Welcome to the eighth issue of Vaccines Beat! We are excited to continue our mission of communicating, educating, and promoting knowledge in the fields of vaccinology and vaccination.
In our “Coffee with an Expert” section, we are delighted to feature an interview with Prof. Steven Black. With over 30 years of experience, Prof. Black has been the principal investigator for numerous studies, including the CDC-funded multinational SOMNIA project, which evaluated the risk of narcolepsy following adjuvanted 2009 pandemic influenza vaccines. He also founded the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center and served as Co-Director from 1985 to 2007. Currently, he leads the CEPI-funded BRAVE project, which aims to establish background rates for potential vaccine adverse events in Africa, and serves as the Meta DSMB lead for the CEPI-funded SPEAC project.
Our dialogue began with a focus on vaccination against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). However, in a rich environment of science, academia, and human insight, our discussions expanded to cover a range of other fascinating topics, each promising to be insightful and engaging.
In the “Editor’s Corner,” we explore the ongoing and concerning Yellow Fever outbreak in Brazil, examining whether the recommended fractionated vaccine dose remains effective in light of reported cases in vaccinated individuals.
In the “Best Practice” section, we provide a comprehensive analysis of polio outbreaks and the WHO’s strategic rollout of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in March 2021 under Emergency Use Listing (EUL).
In the “Guest Contributor” section, the Americas Health Foundation offers an insightful overview on the importance of dengue surveillance, reporting and regulation.
As always, this issue features carefully curated and up-to-date information on the latest scientific publications, along with the most important news and alerts.
We hope you find this February issue informative and engaging, and we look forward to continuing our unique efforts in support of a healthier planet.
