WHO and vaccines by mid-2022
“Our common goal must be to vaccinate 70% of the population of each country” against Covid “by the middle of next year. Achieving it requires commitment, preparation and skill. But the reward will be saved lives and sustainable global recovery.” . This was stated by the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his speech at the 138th session of the IOC underway in Tokyo, on the occasion of the Olympic Games. “The Covid-19 pandemic will end when the world chooses to end it. It’s all in our hands, we have all the tools we need: we can prevent this disease, diagnose it and treat it. We can choose to end the pandemic”, concluded Ghebreyesus.
Over a million children orphaned by the virus
Over a million children worldwide have lost at least one parent (or a grandfather who cared for them) to Covid. This is what emerges from a study published in the journal The Lancet, according to which the total figure rises, in the first 14 months of the pandemic, to 1.5 million if, in addition to the main caregivers (foster parents and grandparents), secondary caregivers (grandparents and other relatives) are considered, between 60 and 84 years) who lived in the same house and helped raise the children. The study takes into consideration, among other countries, Spain, where it estimates that 2,669 minors have lost one of their main caregivers: 617 their mother; 1,691 the father and 1 both.
Researchers refer to “associated deaths” with Covid-19, which is the combination of those directly caused by the disease and those due to factors such as confinement, restrictions on meetings and travel, decreased access or acceptance in health care and in the treatment of chronic diseases. Traumatic experiences, such as the loss of a parent or caregiver, are associated with increased substance use, mental health, and other chronic health and behavioral conditions. “
Deaths down in Brazil: lowest average for 5 months
Deaths drop for Covid in Brazil. Despite the 1,424 victims recorded in the last 24 hours (544,180 since the start of the pandemic), the average deaths in the last week was less than 1,200 per day for the first time in almost 5 months. According to the bulletin released by the National Council of Health (Conass), the average deaths in Brazil in the last week stood at 1,192 per day, for the first time below 1,200 per day since February 27, when the average was 1,178 deaths. per day.
The death rate has been gradually decreasing since April 12, when – at the height of the second wave of the pandemic – the Latin American giant recorded an average of 3,124 deaths per day. According to Conass data, Brazil has registered 27,592 new infections in the last 24 hours, but also the average number of daily infections has dropped to a 6-month low. The average number of infections in the last week in fact dropped to 38,206 cases per day, the lowest level since January 6, when the average was 35,422 infections per day. Yesterday, with 542 deaths and 15,271 cases, the country had already recorded the lowest number of deaths in one day in the last 5 months and the lowest number of infections in one day in more than 8 months.
Colombia, the lowest death toll in three months
Colombia has recorded 378 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, the lowest since last April 17 when there were 367, in addition to 12,829 new infections, which represent the lowest figure from 12,543 on May 10. Today’s figures mark a notable drop in the third wave of the pandemic, which lasted more than three months and was the deadliest so far. According to the daily bulletin of the Colombian Ministry of Health, the country accumulates 4,668,750 infections, of which 115,574 remain active (2.48%), and 117,131 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. As Colombia begins to emerge from the third peak of the pandemic, the National Vaccination Plan continues to advance and 200,609 doses were administered yesterday. With these data, the country totals 23,832,572 vaccines administered.
New York, vaccine or weekly test for healthcare professionals
New York City will require proof of vaccination or a weekly test for health professionals starting in early August. Mayor Bill de Blasio is preparing to announce the squeeze in the next few hours in light of the leap in cases of Covid and the fact that two million adult residents are not yet vaccinated. Affected by the decision are the health personnel of the hospitals managed by the city, or about 10% of the more than 300,000 people who work for the city government. It is still unclear whether the same approach will also be used for other city employees, such as agents, teachers and public transport drivers.
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