Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programs in the Americas: A Platform for Sustainable Life-Course Immunization and Its Role for Pandemic Preparedness and Response
<b>Background:</b> Vaccination is one of the most effective measures to prevent influenza illness and its complications. Since the 1980s, countries and territories in the Americas have progressively implemented influenza vaccination operations in high-risk priority groups—such as older a...
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2024-12-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1415 |
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| author | Francisco Nogareda Margherita Ghiselli Martha Velandia-González Bremen de Mucio Jorge Jara Paula Couto Angel Rodriguez Marc Rondy Andrea Vicari Murat Hakan Ozturk Shoshanna Goldin Alba Vilajeliu Eva Leidman Jaymin Patel Julie Carlton Ashley L. Fowlkes Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner Daniel Salas Peraza Alba Maria Ropero |
| author_facet | Francisco Nogareda Margherita Ghiselli Martha Velandia-González Bremen de Mucio Jorge Jara Paula Couto Angel Rodriguez Marc Rondy Andrea Vicari Murat Hakan Ozturk Shoshanna Goldin Alba Vilajeliu Eva Leidman Jaymin Patel Julie Carlton Ashley L. Fowlkes Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner Daniel Salas Peraza Alba Maria Ropero |
| author_sort | Francisco Nogareda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background:</b> Vaccination is one of the most effective measures to prevent influenza illness and its complications. Since the 1980s, countries and territories in the Americas have progressively implemented influenza vaccination operations in high-risk priority groups—such as older adults, pregnant persons, persons with comorbidities and health workers. <b>Methods:</b> In this review, we present the history and progress of the seasonal influenza program in the Americas, how the program contributed to the efficient and timely roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, and how the program can be used to promote immunization operations across the life span for existing and future vaccines. <b>Results:</b> The influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic in 2009 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2023 underscored the importance of having a robust seasonal influenza vaccination program for pandemic preparedness and response. Overall, countries with existing seasonal influenza vaccination programs were better prepared and rolled out the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines more quickly and effectively compared to other countries where the influenza vaccination platform was weak or non-existent. <b>Conclusions:</b> Traditionally, national immunization programs of developing countries have been predominately focused on newborns, children younger than five years and school-aged children while often limiting their investment in effective adult vaccination programs; these programs are typically isolated to high-income countries. Countries in Latin America have been the exception, with strong influenza vaccination programs for adults regardless of national income level. The presence of functional and effective adult influenza vaccination programs can also facilitate the acceptance and uptake of other adult vaccines targeting priority groups at higher risk for severe illness or complications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1ed116a401e0406bb4155df0a6b30ddc |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj-art-1ed116a401e0406bb4155df0a6b30ddc2025-08-20T02:43:50ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2024-12-011212141510.3390/vaccines12121415Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programs in the Americas: A Platform for Sustainable Life-Course Immunization and Its Role for Pandemic Preparedness and ResponseFrancisco Nogareda0Margherita Ghiselli1Martha Velandia-González2Bremen de Mucio3Jorge Jara4Paula Couto5Angel Rodriguez6Marc Rondy7Andrea Vicari8Murat Hakan Ozturk9Shoshanna Goldin10Alba Vilajeliu11Eva Leidman12Jaymin Patel13Julie Carlton14Ashley L. Fowlkes15Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner16Daniel Salas Peraza17Alba Maria Ropero18Special Program Comprehensive Immunization, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USASpecial Program Comprehensive Immunization, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USASpecial Program Comprehensive Immunization, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USAWomen and Reproductive Health, Latin American Center for Perinatology, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USASpecial Program Comprehensive Immunization, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USAHealth Emergencies Department, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USAHealth Emergencies Department, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USAHealth Emergencies Department, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USAHealth Emergencies Department, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USARevolving Fund for Access to Vaccines, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USAWorld Health Emergencies Program, World Health Organization (WHO), 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandImmunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization (WHO), 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandCoronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USAGlobal Immunization Division, Global Health Center, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USAGlobal Immunization Division, Global Health Center, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USAInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USAInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USASpecial Program Comprehensive Immunization, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Washington, DC 20037, USACountry Office for the Dominican Republic, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), Ensanche La Fé, Santo Domingo 10514, Dominican Republic<b>Background:</b> Vaccination is one of the most effective measures to prevent influenza illness and its complications. Since the 1980s, countries and territories in the Americas have progressively implemented influenza vaccination operations in high-risk priority groups—such as older adults, pregnant persons, persons with comorbidities and health workers. <b>Methods:</b> In this review, we present the history and progress of the seasonal influenza program in the Americas, how the program contributed to the efficient and timely roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, and how the program can be used to promote immunization operations across the life span for existing and future vaccines. <b>Results:</b> The influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic in 2009 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2023 underscored the importance of having a robust seasonal influenza vaccination program for pandemic preparedness and response. Overall, countries with existing seasonal influenza vaccination programs were better prepared and rolled out the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines more quickly and effectively compared to other countries where the influenza vaccination platform was weak or non-existent. <b>Conclusions:</b> Traditionally, national immunization programs of developing countries have been predominately focused on newborns, children younger than five years and school-aged children while often limiting their investment in effective adult vaccination programs; these programs are typically isolated to high-income countries. Countries in Latin America have been the exception, with strong influenza vaccination programs for adults regardless of national income level. The presence of functional and effective adult influenza vaccination programs can also facilitate the acceptance and uptake of other adult vaccines targeting priority groups at higher risk for severe illness or complications.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1415influenzaCOVID-19respiratory syncytial virusvaccinesimmunizationoutbreaks |
| spellingShingle | Francisco Nogareda Margherita Ghiselli Martha Velandia-González Bremen de Mucio Jorge Jara Paula Couto Angel Rodriguez Marc Rondy Andrea Vicari Murat Hakan Ozturk Shoshanna Goldin Alba Vilajeliu Eva Leidman Jaymin Patel Julie Carlton Ashley L. Fowlkes Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner Daniel Salas Peraza Alba Maria Ropero Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programs in the Americas: A Platform for Sustainable Life-Course Immunization and Its Role for Pandemic Preparedness and Response Vaccines influenza COVID-19 respiratory syncytial virus vaccines immunization outbreaks |
| title | Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programs in the Americas: A Platform for Sustainable Life-Course Immunization and Its Role for Pandemic Preparedness and Response |
| title_full | Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programs in the Americas: A Platform for Sustainable Life-Course Immunization and Its Role for Pandemic Preparedness and Response |
| title_fullStr | Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programs in the Americas: A Platform for Sustainable Life-Course Immunization and Its Role for Pandemic Preparedness and Response |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programs in the Americas: A Platform for Sustainable Life-Course Immunization and Its Role for Pandemic Preparedness and Response |
| title_short | Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programs in the Americas: A Platform for Sustainable Life-Course Immunization and Its Role for Pandemic Preparedness and Response |
| title_sort | seasonal influenza vaccination programs in the americas a platform for sustainable life course immunization and its role for pandemic preparedness and response |
| topic | influenza COVID-19 respiratory syncytial virus vaccines immunization outbreaks |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1415 |
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