COVID-19

WED 7 JUL 2021

How to vaccinate the world: LSE Research for the World magazine

This article highlights Dr Olivier Wouters' research on the challenge of improving global access to COVID-19 vaccines. Dr Wouters takes the view that rich governments could and should do more to ensure that companies share their resources and know-how with manufacturers internationally.

TUE 29 JUN 2021

Social value and incentives for vaccine uptake: VoxEU

Covid-19 vaccines exert large positive spillover effects beyond their protective effects for individuals, and thus their value far exceeds their costs. But these benefits are only realised if enough people receive both doses, so policymakers need to ensure appropriate incentives are in place to mitigate vaccine hesitancy. This column by Dr Joan Costa-i-Font explores the potential of different incentives, arguing that creating a narrative of social esteem around being vaccinated may be the most effective way to ensure widespread uptake.. 

MON 28 JUN 2021

Social vs market value: how much is a COVID-19 vaccine worth?: LSE Blogs

The social value of a COVID-19 vaccine exceeds its market value, as found in a recent paper by Dr Joan Costa-i-Font and colleagues. The study, which estimates the willingness to pay for a hypothetical vaccine, has been summarised in this blog.

SUN 18 APR 2021

A proposal to universalize vaccines : El Pais

Instead of asking pharmaceutical companies to release their patents, international organizations could dedicate their efforts to raising funds to buy rights and use inventions related to the disease, writes Prof Elias Mossialos.

SUN 11 APR 2021

Fatal underfunding? Mortality in Spanish nursing homes during the first wave of COVID-19 : VoxEU

Older individuals are more vulnerable to COVID-19. In Spain, for example, 87% of COVID-19 deaths in Spain have been among individuals aged 70 years and above, and a significant share of COVID-19 fatalities have occurred in nursing homes. This blog finds evidence consistent with a 'fatal underfunding hypothesis', suggesting that the regional variation in nursing home fatalities during the first wave of the pandemic in Spain is associated with indicators of underfunding such as understaffing, larger nursing homes, and occupancy rates. 

FRI 9 APR 2021

Are vaccine passports really that new? : Deutsche Welle

From travel to school enrollment, providing proof of immunisation is already a reality for many people around the world, and vaccine passport supporters say showing verification for a COVID-19 jab is not that different. Dr Joan Costa-i-Font believes this is just like any other way that a government sets signals to change society's behavior. 

WEDS 7 APR 2021

The Futility of Vaccine Passports : The Atlantic

Domestic vaccine passports are fine on the surface, but they don’t provide help to the people who need it most. Dr Clare Wenham discusses the inequalities that vaccine passports could further ingrain. 

WEDS 1 APR 2021

A global pandemic treaty won't work until leaders realise the benefits of solidarity : Guardian

After a year of nationalist approaches to Covid, securing world cooperation on disease control is unlikely to be easy. Dr Clare Wenham responds to the announcement of a global pandemic treaty in a new Guardian opinion piece.

TUES 30 MAR 2021

LSE Festival 2021 | Where are all the women?

The UK government promised ‘everyone would play a crucial part’ in planning for life after the pandemic. Yet the Budget offered nothing on social care or childcare. Lucy Thompson asks why an equal and fair recovery is not possible.

FRI 26 MAR 2021

India Cuts Back on Vaccine Exports as Infections Surge at Home : New York Times

A major supplier of the AstraZeneca vaccine, India is now restricting exports. The impact is beginning to be felt worldwide, particularly in poorer countries. With many poorer countries already unlikely to get broad access to vaccines until 2023 or 2024, an extended halt on exports from India could push those dates back even further, said Dr Olivier Wouters.

THURS 18 MAR 2021

Countries should prioritise spending on health like defence, economist says : Telegraph

Failure to see health as a global public good is what got the world in this mess, said the speakers at an LSE Health Policy and Global Health Initiative event on Wednesday 17 March. Telegraph covered the event.

SAT 13 MAR 2021

Access to COVID-19 vaccines: looking beyond COVAX : The Lancet

The Lancet editorial focuses on recent work by Olivier Wouters and colleagues on the challenges in ensuring global access to the COVID-19 vaccines. Wouters et al report that polities representing only 16% of the global population have secured 70% of the available doses for the five leading vaccines in 2021.

THURS 11 MAR 2021

Me-first vaccine nationalism makes the spread of dangerous new COVID variants more likely : LSE Blogs

Richer countries are vaccinating their own citizens first. But leaving the rest without access to jabs makes it more likely that new, possibly more dangerous, COVID-19 variants will spread, warn Rebecca Forman, Michael Anderson and Elias Mossialos (LSE). We urgently need a strategy to scale up vaccine supply.

THURS 11 MAR 2021

It's a year since COVID was declared a pandemic. Did WHO act too late? : Euronews

COVID-19 was the sixth epidemic to be declared a PHEIC or global health emergency under the World Health Organization's 2005 International Health Regulations. Previous PHEICs include H1N1, wild-type polio, ebola (in 2014 and 2019) and Zika virus.

"The pandemic declaration isn’t part of WHO architecture – it doesn’t have a legal meaning such as a PHEIC [global health emergency]," said Dr Clare Wenham.

MON 8 MAR 2021

Clare Wenham: Let’s recognise all women who have been caregivers during this last year : BMJ Opinion

This year's International Women’s Day 2021 coincided with the return to school for most children in the UK. Dr Clare Wenham reflected on how these issues interrelate, and to recognise the unpaid labour that women, particularly mothers, have absorbed while schools have been close.

FRI 5 MAR 2021

Challenges in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide : The Lancet

“The rate-determining step is the production of these vaccines”, said Wouters. He thinks governments could do more to get companies to license more widely and accelerate production. Vaccine developers, for example, could partner with manufacturers in different parts of the world to produce the vaccines. For this to happen, there would have to be a transfer of not only intellectual property, but also expertise and data. “Governments and non-profits have invested heavily in the development and production of leading COVID-19 vaccines, in some cases billions of dollars, so they certainly have the leverage to encourage companies to share vaccine know-how”, said Dr Olivier Wouters. “There is untapped manufacturing capacity out there.” 

FRI 5 MAR 2021

LSE Festival 2021 | Planning for the next pandemic – three urgent priorities

Governments and businesses failed to prepare for a pandemic. It is vital they step up now to pre-empt the worst effects of the next one. Lucy Thompson sets out three urgent priorities: better global co-ordination, health investment, and digital health services.

THURS 4 MAR 2021

Vaccination is going well in Chile. Why not its neighbours? : The Economist

The result is “patchiness”, according to Clare Wenham, a health expert at the London School of Economics. Different vaccines, different priority groups and different distribution plans could complicate opening up the region’s economies, she thinks. This patchiness owes much to political manipulation. Vaccine distribution in Brazil has been particularly haphazard, because the federal government of Jair Bolsonaro, a populist who denies the seriousness of the virus, has absented itself from the job.

TUES 2 MAR 2021

Does Covid-19 make us more averse to inequality? : IZA World of Labor

New analysis by Dr Miqdad Asaria and Dr Joan Costa-i-Font examined preferences for both income inequality and inequality in health outcomes using a survey taken during the intitial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK, Germany, and Italy.

MON 1 MAR 2021

How to quickly ramp up global vaccine production : POLITICO

"The best option going forward is to opt for value-based purchases of the intellectual property rights or licenses" - Prof Elias Mossialos.

WEDS 24 FEB 2021

Vaccine nationalism risks prolonging the global pandemic : LSE Blogs

While vaccination programmes are well underway in some richer nations, many poorer countries have yet to secure their supply, let alone begin administering jabs. Governments risk failing to contain the pandemic in the coming years unless they guarantee timely global access to COVID-19 vaccines. Dr Olivier Wouters looks at the growing global inequalities and how they could be addressed. 

TUES 16 FEB 2021

How has the NHS been able to vaccinate Britons so quickly? : LSE Blogs

The UK’s vaccination programme has been a rare success during the pandemic. Lucy Thompson, Rebecca Forman and Prof Elias Mossialos explain why the NHS has been able to deliver jabs faster than any other European country.

MON 15 FEB 2021

EHRC urges to investigate ministers for "equality failures" in Covid response : Guardian

“Despite a wealth of evidence demonstrating the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on women, the UK government has continued to bury its head in the sand. This is not good enough and is failing women across the UK, and will continue to do so unless urgent action is taken.” - Dr Clare Wenham

SAT 13 FEB 2021

Coronavirus: UK vaccination targets | BBC News interview with Dr Olivier Wouters

In an interview with the BBC in February 2021, Dr Olivier Wouters discusses his new study on the challenges in ensuring global access in COVID-19 vaccines.

SAT 13 FEB 2021

COVID-19 vaccine rollout | Sky interview with Dr Olivier Wouters

Dr Olivier Wouters was interviewed on several major media outlets over the weekend about his new study published in The Lancet on Friday 12 February, which discusses the challenges in ensuring global access to COVID-19 vaccines: production, affordability, allocation, and deployment. The study includes findings a 32-country survey of potential acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines (involving almost 27,000 adults), conducted by the authors between October 2020 and December 2020. 

FRI 5 FEB 2021

International certificates of vaccination? : BBC Newsnight

Dr Clare Wenham joined Kirsty Wark to discuss the thorny issues of vaccine passports. Clare argues that vaccine passports are dangerous, as we don't want people's health status to be determining participation in social and economic life.

THURS 4 FEB 2021

COVID's Disabled Victims : Aljazeera

CPEC's Professor Martin Knapp and Adelina Comas-Herrera were interviewed for an Aljazeera documentary investigating how discrimination and neglect during the pandemic have caused the unnecessary deaths of thousands of people with disabilities.

THURS 4 FEB 2021

What went wrong in the global governance of covid-19? : BMJ editorial

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response should “provide an evidence-based path for the future, grounded in lessons of the present and the past to ensure countries and global institutions, including specifically WHO, effectively address health threats.” However, real progress can occur only if the effort and people power currently devoted to convening new panels is diverted instead to implementing their recommendations. Dr Clare Wenham's editorial was front page of the BMJ.

WEDS 3 FEB 2021

Myopic self-interest restricts access to COVID-19 vaccines : LSE Blogs

COVID-19 vaccination presents a picture of inequality: about 51% of the world’s vaccines are in the hands of 14% of the global population. The Department's Dr Miqdad Asaria and Dr Joan Costa-i-Font explain why this doesn’t make sense from a health security point of view and is likely to backfire economically.

SAT 30 JAN 2021

Life "won't go back to normal until 2024 as pandemic isn't over until it is globally" : Daily Mirror

While some countries, such as the UK and Israel, have made significant strides when it comes to vaccinating their populations, others are a long way off receiving shipments of jabs. Dr Clare Wenham explains why life in the UK may not go back to normality again until populations globally are vaccinated. 

SAT 30 JAN 2021

Europe defends that its vaccine strategy guarantees supply despite initial fiasco : Elpais

"The European Commission has lagged behind the crisis several times in managing the pandemic, and the delay in vaccine supply in Europe is yet another example. If the Commission had acted earlier and used the right tools and incentives to pressure Big Pharma into alliances like Sanofi and Pfizer, we would now be better off." - Professor Elias Mossialos

FRI 29 JAN 2021

We asked coronavirus experts what summer 2021 will be like : WIRED

“I think we will probably be considering UK holidays this summer again. I imagine it will be more similar to last summer rather than a normal summer." Dr Clare Wenham spoke to WIRED about what we can expect from summer 2021 after the latest wave of COVID-19.

FRI 22 JAN 2021

Countries worldwide look to acquire the intellectual property rights of Covid-19 vaccine makers : CNBC

As the death toll from the coronavirus reaches nearly 2.1 million, countries around the world are racing to vaccinate their populations. But soaring demand and limited supply have them looking for ways to fast track this urgent call to action. As a result, many countries have gone to the World Health Organization requesting compulsory licensing of Covid-19 vaccine patents. Professor Elias Mossialos was quoted by CNBC about Greece's request for licensing.

MON 18 JAN 2021

Lack of data will inhibit pandemic recovery : LSE Research for the World magazine

With women more likely to be negatively impacted by COVID-19, why is gender not more of a priority for policymakers? Clare Wenham speaks about global health and what her new research project is hoping to achieve as countries look to recover.

MON 18 JAN 2021

Fears of ‘vaccine apartheid’ as countries mull immunisation passports : Telegraph

"From an ethical point of view vaccine passports are completely unacceptable. You’re going to create a two-tier system and history shows that when you create division within society it leads to civil unrest. It’s vaccine apartheid." - Dr Clare Wenham

WEDS 13 JAN 2021

Shining a light in the dark: coronavirus and care homes : LSE Research for the World magazine

As a researcher, Adelina Comas-Herrera’s instinct was to try to understand, but with the COVID-19 situation unfurling so rapidly, her response had to be something different than launching the typical research project. “Traditional research approaches don’t really work with something like a pandemic. You can’t do a systematic review on something that hasn’t been evidenced first. So the idea was to start a blog that would be a repository of new information to document what was happening.”

MON 11 JAN 2021

How can we incentivise people to get vaccinated? : LSE Blogs

Resistance to vaccines comes from not understanding their benefits and overestimating rare side effects, writes Joan Costa-Font. The main concern is that people lack proper knowledge of how vaccines benefit them, or they feel they should be able to control the potential side effects. Limited knowledge might make some individuals vulnerable to fake news, or lead them to overestimate some rare side effects and focus on the loss these side effects would entail, as opposed to their low probability of occurrence. 

SUN 10 JAN 2021

The week the global vaccines race got ugly : Telegraph

A new international 'league table' is triggering bitter rows over the deployment of dozens of vaccines. "Vaccine nationalism will continue and will be based on who can pay, even though it goes against every principle of a global health system," said Dr Clare Wenham. "The gap may, though, get covered by new vaccines that eventually become available for non-high income markets."

FRI 8 JAN 2021

Lockdown family pressures : BBC Woman's Hour

Dr Clare Wenham and Mary Ann Stephenson (Women's Budget Group) were guests on BBC Women's Hour to discuss new data showing the pressures facing families over school closures and managing paid work. 

FRI 8 JAN 2021

Backlash after Greek government officials get coronavirus jabs before doctors : Politico

The Greek government is facing a backlash from doctors and opposition parties after dozens of senior government officials received a coronavirus vaccine before most health care workers. 

Professor Elias Mossialos provided comment for Politico: "“We need to give the vaccines to vulnerable groups, who are more likely to be hospitalized if they get sick.”

THURS 7 JAN 2021

Too exhausted even to watch the news: a plea for COVID-19 policy that considers women : LSE Blogs

Our experience of the first lockdown tells us that Lockdown 3.0 will disproportionately affect women. Dr Clare Wenham looks at the extent of the harm and suggests what the government could do right now to mitigate the impact.

THURS 7 JAN 2021

The gendered pandemic: how women are being left behind again : Telegraph

There is a wealth of evidence showing that coronavirus and lockdowns globally hit women hard. How has nothing changed? Dr Clare Wenham discusses with Telegraph the Gender and Covid-19 project research on the disproportionate effects of pandemics on women.

THURS 7 JAN 2021

Vaccine queue-jumping fears abound as India set to sell doses privately : Telegraph

While healthcare workers and vulnerable patients anxiously wait in line for the Covid-19 vaccine, there are increasing fears that the world’s rich and powerful could be trying to push their way to the front. Dr Clare Wenham spoke to Telegraph about fears of vaccine queue-jumping.

WEDS 6 JAN 2021

It's not having a female leader that counts, it's everyone : The National

Dr Clare Wenham spoke to The National about a new report, "Gender In The Time Of Covid-19: Evaluating National Leadership and Covid-19 Fatalities". The data in this report shows that some female leaders have managed the pandemic well, not because they are women per se, but because they are leading countries which are more likely to elect a woman in the first place.

Countries where “core cultural values reward traits found in women leaders” including a more “collectivist” rather than individualist approach, a long-term view rather than short term, nations with “fewer power disparities” across their society where policies are already in place that help them manage risk better through preparation.

WEDS 6 JAN 2021

Mossialos: When 70% of the population is vaccinated we can move on from restrictions : Greek City Times

The Department's Professor Elias Mossialos recently spoke to Greek City Times about the dangers of new COVID-19 variant that is spreading rapidly in Great Britain and has reached Greece, about the opening of schools, the lockdown and the vaccine.

SAT 2 JAN 2021

Three vaccine rollout scenarios: the good, the bad and the ugly : Telegraph

“Vaccination is the way out of this,” says Dr Clare Wenham. “But logistical and political barriers will persist”. Telegraph's Paul Nuki and Sarah Newey consider how the next year may play out for Britain.

WEDS 16 DEC 2020

'Very high' risk WHO-led vaccine scheme could fail, internal documents reveal : Telegraph

New evidence suggests that poorer countries may not have access to a jab until 2024 without the Covax scheme. Dr Clare Wenham says that "Vaccine access and distribution highlights everything that is wrong in global health, on so many levels”, referring to governance failures and inequalities in both access and influence.

TUES 15 DEC 2020

Day off denied: how Covid confined Hong Kong's domestic 'helpers' : Guardian

"The Hong Kong government has taken decisive action to restrict disease transmission, and should be commended for this from a public health perspective. But it has not recognised the secondary effects of such restrictions on different sectors of society, particularly the most marginalised." - Dr Clare Wenham spoke to Hannah Summers of the Guardian.

FRI 11 DEC 2020

Off the charts: How the richest, best prepared country on earth suffered a devastating third wave : Telegraph

"Politics drives epidemics" - Dr Clare Wenham spoke to Sarah Newey about why the third wave in Trump’s America is making other western outbreaks seem small.

TUES 8 DEC 2020

Vaccine Nationalism Is Doomed to Fail : The Atlantic

Countries seeking to inoculate their citizens at the expense of everyone else are chasing a false promise. Dr Clare Wenham spoke to The Atlantic about how richer governments are trying to buy themselves a ticket to the front of the vaccine queue.

WEDS 3 DEC 2020

The overlooked toll of COVID-19: 47 million more women face poverty : LSE Blogs

Not only do we know little about the impact of the pandemic on women, the people making key decisions on how to manage it are overwhelmingly male. Geneva Costopulos (Women in Global Health) and Arush Lal, a PhD student in the Department, report on an LSE event which revealed the lack of gendered perspectives on the crisis.

MON 30 NOV 2020

The gendered impact of the Covid-19 crisis and post-crisis period : European Parliament

Outbreaks affect men, women and other genders differentially. This can be both the direct infections with a pathogen, or the secondary effects of public health response policies. COVID-19 is no exception, and the gendered impacts thus far and in the future are numerous. A new study by Dr Clare Wenham outlines some of the key gendered effects thus far and suggestions for how these may extend into the post-crisis period based on currently available data on COVID and longer-term effects of previous outbreaks. 

SUN 22 NOV 2020

Carrera contrarreloj en Europa en la lucha por la vacuna : El Pais

Professor Elias Mossialos spoke to El Paid about the race to the COVID19 vaccine. He warns that "the first will be of little use if the effectiveness of the medicine is not demonstrated. Singing victory is one thing and achieving it, another."

SUN 22 NOV 2020

Coronavirus vaccines: Will any countries get left out? : BBC News

Health experts say the only solution to the coronavirus pandemic is a global one. ""We talk about the 90/10 divide in global health - 90% of the world's pharmaceutical products serve 10% of the world's population. This is part of that story" - Dr Clare Wenham.

FRI 20 NOV 2020

Stop preserving doomed jobs and bring in Universal Basic Income : LSE Blogs

Are we preserving jobs that will disappear in the next few years? Thomas Hannah and Dr Rocco Friebel argue that the Job Retention Scheme should be replaced with a Universal Basic Income – not only because the jobs being preserved do not always confer wider societal benefits, but because the technological advances accelerated by the pandemic will anyway make some of them redundant within a decade.

FRI 20 NOV 2020

Strengthening pandemic preparedness and response begins with answering the question: where are the women? : BMJ Blogs

"To tackle the downstream effects of disease outbreaks on women and other excluded genders, we must examine the policies that are created to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies, and assess potential revisions to these policies to mitigate against some of these avoidable harms" - Dr Clare Wenham

WEDS 18 NOV 2020

States and cities are imposing curfews to slow down Covid-19. Will they work? : VOX

With Covid-19 cases reaching record highs, US states and cities are implementing new curfews to slow the virus’s spread without having to take any more drastic lockdown measures.

The big question: Will they make any difference? Dr Clare Wenham speaks to VOX.

MON 16 NOV 2020

What can health services learn from the COVID-19 catastrophe? A new platform for sharing insights : LSE Blogs

We should have been better prepared for the pandemic, say Alistair McGuire, George Wharton and Lucy Thompson (LSE). A new partnership between LSE, the World Economic Forum and AstraZeneca is conducting research in eight countries and will share insights into how to deal with crises. 

FRI 13 NOV 2020

Biden faces new global health world order : POLITICO

While the US has not disappeared from the global health scene, Trump’s rejection of the WHO has left the country with some catching up to do, particularly in its response to COVID-19. Dr Clare Wenham spoke to POLITICO about the leadership and financing of global health.

THURS 12 NOV 2020

Where will poorer countries stand in the queue for a Covid-19 vaccine? : Guardian

The lion’s share of the potential Pfizer vaccine is already claimed by high-income nations. Dr Clare Wenham and Dr Mark Eccleston-Turner consider the need to provide access to healthcare workers in low income countries on the front line.

MON 2 NOV 2020

UN Director General comment on new Women in Health / Gender and COVID-19 project policy paper

Last week, Women in Global Health and the Gender and COVID-19 project launched their policy brief Strengthening Gender Mainstreaming in WHO's pandemic preparedness and response". Clare Wenham's post about this was retweeted by the UN Director General, who praised the team as crucial partners of WHO.

MON 2 NOV 2020

Does optimism help us during a pandemic? : LSE Blogs

Optimism is a coping mechanism to deal with adversity, and more specifically with the anxiety that results from the uncertainty of a pandemic. It also has an affect on people's reaction to policy changes. Dr Joan Cost-i-Font provides his analysis for LSE Impact Blog.

SAT 1 NOV 2020

Talk evidence covid-19 update - talking risk, remdesivir, and relevant research : BMJ podcast

In this episode of BMJ talk medicine, the Department's Huseyin Naci discusses his recent paper on the problems of pulling all the trial data together, and where COVID-19 has made people work together most effectively in tackling that issue.

FRI 30 OCT 2020

Europe’s second wave of Covid-19 doesn’t excuse Trump’s failures : VOX

President Donald Trump has cited Europe’s new COVID-19 spike to argue his administration’s handling of Covid-19 wasn’t so bad. But Europe’s failure, experts say, doesn’t let the US — or Trump — off the hook. Dr Clare Wenham spoke to VOX about the second wave.

WEDS 28 OCT 2020

Is the UK heading for a second lockdown? : BBC Newsnight

Dr Clare Wenham joined presenter Kirsty Wark and Professor Robert West on BBC Newsnight to discuss whether the UK would indeed follow many other European countries into a second lockdown.

TUES 20 OCT 2020

Europe’s new Covid-19 wave, explained : VOX

Countries with the fastest-spiraling outbreaks are reentering lockdowns. Dr Clare Wenham reflects that this is because  governments have not yet cracked good track, trace, and isolate systems.

FRI 16 OCT 2020

The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in low and middle income countries : LSE Global Health blog

Global extreme poverty is expected to rise for the first time in 20 years in 2020, due to the global pandemic. Dr Zlatko Nikoloski explores the short and long term effects that the current pandemic will have on global poverty rates in low and middle income countries. 

FRI 16 OCT 2020

El Salvador’s COVID-19 response is storing up health and economic problems for the worse-off : LSE Blogs

New research by the Department's Mylène Lagarde, Manuel Sánchez Masferrer (ESEN, El Salvador), and Carlos Riumallo Herl (Erasmus University Rotterdam) into the effects of El Salvador’s lockdown shows that those with the lowest incomes and the worst health have been hit the hardest. While many have skipped meals and stopped working, others have even ended treatment for chronic illnesses or taken loans from predatory lenders. These adaptations only make the situation worse, and the state must try to tackle the conditions driving them if the country returns to lockdown.

MON 12 OCT 2020

Poor domestic response to pandemic undermining UK's global health announcements, experts say : Devex

Boris Johnson used his speech of 26 September at the United Nations General Assembly to outline the government’s ambition to “create a new global approach to health security based on a 5-point plan to protect humanity against another pandemic." But has the poor domestic public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic undermined the UK's position as global health leader? Dr Clare Wenham spoke to Devex.

MON 12 OCT 2020

Why COVID-19 Responses Require Political Expertise : Chatham House

Politics is deciding how COVID-19 is spreading. Public health officials must take this into account, and work to foster international cooperation. The Department's Dr Clare Wenham and her co-author Dr Sara Davies were interviewed about their recent article in International Affairs, entitled 'Why the COVID-19 response needs International Relations. 

MON 12 OCT 2020

Could we reduce nursing shortages in the pandemic by paying people more? : LSE Blogs

Nursing shortages are endemic in the NHS. Would paying nurses more change that? Dr Heather Loane, a student on our Executive MSc Health Policy, Economics and Management programme, explains the changes that would be more likely to motivate staff to work during a pandemic.

FRI 9 OCT 2020

China joins Covax initiative to distribute coronavirus vaccines : The Telegraph

“I think it's good for China's global health cooperation reputation, particularly after all the concerns that they were concealing the scale of the outbreak from the WHO at the start” - Dr Clare Wenham discusses the news that China has joined Covax, a global effort to distribute two billion vaccine doses across the world by the end of 2021, in a policy shift that will boost both Beijing's international reputation and the initiative itself.

WEDS 7 OCT 2020

If the UK wants to lead in global health, it must demonstrate a commitment to international laws which underpin global governance : BMJ Blogs

In a new opinion piece for BMJ blogs, Dr Clare Wenham discusses why we must hold the government to task for the ramifications for global virus control by seemingly unrelated domestic politics within the UK. If the UK wants to be a leader in global health, then it must demonstrate a commitment to the norms and values of international law which underpin global governance. 

WEDS 7 OCT 2020

Singapore to offer baby bonus as people put plans on hold in Covid crisis : Guardian

“The problem is not everyone in the world can choose when they want to get pregnant – either because of gender norms, violence or because of a lack of access to reproductive health service" - Dr Clare Wenham spoke to Rebecca Ratcliffe about Singapore's plans to introduce a one-off payment to encourage couples to have a baby during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MON 5 OCT 2020

Why do so few Britons comply with a self-isolation order? : LSE Blogs

With only 11% of Britons thought to be self-isolating when told to, the new contact-tracing app may be less effective than hoped. Rebecca Forman and Lucy Thompson says poor public messaging, fear of losing jobs and wages, and problems with getting essentials are major reasons for failing to comply.

WEDS 30 SEPT 2020

Why People Have Had Enough of Lockdowns : Bloomberg Opinion

Clear and understandable rules tend toward better obedience, according to Dr Joan Costa-Font. This is one area where Sweden, despite criticism of its more individualist approach to stay-at-home curbs, is doing well. 

TUES 29 SEPT 2020

A tsunami of health issues is coming if the government doesn’t address the long-term effects of coronavirus : The Independent

The toxic debate of health versus economy is reductive, an onslaught of illnesses is certain without any investment or planning for the future, says Clare Wenham in a new Opinion Editorial.

WEDS 22 SEPT 2020

Covid-19: Women, girls bear unequal share of pandemic burden, U.N. warns : NBC News

Dr Clare Wenham spoke to NBC news about the fact that the industries in which many women work – restaurants, markets and tourism – have been decimated by the global lockdowns. So-called micro factors, such as families deciding for the man to remain in the workforce and the woman to look after children, are also likely a cause for women's jobs being more vulnerable at this time.

MON 20 SEPT 2020

The effectiveness of managed competition during pandemics: Evidence from Covid-19: Vox EU

While competition between publicly funded hospitals seems to improve efficiency and the quality of care in ‘normal’ times, during a pandemic certain types of disintegrated hospital competition models can compromise the necessary stewardship of the system, and give rise to a larger number of fatalities. This column presents a regional comparison of the healthcare systems in three Italian regions that were severely hit at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The analysis suggests that an integrated model can provide a swifter reaction to an outbreak by minimising coordination efforts as well as information costs.

FRI 17 SEPT 2020

Hospital network management amidst COVID-19: lessons from the Italian regions: LSE Blogs

Decentralised managed competition works in normal times, but may not be the best model during a pandemic, write the Department's Dr Joan Costa-Font and his co-authors Dr Rosella Levaggi and Dr Gilberto Turati.

FRI 17 SEPT 2020

Who got it right? New LSE research on the effectiveness of lockdowns: LSE Blogs

No two countries locked down in the same way. As cases begin to climb again in many countries, it is vital to consider whose proved the most effective. Lucy Thompson and George Wharton set out new research by Theologos Dergiades (University of Macedonia), Costas Milas (University of Liverpool), Elias Mossialos (LSE) and Theodore Panagiotidis (University of Macedonia) on successful approaches. 

TUES 15 SEPT 2020

Experts urge G20 ministers to back rhetoric with resources and fully fund pandemic preparedness : Telegraph

"The World Health Organization is walking a tightrope because International Health Regulations are not enforceable - there is a risk that governments could just say ‘no’ and close lines of communication" - Dr Clare Wenham spoke to Sarah Newey at the Telegraph.

FRI 4 SEPT 2020

What impact has the pandemic had on women? : LSE Thinks

Dr Clare Wenham discusses the adverse effects suffered by women during the COVID-19, from domestic violence to disproportionate job losses.

FRI 4 SEPT 2020

Are we ready for future waves of COVID-19? : LSE Thinks

What have we learned from the COVID-19 outbreak so far? How likely are future waves, and what should we be prepared for? Dr Clare Wenham discusses.

FRI 4 SEPT 2020

How has COVID-19 affected gender equality? : LSE Thinks

As the outbreak of COVID-19 continues, what issues must we address to maintain gender equality? Dr Clare Wenham offers her thoughts.

THURS 3 SEPT 2020

Overcoming Child Poverty in Myanmar : Unicef

Zlatko Nikoloski has recently authored a study on the impact of COVID-19 on child poverty in Myanmar. The objectives of the study, jointly conducted by UNICEF, UNDP and the Central Statistical Office in Myanmar, were:  (i) to portray the situation of monetary poverty before COVID-19, with a focus on children and their families; (ii) to model the effect of COVID-19 related restrictions on child poverty and vulnerability; and (iii) to study the effect of horizontal and vertical scale up of existing social protection instruments as buffers to the COVID-19 related income shock.

TUES 1 SEPT 2020

What a successful COVID-19 vaccination campaign would look like : LSE Blogs

A COVID-19 vaccine appears to be the only way out of repeated lockdowns – yet in the UK and US, where trust in governments’ handling of the pandemic is already low, many people are minded to refuse it. Rebecca Forman and Lucy Thompson set out what a proactive vaccination campaign would look like.

TUES 1 SEPT 2020

Quarter of Covid victims in England and Wales have dementia – study: Guardian

People with dementia accounted for a quarter of all Covid-related deaths in England and Wales, and three-quarters of all deaths in care facilities globally, data shows. Find out more in a regularly updated report on the LTC Covid website; the report includes many authors from STRiDE Dementia, a project led the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre.

SUN 30 AUG 2020

Care homes in England had greatest increase in excess deaths at height of the COVID-19 pandemic : LTCCovid

A study – co-ordinated from the University of Stirling’s Management School – found that care homes in England recorded a 79 percent increase in excess deaths, compared to 66 percent in Wales, 62 percent in Scotland and 46 percent in Northern Ireland.

The report – ‘COVID-19 mortality and long-term care: a UK comparison’ – is published by the International Long Term Care Policy Network. Co-authors also include the Department's Adelina Comas-Herrera (Care Policy and Evaluation Centre).

FRI 28 AUG 2020

A distraction from the biggest public health challenge we have faced in a century: six problems with scrapping PHE : LSE Blogs

Dr Clare Wenham outlines six reasons why abolishing Public Health England in the middle of a lethal pandemic poses real and serious problems. She writes that ultimately, Public Health England provides a convenient scapegoat for the government’s many failures in responding to COVID-19.

FRI 28 AUG 2020

How to interpret research on ethnicity and COVID-19 risk and outcomes: five key questions : The Health Foundation

Research into ethnicity and COVID-19 is important if it can improve the health of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and reduce inequalities in mortality and healthy life expectancy. Unfortunately, much research is unclear about the questions being investigated, the strengths and limitations of the data used, why data have been analysed in a certain way and how the findings should be interpreted. To help readers critically appraise the quality of emerging research findings on this matter, Dr Miqdad Asaria and co-authors identify five key questions they should ask.

THURS 20 AUG 2020

The poor and the poorest: reflections on a divided society in the time of Covid-19 : LSE Blogs

The Covid-19 crisis has exposed the depth of social divides internationally and here in the UK – divides that Brian Abel-Smith sought to close through his long career based at the LSE (from 1955 until his death in 1996).

 Professor Sally Sheard, Abel-Smith's biographer, reflects on how his work to expose social divides in the UK has never been more relevant than it is about to become.

WEDS 19 AUG 2020

Pandemic could trigger a ‘baby boom’ as millions of women lose access to contraception and abortion : Telegraph

The pandemic is predicted to result in 900,000 unintended pregnancies, 1.5 million unsafe abortions and more than 3,000 maternal deaths. Dr Clare Wenham spoke to the Telegraph about the repercussions of Covid-19 on global reproductive health.

TUES 18 AUG 2020

Resurgence of covid-19 in Japan : British Medical Journal

Japan has seen a resurgence of covid-19, and the effective reproduction number has been above 1 for two months. Prof Elias Mossialos and co-authors consider how detailed scrutiny of the government’s handling of the pandemic is essential to learn from earlier mistakes.

WEDS 12 AUG 2020

Could Nightingale hospitals be the solution to NHS bed shortages? : LSE Covid-19 blog

In less than a month, the NHS created 33,000 extra beds to accommodate COVID-19 patients. Now they lie unused. Dr Rocco Friebel says the Nightingale hospitals could help clear the backlog of patients waiting for procedures that were delayed by the pandemic – and address the pre-existing shortage of beds.

THURS 6 AUG 2020

How might COVID-19 affect the number of GPs available to see patients in England? : The Health Foundation

As the NHS shifts to the ‘second phase’ of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, general practice has to learn to work alongside the virus. Dr Miqdad Asaria and Dr Rebecca Fisher consider the challenges COVID-19 pose to the service widely considered to be the ‘front door’ of the NHS.

MON 3 AUG 2020

Indian Billionaires Bet Big on Head Start in Coronavirus Vaccine Race : NY Times

"What this spells is “vaccine nationalism - rich countries are getting to the front of the queue and poorer countries are at risk of getting left behind.” - Dr Olivier Wouters 

SAT 1 AUG 2020

Why is Germany's Covid-19 fatality rate comparatively low? : Economics Observatory

Coronavirus deaths per one million people in Germany are much lower than in France, Italy, Spain and the UK. MSc Global Health Policy candidates Marselia Tan and Karen Trujillo Jara discuss the reasons for this, including earlier protective measures; an economy better able to accommodate remote work; a well-resourced healthcare system; and high levels of public trust in government.

FRI 31 JULY 2020

COVID-19 has “devastating” effect on women and girls : The Lancet

"We can look to lessons from the west Africa Ebola virus disease outbreak, which showed that the biggest threat to women's and girls' lives was not the virus itself, but the shutdown of routine health services and fear of infection that prevented them from going to health facilities that remained open." - Dr Clare Wenham.

THURS 30 JULY 2020

The one place planning a 'feminist economic recovery' from Covid-19 : Telegraph

"I think we're missing a trick but I don't think it's because we are actively not doing it - it's just because we don't think about it, and that's partly down to representation, how many women are sitting at the table." - Dr Clare Wenham spoke to the Telegraph about why we should prioritise women and equality in Covid-19 recovery plans.

TUES 28 JULY 2020

New survey on implementation of public policy on Covid-19 in African countries : LSE

Our researchers have launched new survey to identify examples of public health policy implementation for prevention, mitigation, and control of COVID-19 in African countries. The study will assess interventions implemented in African countries to provide a snapshot of challenges and innovations, accompanied by in-depth analysis to inform policy adaptation – looking at issues related to stakeholder engagement, communication, and acceptability.

Complete the survey online in English or in French. 

MON 27 JULY 2020

Preventing and managing COVID-19 across long-term care services : Twitter

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected older people disproportionately, especially those living in long-term care facilities. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, tweeted about the release of a new policy brief co-authored by the Department's Adelina Comas-Herrera, Dr Klara Lorenz-Dant and Maximilian Salcher-Konrad that helps countries mitigate the impact of COVID-19 across long-term care services.

MON 27 JULY 2020

COVID-19 gender study gets funding boost : LSE News

LSE researchers looking at the real-time impact of COVID-19 on women’s health, social and economic welfare are part of a global team which has been awarded a $1.6 million USD grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Department's Dr Clare Wenham will work on the project with academics from Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria and the USA. Find out more on the project website.

THURS 23 JULY 2020

Would relaxing trade restrictions lead to universal reductions in food insecurity? : LSE Blogs

Food insecurity is on the rise. Many countries are considering relaxing trade restrictions in light of the pandemic to boost economies and avoid big price rises. But what effect does a liberal trade policy actually have on people’s chances of suffering from food insecurity? Dr Pepita Barlow presents the findings of her recent paper in this new blog.

TUES 21 JULY 2020

We should strengthen existing institutions rather than create a new international body for virus surveillance : BMJ Opinion

Would getting information about this outbreak a day or two earlier have made governments act any faster? Much of the world didn't spring into action for many months, not heeding the warnings of WHO. So how will a new global virus surveillance organisation change political decision making to prepare sooner? Dr Clare Wenham provides her perspective for the BMJ.

TUES 21 JULY 2020

Why Corona is a feminist issue : The Bunker

Coronavirus has put women out of work more frequently than men, led to a spike in domestic violence, pushed women’s healthcare down the list of priorities, and set the scene for a mental health crisis for women. Yet politicians appear blind to the pandemic’s gendered consequences. Dr Clare Wenham spoke to Helen Lewis in a recent episode of The Bunker podcast.

MON 20 JULY 2020

Elective surgery after COVID-19: how can we bring waiting lists down? : LSE blogs

Elective surgery was suspended during the pandemic. Surgical registrar Katie Young and the Department's George Wharton and Lucy Thompson explain the challenges of clearing the backlog and trying to bring down waiting times.

FRI 17 JULY 2020

Is the WHO fit for purpose? : BBC World Service

The WHO chief said the organisation needs to reflect on its role during the pandemic and has launched an independent evaluation. So are the criticisms fair? And what difference will investigations inside China make now? Is the organisation still fulfilling its mandate? Dr Clare Wenham joins Ritula Shah and guests to discuss whether the World Health Organization is fit for purpose.

MON 13 JULY 2020

How Brazil became South America’s Covid-19 hotspot : Telegraph

“We know with different examples from across the globe that if you’ve got a strong unified healthcare system where you have free care at the point of access it directly contributes to being able to manage outbreaks well. Universal public healthcare – particularly in poorer countries – eliminates the fear of medical bills which may deter patients from seeking medical attention, thus cases are detected sooner” - Dr Clare Wenham

FRI 10 JULY 2020

Community health workers reveal COVID-19 disaster in Brazil : The Lancet

Brazil has become one of the epicentres of the COVID-19 pandemic. The failure of President Jair Bolsonaro and his administration to recognise the severity of the pandemic is being compounded by the neglect of Brazil's community health workers (CHWs). Dr Clare Wenham and her co-authors comment on the lack of nationwide guidelines for primary health care services in the COVID-19 response. 

THURS 9 JULY 2020

Is big data good for your health? : LSE IQ Podcast

In this episode, the Department's Dr Stephen Roberts and Dr Leeza Osipenko discuss the challenges and opportunities of big data in health surveillance, security and tracing. 

WEDS 8 JULY 2020

US withdrawal from WHO could trigger a wider exodus, health experts fear : Telegraph

Dr Clare Wenham says that the US wwithdrawal from the WHO would have “lasting repercussions beyond the coronavirus”, fragmenting international cooperation and shifting influence away from the US - especially as the country is considered to have handled the pandemic badly.

WEDS 8 JULY 2020

Underfunded, unappreciated care homes were given little chance against Covid-19 : Guardian

Covid-19 has had an enormous impact on people who use and provide long-term care in many parts of the world. The scale and depth of this impact is only just beginning to be understood. Adelina Comas-Herrera's opinion editorial considers long-term care response internationally and lessons the UK must learn.

WEDS 8 JULY 2020

Reasons: the pandemic that changed the world : The Compass

Dr Clare Wenham joins Ian Goldin, Professor of globalisation and development at Oxford University, for The Compass - a BBC series examining why world leaders failed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

WEDS 8 JULY 2020

Women are most affected by pandemics — lessons from past outbreaks : Nature

The social and economic impacts of COVID-19 fall harder on women than on men. Governments need to gather data and target policy to keep all citizens equally safe, sheltered and secure. Together with international academic colleagues, Dr Clare Wenham considers key policy priorities to migitate the gendered impact of the pandemic.

MON 6 JULY 2020

Was lockdown really worth it? Telegraph writers and experts give their verdict : Telegraph

As lockdown eases up on the UK, much political, public and scientific discourse is focusing on whether the UK pursued the appropriate policies at the appropriate times. Our expert Dr Clare Wenham gives her opinion to the Telegraph.

SUN 5 JULY 2020

World Bank ditches second round of pandemic bonds : Financial Times

“In the wake of this coronavirus outbreak we need to rethink financing pandemics. We need to somehow engage with private money because public money isn't enough or isn't fast enough” - Dr. Clare Wenham

THURS 2 JULY 2020

Lockdowns internationally have made parents all too familiar with the challenges of juggling home working with childcare. An expert on the gendered impact of COVID-19, Dr Clare Wenham showed her ability to discuss complex research live on BBC News and parent simultaneously, when her daughter made a surprise appearance here.

You can find out more about Clare's research here.

WEDS 1 JULY 2020

LSE COVID-19 experts: a new video

The Department's Dr Clare Wenham and Adelina Comas-Herrera feature in a new video that shows how the LSE is bringing together leading thinking to guide and support COVID-19 policy responses in the UK and beyond. You can watch it again on Twitter here.

WEDS 1 JULY 2020

Women more willing to comply with lockdown, Panama's sex-segregation experiment suggests: Telegraph

Research has shown already that women face a “double burden” as a result of the pandemic: not only is 70 per cent of the global healthcare workforce women, putting them at greater risk of infection, but lockdowns also have a significant impact on women’s access to essential health services. The new LSE study authored by Dr Clare Wenham and Liana Rosenkrantz Woskie also highlights the burden of “social reproduction” on women during a pandemic.

WEDS 1 JULY 2020

The U.S. and U.K. Were the Two Best Prepared Nations to Tackle a Pandemic—What Went Wrong? : Time

The two countries that on paper were the best prepared to deal with a pandemic turned out by June 2020 to be two of the world’s biggest failures in tackling COVID-19. Dr Clare Wenham and Professor Gavin Yamey look at the importance of political context in which a national policy response to a pandemic is formulated and implemented.

MON 29 JUNE 2020

Panama's sex-segregated lockdown : BBC Women's Hour

Panama implemented a state-enforced lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19 which was sex-segregated. In this, women are allowed out of the house on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and men on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Dr Clare Wenham tells us how it worked out.

FRI 26 JUNE 2020

Q&A with Ismael Barreto, a Menzies technical advisor in Timor-Leste : Menzies School of Health Research

Ismael was studying a Master in International Health Policy at London School of Economics when the COVID-19 pandemic began. As the pandemic worsened in the United Kingdom and courses moved online, Ismael made the decision to return to Timor-Leste and became an integral part of the country’s response. He recently spoke to us about his decision and his role in Timor-Leste’s COVID-19 response.

THURS 25 JUNE 2020

Coronavirus: Women make up two-thirds of cases in Wales : BBC News

Dr Clare Wenham reflects that the apparent difference in infection rates may be because testing initially focused on healthcare workers, the majority of whom are women.

However, weomn are potentially more exposed to the virus because they are more likely to be in care-giving roles in the home. Higher infection rates in women were also seen in data during the Ebola, cholera and Zika outbreaks.

MON 22 JUNE 2020

Coronavirus UK: inequalities, social solidarity, and what would Richard Titmuss have thought? : LSE Blogs

In a contribution for the LSE Social Policy Blog, John Stewart (Glasgow Caledonian University) discusses what Richard Titmuss, first Professor of Social Administration at the London School of Economics, would have made of the crises currently confronting the United Kingdom.

FRI 19 JUNE 2020

The LockedDown Opportunity : Higher Education Policy Institute

Dr. Leeza Osipenko and her team at LSE Department of Health Policy report on The LockedDown, an initiative in collaboration with HealthBit collecting global experiences of university students and staff during the Covid-19 pandemic.

FRI 19 JUNE 2020

Where did it all go wrong for Boris' Britain? : AFR

Dr Clare Wenham speaks to Hans van Leeuwen, Europe correspondent at AFR, about why the UK has had a uniquely bad Covid-19 crisis.

WEDS 17 JUNE 2020

The Coronavirus Newscast: BBC

Dr Clare Wenham speaks to the BBC Coronavirus Newscast about the threat of a second wave and on how they are doing social distancing in Panama, where men and women are allowed out on different days.

MON 15 JUNE 2020

Prof. Elias Mossialos: “Transparency is vital to the management of responses to health crises : European Science-Media Hub

An exclusive interview on COVID-19 with Professor Elias Mossialos, Brian Abel-Smith Professor of Health Policy, Head of the Department of Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Director of LSE Health, UK, and Chief Adviser to the Greek Government on the COVID-19 pandemic.

TUES 9 JUNE 2020

The ‘hard slog’ of waiting for a coronavirus vaccine : Politico

If there's one immediate priority that governments should invest in for the short term, it's contact tracing, argues Clare Wenham.

“The countries that are able to resume normal life — Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea — they ... have the infrastructure to be able to do really granular and effective contact tracing."

TUES 9 JUNE 2020

In poor regions, easing virus lockdowns brings new risks : AP News

As many countries gingerly start lifting their lockdown measures, experts worry that a further surge of the coronavirus in under-developed regions with shaky health systems could undermine efforts to halt the pandemic, and they say more realistic options are needed. 

Clare Wenham described the situation in Brazil as “terrifying,” noting the government’s decision to stop publishing a running total of COVID-19 cases and deaths.

MON 8 JUNE 2020

Coronavirus UK: BAME women suffer harder financial hit : Guardian

Research has already shown that BAME people are at more risk of dying from Covid-19 than white Britons. Now data collected by Survation on behalf of the Fawcett Society suggests they are suffering other effects disproportionately.

MON 8 JUNE 2020

If we do not address structural racism, then more black and minority ethnic lives will be lost : BMJ Blogs

Clare Wenham, Sophie Harman of Queen Mary University of London and Zubaida Haque of the Runnymede Trust consider the threat to black and minority ethnic lives if structural racism across the UK health sector is not addressed.

FRI 5 JUNE 2020

England's Contact Tracers: The World

Thousands of contact tracers are being deployed in England as part of the country's efforts to resume normal life. But many of these people have yet to make a call. Clare Wenham speaks to the World's Orla Barry.

FRI 5 JUNE 2020

How Will The U.S. And WHO Fare Without Each Other? : NPR

Clare Wenham's read on WHO's current strategy is that it hopes to wait Trump out. If he loses the election in the fall, she and other global health experts say they think a new incoming president would likely reestablish the working relationship between the U.S. and WHO.

THURS 4 JUNE 2020

Johnson uses vaccine summit to reassert UK as health leader : POLITICO

"Everyone thought that the U.K. was a leader and would walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Now they are not doing that, it’s embarrassing” - Dr Clare Wenham points to a “big juncture” between what the UK can do for global health elsewhere in the world and what it can do at home.

WEDS 3 JUNE 2020

U.S. Withdrawal From WHO Is Sad For Global Health And Bad For America : Forbes

If USA withdraws from WHO – they will no longer have access to disease pertinent information, and the US will be left to fight against a disease without intelligence." - Dr Clare Wenham

TUES 2 JUNE 2020

Every COVID-19 patient should be able to join a randomised clinical trial : LSE Blogs

Yang Chen and Bogdan Enache are two clinicians on the frontline of the pandemic. They explain their concern that evidence-based medicine is being jettisoned in favour of guidelines drawn up on the basis of expert opinion and case series, and make the case for every COVID-19 patient to be offered the opportunity to join a randomised clinical trial.

TUES 2 JUNE 2020

Memos reveal China was slow to share critical coronavirus data with World Health Organization : Telegraph

"The WHO is in a really difficult position. They might be having these conversations behind closed doors, but doing so publicly would really jeopardise any potential information sharing." - Dr Clare Wenham

THURS 28 MAY 2020

What Can South Korea Tell Us About Digital Surveillance and Stigmatization? : Albawaba

“South Korea is an interesting case because it has been relatively successful in controlling its cases. They were running an efficient track-and-trace program. But I think what’s happening with the stigmatization of the LGBTQ+ community is that it showed the societal, cultural, and political realities which are in countries and still need to be attended to aside from issues concerning the virus” - Dr Stephen Roberts.

THURS 28 MAY 2020

Will ageism be worse in the post-pandemic workplace? : Financial Times

"While many Asian countries report more positive perceptions towards older people, in many western societies we observe a certain level of ‘age aversion’, where individuals praise youth stereotypes and older people pretend to be younger to avoid the effects of ageism” - Dr Joan Costa-i-Font

THURS 28 MAY 2020

Security, surveillance and shambles: the UK’s contact-tracing app : LSE Blogs

The delayed and problematic UK contact-tracing app has become a parable of the government’s failure to deal with the pandemic effectively - Dr Stephen Roberts.

WEDS 27 MAY 2020

How Greece moved early and decisively to keep COVID-19 out : Telegraph

Had Greece not recognised its vulnerability and taken early and decisive action, it might be facing a very different situation today. - Prof Elias Mossialos speaks to the Telegraph on his role as adviser to the WHO and Greek Government on the Coronavirus pandemic.

TUES 26 MAY 2020

WHO has become a "proxy batlefield" for a power struggle between the US and China : Telegraph

"Trump wants to deflect his failure to manage the coronavirus domestically. He's trying to blame the outbreak on China andthe WHO and using the WHO as a scapegoat" - Dr Clare Wenham

WEDS 20 MAY 2020

Who funds the WHO? : Washington Post

Why would withdrawing from WHO would hurt global security? Dr Clare Wenham speaks to the Washington Post on the global security impacts of Trump's threat.

WEDS 20 MAY 2020

Coronavirus - Why does Trump want to pull WHO funding? : BBC Newshour

Clare Wenham on what would happen if President Trump fulfills his threat to pull funds from the WHO.

TUES 19 MAY 2020

Pandemic Bonds: How a World Bank Financial Instrument Failed the World's Poor : Albawaba

Contact-tracing apps work best when there is a transparent culture that enables the population to have continued trust in the public health authorities and in the responding governments" - Dr Stephen Roberts

TUES 19 MAY 2020

Understanding the Risks Posed by COVID-19: A Public Health Perspective : Observer Research Foundation

Four months since the outbreak of COVID-19, some vital unknowns about the pandemic remain, including IFR (Infection Fatality Rate) and immunity from reinfection. A clearer understanding of the risks posed by COVID-19, informed by science and data in the Indian context, will help the country in mustering an effective strategy to hurdle the crisis, writes Meenakshi Sharma.

TUES 19 MAY 2020

Is the relationship between China and the West changing? : BBC Newsnight

Is anyone willing to stand up to one of the world’s most powerful nations? Dr Clare Wenham on BBC Newsnight on the West's relationship with China in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

THURS 14 MAY 2020

How Govt failed Black, Pakistani & Bangladeshi communities during Covid-19 pandemic : The Muslim News 

Dr Miqdad Asaria writes on the new report published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which finds that people from Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities are between 3.5 and 4 times more likely to die of Covid-19 as people from White communities in England.

TUES 12 MAY 2020

Women have been largely ignored in the COVID-19 response. This must change : LSE Blogs

"The government has not considered how measures such as furlough and school closures affect women disproportionately, and there is an absence of female representation at the top of government and in the COVID-19 working group." - Dr Clare Wenham

FRI 8 MAY 2020

The potential impact of the COVID-19 on child abuse and neglect: The role of childcare and unemployment : VOX CEPR

COVID-19 is altering family dynamics in ways that threaten to put already vulnerable children at increased risk of abuse and neglect. Dr Elisabetta de Cao co-authors this column, showing the latest empirical evidence charting how a decline in childcare availability and employment can affect the treatment of children within families.

THURS 7 MAY 2020

Women Leaders and COVID-19 : BBC Women's Hour

From Jacinda Ardern to Angela Merkel, women leaders across the world seem to be coping with Covid 19 better. But is it true? And, what might explain why? Dr Clare Wenham and Professor Rosie Campbell of King's College London speak to BBC Women's Hour (from 2 minutes).

THURS 7 MAY 2020

57% of parents will  face higher levels of debt after the crisis : BBC Radio 5 Live

"Parents are trying to balance homeschooling and paid work. I think we need to recognise the financial implications and the stresses that parents undertake, and the significant anxiety this causes for people at the moment." - Clare Wenham

THURS 7 MAY 2020

Half of UK parents with young children face money woes – survey : The Guardian

New research by the Fawcett Society, the Women’s Budget Group, the Mile End Institute at Queen Mary University of London and the London School of Economics shows parents twice as likely as those without children to say they will struggle for money as a result of coronavirus pandemic.

TUES 5 MAY 2020

Greece's successful way through the crisis : Der Spiegel

"Some called me a terrorist because I raised the alarm so early. Fortunately the Greek government listened to my concerns and those of other experts, and acted quickly and decisively." - Professor Elias Mossialos

TUES 5 MAY 2020

UK scientists split over Coronavirus advice to government : Politico

Professor Elias Mossialos joins Sir David King's 12-strong group of experts alternative to SAGE. King wants this group to produce recommendations on how the UK should come out of lockdown safely while keeping the country’s death toll as low as possible, how to resume international travel, and primary care preparedness, among other topics. 

TUES 5 MAY 2020

What does gender have to do with pandemics? : LSEIQ podcast

"The knock-on socio-economic effects fall disproportionately on women" - Dr Clare Wenham

FRI 1 MAY 2020

The UK was a global leader in preparing for pandemics. What went wrong with coronavirus? : The Guardian

The Covid-19 crisis has exposed the effects of government neglect on Britain’s once-trailblazing public health strategies, writes Dr Clare Wenham.

FRI 1 MAY 2020

Coronavirus: Is mass surveillance here to stay? : BBC, The Real Story

Governments everywhere are increasing mass surveillance as part of efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Dr Stephen Roberts joins a panel of experts to discuss whether we are entering an era where constant surveillance becomes the new normal. 

WEDS 29 APR 2020

Are there more COVID-19 deaths than expected in the BAME communities in England - what does the data say? : Discovery Society

In this article, Dr Miqdad Asaria looks at data to consider whether people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 in England.

WEDS 29 APR 2020

The COVID-19 Crisis Response: putting women at the centre : An LSE lecture

This is a crisis like no other that the global community has had to face. Perhaps more than previous epidemics, COVID-19 has demonstrated that whilst outbreaks can affect anyone, women are often differentially affected – within the home, within the economy and within policy space. Dr Clare Wenham joins a panel of experts to discuss the need to include women in government decision-making. 

WEDS 29 APR 2020

Covid-19 has hit women the hardest — here’s why : Vogue Australia

The entire world will be forever changed by Covid-19, but women in particular are facing significant challenges at the virus’s hands - challenges that will continue long after social isolation ends. Dr Clare Wenham considers the lasting impact of the Ebola and Zika viruses, and has recently embarked on a gender analysis of the Covid-19 outbreak.

WEDS 29 APR 2020

Women are the losers when life’s in lockdown: The Times

Dr Clare Wenham speaks to Alice Thomson about the gendered impact of COVID-19.

TUES 28 APR 2020

Why do female leaders seem so good at tackling the coronavirus pandemic? : The Telegraph

"There is no conclusive answer as to why these leaders are doing so well. But political research in spheres beyond global health shows that when you get more women at the top there's more transparency, accountability and good governance practices, normally. Certainly in Finland and New Zealand we're seeing daily updates from the leaders and transparent decision making, so that then means there's more trust in the government." - Dr Clare Wenham

FRI 24 APR 2020

African nations are precariously positioned to fight Covid-19. What can they learn from Kerala? : Telegraph

African nations are precariously positioned in their battle with Covid-19. Faced with the triple encumbrance of acute poverty, poor health indices and the burden of infectious diseases, complete lockdowns as enforced by many nations may not be economically sustainable in Africa. Mohamed Ali and Meenakshi Sharma, both MSc Global Health Policy candidates, look at what African nations could learn from Kerala's response to Covid-19.

WEDS 22 APR 2020

How Trump Misrepresents the WHO’s Coronavirus Response : World Politics Review

"The WHO arguably responded as well as it could have to the Coronavirus pandemic given the constraints imposed by its mandate and limited finances." - Dr Clare Wenham

WEDS 22 APR 2020

Health security must get the attention it deserves in India’s response to Covid19 : Observer Research Foundation

India needs to create a robust and inclusive health response system employing an entire-government approach to build the resilience needed to respond to and prevent future pandemics. Meenakshi Sharma, MSc Global Health Policy candidate, reports on India's capacity building for pandemic preparedness.

MON 20 APR 2020

Florence Nightingale would have recognised the challenges associated with COVID-19: LSE Blogs

Professor Andrew Street outlines why it is apt that the temporary hospitals set up in response to COVID-19 are named after nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, and how some of the key challenges currently facing UK healthcare professionals are similar to those Nightingale had to deal with.

MON 20 APR 2020

Tracking Covid-19 using big data and big tech: a digital Pandora’s Box : LSE Blogs

Dr Stephen Roberts explains why, despite the supplemental value of some digital surveillance practices in the tracking of disease outbreaks, the concerns which arise from their use are multi-faceted and complex.

MON 20 APR 2020

The Covid-19 crisis reveals how much we value old age : LSE Blogs

"A delayed introduction of a lockdown is not the only way we reveal the low social value of older individuals. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed how precarious is the funding and organisation of long-term care in a number of European countries." - Dr Joan Costa-i-Font

SUN 19 APR 2020

World Bank pandemic bonds to pay $133m to poorest virus-hit nations : The Financial Times

"The design of them by the private sector is flawed, by default and design, benefiting the private sector rather than protecting people who are suffering a pandemic" - Dr Clare Wenham

SUN 19 APR 2020

UK health service counts the cost of funding cuts amid Covid-19 crisis : Hindustan Times

"The UK National Health Service is acknowledged to have suffered from a funding crisis since 2010. NHS expenditure is 7.6 percent of (Britain’s) GDP, which is approximately the same as it was in 2012.

A slowdown in annual NHS budget increases has hindered the preparedness and response to coronavirus" - Professor Elias Mossialos

FRI 17 APR 2020

The Risks Posed by Covid-19 Are Gendered. Our Response Should Be as Well : Center for Global Development

In a video interview, Dr Clare Wenham points out that women make up 70 percent of the global healthcare workforce, are heavily present in other at-risk occupations like domestic work, and make up a large part of the informal workforce worldwide.

WEDS 15 APR 2020

Paying innovators is the way out of lockdown : Times Red Box 

"We are already seeing huge cash injections in economies and other large investments by governments (makeshift hospitals) in their pandemic response. The UK’s initial covid-19 stimulus package amounted to £350 billion. These investments are far more costly than purchases of IP rights would be." - Professor Elias Mossialos

WEDS 15 APR 2020

Covid-19 is an opportunity for gender equality within the workplace and at home : British Medical Journal

"Despite likely direct and indirect effects of covid-19 on women, we identify one area of hope: the recognition by the world, and importantly by employers, of the informal care burden that happens within homes, and which disproportionately, although not exclusively, falls to women" - Dr Clare Wenham

WEDS 15 APR 2020

Europe’s failure to address Covid-19 shows the need for a European ‘health citizenship’ : LSE Blogs

"The Covid-19 crisis illustrates that globalisation entails health risks, and that the institutional design of public health systems is ill-suited for the scale of a pandemic" - Dr Joan Costa-i-Font

WEDS 15 APR 2020

The EU’s Big Pandemic Failure Isn’t About Money : The Washington Post

"Collective action between countries is obviously beneficial when facing a pandemic that doesn’t respect borders — not least in the EU, where a highly-integrated economy means it’s in every country’s interest to have healthy neighbors" -  Dr Joan Costa-i-Font

MON 13 APR 2020

Covid-19 in El Salvador: safeguarding public health or restricting human rights? : LSE Blogs

Covid-19 in El Salvador has created a serious tension between public health and social control. Measures introduced to contain the spread of the virus have also left politically and economically marginalised groups vulnerable to human rights violations, write Amaral Arévalo (Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) and Dr Clare Wenham.

MON 13 APR 2020

Half of coronavirus deaths happen in care homes, data from EU suggests: Guardian

"We will have to give equal resourcing in dealing with Covid between the NHS and social care. Care homes are places where physical distancing is almost impossible. It’s like a perfect storm: a susceptible population, not being able to implement the measures and the staff are not well supported and trained enough." - Adelina Comas-Herrera, LSE CPEC

SUN 12 APR 2020

Elias Mossialos: "The coronavirus vaccine must be a public good for the entire planet" : El Pais

Government's brazen nudges for taking over the supply of masks can turn into ruthless and fierce competition once the first coronavirus vaccine becomes available on the market, warns Elias Mossialos.

FRI 10 APR 2020

Greece's Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic : Health, Economics, Policy and Law blog series

Greece was among the earliest European adopters of preventive measures, but the country's greatest public health and financial challenges appear to lie ahead. Aris Angelis, Ilias Kyriopoulos and Irene Papanicolas (LSE Health Policy) and Sotiris Vandoros (King's College London) reflect on Greece's response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

WEDS 8 APR 2020

COVID-19 Brings Changes in Greek University Entrance Exams : The National Herald

Elias Mossialos suggested schools should reopen but only for senior high pupils who are preparing for exams whose dates are uncertain, triggering a backdraft.

MON 6 APR 2020

Greece suggests EU buy patent rights for vaccines and coronavirus tests: FAZ : Reuters

"The cost for patent rights could be distributed among EU countries. This would be a one-off solution used only in extreme cases such as a pandemic and that it would not affect the sustainability of the medical technology industry.

Securing the patent rights for such tests and vaccines at an EU level would enable their production at many locations and allow for their wide distribution." - Professor Elias Mossialos 

THURS 2 APR 2020

The EU needs an independent public health authority to fight pandemics such as the COVID-19 crises: VOX CEPR Policy Portal

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has varied widely across the EU, member states following their own self-interests and limited coordination. Dr Joan Costa-i-Font argues that an independent public health agency could help overcome problems of collective action.

THURS 2 APR 2020

The Locked-Down: We need more than headline statistics to understand the impact of Covid-19 : LSE Blogs

Dr Leeza Osipenko argues that we need more expansive data collection to understand how Covid-19 is reshaping society. 

THURS 2 APR 2020

Health System Response Monitor : WHO

A new tool has been launched to analyse COVID-19 response measures across European countries.

TUES 31 MAR 2020

Will Facebook and Amazon Need Quarantining After Covid-19? : Bloomberg

Oceans of data generated by what Stephen Roberts of the London School of Economics calls the “digital turn” of health surveillance will require new rules and explicit terms of engagement to limit abuse.

FRI 27 MAR 2020

Abortion and COVID-19: why we need to support women’s right to abortion in health emergencies : LSE Blogs

Drawing on their own research and other evidence, Dr. Clare Wenham et al  make the case for women being able to take abortion medication at home, following a phone or video consultation.

TUES 24 MAR 2020

We only changed our behaviour when we saw Covid-19 at our doorstep : LSE Blogs

"Research explains the relatively late behavioural reaction to the information of Covid-19 in Europe" - Dr Joan Costa-i-Font

MON 23 MAR 2020

COVID-19 Will Test India’s Preparedness To Tackle Health Emergency : Business World

Since the outbreak of the deadly Corona virus worldwide, India with its resolve to mitigate the spread, can face many challenges. Meenakshi Sharma, MSc Global Health Policy candidate, discusseshow this pandemic poses a greater threat to India as the burden of non-communicable diseases may escalate. 

SUN 22 MAR 2020

Stop Shutting Borders and Start Working Together : The Washington Post

"If Covid-19 measures are supposed to be temporary, it is in each EU country’s self-interest to ensure that their neighbors have what they need to control the epidemic and eventually stamp it out so that their own citizens can feel safe and assured when frictionless trade and free movement will return one day" - Dr Joan Costa-i-Font

SUN 22 MAR 2020

As coronavirus surges, a frantic Europe scrambles for hospital beds, ventilators, supplies: The Washington Post

Elias Mossialos predicts "the number of countries knocking on China’s door will give Beijing’s soft power a boost. There is no European solidarity."

SUN 22 MAR 2020

Pandemic bonds prove good for investors, less so for nations : AP News

AP News cites Dr Clare Wenham's 2019 paper, which found that as of last year, the pandemic bonds had paid nearly $115 million to investors while providing only $61 million via a “cash window” mechanism to Congo, for its most recent Ebola epidemic.

FRI 20 MAR 2020

Why gender matters in the impact and recovery from Covid-19 : The Interpreter

Dr Clare Wenham et al examine the consequences of the Coronavirus outbreak through a gendered lens.

THURS 19 MAR 2020

Epidemic in the UK: NHS budget insufficient : AFP

"The NHS has had a financial crisis since 2010. The annual budget growth has slowed, affecting Coronavirus preparation and response." - Professor Elias Mossialos

THURS 19 MAR 2020

The Coronavirus is a disaster for feminism : The Atlantic

Dr Clare Wenham comments on how pandemics affect men and women differently.

WEDS 18 MAR 2020

Covid-19 exposes weaknesses in European response to outbreaks : British Medical Journal

"Despite high level political commitment from the EU, the ongoing spread of covid-19 exposes important obstacles to developing a comprehensive European response to infectious disease outbreaks" - Dr Michael Anderson et al.

WEDS 18 MAR 2020

UK must act urgently to avoid major humanitarian fallout : The Conversation

Dr Clare Wenham's research shows how failure to understand the difference between health crises and the humanitarian impacts of those crises can significantly delay, confuse, and intensify the response to the crisis.

SAT 14 MAR 2020

Brexit means coronavirus vaccine will be slower to reach the UK : The Guardian

"After the Brexit transition period, the UK will no longer be part of the EMA and will therefore have to make its own regulatory decisions, unless ongoing EU-UK trade negotiations result in the UK aligning itself with European rules." - Dr Olivier Wouters

THURS 12 MAR 2020

The World Has a Plan to Fight Coronavirus. Most Countries Are Not Using it : New York Times

"Restricting travel is a good political placebo. It’s going to make people feel safe. Why are we not learning that this doesn’t work?” - Dr Clare Wenham

THURS 12 MAR 2020

Should other countries copy Italy’s nationwide lockdown? : The Economist

The government’s response to COVID-19 is unprecedented in modern-day Europe. Professor Elias Mossialos comments on lockdown strategy.

TUES 10 MAR 2020

Brexit could delay UK access to a coronavirus vaccine : Politico 

"I'm not sure that the European counterparts would accept the U.K. authorities cherry-picking where they want to be part of European legislation and take part in European initiatives" - Dr Olivier Wouters

TUES 18 FEB 2020

Health experts question coronavirus quarantine measures on cruise ship  : Guardian 

“The Americans are being allowed to disembark in some form to get to the airport. If that’s deemed safe, why can’t everyone else get off and be put in quarantine elsewhere?” - Dr Clare Wenham 

FRI 31 JAN 2020

Is reporting of the coronavirus producing viral panic?: British Medical Journal

There are two different outbreaks: one outbreak of a coronavirus, and one of viral fake-news - Dr Stephen Roberts, Dr Clare Wenham and Professor Elias Mossialos

THU 30 JAN 2020

How effective are airport screening processes in containing the coronavirus?

Evidence has widely shown these screening processes don't really work and they cost a lot of money.

THU 30 JAN 2020

How has China handled the outbreak?

...and what are the human rights implications of reactionary policy like travel bans?

WED 29 JAN 2020

Is the scale of the quarantine in China justified? : BBC Newsnight

"We need to think about whether this is actually the right response that's proportionate to the risk posed..." - Dr Clare Wenham

MON 27 JAN 2020

Coronavirus - Chinese population quarantine: Euronews

Dr Stephen Roberts, discusses China's unprecented quarantine lockdown in reaction to the Coronavirus outbreak in this interview.