Gavi Says Frontline Health Workers In High-Risk Countries Can Use Global Ebola Vaccine Stockpile Routinely, Rather Than Just In Emergencies

Reuters (6/13, Rigby) reports, “A global stockpile of Ebola vaccines can be used to protect frontline health workers in high-risk countries routinely, rather than just as an emergency measure during outbreaks, international vaccine group Gavi said on Thursday.” The stockpile contains half a million doses, and “was established by Gavi and other global health partners in 2019 for use in outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever, which has an average fatality rate of roughly 60%.” Nearly “208,000 doses of the stockpiled Ervebo vaccine, made by Merck, were set to expire this year if unused, although some countries have already had doses shipped to them for preventative campaigns, including Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.” About 120,000 of these doses remain.