WHO SAGE Roadmap for prioritizing uses of COVID-19 vaccines
21 January 2022
An approach to optimize the global impact of COVID-19 vaccines, based on public health goals, global and national equity, and vaccine access and coverage scenarios
Overview
Given the urgency and wide-ranging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, SAGE has developed an approach to help inform deliberation around the range of recommendations that may be appropriate under different epidemiologic and vaccine supply conditions. To assist in developing recommendations for use of vaccines against COVID-19, SAGE proposes a Roadmap for Prioritizing Uses of COVID-19 Vaccines that considers priority populations for vaccination based on epidemiologic setting and vaccine supply scenarios. This Roadmap builds on the WHO SAGE values framework for the allocation and prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination.
PDF: https://apps.who.int/iris/rest/bitstreams/1406385/retrieve
Preamble
This interim guidance constitutes a major revision of the WHO SAGE roadmap for prioritizing uses of COVID-19 vaccines, first issued October 2020, and updated in November 2020 and July 2021. It is based on work conducted by the SAGE Working Group on COVID-19 Vaccines and SAGE members, from October 2021 to January 2022, including consultation with RITAG1 chairs, and dedicated discussions at extraordinary meetings of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization on 7 December 2021 and 19 January 2022 (1).

This revised Roadmap takes into account increasing vaccine availability, vaccine coverage rates, and the evolving epidemiological situation including COVID-19 variants of concern. Scenarios in which vaccination coverage exceeds 50% of the population are considered, as are topics such as vaccine use in children and adolescents and prioritization of additional and booster doses in relation to vaccination coverage rates. To assist countries in developing recommendations for optimized use of vaccines against COVID-19, priority-use groups for vaccination (both primary series and booster doses) are identified based on epidemiological scenarios, public health goals, and vaccine coverage scenarios (in accordance with WHO SAGE values framework for the allocation and prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination (2)).

This Roadmap is complementary to the Strategy to achieve global Covid-19 vaccination by mid-2022 (3) issued in September 2021, which was developed by WHO in collaboration with its COVAX partners and key regional and national stakeholders, and which specifies national vaccine coverage categories. The Roadmap emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the distribution of increasingly available vaccine supply to optimize impact on health, socioeconomic conditions, and equity, and focuses on in-country vaccine policies….
Selected Chart

†Priority-use groups: The extent of risk of severe disease and death is the main determinant for assignment of a subgroup (or subpopulation) to a priority-use group. This criterion aligns with a specification of the human well-being principle in the WHO SAGE values framework for the allocation and prioritization of COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, other specifications of that principle, including reducing societal and economic disruption and protecting essential health services, as well as of the national equity and reciprocity principles, are also used to justify assignment of some of the subgroups to a priority-use group.

*Additional dose: Persons with moderate to severe immunocompromising conditions should receive an expanded primary vaccination series through an additional dose about 1–3 months after completion of the primary series (see Interim recommendations for an extended primary series with an additional vaccine dose for COVID-19 vaccination in immunocompromised persons (4). Such persons are also a high priority-use group for a subsequent (booster) dose.

**Booster dose: The optimal interval between completion of a primary series and administration of a booster dose has yet to be determined, and depends on epidemiological setting, vaccine product, targeted age groups, background seroprevalence, and circulation of specific variants of concern. As a general principle, dependent on vaccine product, an interval of 4–6 months since completion of the primary series could be considered for countries experiencing significant loss of vaccine effectiveness against severe disease in the context of an impending or ongoing major surge of cases, while a longer interval could be considered for those countries currently not experiencing, or at low risk of, an increasing incidence of cases.

Status of COVID-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process 23 December 2021
[Full scale view available at title link above]
[No change from 23 December 2021]

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

AstraZeneca
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

Bharat Biotech
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

BioCubaFarma – Cuba
Últimas Noticias
22 de Enero, 2022
Mambisa: Candidato vacunal anti-covid-19 para administración por vía nasal demuestra seguridad e inmunogenicidad y avanza en ensayos clínicos
[Mambisa: Anti-covid-19 vaccine candidate for nasal administration demonstrates safety and immunogenicity and advances in clinical trials]

19 de Enero, 2022
Avanza investigación con el candidato vacunal Mambisa
BioCubaFarma
[Research advances with the vaccine candidate Mambisa]

19 de Enero, 2022
Más de cuatro millones de cubanos han recibido dosis de refuerzo contra la COVID-19.
BioCubaFarma
[More than four million Cubans have received booster doses against COVID-19.’

CanSinoBIO
News – [Website not responding at inquiry]

Clover Biopharmaceuticals – China
News
Clover’s Final SPECTRA Phase 2/3 Clinical Trial Efficacy Data Is Published in The Lancet [COVID-19 vaccine candidate, SCB-2019]
January 20, 2022

Curevac [Bayer Ag – Germany]
News
January 17, 2022
CureVac Chief Technology Officer to Pursue New Career outside Biotech Industry

Gamaleya National Center
Latest News and Events – No new digest announcements identified [See Russia/RFID below]

IMBCAMS, China
Home – No new digest announcements identified

Janssen/JNJ
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

Moderna
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

Novavax
Press Releases
Australia Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Grants Provisional Registration for Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine
Jan 19, 2022

Pfizer
Recent Press Releases
01.18.2022
Pfizer Shares In Vitro Efficacy of Novel COVID-19 Oral Treatment Against Omicron Variant
NEW YORK, January 18, 2022 — Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today shared results from multiple studies demonstrating that the in vitro efficacy of nirmatrelvir, the active main protease (Mpro) inhibitor of PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir [PF-07321332] tablets and ritonavir tablets), is maintained against the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron. Taken together, these in vitro studies suggest that PAXLOVID has the potential to maintain plasma concentrations many-fold times higher than the amount required to prevent Omicron from replicating in cells…

Sanofi Pasteur
Press Releases – No new digest announcements identified

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

Sinopharm/WIBPBIBP
News – No new digest announcements identified

Sinovac
Press Releases
Collaboration in Africa, COVID-19 prevention and control working together with SINOVAC
2022/01/20 Event

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

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

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GSK
Press releases for media
19 January 2022 Tony Wood appointed Chief Scientific Officer designate, GSK
:: Tony Wood to assume full accountability for GSK R&D in August 2022
:: Hal Barron to transition in August 2022 from CSO to a GSK Non-Executive Director with additional responsibilities to support R&D

Merck
News releases
January 18, 2022
Merck and Ridgeback Announce Supply Agreement with UNICEF for Molnupiravir, an Investigational Oral Antiviral COVID-19 Medicine

Novartis
News – No new digest announcements identified

SK Biosciences
Press releases
SK bioscience Complete Recruitment for Phase III Clinical Trial of COVID-19 Vaccine
Recruitment of global Phase III clinical trial of ‘GBP510’ completed, with vaccine expected to be au…
2022. 01. 18

Valneva
Press Releases
January 19, 2022
Valneva’s Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Shown to Neutralize Omicron Variant
:: Preliminary laboratory studies demonstrate that three doses of Valneva’s inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate VLA2001 induced neutralization of the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529 lineage)
:: 100% of tested serum samples presented neutralizing antibodies against the ancestral virus and Delta variant, and 87% against the Omicron variant

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

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

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

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

Dashboard on Vaccine Equity [accessed 22 Jan 2022]: https://data.undp.org/vaccine-equity/
See also visualization on Vaccine Access and Vaccine Affordability

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

COVID Vaccines – OCHA:: HDX

COVID-19 Data Explorer: Global Humanitarian Operations
COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out
22 Jan 2022 | COVAX (WHO,GAVI,CEPI), UNDESA, Press Reports | DATA
Global COVID-19 Figures: 340M total confirmed cases; 5.6M total confirmed deaths
Global vaccines administered: 9.79B
Number of Countries: 30
COVAX Allocations Round 4-9 (Number of Doses): 220M
COVAX Delivered (Number of Doses): 280M
Other Delivered (Number of Doses): 340M
Total Delivered (Number of Doses): 620M
Total Administered (Number of Doses): 470M

Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 [IMF, World Bank Group, WHO, WTO]
https://data.covid19taskforce.com/data
A global effort to help developing countries access and deliver COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and therapeutics, as they work to end the pandemic and boost economic recovery.
The International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organization and World Trade Organization have joined forces to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics by leveraging multilateral finance and trade solutions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Website accessed 22 Jan 2022: https://data.covid19taskforce.com/data The global view below is complemented by country-specific dashboards here.

Our World in Data
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations [Accessed 22 Jan 2022]
:: 60.4% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
:: 9.85 billion doses have been administered globally, and 29.23 million are now administered each day.
:: Only 9.5% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose.

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

HHS
News
No new digest content identified.

FDA
Press Announcements
January 21, 2022 – FDA Takes Actions to Expand Use of Treatment for Outpatients with Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took two actions to expand the use of the antiviral drug Veklury (remdesivir) to certain non-hospitalized adults and pediatric patients for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 disease. This provides another treatment option to reduce the risk of hospitalization in high-risk patients. Previously, the use of Veklury was limited to patients requiring hospitalization.//

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

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White House [U.S.]
Briefing Room – Selected Major COVID Announcements
Press Briefing by White House COVID-⁠19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
January 21, 2022 Press Briefings

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

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

European Medicines Agency
News & Press Releases
News: International regulators’ recommendations on COVID-19 vaccines and the Omicron variant (new)
Last updated: 21/01/2022
[See Perspectives above for detail]

News: International regulators’ recommendations on COVID-19 vaccines and the Omicron variant (new)
Last updated: 21/01/2022

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European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en
Latest Updates
Publication
Communicable disease threats report, 16-22 January 2022, week 3
Publication – 21 Jan 2022

News
Weekly epidemiological update: Omicron variant of concern (VOC) – week 2 (data as of 20 January 2022) EU/EEA
Epidemiological update – 21 Jan 2022

Publication
Interim analysis of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against Severe Acute Respiratory Infection due to laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 among individuals aged 50 years and older, ECDC multi-country study – first update

Technical report – 20 Jan 2022

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Accessed 22 Jan 2022
https://vaccinetracker.ecdc.europa.eu/public/extensions/COVID-19/vaccine-tracker.html#uptake-tab

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European Commission
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en
Press release 19 January 2022
New Pact on Migration and Asylum: new mandate, new start for the European Union Agency for Asylum
Today, the new European Union Agency for Asylum starts work with its reinforced mandate, building on the achievements of its predecessor, the European Asylum Support Office

Press release 19 January 2022
EU Cohesion policy: Almost €385.5 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to 19 countries to tackle the coronavirus health emergency
The Commission completed the payments of the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) assistance to tackle the coronavirus health emergency to 19 countries for a total amount of almost €385.5 million.

Press release 18 January 2022
Afghanistan: EU supports the education, health and livelihoods of the Afghan people with €268.3 million
In the major humanitarian crisis Afghanistan is facing, the EU has launched projects worth €268.3 million, stepping up vital support to the Afghan population.

Press release 17 January 2022
EU at forefront of global humanitarian response: €1.5 billion for 2022
Humanitarian crises around the world continue to rise. While conflicts and violence are the source of major humanitarian needs, the situation is increasingly being worsened by natural disasters, such as drought or floods, fuelled by climate change and environmental degradation.

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

Accessed 22 Jan 2022. Full scale, interactive dashboard available at:
https://africacdc.org/covid-19-vaccination/

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

Russia: Sputnik V – “the first registered COVID-19 vaccine”
https://sputnikvaccine.com/newsroom/pressreleases/
Press Releases
Sputnik V demonstrates strong protection against Omicron variant, with over 2 times higher virus neutralizing activity compared to the Pfizer vaccine according to a unique independent comparative study conducted by the Spallanzani Institute in Italy
Press release, 20.01.2022

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

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

Revised Comprehensive Guidelines for Management of COVID-19 in Children and Adolescents (below 18 years)
20.01.2022

Government of India – Press Information Bureau
Latest Press Releases
COVID – 19 Vaccination Update – Day 372
:: India’s cumulative vaccination coverage crosses 161.81 crore
:: More than 61 lakh Vaccine doses administered today till 7 pm
Posted On: 22 JAN 2022 7:52PM by PIB Delhi

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

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

Over 2.95b COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2022-01-21
More than 2.95 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Wednesday, data from the National Health Commission showed Thursday.

Beijing confirms 5 cases, tightens virus measures
2022-01-21
Beijing is facing a severe and complicated COVID-19 epidemic control and prevention situation as an increasing number of cases have occurred in several districts this week, a senior official said on Thursday.
Beijing reported five new confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Thursday, including three who had reported positive nucleic acid tests on Wednesday.
Following that test, a further test confirmed viral infections, bringing the total number of positive and confirmed cases in the latest outbreaks to 11.
All of the new patients work in the cold chain industry. The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus was detected in samples collected from those cases.
“The whole genome sequencing of one of the new cases is in accord with a previous case reported on Tuesday, which means they are in the same transmission chain,” Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a news conference…

China adopts faster mass testing for COVID-19
2022-01-20
BEIJING — Chinese health authorities have adopted faster-pooled tests for the coronavirus that allow professional labs to process 20 samples at a time.
The updated testing techniques, based on the current practice of putting five or 10 swab samples together and testing as one, are aimed at sharply boosting the efficiency of virus testing, said the State Council inter-agency task force for COVID-19 response.
The new testing approach will be introduced across the country while ensuring quality results, it said…

Emergencies

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

Polio this week as of 19 January 2022
:: …WHO Executive Board…The Secretariat has prepared two reports, which will inform Member State discussions, namely on polio eradication, and on polio transition planning and post-certification.
:: On polio eradication, the report provides an update on work towards Goals 1 and 2 of the Polio Eradication Strategy 2022–2026.  On transition and post-certification, the report provides an update on the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan on Polio Transition (2018-2023) within the context of COVID-19.

Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
–  Cote d’Ivoire:  two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
– Nigeria:  three cVDPV2 cases and 11 cVDPV2 positive environmental samples

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Afghanistan conducts first polio vaccination campaign in 2022 
Kabul, 17 January 2022 – The first national polio immunization campaign for 2022 begins this week, 17-20 January 2022, targeting 9.9 million children aged 0–59 months across the country.

The recent campaign in November 2021 delivered polio vaccinations to 8.5 million children under the age of 5 while the December campaign vaccinated more than 8 million children. In total, 2.6 million children have now been vaccinated for the first time in more than 3 years.

2021 was the year with the lowest ever polio transmission in Afghanistan, providing an unprecedented opportunity to interrupt transmission of wild poliovirus and achieve eradication. Four cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) were reported: the first, in Ghazni province in January, and 3 in Kunduz province in October and November.

In response to the detection of 3 cases of WPV1 in Kunduz earlier this month, the polio programme also conducted a third case response campaign in 7 provinces in order to stop the outbreak and protect children from the crippling but preventable disease.

“As we begin 2022, we have our best opportunity yet to end polio in Afghanistan,” said Dr Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative in Afghanistan. “To reach that goal, we have 5 more campaigns planned for 2022 and it is critical that we maintain this momentum to reach our final goal of zero cases.” …

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Disease Outbreak News (DONs)

:: Hepatitis E virus – Chad 17 January 2022

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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
:: First polio vaccination campaign for 2022 under way 17 January 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yemen crisis [Last apparent update: 12 February 2021]

Syria crisis [Last apparent update: 18 June 2021]

Somalia crisis [Last apparent update: 24 March 2018]

Nigeria crisis [Last apparent update: 1 Oct 2021]

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

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

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

Iraq crisis [Last apparent update: 9 Jan 2008]

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

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

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

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

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UN OCHA – Current Emergencies
Current Corporate Emergencies
Afghanistan
 Earthquake in Badghis Province, Afghanistan – Flash Update No. 2 (As of 21 January 2022, 12:00 local time (Kabul)

Northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia – Northern Ethiopia Humanitarian Update Situation Report, 20 January 2022
…More than 145,000 children received measles vaccination in Tigray so far, but the campaign faces challenges including lack of fuel, cash, and cold chain capacity…

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WHO & Regional Offices [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.who.int/
Selected News, Statements
20 January 2022
News release
WHO publishes new global data on the use of clean and polluting fuels for cooking by fuel type

20 January 2022
Departmental news
U.S. EPA and WHO partner to protect public health

20 January 2022
Departmental news
Planning and budgeting tool for TB and drug-resistant TB testing

20 January 2022
Departmental news
WHO summary of Baseline report for UN Decade of Healthy Ageing is now available in all official UN languages

19 January 2022
Statement
Statement on the tenth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic

19 January 2022
Departmental news
WHO announces the update of the guidelines on the diagnosis, prevention and management of cryptococcal disease in HIV-infected adults

18 January 2022
Departmental news
First WHO report highlights efforts to improving health and well-being of adolescents worldwide

16 January 2022
News release
COVAX delivers its 1 billionth COVID-19 vaccine dose

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WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Cases drop for first time as Africa’s fourth COVID-19 wave ebbs 20 January 2022
Brazzaville – Weekly COVID-19 cases in Africa have dropped significantly and deaths dipped for the first time since the peak of the fourth pandemic wave propelled by the Omicron variant. The decline nudges the continent past its shortest upsurge yet that lasted 56 days.
Newly reported cases fell by 20% in the week to 16 January, while deaths dropped by 8%. The decrease in deaths is still small and further monitoring is needed, but if the trend continues the surge in deaths will also be the shortest reported so far during this pandemic…

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: PAHO calls for countries to prioritize rapid tests for those with COVID-19 symptoms 19 Jan 2022
As infections surge, testing should be expanded to alleviate pressure on hospitals. Those without symptoms should quarantine and follow public health measures. Washington D.C. 19 January 2022 (PAHO) – With COVID-19 surging throughout the Americas and demand for diagnostics higher than ever, the Pan American Health Organization Director Carissa F…

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

WHO European Region EURO
:: Two years of COVID-19: What it takes to run an emergency response across 53 countries 21-01-2022
:: Noncommunicable diseases in 53 countries: WHO/Europe presents new visual data tool 20-01-2022
:: The Omicron variant: sorting fact from myth 19-01-2022

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Volunteering for the fight against malaria in Yemen 17 January 2022
:: Afghanistan conducts first polio vaccination campaign in 2022  17 January 2022

WHO Western Pacific Region
:: 18 January 2022 News release WHO supports whole-of-UN response to volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga

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WHO Events
https://www.who.int/news-room/events/2
[Selected]
150th session of the Executive Board
24 – 29 January 2022
Virtual event

World NTD Day 2022: Achieving health equity to end the neglect of poverty-related diseases
26 January 2022 14:00 – 15:00 CET

WHO consultation on COVID vaccines research: Why do we need a pan-sarbecovirus vaccine?
28 January 2022 13:00 – 19:00 CET

Mobilizing the World to Defeat Neglected Tropical Diseases
28 January 2022 16:00 – 17:15 CET

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New WHO Publications
https://www.who.int/publications/i
Selected Titles
21 January 2022
Annexes to the recommendations for use of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine BNT162b2 against COVID-19

21 January 2022
WHO SAGE Roadmap for prioritizing uses of COVID-19 vaccines
[See COVID above for detail]

21 January 2022
Interim recommendations for use of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2, under Emergency Use…

20 January 2022
Review of Minamata convention initial assessment reports: key findings for health

CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases, Announcements [Selected]
CDC Statement on MMWR: COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations by COVID-19 Vaccination Status and Previous COVID-19 Diagnosis — California and New York, May–November 2021
Thursday, January 20, 2022

CDC Releases Updated Maps of America’s High Levels of Inactivity
Thursday, January 20, 2022

ACIP Meetings
Next meeting scheduled for February 23-24, 2022

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, January 21, 2022
Selected Content
:: Surveillance Summaries: Disease Surveillance Among U.S.-Bound Immigrants and Refugees — Electronic Disease Notification System, United States, 2014–2019
:: Zika-Associated Birth Defects Reported in Pregnancies with Laboratory Evidence of Confirmed or Possible Zika Virus Infection — U.S. Zika Pregnancy and Infant Registry, December 1, 2015–March 31, 2018
:: Use of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine in Immunocompromised Adults Aged ≥19 Years: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2022
:: Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication ― Afghanistan, January 2020–November 2021
:: Use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine: Updated Interim Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, December 2021
:: Previously Released: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Receipt of Medications for Treatment of COVID-19 — United States, March 2020–August 2021

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)– CDC
Approximately 25 announcements/reports/data summaries.
21 Jan COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Country
21 Jan Cases in the U.S.
21 Jan EARLY RELEASE: Effectiveness of a Third Dose of mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Predominance — VISION Network, 10 States, August 2021–January 2022
21 Jan EARLY RELEASE: COVID-19 Incidence and Death Rates Among Unvaccinated and Fully Vaccinated Adults with and Without Booster Doses During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Emergence — 25 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–December 25, 2021
21 Jan Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Fri, 21 Jan 2022 06:00:00 EST

Africa CDC [to 22 Jan 2022]
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 22 Jan 2022]
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
Jan 22: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Jan 21, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 63 new cases of confirmed infections.

Beijing confirms 5 cases, tightens virus measures
2022-01-21
Beijing is facing a severe and complicated COVID-19 epidemic control and prevention situation as an increasing number of cases have occurred in several districts this week, a senior official said on Thursday.
Beijing reported five new confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Thursday, including three who had reported positive nucleic acid tests on Wednesday.
Following that test, a further test confirmed viral infections, bringing the total number of positive and confirmed cases in the latest outbreaks to 11.
All of the new patients work in the cold chain industry. The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus was detected in samples collected from those cases.
“The whole genome sequencing of one of the new cases is in accord with a previous case reported on Tuesday, which means they are in the same transmission chain,” Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a news conference…

China adopts faster mass testing for COVID-19
2022-01-20
BEIJING — Chinese health authorities have adopted faster-pooled tests for the coronavirus that allow professional labs to process 20 samples at a time.
The updated testing techniques, based on the current practice of putting five or 10 swab samples together and testing as one, are aimed at sharply boosting the efficiency of virus testing, said the State Council inter-agency task force for COVID-19 response.
The new testing approach will be introduced across the country while ensuring quality results, it said…

National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/
News
Over 2.95b COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2022-01-21
More than 2.95 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Wednesday, data from the National Health Commission showed Thursday.

CCDC Weekly Reports: Current Volume (4)
2022-01-21 / No. 3
View  PDF of this issue
Preplanned Studies: Prevalence, Incidence, and Characteristics of Tuberculosis Among Known Diabetes Patients — A Prospective Cohort Study in 10 Sites, 2013–2015

::::::

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

Airfinity [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.airfinity.com/insights
INSIGHTS & COMPANY NEWS
COVID-19 vaccine market forecast to grow 29% to $84.9B in 2022, according to Airfinity
Published by Airfinity
Jan 20, 2022
Airfinity forecasts the COVID-19 vaccine market is expected to reach $65.6B in 2021 and grow to $84.9B in 2022, a 29% growth. This excludes both the Chinese vaccines and market.
Our analysis predicts the 2022 market will be dominated by mRNA vaccines. Pfizer/BioNTech is expected to generate $42.7B and Moderna $25.7B. AstraZeneca is expected to be the third largest revenue generating vaccine with $4.3B in revenue, followed by J&J with $3.5B.
This would make the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccine the two best selling medical products in 2022…

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://alleninstitute.org/news-press/
News
No new digest content identified.

BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Pages/default.aspx
News
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center
Press Releases and Statements
Press release Jan 18, 2022
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Pledge US$300 Million to CEPI for COVID-19 Pandemic Response and to Accelerate Epidemic Preparedness
[See COVID Perspectives above for detail]

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.gatesmri.org/news
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.

CARB-X [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – January 2022 is now posted here
 
 
CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome pledge $300 million to CEPI to fight COVID-19 and combat threat of future pandemics
New funding commitments will support CEPI’s goal to condense new vaccine development timelines to 100 days, a third of the time it took to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19
19 Jan 2022
[See COVID Perspectives above for detail]

CEPI and Institut Pasteur de Dakar partner to advance COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in Africa
In its initial phase, the new modular facility will manufacture up to 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine annually for use on the continent.
COVID-19
18 Jan 2022
[See COVID Perspectives above for detail]
 
 
DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [U.S.] [to 22 Jan 2022
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://dukeghic.org/
Our Blog
No new digest content identified.
 
 
EDCTP [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
News
20 January 2022
Call for expression of interest for Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking scientific committee
The Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking (GH EDCTP3 JU) has now opened a call for expression of interest for the selection of the members of its Scientific Committee.
The Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking (GH EDCTP3 JU) is a partnership between the European Union and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) Association, whose members are several EU Member States and Associated countries and several African countries, and which builds on the first and second European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) programmes…

18 January 2022
EDCTP mourns the loss of Dr Ricardo Pereira
On 11 January 2022, our dear colleague Dr Ricardo Pereira, Science Officer at the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and EDCTP General Assembly representative for Portugal, passed away following a long battle against cancer. Many in the EDCTP General Assembly, Scientific Advisory Committee and the Secretariat worked with him and knew him well. We are deeply saddened by this tragic news of his untimely passing.
 
 
Emory Vaccine Center [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
European Vaccine Initiative [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News, Events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Fondation Merieux [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
Support for Laboratories
LabMyNet Project Activities in Myanmar Build Diagnostic Capacity for HIV and SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Surveillance
January 21, 2022, Myanmar
Renovation of the Medical Action in Myanmar laboratory, establishment of a molecular platform for HIV viral load, and training of …

Publication
The Mérieux Foundation referent of an article published in The Lancet, resulting from an international research cooperation on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
January 20, 2022, Global
Through TSARA project (an updated surveillance technique for resistance to antibiotics) in Madagascar, the Mérieux Foundation participated in a global …

Unitaid
[to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
No new digest content identified.

GHIT Fund [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Global Fund [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Hilleman Laboratories [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
News & Insights
No new digest content identified.
 
 
HHMI – Howard Hughes Medical Institute [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.hhmi.org/news
Press Room
Research Jan 21 2022
These Scientists Are Racing to Beat Omicron
As teams of researchers around the world race to piece together a picture of the Omicron variant, they’re fast-tracking discoveries and transforming the way science is done.
 
 
Human Vaccines Project [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
HVP COVID Report
Jan 20, 2022
John Nkengasong: Lessons from Leading Africa’s COVID-19 Response
John Nkengasong, Ph.D.
Director, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
 
 
IAVI [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
Latest News
January 18, 2022
IAVI Welcomes Marion F. Gruber as Vice President, Public Health and Regulatory Science
Regulatory and public health expertise will advance the development of and global access to innovative new solutions to important global health needs
NEW YORK – JANUARY 18, 2022 – IAVI is very pleased to announce the appointment of Marion F. Gruber, Ph.D., M.S., as Vice President, Public Health and Regulatory Science.
Dr. Gruber is a preeminent vaccine expert with 30 years of experience in the development and regulation of vaccines and related biologics. Most recently, she served as Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Vaccine Research and Review, where she led the FDA’s vaccine evaluation and licensure function and oversaw approval and authorization of vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, Zaire ebolavirus, and other global health challenges and emerging infectious disease threats…

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 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases, Statements, Reports
No new digest content identified.

IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
Press Releases/Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFRC [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
19/01/2022
WHO and IFRC partnership aims to build regional capacity in responding to key public health challenges [Middle East and North Africa]
 
 
Institut Pasteur [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press Documents
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News – Selected
News
18 Jan 2022
Mongolia’s Ban on Moving to Overcrowded Capital Hurt Migrants: IOM Research

News
18 Jan 2022
IOM and KSrelief Sign USD 20 Million Agreement to Help Yemen’s Vulnerable Communities Needing Shelter, Clean Water and Sanitation
 
 
ISC / International Science Council [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://council.science/current/
ISC is a non-governmental organization with a unique global membership that brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organizations including Academies and Research Councils.
News Blogs Podcasts
INGSA Horizons podcast hosts conversations on the science informing smart policy
19.01.2022
Six podcasts available now from the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) explore the critical space between scientific evidence and policy decisions on topics such as cities, COVID-19, and societal transformation.
 
 
IVAC [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IVI [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
IVI and SK bioscience Complete Recruitment for Phase III Clinical Trial of SKBS’ COVID-19 Vaccine
:: Recruitment of global Phase III clinical trial of ‘GBP510’ completed, with vaccine expected to be authorized in the first half of 2022
:: A booster dose study is concurrently being planned to bring additional vaccine to the global COVID-19 vaccine market
January 19, 2022 SEOUL, Korea — The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and SK bioscience announced on January 18 that they have completed the recruitment of participants for the Phase III global clinical trial of GBP510, SKBS’ COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The Phase III clinical trial is the final stage of development to verify the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine…
 
 
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
CommuniVax Coalition Launches Second Phase
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security continues CommuniVax, a research coalition funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
January 22, 2021, Baltimore, MD – The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has received a new round of funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to continue support of the CommuniVax coalition. The purpose of the coalition is to strengthen community roles and involvement in equitable COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. The project’s second phase will focus on strengthening the relationships between communities of color and key local public health systems…
 
 
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Iraq
The restless challenge of tackling COVID-19 in Iraq
Project Update 21 Jan 2022
 
 
National Academy of Medicine – USA [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://nam.edu/programs/
Selected News/Programs/Events
Expert Papers from the National Academy of Medicine Identify Lessons Learned and Compelling Needs for Health Product Manufacturers & Innovators and Digital Health After COVID-19
January 18, 2022
WASHINGTON – In response to the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the American health system, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has convened experts in nine sectors of health, health care, and biomedical research to review how each sector responded to COVID-19, identify challenges encountered in combating the pandemic, and outline opportunities to reinforce, revitalize, and transform the health system including improving health equity for all. These insights are being released as nine NAM Perspectives discussion papers, and then bundled into a NAM Special Publication titled Emerging Stronger After COVID-19: Priorities for Health System Transformation, which is scheduled to be released in Spring 2022. The NAM Special Publication will include all nine previously published papers and a new concluding chapter that reviews cross-cutting themes and opportunities from the individual papers.
The final two papers in this series, focused on health product manufacturers and innovators and on digital health, were published January 18, 2022. Health Product Manufacturers and Innovators COVID-19 Impact Assessment: Lessons Learned and Compelling Needs focuses on the experience of organizations that research, develop, and manufacture products and services to support health and health care. The discussion paper focuses specifically on five product types: diagnostics, hospital equipment, medical devices, therapeutics, and vaccines…
 
 
National Academy of Sciences – USA [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
National Vaccine Advisory Committee [NVAC] 2022 Meetings
February 10-11, 2022
 
 
NIH [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
Researchers highlight COVID-19 neurological symptoms and need for rigorous studies
January 20, 2022 — Scientists explain the importance of increased research into the underlying causes of Long Covid and possible ways to treat its symptoms.

COVID-19 vaccination does not reduce chances of conception, study suggests
January 20, 2022 — NIH-funded research shows infection can affect male fertility.

SARS-CoV-2 may cause fetal inflammation even in the absence of placental infection
January 18, 2022 — Small NIH study contributes to understanding of COVID-19 during pregnancy.
 
 
OECD [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
Newsroom
No new digest content identified.
 
 
PATH [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
PATH appoints Meïssa Diaw as Chief People and Diversity Officer
January 20, 2022 by PATH
Seattle, WA – Meïssa Diaw, formerly Human Resources Director for Africa, is taking on new responsibilities at PATH to serve as the organization’s first Africa-based Chief People and Diversity Officer. Based in Senegal, he will direct PATH’s global HR functions and lead an empowered team of HR specialists across Asia, Africa, and North America…
 
 
Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
UNAIDS [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
8 January 2022
Empowering people who inject drugs in Uganda

17 January 2022
Pre-exposure prophylaxis use expands, but not fast enough

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
UNICEF [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
News note
01/18/2022
UNICEF enters supply agreements for COVID-19 oral antiviral medicine Molnupiravir
NEW YORK/COPENHAGEN, 18 January 2022 – UNICEF has signed several long term agreements (LTA) with suppliers for the procurement of the new antiviral medicine Molnupiravir.
UNICEF procurement of Molnupiravir is dependent on clinical recommendations, regulatory approvals and compliance with UNICEF quality assurance requirements. In December, the US Food and drug administration issued an emergency use authorization for the use of Molnupiravir in the treatment of COVID19 in certain patients. Molnupiravir is currently under assessment by WHO.
These agreements will help ensure that low and middle-income countries (LMICs) have timely access to novel COVID-19 therapies.  UNICEF will continue to work with ACT-A (Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator) partners and industry to ensure supply availability, achieve affordable prices and capacity to meet country needs. Supply will also be available for ACT-A partners wishing to deploy Molnupiravir in countries.
UNICEF will work closely with other ACT-A partners such as WHO, the Global Fund and Unitaid to ensure an equitable access to supply for LMICs.

Unitaid [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
USAID [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/2021
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Announcements
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Equity Cooperative [nee Initiative] [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Confidence Project [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Wellcome Trust [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News. Opinion, Reports
News
$300 million invested in vaccine innovations to end Covid-19 and prevent future epidemics
19 January 2022
Wellcome and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have both pledged $150 million each to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to help end the Covid-19 pandemic and prevent another major outbreak.
 
 
The Wistar Institute [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
Jan. 17, 2022
Wistar Scientists Identify Therapeutic Target for Epstein-Barr Virus
They found that EBV uses some of the same proteins as the host cell to express itself, and one of the proteins is already targeted by an existing drug.
 
 
WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News – Blog
Letter from the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) on behalf of the Sustainable Health Equity Movement (SHEM) to the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (EB-WHO). 24-29 January 2022
…WFPHA and SHEM ask the EB-WHO to bring the following proposals to the WHA:
1) Aligned with the Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics, WHO Member States must implement an equitable distribution of vaccines against COVID-19, which presupposes patent wavering, the sharing of knowledge and the transfer of technology, enabling the expansion of production and distribution based on ethical and epidemiological criteria, at no cost to the end consumer. This must be combined with the WHO’s decisive support to vaccine production initiatives for patent pooling and technology transfer contributing to global equity Covid vaccine coverage.
2) The WHA must agree to develop and, on an accelerated timeline, negotiate and adopt a new Pandemic Treaty that, in addition to improving global preparedness and response to health emergencies, helps all countries – especially low- and middle-income – to strengthen their national health systems to ensure everyone’s right to health. The Treaty must also consider the social determinants of health, contemplating intersectoral measures around social, environmental, and economic responses to support health actions.
3)The WHA must recognize that COVID-19 is more than a pandemic and is best characterized as a syndemic. The world suffers from the synergy of COVID-19 and other communicable and non-communicable diseases with political, economic, and environmental macro-processes that jointly cause deep changes that favor the emergence of zoonoses, and which reflect and generate social inequalities and inequities among and within countries. The construction of a “new normal”, better and fairer than the one that brought us here, requires facing all the dimensions of this complex reality, where the global unfair economic order must be faced and the right to development can be achieved by all nations and peoples…
 
 
World Bank [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
South Africa’s Covid-19 Response Gets a $750 Million Boost
WASHINGTON, January 20, 2022 —The World Bank Group Board of Executive Directors today approved South Africa’s request for a $750 million development policy loan (DPL). This loan will support the Government…
Date: January 21, 2022 Type: Press Release

Transcript: Exceptional Uncertainty and the Global Economy: A Conversation with David Malpass and Adam Posen
You can watch a replay of the event here. MR. ADAM POSEN:  It is my honor and pleasure to be hosting a conversation with David Malpass, the 13th President of the World Bank Group.  And I will…
Date: January 19, 2022 Type: Speeches and Transcripts
 
 
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.oie.int/en/media/news/
Press Releases, Statements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
DG Okonjo-Iweala calls on ministers to step up negotiating efforts, harvest outcomes
21 January 2022
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on 21 January called on ministers from a cross-section of WTO members to push ahead in all ongoing negotiations, and work with “pragmatism, creativity, and flexibility” to harvest agreements as and when they are within reach. Ministers broadly accepted her suggestion to accelerate work, both in Geneva and in capitals, so WTO members can deliver results despite the uncertainty regarding the rescheduling of the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) following its Omicron-induced postponement in November.

The informal gathering of around 30 trade ministers is traditionally hosted by the Swiss government in Davos but was held virtually this year in line with the World Economic Forum’s decision to cancel its in-person annual meeting.

In her remarks to the event, the Director-General noted that pandemic-related uncertainty would continue to prevail so long as large numbers of people in much of the world remained unvaccinated against COVID-19 – and that the WTO had a contribution to make in ending vaccine inequity. She said that while the desire to hold an in-person MC12 was widely shared, the changing epidemiological conditions made it difficult to set a date at this time. This does not rule out reassessing and fixing a date at a more propitious time since there was clearly a desire on the part of members to schedule a physical ministerial at some point…

The Director-General called ministers’ attention to the key sticking points on the WTO’s response to the pandemic, fisheries subsidies and agriculture, while also making the case for moving ahead with WTO reform, including dispute settlement.

In their interventions, many ministers said that while they want to hold MC12 when circumstances permit, they would be prepared to continue work in all areas in the interim and conclude negotiations where achievable. As countries seek to promote recovery from the social and economic consequences of the pandemic, many highlighted the importance of ensuring adequate access to medical products, including vaccines. A number of ministers said the negotiations on pandemic response and fisheries subsidies should be concluded as soon as possible…

WTO report looks into steps taken to boost LDCs’ participation in international trade
19 January 2022
A new WTO publication launched on 19 January highlights that further support will be needed from the international community in the next decade to strengthen least-developed countries’ (LDC) participation in world trade. While LDCs have benefited over the past ten years from greater market access opportunities, flexibilities in implementing WTO rules and trade-related technical assistance, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to even greater challenges for these countries, hitting their exports hard.

::::::
 
 
ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
BIO [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
 
 
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFPMA [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
11 billion COVID-19 vaccines produced in 2021 has resulted in the biggest immunization campaign in human history and 2022 will require more and better vaccine redistribution and innovation
16 December 2021
[See COVID Perspectives above for detail]

A timely reality check on silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance
20 January 2022
The scale and threat of antimicrobial resistance is much bigger and more imminent than previously anticipated. New evidence shows that, in 2019, the global burden associated with drug-resistant infections was an estimated 4.95 million deaths, of which AMR was the direct cause of at least 1.27 million deaths. This number is only set to grow further, unless action is taken. The direction of travel is not downwards, with COVID-19 further fuelling the issue of AMR, leaving us on the course of 10 million deaths per year by 2050…

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
News
GENEZIS, the Serbian and Montenegrin Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association, joins IGBA (January 2022)
IGBA, the International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association, representing global manufacturers of generic and biosimilar medicines, announced today that GENEZIS has been accepted and welcomed as a new IGBA Associate Member.
 
 
International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – IAPO [to 22 Jan 2022]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
 
 
PhRMA [to 22 Jan 2022]
http://www.phrma.org/
Latest News [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

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

AMA Journal of Ethics
Volume 24, Number 1: E1-105 Jan 2022
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/issue/inequity-along-medicaldental-divide

Inequity Along the Medical/Dental Divide
Dental and medical health systems in the United States have evolved as fully separate entities. This division exacerbates health inequity, since patients’ poor oral health affects their general health. The professionally entrenched view that what’s in patients’ mouths is somehow isolated from what’s going on in the rest of their bodies is one all clinicians need to resist, since this view can be a source of harm, particularly among vulnerable patients and communities. Practical and ethical strategies for better aligning medical and dental goals of care are considered in this issue.

Annals of Internal Medicine
January 2022 Volume 175, Issue 1
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Original Research
Influenza Vaccine Uptake and Missed Opportunities Among the Medicare-Covered Population With High-Risk Conditions During the 2018 to 2019 Influenza Season
A Retrospective Cohort Study
Bo-Hyun Cho, PhD, Cindy Weinbaum, MD, MPH, Yuping Tsai, PhD, Ram Koppaka, MD, PhD

Annals of Internal Medicine
January 2022 Volume 175, Issue 1
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Special Articles
Update on and Future Directions for Use of Anti–SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies: National Institutes of Health Summit on Treatment and Prevention of COVID-19
FREE
César Boggiano, PhD, Robert W. Eisinger, PhD, Andrea M. Lerner, MD, James M. Anderson, MD, PhD,
… et al.
Pages:119–126

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 22 Jan 2022)

Low incidence of COVID-19 case severity and mortality in Africa; Could malaria co-infection provide the missing link?
Despite reports of malaria and coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) co-infection, malaria-endemic regions have so far recorded fewer cases of COVID-19 and deaths from COVID-19, indicating a probable protection…
Authors: Silas Acheampong Osei, Robert Peter Biney, Alberta Serwah Anning, Lydia Nkuah Nortey and George Ghartey-Kwansah
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2022 22:78
Content type: Research
Published on: 22 January 2022

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 22 Jan 2022)

Protocol for SARS-CoV-2 post-vaccine surveillance study in Australian adults and children with cancer: an observational study of safety and serological and immunological response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (SerOzNET)
Cancer is associated with excess morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) following infection by the novel pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 have been rap…
Authors: Amy Body, Elizabeth Ahern, Luxi Lal, Karen Gillett, Hesham Abdulla, Stephen Opat, Tracey O’Brien, Peter Downie, Stuart Turville, C. Mee Ling Munier, Corey Smith, C. Raina MacIntyre and Eva Segelov
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2022 22:70
Content type: Study protocol
Published on: 20 January 2022

BMC Medicine
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/content
(Accessed 22 Jan 2022)

Humoral immune response after different SARS-CoV-2 vaccination regimens
The humoral immune response after primary immunisation with a SARS-CoV-2 vector vaccine (AstraZeneca AZD1222, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, Vaxzevria) followed by an mRNA vaccine boost (Pfizer/BioNTech, BNT162b2; Moderna, …
Authors: Ruben Rose, Franziska Neumann, Olaf Grobe, Thomas Lorentz, Helmut Fickenscher and Andi Krumbholz
Citation: BMC Medicine 2022 20:31
Content type: Research article
Published on: 21 January 2022

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 22 Jan 2022)

COVID-19 myth-busting: an experimental study
COVID-19 misinformation is a danger to public health. A range of formats are used by health campaigns to correct beliefs but data on their effectiveness is limited. We aimed to identify A) whether three common…
Authors: Aimée Challenger, Petroc Sumner and Lewis Bott
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:131
Content type: Research article
Published on: 19 January 2022

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 22 Jan 2022)

Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine and refusal to receive COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers in northeastern Ethiopia
Major efforts are being made to control the spread and impacts of the coronavirus pandemic using vaccines. Ethiopia began on March 13, 2021, to vaccinate healthcare workers (HCWs) for COVID-19 with the AstraZe…
Authors: Metadel Adane, Ayechew Ademas and Helmut Kloos
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:128
Content type: Research
Published on: 18 January 2022

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 22 Jan 2022)

Association between COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and generalized trust, depression, generalized anxiety, and fear of COVID-19
Although numerous studies have been published on the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, some possible predictors remain underexplored. In this study, we explored the associations of unwillingness and in…
Authors: Yoichi Sekizawa, Sora Hashimoto, Kenzo Denda, Sae Ochi and Mirai So
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:126
Content type: Research
Published on: 18 January 2022

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 22 Jan 2022)

Examining COVID-19 vaccine uptake and attitudes among 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. Little is known about vaccine attitudes and uptake among this population. To address this, the objectives of this…
Authors: Alex Abramovich, Nelson Pang, Sharumathy Kunasekaran, Amanda Moss, Tara Kiran and Andrew D. Pinto
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:122
Content type: Research
Published on: 18 January 2022

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 22 Jan 2022)

Vaccination against influenza among Lebanese health care workers in the era of coronavirus disease 2019
Health-care workers (HCWs) are at a higher occupational risk of contracting and transmitting influenza. Annual vaccination is an essential tool to prevent seasonal influenza infection. However, HCWs vaccine he…
Authors: Dalal Youssef, Atika Berry, Janet Youssef and Linda Abou-Abbas
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:120
Content type: Research
Published on: 18 January 2022

BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine
February 2022 – Volume 27 – 1
https://ebm.bmj.com/content/27/1

Evidence synthesis
Effectiveness of tests to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus, and antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, to inform COVID-19 diagnosis: a rapid systematic review (1 October, 2020) Free
David Jarrom, Lauren Elston, Jennifer Washington, Matthew Prettyjohns, Kimberley Cann, Susan Myles, Peter Groves

Ethics & Human Research
Volume 44, Issue 1 Pages: 1-39 January–February 2022
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25782363/current

Articles Open Access
The Ethical Implications of Big Data Research in Public Health: “Big Data Ethics by Design” in the UK-REACH Study
Ruby Reed-Berendt, Edward S. Dove, Manish Pareek, on behalf of the UK-REACH Study Collaborative Group
Pages: 2-17
First Published: 22 December 2021

Ethics & Human Research
Volume 44, Issue 1 Pages: 1-39 January–February 2022
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25782363/current

Articles
Biobank Participants’ Attitudes toward Requiring Understanding for Biobank Consent
T.J. Kasperbauer, Colin Halverson, Abigail Garcia, Karen K. Schmidt, Peter H. Schwartz
Pages: 18-28
First Published: 22 December 2021

Ethics & Human Research
Volume 44, Issue 1 Pages: 1-39 January–February 2022
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25782363/current

 
Research Documents for Populations with Limited English Proficiency: Translation Approaches Matter
Sonia Colina, Miriam Rodríguez-Guerra, Nicole Marrone, Maia Ingram, Karla J. Navarro, Genesis Arizmendi, Laura Coco

Pages: 29-39
First Published: 22 December 2021

Ethics & Human Research
Volume 44, Issue 1 Pages: 1-39 January–February 2022
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25782363/current

Articles
Biobank Participants’ Attitudes toward Requiring Understanding for Biobank Consent
T.J. Kasperbauer, Colin Halverson, Abigail Garcia, Karen K. Schmidt, Peter H. Schwartz
Pages: 18-28
First Published: 22 December 2021

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 22 Jan 2022]

Global research activity on mathematical modeling of transmission and control of 23 selected infectious disease outbreak
Mathematical analysis and modeling allow policymakers to understand and predict the dynamics of an infectious disease under several different scenarios. The current study aimed to analyze global research activity on mathematical modeling of transmission and control of several infectious diseases with a known history of serious outbreaks.
Authors: Waleed M. Sweileh
Content type: Research
21 January 2022

Health Economics, Policy and Law 
Volume 17 – Special Issue 1 – January 2022
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/health-economics-policy-and-law/latest-issue

SPECIAL ISSUE: Country Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Articles analyzing country responses in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, U.S., Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Italy

Human Gene Therapy
Volume 33, Issue 1-2 / January 2022
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/hum/33/1-2

Review Free
An Overview of Cell and Gene Therapy Development in China
Yitong Wang, Tingting Qiu, Shuyao Liang, and Mondher Toumi
Pages:14–24
Published Online:6 September 2021
https://doi.org/10.1089/hum.2021.126
Abstract
China, the first country worldwide to approve a gene therapy in 2003, almost lost the advantage for a head start in cell and gene therapy (CGT) development due to a lack of clear and strict regulatory frameworks. The rapid advancements of CGTs’ development worldwide as well as their therapeutic potential have triggered the government to conduct a spate of regulatory reforms to promote normative development of CGTs in China. Encouraged by policy support, the remarkable progress for CGTs in China has been observed over the past few years, thereby catapulting China back into the forefront of CGTs worldwide. This article aims to provide an overview of regulatory reforms, the current development landscape of CGTs, as well as key contributors and challenges for CGT development in China.

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

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

JAMA
January 18, 2022, Vol 327, No. 3, Pages 199-294
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Research Letter
Immunogenicity of Extended mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Dosing Intervals
Brian Grunau, MD, MHSc; David M. Goldfarb, MD; Michael Asamoah-Boaheng, MPhil; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2022;327(3):279-281. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.21921
This study investigates the immunogenicity of extended mRNA vaccine dosing intervals.

JAMA
January 18, 2022, Vol 327, No. 3, Pages 199-294
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children by COVID-19 Vaccination Status of Adolescents in France
Michael Levy, MD, PhD; Morgan Recher, MD, PhD; Hervé Hubert, MD, PhD; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2022;327(3):281-283. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.23262
This study examines the risk of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children among those aged 12 years or older by COVID-19 vaccination status during September 2021 and October 2021 in France.

JAMA
January 18, 2022, Vol 327, No. 3, Pages 199-294
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Viewpoint
A National Strategy for the “New Normal” of Life With COVID
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD; Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH; Celine R. Gounder, MD, ScM
free access has multimedia has audio
JAMA. 2022;327(3):211-212. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.24282
This Viewpoint discusses how US policy makers should address how the nation can move forward as the pandemic persists.

JAMA
January 18, 2022, Vol 327, No. 3, Pages 199-294
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

A National Strategy for COVID-19 Testing, Surveillance, and Mitigation Strategies
David Michaels, PhD, MPH; Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD; Rick A. Bright, PhD
free access has multimedia has audio
JAMA. 2022;327(3):213-214. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.24168
This Viewpoint discusses the areas on which the US needs to improve its public health infrastructure in order to reduce COVID-19 transmission and achieve a “new normal”: testing, surveillance, masking, and ventilation.