Trends of the global, regional and national incidence of malaria in 204 countries from 1990 to 2019 and implications for malaria prevention

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Journal of Travel Medicine
Volume 28, Issue 5, July 2021
https://academic.oup.com/jtm/issue

 

Original Articles
Trends of the global, regional and national incidence of malaria in 204 countries from 1990 to 2019 and implications for malaria prevention
Qiao Liu, MD, Wenzhan Jing, PhD Candidate, Liangyu Kang, MD, Jue Liu, Min Liu

COVID-19 in Latin America—emergency and opportunity

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The Lancet
Jul 10, 2021 Volume 398 Number 10295 p93-184
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

 

Editorial
COVID-19 in Latin America—emergency and opportunity
The Lancet
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 25% of recent global infections occurring in the region. Of the top ten countries with the highest death rate globally, eight are from LAC. The deaths from COVID-19 in the region stand at nearly 1.3 million people, but the pandemic will continue to drive excess mortality because of disrupted health services, economic instability, and deepening of existing inequalities. In addition, countries with high levels of infection can result in the emergence of more transmissible and vaccine-resistant variants. The region has not garnered global attention and now it faces new challenges that will likely worsen the situation and pose a threat to the rest of the world.

The relentlessness of the pandemic is exhausting public health interventions to contain viral spread in LAC countries, which are highly populated and have informal economies. Despite the persistent political instability in the region, the pandemic has further increased the frustration over entrenched inequities and corruption, and countries such as Peru and Brazil are currently facing civil unrest. There is distrust in governments, and more alarmingly, a widespread absence of social cohesion in the region, which hampers compliance to public health measures. Concomitantly, several variants are spreading in the region. The well known variant of concern, gamma (P.1), initially found in Brazil, has now spread to neighbouring countries and has become dominant in Uruguay. Lambda (C.37), first detected in Peru and currently considered a variant of interest, now makes up 80% of infections in Peru. More worryingly, the highly transmissible delta (B.1.617.2) variant now spreading in Europe has also been detected in at least 16 countries in LAC and there is already community transmission.

Mass vaccination is urgently required. However, only 11% of the entire population of LAC have been fully vaccinated, and although Chile has achieved a vaccination rate of more than 65%, in other countries such as Honduras and Guatemala it is less than 1%. LAC has an impressive track record in existing vaccination programmes, with low vaccine hesitancy. The bottleneck with the COVID-19 vaccine is a major limiting factor. Confronted with the global shortage, individual countries have little influence or will to secure vaccines. Less wealthy countries such as Colombia and Paraguay are relying on COVAX. But vaccine delivery to LAC is too slow to control the high infection and death rates. Regardless, COVAX distributes doses until all countries reach a 20% vaccination rate, independent of their existing epidemiology. There are also bilateral donations, but mostly driven by geopolitical motivations. Vaccines should be prioritised for the most affected countries with lower vaccination rates in LAC.

Presently, LAC urgently needs the global community to help control the pandemic in the region, but that should not stop the region from building internal capacity to manage the pandemic. Expanding local vaccine manufacturing to other countries besides Brazil and replicating COVID-19 vaccine hubs such as the one established by the South Africa consortium supported by WHO would be a start. Genome sequencing, which is essential to monitor the surge and spread of different variants, is scarcely available in the region, but PAHO has set up the COVID-19 Genomic Surveillance Regional Network to strengthen the genome sequencing capacity. According to researchers in the region, recovery and pandemic preparedness requires countries to become more self-sufficient in the production of vaccines, tests, personal protective equipment, and genome sequencing.Given the persistent political instability and poor leadership in some countries in LAC, the region would benefit from non-governmental leadership led by civil-society organisations or professional groups to push for the right to health and hold governments accountable.

Strong collaboration of countries in the region is needed and has failed catastrophically so far. In Oct, 2020, Foreign Affairs Ministers from the region signed a declaration calling for solidarity, multilateralism, and international cooperation, which has yet to be actioned. Prompted by flaws in the pandemic response, the inter-American dialogue, a network of global leaders launched a health task force, which is due to publish a White Paper in July to improve cooperation in future health emergencies in LAC. Region-led initiatives could have the potential for lasting change by developing health programmes and technological infrastructures to increase resilience and equity. The current dire situation in LAC should prompt serious reflection about the failings of regional entities such as PAHO. A much better co-ordinated response across the region is urgently needed.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 booster in ChAdOx1-S-primed participants (CombiVacS): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial

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The Lancet
Jul 10, 2021 Volume 398 Number 10295 p93-184
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

 

Articles
Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 booster in ChAdOx1-S-primed participants (CombiVacS): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial
Alberto M Borobia, et al. on behalf of the CombiVacS Study Group
Background
To date, no immunological data on COVID-19 heterologous vaccination schedules in humans have been reported. We assessed the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 (Comirnaty, BioNTech, Mainz, Germany) administered as second dose in participants primed with ChAdOx1-S (Vaxzevria, AstraZeneca, Oxford, UK).
Methods
We did a phase 2, open-label, randomised, controlled trial on adults aged 18–60 years, vaccinated with a single dose of ChAdOx1-S 8–12 weeks before screening, and no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Participants were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive either BNT162b2 (0·3 mL) via a single intramuscular injection (intervention group) or continue observation (control group). The primary outcome was 14-day immunogenicity, measured by immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike protein and receptor binding domain (RBD). Antibody functionality was assessed using a pseudovirus neutralisation assay, and cellular immune response using an interferon-γ immunoassay. The safety outcome was 7-day reactogenicity, measured as solicited local and systemic adverse events. The primary analysis included all participants who received at least one dose of BNT162b2 and who had at least one efficacy evaluation after baseline. The safety analysis included all participants who received BNT162b2. This study is registered with EudraCT (2021-001978-37) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04860739), and is ongoing.
Findings
Between April 24 and 30, 2021, 676 individuals were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=450) or control group (n=226) at five university hospitals in Spain (mean age 44 years [SD 9]; 382 [57%] women and 294 [43%] men). 663 (98%) participants (n=441 intervention, n=222 control) completed the study up to day 14. In the intervention group, geometric mean titres of RBD antibodies increased from 71·46 BAU/mL (95% CI 59·84–85·33) at baseline to 7756·68 BAU/mL (7371·53–8161·96) at day 14 (p<0·0001). IgG against trimeric spike protein increased from 98·40 BAU/mL (95% CI 85·69–112·99) to 3684·87 BAU/mL (3429·87–3958·83). The interventional:control ratio was 77·69 (95% CI 59·57–101·32) for RBD protein and 36·41 (29·31–45·23) for trimeric spike protein IgG. Reactions were mild (n=1210 [68%]) or moderate (n=530 [30%]), with injection site pain (n=395 [88%]), induration (n=159 [35%]), headache (n=199 [44%]), and myalgia (n=194 [43%]) the most commonly reported adverse events. No serious adverse events were reported. Interpretation
BNT162b2 given as a second dose in individuals prime vaccinated with ChAdOx1-S induced a robust immune response, with an acceptable and manageable reactogenicity profile.

Human data

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Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

 

Human data
Computational social science is a burgeoning field of research that uses analysis of huge data sets to tackle social questions. Digital devices now give real-time access to a wealth of information on our movements, purchases and social interactions online — information that offers unprecedented power to track trends, make predictions and inform decisions. In a special issue this week, Nature probes the possibilities of — and challenges faced by — this growing field. From modelling the dynamics of infectious disease to assessing potential bias in data sets, researchers face huge opportunities to answer key societal questions — as long as they can also maintain the delicate balance of ensuring the quality and privacy of the data being used.

Integrating explanation and prediction in computational social science

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Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

 

Perspective | 30 June 2021
Integrating explanation and prediction in computational social science
The combination of computational and social sciences requires the integration of explanatory and predictive approaches into ‘integrative modelling’, according to Hofman and colleagues.
Jake M. Hofman, Duncan J. Watts, Tal Yarkoni

Meaningful measures of human society in the twenty-first century

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Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

Special: Computational social science
Perspective | 30 June 2021

 

Meaningful measures of human society in the twenty-first century
Approaches for the management, use and analysis of large-scale behavioural datasets that were not originally intended or created for research are described.
David Lazer, Eszter Hargittai, Jason Radford

Measuring algorithmically infused societies

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Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

\\Special: Computational social science
Perspective | 30 June 2021

 

Perspective | 30 June 2021
Measuring algorithmically infused societies
This Perspective discusses the challenges for social science practices imposed by the ubiquity of algorithms and large-scale measurement and what should—and should not—be measured in societies pervaded by algorithms.
Claudia Wagner, Markus Strohmaier, Tina Eliassi-Rad

Thinking clearly about social aspects of infectious disease transmission

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Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.

Special: Computational social science
Perspective | 30 June 2021

 

Perspective | 30 June 2021
Thinking clearly about social aspects of infectious disease transmission
The use of new datastreams and local knowledge to shed light on social aspects of disease transmission will allow more accurate modelling and prediction of epidemics.
Caroline Buckee, Abdisalan Noor, Lisa Sattenspiel

Human social sensing is an untapped resource for computational social science

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Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

Special: Computational social science
Perspective | 30 June 2021

 

Perspective | 30 June 2021
Human social sensing is an untapped resource for computational social science
The ability of people to understand the thoughts and actions of others—known as social sensing—can be combined with computational social science to advance research into human sociality.
Mirta Galesic, Wändi Bruine de Bruin, Tamara van der Does

SARS-CoV-2 Variants and VaccinesP.R. Krause and Others

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New England Journal of Medicine
July 8, 2021 Vol. 385 No. 2
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

 

Special Report
SARS-CoV-2 Variants and VaccinesP.R. Krause and Others
Abstract
Viral variants of concern may emerge with dangerous resistance to the immunity generated by the current vaccines to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Moreover, if some variants of concern have increased transmissibility or virulence, the importance of efficient public health measures and vaccination programs will increase. The global response must be both timely and science based.

Pediatric Vaccination During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Pediatrics
Vol. 148, Issue 1 1 Jul 2021
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/

 

Articles
Pediatric Vaccination During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Bradley K. Ackerson, Lina S. Sy, Sungching C. Glenn, Lei Qian, Claire H. Park, Robert J. Riewerts, Steven J. Jacobsen
Pediatrics, Jul 2021, 148 (1) e2020047092
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on vaccination coverage, critical to preventing vaccine-preventable diseases, has not been assessed during the reopening period.
METHODS Vaccine uptake and vaccination coverage for recommended vaccines and for measles-containing vaccines at milestone ages were assessed in a large cohort of children aged 0 to 18 years in Southern California during January to August 2020 and were compared with those in the same period in 2019. Differences in vaccine uptake and vaccination coverage (recommended vaccines and measles-containing vaccines) in prepandemic (January to March), stay-at-home (April to May), and reopening (June to August) periods in 2020 and 2019 were compared.
RESULTS Total and measles-containing vaccine uptake declined markedly in all children during the pandemic period in 2020 compared with 2019, but recovered in children aged 0 to 23 months. Among children aged 2 to 18 years, measles-containing vaccine uptake recovered, but total vaccine uptake remained lower. Vaccination coverage (recommended and measles-containing vaccines) declined and remained reduced among most milestone age cohorts ≤24 months during the pandemic period, whereas recommended vaccination coverage in older children decreased during the reopening period in 2020 compared with 2019.
CONCLUSIONS Pediatric vaccine uptake decreased dramatically during the pandemic, resulting in decreased vaccination coverage that persisted or worsened among several age cohorts during the reopening period. Additional strategies, including immunization tracking, reminders, and recall for needed vaccinations, particularly during virtual visits, will be required to increase vaccine uptake and vaccination coverage and reduce the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Evidence of disorientation towards immunization on online social media after contrasting political communication on vaccines. Results from an analysis of Twitter data in Italy

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PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 10 Jul 2021]

 

Evidence of disorientation towards immunization on online social media after contrasting political communication on vaccines. Results from an analysis of Twitter data in Italy
Samantha Ajovalasit, Veronica Maria Dorgali, Angelo Mazza, Alberto d’Onofrio, Piero Manfredi
Research Article | published 09 Jul 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253569

Government responses and COVID-19 deaths: Global evidence across multiple pandemic waves

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PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 10 Jul 2021]

 

Government responses and COVID-19 deaths: Global evidence across multiple pandemic waves
Thomas Hale, Noam Angrist, Andrew J. Hale, Beatriz Kira, Saptarshi Majumdar, Anna Petherick, Toby Phillips, Devi Sridhar, Robin N. Thompson, Samuel Webster, Yuxi Zhang
Research Article | published 09 Jul 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253116

Optimizing COVID-19 vaccine distribution across the United States using deterministic and stochastic recurrent neural networks

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PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 10 Jul 2021]

 

Optimizing COVID-19 vaccine distribution across the United States using deterministic and stochastic recurrent neural networks
Mohammad Reza Davahli, Waldemar Karwowski, Krzysztof Fiok
Research Article | published 06 Jul 2021 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253925

The human gut microbiome and health inequities

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PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
June 22, 2021; vol. 118 no. 25
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/25

 

Perspective
The human gut microbiome and health inequities
Katherine R. Amato, Marie-Claire Arrieta, Meghan B. Azad, Michael T. Bailey, Josiane L. Broussard, Carlijn E. Bruggeling, Erika C. Claud, Elizabeth K. Costello, Emily R. Davenport, Bas E. Dutilh, Holly A. Swain Ewald, Paul Ewald, Erin C. Hanlon, Wrenetha Julion, Ali Keshavarzian, Corinne F. Maurice, Gregory E. Miller, Geoffrey A. Preidis, Laure Segurel, Burton Singer, Sathish Subramanian, Liping Zhao, and Christopher W. Kuzawa
PNAS June 22, 2021 118 (25) e2017947118; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2017947118
Abstract
Individuals who are minoritized as a result of race, sexual identity, gender, or socioeconomic status experience a higher prevalence of many diseases. Understanding the biological processes that cause and maintain these socially driven health inequities is essential for addressing them. The gut microbiome is strongly shaped by host environments and affects host metabolic, immune, and neuroendocrine functions, making it an important pathway by which differences in experiences caused by social, political, and economic forces could contribute to health inequities. Nevertheless, few studies have directly integrated the gut microbiome into investigations of health inequities. Here, we argue that accounting for host–gut microbe interactions will improve understanding and management of health inequities, and that health policy must begin to consider the microbiome as an important pathway linking environments to population health.

Overcoming COVID-19 vaccination resistance when alternative policies affect the dynamics of conformism, social norms, and crowding out

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PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
June 22, 2021; vol. 118 no. 25
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/25

 

Social Sciences
Open Access
Overcoming COVID-19 vaccination resistance when alternative policies affect the dynamics of conformism, social norms, and crowding out
Katrin Schmelz and Samuel Bowles
PNAS June 22, 2021 118 (25) e2104912118; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2104912118
Significance
We provide a model of policy effectiveness to explore the dynamics of vaccine resistance, drawing on our panel data set. The key ideas motivating the model are that voluntary citizen compliance is essential to policy success even under enforcement and that compliance preferences are endogenous, possibly crowded out by enforcement or enhanced due to conformism as more other citizens comply. Our panel data tracks intraindividual changes in trust in public institutions and vaccine acceptance, allowing inferences about causal effects. Our contribution is the integration of three features: 1) a model of interaction of public policy and citizen preferences, 2) using appropriate data, and 3) allowing insights on how to address the COVID-19 pandemic and other important societal challenges.

ARPA-H: Accelerating biomedical breakthroughs

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Science
09 July 2021 Vol 373, Issue 6551
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

 

Policy Forum
ARPA-H: Accelerating biomedical breakthroughs
By Francis S. Collins, Tara A. Schwetz, Lawrence A. Tabak, Eric S. Lander
Science09 Jul 2021 : 165-167 Restricted Access
A DARPA-like culture at NIH can drive biomedical and health advances
Summary
The biomedical research ecosystem has delivered advances that not long ago would have been inconceivable, exemplified by highly effective COVID-19 vaccines developed by global partners and approved in less than a year. The United States stands at a moment of unprecedented scientific promise and is challenged to ask: What more can we do to accelerate the pace of breakthroughs to transform medicine and health? Toward that end, President Biden recently proposed to create a new entity, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) “to develop breakthroughs—to prevent, detect, and treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cancer,” requesting $6.5 billion in the fiscal year 2022 budget (1). The idea is inspired by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which follows a flexible and nimble strategy, undeterred by the possibility of failure, and has driven breakthrough advances for the Department of Defense (DOD) for more than 60 years. To design ARPA-H, it is critical to understand what is working well within the biomedical ecosystem, where there are crucial gaps, and the key principles of DARPA’s success.

Increasing threats from SARS-CoV-2 variants: Time to establish global surveillance

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Science Translational Medicine
07 July 2021 Vol 13, Issue 60
https://stm.sciencemag.org/

 

Editorial
Increasing threats from SARS-CoV-2 variants: Time to establish global surveillance
By Scott P. Layne, Jeffery K. Taubenberger
Science Translational Medicine07 Jul 2021 Restricted Access
Winning the battle against the deadly airborne virus SARS-CoV-2 demands new political, administrative, and scientific actions, including global surveillance of variants.

Undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

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Science Translational Medicine
07 July 2021 Vol 13, Issue 60
https://stm.sciencemag.org/

 

Report
Undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
By Heather Kalish, Carleen Klumpp-Thomas, Sally Hunsberger, Holly Ann Baus, Michael P. Fay, Nalyn Siripong, Jing Wang, Jennifer Hicks, Jennifer Mehalko, Jameson Travers, Matthew Drew, Kyle Pauly, Jacquelyn Spathies, Tran Ngo, Kenneth M. Adusei, Maria Karkanitsa, Jennifer A. Croker, Yan Li, Barry I. Graubard, Lindsay Czajkowski, Olivia Belliveau, Cheryl Chairez, Kelly R. Snead, Peter Frank, Anandakumar Shunmugavel, Alison Han, Luca T. Giurgea, Luz Angela Rosas, Rachel Bean, Rani Athota, Adriana Cervantes-Medina, Monica Gouzoulis, Brittany Heffelfinger, Shannon Valenti, Rocco Caldararo, Michelle M. Kolberg, Andrew Kelly, Reid Simon, Saifullah Shafiq, Vanessa Wall, Susan Reed, Eric W. Ford, Ravi Lokwani, John-Paul Denson, Simon Messing, Sam G. Michael, William Gillette, Robert P. Kimberly, Steven E. Reis, Matthew D. Hall, Dominic Esposito, Matthew J. Memoli, Kaitlyn Sadtler
Science Translational Medicine07 Jul 2021 Open Access
16.8 million SARS-CoV-2 infections in the US went undiagnosed in the first 6 months of the pandemic compared to 3.5 million diagnosed infections.
Elucidating seroprevalence in COVID-19
Symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection range from completely asymptomatic, to those of a common cold, to a drop in oxygen saturation and lung function, and death in some patients. To evaluate the proportion of the U.S. population who had an undiagnosed infection during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we measured antibody prevalence in study participants who had not previously been diagnosed with a SARS-CoV-2 infection. By mid-July of 2020, 16.8 million people had an undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infection, almost five times the rate of diagnosed infections.

Operational research for the safe and effective design of COVID-19 mass vaccination centres

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Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 27 Pages 3537-3644 (16 June 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/27

 

Discussion Abstract only
Operational research for the safe and effective design of COVID-19 mass vaccination centres
Richard M. Wood, Ben J. Murch, Simon J. Moss, Joshua M.B. Tyler, … Christos Vasilakis
Pages 3537-3540

Vaccine acceptability, uptake and completion amongst men who have sex with men: A systematic review, meta-analysis and theoretical framework

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Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 27 Pages 3537-3644 (16 June 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/27

 

Review article Abstract only
Vaccine acceptability, uptake and completion amongst men who have sex with men: A systematic review, meta-analysis and theoretical framework
Tom Nadarzynski, Miles Frost, Danny Miller, Christopher W. Wheldon, … Carrie Llewellyn
Pages 3565-3581

Immunogenicity and safety of two monovalent rotavirus vaccines, ROTAVAC® and ROTAVAC 5D® in Zambian infants

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Vaccine
Volume 39, Issue 27 Pages 3537-3644 (16 June 2021)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/39/issue/27

 

Research article Open access
Immunogenicity and safety of two monovalent rotavirus vaccines, ROTAVAC® and ROTAVAC 5D® in Zambian infants
R. Chilengi, K. Mwila- Kazimbaya, M. Chirwa, N. Sukwa, … N. Rathi
Pages 3633-3640

Non-EPI Vaccine Hesitancy among Chinese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

 

Open Access Article
Non-EPI Vaccine Hesitancy among Chinese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Jianli Wang et al
Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070772 (registering DOI) – 10 Jul 2021
Abstract
Vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is paramount to curtailing the pandemic. However, the impact of the Non-Expanded Program on Immunization (non-EPI) and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy on vaccine uptake among Chinese adults remain unclear. This study was an online survey performed in Eastern, […]

Prevalence and Determinants of Vaccine Hesitancy and Vaccines Recommendation Discrepancies among General Practitioners in French-Speaking Parts of Belgium

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Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

 

Open Access Article
Prevalence and Determinants of Vaccine Hesitancy and Vaccines Recommendation Discrepancies among General Practitioners in French-Speaking Parts of Belgium
by Cathy Gobert et al.
Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070771 (registering DOI) – 10 Jul 2021
Abstract
General practitioners (GPs) play a critical role in patient acceptance of vaccination. Vaccine hesitancy (VH) is a growing phenomenon in the general population but also affects GPs. Few data exist on VH among GPs. The objectives of this analysis of a population of […]

Evaluation of Flu Vaccination Coverage among Healthcare Workers during a 3 Years’ Study Period and Attitude towards Influenza and Potential COVID-19 Vaccination in the Context of the Pandemic

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Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

 

Open access Article
Evaluation of Flu Vaccination Coverage among Healthcare Workers during a 3 Years’ Study Period and Attitude towards Influenza and Potential COVID-19 Vaccination in the Context of the Pandemic
by Giuditta Scardina et al
Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 769; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070769 – 09 Jul 2021
Abstract
(1) Background: vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) against seasonal influenza is considered the most effective way to protect HCWs, ensure patient’s safety and to maintain essential health care services during influenza epidemics. With the present study we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of […

Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Socio-Demographics, Co-Morbidity, and Past Experience of Racial Discrimination

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Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

 

Open Access Article
Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Socio-Demographics, Co-Morbidity, and Past Experience of Racial Discrimination
by Elena Savoia et al.
Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070767 – 09 Jul 2021
Viewed by 201
Abstract
The goal of this study is to explore predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, including socio-demographic factors, comorbidity, risk perception, and experience of discrimination, in a sample of the U.S. population. We used a cross-sectional online survey study design, implemented between 13–23 December 2020. […

Willingness to Receive the COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza Vaccines among the Saudi Population and Vaccine Uptake during the Initial Stage of the National Vaccination Campaign: A Cross-Sectional Survey

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Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

 

Open Access Article
Willingness to Receive the COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza Vaccines among the Saudi Population and Vaccine Uptake during the Initial Stage of the National Vaccination Campaign: A Cross-Sectional Survey
by Amel Ahmed Fayed et al.
Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070765 – 08 Jul 2021
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the willingness to receive the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and seasonal influenza vaccines and vaccine uptake during the early stage of the national vaccination campaign in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among adult Saudis between

Exploring Psychological Factors for COVID-19 Vaccination Intention in Taiwan

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Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

 

Open Access Article
Exploring Psychological Factors for COVID-19 Vaccination Intention in Taiwan
by Shih-Yu Lo
Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 764; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070764 – 08 Jul 2021
Abstract
To underpin the psychological factors for vaccination intention, we explored the variables related to positive and negative attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination in Taiwan. The data were collected via an online survey platform with a sample size of 1100 in April 2021. We found […]

COVID-19 Pandemic Optimism and Vaccine Willingness among an Online Sample of US Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men

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Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

 

Open Access Article
COVID-19 Pandemic Optimism and Vaccine Willingness among an Online Sample of US Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men
by Rob Stephenson et al
Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 745; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070745 – 05 Jul 2021
Abstract
This paper presents data from an online sample of U.S gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), to explore the factors associated with three dimensions of vaccine beliefs: perception of the likelihood of a COVID-19 vaccine becoming available, perception […

Media/Policy Watch

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

 

The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
How not to do it
Covid-19 deaths in Russia are soaring | The Economist
Hundreds of thousands are dead, partly thanks to the Kremlin’s incompetence
Jul 10th 2021 edition

Global growth
The new fault lines on which the world economy rests
Global growth is coming back fast. But the recovery from the pandemic is uneven and fragile
Jul 10th 2021 edition

The Economist explains
What does Brazil’s vaccine scandal mean for Jair Bolsonaro?
Corruption allegations may further dent the president’s popularity, but his support in Congress is holding
Jul 7th 2021

 

Financial Times
https://www.ft.com/
The Big Read
England’s reopening: ‘The world is looking at us with disbelief’
…Wuhan virus and can escape some of the protection given by current vaccines. More infections increase the risk of even more dangerous variants evolving, Tedder…
July 9, 2021

Coronavirus Business Update
Delta variant poses growing threat to world recovery
July 9, 2021

http://www.forbes.com/

 

Forbes
https://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
7 hours ago
Mississippi Has The Lowest Covid-19 Vaccination Rate But The Highest Childhood Vaccination Rate: Here’s Why
Mississippi, the state with the lowest Covid-19 vaccination rate, has the highest childhood vaccination rate. Understanding why may help lead us out of the pandemic.
By Nina Shapiro Contributor

 

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
Report
U.S. Blunts China’s Vaccine Diplomacy in Latin America
The Biden administration ships millions of vaccines to the region as its public health crisis worsens.
By Robbie Gramer, a diplomacy and national security reporter at Foreign Policy.
July 9, 2021, 4:58 PM

 

The Hill
https://thehill.com/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
In the News
Opinion | Beyond Ample Supply, Hurdles Abound in the Race to Vaccinate the Globe via The Hill
By MARK MCCLELLAN, KRISHNA UDAYAKUMAR, MICHAEL MERSON AND GARY EDSON
07/08/2021

 

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
[No new, unique, relevant content]
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
Business
How the I.M.F. plans to build a $650 billion fund to fight the pandemic.
A reserve fund would help developing nations buy vaccines and bolster their health care systems. But where will the money come from?
By Alan Rappeport July 9

Opinion
My Country Did Everything Right on Covid. And the Worst Is Still Here.
As parts of the world reopen, Uganda is locked down. The country needs vaccines, and for other countries to keep their promises.
By Mohammed Lamorde

 

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Think Tanks et al

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Think Tanks et al
 
 
Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
[No new digest content identified]
 
 
Center for Global Development [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Publication
Now and Later: The Urgent Need for Smart Finance and Clear Governance on Pandemic Threats
July 9, 2021
History will not record the world’s handling of COVID-19 as a high point of effective international cooperation. Nor is COVID-19 likely to be a rare event in the future. The frequency of infectious disease outbreaks has been growing and there is a significant risk that in the next fifteen years we will experience another pandemic at least as damaging as this one. How well will the world respond next time—especially if that virus has a 5 percent fatality rate rather than the ~1 percent of COVID-19?
Masood Ahmed and Amanda Glassman

World Bank Budget Support in the Time of COVID: Crisis Finance… with Strings Attached
Publication
July 8, 2021
World Bank budget support projects throughout the COVID-19 global health emergency contain significant policy conditionality. On average, each operation required the recipient government to implement 8 policy reforms to secure funding—a reasonable constraint in “normal” times but at odds with the twin imperatives of speed and flexibility in crisis times.

Pooled Procurement and Essential Medicines: What Can We Learn from the PAHO Strategic Fund Experience?
Event
7/13/21
Ensuring access, affordability, and equity to essential medicines and other health products is critical to strong health systems. COVID-19 has shown how quickly failing to safeguard these principles reverses progress towards universal access to health and universal health coverage. Coordination and distribution of essential medicines and supplies are paramount, especially during health emergencies. However, a combination of rising costs, lack of financial support, limited product availability, and inadequate quality control has made managing and optimizing these required resources increasingly challenging.

Improving Resource Allocation Decisions to Better Prepare for Future Crises Beyond COVID-19
July 6, 2021
In 2020, the global economy was hit by an unprecedented exogenous shock—an event that occurs outside the economic system but which has a great impact on it—in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic forced many countries across the globe to implement economic restrictions and lockdowns to minimize its spread.
Nompumelelo Radebe
 
 
Chatham House [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.chathamhouse.org/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
[No new digest content identified]

 
 

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 10 Jul 2021
Blog Post
Balancing Digital India and Vaccine Equity
July 7, 2021

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

Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review :: 03 July 2021

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

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

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

vaccines-and-global-health_the-week-in-review_3-july-2021Download

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

– Twitter:  Readers can also follow developments on twitter: @vaxethicspolicy.
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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

6 million children benefitting from the first ever multi-antigen vaccination campaign

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Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

 

6 million children benefitting from the first ever multi-antigen vaccination campaign
[Zimbabwe] Harare, 1 July 2021 – UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and WHO have partnered with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to launch a new vaccine campaign introducing typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into the routine immunisation schedule across the country.

The TCV campaign, the first of its kind in the region, was made possible through funding from Gavi and the multi-donor Health Development Fund (HDF) supported by the European Union, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Irish Aid and Gavi.

“Before the discovery of antibiotics, typhoid would kill as many as one in five people who contracted it,” said Thabani Maphosa, Managing Director of Country Programmes at Gavi. “The rise of extreme drug resistant typhoid risks bringing us back to levels of mortality not seen since the 19th century, posing a risk to all of us. That’s why typhoid conjugate vaccine is so important and why the government of Zimbabwe deserves praise for introducing this lifesaver into its routine immunisation programme.”

The campaign has integrated TCV with the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. In addition, children aged 6 to 59 months received a vitamin A supplementation. After the initial campaign, TCV will be administered routinely to all children at 9 months of age to protect them from typhoid fever which has become endemic in Zimbabwe with outbreaks continuing to affect communities, particularly children…

Inadequate water sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and persistent water shortages particularly in urban hotspots such as Harare exacerbate the spread of typhoid. In addition, there has been an upsurge in antimicrobial resistance to Salmonella typhi which makes it difficult and expensive to treat typhoid.

Funding from Gavi and HDF covered the procurement of vaccines, distribution, and installation of cold chain equipment to ensure that vaccines are kept under required storage conditions, UNICEF played an integral role in ensuring that caregivers and communities are aware of the benefits of vaccines.

WHO, UNICEF and the Government empowered Village Health Workers (VHW) across the country to advocate for and educate communities, and encourage caregivers to access vaccinations for children. VHWs have become a critical stakeholder in the Expanded Program on Immunisation…

Malaria – China

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Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

 

Malaria – China

From 30 million cases to zero: China is certified malaria-free by WHO
30 June 2021 News release
Following a 70-year effort, China has been awarded a malaria-free certification from WHO – a notable feat for a country that reported 30 million cases of the disease annually in the 1940s.

“Today we congratulate the people of China on ridding the country of malaria,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Their success was hard-earned and came only after decades of targeted and sustained action. With this announcement, China joins the growing number of countries that are showing the world that a malaria-free future is a viable goal.”
China is the first country in the WHO Western Pacific Region to be awarded a malaria-free certification in more than 3 decades. Other countries in the region that have achieved this status include Australia (1981), Singapore (1982) and Brunei Darussalam (1987).
“Congratulations to China on eliminating malaria,” said Dr Takeshi Kasai, Regional Director, WHO Western Pacific Regional Office. “China’s tireless effort to achieve this important milestone demonstrates how strong political commitment and strengthening national health systems can result in eliminating a disease that once was a major public health problem. China’s achievement takes us one step closer towards the vision of a malaria-free Western Pacific Region.”
Globally, 40 countries and territories have been granted a malaria-free certification from WHO – including, most recently, El Salvador (2021), Algeria (2019), Argentina (2019), Paraguay (2018) and Uzbekistan (2018)…
Keys to success
China provides a basic public health service package for its residents free of charge. As part of this package, all people in China have access to affordable services for the diagnosis and treatment of malaria, regardless of legal or financial status.

Effective multi-sector collaboration was also key to success. In 2010, 13 ministries in China – including those representing health, education, finance, research and science, development, public security, the army, police, commerce, industry and information technology, customs, media and tourism – joined forces to end malaria nationwide.

In recent years, the country further reduced its malaria caseload through a strict adherence to the timelines of the “1-3-7” strategy. The “1” signifies the one-day deadline for health facilities to report a malaria diagnosis; by the end of day 3, health authorities are required to confirm a case and determine the risk of spread; and, within 7 days, appropriate measures must be taken to prevent further spread of the disease…