tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Vaccine
. 2023 Aug 17;S0264-410X(23)00960-X.
doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.08.028. Online ahead of print. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic for improved influenza control
Abraham Palache[SUP] 1 [/SUP], John-Kenneth Billingsley[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Kristin MacLaren[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Lyn Morgan[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Steven Rockman[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Paula Barbosa[SUP] 6 [/SUP]; IFPMA Influenza Vaccine Supply (IFPMA IVS) task force
Affiliations
The World Health Organization noted that COVID-19 vaccination programmes could be leveraged to deliver influenza vaccination. In 2008, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations' (IFPMA) Influenza Vaccine Supply International Task Force (IVS) developed a survey method using the number of influenza vaccine doses distributed globally to estimate vaccination coverage rates. Seven hundred and ninety-seven million doses were distributed in 2021, representing a 205% increase over the 262 million doses distributed in 2004, exceeding the number of doses distributed during and after the 2009-2010 influenza pandemic. The most obvious explanation for the global increase is the enabling of critical elements of the vaccine ecosystem by decision-makers during the COVID-19 pandemic to reinforce implementation of influenza vaccination programs. Most of the improvements in performance of influenza programs during the COVID-19 pandemic can be classified in four categories: 1) promoting vaccination using tailored approaches for specific populations; 2) improving convenient access to influenza vaccines in COVID-safe settings; 3) improving reimbursement of seasonal influenza vaccination for priority groups; 4) maintaining the timing of vaccination to the autumn. In spite of the increase in rates of seasonal influenza vaccines distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic, globally, the rate of influenza dose distribution is sub-optimal, and a considerable proportion of the influenza infections remains preventable. To sustain the benefits from increased uptake of influenza vaccines, governments need to sustain the efforts made during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a number of global policy endeavours should be undertaken, including developing a clear global roadmap for achieving influenza control objectives, adopted by a WHA resolution, in line with the strategic objective 3 of the Global Influenza Strategy 2030, embedded in the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).
Keywords: Monitoring and evaluation; Pandemic preparedness; Seasonal influenza; Vaccination coverage rates; Vaccination policy; Vaccine recommendations.
. 2023 Aug 17;S0264-410X(23)00960-X.
doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.08.028. Online ahead of print. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic for improved influenza control
Abraham Palache[SUP] 1 [/SUP], John-Kenneth Billingsley[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Kristin MacLaren[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Lyn Morgan[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Steven Rockman[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Paula Barbosa[SUP] 6 [/SUP]; IFPMA Influenza Vaccine Supply (IFPMA IVS) task force
Affiliations
- PMID: 37598027
- DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.08.028
The World Health Organization noted that COVID-19 vaccination programmes could be leveraged to deliver influenza vaccination. In 2008, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations' (IFPMA) Influenza Vaccine Supply International Task Force (IVS) developed a survey method using the number of influenza vaccine doses distributed globally to estimate vaccination coverage rates. Seven hundred and ninety-seven million doses were distributed in 2021, representing a 205% increase over the 262 million doses distributed in 2004, exceeding the number of doses distributed during and after the 2009-2010 influenza pandemic. The most obvious explanation for the global increase is the enabling of critical elements of the vaccine ecosystem by decision-makers during the COVID-19 pandemic to reinforce implementation of influenza vaccination programs. Most of the improvements in performance of influenza programs during the COVID-19 pandemic can be classified in four categories: 1) promoting vaccination using tailored approaches for specific populations; 2) improving convenient access to influenza vaccines in COVID-safe settings; 3) improving reimbursement of seasonal influenza vaccination for priority groups; 4) maintaining the timing of vaccination to the autumn. In spite of the increase in rates of seasonal influenza vaccines distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic, globally, the rate of influenza dose distribution is sub-optimal, and a considerable proportion of the influenza infections remains preventable. To sustain the benefits from increased uptake of influenza vaccines, governments need to sustain the efforts made during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a number of global policy endeavours should be undertaken, including developing a clear global roadmap for achieving influenza control objectives, adopted by a WHA resolution, in line with the strategic objective 3 of the Global Influenza Strategy 2030, embedded in the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).
Keywords: Monitoring and evaluation; Pandemic preparedness; Seasonal influenza; Vaccination coverage rates; Vaccination policy; Vaccine recommendations.