Health
Prof Emmanuel André, the voice behind the fight against Covid-19 in Belgium
Prof Emmanuel André, former spokesman of the federal crisis centre, has supported Belgian citizens since the beginning of the lockdown by informing them daily on the evolution of the pandemic. He is now responsible for organising the tracing to help eradicate the propagation of the pandemic and devotes his energy to the community during this ...
COVID-19: how our behaviour can help stop the coronavirus
The spread of infectious diseases is linked with human behaviour, so behavioural science could be used to inform effective modelling and communication strategies to reduce transmission and contain COVID-19.
Carla Nunes: “If we can keep treating properly the sick ones and protect vulnerable people, let’s ease the lockdown”
Interview on the Portuguese response to COVID-19 pandemic with Carla Nunes, statistician and epidemiologist. Carla Nunes is the Director of the National School of Public Health, at Nova University of Lisbon (Portugal), and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Barometer project, which analyses the evolution of the pandemic in Portugal. What did Portugal do so differently, ...
COVID-19 in Africa: what is at stake?
SARS-CoV-2 has arrived in Africa and, progressively, almost all African countries have closed their borders and imposed various levels of "lockdowns" in the hope of limiting the spread of the pandemic, taking measures similar to those taken elsewhere in the world. The pandemic is producing shocking statistics and tragic consequences in developed regions of the ...
The challenges of tackling Covid-19 in Africa
Interview with Dr John N. Nkengasong, Director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention about the current situation with the spread of COVID-19 across Africa, about the main risks, challenges and lessons learnt from the HIV/AIDS pandemic and Ebola epidemic.
Fighting the ‘infodemic’: how coronavirus became the litmus test for tech companies’ struggle to contain mis- and disinformation
Facebook, Twitter and Google are among the actors pushed into action in the face of fast spreading Covid-19 disinformation but the efficiency of their efforts will need proper evaluation.
Changing environment, changing health
Our environment and health are closely intertwined, and we must equip future generations with adaptive capacities to achieve sustainable human wellbeing on all fronts. One such environment is our chemical one, present in the products we use, the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Human biomonitoring - a scientific technique that allows us to assess whether and to what extent environmental substances have entered our bodies and how exposure may be changing over time - is a useful public health surveillance tool with which the real-life burden of exposure to chemicals can be assessed.
The differences between SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2
Although according to the World Health Organization the novel coronavirus is primarily transmitted between people through respiratory droplets and contact routes, some scientists suggest we should also consider the possibility of aerosol transmission. As the pandemic continues to unfold, research and discussions are ongoing to determine how best to tackle it. Two leading experts offer their opinions, alongside an exploration into some of the vital research being conducted.
Vaccine perspectives for COVID-19 – Scientists around the planet are united to develop a vaccine and make it available to the market as soon as possible
Covid-19 urges policy makers and the big pharma to fasten vaccine developments and possible treatments for the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Will the vaccine be specific to Covid-19 only, or will it be suitable for all SARS coronaviruses? Will it be suitable to all ages? What are the greatest challenges of vaccine production processes and why does it take so long?
Ilaria Capua: A preparedness plan against unknown viruses is crucial for Europe
Interview on COVID-19 with Ilaria Capua, DVM, PhD, Director of the One Health Center of Excellence for Research and Training, University of Florida, USA. There are tests for COVID-19 which detects the virus, other which detects antibodies. Could you briefly describe the differences of these two tests? The rapid spread of the outbreak required rapid ...