An ageing population, rising antimicrobial resistance, and the ongoing threat of infectious and chronic diseases are placing immense pressure on our societies. A shift to a preventative approach is necessary for the efficiency and sustainability of our healthcare systems. Central to this shift is the often-underutilized tool of life-course immunization.
The World Health Organisation have suggested that the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine can be safely used for all age groups, including those aged 65 and over.
Residents flying from any of the 33 "red-list" countries will now have to pay online for a quarantine hotel before travelling - which includes two COVID tests that will now be made mandatory.
Zisis Kozlakidis, International Agency for Research on Cancer, with Erik Steinfelder, Thermo Fisher Scientific, chart the challenges in healthcare logistics in relation to COVID-19.
The new results led to the South African Government suspending use of AstraZeneca in their vaccination programme, as it is no longer able to stop the mutation - but could still prevent hospitalisation and fatality.
Recent data published by the UK’s independent medicines regulator assures the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines meet strict regulatory standards for safety
Israel has agreed to give the first 5,000 vaccine doses to Palestinian medical workers - but only if they live in annexed east Jerusalem, while the West Bank and Gaza remain without vaccines.
AstraZeneca dose efficiency holds at 76% in the three-month period between the first and second dose - suggesting that this time period is good for maximising protection.
