JAC24

• In order to account for the effects of Omicron and the high population-level protection brought on by infection and vaccination, SAGE revised the roadmap for prioritising COVID-19 vaccines.
• The World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) revised the strategy for arranging the use of COVID-19 vaccines after its March 20–23 meeting to account for Omicron's effects and the high population-level immunity received by infection and immunization all around the world. _[1][2]
• The COVID-19 immunization for individuals at lesser risk, especially healthy children and adolescents, is now taken into account by the roadmap when compared to other health treatments.
• Moreover, updated advice on extra booster dosages and booster intervals is included in the roadmap.The current COVID-19 vaccines' potential to reduce post-COVID problems is also taken into account; however, the data for how much of an influence they have varies[3].
• Government that already have an additional booster should assess the changing requirements in light of the cost-effectiveness, opportunity coasts, and illness burden at the national level. SAGE updated its recommendations for the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines using this tactic, and it now strongly advises governments to take into accounts employing the BA.5 bivalent mRNA vaccines for the first series everywhere in the world.[4]

Summery

The World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) revised the roadmap for prioritising COVID-19 vaccines to account for the effects of Omicron and the high population-level immunity received by infection and vaccination. The roadmap now takes into account the immunisation for individuals at lesser risk, updated advice on extra booster dosages and booster intervals, and the potential to reduce post-COVID problems. SAGE also updated its recommendations for the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines and strongly advises governments to take into account employing the BA.5 bivalent mRNA vaccine for the first series everywhere in the world.

Bibliography

1. // Today’s Clinical Lab. 2023. https://www.clinicallab.com/sage-updates-covid-19-vaccination-guidance-27159. (Accessed April 3, 2023)

2. // SAGE updates COVID-19 vaccination guidance. 2023. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-03-2023-sage-updates-covid-19-vaccination-guidance. (Accessed April 3, 2023)

3. // StackPath. https://www.mlo-online.com/disease/infectious-disease/article/53055839/sage-updates-covid19-vaccination-guidance. (Accessed April 3, 2023)

4. // Today’s Clinical Lab. 2023. https://www.clinicallab.com/sage-updates-covid-19-vaccination-guidance-27159. (Accessed April 3, 2023)