Dear all,
After a break in August, here are the updates for both August and September. Feel free to forward to NITAG members and secretariat.
COVID-19:
- ACIP recommends 2023–2024 (monovalent, XBB containing) COVID-19 vaccines as authorized under EUA or approved by BLA in persons ≥6 months of age. This recommendation has been adopted by the CDC Director on September 12, 2023 and is now official.
- NIAC (Irish NITAG) recommends the preferential use of the newly adapted XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccines for booster doses in place of currently recommended bivalent vaccines when they become available. In the interim, bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines should continue to be used. It is important to note that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide protection against severe disease and death. The recommendations regarding eligible cohorts and the timing of booster vaccination remain unchanged. More information here and here.
- ATAGI published recommendations regarding an additional COVID-19 dose for highest risk people in 2023. These recommendations are in addition the previous ATAGI COVID-19 vaccine booster advice published in February 2023. More information here.
Meningococcal disease :
- NACI published an update on invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) epidemiology and program-relevant considerations for preventing IMD in individuals at high risk of exposure, available here.
PCV:
- The French NITAG published an advice on the VAXNEUVANCE vaccine in children aged 6 weeks to 18 years. The NITAG considers that the Vaxneuvance vaccine can be integrated into the French vaccination strategy for the prevention of invasive infections, pneumonia and acute pneumococcal otitis media in infants, children and adolescents from 6 weeks to less than 18 years of age. HAS estimates that the additional benefits conferred by the addition of two serotypes (22F and 33F responsible respectively for 5.1% and 1.71% of bacteremia and 0% and 5.88% of pneumococcal meningitis in 2020) justifies the use of Vaxneuvance as an alternative to the PCV13 vaccine. Full report available in French here.
- STIKO is updating its recommendations on standard vaccination for people ≥ 60 years of age in Epidemiological Bulletin 39/2023, taking into account results from a systematic review on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and from a modeling analysis. The vaccination is also indicated for adults with certain risk factors and for some occupations. More information here.
RSV:
- ACIP recommends that Infants aged <8 months born during or entering their first Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) season receive one dose of nirsevimab (50 mg for infants <5 kg and 100 mg for infants ≥5 kg). Children aged 8–19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season are recommended to receive one dose of nirsevimab (200 mg). These recommendations were adopted by the CDC Director on August 3, 2023 and are now official.
- ACIP recommends Maternal Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine for pregnant people during 32 through 36 weeks gestation, using seasonal administration, to prevent RSV lower respiratory tract infection in infants. This recommendation has been adopted by the CDC Director on September 22, 2023 and is now official.
- In Belgium, the NITAG concluded that the RSV vaccination can be offered on an individual basis to high risk patients over 60 years old with at least one risk factor of severe RSV disease. The recommended dose is one single injection IM. The full recommendation note is available in English here and in French here.
TBE:
- In the Netherlands, the NITAGS recommends that this vaccine be offered in the Netherlands to employees in ‘green spaces’ (such as wooded areas, dunes, heathland, parks and gardens) who are at risk of being bitten by a tick five or more times per year. A second group that the subcommittee Recommends be vaccinated is employees who could come into contact with the TBE virus directly in the course of their work, in a laboratory for example. The executive summary is available here.
Best practices:
- NACI published an article reflecting on their ways of working during the pandemic: Canada’s National Advisory Committee on immunization: Adaptations and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- EVALUATION: Several countries from EMRO, PAHO and AFRO have started using the NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool as a self-assessment and developing improvement plans.
SAGE:
- The SAGE meeting was held on September 25 – 29 2023 and covered several important topics with policy recommendations that will follow: Dengue, Malaria, Meningitis, COVID 19, Smallpox and Mumps. Meeting highlights will be available shortly on this page.
GNN:
- The record of discussion of the 5th GNN meeting is available here.
- The next GNN webinar is being held on October 12th at 3pm Geneva time to present the latest SAGE recommendations. If you have not yet received the invitation and are interested, please reach out to me.
Vaccinology course:
- The application portal for ADVAC 2024 course is now open until the 15th of November at this address: www.advac.org
For the past 23 years, ADVAC, the Advanced Course of Vaccinology, trained more than 1400 scientists and decision-makers involved in vaccine development, in the elaboration of new vaccination strategies or in policy decisions related to the introduction of new vaccines in public health programs, at national or international levels. This advanced course is relevant for experts from both the public and private sectors and from both LMICs and HICs.
Kindest regards,
Louise