COVID-19 Workshop Series: Responding, Re-opening, Rejuvenating

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• OVERVIEW
• DATES TO REMEMBER
• WORKSHOP 1
• WORKSHOP 2
• WORKSHOP 3
• BLOG

• The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve.

  Large parts of the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region continue to be challenged, and countries that have previously contained the virus are now fighting off aggressive second waves brought about by variants. These variants, along with uncertainty surrounding supply, throughput and hesitancy, are threatening each country's ability to overcome the pandemic.
  
  In response to these challenges, leaders need to develop pre-emptive responses to protect populations and ensure a secure path to economic recovery.

  The World Bank is holding a series of virtual workshops to assist the EAP Region Member Countries in navigating the challenges of scaling up vaccine programs and planning their re-openings and national revivals. The objective of these workshops is to enable the member countries to make informed and actionable decisions based on the multiple options and guidance available.

• These workshops are targeted at current and imminent challenges facing governments in managing COVID-19, with guidance from global experts and reflections from prominent policymakers in the region.

  Workshop 1: Tuesday, May 18, 2021
  7:30 - 9:00 AM ET | 7:30 - 9:00pm SGT Responding amid evolving complexities

  Discuss strategies for effective COVID-19 responses as vaccines roll out and policy decisions grow more complex. How should COVID-19 strategies adapt as vaccine campaigns ramp up and population behaviors change? How can policymakers navigate key uncertainties, such as new variants, vaccine hesitancy, and an evolving supply landscape?

  Workshop 1 Zoom Link

  Workshop 1 Feedback Survey

  Workshop 2: Tuesday, May 25 (ET)/Wednesday May 26 (SGT), 2021 9:00 - 10:30 PM ET |9:00 - 10:30 AM SGT Re-opening safely

  Examine the policy-makers' tool-kit to re-opening the broader economy, while continuing to keep transmissions in check. What are the key indicators for re-opening, both domestically and internationally? What are global best practices for phased re-openings, including vaccine passports and industry prioritization?

  Workshop 2 Zoom Link

  Workshop 2 Feedback Survey

  Workshop 3: Tuesday, June 1 (ET)/Wednesday June 2 (SGT), 2021 8:00 - 9:30 PM ET | 8:00 - 9:30 AM SGT Rejuvenating in the new reality

  Discuss the COVID-19 pandemic's evolution into the new reality and how governments can prepare for this future. What will endemic COVID-19 look like and what does it mean for economies and society? How can a response to endemic COVID-19 be integrated into health systems more broadly?

  Workshop 3 Zoom Link

  Workshop 3 Feedback Survey

• MULTIMEDIA

  click

  VIDEO

  Workshop 1 - Responding Amid Evolving Complexities

  Leading experts and government officials discuss how the current COVID-19 pandemic has evolved around the world, and how governments and policy-makers can respond amid complex uncertainties.

  >>Download Presentation 'Responding Amid Evolving Complexities (PDF)

  Tuesday, May 18, 2021
  7:30 - 9:00 AM ET | 7:30 - 9:00pm SGT

  Virtual

  Workshop 1 Feedback Survey

  Related links

  • Twenty tips for interpreting scientific claims
  • Learning Systems in Times of Crisis: the Covid-19 Critical Intelligence Unit in New South Wales, Australia
• MULTIMEDIA

  click

  VIDEO

  Workshop 2 - Re-opening Safely (link to Zoom)

  Leading experts and government officials discuss the policy-makers tool-kit to broader economic re-opening, including the leading indicators to inform policy-making, and best practices across strategic levers such as vaccine passports and phased re-openings.

  >>Download Presentation 'Re-opening Safely' (PDF)

  Tuesday, May 25 (ET)/Wednesday May 26 (SGT), 2021

  9:00 - 10:30 PM ET |9:00 - 10:30 AM SGT

  Virtual

  Workshop 2 Feedback Survey

  Related links Digital Green Certificate

  • General information about the proposed regulation
  • Technical specifications for the system
  • Open source reference implementations
• Workshop 3 - Rejuvenating in the New Reality (link to Zoom)

  Leading experts and government officials discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic will be evolving into the new reality, including a discussion on what an endemic COVID-19 could look like and how governments can start preparing for it.

  Elimination could be the optimal response strategy for COVID-19

  Winning the fight against endemic COVID-19

  Multimedia to be provided after the Workshop - Video & Presentation Materials

  Tuesday, June 1 (ET)/Wednesday June 2 (SGT), 2021

  8:00 - 9:30 PM ET | 8:00 - 9:30 AM SGT

  Virtual

  Workshop 3 Zoom Link | Workshop 3 Feedback Survey

  Detailed Agenda

  Duration	Topic	Presenter	Objectives
  5m	Welcome remarks & objectives	Muhamad Pate	Outline objectives for this session
  20m	Part 1: Session 1 Endemic COVID 19 and implications to health systems Session 2. The case for zero COVID-19	Trish Stroman (BCG) Michael Baker (New Zealand)	What is the new reality? Is endemic COVID 19 inevitable? What does endemic COVID 19 mean for societies and economies? What does endemic COVID-19 mean for health systems and infrastructures? (e.g., booster shots, continuing surveillance capabilities, genomic sequencing, etc.,) Integrated systems approach (e.g., strategic thinking for broader health system strengthening & integration)
  55m	Part 2: Leadership panel	Martin Raiser (Moderator), Dr. Soonman Kwon (South Korea), Michael Baker (New Zealand), Sec. Vince Dizon (Philippines), Dr. Mitchell Wolfe (US CDC),	Guided Q&A from moderator to panelists leveraging pre planned questions on above topics and live questions from the audience raised in the Zoom chat
  5m	Closing remarks	Victoria Kwakwa	Provide closing thoughts

  Related Links:

  SARS-CoV-2 elimination, not mitigation, creates best outcomes for health, the economy, and civil liberties (The Lancet)

  The coronavirus is here to stay - here's what that means (Nature)

• EAP Vaccination Planning

  Authors: Kate Mandeville, Vikram Rajan, Aparnaa Somanathan, Anthony Oundjian, Emily Serazin, Qahir Dhanani

  As we head into the second half of 2021, well over a year after the global spread of Covid-19 and its precipitous impact on lives and livelihoods, a few countries can now see some light at the end of the tunnel. Fourteen vaccines have been approved for full, emergency, or limited use. Based on trial data and real-world evidence, all candidates appear highly effective in protecting against severe COVID-19.

  Countries in the East Asia and Pacific region were particularly effective in the early stages of the pandemic in 'crushing and containing' the virus. Having made tough choices on lockdowns and travel restrictions, some countries also implemented strong 'testing, tracing and isolation' strategies. Countries are now shifting focus - to varying degrees of aggressiveness - on vaccinating their populations to reopen and continue efforts to recover from the economic fallouts. Countries in the region have made steady progress, with over a billion doses already administered in the region, including over 320 million in China and 750 million in the rest of the region.

  Yet while vaccines offer hope, they also add complexity. With delays in vaccines delivered through COVAX, many countries have sought other sources of supply. Identifying, negotiating, and deploying multiple vaccine supplies can be challenging in the current global climate. The spread of new variants and local outbreaks raise concerns about the effectiveness of current vaccines. Meanwhile, rare adverse effects following vaccines are inevitably contributing to increased vaccine hesitancy. Responding to these challenges requires adaptive leadership informed by global evidence.

  While vaccines garner much of the attention, they continue to be just one element of the broader COVID-19 toolkit. As countries start to re-open, policymakers will need to carefully balance the priority placed on vaccines against other effective measures such as public health measures (such as social distancing, masks, and avoiding large gatherings), increased testing, effective clinical care, and phased restrictions. Novel tools such as vaccine passports and travel corridors can help to support lifting of domestic and international restrictions, yet there are many unanswered questions in their implementation. Re-opening safely will necessitate a broad-based, flexible response buttressed by close monitoring of key indicators.

  Finally, while the current roll-out of vaccines is a cause for optimism, it is difficult to discount the possibility of endemic COVID-19, whereby COVID-19 will continue to circulate in parts of the world for years to come. Some countries have taken an elimination approach - will this be sustainable as countries start to open up? If endemic COVID-19 becomes a reality, what does mean for health systems, economies, and societies? Countries may need to prepare for significant ongoing investment in vaccines (including boosters), health systems, and the broader toolkit such as public health measures and surveillance. Rejuvenating societies and economies in this new reality will take innovation, strategic thinking, and determination.

  To assist EAP countries better plan and strategize for COVID-19 adaptive responses, safe re-openings, and long-term rejuvenation, the World Bank will hold three workshops for leaders across the region:

  • Session 1: Responding amid evolving complexities (May 18 EDT/May 19 EAP) will examine critical questions for effective COVID-19 responses as vaccines roll out, population behavior changes, and policy decisions grow more complex. It will also explore how leaders can navigate key uncertainties, including new variants, vaccine hesitancy, and an evolving supply landscape.
  • Session 2: Re-opening safely (May 25 EDT/May 26 EAP) will discuss the key levers and the broader toolkit to manage phased re-openings. Key indicators to identify readiness for and promote the safety of both domestic and international re-openings will be discussed, along with global best practices such as vaccine passports and travel bubbles.
  • Session 3: Rejuvenating in the 'new reality' (June 1 EDT/June 2 EAP) will explore what endemic COVID-19 would look like and its implications for health systems, economies and societies. The additional pressures on health systems from endemic COVID-19 will be described, as well as how planning for sustainable capacity in these areas could support broader rejuvenation. Yet endemic COVID-19 may not be inevitable, and the series will conclude with a debate as to whether countries should be aiming for zero COVID (i.e. elimination) versus endemic COVID.

  These workshops will complement previous learning events by updating leaders on emerging challenges and broadening the perspective beyond health systems. With an effective strategy, robust planning, and adaptive leadership, countries will more effectively weather these challenges. Our workshop series aims to support this journey with technical insights, practical evidence, and lessons learned from around the world.