News & Analysis: DRC
“Health Minister Eteni Longondo launched the campaign at the University Clinics of Kinshasa. Some diplomats including the representative of the EU were present at the launching of the vaccination campaign. The Central African country received 1.7 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses through the UN-led COVAX facility last month.”
“African health officials have reacted with fury at the breezy reassurances of American and European lawmakers that people denied the AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson shots could be given another vaccine. In much of the world, there are no other vaccines.”
“Young volunteers leading COVID-19 campaigns are connecting with and engaging local leaders—women’s groups, teachers, priests, imams, village heads, healers, and elders—in their communities. Together they are devising microsolutions needed to isolate patients, care for the ill, implement social distancing within existing conditions, and support families in distress.”
“The presidency also said the COVID-19 vaccination campaign will start on April 19, reassuring that the AstraZeneca vaccine, available in the DRC, does not present any inconvenience to the population.”
“As richer countries elbow their way to the front of the queue for COVID-19 vaccines, how soon can African countries hope to obtain supplies?”
“A survey conducted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has shown that a predominant majority (79% average) of respondents in Africa would take a COVID-19 vaccine if it were deemed safe and effective.”
“Different infectious disease outbreaks can have very different effects, largely unrelated to case numbers of the disease. Moderately lethal but highly transmissible viruses such as COVID-19 can trigger a steep economic downturn, especially in areas with high economic interconnectedness, reflecting both national and international policies to contain the pandemic.”
“Different infectious disease outbreaks can have very different effects, largely unrelated to case numbers of the disease. Moderately lethal but highly transmissible viruses such as COVID-19 can trigger a steep economic downturn, especially in areas with high economic interconnectedness, reflecting both national and international policies to contain the pandemic.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled a 40% increase in the number of people needing humanitarian assistance around the globe, the United Nations said… as it appealed for roughly $35 billion to help many of those expected to be in need next year.”
“The Ebola vaccine developed by Merck also used ultra-cold equipment of about -70 oC and we were able to deploy that vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo to respond to the North Kivu outbreak where more than 300,000 people were immunized.”
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