No “Magic Formula” For Pandemic Management

Optimism regarding the COVID-19 vaccine grows over time. While science is still pushing for a solution, there is no such thing as a “magic formula” to beat this virus.

Here is the Week in Health!

NATIONAL

-Mexican pharmaceutical company Landsteiner Scientific announced agreement with Russia's sovereign wealth fund to export 32 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. To learn more about this development and the rest of the COVID-19 vaccine race be sure to check this article.

-Mexico City has an ongoing discussion about prohibition of junk food and sugary drinks for children in the capital. While this has been positively welcomed, Governor Claudia Sheinbaum warned that these measures cannot go as far as portraying warning images on the product. Governor highlighted that the new food and beverages labeling standard already targets better consumption habits and responsible food choices.

-Former Ministers of Health hosted a virtual meeting to present a document called “The Management of the Pandemic in Mexico. Preliminary Analysis and Urgent Recommendations” where they gathered different opinions for the current government and its management of the COVID-19 crisis. Deputy Ministry of Health Hugo López-Gatell said that this was a philanthropic contribution for a “magic formula” that, he wished, would have arrived five months earlier.

-López-Gatell also announced this week that the government had been order to print 1.1 million death certificates due to the recent lack of this document following the COVID-19 crisis.

-Minister of Finance and Public Credit, Arturo Herrera announced the federal budget for 2021 which projects MX$4.61 billion (US$214.9 million), destining 1.1 percent of that budget to healthcare expenditure. According to Herrera, the budget for the sector presents a 9.2 percent growth compared to 2020.

INTERNATIONAL

-AstraZeneca announced that controlled trials on the AstraZeneca Oxford COVID-19 vaccine “AZD1222” had to be temporary paused “to review the safety data of a single event related to an unexplained illness that occurred in the UK Phase III trial.” The release details that this is a routine action to take after there is an inexplicable illness related to the trials to ensure the safety of all participants and the high standards of the trails. The company highlights that it will take quick action to avoid delaying the trials and maintain their integrity.

-During a WHO press conference, Spokeswoman Margaret Harris announced that the organization does not expect a mass COVID-19 vaccination program until mid-2021.

-The Uruguayan government announced that Chinese President, Xi Jinping assured Uruguayan counterpart Luis Lacalle that the country would release its COVID-19 vaccine development to all fellow countries with no waiting or preference list. There is still no price for such development.

-The UK has prohibited reunions of more than 6 people to stop the spread of COVID-19 cases after adopting laxer measures. As part of its efforts to get over the crisis, the government has been encouraging the reactivation of schools, office spaces, bars and restaurants. However, this measure might also be affected after the slight increase in COVID-19 cases.

-India reached the highest number of COVID-19 cases worldwide, becoming the new epicenter of the pandemic. The country has reached the fastest contagion rate, while the government highlights its high rate of recovery and considerably moderate number of deaths from the virus.