The Ebola Vaccine Preparedness Initiative offers a training programme to address the different steps from decision-making to administration of the Ebola vaccine with the overall goal of supporting countries for successful introduction of the Ebola vaccine. The initiative is implemented in collaboration with the University of Nairobi, Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA), Kenya Paediatric Research Consortium (Keprecon) and the Ministry of Health in Kenya.

Below you will find a weekly selection of news and updates related to Ebola virus disease and Ebola vaccines and other relevant papers or videos.  

Weekly updates

Week of 12/04/2021

The Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization (22-24 March 2021) discussed the use of the Ebola Vaccines. Three issues were addressed by SAGE: (1) Potential recommendation for off- label use; (2) Potential recommendation on the preventive use of Ebola vaccines; and (3) Potential recommendations on the strategies to ensure equitable and fair access to Ebola vaccines.

Read the highlights from the SAGE recommendations here.

Week of 29/03/2021

Importance of vaccination of contacts of Ebola virus disease survivors.
Doshi RH et al. Vaccination of contacts of Ebola virus disease survivors to prevent further transmission. The Lancet Global Health Dec 2020; 8.

Read more on the safety and immunogenicity of the two available Ebola vaccines:
Pollard AJ et al. Safety and immunogenicity of a two-dose heterologous Ad26.ZEBOV and MVS-BN-Filo Ebola vaccine regimen in adults in Europe (EBOVAC2): a randomized, observer-blind, participant-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial. Lancet Infect Dis 2021 ; 21.

Bache BE et al. Safety, immunogenicity and risk-benefit analysis of rVSV Ebola vaccine in phase 1-3 clinical trials across regions. Future Microbiology 2020; 15 (2). 

Week of 22/03/2021

Learn more on Ebola virus vaccines:
Venkatraman N et al. Vaccines against Ebola virus. Vaccine 2018: 36.

One of the Ebola vaccines uses a heterologous vaccine regimen. Learn more on this regimen and its acceptability and implementation considerations:
Greter H et al. Heterologous vaccine regimen: stakeholder acceptance and implementation considerations. Vaccine 2021; 39: 580-587.

Week of 15/03/2021

Did the new Ebola outbreak in Guinea started by a person infected 5 years ago?
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021

Guinea situation report as of 13 March 2021 (in French):
https://reliefweb.int/rapport de situation 13-03-2021.pdf

Week of 08/03/2021

More than 1,600 people have received Ebola vaccinations in Guinea:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021

WHO has developed online learning resources on Ebola. The resources are available in English and French. Learn more:
https://www.who.int/knowledge-transfer/online-learning-resources-for-ebola

Week of 01/03/2021

Guinea started Ebola vaccination on 23 February 2021 to control the new outbreak. More information on:
https://www.afro.who.int/news/ebola-vaccination-starts-guinea-curb-new-outbreak
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-ebola-guinea

Learn more on Ebola Virus Disease:  Jacob ST et al. Ebola virus disease. Nature Reviews Disease Primers 2020; 6: 13.pdf

Week of 22/02/2021

On 14 February 2021, the Ministry of Health of Guinea informed WHO of a cluster of Ebola Virus Disease.
More information on:   https://www.youtube.com/watch

What is Ebola Virus Disease:   https://www.youtube.com/watch