ICYMI: a column from the Croakey team

ICYMI: winter in Ukraine, what COVID experts do to avoid infection, mozzie alert, new releases and World Children’s Day

Melissa Sweet
Melissa Sweet
Wednesday, November 23, 2022

COVID-19, ICYMI, Justice and policing, Poverty, Tobacco, Child health, Disabilities, Global health, WHO, Rural and remote health, Public health

This week, we report on World Health Organization warnings about the struggles ahead for people in Ukraine, where 10 million people are without power.

We also bring news of a stack of new releases, including publications marking World Children’s Day, and an investigation of the stories told by Big Tobacco.

And a doctor shares a powerful tweet about the law of supply and demand, and what this means for patients (and doctors) in rural areas.

Scroll to the end to see news of upcoming events.

COVID

Infectious disease experts in the United States are taking multiple precautions to avoid COVID infection, according to a survey of 34 epidemiologists, virologists, immunologists, and related experts by the publication, STAT.

The survey is tracking changes over time. When STAT asked about restaurant dining in August 2021, two-thirds of the respondents said they would not eat indoors; this time, nearly three-quarters said they would.

Last Thanksgiving, 44 percent of respondents said they would not attend a large indoor event, even if masked. That figure went down to 32 percent this time.

Most respondents said they wear masks while shopping.

Read the STAT article. Read the thread on Twitter and work.

Ukraine

This winter will be life-threatening for millions of people in Ukraine, where 10 million people – a quarter of the population – are without power, according to the World Health Organization Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge.

The devastating energy crisis, the deepening mental health emergency, constraints on humanitarian access and the risk of viral infections will make this winter a formidable test for the Ukrainian health system and the Ukrainian people, but also for the world and its commitment to support Ukraine, he said in a statement.

“Ukraine’s health system is facing its darkest days in the war so far,” Kluge said. “Having endured more than 700 attacks, it is now also a victim of the energy crisis. It is being squeezed from all sides and the ultimate casualty is the patient.”

New releases

Read The Lancet article for World Children’s Day Read the Family Matters report.

Justice matters

#AusPol

Public health

Read the article on corporate storytelling. Read The Conversation article

Rural health matters

Research news

#CroakeyREAD

Read the article on decision-making in public health Read the article

Events

Coming up

Awards and opportunities

Catch up with previous #ICYMI columns and see you next week…

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