Establishing a Framework for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Vaccines Targeting National Vaccination Programs.

BACKGROUND: The increasing number of vaccines and the complexity of immunization programs, along with continuous changes in the epidemiology of infectious diseases, necessitate a systematic approach to vaccine effectiveness (VE) evaluation. This study presents a preliminary survey to establish a VE evaluation framework in Korea, focusing on the National Immunization Program. METHODS: Experts' opinions were collected through a two-round online survey targeting key stakeholders. The first round consisted of two multiple-choice questions and two open-ended questions. The second round was a quantitative survey with 17 questionnaires based on five domains derived by analyzing the results of the first-round survey. RESULTS: The results emphasize the necessity and urgency of a government-led VE evaluation system and the establishment of a multidisciplinary evaluation organization. Key considerations include personnel, budget, data integration, legal standards, and surveillance system enhancements. CONCLUSION: These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the need for collaboration, financial support, and robust data management in developing evidence-based vaccination policies.

Effectiveness of Heterologous COVID-19 Vaccine Booster in Korean Elderly Population, 2022.

We conducted a cohort study to assess vaccine effectiveness (VE) of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine combinations on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 critical infection and death among elderly population in Korea. From January to August 2022, VE against death for 4 doses mRNA recipients was 96.1%, whereas 1-dose viral vector + 3-dose mRNA recipients had VE of 90.8%.

Monkeypox Vaccination in the Republic of Korea: Identifying the High-Risk Target Group.

In June 2022, the first monkeypox case was reported as imported into Korea. The general public asked whether they should get vaccinated against monkeypox because of the recent COVID-19 vaccination experience. As of the current monkeypox outbreak situation, a ring vaccination strategy for the high-risk group is more appropriate than the mass population vaccination with smallpox vaccines. Therefore, identifying the proper target group by available vaccines based on the risk and benefit analysis is a key issue of the vaccination program. In addition, the target group should be reviewed by the epidemiological situation of the jurisdiction along with the updated evidence of the monkeypox virus on transmission dynamics, severity, and fatality.