Explore the vast range of titles available.

In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), differing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs are utilized. In the present study, we describe one-dose HPV vaccination coverage under a school-based vaccination program (SBVP) in NZ and coverage under a primary care practice-based program, or mixed-model program (non-SBVP), amongst adolescents born 13 years earlier. We describe coverage across the SBVP and non-SBVP regions through a repeated cross-sectional analysis, using HPV vaccination data from the Aotearoa Immunization Register. From 2014 to 2018, female one-dose HPV vaccination coverage was lower in the non-SBVP region than in the SBVP regions. 2013 is an exception, with higher coverage in the non-SBVP region than the SBVP region (77.93 % vs 67.13 %). Coverage improved in the non-SBVP region following the introduction of a mixed-model vaccine delivery program in 2016, and from 2019 to 2023 coverage was similar between the two models. Male vaccination coverage, whilst not showing the same drastic differences in coverage by region as the female coverage, was higher in the SBVP region from 2018 to 2023, with the exception of 2017. Over time the difference in male coverage between the SBVP and non-SBVP regions increased, reaching 79.0 % and 68.1 %, respectively, in 2023. Coverage declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, coverage increased after COVID-19 emergence most rapidly in SBVP regions. School-based delivery of HPV vaccines to adolescents in NZ was successful, with lower coverage seen under Canterbury's non-SBVP approach, although the introduction of a mixed schools and primary care practitioner program in Canterbury in 2016 did appear to improve coverage. •Human Papillomavirus vaccination programs are public health measures that have been implemented in over 130 countries.•There is a unique opportunity within Aotearoa New Zealand to study the efficacy of differing HPV vaccination programs.•We have identified that school-based delivery appears to be a successful method for the dissemination of HPV vaccines.

The rising incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W in Western Australia, Australia, presents challenges for prevention. We assessed the effects of a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccination program using 2012-2020 IMD notification data. Notification rates peaked at 1.8/100,000 population in 2017; rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations were 7 times higher than for other populations. Serogroup W disease exhibited atypical manifestations and increased severity. Of 216 cases, 20 IMD-related deaths occurred; most (19/20) were in unvaccinated persons. After the 2017-2018 targeted vaccination program, notification rates decreased from 1.6/100,000 population in 2018 to 0.9/100,000 population in 2019 and continued to decline in 2020. Vaccine effectiveness (in the 1-4 years age group) using the screening method was 93.6% (95% CI 50.1%-99.2%) in 2018 and 92.5% (95% CI 28.2%-99.2%) in 2019. Strategic planning and prompt implementation of targeted vaccination programs effectively reduce IMD.

Healthcare personnel (HCP) are a high priority group for influenza vaccination aiming to protect them but also to protect vulnerable patients and healthcare services from healthcare-associated influenza and HCP absenteeism. Multi-component influenza vaccination programs targeting behavioral, organizational, and administrative barriers are critical, if influenza vaccination rates among HCP are to be raised on a sustained basis. Mandatory influenza vaccination policy is the only single intervention that can achieve high and sustainable vaccination rates in HCP in short term. In this article, we provide an overview of issues pertaining to influenza vaccination of HCP, with an emphasis on organizational issues of influenza vaccination programs.

The rapid rollout of vaccines against COVID-19 as a key mitigation strategy to end the global pandemic might be informed by lessons learned from rubella vaccine implementation in response to the global rubella epidemic of 1963-1965. That rubella epidemic led to the development of a rubella vaccine that has been introduced in all but 21 countries worldwide and has led to elimination of rubella in 93 countries. Although widespread introduction and use of rubella vaccines was slower than that for COVID-19 vaccines, the process can provide valuable insights for the continued battle against COVID-19. Experiences from the rubella disease control program highlight the critical and evolving elements of a vaccination program, including clearly delineated goals and strategies, regular data-driven revisions to the program based on disease and vaccine safety surveillance, and evaluations to identify the vaccine most capable of achieving disease control targets.

Pertussis morbidity is highest in infants too young to be fully protected by routine vaccination schedules. Alternate vaccine strategies are required to maximise protection in this age-group. To understand baseline pertussis epidemiology prior to the introduction of the maternal pertussis vaccination program in 2014, we conducted a retrospective case series analyses of 53 901 notifications and temporal trends from 1997 to 2014. Notifications were highest in infants younger than 4 months of age and highest annual notification rates in infants younger than 1 month of age (308/100 000 per year). Amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants aged younger than 1 month, this rate was 576/100 000 per year. Notification rates were 40% higher amongst women 15–44 years, 62·4/100 000 population compared with men (44·5/100 000) and 90% higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of the same age (38·2/100 000) compared with men (19·7/100 000). Six infant deaths were identified, all younger than 2 months of age. Monitoring epidemiology in at-risk groups – infants too young to be vaccinated, women of childbearing age and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – following implementation of the maternal pertussis vaccination program will be important to assess its impact and safety.

Despite the availability and benefits of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, parental acceptance remains low in the eastern mediterranean region (EMR). Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled proportion of parental uptake and willingness to vaccinate their children with the HPV vaccine and their determinants in the EMR. We searched PubMed Central, PubMed Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and medRxiv according to PRISMA guidelines until the 5th of April 2024. We included all papers discussing parental uptake and willingness to vaccinate their children with the HPV vaccine in EMR without time or language limitations. The study risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale quality assessment tool. We pooled data using the random effect model. Leave one sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression were used to address heterogeneity. Out of 1551 screened studies, thirty-three studies of 18,455 parents from 12 countries fully met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for meta-analysis. The pooled proportion of parental willingness for future HPV vaccination, based on 32 studies involving 17,815 parents was 61 % (95 % CI: 54–68 %, I2 = 99 %). Using meta-regression, the proportion of working parents, study quality, and geographical region explained approximately 52.46% of the observed heterogeneity. In contrast, based on 9 studies involving 5029 parents, the pooled proportion of parental uptake was 7 % (95 % CI: 5–10 %, I2 = 91 %). Using meta-regression, study quality and geographical region explained 71.42% of the observed heterogeneity. Despite the high parental willingness for HPV vaccination, the uptake of the vaccine in EMR remains critically suboptimal and far behind the goal of the World Health Organization's cervical cancer elimination strategy. Urgent interventions are needed, including adding the vaccine to the national vaccination programs (NVPs) and tailoring parents–targeted awareness campaigns to improve knowledge and address barriers to vaccine uptake.

There is limited data on adult opinions toward school-based vaccination programs, which can supplement clinic-based strategies in the Brazilian public health system. Since 2016, vaccination rates among Brazilian children and adolescents have shown worrisome declines, remaining well below full coverage, including for more recently introduced COVID-19 vaccines. School vaccination programs are not commonly implemented or monitored in Brazil. A face-to-face household survey of Brazilians aged 18+ was conducted from July 29 to August 3, 2023. This cross-sectional study used multivariate and ordinal logistic regressions to assess caregiver support for school vaccination programs against COVID-19, HPV, influenza, and dengue. Most caregivers stated they would support vaccinating their child at school. However, more guardians were unwilling to have their child or adolescent participate in COVID-19 school vaccination (21.11, 95 % CI, 18.3 %, 23.9 %, p < 0.001) compared to dengue (13.60, 95 % CI, 11.2 %, 16.0 %, p < 0.001), HPV (13.95, 95 % CI, 11.5 %, 16.4 %, p < 0.001), and influenza (12.80, 95 % CI, 10.4 %, 15.1 %, p < 0.001). All else equal, factors predicting opinions opposed to vaccinating at school included being a caregiver of only children younger than six and those who self-identify as Evangelical. Except for dengue, women are equally likely to support school vaccination programs as men. At least one in five Brazilian caregivers of school-aged children is hesitant about participating in COVID-19 school vaccine programs, whereas one in 10 is hesitant about influenza, HPV, and dengue vaccines. •School-based vaccination programs may enhance child immunization coverage.•Survey results from Brazilian caregivers show strong support for school vaccination.•One in ten guardians oppose school immunization against influenza, HPV and dengue.•Two in ten caregivers express opposition to school-based COVID-19 vaccination.•Information campaigns can enhance school-based vaccine programs.

Introduction: In 2008, Mexico initiated its national HPV vaccination program targeting adolescent girls. This study aims to evaluate the current status of the program, analyzing trends in vaccine acquisition, administration, and coverage over a 16-year period. Materials and Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted using secondary data from 2008 to 2023. Official records from three major public health institutions—IMSS, ISSSTE, and SSA—were reviewed to assess HPV vaccine procurement and administration. Results: Significant fluctuations were identified in the number of doses acquired, administered, and the corresponding coverage rates. A marked decline was observed between 2019 and 2021, followed by a sharp increase in 2022 and 2023. Over the entire period, an estimated 6.8 million doses were not administered to the intended target population. Furthermore, 2.6 million doses were administered in excess of the number officially acquired, indicating possible discrepancies in data reporting or vaccine inventory management. Discussion: The findings revealed substantial inconsistencies in vaccine procurement, administration, and coverage across institutions. While IMSS and ISSSTE consistently reported coverage below the theoretical target, SSA occasionally exceeded expectations, potentially compensating for deficits elsewhere. Nevertheless, national coverage remained inadequate in several years, with notable disparities between institutions. These gaps highlight systemic weaknesses in program coordination, planning, and data transparency, contributing to millions of unvaccinated individuals. Conclusions: This study offers a comprehensive analysis of Mexico’s HPV vaccination program, uncovering critical irregularities in its implementation. Challenges include inaccurate target population estimation, inconsistencies between vaccine acquisition and administration, and limited data reliability. Despite some progress in recent years, particularly in the post-pandemic years, the program requires urgent restructuring. This includes implementing a national catch-up strategy, expanding vaccine eligibility, and strengthening surveillance systems to ensure equitable and effective coverage toward the elimination of cervical cancer.

•Preventing HPV-associated cancers through publicly funded vaccine programs is a priority.•Canadian provinces and territories design and implement vaccination programs.•It is difficult to gather current and reliable data on HPV vaccination in Canada.•This paper describes each jurisdiction’s current HPV vaccine program and coverage rates.•Considerations for policy development are discussed. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization in Canada recommends human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for females and males (ages 9–26). In Canada, the HPV vaccine is predominantly administered through publicly funded school-based programs in provinces and territories. This research provides an overview of Canadian provincial and territorial school-based HPV vaccination program administration and vaccination rates, and identifies foreseeable policy considerations. We searched the academic and grey literature and contacted administrators of provincial and territorial vaccination programs to compile information regarding HPV vaccine program administration and vaccination rates in Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial jurisdictions. As of October 2016, all 13 Canadian jurisdictions vaccinate girls, and six jurisdictions include boys in school-based publicly funded HPV vaccination programs. Eleven jurisdictions administer the HPV vaccine in a two-dose schedule. The quadrivalent vaccine (HPV4) has been the vaccine predominantly used in Canada; however, the majority of provinces will likely adopt the nonavalent vaccine in the future. According to available data, vaccination uptake among females ranged between 46.7% and 93.9%, while vaccination uptake among males (in programs with available data to date) ranged between 75.0% and 87.4%. Future research and innovation will beneficially inform Canadian jurisdictions when considering whether to administer the nonavalent vaccine, whether to implement a two or one-dose vaccination schedule, and how to improve uptake and rates of completion. The usefulness of standardizing methodologies for collecting and reporting HPV vaccination coverage and implementing a national registry were identified as important priorities.

Controlling the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), will rely on vaccination at increasing rates and in an equitable manner. The main reasons for under-vaccination are varied among different segments of the population and include vaccine hesitancy and lack of access. While vaccine hesitancy is complicated and requires long-term solutions, access can be enhanced through evidence-based delivery strategies that augment conventional approaches. Hospital-based COVID-19 vaccination programs hold particular promise in reaching populations with decreased vaccine access and those at higher risk for adverse outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hospitals have the necessary equipment and storage capabilities to maintain cold chain requirements—a common challenge in the primary care setting—and can serve as a central distribution point for delivering vaccines to patients in diverse hospital locations, including inpatient units, emergency departments, urgent care centers, perioperative areas, and subspecialty clinics. They also have the capacity for mass-vaccination programs and other targeted outreach efforts. Hospital-based programs that have been successful in implementing influenza and other routine vaccinations can leverage existing infrastructure, such as electronic health record–related tools. With the possibility of COVID-19 becoming endemic, much like seasonal influenza, these programs will require flexibility as well as planning for long-term sustainability. This commentary highlights existing vaccine delivery to children in hospital-based settings, including key advantages and important challenges, and outlines how these systems could be expanded to include the COVID-19 vaccine delivery.