‘Fractionation’ Proposed to Address Vaccine Shortages, as Pharma Makes Case for Boosters

13/08/2021 Kerry Cullinan

As wealthy countries opt to give third COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to vulnerable citizens, some researchers have called instead for “fractional doses” to stretch the scarce resources. “If you have two million doses of vaccine, you can give that as two doses to one million people. But what about if you gave fractional doses?” asked […] Continue reading ->

US Wildfire Smoke in May Have Contributed to Excess COVID Cases and Deaths in 2020

13/08/2021 Raisa Santos

While the US was contending with the COVID-19 pandemic, huge wildfires that swept across the country in 2020 may have contributed to thousands of COVID cases and deaths, according to a US study on fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) air pollution from wildfires and COVID-19. The study, conducted by researchers at the Harvard Chan School […] Continue reading ->

Kenya Mandates COVID-19 Vaccines for Civil Servants as Africa’s Vaccine Rollout Gathers Speed

13/08/2021 Paul Adepoju

The Kenyan government’s decision to compel its workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 has received the support of Dr John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC). “I support policies that get citizens of Africa to go out there and get vaccinated whenever they have an opportunity to have access to vaccines. […] Continue reading ->

WHO Calls on China to Co-operate in Next Phase of SARS-CoV2 Origins Research

13/08/2021 Kerry Cullinan

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on China to provide it with access to raw data so that the global search for the origins of SARS-CoV2 can move forward. The WHO made the call on Thursday while asking member countries for nominations to the Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO). While […] Continue reading ->

PAHO to Help Members Buy Vaccines as Delta Variant Drives COVID-19 Across Americas

12/08/2021 Raisa Santos

As the Delta variant continues to fuel COVID-19 cases and deaths across the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is becoming more proactive in procuring vaccines for its members. PAHO announced this week that its Revolving Fund, which provides access to vaccines at affordable prices, is now open for requests from member states for […] Continue reading ->

WHO-led Trial Will Test Malaria and Cancer Medicines Against COVID-19

11/08/2021 Kerry Cullinan

Three medicines currently being used to treat malaria, cancer and immune deficiencies are being tested on hospitalised patients with COVID-19 to see whether they can be repurposed to address the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday. “These therapies – artesunate, imatinib and infliximab – were selected by an independent expert panel for […] Continue reading ->

Flexible Community Care is Essential in Crisis – as Midwives Show During COVID-19

10/08/2021 Nisha Singh, Anteneh Asefa, Daniela Drandic, Alma Alicia Ochoa Moctezuma & Hagar Palgi-Hacker

More than a year after the start of the global coronavirus pandemic, and the release of openDemocracy’s investigation into childbirth during COVID-19, we know that there have been too many violations of women’s pregnancy and childbirth rights during this crisis, including outright suspensions of services. Too often, the response of governments and health facilities to […] Continue reading ->

COVID-19 Therapeutics Must be Shared to Avoid Replicating Vaccine Inequality, Warns DNDi

06/08/2021 Kerry Cullinan

Much more global attention needs to be paid to developing early therapeutics to protect patients with COVID-19 from “hospitalisation, intensive care, or worse”, according to a report from Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) released on Thursday. In addition, the few innovative treatments that exist are mostly available in high-income countries, and DNDi warns that […] Continue reading ->

WHO Calls for G20 Support for Moratorium on COVID Vaccine Boosters Until End of September

04/08/2021 Kerry Cullinan

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September to enable a minimum of 10% of the population of every country to be vaccinated. Making the appeal at the WHO’s COVID-19 media briefing on Wednesday, Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Gheybreysus said support for […] Continue reading ->

US Donation Enables New Nigerian Rollout Where Only 0,6% Are Vaccinated Against COVID

04/08/2021 Paul Adepoju

IBADAN – On Sunday 1 August, two planes carrying four million doses of the Moderna vaccine from the US touched down in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. With the arrival of the new doses, Nigeria will be able to resume its COVID-19 vaccination programme which was suspended on 22 July when the Nigeria Primary Healthcare Development […] Continue reading ->