Good Day BIO: COVID-19: ‘We have to prevent complacency’

Ending the week with a recap of yesterday’s Global COVID-19 Summit and how climate change is affecting our mental health. (685 words, 3 minutes, 25 seconds)

COVID-19: ‘We have to prevent complacency’

As the U.S. has reached 1 million deaths from COVID-19, world leaders renewed their commitments to fighting the pandemic and ensuring equitable access to vaccines during yesterday’s Global COVID-19 Summit.

The news: “The Summit garnered new financial commitments totaling $3.2 billion, not yet announced, above and beyond pledges made to date in 2022,” according to the co-host statement. “This includes nearly $2.5 billion for COVID-19 and related response activities and $712 million in new commitments toward a new pandemic preparedness and global health security fund at the World Bank.”

“We’re at a new stage in fighting this pandemic,”said President Biden during the event. “We have to double down on our efforts to…get shots in people’s arms, country by country, community by community; ensure we have reliable and predictable supplies of vaccines and boosters for everyone, everywhere; expand access globally to tests and treatments; and we have to prevent complacency.”

Biotechnology has already produced the tools necessary,says BIO President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath: “In 2021 alone, companies produced more than 11 billion doses of COVID vaccines, enough to give two shots to every adult on the planet. We anticipate that number jumping to 18.6 billion by the end of this year.”

Read: A timeline of the biotech industry’s response to COVID-19

But there’s still work to be done—“to help overcome global vaccine hesitancy and to ensure countries around the globe have the health care infrastructure they need to get more shots in arms,” she continued.

Dr. Michelle’s Diagnosis: “BIO is encouraged by the recommitment of global leaders, including the United States, to strengthen COVID-19 response efforts. The scientists within the life sciences industry stand ready, once again, to help achieve this critical goal of increasing access to vaccines and therapeutics.” – BIO’s Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath


More Health Care News: 

Pharma Manufacturing: Pulling antibiotics from the fire
“The antimicrobial ecosystem really is fragile and frankly, failing due to factors that are unique and make the sector completely different than other areas of medicine,” says Emily Wheeler, BIO’s Director of Infectious Disease Policy. 

STAT News: Publication of the ‘Google Maps’ of human cells is a milestone. A pioneer of the project explains why
“The international collaborative effort, called the Human Cell Atlas, has since grown to include more than 2,000 researchers from 83 countries. And on Thursday, they reported a major feat: the creation of detailed maps of more than a million cells across 33 organs.”

How climate change affects mental health

We know climate change has an impact on our physical health—and new research shows this includes our mental health, too. 

Days with extreme heat saw higher rates of emergency department visits for mental health,found a recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry. This included substance-use disorders, anxiety, mood disorders, schizophrenia, and self-harm, with higher associations among men.

Why it matters: “This finding may be informative for clinicians providing mental health services during periods of extreme heat to prepare for increases in health service needs when times of extreme heat are anticipated,” said the study authors.

Unsurprisingly, experiencing natural disasters also harms mental health,found researchers at Texas A&M. Individuals who experienced two or more events had mental composite scores lower than the national average.

Even without an emergency visit, “climate anxiety” is a thing—particularly among children. And psychologists predicted this a decade ago.

What’s biotech got to do with it? In addition to developing new treatments and solutions for mental illnesses, the biotech industry is also developing solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, as a result, slow temperature rise.

Learn more: May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to talk about mental health challenges and solutions and end the stigma of mental illness. Throughout the month, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is amplifying the message “Together for Mental Health.”

President Biden’s Friday: This morning, meeting with King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan at the White House. This afternoon, he’ll meet with state and local leaders to discuss the American Rescue Plan and give remarks on making communities safer at 3 PM ET, then participate in the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Quiet Friday expected—enjoy the weekend.