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Global vaccine certification would help world bounce back from COVID-19, says political scientist
As the world looks to a post-pandemic future, a global COVID-19 vaccine certification program might be the surest way to restore free movement across borders and reboot ailing economies, according to University of Alberta political scientist Andy Knight.
“We need to develop an international protocol especially for small, more vulnerable states that will allow them to open their economies in a safe way,” said Knight.
It means everyone vaccinated for COVID-19 would carry a standardized international certificate when they travel. It would also require governments to work closely with the World Health Organization rather than determining policy on their own, said Knight, a professor in the Faculty of Arts.
IMAGE: Chemical and Biological Investigation of Traditional medicines for Activity against NTDs.
Photo of Schistosomiasis and Onchocerciasis sourced from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention DPDx - Laboratory Identification of Parasites of. view more
Credit: Osei-Safo 2020 (CC-BY 2.0)
The discovery of new drugs is vital to achieving the eradication of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Africa and around the world. Now, researchers reporting in
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have identified traditional Ghanaian medicines which work in the lab against schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, three diseases endemic to Ghana.
The major intervention for NTDs in Ghana is currently mass drug administration of a few repeatedly recycled drugs, which can lead to reduced efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance. Chronic infections of schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis can be fatal. Schistosomiasis is caused by the blood fl