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.

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 286 October 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/social-science-and-medicine/vol/286/suppl/C

Research article Full text access
Light at the end of the tunnel: Influence of vaccine availability and vaccination intention on people’s consideration of the COVID-19 vaccine
Haoran Chu, Sixiao Liu
Article 114315

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 286 October 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/social-science-and-medicine/vol/286/suppl/C

Short communication Open access
Value judgments in a COVID-19 vaccination model: A case study in the need for public involvement in health-oriented modelling
Stephanie Harvard, Eric Winsberg, John Symons, Amin Adibi
Article 114323

Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 42 Pages 6183-6340 (8 October 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/42

Research article Abstract only
Estimation of oral poliovirus vaccine effectiveness in Afghanistan, 2010–2020
Anna N. Chard, Maureen Martinez, Almea Matanock, Ahmed M. Kassem
Pages 6250-6255

Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 42 Pages 6183-6340 (8 October 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/42

Research article Abstract only
Estimation of oral poliovirus vaccine effectiveness in Afghanistan, 2010–2020
Anna N. Chard, Maureen Martinez, Almea Matanock, Ahmed M. Kassem
Pages 6250-6255

Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 42 Pages 6183-6340 (8 October 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/42

Research article Open access
Low COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Brazil
Daniella Campelo Batalha Cox Moore, Marcio Fernandes Nehab, Karla Gonçalves Camacho, Adriana Teixeira Reis, … Saint Clair dos Santos Gomes Junior
Pages 6262-6268

Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 42 Pages 6183-6340 (8 October 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/42

Research article Full text access
Predicting COVID-19 vaccination intention using protection motivation theory and conspiracy beliefs
Judith Eberhardt, Jonathan Ling
Pages 6269-6275

Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 42 Pages 6183-6340 (8 October 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/42

Research article Open access
Microplanning for designing vaccination campaigns in low-resource settings: A geospatial artificial intelligence-based framework
Thiago Augusto Hernandes Rocha, Dante Grapiuna de Almeida, Arthi Shankar Kozhumam, Núbia Cristina da Silva, … João Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci
Pages 6276-6282

Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 42 Pages 6183-6340 (8 October 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/42

Research article Abstract only
Cost-effectiveness of routine catch-up hepatitis a vaccination in the United States: Dynamic transmission modeling study
Elamin H. Elbasha, Yoonyoung Choi, Vince Daniels, Michelle G. Goveia
Pages 6315-6321

Vaccines
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

Open Access Opinion
Manifesto on the Value of Adult Immunization: “We Know, We Intend, We Advocate”
by Raffaele Antonelli-Incalzi et al.
Vaccines 2021, 9(11), 1232; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9111232 (registering DOI) – 22 Oct 2021
Abstract
Immunization through vaccination is a milestone achievement that has made a tremendous contribution to public health. Historically, immunization programs aimed firstly to protect children, who were disproportionally affected by infectious diseases. However, vaccine-preventable diseases can have significant impacts on adult mortality, health, and quality of life. Despite this, adult vaccinations have historically been overlooked in favor of other health priorities, because their benefits to society were not well recognized. As the general population is aging, the issue of vaccination in older adults is gaining importance. In high-income countries, recommendations for the routine vaccination of older adults have been gradually introduced. The Italian National Immunization Plan is considered to be among the most advanced adult vaccination plans in Europe. However, available data indicate there is low adherence to vaccination recommendations in Italy. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the damage that can be caused by an infectious disease, especially among adults and individuals with comorbidities. The aim of this “Manifesto”, therefore, is to provide an overview of the existing evidence on the value of adult vaccination, in the Italian context, with a call to action to healthcare providers and health authorities

Vaccines
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

Open Access Article
Caregivers’ Willingness to Vaccinate Their Children against Childhood Diseases and Human Papillomavirus: A Cross-Sectional Study on Vaccine Hesitancy in Malawi
by Gbadebo Collins Adeyanju et al.
Vaccines 2021, 9(11), 1231; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9111231 (registering DOI) – 22 Oct 2021
Abstract
Background: Vaccines are among the most effective and cost-efficient public health interventions for promoting child health. However, uptake is considerably affected by vaccine hesitancy. An example is Malawi, with a decline in second vaccine doses and the highest cervical cancer incidence and mortality

Vaccines
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

Open Access Article
Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy
by Francesca Gallè et al.
Vaccines 2021, 9(11), 1222; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9111222 – 21 Oct 2021
Abstract
In Italy, at the end of 2020, a voluntary immunization plan against COVID-19 was introduced, involving elderly among the first target categories. The aim of this study was to assess, through an online questionnaire, the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of […]

Vaccines
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

Open Access Article
Attitudes of Parents with Regard to Vaccination of Children against COVID-19 in Poland. A Nationwide Online Survey
by Mateusz Babicki et al.
Vaccines 2021, 9(10), 1192; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9101192 – 17 Oct 2021
Abstract
Within a few months, the scientific world achieved a great success, developing effective and safe vaccines against COVID-19. Many countries with full access to vaccines have introduced recommendations for the vaccination of not only people who are at risk of developing severe COVID-19,

medRxiv
medRxiv is a free online archive and distribution server for complete but unpublished manuscripts (preprints) in the medical, clinical, and related health sciences. Preprints are preliminary reports of work that have not been certified by peer review. They should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information. medRxiv is for the distribution of preprints – complete but unpublished manuscripts – that describe human health research conducted, analyzed, and interpreted according to scientific principles…
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/about-medrxiv
[Accessed 23 Oct 2021]

Selected Content
Autoimmune conditions following mRNA (BNT162b2) and inactivated (CoronaVac) COVID-19 vaccination: a descriptive cohort study among 1.1 million vaccinated people in Hong Kong
Xue Li, Le Gao, Xinning Tong, Vivien K.Y. Chan, Celine S.L. Chui, Francisco Lai, Carlos Wong, Eric Y.F. Wan, Esther W.Y. Chan, Kui Kai Lau, Chak Sing Lau, Ian C.K. Wong
medRxiv 2021.10.21.21265314; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.21.21265314

COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions and Uptake in a National Prospective Cohort of Essential Workers
Karen Lutrick, Holly Groom, Ashley Fowlkes, Kimberly Groover, Manjusha Gaglani, Patrick Rivers, Allison Naleway, Kimberly Nguyen, Meghan Herring, Kayan Dunnigan, Andrew Phillips, Joel Parker, Khaila Prather, Matthew S Thiese, Zoe Baccam, Harmony Tyner, Sarang Yoon
medRxiv 2021.10.20.21265288; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.20.21265288

Post COVID-19 in children, adolescents, and adults: results of a matched cohort study including more than 150,000 individuals with COVID-19
Martin Roessler, Falko Tesch, Manuel Batram, Josephine Jacob, Friedrich Loser, Oliver Weidinger, Danny Wende, Annika Vivirito, Nicole Toepfner, Martin Seifert, Oliver Nagel, Christina König, Roland Jucknewitz, Jakob Peter Armann, Reinhard Berner, Marina Treskova-Schwarzbach, Dagmar Hertle, Stefan Scholz, Stefan Stern, Pedro Ballesteros, Stefan Baßler, Barbara Bertele, Uwe Repschläger, Nico Richter, Cordula Riederer, Franziska Sobik, Anja Schramm, Claudia Schulte, Lothar Wieler, Jochen Walker, Christa Scheidt-Nave, Jochen Schmitt
medRxiv 2021.10.21.21265133; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.21.21265133

COVID-19: Knowledge, Perception of Risk, Preparedness and Vaccine Acceptability among Healthcare Workers in Kenya
Hafso Mohamed Abdulle, Moses Muia Masika, Julius Otieno Oyugi
medRxiv 2021.10.19.21264712; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.19.21264712

Evidence of transmission from fully vaccinated individuals in a large outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in Provincetown, Massachusetts
Katherine J. Siddle, Lydia A. Krasilnikova, Gage K. Moreno, Stephen F. Schaffner, Johanna Vostok, Nicholas A. Fitzgerald, Jacob E. Lemieux, Nikolaos Barkas, Christine Loreth, Ivan Specht, Christopher H. Tomkins-Tinch, Jillian Silbert, Beau Schaeffer, Bradford P. Taylor, Bryn Loftness, Hillary Johnson, Petra L. Schubert, Hanna M. Shephard, Matthew Doucette, Timelia Fink, Andrew S. Lang, Stephanie Baez, John Beauchamp, Scott Hennigan, Erika Buzby, Stephanie Ash, Jessica Brown, Selina Clancy, Seana Cofsky, Luc Gagne, Joshua Hall, Rachel Harrington, Gabrielle L. Gionet, Katherine C. DeRuff, Megan E. Vodzak, Gordon C. Adams, Sabrina T. Dobbins, Sarah D. Slack, Steven K. Reilly, Lisa M. Anderson, Michelle C. Cipicchio, Matthew T. DeFelice, Jonna L. Grimsby, Scott E. Anderson, Brendan S. Blumenstiel, James C. Meldrim, Heather M. Rooke, Gina Vicente, Natasha L. Smith, Katelyn S. Messer, Faye L. Reagan, Zoe M. Mandese, Matthew D. Lee, Marianne C. Ray, Marissa E. Fisher, Maesha A. Ulcena, Corey M. Nolet, Sean E. English, Katie L. Larkin, Kyle Vernest, Sushma Chaluvadi, Deirdre Arvidson, Maurice Melchiono, Theresa Covell, Vaira Harik, Taylor Brock-Fisher, Molly Dunn, Amanda Kearns, William P. Hanage, Clare Bernard, Anthony Philippakis, Niall J Lennon, Stacey B. Gabriel, Glen R. Gallagher, Sandra Smole, Lawrence C. Madoff, Catherine M. Brown, Daniel J. Park, Bronwyn L. MacInnis, Pardis C. Sabeti
medRxiv 2021.10.20.21265137; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.20.21265137

Lack of Trust, Insufficient knowledge and Risk denial; an in-depth Understanding of Health workers Barriers to uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine at Iganga Hospital Eastern Uganda, and Mengo Hospital Kampala Uganda
Lubega Muhamadi, Namulema Edith, Waako James, Nazarius Mbona Tumwesigye, Safinah Kisu Museene, Hellen Mukakaarisa, Stefan Swartling Peterson, Anna Mia Ekström
medRxiv 2021.10.13.21264920; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.13.21264920

Ensemble model estimates of the global burden of measles morbidity and mortality from 2000 to 2019: a modeling study
Heather Santos, Kirsten Eilertson, Brian Lambert, Sarah Hauryski, Minal Patel, Matthew Ferrari
medRxiv 2021.08.31.21262916; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.31.21262916

Assessment of knowledge about human papillomavirus vaccination among primary school girls in Arba Minch town, South Ethiopia, 2020. An institution-based cross-sectional study
Eshetu Yisihak Ukumo, Feleke Gebremeskel, Samuel Abebe, Desta Markos Minanmo, Gebresilasea Gendisha Ukke
medRxiv 2021.10.16.21264889; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.16.21264889

Think Tanks et al
 
 
Brookings [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.brookings.edu/
Report
Discrimination in the healthcare system is leading to vaccination hesitancy
Gabriel R. Sanchez, Matt Barreto, Ray Block, Henry Fernandez, and Raymond Foxworth
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
 
 
Center for Global Development [to 23 Oct 2021]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Accessed 23 Oct 2021
Economic and Programmatic Implications for the Covid-19 Vaccine Roll Out in Africa
Event
10/28/21
Curbing the pandemic while protecting access to essential health services requires an ample supply of vaccine, a functioning, well-funded delivery system, and careful planning.

ODA Rules Must Ensure that Vaccine Donations Count for the Poor
October 21, 2021
After buying up the World’s vaccine supply to ensure they can protect their own populations, rich countries have found themselves struggling to use the vaccine surpluses they accumulated. One response has been to donate the spare doses to countries who need them more. This is laudable, and countries who have done so want to receive credit for such actions in their aid statistics—what is known as Official Development Assistance (ODA).
Euan Ritchie, Anthony McDonnell and Ranil Dissanayake

We Should Track Global Vaccine Manufacturing Better – Here Is Why, and How
October 21, 2021
Poor understanding about vaccine capacity was one of the reasons why the world did not have the infrastructure needed to manufacture sufficient doses. This blogs proposes three actions to start tracking manufacturing capacity better and create robust estimates for the world’s vaccine manufacturing capacity.
Anthony McDonnell et al.
 
 
Chatham House [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://www.chathamhouse.org/
Accessed 23 Oct 2021
[No new digest content identified]

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 23 Oct 2021
[No new digest content identified]

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
[No new digest content identified]

 
 
ODI [Overseas Development Institute] [to 23 Oct 2021]
https://odi.org/en/publications/
Publications
What MDBs (and their shareholders) can do for vaccine equity
06 October 2021
In late 2020 the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (AsDB) announced large-scale financing packages to help the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. But despite the urgency of doing this to bring the global pandemic to an end, the uptake of these financing packages has so far been slow. Why are committed funds sitting idle at the same time that vaccination programmes are a priority in many countries battling new waves of Covid-19 infections? And at the same time as many activists and world leaders call on G7 leaders to ramp up their contributions to the global vaccination effort?

In this long-read we review some of the factors and bottlenecks that can plausibly explain this low uptake of MDB financing for vaccine purchases from governments in low-and middle-income countries. More importantly, we outline what management and shareholders of MDBs should do to ramp up the use of these financing facilities or deploy resources to support the health response against Covid-19. The fundamental issue has been between the country-based lending model of MDBs and the need to finance and procure a global public good (a low-cost vaccine). MDBs thus need a clearer mandate and dedicated grant financing for global public goods, including vaccine procurement.

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

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

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

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

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

SAGE October 2021 meeting highlights
10 October 2021
Highlights from the Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization
4-7 October 2021
(Full report will be published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record on 17.12.2021, and only
the wording of the full report should be considered as final)

Report from the WHO department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals
:: The Director’s report focused on equity in vaccination especially in the COVID-19 pandemic context which has exposed and exacerbated inequities in access to immunization.
:: Access to COVID-19 vaccines has been extreme in its inequity with high-income countries having
administered 35 times more vaccine doses than the low-income countries and the WHO Africa Region countries having only 3% of the population fully vaccinated.
:: While the pandemic has affected childhood immunization programmes across the world, the poorest countries have been affected the most and have been the slowest to recover.
:: Country experiences show that solutions are available and the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) well lays out the path to recovery and to building resilient immunization programmes.

WHO Regional updates
:: COVID-19 vaccine rollout has started in all WHO regions though the pace of vaccination varies
considerably between and within regions, driven largely by the unequal access to vaccine supply.
Fifty-six countries found predominantly in the Africa and Eastern Mediterranean regions were unable to achieve the target of fully vaccinating 10% of their populations by September 2021, largely because of lack of vaccine doses.
:: As vaccine supplies improve, the WHO regional offices and partner agencies are supporting country preparedness to overcome existing operational challenges and scale up vaccination to reach the goal of 70% coverage by June 2022.
:: Countries in all regions experienced a decline in coverage with routine childhood vaccination, though the magnitude of the decline and the speed of recovery varied.
:: All the regions have developed or are in the process of developing action plans to operationalize IA2030 in their respective regions. This will provide an opportunity to accelerate recovery and to strengthen the resilience of immunization programmes.

IA2030 update
:: SAGE was presented with the first progress report on the Immunization Agenda 2030, featuring
baseline data from 2019-2020, as part of an update on the operationalization of IA2030, including the framework and process for monitoring, evaluation, and accountability.
:: The WHO regional offices have developed regional strategies or frameworks aligned to IA2030, in collaboration with their Member States and regional stakeholders; most have been approved by the respective Regional Committees.
:: Progress was made with the development of the IA2030 governance and coordination process and structures, including the partnership council, the coordination group, and working groups.
:: SAGE will conduct independent annual assessments of progress and provide recommendations
for corrective actions to Member States and the relevant Working Groups.
:: SAGE recommended that relevant stakeholders conduct country-by-country analysis of programmatic bottlenecks and challenges to inform corrective actions to be taken at global, regional and national levels.
:: SAGE recommended that countries develop National Immunization Strategies aligned to the IA2030 and Regional Frameworks and establish national monitoring, evaluation, and accountability processes.

Poliomyelitis
:: There has been a substantial drop in wild poliovirus detections in the endemic areas in 2021 and there have been no reported cases since February 2021. SAGE emphasized the need to fully engage program resources to achieve eradication while maintaining or strengthening poliovirus surveillance.
:: SAGE expressed concern regarding ongoing transmission of circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), particularly in the African region, the recurrent cVDPV2 outbreaks in Nigeria, and highlighted the need for timely responses.
:: SAGE recommended a cautious approach to withdrawing oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) from national routine immunization schedules in the pre-eradication period but acknowledged that countries in polio-free regions with high vaccination coverage may consider switching to Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV) only schedules, including a 2-dose IPV schedule. Once adequate supply is available, the use of whole-cell pertussis hexavalent vaccines containing IPV will facilitate the use of IPV-only schedules.
:: SAGE endorsed the transition of the novel OPV type 2 vaccine (nOPV2) from initial to wider use under WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL), based on the findings of the independent safety and genetic stability assessment.

COVID-19
:: Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 Vaccine (COVAXIN) was reviewed by SAGE; a policy recommendation will be issued when the vaccine is Emergency Use listed by WHO.
:: SAGE recommended that moderately and severely immunocompromised persons should be offered an additional dose of all WHO EUL COVID-19 vaccines as part of an extended primary series since these individuals are less likely to respond adequately to vaccination following a standard primary vaccine series and are at high risk of severe COVID-19 disease.
:: For the Sinovac and Sinopharm inactivated vaccines, an additional (third) dose of the homologous vaccine should be offered to persons aged 60 and above as part of an extended primary series. The use of a heterologous platforms vaccine for the additional dose may also be considered based on vaccine supply and access considerations. When implementing this recommendation, countries should initially aim at maximizing 2-dose coverage in that population, and thereafter administer the third dose, starting in the oldest age groups.

The global COVID-19 vaccination strategy
:: The global COVID-19 vaccination strategy, previously reviewed by SAGE, provides the goals, the resource requirements, and describes the expected outcomes underlying the vaccination targets set for the end of 2021 and mid-2022.
:: Drawing on SAGE’s June 2021 recommendation and advancing it, given the progression of the
pandemic, the strategy prioritizes vaccination of high-risk populations and all adults and fully commits to the risk mitigation approach by calling for 70% of the world’s population fully vaccinated by mid-2022.
:: The strategy acknowledges the scientific uncertainties and the need for updates as new evidence becomes available.
:: SAGE noted that success in achieving the goals and interim targets of the strategy will require the collective and cohesive actions of all relevant stakeholders.

The RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine
:: In a joint session, SAGE and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG) reviewed the evidence on the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine and recommended that the vaccine be used for the prevention of P. falciparum malaria in children living in regions with moderate to high transmission as defined by WHO.
:: The vaccine should be provided in a schedule of 4 doses in children from the age of 5 months to reduce the burden of malaria.
:: Drawing from a growing body of evidence, countries may consider providing the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine seasonally, with a 5-dose strategy in areas with highly seasonal malaria or areas with perennial malaria transmission with seasonal peaks. When countries choose the seasonal deployment of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, they are strongly encouraged to document their experience, including the vaccine effectiveness, feasibility, and occurrence of any adverse
events, to feed into future guidance updates.
:: RTS,S/AS01 introduction should be considered in the context of comprehensive national malaria control plans.
:: The recommendation is based on results from an ongoing pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has vaccinated more than 800 000 children since 2019. The evaluation results show that the vaccine has a favourable safety profile, is effective, and led to a substantial reduction in life-threatening severe malaria, even in settings with good coverage with insecticide treated nets, and access to treatment.
:: The pilot programme also showed that there is high demand for the vaccine, and that it can be delivered effectively through the routine child immunization programmes without affecting the uptake of other vaccines or malaria interventions. Because of its high uptake and coverage, the vaccine has been able to reach vulnerable children who are currently not protected by other
malaria control interventions.

Influenza vaccines
:: Influenza causes an estimated > 1 bn cases of infection, including 3-5 million episodes of severe disease and 290,000 – 650,000 deaths annually.
:: SAGE recommends that all countries consider implementing seasonal influenza vaccination based on the burden and epidemiology of disease, the cost-effectiveness of vaccination, competing public health priorities, and programmatic feasibility.
:: For countries considering the initiation or expansion of programmes for seasonal influenza vaccination, SAGE recommended that the following target groups should be considered for vaccination in no particular order of priority: health workers, individuals with specific chronic medical conditions, older adults and pregnant women.
:: Countries may consider additional (sub)populations for vaccination such as children and individuals at high risk of severe influenza living in congregate-living setting such as prisons, long-term care facilities, refugee camps, asylum seekers and group homes.
:: Vaccination in the current and prior season afforded better protection than not being vaccinated or being vaccinated in the prior season only, although protection from vaccination in the current and prior season was attenuated, particularly for the H3N2 sub-type, when compared with vaccination in the current season alone. SAGE continues to recommend annual seasonal influenza vaccination for the priority target groups.
:: Limited evidence on co-administration of inactivated seasonal influenza vaccines with COVID-19 vaccines showed no increased adverse events. Since the adult age groups targeted for seasonal influenza vaccination are also at risk for developing severe COVID-19, co-administration of an inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine and any WHO emergency use listed COVID-19 vaccine is acceptable and will maximize the uptake of both vaccines.
:: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, SAGE continues to recommend the prioritization of health workers and older adults as target groups for seasonal influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, and countries should also consider prioritization of pregnant women

Behavioural and social drivers of vaccine uptake
:: New evidence, tools, and guidance on ‘Behavioural and social drivers (BeSD) of vaccine uptake’ to support programmes to assess and address reasons for under-vaccination were presented to SAGE.
:: SAGE recognized the importance for measuring factors contribute to low uptake and took note of the evidence-informed framework for measuring behavioural and social drivers.
:: SAGE recommended the systematic gathering and use of data on BeSD to assess the reasons for low uptake, periodic monitoring of trends.

Hepatitis E vaccine
:: SAGE highlighted the importance of the hepatitis E vaccination to mitigate the impact of outbreaks with the principal aim of protecting pregnant women and noted that those most affected by hepatitis E are underprivileged populations in low-resource settings.
:: SAGE encouraged manufacturers to proceed as quickly as possible with seeking WHO prequalification, this should not preclude the use of the vaccine prior to pre-qualification.
:: SAGE encouraged the continued coordination between key stakeholders and recommended that WHO work with Gavi for inclusion of hepatitis E vaccination for outbreak response and hepatitis E surveillance and diagnostics within its portfolio of support to eligible countries.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

TB

Global tuberculosis report 2021
14 October 2021  |
WHO Report :: 57 pages
PDF: https://apps.who.int/iris/rest/bitstreams/1379788/retrieve
Overview
Each year, the WHO Global TB Report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic, and of progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, at global, regional and country levels. This is done in the context of global TB commitments, strategies and targets.
The 2021 edition of the report has been produced in a new and more web-centric format. This is designed to make the content available in smaller (more “bite-sized”) chunks that are easier to read, digest, navigate and use. There is a short and slim report PDF with 30 pages of main content plus six short annexes. This is accompanied by expanded and more detailed digital content on web pages. The total amount of content remains similar to that of previous years.
Please note that direct comparisons between estimates of TB disease burden in the latest report and previous reports are not appropriate. The most recent time-series of estimates are published in this global TB report.
Global TB reports from previous years can be found here.

Top findings and messages in the 2021 report
The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed years of progress in providing essential TB services and reducing TB disease burden. Global TB targets are mostly off-track, although there are some country and regional success stories.

The most obvious impact is a large global drop in the number of people newly diagnosed with TB and reported. This fell from 7.1 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020, an 18% decline back to the level of 2012 and far short of the approximately 10 million people who developed TB in 2020. 16 countries accounted for 93% of this reduction, with India, Indonesia and the Philippines the worst affected. Provisional data up to June 2021 show ongoing shortfalls.

Reduced access to TB diagnosis and treatment has resulted in an increase in TB deaths. Best estimates for 2020 are 1.3 million TB deaths among HIV-negative people (up from 1.2 million in 2019) and an additional 214 000 among HIV-positive peoplea (up from 209 000 in 2019), with the combined total back to the level of 2017. Declines in TB incidence (the number of people developing TB each year) achieved in previous years have slowed almost to a halt. These impacts are forecast to be much worse in 2021 and 2022.

Other impacts include reductions between 2019 and 2020 in the number of people provided with treatment for drug-resistant TB (-15%, from 177 100 to 150 359, about 1 in 3 of those in need) and TB preventive treatment (-21%, from 3.6 million to 2.8 million), and a fall in global spending on TB diagnostic, treatment and prevention services (from US$ 5.8 billion to US$ 5.3 billion, less than half of what is needed).

Actions to mitigate and reverse these impacts are urgently required. The immediate priority is to restore access to and provision of essential TB services such that levels of TB case detection and treatment can recover to at least 2019 levels, especially in the most badly-affected countries.
a Officially classified as deaths from HIV/AIDS.

Tuberculosis deaths rise for the first time in more than a decade due to the COVID-19 pandemic
14 October 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed years of global progress in tackling tuberculosis and for the first time in over a decade, TB deaths have increased, according to the World Health Organization’s 2021 Global TB report.

In 2020, more people died from TB, with far fewer people being diagnosed and treated or provided with TB preventive treatment compared with 2019, and overall spending on essential TB services falling.

“This report confirms our fears that the disruption of essential health services due to the pandemic could start to unravel years of progress against tuberculosis,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This is alarming news that must serve as a global wake-up call to the urgent need for investments and innovation to close the gaps in diagnosis, treatment and care for the millions of people affected by this ancient but preventable and treatable disease.”…

The increase in the number of TB deaths occurred mainly in the 30 countries with the highest burden of TB[1]. WHO modelling projections suggest the number of people developing TB and dying from the disease could be much higher in 2021 and 2022…

WHO estimates that some 4.1 million people currently suffer from TB but have not been diagnosed with the disease or have not officially reported to national authorities. This figure is up from 2.9 million in 2019…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

WHO Announces Proposed Members of its Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO)
13 October 2021
Following a public call for experts, the World Health Organization (WHO) today announced proposed members of the WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO). The SAGO will advise WHO on the development of a global framework to define and guide studies into the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of epidemic and pandemic potential, including SARS-CoV-2.

“The emergence of new viruses with the potential to spark epidemics and pandemics is a fact of nature, and while SARS-CoV-2 is the latest such virus, it will not be the last,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Understanding where new pathogens come from is essential for preventing future outbreaks with epidemic and pandemic potential, and requires a broad range of expertise. We are very pleased with the calibre of experts selected for SAGO from around the world, and look forward to working with them to make the world safer.”

Selected from more than 700 applications, the 26 proposed SAGO members have expertise in a range of areas, including epidemiology, animal health, ecology, clinical medicine, virology, genomics, molecular epidemiology, molecular biology, biology, food safety, biosafety, biosecurity, and public health. The composition of the SAGO reflects geographic and gender diversity.

As per WHO processes, there will now be a two-week public consultation period for WHO to receive feedback on the proposed SAGO members and set in place the modalities for the SAGO’s first meeting, which is planned to take place following this consultation period. The final membership to the SAGO is subject to the above-mentioned public consultation period and relevant WHO practices and procedures.

Functions of the SAGO 
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the SAGO will have the following functions:
[1] To advise WHO on the development of a WHO global framework to define and guide studies into the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of epidemic and pandemic potential;
[2] To advise WHO on prioritizing studies and field investigations into the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of epidemic and pandemic potential, in accordance with the WHO global framework described in point (1) above;
1. To provide information and views to assist the WHO Secretariat in the development of a detailed
work plan of the SAGO;
2. In the context of SARS-CoV-2 origins:
– To provide the WHO Secretariat with an independent evaluation of all available scientific and
technical findings from global studies on the origins of SARS-CoV-2;
– To advise the WHO Secretariat regarding developing, monitoring and supporting the next series
of studies into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, including rapid advice on WHO’s operational plans to
implement the next series of global studies into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, as outlined in the
Joint WHO-China Global Study of Origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part report published on 30
March 2021 and advise on additional studies as needed; and
3. To provide additional advice and support to WHO, as requested by the WHO SAGO Secretariat,
which may include participation in future WHO-international missions to study the origins of SARS-
CoV-2 or for other emerging pathogens.

Public notice of proposed new Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) members
13 October 2021 Call for consultation
After careful consideration of all applications submitted to WHO, the following individuals are proposed for membership of the WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO). They are to serve in their personal capacities to represent the broad range of disciplines relevant to emerging and re-emerging pathogens. In evaluating the applications submitted, consideration was given to attaining an adequate distribution of technical expertise, geographical representation and gender balance.
Mr Phillip Alviola is an Associate Professor at the Animal Biology Division at the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines. He is originally from the Philippines.
Dr Abdullah Assiri is an Assistant Deputy Minister for Preventive Health at the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia.  He is originally from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Dr Stuart Blacksell is a Professor of Tropical Microbiology at the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford. He is originally from Australia.
Dr Inger Damon is the Director of the Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is originally from the United States of America.
Dr Vladimir Dedkov is the Deputy Director for Research at the Pasteur Institute in Russia. He is originally from Russia.
Dr Christian Drosten is a Professor and head of the Institute of Virology at Charité in Germany.  He is originally from Germany.
Dr Elmoubasher Farag is a senior infectious disease epidemiologist and the Head of the Communicable Diseases Control Programs at the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar. He is originally from Sudan.
Dr Thea Fischer is a Professor of virology at the University of Copenhagen and Head of Clinical Research at Nordsjaellands Hospital in Denmark. She is originally from Denmark.
Dr Raman Gangakhedkar is the Dr C.G. Pandit National Chair at the Indian Council of Medical Research in India. He is originally from India.
Dr Nada Ghosn is the head of the Epidemiology Surveillance Program and Medical officer for the Directorate of Prevention at the Ministry of Health, Lebanon. She is originally from Lebanon.
Dr Maria Guzman is the head of the Center for Research, Diagnostic and Reference at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kouri in Cuba. She is originally from Cuba.
Dr Christian Happi is a Professor and director at the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria. He is originally from Cameroon.
Dr Marion Koopmans is a Professor and the head of the department of the Viroscience at Erasmus MC. She is originally from the Netherlands.
Dr Sowath Ly is the Deputy Head of Epidemiology and Public Health Unit at the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge. He is originally from Cambodia.
Dr Jean-Claude Manuguerra is a research Research Director of the Environment and Infectious Risks Unit, as well as the head for the Emergency Biological Intervention Unit at the Institut Pasteur in France. He is originally from France.
Dr Khin Myint is the head of the Emerging Virus Research Unit at the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology in Jakarta, Indonesia. She is originally from Myanmar.
Dr Carlos M. Morel is the Director at the Center for Technological Development in Health at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and Ministry of Health in Brazil. He is originally from Brazil.
Dr Hung Nguyen-Viet is the co-program leader of Animal and Human Health Program at the International Livestock Research Institute in Kenya. He is originally from Vietnam.
Dr Chinwe Ochu is the Director of the Prevention Programmes and Knowledge Management at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. She is originally from Nigeria.
Dr Masayuki Saijo is the Director of the Medical Planning Department Sapporo City Health and Welfare Bureau in Sapporo, Japan. He is originally from Japan.
Dr Rosemary Sang is an advisor and Chief Research Officer at the Centre for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kenya. She is originally from Kenya.
Dr Katharina Summermatter is the head of the Biosafety Center and Managing Director of the Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory at the Institute for Infectious Diseases at the University of Berne in Switzerland. She is originally from Switzerland.
Dr Marietjie Venter is a Professor of the Zoonotic Arbovirus and Respiratory Virus Research Programme at the Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. She is originally from South Africa.
Dr Supaporn Wacharapluesadee is a researcher at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, The Thai Red Cross Society and a committee member of Chula School of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. She is originally from Thailand.
Dr John Watson is an Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, as well as a Visiting Professor in the Research Department of Infection and Population Health at the University College of London. He is originally from the United Kingdom.
Dr Yungui Yang is the Deputy Director at the Beijing Institute of Genomics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China. He is originally from China.
Pursuant to WHO’s rules and practices, and in order to enhance WHO’s management of conflicts of interest, as well as strengthen public trust and transparency in connection with WHO advisory groups involving the provision of technical advice, the names and brief biographies of the individuals selected for SAGO Membership are now disclosed for public notice and comment. Should you wish to comment on any of the individuals, please send your comment to SAGO@who.int  with subject, “Public comments on SAGO members” by 27 October 2021.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Editor’s Note:
We will selectively include opinion and analysis from major media sources as below, recognizing the continuing extraordinary volume of COVID coverage globally.

Financial Times
October 12, 2021
Opinion The FT View
Vaccinating poorer countries is vital to the recovery
IMF warns uneven pace of immunisation raises risks of economic scarring
The FT editorial board
[Editor’s text bolding]
It would be hard to find an example of a government intervention that has done more good than vaccination efforts against coronavirus. As well as the obvious health benefits, immunising as many people as possible — starting with the most vulnerable — has allowed economies to unlock, workers to return to offices and emergency support measures to wind down. That has helped to produce an economic bounceback in the rich world that has more than paid off the amount invested in vaccinations.

Yet as the IMF points out in its World Economic Outlook, published on Tuesday to coincide with the Fund and the World Bank’s annual meetings in Washington, vaccination efforts are shockingly uneven. That will hold back the global economic recovery: poorer countries will lag even further behind rich ones that have also been better able to use fiscal and monetary stimulus to support their economies. It is imperative now that rich countries make good on their promises to donate vaccines to the Covax initiative, which aims to ensure equitable global access. They should also lean on drugs companies to do their part in ensuring poorer countries gain access to life-saving jabs.

The IMF warns that the momentum behind the global recovery has faded. It rightly notes current supply chain disruptions underline the need for central banks to be “very, very vigilant” over spiralling inflation expectations getting out of hand. But it identifies the fundamental problem as “the continued grip of the pandemic on global society”. Not only is this holding back the recovery in international services trade such as tourism, and contact-heavy activities such as hospitality; it is also contributing to the supply chain troubles as coronavirus outbreaks have led to factory shutdowns. Global co-operation to immunise the developing world, then, is not only a humanitarian good but in rich countries’ self-interest.

However, only about a fifth of the 850m doses pledged by G7 countries to Covax in June had been delivered by September. It is understandable that governments were reluctant to give away scarce vaccines earlier this year when rich countries themselves were bitterly divided over exporting them to one another. But given the success of rollouts to date, it is now largely vaccine hesitancy rather than supply issues that is holding back take-up among those still unjabbed in rich countries. Now that economies are reopening, export controls should also be eased on medical equipment.

The pace of vaccinations is one of the biggest influences on the IMF’s estimates of “medium term scarring” from the pandemic. While, in aggregate, rich economies are expected to be 0.9 per cent bigger than before the pandemic by 2024, poorer countries, excluding China, are expected still to be 5.5 per cent smaller — undoing much of the poverty reduction over the past decade. The US, thanks to extraordinary stimulus efforts, is expected to have “negative scarring” as Covid-19 accelerated efforts to renew infrastructure, as well as the green transition.

Vaccine manufacturers, too, have a duty to do more to increase access to their products and lower the cost. While Moderna and BioNTech, which produces a vaccine with Pfizer, have both pledged to move production to Africa, details are still scant and it will take time for such production to come online. As the IMF points out, the longer the pandemic continues, the less able countries will be to keep on spending to offset the continued economic harm. Rich countries got a head start in the race to vaccinate; now, in everybody’s interest, they must redouble their efforts to help others catch up.