The global drive to vaccinate against severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in December 2020 with countries in Europe, Middle East, and North America leading the roll out of a mass-vaccination program This systematic review synthesised all available English-language guidelines and research regarding mass-vaccination for COVID-19 until 1 March 2021-the first three months of the global mass-vaccination effort Data were extracted from national websites, PubMed, Embase, Medline and medRxiv, including peer and non-peer review research findings A total of 15 national policy documents were included Policies were summarised according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) framework for mass vaccination All included policies prioritised front-line health care workers and the elderly Limited information was available regarding staffing, cold chain, communication strategies and infrastructure requirements for effective vaccine delivery A total of 26 research studies were identified, reporting roll-out strategies, vaccine uptake and reasons for refusal, adverse effects, and real-life estimates of efficacy Early data showed a reduction in SARS-CoV-2 cases, hospitalisation and deaths in settings with good coverage Very low rates of vaccine-related serious adverse events were observed These findings provide an overview of current practice and early outcomes of COVID-19 mass-vaccination, guiding countries where roll-out is yet to commence
The Implementation of Mass-Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review of Existing Strategies and Guidelines