ISSUE

: Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a SAR-2-COV vaccine will likely be one of the most effective solutions to ease the spread of the virus. However, historical challenges with vaccination strategies for global pandemics (e.g. the 2009 H1N1 pandemic) come into focus. In preparation for the coming SAR-2-COV vaccination, there is a critical need for public health systems to collaborate with the industry and think through an optimal and cost-effective strategy that supports the sustainability of the healthcare system.

OVERVIEW

: This issue panel will bring together stakeholders from public health bodies and industry to discuss the optimal SAR-2-COV vaccination strategy approach for public health systems. Bami Osinowo will moderate the panel and provide an overview of the key challenges and learnings from the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine rollout as well as pose key questions for the panelists to debate: How can public health systems approach their SAR-2-COV vaccination strategy? How do government agencies ensure effective coordination of the SAR-2-COV supply chain? How can government agencies measure the impact of the SAR-2-COV vaccine post-launch? What kind of data, if any, should we collect to assess the effectiveness of the vaccinations and inform future decisions? What will be the most cost-effective initial strategy between vaccinating the entire population and vaccinating high-risk groups (e.g. the elderly) or groups more likely to spread the disease (e.g. <25 years of age)? How do external factors influence the cost-effectiveness of each strategy (e.g. supply chain issues, current economic crisis, etc.)? Mark Joinnides will represent the manufacturer perspective, offering insights on the unique challenges of developing and scaling a SAR-2-COV vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hernan Rosenberg will represent the global public health perspective and discuss the vaccination strategies that have been historically successful / unsuccessful as well as any proposals currently being developed for the SAR-2-COV vaccination strategy.