The people’s vaccine: How a covid-19 vaccine will be a test of global accountability and equity
December 15, 2020
With over 66 million confirmed cases and more than 1.5 million deaths globally, the burden of covid-19 on global health systems continues to weigh heavily. As the pandemic devastates communities around the world, lack of access to vaccines in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) could result in further consequences. LMICs, which account for 75% of the global population, already require an estimated US$274 – $371 billion annually to reach the Sustainable Development Goal health targets by 2030. The urgency of ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has the right to the highest standard of health has never been more apparent.
BugBitten
How should we measure face washing in trachoma elimination programmes?
Researchers from the UK and Senegal assessed the reliability of facial cleanliness indicators used to measure a key component of the SAFE trachoma elimination strategy. The results presented highlights the need for further research into a reliable marker for face washing to guide trachoma and WASH campaigns.
(Picture by Mozerayayena, available on Wikimedia Commons)
Trachoma and the SAFE strategy
Trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, affects 136.9 million people globally and is responsible for the vision impairment or blindness of 1.9 million people. It is caused by ocular infection with the bacterium
Tighter Covid-19 restrictions imposed in London as coronavirus infections surge hindustantimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hindustantimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
15/12/2020
Watch: Expert urges Kiwis not to fear COVID-19 vaccines. Credits: Video - Newshub; Image - Reuters
Experts say the emergence of a new strain of the virus behind COVID-19 shouldn t be anything to worry about - but nothing can be certain until more data is collected.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancocks says more than 1000 cases of the mutated SARS-CoV-2 virus have been found in the south of the country, and could be behind the recent rapid rise in infections in London, Kent, parts of Essex and Hertfordshire .
According to the latest data on the UK government website, the virus reproduction number in London and southeast England could be above one - meaning the outbreak is getting larger, despite the strict lockdown across the region.