Deployment of COVID-19 vaccine in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region 2021–23: How do we switch to a life course approach?
•Regardless of COVID-19 vaccine introduction to all countries in the WHO EMR in 2020–2021, there was inequity in access to vaccine and vaccination coverage across the region.•As of 31 December 2023, COVID-19 vaccine availability, vaccination coverage, and vaccine acceptance were improved in the regi...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Vaccine 2024-06, Vol.42 (17), p.3744-3750 |
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Zusammenfassung: | •Regardless of COVID-19 vaccine introduction to all countries in the WHO EMR in 2020–2021, there was inequity in access to vaccine and vaccination coverage across the region.•As of 31 December 2023, COVID-19 vaccine availability, vaccination coverage, and vaccine acceptance were improved in the region.•COVID-19 could imperil the high-risk groups, including healthcare workers and elderly. Due to low-risk perception on COVID-19, however, we recommend changing an approach from time-bound and project type approach to sustainable and long-term approach of COVID-19 vaccine delivery by integrating COVID-19 vaccination into EPI and PHC as a way-forward.
In 2020–2021, all countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region [EMR] introduced COVID-19 vaccine with inequalities in coverage across countries. As for 2023, we reviewed subsequent progress in deployment, coverage, acceptance, and integration. As of 31 December 2023, coverage in EMR reached 51% for primary series and 19 % for the first booster, higher in high income countries (77 % and 44 %, respectively) than in upper middle-income countries (49 % and 20 %), Advance Market Commitment [AMC] non-Gavi eligible countries (47 % and 15 %) and AMC Gavi eligible countries (49 % and 16 %). Thirteen countries measured coverage among healthcare workers (76 % and 43 %, respectively) and 15 among elderly (69 % and 38 %, respectively). Three rounds of the regional Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices [KAP] survey on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in 2021–2022 indicated that acceptance increased from 20 % in June-July 2021 to 62 % in October-November 2021, and 77 % in June-July 2022. Those unvaccinated but intending to be vaccinated decreased from 60 % to 23 % and 11 %, respectively. Unvaccinated without intention to be vaccinated decreased from 15 % to 10 % and 11 %, respectively. Twenty out of 22 countries in the region had completely or partially integrated COVID-19 vaccination into the Expanded Programme on Immunization [EPI] and Primary Health Care [PHC]. Overall, challenges to reach high-risk groups persisted as the population was less concerned about Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Countries should build on the trust, momentum, and lesson-learned generated from COVID-19 vaccination to get the highest risk groups vaccinated and switch from a time bound and project type approach to a sustainable and long-term approach for COVID-19 vaccine delivery that would be integrated into the routine EPI and PHC. |
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ISSN: | 0264-410X 1873-2518 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.05.013 |