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

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-pr ess/
News
How old is this bat? A new DNA-based test can tell.
March 23, 2021
Molecular clock links immunity, cancer suppression to bats’ extraordinarily long lives; new method could also help conservation efforts…

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

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

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.gatesmri.org/
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.

CARB-X [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://carb-x.org/
News
03.22.2021
World’s leading funders of antibacterial research provide guidance on Stewardship and Access in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Leading funders of research and development of new antibiotics and other products targeting antibiotic-resistant bacteria have just released a document providing comprehensive guidance on strategies and activities to support Stewardship and Access for companies bringing new antibacterial products to market. The Stewardship and Access Plan Development Guide provides companies with a framework to develop plans so that their product will be used responsibly, minimizing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria while helping patients get access to life-saving products.

Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
No new digest content identified.

DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [to 27 Mar 2021
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
No new digest content identified.

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

EDCTP [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
24 March 2021
World TB Day: the promise of ending the TB epidemic

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

European Commission [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://europa.eu/rapid/search-result.htm?query=18&locale=en&page=1
Latest
Statement 25 March 2021
Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with President Michel, following the videoconference of the members of the European Council
[See COVID above for detail]

Statement 24 March 2021
Joint statement by the European Commission and Her Majesty’s Government on cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic

Speech 24 March 2021
Remarks by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis at the press conference on the export transparency and authorisation mechanism and an accelerated approval of adapted vaccines against COVID-19 variants
[See COVID above for detail]

Press release 24 March 2021
Coronavirus: new procedure to facilitate and speed up approval of adapted vaccines against COVID-19 variants
Today, as an immediate action under the HERA Incubator, the new European bio-defence preparedness plan against COVID-19 variants, the Commission is introducing a measure to speed up the authorisation of adapted COVID-19 vaccines. It will make provisions in the relevant EU legislation to allow companies to focus on gathering the necessary evidence in time and enable the authorisation of adapted vaccines with a smaller set of additional data submitted to the European Medicines Agency…

European Medicines Agency [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases 
News: Increase in vaccine manufacturing capacity and supply for COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca, BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna (new)
CHMP, Last updated: 26/03/2021
[See COVID above for detail]

News: EMA issues advice on use of regdanvimab for treating COVID-19 (new)
CHMP, Last updated: 26/03/2021

News: Meeting highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) 22-25 March 2021 (new)
CHMP, Last updated: 26/03/2021

News: COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca – Update on ongoing evaluation of blood clot cases (new)
PRAC, Last updated: 25/03/2021

News: EMA advises against use of ivermectin for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 outside randomised clinical trials (new)
Last updated: 22/03/2021

European Vaccine Initiative [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News
EVI
March 23, 2021
World Tuberculosis Day 2021 – “The clock is ticking”…

FDA [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
Press Announcements /Selected Details
March 26, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 26, 2021

March 23, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 23, 2021

FDA – COVID-19 Vaccines [to 27 Mar 2021]
www.fda.gov/covid19vaccines
News and Updates; Upcoming Events
03/26/2021
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
The FDA issues an emergency use authorization (EUA) to a company for the SARS-CoV-2 NGS Assay and provides a consumer update on common questions about COVID-19 vaccines.

Fondation Merieux [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
Mérieux Foundation event
Vaccine Acceptance webinars: COVAX introduction & acceptance
March 29, 2021 – Virtual Event
These webinars will bring together international experts to showcase examples of challenges and success stories reported in specific countries during the COVID-19 vaccine introduction, adoption and implementation and the related crisis management aspects.
Session 1: March 29, 2021, 8:00 am – 10:30 am (CEST – Paris time)
Session 2: March 29, 2021, 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (CEST – Paris time)
(Two separate sessions have been set up to facilitate worldwide connection).
To register for the virtual event please contact Marianne Gojon-Gerbelot.

Gavi [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
25 March 2021
COVAX updates participants on delivery delays for vaccines from Serum Institute of India (SII) and AstraZeneca
[See COVID above for detail]

24 March 2021
Gavi Board approves COVAX Buffer for high-risk groups in humanitarian settings
[See COVID above for detail]

GHIT Fund [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 212 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
News
TB testing in 2020 dropped drastically due to COVID-19
24 March 2021
On World Tuberculosis Day, new data shows the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the fight against another deadly airborne disease: tuberculosis. Global Fund surveys in 13 countries with the highest TB burden in the world reveal that 29% fewer people were tested for TB compared to 2019

Uganda’s Remarkable Response to COVID-19
23 March 2021

Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
Publication in The Lancet: A call to action for global R&D funders during epidemics
23/03/2021
Funding organizations must address important gaps to establish a truly efficient and effective end-to-end R&D preparedness and response ecosystem.

COVID-19 research in low and middle income countries
22/03/2021
March 29 & 30, 2021 – 12 pm – 4 pm (BST) – Online event The outline agenda for this…

Hilleman Laboratories [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.

Human Vaccines Project [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.

IAVI [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
PRESS RELEASES/FEATURES
FEATURES
March 24, 2021
Uhambo: Twists and turns on the journey to an efficacious HIV-1 vaccine
In a new commentary the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Mark Feinberg, M.D., Ph.D., IAVI President and CEO underscores the importance of innovation in HIV vaccine development following the disappointing outcome of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) 702 study (termed Uhambo, Zulu for “journey”). Feinberg’s commentary follows the recent publication of findings from Uhambo today in NEJM.
Says Feinberg: “Even though the HVTN 702 results were disappointing, important recent data have indicated that a sufficient level of a broadly neutralizing antibody against HIV-1 (HIV bnAb) can protect at-risk persons from infection with bnAb-susceptible HIV-1 variants. These findings have established the breadth, potency, and concentration of HIV bnAb as a mechanistic correlate of protection. Although inducing protective bnAb responses by vaccination will be challenging, studies that combine high-resolution structural methods (including crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy) to reveal important details regarding HIV-1 Env antigenic determinants and insights into how bnAb-producing B cells develop in a subgroup of patients with HIV infection have provided a promising direction for vaccine development. The ability of a defined vaccine immunogen to initiate the process of bnAb evolution in persons without HIV infection was recently shown.”…

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

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

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

IFRC [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
New Red Cross and Red Crescent plan to counter “deep and pervasive” inequities in pandemic response
Geneva, 24 March 2021 (ICRC/IFRC) – The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has today launched a new plan that aims to tackle “deep and pervasive” inequities in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While no one has been spared fr …
24 March 2021
[See COVID above for detail]

Europe, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine
World Tuberculosis Day: IFRC calls for increased TB detection and treatment amid pandemic
IFRC is urging decision-makers to ensure tuberculosis patients receive life-saving treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, after new research showing the pandemic has set back TB detection by 12 years.
23 March 2021

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

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index
Media highlights [Selected]
Press Release
Over 100% price increase in staple food contributes to dire humanitarian need as Yemen enters 7th year of war, says IRC
March 25, 2021

Press Release
The IRC condemns the multiple attacks against civilians in Niger that have killed over 200 people in just ten days
March 25, 2021

Press Release
IRC assessment finds women and children at risk of violence, sleeping on the street in Cox’s Bazar as major fire leaves over 45,000 people without shelter
March 23, 2021

Press Release
Syria: IRC statement on hospital attack in western Aleppo
March 21, 2021

IVAC [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
Webinar Recording: SARS-CoV-2 Variants and the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the U.S.
March 2021
The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) hosted a webinar on March 23, 2021, “SARS-CoV-2 Variants and the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the U.S.” Description: This webinar presented about COVID-19 vaccine safety in the U.S. and the potential impact new variants will have on vaccine effectiveness. The speed and coordination of the response against COVID-19 […]

IVI [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News, Announcements, Events
No new digest content identified.

JEE Alliance [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
New Report: National Priorities to Combat Misinformation and Disinformation for COVID-19 and Future Public Health Threats: A Call for a National Strategy
March 23, 2021

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements
Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 support desperately needed as second wave overwhelms Yemen
Press Release 25 Mar 2021

Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic
Three questions on worrying COVID-19 surge in Papua New Guinea
Interview 25 Mar 2021

Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic
Vaccines urgently needed as Palestine struggles under surge of COVID-19
Press Release 24 Mar 2021

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

NIH [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
Scientists find evidence that novel coronavirus infects the mouth’s cells
March 25, 2021 — NIH-funded findings point to a role for saliva in SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

NIAID Statement on AstraZeneca Vaccine
March 23, 2021 — Late Monday, the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) notified NIAID, BARDA, and AstraZeneca that it was concerned by information released by AstraZeneca on initial data
[See COVID above for detail]

Investigational AstraZeneca vaccine prevents COVID-19
March 22, 2021 — Results are from a large clinical trial in the United States and South America.

UN OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.unocha.org/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

PATH [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
PATH welcomes Dr. Fredrick Were to the board of directors
March 23, 2021 by PATH
PATH’s board of directors has voted to appoint Dr. Fredrick Namenya Were as its new member. Dr. Were brings extensive experience in maternal and newborn health, child nutrition, health services and immunization.

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

UNAIDS [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
26 March 2021
UNAIDS works with partners to support the COVID-19 recovery for vulnerable people in Indonesia

26 March 2021
UNAIDS shows that with the right investment we can end AIDS by 2030
A new report published by UNAIDS today shows the value of investing fully in the HIV response.
UNAIDS modelling shows that investing US$ 29 billion a year in the HIV response in low- and middle-income countries by 2025 will put the world back on track to end AIDS by 2030. The investment, paid for by both donors and the wealthier countries most impacted by the HIV pandemic, would result in annual new HIV infections falling dramatically, from 1.7 million in 2019 to 370 000 in 2025, and annual AIDS-related deaths falling from 690 000 in 2019 to 250 000 in 2025. The number of new HIV infections among children will drop from 150 000 in 2019 to less than 22 000 in 2025…

24 March 2021
Tuberculosis deaths among people living with HIV are declining globally, but worrying gaps in TB care persist

24 March 2021
Huge gaps in TB care for people living with HIV in some countries

24 March 2021
Drop-in centre provides a lifeline for sex workers in Ethiopia

24 March 2021
Drop-in centre for sex workers opened in Togo

22 March 2021
Digital HIV education for Jamaican young people during COVID-19 and beyond

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html
Latest from News Centre
Women’s absence from COVID-19 task forces will perpetuate gender divide, says UNDP, UN Women
Women, on average, still make up only 24 percent of members among 225 COVID-19 task forces examined across 137 countries, as shown by the COVID-19 Global Gender Response Tracker tool that analyzes…
Posted on March 22, 2021

UNESCO [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Latest News
Ethical framework for COVID-19 response in the Arab region: views and recommendations from the experts
25/03/2021
03/22/202

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected Announcements
Bangladeshi authorities, aid agencies and refugee volunteers rush to respond as massive fire leaves some 45,000 Rohingya refugees without shelter
23 Mar 2021

UNICEF [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Press releases, Statements
Statement
03/25/2021
COVAX updates participants on delivery delays for vaccines from Serum Institute of India (SII) and AstraZeneca
[See COVID above for detail]

Press release
03/25/2021
South Sudan receives first batch of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility
JUBA, 25 March 2021 – Today 132,000 doses of the Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine arrived at the Juba International Airport. This is the first of several vaccine shipments scheduled to arrive over the coming months to South Sudan through the support of the COVAX Facility…

Press release
03/21/2021
Arrival of first wave consignment of COVAX COVID-19 vaccine doses to the State of Palestine
RAMALLAH and GAZA CITY, 21 March 2021 – On 17 March, the State of Palestine received the first shipment of 37,440 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and 24,000 doses of the Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine from COVAX facility as part of the first wave allocation. These vaccine doses were transferred to the Ministry of Health’s ultra-cold chain and vaccine storage facilities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Further consignments of COVAX vaccine doses are planned for the State of Palestine to cover 20 per cent of the population – approximately 1 million people. As with the current consignments, these doses are for both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, according to the prioritization criteria of the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan…

Unitaid [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
24 March 2021
Unitaid reaffirms its commitment to combat tuberculosis in times of COVID-19
Geneva – On World Tuberculosis Day 2021, Unitaid renews its strong commitment to fight one the world’s deadliest infectious killers.
Ensuring wider access to better, simpler and more affordable solutions to stop the spread of tuberculosis (TB) has always been at the core of Unitaid’s mission. While the world has come together to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now more important than ever to redouble our efforts when it comes to TB.
Every year, about 1.4 million die from TB and 10 million people fall ill with the disease. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified existing access challenges to efficient prevention, diagnosis and care, threatening to reverse the gains made over recent years.
Disruptions in TB services, diversion of resources and substantial reductions in TB detection have been observed. Between 2020 and 2025, an additional 1.4 million TB deaths could be registered as direct consequence of the pandemic.
Urgent action must be taken to provide wider access to life-saving preventive tools, tests and treatments if we want to reach our objective of ending TB by 2030.
“In these exceptional times, innovation has proven to be even more critical than ever to tackle tuberculosis. We need to redouble our efforts across prevention, diagnosis and treatment to ensure that affordable, simpler and adapted solutions are made available in low- and middle-income countries, particularly for the people who need them the most” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Unitaid Executive Director.

24 March 2021
Unitaid looks to invest in better tools to improve tuberculosis detection

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
Coronavirus global impact
Launched April 2, 2020 and recurring every 3 days, Premise Data is utilizing its global network of Contributors to assess economic, social, and health sentiment surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Explainer
Why we need to share vaccine doses now and why COVAX is the right way to do it
26 March 2021

Blog
Has Covid-19 changed researcher behaviour?
Georgina Humphreys
25 March 2021

The Wistar Institute [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
Mar. 23, 2021
Richard M. Horowitz Appointed Chair of The Wistar Institute’s Board of Trustees
Richard M. Horowitz is the new Chair of Wistar’s Board of Trustees. Looking forward to future growth under his guidance, the Institute is grateful to former Chair Helen P. Pudlin for her inspiring leadership… Sue Dillon, Ph.D., who is co-founder and CEO of Aro Biotherapeutics, has been elected to serve as the new vice-chair. Dillon was previously global therapeutic area head, Immunology, at Janssen Research & Development, a pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson.

WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News
No new digest content identified.

World Bank [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
New Global Tracker to Measure Pandemic’s Impact on Education Worldwide
Tracker a collaborative effort of Johns Hopkins University, the World Bank, and UNICEF March 26, 2021—The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education for 1.6 billion children worldwide over the past…
Date: March 26, 2021 Type: Press Release

WBG Vaccine Announcement– Key Facts
COVID-19 vaccines, alongside widespread testing, improved treatment and strong health systems are critical to save lives and strengthen the global economic recovery. To provide relief for vulnerable populations…
Date: March 23, 2021 Type: Factsheet
[See COVID above for detail]

COVID-19 in Eastern and Southern Africa: Four Hurdles to Recovery in the Race to Protect the Region’s Poorest
One year into the COVID-19 crisis, African countries in Eastern and Southern Africa have been spared the brunt of the pandemic, having recorded 2.1 million cases compared to, for example, close to 20 million…
Date: March 23, 2021 Type: Opinion

World Customs Organization – WCO [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.wcoomd.org/
Latest News – Selected Items
No new digest content identified.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2021/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
Post-COVID-19 recovery must not leave anyone behind — DG Okonjo-Iweala at Aid for Trade event
23 March 2021
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, joined by five heads of international organizations, stressed the need to keep global trade flows open to ensure that developing and least-developed countries have access to essential medical goods to control the spread of COVID-19 and are able to use trade to drive sustainable economic recovery. The speakers were taking part in a high-level plenary session held on Day 1 of the online Aid for Trade Stocktaking Event on 23 March.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 27 Mar 2021]
Press Releases – Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (alliancerm.org)
Press Releases
Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Supports the Council Position on EU Joint Clinical Assessments
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – March 24, 2021
European Patients Stand To Benefit From Early Focus On Life-Changing ATMPs
The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) – the global voice of the regenerative medicine and advanced therapies sector – welcomes the Council of the European Union’s support for EU-level joint clinical assessments. If adopted, joint clinical assessments can eliminate duplicative reviews of transformative Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) across member states, reducing the time and cost required to bring durable, and potentially curative, cell, gene, and tissue-based therapies to patients anywhere in the EU…

BIO [to 27 Mar 2021]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

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

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

IFPMA [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
R&D-based pharmaceutical industry’s innovative partnerships to meet urgent global supply needs
23 March 2021

PhRMA [to 27 Mar 2021]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
New report demonstrates the growing importance of partnerships in advancing biomedical innovation
March 24, 2021
…The report Power and Promise of a Collaborative Biopharmaceutical Ecosystem provides a look at the various collaborative partnerships currently taking place across the research ecosystem and healthcare system, playing a crucial role in:
:: Catalyzing research and development (R&D) and innovation,
:: Supporting public health and improving patient outcomes,
:: Enabling manufacturing scalability and supporting distribution and
:: Improving access to cutting edge innovation and cures.

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

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

Measles and rubella serosusceptibity among population vaccinated with different schedules: the potential impact on measles-rubella elimination in Iran
Iranian children were vaccinated with the scheduled two doses of monovalent measles vaccine (mMV) from 1984. In December 2003, a nationwide campaign of measles-rubella (MR) immunization was established to vacc…
Authors: Hana Saffar, Maryam Khalifeloo, Mohammad-Jafar Saffar, Alireza Abdollahi, Mohammad-Reza Parsaei, Gholam-Reza Ghorbani, Samaneh Salarvand and Mohsen Aarabi
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2021 21:305
Content type: Research article
Published on: 25 March 2021

BMC Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 27 Mar 2021)

Considerations for applying bioethics norms to a biopharmaceutical industry setting
Authors: Luann E. Van Campen, Tatjana Poplazarova, Donald G. Therasse and Michael Turik
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics 2021 22:31
Content type: Debate
Published on: 25 March 2021
Abstract
Background: The biopharmaceutical industry operates at the intersection of life sciences, clinical research, clinical care, public health, and business, which presents distinct operational and ethical challenges. This setting merits focused bioethics consideration to complement legal compliance and business ethics efforts. However, bioethics as applied to a biopharmaceutical industry setting often is construed either too broadly or too narrowly with little examination of its proper scope.
Main text: Any institution with a scientific or healthcare mission should engage bioethics norms to navigate ethical issues that arise from the conduct of biomedical research, delivery of clinical care, or implementation of public health programs. It is reasonable to assume that while bioethics norms must remain constant, their application will vary depending on the characteristics of a given setting. Context “specification” substantively refines ethics norms for a particular discipline or setting and is an expected, needed and progressive ethical activity. In order for this activity to be meaningful, the scope for bioethics application and the relevant contextual factors of the setting need to be delineated and appreciated. This paper defines biopharmaceutical bioethics as: the application of bioethics norms (concepts, principles, and rules) to the research, development, supply, commercialization, and clinical use of biopharmaceutical healthcare products. It provides commentary on this definition, and presents five contextual factors that need to be considered when applying bioethics norms to a biopharmaceutical industry setting: (1) dual missions; (2) timely and pragmatic guidance; (3) resource stewardship; (4) multiple stakeholders; and (5) operational complexity.
Conclusion: Understanding the scope of the biopharmaceutical enterprise and contextual factors of a biopharmaceutical industry setting is foundational for the application of bioethics norms. Establishing a common language and approach for biopharmaceutical bioethics will facilitate breadth and depth of discussion and subsequent implementation to benefit patients, the healthcare system and society.

BMC Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 27 Mar 2021)

Pharmacy stakeholder reports on ethical and logistical considerations in anti-opioid vaccine development
As opioid use disorder (OUD) incidence and its associated deaths continue to persist at elevated rates, the development of novel treatment modalities is warranted. Recent strides in this therapeutic area inclu…
Authors: Vincent Wartenweiler, Grace Chung, Amy Stewart and Cody Wenthur
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics 2021 22:30
Content type: Research article
Published on: 25 March 2021

BMC Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 27 Mar 2021)

The use of personal health information outside the circle of care: consent preferences of patients from an academic health care institution
Immense volumes of personal health information (PHI) are required to realize the anticipated benefits of artificial intelligence in clinical medicine. To maintain public trust in medical research, consent poli…
Authors: Sarah Tosoni, Indu Voruganti, Katherine Lajkosz, Flavio Habal, Patricia Murphy, Rebecca K. S. Wong, Donald Willison, Carl Virtanen, Ann Heesters and Fei-Fei Liu
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics 2021 22:29
Content type: Research article
Published on: 24 March 2021

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

Determinants of physician attitudes towards the new selective measles vaccine mandate in Germany
In Germany, a mandatory policy on measles vaccination came into effect in March 2020. Physicians, as the main vaccine providers, have a crucial role in implementing it. Mandatory vaccination changes the precon…
Authors: Julia Neufeind, Cornelia Betsch, Vera Zylka-Menhorn and Ole Wichmann
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:566
Content type: Research article
Published on: 22 March 2021

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

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

BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine
February 2021 – Volume 26 – 1
https://ebm.bmj.com/content/26/1?current-issue=y

Evidence synthesis
An evidence map of randomised controlled trials evaluating genetic therapies
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3044-9090
Eric A. Apaydin^1,2, Andrea S. Richardson³, Sangita Baxi¹, Jerry Vockley⁴, Olamigoke Akinniranye¹, Rachel Ross⁵, Jody Larkin¹, Aneesa Motala¹, Gulrez Azhar¹, Susanne Hempel^1,6
Correspondence to Dr. Eric A. Apaydin, Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center, Health Care, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA 90401-3208, USA; eapaydin@rand.org
First published November 10, 2020.
Abstract
Objectives – Genetic therapies replace or inactivate disease-causing genes or introduce new or modified genes. These therapies have the potential to cure in a single application rather than treating symptoms through repeated administrations. This evidence map provides a broad overview of the genetic therapies that have been evaluated in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for efficacy and safety.
Eligibility criteria – Two independent reviewers screened publications using predetermined eligibility criteria. Study details and data on safety and efficacy were abstracted from included trials. Results were visualised in an evidence map.
Information sources – We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov and grey literature to November 2018.
Risk of bias – Only RCTs were included in this review to reduce the risk of selection bias in the evaluation of genetic therapy safety and efficacy.
Included studies – We identified 119 RCTs evaluating genetic therapies for a variety of clinical conditions.
Synthesis of results – On average, samples included 107 participants (range: 1–1022), and were followed for 15 months (range: 0–124). Interventions using adenoviruses (40%) to treat cardiovascular diseases (29%) were the most common.
Description of the effect – In RCTs reporting safety and efficacy outcomes, in the majority (60%) genetic therapies were associated with improved symptoms but in nearly half (45%) serious adverse event (SAEs) were also reported. Improvement was reported in trials treating cancer, cardiovascular, ocular and muscular diseases. However, only 19 trials reported symptom improvement for at least 1 year.
Strengths and limitations of evidence -This is the first comprehensive evidence map of RCTs evaluating the safety and efficacy of genetic therapies. Evidence for long-term effectiveness and safety is still sparse. This lack of evidence has implications for the use, ethics, pricing and logistics of genetic therapies.
Interpretation – This evidence map provides a broad overview of research studies that allow strong evidence statements regarding the safety and efficacy of genetic therapies. Most interventions improve symptoms, but SAE are also common. More research is needed to evaluate genetic therapies with regard to the potential to cure diseases.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111448

Expert Review of Vaccines
Vol 20 (2) 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ierv20/current

Article
Biological strategies and political hurdles in developing malaria vaccines
Michael F. Good & Danielle I. Stanisic
Pages: 93-95
Published online: 17 Feb 2021

Expert Review of Vaccines
Vol 20 (2) 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ierv20/current

Transmission-Blocking Vaccines: Harnessing Herd Immunity for Malaria Elimination
Patrick E. Duffy
Pages: 185-198
Published online: 31 Jan 2021

Health Economics, Policy and Law 
Volume 16 – Issue 2 – April 2021
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/health-economics-policy-and-law/latest-issue

Article
Physicians’ attitudes towards accelerated access to medicines
Jessica Pace, Ian Kerridge, Sallie Pearson, Wendy Lipworth
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 October 2019, pp. 154-169
Abstract
In recent years, a variety of ‘accelerated access’ schemes have been introduced by pharmaceutical regulators and funders globally. These schemes aim to overcome perceived regulatory and reimbursement barriers to accessing medicines – particularly for patients with limited time or therapeutic options. However, patient access to approved medicines is mediated by a number of third parties including regulators and payers, and physicians who act both as gatekeepers and guides to prescribed medications. It is therefore essential to know how physicians think about accelerated access as they are responsible for advising patients on and prescribing medicines made available via these pathways. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 Australian physicians focusing on their attitudes towards accelerated access. We identified three ‘archetypes’ of physicians: ‘confident accelerators’, ‘cautious accelerators’, and ‘decelerators’. Although all acknowledged the potential risks and benefits of accelerated access, they disagreed on their magnitude and extent and how they should be balanced in both policy formation and clinical practice. Overall, our results illustrate the diversity of clinical opinions in this area and the importance of monitoring both the prescribing and clinical outcomes that result from accelerated access programmes to ensure that these are both clinically and morally acceptable.

Humanitarian Exchange Magazine
Number 78, October 2020
https://odihpn.org/magazine/inclusion-of-persons-with-disabilities-in-humanitarian-action-what-now/

Disability inclusion in humanitarian action
by HPN October 2020
The theme of this edition of Humanitarian Exchange, co-edited with Sherin Alsheikh Ahmed from Islamic Relief Worldwide, is disability inclusion in humanitarian action. Persons with disabilities are not only disproportionately impacted by conflicts, disasters and other emergencies, but also face barriers to accessing humanitarian assistance. At the same time, global commitments and standards and the IASC Guidelines on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action all emphasise how persons with disabilities are also active agents of change. Disability and age-focused organisations have led on testing and demonstrating how inclusion can be done better. Yet despite this progress, challenges to effective inclusion remain.

As Kirstin Lange notes in the lead article, chief among these challenges is humanitarian agencies’ lack of engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities. Simione Bula, Elizabeth Morgan and Teresa Thomson look at disability inclusion in humanitarian response in the Pacific, and Kathy Al Jubeh and Alradi Abdalla argue for a ‘participation revolution’, building on learning from the gender movement. Tchaurea Fleury and Sulayman AbdulMumuni Ujah outline how the Bridge Article 11 training initiative is encouraging constructive exchange between humanitarian and disability actors. The lack of good, disaggregated data is highlighted by Sarah Collinson; Frances Hill, Jim Cranshaw and Carys Hughes emphasise the need for training resources in local languages and accessible formats; and Sophie Van Eetvelt and colleagues report on a review of the evidence on inclusion of people with disabilities and older people.

Rebecca Molyneux and co-authors analyse the findings of a review of a DFID programme in north-east Nigeria, while Carolin Funke highlights the importance of strategic partnerships between disability-focused organisations, drawing on her research in Cox’s Bazar. Sherin Alsheikh Ahmed describes Islamic Relief Worldwide’s approach to mainstreaming protection and inclusion, while Pauline Thivillier and Valentina Shafina outline IRC’s Client Responsive Programming. The edition ends with reflections by Mirela Turcanu and Yves Ngunzi Kahashi on CAFOD’s SADI approach.

International Journal of Infectious Diseases
March 2021 Volume 104 p1-754
https://www.ijidonline.com/current

Editorial
COVID-19 vaccines under the International Health Regulations – We must use the WHO International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis
Eskild Petersen, et al
Published online: January 19, 2021
p175-177
… We propose that persons who have completed a full course of immunisation with an approved SARS-CoV-2 vaccine by an authorised provider should be allowed to travel freely for a specified period of time after completion of the last dose of immunisation…. In conclusion, standardized documentation of vaccination of travellers against SARS-COV -2 should be considered under the IHR. A number of questions will need to be answered in order to enable adoption by IHR. It is recommended when people are immunized against SARS-COV-2, they bring their WHO Yellow Card with them and ask the provider to enter the vaccine name and batch, date, sign and stamp. If a person does not have a WHO Yellow Card, she/he should obtain a proof of vaccination card with this important information. Immunisation certificates issued by national authorities using approved vaccines should be accepted as proof of immunity by airlines and national authorities.

JAMA
March 23/30, 2021, Vol 325, No. 12, Pages 1125-1234
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Viewpoint
The US Regulatory System and COVID-19 Vaccines – The Importance of a Strong and Capable FDA
Joshua M. Sharfstein, MD; Jesse L. Goodman, MD, MPH; Luciana Borio, MD
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2021;325(12):1153-1154. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.1961
This Viewpoint examines the important role of the Food and Druf Administration (FDA) in facilitating the rapid development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines.

JAMA
March 23/30, 2021, Vol 325, No. 12, Pages 1125-1234
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Editorial
Reassuring the Public and Clinical Community About the Scientific Review and Approval of a COVID-19 Vaccine
Howard Bauchner, MD; Preeti N. Malani, MD, MSJ; Joshua Sharfstein, MD

JAMA Network
COVID-19 Update March 27, 2021

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

Journal of Virology
April 2021; Volume 95, Issue 8
http://jvi.asm.org/content/current

Commentary
The Time for COVID-19 Vaccination
The composition and dynamics of viral mutant spectra in infected individuals advise that to avoid selection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) escape mutants, vaccination campaigns for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) should be launched when disease incidence is low.
Esteban Domingo, Celia Perales

Comment

Announcing the Lancet Commission on Vaccine Refusal, Acceptance, and Demand in the USA

Commissioners of the Lancet Commission on Vaccine Refusal, Acceptance, and Demand in the USA

Vaccines are one of the most effective tools for the prevention of infectious diseases.1 However, the success of immunisation programmes depends on widespread acceptance and high coverage of vaccination.2 Over the past decade, vaccine refusal has accelerated in the USA, with increased non-medical exemptions to school immunisation requirements that have been linked to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.3 Although vaccine refusal is not uniformly spread across the USA and national childhood vaccination rates remain high, vaccination has declined in many communities and school districts that are consequently at increased risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.4

Achieving optimal and uniform vaccine acceptance is a complex challenge, especially because early evidence suggests that key factors affecting vaccine acceptance may have shifted over the past few years. Anti-vaccine activities are prominent,5 but are only a part of why vaccine refusal has increased. Other factors include ongoing distrust of the medical community, particularly among socially vulnerable communities, and poor or inconsistent public communications on the safety of vaccines to prevent emerging pandemic threats.

Organised anti-vaccine activities are a concern. In the past, the US anti-vaccine movement generally operated at the fringes of society, but it has now expanded its reach through increased political activities and amplification on the internet, social media, and e-commerce platforms.5 Homegrown anti-vaccine organisations at the state and national levels, combined with weaponised health attacks from some foreign nations, now dominate the internet through coordinated disinformation.5,  6,  7,  8

One recent study found that just two homegrown anti-vaccine organisations were responsible for more than half of all anti-vaccine advertisements on Facebook.9 National and international organisations now host regular anti-vaccine conferences and stage rallies.7 Additionally, in many states, such as California, Oklahoma, and Texas, political action committees influence or lobby state legislatures, often through libertarian or far-right legislators touting so-called health freedom.7 This movement has built on a growing interest in non-pharmaceutical interventions and alternative medicine, and heightened scepticism of the drug industry.10

The repercussions of these efforts cost lives. The number of measles cases in the USA increased in the past few years;11 in 2019, there were more than 1200 cases of measles and multiple hospitalisations and intensive care unit admissions. 12 Adolescents are also unnecessarily placed at risk for human papillomavirus cancers as are adults,13 and many Americans die every year from influenza.14

The USA is potentially facing frequent and costly public health crises due to outbreaks of infectious diseases arising from low vaccine acceptance…

Racial, ethnic, and economic disparities are issues that need to be addressed in efforts to build vaccine acceptance. COVID-19 transmission, morbidity, and mortality have disproportionately affected essential workers, Americans living in low-income neighbourhoods, and communities of colour, which reflects the effects of systemic racism.15..

The Lancet has established the Commission for Vaccine Refusal, Acceptance, and Demand in the USA to design a multisectoral plan for public policy to support high acceptance of safe and effective vaccines in the USA. Our goal is to understand and report on the state of vaccine acceptance and its potential link to vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, we will work to identify and predict future trends in vaccine acceptance and impacts on the public health community. We will also identify and assess demand-side vaccine uptake interventions and solutions to counter anti-vaccine information.

Similar disparate health outcomes have occurred in other pandemics, such as the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, and they are likely to arise in future disease outbreaks…

The Commission had its first meeting in 2020, and we aim for a first interim report on COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months. We expect to present a comprehensive report on broader vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in the USA by 2022. We will post updates about the Commission’s ongoing work on the Commission website. We are hopeful that confidence in and acceptance of vaccines in the USA can be improved through a cooperative strategy…

The Lancet
Mar 27, 2021 Volume 397 Number 10280 p1157-1236
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Editorial
COVID-19: building a stronger Europe
The Lancet
Europe is facing serious third waves of COVID-19 and vaccine roll-out has been fraught. But while much of the focus has been on western Europe, little attention has been paid to central and eastern Europe. This region is large, politically diverse, and historically complex, spanning EU member countries like the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and the Baltic states, the non-EU western Balkans, and Ukraine further east. It is unclear how some of these countries managed to keep cases low during the first part of 2020. By mid-March 2021, six of the top ten countries globally with the highest death rates per 100 000 people were in central and eastern Europe (up to 230·34 in Czech Republic). This fact raises questions about the general state of health across the region. It also gives urgency to the issue of how Europe as a whole can best ensure its collective health security and prosperity. As COVID-19 brings immediate crises to Europe, health could be a unifying force to strengthen the ties between countries both within and outside the EU….

The Lancet
Mar 27, 2021 Volume 397 Number 10280 p1157-1236
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Articles
Assessment of protection against reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 among 4 million PCR-tested individuals in Denmark in 2020: a population-level observational study
Christian Holm Hansen, Daniela Michlmayr, Sophie Madeleine Gubbels, Kåre Mølbak, Steen Ethelberg
Our findings could inform decisions on which groups should be vaccinated and advocate for vaccination of previously infected individuals because natural protection, especially among older people, cannot be relied on.

The Lancet
Mar 27, 2021 Volume 397 Number 10280 p1157-1236
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Health Policy
Urgent lessons from COVID 19: why the world needs a standing, coordinated system and sustainable financing for global research and development
Nicole Lurie, Gerald T Keusch, Victor J Dzau
Summary
The research and development (R&D) ecosystem has evolved over the past decade to include pandemic infectious diseases, building on experience from multiple recent outbreaks. Outcomes of this evolution have been particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic with accelerated development of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, as well as novel clinical trial designs. These products were developed, trialled, manufactured, and authorised for use in several countries within a year of the pandemic’s onset. Many gaps remain, however, that must be bridged to establish a truly efficient and effective end-to-end R&D preparedness and response ecosystem. Foremost among them is a global financing system. In addition, important changes are required for multiple aspects of enabling sciences and product development. For each of these elements we identify priorities for improved and faster functionality. There will be no better time than now to seriously address these needs, however difficult, as the ravages of COVID-19 continue to accelerate with devastating health, social, and economic consequences for the entire community of nations.

Nature
Volume 591 Issue 7851, 25 March 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/591/issues/7850

Editorial | 23 March 2021
Politicians must dial down the rhetoric over COVID vaccines
Vaccine confidence will be the casualty of Europe’s war of words over the AstraZeneca–Oxford vaccine.

New England Journal of Medicine
March 25, 2021 Vol. 384 No. 12
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

 Audio Interview
Interview with Dr. Paul Offit on how more than two centuries of vaccine advances have paved the way for Covid-19 vaccines. (07:02)Download

New England Journal of Medicine
March 25, 2021 Vol. 384 No. 12
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Perspective History of Medicine
On the Shoulders of Giants — From Jenner’s Cowpox to mRNA Covid Vaccines
Angela Desmond, M.D., Ph.D., and Paul A. Offit, M.D.

New England Journal of Medicine
March 25, 2021 Vol. 384 No. 12
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Original Articles
Vaccine Efficacy of ALVAC-HIV and Bivalent Subtype C gp120–MF59 in Adults G.E. Gray and Others
A safe, effective vaccine is essential to eradicating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A canarypox–protein HIV vaccine regimen (ALVAC-HIV plus AIDSVAX B/E) showed modest efficacy in reducing infection in Thailand. An analogous regimen using HIV-1 subtype C virus showed potent humoral and cellular responses in a phase 1–2a trial in South Africa. Efficacy data and additional safety data were needed for this regimen in a larger population in South Africa….The ALVAC–gp120 regimen did not prevent HIV-1 infection among participants in South Africa despite previous evidence of immunogenicity.

New England Journal of Medicine
March 25, 2021 Vol. 384 No. 12
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Editorials
Uhambo — Twists and Turns on the Journey to an Efficacious HIV-1 Vaccine M.B. Feinberg

PLoS Genetics
https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/
(Accessed 27 Mar 2021)

Double drives and private alleles for localised population genetic control
Katie Willis, Austin Burt
Research Article | published 23 Mar 2021 PLOS Genetics
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1009333
Author summary
Some disease vectors, invasive species, and other pests cannot be satisfactorily controlled with existing interventions, and new methods are required. Synthetic gene drive systems that are able to spread though populations because they are inherited at a greater-than-Mendelian rate have the potential to form the basis for new, highly efficient pest control measures. The most efficient such strategies use natural gene flow to spread a construct throughout a species’ range, but if control is only desired in a particular location then these approaches may not be appropriate. As some of the most promising gene drive designs use nucleases to target specific DNA sequences, it ought to be possible to exploit sequence differences between target and non-target populations to restrict the spread and impact of a gene drive. In this paper we propose using two-construct “double drive” designs that exploit pre-existing sequence differences between target and non-target populations. Our approaches maintain the efficiencies associated with only small release rates being needed and can work if the differentiated locus is selectively neutral and if the differentiation is far from complete, and therefore expand the range of options to be considered in developing genetic approaches to control pest species.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bottom of Form

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Think Tanks et al

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

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

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

1

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

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