Monday, 11 October 2021

Information for Journalists

Outcomes of the regular meeting of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization

At its regular meeting held from 4 to 8 October 2021, SAGE discussed critical topics relating to immunization globally, including the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine, COVID-19 vaccines, polio eradication, influenza vaccine, Hepatitis E vaccine, and vaccine acceptance and uptake.  

Highlights from the meeting can be accessed here.  The full report will be published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record on 17 December 2021 (its wording is considered the final version).

Presentations made during the meeting will be available on the meeting webpage.

A virtual press conference on the outcomes of the SAGE meeting was held on 11 October for journalists accredited with UN Geneva.  The audio file can be downloaded here; it will also be made available on the UN Geneva press conferences webpage

A virtual press conference on the review of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine evidence to inform potential WHO recommendation on broad deployment of a malaria vaccine for children in sub-Saharan Africa was held on 6 October.  The audio file can be downloaded or accessed via weblink; here is the full video file and a video news package

The next regular meeting of SAGE will take place from 5 to 7 April 2022.

Agenda for the SAGE regular from 4 to 8 October 2021 included:

• Global and Regional Reports, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccination on immunization services and the update on COVID-19 Global Vaccine Strategy
• Monitoring IA2030, including a summary of global immunization data, the IA2030 Monitoring and Evaluation baseline from 2019 and the impact of the pandemic in 2020, to provide insights into opportunities and challenges for the decade ahead
• Updates on the current status of the polio eradication programme and the launch of the new polio eradication strategy
• COVID-19 vaccines: a review of clinical and other data on Bharat Biotech COVID-19 vaccine and draft recommendations on its use in priority populations; review of evidence on the need for an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose in immunocompromised individuals; and the review of evidence on the need for an additional homologuous third dose for inactivated COVID-19 vaccines
• Review of updated evidence on feasibility, impact and safety of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine and the proposed recommendations of the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme Advisory Group
• Updates on influenza vaccine, in order to advise on the revision of the global policy on the use of seasonal influenza vaccines and the subsequent update of the WHO position paper on influenza vaccines
• Updates on behavioural and social drivers of vaccine uptake
• New data and recent developments on Hepatitis E vaccines

*************************

What is SAGE?

The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization is the principal advisory group to WHO for vaccines and immunization. It is charged with advising WHO on overall global policies and strategies, ranging from vaccines and technology, research and development, to delivery of immunization and its linkages with other health interventions. SAGE is concerned not just with childhood vaccines and immunization, but all vaccine-preventable diseases.  Further information: https://www.whoint/immunization/policy/sage/en/

Media contacts:
[email protected]

You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list.
If you have been forwarded this update you can click here to subscribe.
Journalists may send feedback to WHO Media Team