, plague, and typhoid, among other infections. There is certainly precedent for a COVID-19 vaccination passport certifying that the holder can travel, study, play, and work without compromising personal or public health. Among newly proposed COVID-19 passport schemes are the WHO’s Smart Vaccination Certificate, Israel’s “green passport,” the European Union’s proposed Digital Green Pass, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s “My COVID Pass.”

Given the momentum, what are the main principles that COVID-19 passports should follow to ensure their appropriate use?

A COVID-19 passport should be scientifically valid. Passport holders must be protected from illness so that they can carry out the activities for which the passport has been issued and to avoid burdening health services. A passport would ideally certify that holders are not, and cannot become, a source of infection for others. Vaccines have high efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, and there is growing evidence that they can prevent transmission too. No vaccine is perfect, and it remains to be determined whether vaccines meet minimum requirements for preventing infection and illness. The duration of protection conferred by vaccines should be tied to passport expiry dates, perhaps with options to revoke passports if new coronavirus variants compromise efficacy. These passports should also be judged for their comparative advantage. They may be preferable to viral RNA and antigen tests, which aim to certify that individuals are temporarily free of infection, and to antibody tests, which do not guarantee immunity to infection or disease.

The vaccination certificate should be portable, affordable, and linked safely and securely to the identity of the holder. Ideally, it will be internationally standardized with verifiable credentials and based on interoperable technologies. Forgery and personal data security are dominant concerns, but such problems are routinely solved for financial and other sensitive transactions.

Many issues surround the fair use of vaccination passports. The widely held view is that documents must avoid discrimination and inequity. Ideally, a passport would be exclusive only with respect to its primary purpose, which is to protect the health of individuals and others with whom they come into contact. But such exclusions inevitably raise barriers elsewhere. Some, such as restrictions on nonessential leisure activities, should be relatively easy to manage. The greatest risk is that people for whom vaccination is unacceptable, untested, inaccessible, or impossible are denied access to essential goods and services. This could happen where there is vaccine hesitancy or refusal among certain ethnic minorities; where there are no data on vaccine efficacy for people at risk, such as children and pregnant women; where migrants are undocumented and unreachable; where passports are exclusively digital, barring people without smartphones; and where people are not yet eligible for vaccination. These examples signal the need for alternatives and exemptions.

Some decisions about how to use passports will be made by public debate and consent, drawing on social and ethical norms. Others will be determined by domestic and international law. Some employers have already announced “no jab, no job” policies. In such cases, the freedom of choice for individual employees, set against a firm’s duty and preference for the care of all staff, might be tested in court.

COVID-19 is a new human disease. The challenges presented by vaccination passports are also new in detail, but mostly familiar in kind. Adding to current, imperfect certification procedures by diagnostic tests, vaccination passports are likely to be widely adopted during the pandemic and its probable sequel, endemic and episodic disease. The choice about how passports are used should be guided by exemplary science, appropriate technologies, and fair use for all.

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 17 March 2021
Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
:: Afghanistan: one cVDPV2 case and one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
:: Pakistan: three WPV1 and eight cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
:: Egypt: three cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
:: Nigeria: three cVDPV2 cases
:: South Sudan: four cVDPV2 cases
:: Senegal: one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
:: Sierra Leone: three cVDPV2 positive environmental samples

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WHO/OCHA Emergencies

Editor’s Note:
Continuing with this edition, we include information about the last apparent update evident on the WHO emergency country webpages, recognizing almost universal and significant interims since last update regardless of the level of the emergency listed.

WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 20 Mar 2021]

Democratic Republic of the Congo – No new digest announcements [Last apparent update: 12 Jan 2021]
Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 November 2020]
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 29 Jun 2020]
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 17 July 2020]
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 February 2020]
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 October 2020]
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2020]

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 20 Mar 2021]
Angola
:: The Government of Japan contributes US$ 1 million to UN agencies to support vulnerab…
16 March 2021

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 5 July 2020]
Burundi – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 04 July 2019]
Burkina Faso – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 10 mars 2021]
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019]
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 12 June 2018]
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019]
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 2 March 2020]
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 February 2020]
Libya – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 7 October 2019]
Malawi Floods – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update 05 March 2021]
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16-12-2020]
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 8 July 2019]
Mozambique – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 03 November 2020]
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 11 février 2021]
Niger– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update:06 mars 2021]occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 September 2019]
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 27 August 2019]
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017) – No new digest announcements
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 June 2020]
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 1 May 2019]
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 10 May 2019]

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 20 Mar 2021]

Chad – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2018]
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 25 novembre 2020]
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 06 March 2021]
Mali – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 May 2017]
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 20 July 2018]
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 October 2020]

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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 – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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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.
East Africa Locust Infestation
:: Desert Locust situation update 16 March 2021

COVID-19
:: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Weekly Epidemiological Update (16 March 2021)

::::::
::::::

WHO & Regional Offices [to 20 Mar 2021]
19 March 2021 Statement
Statement of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) COVID-19 subcommittee on safety signals related to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
[See COVID above for detail]

18 March 2021 News release
Ageism is a global challenge: UN

18 March 2021 Departmental news
Reframing child and adolescent health for the SDG era

17 March 2021 Statement
WHO statement on AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine safety signals
[See COVID above for detail]

17 March 2021 Departmental news
WHO publishes new clinical and service delivery recommendations for HIV prevention, treatment and care

16 March 2021 News release
New research highlights risks of separating newborns from mothers during COVID-19 pandemic

16 March 2021 Departmental news
WHO and partners urge countries to fast-track implementation and scale-up of HIV self-testing and other innovative HIV testing approaches in Asia and the Pacific

15 March 2021 News release
COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund marks first anniversary and appeals for continued support

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Weekly Epidemiological Record, Vol. 96, No. 11, pp. 77–88 19 March 2021
:: Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2021–2022 northern hemisphere influenza season

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Nigerian health workers take country’s first COVID-19 vaccine 15 March 2021
:: What is Africa’s vaccine production capacity? 19 March 2021

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
No new digest content identified

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: 17 March 2021 News release
Disruptions in health services due to COVID-19 “may have contributed to an additional 239,000 child and maternal deaths in South Asia” – UN report

WHO European Region EURO
:: WHO engages health workers in Romania to reach out on the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines in pilot project 19-03-2021
:: Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 detected in Tajikistan 19-03-2021
:: Building a sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID-19 19-03-2021
:: WHO/Europe and ECDC launch the first joint COVID-19 Surveillance Bulletin 19-03-2021

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Teachers in Afghanistan to receive COVID-19 vaccine 16 March 2021
:: One year of COVID in Somalia 16 March 2021
:: Sustaining the fight against cholera in Yemen 15 March 2021

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified

CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases, Announcements
CDC Updates Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools to Reflect New Evidence on Physical Distance in Classrooms
Friday, March 19, 2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is updating K–12 school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms.  CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings. CDC has updated its operational strategy to say:
:: In elementary schools, CDC recommends all students remain at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal — regardless of whether community transmission is low, moderate, substantial, or high.
:: In middle and high schools, CDC also recommends students should be at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal and in communities where transmission is low, moderate, or substantial.
:: Middle school students and high school students should be at least 6 feet apart in communities where transmission is high, if cohorting is not possible. Cohorting is when groups of students are kept together with the same peers and staff throughout the school day to reduce the risk for spread throughout the school.  This recommendation is because COVID-19 transmission dynamics are different in older students – that is, they are more likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and spread it than younger children…

CDC Announces $2.25 Billion to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities in Communities that are at High-Risk and Underserved
Wednesday, March 17, 2021

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, March 19, 2021
:: Association of Children’s Mode of School Instruction with Child and Parent Experiences and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic — COVID Experiences Survey, United States, October 8–November 13, 2020
:: Minimal SARS-CoV-2 Transmission After Implementation of a Comprehensive Mitigation Strategy at a School — New Jersey, August 20–November 27, 2020
:: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Incidence by Age, Sex, and Period Among Persons Aged <25 Years — 16 U.S. Jurisdictions, January 1–December 31, 2020 (Early Release March 10, 2021)
:: COVID-19 Vaccine Second-Dose Completion and Interval Between First and Second Doses Among Vaccinated Persons — United States, December 14, 2020−February 14, 2021 (Early Release March 15, 2021)
:: Effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Among Residents of Two Skilled Nursing Facilities Experiencing COVID-19 Outbreaks — Connecticut, December 2020–February 2021 (Early Release March 15, 2021)
:: Malaria Surveillance—United States, 2017

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)– CDC
Selected Resources
:: Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Sat, 20 Mar 2021 06:00:00 EST

Africa CDC [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
Statement to African Union Member States on the deployment of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine to the continent and concerns about adverse event reports coming from Europe
19 March 2021
[See COVID above for detail]

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

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
March 20: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On March 19, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 4 new cases of confirmed infections.

Expert calls for scientific origin-tracing of COVID-19
2021-03-19

Joint China-WHO press conference of WHO-convened Global Study of Origins of SARS-Cov-2
2021-03-15
Transcript from February 9th, 2021

China to provide vaccines to Olympic Games athletes
2021-03-15

National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/news.html
News
China approves new type of vaccine for emergency use against COVID-19
2021-03-17
China approved a recombinant protein subunit vaccine against COVID-19 for emergency use on March 17, its developer, the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Microbiology, said.
[See China above for detail]

Homegrown vaccines withstand coronavirus variants
2021-03-16
No known variants of the novel coronavirus have been found to weaken the effectiveness of the four homegrown vaccines approved for use in China, a senior drug and vaccine development expert said on March 15.

China has robust system of vaccine quality supervision, says official
2021-03-16
China has a robust vaccine quality supervision and management system that is recognized internationally, Yuan Lin, head of the Drug Supervision and Management Department of the National Medical Products Administration, said in a news briefing on March 15.

COVID-19 inoculation campaign speeding up
2021-03-16
China is working around the clock to build COVID-19 herd immunity through its orderly and smooth rollout of vaccines, with 64.98 million doses administered as of last week, officials said on Macrh 15.

Organization Announcements

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-pr ess/
News
No new digest content identified.

BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Pages/default.aspx
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
Press Releases and Statements
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 20 Mar 2021]
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 20 Mar 2021]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: New session recording – Center for Informed Consent Integrity – Webinar Series 17 March 2021 available here
Invited speakers Dr. Beate Aurich of the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) in Paris, France, and Dr. Eric Vermeulen of the Dutch Patient Association for Rare and Genetic Diseases (VSOP) in Soest, Netherlands, discussed their work overall and specifically associated with their article:
BMJ Paediatrcis, 29 November 2020
Informed consent for neonatal trials: practical points to consider and a check list
Beate Aurich, Eric Vermeulen, Valéry Elie, Mariette H E Driessens, Christine Kubiak, Donato Bonifazi, Evelyne Jacqz-Aigrain

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
CEPI and University of Hong Kong expand partnership to develop intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate
SLO/ HONG KONG, 18 March 2021 – CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) today announced an expanded partnership to further the development of HKU’s intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate, based on a live-attenuated influenza virus.
This partnership builds on CEPI’s initial investment of $620,000 in March 2020 which supported preclinical testing o f the vaccine candidate. Under the expanded partnership, CEPI will invest an additional $4.8m to fund the production of clinical trial materials, and the investigation of mucosal immune responses during a Phase 1 trial of the vaccine candidate, which is being supported by the Government of Hong Kong…

DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [to 20 Mar 2021
https://www.darpa.mil/
News
No new digest content identified.

Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://dukeghic.org/
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 20 Mar 2021]
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
No new digest content identified.

Emory Vaccine Center [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.

European Commission [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://europa.eu/rapid/search-result.htm?query=18&locale=en&page=1
Latest
Statement 18 March 2021
Statement following the European Medicines Agency review of the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca
[See COVID above for detail]

Press release 18 March 2021
Commission launches European Innovation Council to help turn scientific ideas into breakthrough innovations
The European Commission launched today, at an online event, the European Innovation Council (EIC) with a budget of over €10 billion (in current prices) for 2021-2027 to develop and expand breakthrough innovations.

Press release 17 March 2021
Coronavirus: Commission proposes a Digital Green Certificate
Today the European Commission is proposing to create a Digital Green Certificate to facilitate safe free movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Questions and answers 17 March 2021
Questions and Answers – Digital Green Certificate

Statement 16 March 2021
Commission Statement on BioNTech-Pfizer top-up for Quarter 2 deliveries

Statement 13 March 2021
Statement of the European Commission on the methodology used to determine the allocation of doses of vaccines under the Advance Purchase Agreements

European Medicines Agency [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases
News: COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca: benefits still outweigh the risks despite possible link to rare blood clots with low blood platelets (updated)
PRAC, Last updated: 19/03/2021
[See COVID above for detail]

News: Investigation of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and thromboembolic events continues (new)
PRAC, Last updated: 16/03/2021

News: EMA’s safety committee continues investigation of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and thromboembolic events – further update (new)
PRAC, Last updated: 15/03/2021

European Vaccine Initiative [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News
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FDA [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
Press Announcements /Selected Details
March 19, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 19, 2021

March 16, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 16, 2021
:: On March 15, 2021, the FDA launched the COVID-19 EUA FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard providing weekly updates of adverse event reports submitted to FAERS for drugs and therapeutic biological products used under an EUA during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
:: The FDA has posted translations of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine fact sheet for recipients and caregivers in languages including: Burmese, Chinese, French, Hindi and Russian. We will post additional language translations of the fact sheet for recipients and caregivers to this page as they become available.

FDA – COVID-19 Vaccines [to 20 Mar 2021]
www.fda.gov/covid19vaccines
News and Updates; Upcoming Events
House Subcommittee Hearing on COVID-19 Vaccinations
03/17/2021
FDA leadership will participate in the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing entitled, “Leading the Way Forward: Biden Administration Actions to Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations.”
View livestream and written testimony

Fondation Merieux [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
Mérieux Foundation event
Vaccine Acceptance webinars: COVAX introduction & acceptance
March 29, 2021 – Virtual Event
These webinars will bring together international experts to showcase examples of challenges and success stories reported in specific countries during the COVID-19 vaccine introduction, adoption and implementation and the related crisis management aspects.
Session 1: March 29, 2021, 8:00 am – 10:30 am (CEST – Paris time)
Session 2: March 29, 2021, 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (CEST – Paris time)
(Two separate sessions have been set up to facilitate worldwide connection).
To register for the virtual event please contact Marianne Gojon-Gerbelot.

Gavi [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
18 March 2021
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and USAID announce innovative collaboration to support health supply chain leaders in low- and middle-income countries

GHIT Fund [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 212 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that
Press Releases
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Global Fund [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
News
Gavi, the Global Fund and USAID announce innovative collaboration to support supply chain leaders
18 March 2021
Recognizing the critical role that health supply chain leaders and managers play in ensuring the availability of critical vaccines and health commodities, three donor agencies – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have established a new partnership to jointly offer an updated version of the Strategic Training Executive Program, known as STEP 2.0.

News
Nigeria and Global Fund Launch New Grants to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria
18 March 2021
Nigeria and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have launched three new grants to strengthen the fight against HIV, TB and malaria and build resilient and sustainable systems for health.

Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
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Hilleman Laboratories [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
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Human Vaccines Project [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
HVP COVID Report
Issue 28: COVAX Aims to Provide Equitable Access to COVID Vaccines
Mar 18, 2021

IAVI [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
PRESS RELEASES/FEATURES
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International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities [ICMRA]
http://www.icmra.info/drupal/en/news
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Research
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International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
*News
Press Releases/Announcements
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IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
Press Releases/Announcements
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IFRC [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Asia Pacific, Philippines, Vietnam
New report: Alarming levels of climate-related displacement
Kuala Lumpur, 16 March 2021 – A new report reveals 12.6 million people have been internally displaced around the world in the last six months mainly due to climate and weather-related disasters, according to data available through the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) report, Responding to Disasters and Displacement in a Changing Climate, comes hot on the heels of a record-breaking 26 climate-related disaster response operations launched across Asia and the Pacific in 2020…

Institut Pasteur [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
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IRC International Rescue Committee [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index
Media highlights [Selected]
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IVAC [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
Webinar: SARS-CoV-2 Variants and the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the U.S.
The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) will host a webinar on March 23, 2021 at 11am ET, “SARS-CoV-2 Variants and the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the U.S.”
Register Here
Description: Join us for a special webinar presentation about COVID-19 vaccine safety in the U.S., and the potential impact new variants will have on vaccine effectiveness. The speed and coordination of the response against COVID-19 and development of vaccines is unprecedented, but there are still unknowns and issues to overcome. In a moderated conversation hear from experts on safety monitoring, reporting, and challenges with emerging variants.

IVI [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News, Announcements, Events
IVI remembers Bagrey Ngwira
… As the Principal Investigator of IVI’s cholera surveillance study in Malawi since 2016, we knew Bagrey as an energetic leader and a sharp, thoughtful, and warm-hearted researcher who dedicated his life’s work to improving public health. His compassion for others shone through in his research priorities—which has included the prevention and control of cholera, HPV, Group B Strep, and more—and his relationships with everyone around him. We will miss him and continue our work to end cholera and other infectious diseases in his honor.

JEE Alliance [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
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MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements
Rohingya refugee crisis
Three questions on life for the Rohingya in Bangladesh
Interview 18 Mar 2021

Nigeria
Pulka, where water is the source of life… and disease
Project Update 16 Mar 2021

Ethiopia Tigray crisis
People left with few healthcare options in Tigray as facilities looted, destroyed
Press Release 15 Mar 2021

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
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NIH [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
NIH leaders on the future of precision medicine, healthcare transformation
March 18, 2021 — Authors explain seven opportunities to accelerate tailored medicine efforts and create a more equitable health landscape in the future… The commentary covers key areas including huge cohorts, artificial intelligence, routine inclusion of genomics as part of clinical testing, deeper investigation of the role of phenomics and environment in health and disease, and returning value across diverse populations.
The authors highlight the role of large cohorts, like the All of Us Research Program, and the immense potential of such resources that aim to bring together diverse streams of information spanning genomics, social determinants of health, environmental exposures, electronic health record data, and wearable device data. They note that these resources offer tremendous opportunities for discovery across every area of medicine, but that an “open science” approach is needed for researchers to combine data across cohorts to maximize their impact on a global scale.

UN OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.unocha.org/
Selected Research, Announcement
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PATH [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
Launching the PHC Tech Challenge – A global hunt for innovations to address primary health care challenges in India
March 22, 2021

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
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UNAIDS [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
19 March 2021
Education Plus—gender justice for adolescent girls and young women in Africa

17 March 2021
In Your Hands: Caribbean partners call for HIV self-testing during COVID-19

17 March 2021
UNAIDS renews partnership with the African Union for a stronger and more resilient AIDS response in Africa

17 March 2021
Global Partnership members commemorate Zero Discrimination Day around the world

16 March 2021
Monitoring HIV/TB services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

15 March 2021
Towards 10–10–10 in eastern Europe and central Asia

15 March 2021
Stranded in Nepal without HIV medicine

15 March 2021
Addressing inequalities can decrease HIV prevalence

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html
Latest from News Centre
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UNESCO [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Latest News
Global partnership offers course on journalistic coverage of COVID-19 vaccine
News 03/19/2021
Journalists, communicators and fact-checkers from around the world will be able to take a specialized Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled “Covering the COVID-19 Vaccine: what journalists need to know” from 29 March to 25 April.
The interactive course which initially will be offered free of charge in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish is a joint collaboration between the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin, co-funded by the European Union. Upon completion, the course will also be made available in a self-directed format in additional languages…

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected Announcements
High Commissioner’s Message on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Statement by Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
21 Mar 2021

UNICEF [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Press releases, Statements
Press release
03/17/2021
One in five children globally does not have enough water to meet their everyday needs – UNICEF
UNICEF launches new initiative, Water Security for All, to mobilize global support and resources to reach children in water vulnerable hotspots

Press release
03/17/2021
Disruptions in health services due to COVID-19 “may have contributed to an additional 239,000 child and maternal deaths in South Asia” – UN report
Health services must urgently be restored and strengthened to contain the pandemic’s impact on the most vulnerable families

Unitaid [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
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Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
Announcements
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Vaccine Confidence Project [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
Coronavirus global impact
Launched April 2, 2020 and recurring every 3 days, Premise Data is utilizing its global network of Contributors to assess economic, social, and health sentiment surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
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Wellcome Trust [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Opinion
What can we learn from Covid-19 to address the climate crisis?
There are many lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic that can guide our response to the climate crisis, including the importance of science and leadership, and the cost of inaction.
Madeleine Thomson, Acting Head, Our Planet, Our Health

16 March 2021

The Wistar Institute [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
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WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News
Equity: COVID-19 Vaccines as a Global Public Good?
Mar 18, 2021
The outstanding scientific achievement of 2020 was the rapid development of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19. 2021’s challenge is to produce sufficient doses and immunize a planet of nearly 8 billion people. The global rollout has been called a “catastrophic moral failure” by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus for its glaring inequities, as rich countries snap up supply and poorer nations are forced to wait at the back of the queue.
This fifth and final instalment of Operation Vaccination focuses on equity in the global vaccination race. The post includes discussions about hoarding doses and vaccine nationalism, the role of COVAX in striving for a level playing field, the TRIPS waiver proposal to temporarily suspend intellectual property rights to improve manufacturing capacity, and the risks to all of us if current trends continue and the imbalance of access to COVID vaccines is not redressed.

WHO’s Response to WFPHA and SHEM Open Letter on Inequitable Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
Mar 15, 2021

World Bank [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
Strengthening the Role of Regional Public Health Institutions to Improve Cross-Border Disease Surveillance and Response in Eastern and Southern Africa
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and its partners, including the World Bank, today launched a new report to help strengthen the role of public health institutions in mitigating transnational threats of infectious diseases in Africa in general, and in Eastern and Southern Africa in particular.
Titled “Disease Surveillance, Emergency Preparedness and Response in Eastern and Southern Africa,” the new report financed by the Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility notes that while Africa’s integration efforts have created new economic opportunities, they have also heightened the risk posed by communicable diseases. Thus the need for strengthening regional disease surveillance systems and emergency-response capabilities across the continent. The report underscores the indispensable role of regional coordination in ensuring that outbreaks can be identified and addressed in every corner of the continent. To safeguard the health of Africa and the world, continental institutions must be able to swiftly detect and effectively address disease outbreaks anywhere before they become a threat everywhere…

Bangladesh: $500 Million World Bank Financing for COVID-19 Vaccination for 54 Million People
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 — The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $500 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA) to help Bangladesh vaccinate…
Date: March 18, 2021 Type: Press Release

Gaps Remain in Countries Readiness to Deploy COVID-19 Vaccines
Assessments by World Bank and partners provide insights into more than 120 countries’ readiness to safely distribute vaccines WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 – As countries undertake the largest vaccination…
Date: March 18, 2021 Type: Press Release
[See COVID above for detail]

New Grants to Spur Afghanistan COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
$113 million financing will help vaccinate more than 17 percent of Afghans  Washington, D.C., March 18, 2021— The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved $60 million from the International…
Date: March 18, 2021 Type: Press Release

Nepal Receives $75 million for COVID-19 Vaccines and Stronger Response to Pandemic
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $75 million from the International Development Association (IDA) to support access to safe and effective COVID-19…
Date: March 18, 2021 Type: Press Release

World Customs Organization – WCO [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.wcoomd.org/
Latest News – Selected Items
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World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2021/
Press Releases
OIE-WAHIS: A new era for animal health data
At a time when the world is facing an unprecedented pandemic, the importance of animal disease surveillance has become evident. To support countries maintaining global transparency and reporting matters of animal and public health, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) launches the leading most technologically advanced reference platform for animal disease and veterinary capacities reporting – the World Animal Health Information System (OIE-WAHIS).
Paris, 18 March 2021 –  Since its creation in 1924, the OIE is the mandated international organisation collecting data on, observing and analysing animal diseases throughout the world. Through its current World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), the Organisation ensures the prompt dissemination of information on potentially devastating outbreaks and facilitates decision making in terms of international trade of animals and animal products by collecting, verifying and publishing official animal health information, following a standardised process, thus providing high quality, reliable data…
Website: https://wahis.oie.int/#/home

WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
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ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 20 Mar 2021]
Press Releases – Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (alliancerm.org)
Press Releases
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BIO [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases
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DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
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ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
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IFPMA [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
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PhRMA [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
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Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Original Research
Probability of Success and Timelines for the Development of Vaccines for Emerging and Reemerged Viral Infectious Diseases
FREE
Amanda MacPherson, BSc, Nora Hutchinson, MDCM, MPhil, Oliver Schneider, MDCM, … et al.
Pages:326–334

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Reviews
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19–Related Infections, Hospitalizations, and Deaths
A Systematic Review
FREE
Katherine Mackey, MD, MPP, Chelsea K. Ayers, MPH, Karli K. Kondo, PhD, Somnath Saha, MD, MPH, … et al.
Pages:362–373

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Medicine and Public Issues
Ethical Framework for Assessing Manual and Digital Contact Tracing for COVID-19
FREE
Bernard Lo, MD, Ida Sim, MD, PhD
Pages:395–400
… Public health interventions to control a contagious disease must balance benefiting the community and restricting individual liberty (¹). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged traditional balancing of these countervailing aims. Some opponents of wearing masks, restricting public gatherings, and closing businesses regard these measures as assaults on individual liberty, reject medical science, and downplay the threat of infections (², ³). Contact tracing presents particularly vexing challenges of balancing societal versus individual interests. We analyze major aspects of manual and technology-assisted contact tracing that raise the thorniest ethical issues…

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Ideas and Opinions
Waivers and Alterations of Research Informed Consent During the COVID-19 Pandemic
FREE
Emily A. Largent, JD, PhD, RN, Scott D. Halpern, MD, PhD, Holly Fernandez Lynch, JD, MBE
Pages:415–416
… As seen in the cases discussed below, studies that were or would have been eligible for consent exceptions before the pandemic may now have heightened risks, rendering exceptions no longer appropriate. Alternatively, studies previously ineligible for consent exceptions may now qualify because the pandemic has rendered what counts as minimal risk more expansive or because COVID-19 limits the practicability of doing research using traditional consent processes. Guidance is needed about how the circumstances of a pandemic influence the applicability of regulatory standards for consent exceptions….

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Hydroxychloroquine as Postexposure Prophylaxis to Prevent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection- A Randomized Trial
FREE

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpregnancychildbirth/content
(Accessed 20 Mar 2021)

Maternal and neonatal data collection systems in low- and middle-income countries for maternal vaccines active safety surveillance systems: A scoping review
Most post-licensure vaccine pharmacovigilance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are passive reporting systems. These have limited utility for maternal immunization pharmacovigilance in LMIC settings …
Authors: Mabel Berrueta, Agustin Ciapponi, Ariel Bardach, Federico Rodriguez Cairoli, Fabricio J. Castellano, Xu Xiong, Andy Stergachis, Sabra Zaraa, Ajoke Sobanjo-ter Meulen and Pierre Buekens
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2021 21:217
Content type: Research article
Published on: 17 March 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 20 Mar 2021)

Factors associated with measles vaccination status in children under the age of three years in a post-soviet context: a cross-sectional study using the DHS VII in Armenia
The resurgence of measles globally and the increasing number of unvaccinated clusters call for studies exploring factors that influence measles vaccination uptake. Armenia is a middle-income post-Soviet countr…
Authors: Annabell C. Kantner, Sibylle Herzig van Wees, Erik M. G. Olsson and Shirin Ziaei
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:552
Content type: Research article
Published on: 20 March 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 20 Mar 2021)

Determinants of influenza vaccine uptake and willingness to be vaccinated by pharmacists among the active adult population in Hungary: a cross-sectional exploratory study
Many studies have addressed influenza vaccine uptake in risk-group populations (e.g. the elderly). However, it is also necessary to assess influenza vaccine uptake in the active adult population, since they ar…
Authors: Githa Fungie Galistiani, Mária Matuz, Nikolett Matuszka, Péter Doró, Krisztina Schváb, Zsófia Engi and Ria Benkő
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:521
Content type: Research article
Published on: 17 March 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 20 Mar 2021)

Differences between Frequentist and Bayesian inference in routine surveillance for influenza vaccine effectiveness: a test-negative case-control study
Routine influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) surveillance networks use frequentist methods to estimate VE. With data from more than a decade of VE surveillance from diverse global populations now available, us…
Authors: Michael L. Jackson, Jill Ferdinands, Mary Patricia Nowalk, Richard K. Zimmerman, Burney Kieke, Manjusha Gaglani, Kempapura Murthy, Joshua G. Petrie, Emily T. Martin, Jessie R. Chung, Brendan Flannery and Lisa A. Jackson
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:516
Content type: Research article
Published on: 16 March 2021

Cell
Mar 18, 2021 Volume 184 Issue 6 p1395-1650
https://www.cell.com/cell/issue?pii=S0092-8674(20)X0007-9

Perspectives
Featured Article
The ethical scientist in a time of uncertainty
Laurie Zoloth
Summary
All of science takes place amidst a world shaken by uncertainty, social and political upheaval, and challenges to truthful testimony. Just at the moment in which increasing control over biology has been theorized, our social world has become increasingly contentious and its values more divisive. Using the example of gene drives for malaria control to explore the problem of deep uncertainty in biomedical research, I argue that profound uncertainty is an essential feature. Applying the language and presumptions of the discipline of philosophical ethics, I describe three types of uncertainty that raise ethical challenges in scientific research. Rather than mitigate these challenges with excessive precautions and limits on progress, I suggest that researchers can cultivate classic values of veracity, courage, humility, and fidelity in their research allowing science to proceed ethically under conditions of deep uncertainty.