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Webinar Report
Immunization in Pandemics
NIDM and Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor
24th July, 2020
Vaccination will likely be part of a multi-faceted public health response to the
future emergence of a pandemic illness. In addition to other measures designed to
respond to and control a pandemic, such as surveillance, communication plans,
quarantine, and disease treatment, deployment of effective vaccines has the
potential to protect lives and limit disease spread. Not all disease threats, however,
have a corresponding vaccine, and for those that do, there are significant challenges
to their successful use in a pandemic.
Immunization is the process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to an
infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines are
substances that stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person
against subsequent infection or disease. Each and every country has their own
immunization programmes, in India the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)
has followed.
Immunization Programme is one of the key interventions for protection of children
from life threatening conditions, which are preventable. It is one of the largest
immunization programmes in the world and a major public health intervention in
the country. 1985 the UIP vaccination programme has been launched by
Government of India under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Since 2005
the UIP has comes under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). As per the
National immunization schedule 12 diseases are covered under UIP ,Tuberculosis,
Diphtheria, Pertussis[Whooping Cough], Tetanus, Poliomyelitis, Measles, Hepatitis
B, Diarrhoea, Japanese Encephalitis, Rubella Pneumonia [Haemophilus influenza
type B]and Pneumococcal diseases [Pneumococcal pneumonia &Meningitis]. Every
year 27 million children are covered under UIP and since 30 years the UIP has one
of the most important health policies.
Page 2
Efforts to slow the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic have made it easier for
other diseases to spread. In places like the Congo, where vaccination rollout efforts
were cut off due to COVID 19 pandemic, the diseases like measles can now spread
unchecked. Vaccine rates are even falling in places like the United States, with
some states reporting dramatically lowered immunizations. Unfortunately, the
singular focus on COVID-19 is now allowing other diseases a chance to boom. The
World Health Organization estimates that 117 million people globally miss out on
vaccinations for preventable diseases due to COVID-19.
Countries where diseases like Ebola are still a major problem have had to roll back
their campaigns to battle those illnesses in order to focus their attention on the novel
coronavirus. Decades of progress in combating vaccine-preventable diseases are
now at risk of a dramatic reversal in places like Central Africa and parts of South
America as well as the Middle East. Most are still abiding by lockdown procedures,
taking temperatures at the door, and issuing masks to anyone who walks in. These
measures can help prevent hospitals from becoming pandemic hot spots, but the
lower rate of immunizations will continue to be a big problem in near future. As
poor countries around the world struggle to beat back the COVID-19, they are
unintentionally contributing to fresh explosions of illness and death from other
diseases ones that are readily prevented by vaccines.
This spring season, after the World Health Organisation and UNICEF warned that
the pandemic could spread swiftly when children gathered for shots, many countries
suspended their inoculation programmes. Even in countries that tried to keep them
going, cargo flights with vaccine supplies were halted by the pandemic and health
workers diverted to fight it. Now, Diphtheria is appearing in Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Nepal. Cholera is in South Sudan, Cameroon, Mozambique, Yemen and
Bangladesh. A mutated strain of Poliovirus has been reported in more than 30
countries. And measles is flaring around the globe, including in Bangladesh, Brazil,
Cambodia, Central African Republic, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Nigeria and
Uzbekistan. Of 29 countries that have suspended measles campaigns because of the
pandemic, 18 are reporting outbreaks. An additional 13 countries are considering
postponement. According to the Measles and Rubella Initiative, 178 million people
are at risk of missing measles shots in 2020.
Page 3
“Immunisation is one of the most powerful and fundamental disease prevention
tools in the history of public health,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
director-general of the WHO, in a statement. “Disruption to immunisation
programs from the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to unwind decades of progress
against vaccine-preventable diseases like measles.”
A 50-year-old healthcare worker from Bihar learned to ride a bicycle in three days
so that she could take vaccines to remote families.
Efforts to reduce transmission of COVID-19, such as stay-at-home and shelter-in-
place orders, have led to decreased use of routine preventive medical services,
including immunization services. Ensuring that routine vaccination is maintained or
reinitiated during the COVID-19 pandemic is essential for protecting individuals
and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks. Routine
vaccination prevents illnesses that lead to unnecessary medical visits,
hospitalizations and further strain the healthcare system.
Globally, as of 3:15pm CEST, 29 June 2020, there have been 10,021,401 confirmed
cases of COVID-19, including 499,913 deaths, reported to WHO. Countries will
need to reinstate and reinvigorate immunization services at the earliest possible
time. Suspended immunization services should resume as soon as the risk of
COVID-19 transmission is reduced and the health system capacity is capable to
resume immunization services. It is likely that there will still be some risk of
COVID-19 transmission when services resume. Stricter infection prevention and
control measures and physical distancing practices for waiting areas will still be
needed in the initial phases of reinstating immunization services, In preparation for
the reinstatement of services, a communication strategy should be developed and
implemented at the appropriate time; this strategy should adequately inform and
prepare health workers, clearly announce the reinstatement of immunization
services, and encourage the public to seek immunization.
In this context, NIDM in collaboration with Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor
conducted a webinar on “Immunization in Pandemics” on 24th July, 2020.
Dr.K.C.Shivanandappa, Research Officer spoke on the issue of vaccination for
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Pandemics while Dr.S Jagannathan, Assistant Research Officer spoke about
Immunization in Pandemics.
Banner
Number of Participants: 422
List of Participants:
All sessions in India Time (Mumbai, GMT+05:30)
Session detail for Immunization in Pandemics:
Participant Name Email
1 Shobika.V [email protected]
2 Dr Dwarakanath V [email protected]
3 Y Pallavi [email protected]
4 Devraj JP [email protected]
5 Sampath Kumar [email protected]
6 Kowsik [email protected]
7 varshajayan [email protected]
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8 Ramalakshmi A [email protected]
9 reshmatirkey [email protected]
10 ParvathaVardhini [email protected]
11 Baranishree.J [email protected]
12 Tanvir Kaur [email protected]
13 Abhishek.S [email protected]
14 Vimalan Mani [email protected]
15 SanjithaSudheendran [email protected]
16 gowridhivya [email protected]
19 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT [email protected]
20 dhanushree s [email protected]
21 Meera [email protected]
22 VeenaMavatkar [email protected]
23 SmaritaLenka [email protected]
27 Dr.P.PRABAKARAN [email protected]
28 Sivakumar P [email protected]
29 LutforSk [email protected]
31 Dr.Malaiyarasa Pandian P [email protected]
32 S.Backiya [email protected]
33 Saurabh Kumar Sachan [email protected]
34 NEHA TOPPO [email protected]
35 VeenaMavatkar [email protected]
36 Kavya A S [email protected]
37 surya [email protected]
39 Sushma MR [email protected]
40 R.Sathiyabama [email protected]
41 kavidharshny [email protected]
42 JANANI MUTHUKUMAR [email protected]
43 J.KARTHICK RAJAN [email protected]
44 Honey patel [email protected]
45 Manjula S [email protected]
46 reshmatirkey [email protected]
47 VISHAL MADHAN MOHAN SHARMA M [email protected]
48 Indhumathi.K [email protected]
49 M.R.Gayathri [email protected]
50 VISHAL MADHAN MOHAN SHARMA M [email protected]
51 AparajitaMohapatra [email protected]
52 dhanushree s [email protected]
53 Dilna.tk [email protected]
56 Pramodh Rao N [email protected]
57 Divya. P [email protected]
63 arjunsfi1 [email protected]
64 srirajesh p b [email protected]
66 shradhamahendra [email protected]
67 balasubramaniyan R [email protected]
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68 S.Backiya [email protected]
69 K C SHIVANANDAPPA [email protected]
70 Archana kcn [email protected]
71 ArunkumarPalaniappan [email protected]
72 Mohammed Ali.U [email protected]
73 Tharaga [email protected]
74 Kavitha M [email protected]
75 Prashantkumar [email protected]
76 sowndharyaeaswaran [email protected]
77 Henslin Regis Deepan [email protected]
78 Ankita Das [email protected]
79 PURNA CHANDRA PANDA [email protected]
80 Bharathi M V [email protected]
81 Prabhu [email protected]
82 Dr.J.Gracia [email protected]
83 M.R.Gayathri [email protected]
84 VISHAL MADHAN MOHAN SHARMA M [email protected]
85 Nanthini. N [email protected]
86 PURNA CHANDRA PANDA [email protected]
87 Vimalan Mani [email protected]
88 dhanushree s [email protected]
89 amogh027 [email protected]
90 AngeleenaSapate [email protected]
91 Lekha [email protected]
92 surya [email protected]
93 RanjithaDhevi V S [email protected]
94 Pramodh Rao N [email protected]
95 S.MOHANA [email protected]
96 Deepa R [email protected]
97 Bharathi M V [email protected]
98 Honey patel [email protected]
99 K C SHIVANANDAPPA [email protected]
103 PRAMOD G [email protected]
104 Rafia Akhtar [email protected]
105 Baranishree.J [email protected]
106 Swetha. V [email protected]
107 Dr. S. Jagannathan [email protected]
108 R. Madhumitha [email protected]
109 Anusha S [email protected]
111 Boomika.P [email protected]
112 suvethasri M. K [email protected]
113 Siva Bharathi.U [email protected]
114 vamsipriyatumma [email protected]
115 Bavinaya.M [email protected]
116 varshajayan [email protected]
117 kavibharathi.k [email protected]
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118 Anusha S [email protected]
119 SUMITHA V BIO [email protected]
120 R.Sathiyabama [email protected]
121 varshajayan [email protected]
122 S.Santhiya [email protected]
123 R Vijaya [email protected]
125 kirithika R [email protected]
126 Dr.Deepashree C L [email protected]
127 Rafia Akhtar [email protected]
129 praveenkumarpk [email protected]
130 CHAITALY BANERJEE [email protected]
131 Vaundaradevi R [email protected]
132 Shah DhananjayVijaykumar [email protected]
133 AdimoolamChandrasekar [email protected]
134 aswathiashok2112 [email protected]
135 KARPOO [email protected]
136 nasir [email protected]
137 VISHAL MADHAN MOHAN SHARMA M [email protected]
138 Aparna A [email protected]
139 LutforSk [email protected]
140 VijayakumarRajendran [email protected]
141 Dr.J.Gracia [email protected]
142 Dhivya.k [email protected]
143 gowridhivya [email protected]
144 Dr.S.THENMOZHI [email protected]
145 dr.manjunath.toce [email protected]
146 Frederick M [email protected]
147 RanjithaDhevi V S [email protected]
148 R.Deepthi Sri [email protected]
149 SanjithaSudheendran [email protected]
151 Sarah [email protected]
152 Gayathiri.S [email protected]
154 Robert [email protected]
155 Anusha S [email protected]
156 Preethi [email protected]
157 pooja .R [email protected]
158 Kavya A S [email protected]
159 Shobika.V [email protected]
161 Nidhi Mv [email protected]
163 Pramodh Rao N [email protected]
164 angeleenasapate12 [email protected]
165 VIDYA VAISHNAVI [email protected]
166 sumithra M [email protected]
167 Baranishree.J [email protected]
168 PURNA CHANDRA PANDA [email protected]
169 gowridhivya [email protected]
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170 Chandrima Dutta [email protected]
171 Anusha S [email protected]
173 Shamitha TD [email protected]
174 JAYADESHWARAN [email protected]
175 amogh027 [email protected]
177 praveena [email protected]
178 Harshith C M [email protected]
179 JAYADESHWARAN [email protected]
181 Pramodh Rao N [email protected]
182 Priyanka [email protected]
183 Pramodh Rao N [email protected]
184 Karishma.S [email protected]
185 Vaundaradevi R [email protected]
186 SRISTY KUMARI [email protected]
187 Mounikalakshmi M R [email protected]
190 mseema123 [email protected]
192 KshamaTripathi [email protected]
194 pooja [email protected]
196 NarmadhaNatrajan [email protected]
197 Shalini.J.S [email protected]
198 shalisaheb999 [email protected]
200 aswathiashok2112 [email protected]
201 Dr. DARAMSOTHU SEETHARAM [email protected]
202 Leyal.S [email protected]
203 ParnasreeChakraborty [email protected]
204 Rinshana. k [email protected]
205 ELCOT [email protected]
206 Mohammed Ali.U [email protected]
207 S.Santhiya [email protected]
208 Swetha. V [email protected]
210 suvethasri M. K [email protected]
211 S PanneerSelvam [email protected]
212 G.Madhumitha [email protected]
213 DebalinaSaha [email protected]
214 Rafia Akhtar [email protected]
215 Neha Toppo [email protected]
217 LutforSk [email protected]
218 AkalyaBai.S.K [email protected]
219 Shanmugan [email protected]
221 G.Madhumitha [email protected]
222 J.KARTHICK RAJAN [email protected]
223 Rahul Singh [email protected]
224 SmaritaLenka [email protected]
225 Dr.P.Srinivasan [email protected]
226 AngeleenaSapate [email protected]
227 Krishna Kumar [email protected]
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228 Dr.Senthilvelan [email protected]
229 suvethasri M. K [email protected]
231 dhanushree s [email protected]
232 Sampath Kumar [email protected]
233 Shubhasri A [email protected]
234 Sneha [email protected]
235 nasir [email protected]
236 Boomika.P [email protected]
239 Selvapriya A [email protected]
240 vinisha R [email protected]
241 Bharathi M V [email protected]
244 angeleenasapate12 [email protected]
245 Aparna Bhagat [email protected]
246 sathiaboobesh [email protected]
247 keerthana.s [email protected]
248 tvlatha64 [email protected]
249 enapaGuravaiah [email protected]
250 Sushma MR [email protected]
251 p.muneeswaran [email protected]
253 dhanushree s [email protected]
254 N.snega [email protected]
255 Dr. Seema J Patel [email protected]
256 varshajayan [email protected]
257 DEEPAK MEHTA [email protected]
258 Mageshwari.G [email protected]
259 JAYADESHWARAN [email protected]
262 Dr Dwarakanath V [email protected]
263 Rafia Akhtar [email protected]
264 lokesh [email protected]
265 Henslin Regis Deepan [email protected]
266 RochanaPramanik [email protected]
267 SanjithaSudheendran [email protected]
268 Dr.Vijayakumar [email protected]
269 Dilna.tk [email protected]
270 Mahalakshmi [email protected]
271 BhuneshwarBehra [email protected]
272 Aparna Bhagat [email protected]
273 Priyanka [email protected]
274 sowndharyaeaswaran [email protected]
276 Sushma MR [email protected]
277 Neha Toppo [email protected]
279 angeleenasapate12 [email protected]
280 N. KUMARA SWAMY [email protected]
281 Swathi Kr [email protected]
282 Priyanka [email protected]
283 S.kalyani [email protected]
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284 Pramodh Rao N [email protected]
285 S.MOHANA [email protected]
286 R. Madhumitha [email protected]
287 sumithra [email protected]
288 SmaritaLenka [email protected]
289 Kowsik [email protected]
290 Subhiksha M [email protected]
291 Bhavana D.N [email protected]
292 VISHAL MADHAN MOHAN SHARMA M [email protected]
293 Swathi Kr [email protected]
294 US Raju [email protected]
295 dhanushree s [email protected]
296 dhanushree s [email protected]
297 Anusha S [email protected]
298 Sivakumar P [email protected]
299 Prashantkumar [email protected]
300 Frederick M [email protected]
301 AngeleenaSapate [email protected]
303 VENKATACHALAM P [email protected]
304 HARIPRASTH B [email protected]
305 AngeleenaSapate [email protected]
306 Aparna A [email protected]
307 Mrs. T. HusminRisha [email protected]
308 M.Seema [email protected]
309 kamatchi [email protected]
310 Gayathiri.S [email protected]
311 Tanvir Kaur [email protected]
312 AngeleenaSapate [email protected]
313 maxcimilan [email protected]
314 Dr.B.Sundaran [email protected]
315 Mishra M [email protected]
316 N. KUMARA SWAMY [email protected]
319 Divakara R [email protected]
320 Dr.PrashithKekuda [email protected]
321 N.snega [email protected]
322 RamaprabhaKumaravel [email protected]
323 Rahul Singh [email protected]
324 MirunaliniArumugam [email protected]
325 Mahalakshmi [email protected]
326 R.Deepthi Sri [email protected]
327 Gamyashree. k [email protected]
328 k [email protected]
329 M. HAJISTHA PARVEEN [email protected]
330 Sushma MR [email protected]
331 Manjula S [email protected]
332 shalisaheb999 [email protected]
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333 G.sathyaprabha [email protected]
334 Shalini.J.S [email protected]
335 Shamitha TD [email protected]
336 shigina E S [email protected]
337 Saurabh Kumar Sachan [email protected]
339 dhanushree s [email protected]
340 Aaditi c [email protected]
341 Suga Dev [email protected]
343 Dr. P. Bhuvaneswari [email protected]
345 anjitha [email protected]
346 Boomika.P [email protected]
347 Sathyabalasubramanian [email protected]
348 dhanushree s [email protected]
349 shalisaheb999 [email protected]
351 shubhasri a [email protected]
352 DebalinaSaha [email protected]
353 Lekha [email protected]
354 R Vijaya [email protected]
355 mukundas.micro16 [email protected]
356 Nanthini. N [email protected]
357 Anj Ali [email protected]
358 Aaditi c [email protected]
361 N.Jeenathunisa [email protected]
362 Bhavana D.N [email protected]
364 Rinshana. k [email protected]
365 SARAH [email protected]
367 HARIPRASATH B [email protected]
368 Dr. S. Jagannathan [email protected]
369 Kowsik [email protected]
370 Sivakumar P [email protected]
371 subiyashowkat [email protected]
372 SmaritaLenka [email protected]
373 surya [email protected]
374 dhanushree s [email protected]
375 PIIC [email protected]
376 Dr. DARAMSOTHU SEETHARAM [email protected]
377 Dr.R.Jayanthi [email protected]
378 S PanneerSelvam [email protected]
379 SanjithaSudheendran [email protected]
380 R.Pushparekha [email protected]
381 Henslin Regis Deepan [email protected]
382 s [email protected]
384 ashmitha.G [email protected]
385 Bandita Chakraborty [email protected]
386 Rafia Akhtar [email protected]
387 Atul [email protected]
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388 Amit kumarsingh [email protected]
390 NagarajuMulka [email protected]
391 ArunVerma [email protected]
392 dr.bk.manjunath [email protected]
393 AkalyaBai.S.K [email protected]
394 Praveen Kerudi [email protected]
396 AishwaryaNaik [email protected]
397 pooja .R [email protected]
398 Dr. Sabina Khanam [email protected]
399 Dr Angelina Stanley [email protected]
400 Selvapriya A [email protected]
401 AngeleenaSapate [email protected]
402 MirunaliniArumugam [email protected]
403 J.KARTHICK RAJAN [email protected]
405 Dr. S. DINESH KUMAR [email protected]
406 Pramodh Rao N [email protected]
407 RamyaRavindhiran [email protected]
408 rifa [email protected]
409 Mukeshkannan.S [email protected]
410 Vishnupriya [email protected]
411 Anusha S [email protected]
413 R. Madhumitha [email protected]
414 Suga Dev [email protected]
415 Dr. P. Sivakumar [email protected]
416 M. KAVIYA [email protected]
417 VeenaMavatkar [email protected]
418 sushss1824 [email protected]
419 pooja [email protected]
420 User [email protected]
421 Jerrina Gabriel [email protected]
422 ranjith.deva87 [email protected]
Key take away points
1. There are limited labs in the country to isolate corona virus for
development of vaccine.
2. The challenges in vaccine development include understanding the
mechanism of disease causing microbes, time needed for clinical trials,
ensuring safety, ,quality and efficacy of the vaccine , ensuring long term
protection from the vaccine and mutation of virus.
3. Corona virus isn’t the only disease we have to worry about now
4. We also need to put up a process for development of vaccines for future
pandemics like Ebola, Marburg Virus disease, Lassa fever, SARs, Nipah,
Zika, Monkey pox, Rift Valley Fever etc.
Page 13
5. Routine Immunization Services should be made a part of essential
services.
6. Measles is flaring round in Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Central
African Republic, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Nigeria and Uzbekistan.
Diphtheria is appearing in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal Cholera is
appearing in South Sudan, Cameroon, Mozambique, Yemen and
Bangladesh. Mutated Strain of Poliovirus has been reported in 30
countries
7. If immunization process is halted then the progress made by
administering of immunization may be at risk of getting reversed.
8. The general principles for health care workers they should follow this
precautions
Providing specific appointment times / other strategies to manage patient
flow and avoid crowding.
Ensuring sufficient staff and resources to help move patients through the
clinic flow as quickly as possible.
Limiting the overall number of attendees at any given time,
Setting up a unidirectional site flow with signs, ropes, or other measures
to direct site traffic and ensure physical distancing between patients.
When feasible, arranging a separate vaccination area or separate hours for
persons at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, such as older
adults and persons with underlying medical conditions.
Selecting a space large enough to ensure a minimum distance of 6 feet
between patients in line or in waiting areas for vaccination
Page 14
1
Brochure
“Immunization on Pandemic”
Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor, Ministry of Health and Family welfare
&
National institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi
Vaccination will likely be part of a multi-faceted public health response to the future
emergence of a pandemic illness. In addition to other measures designed to respond to
and control a pandemic, such as surveillance, communication plans, quarantine, and
disease treatment, deployment of effective vaccines has the potential to protect lives and
limit disease spread. Not all disease threats, however, have a corresponding vaccine, and
for those that do, there are significant challenges to their successful use in a pandemic.
Immunization is the process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to
an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines are
substances that stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person against
subsequent infection or disease. Each and every country has their own immunization
programmes, in India the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) has followed.
Immunization Programme is one of the key interventions for protection of
children from life threatening conditions, which are preventable. It is one of the largest
immunization programmes in the world and a major public health intervention in the
country. 1985 the UIP vaccination programme has been launched by Government of
India under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Since 2005 the UIP has comes
under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). As per the National immunization
schedule 12 diseases are covered under UIP ,Tuberculosis, Diphtheria,
Pertussis[Whooping Cough], Tetanus, Poliomyelitis, Measles, Hepatitis B, Diarrhoea,
Japanese Encephalitis, Rubella Pneumonia [Haemophilus influenza type B]and
Pneumococcal diseases [Pneumococcal pneumonia &Meningitis]. Every year 27 million
children are covered under UIP and since 30 years the UIP has one of the most important
health policies.
Efforts to slow the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic have made it easier for
other diseases to spread. In places like the Congo, where vaccination rollout efforts were
cut off due to COVID 19 pandemic, the diseases like measles can now spread unchecked.
Page 15
2
Vaccine rates are even falling in places like the United States, with some states reporting
dramatically lowered immunizations. Unfortunately, the singular focus on COVID-19 is
now allowing other diseases a chance to boom. The World Health Organization estimates
that 117 million people globally miss out on vaccinations for preventable diseases due to
COVID-19.
Countries where diseases like Ebola are still a major problem have had to roll
back their campaigns to battle those illnesses in order to focus their attention on the novel
coronavirus. Decades of progress in combating vaccine-preventable diseases are now at
risk of a dramatic reversal in places like Central Africa and parts of South America as
well as the Middle East. Most are still abiding by lockdown procedures, taking
temperatures at the door, and issuing masks to anyone who walks in. These measures can
help prevent hospitals from becoming pandemic hot spots, but the lower rate of
immunizations will continue to be a big problem in near future. As poor countries around
the world struggle to beat back the COVID-19, they are unintentionally contributing to
fresh explosions of illness and death from other diseases ones that are readily prevented
by vaccines.
This spring season, after the World Health Organisation and UNICEF warned
that the pandemic could spread swiftly when children gathered for shots, many countries
suspended their inoculation programmes. Even in countries that tried to keep them going,
cargo flights with vaccine supplies were halted by the pandemic and health workers
diverted to fight it. Now, Diphtheria is appearing in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Cholera is in South Sudan, Cameroon, Mozambique, Yemen and Bangladesh. A mutated
strain of Poliovirus has been reported in more than 30 countries. And measles is flaring
around the globe, including in Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Central African Republic,
Iraq, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Nigeria and Uzbekistan. Of 29 countries that have suspended
measles campaigns because of the pandemic, 18 are reporting outbreaks. An additional
13 countries are considering postponement. According to the Measles and Rubella
Initiative, 178 million people are at risk of missing measles shots in 2020.
“Immunisation is one of the most powerful and fundamental disease
prevention tools in the history of public health,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
director-general of the WHO, in a statement. “Disruption to immunisation programs
from the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to unwind decades of progress against vaccine-
preventable diseases like measles.”
A 50-year-old healthcare worker from Bihar learned to ride a bicycle in three
days so she could take vaccines to remote families.
Page 16
3
Efforts to reduce transmission of COVID-19, such as stay-at-home and shelter-
in-place orders, have led to decreased use of routine preventive medical services,
including immunization services. Ensuring that routine vaccination is maintained or
reinitiated during the COVID-19 pandemic is essential for protecting individuals and
communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks. Routine vaccination
prevents illnesses that lead to unnecessary medical visits, hospitalizations and further
strain the healthcare system.
It is in this context that Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor, Ministry of Health
and Family welfare in collaboration with National Institute of Disaster Management;
New Delhi is conducting a webinar on “Immunization in Pandemic” on 24th July, 2020.
There will be two speakers for the webinar namely; Dr.K.C.Shivanandappa, who will
share his experiences on the topic” Vaccination in pandemics “and Dr.SJagannathan who
will share his expertise on “Immunization in Pandemics”. Both speakers are working on
issues related to vaccines and immunization in Pasteur Institute of India.
