Pandemics will prosper unless people with HIV are put first
3 years, 3 months ago

Pandemics will prosper unless people with HIV are put first

The Independent  

While all eyes are on the omicron Covid-19 variant that has triggered global alarm, Wednesday marks the annual commemoration of another deadly disease that has claimed millions of lives. It is home to more than two-thirds of the almost 38 million people estimated to be living with HIV, but less than 5 per cent of its 1.14 billion population has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. To compound matters, a WHO report in July found that people with HIV are 30 per cent more likely to fall critically ill or die from Covid-19, while scientists tracking the omicron coronavirus variant believe it may have evolved in an immuno-compromised person, possibly with untreated HIV. At least 8.2 million South Africans are infected with HIV, but only about 71 per cent are being treated with life-saving antiretroviral drugs. To keep up to speed with all the latest opinions and comment sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter by clicking here The solution is simple: prioritise people with HIV for Covid-19 vaccines.

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History of this topic

After Covid, is the world well prepared for another pandemic?
2 weeks ago

After Covid, is the world well prepared for another pandemic?

Firstpost  

The world was shaken to its core when the Covid pandemic hit in 2019 killing as many as seven million people across the world. Many unscrupulous people took advantage of the Covid pandemic, selling useless remedies for the condition, such as bleach, hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. This made it very hard to deliver serious public health messages and interventions, especially to …

After Covid, is the world well prepared for another pandemic?
2 weeks ago

After Covid, is the world well prepared for another pandemic?

Firstpost  

The world was shaken to its core when the Covid pandemic hit in 2019 killing as many as seven million people across the world. Many unscrupulous people took advantage of the Covid pandemic, selling useless remedies for the condition, such as bleach, hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. This made it very hard to deliver serious public health messages and interventions, especially to …

Is the world ready for the next pandemic?
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Is the world ready for the next pandemic?

The Hindu  

An awkward question remains five years after Covid-19 began its deadly rampage: is the world ready to handle the next pandemic? View from the WHO Asked whether the world was better prepared for the next pandemic, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said recently: "Yes and no". "If the next pandemic arrived today, the world would still face some of the …

Has the next pandemic already started?
8 months, 1 week ago

Has the next pandemic already started?

Al Jazeera  

New cases of avian flu are raising alarm of a possible new pandemic. It is crucial to avoid repeating mistakes from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when dealing with H5N1, where the risks could be even greater due to its high mortality rate. Tests should be made available worldwide – including in low- and middle-income countries – and prioritised in populations …

Will we be prepared for "Disease X?" Misinformation could leave us vulnerable to a future pandemic
1 year, 1 month ago

Will we be prepared for "Disease X?" Misinformation could leave us vulnerable to a future pandemic

Salon  

Pandemics have always been a major part of human history, they still dominate our present to some degree, and it would be prudent to prepare for them in the future to avoid the worst case scenario. “There's always the sense of ‘Is there another virus family out there that could cause a problem?’ They needed a “Disease X,” he said. …

World leaders to meet to discuss threat of hypothetical ‘Disease X’ in Davos
1 year, 2 months ago

World leaders to meet to discuss threat of hypothetical ‘Disease X’ in Davos

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It’s known by the placeholder name of Disease X, …

Nearly 10,000 COVID deaths reported globally last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant
1 year, 2 months ago

Nearly 10,000 COVID deaths reported globally last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant

LA Times  

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, speaks at a news conference in Geneva last year. The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent coronavirus variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, …

Nearly 10,000 died from COVID-19 last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant, WHO says
1 year, 2 months ago

Nearly 10,000 died from COVID-19 last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant, WHO says

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the month jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries — mostly in Europe and the Americas …

AIDS can be stopped with science-backed tools
1 year, 4 months ago

AIDS can be stopped with science-backed tools

The Hindu  

Since the first diagnosed case of HIV in 1981, it is estimated that globally 39 million persons are now living with HIV. The World Health Organization has developed guidelines for Advanced HIV to prevent and diagnose these opportunistic infections. People with HIV who are on these antiretroviral medications can lead a normal, healthy lifestyle without developing opportunistic infections. India’s capacity …

Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: Unanswered questions, lessons learnt and ongoing challenges
1 year, 5 months ago

Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: Unanswered questions, lessons learnt and ongoing challenges

Firstpost  

The COVID-19 pandemic that impacted all aspects of human life, quite literally cancelled the planet. Was any internal advice given to the Government of India that the mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna were better, despite the fact that they were significantly more expensive and difficult to administer? Covishield, developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca in the UK, is similar to previous …

Disease X: Potential global pandemic 20 times deadlier than COVID
1 year, 6 months ago

Disease X: Potential global pandemic 20 times deadlier than COVID

Op India  

With COVID-19 evolving into a persistent and increasingly known health challenge, global healthcare experts are now preparing for a possible emergence of “Disease X.” They warn that this novel virus could potentially yield an impact that can be twice that of the catastrophic pandemic Spanish Flu of 1918-1920. Today, we could expect a similar death toll from one of the …

The next pandemic is already coming and it could kill millions more than Covid. We need to prepare for it now... writes experts KATE BINGHAM and TIM HAMES
1 year, 6 months ago

The next pandemic is already coming and it could kill millions more than Covid. We need to prepare for it now... writes experts KATE BINGHAM and TIM HAMES

Daily Mail  

The next major pandemic is coming. It’s already on the horizon, and could be far worse — killing millions more people — than the last one. To combat Disease X — as the World Health Organisation ominously calls it — we will once again need vaccines to be engineered and delivered in record time. It’s already on the horizon, and …

HEALTH | ‘End to AIDS’ possible by 2030: UN
1 year, 8 months ago

HEALTH | ‘End to AIDS’ possible by 2030: UN

The Hindu  

Published : Jul 15, 2023 13:01 IST - 2 MINS READ It is possible to end AIDS by 2030, the United Nations said on July 13. “We have a solution if we follow the leadership of countries that have forged strong political commitments to put people first and invest in evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment programs,” the UNAIDS agency said …

WHO, Believes Disease X Could Create A Pandemic Like Situation, All You Need To Know
1 year, 10 months ago

WHO, Believes Disease X Could Create A Pandemic Like Situation, All You Need To Know

News 18  

As the world gradually returns to a sense of normalcy following the unprecedented challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the scientific and public health communities remain steadfast in their preparations for future outbreaks and pandemics. As the global community reflects on the challenges and lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, the pursuit of knowledge and preventive measures against future outbreaks …

COVID-19 no longer a global emergency, says WHO
1 year, 10 months ago

COVID-19 no longer a global emergency, says WHO

The Hindu  

The World Health Organization said on May 5 that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies worldwide and killed at least 7 million people worldwide. “It's with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus …

Will we ever reach a point where Covid is no longer a threat to our everyday lives?
1 year, 11 months ago

Will we ever reach a point where Covid is no longer a threat to our everyday lives?

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. There were many hard-learned lessons, but …

WHO Says Covid-19 Remains 'Global Health Emergency'
2 years, 1 month ago

WHO Says Covid-19 Remains 'Global Health Emergency'

News 18  

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to be a “global health emergency” and the deadly virus will remain a “permanently established pathogen” in humans and animals for the foreseeable future, according to the World Health Organisation. “Three years ago today, I declared a public health emergency of international concern over the global spread of COVID-19 – the highest level of alarm under …

Covid still an emergency but nearing 'inflection' point, says WHO chief
2 years, 2 months ago

Covid still an emergency but nearing 'inflection' point, says WHO chief

India Today  

The coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found the pandemic may be nearing an “inflexion point” where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths. Speaking at the opening of WHO’s annual executive board meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “there is no doubt that we’re in …

WHO: COVID still an emergency but nearing ‘inflection’ point
2 years, 2 months ago

WHO: COVID still an emergency but nearing ‘inflection’ point

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found the pandemic may be nearing an “inflexion point” where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths. Speaking at the opening of WHO’s annual executive board meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “there is no doubt that …

COVID is still a global emergency but may be nearing an ‘inflection point,’ WHO says
2 years, 2 months ago

COVID is still a global emergency but may be nearing an ‘inflection point,’ WHO says

LA Times  

COVID-19 remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization’s chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found that the pandemic may be nearing an “inflection point” where higher levels of immunity can lower coronavirus-related deaths. Speaking at the opening of the WHO’s annual executive board meeting, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “there is no doubt that we’re …

Deaths from heart diseases went up during COVID pandemic, says a study
2 years, 2 months ago

Deaths from heart diseases went up during COVID pandemic, says a study

India TV News  

The number of people dying from cardiovascular disease in the US escalated during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, from 874,613 CVD-related deaths recorded in 2019 to 928,741 in 2020, a new study has revealed. The rise in the number of CVD deaths in 2020 represents the largest single-year increase since 2015 and topped the previous high of 910,000 …

Lessons From COVID: What The World Needs to Learn to Tackle Future Pandemics
2 years, 2 months ago

Lessons From COVID: What The World Needs to Learn to Tackle Future Pandemics

The Quint  

The costly lesson from COVID: why elimination should be the default global strategy for future pandemics Getty Images Imagine it is 2030. An upgraded pandemic response to eliminate at source The process by which the WHO currently decides whether to declare a public health emergency of international concern has drawn criticism for being too slow. Elimination makes sense for other …

Covid-19’s spread in China might tell us how deadly Omicron really is
2 years, 3 months ago

Covid-19’s spread in China might tell us how deadly Omicron really is

Live Mint  

Covid-19’s rapid spread in China has prompted reports of crowded hospitals and inundated crematoria. China is meeting the Omicron variant with less exposure to the virus and lower vaccination rates among the elderly, public-health experts said. Covid-19’s spread there will help explain to what extent lower rates of severe disease and death are influenced by Omicron’s nature compared with a …

Covid-19’s spread in China might tell us how deadly Omicron really is
2 years, 3 months ago

Covid-19’s spread in China might tell us how deadly Omicron really is

Live Mint  

Covid-19’s rapid spread in China has prompted reports of crowded hospitals and inundated crematoria. China is meeting the Omicron variant with less exposure to the virus and lower vaccination rates among the elderly, public-health experts said. Covid-19’s spread there will help explain to what extent lower rates of severe disease and death are influenced by Omicron’s nature compared with a …

China’s Covid-19 spike is a worry
2 years, 3 months ago

China’s Covid-19 spike is a worry

Hindustan Times  

China is now in the grip of its worst Covid-19 outbreak, having been forced to dismantle its restrictive virus control measures when near-unprecedented protests erupted against the Xi Jinping administration. While other countries completed the first round of mass vaccinations within 2021, nearly half of those above the age of 80 in China – the most vulnerable to Covid-19 -- …

COVID-19 burden lessens in Africa, but vigilance crucial as year-end season begins, says WHO
2 years, 3 months ago

COVID-19 burden lessens in Africa, but vigilance crucial as year-end season begins, says WHO

Firstpost  

There has been less pressure on public health facilities in 2022, allowing countries to again improve on disrupted health services and increase focus on other health priorities such as routine immunisation, disease surveillance and response to other outbreaks Johannesburg: Although the level of COVID-19 infections across the African continent is at its lowest since the start of the pandemic two …

Next Covid strain ‘could be more dangerous than Omicron’
2 years, 3 months ago

Next Covid strain ‘could be more dangerous than Omicron’

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The next strain of coronavirus could be more dangerous than the …

‘Stealthy’ new Covid variant can reinfect you every month
2 years, 6 months ago

‘Stealthy’ new Covid variant can reinfect you every month

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “So maybe six to eight weeks they are …

A report highlights 11 ways to prepare for future pandemics
2 years, 6 months ago

A report highlights 11 ways to prepare for future pandemics

The Hindu  

A global report released today highlights massive global failures in the response to COVID-19. The report also highlights that the pandemic has reversed progress made towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in many countries further impacting on health and wellbeing. The World Health Assembly should also adopt new global regulations on biosafety to regulate international research programs dealing with …

Fight to end virus pandemic takes place on UN’s sidelines
2 years, 6 months ago

Fight to end virus pandemic takes place on UN’s sidelines

Associated Press  

UNITED NATIONS — In four days of fiery speeches over war, climate change and the threat of nuclear weapons, one issue felt like an afterthought during this year’s U.N. General Assembly: the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gathered with World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and others to discuss equitable access …

Time for increased action against COVID-19: WHO Chief Scientist
2 years, 6 months ago

Time for increased action against COVID-19: WHO Chief Scientist

The Hindu  

In light of the World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus’ declaration that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is nigh, nations wonder whether they can let their guard down and resume ‘normalcy’ as it existed pre-pandemic. “As the Director General said: ‘These policy briefs are an urgent call for governments to take a hard look at their policies …

WHO: COVID end 'in sight,' deaths at lowest since March 2020
2 years, 6 months ago

WHO: COVID end 'in sight,' deaths at lowest since March 2020

The Hindu  

The head of the World Health Organization said on September 15 that the number of coronavirus deaths worldwide last week was the lowest reported in the pandemic since March 2020, marking what could be a turning point in the years-long global outbreak. “Now is the time to run harder and make sure we cross the line and reap all the …

WHO: COVID end ‘in sight,’ deaths at lowest since March 2020
2 years, 6 months ago

WHO: COVID end ‘in sight,’ deaths at lowest since March 2020

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that the number of coronavirus deaths worldwide last week was the lowest reported in the pandemic since March 2020, marking what could be a turning point in the years-long global outbreak. “Now is the time to run harder and make sure we cross the line and reap all the …

WHO says COVID end is ‘in sight,’ deaths at lowest level since March 2020
2 years, 6 months ago

WHO says COVID end is ‘in sight,’ deaths at lowest level since March 2020

LA Times  

The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that the number of COVID-19 deaths worldwide last week was the lowest reported since March 2020, marking what could be a turning point in the years-long pandemic. “Now is the time to run harder and make sure we cross the line and reap all the rewards of our hard work.” In …

EXPLAINER: Is COVID-19 winding down? Scientists say no.
2 years, 6 months ago

EXPLAINER: Is COVID-19 winding down? Scientists say no.

Associated Press  

Is the coronavirus on its way out? Topol said the virus “just has too many ways to work around our current strategies, and it’ll just keep finding people, finding them again, and self-perpetuating.” HOW WILL THE VIRUS MUTATE? “Every time we think we’ve seen the peak transmission, peak immune escape properties, the virus exceeds that by another significant notch,” Topol …

Covid is nowhere near over, warns WHO chief amid spike in cases
2 years, 8 months ago

Covid is nowhere near over, warns WHO chief amid spike in cases

Live Mint  

World Health Organization's chief on Tuesday pointed out that Fresh waves of Covid-19 cases show that the pandemic is "nowhere near over". "New waves of the virus demonstrate again that Covid-19 is nowhere near over," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference, adding: "As the virus pushes at us, we must push back." "Governments should also work to reverse the …

Pandemic not over, says WHO as Covid cases rise in 110 countries
2 years, 9 months ago

Pandemic not over, says WHO as Covid cases rise in 110 countries

India Today  

The Covid-19 pandemic is changing but it is not over, the head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday, cautioning that the cases are on the rise in 110 countries and are being driven mainly by two fast-spreading Omicron sub-variants. "On COVID-19, driven by BA.4 and BA.5 in many places, cases are on the rise in 110 countries, causing …

COVID-19 cases on rise in 110 nations, driven by 2 Omicron sub-variants: WHO
2 years, 9 months ago

COVID-19 cases on rise in 110 nations, driven by 2 Omicron sub-variants: WHO

Live Mint  

The World Health Organization on 29 June said that the COVID-19 pandemic is changing but it is not over and cautioned the cases are on the rise in 110 countries. Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said hat the fast-spreading Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 together are estimated to make up half of the coronavirus cases …

What is ‘Disease X’? Why top experts are warning of another pandemic?
2 years, 9 months ago

What is ‘Disease X’? Why top experts are warning of another pandemic?

Live Mint  

‘Disease X’ is causing much a concern in Britain and accordingly, health experts have urged the government to remain prepared for a new pathogen owing to the fact that the country has seen several infections in the recent past. Medical experts have warned, as reported by The Mirror, “We're living through a new pandemic era, and Disease X’ could be …

The Omicron subvariant spreading across the U.S. shares an ominous trait with Delta
2 years, 10 months ago

The Omicron subvariant spreading across the U.S. shares an ominous trait with Delta

LA Times  

Coronavirus particles are seen under a microscope. A genetic trait that harks back to the pandemic’s past, known as a Delta mutation, appears to allow the virus “to escape preexisting immunity from vaccination and prior infection, especially if you were infected in the Omicron wave,” said Dr. Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas. The Omicron subvariant gaining …

COVID is Here to Stay In a Milder Endemic Form, So Will Masking and Vaccination
2 years, 11 months ago

COVID is Here to Stay In a Milder Endemic Form, So Will Masking and Vaccination

News 18  

On my long flight to the US a couple of weeks ago, I had plenty of time to think about the COVID pandemic and ponder how things were last year this time, how it is now and how would it be a year from now. All these measures helped us considerably in facing the third wave, which came on the …

'Pandemic phase' over for US, but...': Dr. Fauci's Covid assessment
2 years, 11 months ago

'Pandemic phase' over for US, but...': Dr. Fauci's Covid assessment

India TV News  

Dr. Anthony Fauci has given an upbeat assessment of the current state of the coronavirus in the United States, saying the country is “out of the pandemic phase” when it comes to new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, but that it appears to be making a transition to COVID-19 becoming an endemic disease — occurring regularly in certain areas. Fauci, the …

Possibility of more COVID variants can’t be avoided but..: WHO
2 years, 11 months ago

Possibility of more COVID variants can’t be avoided but..: WHO

Live Mint  

World Health Organisation has asserted that the acute stage of COVID can be ended this year in case vaccination coverage can be increased and at the same time, measures are taken to stop the spread. More deadly variants may emerge if… Earlier this week, WHO also pointed out that with the virus still circulating, the risk of more deadly variants …

Despite effective treatments, HIV drags on. Experts warn COVID may face the same fate
2 years, 11 months ago

Despite effective treatments, HIV drags on. Experts warn COVID may face the same fate

NPR  

Despite effective treatments, HIV drags on. "There's a human aspect to it that they're discounting – people have emotional habits that they don't break, and that's how the virus thrives," she says. Sponsor Message Still, she says, "I don't know that I ever greeted any of these new advances saying, 'This is the thing that's going to end HIV.' "It's …

Is Covid-19 endemic yet? Experts aren’t so sure
2 years, 11 months ago

Is Covid-19 endemic yet? Experts aren’t so sure

CNN  

This is the weekly edition of CNN’s coronavirus newsletter. “I think we’ve done a huge disservice using the word ‘endemic,’ frankly,” Michael Fraser, executive director of the US Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told an audience of mostly public health officers during a panel discussion at the 2022 Preparedness Summit in Atlanta on Thursday. “We tend to think …

Time of Pandemics
2 years, 11 months ago

Time of Pandemics

Al Jazeera  

Antibodies, vaccine trials and the social factors determining health – what can we learn from the HIV experiences in the global south, in this time of COVID-19? This exploration, by South African filmmaker Rehad Desai, unpicks connections between the two pandemic experiences, from a global south perspective. This HIV vaccine research, and its extensive clinical trial infrastructure in South Africa, …

COVID-19 virus likely continues to evolve but severity reduces over time: WHO
3 years ago

COVID-19 virus likely continues to evolve but severity reduces over time: WHO

China Daily  

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, attends a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Dec 20, 2021. GENEVA - SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is likely to keep evolving as transmission continues globally, but its severity will reduce due to immunity acquired by vaccination and infection, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. Speaking at …

'Pandemic is not over': WHO's warning as Covid-19 cases surge globally
3 years ago

'Pandemic is not over': WHO's warning as Covid-19 cases surge globally

Hindustan Times  

The World Health Organization on Wednesday warned that the world will continue to battle with surging Covid-19 infections and its emerging variants until all countries are covered with high vaccination. Until we reach high vaccination coverage in all countries, we will continue to face the risk of infections surging and new variants emerging that evade," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom …

Learning to live with Covid
3 years ago

Learning to live with Covid

Hindustan Times  

Are we done with Covid19? The deep psychological impact of Covid came from tsunami-like waves of infections, where many people fell severely ill and faced difficulty in getting adequate healthcare, ultimately leading to many unexpected deaths within short periods. Despite this, the presence of prior immunity sharply reduces the risk of severe disease during infections, even with newer variants. During …

2 years into pandemic, world takes cautious steps forward
3 years ago

2 years into pandemic, world takes cautious steps forward

Associated Press  

PORTLAND, Ore. — With COVID-19 case numbers plummeting, Emily Safrin did something she hadn’t done since the pandemic began two years ago: She put her fears aside and went to a concert. “Everyone was supposed to be vaccinated or have a negative test, and I said, ‘What the heck, I’m just gonna live my life,’” Safrin said of her concert …

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