WiRED International’s board of directors and volunteers are saddened to report the death of Guillermo Guerra at age 60 from COVID-19 on March 2, 2021, in Iquitos, Peru. Mr. Guerra was a longtime friend of WiRED through his work for Project Amazonas, WiRED’s partner in serving the health needs of low-resource communities along the Peruvian Amazon.
More and more people are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 each day now that multiple vaccines are starting to become available. The question is: Where are they available and to whom? While more than 227.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered globally, some countries have not seen a single dose, including many communities using WiRED International programs.
Does your mask fit tightly? Do you double mask? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just issued new guidelines on getting the best protection from COVID-19 when wearing a mask.
Update on WiRED Community Health Workers in Kenya CHWs Continue to Grow in Knowledge and Experience Despite a Challenging Year By: Jessie Crowdy; Edited by Allison Kozicharow WiRED International brought our Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Program to Kisumu, Kenya, in 2020. Since then, CHWs have been actively tending to the health of the populations […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, children are asking questions. At home, in the classroom, through the news and social media, they are hearing words such as “virus,” “immunity’ and “vaccine” and wondering what they mean.
Scientists all over the world reacted quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic and created a number of vaccines to curb this modern day plague. Unfortunately, because of the unprecedented nature of its scope and challenges, the distribution of the vaccine has proved slow and disorganized. What’s more, many people are confused by unclear information and worry about vaccine safety or even if they should get the shot at all.
At the start of each year since 1999, we have released the plans that guide WiRED International’s efforts for the next 12 months. Last year our objective was to launch a major new community health worker (CHW) training program. After COVID-19 struck, we had to make a number of mid-course corrections to stay on track. By the end of 2020, though, we met our goals to test the CHW training program in four countries. That success was due to the flexibility of a small and nimble organization, good working relationships with partners abroad and, admittedly, a bit of luck.
As the COVID-19 vaccine distribution rolls out in countries around the world, many of us have questions. Is it safe? Should I get it at all?
The global race to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine has been swift and fierce — arguably the most massive effort humans have ever mounted against a disease. Now that vaccines exist and have passed through clinical trials for safety and effectiveness, the majority of people have to get vaccinated for the world to be rid of this deadly disease. As long as the virus lives in the human population, it will continue as a threat.
In early December the Lancet called for an urgent Africa COVID-19 plan of action to protect communities where the virus is still persistently spreading. To that end, WiRED International’s community health workers (CHWs) — graduates of WiRED’s CHW training program — continue their committed service to teach and inform communities in Kisumu, Kenya, about how to prevent and address COVID-19 and many other health concerns. WiRED CHWs provide crucial support to underserved populations with basic clinical services and in teaching first aid, health and preventative measures — knowledge that the people can then apply at home with their own families.
WiRED International’s board and volunteers wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
This American holiday is about sharing, and this year that must include the sharing of good health practices as COVID-19 cases and deaths are increasing everywhere at an alarming rate. Counter to the large celebrations we have come to expect at Thanksgiving, people this year are wise to avoid gatherings of more than a few close family members, to maintain social distance, to wash hands often and to wear a mask.