Hundreds of millions of Africans lack basic means of preventing SARS-
CoV-2 transmission, research finds

Date:
August 20, 2021
Source:
University of Bristol
Summary:
Millions of people across the African continent are at risk of
contracting COVID-19 because of a lack of the most basic public
health tools to protect themselves -- including the essentials of
soap and water.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Millions of people across the African continent are at risk of contracting COVID-19 because of a lack of the most basic public health tools to
protect themselves -- including the essentials of soap and water.


========================================================================== These measures -- known as non-pharmacological public health interventions (NPIs), and including physical distancing or isolation at home to prevent transmission -- are among the simplest and least expensive methods to
slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Yet huge
numbers of Africa's roughly 1.4 billion people do not have access to
these tools, researchers said.

"Hundreds of millions of people across Africa simply lack means for implementing NPIs to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission," said Dr. Timothy
Brewer, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health professor of epidemiology
and professor of medicine, and a member of the Division of Infectious
Diseases, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "These
populations urgently need to be prioritized for vaccination to prevent
disease and to contain the global pandemic." The findings -- published
this month in the peer-reviewed journal Epidemiology & Infection,
as "Housing, sanitation and living conditions affecting SARS-CoV-
2 prevention interventions in 54 African countries" -are from an
international team, led by Brewer and colleagues at the University of
Bristol, and including researchers in China, Ethiopia, Mexico, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.

As of now, COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in some 7.3 million cases and
185,505 deaths across the continent. Globally, nearly 210 million cases
and 4.4 million deaths have been reported in more than 200 countries,
although total mortality due to COVID-19 may be as high as 7 million
deaths. The global COVID-19 case fatality ratio approximates that of
the 1918 H1N1 Influenza pandemic.

"SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily by respiratory droplets generated by
coughing, sneezing or talking," Brewer said. "Until effective vaccines
are universally available, NPIs are the principal means by which
governments prevent SARS-CoV- 2 transmission in their populations."
In addition to isolation of those infected and contact tracing and
quarantine for those exposed, the World Health Organization (WHO)
recommends physical distancing, masking in public places and hand washing
as important NPIs that countries should employ for COVID-19 prevention
and control. Laboratory-based and observational studies suggest that
physical distancing and the wearing of face masks may reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission by at least 80%.

"These findings illustrate the substantial barriers many African
households face in keeping safe from SARS-CoV-2 infection because of
living conditions that preclude their ability to quarantine, isolate
or maintain physical distancing and because of substantial obstacles to handwashing," said Dr. Jody Heymann, a UCLA distinguished professor of
public health, public policy, and medicine who serves as director of the Fielding School's WORLD Policy Analysis Center (WORLD). "Crucially, the findings raise the urgency of getting vaccines rapidly to all countries
in Africa, which lag far behind, and for addressing the underlying
conditions of poverty that place populations at increased risk from
respiratory virus outbreaks and pandemics." Across the 54 countries, approximately 718 million people live in households with more than six individuals at home. Approximately 283 million people live in households
where more than three people slept in a single room. An estimated 890
million Africans lack on-site water, while 700 million lack in-home soap/ washing facilities.

"The pandemic has exposed structural inequalities in almost all spheres,
from health to the economy, security to social protection," said study co-author Yehualashet Mekonen, director of the African Child Observatory Program at the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF). "Girls in the continent
have particularly felt its impact with far reaching consequences on
their life trajectories including higher risks for early marriage, drop
out from school and reduced access to reproductive health services."
The researchers also made the point that despite the structural and
resource issues faced by governments in Africa, some nation's responses
to COVID have been among the best in the world.

"Unfortunately, impoverished living conditions mean that it is
almost impossible for many people in African countries to follow
public health advice and protect themselves from the virus,"
said co-author Dr. David Gordon, with the University of Bristol
in the United Kingdom. "European and North American countries
need to stop hoarding millions of doses of vaccines that they will
never be able to use and make them available to people in Africa." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Bristol. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Timothy F. Brewer, Mary Zhang, David Gordon, Roger Yat-Nork Chung,
Negussie Dejene, Cynthia L. Fonta, Tigist Grieve, Bjo"rn
Hallero"d, Richard Harris, Alba Lanau, Murray Leibbrandt,
Yehualashet Mekonen, Bongai Muguni, Hector Najera, Shailen
Nandy, S. Jody Heymann. Housing, sanitation and living
conditions affecting SARS-CoV-2 prevention interventions in 54
African countries. Epidemiology and Infection, 2021; 149 DOI:
10.1017/S0950268821001734 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210820111047.htm

--- up 15 weeks, 22 hours, 45 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)