GNN monthly update: May 23
Dear all,
The preparation for the 5th edition of the Global NITAG Network (GNN) meeting is moving at full speed. It is scheduled for June 14-16th 2023 in Amman, Jordan. The meeting will be hybrid to allow remote participation and will be translated in French, Spanish and Arabic. If you wish to register and did not get the zoom link, please reach out! (ONLY FOR NITAG MEMBERS).
COVID-19:
- STIKO (German NITAG) published its updated COVID-19 vaccination recommendation and the associated scientific justification on May 25, 2023 in Epidemiological Bulletin 21/2023. Among other things, the STIKO recommends that people with an increased risk of a severe course of the disease ( including people over 60 years of age) and people with an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection should have further booster vaccinations in the future - usually at least 12 months after the last vaccination or Infection - received, preferably in the fall: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Infekt/Impfen/ImpfungenAZ/COVID-19/Impfempfehlung-Zusfassung.html
- ATAGI (Australia NITAG) has made recommendations on the use of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines as a primary course. available here.
- Panama updated the national immunization schedule: Children 6 - 11 months : Include 2 doses of vaccination against COVID-19. Children 1 - 11 years old: Include 2 doses of vaccination against COVID-19.
Meningococcal vaccination:
CAVEI (Chile NITAG) updated the 2019 recommendation on meningococcal vaccination in infants under 1 and adolescents. Maintain vaccination at 1 year of age and incorporate vaccination of adolescents (8th grade) with MenACWY conjugate vaccine. Read the full recommendations here.
Influenza A:
CAVEI published their Preliminary analysis on the identification of potential groups at risk of exposure to influenza A (H5N1) virus for eventual vaccination. Available here.
HPV:
E-NITAG (Ethiopia) issue a recommendation on single-dose HPV vaccination, available here.
PCV :
STIKO recommends using a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) for the standard vaccination against pneumococci in infancy. It does not recommend any particular vaccine product: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Infekt/EpidBull/Archiv/2023/Ausgaben/20_23.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
SAGE:
The next ordinary meeting is scheduled for 25 – 28 September 2023.
WHO:
- A call for expert is published today in the below link inviting potential experts to apply for membership in the Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) in EMRO. We strongly encourage NITAG representatives from EMRO country to apply: https://www.emro.who.int/vpi/vpi-infocus/call-for-experts-regional-immunization-technical-advisory-group-ritag-in-emr.html
- Enlightening message by the Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO following the World Immunization Week: https://www.who.int/news/item/24-05-2023-message-by-the-director-of-the-department-of-immunization--vaccines-and-biologicals-at-who---may-2023
Partners:
ECDC is organizing a webinar on a webinar on Herpes Zoster vaccination on June 13 2023.
Looking forward to seeing you some of you in Amman!
Louise
