Category:

Health

Slow Covid vaccination to cost global economy $2.3 trillion: Study

“Emerging countries will shoulder around two-thirds of these losses, further delaying their economic convergence with more developed countries,” the EIU said.

It warned the delayed rollout of vaccines could fuel resentment, increasing the risk of social unrest in developing economies.

The Asia-Pacific Region will be the worst hit in absolute terms, accounting for nearly three-quarters of the losses.

But as a percentage of GDP, sub-Saharan Africa will suffer the worst losses.

read more

Many US families face food challenges, poll shows

Black and Hispanic Americans, Americans living below the federal poverty line and younger adults are especially likely to face food challenges, according to the poll.
Most of those facing food challenges enrolled in a government or nonprofit food assistance program in the past year, but 58per cent still had difficulty accessing at least one service.

And 21 per cent of adults facing challenges meeting their food needs were unable to access any assistance at all. The most common challenge to those in need was a basic lack of awareness of eligibility for both government and nonprofit services.

read more

Scientists call for global targets to beat diabetes, strokes

Some 80 per cent of people with diabetes live in low and middle income countries (LMICs), such as India. Fewer than 6 per cent of these individuals can access the care they need to manage their diabetes and prevent long-term complications like heart attacks, strokes, kidney diseases or blindness.

Hitting targets also would reduce deaths over the coming 10 years in all world regions, but the benefits are larger in some than others. For example, Eastern sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the most deaths from cardiovascular diseases due to diabetes at baseline (46 deaths per 1,000 people with diabetes) – if targets were achieved, deaths would fall to 27 per 1,000, the researchers assess.

read more

Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine works in kids ages 5 to 11

While kids are at lower risk of severe illness or death than older people, more than 5 million children in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began and at least 460 have died, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Cases in children have risen dramatically as the delta variant swept through the country. “I feel a great sense of urgency” in making the vaccine available to children under 12, Dr. Bill Gruber, a Pfizer senior vice president, said.

read more