Healthcare

• [New] The World Health Organization on Thursday warned of a rise in Covid-19 infections in Europe after six consecutive weeks of declines.
• [New] A rapid survey of 163 countries by the World Health Organisation reported a considerable degree of disruption to NCD services due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 75% of the countries surveyed.
• [New] Last November will now support NHS England's work to increase the number of mental health support teams in schools and colleges to 400 by 2023, and growing community services to treat more children and young people than ever before.
• [New] Access to community mental health services will be expanded, giving 22,500 more children and young people access to help and support by 2021 to 2022 - including talking therapies and cognitive behavioural therapy.
• [New] People of Bangladeshi ethnicity had around twice the risk of death when compared to people of White British ethnicity.
• [New] To decide if individuals are contagion risks requiring quarantine, the Chinese government used a color-based Health Code system that draws on individuals' travel, contact, and biometric data, obtained via smartphone.
• [New] China is going to focus on developing a number of technology areas including semiconductors, health care, quantum computing and cloud computing.
• [New] A successful reopening by Thailand could spur other tourism-dependent nations to follow suit, though the World Health Organization this week warned about the risks of countries easing restrictions too fast.
• [New] Around the world, healthcare workers, the majority of whom are women, faced serious risks to their health and safety during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• [New] With studies showing that direct contact with nature greatly improves mental health and reduces stress, 2021 will likely be the year where more consumers turn to nature for peace and healing, exploring hinterland destinations.
• [New] The WHO/ITU programme aims to assist governments to use mobile components to reinforce their existing national health activities to prevent, manage, and treat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors.
• [New] China will focus on supply chain compromises and the targeting of key western verticals in support of the 14th Five Year Plan and the COVID-19 vaccine, such as health care, technology, manufacturing and aerospace.
• [New] £39 million will be earmarked for the first four years to fund the thalidomide health grant, which helps about 400 people in the UK gain access to specialist treatment and rehabilitation.
• [New] Today's must - do mindset will prevail through the spring and summer of 2021 as healthcare leaders continue to look forward and lead locally.
• [New] Brazil's numbers were lower because its volunteers were healthcare workers who faced a higher risk of infection.
• [New] The current COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse a number of development gains in Africa as it has impacted on food security, trade, health, education and peace.
• [New] By mid-month, the World Health Organization listed four sub-Saharan countries on a 'top 13' global danger list because of direct air links to China.
• [New] Many health experts have tried to estimate when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, with the most optimistic speculation saying the health crisis might be over by the end of the year or possibly sooner than in some developed countries.
• [New] The widespread failures in Texas reflect the domino effect that happens in many disasters, as power failures lead to breakdowns in water systems, putting people's health and food security in danger.
• [New] In all, the Biden administration is expected to expand health care, medical, oral, and telehealth, while simultaneously policing health care providers for aberrant billing practices.

Last updated: 07 March 2021