Covid-19 is very much a disease of the moment, emerging in a crowded city in a newly prosperous and connected China before spreading to the rest of the world in a matter of months. But our response to it has been both hyper-modern and practically medieval. Scientists around the world are using cutting-edge tools to rapidly sequence the genome of the coronavirus, pass along information about its virulence, and collaborate on possible countermeasures and vaccines, all far quicker than could have been done before.
But when the virus arrived among us, our only effective response was to shut down society and turn off the assembly line of global capitalism. Minus the text alerts, the videoconferencing and the Netflix, what we were doing wasnt that different from what our ancestors might have tried to halt an outbreak of the plague. The result has been chemotherapy for the global economy.
Just as the eventual emergence of something like Covid-19 was easily predictable, so too are the actions we should have taken to shore ourselves against its coming.
We need to strengthen the antennae of global health, to ensure that when the next virus emerges which it will well catch it faster, perhaps even snuff it out. The budget of the WHO, the agency ostensibly charged with safeguarding the health of the worlds 7.8 billion citizens, is somehow no more than that of a large urban hospital in the U.S.
We need to double down on the development of vaccines, which will include assuring large pharma companies that their investments wont be wasted should an outbreak end before one is ready.
Sometimes being a journalist means having to improvise. It was Sunday 23 February when Italy announced draconian measures to stop people leaving or entering 11 towns that had been put under quarantine - 10 in the Lombardy region and one in Veneto. I got up early that day to hike around Lake Albano in Castel Gandolfo, about 40 minutes by train from Rome. I had left home more prepared for the possibility of needing to work bringing with me a notepad and pen than I did for the hike.
Sure enough, 20 minutes into the walk the announcement came. I stopped, found a spot by the lake, and wrote the first 600 words that began the Guardians coverage of Italys coronavirus outbreak. Fortunately, I have a robust smartphone. Sitting by the lake, I had a feeling that life as we knew it had stopped. By the end of that day, three people had died of the virus and 152 were infected.
We knew Covid-19 had made it to Italy in late January, when two Chinese tourists in Rome were confirmed to have contracted it. No more masks signs started to appear on the windows of chemists; my neighbour in Rome began disinfecting the banisters of the buildings stairwell and door handles. You never know, he said one morning, smoking a cigarette. I chalked most of this up to paranoia, not quite grasping that something that was happening so far away in China could reach Europe.
So when the outbreak suddenly emerged, it caught most of us off guard. As with any major breaking news story, a journalists first instinct is to get to the scene quickly. In recent years, Ive covered an earthquake, an avalanche and the collapse of Genoas Morandi bridge. All of those were tragedies that had a profound impact, but they were also ones in which the cause of the events and level of destruction was known and clearly visible. Covering the coronavirus outbreak, especially in the early stages, has been different in the sense that the threat is there, but cannot be seen or properly understood. Coverage needs more caution and planning.
With journalists unable to cross into the quarantined towns, the closest I got to the centre of the outbreak was Milan. That was on 25 February. I was fairly relaxed, worrying most about meeting my deadline. This time I had my computer with me, and filed the story from the foyer of a hotel close to the cathedral. A group of tourists were sitting nearby, coughing repeatedly. Did they have coronavirus? I became hypervigilant for potential symptoms.
Since then, most of my reporting has been done by phone, as the country rapidly shut down.
The death toll and number of people infected kept going up. However, the high number of those recovering, including the two Chinese tourists, was reassuring. Three people I spoke to who had recovered said their symptoms were mild. My first insight into the viruss real destructiveness only came when I spoke to Costantino Pesatori, the mayor of Castiglione dAdda, one of the first Lombardy towns under quarantine, on 6 March. The town lost 18 citizens in less than two weeks, one of them a 55-year-old man who had no known underlying health issues. Three of the towns five doctors were in quarantine, the other two hospitalised with the virus. We have many people with a fever who are at home and who are unable to be visited by a doctor, Pesatori said.
Still, at that point, the voices including some medics saying this is no worse than flu or millions die of flu were louder than the voices of people such as Pesatori. The media came under attack. In one post shared on Facebook, coronavirus was described as a godsend for journalists who were using it to enjoy a moment in the limelight. Seeing friends who run small businesses in Italy worrying about their livelihoods, I felt guilty. Was I being irresponsible? But the more I wrote, the more I learned about the virus. I thought about family and friends who would be vulnerable to it, those either suffering or recovering from cancer, those with heart issues, diabetes, or high blood pressure. This wasnt an illness that affected only the elderly or frail. People were dying before their time, regardless of their age.
As we told stories about the victims, the overwhelmed hospitals and how Italy was struggling to bury its dead, the horror of the viruss impact started to hit home, especially abroad. When a reader emailed thanking us for our responsible coverage, I cried. The reader had shared a story about Bergamo, the worst-affected province, with friends in the UK and said it had made an impact in terms of the message sinking in there.
The whole of Italy has been under lockdown for almost three weeks. Every day at 6pm the population solemnly tunes in for the war bulletin, when the civil protection authority gives an update on the number of deaths and infected. There was hope on Monday when, for two days in a row, the numbers for both had decreased. All we have now is hope that Italy will soon turn a corner. And when it does, I look forward to finishing the hike around Lake Albano.
WASHINGTON Older people remain most at risk of dying as the new coronavirus continues its rampage around the globe, but theyre far from the only ones vulnerable. One of many mysteries: Men seem to be faring worse than women.
And as cases skyrocket in the U.S. and Europe, its becoming more clear that how healthy you were before the pandemic began plays a key role in how you fare regardless of how old you are.
The majority of people who get COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms. But majority doesnt mean all, and that raises an important question: Who should worry most that theyll be among the seriously ill? While it will be months before scientists have enough data to say for sure who is most at risk and why, preliminary numbers from early cases around the world are starting to offer hints.
NOT JUST THE OLD WHO GET SICK
Senior citizens undoubtedly are the hardest hit by COVID-19. In China, 80% of deaths were among people in their 60s or older, and that general trend is playing out elsewhere.
The graying of the population means some countries face particular risk. Italy has the worlds second oldest population after Japan. While death rates fluctuate wildly early in an outbreak, Italy has reported more than 80% of deaths so far were among those 70 or older.
But, the idea that this is purely a disease that causes death in older people we need to be very, very careful with, Dr. Mike Ryan, the World Health Organizations emergencies chief, warned.
As much as 10% to 15% of people under 50 have moderate to severe infection, he said Friday.
Even if they survive, the middle-aged can spend weeks in the hospital. In France, more than half of the first 300 people admitted to intensive care units were under 60.
Young people are not invincible, WHOs Maria Van Kerkhove added, saying more information is needed about the disease in all age groups.
Italy reported that a quarter of its cases so far were among people ages 19 to 50. In Spain, a third are under age 44. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions first snapshot of cases found 29% were ages 20 to 44.
Then theres the puzzle of children, who have made up a small fraction of the worlds case counts to date. But while most appear only mildly ill, in the journal Pediatrics researchers traced 2,100 infected children in China and noted one death, a 14-year-old, and that nearly 6% were seriously ill.
However, a Cook County infant with COVID-19 died, Gov. Pritzker announced Saturday.
Another question is what role kids have in spreading the virus: There is an urgent need for further investigation of the role children have in the chain of transmission, researchers at Canadas Dalhousie University wrote in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
THE RISKIEST HEALTH CONDITIONS
Put aside age: Underlying health plays a big role. In China, 40% of people who required critical care had other chronic health problems. And there, deaths were highest among people who had heart disease, diabetes or chronic lung diseases before they got COVID-19.
Preexisting health problems also can increase risk of infection, such as people who have weak immune systems including from cancer treatment.
Other countries now are seeing how pre-pandemic health plays a role, and more such threats are likely to be discovered. Italy reported that of the first nine people younger than 40 who died of COVID-19, seven were confirmed to have grave pathologies such as heart disease.
The more health problems, the worse they fare. Italy also reports about half of people who died with COVID-19 had three or more underlying conditions, while just 2% of deaths were in people with no preexisting ailments.
Heart disease is a very broad term, but so far it looks like those most at risk have significant cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure or severely stiffened and clogged arteries, said Dr. Trish Perl, infectious disease chief at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Any sort of infection tends to make diabetes harder to control, but its not clear why diabetics appear to be at particular risk with COVID-19.
Risks in the less healthy may have something to do with how they hold up if their immune systems overreact to the virus. Patients who die often seemed to have been improving after a week or so only to suddenly deteriorate experiencing organ-damaging inflammation.
As for preexisting lung problems, this is really happening in people who have less lung capacity, Perl said, because of diseases such as COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or cystic fibrosis.
Asthma also is on the worry list. No one really knows about the risk from very mild asthma, although even routine respiratory infections often leave patients using their inhalers more often and theyll need monitoring with COVID-19, she said. What about a prior bout of pneumonia? Unless it was severe enough to put you on a ventilator, that alone shouldnt have caused any significant lingering damage, she said.
THE GENDER MYSTERY
Perhaps the gender imbalance shouldnt be a surprise: During previous outbreaks of SARS and MERS cousins to COVID-19 scientists noticed men seemed more susceptible than women.
This time around, slightly more than half the COVID-19 deaths in China were among men. Other parts of Asia saw similar numbers. Then Europe, too, spotted what Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus coordinator, labeled a concerning trend.
In Italy, where men so far make up 58% of infections, male deaths are outpacing female deaths and the increased risk starts at age 50, according to a report from Italys COVID-19 surveillance group.
The U.S. CDC hasnt yet released details. But one report about the first nearly 200 British patients admitted to critical care found about two-thirds were male.
One suspect: Globally, men are more likely to have smoked more heavily and for longer periods than women. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control is urging research into smokings connection to COVID-19.
Hormones may play a role, too. In 2017, University of Iowa researchers infected mice with SARS and, just like had happened in people, males were more likely to die. Estrogen seemed protective when their ovaries were removed, deaths among female mice jumped, the team reported in the Journal of Immunology.
Capitalist orthodoxies fail in the face of a crisis that can only be endured and resolved by rediscovering the virtues of collectivism and solidarity, writes Andrew Rawnsley (Comment). Precisely, and this is why a similar approach is needed to confront the climate emergency and why rightwing governments will fail to do so unless they adopt a leftwing approach that does not prioritise market and profit and instead sees the merits of massive state intervention. And the coronavirus crisis rather pointedly undermines Philip Cernys remark that the nation state cannot have a key role in this (My solution to the climate crisis, Letters). What we are learning now is the importance, yes, of individual responsibility and local initiatives but also of decisive governmental action to enforce the suspension of business as usual, and of international cooperation. The only other essential element is a recognition that the climate emergency is just as pressing and very much more of a mortal threat than even the current pandemic.Jem WhiteleyOxford
I read with interest the interview with Professor Tim Lang with its important messages and mention of Covid-19 (Why our food supply system doesnt work, Focus). I too am concerned about the UKs food supply chains, given it imports at least half of its food. If imports of food, particularly fresh fruit and vegetables, decline because countries like Spain and Italy are going to struggle to feed themselves because of this pandemic, this would affect the diet of the UKs population, particularly the elderly, young and disadvantaged. It would be reassuring to know what the UK governments contingency plans are.
Furthermore, given the likely longer-term nature of the pandemic, we should also instigate the free distribution of these foods and vitamins for the elderly in our care homes and similar institutions throughout the UK, as a matter of urgency. Vulnerable elderly people have been told to self-isolate, possibly for many months, which will reduce their exposure to sunshine, which is essential for the biosynthesis of vitamin D. Dr Laurence HarbigeLondon E4
Your Sport section detailed two sums of 50,000 being donated by each of Manchesters richest clubs, United and City, to their local food bank (United and City donate combined 100,000 to Manchester food banks). An act to be applauded. However, you omitted to mention that Stockport County, playing in the leagues fifth tier, and with a somewhat lower financial income, has donated the sum of 75,000 to its local NHS foundation trust charitable fund to help support the staff looking after local people in these troubled times. Perhaps a mention of this fact might be worthy of consideration.Dave JohnsonHayfield, High PeakDerbyshire
I gave up watching Question Time (BBCs Question Time accused of giving platform to far right, last week) several years ago, when questions and comments from the audience persistently ran the full gamut from neo-Nazism to proactive idiocy, laced with an occasional smattering of common sense and decency. While audience applause would often imply a more balanced composition, spoken emphasis was consistently on the right, and had a nasty ring to it. Last weeks QT was great I found politicians I thought I loathed rather nuanced and interesting, the discussion became constructive and illuminating, and we could at last see why the BBC chose Fiona Bruce. Good move, BBC! Fiona, Keep it up! Marcia SaundersLondon N10
Im writing with regard to the article about University Challenge by Lucy Clarke from Jesus College, Oxford (I loved appearing on University Challenge. Then I went on Twitter, Viewpoint). It saddens me greatly that, since her appearance, Lucy has received such vile and ignorant comments on social media. I would like to assure Lucy that there are many of us men out there who do not judge the contestants (of whatever gender) by their appearance, nor indeed by the sounds of their voices. I do take note of who is, and who is not, answering questions, but this is certainly not gender-related; it is simply a reflection of the comparative ability of contestants. I advise Lucy to ignore puerile and prejudicial comments, because they are just not worth your time and energy. They are written by people who probably cant even operate a Biro, never mind answer a question on University Challenge.Jon GruffyddCrughywelPowys
Barbara Ellen defends the Liberals claims during their disastrous 2019 election campaign as a tactic to distance the Liberals from Labour in Tory seats (A shout-out to the Lib Dems, who at least were an option, Comment). What a pity that the rest of us cant distance ourselves from the consequences of the 2010-15 rundown of the NHS and social care which Liberals voted for under Nick Clegg, or the Liberals 2015 endorsement of absurd Tory claims that it was Labours investment in public services including the NHS not the recklessness of the bankers which was the cause of the global banking crisis, thereby legitimising the continued Tory rundown of the NHS in 2015-20.Christopher ClaytonWaverton, Chester
Your article, Fewer oaks, more conifers: Britains forests must change to meet climate targets (News), is a prime example of not seeing the wood for the trees. Yes, there are trade-offs between the types of woodland we create: exotic conifers suck carbon out of the atmosphere faster, whilst native broadleaved species grow more slowly but tend to support more species of wildlife. But endless infighting between foresters and conservationists risks obscuring the bigger picture.
We face a dual ecological crisis the climate emergency and the breakdown of nature. Friends of the Earths analysis shows we easily have enough land to double UK tree cover. By growing the right trees in the right place, we can help lock up millions of tonnes of carbon and create much more space for wildlife. To achieve this we need a diverse group of approaches, including rewilded woods, sensitively planted commercial forests, bigger hedgerows, and agroforestry on farms. Rather than squabble over the details, lets collaborate to make this broader vision a reality.Guy Shrubsole, Friends of the EarthLondon SW9
David Head asserts that science and technology have made little impact on the metaphors that we use in everyday life (Metaphorically speaking, Letters). Really? What about all those lightbulb moments and quantum leaps, the occasions when we are railroaded into a decision, things that disappear into black holes, governments that lack the bandwidth to deal with more than one issue? But perhaps scientific and technological metaphor is now so much part of our DNA that we are hardwired not to notice it.Elizabeth SwinbankYork
With the growing spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the United States, museums must be well prepared for potential outbreaks as public spaces, employers for over 726,000 individuals, and institutions that hold significant public trust.
The American Alliance of Museums has compiled this guide to help museums prepare internally and externally for outbreaks in their communities and navigate the broader impact of COVID-19. AAM will continue to monitor this evolving situation and update this guidance as needed. These recommendations are not to be taken as legal advice or a definitive answer for any particular museum, but rather as a guide for preparedness for the field.
Follow the links below or click Read more under the section summaries for expanded guidance.
Museums are the most trusted source of information in America, rated higher than local papers, nonprofit researchers, the US government, or academic researchers. Museums can take advantage of this high level of public trust to provide education on COVID-19 and fight misinformation about its spread.
By empowering the public with the information they need to lower their risk of contracting or spreading disease, museums can help sustain healthy communities, maintain calm, and reduce the chances for an increase in discrimination or xenophobia often created by global diseases.
Museums should take steps now to revisit and update administrative policies and engage in clear and regular communication with staff in the process. Specific recommendations include:
Museums should track the CDC Travel Health Noticesand the State DepartmentTravel Advisoriesto determine what business travel should be canceled or postponed. The CDC currently recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran.
For employees who have traveled to affected areas, consider implementing self-quarantine requirements. According to the Society for Human Resource Management(SHRM), there are no laws that prohibit employers from requiring employees to work remotely from their worksite as a precaution.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide extensive guidance for employers, including information relevant for museums as they develop strategies to keep staff safe. This information may help prevent workplace exposure to acute respiratory illnesses and provides planning considerations if there are more widespread community outbreaks of COVID-19.
Museums should consider how best to decrease the spread and lower the impact of COVID-19 in their workplace in the event of an outbreak in their geographic area. They should identify and communicate their objectives, which may include one or more of the following: (a) reducing transmission among staff, (b) protecting people who are at higher risk for adverse health complications, (c) maintaining business operations, and (d) minimizing adverse effects on visitors and other entities in their supply chains.
As with any contagious illness, good housekeeping is necessary to maintain the health of those in and around the museum during a coronavirus outbreak. But while the safety of people should come first, it is also important to maintain the safety of exhibition spaces and objects, both while on display and in storage. Finding the right balance between using the strongest disinfecting cleaning supplies and those that will not harm people or objects is key.
If a museum should need to close, whether due to staff illness or a significant outbreak in its geographical area, workers should be prepared to do the following things:
For museums that remain open to the public and host events, we recommend consulting the World Health Organizations guidelines for organizingmass gatherings in the context of COVID-19. This resource includes recommendations for planning, risk assessment, and other considerations relevant to museums.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also provide applicable guidance for community events, with sections on strategies to implement before,during, andaftera potential outbreak.
Individuals can prepare for outbreaks of COVID-19 by regularly monitoring information distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). Common-sense preventative measures are highly recommended, including:
With the looming uncertainty and the publics growing fear around coronavirus, it is more important than ever for museums and cultural attractions to explore new digital and remote ways to reach audiences. In China, the government is encouraging museums to promote new technology and inheritance of our countrys cultural heritage, and Art Basel has launched new online viewing rooms in light of the cancellation of its major Hong Kong fair. Online collections, virtual reality, 360-degree video, and live streams have the potential to play critical roles in engaging the public, especially if closures or decreases in attendance occur as a result of this global health emergency.
Check the Alliance Calendar of Events to see all upcoming events, many related to COVID-19.
A person in Alexander County has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus) on Saturday, March 28, which marks the first confirmed case of the virus in Alexander County.
Leeanne Whisnant, Director of Alexander County Consolidated Human Services, said the patient is at home and recovering well.
We hope this is an isolated case, but are treating this very seriously because we want to contain the virus as much as possible, Whisnant related. While we had tried to be optimistic that there wouldnt be a case of coronavirus in Alexander County, it was just a matter of time as the virus continues to spread across North Carolina and the United States.
As of Saturday, 49 people had been tested for COVID-19 in Alexander County, with one positive result, 27 negative results, and 21 pending.
Whisnant said that Governor Coopers Stay at Home Executive Order should help contain the virus across the entire state.
Although the restrictions may prove difficult for some of our citizens and businesses, the Governors executive order will help flatten the curve as less people will come in contact with each other, which is how this highly-contagious virus is spread, Whisnant stated.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the virus that causes COVID-19 is spread mainly from person-to-person between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
Whisnant encourages the public to adhere to the Governors executive order, and stay at home as much as possible. She also encourages citizens to practice good handwashing habits, disinfect and clean surfaces, cough and sneeze into your elbow, dont touch your face, and maintain at least six (6) feet of social distance from others.
The Alexander County Board of Commissioners declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, March 17 to increase awareness of the seriousness of the virus and to implement plans to mitigate the impact of the virus by closing the majority of county offices and parks to the public. Alexander County Schools are closed until May 15. The majority of churches have canceled services and many are offering online video feeds. The Governors Stay at Home Executive Order No. 121 was announced on March 27, and goes into effect on Monday, March 30 at 5:00 p.m. which limits gatherings to 10 or less people and closes non-essential businesses.
How to protect yourself and others
TheU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises citizens to: avoid close contact with people who are sick; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; stay home if you are sick; cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue; and clean/disinfect frequently touched surfaces or objects (tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, etc.). The agency also advises citizens to wash their handsoften with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. In addition, avoid close contactwith people who are sick, and puta six-foot distance between yourself and otherpeople (i.e. social distancing). Learn more at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html.
What to do if you are sick
If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have it, you should stay home as most people who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to recover at home. Wear a facemask when you are around other people. Do not leave, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas. Stay in touch with your doctor but call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you feel worse or you think it is an emergency. If you in a high-risk category (age 65+, underlying health issues, or immune-compromised), you should get tested for COVID-19 by making arrangements with the local health department, doctors office, or hospital. Learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html.
What is COVID-19 and Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illness in animals and humans. Human coronaviruses commonly circulate in the United States and usually cause mild illnesses like the common cold.Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)is a disease that was identified in Wuhan, China, and is now spreading throughout the world.
DALLAS (NEXSTAR) With a limited number of tests available for COVID-19, whether or not you can get tested for the virus depends on where you live and how bad your symptoms might be. If youre wondering whether you should be tested, here are three signs you might need to contact a medical professional:
You show common symptoms and are in a prioritized group
The main symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough and shortness of breath.
Initially, the CDC was only recommending testing for peoplewith exposure to an infected person.However, all that changed once community spread was confirmed in theUnited States. In response, the CDCchanged its recommendations to allow anyone with COVID-19-like symptoms to betested as long as a doctor approved the request.
Maureen Ferran, Associate Professor of Biology at RochesterInstitute of Technology, noted its not feasible to test everyone who is sickin the US. In an article published by The Conversation, Ferran wrote mosthealth officials believe it is important to prioritize the testing of peoplewho need it the most: those at high risk such as health care workers who havebeen in contact with COVID-19 patients; symptomatic people in areas with highinfection rates; and people 65 years of age and older with chronic healthissues, such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes.
The CDC says you should get immediate medical attention ifyou experience any of these COVID-19 emergency warning sings: troublebreathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inabilityto arouse and bluish lips or face.
Exposure to an infected person
If youre considered a close contact who has been exposed toa lab-confirmed case of COVID-19, youre considered high-priority. In some cases, doctors have asked asymptomaticpeople to monitor their temperature and quarantine. In other cases, theyve chosen to give thosepeople COVID-19 tests.
If youve been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you shouldcontact a medical professional for further guidance.
The CDC has guidance for who should be tested, but decisions about testing are at the discretion of state and local health departments and/or individual clinicians.
You make it through Apples COVID-19 screening site
Apple on Friday released a website and an iOS app that allow users to screen themselves for coronavirus symptoms, marking another response to the pandemic by a major tech platform.
Both tools were developed in partnership with the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the White Houses CoronavirusTask Force and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Apple said in astatement to CNN Business. The app and website include a questionnaire andinformation about the novel coronavirus.
The software may suggest you self-isolate, seek professional medical advice or try to get tested.
(A portion of this was republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.)
The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war, he said. That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world.It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives.
The ceasefire would allow humanitarians toreach populations that are most vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19, which first emerged in Wuhan, China, last December, and has now been reported in more than 180 countries.
So far, there are nearly300,000 cases worldwide, and more than 12,700 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Asthe UN chiefpointed out,COVID-19does not care about nationality or ethnicity, or otherdifferences between people, and attacks all, relentlessly, including during wartime.
Itis the most vulnerable-women and children, people with disabilities, the marginalized, displaced and refugees-who pay the highest price during conflict and who are most at risk of suffering devastating losses from the disease.
Furthermore,health systems in war-ravaged countries haveoften reached the point oftotalcollapse, while the few health workers who remainare also seen as targets.
The UN chief called on warring parties topull back from hostilities, put aside mistrust and animosity, and silence the guns;stop the artillery; end the airstrikes.
This is crucial, he said, tohelp create corridors for life-saving aid.Toopen preciouswindows for diplomacy.Tobring hope toplaces among themost vulnerableto COVID-19.
Whileinspired bynew rapprochement and dialoguebetween combatantsto enable jointapproaches topush backthe disease, the Secretary-Generalsaid morestillneeds to be done.
End the sickness of war and fight thedisease that is ravaging our world, he appealed. It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now.That is what our human familyneeds, now more than ever.
The Secretary-Generals appeal was broadcast live over the Internet from a virtual press conference held at UN Headquarters in New York, where most staff are now working from home to help curb further spread of COVID-19.
He answered questions from reporters which were read by Melissa Fleming, head of the UN Department of Global Communications, the parent office of UN News.
The UN chief said his Special Envoys will work with warring parties to make sure the cease-fire appeal leads to action.
Asked how he was feeling, Mr. Guterres responded that he is strongly determined, underlining that the UN must be active at this moment.
The UN must fully assume its responsibilities first doing what we have to do our peacekeeping operations, our humanitarian agencies, our support to the different bodies of the international community, the Security Council, the General Assembly but, at the same time, its a moment in which the UN must be able to address the peoples of the world and appeal for a massive mobilisation and for a massive pressure on governments to make sure that we are able to respond to this crisis, not to mitigate it but to suppress it, to suppress the disease and to address the dramatic economic and social impacts of the disease, he said.
And we can only do it if we do it together, if we do in a coordinated way, if we do it with intense solidarity and cooperation, and that is the raison detre of the United Nations itself.
The chances of an individual Covid-19 vaccine project producing a successful outcome are low, one of Britains leading immunisation experts has warned. Science does not have a track record where most of our vaccine projects work, Professor Adam Finn, of Bristol University said last week. We have a track record where most of them dont work.
Finns warning came as doctors and epidemiologists stressed how difficult it would be to contain the disease until people can be immunised against it.
The crucial point is that if individual projects have low prospects of success, many different approaches will have to be taken to find one that does provide protection against Covid-19.
It is like the Grand National, said Finn. A lot of horses start off but only a few make it to the finishing line. And that is why we are going to need a lot of different vaccine projects to start off with because only one or two are likely to make it to become fully fledged vaccines. This is not a one-horse race.
At present, I would estimate there are at least 60 Covid-19 vaccine projects that have started up or are in planning. But the more there are, the better things will be.
Most Covid-19 vaccine projects that have been announced so far have been for a type known as RNA/DNA vaccines. These involve taking genetic material from a virus and injecting into animals or human volunteers. This approach is quicker than other methods which typically involve creating pieces of a virus and using them to stimulate a persons immune system against it.
However, RNA/DNA vaccines which are a recent development have yet to be developed for use in human beings. They are quicker to start up but we have much less experience with them compared with standard approaches.
All these projects have promise, Finn stressed, but most of those being launched to tackled Covid-19 were unlikely to work in the end. The trouble is that we do not have a technology that allows us to be confident from the outset that a vaccine will be effective.
In addition, vaccines that do stimulate strong immune responses can also have adverse side-effects or may even make a disease worse. An example is provided by Dengue fever, which is spread by mosquitoes in Asia and South America. A vaccine was developed to protect children against one type of Dengue, said Finn. Then it was found that it actually made them more susceptible to a second type of the disease.
For these reasons, vaccines have to be put through lengthy trials to ensure any dangerous side-effects are revealed. We will have been cautious and not rush forward, Finn added.
On the other hand, it was possible that one of the projects would produce a vaccine that just sailed along, he said. It might turn out to be easy to manufacture, have no side-effects, produce a good immune response, while in trials it prevented volunteers from getting sick compared with those in a control group. For good measure,a factory would be ready to manufacture it.
In those circumstances, you would have a vaccine in less than a year, said Finn. But it is almost certainly not going to happen like that. There will be stumbles along the way.
First the race for a COVID-19 vaccine and then questions about who gets it first Ottawa Citizen
