Mumps vaccine hesitancy: Current evidence and an evidence-based campaign in Japan

BACKGROUND

Mumps is still endemic in Japan because mumps vaccination is voluntary. In this study, we investigated associations of parental socioeconomic status, family structure, and knowledge/belief about mumps and mumps vaccine with parental decision to vaccinate their children. We also evaluated effectiveness of a campaign based on survey results.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of parents with children aged 1-6 years attending preschools or kindergartens in Tokamachi City, Japan. We assessed the association of parental factors with their decision to vaccinate their children using multivariable logistic regression analyses. We designed a campaign based on the survey results, and compared the number of annual vaccinations at Tokamachi Hospital per the child population aged 1-6 years in Tokamachi City before and after the campaign using a trend test.

RESULTS

In total, 1391 of 1617 (86%) eligible parents completed the survey. Among these parents, 229 (16%) vaccinated their children. In multivariable analyses, higher parental education [odds ratio (OR) = 2.21; 95% CI, 1.59-3.08; P < 0.001], greater knowledge about mumps and the mumps vaccine (OR = 1.88; 95% CI, 1.60-2.21; P < 0.001), and living without grandparents (OR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.05-1.99; P = 0.024) were significantly associated with parental decision to vaccinate their children. The number of annual vaccinations per the child population significantly increased following the campaign (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our study showed several sociodemographic factors significantly associated with mumps vaccination. Further research is needed to examine the relevance of our findings to the uptake of other voluntary vaccines among children.

When the market got the first dose: Stock volatility and vaccination campaign in COVID-19 period

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the news of clinical trials for vaccines and mass vaccinations have brought renewed optimism for stabilizing the economy and financial markets. However, the mental stress of investors or doubt about the effectiveness of government policies to cope with economic disruptions has caused stock market volatility. We investigate the significance of the vaccination rate in alleviating the global stock market volatility which is measured by the GJR-GARCH model. We discover that a higher vaccine initiation rate has a positive effect on global stock markets, especially in developed countries and areas with higher rates than their average. Our findings remain reliable even when using different projected volatility models and other estimates of the main independent variables. Mass immunization also implies that governments will not have to take extreme measures to handle the pandemic, which alleviates investor worries about compliance and the prolonged effects of COVID-19. Our research indicates that global stock markets are providing insight into the economic value of the development of COVID-19 vaccines, even before public vaccinations start.

Enhanced surveillance for adverse events following immunization during the 2019 typhoid conjugate vaccine campaign in Harare, Zimbabwe

BACKGROUND

During February 25-March 4, 2019, Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Care conducted an emergency campaign using 342,000 doses of typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) targeting individuals 6 months-15 years of age in eight high-risk suburbs of Harare and up to 45 years of age in one suburb of Harare. The campaign represented the first use of TCV in Africa outside of clinical trials.

METHODS

Three methods were used to capture adverse events during the campaign and for 42 days following the last dose administered: (1) active surveillance in two Harare hospitals, (2) national passive surveillance, and (3) a post-campaign coverage survey.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine adverse events were identified during active surveillance, including 19 seizure cases (16 were febrile), 16 hypersensitivity cases, 1 thrombocytopenia case, 1 anaphylaxis case, and two cases with two conditions. Only 21 (54%) of 39 patients were hospitalized and 38 recovered without sequelae. Attack rates per 100,000 TCV doses administered were highest for seizures (6.27) and hypersensitivity (5.02). Only 6 adverse events were reported through passive surveillance by facilities other than the two active surveillance hospitals. A total of 177 (10%) of 1,817 vaccinees surveyed reported experiencing an adverse event during the post-campaign coverage survey, of which 25 (14%) sought care.

CONCLUSIONS

In line with previous evaluations of TCV, enhanced adverse event monitoring during an emergency campaign supports the safety of TCV. The majority of reported events were minor or resulted in recovery without long-term sequelae. Attack rates for seizures and hypersensitivity were low compared with previous active surveillance studies conducted in Kenya and Burkina Faso. Strengthening adverse event monitoring in Zimbabwe and establishing background rates of conditions of interest in the general population may improve future safety monitoring during new vaccine introductions.

Vaccine uptake and constrained decision making: The case of Covid-19

Policy makers require support in conceptualizing and assessing the impact that vaccination policies can have on the proportion of the population being vaccinated against COVID-19. To this purpose, we propose a behavioural economics-based framework to model vaccination choices. We calibrate our model using up-to-date surveys on people attitudes toward vaccination as well as estimates of COVID-19 infection and mortality rates and vaccine efficacy for the UK population. Our findings show that vaccine campaigns hardly reach herd immunity if the sceptics have real-time information on the proportion of the population being vaccinated and the negationists do not change their attitudes toward vaccination. Based on our results, we discuss the main implications of the model's application in the context of nudging and voluntariness versus mandatory rule-based policies.

Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine: need of a reasoned and effective vaccine campaign

Objectives

A strong COVID-19 vaccine campaign is needed to reach the herd immunity and reduce this pandemic infection.

Study design

In the Foch Hospital, France, in February 2021, 451 healthcare workers were vaccinated by a first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.

Methods

Adverse effects were reported to our pharmaco-vigilance circuit, by an online and anonymous questionnaire following the first weeks of the vaccinal campaign to healthcare workers.

Results

Two hundred seventy-four (60.8%) of them reported multiple adverse effects. Main adverse effects reported were feverish state/chills (65.7%), fatigue/physical discomfort (62.4%), arthralgia/muscle pain (61.0%) and fever (44.5%).

Conclusions

On March 2021 many European countries suspended AstraZeneca vaccine for one week due to safety uncertainty. Thus, confidence in its efficacy is undermined. However, the benefit/risk balance is clearly in favor of vaccination.