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Background: We investigated pregnant women and community leaders' knowledge, perceptions and experiences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program during pregnancy in Uganda and how this changed over the course of the pandemic., Methods: We conducted 20 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and two group discussions (GDs) with pregnant women and four GDs with community leaders in Kawempe division of Kampala, Uganda. The first round of IDIs/GDs were carried out in March 2021. In July 2021, telephone IDIs were conducted with 7 pregnant women and 10 community leaders randomly selected from first-round interview participants. Themes were analysed deductively drawing codes from the topic guides., Results: In the first round, the majority of participants thought COVID-19 was not real because of misconceptions around government messaging/motivation and beliefs that Africans would not be affected. In the second round, participants recognised COVID-19 disease, because of rising case numbers and fatalities. There was increased awareness of the benefits of the vaccine. However, pregnant women remained unsure of vaccine safety and quality, citing side effects like fevers and general body weakness. Role models and coherent public health messaging and healthcare workers were key enablers of vaccine uptake., Conclusions: Targeted and sustained COVID-19 communication and engagement strategies are needed, especially for pregnant women and others in their communities, to improve vaccine confidence during outbreaks., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.)

Control of schistosomiasis depends on a single drug, praziquantel, with variable cure rates, high reinfection rates, and risk of drug resistance. A vaccine could transform schistosomiasis control. Preclinical data show that vaccine development is possible, but conventional vaccine efficacy trials require high incidence, long-term follow-up, and large sample size. Controlled human infection studies (CHI) can provide early efficacy data, allowing the selection of optimal candidates for further trials. A Schistosoma CHI has been established in the Netherlands but responses to infection and vaccines differ in target populations in endemic countries. We aim to develop a CHI for Schistosoma mansoni in Uganda to test candidate vaccines in an endemic setting. This is an open-label, dose-escalation trial in two populations: minimal, or intense, prior Schistosoma exposure. In each population, participants will be enrolled in sequential dose-escalating groups. Initially, three volunteers will be exposed to 10 cercariae. If all show infection, seven more will be exposed to the same dose. If not, three volunteers in subsequent groups will be exposed to higher doses (20 or 30 cercariae) following the same algorithm, until all 10 volunteers receiving a particular dose become infected, at which point the study will be stopped for that population. Volunteers will be followed weekly after infection until CAA positivity or to 12 weeks. Once positive, they will be treated with praziquantel and followed for one year. The trial registry number is ISRCTN14033813 and all approvals have been obtained. The trial will be subjected to monitoring, inspection, and/or audits., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conceptualized and protocol written in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Immunology.)

Background: We investigated how relevant and responsive scientists and research ethics committee (REC) members considered the research protocol review processes for health research practice in Uganda., Methods: Interviews were conducted with five scientists and five REC members. Data were analysed thematically., Results: How much to compensate for time, the amount of study information shared with volunteers and sample storage for future unknown research were areas of concern for REC members. Delays in getting feedback concerned scientists., Conclusions: Researchers and REC members need to hold regular discussions to ensure the review process is relevant and responsive., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.)