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

Accesses 23 Oct 2021. Full scale, interactive dashboard available at:
https://africacdc.org/covid-19-vaccination/

Russia: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment
Russia: Sputnik V – “the first registered COVID-19 vaccine”
https://sputnikvaccine.com/newsroom/pressreleases/
Press Releases
On information attacks against Sputnik V vaccine
Press release, 21.10.2021
…Instead of attacking Sputnik, we urge Western mRNA vaccine producers to consider using the one-component Sputnik Light as a booster to help them achieve stronger immunity that lasts longer…

Approval of mixing and matching of COVID booster shots by FDA is yet another confirmation of efficacy of vaccine cocktail approach pioneered by the Russian Sputnik V vaccine
Press release, 21.10.2021

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

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

20.10.2021 Guidelines for International Arrivals
20.10.2021 List of Countries to be referred to in context of ‘Guidelines for international arrivals’ dated 20th October 2021

Government of India – Press Information Bureau
Latest Press Releases
COVID-19 Vaccination Update – Day 281
Posted On: 23 OCT 2021 8:30PM by PIB Delhi
:: India’s cumulative vaccination coverage crosses 102 crore
:: More than 70 lakh Vaccine doses administered today till 7 pm
India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 102 Crore (1,02,03,34,409) today. More than 70 lakh (70,71,127) Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today.  The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late tonight.

PIB’S BULLETIN ON COVID-1
Posted On: 23 OCT 2021 7:51PM by PIB Delhi
101.30 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
16,326 new cases in the last 24 hours
Recovery Rate currently at 98.16%; Highest since March 2020
17,677 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to 3,35,32,126
Active cases account for less than 1% of total cases, currently at 0.51%; Lowest since March 2020
India’s Active caseload stands at 1,73,728; lowest in 233 days
Weekly Positivity Rate (1.24%) less than 2% for last 29 days
Daily positivity rate (1.20%) less than 2% for last 19 days
59.84 crore Total Tests conducted so far

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

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

See China CDC below for announcements.

Emergencies

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

Polio this week as of 20 October 2021
:: This week, the GPEI got the greenlight to resume house-to-house vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan which had been halted for over three years. Starting November 8, the campaigns will target over 3.3 million children in parts of the country that were previously inaccessible. Read more on this positive development.
:: For many of the women and men who spent their careers fighting polio, retirement offers not rest and relaxation, but a continuation of their life’s work towards eradication. Across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, once and forever polio fighters are inspiring the next generation of eradicators with their commitment to the cause, and belief in the benefits of a polio-free future. Read more in our latest feature story.
:: Following careful review of safety and genetic stability data from mass immunization campaigns conducted with the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE) endorsed the transition to the next use phase for the vaccine. Read more…

Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
:: Nigeria: 37 cVDPV2 cases and 19 cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
:: Senegal: one cVDPV2 case
:: Somalia: one cVDPD2 case

::::::

House-to-house polio vaccination set to recommence across Afghanistan in November
18 October 2021
[See Milestones above for detail]

Over 80 million reached as Africa trailblazes novel polio vaccine
22 October 2021
[See Milestones above for detail]

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

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
:: House-to-house polio vaccination set to recommence across Afghanistan in November
18 October 2021

Crisis in Northern Ethiopia [Last apparent update: 5 Aug 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
:: Case study: Pilot implementation in Nigeria and Zambia, SBI COVID-19 data collection tool
1 October 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: Weekly Humanitarian Update (11 – 17 October 2021)

Afghanistan: ICCT Real-Time Response Overview Situation Report (21 October 2021)
HIGHLIGHTS
Humanitarians seek US$606 million as part of the Flash Appeal to provide prioritised multi-sectoral assistance to 11 million people in the four remaining months of 2021. Donors are urged to fast-track funding to mitigate against avoidable deaths, prevent displacement and reduce suffering. Donors are also urged to ensure that funding is flexible enough to adapt to the fast-changing conditions on the ground. As at 21 October, the Flash Appeal remained only 45 per cent funded, with a shortfall of some $334 million.
Humanitarians remain concerned about “conditional humanitarianism” or attempts to “leverage” humanitarian assistance for political purposes. Humanitarian action should never be conditioned to political, development, human rights or other non-humanitarian objectives. The conditioning of humanitarian aid is antithetical to the core principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, serves to erode respect for International Humanitarian Law and compromises humanitarian actors. Donors are urged to ensure transactions and other activities required for humanitarian operations are excluded from the scope of sanctions regimes to allow humanitarian activities to continue without impediment.
Since 1 September 2021, partners have reached 39,383 children with community-based education activities, supported 53,983 people with standard NFIs assistance, provided 4 million people with food assistance, reached 790,000 people with primary healthcare, provided treatment for Acute Malnutrition to 85,623 children under five, supported 27,310 people with psychosocial support services, and assisted 165,000 drought-affected people with water trucking.
The majority of activities during the reporting period have been carried out with existing funding. Humanitarians continue to urge for pledged funding to be rapidly translated into commitments to resource immediate response and preparedness activities.

Northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia – Northern Ethiopia Humanitarian Update Situation Report, 21 Oct 2021
HIGHLIGHTS
Two airstrikes on Mekelle killing three children and injuring 10 people, according to health officials.
Another airstrike carried on 20 October, injuring a number of people.
Between 7-13 October, only about 52,000 people reached with food or 1 per cent of the targeted population in Tigray, in which half of them received only one or two food items.
Fuel is still not allowed to enter Tigray via Afar.
The percentage of children identified with severe acute malnutrition in Tigray is rising on weekly basis and alarming at above two per cent.
Partners reached more than 807,000 people with food since early August in Amhara Region, including nearly 97,000 people during the reporting period.

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

WHO & Regional Offices [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.who.int/
22 October 2021
Departmental news
WHO, WIPO, WTO update information note on an integrated health, trade, IP response to COVID-19

21 October 2021
Departmental news
Determination, innovation and adaptation can keep lymphatic filariasis elimination on track

21 October 2021
News release
WHO unveils action plan to address findings of Independent Commission on DRC SEA allegations

21 October 2021
News release
WHO and partners call for action to better protect health and care workers from COVID-19

21 October 2021
Departmental news
Global TB Report app – Updated data in line with 2021 Global TB Report

20 October 2021
Departmental news
NTDs: countries must adapt and innovate to mitigate COVID-19 disruptions

20 October 2021
Departmental news
Health and Care Worker Deaths during COVID-19
[See Milestones above for detail]

20 October 2021
Departmental news
WHO launches women’s health chatbot with messaging on breast cancer

19 October 2021
Departmental news
Scientists share data from first WHO-recommended malaria vaccine

19 October 2021
Departmental news
WHO’s 7 policy recommendations on building resilient health systems

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Over 80 million reached as Africa trailblazes novel polio vaccine 22 October 2021

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
No new digest content identified

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

WHO European Region EURO
:: World Polio Day 2021 highlights progress and ongoing commitment to end polio everywhere 21-10-2021
:: Azerbaijan strengthens its health workforce to boost primary health care 21-10-2021
:: One billion COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the WHO European Region – but risks for the unvaccinated leave no room for complacency 21-10-2021

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: House-to-house polio vaccination set to recommence across Afghanistan in November 18 October 2021

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified

::::::

New WHO Publications [Selected]
https://www.who.int/publications/i
Selected Titles
22 October 2021
Integrated health, trade and IP approach to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, 30 August 2021
Overview
The Trilateral Study is a result of the more than 10 years of trilateral cooperation between the Secretariats of WHO, WIPO and WTO. It seeks to strengthen the understanding of the ever-evolving interplay between the distinct policy domains of health, trade and intellectual property and their effect on innovation and access to health technologies, such as medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and medical devices.

21 October 2021
Interim recommendations for use of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac, developed by Sinovac

21 October 2021
Annexes to the recommendations for use of the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine against COVID-19: Grading of…

21 October 2021
Coadministration of seasonal inactivated influenza and COVID-19 vaccines
Overview
Vaccination programmes against COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are currently being implemented in parallel in many countries. Administration of both vaccines during the same visit has potential advantages. This document presents the evidence related to coadministration of Covid-19 and influenza vaccines and the interim guidance.

19 October 2021
Fourteenth report of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Neglected Tropical Diseases (STAG-NTDs)

19 October 2021
Infection prevention and control in primary care: a toolkit of resources

19 October 2021
Building health systems resilience for universal health coverage and health security during the COVID-19…

19 October 2021
WHO consultative meeting on science and technology foresight function for global health, 13 July 2021
…The Global Health Foresight function in the Science Division aims to address the following areas:
strengthen capabilities for the early identification of trends or advances in science and technology with notable impacts on public health;
generate country foresight and scenarios through structured, transparent processes that help identify how these trends might affect health and health systems in countries; and
develop strategic options to prepare future health systems to take advantage of opportunities, and proactively confront risks and challenges, and informing globalhealth policy.
WHO’s Science Division is working with various stakeholders, including international and regional organizations, technical experts, and other partnerships. It is important that the foresight function provides timely, useful, and actionable outputs relevant to all levels of the organization, member states, as well as the global community…

19 October 2021
Mapping health systems’ responsiveness to refugee and migrant health needs
Overview
This mapping exercise reviews the ways in which countries with significant refugee and migrant populations have adapted their health-care systems and service delivery to meet the diverse needs of refugee and migrant populations. Understanding the models of care through which countries provide health services to refugees and migrants is critical to determining how the delivery of these services can be improved to ensure safe, effective and culturally sensitive care that also recognizes the strengths of refugee and migrant populations. The review identifies four models of care adopted by countries in response to migration trends and health needs of refugees and migrants: mainstream, specialized-focus, gateway and limited. It examines the strengths and weaknesses associated with each model. The application of these models in practice is described using case studies from 18 countries engaged in local integration or third-country resettlement of refugees and migrants.

19 October 2021
An overview of infodemic management during COVID-19, January 2020–May 2021

CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases, Announcements
CDC Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots
Thursday, October 21, 2021
[See U.S. COVID above for detail]

CDC to Renew Advisory Committee to the Director
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
The Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ACD), as authorized by federal law, is being re-established.
The ACD advises the CDC director, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Assistant Secretary for Health on policy and broad strategies that will enable CDC to fulfill its mission of protecting the nation’s health. It specifically recommends ways to prioritize CDC’s activities, improve results, and address health disparities.
As an official federal advisory committee, the ACD also provides guidance to help CDC work more effectively with its various private and public sector constituents to make health protection a reality. Meetings are open to the public.
“As a physician scientist, I have always valued collaboration and diversity of thought,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H.  “For 57 years, this committee provided invaluable advice and counsel to prior CDC directors to help shape public health policy intended to protect people and save lives.  I look forward to future collaborations with the committee.”…

Next ACIP Meetings
No registration is required to watch the webcast.
:: November 2-3, 2021 – No agenda posted at 23 Oct 2021

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, October 22, 2021
Selected Content
:: HIV Infection and HIV-Associated Behaviors Among Persons Who Inject Drugs — 23 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, United States, 2018
:: Effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA Vaccination Against COVID-19 Hospitalization Among Persons Aged 12–18 Years — United States, June–September 2021

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)– CDC
Approximately 25 announcements/reports/data summaries.

Africa CDC [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
No new digest content identified

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

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
Oct 23: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Oct 22, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 50 new cases of confirmed infections.

National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/news.html
News
Over 2.238b COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2021-10-22
More than 2.238 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Wednesday, data from the National Health Commission showed on Oct 21.

CCDC Weekly – Weekly Reports: Current Volume (3)
2021-10-22 / No. 43
View  PDF of this issue
Perspectives: Senior Research Scholars in China CDC’s National Immunization Program
China CDC’s National Immunization Program’s Senior Research Scholars Program (NIP-SRSP) is a program created to foster the professional development of early-to-mid-career immunization experts, strengthen knowledge exchange and cooperation between national and provincial/prefectural-level CDCs, and deepen scientific and programmatic capacity of the National Immunization Program and provincial/prefectural immunization programs. Initiated in September 2019, the NIP-SRSP recruits immunization professionals for a 12-to-18-month experience in Beijing who have worked at the Vice-Senior professional level or above and are recommended by their provincial/prefectural CDC supervisor and leadership. The first cohort of National Immunization Program Senior Research Scholars successfully completed the program and were recognized by CDC Director, Academician George F. Gao at a commencement ceremony on August 25, 2021…

::::::

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 23 Oct 2021]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/new s-press/
News
No new digest content identified.

BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Pages/default.aspx
News
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center
Press Releases and Statements
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Commits up to $120 Million to Accelerate Access to COVID-19 Drug for Lower-Income Countries, Calls on Other Donors to Mobilize Resources
Financial commitment aims to secure dedicated, low-cost supply of molnupiravir, if the drug is authorized by regulators; builds on long-term efforts to increase access to tests, treatments, vaccines
Oct 19, 2021
… This commitment builds on the foundation’s ongoing efforts, including $1.9 billion in funding, since the start of the pandemic to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and tests by supporting R&D, regulatory work, at-risk manufacturing, and product delivery…

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 23 Oct 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 23 Oct 2021]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: [NEW] Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – October 2021 is now posted here

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
No new digest content identified.

DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [to 23 Oct 2021
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
No new digest content identified.

Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://dukeghic.org/
Our Blog
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
News
18 October 2021
The Tenth EDCTP Forum has started
Join the Forum proceedings (registration only)

Emory Vaccine Center [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.

European Vaccine Initiative [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News
No new digest content identified.

Fondation Merieux [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
No new digest content identified.

Gavi [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.gavi.org/
News releases
18 October 2021
First Portuguese COVAX doses reach Senegal

GHIT Fund [to 23 Oct 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
No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
No new digest content identified.

Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

Hilleman Laboratories [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
Website reports “under maintenance” at inquiry

Human Vaccines Project [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
Press Release
Oct 22, 2021
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory joins Human Vaccines Project

IAVI [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
Latest News
October 20, 2021
TB survivors from G20 countries call upon their leaders to invest $1 billion per year to develop new TB vaccines
The call is endorsed by a global coalition advocating for a fully funded and resourced TB vaccine pipeline by 2023
October 20, 2021
In a direct address to their Heads of State and Government, a group of tuberculosis (TB) survivors from the G20 nations sent a letter to their political leaders as they prepare to gather at the G20 Summit in Rome, calling upon them to uphold their promise made at the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UN HLM) on TB in 2018 to develop new vaccines against TB. Written by a group of TB survivors and signed by TB survivors from each of the G20 countries and over 55 organizations around the world, the letter asks G20 leaders to secure an annual investment of at least US$1 billion in TB vaccine research so that new TB vaccines are possible as early as 2025.
The letter is endorsed by the TB Vaccine Advocacy Roadmap (TB Vax ARM), a new global coalition of TB advocates and allied organizations spearheaded by IAVI, Results UK, and TAG. The coalition has come together to accelerate TB vaccine development by ensuring a fully funded and resourced TB vaccine pipeline by 2023, a requirement for delivering new TB vaccines in time to end the TB epidemic by 2030, the goal set at the UN HLM in 2018.
In the letter, TB survivors remind their leaders that even in the face of COVID-19, which killed 1.7 million people in 2020, TB remained the leading infectious cause of death in much of the world: “TB is a disease of inequity — over 90% of people who fall sick with TB live in developing and emerging economies. New TB vaccines could help protect us from the suffering we have experienced and save the precious lives and livelihoods of millions around the world from the leading infectious killer before COVID-19. We call on G20 countries to commit the resources needed to develop life-saving vaccines so that we can truly end TB during this decade,’’ said Rhea Lobo, a TB survivor from India who helped lead this initiative…

October 18, 2021
Vaccines Security in Africa – Which Way Next?
…“Vaccines Security in Africa – Which Way Next?” brought together researchers, policymakers, pharmaceutical/biotech companies, civil society organizations, and the media to discuss and advocate for pathways toward a sustainable vaccine development and manufacturing ecosystem backed with sustainable financing, strategic partnerships, innovative financing approaches, and domestic resource mobilization. Forum participants also highlighted opportunities to accelerate vaccine development and manufacturing in Africa. Speakers included representatives of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), AVMI, IAVI, WHO, and WHO Regional office for Africa (WHO/AFRO).
Keynote speaker Dr. Lindiwe Makubalo, assistant regional director, WHO/AFRO, stated that now is not the time to ask for political will, but rather political action, leadership, and practical support aimed at accelerating sustainable access to vaccines on the continent. She noted that COVID-19 presents new opportunities for action in domestic vaccine manufacturing and reiterated WHO’s commitment to partnering with governments, policymakers, and regulators to support a sustainable market for locally produced vaccines….

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 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases, Statements, Reports 
Statement on behalf of the 160 signatories to the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations to the 26th UNFCCC COP
“Today’s climate and environmental crises threaten the survival of humanity. All dimensions of our lives are affected, from our physical and mental health to our food, water and economic security.
20-10-2021 | Statement

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

IFRC [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Red Cross rushes relief as severe floods and landslides hit Nepal, India
21/10/2021 | Press release

Institut Pasteur [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press Documents
No new digest content identified.

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News – Selected
News 19 Oct 2021
Djibouti Rolls Out COVID-19 Vaccinations for Migrants
Djibouti – Migrants in Djibouti are being vaccinated against COVID-19 for the first time, as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) works with the Government to support the national immunization effort.
Since the start of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out globally, IOM has been advocating for the inclusion of migrants and Djibouti is one of the first countries in the region to initiate a campaign for them. Around 70 migrants have received jabs since the vaccination drive began on 12 October and it will continue till at least the end of the year…

ISC / International Science Council [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://council.science/current/
ISC is a non-governmental organization with a unique global membership that brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organizations including Academies and Research Councils.
News
Freedom and responsibility in the 21st century: a contemporary perspective on the free and responsible practice of science
CFRS Draft Discussion Paper
September 2021 ;; 41 pages
The Paper is intended for a broad readership, including researchers, research managers, policymakers, science diplomats, and those in the private sector. As such, we invite you to identify a range of readers affiliated with your organization who can review the content of the draft Paper from these diverse perspectives.
6. Conclusion
This Discussion Paper concludes on an optimistic note. Science is a unique human activity that, over time, has given us deep knowledge of ourselves and our place in the universe. Broadly defined, the sciences, including technology, the social sciences and humanities, have played vital roles in the human story in the 21st century. Researchers are key members of contemporary society. Their contribution to human wellbeing and to planetary health is maximized when they are allowed appropriate freedoms to meet their individual and collective responsibilities. The international scientific community, governments, the public, and private research institutions should each have a clear sense of their freedoms and responsibilities, and a clear strategy to achieve the free and responsible practice of scientific research.

Draft Report on the ISC Strategy in the Intergovernmental System
ISC/GA-2/DOC.17.1
October 2021 :: 13 pages
In March 2021, the ISC Chief Executive Officer Heide Hackmann invited Julia Marton-Lefèvre to chair a Steering Group to lead the development of a strategy for the ISC to engage with the intergovernmental system in order to enhance the impact of the Council and strengthen the voice of science in global policy processes…

IVAC [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
No new digest content identified.

IVI [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
New Local Research Report Released on Improving COVID-19 Vaccination Equity for Latino Populations in Baltimore City
October 20, 2021

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security Contributing Scholar Tener Goodwin Veenema Elected to National Academy of Medicine
October 18, 2021

New Report: Striving Toward Health Equity in COVID-19 – The Role of Pharmacies in a National Response
October 18, 2021

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Tuberculosis
Clinical trial results offer hope to DR-TB patients with short, effective treatment
Press Release 20 Oct 2021

Tuberculosis
EndTB clinical trial for multidrug-resistant TB completes enrolment
Press Release 18 Oct 2021

National Academy of Medicine – USA [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://nam.edu/programs/
Selected News/Programs/Events
National Academy of Medicine Elects 100 New Members
October 18, 2021
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) today announced the election of 90 regular members and 10 international members during its annual meeting. Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. “It is […]
[Excerpt]
Newly elected regular members of the National Academy of Medicine and their election citations include:
Kathrin U. Jansen, PhD, senior vice president and head of vaccine research and development, Pfizer Inc. For leading the teams that produced three revolutionary vaccines: Gardasil, targeting human papillomavirus; Prevnar 13, targeting 13 strains of pneumococcus; and the Pfizer/BioNTech SARS-Covid-2 mRNA vaccine.
Nancy Messonnier, MD, executive director, pandemic prevention and health systems, Skoll Foundation. For her efforts in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and building a global preparedness and response system to prevent future pandemics.
Rochelle Paula Walensky, MD, MPH, director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For her work that motivated changes to HIV and COVID-19 guidelines, influenced public health practice, and provided rigorous evidence for decisions by the U.S. Congress, the World Health Organization, and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

National Academy of Medicine Announces Creation of David and Beatrix Hamburg Award for Advances in Biomedical Research and Clinical Medicine
October 17, 2021
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has announced the creation of a new award — the David and Beatrix Hamburg Award for Advances in Biomedical Research and Clinical Medicine — to recognize creative and accomplished biomedical scientists who are advancing health and the human condition around the world.

National Academy of Sciences – USA [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/
News
No new digest content identified.

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
No new digest content identified.

NIH [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
COVID vaccine booster increases antibody responses, is protective in rhesus macaques
October 21, 2021 — Different mRNA-1273 boosters are equally protective against variants.

Interferon does not improve outcomes for hospitalized adults with COVID-19
October 18, 2021 — Results of NIH clinical trial published today.

PATH [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
New HPV vaccine from Innovax receives WHO prequalification
This important milestone will provide countries with an additional option for HPV vaccination at an affordable price and will contribute to sustainable supply of HPV vaccine—allowing more girls to be reached with HPV vaccines.
October 19, 2021 b
Cecolin®, a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), has received prequalification by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cecolin is manufactured by Xiamen Innovax Biotech CO., LTD. (Innovax), a wholly owned subsidiary of Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmaceutical Co., LTD. (Wantai), and is designed to protect against HPV types 16 and 18, the most common virus types that lead to cervical cancer. Countries facing barriers to national introduction or expanding their HPV vaccine program to the full cohort due to price or supply constraints will now have another option for affordable, sustainable access….
Prior to Cecolin’s licensure in China, PATH provided Innovax with technical assistance for the WHO prequalification process. Activities included improving the quality management system, establishing a post-marketing pharmacovigilance system, and collecting information on regulatory requirements for registration of vaccines in Gavi countries…
Prior to Cecolin’s licensure in China, PATH provided Innovax with technical assistance for the WHO prequalification process. Activities included improving the quality management system, establishing a post-marketing pharmacovigilance system, and collecting information on regulatory requirements for registration of vaccines in Gavi countries.

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
Sabin Vaccine Institute Receives Additional $34.5 Million from BARDA for Further Development of Ebola Sudan and Marburg Vaccines
Thursday, October 21, 2021
The Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) announced that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has exercised the third contract option, valued at $34.5 million, under the 2019 contract to advance the development of vaccines against Ebola Sudan and Marburg viruses through Phase 2 clinical trials…

UNAIDS [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
21 October 2021
A Dose of Reality: How rich countries and pharmaceutical corporations are breaking their vaccine promises

19 October 2021
Strengthening the response of health systems to pandemics in the Commonwealth of Independent States

18 October 2021
“Realizing the right to reproductive health and the future starts with sexual education”

18 October 2021
Capitalizing on experiences to improve HIV care for key populations in western Africa

18 October 2021
Upper-middle-income countries pay more for HIV medicines, but price reductions can be achieved

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.

UNICEF [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
Press release 10/19/2021
UNICEF medical supplies arrive in Kabul to treat rising cases of acute watery diarrhoea in Afghanistan

Press release 10/18/2021
House-to-house polio vaccination set to recommence across Afghanistan in November
[See Milestones above for detail]

Unitaid [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Equity Cooperative [nee Initiative] [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 23 Oct 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 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
Vaccine Update Newsletter – September 2021
Vaccine Update is our monthly email newsletter that will keep you up to date on current vaccine-related issues.

Wellcome Trust [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News and reports
News
Wellcome appoints first climate director
18 October 2021
Alan Dangour, an expert in the impact of climate change on food systems, is to join Wellcome as our first director of climate and health.

The Wistar Institute [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News
Pandemic Treaty: A Public Health View
News
Oct 20, 2021
The World Health Assembly (WHA) will meet in a special session from 29 November – 1 December 2021 to consider the benefits of developing a World Health Organisation (WHO) convention, agreement or another international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response.
As countries are preparing for discussions at the special session, the Global Health Centre (GHC) at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva offers to support governments and other actors with knowledge and evidence in the process. This is part of a broader project exploring options and benefits of a pandemic treaty, which includes also, inter alia, a series of policy papers by lead experts, dialogue with diplomats, policymakers, and stakeholders.
Against this backdrop, the WFPHA and the GHC called for a meeting for WFPHA members and all allied partners on options and benefits of a pandemic treaty. The meeting took place in a virtual format on 20 October 2021.
The meeting was comprised of two sections: An introductory presentation on key global and public health/role of civil society aspects of the subject matter by the GHC and the WFPHA, followed by a Q&A session. The second section was an informal exchange and discussion between participants under the Chatham House rule. The knowledge gained, and the informal dialogues convened can contribute to WFPHA’s members and partners’ cooperation with governmental and non-state actors on the subject matter and may lead to a follow-up statement.
During the meeting, a Guide on key aspects and frequently asked questions on a pandemic treaty developed at the GHC was made available to the registered participants.

World Bank [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
Food Security and COVID-19
Oct. 21, 2021 – An increasing number of countries are facing growing levels of acute food insecurity, reversing years of development gains. Even before COVID-19 reduced incomes and disrupted supply chains…
Date: October 21, 2021 Type: Brief

Rolling out COVID-19 Vaccines in Malawi Amid Hesitancy and Supply Challenges
LILONGWE, October 19, 2021— One early morning in August, Priscilla Pahuwa walked into St. Montfort hospital in Nchalo, Chikwawa District, to get the COVID-19 vaccine. She was eager to receive the vaccine…
Date: October 19, 2021 Type: Feature Story

Arrival of 4.73 Million Doses of WB-funded Vaccines Boosts Drive Against COVID-19 in the Philippines
MANILA, October 19, 2021 — To date, 4.73 million doses of vaccines out of 13 million doses procured by the country under the Philippines US$500 million COVID-19 Emergency Response Project Additional Financing…
Date: October 19, 2021 Type: Press Release

World Customs Organization – WCO [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.wcoomd.org/
Latest News – Selected Items
No new digest content identified.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.oie.int/en/media/news/
Press Releases, Statements
Building resilience against agro-terrorism and agro-crime
13 October 2021
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) are partners in an international project to build sustainable global resilience against animal health emergencies caused by agro-terrorism and agro-crime.
Established in October 2018, the project aims to foster coordination at the national, regional, and international levels. It focuses on regions where the previous work of the three organisations has identified gaps in various aspects of emergency management that may make countries vulnerable to agro-crime and agro-terrorism. The target regions include the Middle East, North Africa and South-East Asia. However, while the project concentrates on these regions, its outputs will be relevant to all countries worldwide.
To ensure that the resulting capacity building is fit for purpose, the project is currently assessing the global situation for emergency management by identifying areas that are vulnerable to agro-crime and agro-terrorism; understanding the cost-effectiveness of investing in preparedness; and using OIE, FAO and INTERPOL tools to examine emergency management, including the relationship between the law enforcement and veterinary sectors…

WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
Coordinated global response key to MSMEs’ post-pandemic economic recovery — DDG Zhang
22 October 2021
Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang highlighted the importance of targeted policies and a coordinated global response to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). DDG Zhang was speaking at a workshop organized by the WTO Chairs Programme at the University of Mauritius on 22 October. Noting that “MSMEs are the backbone of many economies”, he called on WTO members to “foster a transparent, inclusive, non-discriminatory, and predictable global trade environment that supports and enhances MSMEs’ involvement in international trade.” His remarks are below.

WHO, WIPO, WTO update information note on integrated health, trade, IP response to COVID-19
22 October 2021
On 22 October 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the WTO launched an update of the extract “Integrated health, trade and IP approach to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic”. This extract, from the second edition of the Trilateral Study Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation, maps the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to the integrated health, trade and intellectual property policy framework set out in the Trilateral Study.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

BIO [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.

ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

IFPMA [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
As COVID-19 vaccine output estimated to reach over 12 billion by year end and 24
19 October 2021
This month, COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing output will pass the 9.3 billion dose mark. The biopharmaceutical industry renews its May commitment to the G20 to collaborate with governments to support effective solutions to urgently address vaccine equity.
At current production rates, swiftly rolling out vaccines to those who still need them looks achievable, if the political will, planning and collective action efforts are redoubled. The G20 can play a critical role in focusing political attention on ramping up dose sharing, addressing bottlenecks in the supply chain and supporting country preparedness.
With COVID-19 vaccine supplies on track to outstrip global demand and voluntary collaborations with innovative vaccine manufacturers set to change Africa’s vaccine manufacturing landscape in years to come, initiatives such as the proposed Intellectual Property TRIPS waiver are a distraction. All efforts should be directed towards advancing vaccinations.

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
News
IGBA Biosimilars Committee White Paper: A Biosimilar medicines Access Policy Blueprint (October 2021)
Effective Strategies to Advance Access to Biologic Therapies for Non-Communicable Diseases
October 2021 :: 32 pages PDF: https://www.globalbiosimilarsweek.org/2021/doc/A-Biosimilar-medicines-Access-Policy-Blueprint-IGBA.pdf

International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – IAPO [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
Registration is now open for the 3rd Asia-Pacific Patients Congress (APPC 2021)
Monday, 18 October 2021
We are delighted to invite you to register for our upcoming virtual 3rd Asia-Pacific Patients Congress (APPC 2021) taking place on 16 -17 November 2021. This flagship event will once again bring together our regional membership of expert patients with a variety of high-level healthcare stakeholders…
Sample Program Element [Day 2]
Meaningful patient engagement in co-creation in medicines and health devices R&D – moving from tokenism to meaningful engagement at all levels
The COVID-19 ‘fast-track’ vaccines development process has educated many patients on how clinical trials are conducted. Asia-Pacific patients are now more aware of the opportunities and challenges faced by R&D teams. This session will invite experts to showcase how meaningful patient engagement in clinical R&D settings is undertaken now. We will also invite PPI Japan EUPATI’s national platform in Japan to show how meaningful patient engagement in clinical trials is conducted in Japan.

PhRMA [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.phrma.org/
Latest News [Selected]
In Honor of Visionary Leader, PhRMA Announces the Kenneth C. Frazier PhRMA Scholars Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 21, 2021) – In honor of retiring PhRMA board member and visionary industry leader Ken Frazier, PhRMA today announced The Kenneth C. Frazier PhRMA Scholars Program to provide college scholarships to academically high achieving, low-income students in Washington, D.C. and in Ken’s hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Frazier, currently executive chairman of Merck & Co, Inc., has served on the PhRMA board since 2011…

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

AJOB Empirical Bioethics
Volume 12, 2020 Issue 4
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/uabr21/current

Article
Deliberation on Childhood Vaccination in Canada: Public Input on Ethical Trade-Offs in Vaccination Policy
Kieran C. O’Doherty, Sara Crann, Lucie Marisa Bucci, Michael M. Burgess, Apurv Chauhan, Maya J. Goldenberg, C. Meghan McMurtry, Jessica White & Donald J. Willison
Pages: 253-265
Published online: 30 Jul 2021
We conclude that conducting deliberative democratic processes on topics that are polarizing and controversial is viable and should be further developed and implemented to support democratically legitimate and trustworthy policy about childhood vaccination.

AMA Journal of Ethics
Volume 23, Number 10: E757-831
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/issue/palliative-surgery

Palliative Surgery
Palliative care is not just for dying patients. In fact, dying patients are living patients, and all patients deserve palliation. Contrary to popular belief among many patients and clinicians, palliative interventions can be invasive and include not only medical, but surgical care. In any case, palliative care should be defined by intention: partnering clinicians, patients, and their loved ones aim neither to cure disease nor to prolong life, but to improve the quality of a patient’s life at any needed time. Quality of life is motivated by goal-elucidating conversation, counseling, and symptom management-directed intervention. This issue investigates surgical palliation specifically, with sharp focus on intention formation and trust preservation.

Annals of Internal Medicine
October 2021 Volume 174, Issue 10
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Position Papers
Financial Profit in Medicine: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians
FREE
Ryan Crowley, BSJ, Omar Atiq, MD, David Hilden, MD,
Pages:1447–1449

Annals of Internal Medicine
October 2021 Volume 174, Issue 10
http://annals.org/aim/issue

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Effectiveness in a High-Risk National Population in a Real-World Setting
FREE

Adeel A. Butt, MBBS, MS, Saad B. Omer, MBBS, MPH, PhD, Peng Yan, MS, Obaid S. Shaikh, MD, … et al.
Pages:1404–1408

Annals of Internal Medicine
October 2021 Volume 174, Issue 10
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Original Research
Use of Hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir, and Dexamethasone Among Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19 in the United States – A Retrospective Cohort Study
FREE
Hemalkumar B. Mehta, MS, PhD, Huijun An, MS, Kathleen M. Andersen, MSc, Omar Mansour, MHS, … et al.
Pages:1395–1403

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Effectiveness in a High-Risk National Population in a Real-World Setting
FREE

Editorials
Thrombosis After Vaccination With Messenger RNA–1273: Is This Vaccine-Induced Thrombosis and Thrombocytopenia or Thrombosis With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome?
FREE
Allyson M. Pishko, MD, Adam Cuker, MD, MS
Pages:1468–1469

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 23 Oct 2021)

The incidence and mortality of yellow fever in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Understanding the occurrence of yellow fever epidemics is critical for targeted interventions and control efforts to reduce the burden of disease. We assessed data on the yellow fever incidence and mortality r…
Authors: Akuoma U. Nwaiwu, Alfred Musekiwa, Jacques L. Tamuzi, Evanson Z. Sambala and Peter S. Nyasulu
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2021 21:1089
Content type: Research
Published on: 23 October 2021

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 23 Oct 2021)

Systematic review of invasive meningococcal disease epidemiology in the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa region
Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) represents a global health burden. However, its epidemiology in the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) and North Africa (NA) regions is currently not well understood. This review h…
Authors: Alp Giray Dogu, Anouk M. Oordt-Speets, Femke van Kessel-de Bruijn, Mehmet Ceyhan and Amine Amiche
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2021 21:1088
Content type: Research
Published on: 22 October 2021

BMC Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 23 Oct 2021)

Uses of equipoise in discussions of the ethics of randomized controlled trials of COVID-19 therapies
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgent need to discover effective therapies for COVID-19 prompted questions about the ethical problem of randomization along with its widely accepted solution: equipoise. In…
Authors: Hayden P. Nix and Charles Weijer
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics 2021 22:143
Content type: Research
Published on: 21 October 2021

BMC Medicine
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/content
(Accessed 23 Oct 2021)

Effects of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine on COVID-19 infection and hospitalisation amongst older people: matched case control study for England
The BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine has been shown to be effective at preventing serious COVID-19 events in clinical trials. There is less evidence on effectiveness in real-world settings, especially for older people. H…
Authors: Thomas F. D. Mason, Matt Whitston, Jack Hodgson, Ruth E. Watkinson, Yiu-Shing Lau, Omnia Abdulrazeg and Matt Sutton
Citation: BMC Medicine 2021 19:275
Content type: Research article
Published on: 18 October 2021

Ethics & International Affairs
Fall 2021 (35.3) | October 2021
https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2021/fall-2021-35-3/

The editors of Ethics & International Affairs are pleased to present the Fall 2021 issue of the journal! The highlight of this issue is a book symposium organized by Peter Balint on Ned Dobos’s Ethics, Security, and the War Machine, featuring contributions by Peter Balint; Neta C. Crawford; C. A. J. Coady; Ned Dobos; Cécile Fabre; Christopher J. Finlay; David Rodin; and Cheyney Ryan. Additionally, the issue includes a feature article by Philipp Gisbertz-Astolfi on the reduced legal equality of combatants in war and an essay by Hendrik Schopmans and Jelena Cupać on ethical AI, gender equality, and illiberal backlash politics. It also contains a review essay by Andreas Papamichail on the global politics of health security, and a book review by Claire Finkelstein.

Ethics & International Affairs
Fall 2021 (35.3) | October 2021
https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2021/fall-2021-35-3/

REVIEW ESSAY
The Global Politics of Health Security before, during, and after COVID-19
Andreas Papamichail
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been shaped by preexisting political, social, and economic relations and governance structures, and will remold these structures going forward. This review essay considers three books on global health politics written by Simon Rushton, Clare Wenham, and Jeremy Youde. Here, I explore what these books collectively and individually can tell us about these preexisting dynamics, the events of the first eighteen months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and possible future directions in the politics of global health. I argue that they provide a firm basis for understanding the inequitable burdens of the pandemic, while juxtaposing these inequities against the narratives of shared vulnerability that sit at the heart of the global health security regime. They also help us make sense of the surveillance, detection, containment, and response mechanisms we have seen during the pandemic; the failures to address the systemic dynamics that drive disease outbreaks; and the national and international politics that have shaped the pandemic response. However, COVID-19 has also vividly and brutally demonstrated how global health hierarchies, racism, border politics, and neoliberal forms of knowledge production have led to a stratified burden of the pandemic. These areas are less apparent in the three books, but ought to be situated front and center in future critical scholarship on global health security.

The European Journal of Public Health
SUPPLEMENT – Volume 31, Issue Supplement_1, July 2021
https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/issue/31/Supplement_1

Supplement: E-Mental-Health: Exploring the Evidence Base and Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Internet-Based Interventions for the Prevention of Mental Health Conditions
Mental illness represents an enormous personal, social and societal burden for European citizens1 calling for the need to expand existing models of mental healthcare delivery. In Europe, the Internet is a key source of health information,2 and technology-enhanced (psychological) interventions such as Internet- and mobile-delivered applications (‘eHealth’3 and ‘m-Health’4) have become increasingly popular and studied. There is already strong evidence of the efficacy of online interventions for the prevention and treatment of several psychological disorders5,6 and meta-analyses show effect sizes similar to face-to-face interventions.7

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Comparing COVID-19 physical distancing policies: results from a physical distancing intensity coding framework for Botswana, India, Jamaica, Mozambique, Namibia, Ukraine, and the United States
Understanding the differences in timing and composition of physical distancing policies is important to evaluate the early global response to COVID-19. A physical distancing intensity monitoring framework comprising 16 domains was recently published to compare physical distancing approaches across 12 U.S. States. We applied this framework to a diverse set of low and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Botswana, India, Jamaica, Mozambique, Namibia, and Ukraine) to test the appropriateness of this framework in the global context and to compare the policy responses in these LMICs with a sample of U.S. States during the first 100-days of the pandemic.
Authors: Jeff Lane, Arianna Rubin Means, Kevin Bardosh, Anna Shapoval, Ferruccio Vio, Clive Anderson, Anya Cushnie, Norbert Forster, Jenny Ledikwe, Gabrielle O’Malley, Shreshth Mawandia, Anwar Parvez, Lucy Perrone and Florindo Mudender
Content type: Research
23 October 2021

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

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

Infectious Diseases of Poverty
http://www.idpjournal.com/content
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Roll-out of vaccination against COVID-19 pandemic
With the rebound of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in some countries with high vaccination rate, many concerns on vaccine efficacy have emerged. For example, are the current vaccines ineffective against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) variants? What’s the status of breakthrough infection? To what extent are non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) lifted after high vaccination rate? To clarify these questions, we summarized important findings based on literature and Chinese experience.
Authors: Xiao-Feng Liang, Guan-Hao He, Wen-Jun Ma and Jian-Peng Xiao
Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2021 10:125
Content type: Commentary
Published on: 18 October 2021

JAMA
October 19, 2021, Vol 326, No. 15, Pages 1463-1544
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Research Letter
Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response Following Vaccination With BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273
Deborah Steensels, PharmD, PhD; Noella Pierlet, MSc; Joris Penders, MD, PhD; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2021;326(15):1533-1535. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.15125
This study compares the immune responses to the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) COVID-19 vaccines in health care workers in Belgium.

JAMA Network
COVID-19 Update October 23, 2021

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

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews
Volume 8, Issue 4 (2021)
https://digitalrepository.aurorahealthcare.org/jpcrr/

Cancer Screening

Nature
Volume 598 Issue 7881, 21 October 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/598/issues/7881

News & Views | 06 October 2021
A step towards therapeutics for dengue
Finding a treatment for dengue, the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease in humans, has been difficult. A compound called JNJ-A07 displays promising activity against dengue virus in mouse models of infection.
Scott B. Biering, Eva Harris

Nature Human Behaviour
Volume 5 Issue 10, October 2021
https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/volumes/5/issues/10

Editorial | 19 October 2021
Description, prediction, explanation
Description, prediction and explanation are all important in science. We welcome descriptive, predictive and explanatory studies, so long as the work is clear about its aims and uses appropriate methods to achieve its goals.

New England Journal of Medicine
October 21, 2021 Vol. 385 No. 17
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Correspondence
SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization with BNT162b2 Vaccine Dose 31627-1629

New England Journal of Medicine
October 21, 2021 Vol. 385 No. 17
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Covid-19 Breakthrough Infections in Vaccinated Health Care Workers

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Research Article
Bringing the social into vaccination research: Community-led ethnography and trust-building in immunization programs in Sierra Leone
Luisa Enria, Joseph S. Bangura, Hassan M. Kanu, Joseph A. Kalokoh, Alie D. Timbo, Mohamed Kamara, Maligie Fofanah, Alhassan N. Kamara, Adikalie I. Kamara, Morlai M. Kamara, Ibrahim Sorie Suma, Osman M. Kamara, Alusine M. Kamara, Alhajie O. Kamara, Abu B. Kamara, Emmah Kamara, Shelley Lees, Mark Marchant, Mariama Murray
Research Article | published 22 Oct 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258252

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Epidemiology of measles cases, vaccine effectiveness, and performance towards measles elimination in The Gambia
Alieu Sowe, Mbye Njie, Dawda Sowe, Sidat Fofana, Lamin Ceesay, Yaya Camara, Brook Tesfaye, Samba Bah, Alieu K. Bah, Abdoulie K. Baldeh, Bakary D. Dampha, Samba N. Baldeh, Alagie Touray
Research Article | published 21 Oct 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258961

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Parental acceptance and knowledge of varicella vaccination in relation to socioeconomics in Sweden: A cross-sectional study
Lisen Arnheim-Dahlström, Natalie Zarabi, Karin Hagen, Goran Bencina
Research Article | published 21 Oct 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256642

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence
Wolfgang Stroebe, Michelle R. vanDellen, Georgios Abakoumkin, Edward P. Lemay Jr., William M. Schiavone, Maximilian Agostini, Jocelyn J. Bélanger, Ben Gützkow, Jannis Kreienkamp, Anne Margit Reitsema, Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom, Vjolica Ahmedi, Handan Akkas, Carlos A. Almenara, Mohsin Atta, Sabahat Cigdem Bagci, Sima Basel, Edona Berisha Kida, Allan B. I. Bernardo, Nicholas R. Buttrick, Phatthanakit Chobthamkit, Hoon-Seok Choi, Mioara Cristea, Sára Csaba, Kaja Damnjanović, Ivan Danyliuk, Arobindu Dash, Daniela Di Santo, Karen M. Douglas, Violeta Enea, Daiane Gracieli Faller, Gavan Fitzsimons, Alexandra Gheorghiu, Ángel Gómez, Ali Hamaidia, Qing Han, Mai Helmy, Joevarian Hudiyana, Bertus F. Jeronimus, Ding-Yu Jiang, Veljko Jovanović, Željka Kamenov, Anna Kende, Shian-Ling Keng, Tra Thi Thanh Kieu, Yasin Koc, Kamila Kovyazina, Inna Kozytska, Joshua Krause, Arie W. Kruglanksi, Anton Kurapov, Maja Kutlaca, Nóra Anna Lantos, Cokorda Bagus Jaya Lemsmana, Winnifred R. Louis, Adrian Lueders, Najma Iqbal Malik, Anton Martinez, Kira O. McCabe, Jasmina Mehulić, Mirra Noor Milla, Idris Mohammed, Erica Molinario, Manuel Moyano, Hayat Muhammad, Silvana Mula, Hamdi Muluk, Solomiia Myroniuk, Reza Najafi, Claudia F. Nisa, Boglárka Nyúl, Paul A. O’Keefe, Jose Javier Olivas Osuna, Evgeny N. Osin, Joonha Park, Gennaro Pica, Antonio Pierro, Jonas Rees, Elena Resta, Marika Rullo, Michelle K. Ryan, Adil Samekin, Pekka Santtila, Edyta Sasin, Birga M. Schumpe, Heyla A. Selim, Michael Vicente Stanton, Samiah Sultana, Robbie M. Sutton, Eleftheria Tseliou, Akira Utsugi, Jolien Anne van Breen, Caspar J. Van Lissa, Kees Van Veen, Alexandra Vázquez, Robin Wollast, Victoria Wai-Lan Yeung, Somayeh Zand, Iris Lav Žeželj, Bang Zheng, Andreas Zick, Claudia Zúñiga, N. Pontus Leander
Research Article | published 20 Oct 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256740

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Increasing Black, Indigenous and People of Color participation in clinical trials through community engagement and recruitment goal establishment
Michele P. Andrasik, Gail B. Broder, Stephaun E. Wallace, Richa Chaturvedi, Nelson L. Michael, Sally Bock, Chris Beyrer, Linda Oseso, Jasmin Aina, Jonathan Lucas, David R. Wilson, James G. Kublin, George A. Mensah
Research Article | published 19 Oct 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258858

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Risk factors for breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaccinated healthcare workers
Moza Alishaq, Hanaa Nafady-Hego, Andrew Jeremijenko, Jameela Ali Al Ajmi, Mohamed Elgendy, Suni Vinoy, Sameera Bihi Fareh, Justine Veronica Plaatjies, Mariam Nooh, Nadya Alanzi, Anvar H. Kaleeckal, Ali Nizar Latif, Peter Coyle, Hamed Elgendy, Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra, Adeel Ajwad Butt
Research Article | published 15 Oct 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258820

PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
October 12, 2021; vol. 118 no. 41
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/41

Research Article
The Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust
Marcia McNutt, France A. Córdova, and David B. Allison
PNAS October 12, 2021 118 (41) e2116647118;
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2116647118
We announce the creation of a new body within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine called the Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust, charged with advancing the overall health, quality, and effectiveness of the research enterprise across all domains that fund, execute, disseminate, and apply scientific work in the public interest. By promoting the alignment of incentives and policies, adoption of standard tools, and implementation of proven methods, the Strategic Council seeks to optimize the excellence and trustworthiness of research for the benefit of society…

PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
October 12, 2021; vol. 118 no. 41
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/41

Immunology and Inflammation
Open Access
Robust and prototypical immune responses toward influenza vaccines in the high-risk group of Indigenous Australians
Luca Hensen, Thi H. O. Nguyen, Louise C. Rowntree, Timon Damelang, Marios Koutsakos, Malet Aban, Aeron Hurt, Kim L. Harland, Maria Auladell, Carolien E. van de Sandt, Anngie Everitt, Cath Blacker, Damian A. Oyong, Jessica R. Loughland, Jessica R. Webb, Bruce D. Wines, P. Mark Hogarth, Katie L. Flanagan, Magdalena Plebanski, Adam Wheatley, Amy W. Chung, Stephen J. Kent, Adrian Miller, E. Bridie Clemens, Peter C. Doherty, Jane Nelson, Jane Davies, Steven Y. C. Tong, and Katherine Kedzierska
PNAS October 12, 2021 118 (41) e2109388118; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2109388118

Public Health
Volume 199 Pages e1-e4, 1-118 (October 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/public-health/vol/199/suppl/C

Research article Full text access
‘Why are you not dead yet?’ – dimensions and the main driving forces of stigma and discrimination among COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka
S. Jayakody, S.A. Hewage, N.D. Wickramasinghe, R.A.P. Piyumanthi, … C. Arambepola
Pages 10-16

Public Health Ethics
Volume 14, Issue 2, July 2021
http://phe.oxfordjournals.org/content/current

Original Articles
Post-COVID-19 WHO Reform: Ethical Considerations
Thana C de Campos-Rudinsky
Public Health Ethics, Volume 14, Issue 2, July 2021, Pages 134–147, https://doi.org/10.1093/phe/phab011
Abstract
This study argues against the expansive approach to the WHO reform, according to which to be a better global health leader, WHO should do more, be given more power and financial resources, have more operational capacities, and have more teeth by introducing more coercive monitoring and compliance mechanisms to its IHR. The expansive approach is a political problem, whose root cause lies in ethics: WHO’s political overambition is grounded on WHO’s lack of conceptual clarity on what good leadership means and what health (as a human right) means. This study presents this ethical analysis by putting forth an alternative: the humble approach to the WHO reform. It argues that to be a better leader, WHO should do much less and have a much narrower mandate. More specifically, WHO should focus exclusively on coordination efforts, by ensuring truthful, evidence-based, consistent, and timely shared communications regarding PHEIC among WHO member-states and other global health stakeholders, if the organization desires to be a real global health leader whose authority the international community respects and whose guidance people trust.

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

18 Oct 2021
Comparative economic evaluation of renal replacement therapies in Argentina, Costa Rica, and Uruguay
Original research | Spanish |

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

18 Oct 2021
Implementation of telemedicine in the Americas: Barriers and facilitators
Opinion and analysis | Spanish |

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

18 Oct 2021
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance in Mexico: a web-based nationwide survey
Original research | English |

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

Selected Articles
18 Oct 2021
SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in untreated wastewater: detection of viral RNA in a low-resource community in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Original research | English |

Science
Volume 374| Issue 6566| 22 Oct 2021
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

Research Articles
Low-dose mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine generates durable memory enhanced by cross-reactive T cells
BY Jose Mateus et al.
22 Oct 2021
Open Access
A reduced dose of the Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine induces long-lived T cell and antibody responses comparable to natural infection.

Science
Volume 374| Issue 6566| 22 Oct 2021
https://www.science.org/toc/science/current

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa
Eduan Wilkinson et al
09 Sep 2021: 423-431
Open Access
The early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa were dominated by European imports, followed by the local generation of variants.