Pandemic Watch News Brief: The news you need to know

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AVAC's weekly Pandemic Watch is a curated news digest on the latest pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR) news and resources.
"Given that 27 percent of the population in low- and middle-income countries are under 14 years of age, it is time to sow the seeds for career paths across the Global South’s scientific enterprise that are accessible to all."
-- Quarraisha Abdool Karim in Science ([link removed])


** Table of Contents
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* If You Are in a Hurry (#If You Are in a Hurry)
* COVID-19 Sets South Africa TB Fight Back 12 Years (#COVID-19 Sets South Africa TB Fight Back 12 Years)
* Calls for Commitment to Science in the Global South (#Calls for Commitment to Science in the Global South)
* The Global Pandemic Treaty and Sharing Virus Information (#The Global Pandemic Treaty and Sharing Virus Information)
* Of Chatbots and Pandemics (#Of Chatbots and Pandemics)
* US FDA Advisors Vote for Updated Vaccines for Fall (#US FDA Advisors Vote for Updated Vaccines for Fall)
* Antibody for RSV Prevention in Infants (#Antibody for RSV Prevention in Infants)
* Controversial COVID-19 Challenge Trial Yields Results (#Controversial COVID-19 Challenge Trial Yields Results)
* “Political Chops” from Nominated US CDC Director (#“Political Chops” from Nominated US CDC Director)
* Mpox Transmission Remains Low Globally, with Regional Upticks (#Mpox Transmission Remains Low Globally, with Regional Upticks)
* Meta Rolls Back COVID-19 Misinformation Curbs (#Meta Rolls Back COVID-19 Misinformation Curbs)
* New Vaccines for Polio Are Only Part of the Answer (#New Vaccines for Polio Are Only Part of the Answer)
* Positive Results for Second Chikungunya Vaccine (#Positive Results for Second Chikungunya Vaccine)

One of the most unfortunate legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the expansion of the anti-vax movement and a rising distrust of science. In the last few days, the anti-science, anti-vax agenda has once again come to the forefront of the news and social media. Twitter owner Elon Musk and conservative (and wildly popular in the US) podcaster Joe Rogan attacked respected virologist and vaccine researcher Dr. Peter Hotez on Twitter for his refusal to debate anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Rogan’s podcast. Paul Waldman writes in a Washington Post ([link removed]) (US) column: “Hotez’s logic is simple and absolutely correct: When an expert ‘debates’ a crank, nothing is accomplished except elevating the crank to a status he doesn’t deserve. Few if any will be persuaded of the truth, and the result will be a less informed public. Conspiratorial beliefs such as those Kennedy advocates might be among the
hardest to dislodge by reasoned argument; to be a conspiracy theorist is to commit yourself to a project of ignoring reason and facts in favor of an endless search for obscure connections, hidden agendas and secret cabals. No one erects stouter walls against the possibility of being persuaded than the conspiracy theorist.”

The attacks on Hotez, which prompted some people to confront him at his home and led to numerous death threats on social media, are just the latest and most prominent of a long line of attacks on science on Twitter. Axios ([link removed]) (US) headlines coverage of the issue, “Scientists on Twitter head for the exit” and quotes pediatric immunologist Michael Mina, “who regularly used Twitter during the pandemic to talk about COVID-19.” Mina says Twitter is "no longer a tool that's accelerating science. On the contrary…. It allowed me to effectively and efficiently sift through the noise of this massive explosion of new publishers and journals and papers that were published. That has gone away. It's now another big noisy mess,’ he said, adding he no longer gets pointed to relevant experts while those with the most polarizing content get promoted and discourse is drowned out.”



** If You Are in a Hurry
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* Read an editorial by Quarraisha Abdool in Science ([link removed]) on the need to train young people in research capacity in the global south.
* Then read Daily Maverick ([link removed]) on the need to continue to develop genomic surveillance capacity in Africa.
* Read Nature ([link removed]) on spelling out virus information sharing expectations in the pandemic accord.
* Read Medpage Today ([link removed]) on an antibody to prevent RSV in infants.
* Read Nature ([link removed]) on the results of a controversial COVID-19 challenge trial.
* Read Nature ([link removed]) on new polio vaccines and Fierce Biotech ([link removed]) on a new chikungunya vaccine.




** COVID-19 Sets South Africa TB Fight Back 12 Years
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Citizen ([link removed]) (South Africa) reports, “Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has set South Africa’s fight against tuberculosis (TB) back an estimated 12 years….’ “The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns have severely impacted on TB services throughout the country. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of TB tests provided in South Africa decreased by 23 percent and case notifications decreased by 25 percent.... The recovery plan is a target-driven, evidence-based plan aimed at finding people with undiagnosed TB, strengthening linkage of people diagnosed with treatment, strengthening retention in TB care, and strengthening prevention.’”



** Calls for Commitment to Science in the Global South
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In an editorial in Science ([link removed]) (US) South African researcher Quarraisha Abdool Karim argues, “Given that 27 percent of the population in low- and middle-income countries are under 14 years of age, it is time to sow the seeds for career paths across the Global South’s scientific enterprise that are accessible to all…. In a time of unprecedented social, political, and economic upheavals and deepening inequalities within and between countries, organizations across science sectors must more actively support improving the quality of life globally, especially in the Global South. As member states gather for the mid-term review of SDG progress later this year, the world must do more than lament the growing inequalities and the looming threats that face everyone. It is important to consider not only who does the science but also who receives the fruits of science if the Global South is to leapfrog into an equitable present and future.”

Daily Maverick ([link removed]) (South Africa) reports, “South Africa’s “advanced genomic sequencing capabilities and proactive surveillance efforts allowed for the early identification of the variants and the discoveries played a crucial role in alerting the global scientific community to the potential for viral mutations and the need for enhanced monitoring…. Now, scientists worldwide believe it is critical to continue investing in genomics to support disease control in public health in South Africa and the broader continent.” As researchers look to expand this capacity, researcher Marco Salemi says, “The most important part of building capacity is human training. I find it naïve and sad when I hear politicians talking about building top-of-the-line laboratories, when they really need to start building human capacity. Africa is an amazing reservoir (from which to build these skills) because 50 percent
of the continent [are] people who are less than 30 years old. There are about 27 excellent laboratories all over Africa. We need to start creating a strong next generation of scientists.”



** The Global Pandemic Treaty and Sharing Virus Information
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Nature ([link removed]) (UK) reports that as negotiations continue on the pandemic treaty one of the key topics is how viral information should be shared. During the COVID-19 pandemic, countries such as South Africa, Brazil and India shared key viral information that enabled development of vaccines – vaccines that those countries weren’t able to access easily. “This disconnect sets up a situation in which disease-affected countries might one day decide to keep information to themselves — an outcome that could be disastrous globally. To swiftly rein in a future pandemic, an equitable system for sharing data is needed, researchers and officials say. The hope is that the pandemic treaty will establish such a system, but, as negotiations have shown, it will be difficult to get countries to agree on what it should look like…. Currently, negotiators are discussing whether to include language that incentivizes data sharing by ensuring that, for example, a
specific proportion of pandemic-related products are distributed in low- and middle-income countries…. Some still hold out hope that a strong commitment to low- and middle-income countries will be inserted into the document. If countries aren’t motivated to share information, says [South African] epidemiologist Salim Abdool Karim…’then that basically means we won’t have a global early-warning system in place to prevent the next pandemic’.”

In a BMJ Global Health ([link removed]) (UK) commentary a group of South African researchers look at the pandemic treaty and argue, “The road ahead to achieving equity is long, but as members of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response assert, ‘the status quo is no longer an option’. These reforms provide a key moment for us to once again confront old battles—the prevailing ideologies, economic systems and trade regulations which leave access to medicine to the forces of the marketplace. It is imperative that their design, operation and governance foster a more equitable, transparent and sustainable system which takes into consideration the specific needs and capabilities of all countries—with equity, inclusivity and regional resilience at the core of pandemic preparedness and response. Otherwise, epidemics may continue to heighten inequality or increase mortality thereby prolonging suffering.”



** Of Chatbots and Pandemics
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Science ([link removed]) (US) reports on the latest worries around artificial intelligence (AI): “AI could help someone with no science background and evil intentions order a virus capable of unleashing a pandemic.” An assignment in an MIT class to use ChatGTP to generate a dangerous virus led in one hour to “lists of candidate viruses and companies that could synthesize their genetic code and assemble the pieces…. Within the hour, the chatbots had suggested four viruses: the 1918 H1N1 influenza virus, a 2012 avian H5N1 influenza virus, the smallpox virus variola major, and a strain of the Nipah virus. In some cases, the chatbots even pointed to genetic mutations reported in the literature to increase transmission.” Experts don’t believe the exercise and AI capabilities represent a threat now, but should be watched.



** US FDA Advisors Vote for Updated Vaccines for Fall
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NPR ([link removed]) (US) reports, “A panel of expert advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously Thursday to recommend that the COVID-19 vaccine be updated to target emerging subvariants of omicron…. the FDA panel recommended that drugmakers abandon the [currently used] bivalent design and instead move to a ‘monovalent’ vaccine that only targets omicron subvariants. The idea is to roll out the newly formulated shots in anticipation of a possible uptick in cases this fall…. In an analysis, FDA scientists said data from vaccine manufacturers indicate that an updated monovalent formulation that targets XBB subvariants ‘elicits stronger neutralizing antibody responses’ against XBB strains than current bivalent vaccines.”



** Antibody for RSV Prevention in Infants
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Medpage Today ([link removed]) (US) reports a US “FDA advisory committee [last week] gave strong backing to a monoclonal antibody against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to prevent lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) in infants as well as in at-risk children up to 24 months of age. In a unanimous vote, all 21 members of the Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee agreed that the risk-benefit assessment for nirsevimab is favorable for the prevention of LRTD in neonates and infants born during or entering their first RSV season.”



** Controversial COVID-19 Challenge Trial Yields Results
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Nature ([link removed]) (UK) reports, “A study of people who were intentionally infected with SARS-CoV-2 has provided a wealth of insights into viral transmission — showing, for example, that a select group of people are ‘supershedders’ who spew vastly more virus into the air than do others…. Although the [challenge study] drew opposition, the work has now yielded data on questions central to public health, such as whether the severity of symptoms correlates with how contagious people are and whether home COVID-19 tests ([link removed]) can play a part in reducing viral spread.

Read the study in The Lancet Microbe ([link removed](23)00101-5/fulltext) (UK).



** “Political Chops” from Nominated US CDC Director
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STAT ([link removed]) (US) reports the US CDC may face a “paradigm shift” with a new director. “The Atlanta-based CDC has always prided itself at being at a remove from Washington, and the politics that engulf it…. For decades, its directors have almost always been infectious disease experts with CDC experience…. The narrow focus on science hasn’t always stood the agency in good stead. And increasingly, some long-time CDC watchers have come to conclude the agency needs someone with political clout — and someone who knows how government functions — to lead it as it attempts to course correct after the reputation-bruising COVID-19 pandemic….. [CDC nominee “Cohen’s fans suggest she has the political chops needed to lead the agency. And even people who don’t know her well believe she brings to the job assets previous directors have lacked.”

In an interview with AP ([link removed]) (US) outgoing CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, “her reasons for stepping down were complicated, driven in part by a desire to take a break from the frenetic pace of the job during a pandemic…. Walensky, 54, described her time at the agency as intense, but stopped short of saying she was burned out. She said she had looked for a quiet moment to withdraw from a job that gave her a sense of pride and accomplishment but also led to criticism, protests outside her home and threats of violence.”



** Mpox Transmission Remains Low Globally, with Regional Upticks
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CIDRAP ([link removed]) (US) reports, “Global mpox transmission continues at low levels, though two regions—Southeast Asia and Africa—reported increases in recent weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest update on the outbreak…. Over the past 3 weeks, the Americas reported the most cases, and in the most recent reporting week, increased cases were reported in the European and South East Asia regions…. In Africa, where transmission is more continuous, a surge of cases have been reported in the most recent weeks, especially in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria.”

Separately CIDRAP ([link removed]) (US) reports, “When used as post-exposure prevention (PEP) of mpox, the vaccine Jynneos had an adjusted vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 88.8 percent, and vaccination can be protective against the virus up to 7 weeks following exposure, according to a study published yesterday in Eurosurveillance. The real-world prospective cohort study to assess VE of one vaccine dose given as PEP took place in Madrid from May 17 to August 15, 2022, among close contacts of confirmed mpox cases. Read the study in Eurosurveillance ([link removed]) .



** Meta Rolls Back COVID-19 Misinformation Curbs
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NBC News ([link removed]) (US) reports, “Meta Platforms said on Friday that a policy put in place to curb the spread of misinformation related to COVID-19 on Facebook and Instagram would no longer be in effect globally. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter came under immense pressure to tackle misinformation related to the pandemic, including false claims about vaccines, prompting them to take stringent measures.”



** New Vaccines for Polio Are Only Part of the Answer
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Nature ([link removed]) (UK) reports, “Wild polio has almost been eradicated, but vaccine-derived strains retain the potential to paralyse. Better vaccines have arrived — but they are only part of the answer…. Over the past year, there have been 665 cases of vaccine-derived polio across 23 countries. Vaccine-derived polio occurs when the attenuated poliovirus used to make oral vaccines regains its virulence.” Now new vaccines have been created that “reduce the likelihood of vaccine-derived outbreaks occurring for poliovirus types 1 and 3… It’s essential that researchers continue to advance vaccine research and technology to combat the rise of vaccine-derived polio. But new vaccines will not work if they remain in their vials. If the world is to see the back of vaccine-derived polio, the fruits of vaccine research and development need to be put into the hands of highly motivated, well-funded staff operating in programmes attuned to the local landscape,
and the transition of polio management from the GPEI to national control must not undermine eradication. Only then might we be able to send polio the same way as smallpox.”



** Positive Results for Second Chikungunya Vaccine
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Fierce Biotech ([link removed]) (US) reports, “Bavarian Nordic’s phase 3 chikungunya virus vaccine clinical trial has hit its primary endpoint….” This is the second vaccine to show efficacy against the mosquito-borne disease. “In the 22 days after receiving a single intramuscular injection of the viruslike particle vaccine, 87 percent of the participants had neutralizing antibodies above the threshold for seroprotection agreed with authorities. Most, 82 percent, of the participants passed the threshold by Day 15, validating Bavarian Nordic’s belief that a single dose provides fast protection.”
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