18.05.22 Ebola Vaccine

RACE AGAINST TIME

Health officials call an unregulated…A unlicensed… unnamed vaccine a “milestone” in strategy to prevent Ebola outbreak in Africa & you’re helping pay for it.

‘rVSV-ZEBOV’

• Experimental Ebola Vaccine
• Donated by drugmaker Merck.
• You can’t get it -A under review by FDA (not legal to prescribe).
• One trial in 2015. Good results.
• ‘Ring vaccination’ strategy – target the sick & vaccinate EVERYONE around them. Same strategy eradicated Small Pox.

Flip: Challenges

Challenges of The Congo

• Currently: Most Ebola cases in a very remote area with “major logistical challenges.” Vaccine needs transport at perfect temperature – and some of the travel “has limited road access.”
• The Concern: Several Ebola cases in a major city of 1M+. Limited # of vaccine doses avail.

Flip: Why This Matters

Why Ebola Is Dangerous

• Quick Killer: Very infectious – Not very contagious. A small amount can make you fatally sick. But it’s actually difficult to spread. It’s not airborne, but it is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, exposure to contaminated objects from an infected person, and by handling infected meat.
• Ebola killed 11,000+ inA Africa in 2014-2016; 11 cases in U.S.

The Health and Human Services Secretary announced this Tuesday that the U.S. has contributed $8M to the efforts to contain the spread of Ebola in Congo – more than any other country. We’ll watch for more $$ & updates.