World Health Organisation Archives

Omicron and Immunity The case for updating covid-19 vaccines for the Omicron variant A new study puts the variant in a group apart from its predecessors Variants vary, but how much? Since SARS-COV-2 was first sequenced at the beginning of 2020 dozens of versions have been identified. Five have been designated “variants of concern” by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The latest is Omicron, which was given its name in November last year and looks set to become the dominant form of the virus almost everywhere. One question occupying both scientists and politicians is whether covid vaccines would work even better if they were updated to deal with novel variants. Up to and including Delta, first identified in India, and designated a variant of concern in May 2021, the answer has been “no”. But new research, which has mapped differences between all of the important versions of SARS-COV-2, suggests that, ...

A missed opportunity for South Asia-by Kamal Dev Bhattarai The last SAARC Summit was held in 2014 Source:Dailynews The role of regional organisations in combating crises is significant. There are many examples of how various regional blocs have worked towards fighting crises and helping countries badly affected by them. The World Health Organisation (WHO), during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been encouraging these blocs to be proactive. In 2016, the WHO lauded the African Union’s role in controlling the Ebola epidemic. During the coronavirus pandemic, blocs like the European Union, African Union and ASEAN have also been praised a lot for their role in helping countries to deal with COVID-19. However, SAARC and BIMSTEC, the blocs Nepal is associated with, has hardly done anything in the times when the countries associated with it needed it the most. In the times when the countries should have come together and shown solidarity, nothing ...