Notice

Sharing WHO statement on the 10th meeting of the IHR (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the COVID-19 pandemic

2022-02-04

Sharing WHO statement on the 10th meeting of the IHR (2005)
Emergency Committee regarding the COVID-19 pandemic

The tenth meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the COVID-19 pandemic took place on Jan 13 via videoconference. IPK CEO Dr. Youngmee Jee participated in the meeting as one of the 18 members of the Emergency Committee, who gathered to evaluate and configure modifications to global pandemic response strategies.

Agendas addressed at the tenth meeting included ▲harmonization of national and global response efforts within the context of the synchronous outbreaks of Omicron variant of concern (VOC), ▲drivers for emergence of new VOCs and differences in the characteristics of Delta and Omicron VOCs and their respective lineages, ▲evolution of SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies as well as accessibility and affordability of medical countermeasures, ▲vaccination strategies and the use of heterologous vaccine combinations, ▲the challenges to maintain continued community buy-in for public health and social measures (PHSM) after two years of the pandemic and the risk of overly optimistic statements regarding the state of the pandemic, ▲increasing levels of threat and concerns about personal safety faced by frontline responders, advisors and leaders of the pandemic response, ▲focus of response efforts on a combination of suppression of transmission and mitigation of severe outcomes, and ▲the need for an on-going integrated One Health approach to SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, research, and response efforts.

>> WHO’s Official Statement (Click Here)

In particular, the Committee was concerned about the reaction of States Parties in implementing blanket travel bans, which are not effective in suppressing international spread and may discourage transparent and rapid reporting of emerging VOC.

The Committed also expressed deep concern that countries not eligible for the COVAX Facility Advance Market Commitment (AMC) are experiencing challenges affording COVID-19 vaccines and noted the challenges posed by the high prices of certain therapeutics and the lack of equity in access. The Committee urged WHO to continue its work with the pharmaceutical sector to address barriers to access and affordability, by expanding tiered pricing, voluntary license agreements and other approaches to increase access to vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tests.

While current vaccines continue to be effective in reducing risk of severe disease and death due to COVID-19, they do not completely eliminate the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (all variants). A coordinated global strategy is critical for assuring protection of high-risk populations everywhere, with particular focus in countries that have low vaccination rates, especially those with a rate below 10%.

To derive the optimal vaccination strategy for reducing infection, morbidity and mortality, the Committee stressed the importance of coordinating research on heterologous vaccine combinations, considering also the natural immunity following infection, and the need for manufacturers to produce and share the relevant data. In addition, the Committee noted the importance of expediting research and development on novel vaccine technologies.

The current vaccination technology is dependent on syringes which are in limited supply, presenting a significant logistical and programmatic burden. Rapid development of alternative vaccine formulations, such as intranasal vaccines, could increase the ease of delivery in low resource and/or hard to reach areas. In particular, the Committee emphasized the need for continued work on vaccines that confer broader immunity across variants and acknowledged the work of other WHO technical advisory groups such as the STAG-IH, TAG-CO-VAC, and SAGE.

The Committee recognized the challenges in sensitivity and quality posed by the multitude of existing SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests, and the lack of appropriate approval for some of their uses. It stressed that continued coordination amongst States Parties is needed to ensure availability and use of high-quality rapid antigen tests in all countries for an effective global response to the pandemic.

At the 10th meeting, the Committee issued the following temporary recommendations to each States Parties.

Temporary Recommendations to States Parties

1. MODIFIED: Continue to use evidence-informed public health and social measures, therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccines for COVID-19, and to share response experiences with WHO. States Parties are advised to regularly adjust their response strategies by monitoring their epidemiological situation, assessing their vulnerabilities including their health system capacity, as well as considering the adherence to and attributable impact of individual and combined PHSM.

2. MODIFIED: Take a risk-based approach to mass gathering events by evaluating, mitigating, and communicating risks. Recognizing that there are different drivers and risk tolerance for mass gatherings and mass migrations, and the particular challenges for fragile and vulnerable States Parties, it is critical to consider the epidemiological context (including the prevalence of variants of concern and the intensity of transmission), surveillance, contact tracing and testing capacity, as well as adherence to PHSM when conducting this risk assessment in line with WHO guidance.

3. MODIFIED: Achieve the WHO call to action to have at least 70% of all countries’ populations vaccinated by the start of July 2022 and integrate COVID-19 vaccination into routine health services. In accordance with advice from SAGE and WHO interim statements, States Parties are requested to share vaccine doses to increase global equity and to use a stepwise approach to vaccination, prioritizing those at highest risk from COVID-19, considering an evidence-informed use of booster vaccination, and taking into account evolving data on population level immunity. To enhance vaccine uptake, States Parties are encouraged to assess enablers and barriers to vaccination. Vaccination programmes should continue to prioritize vulnerable populations, including health workers, older people, people with underlying conditions, immunocompromised individuals with insufficient access to treatment, migrants, refugees, people living in fragile settings, sea farers, and air crews.

4. MODIFIED: Enhance surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and continue to report to WHO to enable rapid identification, tracking, and evaluation of variants and continued monitoring of the pandemic’s evolution and its control. States Parties should strengthen systems to collect and publicly share indicators to monitor the burden of COVID-19, such as hospitalization rates, severe disease, and excess mortality. States Parties are particularly encouraged to increase efforts to increase detection of infections in individuals where variants of interest and variants of concern may emerge. States Parties should strengthen mechanisms to link individual-level clinical, vaccination and genomic data to facilitate assessment of the impact of and vaccine effectiveness against VOC. States Parties should leverage and enhance existing systems such as the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), as well as other national, regional, and global networks to integrate respiratory disease surveillance and prioritize monitoring circulation of SARS-CoV-2, relative proportions of SARS-CoV-2 variants, and circulation of other co-circulating respiratory viruses, including influenza.

5. MODIFIED: States Parties should ensure that there is sufficient surge capacity for critical SARS-CoV-2 clinical care and post COVID-19 condition, and for the maintenance of essential health services, and should plan for the restoration of health services at all levels with sufficient funding, supplies, and human resources. States Parties should enhance access to health for all by strengthening health and social systems to cope with the impacts of the pandemic, especially on children.

6. MODIFIED: Lift or ease international traffic bans as they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress experienced by States Parties. The failure of travel restrictions introduced after the detection and reporting of Omicron variant to limit international spread of Omicron demonstrates the ineffectiveness of such measures over time. Travel measures (e.g. masking, testing, isolation/quarantine, and vaccination) should be based on risk assessments and avoid placing the financial burden on international travelers in accordance with Article 40 of the IHR.

7. EXTENDED: Do NOT require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for international travel as the only pathway or condition permitting international travel given limited global access and inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. State Parties should consider a risk-based approach to the facilitation of international travel by lifting or modifying measures, such as testing and/or quarantine requirements, when appropriate, in accordance with the WHO guidance.

8. MODIFIED: Recognize all vaccines that have received WHO Emergency Use Listing and all heterologous vaccine combinations as per SAGE recommendations, including in the context of international travel. States Parties are also requested to support research to derive the optimal vaccination strategy for reducing infection, morbidity and mortality.

9. MODIFIED: Address community engagement and communications gaps and challenges posed by infodemics at national and local levels to reduce COVID-19 transmission, counter misinformation and threats to frontline workers, and improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, where applicable. This will require reinforcing messages that a comprehensive public health response is needed, including the continued use of PHSM alongside increasing vaccination coverage. Given the rapidly evolving situation and to promote trust and adherence, States Parties should explain clearly and transparently the rationale for the changes of policies and PHSM, with a view to balance risks and benefits of such changes. These communications need to be tailored to different population groups, including those considered as most vulnerable.

10. MODIFIED: Support timely uptake and monitoring of WHO recommended therapeutics by addressing challenges with accessibility and appropriate use. Local production and technology transfer can contribute to global equitable access to therapeutics. States Parties are advised to establish COVID-19 therapeutics resistance monitoring systems, using appropriate testing strategies and strengthening their surveillance system. In addition, States Parties are requested to support pharmacovigilance cohort studies and reporting systems to detect adverse events following administration of new therapeutics.

11. NEW: Conduct epidemiological investigations of SARS-CoV-2 transmission at the human-animal interface and targeted surveillance on potential animal hosts and reservoirs. Real time monitoring and data sharing on SARS-Cov-2 infection, transmission and evolution in animals will assist global understanding of the virus epidemiology and ecology, the potential for evolution of new variants in animal populations, their timely identification, and assessment of their public health risks.

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