IMF-WHO Vaccine Supply Forecast Dashboard
Updated on 19 November 2021
Many countries are not on track to meet the 40% vaccine coverage target. To make progress towards this target, we must identify: (1) Where and in which countries are the gaps?, and (2) How can gaps the be addressed?
The IMF-WHO COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Forecast Dashboard estimates expected month vaccine supply until the end of 2021 by country, product and channel. The tracker builds on the work of the IMF Staff Discussion Note – A Proposal to End the COVID-19 Pandemic (Agarwal and Gopinath, 2021).

Duke – Launch and Scale Speedometer
The Race for Global COVID-19 Vaccine Equity
A flurry of nearly 200 COVID-19 vaccine candidates are moving forward through the development and clinical trials processes at unprecedented speed; more than ten candidates are already in Phase 3 large-scale trials and several have received emergency or limited authorization. Our team has aggregated and analyzed publicly available data to track the flow of procurement and manufacturing and better understand global equity challenges. We developed a data framework of relevant variables and conducted desk research of publicly available information to identify COVID vaccine candidates and status, deals and ongoing negotiations for procurement and manufacturing, COVID burden by country, and allocation and distribution plans. We have also conducted interviews with public officials in key countries to better understand the context and challenges facing vaccine allocation and distribution
[accessed 24 July 2021]
See our COVID Vaccine Purchases research
See our COVID Vaccine Manufacturing research
See our COVID Vaccine Donations & Exports research

Global Dashboard on COVID-19 Vaccine Equity
The Dashboard is a joint initiative of UNDP, WHO and the University of Oxford with cooperation across the UN system, anchored in the SDG 3 Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All.

Dashboard on Vaccine Equity [accessed 27 Nov 2021]: https://data.undp.org/vaccine-equity/
See also visualization on Vaccine Access and Vaccine Affordability

–

COVID Vaccines – OCHA:: HDX

COVID-19 Data Explorer: Global Humanitarian Operations
COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out
27 Nov 2021 | COVAX (WHO,GAVI,CEPI), UNDESA, Press Reports | DATA
Global COVID-19 Figures: 259M total confirmed cases; 5.2M total confirmed deaths
Global vaccines administered: 7.88B
Number of Countries: 30 [30 week ago]
COVAX Allocations Round 4-9 (Number of Doses): 220M [220M week ago]
COVAX Delivered (Number of Doses): 170M [160M week ago]
Other Delivered (Number of Doses): 280M [260M week ago]
Total Delivered (Number of Doses): 450M [450M week ago]
Total Administered (Number of Doses): 7.9G

Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 [IMF, World Bank Group, WHO, WTO]
https://data.covid19taskforce.com/data
A global effort to help developing countries access and deliver COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and therapeutics, as they work to end the pandemic and boost economic recovery.
The International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organization and World Trade Organization have joined forces to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics by leveraging multilateral finance and trade solutions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Website accessed 27 Nov 2021: https://data.covid19taskforce.com/data The global view below is complemented by country-specific dashboards here.

Our World in Data
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations [Accessed 27 Nov 2021]
:: 54% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
:: 7.88 billion doses have been administered globally, and 28.95 million are now administered each day.
:: Only 5.7% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose.

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

FDA
Press Announcements
November 23, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: November 23, 2021

Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee– FDA
https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/blood-vaccines-and-other-biologics/vaccines-and-related-biological-products-advisory-committee
No meetings on calendar

::::::

White House [U.S.]
Briefing Room – Selected Major COVID Announcements
A Proclamation on Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease 2019
November 26, 2021 • Presidential Actions

Statement by President Joe Biden on the Omicron COVID-⁠19 Variant
November 26, 2021 • Statements and Releases

Press Briefing by White House COVID-⁠19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
November 22, 2021 • Press Briefings

U.S. Department of State
https://www.state.gov/coronavirus/releases/
Media Notes
Remarks
Secretary Antony J. Blinken at the Institute Pasteur of Dakar
Antony J. Blinken November 20, 2021
“…Our ambition is really to impact COVID-19 pandemic by delivering COVID vaccine in Africa for Africa before this pandemic ends.  We also want to establish large capacity for future pandemics, epidemic, and also for routine immunization.  We really looking for partnering with company in pandemic preparedness space in the U.S. and elsewhere, and we are really looking forward to establishing cell culture and RNA messenger capacity for many vaccine important for us, the end goal being to support Africa vaccine autonomy in collaboration with as a regional – that African Union is working on….”

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

European Medicines Agency
News & Press Releases 
News: Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine: EMA recommends approval for children aged 5 to 11 (new)
CHMP, Last updated: 25/11/2021

News: A vision for use of real-world evidence in EU medicines regulation (new)
Last updated: 24/11/2021

News: EMA receives application for marketing authorisation for Lagevrio (molnupiravir) for treating patients with COVID 19 (new)
CHMP, Last updated: 23/11/2021

News: EMA evaluating data on booster dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen (new)
CHMP, Last updated: 22/11/2021

::::::

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en
Latest Updates
News
ECDC publishes Threat assessment brief – Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529
News – 26 Nov 2021
The B.1.1.529 variant, first detected in southern Africa, is the most divergent variant that has been detected in significant numbers during the pandemic to date, raising serious concerns that it may significantly reduce the effectiveness of vaccines and increase the risk of reinfections.
ECDC Director Dr Andrea Ammon said: “Today we are releasing a threat assessment on the emergence of a new Sars-COV-2 variant of concern. There is still considerable uncertainty related to the transmissibility, vaccine effectiveness, risk for reinfections and other properties of this variant. At this stage, based on our experience with previous variants we must be proactive and implement measures as a precaution to buy time until we gain more knowledge. Therefore, I would like to reiterate the three key recommendations from our rapid risk assessment from the 24th of November. Firstly, it is imperative we close the immunisation gap. Secondly, booster doses should be considered for all adult individuals, prioritising persons above 40 years of age. Finally, due to the uncertainties involved with this situation, the timely reinforced implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions is now more important than ever”…

Publication
Threat Assessment Brief: Implications of the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1. 529 variant of concern (Omicron) for the EU/EEA
Risk assessment – 26 Nov 2021

News
WHO/ECDC: Nearly half a million lives saved by COVID-19 vaccination in less than a year
Press release – 25 Nov 2021

::::::

Accessed 27 Nov 2021
https://vaccinetracker.ecdc.europa.eu/public/extensions/COVID-19/vaccine-tracker.html#uptake-tab

::::::

European Commission
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en
Statement 26 November 2021
Press statement by President von der Leyen on the new COVID variant

Press release 26 November 2021
EU replaces COVID-19 vaccines export authorisation mechanism with new monitoring tool
The EU will not extend the COVID-19 vaccines export transparency and authorisation mechanism, which expires on 31 December 2021.

Statement 25 November 2021
Statement by President von der Leyen on stepping up vaccination
Vaccination against COVID-19 saves thousands of lives in the European Union. But a new wave is hitting us and we need to step up vaccination further.
The good news is that we have enough vaccine doses. By the end of this week, Europe will have delivered 1 billion doses to our Member States.
And another important news is that you should take your booster shot six months after the original vaccination. We must keep up the immunity of people who are vaccinated. The EU agencies recommend now booster doses for all adults. Boosters give us an even higher level of protection than the original vaccination. They will prevent many hospitalisations and deaths.
Finally, we need to convince more people to get vaccinated. A quarter of EU adults are still not fully vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, you are more at risk of having severe COVID-19 symptoms.
Vaccination protects you, and the others.

Press release 25 November 2021
Coronavirus: Commission proposes to strengthen coordination of safe travel in the EU
Today, the European Commission has proposed to update the rules on coordination of safe and free movement in the EU, which were put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Press release 25 November 2021
Coronavirus: Commission proposes an updated framework for travel from outside the EU, prioritising vaccinated travellers, with strong safeguards
The Commission is proposing today to update the Council recommendation on non-essential travel from outside the EU to simplify the framework and reflect recent developments. Priority will be given to vaccinated travellers.

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

Accesses 27 Nov 2021. Full scale, interactive dashboard available at:
https://africacdc.org/covid-19-vaccination/

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

Russia: Sputnik V – “the first registered COVID-19 vaccine”
https://sputnikvaccine.com/newsroom/pressreleases/
Press Releases
A unique comparative study of five vaccines in EU member Hungary on 3.7 million people shows Sputnik V is the best vaccine to protect against mortality from COVID with 98% efficacy and 85.7% efficacy against infection
Press release, 25.11.2021

RDIF announces major Sputnik V efficacy data from San Marino, an upcoming registration of the Sputnik M vaccine and reiterates vaccine combos are the key to fight the pandemic
Press release, 24.11.2021

Sputnik V shows 80% long-term efficacy against COVID in San Marino from 6th through 8th month after administering the second dose
Press release, 24.11.2021

The single-component Sputnik Light vaccine authorized in Laos
Press release, 23.11.2021

The one-shot Sputnik Light vaccine authorized in San Marino
Press release, 23.11.2021

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

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
https://www.mohfw.gov.in/

Government of India – Press Information Bureau
Latest Press Releases
COVID-19 Vaccination Update – Day 316
:: India’s cumulative vaccination coverage crosses 121.84 crore
:: More than 73 lakh Vaccine doses administered today till 7 pm
Posted On: 27 NOV 2021 8:36PM by PIB Delhi

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

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

China to donate another 1m Sinovac vaccines to Malaysia
2021-11-24

Over 2.449 bln COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2021-11-24
More than 2.449 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Tuesday, data from the National Health Commission showed on Nov 24.

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
https://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-now/this-week/

Polio this week as of 24 November 2021
:: The thirtieth meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) on the international spread of poliovirus was convened by the WHO Director-General on 3 November 2021. The meeting statement is now available here [and excerpted below]

Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
– Afghanistan: two WPV1 cases
– Nigeria: nine cVDPV2 cases and 25 cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
– Yemen: two cVDPV2 cases

::::::

Statement of the Thirtieth Polio IHR Emergency Committee
23 November 2021
The thirtieth meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) on the international spread of poliovirus was convened by the WHO Director-General on 3 November 2021 with committee members and advisers attending via video conference, supported by the WHO Secretariat. The Emergency Committee reviewed the data on wild poliovirus (WPV1) and circulating vaccine derived polioviruses (cVDPV). Technical updates were received about the situation in the following State Parties: Afghanistan, China, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal and Ukraine.

[Excerpts]
…Conclusion
Although heartened by the apparent progress, the Committee unanimously agreed that the risk of international spread of poliovirus remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and recommended the extension of Temporary Recommendations for a further three months. The Committee recognizes the concerns regarding the lengthy duration of the polio PHEIC but concluded that there are still significant risks despite apparent progress made in the two endemic countries, and that the coming three months would be a critical period to monitor the situation there closely.

…States infected with cVDPV2, with or without evidence of local transmission:
Afghanistan              (most recent detection 9 July 2021)
Benin                        (most recent detection 14 May 2021)
Burkina Faso            (most recent detection 9 June 2021)
Cameroon                 (most recent detection 8 September 2021)
CAR                          (most recent detection 29 October 2020)
Chad                         (most recent detection 28 November 2020)
Rep Congo                (most recent detection 14 April 2021)
DR Congo                 (most recent detection 30 April 2021)
Côte d’Ivoire              (most recent detection 23 December 2020)
Egypt                         (most recent detection 8 June 2021)
Ethiopia                     (most recent detection 16 July 2021)
Gambia                     (most recent detection 1 July 2021)
Guinea                      (most recent detection 10 July 2021)
Guinea Bissau          (most recent detection 26 July 2021)
Iran (Islamic Republic of)      (most recent detection 20 February 2021)
Kenya                      (most recent detection 25 January 2021)
Liberia                     (most recent detection 28 May 2021)
Mali                         (most recent detection 23 December 2020)
Mauritania               (most recent detection 1 September 2021)
Niger                       (most recent detection 20 July 2021)
Nigeria                    (most recent detection 12 September 2021)
Pakistan                 (most recent detection 11 August 2021)
Senegal                 (most recent detection 14 September 2021)
Sierra Leone          (most recent detection 1 June 2021
Somalia                 (most recent detection 23 May 2021)
South Sudan         (most recent detection 10 Apr 2021)
Sudan                   (most recent detection 18 December 2020)
Tajikistan               (most recent detection 13 August 2021)
Uganda                 (most recent detection 1 June 2021)
Ukraine                 (most recent detection 7 September 20…

…Additional Considerations
The committee noted the convincing efforts by China to rule out further transmission and accepted that nine months after the last detection of cVDPV3, China was no longer infected.
The Committee welcomed the further progress achieved with the introduction and delivery of nOPV2 but was concerned to hear of significant delays in outbreak response timelines as countries opted to delay response in order to use nOPV2. Polio outbreaks should continue to be met with an aggressive and timely response with the immediately available type-2 vaccine.
The Committee warned of the ongoing effects of COVID-19 particularly on essential immunization and possible future disruptions of supply and delivery of vaccines. Zero-dose children and communities were missed before the advent of the pandemic and it is critical that these children and communities are prioritized as essential immunization services are restored. COVID-19 is likely to continue to have adverse effects on all health programs and systems for some time to come so the polio programme must continue to manage its response to overcome the remaining hurdles.
Based on the current situation regarding WPV1 and cVDPV, and the reports provided by affected countries, the Director-General accepted the Committee’s assessment and on 5 November 2021 determined that the situation relating to poliovirus continues to constitute a PHEIC, with respect to WPV1 and cVDPV. The Director-General endorsed the Committee’s recommendations for countries meeting the definition for ‘States infected with WPV1, cVDPV1 or cVDPV3 with potential risk for international spread’, ‘States infected with cVDPV2 with potential risk for international spread’ and for ‘States no longer infected by WPV1 or cVDPV, but which remain vulnerable to re-infection by WPV or cVDPV’ and extended the Temporary Recommendations under the IHR to reduce the risk of the international spread of poliovirus, effective 5 November 2021.

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

WHO/OCHA Emergencies

Health emergencies list – WHO
“The health emergencies list details the disease outbreaks, disasters and humanitarian crises where WHO plays an essential role in supporting countries to respond to and recover from emergencies with public health consequences.”
Afghanistan crisis [Last apparent update: 18 Oct 2021]

Crisis in Northern Ethiopia [Last apparent update: 1 June 2021]

Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2021 [Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]

Ebola outbreak outbreak, N’Zerekore, Guinea, 2021 [Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic [See COVID above]

Ebola outbreak, Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2020
[Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]

Ebola outbreak, North Kivu, Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018 – 2020
[Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]

Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018 [Last apparent update: 24 July 2018]

Yemen crisis [Last apparent update: 12 February 2021]

Syria crisis [Last apparent update: 18 June 2021]

Somalia crisis [Last apparent update: 24 March 2018]

Nigeria crisis [Last apparent update: 1 Oct 2021]

Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2017 [Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]

Zika virus disease outbreak, 2015-2016 [Last apparent update: 24 Jan 2020]

Ebola outbreak: West Africa, 2014-2016 [Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]

Iraq crisis [Last apparent update: 9 Jan 2008]

South Sudan crisis [Last apparent update: 23 Sep 2020]

Avian influenza A (H7N9) virus outbreak [Last apparent update: 13 September 2021]

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) outbreak [Last apparent update: 8 July 2019]

Influenza A (H1N1) virus, 2009-2010 pandemic [Last apparent update: 10 Aug 2010]

::::::

UN OCHA – Current Emergencies
Current Corporate Emergencies
Afghanistan
:: Afghanistan: Weekly Humanitarian Update (15 – 21 November 2021)
:: Afghanistan: ICCT Real-Time Response Overview Situation Report (22 November 2021)

Northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia – Northern Ethiopia Humanitarian Update Situation Report, 25 Nov 2021
HIGHLIGHTS
NHAS resumed flights to and from Mekelle on 24 November.
An assessment conducted in Debre Berhan, Amhara, to gauge the humanitarian and access situation, and inform on the humanitarian response, following large-scale displacement.
More than 500 health facilities across Amhara Region were damaged due to the conflict, preventing a large number of people from accessing healthcare services.
Nutrition and feeding commodities sufficient to treat severely malnourished children in Afar and Amhara regions for the next two months were dispatched to both regions.
Food partners started a food assistance operation to reach more than 450,000 people in Dessie and Kombolcha over the next two weeks.

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::::::

WHO & Regional Offices [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.who.int/
Selected News, Statements
26 November 2021
Statement
Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern
[See COVID above for detail]

26 November 2021
Departmental news
WHO publishes updated guidance on validation of elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus

26 November 2021
Departmental news
Onchocerciasis elimination: achieving NTD road map targets, despite current pandemic challenges

24 November 2021
Statement
Interim statement on COVID-19 vaccination for children and adolescents
[See COVID above for detail]

24 November 2021
News release
First meeting of Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO)
[See COVID above for detail]

24 November 2021
Departmental news
What’s new in the TB section of the 2021 WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines

24 November 2021
Departmental news
WHO releases HIV drug resistance report 2021

23 November 2021
Statement
Statement of the Thirtieth Polio IHR Emergency Committee
[See Polio above for detail]

23 November 2021
News release
WHO issues guidelines on the treatment of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19
WHO today issued updated guidelines on the management of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C).
MIS-C is a rare but serious condition where children with COVID-19 develop inflammation affecting different organs of the body. Children with this condition need specialized care, and may need to be admitted to intensive care. Although MIS-C is a serious condition, with the right medical care, children with this condition recover.
WHO’s updated guidelines recommend the use of corticosteroids in hospitalized children (aged 0-18 years) with this condition, in addition to supportive treatment and care. This recommendation comes following the availability of three observational studies, pooling data from 885 patients in total.
WHO first described this condition in May 2020, and provided a preliminary clinical definition…

23 November 2021
Joint News Release
WHO and MPP announce the first transparent, global, non-exclusive licence for a COVID-19 technology
WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) today finalized a licensing agreement with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) for a COVID-19 serological antibody technology. The test effectively checks for the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies developed either in response to a COVID-19 infection or to a vaccine.  This represents the first transparent, global, non-exclusive licence for a COVID-19 health tool, and the first test licence signed by MPP and included in the WHO Pool…

22 November 2021
Departmental news
Gonorrhoea: latest antimicrobial global surveillance results and guidance for vaccine development published

::::::

Weekly Epidemiological Record, Vol. 96, No. 47, pp. 569–584 26 November 2021
:: Meeting of the Immunization and Vaccine-related Implementation Research Advisory Committee
(IVIR-AC), September 2021
:: Performance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance and incidence of poliomyelitis, 2021
:: Corrigendum to No. 37, 2021

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: WHO Press Briefing on health care workers vaccination 25.11.2021
:: Only 1 in 4 African health workers fully vaccinated against COVID-19 25 November 2021

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
No new digest content identified

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: WHO asks countries in South-East Asia Region to be vigilant as cases surge globally and new Variant of Concern is detected 27 November 2021 News release

WHO European Region EURO
:: Women and children experienced higher rates of violence in pandemic’s first months 26-11-2021
:: What are public health and social health measures and why are they still needed at this stage in the COVID-19 pandemic? 25-11-2021
:: WHO Regional Office for Europe: Nearly half a million lives saved by COVID-19 vaccination in less than a year 25-11-2021
:: The WHO European Region could hit over 2 million COVID-19 deaths by March 2022. We can avoid reaching this grim milestone by taking action now 23-11-2021
:: COP26 highlights links between COVID-19 and the SDGs, reinforcing need for bold action in the recovery process 23-11-2021

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
No new digest content identified

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified

::::::

WHO Events
https://www.who.int/news-room/events/2
[Selected]
Extraordinary meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) – 7 December 2021
7 December 2021
This extraordinary virtual meeting for the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) will take place on Tuesday 7 December 2021 to propose recommendations to WHO on the use of COVID-19 vaccine(s).
Agenda: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/immunization/sage/2021/december/sage-agenda-7dect2021-virtual-draft-rev26nov.pdf?sfvrsn=f2b71e9f_10

Building stronger, sustainable, equitable societies for pandemic prevention and for navigating the response to the COVID-19 crisis
7 December 2021 12:00 – 13:00 CET
Join us to launch the new WHO evidence brief, “COVID-19 and the social determinants of health and health equity”, and to discuss the implications of the impacts of the social determinants of health equity for pandemic prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
* Tuesday 7 December 2021 * 12:00-13:00 Central European Time *
* Join via Zoom * https://who.zoom.us/j/96260096854
Password: Yt@W21bZ

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New WHO Publications
https://www.who.int/publications/i
Selected Titles
26 November 2021
Global guidance on criteria and processes for validation: elimination of mother-to-child transmission…

25 November 2021
Caring for women subjected to violence: a WHO curriculum for training health-care providers, revised…

24 November 2021
WHO malaria terminology, 2021 update

24 November 2021
HIV drug resistance report 2021

23 November 2021
WHO third global infodemic management conference: whole-of-society challenges and approaches to responding to infodemics

23 November 2021
Living guidance for clinical management of COVID-19

23 November 2021
WHO preferred product characteristics for gonococcal vaccines

22 November 2021
Paediatric drug optimization standard procedure

22 November 2021
WHO HIV drug resistance network steering group meeting report, June 2021

22 November 2021
Assessment of HIV testing services and antiretroviral therapy service disruptions in the context of COVID-19:…

CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases, Announcements [Selected]
CDC Statement on B.1.1.529 (Omicron variant)
Friday, November 26, 2021

ACIP Meetings
No new meeting listed.

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, November 26, 2021
Selected Content
:: Enterovirus D68-Associated Acute Respiratory Illness ─ New Vaccine Surveillance Network, United States, July–November 2018–2020
:: Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Disparities in Awareness of Preexposure Prophylaxis Among HIV-Negative Heterosexually Active Adults at Increased Risk for HIV Infection — 23 Urban Areas, United States, 2019
:: Risk for Stillbirth Among Women With and Without COVID-19 at Delivery Hospitalization — United States, March 2020–September 2021
:: Previously Released: COVID-19–Associated Deaths After SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Pregnancy — Mississippi, March 1, 2020–October 6, 2021

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)– CDC
Approximately 25 announcements/reports/data summaries.
11/26/21
COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Country

11/24/21
Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Wed, 24 Nov 2021 06:00:00 EST

11/24/21
Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers

Africa CDC [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
Press Releases
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s Statement regarding the new SARS-COV-2 virus variant B.1.1.529
26 November 2021

Press Releases
Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC’s Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative delivers first tranche of over 15 million vaccines
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 25 November 2021 — The Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC jointly announced that 15.2 million vaccines purchased under the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative are currently being distributed across Africa. Through Saving Lives and Livelihoods, the Mastercard Foundation is purchasing vaccines for more than 65 million people. This is the first tranche of vaccines to be delivered under the initiative. The vaccines will be distributed within countries by UNICEF.
Launched in June 2021, Saving Lives and Livelihoods is now a $1.5 billion partnership that aims to enable vaccination for millions of people, develop a workforce for vaccine manufacturing, and strengthen the Africa CDC’s capacity to oversee a historic vaccination campaign and effectively respond to future outbreaks.
“Timely delivery of these vaccines underscores the effectiveness of the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust. Working with the Africa CDC and multiple organizations, the Mastercard Foundation will support the roll out of vaccinations to millions across the continent. More remains to be done to urgently increase vaccination rates. We call on governments, funders, civil society and others to step forward to save lives and livelihoods in Africa,” said Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation…

China CDC http://www.chinacdc.cn/en/

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
Nov 27: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Nov 26, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 25 new cases of confirmed infections.

China to donate another 1m Sinovac vaccines to Malaysia
2021-11-24

National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/
News
Over 2.449 bln COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2021-11-24
More than 2.449 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Tuesday, data from the National Health Commission showed on Nov 24.

CCDC Weekly – Weekly Reports: Current Volume (3)
2021-11-26 / No. 48WORLD AIDS DAY ISSUE
PDF of this issue
:: Preplanned Studies: Spatial Analysis of HIV/AIDS Cases Among Out-of-School Youth Aged 15–24 Years — China, 2010–2020
:: Vital Surveillances: Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV — China, 2011–2020
:: Review: Research Progress in the Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in China
:: Recollections: HIV Prevention and Health Poverty Alleviation — Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, 2017–2020

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Organization Announcements
Editor’s Note:
Careful readers will note that the number and range of organizations now monitored in our Announcements section below has grown as the impacts of the pandemic have spread across global economies, supply chains and programmatic activity of multilateral agencies and INGOs.

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://alleninstitute.org/news-press/
News
No new digest content identified.

BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Pages/default.aspx
News
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center
Press Releases and Statements
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 27 Nov 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 27 Nov 2021]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – November 2021 is now posted here

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
CEPI Statement: Emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant, B.1.1.529
Statement from CEPI CEO, Dr Richard Hatchett.
26 Nov 2021
“The emergence of a SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 underscores the critical need for continued COVID-19 vaccine research and development.
“It’s of course critical that we continue to get people vaccinated globally to reduce the amount of virus in circulation but we must also focus effort and resources on improving the current COVID-19 vaccines to make them more effective against multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2.
“Our strategy must seek to optimize the way we deploy our current vaccines so every dose delivers the maximum benefit; improve upon our existing arsenal of vaccines; and prepare now for the possibility of variants that can evade our vaccines.
“CEPI’s world-leading COVID-19 vaccine programme is seeking to do all three…

CEPI funds Aga Khan University-led consortium to conduct mix-and-match trial of COVID-19 vaccines in Pakistan
New collaboration will assess the safety and immunogenicity of heterologous – or ‘mix-and-match’ – combinations of three COVID-19 vaccines currently being deployed in Pakistan.
COVID-19
23 Nov 2021

World’s largest COVID-19 vaccine testing network to assess vaccines against other epidemic and pandemic threats
Set up and funded by CEPI, the network aims to more rapidly, efficiently, and accurately identify the most promising vaccine candidates with the greatest potential to advance to late-stage clinical trials and regulatory review.
22 Nov 2021

DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [to 27 Nov 2021
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
11/22/2021
Biomanufacturing: Coming Soon to a Galaxy Near You?
The DoD has a role in orbital and lunar missions as defined by the US Space Force (USSF) Space Capstone Publication . In this document, USSF notes the “inherent value of the space domain and the tremendous influence space has on U.S. prosperity and security.” There is a critical DoD need for the continued development and future expansion of orbital manufacturing to enable and ensure supply chain resiliency, sustained technological superiority, and asset security and repair for current and future operations. To meet this unique challenge, DARPA announced today that it was taking an initial step to explore and de-risk manufacturing capabilities that leverage biological processes in resource limited environments with its Biomanufacturing: Survival, Utility, and Reliability beyond Earth (B-SURE) program.

Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://dukeghic.org/
Our Blog
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 27 Nov 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
News
No new digest content identified.

Emory Vaccine Center [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.

European Vaccine Initiative [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News News, Events
EVI
Open call for expert services and trainings by TRANSVAC2

Fondation Merieux [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
No new digest content identified.

Gavi [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
24 November 2021
Gavi and Switzerland collaborate to prioritise supply to COVAX
Switzerland becomes first country to respond to call to trade places with COVAX in manufacturers’ supply queues
Collaboration will enable COVAX participants to access 1 million doses of the Moderna vaccine earlier, in Q4 2021
Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi: “This collaboration shows that there is a quick and pragmatic way governments can ensure COVAX participants in lower-income countries have access to COVID-19 vaccines now. I encourage other governments to follow this example and work with COVAX and manufacturers to amend delivery schedules, ensuring commitments under COVAX’s purchase agreements can be fulfilled as a priority.”

22 November 2021
Team Europe vaccine sharing: almost 100 million J & J doses to be donated by the end of 2021 – first doses arriving in African countries this week
The first shipments of almost 100 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from Team Europe are arriving in a number of African countries. This donation is facilitated by a tripartite agreement between Belgium (acting on behalf of Team Europe and supported by the European Commission), Johnson & Johnson and Gavi.

GHIT Fund [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 2012 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that
No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
News
Nienke Mulder Joins the Global Fund as Head of Human Resources
22 November 2021
GENEVA – The Global Fund is pleased to announce that Nienke Mulder will join the Global Fund in the role of Chief Human Resources Officer. Nienke has extensive experience and brings more than two decades of leadership and expertise in human resources, change management and diversity and inclusion.
Nienke has been based at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in Switzerland for the past five years, where she was a Global Change Director, Global Inclusion & Diversity Strategy Lead and the HR Director for Switzerland.
Prior to GSK, she worked as an independent Strategic Transformation Lead and executive coach for several profit and not-for-profit organizations and leaders…

Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

Hilleman Laboratories [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified….No “news” page or tab identified.

HHMI – Howard Hughes Medical Institute [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.hhmi.org/news
Press Room
Research Nov 22 2021
The Surprising SAGA of a 20-Part Molecular Machine
Scientists solved the structure of a large human protein complex and uncovered some unexpected differences between people and yeast. The structure could guide the development of drugs to treat diseases that arise when this complex malfunctions.

Human Vaccines Project [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
Press Release Nov 23, 2021
HVP’s 5th Anniversary: Campaign Launched to Catalyze the First AI Model of the Immune System
In recognition of its five-year anniversary, the Human Vaccines Project is seeking to raise $2 million to fund the next steps towards harnessing the power of the human immune system

IAVI [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
Latest News
No new digest content identified.

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

ICRC [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases, Statements, Reports
ICRC elects new president
The Assembly, the governing body of the International Committee of the Red Cross, announced today that it has elected Mirjana Spoljaric Egger as the ICRC’s next president. She will succeed President Peter Maurer who has decided to step down in September 2022 after he reaches 10 years of service.
Ms Spoljaric Egger is currently the Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She will begin her renewable four-year term as ICRC president on 1 October 2022…

ICRC alarmed at lack of humanitarian access for 26 million people in Africa
Some 26 million people live in areas in Africa where humanitarian groups have difficulty reaching people most in need, where access to basic services like medical care is extremely limited due to violence and armed conflict, according to a new estimate…
23-11-2021 | News release

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

IFRC [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
22/11/2021
Drowning just below the surface: New IFRC research reveals magnitude of socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic
Geneva, 22 November 2021 – Women, people in urban areas and those on the move have been disproportionately and uniquely affected by the devastating socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are some of the findings of new research published today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The COVID-19 pandemic has had major economic impacts on every nation in the world. The IFRC’s new research also shows the extent of the pandemic’s secondary consequences on communities and individuals. This crisis has caused: increased unemployment and poverty; increased food insecurity; a higher vulnerability to violence; and a loss of education and reduced opportunities for children. It has also exacerbated mental health issues.
Francesco Rocca, President of the IFRC, said: “Our research shows what we have long suspected and feared, namely that the destructive secondary impacts of this pandemic have damaged the fabric of our society and will be felt for years, if not decades, to come. People who were already vulnerable, due to conflict, climate-change, and poverty, have been pushed further towards the edge. And many people who were previously able to cope have become vulnerable, needing humanitarian support for the first time in their lives.”
The new research provides a global overview, with a special focus on ten countries: Afghanistan, Colombia, El Salvador, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Philippines, Spain, South Africa and Turkey…

Institut Pasteur [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press Documents
No new digest content identified.

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News – Selected
News 26 Nov 2021
COVID-19 Forces Sharp Rise in Vulnerable Migrants Transiting Americas: IOM Report

ISC / International Science Council [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://council.science/current/
ISC is a non-governmental organization with a unique global membership that brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organizations including Academies and Research Councils.
News
No new digest content identified.

IVAC [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
No new digest content identified.

IVI [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
New Report:  Waypoint on the Path to Health Equity: COVID-19 Vaccination at Month 11
November 23, 2021
Tuesday, November 23, 2021 – The CommuniVax Coalition, led by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Department of Anthropology at Texas State University, released a new report that recounts progress made toward greater equity in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and proposes steps to advance gains further.
“As the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic progresses through its second year, the ongoing need to identify and implement strategies for improving vaccine equity among BIPOC communities – especially amid historic disparities in healthcare access and utilization – remains,” write the authors of the report, Waypoint on the Path to Health Equity: COVID-19 Vaccination at Month 11. “This collective assessment could help to identify successes, failures, and lessons learned for future efforts around vaccine promotion and building health equity in BIPOC communities.”
The report identifies several key “wins” that have helped propel COVID-19 vaccination uptake amongst BIPOC communities, including:
With substantial federal emergency funding available, public health departments have been able to hire community health workers and other high-impact assets to advance equity in vaccination.
When decision makers have used grassroots input and hard data, service delivery has better matched BIPOC community needs in the pandemic.
Delivering accurate, culturally competent, and language-appropriate information—in a nonjudgmental, ongoing conversation— has contributed to a more equitable COVID-9 vaccination campaign.
Making COVID-19 vaccinations available alongside services for other needs such as food insecurity, unemployment, and immigration concerns has advanced equity in the pandemic response.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
No new digest content identified.

National Academy of Medicine – USA [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://nam.edu/programs/
Selected News/Programs/Events
No new digest content identified.

National Academy of Sciences – USA [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/
News
No new digest content identified.

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
No new digest content identified.

NIH [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
No new digest content identified.

OECD [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
Newsroom
Data show how the COVID-19 pandemic has hit all aspects of people’s well-being
25/11/2021 – The COVID-19 pandemic has not only had devastating effects on physical health and mortality but has touched every aspect of people’s well-being, with far-reaching consequences for how we live and work, according to a new study by the OECD.

COVID-19 and well-being: life in the pandemic says the virus caused a 16% increase in the average number of deaths across 33 OECD countries between March 2020 and early May 2021, compared with same period over the previous four years. Over the same time frame, survey data in the report reveal rising levels of depression or anxiety and a growing sense among many people of loneliness and of feeling disconnected from society.

Government support helped to sustain average household income levels in 2020 and stemmed the tide of job losses, even as average hours worked fell sharply. Although job retention schemes offered workers some protection, 14% of workers in 19 European OECD countries felt it was “likely they would lose their job” within three months, and nearly 1 in 3 people in 25 OECD countries reported financial difficulties.

The report says experiences of the pandemic have varied widely depending on age, gender and ethnicity, as well as on the type of job people do and on their level of pay and skills. The crisis also aggravated existing social, economic and environmental challenges.

In those countries with available data, workers from ethnic minorities have been more likely to lose their jobs during the pandemic. Mental health deteriorated for almost all population groups on average in 2020 but gaps in mental health by race and ethnicity are also visible. COVID-19 mortality rates for some ethnic minority communities have been more than twice those of other groups.

Younger adults experienced some of the largest declines in mental health, social connectedness and life satisfaction in 2020 and 2021, as well as facing job disruption and insecurity…

PATH [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
26 November 2021
Learning lessons from current and future pandemics

26 November 2021
Ready to be the change

25 November 2021
Jamaican parliamentarians committed to ending discrimination

25 November 2021
Community outreach fills the gap in Mauritania

22 November 2021
Condoms are a critical part of combination prevention

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.

UNICEF [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
Press release
11/25/2021
Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC’s Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative delivers first tranche of over 15 million vaccines
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 25 November 2021 — The Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC jointly announced that 15.2 million vaccines purchased under the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative are currently being distributed across Africa. Through Saving Lives and Livelihoods, the Mastercard Foundation is purchasing vaccines for more than 65 million people. This is the first tranche of vaccines to be delivered under the initiative. The vaccines will be distributed within countries by UNICEF.
Launched in June 2021, Saving Lives and Livelihoods is now a $1.5 billion partnership that aims to enable vaccination for millions of people, develop a workforce for vaccine manufacturing, and strengthen the Africa CDC’s capacity to oversee a historic vaccination campaign and effectively respond to future outbreaks.
“Timely delivery of these vaccines underscores the effectiveness of the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust. Working with the Africa CDC and multiple organizations, the Mastercard Foundation will support the roll out of vaccinations to millions across the continent. More remains to be done to urgently increase vaccination rates. We call on governments, funders, civil society and others to step forward to save lives and livelihoods in Africa,” said Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation…

Unitaid [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Equity Cooperative [nee Initiative] [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 27 Nov 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 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News and reports
News
Fiona Powrie appointed new Deputy Chair of Governors
23 November 2021
Fiona Powrie is Director of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology at the University of Oxford. With a background in immunology and translational research, she has been a member of Wellcome’s Board of Governors since January 2018.

The Wistar Institute [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
Nov. 23, 2021
The Wistar Institute Receives $4 Million in Funding From the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Advance COVID-19 Research, Address COVID-19 Risk on Vulnerable Populations, and Assess Pandemic Preparedness
PHILADELPHIA — (Nov. 23, 2021) — The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has granted The Wistar Institute $4 million to fund COVID-19 research focused on understanding the impact of COVID-19 on certain at-risk populations and supporting the commonwealth’s preparation and emergency response planning for future pandemics.

WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News – Blog
Waive Vaccine Intellectual Property Rights Now!
Nov 25, 2021
In the current global pandemic, vaccine equity means a fair distribution of vaccine, so that all countries can immunise their populations regardless of their income, pre-existing infrastructure, political context or economic development. People who live in low-and-middle-income countries are significantly less likely to have access to vaccination than those in high income countries, even if they are in the highest clinical risk groups or are health or care workers. COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduce the burden of serious illness, death, duration of symptoms and risk of transmission. Vaccination is our most important means to control the pandemic. Failure to control the level of virus circulating in communities increases the risk that new vaccine-resistant variants will emerge. This will prolong the pandemic for all countries, leaving us all at risk of new, high consequence variants. It remains the case that we will not be free of this virus, until we are all free of it.
The Global Network for Academic Public Health and WFPHA has released a statement in support of waiving intellectual property rights related to COVID-19 vaccines to increase global vaccine equity.

World Bank [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
Policies Targeting Integration into Global Value Chains Key to Harnessing the Potential of Industrialization in Africa
WASHINGTON, November 23, 2021 — As the world continues to be reshaped by emerging trends in technology, international trade and investment, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Sub-Saharan African countries must…
Date: November 23, 2021 Type: Press Release

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.oie.int/en/media/news/
Press Releases, Statements
No new digest content identified.

WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
General Council decides to postpone MC12 indefinitely
26 November 2021
The General Council agreed late Friday (26 November) to postpone the imminent Ministerial Conference after an outbreak of a particularly transmissible strain of the COVID-19 virus led several governments to impose travel restrictions that would have prevented many ministers from reaching Geneva.

DG Okonjo-Iweala briefs members on work to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines
25 November 2021
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala hosted on 25 November an information session on the work done by the WTO Secretariat to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 146 representatives from 62 members and observers participated in the briefing session.
[See Milestones above for detail]

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

BIO [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.

ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

IFPMA [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
The European Commission and Innovative Biopharmaceutical Industries to Explore Potential Initiatives to Enhance Local Production
26 November 2021
[See Milestones above for detail]

IFPMA Statement – Special Session of World Health Assembly on Pandemic Treaty
24 November 2021
[See Milestones above for detail]

Joint Statement on World Antimicrobial Awareness Week
24 November 2021

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

International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – IAPO [to 27 Nov 2021]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
IAPO’s Joint Statement on World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021
Wednesday, 24 November 2021
On World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO), the IAPO Patients for Patient Safety Observatory and its AMR Patient Alliance, International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), responding to the call to One Health stakeholders to be Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness champions, support the 2021 theme “Spread Awareness. Stop Resistance” and call on all stakeholders to encourage best practices amongst all actors of the health system to preserve existing antimicrobials and call for policy reforms to encourage sustainable investment in new antibiotics.

PhRMA [to 27 Nov 2021]
http://www.phrma.org/
Latest News [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

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

Artificial Intelligence – An International Journal
Volume 300 November 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/artificial-intelligence/vol/300/suppl/C

BMC Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation
http://resource-allocation.biomedcentral.com/
(Accessed 27 Nov 2021)
Vaccination distribution by community pharmacists under the COVID-19 vaccine appointment system in Taiwan
Authors: Ya Wen Lin, Che Huei Lin and Ming Hung Lin
Content type: Commentary
22 November 2021

Artificial Intelligence – An International Journal
Volume 300 November 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/artificial-intelligence/vol/300/suppl/C

The impact and cost-effectiveness of 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine in adolescent females in Hong Kong
Authors: Tak Hong Cheung, Sally Shuk Yee Cheng, Danny C. Hsu, Queenie Wing-Lei Wong, Andrew Pavelyev, Anuj Walia, Kunal Saxena and Vimalanand S. Prabhu
Content type: Research
20 November 2021

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 27 Nov 2021)

Acceptability of mobile-phone reminders for routine childhood vaccination appointments in Nigeria – a systematic review and meta-analysis
Mobile-phone reminders have gained traction among policymakers as a way to improve childhood vaccination coverage and timeliness. However, there is limited evidence on the acceptability of mobile-phone reminde…
Authors: Paul Eze, Sergius Alex Agu, Ujunwa Justina Agu and Yubraj Acharya
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2021 21:1276
Content type: Research
Published on: 26 November 2021

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 27 Nov 2021)

The vaccination threshold for SARS-CoV-2 depends on the indoor setting and room ventilation
Effective vaccines are now available for SARS-CoV-2 in the 2nd year of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there remains significant uncertainty surrounding the necessary vaccination rate to safely lift occupancy contr…
Authors: A. Mikszewski, L. Stabile, G. Buonanno and L. Morawska
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2021 21:1193
Content type: Research
Published on: 26 November 2021

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 27 Nov 2021)

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, hesitancy, and determinants among physicians in a university-based teaching hospital in Thailand
The COVID-19 vaccines provide renewed hope in the fight against the recent pandemic. To ensure widespread vaccination, it is crucial to analyze vaccine willingness and its determinants among physicians, key he…
Authors: May Sirikalyanpaiboon, Krittin Ousirimaneechai, Jeerath Phannajit, Panyavee Pitisuttithum, Watsamon Jantarabenjakul, Roongruedee Chaiteerakij and Leilani Paitoonpong
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2021 21:1174
Content type: Research
Published on: 22 November 2021

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 27 Nov 2021)

Association between convalescent plasma treatment and mortality in COVID-19: a collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Convalescent plasma has been widely used to treat COVID-19 and is under investigation in numerous randomized clinical trials, but results are publicly available only for a small number of trials. The objective…
Authors: Cathrine Axfors, Perrine Janiaud, Andreas M. Schmitt, Janneke van’t Hooft, Emily R. Smith, Noah A. Haber, Akin Abayomi, Manal Abduljalil, Abdulkarim Abdulrahman, Yeny Acosta-Ampudia, Manuela Aguilar-Guisado, Farah Al-Beidh, Marissa M. Alejandria, Rachelle N. Alfonso, Mohammad Ali, Manaf AlQahtani…
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2021 21:1170
Content type: Research article
Published on: 20 November 2021

BMC Medicine
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/content
(Accessed 27 Nov 2021)

Safety, infectivity and immunogenicity of a genetically attenuated blood-stage malaria vaccine
There is a clear need for novel approaches to malaria vaccine development. We aimed to develop a genetically attenuated blood-stage vaccine and test its safety, infectivity, and immunogenicity in healthy volun…
Authors: Rebecca Webster, Silvana Sekuloski, Anand Odedra, Stephen Woolley, Helen Jennings, Fiona Amante, Katharine R. Trenholme, Julie Healer, Alan F. Cowman, Emily M. Eriksson, Priyanka Sathe, Jocelyn Penington, Adam J. Blanch, Matthew W. A. Dixon, Leann Tilley, Michael F. Duffy…
Citation: BMC Medicine 2021 19:293
Content type: Research article
Published on: 22 November 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 27 Nov 2021)

Safety, infectivity and immunogenicity of a genetically attenuated blood-stage malaria vaccine
There is a clear need for novel approaches to malaria vaccine development. We aimed to develop a genetically attenuated blood-stage vaccine and test its safety, infectivity, and immunogenicity in healthy volun…
Authors: Rebecca Webster, Silvana Sekuloski, Anand Odedra, Stephen Woolley, Helen Jennings, Fiona Amante, Katharine R. Trenholme, Julie Healer, Alan F. Cowman, Emily M. Eriksson, Priyanka Sathe, Jocelyn Penington, Adam J. Blanch, Matthew W. A. Dixon, Leann Tilley, Michael F. Duffy…
Citation: BMC Medicine 2021 19:293
Content type: Research article
Published on: 22 November 2021

BMC Research Notes
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/content
(Accessed 27 Nov 2021)

COVID-19 vaccine preferences among university students in Hong Kong: a discrete choice experiment
To promote public health and resume university activities, COVID-19 vaccination has been mandated from an increasing number of universities worldwide. The objective of the study is to understand the factors th…
Authors: Xue Li, Man Yui Chong, Ching Yui Chan, Vindy Wing Sun Chan and Xinning Tong
Citation: BMC Research Notes 2021 14:421
Content type: Research note
Published on: 22 November 2021

BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine
December 2021 – Volume 26 – 6
https://ebm.bmj.com/content/26/6

Editorial
Should COVID-19 vaccination be mandatory? (28 October, 2021) Free
Juan Victor Ariel Franco

Ethics, Medicine and Public Health
Volume 19 December 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ethics-medicine-and-public-health/vol/19/suppl/C

Review article Abstract only
Challenges of the informed consent in some countries of the MENA region: A Literature Review
T. Habib, K. Richa, F. Abou-Mrad
Article 100706

Ethics, Medicine and Public Health
Volume 19 December 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ethics-medicine-and-public-health/vol/19/suppl/C

Research article Abstract only
Rethinking informed consent in the age of behavioural sciences and relational autonomy
P. Sylvestre, N.Orr Gaucher, T. Perez, O. Drouin
Article 100708

Genome Medicine
https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles
[Accessed 27 Nov 2021]

Genomic medicine in the Middle East
We discuss the current state of genomic medicine in Arab countries of the Middle East, a region with outsized contribution to Mendelian genetics due to inbreeding yet has poor representation in global variome …
Authors: Ahmad N. Abou Tayoun, Khalid A. Fakhro, Alawi Alsheikh-Ali and Fowzan S. Alkuraya
Citation: Genome Medicine 2021 13:184
Content type: Comment
Published on: 23 November 2021

Global Legal Monitor – Library of Congress/USA
https://www.loc.gov/collections/global-legal-monitor/
[Accessed 27 Nov 2021]

Article
Austria: Government Adopts Immediate Nationwide Lockdown; General COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate to Start February 1, 2022
On November 21, 2021, the Austrian government adopted the 5th COVID-19 Emergency Measures Regulation (5. COVID-19-Notmaßnahmenverordnung, 5. COVID-19-NotMV) to prevent the collapse of the health care system in Austria due to the unprecedented rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and the worsening availability of beds in hospital and intensive care units. (5. COVID-19-NotMV § 1; Legal … Continue reading “Austria: Government Adopts Immediate Nationwide Lockdown;…
Contributor: Gesley, Jenny
Date: 2021-11-23

Humanitarian Exchange Magazine
Number 79, May 2021
https://odihpn.org/magazine/localisation-and-local-humanitarian-action/

Localisation and local humanitarian action
by HPN October 2020
The theme of this edition of Humanitarian Exchange is localisation+ and local humanitarian action. Five years ago this week, donors, United Nations (UN) agencies,  non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) committed within the Grand Bargain to increase multi-year investments in the institutional capacities of local and national responders, and to provide at least 25% of humanitarian funding to them as directly as possible. Since then, there is increasing consensus at policy and normative level, underscored by the Covid-19 pandemic, that local leadership should be supported.  Localisation has gone from a fringe conversation among policy-makers and aid agencies in 2016 to a formal priority under the Grand Bargain. Wider global movements on anti-racism and decolonisation have also brought new momentum to critical reflections on where power, knowledge and capacity reside in the humanitarian system. Yet progress has been slow and major gaps remain between the rhetoric around humanitarian partnerships, funding and coordination and practices on the ground.

JAMA
November 23/30, 2021, Vol 326, No. 20, Pages 1995-2087
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Original Investigation
Association Between mRNA Vaccination and COVID-19 Hospitalization and Disease Severity
Mark W. Tenforde, MD, PhD; Wesley H. Self, MD, MPH; Katherine Adams, MPH; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2021;326(20):2043-2054. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.19499
This case-control study explores the association between vaccination with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and hospitalization for COVID-19, and, among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the association with progression to critical disease in adults from 18 US states.

JAMA
November 23/30, 2021, Vol 326, No. 20, Pages 1995-2087
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Editorial
Understanding Breakthrough Infections Following mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination
Michael Klompas, MD, MPH

JAMA Network
COVID-19 Update November 27, 2021

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

The Lancet
Nov 27, 2021 Volume 398 Number 10315 p1939-2050, e17
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

The Lancet Commissions
The Lancet Commission on diagnostics: transforming access to diagnostics
Kenneth A Fleming, et al
Key messages
47% of the global population has little to no access to diagnostics.
Diagnostics are central and fundamental to quality health care. This notion is under-recognised, leading to underfunding and inadequate resources at all levels.
The level of primary health care is the diagnostic so-called last mile and particularly affects poor, rural, and marginalised communities globally; appropriate access is essential for equity and social justice.
The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the crucial role of diagnostics in health care and that without access to diagnostics, delivery of universal health coverage, antimicrobial resistance mitigation, and pandemic preparedness cannot be achieved.
Innovations within the past 15 years in many areas (eg, in financing, technology, and workforce) can reduce the diagnostic gap, improve access, and democratise diagnostics to empower patients.
As an example of the potential impact, 1·1 million premature deaths in low-income and middle-income countries could be avoided annually by reducing the diagnostic gap for six priority conditions: diabetes, hypertension, HIV, and tuberculosis in the overall population, and hepatitis B virus infection and syphilis for pregnant women.
The economic case for such investment is strong. The median benefit–cost exceeds one for five of the six priority conditions in middle-income countries, and exceeds one for four of the six priority conditions in low-income countries, with a range of 1·4:1 to 24:1.
Given the depth and breadth of the problems, sustained access to quality, affordable diagnostics will require multi-decade prioritisation, commitment, and investment. Incorporating diagnostics into universal health coverage packages will begin this process.

Nature
Volume 599 Issue 7886, 25 November 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/599/issues/7886

World View | 24 November 2021
Want research integrity? Stop the blame game
Helping every scientist to improve is more effective than ferreting out a few frauds.
Malcolm Macleod

Nature
Volume 599 Issue 7886, 25 November 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/599/issues/7886

Article | 18 October 2021 | Open Access
Exome sequencing and analysis of 454,787 UK Biobank participants
Whole-exome sequencing analysis of 454,787 individuals in the UK Biobank is used to examine the association of protein-coding variants with nearly 4,000 health-related traits, identifying 564 distinct genes with significant trait associations.
Joshua D. Backman, Alexander H. Li, Manuel A. R. Ferreira

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

Research Article
A snapshot of the practicality and barriers to COVID-19 interventions: Public health and healthcare workers’ perceptions in high and low- and middle-income countries
Rosanna Glazik, Hannah Moore, David Kennedy, Hilary Bower, Hana Rohan, Ashley Sharp, Anna C. Seale
Research Article | published 24 Nov 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260041

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

Rapid relaxation of pandemic restrictions after vaccine rollout favors growth of SARS-CoV-2 variants: A model-based analysis
Debra Van Egeren, Madison Stoddard, Alexander Novokhodko, Michael S. Rogers, Diane Joseph-McCarthy, Bruce Zetter, Arijit Chakravarty
Research Article | published 24 Nov 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258997

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

Effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical public health interventions against COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Shabnam Iezadi, Kamal Gholipour, Saber Azami-Aghdash, Akbar Ghiasi, Aziz Rezapour, Hamid Pourasghari, Fariba Pashazadeh
Research Article | published 23 Nov 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260371

PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
November 16, 2021; vol. 118 no. 46
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/46

Perspective
Lessons learned from urgent computing in Europe: Tackling the COVID-19 pandemic
Núria López, Luigi Del Debbio, Marc Baaden, Matej Praprotnik, Laura Grigori, Catarina Simões, Serge Bogaerts, Florian Berberich, Thomas Lippert, Janne Ignatius, Philippe Lavocat, Oriol Pineda, Maria Grazia Giuffreda, Sergi Girona, Dieter Kranzlmüller, Michael M. Resch, Gabriella Scipione, and Thomas Schulthess
PNAS November 16, 2021 118 (46) e2024891118; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2024891118
Abstract
PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe), an international not-for-profit association that brings together the five largest European supercomputing centers and involves 26 European countries, has allocated more than half a billion core hours to computer simulations to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside experiments, these simulations are a pillar of research to assess the risks of different scenarios and investigate mitigation strategies. While the world deals with the subsequent waves of the pandemic, we present a reflection on the use of urgent supercomputing for global societal challenges and crisis management.

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

23 Nov 2021
Toward a holistic definition for Information Systems for Health in the age of digital interdependence
Opinion and analysis | English |

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

Selected Articles
23 Nov 2021
Risk factors for adverse outcomes in women with high-risk pregnancy and their neonates, Haiti
Original research | English |

Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
https://www.dovepress.com/risk-management-and-healthcare-policy-archive56
[Accessed 27 Nov 2021]

Original Research
Economic, Health and Physical Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in Sub-Saharan African Regions: A Cross Sectional Survey
Mashige KP, Osuagwu UL, Ulagnathan S, Ekpenyong BN, Abu EK, Goson PC, Langsi R, Nwaeze O, Timothy CG, Charwe DD, Oloruntoba R, Miner CA, Ishaya T, Ovenseri-Ogbomo GO, Agho KE
Risk Management and Healthcare Policy ²⁰²¹, 14:4799-4807
Published Date: 27 November 2021

Science
Volume 374| Issue 6571| 26 Nov 2021
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Introduction to Special Issue
Inflammation
BY Gemma Alderton, Seth Thomas Scanlon
25 Nov 2021: 1068-10

Science
Volume 374| Issue 6571| 26 Nov 2021
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Editorial
Vax the world
BY Madhukar Pai, Ayoade Olatunbosun-Alakija
25 Nov 20
Earlier this month, while the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference convened in Glasgow, countries also gathered at the Global Conference on Health and Climate Change to recognize the climate crisis as a global health crisis—a consequence of increased poverty, food and water insecurity, and infectious disease transmission, among other dangers. Unsurprisingly, both crises are worse in lower-income countries. These countries are also experiencing the greatest number of deaths and collateral damage from COVID-19.

Both climate change and pandemics require countries and people to act as global citizens and go beyond nationalism. If countries cannot share resources to end COVID-19 everywhere, it does not bode well for the world’s ability to deal with the broad impacts of climate change. However, if nations can show global solidarity and vaccinate the world against COVID-19, it will give everyone much needed optimism to tackle climate change together.

Over 5 million people have died from COVID-19 so far, but the true death toll is probably threefold higher. As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to rapidly spread, vaccine inequity is the biggest threat to conquering the pandemic. Whereas 66% of the people in high-income countries are fully vaccinated, only 2.5% of the population in low-income countries are fully protected. Moreover, COVID-19 has rolled back most of the global gains in tackling poverty and disease. If the world does not tackle this inequity, all countries will face collateral damage of unimaginable proportions. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will remain unrealized.

Consider the social and economic consequences of vaccine inequity. In 2020, the pandemic led to nearly 100 million more people in poverty, and the UN estimates that developing countries will suffer economic losses of $12 trillion through 2025. This will only get worse, as SARS-CoV-2 (Delta variant) is now primarily affecting countries with low vaccine coverage.

Moreover, the pandemic has disrupted essential health services, especially in the Global South, where fragile health systems are falling apart. For example, routine immunization is suffering not just because of pandemic measures such as lockdowns, but also because personnel and supplies required for childhood immunization are now being utilized for COVID-19 vaccinations. Data suggest that global routine immunization rates in 2020 dropped to levels last seen in 2005. This could well derail global efforts to eliminate polio and result in a resurgence of measles.

Health services for the continuing threats of tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and HIV have been severely disrupted by the pandemic as well. According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) TB report, 1.3 million fewer people with TB were treated in 2020 than in 2019. According to the Global Fund, HIV testing declined by 22% in 2020. Progress against malaria has stalled as there was no year-on-year growth in provision of malaria services. People with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are more likely to have poor outcomes after COVID-19 infection. Disruption of health services has also adversely affected the treatment of many common NCDs, including cancer and mental health conditions.

Despite the devastating direct and collateral damage from COVID-19, world leaders have failed to ensure rapid and equitable distribution of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics (e.g., monoclonal antibodies). Even as rich nations are administering booster shots, more than 3.5 billion people are waiting for their first dose. Last month, the G20 Rome Leader’s Declaration endorsed the WHO plan to vaccinate at least 70% of the world’s population by mid-2022. However, to end this pandemic, we need to be more ambitious and vaccinate the entire world. Otherwise, it will be impossible to protect any country from the Delta variant and prevent emergence of new variants.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest test of humanity’s ability to think and act as humankind. To pass the test, rich nations must stop vaccine hoarding, immediately redistribute surplus vaccines, meet their pledges to the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) program, support the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver, and mandate pharmaceutical companies to transfer know-how for diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.

Vaccinating the world is the best hope for ending this global crisis and for making sure the world is back on track for meeting the 2030 SDGs. And ending the pandemic will restore our faith in humanity and prepare us to face the ultimate test—climate crisis.

Science
Volume 374| Issue 6571| 26 Nov 2021
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Policy Forum
Capitalizing on the G7 Research Compact
BY Harry G. Broadman, Bruce R. Guile, David T. Delpy, Albert P. Pisano
25 Nov 2021: 1056-1058
Rules for S&T collaboration should be integrated with trade and investment agreements