COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Adolescents in Africa: Aligning our Priorities to Situational Realities (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaymarlin Govender
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Vaccine Coverage ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
High Income ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
African Continent ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Vaccines For Children ◽  
The Impact

UNSTRUCTURED The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa is unparalleled. Most countries within Africa are facing major challenges vaccinating their populations. Lack of sufficient doses of COVID-19 vaccines, weaknesses in health infrastructure, and vaccine hesitancy are contributing to low vaccination rates among the adult population on the continent. In contrast, most high-income countries and some middle-income countries have already vaccinated more than half of their adult population and have started vaccinating children and adolescents (CA). Without sufficient COVID-19 vaccine coverage on the African continent, the prolonged social, economic, and health impacts of this public health crisis are likely to exacerbate pre-existing social-structural issues in this part of the world. In this paper, we highlight trends in SARS-CoV-2 infections among CA, compare COVID-19 vaccination patterns in Africa to high income countries, and discuss some of the benefits, challenges, and unknowns associated with vaccinating CA for COVID-19. In light of ongoing COVID-19 vaccine supply challenges and the slow progress that the African continent is making towards vaccinating the adult population, we suggest that the immediate priority for Africa is to accelerate COVID-19 vaccinations among the adult population and vulnerable CA (i.e., those who are immunocompromised and/or living with comorbidities). Accelerating the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and rapidly achieving high levels of vaccination coverage in the adult population will free up capacity to vaccinate CA sooner rather than later.

Vaccine Coverage Across the Life Course in Michigan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: January–September 2020

2021 ◽  
pp. e1-e9
Author(s):  
Angela K. Shen ◽  
Cristi A. Bramer ◽  
Lynsey M. Kimmins ◽  
Robert Swanson ◽  
Patricia Vranesich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Vaccination Coverage ◽  
Vaccine Coverage ◽  
Childhood Vaccination ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Immunization Registry ◽  
Immunization Services ◽  
Vaccines For Children ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
The Impact

Objectives. To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immunization services across the life course. Methods. In this retrospective study, we used Michigan immunization registry data from 2018 through September 2020 to assess the number of vaccine doses administered, number of sites providing immunization services to the Vaccines for Children population, provider location types that administer adult vaccines, and vaccination coverage for children. Results. Of 12 004 384 individual vaccine doses assessed, 48.6%, 15.6%, and 35.8% were administered to children (aged 0–8 years), adolescents (aged 9–18 years), and adults (aged 19–105 years), respectively. Doses administered overall decreased beginning in February 2020, with peak declines observed in April 2020 (63.3%). Overall decreases in adult doses were observed in all settings except obstetrics and gynecology provider offices and pharmacies. Local health departments reported a 66.4% decrease in doses reported. For children, the total number of sites administering pediatric vaccines decreased while childhood vaccination coverage decreased 4.4% overall and 5.8% in Medicaid-enrolled children. Conclusions. The critical challenge is to return to prepandemic levels of vaccine doses administered as well as to catch up individuals for vaccinations missed. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print October 7, 2021: e1–e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306474 )

scholarly journals Capital account opening and economic growth——an empirical test based on systematic GMM

2021 ◽  
Vol 235 ◽  
pp. 01019
Author(s):  
Siming Jia
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
High Income ◽  
Capital Account ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
National Differences ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

This paper collected panel data of 74 countries from 1990 to 2017, and based on the Chinn-It index to depict the degree of capital account opening. Under the framework of the neoclassical economic growth model, the impact of capital account opening on economic growth was empirically tested by systematic GMM. The results show that: first, taking the overall capital account openness as the explanatory variable, the coefficient of the capital account openness of the whole sample is significantly positive. Further, considering the national differences found that high income countries capital account openness coefficient is significantly positive, but in low and middle-income countries capital account openness coefficient on economic and statistical significance were not significant, indicating that high income countries made open dividends, while in low and middle-income countries and earnings in the capital account liberalization. Finally, it proposes to open the capital account sub-projects step by step, strengthen prudent supervision in the process of further opening the capital account, and improve the regulatory legal system.

scholarly journals Temporal trends in the cardiorespiratory fitness of children and adolescents representing 19 high-income and upper middle-income countries between 1981 and 2014

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 478-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant R Tomkinson ◽  
Justin J Lang ◽  
Mark S Tremblay
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Polynomial Regression ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
High Income ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
International Trends ◽  
Health Related

ObjectiveTo estimate international and national temporal trends in the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of children and adolescents and to examine relationships between temporal trends in CRF and temporal trends in broad socioeconomic and health-related indicators across countries.MethodsData were obtained from a systematic search of studies that explicitly reported 20 m shuttle run test (a validated measure of CRF) descriptive data on apparently healthy individuals aged 9–17 years. Following the estimation of relative peak oxygen uptake (mL/kg/min) as a measure of CRF, sample-weighted temporal trends were estimated at the country–sex–age level using best-fitting linear or polynomial regression models relating the year of testing to mean CRF. Poststratified population-weighted mean changes in absolute and per cent CRF were estimated. Pearson’s correlations were used to describe the association between linear temporal trends in CRF and linear temporal trends in broad socioeconomic and health-related indicators.ResultsTemporal trends were estimated from 965 264 children and adolescents from 19 high-income and upper middle-income countries between 1981 and 2014, using data from 137 studies. Collectively, there was a moderate decline in CRF of 3.3 mL/kg/min (95% CI −3.5 to −3.1), equivalent to a decline of 7.3% (95% CI −7.8% to −6.7%) over the 33-year time period. This international decline diminished with each decade and stabilised near zero around 2000. The decline was larger for boys than girls and was similar for children and adolescents. Trends also differed in magnitude and direction between countries, with most showing declines. There was a strong negative association between country-specific trends in income inequality (Gini index) and trends in CRF across 18 countries; meaning, countries approaching income equality had more favourable trends in CRF.ConclusionsThere has been a substantial decline in CRF since 1981, which is suggestive of a meaningful decline in population health. However, the international trend in CRF has not followed the anticipated trajectory, diminishing and stabilising with negligible change since 2000. CRF data are needed from children in low-income and middle-income countries to more confidently determine true international trends and determine whether temporal trends are similar to those observed in high-income and upper middle-income countries.

scholarly journals COVID-19, Governance, and Conflict: Emerging Impacts and Future Evidence Needs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siân Herbert ◽  
Heather Marquette
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Public Health ◽  
High Income ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Social ◽  
Global Nature ◽  
Bodies Of Evidence ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

This paper reviews emerging evidence of the impact of COVID-19 on governance and conflict, using a “governance and conflict first” approach in contrast to other research and synthesis on COVID-19 in the social sciences that tends to be structured through a public health lens. It largely focuses on evidence on low- and middle-income countries but also includes a number of examples from high-income countries, reflecting the global nature of the crisis. It is organised around four cross-cutting themes that have enabled the identification of emerging bodies of evidence and/or analysis: Power and legitimacy; Effectiveness, capacity, and corruption; Violence, unrest, and conflict; and Resilience, vulnerability, and risk. The paper concludes with three over-arching insights that have emerged from the research: (1) the importance of leadership; (2) resilience and what “fixing the cracks” really means; and (3) why better ways are needed to add up all the “noise” when it comes to COVID-19 and evidence.

scholarly journals Demographics of Vaccine Hesitancy in Chandigarh, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abram L. Wagner ◽  
Abigail R. Shotwell ◽  
Matthew L. Boulton ◽  
Bradley F. Carlson ◽  
Joseph L. Mathew
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Childhood Immunization ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Universal Immunization Program ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Scheduled Castes ◽  
Systematic Sample ◽  
Childhood Vaccines ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

The impact of vaccine hesitancy on childhood immunization in low- and middle-income countries remains largely uncharacterized. This study describes the sociodemographic patterns of vaccine hesitancy in Chandigarh, India. Mothers of children <5 years old were sampled from a two-stage cluster, systematic sample based on Anganwadi child care centers in Chandigarh. Vaccine hesitancy was measured using a 10-item Vaccine Hesitancy Scale, which was dichotomized. A multivariable logistic regression assessed the association between socioeconomic factors and vaccine hesitancy score. Among 305 mothers, >97% of mothers thought childhood vaccines were important, effective, and were a good way to protect against disease. However, many preferred their child to receive fewer co-administered vaccines (69%), and were concerned about side effects (39%). Compared to the “other caste” group, scheduled castes or scheduled tribes had 3.48 times greater odds of vaccine hesitancy (95% CI: 1.52, 7.99). Those with a high school education had 0.10 times the odds of vaccine hesitancy compared to those with less education (95% CI: 0.02, 0.61). Finally, those having more antenatal care visits were less vaccine hesitant (≥4 vs. <4 visits OR: 0.028, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.76). As India adds more vaccines to its Universal Immunization Program, consideration should be given to addressing maternal concerns about vaccination, in particular about adverse events and co-administration of multiple vaccines.

scholarly journals Habits of Food Consumers in the Post COVID Era

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
María Aránzazu Sulé Alonso ◽  
Tea Rushit ◽  
Elvira Delgado-Márquez
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Food Supply Chain ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Impact

Humankind has faced various pandemics in history. The food supply chain is one of the foremost vital sectors of the economy, and COVID-19 has had a clear bearing on it from the field to the consumer. In the light of recent challenges in the food supply chain, there is currently considerable concern regarding food production, processing, distribution, and demand. COVID-19 resulted in the movement restrictions of staff, changes in the demands of consumers, closure of food production facilities, restrictive food trade policies, and monetary pressures in the food supply chain.  This study describes the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis on people’s interests, opinions, and behaviour towards food. Additionally, an online questionnaire (Spanish population, n = 232) studied the changes in food shopping habits during the pandemic. To try to cover the whole Léon territory and reach the greatest number of persons through mobile phones, tablets, and computers, the questionnaire was created using the Google Forms tool and distributed using instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp, social media such as Facebook and Twitter, social networking sites such as LinkedIn and ResearchGate, and email through snowball sampling. The statistical analysis was carried out under the SPSS programme. The results are presented in the form of means and distributions. The differences between subgroups have been evaluated using student’s t-test. The level of statistical significance used in all cases was p < 0.05. This study is focused on evaluating changes in food consumption habits of the Spanish adult population throughout the COVID-19 lockdown. The study is supported by a web-based survey targeting the adult general population. From this study, we are able to conclude that the studied Spanish adult population is extremely close to from having good healthy dietary habits, considering the Mediterranean Diet as a reference of healthy uptake. An improvement of dietary behaviours throughout the COVID-19 confinement has been discovered. Health-related food selections involved increased intake of fruits, vegetables, and legumes and decreased intake of red meat, alcohol, fried foods, or pastries compared to their pre-pandemic habits.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of mucosal and cutaneous human papillomavirus (HPV) types among children and adolescents in the general population in Germany

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Loenenbach ◽  
Michael Pawlita ◽  
Tim Waterboer ◽  
Thomas Harder ◽  
Christina Poethko-Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Hpv Vaccination ◽  
Serological Response ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Representative Data ◽  
Hpv Types ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hpv 1

Abstract Background In Germany, HPV vaccination of adolescent girls was introduced in 2007. Nationally representative data on the distribution of vaccine-relevant HPV types in the pre-vaccination era are, however, only available for the adult population. To obtain data in children and adolescents, we assessed the prevalence and determinants of serological response to 16 different HPV types in a representative sample of 12,257 boys and girls aged 1–17 years living in Germany in 2003–2005. Methods Serum samples were tested for antibodies to nine mucosal and seven cutaneous HPV types. The samples had been collected during the nationally representative German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents in 2003–2006. We calculated age- and gender-specific HPV seroprevalence. We used multivariable regression models to identify associations between demographic and behavioral characteristics and HPV seropositivity. Results We found low but non-zero seroprevalence for the majority of tested HPV types among children and adolescents in Germany. The overall seroprevalence of HPV-16 was 2.6%, with slightly higher values in adolescents. Seroprevalence of all mucosal types but HPV-6 ranged from 0.6% for HPV-33, to 6.4% for HPV-31 and did not differ by gender. We found high overall seroprevalence for HPV-6 with 24.8%. Cutaneous HPV type seroprevalence ranged from 4.0% for HPV-38 to 31.7% for HPV-1. In the majority of cutaneous types, seroprevalence did not differ between boys and girls, but increased sharply with age, (e.g., HPV-1 from 1.5% in 1–3-years-old to 45.1% in 10–11-years-old). Associations between behavioral factors and type-specific HPV prevalence were determined to be heterogeneous. Conclusions We report the first nationally representative data of naturally acquired HPV antibody reactivity in the pre-HPV-vaccination era among children and adolescents living in Germany. These data can be used as baseline estimates for evaluating the impact of the current HPV vaccination strategy targeting 9–14-years-old boys and girls.

scholarly journals Dynamic Linkages Among Energy Consumption, Environment and Health Sustainability: Evidence from the Different Income Level Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 004695802097522
Author(s):  
Yongqi Feng ◽  
Ren Liu ◽  
Yung-ho Chiu ◽  
Tzu-Han Chang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Income Level ◽  
High Income ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health Efficiency

Environment pollution was closely related to human health. The energy consumption is one of the important sources of environmental pollution in the development of economy. This paper used undesirable two-stage meta-frontier DDF (distance difference function) data envelopment analysis model to explore the impact of environment pollutants from energy consumption on the mortality of children and the aged, survival rate of 65 years old and health expenditure efficiency in 27 high income countries, 21 upper middle income countries, and 16 lower middle income countries from 2010 to 2014. High income countries had higher efficiency of energy and health than middle income countries in general. But whether in high income or middle income countries, the efficiency of non-renewable energy is higher than renewable energy. There was much room for both high income countries and middle income countries to improve renewable energy efficiency. Besides, middle income countries need to improve the efficiency of non-renewable energy and reduce pollutant emissions per unit of GDP. In terms of health efficiency, upper middle income countries performed worse than lower income countries. This phenomenon might indicate there was a U-shaped relationship between health efficiency and income level. Upper income countries should pay more attention to the environmental and health problems and cross the U-shaped turning point. The contribution of this article was to consider the heterogeneous performance of energy efficiency, environmental efficiency, and health efficiency under the influence of income level differences, and found that there might be a U-shaped relationship between health efficiency and income level.

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