Outbreak Brief 47: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Outbreak Update: Since the last brief (1 December 2020), 4,079,785 new confirmed1 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and 92,430 new deaths have been reported globally. To date, a total of 66,451,512 COVID-19 cases and 1,532,973 related deaths (case fatality rate (CFR): 2.3%) have been reported from 221 countries and territories. This week, no new country […]
Questions and answers on COVID-19 vaccine
How do vaccines work? Vaccines work by tricking your body into thinking it has been infected with a disease-causing organism (also called germs) such as a virus, prompting it to develop an immune reaction to the organism itself. This can be done in many different ways including growing the germ in a laboratory and then […]
Medical PPE production in Africa: Promoting Local Manufacturers to support the COVID-19 Response (Workshop report)
Context: The global pandemic has highlighted fragility in international supply chains and the dependency of many African countries on imported personal protective equipment (PPE). Market pressures have also increased prices for imported supplies and put additional pressure on areas with limited resources for procurement. There is an urgent operational need to develop the domestic capacity […]
Responding to the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Africa
The number of new COVID-19 cases being reported daily in the months of July and August in Africa declined rapidly. This trend reversed during the month of October with many countries now experiencing either their first major increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases or their second wave of the pandemic. As the pandemic […]
Advisory on Disinfection Cards
Situation In the context of the ongoing pandemic there has been increased demand for products designed to control COVID-19 infection. The purpose of this advisory is to provide information to African Union Member States about issues surrounding disinfection cards, advertised as protective agents against SARSCOV-2 virus. This document synthesises evidence and provides recommendations to Member […]
Questions and answers on mask wearing
Questions and answers on mask wearing
Promoting mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A policymaker’s guide
Executive Summary Use of face masks and cloth face coverings has been shown to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Along with handwashing and physical distancing, wearing a mask is one of three key measures that people can take to decrease their own risk of contracting COVID-19 and decrease the chances of […]
Advisory on Respiratory Protective Equipment
Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) includes close fitting masks such as N95 and FFP2 respirators, reusable half masks and powered air purifying respirators. Disposable RPE (N95 or FFP2) is most commonly used by healthcare workers in medical settings. When used correctly RPE can filter small particles, including aerosol-borne pathogens, which may be created during aerosol generating […]
Best Practices for COVID-19 in Primary Healthcare Facilities
Purpose of this document Based on WHO recommendations, countries have developed guidance documents for COVID-19 care at tertiary and referral hospitals, but there is a lack of clear guidance for maintaining essential services and preventing viral transmission at lower tiers of care. This document addresses issues specific to primary healthcare facilities (PHCs) and aims to […]
COVID-19 Guidance on use of Personal Protective Equipment for different clinical settings and activities
Contexte This document provides guidance to African Union Member States based on a specific request from Member States for a checklist/guidance of the required personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by healthcare workers and care givers for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This document has been synthesised from currently available evidence (1-6), with consideration to […]