Reflections from OptionsXII2024 Conference

by Jingyan

Recently, I attended a poster presentation at “OptionsXII for the control of Influenza’’conference (https://www.optionsxii2024.org.uk) in Brisbane, Austrlia (29 September – 2 October 2024). The biggest respiratory related conference in ID. The conference focuses on a full range of ‘real-world’ issues relevant to the ‘flu community’ – plus additional spotlights on the latest research on the latest research on SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.

I was inspired by the talk “Impact of COVID-19 & Influenza on SHIVERS Longitudinal community / household cohorts in New Zealand” (SHIVERS: Southern Hemisphere Influenza, Vaccine Effectiveness, Research & Surveillance).

Here is the summary of the talk:

SHIVERS – I, II, III, IV

SHIVERS – I (US-CDC): MOH SHIVERS – II (NIH-CEIRS): WellKiwis Adult SHIVERS – III (NIH-DIVINCI): WellKiwis Infant SHIVERS – IV (NIH-CEIRR): WellKiwis Household

Objectives – SHIVERS – II, III, IV Primary objectives – immune imprinting

• Compare humoral (antibody) and cellular (B & T cells, cytokines) responses between prior/first and subsequent flu exposures, including magnitude, specificity, repertoire and antibody post-translational modifications.
• Determine how prior/first exposure (infection, vaccination and strain) impact immune responses on subsequent exposures.
• Determine correlates of protection: antibody, B and T cells.

Secondary objectives – Community / household transmission:

• Disease burden, risk factors, clinical symptoms and illness, vaccine effectiveness, household transmission dynamics

WellKiwis Vaccine Effectiveness Study Setting: Community cohort (n = 3165)

• Before COVID-19 arrival: All participants infection-naïve but highly vaccinated
• Once COVID-19 arrival: High levels of COVID-19 in the cohort

Method: Test-negative design using a Cox proportional hazards model

• Primary outcome measure (incidence): number of days from 14 days after the most recent vaccine dose to the first instance of PCR-confirmed COVID-19.
• Exposure definition: Number of vaccine doses to a maximum of 4 doses with vaccinated status defined as commencing 14 days after administration of the dose.

Conclusion

• SHIVERS / WellKiwis community and household cohorts provide unique evidence and policy insights for vaccine development and pandemic response / preparedness.
• Impact of public health and social measures on viral infections: inform future policy development in pandemic responses.
• Incidence of COVID-19 and influenza provides evidence on community burden – helping to build full spectrum of disease burden, predicting virus transmission.
• COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness: inform vaccination policy.
• Household transmission of COVID-19: measures secondary attack rate and serial interval – informing pandemic prediction.

Besides from this talk, the exciting and insightful talks from leaders and researchers from WHO persuaded us, a global community should better collaborate to fight for the pandemic. We set up the goals that should be realized in the next Options conference, cultivate the sense of responsibility from global network and provide the solutions to long-term challenges of pandemic.