CDC's COVID-19 International Vaccine Implementation and Evaluation Program and Lessons from Earlier Vaccine Introductions.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports international partners in introducing vaccines, including those against SARS-CoV-2 virus. CDC contributes to the development of global technical tools, guidance, and policy for COVID-19 vaccination and has established its COVID-19 International Vaccine Implementation and Evaluation (CIVIE) program. CIVIE supports ministries of health and their partner organizations in developing or strengthening their national capacities for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of COVID-19 vaccination programs. CIVIE's 7 priority areas for country-specific technical assistance are vaccine policy development, program planning, vaccine confidence and demand, data management and use, workforce development, vaccine safety, and evaluation. We discuss CDC's work on global COVID-19 vaccine implementation, including priorities, challenges, opportunities, and applicable lessons learned from prior experiences with Ebola, influenza, and meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine introductions.

Assessing Information Available for Health Professionals and Potential Participants on Lung Cancer Screening Program Websites: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated recommendations for lung cancer screening in 2021, adjusting the age of screening to 50 years (from 55 years) and reducing the number of pack-years used to estimate total firsthand cigarette smoke exposure to 20 (from 30). With many individuals using the internet to find health care information, it is important to understand what information is available for individuals contemplating lung cancer screening. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the eligibility criteria and information available on lung cancer screening program websites for both health professionals and potential screening participants. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional analysis of 151 lung cancer screening program websites of academic (n=76) and community medical centers (n=75) in the United States with information for health professionals and potential screening participants was conducted in March 2021. Presentation of eligibility criteria for potential screening participants and presence of information available specific to health professionals about lung cancer screening were the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included presentation of information about cost and smoking cessation, inclusion of an online risk assessment tool, mention of any clinical guidelines, and use of multimedia to present information. RESULTS: Eligibility criteria for lung cancer screening was included in nearly all 151 websites (n=142, 94%), as well as age range (n=139, 92.1%) and smoking history (n=141, 93.4%). Age was only consistent with the latest recommendations in 14.5% (n=22) of websites, and no websites had updated smoking history. Half the websites (n=76, 50.3%) mentioned screening costs as related to the type of insurance held. A total of 23 (15.2%) websites featured an online assessment tool to determine eligibility. The same proportion (n=23, 15.2%) hosted information specifically for health professionals. In total, 44 (29.1%) websites referred to smoking cessation, and 46 (30.5%) websites used multimedia to present information, such as short videos or podcasts. CONCLUSIONS: Most websites of US lung cancer screening programs provide information about eligibility criteria, but this is not consistent and has not been updated across all websites following the latest USPSTF recommendations. Online resources require updating to present standardized information that is accessible for all.

Nationwide introduction of HPV vaccine in Zimbabwe 2018-2019: Experiences with multiple cohort vaccination delivery.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for girls aged 9-14 years for cervical cancer prevention and encourages vaccinating multiple cohorts in the first year to maximize impact. The HPV vaccine was introduced nationwide in Zimbabwe in 2018 through a 1-week school-based campaign to multiple cohorts (all girls 10-14 years old), followed by a single cohort (grade 5 girls in school and age 10 girls out-of-school) in 2019. During the 2019 campaign, the multiple cohort's second dose was concurrently delivered with the single cohort's first dose. We interviewed national-level key informants, reviewed written materials, and observed vaccination sessions to document HPV vaccine introduction in Zimbabwe and identify best practices and challenges. Key informants included focal persons from government health and education ministries, in-country immunization partners, and HPV Vaccine Strategic Advisory Group members. We conducted a desk review of policy/strategy documents, introduction plans, readiness reports, presentations, and implementation tools. Vaccination sessions were observed in three provinces during the 2019 campaign. Key informants (n = 8) identified high cervical cancer burden, political will, vaccine availability, donor financing, and a successful pilot program as factors driving the decision to introduce the HPV vaccine nationally. The school-based delivery strategy was well accepted, with strong collaboration between health and education sectors and high community demand for vaccine identified as key contributors to this success. Challenges with transitioning from a multiple age-based to single grade- and age-based target population as well as funding shortages for operational costs were reported. Zimbabwe's first multiple cohort, school-based HPV vaccination campaign was considered successful-primarily due to strong collaboration between health and education sectors and political commitment; however, challenges vaccinating overlapping cohorts in the 2019 campaign were observed. Integration with existing health and vaccination activities and continued resource mobilization will ensure sustainability of Zimbabwe's HPV vaccination program in the future.