WHO Issues Urgent Appeal For US $11.5 Billion For COVID Tests, Treatments, and Vaccines

17/08/2021 Raisa Santos

With more COVID-19 cases reported in the first half of 2021 than in the whole of 2020, despite high vaccination rates in some countries, the WHO-led Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator) has mounted a US $11.5 billion appeal to stem the surge of dangerous variants and save lives. Called the Rapid ACT-Accelerator Delta Response […] Continue reading ->

Ivory Coast Declares First Ebola Outbreak After More Than 25 Years

16/08/2021 Raisa Santos

The Ivory Coast has confirmed this Sunday its first case of Ebola since 1994 – in a case that was apparently imported from Guinea. That is despite the fact that Guinea’s outbreak was formally declared as over by WHO in June – reflecting the way the deadly virus can lie dormant in some individuals, only […] Continue reading ->

‘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 ->

COVID-19 Weighs Heavily on Young People’s Mental Health

12/08/2021 Kerry Cullinan

International Youth Day – Loneliness, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and job losses. These are some of the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic is weighing on children and young adults who have been isolated from friends, leisure activity and job opportunities by lockdowns and social distancing. Over 1.5 million children have also lost their parents […] 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 ->