#COVAX

[ricisidro]

Pakistan will get 200,000 doses of #Pfizer’s new #COVID19 #vaccine from US and additional 300,000 more doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine from #COVAX as the new JN.1 variant spreads. The COVID-19 jabs would be used to vaccinate high-risk groups.

#Omicron #JN1

https://www.geo.tv/latest/525298-pakistan-likely-to-get-updated-pfizer-covid-shots-as-new-variant-spreads

[gofitnesspro]

How to keep yourself safer and protected from the new COVID-19 Variant XBB.1.5 of 2023?

New COVID-19 Variant XBB.1.5 What is XBB.1.5? The New COVID-19 variant XBB.1.5 was discovered for the first time in the US in New York in October 2022. It is a recombinant or hybrid virus subvariant, which means it consists of two strains, in this case, two descendants of the Omicron BA.2 sub lineage. The XBB.1.5 variation features a mutation that virologists think makes the virus more capable…

[howdoesone]

How does one ensure equitable access to vaccines globally?

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of equitable access to vaccines as a global health imperative. Ensuring that vaccines are available to all individuals, regardless of their geographical location or socioeconomic status, is crucial for controlling the spread of infectious diseases and achieving global health security. This article explores the challenges in achieving equitable…

[witch-of-the-writing-desk]

Just watched a clip from American Dad the episode that Stan got stuck in the TV and my hazbin Hotel brain rot activated and I thought it could be a good premise to a fiction idea. Vox uses his old TV set to steal souls from the mortal world and if they want to escape from his show they have to make a deal.

When I watched the clip I found out the host character was named Alistair Covax. And when people interrupt his show he turns into this and kills them

I'm going to leave a link the wiki and the clip

https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Alistair_Covax

https://youtu.be/qxtUJdaucnc?si=fNbXc_CVVFg3RJZR

[darkmaga-returns]

Using 2019 as the last “typical year,” Super Sally compares the Vital Statistics data for births and deaths during 2023 for the Philippines.

“New readers may be shocked at the excess mortality in 2021, which started only in March of that year,” she writes.  However, “I believe that the 2021 mortality and birth data was throttled in early 2022, and the devastation of 2021 will likely be hidden forever.”

Adding the number of fewer births and the number of excess deaths for the years 4 years 2020 to 2023, Super Sally calculates that there is an “unrealized population” of 1.285 million; people who likely should have been living and contributing to the population, but are not.

The Philippines Civil Registration System is responsible for collecting and maintaining vital statistics, including births, marriages, and deaths. The data is obtained from vital events registered at the appropriate Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrar throughout the country and subsequently submitted for encoding to the Office of the Civil Registrar General through the Provincial Statistical Offices of the Philippine Statistics Authority (“PSA”).

On a yearly basis, the PSA publishes a report on these vital statistics called the Vital Statistics Report (“VSR”).  The VSR relating to the year 2023 was published on 7 November 2024.

The Philippines’ mass COVID-19 vaccination program was initiated in March 2021. While there were a few COVID “vaccine” brands used in the Philippines, it is the Jannsen injection supplied by COVAX that seems to have been the most deadly.

“This is not to say other injectables were not deadly and causative of excess deaths, just that Janssen drove those excess deaths to a new devastating high!” Super Sally writes.

[hearthfire-heartfire]

get your updated covid booster while you still can.

sad they give tissue boxes plastic labia folds but no clitoris

[brightlotusmoon]

Remember when Chris Pine turned into a monster and ate Fred Savage in front of Richard Kind?

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazilian-developed vaccine against Covid-19 registered by Anvisa

The new vaccine against Covid-19 developed by the Brazilian company Zalika Farmacêutica has been entered into the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) this week, Agencia Brasil reported. The drug can be used in people aged 12 and over and is to be administered in two doses, 21 days apart, with boosters after 6 months for those over 18 years of age.

The technology used in the Zalika vaccine is called “recombinant” because its molecules are formed by combining two different sources. In this case, the protein S antigen (spike) -capable of promoting a response from the immune system- and the saponin-based adjuvant allow the mixture to enhance the production of antibodies. This form of production brings greater safety to the pharmaceutical industry, Anvisa explained in a statement.

The new immunizer is the sixth to receive definitive individual registration from Anvisa, in addition to Comirnaty Ipfizer/Wyeth, Comirnaty bivalent (Pfizer), Janssen Vaccine (Janssen-Cila), Oxford/Covishield (Fiocruz and Astra-Zeneca) and Spikevax bivalent vaccines have received this type of authorization. Pfizer/Biontech, Astra-Zeneca, Janssen, Moderna, Sinopharm, and Sinovac also have definitive registration in the form of the Covax Facility consortium.

Continue reading.

[dapurinthos]

an underworld (under-temple) ADVENTURE moment aka me rubbing my hands together in utter glee at getting to write the sith shrine below the temple. no, not the shrine in the depths that everyone thinks was the sith temple that's been purified. the one below that. the one that's seeping darkness upward through coruscant.

The first thing to draw the eye is the fire. It flickers and glows in a circle atop what looks like a pedestal formed out of the bedrock. It looks like the beginning of a stalagmite, only the base remaining while the higher rock, and more, has been removed to create an imitation of a natural formation. Its top is too regular to be one, below that circle of red flame that does not touch its surface. Red is a normal fire colour. It’s the coldest part of a flame. But that red leans toward orange, which it turns into as the fire gets hotter. These flames are red in an unnatural way that only underlies the screaming from the object they circle: a cluster of kyber similar in form to the healing crystals kept under lock and key by the Circle of Jedi Healers but on a scale that far outpaces theirs. Its facets reflect the flames in such a way that it looks like something inside the crystal is dancing. The kyber is just as red and just as terrible as the soundless flames surrounding—containing? Trapping?—it. If it remains in the kyberite druse it was formed in, that lies below the surface of whatever the shorn rock holds in its basin. It shimmers as well, reflecting its companions liquidly. It’s all red. All blood. Not the kind most people are familiar with, venous blood that’s dark from losing oxygen, the kind that gets drawn out at you at the doctor’s. This is the red of the artery, bright and almost unreal, plastic-y, in its colour. A Sith’s kyber crystal is described as bloodshine for a reason. I stare at this one and swear that I can see it throbbing like a heart laid bare after being carved free. It kicks at something at the back of my mind, a rabbit’s foot thumping the ground in warning of something older and darker than anything that even Lene has seen in her explorations.

picking up the clone wars sketches for the unmade sith shrine arc, adding in lady covax's fortress on mustafar (which looks like it was inspired from those concept sketches), the wellspring of the force planet, & momin's cave (which i actually didn't look at until after deciding the 'wellspring' coming out of the ground like a scooped-out stalagmite).

[ultrajaphunter]

Emergency injunction and tribunal order was served to WHO and all Criminal Defendants

BREAKING NEWS:

Emergency injunction and tribunal order was served to WHO and all Criminal Defendants listed below to immediately cease and desist a criminal conspiracy to commit war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity and to arrest and incarcerate these criminal defendants.

All Constitutional law enforcements officers worldwide are being served starting with Interpol and constitutional law enforcements in everyone of the 194 member nations under Writs of Mandamus ordering them to carry out their duties to arrest and incarcerate these criminal codefendants for unlawful and Genocidal acts in connection with the WHO Pandemic preparedness response and changes to the international health regulations.

Tribunal Writs of Mandamus is defined as:

“The lawful term writ of mandamus refers to an order by a court to a lesser government official to perform an act required by law, which he has refused or neglected to do.

This type of court order is a remedy that may be sought if a governmental agency, public authority, or corporation in service of the government, fails or refuses to do its public or statutory duty.”

This has been ordered by the Tribunal Under Articles 6 (Genocide) and 7 (Crimes Against Humanity) of the International Criminal Code.

List of Criminal Defendants 2009-2023 Lockstep Vaccination Genocidal Pandemic Criminal Co-conspiracy, including and not limited to individually and collectively:

Bill and Melinda Gates individually and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

World Health Organization (WHO) and Officers, Directors, Employees, and Agents Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus WHO Director General, Anthony Stephen Fauci.

World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab and Officers, Directors, Employees, and Agents. Michael Bloomberg, David Rockefeller Jr, Warren Buffett, George Soros, Ted Turner, Oprah Winfrey, Rockefeller Foundation, Global Business Network (GBN), Peter Schwartz, Chairman GBN.

Convicted Vaccination Genocidal Pandemic and Neural Monitoring Governmental Executive Defendants: Xi JinPing, General Secretary of the Communist Party.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation. Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America. Joseph R. Biden 46th President of the United States of America.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel. Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK. Matt Hancock, UK Secretary of State for Health.

The Crown Corporation and any and all of its Subsidiaries including and not limited to Serco. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada. Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia. Jacinda Arden, Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Stefan Löfven Prime Minister of Sweden. Minister of Heath Lena Hallengren. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.

Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron, President of France. Edouard Phillipe, Prime Minister of France.

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany.

António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations Organization.

European Union, and President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. President of the Parliament, David Sassoli. President of the European Council, Charles Michel. Michael Ryan, WHO CEO's at GCHQ-UK, NSA-USA and Bilderberg Group, all CEOs, Monarchies, and Members.

Convicted Defendant Pandemic Vaccine Programs: Global Alliance Vaccine Initiative [GAVI], The Vaccine Alliance, including and not limited to its Pandemic Vaccine Program.

Pandemic Vaccine Program United States of America, Operation Warp Speed and successor Pandemic Vaccine Program.

World Health Organization COVAX, Pandemic Vaccine Program. Pandemic Vaccine Program People's Republic of China, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control.

Russian Federation, Rospotrebnadzor.

Convicted Genocidal Vaccination Entities: Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, The Pirbright Institute.

02/24/23 Judge Pascal Najadi:

They will all be arrested as soon as possible, Military and law enforcement worldwide are preparing for this to happen. Godspeed.

[ricisidro]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jun Isidro (@rcisidro)

Negotiations with #COVAX for about 2 million #bivalent vaccine doses against #COVID19 are ongoing, said Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa today June 21, 2023.

#Philippines #DOH

[azspot]

There’s no denying Gates was subject to conspiracies, including that he was putting microchips in Covid vaccines and might be a lizard person. But there was also righteous anger aimed at him for opposing an effort to waive intellectual property (IP) rights on the vaccines so more companies could manufacture them and sell them at much lower cost to increase access in the Global South. Gates pushed the COVAX initiative, claiming it would get vaccines to low-income countries despite the IP rules, that largely failed and actively spread misinformation in the media about the ability of other facilities around the world to manufacture Covid vaccines. He was accused of enabling vaccine apartheid. That was no conspiracy theory, but you won’t hear anything about that in the series. According to its narrative, all the anger he faced was based on misinformation.

Gates-washing the future

[health-views-updates]

Ethical Sourcing in the Vaccine Industry: Building a Sustainable Future

The global vaccine market is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years, driven by continuous innovations, government initiatives, and rising awareness about the importance of immunization. According to a recent report vaccine market revenue is poised to expand at a remarkable pace, supported by increasing demand for preventive healthcare measures and the growing prevalence of infectious diseases worldwide.

Rising Incidences of Infectious Diseases Boost Vaccine Demand

In recent years, the world has witnessed a surge in the prevalence of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, influenza, and measles, which has highlighted the urgent need for effective vaccines. Governments and healthcare organizations across the globe are ramping up their efforts to ensure mass immunization, thereby propelling the vaccine market forward. Initiatives such as the World Health Organization's (WHO) Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) have been instrumental in increasing vaccine coverage, especially in developing nations.

Get Free Sample Report@ https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/2903 

Technological Innovations Enhance Vaccine Development

Technological advancements in vaccine development are another major factor driving the growth of the market. Innovations such as mRNA vaccines, viral vector-based vaccines, and recombinant subunit vaccines have opened new avenues for the development of safe and effective vaccines. The success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic has showcased the potential of these new technologies, leading to increased investments in research and development. Companies are now focusing on developing vaccines for a wide range of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, and HIV, beyond the traditional infectious diseases.

Increased Government Funding and Public-Private Partnerships

Governments across various countries are taking active measures to ensure the availability and accessibility of vaccines. Increased funding, subsidies, and favorable regulatory policies are encouraging pharmaceutical companies to invest in vaccine research. Public-private partnerships have also played a crucial role in accelerating vaccine development, manufacturing, and distribution. For example, initiatives like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and COVAX have helped streamline the process of vaccine distribution to low- and middle-income countries, ensuring equitable access to life-saving vaccines.

Expanding Scope of Vaccines: From Prevention to Therapeutics

Traditionally, vaccines have been associated primarily with the prevention of infectious diseases. However, recent developments indicate a shift toward therapeutic vaccines, which are designed to treat existing conditions. Therapeutic vaccines are gaining traction for their potential to treat chronic diseases such as cancer, allergies, and autoimmune disorders. This expansion in the scope of vaccines is expected to further drive the growth of the market, offering new opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to explore.

North America Leads the Market, Asia-Pacific Emerges as a Key Growth Region

Geographically, North America holds a dominant position in the global vaccine market, attributed to the presence of leading pharmaceutical companies, robust healthcare infrastructure, and high awareness about immunization. The United States, in particular, has been at the forefront of vaccine research and development, with companies like Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson leading the way.

Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to witness substantial growth over the forecast period, fueled by rising healthcare expenditure, expanding population, and increasing government initiatives to promote immunization programs. Countries like China, India, and Japan are investing heavily in vaccine development and are emerging as key players in the global market.

Key Players in the Vaccine Market

The vaccine market is characterized by the presence of several established players, including GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Sanofi, Merck & Co., and Moderna. These companies are continuously engaging in strategic collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions to expand their product portfolio and strengthen their market position. The competitive landscape of the vaccine market is dynamic, with companies focusing on innovations to develop vaccines that are not only effective but also easy to manufacture and distribute on a global scale.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite the promising growth, the vaccine market faces challenges such as regulatory hurdles, high development costs, and the need for extensive clinical trials to ensure safety and efficacy. Moreover, vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to achieving high immunization coverage rates worldwide. However, ongoing awareness campaigns, coupled with advancements in vaccine technologies, are expected to address these challenges over time.

The future of the vaccine market looks promising, with continuous innovations and strategic partnerships paving the way for the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and chronic conditions. As the world continues to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of vaccines in safeguarding global health has never been more evident.

About Us

SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world.

Contact Us Akash Anand – Head of Business Development & Strategy info@snsinsider.com Phone: +1-415-230-0044 (US) | +91-7798602273 (IND)

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[industryforecastnews]

Vaccine Market To Reach USD 110.54 Billion By 2030

Vaccine Market Growth & Trends

The global vaccine market size is expected to reach USD 110.54 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.74% from 2024 to 2030. The growth is attributed to the rising immunization programmes, and the development of vaccines for diseases, such as RSV and Chlamydia amongst others. There has been significant progress in improving access to vaccines for diseases of public health concern. Many new vaccines have been developed and distributed globally, resulting in the saving of countless lives and the prevention of various illnesses.

Furthermore, there are several initiatives in the vaccine market aimed at improving access to vaccines, developing new vaccines, and ensuring vaccine safety. These initiatives involve international organizations, governments, private sector entities, and philanthropic organizations. Through collaboration and innovation, these initiatives are helping to address global health challenges and improve public health outcomes. For instance, COVAX is a global initiative aimed at ensuring equitable access to COVID vaccines. The initiative is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Although there are over 90 vaccine manufacturers supplying vaccines to World Health Organization Member States in 2021, supply remains highly dependent on fewer than 10 manufacturers with diverse deployable technology and global reach. This concentration leads to regional supply insecurity and market health issues, particularly in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions. It is anticipated that the COVID vaccine market could go private in the second half of 2023 in the U.S. This privatization may lead to an increase in prices of COVID vaccines and open up the market for other players as well. For instance, both Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech have announced that the prices of their respective mRNA COVID vaccines could increase to around USD 110 to USD 130 per shot.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/vaccine-market

Vaccine Market Report Highlights

By type, the mRNA segment dominated the vaccine market with a share of 32.32% in 2023. However, the subunit vaccine segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period

By route of administration, the parenteral administration is anticipated to capture the majority of the vaccine market share throughout the forecast period. Parenteral administration reduces the risk of contamination compared to other routes of administration thus contributing to the segments’ dominance

By disease indication, the viral diseases segment captured the largest share of the vaccine market in 2023, majorly attributed to the high distribution of COVID-19 vaccines during 2021 and 2022

By age, pediatrics is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period, as many countries have established national immunization programs that require children to receive certain shots as part of routine childhood vaccinations

By distribution channel, pharmacies are anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment. This growth can be attributed to the increased accessibility and convenience for patients, and the potential for increased revenue and profitability for pharmacies

North America region is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. The region is dominated by a few key players, including Pfizer, Moderna, Sanofi Pasteur, and Merck. These companies have a strong presence in the market, with established distribution networks and significant investment in vaccine research and development

Vaccine Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global vaccine market on the basis of type, route of administration, disease indication, age group, distribution channel, and region

Vaccine Type Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Subunit Vaccines

Recombinant vaccines

Conjugate Vaccines

Toxoid vaccines

Inactivated

Live Attenuated

mRNA vaccines

Viral vector vaccines

Vaccine Route Of Administration Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Oral

Parenteral

Nasal

Vaccine Disease Indication Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Viral Diseases

Hepatitis

Influenza

HPV

MMR

Rotavirus

Herpes Zoster

Covid-19

Others

Bacterial Vaccines

Meningococcal Diseases

Pneumococcal diseases

DPT

Others

Cancer Vaccines

Allergy Vaccines

Vaccine Age Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Pediatric

Adult

Vaccine Distribution Channel Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Hospital & Retail Pharmacies

Government Suppliers

Others

Vaccine Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

North America

U.S.

Canada

Europe

Germany

UK

France

Italy

Spain

Denmark

Sweden

Norway

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Thailand

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Argentina

Middle East & Africa

South Africa

Saudi Arabia

UAE

Kuwait

List of Key Players in the Vaccine Market

Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.

Seqirus

Sanofi

GSK Plc.

Merck & Co., Inc.

Pfizer Inc.

Moderna Inc.

Sinovac

BioNTech SE

AstraZeneca

Browse Full report: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/vaccine-market

[schoje]

A Comissão Parlamentar de Inquérito (CPI) da Pandemia do Senado ouve, nesta terça-feira (18), o ex-ministro das Relações Exteriores Ernesto Araújo, sétimo a falar ao colegiado. Desde as 9h30 da manhã, Araújo tem respondido a perguntas sobre a condução da diplomacia brasileira durante a pandemia, com foco na relação do Brasil com a China e nas negociações para compras de vacina. O ex-ministro negou que tenha causado qualquer atrito com a China “antes ou durante a pandemia” e que isso tenha dificultado a aquisição de vacinas para o Brasil. “Não entendo nenhuma declaração que eu tenha feito em nenhum momento como antichinesa. Houve determinados momentos em que, como se sabe, por notas oficiais, o Itamaraty, eu tomei a decisão, nós nos queixamos de comportamentos da Embaixada da China ou do embaixador da China em Brasília, mas não houve nenhuma declaração que se possa qualificar como antichinesa. Não há nenhum impacto de algo que não existiu”, declarou. Segundo Ernesto Araújo, o Itamaraty acompanhou os trâmites burocráticos dos insumos para as vacinas, mas não foi identificada nenhuma correlação entre atraso dos insumos e declarações do governo brasileiro. Saída do governo Ao falar de sua saída do posto de chanceler brasileiro, ocorrida em março deste ano, o diplomata disse que o fato não teve qualquer relação com a questão das vacinas. “Certamente não foi a questão de vacinas, como foi falado. O presidente manifestou que havia surgido, a partir de determinados fatos, dificuldades que poderiam dificultar o relacionamento, especificamente com o Senado e diante disso me pediu que colocasse a disposição o cargo, o que eu fiz”, afirmou. Araújo afirmou que ainda em 2020 o Ministério das Relações Exteriores (MRE) já havia instruído postos diplomáticos brasileiros a prospectar estudos no exterior, sempre em parceria com a pasta da Saúde, com a qual tinha bom relacionamento, seja a gestão de Luiz Henrique Mandetta, sejam as de Nelson Teich e Eduardo Pazuello. Estados Unidos Perguntado se declarações do governo brasileiro mal recebidas pela China tinham a ver com um alinhamento à política internacional norte-americana de Donald Trump, Ernesto Araújo disse que não. Ainda sobre o governo Trump, disse que o que houve foi uma "aproximação", mas que a relação não trouxe benefícios à imunização de brasileiros visto que os Estados Unidos proibiram a exportação de vacinas. De acordo com Araújo, com Joe Biden na Presidência dos Estados Unidos, houve mudança de ênfase por parte do governo americano, mas havia contato estreito e frutífero com o novo governo, para rearmar a relação a partir das novas prioridades do governo americano. Cloroquina O relator Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL) pediu explicações ao diplomata sobre a aquisição de hidroxicloroquina pelo governo brasileiro. O ex-ministro disse que em março de 2020 havia uma expectativa de que houvesse eficácia com o uso da cloroquina, não só no Brasil, mas no mundo. “Os estoques de cloroquina baixaram e ajudamos a viabilizar. É um remédio necessário, usado para outras doenças crônicas, e o estoque havia baixado”, explicou. Covax Facility Sobre a decisão do Brasil de obter o equivalente a 10% da população brasileira de doses de vacinas pelo consórcio internacional Covax Facility – iniciativa da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para o fornecimento de imunizantes para o mundo –, o diplomata relatou que houve uma reunião na Casa Civil para analisar a entrada do Brasil no grupo. Segundo Araújo, partiu do Ministério da Saúde a decisão sobre a porcentagem de doses, que poderia ter sido de até 50%. “Jamais fui contra [o consórcio internacional], o Itamaraty esteve atento desde abril de 2020, assim que o Covax tomou forma, em julho, assinei carta para o gestor do consórcio dizendo que o Brasil tinha interesse em entrar. O contrato ficou pronto em setembro e assinamos naquele momento”, disse Araújo. O contrato resultou na aquisição de 2,9 milhões de doses de vacinas para os brasileiros.

[warningsine]

Immunisation is considered one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives each year, and benefiting the health of the wider community through herd immunity.

Yet, there is as much reason to worry as to celebrate. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world witnessed a strong disruption in routine immunisation, leading to an increase in outbreaks of diphtheria, measles, polio, and yellow fever in over 100 countries. On the one hand, this can be explained by challenges with the supply of vaccines and the reduced availability of healthcare workers due to confinement policies, illness, and the diversion of activities to COVID-19.

But declining confidence in vaccines also played a role. Indeed, vaccine hesitancy, the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate, is a key barrier to immunisation and a major threat to global health.

Some make the case that vaccine demand can be actively promoted through communication campaigns. While there is a large body of evidence on what and how to communicate, less is known about who should communicate.

Recent studies from the US suggest that the public vaccination of high-profile politicians may boost vaccine confidence.

But systematic information on such vaccine role modelling is lacking. And it’s unclear to what extent results apply in different settings.

In a recently published study we set out to close these gaps.

We used the Democratic Republic of Congo as our case study. Vaccine confidence strongly declined in this country during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is acause for concern, as Africa is already lagging behind the rest of the world in achieving universal vaccination coverage.

Our focus was to understand the extent to which the vaccination of a president in public view increased vaccine uptake.

We concluded from our findings that it does, but under two conditions. Firstly, citizens must see the president as trustworthy. And secondly, the president’s vaccination must be communicated as widely as possible and include parts of the country or communities where there is low media access.

Where these two conditions aren’t met, vaccinating public village leaders or respected older adult community members might be a more effective approach to increasing vaccine uptake.

Presidents and vaccines

We found that around the world, 168 out of 173 leaders explicitly supported the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, 139 leaders (80%) made their own COVID-19 vaccination public and 108 leaders (78% of those vaccinated) distributed a picture or video of their vaccination.

President Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC received his COVID-19 vaccine live on Congolese television on 13 September 2021.

Vaccination rates in the country were low. By March 2022, only 5.7% of the population had received at least one vaccine dose, and just 1.03% were fully vaccinated. A number of factors were behind these low numbers:

low confidence in COVID-19 vaccines

a combination of limited healthcare services, poor transport infrastructure, and concerns about the safety of the AstraZenica vaccine, making the DRC unable to use most of the 1.7 million vaccine doses it received under the global Covax scheme for poorer countries

broader governance issues, including rampant corruption and political instability.

DR Congo is ranked near the bottom of the Human Development Index, occupying place 180 out of 193 countries. This indicates low levels of health, education and income. Our research took place in the country’s east, which has been plagued by violence for over two decades.

In addition, the region was facing an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease when COVID-19 hit.

Within this context, we analysed the potential of President Tshisekedi to act as a vaccine ambassador and influence COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

In September 2021, we conducted a survey with 600 people in six villages of Lubero territory, in the province of North Kivu. Lubero is a remote and mostly rural area with poor public infrastructure and little access to media or news outlets. COVID-19 vaccines were not yet available in the study area.

Our survey started before Tshisekedi got vaccinated.

We asked: “Let’s assume a vaccine against coronavirus was available for you; would you take it?”.

While 98% of respondents said they had vaccinated their children against diseases such as tuberculosis, polio or measles, only 22% indicated they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine.

From answers to open questions we learned that this mismatch can largely be explained by respondents’ general lack of trust in the COVID-19 vaccine and its efficacy, and the fear of potentially mortal side-effects.

We further found low levels of institutional trust. Only 17% of respondents indicated they trusted the president when asked to what extent they believed he represented the best interests of the Congolese population.

Respondents also reported low phone ownership and access to media. In the week prior to the survey, 91% of respondents did not watch television and 57% did not listen to the radio.

Prior to asking about COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, a random third of respondents received the prompt: “Assume the president, Félix Tshisekedi, were to take the vaccine live on television”.

We measured the impact of this prompt by comparing respondents’ stated vaccine acceptance to that of a randomly selected control group and found that trust moderated the results. For those who reported trusting the president, we found that the survey experiment boosted vaccine acceptance by 25 percentage points. Instead, for those who mistrusted the president, vaccine acceptance was lower among those who saw the prompt, by 6 percentage points.

To our surprise, the president got publicly vaccinated while our survey was in progress. Given low media access in our study region, only 18% of those interviewed after the broadcasting of Tshisekedi’s vaccination reported being aware of it. When comparing respondents with similar socio-economic profiles, access to media and levels of trust, we found that being aware of the president’s vaccination increased vaccine acceptance by 20 percentage points.

Policy implications

Our findings highlight that to serve as a vaccination model:

the leader should be perceived as trustworthy by citizens

the vaccination should be widely communicated.

When trust in national leaders is lacking, or news on their actions is inaccessible, other leaders might be more effective in boosting vaccine acceptance.