You may have heard of “vaccine tourism,” the practice of traveling to other countries in order to obtain a vaccine—particularly a COVID-19 vaccine—more easily. This practice, however, is likely to do more harm than good insofar as pandemic management and public health are concerned. Not long after the COVID-19 vaccine rollout began in the United States and countries around the world, word … [Read more...]
The interplay between COVID-19 restrictions and vaccination
An intervention is only as effective as the extent to which people are willing to adopt recommended measures. One obstacle to the success of COVID-19 interventions, especially in the USA, has been the politicisation of control measures, including the adoption of masks and physical distancing. Interplay between acceptance of non-pharmaceutical interventions and vaccination shapes local transmission … [Read more...]
The COVID-19 exit strategy—why we need to aim low
As we find ourselves in the second year of a global pandemic, the question on everyone's mind is: when will this end? Much of the narrative around the pandemic last year was that all hopes for a return to normal hinged on development of an effective vaccine. This rhetoric was deaf to the concerns of vaccine and public health experts, and for many a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine has become the magic bullet to … [Read more...]
No need to quarantine international travellers, says PAHO
[Reprinted: Jamaica Observer, 11-16-2020] The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has recommended that international travellers should not be quarantined nor be subjected to sampling and isolation in destination countries, given the need to restore consumer confidence to reactivate economies shattered by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, PAHO said, “Interventions that might … [Read more...]
Jamaica: Garth Rattray | Fast-Track Support Systems For Telemedicine – Pt 1
[Reprinted: The Gleaner, 7/6/2020] Until vaccines (hopefully) offer safe, effective and long-term immunity to the SARS-CoV2 virus, we will be forced to avoid congregating, intimate greetings, unprotected outings, and we must reduce our exposure time to public spaces. We need to maintain social distancing, along with high personal and environmental hygiene, if we are to beat this thing. Now … [Read more...]