Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic required vaccinations; however, ending it requires vaccination equality. The progress in vaccinations varies greatly across countries, with low- and middle-income countries having much lower vaccination rates than advanced countries. Initially, the limited vaccine supply was in part to blame for slow pace of vaccinations in low-income countries. But as the supply constraints eased toward the end of 2021, the focus has shifted to in-country distribution challenges and vaccine hesitancy. This paper quantifies the importance of various factors in driving vaccination rates across countries, including vaccine deliveries, demographic structure, health and transport infrastructure and development level. It then estimates the contribution of these factors to vaccination inequality. We show that much of the vaccination inequality in 2021-22 was driven by the lack of access to vaccines which is beyond countries’ control. And although vaccination inequality declined over time, access to vaccines remains the dominant driver of vaccination inequality.

'If there is any "must read" book about COVID-19, this is, without a doubt, the one.' Peter Jay Hotez, MD, PhD, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine 'Drawing on his brilliant reporting from the front lines of the fight against COVID, Gupta has produced a book filled with hope and optimism that draws on the lessons of the recent past to give people a grounded sense of how to navigate the future.' Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Code Breaker Frontline Covid-19 health journalist, Dr. Sanjay Gupta has had insider access to the unfolding pandemic, including exclusive conversations with the world's top public health experts and behind-the-scenes scientists racing to find treatments and cures. And now he's sharing what he's learned in a book that will answer not only all our questions about what happened, but also about how our world will change in the years ahead, even once we're back to 'normal'. As the doctor who's been guiding us through the crisis with compassion, clarity, and well-earned wisdom, he gives you the unvarnished story behind the pandemic, including insights about the novel virus's behavior, and offers practical tools to ready ourselves for what lies ahead. He answers critical questions: Can we stamp out the virus for good (and if not, how do we live with it)? Should we put our parents in a nursing home? How do you decide when it's safe to go to a public pool or schedule elective surgery? What should Covid survivors know about protecting their future health? What if you become a long-hauler with chronic health challenges stemming? World War C will give you hope for the future along with real information that leaves you more resilient and secure. 'Part murder mystery, part practical how-to-survive guide, Dr Sanjay Gupta's World War C is a tour de force. In this riveting book, Sanjay divulges, as few others can, what you didn't hear about in the news during the pandemic, and equips us with the everyday tools to stay safe and chase life like never before.' Andy Slavitt, former senior advisor of COVID-19 response, Biden White House 'With his characteristic curiosity, compassion, and humility, combined with unparalleled talent as a master-storyteller, Dr Gupta presents the defining history of the greatest public health catastrophe of our lifetimes. This is a must-read for how we can emerge stronger as individuals and as a society.' Leana Wen, Washington Post contributing columnist, former Baltimore health commissioner and author of Lifelines

This book analyses the first two years of South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic, from its emergence in early 2020. Drawing on the perspectives of a range of public health experts, economists and other social scientists, and development practitioners, this book argues that understanding this early response will be essential to moderate and improve future policy thinking around health governance and epidemic readiness. This book provides a systemic analysis of not only the epidemiological progression of COVID-19 in South Africa, but also the socio-political factors that will be key in determining the future of the country as a whole, including health system challenges, socio-economic disparities and inequalities, and variable (often contradictory and tardy) policy responses. Overall, this book exposes Manichean thinking and the spurious policy dichotomies that pitch public health against human rights, economic recovery against viral vector control, and science against ideology, with lessons not just for South Africa, but also for elsewhere on the African continent, and beyond. This book will be perfect for researchers and practitioners across Public Health, Health Policy, and Global Health, as well as those with an interest in South African politics and development more generally. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

This book presents health communication scholarship from Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, United States, and Venezuela, that recognizes the central role of communication in addressing and coping with health disparities across diverse populations. It thus advances understanding of the nuances of long standing, as well as emerging health disparities in our ever-changing social environment. The volume features eleven original, interdisciplinary research and evidence-based articles from scholars with distinct disciplinary backgrounds and unique positionalities who offer new and meaningful perspectives for scholars and practitioners in their diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice efforts within domains such as health communication and public health. Contributions to the book facilitate meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchanges to address a wide range of key health disparities related to structural barriers and racial inequities. Featuring highly interdisciplinary research spanning from the Global South to the Global North, this book will be a key resource for researchers, scholars and practitioners in both communication studies and health sciences, as well as their respective allied fields such as media studies, telecommunications, journalism, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, medical science, nursing, public health, psychology/psychiatry, and medical informatics. It was originally published as a special issue of Health Communication.

New Perspectives in Teaching and Learning With ICTs in Global Higher Education Systems addresses the challenges faced by higher education systems worldwide in adapting to new technologies and incorporating them into teaching and learning methodologies. The book offers solutions for educators and students by emphasizing the significance of creating inclusive learning environments that support diverse learners, adapting teaching methodologies accordingly, and integrating technology into higher education. The book's research focuses on new pedagogical methodologies and approaches that can be utilized to engage students and improve their learning outcomes. It also highlights the role of the modern lecturer in new teaching and learning contexts that utilize ICTs and emphasizes the need for educators to adapt their teaching approaches to meet the changing needs of today's learners. This book is an essential resource for educators, policy makers, and researchers seeking to stay up to date with the latest trends and approaches in higher education and ICTs.

Monkeypox, though less known than diseases like COVID-19 or Ebola, is a significant public health challenge, particularly in regions where the virus is endemic. First identified in monkeys in 1958, monkeypox primarily spreads to humans through contact with wild animals and can also be transmitted between people. Historically confined to Central and West Africa, the virus occasionally caused contained outbreaks. However, in 2022, monkeypox surged unexpectedly across multiple countries outside Africa, raising global concerns about its spread and highlighting gaps in public health preparedness. This resurgence underscores the interconnected nature of global health and the challenges posed by emerging infectious diseases. It also reveals vulnerabilities in health infrastructure, surveillance, and response systems, especially for less well-known diseases. Environmental factors, like deforestation and wildlife trafficking, further complicate the situation by driving the emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic diseases like monkeypox. The response to monkeypox emphasizes the need for a proactive and comprehensive approach to managing infectious diseases. International cooperation, strong national health systems, and clear communication are crucial in addressing these outbreaks. The recent spread of monkeypox is a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by zoonotic diseases and the importance of vigilance, preparedness, and global collaboration to prevent future outbreaks and protect public health.

Is the concept of open society still relevant in the 21st century? Do the current social, moral, and political realities call for a drastic revision of this concept? Here fifteen essays address real-world contemporary challenges to open society from a variety of perspectives. What unites the individual authors and chapters is an interest in open society’s continuing usefulness and relevance to address current problems. And what distinguishes them is a rich variety of geographical and cultural backgrounds, and a wide range of academic disciplines and traditions. While focusing on probing the contemporary relevance of the concept, several chapters approach it historically. The book features a comprehensive introduction to the history and current ‘uses’ of the theory of open society. The authors link the concept to contemporary themes including education, Artificial Intelligence, cognitive science, African cosmology, colonialism, and feminism. The diversity of viewpoints in the analysis reflects a commitment to plurality that is at the heart of this book and of the idea of open society itself.

What Is mRNA Vaccine The immunological response that is induced by a vaccination known as an mRNA vaccine is brought about by the administration of a replica of a molecule known as messenger RNA (mRNA). The vaccine inserts molecules of mRNA that encode antigens into immune cells. The immune cells then utilize the engineered mRNA as a template to construct a foreign protein similar to one that would typically be generated by a cancer cell or a disease. These protein molecules activate an adaptive immune response, which educates the body to detect and eliminate the matching cancer cells or pathogens. Adaptive immune responses have been shown to be more effective than traditional immune responses. The delivery of the mRNA is accomplished by the use of a co-formulation that consists of the RNA being encased in lipid nanoparticles. These nanoparticles serve to preserve the RNA strands and assist in their uptake into the cells. How You Will Benefit (I) Insights, and validations about the following topics: Chapter 1: mRNA vaccine Chapter 2: Vaccine Chapter 3: PEGylation Chapter 4: Solid lipid nanoparticle Chapter 5: Moderna Chapter 6: COVID-19 vaccine Chapter 7: Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Chapter 8: Jason McLellan Chapter 9: BioNTech Chapter 10: RNA therapeutics Chapter 11: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine Chapter 12: Özlem Türeci Chapter 13: Nucleoside-modified messenger RNA Chapter 14: ALC-0315 Chapter 15: Distearoylphosphatidylcholine Chapter 16: SM-102 Chapter 17: Deployment of COVID-19 vaccines Chapter 18: History of COVID-19 vaccine development Chapter 19: CureVac COVID-19 vaccine Chapter 20: N1-Methylpseudouridine Chapter 21: COVID-19 vaccine clinical research (II) Answering the public top questions about mRNA vaccine. (III) Real world examples for the usage of mRNA vaccine in many fields. (IV) 17 appendices to explain, briefly, 266 emerging technologies in each industry to have 360-degree full understanding of mRNA vaccine' technologies. Who This Book Is For Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of mRNA vaccine.