Elsevier

Vaccine

Volume 39, Issue 45, 29 October 2021, Pages 6595-6600
Vaccine

Short communication
Supporting National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups in the WHO European Region in developing national COVID-19 vaccination recommendations through online communication platform

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.09.034Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Abstract

National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups are groups of multi-disciplinary experts that provide scientific advice to policy makers to enable them to make informed immunization policy and programme decisions. NITAGs faced challenges using their routine approach to develop recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. In response, the WHO Regional Office for Europe (Regional Office), with the support of the Robert Koch Institute, developed an innovative approach of a series of webinars, provision of materials, and remote technical assistance to address these challenges. Polls conducted during webinars were used to tailor future webinars and evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. According to poll results, 76% of participants found the webinars and resources shared very useful in their work on COVID-19 vaccination. The Regional Office plans to build further upon the scope of online communication and establish a regional online platform for NITAGs to further support NITAGs and build capacity.

Keywords

NITAG
Capacity building
Communication platform
Prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination
Evidence-based recommendations
Immunization

Abbreviations

WHO
World Health Organization
Region
WHO Region for Europe
NITAG
National Immunization Technical Advisory Group
MoH
Ministry of Health
Regional Office
WHO Regional Office for Europe
ETAGE
European Technical Advisory Group of Experts
SAGE
Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization
NIP
National Immunization Programme
SYSVAC
global registry of systematic review on vaccination
GACVS
Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety
HI
High Income
UMI
Upper Middle Income
LMI
Lower Middle Income
LI
Low Income
GNN
Global NITAG Network

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