Please find below the GNN monthly update for December’ 21:
NITAG publications and updates:
COVID-19 additional and booster Doses:
- NACI (Canada) has updated its booster recommendations.
- NACI strongly recommends a booster dose of an authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should be offered at least 6 months after completion of a primary COVID19 vaccine series to the following groups: o People aged 50 years and older o Adults living in long-term care homes for seniors or other congregate living settings that provide care for seniors o Recipients of a viral vector vaccine series completed with only viral vector vaccines (AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD or Janssen COVID-19 vaccine) o Adults in or from First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities o All frontline healthcare workers having direct in-person contact with patients
- NACI now also recommends that a booster dose of an authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccine may be offered to adults 18 to 49 years of age at least 6 months after completion of a primary COVID-19 vaccine series with consideration of jurisdictional and individual risks as outlined in the full NACI Statement.
Full guidance, including summary of the evidence and rationale behind these recommendations is available here.
- France includes people aged 18 and over in the booster campaign as soon as 5 months after the completion of the COVID-19 primary series. More information here.
- Belgian NITAG recommends Booster vaccination against COVID-19 for the general population. The full recommendation is available in English here
- ATAGI (Australia) now recommends the use of Spikevax (Moderna) as a COVID-19 booster vaccine (in addition to Comirnaty (Pfizer)). More here and encourages flexibility over the holiday season: “to ensure timely provision of boosters, ATAGI recommends that those who become eligible for a COVID-19 booster dose before or during the December and New Year holiday period can receive them earlier than 5 months”. Latest information here.
Priority Groups: Children and Adolescents :
- France now recommends the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 who are at risk of developing a severe form of the disease or of dying, as well as those living in the entourage of immunocompromised or vulnerable people and who have not been vaccinated. The recommendations is available in FRENCH here.
- STIKO (Germany) recommends children aged 5 to 11 with previous illnesses to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Children without a previous illness can also be vaccinated if they so wish. The recommendation will be published shortly.
Janssen vaccine :
- Belgian NITAG recommends a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine for individuals vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Janssen vaccine. Access the recommendation here.
Adverse events following immunisation:
- NACI issued a rapid response and updated its recommendation on the use of authorized COVID-19 vaccines in individuals aged 12 years and older in the context of myocarditis and pericarditis reported following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. More Information here.
Omicron variant:
- JCVI provided advice on the UK vaccine response to the Omicron variant, available here.
- ATAGI’s latest statement (Dec 17th) on SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and COVID-19 booster doses reads: “Since last week, further laboratory studies have confirmed a reduction in antibody binding to the Omicron variant in post-vaccination sera. This appears to be at least partially overcome by the higher antibody concentrations in those who have received boosters 5-6 months after the primary course.1–6 UK data suggest that cases with the Omicron variant have a higher secondary crude attack rate in households than cases with the Delta variant.7 It seems likely that the rapid spread of Omicron relates to immune evasion rather than a major increase in transmissibility compared to previous strains.
A South African study noted a higher risk of reinfection due to Omicron variant than had been seen in previous waves of infection.3 Very limited data suggest that primary courses of COVID vaccines provide lower protection against infections due to Omicron than those due to Delta.8 It is noted that the UK data suggesting a higher vaccine effectiveness following booster doses are based on very small numbers of Omicron cases in vaccine recipients. There are not yet data on the age specific case-hospitalisation or case-fatality ratios (particularly in the elderly) or estimates of vaccine effectiveness against severe disease. There are not yet robust data on the safety or incremental effectiveness of booster doses if given earlier than 5 months, although small studies to date have not raised specific safety concerns.
There remain several uncertainties to inform the optimal interval between primary and booster/third doses of vaccine. The protection provided by two vaccine doses against severe disease due to Omicron is not yet clear. It remains uncertain whether a booster will provide additional protection against severe disease.”
- ACIP’s latest meeting on December 16th covered: Updates on Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, Janssen vaccine, vaccination of children 5-11 and an update on Omicron variant. Presentations can be found here.
SAGE resources:
- SAGE published an Interim statement on COVID-19 vaccination for children and adolescents, available here.
- The SAGE interim recommendations for use of the use of the Janssen Ad26.COV2.S (COVID-19) vaccine have been updated to reflect latest evidence. See more here.
- The SAGE Interim recommendations for heterologous COVID-19 vaccine schedules is available here.
- The extraordinary SAGE meeting presentations are all posted online, including:
- J&J 1 and 2 dose trial data and immunogenicity – here.
- Emerging data on heterologous COVID-19 vaccine schedules – here.
- COVID-19 Global Vaccine Supply – here.
- Duration of protection from COVID-19 Vaccines – here.
- Booster Dose Vaccine Effectiveness – here.
- Impact modelling of booster doses – here.
WHO resources:
USEFUL RESOURCES ON OMICRON: What evidence do we have that omicron is evading immunity and what are the implications? On Dec 15th, WHO R&D Blueprint organized a consultation to review emerging data related to the omicron variant. All presentations are available here.
Partners’ resources:
- ECDC published Interim public health considerations for COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 5-11 years, available here.
- ECDC published an Assessment of the further emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC in the context of the ongoing Delta VOC transmission in the EU/EEA: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/covid-19-assessment-further-emergence-omicron-18th-risk-assessment
- The recording of the ADVAC alumni webinar on the following topic ” Safety of COVID-19 vaccines? “ is available here.
Did you know?
The WHO & GNN survey on COVID-19 policy development process was completed by 44 countries from all six regions, representing a 44,5% response rate. Thank you all for supporting this initiative! Survey results will be analyzed and interpretation will be shared with the GNN during a webinar.
Here is me wishing you all a very happy holiday season, hoping you will be able to take time off despite the new Variant of concern and booster challenges.
Louise