key: cord-0959649-z516kysx authors: Ruscio, Bruce A.; Hotez, Peter title: “Expanding Global and National Influenza Vaccine Systems to match the COVID-19 Pandemic Response” date: 2020-10-21 journal: Vaccine DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.10.055 sha: b1b12fa69a5c326b4d2047411e056240cd0c76d5 doc_id: 959649 cord_uid: z516kysx • Approximately 40% of the global influenza deaths now occur in Africa and Southeast Asia. • There are opportunities to explore synergies in preventing both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, especially among older populations. • Co-vaccination against both COVID19 and influenza offers promise. 55 about the potential co-infections or interactions between these two respiratory viruses. We 56 know that influenza and COVID-19 co-infections can and do occur (9-11), and there will be 57 opportunities to fully explore the clinical impact of these co-infections. More than half of all countries still lack access to robust seasonal influenza immunization 70 programs, with most deaths and severe disease from seasonal influenza epidemics occurring in 19) In response, the WHO established a comprehensive 72 Global Influenza Strategy for 2019-2030, focused on surveillance and disease prevention, 73 including expanded vaccinations.(20) This strategy and existing global influenza infrastructure 74 may provide a key platform for folding in COVID-19 vaccinations. For example, a modeling 75 exercise has determined that increasing the uptake of influenza vaccines has an overall positive 76 impact in terms of managing outbreaks of COVID-19 or influenza-like respiratory illnesses clinicians' work, for the foreseen second wave of COVID-19, which is expected to 86 evolve in September/October, the start date of Influenza season Pairing COVID19 and influenza vaccinations may offer a highly cost-effective means to prevent 88 needless deaths from these two leading causes of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses For 96 example, preliminary information from the current southern hemisphere influenza season in 97 countries with robust influenza surveillance program, that have implemented COVID public 98 health measures (e.g., face masks, social distancing), are experiencing lower influenza activity. strategies specific to vaccine hesitancy (23, 24), and influenza and COVID-19 and vaccination at the individual, community, national, and 108 medical system capacity levels. A global coordinated strategy that builds on influenza vaccine 109 infrastructure and supports development of new robust seasonal influenza systems will help 110 ensure an effective COVID-19 vaccine response, while also driving needed attention to seasonal 111 flu. It could produce a long-term return in terms of reducing the health and economic burden 112 of seasonal influenza, and advance readiness for the next pandemic Estimates 124 of global seasonal influenza-associated respiratory mortality: a modelling study Global 127 mortality associated with seasonal influenza epidemics: New burden estimates and predictors 128 from the GLaMOR Project Human Influenza A virus causes myocardial and cardiac-specific conduction system infection 131 associated with early inflammation and premature death. Cardiovasc Res. 2020. 132 4. World Health Organization. COVID-19 situation reports 2020 Brazil breaks into Covid-19 top 3, but could already be number 1: 136 @brazilianreport Will COVID-19 become the next 140 neglected tropical disease? Why does COVID-19 disproportionately affect 142 older people? Mortality in Older Patients with Covid-19 Coinfection of Influenza Virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) Co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A Virus in Patient with Pneumonia Clinical Characteristics of Critically Ill Patients Co-151 infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the Influenza Virus in Wuhan, China Pandemic Influenza A 156 Virus Subtype H1N1 Vaccination in Africa-Successes and Challenges Does having a seasonal influenza program facilitate pandemic 160 preparedness? An analysis of vaccine deployment during the 2009 pandemic A global 163 review of national influenza immunization policies: Analysis of the 2014 WHO/UNICEF Joint 164 Reporting Form on immunization Global Role 166 and Burden of Influenza in Pediatric Respiratory Hospitalizations, 1982-2012: A Systematic 167 Analysis Immunization coverage, WHO/UNICEF joint 175 reporting process. Geneva: WHO Modeling the impact of mass influenza 180 vaccination and public health interventions on COVID-19 epidemics with limited detection 181 capability Decreased Influenza Activity During the 183 COVID-19 Pandemic -United States Combating vaccine hesitancy and other 21st century 187 social determinants in the global fight against measles COVID19 meets the antivaccine movement