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Ask the Experts: Why Measles Rates are on the Rise
Measles is a highly contagious and vaccine-preventable disease that has been on the rise, both in the United States and globally. Missed routine immunizations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and growing mistrust in vaccines have contributed to a dangerous rise in cases. IVAC is hosting a webinar to provide an overview of the current state of measles in the U.S. and around the world. A panel of distinguished experts will discuss the ongoing threat of measles, why vaccination is critical to prevent this extremely contagious disease, and the impact of vaccine hesitancy on declining immunization rates.
Featured Experts:
- William J. Moss, MD, MPH, International Vaccine Access Center
- Rupali J. Limaye, PhD, MPH, MA, International Vaccine Access Center
- Walter A. Orenstein, MD, DSc (Hon), Emory Vaccine Center
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IVAC Faculty Member Svea Closser Contributes to Polio Eradication Initiative
Last month, Svea Closser, PhD, MPH, an Associate Professor in the Department of International Health of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, participated in a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting for polio eradication hosted by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Dr. Closser was invited to participate in the TAG meeting due to her expertise in social and behavior change (SBC), an approach that aims to increase engagement with and responsiveness to communities when delivering health interventions. Read the full story here. |
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Serosurveillance Summit Report Now Available
During an in-person workshop sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, approximately 90 experts from around the world identified cross-cutting solutions to key challenges surrounding the expansion of integrated serosurveillance. The Serosurveillance Summit Meeting Report examines challenges across five areas of serosurveillance and proposes potential solutions, representing a significant contribution to the field that will serve as a valuable tool for future public health decision-makers, program builders, and stakeholders.
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
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Latest COVID-19 Modeling Projections
IVAC contributed to new projections from the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub evaluating the trajectory of COVID-19 from April 16, 2023, to April 19, 2025. While short-term forecasts can guide immediate response to epidemics, long-term epidemic projections are needed for longer-term policy decisions. These latest projections compare outbreak trajectories under different scenarios and can be used to inform decision-making about COVID-19 vaccination.
VIEW THE LATEST PROJECTIONS |
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Leading from the Frontlines: Community-oriented Approaches for Strengthening Vaccine Delivery and Acceptance
By Baldeep Dhaliwal, Rajeev Seth, Betty Thankachen, Yawar Qaiyum, Svea Closser, Tyler Best, and Anita Shet
Vaccine hesitancy and the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to global reductions in immunization coverage. In a study published in BMC Proceedings, authors worked with community leaders and community health workers to design and implement an intervention to facilitate vaccine acceptance in Mewat, a district in the Indian state of Haryana with extremely low vaccination coverage. Post-intervention data suggests that the intervention improved vaccination knowledge among parents and caregivers and provided community health workers with the tools needed to address community concerns and combat vaccine misinformation. This approach demonstrates the importance of amplifying local voices, identifying local concerns and advocates, and leveraging bottom-up strategies to co-design successful immunization interventions. |
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Measles Immunity Gaps among Children and Adolescents with HIV in Zambia Despite High Measles Vaccination and Antiretroviral Therapy Coverage
Authors include Simon Mutembo, Yangyupei Yang, Andrea Carcelen, Amy Kaye Winter, Kyla Hayford, and William Moss
In a recent study published in AIDS, researchers performed a nationally representative serosurvey to identify measles and rubella immunity gaps among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Zambia. They found that measles seroprevalence was lower among PLHIV compared with HIV-uninfected individuals until approximately 30 years of age. These results demonstrate the persistence of measles immunity gaps among PLHIV, showing that there is a need to implement the World Health Organization's recommendation to revaccinate children living with HIV against measles following antiretroviral therapy to prevent measles outbreaks.
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