ATLANTA, Oct. 15, 2024 ~ The Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives (PIVI) has released a series of new research papers in the journal Vaccine, highlighting the crucial role of strong seasonal influenza programs in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. PIVI, an Atlanta-based global health initiative and a key program of The Task Force for Global Health (TFGH), conducted a comprehensive analysis of data from 16 countries and global partners to provide valuable insights towards strengthening influenza vaccination programs worldwide.

According to the World Health Organization, seasonal influenza affects approximately one billion people annually and causes up to 650,000 respiratory deaths each year. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasized the importance of robust respiratory vaccination programs in reducing disease burden and preparing for future health crises.

Dr. Joseph Bresee, who leads PIVI and other teams within TFGH, stated that as the world continues to face novel and recurring global health threats such as smallpox outbreaks, avian influenza A (H5N1) outbreaks, and Ebola outbreaks, the significance of influenza vaccination programs as a mechanism for strengthening national vaccine responses is becoming increasingly evident.

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The research published in Vaccine includes new data from two reviews of Kenya's pediatric influenza vaccination program, which compared year-round versus campaign approaches. These findings provide valuable lessons for countries with year-round influenza circulation on how to establish effective vaccination programs. Additionally, data from the COVID-19 pandemic vaccine response highlights the value of adult influenza programs in improving national pandemic vaccine responses. This adds to previous experiences from the 2009 influenza pandemic and strengthens the argument for investing in influenza vaccination programs as a tool for pandemic readiness.

The research also emphasizes the importance of creating health worker vaccination programs not only for pandemic preparedness but also as a means to increase vaccine recommendation and acceptance among high-risk groups. Furthermore, progress made in vaccination and delivery systems over the last decade has positioned low- and middle-income countries better equipped to combat future pandemics and endemics, thanks to the collaborative efforts of PIVI and its partners.

Dr. Silvia Bino, Director of the Control of Infectious Diseases Department at the Institute of Public Health in Albania and a long-time PIVI partner, shared how their influenza program helped strengthen their COVID-19 response by supporting service delivery, training healthcare workers, and prioritizing risk groups. This highlights the importance of having robust influenza programs in place to efficiently distribute vaccines during a pandemic.

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PIVI was established in 2013 with the aim of protecting communities from the annual impact of influenza while also building critical vaccine delivery systems for future health crises. These programs played a crucial role in the efficient distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2020. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) partnered with TFGH to create the COVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Program (CoVIP). PIVI also collaborates with the World Health Organization and its regional offices to support countries in preparing for influenza and other respiratory pandemic threats by providing ongoing support to Ministries of Health worldwide, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.

The digital media kit for PIVI can be found on their website, and usage should be credited to "Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives." The release of these research papers serves as a reminder of the critical role that strong seasonal influenza programs play in protecting communities from disease burden and preparing for future health crises.

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