"Saturday Is a Crucial Day": Interview with Chancellor Merkel's Chief of Staff
#International #Germany #Coronavirus #Health #Medicine

Helge Braun, 47, Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, speaks with DER SPIEGEL about the rapidly rising number of coronavirus infections and about whether more stringent measures will have to be implemented․

The Global Race to Develop a Coronavirus Vaccine: "A Very Aggressive Timeline"
#International #World #Coronavirus #Health #Medicine

The first human trials for a new coronavirus vaccine have already started as myriad laboratories are pursuing a number of different strategies to stop the disease․ But initial results aren't expected for several months․

The Big Wave of Corona Cases Will Hit German Hospitals in 10 to 14 Days
#International #Germany #Coronavirus #Medicine #Health

The German health-care system is considered one of the best in the world․ But the coronavirus is mercilessly exposing its weaknesses, with some hospitals already facing difficulties․ Can Germany prevent the kind of collapse seen in Italy?

Germany Is Failing in its Efforts To Obtain Protective Gear
#International #Germany #Coronavirus #Medicine #GermanPolitics

The German government failed to obtain enough protective masks for the country․ That's one of the reasons Germany has so far refused to require its citizen's to wear them in public․ But those facial coverings could be critical in lifting restrictions on public life․

The COVID-19 Battle: A Look at the Treatments Currently Being Used against the Coronavirus
#International #World #Coronavirus #Health #Medicine

In the fight against COVID-19, doctors and health workers are testing drugs and treatments whose efficacy has been proven against other illnesses․ We take a look at the most prominent ones and the early findings․

Skin Bleaching in Ghana: "When You Are Light-Skinned, You Earn More"
#International #World #GlobalSocieties #Racism #Africa #Medicine

A legacy of the colonial mindset, the market for skin-lightening products is booming in Ghana, with even some international conglomerates pushing bleaching creams․ But the side effects can be deadly․

COVID-19: Many People Stay Sick After Recovering From Coronavirus
#International #World #Coronavirus #Health #Medicine

One in 10 people infected with the coronavirus suffers from fatigue, muscle aches or neurological disorders for weeks after surviving an infection․ What long-term damage does the virus do to the body?

How Feces and Other Bodily Fluids Can Help Track COVID Outbreaks
#International #World #Coronavirus #Medicine #Health

To detect coronavirus outbreaks early on, scientists are testing sewage plants and blood in addition to evaluating heart rates through fitness tracker data․ Taken together, these systems could replace complicated track and trace efforts to contain the pandemic․

A Dangerous Divide: The Growing Debate over the Suspension of Vaccine Patents
#International #World #Coronavirus #Health #Medicine #Brazil

The U․S․ no longer want to enforce patent protection for COVID-19 vaccines, but critics argue that this will do little to improve the lack of access in the developing world․ Some are calling for much more ambitious solutions․

BioNTech, Curevac and Co․: Patent Suspensions Threaten Germany's Booming Biotech Industry
#International #Business #Coronavirus #COVID19 #Medicine #Health

With their next-generation mRNA vaccines, the German companies BioNTech and CureVac are at the forefront of pharmaceutical innovation․ But U․S․ President Joe Biden's plan to suspend patent protections is threatening that position․

Hopes Are High for the mRNA Technology that Is Leading Us Out of the Pandemic
#International #World #Coronavirus #COVID19 #Health #Medicine

The vaccine success stories at BioNTech and Moderna may only be the beginning․ Doctors and researchers want to use the revolutionary mRNA technology to fight the world's worst scourges: from cancer to dementia․