Science
Volume 375| Issue 6585| 11 Mar 2022
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Editorial
“Back to normal” is not enough
BY Christina Pagel
10 Mar 2022: 1069-1069

Science
Volume 375| Issue 6585| 11 Mar 2022
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Policy Forum
End COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries
BY Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak et al.
10 Mar 2022: 1105-1110
Free

Science
Volume 375| Issue 6585| 11 Mar 2022
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Gender-responsive social protection post–COVID-19
BY Maja Gavrilovic, et al.
10 Mar 2022: 1111-1113
Free
Investment in gender-responsive social protection systems and evidence is key to a more equal future post–COVID-19

Science
Volume 375| Issue 6585| 11 Mar 2022
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Reviews
COVID-19 vaccination: The road ahead
BY Daniel M. Altmann, Rosemary J. Boyton
10 Mar 2022: 1127-11
A diverse array of successful, first-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have played a huge role in efforts to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control, even though inequitable distribution still leaves many vulnerable. Additional challenges loom for the next …

Science
Volume 375| Issue 6585| 11 Mar 2022
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Reports
Vaccination with BNT162b2 reduces transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to household contacts in Israel
BY Ottavia Prunas. Et al.
27 Jan 2022: 1151-1154
Open Access
Vaccination reduced both the rate of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and household transmission in Israel.

Science
Volume 375| Issue 6585| 11 Mar 2022
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Indirect protection of children from SARS-CoV-2 infection through parental vaccination
BY Samah Hayek et al.
27 Jan 2022: 1155-1159
Open Access
Parental Covid-19 vaccination confers substantial protection for unvaccinated children in the household.

Tropical Medicine & International Health
Volume 27, Issue 3 Pages: i-iv, 217-336 March 2022
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/13653156/current

RESEARCH ARTICLES
Impact of meningococcal C conjugate vaccine on incidence of invasive meningococcal disease in an 18-year time series in Brazil and in distinct Brazilian regions
Mariana C. Cruz, Paulo Camargos, Cristiana M. Nascimento-Carvalho
Pages: 280-289
First Published: 08 January 2022

Vaccine
Volume 40, Issue 8 Pages 1061-1190 (16 February 2022)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/40/issue/8

Research article Full text access
Priming with social benefit information of vaccination to increase acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines
Qiuyan Liao, Benjamin J. Cowling, Jingyi Xiao, Jiehu Yuan, … Wendy Wing Tak Lam
Pages 1074-1081

Vaccine
Volume 40, Issue 8 Pages 1061-1190 (16 February 2022)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/40/issue/8

Research article Open access
‘I trust them because my mum trusts them’: Exploring the role of trust in HPV vaccination decision-making among adolescent girls and their mothers in France
E. Karafillakis, P. Peretti-Watel, P. Verger, T. Chantler, H.J. Larson
Pages 1090-1097

Vaccine
Volume 40, Issue 8 Pages 1061-1190 (16 February 2022)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/40/issue/8

Research article Abstract only
Factors associated with maternal tetanus vaccination in Myanmar: An analysis of demographic and health survey data
Zaw Myo Tun, Zau Ring, Clarence C. Tam
Pages 1135-1142

Vaccine
Volume 40, Issue 8 Pages 1061-1190 (16 February 2022)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/40/issue/8

Research article Open access
COVID-19 vaccine uptake, effectiveness, and waning in 82,959 health care workers: A national prospective cohort study in Wales
Stuart Bedston, Ashley Akbari, Christopher I. Jarvis, Emily Lowthian, … Ronan A. Lyons
Pages 1180-1189

Pre-Print Servers

Gates Open Research
https://gatesopenresearch.org/browse/articles
[Accessed 12 Mar 2022]

[No new digest content identified]

medRxiv
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/about-medrxiv
medRxiv is a free online archive and distribution server for complete but unpublished manuscripts (preprints) in the medical, clinical, and related health sciences. Preprints are preliminary reports of work that have not been certified by peer review. They should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information. medRxiv is for the distribution of preprints – complete but unpublished manuscripts – that describe human health research conducted, analyzed, and interpreted according to scientific principles…

Immunogenicity and safety of a recombinant adenovirus type-5 COVID 19 vaccine in adults: data from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose, phase 3 trial in Russia
Vitalina Dzutseva, Dmitry Lioznov, Irina Amosova, Savely A Sheetikov, Ksenia V Zornikova, Yana Serdyuk, Grigory A Efimov, Mikhail Tsyferov, Mikhail Khmelevskii, Andrei Afansiev, Nadezdha Khomyakova, Dmitry Zubkov, Anton Tikhonov, Tao Zhu, Luis Barreto
medRxiv 2022.03.01.22271507; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.01.22271507

Real world performance of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CoronaVac) against infection, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 in adult population in Indonesia
Anton Suryatma, Raras Anasi, Miko Hananto, Asep Hermawan, Ririn Ramadhany, Irene Lorinda Indalao, Agustiningsih Agustiningsih, Ely Hujjatul Fikriyah, Kristina Lumban Tobing, Teti Tejayanti, Rustika Rustika, Pandji Wibawa Dhewantara
medRxiv 2022.02.02.22270351; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.02.22270351

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination of children ages 5-11 years on COVID-19 disease burden and resilience to new variants in the United States, November 2021-March 2022: a multi-model study
Rebecca K. Borchering, Luke C. Mullany, Emily Howerton, Matteo Chinazzi, Claire P. Smith, Michelle Qin, Nicholas G. Reich, Lucie Contamin, John Levander, Jessica Kerr, J Espino, Harry Hochheiser, Kaitlin Rainwater-Lovett, Matt Kinsey, Kate Tallaksen, Shelby Wilson, Lauren Shin, Joseph C. Lemaitre, Juan Dent Hulse, Joshua Kaminsky, Elizabeth C. Lee, Javier Perez-Saez, Jessica T. Davis, Kunpeng Mu, Xinyue Xiong, Ana Pastore y Piontti, Alessandro Vespignani, Ajitesh Srivastava, Przemyslaw Porebski, Srinivasan Venkatramanan, Aniruddha Adiga, Bryan Lewis, Brian Klahn, Joseph Outten, Benjamin Hurt, Jiangzhuo Chen, Henning Mortveit, Amanda Wilson, Madhav Marathe, Stefan Hoops, Parantapa Bhattacharya, Dustin Machi, Shi Chen, Rajib Paul, Daniel Janies, Jean-Claude Thill, Marta Galanti, Teresa K. Yamana, Sen Pei, Jeffrey Shaman, Guido España, Sean Cavany, Sean Moore, Alex Perkins, Jessica M. Healy, Rachel B. Slayton, Michael A. Johansson, Matthew Biggerstaff, Katriona Shea, Shaun Truelove, Michael C. Runge, Cécile Viboud, Justin Lessler
medRxiv 2022.03.08.22271905; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.08.22271905

Community Engagement to support COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake: A living systematic review protocol
Brynne Gilmore, Nina Gerlach, Claudia Abreu Lopes, Alpha Ahmadou Diallo, Sanghita Bhattacharyya, Vergil de Claro, Rawlance Ndejjo, Elizabeth Nyamupachitu- Mago, Adalbert Tchetchia
medRxiv 2022.03.08.22272082; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.08.22272082

Reasons underlying the intention to vaccinate children aged 5-11 against COVID-19: A cross-sectional study of parents in Israel, November 2021
Nicole G. Morozov, Amiel A. Dror, Amani Daoud, Netanel Eisenbach, Edward Kaykov, Masad Barhoum, Tsvi Sheleg, Eyal Sela, Michael Edelstein
medRxiv 2022.03.03.22271793; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.03.22271793

Social capital, urbanization level, and COVID-19 vaccination uptake in the United States: A national level analysis
Shan Qiao, Zhenlong Li, Jiajia Zhang, Xiaowen Sun, Camryn Garrett, Xiaoming Li
medRxiv 2022.03.04.22271917; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.04.22271917

Responsiveness to risk explains large variation in COVID-19 mortality across countries
Tse Yang Lim, Hazhir Rahmandad
medRxiv 2020.12.11.20247924; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.11.20247924

Using Google Health Trends to investigate COVID-19 incidence in Africa
Alexander Fulk, Daniel Romero-Alvarez, Qays Abu-Saymeh, Jarron M. Saint Onge, A. Townsend Peterson, Folashade B. Agusto
medRxiv 2021.03.26.21254369; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.26.21254369

Wellcome Open Research [to 12 Mar 2022]
https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/browse/articles
[Accessed 12 Mar 2022]

Wellcome Open Research provides all Wellcome researchers with a place to rapidly publish any results they think are worth sharing. All articles benefit from rapid publication, transparent peer review and editorial guidance on making all source data openly available.

Open Letter metrics AWAITING PEER REVIEW
A PowerPack of SuperScientists: An innovative concept by African scientists to address gender bias and inequity in science [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
Maphe Mthembu, Omolara Baiyegunhi, Yanga Mdleleni, Lerato Ndlovu, Hannah Keal, Kim Waddilove, Justin C. Yarrow, Victoria Kasprowicz, Thumbi Ndung’u, Emily B. Wong
Peer Reviewers Invited
Funders
African Academy of Sciences
New Partnership for Africa’s Development
Government of the United Kingdom
Wellcome
PUBLISHED 11 Mar 2022

Research Article metrics
Revised
Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence following the first pandemic wave in UK healthcare workers in a large NHS Foundation Trust [version 2; peer review: 1 approved with reservations]
Hayley Colton, David Hodgson, Hailey Hornsby, Rebecca Brown, Joanne Mckenzie, Kirsty L. Bradley, Cameron James, Benjamin B. Lindsey, Sarah Birch, Louise Marsh, Steven Wood, Martin Bayley, Gary Dickson, David C. James, Martin J. Nicklin, Jon R. Sayers, Domen Zafred, Sarah L. Rowland-Jones, Goura Kudesia, Adam Kucharski, CMMID COVID-19 Working Group, Thomas C. Darton, Thushan I. de Silva, Paul J. Collini
Peer Reviewer Mo Yin
Funders
Wellcome Trust
The Danson Foundation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
LATEST VERSION PUBLISHED 10 Mar 2022

Review metrics AWAITING PEER REVIEW
Innovations in peer review in scholarly publishing: a meta-summary [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
Helen Buckley Woods, Johanna Brumberg, Wolfgang Kaltenbrunner, Stephen Pinfield, Ludo Waltman
Peer Reviewers Invited
Funder
Wellcome Trust
PUBLISHED 09 Mar 2022

Research Article metrics AWAITING PEER REVIEW
Quantitative methods for group bibliotherapy research: a pilot study [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
Emily T. Troscianko, Emily Holman, James Carney
Peer Reviewers Invited
Funders
Wellcome Trust
Balliol Interdisciplinary Institute
PUBLISHED 07 Mar 2022

Think Tanks
 
 
Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 12 Mar 2022
Order from Chaos
Taiwan’s people are not impressed with China’s “Zero COVID” status
Shelley Rigger, Lev Nachman, Chit Wai John Mok, and Nathan Kar Ming Chan
Friday, March 11, 2022

TechStream
China and Russia are joining forces to spread disinformation
David Bandurski
Friday, March 11, 2022
 
 
Center for Global Development [to 12 Mar 2022]
https://www.cgdev.org/
Accessed 12 Mar 2022
Last Week in the US International COVID-19 Response
March 8, 2022
In the global response to COVID-19, the Biden administration made news last week on several fronts. Here is a quick recap and some ideas for moving forward.
Jocilyn Estes, Julia Kaufman and Eleni Smitham
 
 
Chatham House [to 12 Mar 2022]
https://www.chathamhouse.org/
Accessed 12 Mar 2022
[No new digest content identified]

 
 
CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 12 Mar 2022
Podcast Episode
Dr. Heidi Larson: “The nature of the security threat has changed”
March 11, 2022 | By Katherine E. Bliss, Heidi J. Larson

Transcript
Overcoming Gender-Related Barriers to Immunization Services
March 10, 2022

Report
North Korea’s Covid-19 Lockdown: Current Status and Road Ahead
March 9, 2022 | By Victor Cha, Katrin Fraser Katz, J. Stephen Morrison

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 12 Mar 2022
March 10, 2022 News Release
4 in 10 Workers – and 6 in 10 of Those with Low Incomes – Say They Missed Work During the Omicron Surge Due to COVID-19 Illness, Quarantine or Closure
The surge in COVID-19 cases triggered by the omicron variant led to widespread work disruptions, with about 4 in 10 workers (42%) – including 6 in 10 of those with lower incomes – saying they had to miss work at least once in the past three months because of a…
 
 
Rand [to 12 Mar 2022]
https://www.rand.org/pubs.html
Reports, Selected Journal Articles
[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

Ukraine

WHO – Ukraine Emergency
WHO is working closely with our offices in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, as well as partners to rapidly respond to the health emergency triggered by the conflict and to minimize disruptions to the delivery of critical healthcare services.
WHO continues to deliver much-needed support on urgent health needs. During the crisis, health must remain a priority pillar, with health workers being protected so they can continue to save lives and with health systems and facilities being protected so that they remain functional, safe and accessible to all who need essential medical services. It is imperative to ensure that life-saving medical supplies – including oxygen – reach those who need them.

Emergency in Ukraine – Situation Report 1
5 March 2022  | Emergency Situational Updates
[Excerpts]

Priority public health concerns
Conflict related trauma and injuries exacerbated by lack of access to health facilities by patients and health staff due to insecurity and lack of access to lifesaving medicine and supplies.
Excess morbidity and death from common illnesses due to disruption in services such as non-communicable diseases (cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer etc.) and acute maternal, newborn and child illnesses.
Spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, measles, polio, TB, HIV and diarrheal diseases due to widespread destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure, inadequate vaccination coverage, lack of access to medicines and medical care, safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene as well as population movements and crowding.
Mental health and psychosocial health – due to significant stress due to acute conflict and two years of COVID-19.

…2.3. Epidemic prone and other infectious diseases
Recent outbreaks of polio and measles threaten the health of populations with suboptimal vaccination coverage (80% and 82% respectively in 2021), and the prevalence of HIV and tuberculosis, including multidrug resistant tuberculosis, are among the highest in Europe. Urgent actions are to re-start or continue preventive measures through vaccination and continued treatment for TB and HIV and to scale up surveillance, early detection and response systems for epidemic-prone diseases.
A polio outbreak (circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2) was confirmed in the country in 2021, with two paralytic cases (detected in October and December 2021), and a total of 21 individuals in two oblasts (Rivne and Zakarpattya) who had positive isolation of cVDPV2 in stool specimens. As a result, a nationwide vaccination campaign targeting all under-vaccinated children (those having only zero or one dose) aged between 6 months and 6 years that began in February 2022. This campaign has been suspended because of the conflict, increasing the risk of further spread.
Over 240 000 weekly cases and 1300 deaths were reported for COVID-19 in the week 21-27 February. While this is a 43% decrease in cases compared to the previous week, testing rates have also declined sharply since the start of the conflict, with a likely significant undetected ongoing transmission. The ongoing high incidence levels of COVID-19 poses a significant risk of severe disease and death, particularly given the low vaccination coverage in at-risk population groups. Critical shortages of oxygen further impact on the ability to treat patients with severe COVID-19, and many other conditions. Beds occupied by COVID-19 patients were repurposed for trauma injuries and critical illnesses.

Emergency appeal – Ukraine and neighbouring countries
2 March 2022

U.S. Treasury Prohibits Transactions with Central Bank of Russia and Imposes Sanctions on Key Sources of Russia’s Wealth
Press Release
February 28, 2022
In Coordination with Allies and Partners, Treasury Actions Restrict Access to Billions in Central Bank Assets and Sovereign Wealth Fund 
Treasury Sanctions Russian Direct Investment Fund – A Symbol of Russian Kleptocracy
United States and its Partners and Allies Continue to Hold the Government of the Russian Federation Accountable for its Premeditated and Unprovoked Invasion of Ukraine

::::::

RDIF statement
Press release, 28.02.2022
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, the sovereign wealth fund of the Russian Federation) was never involved in any political activities, does not interact in any way with Ukraine and follows the world’s best investment practices, which has been acknowledged by all its international partners as well by national regulators. RDIF always fully complies with laws of the countries where it conducts its investments.

Imposition of sanctions against RDIF, which from the moment it was established has stood for building international relations and supporting constructive ties, demonstrates that the U.S. has picked the course to destroy constructive dialogue between countries.

In the past two years, the Fund has been focusing on ensuring global epidemiological safety through its pivotal involvement in struggle against the new coronavirus infection in over 70 countries. In particular, RDIF is the key investor in unique test systems to detect coronavirus infection, anti-COVID medicine as well as in Russian vaccines Sputnik V and Sputnik Light, saving millions of lives by supplying vaccines and facilitating their production in Russia and other countries.

The restrictions imposed by the U.S. authorities complicating RDIF efforts on the international promotion of the Russian vaccine products, have been lobbied by a number of large Western pharmaceutical companies. As a result of such unfair competition, billions of people around the world may be deprived of access to effective and safe Russian-made vaccines….

European Commission suspends cooperation with Russia on research and innovation
Press release 4 March 2022
Following the Russian invasion against Ukraine and in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the Commission has decided to suspend the cooperation with Russian entities in research, science and innovation. The Commission will not conclude any new contracts nor any new agreements with Russian organisations under the Horizon Europe programme. Furthermore, the Commission is suspending payments to Russian entities under existing contracts. All ongoing projects, in which Russian research organisations are participating, are being reviewed – both under Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020, the previous EU programme for research and innovation.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said: “EU research cooperation is based on the respect for the freedoms and rights that underpin excellence and innovation. Russia’s heinous military aggression against Ukraine is an attack against those same values. It is therefore time to put an end to our research cooperation with Russia.”…

… Ukrainian scientists and researchers are key participants in our EU Framework programmes for R&I and have demonstrated excellence and innovation leadership across many fields.
We are strongly committed to ensuring a continued successful participation of Ukraine and Ukrainian entities in Horizon Europe and Euratom Research and Training programmes…

The full statement of Commissioner Gabriel is available here. The assessment of the situation as regards Belarus is ongoing.

::::::

Malaria

First-ever malaria vaccine recommendation now published in a position paper and in the WHO guidelines for malaria
4 March 2022 Departmental news
WHO today published an updated position paper on the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine that includes the October 2021 recommendation calling for the wider use of the vaccine among children living in areas of moderate-to-high P. falciparum malaria transmission. The paper complements the recent addition of the recommendation to the WHO Guidelines for malaria.
“The first malaria vaccine is a major step forward for malaria control, child health and health equity. If implemented broadly, the vaccine could save tens of thousands of lives each year,” said Dr Kate O’Brien, director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. “This guidance is essential to countries as they consider whether and how to adopt the vaccine as an additional tool to reduce child illness and deaths from malaria,” she added.
…Coming soon: additional malaria vaccine tools for countries
This newly published guidance will be followed in the coming months by additional tools and information to guide countries that have decided to adopt the malaria vaccine – including a new malaria vaccine introduction guide and an operational manual for sub-national tailoring of malaria control tools…

Malaria vaccine: WHO position paper – March 2022
4 March 2022
Overview
This position paper supersedes the 2016 publication, “Malaria vaccine: WHO position paper-2016.”1 It includes the updated WHO recommendations on the wider use of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine for the reduction of malaria morbidity and mortality in children living in areas of moderate to high malaria transmission. It also incorporates findings from the evaluation of the WHO-coordinated Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP), recommended by SAGE and MPAG in 2015, and from additional studies since 2015.
This paper does not include findings on vaccine efficacy in infants first vaccinated at 6–12 weeks of age. Because of the lower vaccine efficacy observed in this age category, WHO did not recommend pilot implementation or RTS,S/AS01 vaccine introduction for these young infants. Recommendations2 on the use of RTS,S/AS01 vaccine were discussed by SAGE and MPAG during a joint session in October 2021; evidence presented at the meeting can be accessed at https://terrance.who.int/mediacentre/data/ sage/SAGE_eYB_Oct2021.pdf

Workshop on WHO policy guidance on malaria elimination and the implementation of the intensification plans for reducing malaria burden in the Greater Mekong subregion
Virtual meeting, 22–23 November 2021
1 March 2022
Overview
The Workshop was convened virtually from 22 to 23 November 2021. Organized by the Mekong Malaria Elimination (MME) programme, it brought together participants from the 6 GMS countries – Cambodia, China, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam – and the Global Malaria Programme, as well as technical experts and partners to help GMS countries with the task of eliminating malaria and prepare them for the process of verification and certification of malaria

AMR

Reducing Antimicrobial Discharges from Food Systems, Manufacturing Facilities and Human Health Systems into the Environment
Call to Action by the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance 
March 2022
Disposal of untreated or inappropriately managed waste and runoff from various sources including food systems, manufacturing facilities and human health systems can contain biologically active antimicrobials, antimicrobial resistant organisms, unmetabolized antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance determinants (e.g. resistance-conferring genes) that are released into the environment.

These discharges can contaminate the environment and contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The most important approach to controlling AMR spread from food systems and human health systems is responsible and sustainable use of antimicrobials in humans, terrestrial and aquatic animals and plants/crops.  In addition, adequate measures to treat and safely dispose of waste are required, including human, animal and manufacturing waste.

The GLG commends ongoing efforts – particularly by the G7 countries – to address antimicrobial discharges into the environment and encourages countries to implement the Codex Code of practice to minimize and contain foodborne AMR and Guidelines on Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance approved in November 2021.

To improve the management of discharges into the environment that may contribute to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, the Global Leaders Group calls for the following:  

1.  STRENGTHENED GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT 
In general, countries should: 
Develop or build on and implement regulatory frameworks, guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and standards to establish safe levels, better control and monitor the distribution and release of antimicrobials, antimicrobial resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance determinants from food systems, manufacturing facilities and human health systems into the environment; and
Include prevention and management measures in national action plans on AMR to minimize the impacts of environmental discharges.

In the manufacturing sector specifically, countries should:
Develop and implement legal and policy frameworks with a lifecycle approach for antimicrobials manufacturing. Such an approach considers the entire timespan that a pharmaceutical is active and can impact the surrounding systems, would help to effectively address AMR environmental risks and ensure resilient antibiotic supply chains and stimulate the design, development, manufacture, and commercialization of needed new antibiotics and alternatives to antimicrobials;
Promote and develop balanced and staged environmental policies and approaches to manage and regulate manufacturing facilities and support environmental inspections, recognizing the current fragility of supply chains and significant access gaps;
Incentivize industry for compliance and excellence, including highlighting their contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals; and
Develop national antimicrobial manufacturing pollution standards based on best available evidence, treatment technology and situational analysis, and strengthen the capacity of environmental authorities to conduct audits and monitor compliance.

In the human health sector specifically, countries should:
Develop and implement antimicrobial stewardship policies and protocols in human health systems that include responsible and sustainable use and procurement of antimicrobials, and effective waste management approaches; and
Implement and enforce laws and policies to reduce or eliminate antimicrobial use that is not under the guidance of a trained health care provider, while ensuring equitable access to quality antimicrobials.

In food systems specifically, countries should:
Develop or build on and implement regulatory frameworks, guidelines, SOPs and standards to effectively treat and/or manage waste discharge from food-producing animal farms, aquaculture farms and crop fields, as well as waste used to irrigate crops and run-off from crop fields; and
Develop and implement antimicrobial stewardship policies and protocols in fixed and mobile animal health facilities that include responsible and sustainable use of antimicrobials and effective waste management approaches.

2.  IMPROVED SURVEILLANCE AND DATA AVAILABILITY 
Countries should: 
Strengthen One Health surveillance of antimicrobial use in, and discharges of antimicrobials and AMR determinants from, food systems, human health systems and manufacturing facilities, as well as in sewage systems.  This should be done taking into account factors such as the need to build on existing systems, cost-effectiveness, data comparability and key knowledge gaps relating to the fate, concentration and impact of discharges on the environment and organisms in the environment (e.g. soil microbes, aquatic organisms). Priority should be given to collecting data that can support targeted action, such as enhanced understanding of risks to human and animal health and the environment and release pathways into the environment, and supporting the development of guidance on waste management approaches and antimicrobial discharge limits; and
Promote industry data disclosure, transparency and public access to waste and wastewater management data and mitigation practices in order to build credibility and public confidence. Data disclosure could initially be made to regulators and independent third parties (for example as part of certification schemes), followed by efforts to enable wider public access to increase awareness and understanding, contribute to ongoing studies and reflect environmental standards in procurement practices.

3.  IMPROVED DISCHARGE MANAGEMENT 
In general, all countries should:
Reduce the need for antimicrobial use through implementation of effective infection prevention and control measures in all sectors, including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), vaccination, biosecurity and animal husbandry and welfare measures;
Develop, implement and monitor systems for proper segregation, treatment and/or disposal of antimicrobials and antimicrobial-containing substances in all sectors (including antimicrobial feed and human and animal waste);
Develop mechanisms for collection and proper disposal of unused and expired antimicrobials from individuals and organizations; and
Ensure availability of affordable and environmentally safe incinerators and innovative technologies for destruction and degradation of unused or expired antimicrobials.
In general, relevant international technical organizations and their partners should develop guidance and showcase best practices on proper waste management practices across sectors.

In food systems: 
All countries should: 
Create and implement manure, wastewater, runoff and farm waste management plans, SOPs, guidance, standards and measures such as composting for manure and its application into agriculture fields; and
Implement evidence-based manure management approaches so that manure can continue to be safely used as a natural fertilizer in agriculture fields and support agro-ecological farming practices while minimizing the risks of transfer of antimicrobial resistant bacteria or antimicrobial resistance determinants.

International technical organizations should: 
Expedite the development of tools and guidance to support the implementation of the Codex Code of practice to minimize and contain foodborne AMR and Guidelines on Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance along the food chain (e.g. food processing and production facilities, wet markets, slaughterhouses)  to minimize the impacts of antimicrobial discharge into the environment.

Companies involved in the slaughter and processing of food animals should:  
Assess current food production practices to implement measures to reduce discharges of by-products, including biocides, into the environment and comply with legal standards and requirements.

In the manufacturing sector: 
Manufacturing companies should: 
Commit to prevention and management measures to minimize the impacts of manufacturing discharges into the environment . This can be done through effective waste management technologies and practices, adoption and implementation of the common antibiotic manufacturing framework 
  and the proposed independent certification schemes of the AMR Industry Alliance.

All stakeholders should: 
Evaluate options and support efforts to create an enabling environment that influences and supports investment through incentives and efforts in pharmaceutical waste management without jeopardizing access to antimicrobials. Such evaluations may include an assessment of sustainable procurement policies, inclusion of environmental considerations in good manufacturing practices, environmental risk assessment before antimicrobial authorization and an independent product-certification scheme.

4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
International technical, financing and research and development organizations and partners should: 
Enhance and coordinate research for a comprehensive understanding of risks to human and animal health from the environmental presence of antimicrobials, resistance microbes and mobile genetic elements in discharges, as well as potential hot spots, environmental impacts and antimicrobial resistance pathways, and mitigation measures;
Promote research and development across public and private sectors into cost-effective and greener waste management technologies including methods to remove antimicrobial residues, resistance genes and resistant organisms and other tools (e.g., climate-sensitive incinerators and measurement technologies) and standardized monitoring methods, and support mainstreaming of best practices in process and waste management across sectors; and
Develop policy briefs on antimicrobial resistance and organize policy dialogues among policymakers to support evidence-based policymaking.

Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance background
The Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance was established in November 2020 and performs an independent global advisory and advocacy role with the primary objective of maintaining urgency, public support, political momentum and visibility of the AMR challenge on the global agenda. The mission of the group is to collaborate globally with governments, agencies, civil society and the private sector through a One Health approach to advise on and advocate for political action for the mitigation of drug-resistant infections through responsible and sustainable access to and use of antimicrobials.
The group is co-chaired by Their Excellencies Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados and is composed of heads of state, serving or former ministers and/or senior government officials acting in their individual capacities, together with senior representatives of foundations, civil society organizations and the private sector. It also includes principals of the Tripartite organizations – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) – in an ex-officio capacity. The Tripartite Joint Secretariat (TJS), a joint effort by FAO, OIE and WHO, and UNEP, provides Secretariat support for the Group.

COVID – ACT-Accelerator

ACT-Accelerator welcomes Germany’s generous ‘fair share’ commitment
1 March 2022
Statement
Germany has become the first country to pledge to meet its ‘fair share’ of the ACT-Accelerator’s 2021/22 budget, with a generous contribution of US$ 1.22 billion towards the partnership’s vital work on access to COVID-19 treatments, tests, vaccines, and personal protective equipment.

Last month, President Ramaphosa of South Africa and Prime Minister Støre of Norway – in their roles as co-chairs of the ACT-Accelerator Facilitation Council – made a call to 55 countries to jointly support global efforts to end the COVID-19 crisis and contribute their ‘fair share’ to the ACT-Accelerator agencies’ US$ 16.8 billion urgent needs and end the COVID-19 crisis.

‘Fair shares’ are calculated based on the size of a country’s national economy and what they would gain from a faster recovery of the global economy and trade.

The pledge – announced by Finance Minister Christian Lindner at the G7 Finance Ministers’ Meeting today – takes Germany to its ‘fair share’ ask for this budget cycle and is accompanied by an additional US$ 253 million for supplementary measures for the in-country COVID-19 response, complementary to the ACT-A mission…Germany also exceeded its fair share for the 2020/21 budget cycle with US$ 2.5 billion provided across all of the ACT-Accelerator’s areas of work, a vital contribution to saving lives, protecting health systems and reducing the evolution of dangerous new variants…

COVID – Global Immunization Targets

Analysis: Is WHO’s aim to vaccinate 70% of world by June still realistic?
Reuters February 28, 2022
By Jennifer Rigby
LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) – Vaccinating 70% of the population in every country in the world against COVID-19 by mid-2022 has been the World Health Organization’s (WHO) rallying cry to end the pandemic.

But recently, public health experts say that while boosting immunity globally remains essential, the figure is neither achievable nor meaningful.

It has always been ambitious: Currently, just 12% of people in low-income nations have had one shot, according to Our World In Data. Earlier targets set by WHO – to reach 10% by September 2021, for example – were also missed.

WHO head of immunization Kate O’Brien said 70% remained more than just a “rallying cry”, even though some well-equipped countries with plenty of vaccines have also struggled to reach it. “We are calling for countries to be serious about their actions towards achieving that target, while acknowledging that – on a country-by-country basis – there may be a rationale why that target is not specifically suited to that country,” she told Reuters.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – WHO’s partner in the COVAX initiative aimed at getting shots to the world’s poorest – has pulled back from the “one-size-fits-all” 70% focus. At a virtual briefing last week with WHO Africa, Aurelia Nguyen, managing director of COVAX within Gavi, said it was important to instead “meet the targets that countries have set for themselves, whether it’s in line with the 70% WHO target or a lower or a higher target.”

Reservations about the 70% target are a further sign that ending the pandemic globally may be a trickier, and longer, challenge than many had hoped. Documents from a high-level internal UN meeting held earlier this month, reviewed by Reuters, showed eight countries that were extremely unlikely to reach the target by June 2022, and had been identified for “immediate focus”: Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Sudan. A further 26, including Yemen, Uganda and Haiti, are also in need of “concerted support”, the document said.

NEVER JUST A MAGIC NUMBER
However, there is a bigger issue the WHO is focusing on O’Brien said. “The question in the here and now, with Omicron ripping through the population around the world and continuing to do that … does 70% still hold?” she said. The figure was never a “magic number”, she said, but just an assessment of risk, something to aim for that could – optimistically – keep the virus under control.

But new evidence showing that the vaccines only have a limited impact on transmission, alongside the ability of the Omicron variant to infect previously vaccinated or infected people, suggests that achieving that level of population immunity and therefore stopping the spread of the virus is a fading hope.

“We are in the process of looking at scenarios of how the pandemic might play out”, O’Brien said. “Obviously across the scenarios, the role of the vaccines, the target of the 70%, the goal of transmission reduction, would have to be evaluated.” For example, setting higher targets among at-risk groups may be important to prevent hospitalisations and deaths, she added.

But some public health experts said the initial target was now largely symbolic. Edward Kelley, former director of health services at WHO and now global health officer at ApiJect, said the 70% had been based on what science said was needed to manage transmission, which had been blown out of the water by Omicron. “Of course we need to continue to raise immunity levels everywhere”, he said. “But the target is being kept at the moment because the international community does not have anything else to cling to.”…

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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: 25 Feb 2022
Confirmed cases :: 440 807 756
Confirmed deaths :: 5 978 096
Vaccine doses administered: 10 585 766 316

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Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 – 1 March 2022
Overview
Globally, during the week of 21 through 27 February 2022, the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to decline by 16% and 10% respectively, as compared to the previous week. Across the six WHO regions, over 10 million new cases and over 60 000 new deaths were reported. As of 27 February 2022, over 433 million confirmed cases and over 5.9 million deaths have been reported globally.
At the regional level, the Western Pacific Region reported a 32% increase in the number of new weekly cases while all other regions reported decreases. The number of new weekly deaths increased in the Western Pacific (+22%) and the Eastern Mediterranean (+4%) Regions, whilst a decreasing trend have been reported by the Regions of Africa (-59%), South-East Asia (-18%), Europe (-13%) and Americas (-8%).
In this edition, we provide updates on the geographic distribution of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), including the spread and prevalence of the Omicron variant.

WHO Director General Speeches [selected]
https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches
Selected
3 March 2022
Speech
WHO Director-General’s remarks at Session 2 – Potential Opportunities for Innovation and Collaboration COVID-19 Dialogue with Ministers of Health  – 3 March 2022

3 March 2022
Speech
WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the Member State Information Session on COVID-19 – 3 March 2022

2 March 2022
Speech
WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 2 March 2022

Status of COVID-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process 23 December 2021
[Full scale view available at title link above]
[Updated on 02 March 2022] 

COVID Vaccines/Therapeutics – Developer/Manufacturer Announcements
[Selected press releases/announcements from organizations from WHO EUL/PQ listing above and other organizations]

AstraZeneca
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

Bharat Biotech
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

BioCubaFarma – Cuba
Últimas Noticias – Website not leading at inquiry

Biontech
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

CanSinoBIO
News – [Website not responding at inquiry]

Clover Biopharmaceuticals – China
News – No new digest announcements identified

Curevac [Bayer Ag – Germany]
News – Website not responding at inquiry

Gamaleya National Center
Latest News and Events – See Russia below and under Ukraine above

IMBCAMS, China
Home – Website not responding at inquiry

Janssen/JNJ
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

Moderna
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

Novavax
Press Releases
Novavax Announces Extended Durability of Protection Against Infection and Disease in United Kingdom COVID-19 Vaccine Phase 3 Clinical Trial
Feb 28, 2022

Pfizer
Recent Press Releases
03.02.2022
Pfizer Granted FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Candidate for the Prevention of RSV in Infants from Birth up to Six Months of Age by Active Immunization of Pregnant Women

Sanofi Pasteur
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

Serum Institute of India
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS – No new digest announcements identified

Shifa Pharmed [Iran]
http://shafapharmed.com/
No news page identified.

Sinopharm/WIBPBIBP
News – No new digest announcements identified

Sinovac
Press Releases
Brazilian Study: Due to the vaccination roll-out applied to elderly: 167,000 hospitalizations and 77,000 lives were avoided
2022/03/04

Vector State Research Centre of Viralogy and Biotechnology
Home – No new digest announcements identified

Zhifei Longcom, China
[Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biologic Pharmacy Co., Ltd.]
[No website identified]

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GSK
Press releases for media
GSK provides further update on phase III RSV maternal vaccine candidate programme
28 February 2022

Merck
News releases –
Dr. Julie L. Gerberding to Retire from Merck
March 1, 2022
KENILWORTH, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, chief patient officer and executive vice president, population health and sustainability, will be retiring from Merck in May 2022. Earlier today, the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) announced that Dr. Gerberding will become CEO of the FNIH on May 16…

Novartis
News – No new digest announcements identified

SK Biosciences
Press releases – No new digest announcements identified

Valneva
Press Releases
March 1, 2022
Valneva Receives Emergency Use Authorization from Bahrain for its Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine VLA2001

UNICEF COVID-19 Vaccine Market Dashboard :: Agreements Table Accessed 05 Mar 2022
An overview of information collected from publicly announced bilateral and multilateral supply agreements [no new agreements since 10/22/2021 reported]

COVID-19 Global Targets and Progress Tracker – IMF
The COVID-19 Global Targets and Progress Tracker presents a consolidated view of the progress towards global COVID-19 targets, barriers in access to COVID-19 tools, and delivery of donor pledges. The global targets presented in the Tracker are based on an alignment of the targets identified in the IMF Pandemic Proposal, ACT-A Strategic Plan & Budget, and the US-hosted Global C19 Summit, and as such have been reaffirmed by multilateral institutions and global leaders. We will continue to enhance the tracker as we improve our data collection efforts.

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 05 Mar 2022]: https://data.undp.org/vaccine-equity/
See also visualization on Vaccine Access and Vaccine Affordability

Global COVID-19 Access Tracker
https://www.covid19globaltracker.org/

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

COVID Vaccines – OCHA:: HDX

COVID-19 Data Explorer: Global Humanitarian Operations
COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out
05 Mar 2022 | COVAX (WHO,GAVI,CEPI), UNDESA, Press Reports | DATA
Global COVID-19 Figures: 4410M total confirmed cases; 6.0M total confirmed deaths
Global vaccines administered: 10.7B
Number of Countries: 28
COVAX Allocations Round 4-9 (Number of Doses): 170M
COVAX Delivered (Number of Doses): 260M
Other Delivered (Number of Doses): 250M
Total Delivered (Number of Doses): 520M
Total Administered (Number of Doses): 320M

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 05 Mar 2022: 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 05 Mar 2022]
63.2% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
10.84 billion doses have been administered globally, and 22.03 million are now administered each day.
Only 13% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose.

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

HHS
News
Readout of Secretary Becerra’s Virtual Roundtable on Increasing Routine Vaccinations
February 24, 2022 | News Release

BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsRoomHome.aspx
News
No new digest content identified.

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FDA
Press Announcements
No new digest content identified.

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
Calendar
No calendar announcements identified.

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White House [U.S.] [to 05 Mar 2022]
Briefing Room – Selected Major COVID Announcements
National COVID-⁠19 Preparedness Plan
March 01, 2022
Today, the U.S. government is releasing the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan – which will enable America to move forward safely, sustaining and building on the progress we’ve made over the past 13 months. This plan lays out the roadmap to help us fight COVID-19 in the future as we begin to get back to our more normal routines. We look to a future when Americans no longer fear lockdowns, shutdowns, and our kids not going to school. It’s a future when the country relies on the powerful layers of protection we have built and invests in the next generation of tools to stay ahead of this virus.

The President’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan focuses on four key goals:
First, protect against and treat COVID.
Second, prepare for any new variants.
Third, prevent economic and school shutdowns.
Fourth, vaccinate the world and save lives…

Memorandum on Maximizing Assistance to Respond to COVID-⁠19
March 01, 2022 • Presidential Actions
afely, sustaining and building on the progress we’ve made over the past 13 months…

U.S. Department of State [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.state.gov/coronavirus/releases/
Media Notes
No new digest content identified.

USAID [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/2021
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Announcements
News
Administrator Samantha Power at the German Marshall Fund’s Conversation On “Strengthening Crisis Support in Ukraine”
March 3, 2022
So I did travel as quickly as I could to the Ukrainian-Polish border.  And we’ve been planning for — around a number of scenarios for many months, prepositioning stockpiles, getting the organization the World Food Programme, which had been active in Ukraine back when the conflict broke out in Crimea in Eastern Ukraine, but then had gotten out about three years ago.  Getting them to reestablish a presence there, knowing that a conflict unfortunately was likely, that a Russian invasion was likely.  And so part of what I was up to was checking in with our DART team, with our team of forty people who are these kind of crack emergency responders that help coordinate among the various agencies.  The flow of goods and people across border crossings along the front-line states…

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

European Medicines Agency
News & Press Releases
News: Regulation on EMA’s extended mandate becomes applicable (new)
Last updated: 01/03/2022
The regulation reinforcing EMA’s role in crisis preparedness and management of medicinal products and medical devices becomes applicable as of today, 1 March 2022. It puts some of the structures and processes established by EMA during the COVID-19 pandemic on a more permanent footing, while entrusting several new tasks to the Agency.
EMA is now responsible for monitoring medicine shortages that might lead to a crisis situation, as well as reporting shortages of critical medicines during a crisis. The Agency will also coordinate responses of EU / EEA countries to shortages of critical medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics in crisis situations, after an initial transition period up to 2 February 2023.
Over the next few weeks and months, EMA will set up a number of new bodies and formalise existing ones to manage the new tasks…

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European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en
Latest Updates [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

::::::

Accessed 05 Mar 2022
https://vaccinetracker.ecdc.europa.eu/public/extensions/COVID-19/vaccine-tracker.html#uptake-tab

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European Commission
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en
Press release 4 March 2022
Commission suspends cooperation with Russia on research and innovation
[See Ukraine above for detail]

Press release 2 March 2022
Ukraine: Commission proposes temporary protection for people fleeing war in Ukraine and guidelines for border checks
Today, the Commission is proposing to activate the Temporary Protection Directive  to offer quick and effective assistance to people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Press release 2 March 2022
EU budget: Commission publishes guidance on the conditionality mechanism
 Today the European Commission adopted its guidelines on the general regime of conditionality, which aims to protect the EU budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law.

Speech 1 March 2022
Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary on the Russian aggression against Ukraine
This is a moment of truth for Europe…

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

Accessed 05 Mar 2022. 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
RDIF statement
Press release, 28.02.2022
[See Ukraine above for detail]

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 414
:: India’s cumulative vaccination coverage crosses 178.80 Crore
:: More than 23 lakh Vaccine doses administered today till 7 pm
Posted On: 05 MAR 2022 8:15PM 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

[See China CDC below]

Emergencies

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

Polio this week as of 23 February 2022
:: Amid the escalating crisis in Ukraine, the GPEI has expressed extreme concern about the unfolding effects of the conflict on the country’s health system as security and displacement increase risk of diseases such as polio. Read the statement.
:: Earlier this week, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs officially announced his role as Polio Gender Champion during an event in Madrid, Spain. Read his statement and commitments together with those of other Gender Champions

Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
– Madagascar:  one cVDPV1 case
– Nigeria: two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples

Djibouti launches national polio vaccination campaign
Djibouti, 27 February 2022 – Djibouti’s Ministry of Health, with technical support from WHO and UNICEF, today kicked off a five-day national polio vaccination campaign aiming to reach all children in Djibouti aged zero to 59 months, approximately 150,000 children.
Multi-disciplinary teams of vaccinators, social mobilizers and technical experts are fanning out across the country to knock on every door, vaccinate every child under five and raise immunity levels to this deadly childhood disease. This is a house-to-house campaign, with vaccination also being offered in health facilities.
Djibouti was declared polio-free in 1999, but outbreaks of poliovirus type 2 in Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen underscore the risk to all children in the Horn of Africa and the broader region…

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::::::

Disease Outbreak News (DONs)

:: 3 March 2022 | Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) – Malawi
…Sequencing of the virus conducted by the NICD on 2 February, and the US CDC on 12 February confirmed this case as WPV1. Analysis shows that the current WPV1 isolate in Malawi is genetically linked to a Pakistan sequence detected in 2020 in Sindh province.
Africa was declared free of indigenous wild polio in August 2020 after eliminating all forms of wild polio from the region, and in Malawi, the last clinically confirmed WPV case was reported in 1992…

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

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: 17 Jan 2022]

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
No new updates identified.

Northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia – Northern Ethiopia Humanitarian Update Situation Report, 3 March 2022
HIGHLIGHTS
The humanitarian situation in Afar continues to deteriorate with increased displacement and needs.
Nutrition supplies for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition among young children airlifted to Tigray, for the first-time since mid-December.
No food distribution reported in Tigray between 17 and 23 February, as food and fuel in the region is almost entirely exhausted.
More than 283,000 people assisted with food during the reporting week in Dessie and Kombolcha towns and in North Gondar Zone by the UN and INGO partners.
A new food distribution cycle has started in Afar targeting more than 622,000 people with more than 18,000 people reached during the week in Yalo, Abala, Barahle and Megale woredas
::::::
::::::

WHO & Regional Offices [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.who.int/
News [Selected]
4 March 2022
Departmental news
First-ever malaria vaccine recommendation now published in a position paper and in the WHO guidelines for malaria
[See Perspectives above for detail]

3 March 2022
News release
WHO updates its treatment guidelines to include molnupiravir

3 March 2022
Statement
WHO and MPP welcome NIH’s offer of COVID-19 health technologies to C-TAP

2 March 2022
Departmental news
World leaders and experts call for action to protect the environment from antimicrobial pollution
[See Perspectives above for detail]

2 March 2022
News release
COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide
Scientific brief: Mental health and COVID-19: Early evidence of the pandemic’s impact
1 March 2022
Statement
ACT-Accelerator welcomes Germany’s generous ‘fair share’ commitment
[See Perspectives above for detail]

27 February 2022
Departmental news
Singapore medicines regulator world’s first to achieve highest maturity level in WHO classification
Out of 28 countries formally assessed by WHO, Singapore is the first to have achieved the highest maturity level (ML 4) in WHO’s classification of regulatory authorities for medical products. Achieving ML 4 brings Singapore closer to becoming a WHO listed authority, a new scheme that will be operational later this year and will list the world’s regulators of reference…
Regulation of medical products is extremely important for all health systems and for access to quality vaccines, medicines and other health products. Apart from ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products, regulatory authorities that function well also perform critical functions such as faster authorization of products and drug safety monitoring after authorization.
WHO’s assessment of regulatory authorities is based on the ‘Global Benchmarking Tool’ – an evaluation tool that checks regulatory functions against a set of more than 260 indicators – covering core regulatory functions such as product authorization, testing of products, market surveillance and the ability to detect adverse events – to establish their level of maturity and functionality. Regulatory authorities that reach maturity levels 3 and 4 will be considered eligible for inclusion among WHO-listed authorities, after additional evaluation of their performance…

27 February 2022
Statement
Dangerously low medical oxygen supplies in Ukraine due to crisis, warn WHO Director-General and WHO Regional Director for Europe

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region
:: 04 March 2022 Malawi intensifies response after wild poliovirus detected
:: 04 March 2022 Rallying to combat COVID-19 rumours in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: 02 March 2022 Obesity rising in Africa, WHO analysis finds

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: A third of pregnant women with COVID-19 unable to access life-saving critical care on time
2 Mar 2022 In the Americas, over 365,000 pregnant women got COVID-19 and more than 3000 died. Ahead of International Women’s Day, PAHO Director urges countries to invest in improving access to vaccines and essential care for women and girls. Washington D.C. 2 March 2022 (PAHO) – A lack of access to timely care and disruptions to prenatal services are to…
:: COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide
2 Mar 2022 Wake-up call to all countries to step up mental health services and support Geneva, 2 March 2022 – In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25%, according to a scientific brief released by the World Health Organization (WHO) today. The brief also highlights who has been most…
:: WHO releases new standard to tackle rising threat of hearing loss
Geneva, 2 March 2022 – Over 1 billion people aged 12 to 35 years risk losing their hearing due to prolonged and excessive exposure to loud music and other recreational sounds. This can have devastating consequences for their physical and mental health, education, and employment prospects. Ahead of World Hearing Day 2022, under the theme To…
:: PAHO initiates procedures to elect next Director
1 Mar 2022 Election will take place during the 30th Pan American Sanitary Conference in September 2022, and countries may nominate candidates until May 1, 2022. Washington, D.C., March 1, 2022 (PAHO/WHO) – The process to elect the next Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau (PASB) officially began this week with a formal invitation by the President of…

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

WHO European Region EURO
:: Ukraine’s most vulnerable children in a Kherson home, designed to keep them safe and healthy 05-03-2022
:: Running a hospital while your country is under attack – a story from western Ukraine 01-03-2022

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Nearly 18 000 Yemenis with genetic blood disorders receive lifesaving medications under IsDB-funded WHO programme 1 March 2022
:: WHO delivers SARS-CoV-2 kits for research at Tehran’s Pasteur Institute 28 February 2022
:: Djibouti launches national polio vaccination campaign 27 February 2022

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified

::::::

WHO Events
https://www.who.int/news-room/events/2
[Selected]
Immunization and vaccines related implementation research advisory committee (IVIR-AC) – March 2022
7 – 11 March 2022

::::::

New WHO Publications
https://www.who.int/publications/i
Selected Titles
4 March 2022
Malaria vaccine: WHO position paper – March 2022

3 March 2022
Therapeutics and COVID-19: living guideline

2 March 2022
Mental Health and COVID-19: Early evidence of the pandemic’s impact: Scientific brief, 2 March 2022

2 March 2022
Tuberculosis prevention and care among refugees and other populations in humanitarian settings: an interagency field guide
Overview
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the leading infectious diseases causing millions to fall ill and lose their lives annually. Refugees and other populations in humanitarian settings face substantial threats to health and survival, such as poverty, crowded living conditions, undernutrition and poor access to health services – all conditions in which TB transmission thrives.
This guide is a joint effort of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It includes new strategic approaches, guidance and innovations for TB prevention and care interventions in humanitarian settings. The guide focuses primarily on managerial/organizational aspects of TB interventions, and provides links to the most updated references for the clinical aspects. We hope this guide can serve as a useful tool in humanitarian settings to alleviate the suffering and deaths caused by this preventable and curable disease, especially for refugees and displaced populations in humanitarian settings.

1 March 2022
Workshop on WHO policy guidance on malaria elimination and the implementation of the intensification plans for reducing malaria burden in the Greater Mekong subregion
Virtual meeting, 22–23 November 2021

28 February 2022
Information for applicants preparing a submission for the 2023 meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines

28 February 2022
Continuum of care for noncommunicable disease management during the migration cycle

28 February 2022
Primary health care measurement framework and indicators: monitoring health systems through a primary…

28 February 2022
WHO implementation handbook for national action plans on antimicrobial resistance: guidance for the human…

CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases, Announcements [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

ACIP Meetings
Next meeting scheduled for June 22-23, 2022

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, March 3, 2022
Geospatial Transmission Hotspots of Recent HIV Infection in Malawi, October 2019–March 2020
Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Between Urban and Rural Counties — United States, December 14, 2020–January 31, 2022
Previously Released: SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Transmission Within Households — Four U.S. Jurisdictions, November 2021–February 2022
Previously Released: Safety Monitoring of COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses Among Persons Aged 12–17 Years — United States, December 9, 2021–February 20, 2022
Previously Released: Effectiveness of COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccination in Preventing COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Nonimmunocompromised Children and Adolescents Aged 5–17 Years — VISION Network, 10 States, April 2021–January 2022

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)– CDC
Approximately 25 announcements/reports/data summaries.
:: 3/4/22 Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Fri, 04 Mar 2022 06:00:00 EST

Africa CDC [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
Global Afropop star Yemi Alade urges vaccination in Africa
4 March 2022

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

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
March 5: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On March 4, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 281 new cases of confirmed infections.

National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/
News
Over 3.14b COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2022-03-04
The number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on the Chinese mainland grew by around 5.88 million from the previous day to surpass 3.14 billion on Wednesday, data from the National Health Commission showed on March 3.

CCDC Weekly Reports: Current Volume (4)
2022-03-04 / No. 9 SIXTH TOTAL DIET STUDY ISSUE
View  PDF of this issue

::::::

 
 
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.
 
 
Airfinity [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.airfinity.com/insights
INSIGHTS & COMPANY NEWS
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://alleninstitute.org/news-press/
News
News from the Allen Institute: March 2022
March 2, 2022
Highlights include: our 2021 annual report, announcing our incoming President and CEO Rui Costa, 23 Allen Distinguished Investigators announced, upcoming events and more.
 
 
BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center
Press Releases and Statements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.gatesmri.org/news
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 05 Mar 2022]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – March 2022 is now posted here
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: Statement on ICF [Informed Consent Form] Posting for Clinical Trials Involving Gene Editing/Gene Therapies – Invitation to Endorse
 
 
CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [U.S.] [to 05 Mar 2022
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://dukeghic.org/
Our Blog
No new digest content identified.
 
 
EDCTP [to 05 Mar 2022]
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 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
European Vaccine Initiative [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News, Events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Evidence Aid [to 05 Mar 2022]
Evidence Aid aims to save lives and livelihoods in disasters by providing decision-makers with the best available evidence and by championing its use.
http://www.evidenceaid.org/
New Resources
Barriers and facilitators affecting HIV care for migrant people living with HIV in Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries Added March 4, 2022

Health impact and risk factors affecting women in south and southeast Asia following disasters caused by natural hazards Added March 2, 2022

Clinical practice guidelines for pharmacologic treatments of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: assessment of quality and trustworthiness (search up to 28 February 2021) Added February 28, 2022
 
 
Fondation Merieux [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
Mérieux Foundation co-organized event
7th Meeting of the GTFCC Working Group on WASH
March 9 – 10, 2022 – Hybrid Event – Virtual & Les Pensières Center for Global Health, Veyrier-du-Lac (France)
The 7th Meeting of the Global Task Force for Cholera Control (GTFCC) Working Group on WASH will be held from March 9-10, 2022.
 
 
Gavi [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
No new digest content identified.

GHIT Fund [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Global Fund [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
Introducing Project STELLAR
04 March 2022
Diagnostics play an essential role in the fight against COVID-19 for effective patient management, infection prevention and control, and disease surveillance. In order to support countries and help them to achieve WHO and Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) targets for COVID-19 diagnostics, the Global Fund has introduced Project STELLAR – Scaling-up Testing and Strengthening Lab Systems.
As one of the centrally managed limited investment (CMLI) projects under the COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM), Project STELLAR has been created to support a group of African countries in maximizing the impact of C19RM resources, to rapidly scale up COVID-19 testing and galvanize longer term strengthening of laboratory systems.
With an initial investment of US$9.86 million, the project will cover the following interventions that should be implemented by December 2023:
improve national diagnostic governance;
scale up and increase coverage for COVID-19 testing and surveillance;
and strengthen data management.
 
 
Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Hilleman Laboratories [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.hilleman-labs.org/
News & Insights
No new digest content identified
 
 
HHMI – Howard Hughes Medical Institute [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.hhmi.org/news
Press Room
Research Mar 1 2022
Viral Cover-Up: SARS-CoV-2 Cap Offers New Target for Antivirals
Before it can wreak havoc in human cells, the virus that causes COVID-19 must hide the tip of its genetic material. By delving into how the virus puts on this disguise, researchers have identified a unique way to fight it.
 
 
Human Vaccines Project [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
HVP COVID Report
Mar 03, 2022
Steven Deeks: What We Know—or Mostly Don’t Know—about Long COVID
 
 
IAVI [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.iavi.org/
Latest News
No new digest content identified
 
 
ICRC [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
What’s New
Statement on safe passage operations in Ukraine
We understand that the safe passage operations from Mariupol and Volnovakha will not start today.We remain in dialogue with the parties about the safe passage of civilians from different cities affected by the conflict.
05-03-2022 | News release

Ukraine: Amid mounting human cost, parties must uphold international humanitarian law
Statement by ICRC President Peter Maurer, “We are seeing a devastating humanitarian crisis unfold in Ukraine.
04-03-2022 | News release

‘Whether Afghanistan, Syria or Ukraine: IHL is the line between barbarity and our common humanity’ – ICRC President Peter Maurer
This statement was delivered by Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, on the 1 March 2022 at the High Level Segment of the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council.
01-03-2022 | Statement
 
 

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

IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
Press Releases/Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFRC [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
01/03/2022
Red Cross Red Crescent humanitarian leaders agree on a road map to alleviate the suffering in MENA

01/03/2022
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement appeals for 250 million Swiss francs to assist people affected by Ukraine conflict

28 February 2022
Red Cross providing life-saving assistance for hundreds of thousands displaced from Ukraine

Institut Pasteur [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press Documents
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News – Selected
04 Mar 2022
IOM Ukraine Response Update

03 Mar 2022
IOM and AU Sign New 3-Year Agreement to Strengthen Migration Policies and Frameworks in Africa

01 Mar 2022
IOM Scales Up Response to Ukraine Crisis and Appeals for Inclusive Protection Measures
 
 
ISC / International Science Council [to 05 Mar 2022]
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 Blogs Podcasts
Statements and resources on the current conflict in Ukraine
01.03.2022
 
 
IVAC [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
MCHI Course: “The COVID-19 Response in India: Impact on Women and Children’s Health and Wellbeing”
March 2022
 
 
IVI [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
War in Ukraine
Civilians must be allowed safe passage out of dire conditions in Mariupol
Project Update 5 Mar 2022

War in Ukraine
Accessing areas most affected by fighting in Ukraine
Interview 3 Mar 2022

Madagascar
Cyclones cut people off from healthcare in eastern Madagascar
Project Update 2 Mar 2022

South Sudan
Access to medical care undermined following robbery of MSF staff in Yei
Press Release 1 Mar 2022

Ukraine
MSF mobilises response in Ukraine and nearby countries as conflict escalates
Project Update 1 Mar 2022
 
 
National Academy of Sciences – USA [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
Vaccines Federal Implementation Plan 2021-2025
On Wednesday March 2, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit stakeholder written public comments on the draft Vaccines Federal Implementation Plan 2021-2025- PDF*. HHS values input from all stakeholders and will take all public comments into consideration before finalizing this document.
We encourage your input or comments and ask that you circulate this information to others who may also wish to provide comments. Information about how to provide written public comment is found on HHS.gov and the deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. EST Tuesday March 29, 2022.
The Vaccines Federal Implementation Plan is a companion document to the Vaccines National Strategic Plan 2021-2025 published in January 2021. This plan outlines the federal government’s broad national vaccination goals and offers a framework to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases through safe and effective vaccination over the lifespan, for both federal agencies and external partners.
The implementation plan focuses on the specific actions that federal agencies can take to further those same national vaccination goals.
 
 
NIH [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
OECD [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
Newsroom
No new digest content identified.
 
 
OXFAM [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.oxfam.org/en/
Press Releases
COVID-19 death toll four times higher in lower-income countries than rich ones
3 March 2022
3 million people died since the Omicron variant emerged, shattering perceptions that the pandemic is over
The COVID-19 death toll has been four times higher in lower-income countries than in rich ones, according to a new report published today by Oxfam on behalf of the People’s Vaccine Alliance as the world marks two years since the World Health Organization declared the pandemic.

While the pandemic has been devastating for rich countries like the US and the UK, the world’s poorest countries have been hardest hit, with women and children bearing a disproportionate burden. Lack of testing and reporting means that very large numbers of deaths due to COVID-19 go unreported, especially in the poorest countries. Modelling using measures of excess deaths estimates that 19.6 million people have died because of COVID-19, over three times the official death toll. Based on this analysis, Oxfam calculated that for every death in a high-income country, an estimated four other people have died in a low or lower-middle income country. On a per capita basis, deaths in low and lower middle-income countries are 31 percent higher than high income countries.

Oxfam also calculated that three million COVID-19 deaths have occurred in the three months since the Omicron variant emerged. The figure shatters perceptions that Omicron’s milder illness means the pandemic is coming to an end, as the more contagious variant tears through unvaccinated populations. By some estimates, over half of humanity is set to have been infected with COVID-19 by the end of March 2022. While most cases will be mild, the sheer number of cases means that numbers of deaths remain high.

The report also outlines that:
:: Every minute, four children around the world have lost a parent or caregiver to COVID. In India alone, more than two million children lost a caregiver.
:: Women have been 1.4 times more likely to drop out of the labour force than men because of the pandemic.
:: 99 percent of humanity is worse off because of COVID-19, 160 million people have been pushed into poverty, and 137 million people have lost their jobs…
 
 
PATH [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
PATH partners with AstraZeneca and Qure.ai to increase lung cancer detection in low-and-middle income countries
March 3, 2022 by PATH
The three organizations will collaborate to apply an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the interpretation of radiology images to increase early detection of lung cancer and ultimately reduce mortality rates across emerging markets.
 
 
Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
UNAIDS [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
3 March 2022
Engaging the EU in the Global Partnership on Zero Discrimination Day

1 March 2022
The case for anti-discrimination legislation in Jamaica

1 March 2022
“An HIV diagnosis should not be a guilty verdict—it’s just a diagnosis”

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
News Comment: UNHCR welcomes EU decision to offer Temporary Protection to Refugees fleeing Ukraine
This news comment is attributable to Pascale Moreau, Director of the Bureau for Europe, UNHCR
4 Mar 2022

UNHCR seeks US$205 million to deliver life-saving assistance to over 1.6 million people affected by the northern Ethiopia conflict
4 Mar 2022

News Comment: 1 million refugees have fled Ukraine in a week
This Statement is attributed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi
3 Mar 2022

UNHCR highlights great progress on refugee vaccine inclusion but inequities hamper rollout
2 Mar 2022

UNHCR mobilizing to aid forcibly displaced in Ukraine and neighbouring countries
1 Mar 2022

News Comment: UNHCR warns of increasing violence and human rights violations at European borders
This statement is attributed to UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
21 Feb 2022
 
 
UNICEF [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
Press release
03/03/2022
One week into conflict in Ukraine, half a million children become refugees
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/one-week-conflict-ukraine-half-million-children-become-refugees
GENEVA, 3 March 2022 –, The conflict in Ukraine, now in its second week, is exacting a harrowing toll on children, UNICEF warned today. Millions of children could be caught up in the violence as the fighting intensifies in and around the country’s major urban centres. Children are especially vulnerable to being injured or killed when weapons and explosive munitions are…

Remarks
03/01/2022
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell’s remarks at the Joint Launch of the Humanitarian Flash Appeal and Regional Refugee Response Plan, Ukraine
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-catherine-russells-remarks-joint-launch-humanitarian-flash
NEW YORK, 1 March 2022 -,   “The situation facing children and families caught up in the escalating conflict in Ukraine grows worse by the minute.  “The fighting is moving closer to civilian populations – closer to children’s homes and schools, to hospitals and orphanages.   “Damage to infrastructure has left hundreds of thousands of people without safe water and…

Statement
02/28/2022
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell calling for a suspension of hostilities to carry out urgent humanitarian action in Ukraine
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-russell-calling-suspension-hostilities
NEW YORK, 28 February 2022 –, “The situation for children caught up in the conflict in Ukraine grows worse by the minute. “We are receiving reports of hospitals, schools, water and sanitation facilities and orphanages under fire. Explosive weapons in populated areas and explosive remnants of war are real and present dangers for the children of Ukraine.  “Children have been…
 
 
Unitaid [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
03 March 2022
Unitaid statement on WHO guidelines for COVID-19 antiviral molnupiravir
Geneva – Unitaid today welcomes the conditional recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the use of molnupiravir to treat adult patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 at highest risk of developing severe forms of the disease.
Oral outpatient treatments are potential gamechangers in the management of COVID-19. They are critical in the global response to the pandemic, with a potential to save lives and ease the pressure on healthcare systems, and an important step toward realizing the promise of test-and-treat strategies in decentralized settings.
Molnupiravir is the first oral antiviral for non-hospitalized mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients to be recommended by WHO, bringing an additional treatment option to the COVID-19 clinical care package…
 
 
Vaccine Equity Cooperative [nee Initiative] [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Confidence Project [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Wellcome Trust [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News. Opinion, Reports
Opinion
Author – Alan Dangour
Five things the latest IPCC report tells us about climate change and health
4 March 2022
 
 
The Wistar Institute [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News – Blog
What Is Leadership in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Mar 4, 2022
What Is Leadership in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic?A Reflection by Public Health Leadership Coalition’s Member – Prof. Luís Eugênio de Souza Leadership can be defined as the collection of competences – knowledge, skills and aptitudes –…
 
 
World Bank [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
World Bank Group Statement on Russia and Belarus
WASHINGTON, March 2, 2022—The World Bank Group today released the following statement on its programs in Russia and Belarus: “The World Bank Group has not approved any new loans to or investments in Russia…
Date: March 02, 2022 Type: Statement

Nearly 2.4 Billion Women Globally Don’t Have Same Economic Rights as Men
Despite Pandemic, 23 Countries Improved Laws to Advance Women’s Economic Inclusion in 2021   WASHINGTON, Mar. 1, 2022 – Around 2.4 billion women of working age are not afforded equal economic opportunity…
Date: March 01, 2022 Type: Press Release

Joint IMF-World Bank Group Statement on the War in Ukraine
WASHINGTON, Mar. 1, 2022 – International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank Group President David Malpass today issued the following statement on the war in…
Date: March 01, 2022 Type: Statement
 
 
World Customs Organization – WCO [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.wcoomd.org/
Latest News – Selected Items
04 March 2022
WCO holds a further series of webinars to improve Customs’ awareness of COVID-19 vaccines
On 15 February 2022, the World Customs Organization (WCO) successfully held its 9th series of webinars aimed at improving Customs administrations’ awareness of counterfeit COVID-19-related goods, in collaboration with high-level representatives from Novavax.
These webinars are among the measures taken to ensure thorough implementation by the Secretariat of the WCO Covid-19 Action Plan. The Action Plan was developed shortly after the adoption of the Resolution on the Role of Customs in Facilitating the Cross-Border Movement of Situationally Critical Medicines and Vaccines, as a temporary and overarching priority in the Implementation Plan 2021-2002 for the WCO Strategic Plan.
The latest webinars were designed to provide Customs with knowledge of the essential characteristics and specifications of the Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. In December 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an emergency use listing (EUL) for Nuvaxovid, following its assessment and approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
The knowledge gained during these webinars will ensure that Customs administrations are better equipped to identify trafficking in genuine and counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines…
 
 
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.oie.int/en/media/news/
Press Releases, Statements
World leaders and experts call for action to protect the environment from antimicrobial pollution
Joint Press Release 2 March 2022
[See Perspectives above for detail]
 
 
WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
No new digest content identified.

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ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
BIO [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
BIO Joins Efforts to Aid in Humanitarian Relief in Ukraine
March 2, 2022
 
 
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
Website still in “maintenance mode”
 
 
IFPMA [to 05 Mar 2022]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
Pharmaceutical industry response to the crisis in Ukraine
02 March 2022
As the situation in Ukraine continues to cause unimaginable suffering, our thoughts are with the people in Ukraine. Overcoming the challenges that this unprecedented humanitarian crisis poses for patients is our main concern.  We are supporting the efforts of our sister regional organization – EFPIA – to ensure vital medicines reach the people who need them most and the health needs of the many thousands of people already displaced by the crisis are met.

“The research-based pharmaceutical industry in Europe stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We condemn the invasion of their country and express our sorrow at the suffering it has caused. As an industry dedicated to saving and improving lives, we stand for peace.
“Our first priority is to ensure that medicines reach the patients that need them in Ukraine, in the neighbouring EU Member States, in Russia and in other countries where access to medicines may be negatively impacted. We call on all parties to facilitate the safe passage of medicines and vaccines to those in need.
“As a health-based industry and part of the wider EU healthcare community, we will work together to address the health needs of all those affected by this war, in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries as part of the wider humanitarian relief effort.
“Our Member Companies and Associations are offering humanitarian support both in Ukraine and for the emerging refugee crisis in neighbouring EU Member States. This includes in kind donations of medical supplies and financial support to NGOs.”

The contributions/actions of individual biopharma organizations below are available at the link above:
AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Ipsen, Lilly, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Servier, Bayer,
Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK, Leem, Lundbeck, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi

R&D-based pharmaceutical industry’s innovative partnerships to meet urgent global supply needs
01 March 2022
The examples in this report highlight a few selected collaborations with IFPMA companies. According to Airfinity data, as of March 2022 at least 368 manufacturing and production agreements for COVID-19 vaccines – of which 326 agreements involving some sort technology transfer- around the globe were made public.
 
 

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – IAPO [to 05 Mar 2022]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
 
 
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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

AMA Journal of Ethics
Volume 24, Number 2: E107-163 Feb 2022
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/issue/tactical-health-and-law-enforcement

Tactical Health and Law Enforcement
Tactical health involves providing field-based clinical support to law enforcement operations during frontline crisis interventions and prehospital emergency care. Health professional skill can inform individual officers’ occupational health maintenance and help agents of the state navigate primary and secondary trauma and posttrauma experiences in field- and clinic-based settings. Tactical health expertise can also inform department- and agency-level policies, decisions, and responses to community health and safety threats. Ethical questions considered in this issue focus on the nature and scope of health professionals’ collaborations with law enforcement personnel during and following critical event preparation and responses.

American Journal of Infection Control
March 2022 Volume 50 Issue 3 p243-366
http://www.ajicjournal.org/current

Major Articles
How many lives do COVID vaccines save? Evidence from Israel
Ronen Arbel, Candace Makeda Moore, Ruslan Sergienko, Joseph Pliskin
Published online: December 28, 2021
p258-261