Offer regular HIV tests to high risk groups to reduce late diagnoses, says public health agency

BMJ ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 345 (nov30 1) ◽  
pp. e8169-e8169 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Limb
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Public Health Agency

scholarly journals Aerosol Scientists Try to Clear the Air About COVID-19 Transmission

Eos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenessa Duncombe
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Public Health Agency

“We are basically doing what a public health agency should be doing.”

scholarly journals COVID-19: Rethinking the Lockdown Groupthink

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ari R. Joffe
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Care Systems

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide pandemic in 2020. In response, most countries in the world implemented lockdowns, restricting their population's movements, work, education, gatherings, and general activities in attempt to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 cases. The public health goal of lockdowns was to save the population from COVID-19 cases and deaths, and to prevent overwhelming health care systems with COVID-19 patients. In this narrative review I explain why I changed my mind about supporting lockdowns. The initial modeling predictions induced fear and crowd-effects (i.e., groupthink). Over time, important information emerged relevant to the modeling, including the lower infection fatality rate (median 0.23%), clarification of high-risk groups (specifically, those 70 years of age and older), lower herd immunity thresholds (likely 20–40% population immunity), and the difficult exit strategies. In addition, information emerged on significant collateral damage due to the response to the pandemic, adversely affecting many millions of people with poverty, food insecurity, loneliness, unemployment, school closures, and interrupted healthcare. Raw numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths were difficult to interpret, and may be tempered by information placing the number of COVID-19 deaths in proper context and perspective relative to background rates. Considering this information, a cost-benefit analysis of the response to COVID-19 finds that lockdowns are far more harmful to public health (at least 5–10 times so in terms of wellbeing years) than COVID-19 can be. Controversies and objections about the main points made are considered and addressed. Progress in the response to COVID-19 depends on considering the trade-offs discussed here that determine the wellbeing of populations. I close with some suggestions for moving forward, including focused protection of those truly at high risk, opening of schools, and building back better with a economy.

scholarly journals Increase in hepatitis A cases in Latvia, in 2008, including an ongoing outbreak associated with a restaurant in Riga – preliminary report

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Perevoščikovs ◽  
I Lucenko ◽  
S Magone ◽  
A Brila
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Preliminary Report ◽  
Hepatitis A ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Public Health Agency ◽  
Office Buildings ◽  
Infected People

The Latvian Public Health Agency (PHA) is currently investigating an outbreak of at least 44 hepatitis A cases (as of 8 May) associated with a restaurant X in Riga, Latvia. Seven of the infected people were employees of the restaurant; 37 were customers, mostly employees from the nearby office buildings who had lunch at this restaurant.

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