Access to vaccines remains a significant challenge across Africa, but technology is emerging as a key to breaking decades of relying on other nations for vaccine development- and to thereby stop the spread of disease much, much faster.



In 2021, Africa’s 1.3 billion people had to wait months for the Covid-19 vaccine. More than 40 million doses had reportedly been administered in wealthier countries hoarding the vaccine compared with just 25 doses given, in total, to one of the lowest income countries in Africa. 



The world was, said the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), on the “brink of a catastrophic moral failure”. It was a stark and unpleasant picture painted by lack of access, limited funding, and supply chain complexities. It’s also not the first time Africa has been left behind. The treatment for HIV/Aids took six years to become accessible to Africans who were among the hardest-hit by the disease, vaccines were hard to come by during the 2009 swine flu pandemic, and in 2023, there was a shortage of cholera vaccines when an Indian manufacturer stopped making the vaccine during an outbreak. 



The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has stated that over 200 disease outbreaks were reported in 2024. And they all have a direct impact on education, economic development, security and health. Yet, Africa remains reliant on vaccines produced in other parts of the world reportedly producing less than 1% of the world’s vaccinations. Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only eight have the capacity to produce vaccines – South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria, Egypt and Ethiopia.



Today, Mpox is a growing threat in Africa. In 2024, the Africa CDC declared its first Public Health Emergency of Continental Security and WHO issued its Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), one of its highest global health alerts. Across Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa and, more recently in 2025, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mpox cases totaled more than 50,840 as of November 2024.



The continent’s leadership isn’t sitting still. The African Union and the Africa CDC committed to the ideal of Africa producing 60% of its own vaccines by 2040, signing two Memorandums of Agreement (MOUs) and forming partnerships with key organizations like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, who were instrumental in ensuring Africa received Covid-19 vaccines. But, with the continent expected to now produce 1.5 billion doses a year – 73 times more than what’s produced locally today – technology has become an essential tool to supporting vaccine development and distribution in Africa.



It sounds expensive, but as Arthur Salaün, partner at Boston Consulting Group, tells FORBES AFRICA, “Vaccines are considered one of the most cost-effective global health interventions – for every dollar you invest in vaccines, you get $20 return across economic and societal gains.”



Technology can play into the limited supply of vaccines on the continent. For example, as Michael Mynhardt, CEO and co-founder of MMH &amp; Partners Africa, explains, data can provide rapid insights into where hotspots are forming, giving healthcare providers more time to react. “You can use data to pinpoint and track outbreaks, allowing for teams to develop more effective vaccination strategies.”



He also raises one of the most significant challenges when it comes to managing vaccinations in Africa – the supply chain. There’s a growing need for solutions that can manage the cold chain efficiently while delivering vaccines to remote and hard- to-reach areas. “Drones and autonomous delivery solutions are able to access rural areas quickly and at a lower cost,” he adds.



In Kisumu, a city in Kenya, Zipline drones are being used to deliver rabies post-exposure prophylactics, malaria vaccines and measles vaccines to children. Zipline has also ensured the distribution of more than one million vaccines in Ghana, while the DRC has invested in drones to deliver yellow fever vaccines to out-of-reach locations.



Then there is the role technology is playing in the delivery of the vaccine into the human body itself. As Professor Willem Hanekom, co-national principal investigator for the M72/ AS01E TB vaccine candidate trial in South Africa, explains to FORBES AFRICA: “Most vaccines are delivered by injection – it’s practical and we know how to do it, but what if we developed patches instead? There are trials going on globally to try and convert vaccines into patches but it’s not a simple transition. They have to be safe to use and easy to deliver, and there are a lot of regulatory steps that can take years.”



Patches would be easier to manage, more cost-effective to transport, especially if using UAVs, and less intimidating for children, but their development is lengthy thanks to safety and regulatory challenges. Hanekom takes the conversation back to the supply chain and the critical need to ensure that every vial and vaccine has remained at the right temperature throughout transportation. “Technologies are coming into play that make this more efficient, for example, markers on every vial that can show whether or not there has been an interruption in the cold chain,” he says.



Dr Meg Schaeffer, EdD, MPH, MPA, an infectious disease epidemiologist and National Public Health advisor at SAS Institute in the United States, adds: “Real-time field monitoring tools ensure vaccines retain their efficacy as they move through the delivery process, but another critical factor is more of an interplay on the epidemiology side using a regional model. Technology can help us to consistently monitor where disease outbreaks are occurring and then model and potentially forecast different scenarios to assess which populations will be affected next, and to what extent. It helps us to determine where to position our resources quickly. This is the next critical frontier for Africa – using technology to deploy vaccines exactly to where they need to be so we can stop the spread of disease much, much faster.”



Finally, of course, there’s artificial intelligence (AI). AI is helping organizations reduce the time to discover a vaccine and put it on the market, allowing developers and healthcare systems to react far faster than today. “We see a future for vaccines where instead of 10 years, they will take a few months which means that when you have an epidemic, you can react far quicker than in the past,” he says. “AI-discovered drugs have a success rate of 80%-90% in phase one which is way higher than traditional drugs. The hope is that it will help Africa develop vaccines for local, daily diseases that are of no interest to global pharmaceuticals and change the narrative on the continent.”

Doctor fills syringe with medicine from vial. Vaccination and immunization

The Next Critical Frontier: Vaccine Development In Africa

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



The Israeli government approved Friday a ceasefire deal to end fighting in Gaza, paving the way for a six-week ceasefire and the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas on Sunday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the government ratified the deal, which came after a six-hour cabinet meeting that ended around 1:00 a.m. on Saturday in Jerusalem, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-ceasefire-updates?taid=678ae61a7adf430001490ee5&amp;utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&amp;utm_medium=AP&amp;utm_source=Twitter" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">multiple</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/jan/17/israel-hamas-ceasefire-deal-gaza-live-blog-updates-netanyahu-hostages?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other#top-of-blog" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">outlets</a>.



Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued overnight into Friday and 113 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire and hostage deal was first announced Wednesday evening,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-security-council-approves-hostage-ceasefire-deal-hamas/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the Hamas-run Civil Emergency Service.



Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-holds-off-approving-gaza-ceasefire-us-says-deal-is-track-2025-01-17/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">on Friday said</a>&nbsp;that obstacles surrounding the terms of the agreement— like Netanyahu’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/pms-office-claims-hamas-creating-last-minute-crisis-and-backing-out-of-some-agreements/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">claims</a>&nbsp;Hamas had backed out of parts of the deal—were resolved.



The three-stage ceasefire plan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-holds-off-approving-gaza-ceasefire-us-says-deal-is-track-2025-01-17/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">will see</a>&nbsp;Hamas release 33 Israeli hostages, including all women, children and men over 50, and Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained in Israeli jails within the first six-week phase.



The deal could also ease hostilities in the Middle East, where the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/yemens-houthis-continue-attacks-if-gaza-ceasefire-breached-2025-01-16/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">war has spread</a>&nbsp;to include Iran and its proxies, including Lebanon&#8217;s Hezbollah and Yemen&#8217;s Houthis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Do We Know About The Ceasefire Deal?</h2>



On Wednesday evening, U.S. officials confirmed to the Associated Press that the ceasefire agreement was reached after a last-minute dispute was resolved. Qatar’s prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/15/world/israel-hamas-cease-fire-deal-gaza/e52b4e9d-9716-5a82-9dc3-adaf98840b7b?smid=url-share" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;the first phase of the deal will take 42 days and involve Israeli forces moving away from populated areas and 33 hostages being returned from Gaza. President Joe Biden said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon that American hostages would be released during the first phase. Biden also said the deal will “halt the fighting in Gaza (and) surge much needed-humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians,” and noted the agreement was the result of extreme pressure on Hamas and “dogged and painstaking American diplomacy.” Biden said the plan is similar to the one he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/05/31/israel-offered-hamas-a-new-cease-fire-proposal-biden-says/">introduced</a>&nbsp;last May, and he is “deeply satisfied this day has” come, noting there was no way for this war to end other than with a hostage deal. Biden also acknowledged the “hell” Palestinians have gone through, saying, “too many innocent people have died, too many communities have been destroyed.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Crucial Quote</h2>



“WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!” Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113833442957238587" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">posted on Truth Social</a>&nbsp;just after noon on Wednesday, confirming the deal. Members of Trump’s team have been involved in talks, including his incoming Middle East advisor Steve Witkoff.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Was Trump Involved In The Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal?</h2>



Trump’s team&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/10/politics/gaza-israel-hamas-ceasefire-biden-trump-backing/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">worked alongside</a>&nbsp;Biden’s administration in its final push for a ceasefire, and members of Trump’s team were reportedly involved in talks, including his incoming Middle East advisor Steve Witkoff. The president-elect said&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113833531533520804" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">on Truth Social</a>&nbsp;Wednesday his national security team, via Witkoff, “will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven.” Trump said in the post the agreement “could have only happened as a result of” him winning office in November, saying it “signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.” In his press conference Wednesday, Biden said that while his administration negotiated the terms of the ceasefire, it will be up to the Trump administration to ensure it’s implemented, saying they’re handing “the next team a real opportunity for a brighter future in the Middle East” and he hopes they take it. Biden added he directed his team to “coordinate closely” with Trump’s incoming administration to ensure “they’re all speaking with the same voice.” One diplomat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/15/israel-war-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-news-hamas/#link-RO4YL25X2ZB6DJP3TWPCCUIFTE" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told The Washington Post</a>&nbsp;Trump’s influence put added pressure on Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement, noting it was “the first time there has been real pressure on the Israeli side to accept a deal.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Surprising Fact</h2>



When Biden was leaving his press conference, a reporter asked whether he or Trump should get credit for the deal, to which he said: “Is that a joke?” before leaving.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Background</h2>



Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,000 people and taking about 240 people hostage, prompting a massive Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. The two sides have been in a nearly-constant war since then. There was a brief pause in fighting in November 2023 when Hamas and Israel agreed on a temporary ceasefire in which about 100 hostages were released, but they have not been able to agree to terms of another ceasefire in the last year. Since the Oct. 7 attack, more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/06/12/hamas-and-israel-accused-of-war-crimes-in-un-commissioned-report/">report</a>&nbsp;by a United Nations-created commission accused both Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes and violating international law. As the war has gone on, Israel has also faced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/05/10/world/israel-gaza-war-hamas-rafah" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">mounting criticisms</a>&nbsp;from other countries, including the U.S., for not allowing enough&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/16/israel-says-it-will-pause-daytime-fighting-near-gaza-border-to-allow-humanitarian-aid/">aid</a>&nbsp;into the Gaza Strip and for not taking adequate measures to avoid harming civilians.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Big Number</h2>



98. That’s how many hostages officials believe remain in Gaza, and about 60 are expected to still be alive,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/15/israel-war-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-news-hamas/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>&nbsp;reported.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When Does The Ceasefire Take Effect?</h2>



The first phase of the ceasefire will begin on Sunday, Jan. 19. Biden said as part of the first phase, negotiations will continue as to what the future of Gaza will look like.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Further Reading</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2025/01/07/trump-warns-all-hell-will-break-out-if-hamas-doesnt-return-hostages-by-inauguration/">Trump Warns ‘All Hell Will Break Out’ If Hamas Doesn’t Return Hostages By Inauguration</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-ceasefire-updates#00000194-6b63-ddb2-afb6-fffb740b0000" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Live updates: Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire in Gaza, multiple officials say&nbsp;</a>(Associated Press)

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Visits Berlin

Israel Government Approves Gaza Ceasefire And Hostage Deal

Liz Sanya&#8217;s motivation for this latest attempt was inspired by the recent achievements of Nigerians who have broken various world records, including Hilda Baci&#8217;s longest cooking marathon and Tunde Onakoya&#8217;s longest chess marathon.



Twentytwo-year-old Nigerian-British fashion designer Elizabeth Sanyaolu, also known as Liz Sanya, has completed her attempt at the Guinness World Records for the largest sandal, measuring 8.147 meters long and 3.156 meters wide.



The Guinness World Records typically reviews evidence within 12 weeks to make the awards decision. The record was set in 2016 by the Municipio de Sahuayo (Mexico) in Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico, with a sandal measuring 7.45 meters (24 feet 5.31 inches) long and 3.09 meters (10 feet 1.65 inches) wide.



Sanya, founder of the fashion brand SANYA, started the attempt on January 2 at 10PM West African time (WAT) and completed it on January 5 at 4AM. The pink clog was constructed at a location in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria&#8217;s commercial capital.



&#8220;We took under 35 hours to complete the shoe as we had a timer and between rest breaks,&#8221; Sanya, who returned to Nigeria on December 10 for the attempt, says to FORBES AFRICA.



This is not Sanya&#8217;s first attempt at a world record. Previously, she had tried to set a record for the &#8220;world&#8217;s darkest shoe&#8221; by reimagining Air Force sneakers in an ultra-black finish.



&#8220;It was the comments at the time that encouraged me to submit to the Guinness World Records but they came back with concerns about some technicalities and no existing record of such nature,&#8221; she shares.



The fashion designer&#8217;s latest record-breaking attempt drew support from Nigerian celebrities, including Aboriomoh &#8216;Dremo&#8217; Raymond, Peace &#8216;P.Priime&#8217; Oredope, Phillip &#8216;Pheelz&#8217; Moses, and Mayowa &#8216;Mayorkun&#8217; Adewale, who visited her at the Lekki location to offer encouragement.



&#8220;I aim to take my brand to the global stage, making it a household name that resonates with people across continents,&#8221; notes Sanya who has also designed merchandise for Nigerian singer Divine &#8216;Rema&#8217; Ikubor&#8217;s 02 tour.

IMG-20250108-WA0000

‘Take My Brand To The Global Stage’: Nigerian-British Fashion Designer Attempts New World Record For Largest Sandal

Donald Trump 2.0.



An unprecedented but not entirely unexpected return to power.



Landmark achievements in every sense – popular vote, Senate and a likely Congress majority to boot.



A transactional president buoyed by America’s richest to deliver on a self-inflicted beleaguered country. Or not. But narratives matter. The electorate believes.



For an avowed ‘make America great again’ supremo, he comes to power in a deeply-polarized country and a striferidden fractured global order gasping for leadership and equity.



Quo Vadis Africa in all this?



Gallup polls regularly show China’s undoubted popularity edge in Africa; for decades.



Enhanced Russian engagements (though as yet a fraction of that of the U.S. and China) militarily and politically cast their own shadow.



The U.S. policy on Africa continues to make teenage love affairs look like mature relationships. It’s admittedly not easy to solve the ‘trilemma’: defend democracy, ensure security and extend geopolitical influence. Aid and textbooks in hand, flip-flops on and cheque books tucked away.



That is however the enduring American visual on the continent today. The outgoing administration could neither change that view, nor do anything meaningful to stamp its intent.



Even in the new gold rush (read critical minerals), Uncle Sam has floundered to tie policy to politics to projects, pronouncements notwithstanding. Enter the new administration of 2025. It’s unlikely Africa will be a sensible policy priority.



During his last administration, Trump had referred to African nations as “shithole countries”. Close allies were hit with travel bans. Eritrea, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan and Tanzania were among 13 countries on the list when he left office.



“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu has said.



Africa needs to be mindful of this advice.



Tough choices abound for the continent. Its demography, its politics, its economies, all need help from all to make it a collaborative development.



It hardly has the luxury of choice as to ‘with whom’. Yet, the biggest risk remains in being forced to choose.



An ancient African proverb says that “when elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers”. And boy, have we suffered!



Today, the Bretton Woods Institutions are facing challenges from a resurgent BRICS+.



The European Union is still Africa’s largest trading partner, albeit skewed around primary goods with no real benefaction. China is a close second but also the biggest investor by far.



America’s commercial interests in Africa must deepen. Not sure when though.



Japan, apart from its octopus imports, is a significant t ade and investment partner.



And finally, enter India. Building on its historic links and feeding its emerging power status with more trade, investment and cultural power.



If I was an African leader, I would be salivating at my choices.



Yet, we are stressed.



An American President had once said: “You are either with us or against us.”



The only thing we should work and pray for therefore is that Trump 2.0 does not descend to that.



Any conscious, coherent and collaborative strategy is of course to be looked forward to.



And yes to partnerships.



But no sticks without carrots please.



“If you can’t help, at least don’t hurt them,” the Dalai Lama has said.



I am afraid within the current world order, that’s the best one can aspire for.



Leave us alone to our destiny and let’s remain purely and simply transactional.



Let mutual needs guide our progress in Africa, not geopolitics and rhetoric.



That in a nutshell is as ambitious as one can be. And finally, to re-quote Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore: “Into that heaven of freedom, let the African continent awake.”

Donald Trump Campaigns In Georgia Ahead Of US Presidential Election

Expert-Speak: ‘Let Mutual Needs Guide Our Progress In Africa, Not Geopolitics And Rhetoric’

When it comes to controversial advertising campaigns, they usually don’t have to do with income taxes. But a short-lived campaign from enterprise software company Intuit, which makes TurboTax,&nbsp;crossed that line and raised the ire of accountants.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2024/10/16/intuit-backpedals-after-insulting-accountants-with-latest-ad-campaign/">Forbes’&nbsp;Kelly Phillips Erb writes</a>&nbsp;about the saga, in which a consumer-targeted message intended to be a bit cheeky and punny&nbsp;ended up insulting a group of professionals who actually rely on Intuit’s products. The centerpiece of the campaign is an advertisement in which a young woman announces to a bland-looking accountant that she’s leaving him for a younger and more fashionable man on her phone “who charges me less but gives me more” as part of a “tax break-up.” The younger man represents Intuit’s “TurboTax Full Service plan,” featuring human tax preparers who work with customers online or in person to complete their taxes.



Tax preparers, who have competed with TurboTax for many years,&nbsp;felt the campaign went too far. The unflattering portrayal of the accountant, plus the barrage of messaging telling consumers to “break up” with them, made many individuals and organizations upset. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants President and CEO Barry Melancon issued a statement saying, “The crucial role of CPAs, who serve as expert and trusted advisors to business owners and individuals, was not reflected in an unfortunate recent ad campaign launched by Intuit.” And the National Association of Tax Professionals said it will no longer accept Intuit’s sponsorships or exhibits at its conference because of the campaign’s “direct conflict with our members’ interests.” Predictably, Intuit decided to phase out the campaign.



While TurboTax is a well-known Intuit product, it’s only one. The company also owns QuickBooks and Mailchimp—financial management and email marketing platforms used by many businesses, including accountants—as well as consumer budgeting tool Credit Karma. In its last fiscal year, the bulk of Intuit’s growth came from those using its enterprise financial planning and email software. TurboTax online made up less than a quarter of the company’s total fiscal year revenues.



Intuit may be seeking more consumer tax business, but it may have damaged its larger customer base by trying to be funny. An average consumer may have giggled at the ad, but it seems unlikely that it would end up getting the desired results,&nbsp;especially since most consumers aren’t thinking about income tax prep in October. Instead, with this campaign, Intuit might have inspired more financial professionals to break up with&nbsp;them.



Finding the right emotional balance is an important tool to make a campaign successful. Reticle AI is using artificial intelligence to determine the emotions that are present in campaigns, helping marketers strike the proper tone to get their messages across. I talked to Vice President of Business Development Tricia Allen about how this works. An excerpt from our conversation is later in this newsletter.



MARKETING MATTERS


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2169510342.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63122" style="width:608px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2169510342.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2169510342-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2169510342-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> (Photo by Dilara Irem Sancar/Anadolu via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Google is making a change to its Local Services Ads business next month that&nbsp;may impact roughly half of businesses advertising on the search engine,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonkochkodin/2024/10/22/googles-upcoming-ad-change-could-spell-disaster-for-millions-of-unprepared-small-businesses/">reports&nbsp;Forbes’&nbsp;Brandon Kochkodin</a>. Starting November 21, the local ads that pop up at the top of search results for users will be blocked if they aren’t linked to a Google Business Profile. This free profile indicates how businesses appear in search and is fully customizable by the business. But businesses need to be verified as legitimate through video or phone authentication, or by receiving a postcard. The authentication is an extra step, but it’s important that local businesses do it sooner rather than later. Studies have shown that 96% of people learn about local businesses online, and four out of five of those searches convert into business. In fact, nearly half of all Google searches are for local businesses.



SOCIAL MEDIA


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="662" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1513152452.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61892" style="width:632px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1513152452.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1513152452-300x194.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1513152452-768x497.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> (Photo by Hakan Nural/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Two social networks are making changes that may impact user safety. For as long as X was known as Twitter, users have been able to block other accounts—a step often taken when a user is bothered or harassed by someone. Previously, the blocked account couldn’t see or engage with posts from the user who blocked them. Now, users&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/10/17/x-will-soon-let-users-see-tweets-from-people-who-block-them-the-controversial-change-explained/">can see all posts</a>&nbsp;from accounts that have blocked them, though they still can’t engage with them.&nbsp;X says this change allows “greater transparency,” so users can see if those who have blocked them are trying to “share and hide harmful or private information.” But critics have taken the other side of the argument: Stalkers and harassers can keep following accounts of those who have blocked them. X owner Elon Musk, who has made scores of controversial changes to the platform since he bought it in 2022, previously posted the blocking function made no sense. After this change was made, competing social media platform Bluesky gained 1.2 million users in two days,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/bluesky-gains-momentum-wake-xs-blocking-changes/730371/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Social Media Today reported.</a>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindseychoo/2024/10/17/instagram-sextortion-child-safety/">Changes to Instagram</a>&nbsp;intended to prevent “sextortion” scams and protect teens are much less controversial. Now, users are unable to take screenshots or recordings of disappearing images, which are only intended to be viewed once. The Meta-owned platform is also testing safety notices to let teenagers know when they are exchanging messages with someone out of the country. Images flagged to contain nudity will be automatically blurred for users younger than 18. And accounts with “scammy” behaviors will not be able to see users’ following and followers lists, a common way some bad actors get information about a target’s friends and family.



BRANDS + MESSAGING


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1536268798.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62351" style="width:556px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1536268798.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1536268798-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1536268798-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Photo by Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindseychoo/2024/10/17/netflix-earnings-streaming-beats-expectations-subscriber-growth/">reported earnings</a>&nbsp;last week, beating Wall Street’s expectations. The streaming giant made $9.8 billion in revenue in its most recent quarter, and gained 5.1 million subscribers. Now, nearly 283 million households have Netflix subscriptions, but the rate of new subscriber gain is slowing down.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dbloom/2024/10/17/netflix-added-51-million-subscribers-can-we-talk-about-what-matters/">Forbes&nbsp;senior contributor David Bloom writes</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;for Netflix, this really shouldn’t be seen as a negative. After all, there is a finite amount of Netflix subscriptions that can be bought. What is more important, Bloom writes, is viewer engagement. Netflix reported that the average paid membership has two hours of engagement per day. It has an 8.2% viewership share in the U.S., according to Nielsen data. Netflix first became profitable in 2003, and to date only one other streaming service—Disney+—has posted a profit. With more emphasis on engagement, Netflix also seems to be the first of the streamers to start caring more about actual viewers and interaction.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-on-message">ON MESSAGE</h4>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-reticle-ai-uses-technology-to-determine-emotions-in-ads">How Reticle AI Uses Technology To Determine Emotions In Ads</h3>



Emotion is important to marketing. Nostalgia, joy, adventure, curiosity and stress can all inform how consumers make purchases, choose what to eat or drink, or select service providers or leisure activities. Reticle AI uses artificial intelligence to determine the emotions that are present in marketing campaigns, as well as the emotions that consumers are experiencing when they see them, and makes recommendations for an optimal outcome. I talked to Vice President of Business Development Tricia Allen about how their method works and how it can get results. This conversation has been edited for length, clarity and continuity.



How can you use AI to determine things like sentiment and nostalgia?



Allen:&nbsp;We’ve trained our AI technology to understand emotional sentiment within digital content. We’re almost curating content into various emotions. If a brand wants to be associated with nostalgia, [or being] uplifting, joyful, nurturing, they can align their message within content that has that emotional sentiment. We can control how the content potentially makes someone feel. If you’re consuming content that makes you feel nostalgic, nurturing, uplifting, chances are you’re in that frame of mind. If you get served an ad that is in that nostalgic, nurturing tone, you’re more predisposed to take action. That action is that connectivity and attention that the brand is getting because it’s being served at the right time.



[AI has] that ability to take the universe of digital content, really cull it down, and categorize it into these emotional categories because of its understanding of human emotion.



There’s a lot of talk about AI systems not always giving accurate responses. With something difficult to quantify like emotion, how do you make sure that what comes out of your system is accurate to how people actually would feel?



While AI is extremely relevant and helpful from a marketing standpoint, you can’t get rid of that human oversight. I really believe strongly in that for many reasons. There’s bias that’s involved because the technology is only as good as the person who is training the platform, and if they have inherent bias, then the tech has bias. You need more than one person to be vetting that. In addition, what nurturing means to me might mean something completely different to you.



We actually have human labelers. We have them go in and vet our data on an ongoing basis, just to have those human eyes on it. We’ll go through, and if the technology has said this content is deemed to be nurturing, we want to see what a human actually thinks. We have that human component to make sure, because AI is not perfect. Even when it does get better, I still strongly believe you’re going to need human oversight, especially when you’re talking about emotion.



In your research, what are some of the emotions that people are reacting to the most, and what are some more prevalent themes?



A lot of the themes that people are looking for from a marketing standpoint are around joy and that feeling of happiness, and conversely, that feeling of stress and pressure. [It’s] not necessarily a positive emotion. Maybe it’s a negative emotion, because maybe I’m a vacation company and I want to provide you with a solution to help you overcome that stress.



If you are able to tap into emotion—both in marketing and also what is being looked for—what would be the perfect marketing campaign?



To me, the perfect marketing campaign is [one in which] you first do the insights work to understand the emotional footprint of that brand. How do people think and feel about your brand right now? How do you want them to feel about your brand? Then ensure that creative or the ad itself is designed to hit those key emotions. We’re kind-of that end piece. You’ve established how people think and feel. You’ve established: Do I want them to feel this way? If no, where are there distinctions that we can draw on to differentiate from the competition and then make sure that creative is dialed in?



The biggest area where I see brands fall down is they try and tap into emotion, but there’s a disconnect between the creative strategy and the insights work that was done. The insights work is never being brought to life, and then the creative is a bit of a disconnect. When all of those pieces line up, and you take that emotionally designed creative [and] put it in the same environment from a digital placement perspective, that’s the trifecta of emotional marketing.



FACTS + COMMENTS



When the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees begins on Friday,&nbsp;it will be Sho time—for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, that is. With the Japanese phenom in the playoffs, Major League Baseball has actually seen&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2024/10/17/ohtani-mania-has-mlb-playoff-viewership-soaring-in-japan/">more October viewership</a>&nbsp;in his home country than in the U.S.



12.9 million:&nbsp;Japanese viewers of NLDS Game 5 on October 11, when the Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres to advance to the National League Championship Series. The U.S. had 7.24 million viewers, a record for a division series



$700 million:&nbsp;Value of Ohtani’s record-setting 10-year contract



‘I hope to continue to perform well as well for the fans in Japan’:&nbsp;Ohtani&nbsp;<a href="https://dodgersnation.com/shohei-ohtani-acknowledges-fans-in-japan-watching-dodgers-postseason/2024/10/21/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told Dodgers Nation</a>, after saying that the team has also been “playing really well”



STRATEGIES + ADVICE



Yes, there is such a thing as too much positivity. Here are some ways to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2024/10/11/managers-are-glossing-over-workplace-issues-and-pushing-toxic-positivity/">avoid glossing over</a>&nbsp;your employees’ challenges and support your team through hard times.



Time management is difficult for executives. Here are <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2024/10/17/top-time-management-apps/">five apps</a> that can help you get more control over your work day.

Chat Bot Service Concept – Enhancing Customer Experience with Virtual Assistant

Can AI Capture The Emotional Side Of Marketing?

In a world that demands rapid results, Professors Salim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim have spent decades proving that patience and persistence can save lives. Recognized as a collaborative force driving advancements in HIV prevention, they recently received the 2024 Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award, a prize often referred to as ‘America’s Nobel’. This award honors their transformative contributions to HIV/AIDS research and their leadership during Covid-19. As the Lasker Foundation noted in a press release announcing the award, the duo are celebrated “for illuminating key drivers of heterosexual HIV transmission and introducing life-saving approaches with which to prevent and treat HIV”.&nbsp;



Starting his research journey in apartheid-era South Africa, Prof Salim’s first published paper, written in his third year of medical school, tackled health disparities among racial groups — an early indication of his commitment to addressing the social context within public health. “Addressing inequality and empowering the vulnerable has always been integral to our approach,” he emphasizes to FORBES AFRICA, underscoring how public health can never be divorced from the societal behaviors and contexts from which it arises.



Salim recalls their return to South Africa in the late 1980s, knowing the scale of the HIV crisis they would face. “When we came back from New York in 1988, we saw the devastation HIV was causing. We knew this would be a massive problem in South Africa, and we had to act.” Over the next 18 years, the couple encountered countless setbacks but persevered, leading to the development of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), now the gold standard for HIV prevention.



“For 18 years, all we did was fail. We went from one study to another, learning as we went,” Salim reflects. “But we kept going because the problem wasn’t going away.” Their persistence culminated in assisting a major breakthrough, as PrEP revolutionized HIV prevention, particularly for women.



Karims’ work has always been intertwined with social justice. “For us, research was always about more than just science; it was a way to address inequality and empower the vulnerable,” Salim explains. They tackled HIV from a sociological angle, addressing factors like age-disparate sex that disproportionately affected young, economically disadvantaged women. “HIV isn’t just a virus — it’s deeply influenced by social factors. That’s something we had to factor into our research.”



When Covid-19 emerged, they quickly adapted to confront this new pandemic. “In just two weeks, we had the virus sequence and were racing to understand it. Everything was moving fast, but our experience with HIV helped us adapt,” Salim recalls. Their swift response highlighted their value as public health leaders, offering guidance not only to South Africa but also to institutions like the WHO and Africa CDC.



For young scientists, Salim distills their journey into a simple formula: Passion, Excellence, and Perseverance, or “PEP.” “Find something that excites you, pursue excellence, and above all, persevere. Success often lies on the far side of failure,” he advises. This wisdom, born from decades of challenges and achievements, offers a blueprint for future public health leaders.



Despite their accolades, the pair are not resting on their laurels. They continue to work on long-acting HIV prevention strategies and are preparing for future pandemics. For them, the Lasker-Bloomberg Award is not the end — it is a milestone that fuels their ongoing mission. As Salim aptly puts it, “We’ve spent a lifetime failing and learning, but ultimately, we’ve changed what’s possible.”

Quarraisha and Salim Abdool Karim (Image supplied)

‘Research Is A Way To Address Inequality And Empower The Vulnerable’: South African Professor-Couple Win Award For Game-Changing HIV-Prevention Work

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, reacted to an apparent assassination attempt against former President Donald Sunday by saying no one was trying to kill either President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, in a strongly-condemned post.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



Musk reshared a post Sunday night asking why people want to kill Donald Trump and&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/OhrPX" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a>: “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,” followed by the thinking face emoji.



The post immediately faced blowback from X users, but the billionaire—who has endorsed Trump—appeared to double down,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1835537404318392628" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">responding</a>&nbsp;with a “hundred points” emoji to a reply saying: “Trump threatens the machine. Biden/Kamala are the machine.”



Responding to another user who asked him to reconsider the post, saying “We need to unite,” Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1835537833869623681" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a>: “No one has even tried to do so is the point I’m making and no one will.”



A few hours later, Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1835572816730636430" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">responded</a>&nbsp;to a follower asking him to reword his post because people were “misinterpreting your obvious intent” by saying: “Fair enough…I don’t want to do what they have done, even in jest.”



After taking down the post, Musk appeared to suggest it was a joke,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1835573866271330307" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">saying</a>: “One lesson I’ve learned is that just because I say something to a group and they laugh doesn’t mean it’s going to be all that hilarious as a post on X.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critics">Chief Critics</h2>



Musk’s posts drew immediate condemnation from users on X. Conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JonahDispatch/status/1835488915978957183" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">criticized</a>&nbsp;the post, calling it “appalling and indefensible.” Comedian Maz Jobrani tagged the Secret Secret service in his post,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MazJobrani/status/1835485451727364582" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">saying</a>: “You may want to pay this guy a visit. He ain’t right in the head!” Brett Meiselas, founder of the left-leaning online outlet Meidas Touch,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BMeiselas/status/1835483332844671305" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a>: “Ok this requires an IMMEDIATE visit by the secret service and federal charges. Lock this guy up. This is so dangerous.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



Earlier on Sunday, the New Hampshire Libertarian Party was condemned after&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.is/Ca9Xg#selection-499.0-508.0" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tweeting</a>: “Anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero.” The Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee, Chase Oliver, called the post “abhorrent” and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ChaseForLiberty/status/1835477641517748462" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote on X</a>: “I 100% condemn the statement from LPNH regarding Kamala Harris…As Libertarians, we condemn the use of force, whether committed by governments, individuals, or other political entities.” The party account, however, dismissed criticism and&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/VGJLH" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a>: “Encouraging politicians to be shot is legal under the first amendment. It&#8217;s part of what makes this country great.” The account, however, eventually&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LPNH/status/1835310685095628880" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">took down</a>&nbsp;the post and said they had done so because they did not want to “break the terms of this website we agreed to,” but added: “It&#8217;s a shame that even on a &#8220;free speech&#8221; website that libertarians cannot speak freely.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/09/15/trump-safe-after-attempted-assassination-suspect-identified/">Trump Safe After ‘Attempted Assassination’—Suspect Identified</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/16/trump-assassination-attempt-everything-we-know-about-the-arrested-suspect/">Trump Assassination Attempt: Everything We Know About The Arrested Suspect</a> (Forbes)<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/"></a>

Tech Illustration Images

Musk Posts Then Deletes ‘No One Is Even Trying To Assassinate Biden/Kamala’

Accolades aside, Kenyan actor-and-host-turned-producer, Sarah Hassan seems to see no limit as to what she can achieve.



After discovering her love for performing at a very young age, she went on to join the cast of drama, Tahidi High, playing the role of Tanya. It earned her the award for Best Actress at the CHAT Awards in 2010 and 2011.



However, while she truly enjoys acting and hosting, which she had done for several years, there was another passion in her heart that she could only fulfill later on in her career.



“I wanted to go to, specifically, the New York Film Academy [ever] since I was out of high school… but, of course, [there were issues of ] finances and all that. I told myself one day I am going to go. I remember I had a different bank account where I just saved for film school, and I had gotten to a place where I could go, I think a couple of years before I went, but it didn’t feel like it was the right time,” she says.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63035" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hassen on set (Image supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>


“I remember, two years later, I wasn’t getting auditions at that time. I felt like if I had the necessary skillset and everything, that I could do my own story or do a short film and satisfy that part of my soul. By that time, I felt like this is the time… So I sent in the application.”



Hassan, speaking to us from her home in Kenya, recalls the experience with great enthusiasm, detailing all the skills she had learned, including the basics of editing and lighting, directing, writing and producing. As soon as she had completed her year in Los Angeles, she put the skills she had learned to good use.



“My dream has always been to be able to, first and foremost, have that skillset, and then be able to work as a producer; as an actor, not only in my country, but anywhere else in the world. Before I left, I remember I did a few projects out there. I did my first-ever short film where I wrote, co-directed, produced and acted in. It won about eight film festival awards. So [that] was quite pivotal for me,” she adds.



“I had gotten awards for acting before that, and for hosting, but this, I would say, is a highlight, not because of the awards but because of what it symbolized. I was behind-the-scenes of a project that I had produced. This was the first time ever doing something that was not acting or hosting. It was the first time doing a story from development – taking it from my mind all the way to seeing it completed.” Hassan, who has her own production company, Alfajiri Productions, would go on to work with streaming giant, Netflix.



“For 40 Sticks, I was brought on board as a lead producer. It was so beautiful because I was there from the beginning, from bringing onboard the writers, from the development stage, the pre-development stage, filming stage, the post. Then Just In Time – that was with my company; with my team, and in collaboration with Lola D, who’s a very good friend of mine and a fantastic director. To see it on Netflix worldwide, not just in Africa, was surreal,” Hassan says.



“Now, with Anyango and the Ogre – it was a commission project, because it’s by Netflix and UNESCO – it was amazing to also see that other side, to be able to work with the executive producers in South Africa, you get to learn a lot. We have been doing [this] for a while but not as long, and to see all the different steps… it was absolutely amazing.”



She concludes that collaboration is key, especially between directors and producers on the continent. Not only does it bring in diverse audiences, one also gets to share resources and learn.

Sarah

Kenyan Actor-Producer On Wearing Many Hats And Why Timing Is Everything

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



The first mRNA mpox vaccine to be pitted against licensed vaccines beat its rivals by easing symptoms and potentially cutting transmission, according to new research published Tuesday, a coup for manufacturer Moderna as it strives to prove itself beyond COVID-19 amid efforts to contain an escalating outbreak of mpox in Africa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



The peer reviewed study, published in the journal Cell, marks the first time an mRNA vaccine has been directly compared to the already-licenced shot, Bavarian Nordic’s modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine, sold under brand names Jynneos, Imvamune and Imvanex, in nonhuman primates, said Moderna virology researcher and author Alec Freyn.



To test the two shots, researchers from Moderna, the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Boston University gave each vaccine to six macaques, exposing them to a lethal strain of the virus eight weeks later and monitoring their health and blood for signs of an immune response for another month.



All animals vaccinated with Bavarian Nordic’s MVA shot and Moderna’s experimental vaccine, mRNA-1769, survived the trial, while five of the six macaques in an unvaccinated control group died from the disease, researchers said, and the Moderna group had higher numbers of antibodies in blood samples, suggesting a stronger immune response.



As well as preventing lethal infections, the researchers said Moderna’s investigational vaccine reduced disease severity compared to the licensed shot—mRNA-immunized macaques had a maximum of 54 mpox lesions compared to 607 in the Bavarian group and 1,448 in the unvaccinated group—and shortened disease duration by more than 10 days.



Macaques in the mRNA group also had lower amounts of the mpox virus in both their blood and throat swabs, suggesting Moderna’s vaccine could also be effective at reducing virus transmission.



“With the mRNA technology, we&#8217;re able to produce a vaccine that gives quite potent responses with a very tolerable safety profile,” said senior author Jay Hooper, a virologist at USAMRIID, adding that an mRNA shot could help prevent the disease spreading without the safety issues that prevent widespread use of some other vaccines used for mpox, such as Emergent BioSolutions’ smallpox shot ACAM2000.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral illness caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. In August, the World Health Organization&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/16/who-declares-mpox-a-public-health-emergency-heres-what-to-know/">declared</a>&nbsp;a growing outbreak in central Africa a public health emergency of international concern. It is the second time the agency has made such a warning, the highest level of alert it can sound under international law, in as many years, following a global outbreak in 2022. That&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/21/mpox-explained-key-details-on-latest-virus-outbreak/">outbreak</a>, which predominantly affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, was driven by a different and milder variant behind the outbreak we are seeing now, which data suggests could kill as many as 10% of people it infects. Young children, pregnant people and those with compromised immune systems are particularly at risk and symptoms of infection include a fever, swollen lymph nodes and characteristic, pus-filled rash. The virus spreads primarily through close contact with infected people, animals or contaminated materials like towels and while the variant was historically limited to small outbreaks in central Africa, it appears to have mutated into a more transmissible form.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">News Peg</h2>



The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there have been at least 17,500 cases and 517 deaths from the virus in 2024 alone, though officials acknowledge surveillance is limited and warn the figure is potentially much higher. Amid ongoing outbreaks of the clade IIb virus variant responsible for the 2022 global outbreak, a handful of clade Ib infections have since been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/21/mpox-explained-key-details-on-latest-virus-outbreak/">reported</a>&nbsp;outside of Africa, including in Sweden and Thailand, though most are still located within the Democratic Republic of Congo and nearby countries. While there are a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/22/mpox-vaccine-maker-bavarian-nordic-shares-soar-amid-concern-over-virus-outbreak/">number</a>&nbsp;of authorized vaccines for use against mpox, constraints like cost, availability or suitability have hindered widespread uptake. Supplies of the preferred shot, Bavarian Nordic’s MVA vaccine, are limited, for example, and it is relatively expensive and has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/cases-data/JYNNEOS-vaccine-effectiveness.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">limited</a>&nbsp;effectiveness at reducing the severity of symptoms and curbing transmissibility. Emergent’s ACAM2000, on the other hand, is in plentiful supply due to stockpiling against a potential smallpox threat and can cut the risk of transmission effectively but the risk of severe side effects may make widespread use inappropriate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



The tests Moderna are conducting in nonhuman primates are being run&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/new-mpox-vaccine-being-tested-in-the-uk/35622" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">alongside tests</a>&nbsp;in humans. The company’s mRNA-1796 shot is being assessed in an early stage clinical trial to determine safety, tolerability and immune response over a range of doses. The outcomes of this will determine the trajectory of future trials for the vaccine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-mrna-vaccines-work">How Do Mrna Vaccines Work?</h2>



Vaccines train your body to fight off pathogens in a safer way than if they were encountered naturally. This involves presenting the immune system with something it would later recognize and respond to if encountered at a later date, giving it a head start to help prevent infection entirely or reduce disease transmissibility and the severity of symptoms. Most vaccines make use of a weakened or inactivated (killed) version of the disease-causing germ, or a specific part of the germ like a protein or sugar, to spark an immune response, which impose limits on how fast a new shot can be developed and scaled up. mRNA shots work by providing instructions to the body allowing it to produce part of the germ itself, triggering an immune response without needing any exposure to the germ. By nature, mRNA shots can be more flexible and specific than shots using the entire virus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-mrna-vaccines-help-tackle-emerging-pandemics">Can Mrna Vaccines Help Tackle Emerging Pandemics?</h2>



The swift development, testing and approval of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic was a landmark moment for public health and the first time mRNA shots had been authorized after decades of struggles and setbacks. The scalability of mRNA vaccines outpaced more traditional methods, illustrating why experts now believe the technology platform will be a crucial tool for tackling emerging pandemic <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/07/03/gsk-secures-mrna-vaccines-for-bird-flu-covid-and-seasonal-flu-from-struggling-biotech-curevac/">threats</a>. Many experts and health groups like the <a href="https://www.who.int/activities/prioritizing-diseases-for-research-and-development-in-emergency-contexts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a> and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (<a href="https://cepi.net/priority-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CEPI</a>) flag diseases like <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/07/02/moderna-scores-federal-funding-for-mrna-bird-flu-vaccine-as-pandemic-fears-grow/">bird flu</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/07/22/what-to-know-about-the-deadly-nipah-virus-as-india-races-to-contain-another-outbreak/">Nipah</a>, Lassa Fever, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/03/27/what-is-marburg-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-killer-ebola-like-virus-spreading-in-parts-of-africa/">Ebola and Marburg</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/10/23/us-scientists-deliberately-infected-people-with-zika-heres-why/">Zika</a>, coronaviruses like COVID-19, SARS and MERS and Rift Valley fever as urgent priorities for research given their high potential to seed future pandemics and the absence of countermeasures. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/05/22/british-scientists-warned-monkeypox-would-fill-void-left-smallpox/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">some experts</a> have long <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/05/27/1101751627/scientists-warned-us-about-monkeypox-in-1988-heres-why-they-were-right" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a> one of humanity’s greatest public health achievements—the eradication of smallpox through a highly successful vaccination campaign—has potentially left the world vulnerable to outbreaks of related diseases that can exploit our lack of immunity now that we no longer immunize ourselves against it. Mpox, an Orthopoxvirus like smallpox virus variola, is one such threat, and there are many other viruses in the group like camelpox, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/02/12/what-to-know-about-alaskapox-after-officials-confirm-first-death-from-recently-discovered-virus/">Alaskapox</a>, cowpox, rabbitpox, dolphinpox and horsepox, some of which are known to infect humans and for which the risks are Blood serum from vaccinated macaques “neutralized not only mpox but also vaccinia, cowpox, rabbitpox, camelpox, and ectromelia virus,” Freyn said, a sign the vaccine would convey at least some protection against the virus. “We believe that this vaccine may protect from other Orthopoxvirus threats that may emerge in the future,” he said.

A Covid-19 Vaccination Site As Children Under 5-Years Old Become Eligible For Shot

Moderna’s First mRNA Mpox Vaccine Beats Licensed Rival Shots In Early Testing

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Managing the early stages of medication abortion care at home later in pregnancy is safe and cuts down time spent in hospital, according to new research&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01079-1/fulltext" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, which researchers say could boost access to the procedure as reproductive rights stand out as a key issue in the 2024 election.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



Almost all abortions in the United States are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/reproductive-health/data-statistics/abortion-surveillance-findings-reports.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">performed</a>&nbsp;at or before 13 weeks of pregnancy—the first trimester—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and clinical guidelines typically recommend the procedure be performed exclusively in clinical settings after the 12-week mark so patients can remain under observation.



Medication abortions involve taking two types of pills to end pregnancy—mifepristone, which blocks a hormone needed for pregnancy to continue, and misoprostol, which makes the womb contract—and for abortions after 12 weeks patients are usually given mifepristone in a clinic and return to a day or two later to receive misoprostol until the procedure is complete, a process that frequently requires an overnight stay in hospital.



Based on a randomized control trial of 435 women having a medical abortion between 12 and 22 weeks published in the Lancet medical journal, researchers from universities and hospitals in Sweden found medical abortions conducted after 12 weeks of pregnancy were as safe and as effective when misoprostol was started at home instead of in hospital and that women managing the early stages of care at home spent less time in hospital.



Of the pregnant people starting misoprostol at home and returning to clinics to receive further doses—several are usually required to complete the procedure—71% spent fewer than nine hours in hospital, compared to 46% of those in the hospital treatment group, the peer reviewed study showed.



There were no differences in the pain reported by patients in either group, the type and number of side effects or rates of hospital admission earlier than what was planned, the researchers said, adding that a follow up survey revealed 78% of the home group said they preferred their allocated treatment option compared to just 49% of the hospital group.



One of the study’s authors Johanna Rydelius, a gynecologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and researcher at the University of Gothenburg, said the findings offer a safe alternative to a practice that often requires overnight stays many women “find stressful and isolating” and could potentially lead to more “feelings of autonomy during a time where women can feel extremely vulnerable.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



“Increasing access to abortion later in pregnancy is a crucial component of the struggle for reproductive autonomy,” said Heidi Moseson and Caitlin Gerdts, researchers at Ibis Reproductive Health, a U.S. non-profit reproductive health research organization, in a linked comment piece published alongside the study in the Lancet. Given the “overwhelming preference for at-home” misoprostol administration among the pregnant people involved in the study, Moseson and Gerdts, who were not involved in the research, said reforming guidance and “moving towards a less clinically supervised model of medical abortion care later in pregnancy is an important first step” for improving access.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-do-current-guidelines-recommend-facility-based-medication-abortions-after-12-weeks">Why Do Current Guidelines Recommend Facility-Based Medication Abortions After 12 Weeks?</h2>



This is because of the greater risk of complications the procedure carries in later stages of pregnancy that may require additional care. This could include pain, bleeding, infection or an incomplete abortion (material remaining). But despite “profound” implications for access, the requirement to administer medications in clinical settings is “driven primarily by the absence of data on alternative models of care,” Moseson and Gerdts explained. This system “limits the number and type of facilities that can offer abortion care after 12 weeks,” they added, pointing to limited bed spaces and staffing requirements needed to keep people overnight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, many states across the U.S. have harshly restricted access to abortion. The procedure is now&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2024/jul/29/abortion-laws-bans-by-state" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">banned</a>&nbsp;from conception in 14 states and from six weeks—a time many people are not even aware they are pregnant—in four states, with the future of abortion uncertain in a handful of other states due to legal challenges. While exceptions are made under limited circumstances in states banning abortion, these vary by state and clinicians and health experts have complained the vague or inconsistent language setting out exceptions are out of touch with medical reality and unworkable in practice. This fits within broader efforts to roll back reproductive care even further, such as Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2qq1wqw3w2o" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">attempts</a>&nbsp;to restrict access to mifepristone. The matter has polarized the country and both Democrats and Republicans have seized upon reproductive healthcare as a major dividing issue for the upcoming presidential election.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



625,978. That’s how many legal induced abortions there were in the U.S. in 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/reproductive-health/data-statistics/abortion-surveillance-findings-reports.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the CDC, excluding California, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey, which did not submit data to the agency. Almost all of these, 93.5%, happened at or before 13 weeks.

Woman holding pills and glass of water while standing in kitchen at home

Self-Managing Some Abortion Care Later In Pregnancy Is Safe, Effective And Boosts Access, Researchers Say

The time to plan for the sudden influx of aged and dated solar materials is now– Africa can’t afford to become a toxic dumping ground for the e-waste detritus left behind by solar.



Over the past few years, Africa’s corporates and consumers went solar at an unprecedented speed. Statista found that as of the end of 2022, South Africa was in the lead with more than 6 gigawatts followed by Egypt (1.7 gigawatts), Morocco with 858 megawatts, Algeria with 460 megawatts and Senegal at 263 megawatts. The total gigawatts across the continent have increased significantly over the past 10 years from only 331 megawatts in 2011 to 12.6 gigawatts in 2022 – a 16-fold capacity increase. Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Tanzania are currently expected to see the most rapid transitions to clean energy by 2030, while Namibia’s growth is the fourth-fastest in the world as per research group Zero Carbon Analytics’ 2023 report Africa’s Energy Transition: Solar and Wind Fuel Energy Security.



The region is gaining traction. Research from the above report found that deployment of solar energy is the fastest-growing resource on the continent and accounted for 57% of renewable investments between 2010 and 2021. Investments in the off-grid sector were the highest in Africa over a similar 10-year period (2010-2020) at 70% and a value of $1.7 billion. When this level of investment is wedded to the life-span of the technologies used to power solar panels and farms, there’s another question companies and governments should be asking about solar – where’s the bin? If millions of solar panels and batteries are being imported into Africa, with a lifespan of around 20 years, what is being done to ensure that countries investing heavily in solar today are putting the right recycling plans in place?



“Typically, when we speak about solar waste, it includes solar panels, PV panels, inverters, solar PV batteries, rooftop solar frames, ground-based frames, junction boxes and embedded cables,” Mervin Olivier, Eastern Cape Chair at the Institute of Waste Man- agement of Southern Africa, tells FORBES AFRICA. “There’s a lot of solar waste and typically people just talk about the PV panel. As they reach end of life, thousands of panels will need replacing and recycling will become absolutely critical.”



The International Renewable Energy Agency has predicted that by 2050, 78 million metric tons of solar panels will reach the end of their lives. The issue is the toxicity of the materials within solar installations. Solar panels have lead, cadmium, silver, and arsenic that, at certain levels, are quantified as hazardous waste, the batteries used to power solar installations are lithium-ion phos- phate batteries which are flammable, and difficult to contain. The problem is that most solar panels and their detritus are dumped in landfills because there’s no profit in their ethical dismantling and destruction – the few precious metals locked within the e-waste are difficult to extract and their value too low for the effort.



“Solar PV panels contain aluminium and glass which can be re- cycled, but the harmful chemicals in the batteries and the panels are difficult to recycle, which is why a lot of companies in Europe are sending them to countries in Africa, like Ghana, where they strip elements like copper out of the equipment and sell it,” Minnette Le Roux, Head of the Environment Department, Principal Environ- mental Specialist at law and consultancy advisory firm NSDV tells FORBES AFRICA. 



“Then counties in Africa are left sitting with these massive amounts of hazardous waste. Some countries in Africa are part of the Basel Convention preventing the transport of waste but some are not part of the convention and accept the hazardous waste. There are no plants in Africa that actually recycle what’s left of the batteries – this is one of the biggest concerns – and no landfill sites designed to handle this type of waste.”



It’s a sentiment echoed by Ashley du Plooy, CEO at ERA NPC (E-waste Recycling Authority), who adds that countries like Nigeria and Ghana have become major dumping grounds for electronic waste with strips of urban land covered in e-waste that’s being smashed and burned for the extraction of metals. “Quantifying the problem is very difficult,” he says. “Especially since solar waste is new and growing at a pace four times higher than solid municipal waste.”



Solar waste across all its iterations is a growing risk to human and environmental health across Africa. As solar installations reach end of life, particularly over the next few years, there’s a need for innovative startups to step up and help reframe the con- versation for the continent.



One such startup is EWaste Africa and Managing Director Pravashen Naidoo tells FORBES AFRICA: “In the past 12 months, we recycled close to 16,000 solar panels. I think we’re the first in Africa doing this – we haven’t been able to find anyone else doing it and getting the financial value from the process.” EWaste Africa is ISO 14001 compliant with a focus on environmental compli- ance, and one of its facilities is currently commissioning a patented technology for the extraction of rare earth metals and can be used to transform significant quantities of electronic waste.



“Government landfill sites are not designed with the right levels and layers to handle these hazardous materials, and with nearly 17 million installed panels as of the end of 2023, we need to make a plan that works,” says Naidoo. As Olivier concludes: “It’s essential that African countries develop a solar panel end-of-life plan similar to one recently published by Australia. 



More of a focus on enforcement to ensure compliance, and increased consumer pressure holding manufac- turers responsible – and this includes importers and distributors. They need to provide safe transportation of old materials and drive the implementation of a lifecycle methodology with cradle- to-the-grave opportunities.” There is, he says, time to prepare, innovate and implement a responsible plan before the waste tsunami hits. But will people listen?

A view of discarded solar panel components below a power

After Solar, Comes Lead: Why Africa Can’t Afford To Become A Toxic Dumping Ground For E-Waste

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Drug manufacturers have created updated monovalent COVID-19 vaccines to protect against currently circulating variants, and the shots—which have shown to be more effective than the now-available vaccines—are expected to be available as soon as this month.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



New COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024-2025 fall and winter respiratory virus season were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/06/05/fda-panel-recommends-new-covid-vaccines-for-jn1-lineage-by-fall/">recommended</a>&nbsp;by the Food and Drug Administration, and the agency advised Americans to take the vaccines when they become available.



COVID-19 cases&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/covid-19-can-surge-throughout-the-year.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">historically spike</a>&nbsp;during the fall and winter months around the same time as flu and respiratory syncytial virus season, so the updated vaccines are expected to be available ahead of this to help curb an uptick in cases.



The FDA originally recommended the vaccines target the coronavirus’ JN.1 variant, but later changed this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/updated-covid-19-vaccines-use-united-states-beginning-fall-2024?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">recommendation</a>&nbsp;to advise manufacturers to focus on the KP.2 strain of the JN line after reviewing updated case data.



Both <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/179142/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moderna</a> and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/179144/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pfizer</a> said they were prepared to formulate either vaccine—and will make KP.2 vaccines after the FDA’s updated guidance—while <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/179143/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Novavax</a> said its manufacturing for a JN.1 shot is already underway and it won’t have a KP.2-specific shot ready in time for the fall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When Will The Vaccines Be Available?</h2>



Each drug manufacturer gave different <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/06/05/fda-panel-recommends-new-covid-vaccines-for-jn1-lineage-by-fall/%5C">timelines</a> for when their respective vaccines will be ready during a June meeting with the FDA. Pfizer said its vaccine will be available this fall ahead of flu season. Moderna said its shot will be available as soon as August, while Novavax gave a September 1 deadline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who Is Eligible For The Vaccines?</h2>



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s-t0627-vaccine-recommendations.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">recommends</a>&nbsp;everyone six months and older to get an updated vaccine regardless of if they were previously vaccinated. Both&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2024/Moderna-Files-FDA-Application-for-the-JN.1-Targeting-COVID-19-Vaccine/default.aspx" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Moderna</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-receive-positive-chmp-opinion-omicron-3" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Pfizer’s</a>&nbsp;vaccines will be available for people six months and older, while&nbsp;<a href="https://ir.novavax.com/press-releases/U-S-ACIP-Recommends-Use-of-Authorized-and-Approved-2024-2025-COVID-19-Vaccines#:~:text=Novavax%20intends%20to%20provide%20doses,individuals%20aged%2012%20and%20older." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Novavax’s</a>&nbsp;shot will be directed towards those 12 years and older.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Are The Vaccines Free?</h2>



No, the vaccines won’t be free like they were in previous years, though their price isn’t known yet. The shots will be covered for people with Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans like they were in the past,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/getting-your-covid-19-vaccine.html#:~:text=Paying%20for%20COVID%2D19%20vaccines,%2C%20Medicare%2C%20and%20Medicaid%20plans." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the CDC. The CDC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bridge Access Program</a>&nbsp;offered free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured adults in the past. It was set to end in December, but the agency announced it would shut down in August due to lack of funding. However, Biden administration officials are looking into acquiring permanent funding so a similar vaccine program will be offered to adults who don’t have insurance, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/05/22/cdc-covid-bridge-access-program-ending/73733643007/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;USA Today. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines-for-children/about/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Vaccines for Children Program</a>&nbsp;will continue providing free vaccines to children of parents who can’t afford coverage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Effective Are The Vaccines?</h2>



Though the now-available vaccines—originally created to combat the XBB.1.5 variant—are effective at protecting against the JN lineage, the updated vaccines from all three manufacturers offered greater protection. Moderna’s KP.2 vaccine was up to <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/179143/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eight times</a> more effective at protecting mice against JN variants than its XBB.1.5 vaccine. When compared to its now-available XBB vaccine, Pfizer’s KP.2 COVID-19 vaccine offered up to a 7.3-times stronger response to mice infected with KP.2 and several other JN variants, according to <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/179144/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trial data</a>. Novavax scientists gave mice an XBB.1.5 vaccine and then administered the JN.1 shot 11 months after. The JN.1 vaccine was up to <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/179143/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">48 times</a> more effective at protecting against the JN lineage than the initial XBB.1.5 shot.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Background</h2>



Both KP.2 and JN.1 are descendants of the omicron COVID-19 variant. KP.2 was the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/05/22/covids-new-flirt-variants-what-to-know-as-experts-fear-summer-surge/?sh=59372a3dd705">most dominant</a>&nbsp;variant circulating in the U.S. in May, June and most of July. However as of August 3 it’s only the fifth most prominent variant, while three of its descendants are the first, second and fourth most dominant strains, according to CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">data</a>. JN.1 was the leading variant during the spring, but now makes up less than 1% of cases. KP.2 and its offsprings are descendants of JN.1 and only have a few different mutations, so a JN.1-specific vaccine should offer some protection against these variants,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/other/ema-confirms-its-recommendation-update-antigenic-composition-authorised-covid-19-vaccines-2024-2025_en.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the European Medicines Agency.

Vaccinations at Egoli Township as Omicron Cases Spread

Updated COVID Vaccines Are Coming: Effectiveness, Who’s Eligible And More

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



British Pharma giant GSK&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-and-curevac-to-restructure-collaboration-into-new-licensing-agreement/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday it will pay as much as $1.5 billion to take control of several mRNA vaccines from vaccine developer CureVac, sending shares of the struggling German biotech soaring during premarket trading and strengthening the British drugmaker’s vaccine portfolio as it tries to compete with the likes of Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



GSK said it would pay €400 million ($430 million) upfront to CureVac to take full control of developing and manufacturing mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, seasonal flu and avian influenza (bird flu).



The British drugmaker said it would pay an additional €1.05 billion ($1.13 billion) upon reaching various development, regulatory and sales milestones for the shots, as well as royalties from sales.



The shots for COVID and flu are in mid stage clinical trials and the deal could see GSK regularly update vaccines to combat seasonal variants and potentially develop&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/06/10/modernas-covid-flu-vaccine-shows-stronger-immune-response-than-individual-shots-late-stage-trial-finds/">joint COVID-flu shots</a>, while GSK said the bird flu vaccine is in the earliest stage of clinical trials.



Available data for all vaccine candidates suggest they could be “best-in-class new vaccines,” GSK said.



GSK’s chief scientific officer Tony Wood said the company is “excited about our flu/COVID-19 programmes and the opportunity to develop best-in-class mRNA vaccines to change the standard of care” and the company told Reuters the deal will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/gsk-buys-full-rights-make-covid-influenza-vaccines-curevac-2024-07-03/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">not impact</a>&nbsp;the size of GSK’s $140 million stake in CureVac.



Shares for GSK during trading hours in London were flat Wednesday morning but shares for Nasdaq listed CureVac were up around 25% during premarket trading and CEO Alexander Zehnder said the deal strengthens the company’s “financial position and enables us to focus on efforts in building a strong R&amp;D pipeline.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happened-to-curevac-and-what-will-it-do-now">WHAT HAPPENED TO CUREVAC AND WHAT WILL IT DO NOW?</h2>



mRNA specialist CureVac&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-and-curevac-announce-strategic-mrna-technology-collaboration/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">started</a>&nbsp;working with GSK to develop shots using the technology during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair fell behind other companies like Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech, who rapidly brought shots to market, and the duo has failed to develop shots of comparable efficacy in the time since. While pharma titan GSK, one of the world’s biggest vaccine manufacturers, was able to weather the storm, CureVac has never recovered from the precipitous drop in its share price brought about by its failure to bring an mRNA product to market, plunging from around $115 per share in mid 2021 and to around $4 today, a figure that includes today’s spike. CureVac’s dim outlook was similar in nature to that of the other mRNA specialists that rose to fame in the COVID-19 pandemic, notably Boston-based Moderna and Germany’s BioNTech, and like them CureVac is turning its attention to other medical applications of mRNA platforms. The company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.curevac.com/en/curevac-initiates-strategic-restructuring-to-align-resources-with-focus-on-high-value-mrna-pipeline-opportunities/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;it will use the cash injection to prioritize “high-value opportunities” such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/06/04/what-to-know-about-personalized-mrna-cancer-vaccines-after-promising-trials-from-moderna-and-merck/">mRNA cancer vaccines</a>&nbsp;and other areas “of substantial unmet medical need.” CureVac also said it will lay off 30% of staff as part of a wider restructuring effort to “streamline” operations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



CureVac said it expects to report data from early stage clinical trials of its mRNA cancer vaccine candidate for glioblastoma in the second half of 2024. By the end of 2025, CureVac said it expects to have two clinical cancer vaccine candidates ready for solid tumors and blood cancers, with clinical trials set to begin by the end of 2026. The cash from the GSK deal, alongside expected savings from restructuring, will “extend CureVac’s cash runway into 2028,” the company said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“Now, we can embark on a new chapter for CureVac,” Zehnder said in a statement. While describing the layoffs as unfortunate, Zehnder said he is “convinced that this is a necessary step to ensure the long-term success of CureVac.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



CureVac’s vaccine&nbsp;<a href="https://www.curevac.com/en/pipeline/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">pipeline</a>&nbsp;includes a candidate shot for H5N1 influenza, a variant of bird flu that is tearing through poultry and cattle farms in the U.S. Given growing concerns of a potential pandemic in humans brewing, it is an area that could garner GSK interest and funding for rapid development in the near future, particularly given the easily modifiable nature of mRNA vaccines that make them ideal for responding to emerging outbreaks. Vaccine rival Moderna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/07/02/moderna-scores-federal-funding-for-mrna-bird-flu-vaccine-as-pandemic-fears-grow/">inked</a>&nbsp;a deal to secure $176 million in U.S. government funding on Tuesday to test avian flu vaccines in humans with a view to bringing a “pre-pandemic” shot to market.



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Thailand Rolls Out Pfizer Vaccine

GSK Secures mRNA Vaccines For Bird Flu, COVID And Seasonal Flu From Struggling Biotech CureVac

Andrew Robinson has an impressive track-record of building big businesses in Africa and around the world.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“The biggest thing Covid taught me is that when something is failing, another thing is succeeding.”
</blockquote>



With ventures that span multiple industries and countries, at 46, Andrew Robinson is someone who already holds many titles – CEO of Siand, founder of SiSebenza, Executive Director of WeWork South Africa, Co-founder of AM Vineyards and Co-founder of TradingHouse Global. From farming to commodities trading to making the WeWork model successful in South Africa, Robinson’s incredibly diverse business portfolio is not only a testament to his strategic insight but also his pragmatism. As an entrepreneur, Robinson has managed to remain grounded, prioritizing his physical and mental wellbeing while maintaining a minimalist lifestyle. Everything works because of this inherent practicality. &nbsp;



“Business is simple,” he says. “Anybody who I sit down with that complicates business is genuinely less successful. At the end of the day, you’ve got to make sure that you sell it for more than it costs you to service and that you’ve got enough fat in to make profit.”



For Robinson, a business cannot simply be a passion project, investment requires numbers – the basic fundamentals of revenue, costs and profitability. Although he has a proactive, excited attitude, Robinson understands the importance of never romanticizing his business ventures. “The numbers will tell you if it’s an investable thing because at the end of the day, numbers are the language of business,” he adds.



Making WeWork work



In 2017, Robinson approached WeWork to become its African partner. “At the time, WeWork was going through massive growth but didn’t really know much about the South African market,” he elaborates. “We weren’t able to do the deal at the time – they weren’t ready for us.” Stepping out of the picture but staying close to the global WeWork team, it took seven years to get the co-working space into the country.



“Today, we have the most innovative, exciting startups as well as some of the biggest companies in the world taking space at WeWork South Africa. It&#8217;s a hive of activity, the lighthouse of the city,” he smiles, adding that through SiSebenza, his holding company, there are plans to open WeWork offices in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Mauritius. “SiSebenza was born to catch this mythological unicorn… but we weren’t able to,” laughs Robinson. “Instead, SiSebenza became a private equity investment vehicle for disruptive technologies and businesses.”



Making an impact



From TradingHouse Global, a commodity trading operation that sources, warehouses and delivers physical products across the globe (and includes supplying humanitarian aid to some of the world’s most distressed areas) to AM Vineyards, a premium yet sustainable wine production business that has become a massive player in the Chinese market, Robinson knows what it means to diversify as well as why it’s an important part of mitigating risk. “The biggest thing Covid taught me is that when something is failing, another thing is succeeding,” he adds.



Born in Africa, TradingHouse is one of Robinson’s most interesting ventures to date. With long-term contracts in place, he describes it as a simple logistics business – they’re moving containers; trading commodities. “But because we’ve learned how to operate in different environments, there’s now a new division in the business that focuses on humanitarian aid,” he says. “We operate in some of the most complicated places on the planet as well as in countries that are in difficult spaces. In <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/opinion/2024/06/03/limbo-luxury-and-the-long-road-to-a-new-home/">Albania</a>, for example, there was a call for help from our partners. We’re not making money out of it but we’re doing good work.”



The end game



Even though everything Robinson is involved with differs, as a businessman, his approach remains consistent – he’s solution-oriented but also someone who understands the value of discernment. “The older I&#8217;ve got, the more I&#8217;ve learned to say no. I used to say yes to everything and you kind of find yourself on this hamster wheel of not being efficient. It zaps your energy,” he explains. Being active in so many organizations requires good partnerships and smart people, something Robinson has found with Stefano Migliore, the CEO of WeWork South Africa and Executive Director of SiSebenza.



Forever focused on the outcome – the end game – is what Robinson believes is his ‘secret power’. “When I get involved in a business, I see what the end is. It’s a very strange thing. When somebody brings an opportunity to me or we&#8217;re trying to figure something out, I always see what the outcome is,” says Robinson. “When an artist starts painting, he knows the painting before he begins. For a business, I see the painting, what the business looks like… it’s just my thing.”



For Robinson, this unconventional approach is a gift. He believes that success comes from understanding what the problem is before you can solve it. “First seek to understand before you are understood,” he adds. This is why jumping into something headfirst without planning is not an option, especially within the distressed environments he operates in. “It’s not only a lot of thought, it’s contingency. This and that happens. You cannot go in and expect to figure things out after. It’s a chess game that you play and you have to be ten moves ahead on the board.”

Andrew Robinson; Photo by Manelisi Dabata

The South African Serial Entrepreneur On Co-Working Spaces And Staying Grounded

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



An ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/06/12/bird-flu-h5n1-explained-bird-flu-h5n1-explained-toddler-infected-with-another-strain-second-human-case-in-india/">bird flu</a>&nbsp;outbreak among U.S. dairy cows has led to three confirmed human cases in dairy workers, and although there aren’t any confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission, experts warn safety measures like masks, vaccines and safety goggles will be needed if a pandemic is declared due to the virus’s deadly nature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Forbes it’s monitoring human and animal exposure to H5N1 bird flu and watching the situation carefully, though “the current public health risk is low.”



Although rare, bird flu typically affects humans who’ve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/h5n1-human-infections.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">come in contact</a>&nbsp;with infected birds, and there aren’t any confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission.



The virus may spread from animals to humans through airborne transmission and through contact with infected surfaces, Dr. Jessica Justman, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at Columbia University, told Forbes, though the exact transmission process isn’t fully understood.



Former CDC director Robert Redfield—who helped oversee the agency during the COVID-19 pandemic—<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGsM9IgVAJo" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;NewsNation earlier this month a bird flu pandemic is inevitable, so “it’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when.”



Redfield brought up bird flu’s high death rate as a cause for concern if a pandemic were to be declared: Of the 889 confirmed human cases between 2003 and May, 52% resulted in death, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/wpro---documents/emergency/surveillance/avian-influenza/ai_20240621.pdf?sfvrsn=78c8c282_5" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;from the World Health Organization.



WHO defines&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/westernpacific/activities/preparing-for-pandemics" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">pandemics</a>&nbsp;as large-scale outbreaks that can claim millions of lives, disrupt societies and devastate economies; it&nbsp;<a href="https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/66155/WHO_CDS_CSR_EDC_99.1.pdf?sequence=1&amp;isAllowed=y#:~:text=The%20Pandemic%20will%20be%20declared,one%20segment%20of%20the%20population." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">won’t declare</a>&nbsp;a bird flu pandemic until the virus causes several outbreaks in at least one country and spreads to another with high death rates in at least one segment of the population.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-safety-measures-may-be-put-in-place-if-a-bird-flu-pandemic-is-declared">WHAT SAFETY MEASURES MAY BE PUT IN PLACE IF A BIRD FLU PANDEMIC IS DECLARED?</h2>



Experts have cautioned that if a bird flu pandemic is declared, safety measures will need to be put in place to mitigate the spread. Dr. Donal Bisanzio, a senior epidemiologist with the nonprofit research institute RTI International, told Forbes methods like masking and social distancing should be the first implemented. “Those are all the kinds of interventions we need to put in place to buy time for the vaccine,” Bisanzio said. Justman told Forbes new methods like protective eyewear may be effective safety measures, especially among farm workers who have daily contact with potentially infectious animals. This is because all&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/p0530-h5-human-case-michigan.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">three</a>&nbsp;U.S. dairy farmers infected with bird flu had eye-related symptoms like pink eye and irritation, indicating the virus may spread when humans touch or rub their eyes with infected hands. She also pointed to a recent CDC bird flu&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/study-ferrets-eye-exposure.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;that found ferrets—that as mammals have similar respiratory tracts to humans—became infected after eye exposure. Dr. Maciej Boni, an epidemiologist and professor at Temple University, told Forbes he doesn’t think safety measures for a bird flu pandemic will be similar to those put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic because experts don’t know yet how the virus will behave if it mutates and begins transmitting between humans. “H5N1 is not 10 or 20 times more deadly [than COVID-19], it’s 1,000 times more deadly,” Boni said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-are-there-human-bird-flu-vaccines">ARE THERE HUMAN BIRD FLU VACCINES?</h2>



There are several FDA-approved bird flu vaccines, including ones made by <a href="https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/audenz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sequirs</a> and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/safety-availability-biologics/influenza-h5n1-virus-monovalent-vaccine-adjuvanted-manufactured-id-biomedical-corporation-questions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biomedical</a> Corporation of Quebec, a subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals. The U.S. has a <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-we-have-enough-bird-flu-vaccines-for-a-potential-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stockpile</a> of FDA-approved bird flu vaccines, but they’re not enough to vaccinate the entire country. Sequirs said it <a href="https://www.precisionvaccinations.com/vaccines/audenz-avian-influenza-vaccine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expects</a> to have 150 million vaccines ready within six months of an announcement of a human bird flu pandemic. “I think the right course of action is to simply premanufacture several 100 million doses of vaccines and just have them ready,” Boni said regarding pandemic preparation. Sequirs also <a href="https://www.cslseqirus.us/news/csl-seqirus-announces-us-government-award-in-response-to-avian-influenza" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> in May it was selected by a brand of the Department of Health and Human Services to create almost 5 million doses of its bird flu vaccines as a form of pre-pandemic preparedness. Bisanzio pointed out better communication between public health agencies and the public will be needed for a bird flu vaccine rollout because “there was a lot of misinformation [about the COVID-19 pandemic], and that caused issues with the vaccine rollout, and some people didn’t even want to get a vaccine,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



As of May 21, more than 97 million poultry (primarily chickens) in 48 states have been euthanized because of bird flu since 2022, and cases have been confirmed in 118 dairy cow herds across 12 states, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-flu-summary.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;from the CDC (unlike chickens, cows&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/milk-bird-flu-cow-testing/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">appear to recover</a>&nbsp;from the virus). The Department of Agriculture believes wild migratory birds are the original source of the cow outbreaks that recently has experts concerned the virus may mutate and spread more easily in humans. Jeremy Farrar, chief scientist for WHO,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/04/18/who-warns-threat-of-bird-flu-spreading-to-humans-is-great-concern/?sh=32a2a3cb1176">called</a>&nbsp;the cattle infections in the U.S. a “huge concern,” urging public health officials to continue closely monitoring the situation “because it may evolve into transmitting in different ways.” Though there’s no evidence a human has contracted bird flu from eating infected meat, the USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/avian-influenza-food-safety-qa.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">urges</a>&nbsp;people to eat meat prepared at safe temperatures. To be properly cooked, whole beef cuts must be cooked to an internal temperature of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/bbq-iq.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">145 degrees</a>&nbsp;Fahrenheit, ground meat must be cooked to 160 degrees and poultry must be cooked to 165 degrees. Rare and medium rare steaks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/kitchen/doneness.php" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fall below</a>&nbsp;this temperature. Properly cooked eggs with an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit kill bacteria and viruses including bird flu,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/spotlights/2021-2022/bird-flu-poses-low-risk-public.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the CDC. Consuming unpasteurized dairy products is also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/updates-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">advised against</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/06/12/bird-flu-h5n1-explained-bird-flu-h5n1-explained-toddler-infected-with-another-strain-second-human-case-in-india/">Bird Flu (H5N1) Explained: Toddler Infected With Another Strain—Second Human Case In India</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

Tag: Coronavirus

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