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New kind of loans and bonds could fill $28 billion Covid funding gap: WHO

The WHO and GAVI vaccine alliance aim to provide poor and middle-income countries with diagnostic tests, drugs and vaccines through a fund known as the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which was set up last April.

Bruce Aylward, a senior WHO adviser and its ACT coordinator, said that new financing mechanisms – including concessional loans and catastrophe bonds – were discussed at a meeting of the ACT facilitation council on Monday, co-chaired by Norway and South Africa.

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UV-emitting LED lights can kill novel coronavirus quickly & efficiently, says study

In order to disinfect a bus, train, sports hall, or plane by chemical spraying, the scientists said physical manpower is needed along with time for the chemicals to act on the surface.

“Disinfection systems based on LED bulbs, however, can be installed in the ventilation system and air conditioner, for example, and sterilise the air sucked in and then emitted into the room,” Hadas Mamane, co-author of the study from the American Friends of Tel Aviv University in the US. said.

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‘1.8bn people depend on healthcare facilities without basic water services’

The report titled, ‘Global progress report on WASH in health care facilities: fundamentals first’, comes as the ongoing pandemic is exposing key vulnerabilities within health systems, including inadequate infection prevention and control, reports Xinhua news agency.
Worldwide, one in four healthcare facilities has no water services, one in three does not have access to hand hygiene where care is provided, one in 10 has no sanitation services, and one in three does not segregate waste safely.

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Covid wiped out 81 mn jobs in Asia-Pacific; women, youngsters affected: ILO

Employment in Asia-Pacific showed a 4.2% decline compared with the pre-crisis trend, with the gap at 4.6% for women and 4% for men, the ILO said in a report. Young people have been especially affected by working-hour and job losses, the ILO said, with the youth share of employment losses three to 18 times higher than their share of total employment.

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Insolvencies, Cyber Threats and ESG scrutiny drive 2021 risks for Directors and Officers: Allianz

“Many insurers are still digesting the effect of previous pricing inadequacy and exposure and loss trend increases from prior-year policies,” says Shanil Williams, Global Head of Financial Lines at AGCS.
“This is also at a time of great uncertainty around forward-looking exposure assessments, in particular the impact of Covid-19 on the economy in general and on specific industries. Combined with many ‘known unknowns’ like climate change, cyber risks or environmental, social or governance (ESG) factors, this has created a lot of nervousness in this sector. As a global D&O insurer, AGCS remains committed to working in partnership with our customers to ensure we have sustainable solutions for all parties involved,” said Williams.

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Govt making all efforts for COVID-19 vaccine; cold chain logistics needs to be strengthened

There are six vaccine candidates in various stages of clinical trials, out of which four are developed indigenously, Department of Biotechnology Scientist and Adviser Asha Sharma said.
In order to strengthen the ecosystem, 11 good clinical practices compliant clinical trial sights have also been established across the country, Sharma said. The government is making purposeful and integrated efforts to support and promote vaccine development for COVID-19, she added.

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