ADB appoints new Country Director for Kyrgyzstan
AKIPRESS.COM - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Kanokpan Lao-Araya as its new Country Director for the Kyrgyz Republic.
Ms. Lao-Araya will lead ADB’s operations in the Kyrgyz Republic and supervise the implementation of the bank’s country partnership strategy, 2018–2022 and country operations business plan, 2021–2023. Both aim to support growth and economic diversification, improve access to public and social services, and leverage regional cooperation and integration.
“I am pleased to lead ADB’s efforts to support the Kyrgyz Republic’s development goals,” said Ms. Lao-Araya. “Through ADB’s investments and support of reform programs, we will continue to help the country recover from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, drive inclusive growth, and improve access to public services in order to improve the lives of people across the country.”
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Could rotavirus genome be key to COVID-19 vaccine for kids? IU researchers say yes
Since the pandemic struck the United States more than a year ago, Indiana University Bloomington virologist John Patton, graduate student Asha Philip and others have been working on a COVID-19 vaccine for young children, based on a well-established childhood vaccine for the common illness rotavirus.
Currently, no available COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized for use in children younger than 16.
John Patton. Photo by Eric Rudd, Indiana University
By reverse-engineering the rotavirus genome to serve as a vector for the now-familiar SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, the research team succeeded in generating genetically stable recombinant rotaviruses that contain portions of the spike protein, which could lead to a combined rotavirus-COVID-19 vaccine to replace current widely used rotavirus vaccines.
Ms Lao-Araya will lead ADB’s operations in the Kyrgyz Republic and supervise the implementation of the bank’s country partnership strategy, 2018–2022 and country operations business plan, 2021–2023.