HEALTH - The African Mirror

Mar

01

2021

U.S. authorizes J&J’s vaccine

COVID-19

JULIE STEENHUYSEN THE U.S. government has authorized Johnson & Johnson's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, enabling millions more Americans to be vaccinated in the coming weeks and setting the vaccine up for additional approvals around the world. The J&J vaccine is the third authorized in the United States, following ones from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, both of which require two doses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the emergency use authorization of the J&J vaccine for adults aged 18 and older following Friday's unanimous endorsement by the agency's panel of outside experts. Shipments to vaccination sites are expected to begin Sunday or…

Mar

01

2021

By The African Mirror

Russian vaccine can deal with mutations

COVID-19

A Russian trial testing the effectiveness of revaccination with the Sputnik V shot to protect against new mutations of the coronavirus is producing strong results, researchers have said. Last month President Vladimir Putin ordered a review by March 15 of Russian-produced vaccines for their effectiveness against new variants spreading in different parts of the world. "(A) recent study carried out by the Gamaleya Centre in Russia showed that revaccination with Sputnik V vaccine is working very well against new coronavirus mutations, including the UK and South African strains of coronavirus," said Denis Logunov, a deputy director of the centre, which…

Mar

01

2021

By The African Mirror

Why Nigeria must include parents in plans to protect girls from cervical cancer

HEALTH

CERVICAL cancer is the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria. There were 31,955 new cervical cancer cases in West Africa in 2018, and Nigeria accounted for almost half (14,943). There were also 10,403 deaths (28 deaths every day) from cervical cancer in the country in the same year. FOLUSHO BALOGUN, Research Fellow and Consultant Pediatrician, University of Ibadan About 70% of all cervical cancer cases are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) serotypes 16 and 18. The most common mode of transmission is through sex, but it can also be transmitted through the use of contaminated hospital equipment and…

Mar

23

2021

By The African Mirror

‘Vaccine makers should license technology to overcome grotesque inequity’

COVID-19

MORE producers of COVID-19 vaccines should follow AstraZeneca's lead and license technology to other manufacturers, the World Health Organization's head said on Monday, as he described continuing vaccine inequity as "grotesque". AstraZeneca's shot, which new U.S. data on Monday showed was safe and effective despite some countries suspending inoculations over health concerns, is being produced in various locations including South Korea's SKBioScience and the Serum Institute of India. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for more manufacturers to adopt this model to boost supplies, including for the COVAX vaccine sharing programme seeking to speed more shots to developing countries. "The…

Mar

23

2021

By The African Mirror

Nigeria suspends Emirates flights over COVID-19 tests

COVID-19

NIGERIA suspended the airline Emirates from flying into or out of its territory last week after the carrier-imposed additional COVID-19 test requirements on passengers from the country, the aviation minister has announced. Emirates said last week passenger flights to and from Nigeria had been suspended until further notice in line with government directives, but did not give details. Aviation minister Hadi Sirika told a news conference that the airline had demanded passengers from Nigeria undertake three COVID-19 tests within 24 hours, leading the government to suspend its operations, with the exemption of cargo and humanitarian flights. "To make us go…

Mar

23

2021

By The African Mirror

African countries keen on AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine – WHO

COVID-19

NO countries in Africa have refused the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine due to any remaining health concerns, a senior official of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director-general for drug access, vaccines and pharmaceuticals, told a news conference: "It has all returned to normal, we don't have any countries refusing the AstraZeneca (vaccine) on the African continent." WHO senior adviser Bruce Aylward said: "There's a lot of confidence" in the Astrazeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

Mar

23

2021

By The African Mirror

AstraZeneca vaccine safe and effective in new trial data

COVID-19

ASTRAZENECA's COVID-19 vaccine developed with Oxford University was 79% effective in preventing symptomatic illness in a large trial in Chile, Peru and the United States, the company said yesterday, paving the way for it to apply for U.S. approval. The vaccine was also 100% effective against severe or critical disease and hospitalisation, and was safe, the partners said on Monday, releasing results of the late-stage human trial study of more than 32,000 volunteers across all age groups. The data will give credence to the British shot after results from earlier, separate late-stage studies raised questions about the robustness of the…

Mar

23

2021

By The African Mirror

China donates 400,000 vaccines to Niger

COVID-19

CHINA has donated 400,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinopharm to Niger, the first vaccines the West African nation has received, Niger's presidency said. Vaccinations have been slow to get started in many African countries, which are primarily relying on free vaccines from COVAX, a programme backed by the World Health Organization and other international organisations. China has donated vaccines to several other African countries as it aims to cultivate goodwill through so-called vaccine diplomacy. Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou received the vaccines at a ceremony in the capital Niamey that was also attended by the Chinese ambassador. "Starting…

Mar

23

2021

By The African Mirror

S.African business group calls for vaccine focus on elderly

COVID-19

PROMIT MUKHERJEE A South African business lobby group has called on for the government to shift the emphasis on its vaccine programme to target the elderly and vulnerable sooner, to prevent hospitals from being overrun in a third wave of COVID-19 infections. South Africa is behind schedule in the first phase of its vaccination programme, aimed at inoculating health care workers. Those over 60 or with co-morbidities are not meant to be vaccinated until a later second phase, along with other essential workers and people who work in crowded settings. Stavros Nicolaou, an executive of Aspen Pharmacare which has a…

Mar

23

2021

By The African Mirror

Egypt aims to produce vaccines

COVID-19

THE Egyptian government hopes to sign an agreement with China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd before the end of March to manufacture its coronavirus vaccine in Egypt, according to Health Minister Hala Zayed. Talks between the two sides reached "an advanced stage" and Egypt has asked the Chinese government for assistance over the manufacturing price, Zayed said at a joint press conference with the Chinese ambassador in Cairo. The planned agreement would be between Sinovac and Egypt's Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA). Zayed said Egypt hoped to become a centre for manufacturing the vaccine, either for local use or…