Washington, D.C., February 3, 2021 (PAHO) — PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne warned that the well being, social and financial results of COVID-19 are disproportionately impacting ladies and known as for heightened consideration to the pandemic’s gender disparities.
To beat this pandemic, nations should acknowledge and reply to the gender dynamics of this outbreak. This begins with guaranteeing that girls and ladies can entry the well being companies they want – particularly throughout this time of disaster. This consists of gender violence hotlines and sexual and reproductive well being companies, that are important companies.”
PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne
Whereas males have been extra prone to turn into unwell with COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic, these tendencies are reversing, Etienne stated. Now ladies are equally prone to develop the illness, and they’re extra weak on many different fronts.
“Ladies, who make up 70% of the world’s well being employees, have confronted huge private danger to look after COVID sufferers, even after they had little protecting gear at their disposal,” Etienne stated.
To this point, multiple million well being employees within the Americas have turn into unwell with COVID-19 and 4,000 well being employees, most of them ladies, have died.
Etienne stated severe financial and social impacts of COVID-19 fall closely on ladies. “Many ladies have been pressured to depart their jobs to care for his or her households throughout this pandemic, impacting each their earnings and their well-being. And the continued stay-at-home measures, coupled with the added financial strains, are growing the dangers of home violence. For too many ladies, dwelling is just not a secure area.”
Etienne reported that 36 of the nations and territories taking part in COVAX, the worldwide mechanism for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, have been notified that greater than 35 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are anticipated to begin arriving in late February. Over the weekend, the nations obtained letters from COVAX detailing the doses that that they had been allotted.
As restricted COVID-19 vaccines arrive throughout our area, nations should prioritize these early doses for our aged and our well being employees – a lot of whom are ladies. Vaccinating well being employees first is each the proper and the good factor to do: It is going to assist us save lives, defend our well being methods and get better our economies sooner.”
PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne
Addressing the brand new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, Etienne reported that three new variants have been detected in 20 nations within the Americas, although their frequency continues to be restricted. The variants have raised issues about attainable heightened transmission.
Etienne additionally up to date the pandemic’s toll on the area. Up to now week, greater than 1.8 million individuals within the Americas grew to become sick with COVID-19 and greater than 47,000 died. In North America, COVID-19 infections are reducing within the U.S. and Canada whereas in Mexico, instances and deaths proceed to extend.
In Central America, Guatemala and Honduras are persevering with to report an increase in COVID-19 infections. Throughout the Caribbean, most nations are seeing a reprieve in infections, though bigger islands such because the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico and Cuba proceed to drive new infections. Practically each nation in South America has reported an increase in COVID-19 infections during the last week.
“As we speak we’re seeing that cities, provinces, and nations that had beforehand managed to manage COVID-19 outbreaks are seeing a sometimes-devastating resurgence in instances in our area and past,” Etienne stated. “This could function a lesson that preserving the virus at bay is just not a one-time effort, however a relentless dedication whereas transmission continues to be energetic.”
Contacts
Daniel Epstein
Sebastián Oliel
Nancy Nusser
mediateam@paho.org
