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While the concept of One Health – where multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes – may have once seemed simple, “it is no longer”, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, opening the 27th Tripartite Annual Executive Committee Meeting World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
“We can only prevent future pandemics with an integrated One Health approach to public health, animal health and the environment we share. Now is the time to take our partnership to a new level”, he underscored.
The WHO chief maintained that to keep people safe, One Health must be translated into local-level systems.
He pointed out that approximately 70 per cent of all emerging and re-emerging pathogens are zoonotic, jumping from animals to humans, warning that “we don’t know when the next threat – the next disease X – will emerge”.
“It is clear, however, that One Health must be about more than zoonoses”, Tedros spelled out. “We cannot protect human health without considering the impact of human activities that disrupt ecosystems, encroach on habitats, and further drive climate change”.
These activities include pollution, large-scale deforestation, intensified livestock production and the misuse of antibiotics, along with how the world produces, consumes and trades food.
Effective collaboration needed
As set out in the WHO Manifesto for a healthy and green recovery from COVID-19, the UN health agency supports a greater One Health emphasis on connections to the environment.
“Paradoxically, the COVID-19 pandemic is giving us a unique opportunity to drive real change”, said the top WHO official, noting that One Health will be the focus of upcoming G7 and G20 meetings.
He flagged the need for more science, better data and bolder policies across multiple sectors, “with a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach”.
“Expectations for the Tripartite, and the need for effective collaboration, have never been higher”, he said.
Citing closer collaborative efforts at regional and country levels, and progress in joint areas of work, including the launch of the United Against Rabies forum, Tedros said that advances are also being made in establishing governance structures to curb antimicrobial resistance, and noted that the Global Leaders Group held its first meeting earlier this year.
Expert Council in the works
The UN health agency chief said that WHO will support and host the secretariat of a One Health High Level Expert Council, which will advise the expanded Tripartite members on action priorities, building consensus and collaboration.
“We also need to ensure that all partner organizations have the resources to play this role jointly”, he stated.
The Tripartite consists of WHO, OIE and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with the UN Environment Programming (UNEP) joining this year.
For its part, WHO will scale up investment and work through its disease programmes and technical networks to strengthen the One Health workforce for outbreak alert and response.
“We are at a critical juncture. We must build on this momentum to strengthen the One Health approach, with public health and disease prevention as its central pillar”, Tedros underscored.
The WHO chief concluded by saying: “If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we’re stronger together”.
Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on February 17 promised a comprehensive bill in manifesto in poll-bound state which will have disclosure of confidentiality clause while engaging in a marriage ceremony. “In our manifesto, we are going to promise a comprehensive bill on disclosure of confidentiality clause while engaging in a marriage ceremony. One has to first disclose their identity, religion, income before entering into marriage with a woman,” said Sarma
In a joint report, the UN The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that in the absence of large-scale and sustained humanitarian assistance “the situation could worsen through mid-2021”.
“Somalia’s long-standing crises are compounded now by the ‘triple threat’ of the COVID-19 pandemic, desert locust infestations and climatic shocks”, said UN Deputy Special Representative Adam Abdelmoula, who also serves as the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the country.
The report, compiled by FAO’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit, and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), highlights that desert locusts will continue to pose a serious risk of damage to both pasture and crops countrywide.
It also and cites forecasts that indicate an increased likelihood of below-average rainfall during the April-June season across most of the country that will further exacerbate food and nutrition insecurity for millions.
FAO and the Somali Government emphasized the urgency to increase support for ongoing desert locust control and surveillance efforts, and to provide rapid emergency assistance over the coming months.
“With the Government’s support, our teams and partners have maintained operations in control and surveillance, while delivering crucial humanitarian assistance and livelihood support during extremely challenging circumstances,” said Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO Representative in Somalia.
From July to December, an average of 1.8 million people per month received assistance in parts of Somalia.
While the large-scale humanitarian and Government support helped to minimize the magnitude of the crisis last year, funding is needed urgently to boost efforts to reduce new food insecurity currently threatening the country.
“Expanding the emergency response is crucial and underway, with a focus on interventions aimed at reducing food consumption gaps, saving lives, and protecting and preserving livelihoods,” said Mr. Peterschmitt.
Grim numbers
According to the humanitarian assistance plan for the first quarter of 2021, some 1.6 million people are facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) – or worse.
Moreover, an additional 2.5 million people are Stressed (IPC Phase 2), bringing the total number of acute food insecure to 4.1 million, which includes approximately 840,000 under-age-five children who are likely to be acutely malnourished, nearly 143,000 of them severely so.
Pointing to a multitude of threats and crises in poor rural, urban and displaced populations, the joint assessment said that food insecurity is expected to deteriorate from April to June.
And FAO underscored that humanitarian assistance must be sustained through mid-2021 to prevent Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes for nearly 2.7 million people.
“We must continue to work with all humanitarian partners to ensure the most vulnerable Somalis are able to withstand the challenges and build resilience against future shocks,” said Mr. Abdelmoula, urging all partners to “work together across the humanitarian, development and peacebuilding paths” to address root causes and build lasting solutions that leave no one behind.
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The European Union’s executive has urged the government in Hungary to allow a liberal-leaning radio station to continue broadcasting after it went off the air on Monday.
Klubrádió went off the airwaves on Sunday at midnight after a court upheld a decision by media authorities not to extend its broadcasting licence.
During an online press conference of the European Commission on Monday, spokesman Christian Wigand confirmed the executive had sent a letter to Hungary’s permanent representation in Brussels on Friday expressing its concerns over the move.
Wigand said the station’s loss of its broadcasting frequency had occurred “on the basis of highly questionable legal grounds”, and that Hungary “should respect the EU’s charter of fundamental rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, information and the freedom to conduct a business”.
The Commission has asked Hungary to take urgent action to ensure that Klubrádió, a commercial broadcaster in the capital of Budapest, can continue using its frequency until final decisions become legally binding, Wigand said, warning of “irreparable damage” to the station.
Hungary has not yet sent an answer to the Commission’s letter, the spokesman added.
But Balázs Hidvéghi, a Member of the European Parliament from the country’s ruling Fidesz party, explained that media organisations must respect the rules.
“Quite frankly Klubradio, as well as other radio stations or media outlets have to respect the law and have to operate according to the law in Hungary,” he explained to Euronews.
“The media authority has not renewed automatically the frequency for this radio station because they broke some of the regulations that they should have respected.”
The Communication sent by the Berlaymont comes after more than eighty MEPs sent their own communication to the Commission last Friday, asking for it to take action over media woes in both Hungary and Poland.
The main author of the letter, Laurence Farreng, told Euronews that: “We can’t let down this battle for rule of law. I think everything we can do has to be done. So, I follow very closely the media action plan that was proposed by the European Commission.
“In this media action plan, media pluralism, freedom of speech, media recovery is at the heart of the project. So, I think there is a point where we can act to ask for more freedom and more funding for the media,” the French MEP added.
The loss of Klubradio’s broadcasting licence reinvigorated a debate over freedom of the press and outsized political influence in Hungary’s media market.
The liberal-leaning commercial station was one of the only remaining opposition radio voices in Hungary and one of the last radio channels that regularly featured opposition politicians and other critical voices during its news and talk programmes.
The European Commission last Wednesday denounced the decision, saying the move “increases concerns” about “media freedom and pluralism” in Hungary.
Klubrádió’s president Andras Arato last week cited authorities as saying the station had “broken the rules” when the media lost its licence.
Arato denounced Tuesday’s decision as “a shameful decision”, which raises new concerns about press freedom in this European Union country.
He told Euronews that he planned to appeal to Hungary’s highest court, the Curia, promising that his media would continue online and that listeners were “keen”.
“We will not be silenced, and if they also want to support us, we will try to do our bit so we can live in a better world,” he said.
Nothing is as simple as it seems in relation to Covid and the Northern Ireland protocol. The Financial Times reported this week that anonymous EU sources were voicing annoyance with recent efforts by Micheál Martin and Simon Coveney to persuade Brussels and London to dial down the heat in relation to the practical problems that have arisen in implementing the customs aspect of the protocol as they affect British goods going into Northern Ireland.
<p class="no_name">Apparently there is some resentment in certain circles in Brussels that Ireland seems to be acting as an intermediary rather than as a fully-fledged cheerleader for the hardline rhetoric coming from the Berlaymont.</p>
<p class="no_name">The paper quoted one EU diplomat as saying: “There is a growing concern that Dublin is tempted to follow a policy of equidistance towards the EU and UK on Northern Ireland.”</p>
<p class="no_name">The same source, recalling the EU’s steadfast support for Ireland in the Brexit process, added that “it would be rather risky if the Irish Government were to be seen as playing with European goodwill and solidarity”.</p>
<blockquote class="inline__content inline__content--pullquote">
It bears repetition that the attempted invocation of the protocol was utterly unlawful
These ominous noises come ill from the EU Commission. Exactly who played fast and loose with the protocol in the first place?
<p class="no_name">While Ursula Von Der Leyen sandbagged her commission with personal acceptance of responsibility for the shocking misuse of the protocol as stage furniture in its spat with the UK over vaccine exports, the sad fact remains that the episode went unexplained.</p>
<p class="no_name">Nor did she help by departing the EU parliament last week to hold another evasive press conference before MEPs could extract any explanation.</p>
<p class="no_name">It bears repetition that the attempted invocation of the protocol was utterly unlawful – even as a matter of EU law. The protocol simply never covered exports of vaccine at all.</p>
<aside class="related-articles--instream has-3">
</aside>
<p class="no_name">Moreover, the terms of the protocol and its 7th annexe clearly prohibited its abrupt unilateral invocation in these circumstances even if it had any application to vaccine exports – which it didn’t.</p>
<p class="no_name">In addition, the protocol itself provides for consultation in respect of the entirely different issues in relation to customs documentation and grace periods.</p>
<h4 class="crosshead">Confrontation</h4><p class="no_name">Dublin has every right to seek to defuse confrontation when hard-line exchanges and position-taking play directly into the hands of DUP irredentism and would-be back-sliders in the Tory party at Westminster.</p>
<p class="no_name">And unexplained gross misuse of the protocol at senior level in the commission gave Dublin every reason to want to cool the temperature and ensure that the protocol’s customs arrangements in Northern Ireland bedded down smoothly and pragmatically.</p>
<figure class="inline__content inline__content--image">
Ursula Von Der Leyen: she may be trying to pressurise the UK over vaccine-sharing and other issues. Photograph: Getty Images
No one in Europe, with the possible exception of those personally to blame for the debacle, could have any complaint with the response of the Irish Government which was uniquely passive compared to what any other member state – big or small – would have done in similar circumstances.
<p class="no_name">This makes anonymous EU warnings published in the Financial Times coverage all the more difficult to accept at face value.</p>
<blockquote class="inline__content inline__content--pullquote">
The reality is that the EU may end up with recovery delayed by at least half a year behind the UK and other countries
It raises the possibility that what we are witnessing is but a glimpse of a deeper bout of arm-wrestling between the commission and the UK in which the Irish issues are a mere sideshow.
<p class="no_name">The commission may be playing “hard cop” in a wider conflict over vaccine-sharing and other issues, including the UK’s persistent demands to have continued access to EU financial markets without acceptance of EU rule-making authority in that sphere.</p>
<p class="no_name">On the issue of vaccines, for all the rhetoric about caution and the community method the reality is that the EU may end up with recovery delayed by at least half a year behind the UK and other countries.</p>
<p class="no_name">The social and economic cost of such massive delay is enormous, and may well become politically unsustainable. The reputation of the commission and other EU institutions is very much in issue. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control warnings about virus-mutation risks add to the pressure.</p>
<h4 class="crosshead">Social damage</h4><p class="no_name">Playing “hard cop” with the UK may be part of a wider process in which the commission hopes to radically cut the time-delay gap in order to minimise the economic and social damage of having lockdown restrictions carry over into the autumn.</p>
<p class="no_name">Sharing vaccine production and accelerating it may be a political imperative at EU level that puts concern for the Good Friday agreement in the halfpenny place.</p>
<p class="no_name">If EU’s diplomats now want to ratchet up the heat in pursuance of these agenda items, Irish calls to cool it may appear disloyal, much the same as Michael Corleone in the Godfather had to slap down his brother Fredo’s appeals for moderation in their dealings with rival families.</p>
<p class="no_name">High-minded concern for the Good Friday agreement and an open Irish Border matter far less now to an embattled commission which is looking exposed and vulnerable in relation to a great delay in mass vaccination right across the EU.</p>
<p class="no_name">This is, after all, what realpolitik actually means.</p>
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A global risk assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal health (OIE) and WHO has shown that the overall risk of introduction and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes COVID-19, from the fur-farming system to humans and to susceptible wildlife populations in the WHO European Region is considered high.
The global tripartite conducted the risk assessment in light of the Region’s high number of fur farms, the wide variety of susceptible animal species used in fur farming, and the high number of overall cases of COVID-19 reported among the human population.
It is well documented that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can transmit between humans and animals. In April 2020, the Netherlands was the first country to report SARS-CoV-2 in farmed minks. Since then, another 9 countries – 7 of which are in the European Region – have reported similar findings. The European Region includes the largest number of fur-producing countries of all WHO regions.
In November 2020, Denmark reported the detection of a mink-associated SARS-CoV-2 variant with a combination of mutations not previously observed (referred to as Cluster 5). Preliminary findings suggested a lower capability of antibodies to neutralize the strain, and isolates of the variant strain were shared with selected WHO reference laboratories.
Following these findings, WHO in collaboration with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) conducted a series of meetings with mink fur-producing countries as well as a survey about SARS-CoV-2 in mink farms in the European Region.
These efforts aimed to get an overview of the fur-farming industry in Europe, gather information about measures applied by countries to prevent and reduce virus transmission between humans and animals, and inform the development of the One Health risk assessment on SARS-CoV-2 in farmed fur animals.
Wide disparity in measures adopted across the Region
A total of 31 of the Region’s 53 Member States responded to the survey. Of these, 15 reported that they have a fur industry. The fur industry is dominated by minks, while chinchillas, sables, foxes, rabbits and racoon dogs make up a smaller proportion of farmed fur animals.
The collected information highlighted that measures and procedures vary widely from country to country. Fourteen of the 15 countries with a fur industry have implemented SARS-CoV-2 surveillance systems on fur farms. Nine countries have implemented surveillance systems to detect the virus in humans who work on the farms, and 8 have detected SARS-CoV-2 in mink farm workers.
Nine countries also reported that they analyse for variations in DNA sequences of SARS-CoV-2 viruses in animals, while 8 countries analyse for variations in DNA sequences of SARS-CoV-2 virus isolates detected in humans. The analyses have identified several combinations of mutations in mink-associated variants across countries.
The information also showed that both mandated and recommended biosecurity measures to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between animals and humans differ considerably across countries in the Region. This includes requirements for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), access to the farms, and movement of animals and workers between farms.
Strict procedures needed
To prevent and reduce further spread between humans and fur-farmed animals, the One Health risk assessment provides a series of recommendations, in particular to:
enforce strict sanitary biosecurity measures against SARS-CoV-2;
provide and ensure the use of appropriate PPE by farm workers and visitors;
consider risk-based testing of animals for SARS-CoV-2 within the broader response to COVID-19;
sample and test susceptible wild species and other free-roaming animals in the vicinities of SARS-CoV-2-infected fur farms;
prevent farm workers with COVID-19 symptoms from entering farm premises;
conduct whole genome sequencing of viruses from human and animal cases and share virus isolates; and
enhance surveillance for COVID-19 at the animal–human interface where susceptible animal reservoirs are identified, including fur farms.
About One Health
One Health is an approach to designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes. The One Health approach is critical to addressing health threats at the animal–human–environment interface, and is particularly relevant to
Countries in the European Union recorded over 450,000 excess deaths between March and November 2020, compared to the same period in the past four years, according to data released on Tuesday.
The data “gives a general measure of the mortality impact of the COVID-19 pandemic because it includes all deaths independently of their causes” statistics agency Eurostat said.
“The data covered in this analysis include all deaths that have occurred from January to November 2020,” it said.
Eurostat used monthly data from all EU countries, except Ireland which didn’t provide data, to compare excess mortality in 2020 to a baseline of the average number of deaths recorded in the same period between 2016 to 2019.
“During the early rise of COVID-19, the excess mortality in the EU reached its first peak in April 2020, with an increase of 25% compared with the average of the same month over 2016 – 2019,” the agency said.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Finland
The Finnish government put in place stricter regulations beginning on January 27 for those entering the country. All travelers will have to take a coronavirus test at the border. Finland is restricting entry from all Schengen countries — where people are allowed to travel without border control — permitting only essential travel for work for services like health care and emergency services.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Sweden
Travelers from most EU countries, and people travelling from non-EU countries who are exempted from the EU’s entry ban, will have to show a negative COVID-19 test no older than 48 hours on arrival, or be turned away. The new rules came into force on February 6. There is a ban on entry to Sweden from the UK, Denmark and Norway, apart from Swedish citizens and people who live or work in Sweden.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Denmark
Non-essential tourist travel to Denmark is currently being warned against due to high infection levels. Only people with a valid reason and a negative coronavirus test, no more than 24 hours old, will be allowed into the country. Denmark’s lockdown has been extended until February 28. Restaurants, cafés and pubs, as well as cultural and leisure facilities, remain closed.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Switzerland
Switzerland’s border with its neighbors, Schengen zone countries and most of Europe are open. Arrivals from some nations and regions that are classified “high risk” due to their infection rate are required to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. Flights from the UK and South Africa have been suspended. Since January 18, stores have had to close, with the exception of suppliers of everyday goods.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Luxembourg
Travelers from EU and Schengen Area countries can enter Luxembourg without the need to present a negative COVID-19 test unless they arrive by air; since January 29 a negative test must be shown at boarding. Non-essential travel from most third countries is banned until March 31. Non-essential shops are open, but bars and restaurants are closed in Luxembourg and there is a curfew from 11 p.m.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Czech Republic
Because the coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the Czech Republic, the government has overridden parliament and extended by 14 days the state of emergency that was to end on February 14. The Czech government on February 12 already sealed off three border areas. Border controls are in place. Anyone living there is not allowed to leave their district and no one is allowed to enter.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Norway
Norway has closed its border to all but essential travel in a bid to halt the further spread of coronavirus variants. Unlike previous versions of the entry rules, there are very few exceptions, aside from Norwegian residents returning only “socially critical personnel” are exempt. The border closure comes into force on January 29 for two weeks, at which time the situation will be reviewed.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Poland
As of January 1, travellers from non-EU countries can only enter Poland for essential travel. The borders are open to travelers from the majority of EU. All arrivals to Poland must self-isolate for 10 days with some exceptions related to work or residency in Poland. The country now also allows travelers with a COVID-19 vaccination certificate to enter without the need to quarantine.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Turkey
All travelers aged 6 years and above will be required to show a negative PCR test result before they can enter Turkey and may be subject to health screening when they arrive. Turkey has currently banned flights from the UK due to the new COVID-19 variant. Shopping centers, markets, restaurants and hairdressers are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout the week.
Restrictions on non-essential travel in Europe — country by country
Croatia
New measures temporarily restricting border crossing were introduced on November 30. However, some exemptions have been made. Croatia is following a traffic light system for travel restrictions and anybody coming from an EU country on the ‘green list’ can enter the country without any restrictions. That’s providing they show no symptoms and haven’t been in close proximity to an infected person.
Author: Susan Bonney-Cox
In April, when the first wave of the pandemic was at its peak, Spain saw close to 80% increase in the average deaths whereas Belgium saw deaths sitting at almost 74% above the average.
November peak
“Between May and July, a lower level of excess mortality was registered, while yet another surge in mortality started in August – September with the next wave of the pandemic,” Eurostat said.
“The excess mortality in the EU was 8% above the average in September, +17% in October and +40% in November, with the indicator rising in all EU Member States.”
Belgium also saw a nearly 60% increase, while both Italy and Austria neared a 50% increase.
Eurostat, however, stressed that while the substantial increase coincided with the pandemic, “the indicator does not discriminate among the causes of death and does not catch differences across sex and age classes.”
National governments offered more than 3 trillion euros ($3.65 trillion) in aid to companies across the 27-member bloc.
The General Court was asked to assess a French scheme allowing airlines to defer certain aeronautical taxes, and to rule on Sweden’s loan guarantee scheme for airlines.
Ryanair has pursued a legal campaign across Europe to stop the bailouts, arguing the state aid gives an unfair advantage to prestigious national flag carriers.
What did the court say?
“This aid scheme is appropriate to remedy the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and does not constitute discrimination,” the court said, referring to the French scheme.
It also said the Swedish scheme was compatible with EU laws. The court said that the limitation of the loan guarantee scheme “is appropriate for achieving the objective of remedying the serious disturbance in Sweden’s economy.”
What can the Irish airline do now?
The losses for Ryanair were just a first round, and the cases could now moving to the higher European Court of Justice.
