Pandemic Watch News Brief: The News You Need To Know ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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[link removed] February 15, 2024
AVAC's weekly Pandemic Watch is a curated news digest on the latest pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR) news and resources.


The painful lessons we learned are in danger of being forgotten, as attention turns to many other crises confronting our world. But if we fail to learn those lessons, we will pay dearly next time. And there will be a next time. History teaches us that the next pandemic is a matter of when not if." Dr. Tedros of WHO in Gulf News ([link removed])
Table of Contents
• If You Are in a Hurry (#If You Are in a Hurry)
• Call from Ugandan Activists for More Pandemic Funding (#Call from Ugandan Activists for More Pandemic Funding)
• WHO’s Tedros Highlights Need for Pandemic Treaty (#WHO’s Tedros Highlights Need for Pandemic Treaty)
• Encouraging Data for Ebola Vaccine (#Encouraging Data for Ebola Vaccine)
• US CDC Considers Changing COVID Isolation Guidelines (#US CDC Considers Changing COVID Isolation Guidelines)
• New Resource for Responding to Health Misinformation (#New Resource for Responding to Health Misinformation)
• Understanding More about Zoonotic Viral Spillover and Spillback (#Understanding More about Zoonotic Viral Spillover and Spillback)
• International Media Highlights Southern African Cholera Outbreaks (#International Media Highlights Southern African Cholera Outbreaks)
• New RSV Vaccine in US a Victim of the Vaccine Wars (#New RSV Vaccine in US a Victim of the Vaccine Wars)
• “Staggering” Numbers of Measles Cases Globally (#“Staggering” Numbers of Measles Cases Globally)
• Fungal Infections Growing; New Drugs Needed (#Fungal Infections Growing; New Drugs Needed)
• A Power Imbalance in Global Health Research (#A Power Imbalance in Global Health Research)
• COVID and Heart Attack Risk Among PLWHIV (#COVID and Heart Attack Risk Among PLWHIV)
• US-China Science Pact Renewal in Question (#US-China Science Pact Renewal in Question)
• High Number of Preprints Set to Continue (#High Number of Preprints Set to Continue)

There is (mostly) good news this week about people’s trust in scientists. Nature ([link removed]) (UK) reports on one of the largest post-pandemic surveys about science conducted in 67 countries. “People around the world have high levels of trust in scientists, and most want researchers to get more involved in policymaking, finds a global survey with more than 70,000 participants. But trust levels are influenced by political orientation and differ among nations, according to the study, which was described in a preprint…. Across all participants, the average trust score was moderately high, at 3.62 [on a scale of 1-5]. On a global scale, participants perceived scientists as having high competence, moderate integrity and benevolent intentions…. Three-quarters of people agreed that scientific methods are the best way to find out whether something is true…. [Study author] Liu thinks that there needs to be more training for scientists who want to enter
policymaking, and that many researchers need to improve their communication skills, ‘so we’re ready for that rough and tumble arena of public policy’. The study found that 80% of people think researchers should communicate about science with the general public.”

If You Are in a Hurry
* Read The Monitor ([link removed]) on calls for more pandemic funding in Uganda.
* Read MedPage Today ([link removed]) on promising new data on an Ebola vaccine.
* Read Washington Post ([link removed]) on changing COVID isolation guidelines in the US.
* Read a press release ([link removed]) from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security on a new Playbook for Addressing Health Misinformation and find the playbookhere ([link removed]) .
* Read DW ([link removed]) on the spreading Cholera crisis in Southern Africa.
* Read CIDRAP ([link removed]) on increased risk of heart attacks after COVID among PLWHIV.

Call from Ugandan Activists for More Pandemic Funding

The Monitor ([link removed]) (Uganda) reports, “Uganda's profile as a hotspot for emerging and re-imaging infectious diseases requires adequate preparation to counter any outbreaks, failure of which could leave the country in a vicious cycle of attacks, health advocates have warned. Activists “called on the government to strengthen public health care and fund the functionality and institutionalization of the public health emergency operations center as well as the national institute for public health, which will be in charge of coordinating prevention of outbreaks, and the national one health.”

WHO’s Tedros Highlights Need for Pandemic Treaty

Gulf News ([link removed]) (UAE) reports, “The director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday issued a stark warning about the looming threat of a next pandemic during his speech at the World Governments Summit 2024 in Dubai and asked countries to deliver the ‘Pandemic Agreement’ to contain future outbreaks efficiently…. Despite some progress, including enhanced surveillance and vaccine production, he pointed out that the world remains ill-prepared for future pandemics. ‘The painful lessons we learned are in danger of being forgotten, as attention turns to many other crises confronting our world. But if we fail to learn those lessons, we will pay dearly next time. And there will be a next time. History teaches us that the next pandemic is a matter of when not if,’ said Dr Tedros.”

Health Policy Watch ([link removed]) (Switzerland) reports, “After months of protesting about the lack of space for civil society in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) pandemic agreement negotiations, the Pandemic Action Network (PAN) is hosting two community meetings next week – and it expects member states to show up and listen…. ‘Groups from across civil society have worked hard to create opportunities for civil society organisations’ (CSO) voices to be heard by the INB negotiators to the pandemic agreement, including for next week – what we need is a cast-iron guarantee from member states that they will show up, listen and consider incorporating civil society asks into the agreement,’ says Eloise Todd, PAN’s executive director and co-founder.”

Encouraging Data for Ebola Vaccine

MedPage Today ([link removed]) (US) reports, “Vaccination with the Ebola Zaire vaccine (rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP; Ervebo) was associated with a significantly lower risk of death in patients with confirmed Ebola disease, even for those vaccinated shortly after exposure to the virus, a retrospective analysis found. Among patients admitted to Ebola health facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the unadjusted case fatality rate (CFR) was 25.1% for vaccinated patients compared with 56.2% for unvaccinated patients (P<0.0001).… ‘Our evidence reinforces the importance of vaccinating populations who are at risk of exposure to Ebola virus as early as possible during outbreaks to reduce the risk of infection and severe complications of Ebola virus disease, including death,’ the authors wrote.’” Read the study in The Lancet Infectious Disease ([link removed](23)00819-8/abstract) .

US CDC Considers Changing COVID Isolation Guidelines

Washington Post ([link removed]) (US) reports, “Americans who test positive for the coronavirus no longer need to routinely stay home from work and school for five days under new guidance planned by the [US CDC]…. The agency is loosening its covid isolation recommendations for the first time since 2021 to align it with guidance on how to avoid transmitting flu and RSV, according to four agency officials and an expert familiar with the discussions…. The CDC plans to recommend that people who test positive for the coronavirus use clinical symptoms to determine when to end isolation. Under the new approach, people would no longer need to stay home if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication and their symptoms are mild and improving, according to three agency officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions.”

New Resource for Responding to Health Misinformation

A press release ([link removed]) from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security describes a new Playbook for Addressing Health Misinformation. “The playbook takes a hands-on approach to help public health practitioners, medical professionals, and health communicators recognize and respond to health-related rumors and misinformation. It provides detailed tools, checklists, templates, and examples written in plain language to support users…. The playbook’s guidance is organized into stages: Prework: Actions to take before rumors arise, Step 1: Decide whether to address the rumor, Step 2: Take action to address misinformation, and Step 3: Evaluate anti-misinformation messages.” Find the playbookhere ([link removed]) .

Understanding More about Zoonotic Viral Spillover and Spillback

An explainer in the AMA Journal of Ethics (Zoonotic%20Viral%20Spillover%20and%20Spillback) (US) tackles zoonotic spillover and spillback. “Since the 1990s, multiple infectious diseases have “spilled over” from nonhuman animals to infect humans and cause significant global morbidity and mortality. Despite efforts to detect and respond to such threats, surveillance and mitigation efforts have been criticized as ineffective. This article describes what ‘spillover’ and ‘spillback’ events are…”

International Media Highlights Southern African Cholera Outbreaks

The Telegraph ([link removed]) (UK) reports, “Lusaka is at the epicentre of Zambia’s cholera outbreak, which has been raging since October of last year. Medical centres across the city are filling up with patients, with local health authorities overwhelmed by the surge in demand…. Health experts say cholera typically kills one percent of people it infects, but the death rate in Zambia, one of the world’s poorest countries, has reached 3.6 percent. In total, 600 people have died so far. The last major outbreak, from October 2017 to June 2018, killed 114. ‘The unprecedented rate of cases and deaths is terrifying,’ said Machinda Marongwe, the programme director of Oxfam in Southern Africa. ‘The outbreak is spiraling into an uncontrollable health crisis.’”

DW ([link removed]) (Germany) reports, “The cholera crisis has engulfed southern Africa. As cases surge across Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a lack of clean water and sanitation continue to threaten lives…. In response to the escalating health crisis, leaders of the intergovernmental organization the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have devised a collective strategy to combat cholera. They have pledged to increase investment in water and sanitation infrastructure in the region. ‘The public health crisis plaguing our region poses a serious threat to sustainable development and the well-being of our peoples,’ said Angolan President Joao Loureco, who currently chairs the rotating presidency of SADC. ‘Cholera knows no borders and requires a regional approach to address it,’ Loureco added. In a virtual summit, SADC leaders agreed to provide efficient waste
management and a sustainable supply of clean water. They also recognized that at least 40 percent of the region's population lacked access to safe water.

New RSV Vaccine in US a Victim of the Vaccine Wars

Politico ([link removed]) (US) reports uptake of the vaccine has been low. “The latest data from the CDC shows that only 16 percent of eligible pregnant people got vaccinated. Among the over 60 population, it was just over one in five. And among babies and eligible young children, the uptake was ‘low,’ the CDC said…. But while clinicians and health groups are more alert to the threats, much of the population is so distrustful of public health and medicine — inside or outside of government — that any assertions of safety immediately get sucked into the conspiracy vortex. The attack against RSV immunization during this first season wasn’t at Covid vaccine proportions, but it is out there…. Ultimately fighting disinformation comes down to trust. Trust is what a lot of the malevolent messengers are trying to destroy, and trust is what the public health, scientific and clinical worlds have to rebuild. That’s a resource even more
valuable than the smarter, faster, better tools being developed to combat misinformation and disinformation.”

“Staggering” Numbers of Measles Cases Globally

NPR’s Goats and Soda Blog ([link removed]) (US) reports, “Measles is on the rise around the world, and even experts who saw it coming say the increase is ‘staggering.’…. ‘We're going to see outbreaks any time we have an accumulation of people who haven't been vaccinated,’ says Cyndi Hatcher, unit lead for measles elimination in the African Region at the CDC. ‘When you have immunization disruptions, measles is always going to be one of the first epidemics that you see.’ Low-income countries continue to have the lowest vaccination rates – five sub-Saharan African countries have rates below 50% for the first dose. ‘Measles is called the inequity virus for good reason. It is the disease that will find and attack those who aren't protected,’ says Dr. Kate O'Brien, WHO director for immunization, vaccine and biologicals.”

Fungal Infections Growing; New Drugs Needed

NBC News ([link removed]) (US) reports, “In recent years, the potential danger fungal infections pose to human health has become more and more apparent, as fungi either evolve to evade treatments or spread beyond their typical geographical regions. Doctors around the world are desperate for new medicines to combat the growing threat…. It takes about 25 years to develop a new antifungal drug, and a similarly long time to create a new fungicide [for plants], [researcher] Van Rhijn said. Scientists have so far identified only a handful of viable molecular targets in fungal cells, and they’re often the same target used in both antifungal drugs and fungicides.”

A Power Imbalance in Global Health Research

Oluwafemi Atanda Adeagbo, Brenda Yankam and Engelbert Bain Luchuo write in The Conversation ([link removed]) (Australia), “researchers from the Global South – countries in the regions of Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Oceania with limited resources and a lower standard of living – face challenges that impede effective mentorship…. Hierarchical relationships, especially those between people from the Global North and Global South, are not mutually beneficial or fair. Based on our personal experiences and research as public health researchers, statisticians and social scientists, we believe that cultural humility and equitable partnerships are key to effective global health projects. Scholars from the Global North and Global South can learn from each other. Decolonizing mentorship in global health, or addressing the historical power imbalances
between researchers from the Global North and Global South, can help advance global health for all.”

COVID and Heart Attack Risk Among PLWHIV

CIDRAP ([link removed]) (US) reports, “A large study in Spain finds that COVID-19 is associated with a 30% increased risk of major cardiovascular events in people with HIV during the year following infection. The study is published in Clinical Microbiology and Infection…. COVID-19 was associated with a 30% increased subsequent risk of CVE (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 1.55). Risk was highest in the 6 months following acute infection, and there was no association with COVID-19 severity and subsequent CVE, suggesting that even mild to moderate infections increased the risk. Read the study in Clinical Microbiology and Infection ([link removed](24)00064-8/abstract) .

US-China Science Pact Renewal in Question

Nature ([link removed]) (UK) reports, “China and the United States will once again probably delay the renewal of a decades-old pact to cooperate on science and technology. The two nations have been negotiating for the past six months, but need more time to settle new terms and conditions requested by both sides…. Many researchers in the United States and China say that the agreement is crucial to establishing scientific collaborations and building strong research relationships between the two nations. They worry that science will suffer in both countries if the pact is not renewed….

High Number of Preprints Set to Continue

The COVID pandemic brought an explosion of preprint articles as researchers raced to share data and information to respond to the pandemic. Nature ([link removed]) (UK) reports, “Now it seems a high proportion of these scientists are likely to continue the practice…. Of the survey respondents who reported receiving feedback on their preprints, 21.2% said they had made substantial changes to their discussion and conclusions sections….”
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