ABSTRACT
1988, the World Health Assembly committed to eradicate poliomyelitis, a viral disease that can cause permanent paralysis. Today, only type 1 of the three wild poliovirus types remains circulating in limited geographic areas following widespread use of different poliovirus vaccines. While we are close to zero new cases of wild polio, it is a fragile situation, and there are many remaining and new hurdles to overcome. Here, experts discuss how to address them.
Subject(s)
Poliomyelitis , Poliovirus Vaccines , Poliovirus , Humans , Poliomyelitis/epidemiology , Poliomyelitis/prevention & control , Global Health , Disease EradicationSubject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines , Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Coronavirus/immunology , Viral Vaccines , Animals , COVID-19/prevention & control , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/transmission , Global Health , Humans , Viral Zoonoses/epidemiology , Viral Zoonoses/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Examination of the vaccine strategies and technical platforms used for the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of those used for previous emerging and reemerging infectious diseases and pandemics may offer some mutually beneficial lessons. The unprecedented scale and rapidity of dissemination of recent emerging infectious diseases pose new challenges for vaccine developers, regulators, health authorities and political constituencies. Vaccine manufacturing and distribution are complex and challenging. While speed is essential, clinical development to emergency use authorization and licensure, pharmacovigilance of vaccine safety and surveillance of virus variants are also critical. Access to vaccines and vaccination needs to be prioritized in low- and middle-income countries. The combination of these factors will weigh heavily on the ultimate success of efforts to bring the current and any future emerging infectious disease pandemics to a close.