Strategic Optimization of Patient Flow and Staffing Schemes during the COVID-19 Pandemic through Operations Management in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges in making time-bound hospital management decisions. The University of the Philippines -Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) is a tertiary COVID-19 referral center located in Manila, Philippines. The mismatch of increasing suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infected mothers with few documented cases of infected infants has caused significant patient overflow and manpower shortage in its NICU.

Considerations for vaccinating children against COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccines have been introduced in children and adolescents in many countries. However, high levels of community transmission and infection-derived immunity make the decision to introduce COVID-19 vaccination of children in countries yet to do so particularly challenging. For example, other vaccine preventable diseases, including measles and polio, generally have far higher childhood morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) than COVID-19, and coverage with these vaccines has declined during the pandemic.

Expert review of global real-world data on COVID-19 vaccine booster effectiveness and safety during the omicron-dominant phase of the pandemic.

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccines have been highly effective in reducing morbidity and mortality during the pandemic. However, the emergence of the Omicron variant and subvariants as the globally dominant strains have raised doubts about the effectiveness of currently available vaccines and prompted debate about potential future vaccination strategies.

Areas Covered: Using the publicly available IVAC VIEW-hub platform, we reviewed 52 studies on vaccine effectiveness (VE) after booster vaccinations.

Invasive meningococcal disease in Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam: An Asia-Pacific expert group perspective on current epidemiology and vaccination policies.

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) imposes a significant burden on the global community due to its high case fatality rate (4-20%) and the risk of long-term sequelae for one in five survivors. An expert group meeting was held to discuss the epidemiology of IMD and immunization policies in Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Most of these countries do not include meningococcal immunization in their routine vaccination programs, except for high-risk groups such as immunocompromised people and pilgrims.

Expert review on global real-world vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2.

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccines have been highly effective in reducing morbidity and mortality during the pandemic. While primary series vaccination rates are generally high in Southeast Asian (SEA) countries, various factors have limited the rollout and impact of booster doses.

Areas Covered: We reviewed 79 studies in the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) VIEW-hub platform on vaccine effectiveness (VE) after primary immunizations with two-dose schedules.

Solithromycin in Children and Adolescents With Community-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia.

Background: Solithromycin is a new macrolide-ketolide antibiotic with potential effectiveness in pediatric community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). Our objective was to evaluate its safety and effectiveness in children with CABP.

Methods: This phase 2/3, randomized, open-label, active-control, multicenter study randomly assigned solithromycin (capsules, suspension or intravenous) or an appropriate comparator antibiotic in a 3:1 ratio (planned n = 400) to children 2 months to 17 years of age with CABP.

A Response to: Letter to the Editor Regarding "Cost-Effectiveness of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13) Versus Lower-Valent Alternatives in Filipino Infants".

This communication seeks to address the questions of Dhere and colleagues in their letter on our study "Cost-effectiveness of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) versus lower-valent alternatives in Filipino infants." We hope to provide clarity on each of the three potential misunderstandings of our cost-effectiveness analysis that were raised by Dhere and colleagues.

Safety and immunogenicity of 3 formulations of a Sabin inactivated poliovirus vaccine produced on the PER.C6® cell line: A phase 2, double-blind, randomized, controlled study in infants vaccinated at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age.

An inactivated poliovirus vaccine candidate using Sabin strains (sIPV) grown on the PER.C6® cell line was assessed in infants after demonstrated immunogenicity and safety in adults. The study recruited 300 infants who were randomized (1:1:1:1) to receive one of 3 dose levels of sIPV or a conventional IPV based on Salk strains (cIPV).

Safety of primary immunization with a DTwP-HBV/Hib vaccine in healthy infants: a prospective, open-label, interventional, phase IV clinical study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the safety of a fully liquid DTwP-HBV/Hib pentavalent vaccine (Eupenta) based on the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) following vaccination.

Methods: This was a prospective, open-label, single-arm, interventional phase IV study. A single intramuscular injection of the study vaccine was administered to infants at approximately 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age, and an end-of-study follow-up visit was scheduled at 18 weeks.

What is the true burden of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and poliovirus in children aged 3-18 years in Asia? A systematic literature review.

Objectives: In recent years, outbreaks and a rising incidence of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis have occurred in Asia, particularly in older children.

Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE and Embase was conducted from January 2000 to October 2020 to identify the epidemiology of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and poliomyelitis in children and adolescents (aged 3-18 years) in Asia. The results were then related to vaccination schedules, booster coverage rates, pertussis source of infection, and booster immunogenicity, as identified by a pragmatic review.

Cost-Effectiveness of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13) Versus Lower-Valent Alternatives in Filipino Infants.

Introduction: The Philippines pediatric national immunization program (NIP) included the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine manufactured by Pfizer (PCV13-PFE) since 2015. Uptake has been slow in particular regions, with coverage only reaching all regions in 2019. Given affordability challenges in the context of higher coverage, this study seeks to determine whether universal coverage across all regions of the Philippines with PCV13-PFE will provide good value for money compared with 10-valent PCV alternatives manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (PCV10-GSK) or Serum Institute of India (PCV10-SII).

Detection and Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Belonging to the B.1.1.7 Lineage in the Philippines.

We report the sequencing and detection of 36 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) samples containing lineage-defining mutations specific to viruses belonging to the B.1.1.

Impact of COVID-19 on routine immunisation in South-East Asia and Western Pacific: Disruptions and solutions.

Background: Data on COVID-19-induced disruption to routine vaccinations in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions (SEAR/WPR) have been sparse. This study aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on routine vaccinations by country, antigen, and sector (public or private), up to 1 June 2020, and to identify the reasons for disruption and possible solutions.

Methods: Sanofi Pasteur teams from 19 countries in SEAR/WPR completed a structured questionnaire reporting on COVID-19 disruptions for 13-19 routinely delivered antigens per country, based on sales data, government reports, and regular physician interactions.

A Narrative Review of Pneumococcal Disease in Children in the Philippines.

This narrative review describes the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal diseases, nasopharyngeal carriage, and antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes, and vaccination coverage in children in the Philippines. Epidemiological data show that, despite the availability of the free-of-cost 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for infants as part of the National Immunization Program, the burden of pneumococcal disease in young children remains high in the Philippines. The significant variability in data reported between studies highlights an urgent need for active and comprehensive disease surveillance for more accurate estimates of pneumococcal disease in the country.

Prevalence and molecular characteristics of MRSA nasal carriage among hospital care workers in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines.

Background: Hospital-care workers (HCWs) are at risk for MRSA carriage, subsequent infection and potential transmission of nosocomial infection. Epidemiological typing of MRSA among HCWs would provide data that can be used for control measures.

Methods: This is a cross sectional study that involved 92 participants from pediatric and surgery department of a tertiary hospital.