GNN monthly update: December 22'

267 Hits

Dear all,

 

This is the last update of 2022!

 

COVID-19:

Booster dose:

French NITAG has preferentially recommended bivalent vaccines suitable for Omicron, regardless of the vaccine(s) previously administered. The full recommendation on booster vaccine strategy is available here. The French NITAG recommends integrating the Nuvaxovid vaccine and the VidPrevtyn Beta vaccine into the booster vaccination strategy against Covid-19 as an alternative to bivalent mRNA vaccines only in subjects who no longer wish or can no longer receive an mRNA vaccine. HAS recommends that the current booster campaign be carried out preferentially with a bivalent mRNA vaccine (Spikevax bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1, Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1, Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron BA.4-5, Spikevax bivalent Original/Omicron BA.4-5), regardless of the vaccine(s) previously used.

 

Children vaccination:

  • The French NITAG has decided to immediately expand the vaccination campaign with the COMIRNATY vaccine (pediatric dosage of 3 µg):
  • For children aged 6 months to 4 years old at risk of severe forms of Covid-19 and death.
  • Children from 6 months to 4 years of age living in the entourage of immunocompromised people or non-responders to vaccination in accordance with the cocooning strategy recommended by the High Authority for Health. More information here.
NACI Updated their recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in children 5 to 11 years of age and concurrent vaccine administration. NACI now recommends that COVID-19 vaccines may be given concurrently with (i.e. same day), or any time before or after, non-COVID-19 vaccines (including live and non-live vaccines) for individuals 6 months of age and older. Consult the recommendations here.

 

Ways of working during the pandemic:

STIKO published an article on “the Role, working methods and recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccinations (STIKO) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic”, available in German here.

 

 

Shingles:

French NITAG publishes a concept note for Shingles vaccination. This concept note aims to define the methodological orientations of the project to draft this recommendation. Questions that will be addressed include:

Regarding shingles vaccines:

  1. Can the Shingrix vaccine be used to prevent shingles and its complications in immunocompetent adults over 50 (in terms of immunogenicity, clinical efficacy, safety)?
  2. Can a preferential recommendation of one or other of the vaccines (Shingrix, Zostavax) be considered among the immunocompetent population?
  3. Can the Shingrix vaccine be used to prevent shingles and its complications in immunocompromised patients from the age of 18 and according to which definition of immunosuppression (in terms of immunogenicity, clinical efficacy, safety)?
  4. What data are available on the duration of protection conferred by the two vaccines? Is there a need for a booster and at what age, if so, can the Shingrix vaccine be used in people who have previously received the Zostavax vaccine?
  5. What data is available on the co-administration of shingles vaccines with other adult vaccines included in the vaccination schedule (in terms of immunogenicity and safety)?

Expected impact of the vaccine strategy:

  • What is the acceptability of shingles vaccination in the target populations?
  • What is the incremental cost-effectiveness of shingles vaccination?
  • What will be the impact in terms of quality of life, hospitalizations, incidence, functional independence, etc.?
  • Are the new data (in terms of public health and medico-economic impact) for these two vaccines likely to revise the age groups targeted by the current vaccination program?

 

Malaria:

TITAG (NITAG of Tanzania) recommends The introduction of RTS, S/AS01 Malaria vaccine to children aged 5-17 months in areas of medium to high transmission of malaria pending:

  • Review of real data, other groups work and other countries that has piloted RTS, S/AS01 to inform on duration and effectiveness of vaccine and timing of vaccination to ensure protection below five years of age.
  • The availability of data on the gaps in waning of immunity before a child reach five years
  • Intensive social mobilization and acceptability studies regarding RTS. S/AS01

The full recommendation can be accessed here.

 

SAGE:

The HPV position paper is out: https://www.who.int/teams/immunization-vaccines-and-biologicals/policies/position-papers/human-papillomavirus-(hpv)

 

Partners:

The Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination published “the Introduction of Hepatitis B Birth Dose Vaccination in Africa: A Toolkit for National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups” downloadable here.

 

GNN:

The face-to-face annual GNN meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 25-27th 2023 in Amman, Jordan. The Agenda is under development and meeting logistics are being organized. Feel free to reach out if you are interested in participating. The meeting will be hybrid to allow remote participation.

As we are building the agenda, we welcome ideas from NITAG members. Feel free to share them with us.

Merry Christmas!

Louise

0