logo
#

Latest news with #pandemicresponse

RFK Jr. Cancels $500 Million In Funding For mRNA Vaccine Research
RFK Jr. Cancels $500 Million In Funding For mRNA Vaccine Research

Forbes

time06-08-2025

  • Health
  • Forbes

RFK Jr. Cancels $500 Million In Funding For mRNA Vaccine Research

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of contracts and grants worth nearly $500 million earmarked for the development of mRNA vaccines, the latest in a series of moves by the long-time vaccine critic who had repeatedly cast doubts about the safety and efficacy of such shots despite pushback from scientists. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is seen on stage at the inaugural Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall on Monday. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images In a statement issued on Tuesday night, the Department of Health and Human Services described the move as a 'coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).' The agency claimed the decision was made after carrying out a 'comprehensive review' of mRNA-related investments made during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kennedy said BARDA will scrap 22 mRNA vaccine development investments, claiming that data showed 'these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu.' Kennedy also claimed that the HHS will shift this funding towards 'safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate,' without offering any specifics. The noted vaccine also insisted that the HHS 'supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them.' In a post on X, immunologist and former BARDA Director Rick Bright wrote: 'BARDA invested in mRNA technology precisely because it could deliver safe, scalable vaccines in record time, a capability proven during COVID. By dismantling that platform, we're crippling our front-line defense, just ahead of unknown biological threats.' Chris Meekins, who served as assistant secretary for pandemic preparedness in the HHS during the first Trump administration, also criticized the move, tweeting: 'Ending BARDA's investment in mRNA technology creates a national security vulnerability. These tools serve as a deterrent to prevent other nations from using certain biological agents. The speed of the technology to create new biodefense capabilities is a national security asset.'

Dreams broken, displaced and rebuilt: Beirut's creatives reflect five years after the blast
Dreams broken, displaced and rebuilt: Beirut's creatives reflect five years after the blast

The National

time03-08-2025

  • General
  • The National

Dreams broken, displaced and rebuilt: Beirut's creatives reflect five years after the blast

'It was impossible not to be impacted by the Beirut explosion,' says Sarah Hermez, co-founder of Creative Space Beirut (CSB). The free fashion school was founded in 2011 to offer high-quality design education to underprivileged Lebanese youth. By the time the Beirut Port blast hit in 2020, CSB had already weathered the 2019 financial collapse, the protests that followed, and the challenges of a pandemic-stricken world. With classes paused due to Covid-19, CSB had pivoted to producing isolation gowns for hospitals. On August 4, 10 people were working at the space located in Beirut Souks, directly across the harbour from the port. The building was decimated. Miraculously, no one was harmed. 'We were so lucky,' says Hermez. 'We were covered in dust, but none of us had a scratch. It was surreal.' Fashion designer Georges Chakra, whose studio is 10km from the port in Jal El Dib, wasn't as lucky. 'The atelier was damaged, several team members were injured and a very loved colleague passed away,' he says. 'It was also heartbreaking how many had their homes destroyed.' After the initial shock, his focus shifted to his staff. 'We checked in with everyone living nearby, made sure they had medical care, shelter, whatever they needed. Some couldn't return right away. The hardest part was helping the team feel safe again.' In the aftermath, Hermez recalls 'the sound of glass', as survivors crunched over the debris of their former lives. 'It felt like our lives exploded. Our homes, our safe spaces, everything we knew was destroyed.' The psychological toll of the aftermath was immense. 'Looking at destruction for that long does something to your brain,' Hermez says. 'At the time, it felt like this was going to be life forever.' Staying put no longer felt viable. 'We didn't know if there would be another explosion – we just knew we had to get out,' she says. Though they initially looked to relocate to the safety of Lebanon's mountains, they eventually found a new place in the city – staying true to the Beirut in their name. Roni Helou, one of Lebanon's most promising young designers – and a CSB alumnus – was also among those caught in the blast's ripple effect. A winner of Fashion Trust Arabia's 2019 prize, Helou was preparing to rapidly expand his brand when the explosion hit. With his prize money frozen due to the banking crisis, he had sunk what little remained into the business. 'Then the blast happened and we went back to zero,' he says. A supporter of the 2019 revolution, Helou had believed in a better Lebanon. 'I thought we could change things. But the explosion felt like a slap. I realised we never would. For the first time, I considered leaving.' He turned to Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chair of Qatar Museums and a key figure behind Doha's M7 creative hub, along with Fashion Trust Arabia's co-chair Tania Fares. Together, they helped Helou relocate his family to Doha, and brought him on as a strategist at M7, supporting local designers. 'Honestly, it took two or three years to make peace with Lebanon,' Helou admits. 'I was holding a grudge. I didn't think I'd ever come back.' For Hermez, leaving was never an option. 'This is where I'm from. I don't know where I'd go. Creative Space came from a desire to merge creativity with social justice, and that's still what keeps me going.' She watched many of her community leave in the blast's wake. 'In the span of a week, I think 80 per cent of our friends picked up and left the country. Any sense of community – culture, art, fashion, creativity, music – that defined Lebanon all of a sudden diminished.' Still, Hermez held on. 'Working every day towards something you believe in gives you the strength to keep going.' That perseverance paid off. In 2024, CSB staged its first graduation show since 2018 – interrupted by five years of cascading crises. More than 100 volunteers helped bring the show to life. 'The students have been through so much,' Hermez says. 'It was a beautiful moment.' With 500 guests in attendance, the night reflected her enduring optimism. 'In Lebanon, you take a few steps forward, then get pulled ten back. What keeps me personally going is that there's so much creativity and talent in Lebanon that goes untapped.' Meanwhile, now settled in Qatar and with his brand on hiatus, Helou is focusing his energy on the business side of the industry. 'I think I'm more of an entrepreneur, as I have these ideas that I want to bring to life. I'm working on a project that is not related to fashion, it's more about gaming and marketing. I'm rediscovering myself. It's funny because I had to leave Lebanon to do that.' Helou is also helping to build a vocational school in Doha that will teach design, architecture, graphic design and film, developed in collaboration with Hermez and CSB. 'I've had a moment to reflect on Roni the person, not just the brand, and I feel like I would have never have got that in Lebanon. I also don't think I would have got the opportunities I have in Doha if I had stayed in Lebanon. It's sad to say, but I needed the explosion to break the bond, to push me out of my comfort zone.' Chakra, who has returned to showing in Paris, agrees the scars remain. 'No one lives through something that insane without being affected. Beirut has always had to rebuild – I doubt this will be the last time. Resilience is part of daily life. 'Beirut never stops,' he adds. 'No matter what it endures, the city always finds a way to keep going.' For Hermez, the mission remains clear: nurturing the next generation of Lebanese creatives. 'For us, it's about why creative and cultural institutions should continue to exist during times of hardship. These spaces allow people to continue to have a voice and to dream. If these institutions shut down and people no longer have an outlet to create, then what do you have left in the country?'

Covid-19 Inquiry: Who is being 'excluded' from inquiry hearings
Covid-19 Inquiry: Who is being 'excluded' from inquiry hearings

RNZ News

time06-07-2025

  • Health
  • RNZ News

Covid-19 Inquiry: Who is being 'excluded' from inquiry hearings

Photo: People with Long Covid are disappointed they will not be prioritised as part of public hearings about the government's pandemic response. Phase two of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the official response to Covid-19 gets underway in Auckland on Monday, and will run until Thursday. It will hear from everyday people and their experiences of the government's decisions over vaccine use and lockdowns, including the extended lockdowns in Auckland and Northland. It will also hear from businesses and organisations affected. Long Covid Support Aotearoa spokesperson Catherine Appleby said she felt in choosing its focus, the inuiry had missed an opportunity to include the perspectives of people with post-Covid conditions. "A massive mistake really, to do that, because we were directly affected and our lives are still particularly affected as well." Appleby worked as a nurse at an urgent care centre when Covid-19 hit in 2020. Each day, after her shift, she would have to strip down her clothes on her doorstep, in the hope she wouldn't transmit Covid to her whānau. It's something many other healthcare practitioners did. In 2022, she caught Covid-19 herself. She returned to work thinking she was recovered, but the symptoms didn't go away. She reduced her hours of work in the hope it would improve things, but it didn't. "Finally, I just had to decide, and at that stage, I was over two and a half years into Long Covid, and I thought, "I'm looking down the barrel of non-recovery. If I want to have any chance of recovery, I just have to stop working completely." Auckland spent more than 100 days in lockdown starting in August 2021. Photo: 123RF Appleby explained there were significant effects on people with Long Covid. It often affects their ability to work, leading to loss of income, lack of financial and health system support, and impacts on social and family life, she said. She said thousands of people experience Long Covid across Aotearoa, all the more reason to include their voices in the hearings this week. "Covid is still around, and the Long Covid numbers are likely to increase. Even if you are immunized, the estimate is up to 10% of people who catch the infection will get Long Covid." Long Covid Support Aotearoa has called for an inquiry into the condition, much like the one held across the ditch in Australia between 2022 and 2023. A new Otago-led study, published in the International Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, found that more than 20 per cent of children and young people in Aotearoa are experiencing significant, persistent health symptoms following Covid-19. Lead Author and Associate Professor from the University of Otago's Department of Public Health, Julie Bennett, said her team conducted interviews with nearly 4300 children (or their parents for those under 16) to understand their experiences and symptoms after Covid-19 infection. The symptoms included things like headaches, fatigue, coughs, and anxiety, which they didn't have before having Covid, she said. "They were also reporting that they were unable to attend school because of having these symptoms, or they were unable to attend things like going to sporting events or activities that they normally would be able to do. These symptoms weren't just happening; they were actually limiting their ability to be able to participate in life." Regarding New Zealand's response, Professor Bennett said having a proper pandemic plan in place is key. "We did manage to get together really quickly, a good group of people to be able to make decisions, and making really hard decisions, on the spur of the moment, often with little information, but trying to do it as evidence-based as they could." Instead of focusing on Long Covid, the hearings this week will cover Government decisions relating to lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and vaccine safety, and how these key decisions affected things like social division and isolation, health and education, and business activity. Hearings this week are part of phase two of the Royal Commission's Inquiry. Photo: Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois has been an outspoken voice on the economic toll that successive lockdowns have had on the hospitality industry, especially in Auckland. She said the restrictions saw multiple businesses close as a result, a hard hit on her industry. "If there were some different decisions made around the lockdowns, the restrictions in trading, we would still see some of those businesses operating today, no doubt." At the time, she was an outspoken voice, consistently advocating for change and raising suggestions on how businesses could survive while also balancing public health goals. She said that while the government's intention might have been to protect public health, the reality felt like a one-size-fits-all approach. "We did a significant amount of work around the ways to make, like contactless deliveries available at, say, alert level three. Feedback like this, at the time, was ignored, whereas if that would have been taken on board, businesses could have been operating sooner." Marisa Bidois said the last couple of years have been particularly tough on the hospitality industry. Photo: Supplied The Restaurant Association submitted its feedback in writing and is not currently scheduled to appear at the hearings. Still, Bidois is welcoming the chance for reflection. "It's such a critical opportunity to ensure that we learn lessons from that pandemic response so that we can be better prepared, better informed for anything that may come about in the future," she said. Phase one was originally announced in 2022 by then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; it aimed to examine the lessons learned and help the country better prepare for future pandemics. The second phase was borne from National's coalition agreements with both ACT and NZ First. It will cover vaccine approval, safety, monitoring, and mandates; the imposition and maintenance of national and regional lockdowns; The procurement, development, and distribution of testing and tracing technologies and non-pharmaceutical public health material. Inquiry chair Grant Illingworth said this process was not about placing blame, but instead about learning. "We are instructed in our terms of reference to avoid legalistic and adversarial processes. We are instructed to try to achieve the purpose of the inquiry, which is not to judge people or to hold them up to public scorn." In 2022 hundreds of cars and a few thousand people descended on central Wellington and Parliament to protest against the Government's Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Covid-19 lockdowns and vaccines have been the subject of misinformation and controversy in the last few years. Illingworth explained that the hearings will be live-streamed on the Royal Commission's website, improving accessibility and transparency. "Obviously we are not in a position to wave a magic wand and ensure that New Zealand is united over this whole issue. But it is, of course, important for us to try to help New Zealand to come together so that we do have an united ability to stand up to any crises in the future." Part two of the public hearings will take place at the end of August in Wellington and will hear from those who were key decision makers during the pandemic. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Long Covid voices 'excluded' from inquiry hearings
Long Covid voices 'excluded' from inquiry hearings

RNZ News

time06-07-2025

  • Health
  • RNZ News

Long Covid voices 'excluded' from inquiry hearings

Photo: People with Long Covid are disappointed their voices will not be prioritised as part of public hearings about the government's pandemic response. Phase two of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the official response to Covid-19 gets underway in Auckland today, and will run until Thursday. It will hear from everyday people and their experiences of the government's decisions over vaccine use and lockdowns, including the extended lockdowns in Auckland and Northland. It will also hear from businesses and organisations affected. Long Covid Support Aotearoa spokesperson Catherine Appleby said she felt in choosing its focus, the inuiry had missed an opportunity to include the perspectives of people with post-Covid conditions. "A massive mistake really, to do that, because we were directly affected and our lives are still particularly affected as well." Appleby worked as a nurse at an urgent care centre when Covid-19 hit in 2020. Each day, after her shift, she would have to strip down her clothes on her doorstep, in the hope she wouldn't transmit Covid to her whānau. It's something many other healthcare practitioners did. In 2022, she caught Covid-19 herself. She returned to work thinking she was recovered, but the symptoms didn't go away. She reduced her hours of work in the hope it would improve things, but it didn't. "Finally, I just had to decide, and at that stage, I was over two and a half years into Long Covid, and I thought, "I'm looking down the barrel of non-recovery. If I want to have any chance of recovery, I just have to stop working completely." Auckland spent more than 100 days in lockdown starting in August 2021. Photo: 123RF Appleby explained that there are significant impacts on people with Long Covid. It often affects their ability to work, leading to loss of income, lack of financial and health system support, and impacts on social and family life, she said. She said thousands of people experience Long Covid across Aotearoa, all the more reason to include their voices in the hearings this week. "Covid is still around, and the Long Covid numbers are likely to increase. Even if you are immunized, the estimate is up to 10% of people who catch the infection will get Long Covid." Long Covid Support Aotearoa has called for an inquiry into the condition, much like the one held across the ditch in Australia between 2022 and 2023. A new Otago-led study, published in the International Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, found that more than 20 per cent of children and young people in Aotearoa are experiencing significant, persistent health symptoms following Covid-19. Lead Author and Associate Professor from the University of Otago's Department of Public Health, Julie Bennett, said her team conducted interviews with nearly 4300 children (or their parents for those under 16) to understand their experiences and symptoms after Covid-19 infection. The symptoms included things like headaches, fatigue, coughs, and anxiety, which they didn't have before having Covid, she said. "They were also reporting that they were unable to attend school because of having these symptoms, or they were unable to attend things like going to sporting events or activities that they normally would be able to do. These symptoms weren't just happening; they were actually limiting their ability to be able to participate in life." Regarding New Zealand's response, Professor Bennett said having a proper pandemic plan in place is key. "We did manage to get together really quickly, a good group of people to be able to make decisions, and making really hard decisions, on the spur of the moment, often with little information, but trying to do it as evidence-based as they could." Instead of focusing on Long Covid, the hearings this week will cover Government decisions relating to lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and vaccine safety, and how these key decisions affected things like social division and isolation, health and education, and business activity. Hearings this week are part of phase two of the Royal Commission's Inquiry. Photo: Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois has been an outspoken voice on the economic toll that successive lockdowns have had on the hospitality industry, especially in Auckland. She said the restrictions saw multiple businesses close as a result, a hard hit on her industry. "If there were some different decisions made around the lockdowns, the restrictions in trading, we would still see some of those businesses operating today, no doubt." At the time, she was an outspoken voice, consistently advocating for change and raising suggestions on how businesses could survive while also balancing public health goals. She said that while the government's intention might have been to protect public health, the reality felt like a one-size-fits-all approach. "We did a significant amount of work around the ways to make, like contactless deliveries available at, say, alert level three. Feedback like this, at the time, was ignored, whereas if that would have been taken on board, businesses could have been operating sooner." Marisa Bidois said the last couple of years have been particularly tough on the hospotality industry. Photo: Supplied The Restaurant Association submitted its feedback in writing and is not currently scheduled to appear at the hearings. Still, Bidois is welcoming the chance for reflection. "It's such a critical opportunity to ensure that we learn lessons from that pandemic response so that we can be better prepared, better informed for anything that may come about in the future," she said. Phase one was originally announced in 2022 by then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; it aimed to examine the lessons learned and help the country better prepare for future pandemics. The second phase was borne from National's coalition agreements with both ACT and NZ First. It will cover vaccine approval, safety, monitoring, and mandates; the imposition and maintenance of national and regional lockdowns; The procurement, development, and distribution of testing and tracing technologies and non-pharmaceutical public health material. Inquiry chair Grant Illingworth said this process was not about placing blame, but instead about learning. "We are instructed in our terms of reference to avoid legalistic and adversarial processes. We are instructed to try to achieve the purpose of the inquiry, which is not to judge people or to hold them up to public scorn." In 2022 hundreds of cars and a few thousand people descended on central Wellington and Parliament to protest against the Government's Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Covid-19 lockdowns and vaccines have been the subject of misinformation and controversy in the last few years. Illingworth explained that the hearings will be live-streamed on the Royal Commission's website, improving accessibility and transparency. "Obviously we are not in a position to wave a magic wand and ensure that New Zealand is united over this whole issue. But it is, of course, important for us to try to help New Zealand to come together so that we do have an united ability to stand up to any crises in the future." Part two of the public hearings will take place at the end of August in Wellington and will hear from those who were key decision makers during the pandemic. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

'Ageing' biosecurity labs in Surrey pledged £1bn for upgrade
'Ageing' biosecurity labs in Surrey pledged £1bn for upgrade

BBC News

time24-06-2025

  • Health
  • BBC News

'Ageing' biosecurity labs in Surrey pledged £1bn for upgrade

The government has pledged to spend £1bn upgrading an animal health research centre in Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced the investment in high-containment laboratories near Weybridge on National Audit Office (NAO) said in a June report the site, run by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), currently has a "very high" risk of site NAO also estimated the total cost of redeveloping the site would be £2.8bn. The government said the facilities will help manage animal disease outbreaks and the risk of future announcement followed the publication of a policy paper in March, which announced the development of a "national biosecurity centre" at the centre will "provide essential research, surveillance and outbreak response to help stop diseases" damaging the UK, according to the also announced £200m of funding in December for the APHA to upgrade biosecurity facilities at the Surrey announcement comes as part of a the UK's latest national security strategy. Farmers 'better protected' The government said work was already underway to redevelop the labs would be up and running in 2027 and 2028 while the national biosecurity centre was due to be fully operational is 2034, it Borough Council granted outline planning permission to redevelop the site in senior science director Jenny Stewart said Tuesday's announcement was a "vital milestone" in the funding will allow the agency's researchers to "continue their critical work in modern, fit-for-purpose facilities", she Secretary Steve Reed said: "Farmers and food producers will now be better protected from diseases, our food security strengthened, and public health better safeguarded against future pandemics." The Surrey site houses 98% of APHA high-containment laboratories, is its main long-term animal health studies site and is the the agency's only facility that can deal with most zoonotic diseases, according to the public spending watchdog warned in its report that the site is "in poor condition, with ageing buildings that need major repair and replacement".It added: "Any major failure at Weybridge could have potentially significant impacts on the UK."For example, APHA may not be able to deliver its emergency response during an outbreak."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store