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As Ukrainians grapple with Russia’s unprovoked invasion, Covid-19 is complicating the picture

March 10, 2022
Henry Club

“Whenever you disrupt society like this and literally push millions of people forward, infectious diseases will take advantage of it,” Dr Mike Ryan, director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Program, said last week. “People are packed together, they’re stressed, and they’re not eating, they’re not sleeping properly. They’re more susceptible to the effects … and it’s more likely that disease will spread.”

Amid the battle, WHO officials have noted a “remarkable” continuation of reporting COVID-19 cases and deaths, but “severe pressure is being placed on those systems as well,” said Dr Katherine Smallwood, WHO’s senior emergency official. , Tuesday’s press conference, According to WHO data, Ukraine recorded 40,265 new cases and 758 deaths last week, a sharp drop from a week earlier of 111,224 cases and 1,363 deaths. The region has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, with 34 out of 100 people receiving two doses of the coronavirus vaccine, WHO data shows,

Russian attacks are increasingly targeting urban areas and COVID-19 is, understandably, not a priority as civilians try to keep themselves and their families safe. “People are not seeking care because they fear a safety situation; health care workers are unable to access their workplaces because they are concerned about their safety and are taking incredible risks,” Smallwood said. .

Attacks on health care services, including hospitals and other facilities, have intensified since the start of the invasion, with 16 confirmed reports and currently being verified, said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe. said on tuesday, The country is also grappling with severe oxygen shortages due to the closure of at least three major oxygen plants. The WHO has sent 500 oxygen concentrators to Ukraine, but Kluge warned that Covid-related deaths “will increase as oxygen shortages continue,” with older people “disproportionately affected as their access to health care is disrupted.” ”

As refugees move into neighboring countries, public health officials are prompting those countries to address the complex health needs of fleeing Ukrainians, from mental health services to protection against infectious diseases like COVID-19. The health ministries of those neighboring countries “reassured me that there is no shortage of COVID-19 vaccines,” Kluge said.

Overall, Kluge said, cases of Kovid-19 are decreasing in Europe, but the war picture is changing. “It deeply saddens me that my region has been reeling from two terrible epidemic years and now faces the devastating effects of military hostilities on millions of its people in Ukraine and beyond,” he said.

you asked We answered.

Q: Should people take off their masks now that they are no longer required to wear them?

A: Just because a mask mandate may be lifted in your area, doesn’t mean you should go without a mask, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Lena Wen says,

“It’s still a good idea, especially if you’re in crowded, poorly ventilated places. This is especially important if you’re immunocompromised or otherwise have chronic medical conditions that are likely to cause serious consequences if you become infected with COVID.” more likely to make -19,” Wayne said. “Others should decide how much they want to avoid contracting COVID-19 and based on the importance of being exposed.”

send your questions here, Are you a health care worker fighting COVID-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you are facing: +1 347-322-0415.

reading of the week

Women in the world’s richest countries feel defeated by their governments after the pandemic

On average, more than 60% of women in G7 countries whose lives were changed by the COVID-19 pandemic say their governments did not provide them with much support to deal with those changes, according to a far-reaching new survey by CNN .

These findings come against the backdrop of several studies showing that women have been affected more than men by the coronavirus pandemic, and pledges by world leaders to build back better, Ariel Edwards-Levy, Pallabi Munsey and Claire Manibog Report,

The CNN poll found that although both men and women in G7 countries who experienced disruption to their lives from the pandemic felt they were largely unsupported by their governments, the sentiment is more pronounced among women.

In none of these seven countries, the majority of women said they received a substantial amount or more of the assistance they needed.

Hong Kong faces a ‘preventable disaster’ after betting on zero Covid. In Europe, Austria drops vaccine mandate

Hong Kong – once lauded as a zero-Covid success story – is now battling Reminds me of a deadly outbreak In the early days of the pandemic, despite having more than two years to prepare.

As cases rose this year, with locally transmitted cases rising by 312,000 in the past two weeks, the government reimposed its strict rules, limiting public gatherings to two, restaurants after 6 p.m. and Bars closed, and public playgrounds closed.

But it was not enough. With a few other levers to pull, the government is planning to launch a mandatory mass testing campaign in an effort to cleanse the city of Covid.

Meanwhile, Austria, which passed Europe’s toughest vaccine rules in February, is suspending vaccine mandates for six days before the fines go into effect, Reuters report, “Why? Because at this point there are many strong arguments that the violation of fundamental rights is not justified,” Constitutional Affairs Minister Caroline Edstadler told a news conference on Wednesday.

Study links even mild COVID-19 to brain changes

According to a new study, people who have even a mild case of Kovid-19 may experience aging and other changes in their brain.

It found that people who were infected with Kovid-19 had a higher loss of gray matter and abnormalities in brain tissue in their brains than those who did not. Many of those changes were related to the sense of smell in an area of ​​the brain, Nadia Kaunang reports,

It is normal for people to lose 0.2% to 0.3% of gray matter each year in memory-related areas of the brain as they age, but the study showed that people who were infected with the coronavirus had an additional 0.2% to 2. % of tissue compared to those who did not.

top tip

If you test positive for COVID-19, here’s how to get free antiviral medicine

The rollout of the US government’s COVID-19 test-to-treat program is underway, with in-pharmacy clinics ordering shipments of COVID-19 antiviral drugs and some locations expected to offer service within days.

The Covid-19 antiviral pills paxlovid and mollupiravir are already available free of charge in the United States, but quick access can be challenging for some people.

Here’s what you need to know about getting COVID-19 medicines Which you can take at home through a test-to-treat program.

today’s podcast

It’s been a tough year for everyone, and people are feeling more burned out than ever. This week on Chasing Life, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, examines how we should rethink our relationship to our jobs. Plus, hear how monks in New Mexico have learned the secret to work-life balance. Listen now.