Ebola Vaccine Faces Real-Time Effectiveness Test With The World Watching
“Today marks a turning point in how we deal with Ebola. We are moving from a strategy of containment to one of offering communities protection and care,” WHO official Peter Salama said of the new vaccine. However, even as scientists celebrate, real challenges stand in the way of success.
The Washington Post:
New Ebola Vaccine Faces Major Test In Congo Outbreak
Authorities in Congo began an ambitious campaign this week to use a pioneering Ebola vaccine to help stem a growing outbreak of the deadly virus. It’s the first widespread use of the therapeutic since a devastating 2014 epidemic in West Africa and represents a major strategic shift for public health. World Health Organization officials, criticized for their slow response four years ago, began vaccinating health workers in affected areas Monday and plan to vaccinate about 1,000 people in the next week. More than 7,500 doses have been sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and an additional 8,000 doses will be available in the coming days, according to WHO. (Sun, 5/22)
Stat:
Excitement Over Use Of Ebola Vaccine Tempered By Real-World Challenges
The start of a vaccination program this week in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a first in an Ebola outbreak, was a cause for a mini celebration in research and outbreak response circles. But there are challenges ahead in the real-world use of the vaccine, warned the head of the global health organization that is funding the vaccination effort. Successful use of the vaccine requires response planners and vaccination teams to hit the right notes on several challenging communications messages, said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a public-private partnership that assists developing countries with immunization programs. (Branswell, 5/23)
The Associated Press:
WHO Says 9 Nations Mobilize To Prevent Possible Ebola Spread
The World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa says the agency is accelerating efforts with nine countries neighboring Congo to try to prevent the spread of the current Ebola outbreak beyond its borders. Matshidiso Moeti says teams are being deployed to assess preparedness and “immediate next steps” include boosting capacity-building, training and resource mobilization. The top two priority countries are Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo, near the epicenter of the outbreak. In the Republic of Congo, for example, WHO is working with government officials “to stop functioning” an active market on its side of the Congo River. (Keaten, 5/23)
The Hill:
US To Contribute Up To $7 Million To Fight Ebola Outbreak
The U.S. will contribute up to $7 million to fight an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced Tuesday. Azar made the announcement in Switzerland at the World Health Assembly, the decisionmaking body of the World Health Organization (WHO), while urging other member states to contribute to "ensure we defeat this outbreak." (Hellmann, 5/22)
