Africa needs to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination six-fold 

Africa needs to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination six-fold 
WHO Africa site
Brazzaville, 3 February 2022 – Although COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Africa have risen significantly, the continent is struggling to expand rollout, with only 11% of the population fully vaccinated. The vaccination rate needs to increase six times if the continent is to meet the 70% target set for the middle of this year. The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and partners are launching a new initiative aimed at resolving bottlenecks.

To date, Africa has received more than 587 million vaccine doses, 58% through the COVAX Facility, 36 % from bilateral deals and 6% through Africa Vaccines Acquisition Trust (AVAT) of the African Union. In January 2022, 96 million doses were shipped to Africa, which is more than double that of six months ago. Increasing deliveries have eased shortages and turned the spotlight on the need for countries to rapidly ramp up vaccine rollout.

“The world has finally heard our calls. Africa is now accessing the vaccines it has demanded for far too long. This is a dose of hope for this year,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “However, a dependable pipeline must go hand in hand with operational funding to move doses out of depots and into people’s arms. WHO and partners are working with countries to urgently fix operational challenges including supporting health workers to speed up vaccine delivery, save lives and beat back this pandemic.”

Currently 6 million people are vaccinated on average every week in Africa, and this number needs to increase to 36 million to reach the 70% target agreed globally. Although Mauritius and Seychelles have already met the 70% target and seven African countries have vaccinated 40% of their population, vaccination rates on the continent remain low. Twenty-one countries have fully vaccinated less than 10% of their populations, while 16 have vaccinated less than 5% and three have fully vaccinated less than 2%.

The slow uptake in COVID-19 vaccines in Africa requires global partners and countries to reset their programmes. WHO, UNICEF, IFRC and other partners are scaling up efforts to overcome hurdles, improve coordination and speed up vaccination drives. They have called for support to ensure vaccines are administered as quickly as possible upon arrival to avoid expired vaccines.

“UNICEF is at the forefront of the largest, most sophisticated ground operation in the history of immunization – and it will take a response of the same magnitude to turn vaccines into vaccinations,” said Mr Mohamed M. Malick Fall, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern & Southern Africa. “Richer countries must not only ensure they are donating vaccine doses that have adequate shelf lives but also contribute funding for in-country operational costs.”

 

Data reported to WHO from 40 countries finds that there is a US$ 1.29 billion gap in funding for operational costs…

WHO and partners are deploying, technical experts to 20 countries with significant challenges in vaccine deployment to form special support teams for three to six months and in some cases possibly up to a year. Already 50 experts have been deployed. They are working under the leadership of the ministries of health to strengthen partner coordination, logistical and financial planning, including microplanning, surveillance of adverse events following immunization, as well as the management of data on vaccination uptake and vaccine stock. Engaging and empowering communities so they follow key public health measures and support vaccination is important. Under the leadership of governments, partners are working with communities to strengthen trust and confidence in vaccination.

“This year, a lot more needs to be done to gain communities’ trust. When communities are in the driver’s seat, they become vital contributors to finding solutions to the outbreaks of diseases. In South Sudan, community-based Red Cross volunteers tackled the problem of slow vaccine uptake, through improved community trust, and helped prevent vaccine wastage,” said Mr Mohammed Omer Mukhier, IFRC Regional Director for Africa…

ACT-Accelerator campaign launch

ACT-Accelerator campaign launch
9 February 2022 15:00
The ACT-Accelerator Facilitation Council has developed a Financing Framework with a grant funding ask to enable ACT-Accelerator agencies to support low coverage countries to achieve the global vaccines, tests, treatment and PPE targets. Achieving the global targets is crucial to end the pandemic.

This event aims to raise awareness of ACT-Accelerator achievements and build political support for the urgent financial needs of its agencies to scale up this vital work.

It will launch the ‘fair share’ resource mobilization asks to countries, provide a platform to political leaders to confirm their commitments to profile the ACT-Accelerator using the G20, G7 and USA Global COVID-19 Summit to reinforce and recognize exemplary contributors to the ACT-Accelerator to date.

Tonnes of COVID-19 health care waste expose urgent need to improve waste management systems

Tonnes of COVID-19 health care waste expose urgent need to improve waste management systems
1 February 2022 News release
Tens of thousands of tonnes of extra medical waste from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has put tremendous strain on health care waste management systems around the world, threatening human and environmental health and exposing a dire need to improve waste management practices, according to a new WHO report.

The WHO Global analysis of health care waste in the context of COVID-19: status, impacts and recommendations bases its estimates on the approximately 87,000 tonnes of personal protective equipment (PPE) that was procured between March 2020- November 2021 and shipped to support countries’ urgent COVID-19 response needs through a joint UN emergency initiative. Most of this equipment is expected to have ended up as waste.

 

The authors note that this just provides an initial indication of the scale of the COVID-19 waste problem. It does not take into account any of the COVID-19 commodities procured outside of the initiative, nor waste generated by the public like disposable medical masks.

They point out that over 140 million test kits, with a potential to generate 2,600 tonnes of non-infectious waste (mainly plastic) and 731,000 litres of chemical waste (equivalent to one-third of an Olympic-size swimming pool) have been shipped, while over 8 billion doses of vaccine have been administered globally producing 144,000 tonnes of additional waste in the form of syringes, needles, and safety boxes.

 

As the UN and countries grappled with the immediate task of securing and quality-assuring supplies of PPE, less attention and resources were devoted to the safe and sustainable management of COVID-19 related health care waste.

“It is absolutely vital to provide health workers with the right PPE, “said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme. “But it is also vital to ensure that it can be used safely without impacting on the surrounding environment.”

This means having effective management systems in place, including guidance for health workers on what to do with PPE and health commodities after they have been used.

Today, 30% of healthcare facilities (60% in the least developed countries) are not equipped to handle existing waste loads, let alone the additional COVID-19 load. This potentially exposes health workers to needle stick injuries, burns and pathogenic microorganisms, while also impacting communities living near poorly managed landfills and waste disposal sites through contaminated air from burning waste, poor water quality or disease carrying pests.

“COVID-19 has forced the world to reckon with the gaps and neglected aspects of the waste stream and how we produce, use and discard of our health care resources, from cradle to grave,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Environment, Climate Change and Health at WHO.

“Significant change at all levels, from the global to the hospital floor, in how we manage the health care waste stream is a basic requirement of climate-smart health care systems, which many countries committed to at the recent UN Climate Change Conference, and, of course, a healthy recovery from COVID-19 and preparedness for other health emergencies in the future.”

The report lays out a set of recommendations for integrating better, safer, and more environmentally sustainable waste practices into the current COVID-19 response and future pandemic preparedness efforts and highlights stories from countries and organizations that have put into practice in the spirit of “building back better”…

Technical document
Global analysis of health care waste in the context of COVID-19
Status, impacts and recommendations
1 February 2022  |
Overview
Globally, safe waste management services for healthcare waste are lacking, especially in least developed countries. The latest available data (from 2019) indicate that 1 in 3 healthcare facilities globally do not safely manage healthcare waste. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to large increases in healthcare waste, straining under resourced healthcare facilities and exacerbating environmental impacts from solid waste. This report quantifies the additional COVID-19 healthcare waste generated, describes current healthcare waste management systems and their deficiencies, and summarizes emerging best practices and solutions to reduce the impact of waste on human and environmental health. The recommendations included in the report build on actions in the WHO manifesto for a healthy recovery from COVID-19: prescriptions and actionables for a healthy and green recovery. They target the global, national and facility levels to promote a “win–win” scenario for COVID-19 PPE use, testing and vaccinations that are safe and support environmental sustainability.

WHO, WIPO, WTO heads chart future cooperation on pandemic response

WHO, WIPO, WTO heads chart future cooperation on pandemic response
1 February 2022
The Directors-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the WTO met on 1 February to chart future directions for trilateral cooperation in support of an effective global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joint news item
The Directors-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) today reaffirmed their commitment to working closely together to help overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating human, social, and economic impacts.

Meeting in Geneva on 1 February, 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WIPO Director General Daren Tang and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala reviewed progress made on the initiatives announced in their joint statement of 15 June 2021, pledging cooperation on COVID-19-related medical technologies and charting future directions for their organizations’ trilateral cooperation to ensure it continues to address the evolving needs of  people across the globe.

They welcomed the impending launch of a trilateral technical assistance platform, which will provide a one-stop shop making available the three organizations’ expertise to governments in a tailored and coordinated way so as best to respond to individual national needs for COVID-19 health technologies.  This will include support for the full use of legal and policy options for access to health technologies, including through the implementation of any solution to the COVID-19-related intellectual property proposals currently before the WTO’s TRIPS Council.

The three Directors-General reviewed the series of technical capacity building workshops planned , starting with a workshop held in September 2021 that focused on intellectual property licensing and technology transfer along with the sharing of know-how and clinical trial information. An event later this month will seek to support policymakers to more effectively use data to inform their pandemic policy choices, and a subsequent workshop will address challenges of access relating to diagnostic technologies.

The Directors-General welcomed the ongoing efforts by their three organizations to make up-to-date information available, including the series of joint COVID-19 information notes, supplementing and updating the 2020 joint publication “Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation”.

 

Finally, the three Directors-General confirmed that they would convene a high-level policy symposium in the early summer on the COVID-19 pandemic, taking stock of COVID-19 challenges and focusing on what is needed to recover from this health crisis and better prepare for future ones.

The Directors-General concluded their meeting in a spirit of solidarity and practical determination to spare no effort to address the continuing scourge of the pandemic, and to mobilise the necessary knowledge resources and support so that no country would be left behind.

Pfizer and BioNTech Initiate Rolling Submission for Emergency Use Authorization of Their COVID-19 Vaccine in Children 6 Months Through 4 Years of Age Following Request From U.S. FDA

Pfizer and BioNTech Initiate Rolling Submission for Emergency Use Authorization of Their COVID-19 Vaccine in Children 6 Months Through 4 Years of Age Following Request From U.S. FDA
Tuesday, February 01, 2022
:: With pediatric COVID-19 cases surpassing 10 million and at the request of the FDA, the companies have submitted available data on the safety and efficacy of two 3 µg doses as part of a three-dose primary series for this age group to address the urgent public health need
:: Companies plan to submit additional data on a third 3 µg dose in this age group in the coming months
:: If authorization is granted, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine would be the first COVID-19 vaccine available for pediatric populations under 5 years of age

NEW YORK & MAINZ, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) today announced that following a request from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the companies have initiated a rolling submission seeking to amend the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to include children 6 months through 4 years of age (6 months to <5 years of age), in response to the urgent public health need in this population. The companies expect to complete the EUA submission in the coming days. This application is for authorization of the first two 3 µg doses of a planned three-dose primary series in this age group. Data on a third dose given at least 8 weeks after completion of the second dose are expected in the coming months and will be submitted to the FDA to support a potential expansion of this requested EUA.

Since the pandemic began, more than 10.6 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 in the U.S.,1 with children under 4 accounting for more than 1.6 million of those cases.2 Further, reported COVID-19 cases and related hospitalization among children have spiked dramatically across the United States during the Omicron variant surge. For the week ending January 22, children under 4 accounted for 3.2% of the total hospitalizations due to COVID-19.2 If authorization is granted, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine would be the first vaccine available to help protect children under 5 years of age from this disease, potentially including future emerging variants of concern.

“As hospitalizations of children under 5 due to COVID-19 have soared, our mutual goal with the FDA is to prepare for future variant surges and provide parents with an option to help protect their children from this virus,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer. “Ultimately, we believe that three doses of the vaccine will be needed for children 6 months through 4 years of age to achieve high levels of protection against current and potential future variants. If two doses are authorized, parents will have the opportunity to begin a COVID-19 vaccination series for their children while awaiting potential authorization of a third dose.”

“Our vaccine has already demonstrated a favorable safety, tolerability and efficacy profile in multiple clinical trials and real-world studies for all age groups starting from 5 years old,” said Ugur Sahin, M.D., CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech. “If authorized, we are very excited about the prospect of offering parents the opportunity to help protect their children 6 months through 4 years of age from COVID-19 and the potentially severe consequences of infection.”

The request to amend the EUA is based on the totality of data on the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, and available efficacy of two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. The companies also plan to share these data with the European Medicines Agency and other regulatory agencies around the world.

The companies plan to provide ample supply of the 3 µg dose to meet demand should the FDA approve the EUA application. The companies previously announced planned global supply capacity of approximately four billion doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in 2022. The companies continue to supply the vaccine under their existing supply agreement with the U.S. government, which continues through April 2022…

Opinion: The smallest kids still lack a vaccine. The FDA must leave no uncertainty.

Selected Opinion/Editorial

The Washington Post
February 2, 20220
The Post’s View
Opinion: The smallest kids still lack a vaccine. The FDA must leave no uncertainty.
By Editorial Board
In considering whether to give emergency-use authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children under 5 years old, it is imperative that the Food and Drug Administration retains public trust and protects the integrity of the process. Many parents are eager for their children to get this vaccine, but many others might be hesitant. The FDA is taking an unusual route in considering the merits and must not leave any doubts in the air.

The anxiety of parents about children under 5 is acute: These are the only Americans not yet eligible for a vaccine. Overall, in billions of doses, the mRNA vaccines have proved safe and effective. Although children represent a small percentage of pandemic hospitalizations, and deaths are rare, the case numbers have spiked during the omicron wave.

Pfizer said Dec. 17 that a two-dose vaccine worked well to stimulate antibodies in children from 6 months to 2 years old in a clinical trial, but did not work in children from 2 years old to under 5. The company said it would attempt a clinical trial with a third dose, to see if that got better results, and if successful, it would seek an emergency-use authorization from the FDA for a three-dose regimen. At issue is not vaccine safety or tolerance but whether it is effective.

On Tuesday, Pfizer announced the FDA has requested that it submit information for an emergency-use authorization of the first two doses, leaving the third for later. This raises the question: What has changed since the December announcement that those two didn’t work? We might learn more when the matter comes before an FDA advisory committee soon. Pfizer said results on the third dose would only be available in “the coming months.”

In statements, the FDA and Pfizer both pointed to the omicron surge as the reason for the unusual process. An FDA spokesperson said the new variant “has rapidly facilitated the collection of important additional clinical data impacting the potential benefit-risk profile of a vaccine for the youngest children.” FDA officials felt it was “prudent” to get the data from Pfizer now instead of waiting, especially because of “notable increase in reports of children experiencing covid-19 long haul symptoms, including in some cases children developing autoimmune diseases and Type 1 diabetes after having had covid-19.”

The company and the FDA are right to feel a sense of urgency. But parents will be asking: Should they start with two doses, given Pfizer’s statement that in the earlier trial, they didn’t work for children from 2 to under 5? Should parents be comfortable starting a vaccine series — which Pfizer calls “a planned three-dose primary series” — without knowing anything about the effectiveness of the third dose?

Everyone must hope the vaccines will work for those who have most of their lives ahead of them. But parents are already displaying reluctance to get children from 5 to 12 years old vaccinated. For the next step, the FDA must be crystal clear and leave no gaps or uncertainties. A vaccine should never be a shot in the dark.

Coronavirus [COVID-19] – WHO

::::::

 

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: 04 Feb 2022
Confirmed cases :: 386 548 962
Confirmed deaths :: 5 705 754
Vaccine doses administered: 10 040 768 270

 

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Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 – 01 February 2022
Overview
Globally, during the week of 24 to 30 January 2022, the number of new COVID-19 cases remained similar to that reported during the previous week, while the number of new deaths increased by 9%. Across the six WHO regions, over 22 million new cases and over 59 000 new deaths were reported. As of 30 January 2022, over 370 million confirmed cases and over 5.6 million deaths have been reported globally.
At the Regional level, increases in the number of new cases were reported by the Western Pacific (37%) the Eastern Mediterranean (24%) and the European (7%) regions, while a decrease was reported by the Region of the Americas (20%) and the South-East Asia Region (8%). The number of new cases reported in the African Region remained similar to the previous week. The number of new weekly deaths continued to increase in the South-East Asia Region (41%), the Eastern Mediterranean Region (32%) and the Region of the Americas (16%), while the African Region reported a decrease of 7%. The incidence of deaths remained similar to the previous week in the European and the Western Pacific regions.

WHO Director General Speeches [selected]

WHO Director General Speeches [selected]
https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches
Selected
WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 1 February 2022
Neglected tropical diseases affect the poorest and most marginalized communities, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made things worse
We are now starting to see a very worrying increase in deaths, in most regions of the world. It’s premature for any country either to surrender, or to declare victory
As this virus evolves, so vaccines may need to evolve
WHO published a new report on the burden of medical waste from the pandemic threatening human and environmental health
Member States asked us to develop a set of proposals on strengthening the global health architecture for emergency preparedness, response and resilience, to present to the World Health Assembly in May
 
 
Status of COVID-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process 23 December 2021
[Full scale view available at title link above]
[No change from 23 December 2021]

 

COVID Vaccines/Therapeutics – Developer/Manufacturer Announcements

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 – No new digest announcements identified

 

CanSinoBIO
News – [Website not responding at inquiry]

Clover Biopharmaceuticals – China
News
Clover Appoints Nicholas Jackson, Ph.D., as President of Global Research and Development Feb 1, 2022

 

Curevac [Bayer Ag – Germany]
News – No new digest announcements identified

 

Gamaleya National Center
Latest News and Events
Sputnik V vaccine granted full permanent approval in Russia
:: Highest safety and efficacy of Sputnik V confirmed during clinical trials and in real-world use around the world.
:: Sputnik V has been authorized in 71 countries with total population of over 4 billion people.
February 4, 2022

IMBCAMS, China
Home – Website not responding at inquiry

 

Janssen/JNJ
Press Releases
Feb 01, 2022 United States
U.S. FDA Approves CABENUVA (rilpivirine and cabotegravir) for Use Every Two Months, Expanding the Label of the First and Only Long-Acting HIV Treatment

 

Moderna
Press Releases
January 31, 2022
Moderna Receives Full U.S. FDA Approval for COVID-19 Vaccine Spikevax
:: Approval based on a comprehensive submission package including efficacy and safety data approximately six months after second dose
:: SPIKEVAX has received approval by regulators in more than 70 countries, including Canada, Japan, the European Union, the UK, Israel
:: 807 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine shipped globally in 2021; approximately 25% of those doses shipped to low- and middle-income countries

 

Novavax
Press Releases
New Zealand’s Medsafe Grants Provisional Approval for Novavax’ COVID-19 Vaccine
Feb 3, 2022

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Grants Conditional Marketing Authorization for Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine in Great Britain*
Feb 3, 2022

Novavax Submits Request to the U.S. FDA for Emergency Use Authorization of COVID-19 Vaccine
Jan 31, 2022

 

Pfizer
Recent Press Releases
02.04.2022
Valneva and Pfizer Report Further Positive Phase 2 Data for Lyme Disease Vaccine Candidate

02.01.2022
Pfizer and BioNTech Initiate Rolling Submission for Emergency Use Authorization of Their COVID-19 Vaccine in Children 6 Months Through 4 Years of Age Following Request From U.S. FDA

02.01.2022
Pfizer Announces New Chief Development Officer
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced that William Pao, M.D., Ph.D., will join the Company as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer effective March 21, 2022. Dr. Pao will be a member of Pfizer’s Executive Leadership Team reporting to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Albert Bourla. He joins Pfizer from Roche, where he most recently served as the Head of Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED) and oversaw the discovery and early development of a portfolio of new molecular entities to treat diseases related to cancer, neuroscience, ophthalmology, rare diseases, immunology, infectious diseases, and rare blood disorders, across seven global sites. He was also a member of Roche’s Enlarged Corporate Executive Committee.
Dr. Pao succeeds Rod MacKenzie who recently announced his intent to retire after a 35-year career at Pfizer. Mr. MacKenzie has agreed to continue in his role until a seamless transition is completed…

 

Sanofi Pasteur
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

 

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

 

Sinopharm/WIBPBIBP
News – No new digest announcements identified

 

Sinovac
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

 

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 – No new digest announcements identified

 

Merck
News releases – No new digest announcements identified

 

Novartis
News – No new digest announcements identified

 

SK Biosciences
Press releases – No new digest announcements identified

 

Valneva
Press Releases
February 4, 2022
Valneva and Pfizer Report Further Positive Phase 2 Data for Lyme Disease Vaccine Candidate

January 31, 2022
Valneva Announces Initiation of Adolescent Phase 3 Trial for its Single-Shot Chikungunya Vaccine Candidate

COVID-19 Global Targets and Progress Tracker – IMF

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

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

The Race for Global COVID-19 Vaccine Equity

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-19 Data Explorer: Global Humanitarian Operations

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 Feb 2022: https://data.covid19taskforce.com/data The global view below is complemented by country-specific dashboards here.

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

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

 

 

HHS
News
No new digest content identified.

 

 

FDA
Press Announcements
February 1, 2022 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Advisory Committee Meeting to Discuss Request for Authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing a virtual meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) on Feb. 15 to discuss the request for emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for use in children 6 months through 4 years of age.
“Having a safe and effective vaccine available for children in this age group is a priority for the agency and we’re committed to a timely review of the data, which the agency asked Pfizer to submit in light of the recent Omicron surge. Furthermore, children are not small adults. Because they’re still growing and developing, it’s critical that these vaccines are evaluated in well-designed and well-conducted clinical trials,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “In the meantime, the best way to protect children, including when they are at school or daycare, is to practice social distancing and masking in accordance with public health recommendations, and for their family members and caretakers to get vaccinated or receive a booster dose when eligible.”…
“The need for a safe and effective vaccine for our youngest children is significant, particularly given the rapid spread of the omicron variant, the notable rise in the number of hospitalizations in young children with severe disease, and the possibility that future variants could cause severe disease in those who are unvaccinated,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “As we have done for other COVID-19 vaccine authorizations, this meeting will help ensure that the public has a clear understanding of the data and information the FDA will evaluate as it considers whether to authorize the vaccine. We are committed to a transparent process, which will include input from our external advisors.”
The FDA intends to make background material available to the public, including the meeting agenda and committee roster, no later than two business days before the meeting…

 

 

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
Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee February 15, 2022 Meeting Announcement – 02/15/2022

Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee March 3, 2022 Meeting Announcement – 03/03/2022
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White House [U.S.]
Briefing Room – Selected Major COVID Announcements
Statement by President Joe Biden on 900,000 American Deaths from COVID-⁠19
February 04, 2022 • Statements and Releases

Press Briefing by White House COVID-⁠19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
February 02, 2022 • Press Briefings

 

 

U.S. Department of State
https://www.state.gov/coronavirus/releases/
Media Notes
No new digest content identified.

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

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

 

 

European Medicines Agency
News & Press Releases
News: Meeting highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) 24-27 January 2022 (updated)
CHMP, Last updated: 02/02/2022
EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) recommended seven medicines for approval at its January 2022 meeting.
The antiviral Paxlovid (PF-07321332 / ritonavir) received a positive opinion from the Committee for a conditional marketing authorisation for the treatment of COVID-19. More details are available in a separate news announcement

 

 

News: A stronger role for EMA (new)
Last updated: 31/01/2022
The regulation reinforcing EMA’s role in crisis preparedness and management for medicinal products and medical devices has been published today in the Official Journal of the EU. This officially concludes the legislative process for an important pillar of the European Health Union.
The new regulation enters into force on the day following this publication and becomes applicable as of 1 March 2022, except for the provisions on shortages of critical medical devices which will apply as of 2 February 2023. It puts structures and processes established by EMA during the COVID-19 pandemic on a permanent footing, while entrusting several new tasks to the Agency…

 

 

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European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en
Latest Updates
Overview of the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment plans in the EU/EEA
Technical report 31 Jan 2022
This report provides an updated overview of the progress with national COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment in European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries, including updates on:
– overall vaccine uptake and uptake by target group;
– vaccination strategies and policies;
– challenges and good practice with the roll-out, including vaccine acceptance and uptake.

 

 

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

 

 

::::::

 

 

European Commission
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en
No new digest content identified.

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

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

 

 

Russia: Sputnik V – “the first registered COVID-19 vaccine”
https://sputnikvaccine.com/newsroom/pressreleases/
Press Releases
Sputnik V vaccine granted full permanent approval in Russia
:: Highest safety and efficacy of Sputnik V confirmed during clinical trials and in real-world use around the world.
:: Sputnik V has been authorized in 71 countries with total population of over 4 billion people.
Moscow, February 4, 2022 – The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund) announces that the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus has been granted full permanent approval by Russia’s Health Ministry. It had previously held temporary emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Russian regulator.
Sputnik V was authorized on August 11, 2020, becoming the world’s first vaccine against COVID-19 to be granted emergency use authorization. Sputnik V has been authorized in 71 countries with a total population of over 4 billion people. Its one-component version, Sputnik Light, is authorized in over 30 countries, both as a standalone vaccine and a universal booster to other vaccines…

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

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

 

 

Feb 5: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Feb 4, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 27 new cases of confirmed infections.

China’s daily nucleic acid testing capacity at 42 million
2022-01-30

Almost 3b COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2022-01-30
Almost 3 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Jan 28, data from the National Health Commission showed on Jan 29.

POLIO Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Emergencies

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

Polio this week as of 02 February 2022
:: In the just concluded WHO Executive Board meeting, global public health leaders urged for intensified eradication efforts to capitalize on a unique epidemiological window of opportunity after 2021 having recorded the lowest ever cases of poliovirus in history. Read more
:: A polio vaccination campaign for children aged 6 months to 6 years who missed routine polio doses in the past began in Ukraine on 1 February 2022. This catch-up campaign is part of a comprehensive response to stop an outbreak of poliovirus first detected in Ukraine in October 2021. Read more

Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
– Chad:  one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
– Djibouti: three cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
– DR Congo: three cVDPV2 cases and one positive environmental sample
– Nigeria: two cVDPV2 cases and 12 positive environmental samples
– DR Congo:  two cVDPV2 cases

 

::::::

Global health leaders note unique opportunity – complacency now biggest risk to success
WHO Executive Board urges intensified efforts to give world one less infectious disease to worry about and work towards sustainability of gains in polio-free countries.
January 2022, Geneva, Switzerland – As the world enters 2022, and with it the year when the new GPEI Strategy 2022-2026 – Delivering on a Promise – takes effect, global public health leaders at this week’s WHO Executive Board urged for intensified eradication efforts to capitalize on a unique epidemiological window of opportunity.  2021 saw the lowest ever levels of wild poliovirus cases in history, with five cases reported from the remaining two endemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan.  Cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus have also declined compared to 2020.

Delegates attributed this favourable situation to sustained commitment from the highest levels in polio-affected areas, but issued severe warnings against complacency.  “2021 set the stage for success,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.  “We must now not lower our guard.”

“What is clear is that in 2022, we have a very real and realistically achievable opportunity to finish wild poliovirus from the world once and for all,” said Aidan O’Leary, Director of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, WHO.  “But what is equally clear from the discussions at the Executive Board is that there is virtually no room for error now.  If we take our foot off the accelerator even by a little bit, this virus will come roaring back, and we will perhaps have lost the best chance yet for success.  The resounding message from this week’s meeting is this:  we cannot allow this to happen.  Success is the only acceptable outcome.”…

With over 50 countries transitioning out of GPEI support in 2022, Member States also supported efforts to sustain the gains in polio-free countries, calling on WHO to continue its technical support in polio-free countries, and to ensure that polio assets, tools and expertise are effectively integrated into broader immunization, disease surveillance, primary health care, and outbreak preparedness and response efforts.

“Together with our partners at Rotary International, CDC, UNICEF the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, we will continue to support Member States in their eradication efforts,” concluded O’Leary.  “But much is on the line.  We have everything in place – we need to focus now fully on optimizing our tools and tactics, and ensuring the resources to do so are available.  If those two things come together, we will be able to give the world one less infectious disease to worry about once and for all.”

 

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

Disease Outbreak News (DONs)

:: Dengue – Timor-Leste
4 February 2022
Timor-Leste has reported a surge of dengue cases since late 2021, at unusually high levels compared to previous years.

 

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

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 February 2022

 

Ethiopia Humanitarian Bulletin | 31 January 2022

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

WHO & Regional Offices [to 05 Feb 2022]

WHO & Regional Offices [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.who.int/
News [Selected]
4 February 2022
Statement
IAEA/WHO Joint Statement on Reducing Inequity in Access to Cancer Care through Rays of Hope Initiative

3 February 2022
Departmental news
World Cancer Day: closing the care gap

3 February 2022
Departmental news
New WHO survey investigates how influenza burden studies influence policy

3 February 2022
Departmental news
Syria boosts influenza preparedness despite multiple crises

3 February 2022
Departmental news
Sustaining local influenza vaccine production in Serbia

3 February 2022
Departmental news
Integration and expansion: Leveraging influenza systems for the COVID-19 response

3 February 2022
Departmental news
A tale of two pandemics: improvements in regulatory performance between the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic to the COVID-19 pandemic

3 February 2022
Departmental news
Supporting health-care providers to make positive change: WHO launches new training tools on female genital mutilation prevention and care

3 February 2022
Departmental news
True extent of SARS-CoV-2 Infection through seroprevalence studies

3 February 2022
News release
Celebrating 70 years of GISRS (the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System)

3 February 2022
Departmental news
Strengthening local preparedness for influenza and COVID-19 in Cambodia

2 February 2022
Departmental news
New online course to fight the infodemic

1 February 2022
News release
Tonnes of COVID-19 health care waste expose urgent need to improve waste management systems

1 February 2022
Departmental news
Sleeping sickness: prioritizing case detection and treatment to achieve elimination as public health problem

31 January 2022
Departmental news
New online course: Implementation of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detection rapid tests

31 January 2022
Departmental news
New global report on maintaining services for maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and older people during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned from 19 countries

30 January 2022
News release
World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day: WHO calls for equitable health services for all

::::::

 

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
::Africa needs to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination six-fold  03 February 2022
:: 02 February 2022 Why do neglected tropical diseases suffer low priority?
:: 01 February 2022 Improving treatment of neglected diseases
:: 31 January 2022 Fighting gender-based violence at the grassroots in Senegal

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: 4 Feb 2022 PAHO calls for expanded access to cancer care
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the Americas Washington, DC, February 4, 2022 (PAHO)- On World Cancer Day this February 4, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) calls for an increase in cancer treatment and prevention services  to reduce new cases of the disease. If no action is taken, cases could increase by nearly 60%…
:: 2 Feb 2022 With 14 countries yet to vaccinate 40% of people, Americas remain most unequal region in the world in fight against COVID-19
Despite hard-fought efforts and generous donor support, many vulnerable populations remain unprotected. Washington D.C., 2 February 2022 (PAHO) – While 63% of people in Latin America and the Caribbean have now been vaccinated against COVID-19, coverage remains uneven, with 14 countries and territories immunizing 70% of their populations and the…
:: 31 Jan 2022 PAHO launches campaign on the importance of newborn care during the first 28 days of life
In Latin America and the Caribbean, 255 babies age less than one-month die each day Montevideo/ Washington DC, 1 February 2022 (CLAP/PAHO) ‒ The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), through its Latin American Centre for Perinatology (CLAP), today launched a campaign to raise awareness and promote quality care for newborns during the first 28…

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

WHO European Region EURO
:: Cancer services disrupted by up to 50% in all countries reporting: a deadly impact of COVID-19 03-02-2022
:: When is screening for cancer the right course of action? 02-02-2022
:: “You need to sit there and listen, and build on what you see” – Tina Dahl, cancer nurse 01-02-2022
:: WHO/Europe and Ukraine cement future cooperation during visit by Regional Director 31-01-2022

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: WHO hands over refrigerated vehicles to strengthen vaccine cold chain in oPt 2 February 2022
:: Italy joins other European Union Member States to increase pledge of COVID-19 vaccines to Syria
1 February 2022
:: Achieving health equity to end the neglect of poverty-related diseases in Somalia 30 January 2022

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified

 

::::::

WHO Events
https://www.who.int/news-room/events/2
[Selected]
Medication Safety Webinar series: WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm & World Patient Safety Day 2022
8 February 2022 13:00 – 14:30 CET

ACT-Accelerator campaign launch
9 February 2022 15:00
[See COVID above for detail]

 

::::::

New WHO Publications
https://www.who.int/publications/i
Selected Titles
4 February 2022
COVID-19 clinical care pathway (‎CARE)‎: confirm, assess, respond, evaluate

4 February 2022
COVID-19 clinical care pathway (‎CARE)‎: confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection, assess symptoms, risk factors…

1 February 2022
Global analysis of health care waste in the context of COVID-19
[See COVID above for detail]

1 February 2022
Companion workbook: Exercises to guide the process of inequality monitoring in sexual, reproductive,…

1 February 2022
Inequality monitoring in sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health

31 January 2022
PIP PC Preparedness High-Level Implementation Plan II 2018-2023, 2021 Revision

31 January 2022
Technical consultation on the use of economics in insecticide resistance management for malaria vector…

31 January 2022
Eradication of yaws: surveillance, monitoring and evaluation: a manual for yaws eradication programme…

31 January 2022
End-to-end integration of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza sentinel surveillance: revised interim guidance
Overview
This guidance provides interim guidance for the integration of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virologic and genomic surveillance, from sentinel site case enrolment and sampling to the eventual sharing of the virus sequence data, a process known as end-to-end surveillance. This guidance builds on experiences and lessons learned as countries adapted their influenza surveillance systems in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and reviews new evidence to provide guidance on end-to-end surveillance. The guidance includes new algorithms and strategies to adapt sentinel systems to make them resilient and agile for addressing global and national surveillance needs for influenza and COVID-19. It highlights the need to link sentinel surveillance systems to inform policy and adjust the national public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It incorporates inputs from Member States and international experts solicited before and during a virtual consultation in October 2021. It is intended for public health professionals involved in disease and laboratory surveillance at the national level. It is also a guide for WHO staff involved in influenza and COVID-19 sentinel surveillance integration.

CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 05 Feb 2022]

CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases, Announcements [Selected]
CDC Statement Following ACIP Moderna Vote
Friday, February 4, 2022
“We now have another fully approved COVID-19 vaccine,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “If you have been waiting for approval before getting vaccinated, now is the time to join the nearly 212 million Americans who have already completed their primary series. CDC continues to recommend that people remain up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, including getting a booster shot when eligible.”

Transcript for CDC Media Telebriefing: COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance
Friday, February 4, 2022
… the latest public health tool that’s providing critical information on COVID-19 trends, as well as giving us a glimpse into a new frontier of infectious disease surveillance in the U.S. Estimates suggests between 40 and 80% of people with COVID-19 shed viral RNA in their feces, making wastewater and sewage an important opportunity for monitoring the spread of infection. Seeing the value of collecting this type of data during the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC initiated the National Wastewater Surveillance System. Or NEWS for short, in September of 2020…

CDC Data Released Ahead of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Highlights Factors that Contribute to Continuing HIV Disparities in the U.S.
Thursday, February 3, 2022

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, February 4, 2022

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, February 4, 2022
Selected Content
Association Between Social Vulnerability and Rates of HIV Diagnoses Among Black Adults, by Selected Characteristics and Region of Residence — United States, 2018
COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Vaccine Confidence by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity — United States, August 29–October 30, 2021
Previously Released: SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Hospitalization Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years, by Vaccination Status, Before and During SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Predominance — Los Angeles County, California, November 7, 2021–January 8, 2022

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)- CDC

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)– CDC
Approximately 25 announcements/reports/data summaries.
2/4/22 CDC Statement Following ACIP Moderna Vote
2/4/22 Transcript for CDC Media Telebriefing: COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance
2/4/22 Cases in the U.S.
2/4/22 EARLY RELEASE: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes Among Adults Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Periods of B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Predominance — One Hospital, California, July 15–September 23, 2021, and December 21, 2021–January 27, 2022
2/4/22 EARLY RELEASE: Effectiveness of Face Mask or Respirator Use in Indoor Public Settings for Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 Infection — California, February–December 2021
2/4/22 Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Fri, 04 Feb 2022 06:00:00 EST

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

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

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
Feb 5: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Feb 4, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 27 new cases of confirmed infections.

China’s daily nucleic acid testing capacity at 42 million
2022-01-30

National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/
News
Almost 3b COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2022-01-30
Almost 3 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Jan 28, data from the National Health Commission showed on Jan 29.

CCDC Weekly Reports: Current Volume (4)
2022-02-04 / No. 5COVID-19 ISSUE (23)
View  PDF of this issue
:: Preplanned Studies: Impact of Regions with COVID-19 Cases on COVID-Zero Regions by Population Mobility — Worldwide, 2021
:: Methods and Applications: A COVID-19 T-Cell Response Detection Method Based on a Newly Identified Human CD8+ T Cell Epitope from SARS-CoV-2 — Hubei Province, China, 2021
:: Vital Surveillances: Factors Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Repeat Positivity — Beijing, China, June–September 2020
:: Notes from the Field: An Imported Case and an Infected Close Contact of the Omicron Variant of SARS-CoV-2 — Guangdong Province, China, December 13, 2021
:: Notes from the Field: An Imported Case of BA.2 Lineage of Omicron Variant COVID-19 — Guangdong Province, China, December 28, 2021

Organization Announcements

::::::

 
 
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 Feb 2022]
https://www.airfinity.com/insights
INSIGHTS & COMPANY NEWS
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://alleninstitute.org/news-press/
News
SciShots: Cellular scaffolding
February 4, 2022
Computer animation techniques light up cells’ inner workings

Open Call
Open call for Allen Distinguished Investigator award proposals
February 1, 2022
We are seeking letters of intent for frontier science funding to support technology development in Protein Lifespan and Nutrient Sensing. Up to eight awards will be made for up to $10M total funding. Submit by March 1.
 
 
BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsRoomHome.aspx
News
DoD Awards Contract to iHealth Lab Inc., to Purchase COVID-19 Antigen Over-the-Counter Test Kits in Support of President Biden’s 500 Million Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests
Friday, January 28, 2022
 
 
BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 05 Feb 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 Feb 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 Feb 2022]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – February 2022 is now posted here
 
 
CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
CEPI opens Call to develop heat-stable vaccine tech for use against epidemic and pandemic threats
The aim is to use these new tools to improve global access to vaccines through reducing complex-cold chain requirements and potential vaccine wastage.
End Pandemics
03 Feb 2022
 
 
DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [U.S.] [to 05 Feb 2022
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://dukeghic.org/
Our Blog
No new digest content identified.
 
 
EDCTP [to 05 Feb 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
30 January 2022
World NTD Day 2022 – EDCTP remains 100% committed to ending neglected tropical diseases
 
 
Emory Vaccine Center [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
European Vaccine Initiative [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News, Events
World NTD Day, achieving health equity to end the neglect of poverty-related diseases
30 January 2022
 
 
Evidence Aid [to 05 Feb 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
Vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries Added February 4, 2022

 
 

Parental hesitancy about childhood vaccination Added February 4, 2022

Immunization, urbanization and slums Added February 2, 2022

 

Vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation coverage among migrants and non-migrants Added January 30, 2022
 
 
Fondation Merieux [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
Support for Laboratories
End of the third edition of the Mérieux Foundation’s MOOC on Quality Management
February 3, 2022, Global
The third and final edition of the MOOC on “Quality Management in Medical Laboratories”, created by the Mérieux Foundation in …
 
 
Gavi [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
4 February 2022
COVAX crosses milestone of 500 million donated doses shipped to 105 countries
:: COVAX has now shipped over 500 million donated doses to 105 countries
:: 31 countries have contributed to the effort, which accounts for nearly half of COVAX’s total shipments of over 1.1 billion doses – of which more than a billion have been distributed to lower-income economies supported through the Gavi Advance Market Commitment (Gavi COVAX AMC)
[See COVID above for detail]

GHIT Fund [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Global Fund [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Hilleman Laboratories [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
News & Insights
No new digest content identified.
 
 
HHMI – Howard Hughes Medical Institute [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.hhmi.org/news
Press Room
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Human Vaccines Project [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
HVP COVID Report
Feb 03, 2022
Peter Hotez: A Patent-free Vaccine for Global Access
 
 
IAVI [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.iavi.org/
Latest News
February 2, 2022
IAVI appoints three notable global health and business leaders to its board of directors
Today IAVI announced that Wafaa El-Sadr, Alexis Pinto, and Susan Silbermann have been appointed to its board of directors.

January 27, 2022
IAVI and Moderna launch trial of HIV vaccine antigens delivered through mRNA technology
NEW YORK AND CAMBRIDGE, MASS. – JANUARY 27, 2022 – IAVI and biotechnology company Moderna announced today that first doses have been administered in a clinical trial of experimental HIV vaccine antigens at George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.
The Phase I trial, IAVI G002, is designed to test the hypothesis that sequential administration of priming and boosting HIV immunogens delivered by messenger RNA (mRNA) can induce specific classes of B-cell responses and guide their early maturation toward broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) development. The induction of bnAbs is widely considered to be a goal of HIV vaccination, and this is the first step in that process. The immunogens being tested in IAVI G002 were developed by scientific teams at IAVI and Scripps Research and will be delivered via Moderna’s mRNA technology.
“We are tremendously excited to be advancing this new direction in HIV vaccine design with Moderna’s mRNA platform. The search for an HIV vaccine has been long and challenging, and having new tools in terms of immunogens and platforms could be the key to making rapid progress toward an urgently needed, effective HIV vaccine,” says Mark Feinberg, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of IAVI. “We are grateful to all of our partners and especially to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for funding this trial.”…

 
 

International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities [ICMRA]
http://www.icmra.info/drupal/en/news
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Research
No new digest content identified.
 
 
ICRC [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases, Statements, Reports
The ICRC appeals for 2.4 billion Swiss francs for its operations in 2022
The ICRC’s global appeal consists of 2.1 billion Swiss francs (CHF) for its field operations and 263 million for its headquarters.
04-02-2022 | Article

New ICRC executive team appointed
Under the leadership of Director-General Robert Mardini, the new directors will formally take up their functions on 1 July 2022 for a period of four years.The appointments today come after a rigorous recruitment process launched in September 2021, wh
03-02-2022 | News release

COVID-19 VACCINATION : Support to people affected by armed conflict and violence, including those living in hard-to-reach places
The ICRC is working with Red Cross and Red Crescent partners around the world to support COVID-19 vaccination in armed conflicts as well as hard-to-reach and volatile areas.
02-02-2022 | Article

 
 
IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
Press Releases/Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFRC [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
04/02/2022
Madagascar: More than 4 million people at risk as Tropical Cycloe Batsirai…

01/02/2022
Pacific: COVID-19 endangers fragile health systems

Institut Pasteur [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press Documents
Press release
02.02.2022
New anti-HIV antibody function discovered: tethering of viral particles at the surface of cells
Teams at the Institut Pasteur, CNRS, Vaccine Research Institute (VRI) and Université de Paris have discovered a new function of anti-HIV-1[1] antibodies by applying cutting-edge microscopy techniques to in vitro viral cultures. The scientists found that certain antibodies already known for effectively targeting HIV-1 envelope (Env) protein can prevent infected cells from releasing viral particles, thus halting viral spread…
 
 
IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News – Selected
News
04 Feb 2022
IOM, Governments and Partners Appeal for USD 67 Million to Assist Vulnerable Migrants Across the Horn of Africa and Yemen
 
 
ISC / International Science Council [to 05 Feb 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
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IVAC [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IVI [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Mozambique
Attacks and violence in Cabo Delgado displace thousands as cyclone season begins
Project Update 4 Feb 2022

Refugees, IDPs and people on the move
Poland-Belarus border crisis: “We don’t want people to die in the forest”
Voices from the Field 3 Feb 2022

Niger
Working with the community to counter malaria and malnutrition
Project Update 3 Feb 2022

Refugees, IDPs and people on the move
Italy-Libya agreement: Five years of EU-sponsored abuse in Libya and the central Mediterranean
Project Update 2 Feb 2022

Jordan
MSF brings down the curtain on one of its largest interventions in the country
Project Update 31 Jan 2022
 
 
National Academy of Medicine – USA [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://nam.edu/programs/
Selected News/Programs/Events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
National Academy of Sciences – USA [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/
News
Biodiversity at Risk ‘ New Booklet
January 26, 2022
Biodiversity – the rich variety of living things that support and sustain life on Earth – is facing grave threats. A new booklet provides an easy-to-read overview examining the causes of biodiversity loss and presenting actions that can be taken to stop this decline.
 
 
National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
National Vaccine Advisory Committee [NVAC] 2022 Meetings
February 10-11, 2022 – Agenda
[Excerpt]
NVAC TURNS 35: ADVANCING THE VACCINE SYSTEM
Dr. Walt Orenstein, Emory University
Dr. Robert Hopkins, NVAC Chair
Amy Finan, Sabin Vaccine Institute
Dr. Alejandro Cravioto—Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and SAGE Chair
Dr. Kathy Edwards, Vanderbilt University

 
 

PROTECTING THE WORLD THROUGH IMMUNIZATION       
Dr. Anita Shet, Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Peter Hotez, Texas Medical Center
Dr. Garrett Mehl, World Health Organization
 
 
NIH [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
Gene expression profile could enable rapid identification of anti-tumor immune cells for personalized immunotherapy
February 3, 2022 — Technique appears to have promise in stomach, esophageal, ovarian and breast cancers, among other types of tumors.

NIH supports Valley Fever research with new award
February 2, 2022 — Teams will collaborate to investigate potential diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for this fungal disease.

NIAID Pandemic Preparedness Plan targets ‘prototype’ and priority pathogens
February 2, 2022 — Preemptive approach designed to identify viral threats before they emerge.

Trial tests strategy to augment response to COVID-19 vaccines in transplant recipients
January 31, 2022 — NIH study will reduce immunosuppressive medication before, after extra vaccine dose.
 
 
OECD [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
Newsroom
Services trade liberalised in 2021, showing significant decrease in volume and effects of new measures, OECD says
Global services trade regulations showed signs of liberalisation in 2021, slowing the steady build-up of trade barriers identified in previous years, according to a new OECD report
1-February-2022
 
 
PATH [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
UNAIDS [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
4 February 2022
UNAIDS Solidarity Fund helps female sex workers in Ghana

3 February 2022
Consultation calls for the global AIDS response to build on emergency adaptations to COVID-19, tackle structural barriers and ensure that country programmes fully recover from COVID-19 disruptions and end AIDS

2 February 2022
The importance of engagement of community organizations to ensure the sustainability of HIV services in eastern Europe and central Asia

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.

UNICEF [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
Press release
01/31/2022
Catherine Russell assumes functions as new UNICEF Executive Director
[See Perspectives above for detail]

Unitaid [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
USAID [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/2021
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Announcements
News
USAID Announces $400,000 for People Affected by Flooding in Republic of the Congo
February 2, 2022
The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), provided approximately $400,000 in humanitarian assistance in Fiscal Year 2021 that is now being used to support populations affected by widespread flooding in the Republic of the Congo (RoC). Since late 2021, heavy rainfall and resultant flooding have adversely affected communities in the RoC’s Cuvette, Likouala, Plateaux, and Sangha departments.

USAID Announces $1 million in Additional Funding for People Affected by Super Typhoon Rai in the Philippines
February 2, 2022
The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing an additional $1 million in humanitarian assistance to support people affected by Super Typhoon Rai in the Philippines. The typhoon—known locally as Typhoon Odette—caused heavy rains, landslides, and widespread flooding, affecting more than 9.5 million people since making landfall in mid-December. This new funding brings total USAID humanitarian assistance for typhoon-affected people in the Philippines to more than $21 million.

Vaccine Equity Cooperative [nee Initiative] [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Confidence Project [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Wellcome Trust [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News. Opinion, Reports
Opinion
Author: Bilal Mateen
Develop digital tools that will catalyse the next generation of climate-sensitive infectious diseases research
1 February 2022
New funding call will support the development of digital tools that will catalyse the next generation of climate-sensitive infectious diseases (CSID) research. 
 
 
The Wistar Institute [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
Feb. 4, 2022
Wistar Scientists Move HIV Vaccine Research Forward by Developing an Immunogen that Produces Tier-2 Antibodies—the Kind That Matter for Combatting HIV
The vaccine delivery system uses DNA to encode genetic instruction in vivo, producing a more efficacious immune response.

Press Release
Feb. 1, 2022
Novel Nanoparticle SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Combines Immune Focusing and Self-assembling Nanoparticles to Elicit More Potent Protection
Engineered to use DNA to instruct cells to make vaccine in vivo and can be stored at room temperature, easily transported to remote locations.

WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News – Blog
No new digest content identified.
 
 
World Bank [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
How the World Bank Delivered COVID Vaccines in East Asia and the Pacific
Vaccines – Merriam-Webster dictionary’s “word of the year” in 2021 – were the talk of the global town last year. The World Bank has been front and center in efforts to deliver fair, broad and fast access…
Date: February 01, 2022 Type: Feature Story

Food Security and COVID-19
Jan. 31, 2022 – Many countries are facing growing levels of food insecurity, reversing years of development gains, and threatening the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Even before…
Date: January 31, 2022 Type: Brief
 
 
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.oie.int/en/media/news/
Press Releases, Statements
Interview: As the holiday season approaches, what can we do to prevent African swine fever?
News
31 January 2022
 
 
WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
WHO, WIPO, WTO heads chart future cooperation on pandemic response
1 February 2022
The Directors-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the WTO met on 1 February to chart future directions for trilateral cooperation in support of an effective global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A joint news item is below.
[See Perspectives above for detail]

WTO Secretariat updates members on COVID-19 reports and new tools
28 January 2022
At the information session organized by the Committee on Market Access on 28 January, WTO members were updated on the work undertaken by the WTO Secretariat in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a number of reports and new tools which are particularly relevant to the work of the Committee. The information session on trade in COVID-19-related goods had been requested by members who commended the effort made by the Secretariat since the pandemic began.

WTO Secretariat updates members on COVID-19 reports and new tools
28 January 2022
At the information session organized by the Committee on Market Access on 28 January, WTO members were updated on the work undertaken by the WTO Secretariat in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a number of reports and new tools which are particularly relevant to the work of the Committee. The information session on trade in COVID-19-related goods had been requested by members who commended the effort made by the Secretariat since the pandemic began.

 

::::::
 
 
ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
BIO [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
 
 
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 05 Feb 2022]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFPMA [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
Taking action on AMR: Largest life sciences sector coalition shows leadership in R&D, appropriate use
01 February 2022

R&D-based pharmaceutical industry’s innovative partnerships to meet urgent global supply needs
03 February 2022
[Excerpts]
Vaccines
IFPMA member companies are at the forefront of the global effort to develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and scale up manufacturing to ensure equitable access to people around the world. In less than a year, several vaccines candidates have been approved or are in advanced Phase III clinical trials with encouraging results. An impressive and unprecedented manufacturing scale-up is also taking place. Most collaborations – if not all – involved some sort of licensing and transfer of technology, which would not be possible in the absence of a robust global IP system.
The examples below highlight a few selected collaborations with IFPMA companies. According to Airfinity data, as of February 2022 at least 357 manufacturing and production agreements for COVID-19 vaccines – of which 239 agreements involving technology transfer- around the globe were made public…
Therapeutics
IFPMA member companies are committed to work with governments, insurers and international organizations to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 medicines. The examples below illustrate different initiatives IFPMA companies are taking to enhance access. In all of them, licensing, enabled by a well-functioning intellectual property system, is a key enabler. Sector-wide, according to Airfinity data, at least 146 manufacturing and production deals for COVID-19 therapeutics around the globe were made public (as of February 2022)…

AMR Industry Alliance 2022 Progress Report
01 February 2022

AMR Industry Alliance 2021 Survey Annex
01 February 2022

 
 

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 Feb 2022]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
 
 
PhRMA [to 05 Feb 2022]
http://www.phrma.org/
Latest News [Selected]
PhRMA Statement on White House Cancer Moonshot Event
February 2, 2022

Journal Watch

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

Impact of the world hand hygiene and global handwashing days on public awareness between 2016 and 2020: Google trends analysis

American Journal of Infection Control
February 2022 Volume 50 Issue 2 p123-242
http://www.ajicjournal.org/current

 

Major Articles
Impact of the world hand hygiene and global handwashing days on public awareness between 2016 and 2020: Google trends analysis
Yoshito Nishimura, Hideharu Hagiya, Koichi Keitoku, Toshihiro Koyama, Fumio Otsuka
Published online: October 27, 2021
p141-147

COVID-19 Vaccination: Health Care Organizations’ Responsibility and Opportunity

American Journal of Public Health
February 2022 112(2)
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/toc/ajph/current

 

PERSPECTIVES
COVID-19 Vaccination: Health Care Organizations’ Responsibility and Opportunity
Immunization/Vaccines, Public Health Practice, Community Health, Socioeconomic Factors, Health Care Facilities/Services
Katie J. O’Conor, Sherita H. Golden, Mark T. Hughes, Stephen D. Sisson and Allen Kachalia

Targeting Equity in COVID-19 Vaccinations Using the “Evaluating Vulnerability and Equity” (EVE) Model

American Journal of Public Health
February 2022 112(2)
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/toc/ajph/current

 

NOTES FROM THE FIELD
Targeting Equity in COVID-19 Vaccinations Using the “Evaluating Vulnerability and Equity” (EVE) Model
Other Statistics/Evaluation/Research, Immunization/Vaccines, Statistics/Evaluation/Research, Public Health Practice, Community Health, Epidemiology
Benjamin W. Weston, Zachary N. Swingen, Shannon Gramann and Dan Pojar

Economic evaluation of severe malaria in children under 14 years in Zambia

Artificial Intelligence – An International Journal
Volume 303 February 2022
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/artificial-intelligence/vol/302/suppl/C

 


BMC Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation
http://resource-allocation.biomedcentral.com/
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)
Economic evaluation of severe malaria in children under 14 years in Zambia
Malaria exerts a significant economic burden on health care providers and households and our study attempts to make claims on the cost effectiveness of artesunate against quinine in patients under 14 years of…
Authors: Michael Mtalimanja, Kassim Said Abasse, James Lamon Mtalimanja, Xu Zheng Yuan, Du Wenwen and Wei Xu
Content type: Research
5 February 2022

Digital communities of practice: one step towards decolonising global health partnerships

BMJ Global Health
February 2022 – Volume 7 – 2
https://gh.bmj.com/content/7/1

 

Commentary
Digital communities of practice: one step towards decolonising global health partnerships
(2 February, 2022)
Carmen Sant Fruchtman, Muhammad Bilal Khalid, Tshiamo Keakabetse, Antonio Bonito, Dell D Saulnier, Lucia Mungapeyi Mupara, Shahid Iqbal, Afonso de Almeida, Hendriketa da Silva, Diamantino de Jesus, Helen Prytherch, Ellen Mokalake, Daniel Cobos Muñoz, Shamsa Zafar
Summary box
:: Historically, global health partnerships have been led by scholars in high-income countries with colleagues from low-and middle-income countries acting as ‘local’ partners.
:: The COVID-19 pandemic and the response to it, including travel bans, as well as ongoing discussion and movements to decolonise Global Health have finally accelerated changes in our collaboration patterns.
:: We describe lessons from the shift to a digital community of practice, which combined with a strong intention to treat all partners as equal entities, resulted in the emergence of a more horizontal and inclusive partnership across and between research institutions in the Global North and South.
:: The flexibility of the funder to adapt to the emerging needs and approaches, as well as an equal funding scheme across institutions, facilitated the initiation and success of the community of practice.
The online community of practice enabled multidirectional peer-to-peer learning and coproduction of knowledge.
CONCLUSION: TOWARDS MORE JUST GLOBAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIPS
From our experience with the online CoP, we believe that when used consciously, online CoPs can facilitate the development of more equitable, horizontal partnerships. Establishing such a CoP puts the coproduction of knowledge at the heart of the partnership. Still, some challenges need to be addressed, such as flexibility in funding and outputs, and that those digital environments cannot fully replace human interaction. The future may not be lived fully online but the gains for more just global collaborations are already becoming clear. We foresee that the partnerships and friendships developed within such an environment can live beyond the end of a funded project.

Efficacy of antiviral therapies for COVID-19: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)

 

Efficacy of antiviral therapies for COVID-19: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to pose a significant threat to public health worldwide. The purpose of this study was to review current evidence obtained from randomized clinical trials on the e…
Authors: Charan Thej Reddy Vegivinti, Kirk W. Evanson, Hannah Lyons, Izzet Akosman, Averi Barrett, Nicole Hardy, Bernadette Kane, Praneeth Reddy Keesari, Yashwitha Sai Pulakurthi, Erin Sheffels, Prasanth Balasubramanian, Richa Chibbar, Spandana Chittajallu, Kathryn Cowie, J. Karon, Lauren Siegel…
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2022 22:107
Content type: Research
Published on: 31 January 2022

Investigating vaccine-induced immunity and its effect in mitigating SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in China

BMC Medicine
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/content
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)

 

Investigating vaccine-induced immunity and its effect in mitigating SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in China
To allow a return to a pre-COVID-19 lifestyle, virtually every country has initiated a vaccination program to mitigate severe disease burden and control transmission. However, it remains to be seen whether her…
Authors: Hengcong Liu, Juanjuan Zhang, Jun Cai, Xiaowei Deng, Cheng Peng, Xinghui Chen, Juan Yang, Qianhui Wu, Xinhua Chen, Zhiyuan Chen, Wen Zheng, Cécile Viboud, Wenhong Zhang, Marco Ajelli and Hongjie Yu
Citation: BMC Medicine 2022 20:37
Content type: Research article
Published on: 31 January 2022

An innovative approach in monitoring oral cholera vaccination campaign: integration of a between-round survey

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)

 

An innovative approach in monitoring oral cholera vaccination campaign: integration of a between-round survey
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is essential in ensuring population’s access to immunization. Surveys are part of this M&E approach but its timing limits the use of its results to improve the coverage of the e…
Authors: Jerôme Ateudjieu, Martin Ndinakie Yakum, André Pascal Goura, Maureen Tembei Ayok, Etienne Guenou, Corine Blondo Kangmo Sielinou, Frank Forex Kiadjieu, Marcellin Tsafack, Ingrid Marcelle Douanla Koutio, Ketina Hirma Tchio-Nighie, Hervé Tchokomeni, Paul Nyibio Ntsekendio and David A. Sack
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:238
Content type: Research article
Published on: 5 February 2022

Is the pre-natal period a missed opportunity for communicating with parents about immunizations? Evidence from a longitudinal qualitative study in Victoria, British Columbia

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)

 

Is the pre-natal period a missed opportunity for communicating with parents about immunizations? Evidence from a longitudinal qualitative study in Victoria, British Columbia
Growing evidence shows that many parents begin the decision-making process about infant vaccination during pregnancy and these decisions – once established – may be resistant to change. Despite this, many inte…
Authors: Clara Rubincam, Devon Greyson, Constance Haselden, Robin Saunders and Julie A. Bettinger
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:237
Content type: Research
Published on: 5 February 2022

Predicting the COVID-19 vaccine receive intention based on the theory of reasoned action in the south of Iran

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)

 

Predicting the COVID-19 vaccine receive intention based on the theory of reasoned action in the south of Iran
Vaccination against Covid 19 disease was based on rational practice theory.
Authors: Roghayeh Ezati Rad, Kobra Kahnouji, Shokrollah Mohseni, Nahid Shahabi, Fatemeh Noruziyan, Hossein Farshidi, Mahmood Hosseinpoor, Saeed Kashani, Hesamaddin Kamalzadeh Takhti, Mehdi Hassani Azad and Teamur Aghamolaei
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:229
Content type: Research
Published on: 4 February 2022

Infectious disease surveillance for refugees at borders and in destination countries: a scoping review

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)

 

Infectious disease surveillance for refugees at borders and in destination countries: a scoping review
Data on infectious disease surveillance for migrants on arrival and in destination countries are limited, despite global migration increases, and more are needed to inform national surveillance policies. Our s…
Authors: Majd Saleh, Zeina Farah and Natasha Howard
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:227
Content type: Research
Published on: 4 February 2022

Correlates of Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance among Residents of Ohio: A Cross-sectional Study

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)

 

Correlates of Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance among Residents of Ohio: A Cross-sectional Study
Recent studies in the United States have shown that between 56 to 74% are willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. A significant portion of the population should be vaccinated to avoid severe illness and preve…
Authors: Zelalem T. Haile, Anirudh Ruhil, Benjamin R. Bates, Orman Hall and Mario J. Grijalva
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:226
Content type: Research
Published on: 4 February 2022

Associations among political voting preference, high-risk health status, and preventative behaviors for COVID-19

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 05 Feb 2022)

 

Associations among political voting preference, high-risk health status, and preventative behaviors for COVID-19
We investigate the relationships among political preferences, risk for COVID-19 complications, and complying with preventative behaviors, such as social distancing, quarantine, and vaccination, as they remain …
Authors: Thalia Porteny, Laura Corlin, Jennifer D. Allen, Kyle Monahan, Andrea Acevedo, Thomas J. Stopka, Peter Levine and Keren Ladin
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:225
Content type: Research
Published on: 4 February 2022