By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) - The world is on the brink of catastrophic moral failure in sharing COVID-19 vaccines, the head of the World Health Organization said on Monday, urging countries and manufacturers to spread doses more fairly around the world. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the prospects for equitable distribution were at serious risk just as its COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme aimed to start distributing inoculations next month. He noted 44 bilateral deals were signed last year and at least 12 have already been signed this year. This could delay COVAX deliveries and create exactly the scenario COVAX was designed to avoid, with hoarding, a chaotic market, an uncoordinated response and continued social and economic disruption, he said. Such a me-first approach left the world s poorest and most vulnerable at risk, he said at the opening of the body s annual Executive Board meeting in virtual format. Ultimately these actions will only prolong the pandemic,
Jan 18 2021 Read 353 Times
CN Bio has announced a collaboration with the University of Melbourne, focused on respiratory therapies for recovering COVID-19 patients. Harnessing CN Bio’s Organ-on-a-Chip technology, the aim of the research is to develop a model capable of recapitulating the fibrosis and tissue remodelling seen in chronic interstitial lung disease, often occurring following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Subsequently, the University will investigate anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and anti-viral agents to treat patients.
For patients suffering from the chronic complications of COVID-19, many long-term health effects have been identified, including respiratory complications resulting from interstitial lung disease. Through the collaboration, CN Bio’s Sydney-based distributor, AXT, will provide the University of Melbourne access to the Company’s proprietary PhysioMimix™ Organ-on-Chip system, to create a more human-relevant COVID-infected lung culture than current
China economy grows 2.3% in 2020 as rebound from Covid steps up
18 Jan, 2021 02:21 AM
2 minutes to read
China s Covid recovery accelerated as others struggled with disease flare-ups. Photo / AP
Other
China s economy grew 2.3 per cent in 2020 as a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic accelerated while the United States, Europe and Japan struggled with disease flare-ups.
Growth in the three months ending December rose to 6.5 per cent over a year earlier, up from the previous quarter s 4.9 per cent, according to official data released today.
Activity contracted by 6.8 per cent in the first quarter in 2020 as factories and shops shut down to fight the virus. The following quarter, China became the first major country to grow again with a 3.2 per cent expansion after the Communist Party declared victory over the virus in March and reopened the economy.
Alyssa L. Miller / Creative Commons
Yale University s Dr. Nicholas Christakis explores what it means to live in a time of pandemic. He looks at historical epidemics and current medical and social research to help us understand the potential long-term impact COVID-19 will have on people and culture.
Greek mythology holds that the arrows of plague Apollo shot down upon the Greeks led to great death and suffering. The plague that has brought death and pain over this past year was not brought by an angry god, but an infinitesimal virus that has wreaked global havoc and exposed the best and worst of human behavior.