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Ohio’s Covid Czar Hopes to Be the State’s Democratic Governor
Amy Acton’s service to retiring Gov. Mike DeWine gives her bipartisan credibility in a Republican state, but that service, leading Ohio’s pandemic response, also stirs charged emotions.
Did grants given to Fairfax Co. businesses during COVID actually help?
Fairfax County’s pandemic grant programs helped hundreds of local businesses survive the steep economic downturn of 2020.
White House taps Jay Bhattacharya, CDC critic, to lead agency for now
The co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, which rebuked CDC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, will oversee the nation’s leading public health agency.
The Future of PAHPA and National Public Health Preparedness
Learn how the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act impacts public health emergency readiness and proposed changes to this legislation.
Parkview: COVID-19 pandemic had created new molds, standards for healthcare
While people lives their lives mostly maskless today, some practices adapted to pandemic times have integrated within daily healthcare, and others pandemic-age practices are lying in wait for the p…
Scientists sound alarm over 'silent pandemic' that could kill more people than cancer by 2050: 'No one is speaking about it'
"Future mortality will depend on how health systems, policymakers, and societies address the risks now."
Paris says 'oui' to booming business of romantic proposals
STORY: This Texan couple have been dating for one year.And Josue Perales wanted extra special celebrations with his girlfriend Kayla Balboa. On a candlelit terrace, overlooking the Eiffel Tower, she says "yes".Balboa had always wanted a Paris proposal. "She's always been mentioning how...""This is my dream place.""This is her dream... well, here we are."To make sure every detail was perfect, Perales employed the help of a local marriage proposal planning agency.And he's not the only one.Paris is seeing a surge in demand for elaborate marriage proposals like this one.Thanks to social media, TV shows and events showcasing the "City of Love", the entire industry catering to love-struck couples willing to pay thousands for unforgettable moments is booming.Les Entremetteuses, or "The Matchmakers", helped Perales get his "yes".Founder Pauline Le Tendre says Valentine's Day is her "busiest day of the year."But she says she's busy all year round - after demand started growing in 2019, with a brief lull during the pandemic."Once the borders reopened, it steadily increased. After that, there were a couple of boosts with (the TV show) 'Emily in Paris,' the Paris Olympics also. We had a lot of work after the Games."The company's proposal packages start at 590 euros, or just under $700, for a proposal on the Seine river banks.The average spend can go up to $2,400 - with some clients spending more for extras, like performers.:: Kiss Me in Paris/Artem Martynov & Anastasia KalynaFor those wanting to splurge even more, Kiss Me in Paris has them covered.The agency says its clients typically spend an average of about $12,000 on their experiences - or as much as some $118,000.:: Kiss Me in Paris/Tuan Nguyen FilmsLuxurious proposals are choreographed in high-end hotels, aboard yachts on the Seine, or in authentic French chateaux."To just be able to, in your social circles, say, 'We got engaged in Paris,' is great, right? It has prestige, it has cachet." That's Cengiz Ozelsel, who co-founded Kiss Me in Paris with his wife Chantelle Marie Streete.They say bookings have more than doubled since 2015.While the more budget-friendly Oui Love Paris agency told Reuters, its bookings have quadrupled since 2020.For many planners, though, the payoff is more than just numbers."I absolutely love it because... people are inviting you into their lives at one of the most special times in their lives."
Vaccines are a national security issue, says global health official
Vaccines are a matter of national security, a leading global health figure said this week, warning that rising anti-vaccine sentiment worldwide could undermine efforts to fight future pandemics.
Minnesota officials call Trump administration’s health grant cuts ‘retribution’
Funding supported nurses and others providing rural health access as well as efforts to prepare Minnesota for future pandemics or public health emergencies.
St. Pete nurse turns pandemic pastime into booming DIY jewelry bar business
What started as a pandemic pastime has turned into a creative business, helping others make their own sparkle.
ICE surge gives Minnesota businesses pandemic flashbacks
Some businesses face conditions "as bad, if not worse" than COVID — but dim prospects for COVID-style aid.
WHO Didn’t Recommend Lockdowns, Contrary to Health Officials' Suggestions
As the U.S. formally exited from the World Health Organization last month, Trump administration officials misleadingly claimed that the WHO “pushed” or “promoted” lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group did not explicitly recommend lockdowns, although it also did not advise countries not to implement them. It said it recognized that the measures might be needed in some cases.
Is the PPPLF Still Encouraging Small Business Lending?
The Federal Reserve designed its Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility to ease liquidity issues and support small business lending during the pandemic. The liquidity facility allowed banks to pledge Paycheck Protection Program loans as risk-free collateral during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis shows that, although the program has essentially ended, the positive effects on small business lending have persisted, particularly among small banks with lower liquidity, in keeping with the intent of the program.
Meet the ‘Sports Lady’ Reenergizing Her District's Athletics
This athletics leader is working to reverse post-pandemic declines, especially for girls.
From COVID’s uncertainty, a stronger small-business culture emerged in Nevada
In the middle of the pandemic, when it seemed like business after business in Las Vegas was closing, Upbeat Health was just getting started. Today, the Summerlin clinic’s mobile wound-care team has grown nearly tenfold, one small example of ...
Trump admin uncovers 'staggering' $8.6 billion in suspected California small business fraud
California pandemic loan fraud totals $8.6 billion as Small Business Administration suspends over 111,000 borrowers. Kelly Loeffler criticized Biden administration.
Jeane Freeman: SNP politician who led Covid response
The former SNP politician spent her life in public service and inherited the health brief just before the global pandemic.
Former Scottish health secretary Jeane Freeman dies aged 7X
The former SNP politician was a key figure in the Scottish government's response to the Covid pandemic.
KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Trust in the CDC and Views of Federal Childhood Vaccine Schedule Changes
Weeks after the Trump administration reduced the number of childhood vaccine recommended for routine use, public trust in the CDC is at its lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic, and less than half are confident in federal agencies' ability to make such recommendations. Among those who have heard about the revised recommendations, more say they expect the changes to have a negative impact than a positive one on children’s health.
CBER Report: Nevada Led the Nation in Post-Pandemic Small Business Growth
New analysis by UNLV's Center for Business and Economic Research shows that 40 percent of Nevada’s employer firms were created after COVID-19 as new entrepreneurs reshaped the state’s recovery.
Pandemic disruptions to health care worsened cancer survival, study suggests
NEW YORK (AP) — During the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts worried that disruptions to cancer diagnosis and treatment would cost lives. A new study suggests they were right.
Pandemic disruptions to health care worsened cancer survival, study suggests
A new study reveals that cancer patients diagnosed during the early COVID-19 pandemic had worse short-term survival rates than a similar group before the pandemic
States Join WHO Network After U.S. Withdrawal
Illinois on Tuesday followed in California’s footsteps to become the second state to join the World Health Organization’s pandemic response network after President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the organization. The U.S. departure from WHO became official in late January, with the Department ...
It’s 2026 and You’re Uninsured. Now What?
Many Americans are expected to lose ACA or Medicaid coverage in coming months and years as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the expiration of enhanced pandemic-era subsidies that helped people afford Obamacare plans. Doctors and researchers say there are still ways to find affordable care.
The Next Crisis Won’t Wait: Why Pandemic Preparedness Is a Business Imperative
Global health security —the ability to protect against the negative impacts of disease outbreaks — is too important to be left solely to the public sector. Industry has a vital interest in helping countries better prepare for future epidemics and pandemics.
In one South Carolina county, measles starts to feel like next pandemic
Health experts fear a future where measles outbreaks keep taking over towns with low vaccination rates.
The Observatory and WHO Ukraine reflect on productive partnership and continued collaboration
Why have some health systems coped better than others during the COVID-19 pandemic? Some answers might become clear if we could assess how resilient health systems are in response to crises or shocks, such as the current pandemic and other emergencies, including financial ones, or how well health systems were prepared for such events in the first place. The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies has just published a new policy brief, “Strengthening health systems resilience”, which includes a framework to help policy-makers understand health system resilience and how to strengthen it. This policy brief highlights the key features of resilience and provides examples of strategies which have been applied in different countries.
Mia Bonta pleads for ‘pandemic-level’ response to Feds’ gutting of Medi-Cal
Up to two million of the state’s lowest-income people may lose health insurance due to federal changes. Bonta wants to lead the charge to stop that.
Illinois job market loses momentum after year-end slide
Illinois shed jobs for a second straight month at the end of 2025, the sharpest pullback since the post-pandemic rebound began, even as Chicago’s job market proved more resilient.
Breakdown In Federal Health Tracking Leaves U.S. Vulnerable To Outbreaks, Pandemics, Experts Warn
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, Jan. 27, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The United States is more vulnerable to future outbreaks, pandemics and health crises due to a breakdown in federal disease tracking, a new study says. Nearly half of once-routinely updated health surveillance databases ...
Laurie Jervis: Santa Ynez Resident Turns Pandemic Baking Into Booming Bread Business
Many people adopted projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, frequently to stave off boredom. Amanda Rogers of Santa Ynez was one of those people. Starting
Downtown Albany businesses see fresh momentum for 2026
Despite a decrease in foot traffic since the coronavirus pandemic, downtown Albany business owners remain hopeful.
In Trump Markets, Sudden Volatility Is Price of Doing Business
The abrupt threat of US tariffs on Europe triggered one of the most synchronized market selloffs this week since the pandemic — and had traders second-guessing once-reliable hedges.
US officially leaves World Health Organization
Trump ordered the withdrawal a year ago, accusing the UN agency of failing to adopt reforms and mishandling the pandemic.
James Cameron Torches America After Leaving the U.S.: ‘A Place Where Everybody’s at Each Other’s Throats, Turning Its Back on Science and Will Be in Utter Disarray If Another Pandemic Appears’
James Cameron says America has turned its back on science and he will not return to the U.S. after leaving to live in New Zealand.
Minneapolis businesses hammered as anti-ICE unrest continues: 'like the pandemic all over again'
Minneapolis businesses report massive revenue drops as anti-ICE agitators drive away customers, with some comparing the economic impact to COVID-19 closures.
Major Popeyes franchisee with over 130 locations files for bankruptcy
Major Popeyes franchisee Sailormen Inc. files for bankruptcy protection, citing $129 million in debt from pandemic impacts, inflation and labor shortages.
How a pandemic rescue became a 30-year debt trap
Millions of small businesses are discovering that the emergency fiscal help they relied on in 2020 came with a long tail of unintended consequences.
Number of Businesses in New York City Plunged Last Spring, Report Says
Roughly 8,400 businesses closed in the second quarter of 2025, according to the most recent city data, creating the largest net decline in business activity since before the pandemic.
Americans’ confidence in scientists
Most Americans say they trust scientists to act in the public’s best interests, though confidence is lower than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Portland taxes have grown since the pandemic
Businesses operating in the Rose City have seen an increasing number of taxes to pay and keep track of since 2019.
The pandemic may have caused a songbird’s beak to change shape, scientists find
Songbirds on the UCLA campus changed beak shapes during the pandemic, according to a new study. Researchers suspect it might be a case of rapid evolution.
How Iowa’s U.S. representatives voted on health care subsidies bill
The subsidies expired at the end of 2025 and were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing financial assistance for people already eligible and expanding eligibility for others.
EXCLUSIVE: Germany To Halve Funding For Pandemic Surveillance Hub Amid Global Health Pull-back
The German government is set to halve its funding for the Berlin-based WHO pandemic surveillance hub amidst a broader budgetary retreat from global health.
Virtual National Science Foundation internships aren’t just a pandemic stopgap – they can open up opportunities for more STEM students
Students who participated in the virtual Research Experience for Undergraduates at Purdue reported stronger gains in research skills than in-person summer interns.
Virtual National Science Foundation internships aren’t just a pandemic stopgap – they can open up opportunities for more STEM students
Students who participated in the virtual Research Experience for Undergraduates at Purdue reported stronger gains in research skills than in-person summer interns.
The politics of asylum: How local exposure reshaped UK voting
The UK has seen a sharp rise in asylum applications since the Covid-19 pandemic. This column examines how exposure to asylum seekers affects voter behaviour. The authors find that increases in dispersed asylum seekers – who are provided with accommodation but cannot choose their destination – lead to a sizeable rightward shift in local election outcomes. While migration has become more salient for both of the UK’s main political parties, only Conservative MPs appear to effectively channel local discontent, helping explain why these rightward electoral shifts occur despite little observable change in public attitudes.
18 Things That The Pandemic Ruined Way, Way, Way More Than We Realized
Everything from nightlife to the quality of products is now different.
Tens of thousands of Tennesseans face health care, SNAP benefit changes in 2026
Affordable Care Act subsidies, which were expanded during the pandemic, are expiring, meaning millions of Americans will likely have to pay more for health care or go uninsured.
Small Business Administration bans thousands of Minnesota borrowers over suspected pandemic-era fraud
The agency’s leader said a review over the past week flagged $400 million in loans to Minnesotans with “suspected fraudulent activity.”
Dallas County sues Trump administration over public health funding cuts
Dallas County says the cuts wiped out funding for programs that extended beyond the pandemic, including immunization clinics for a variety of illnesses,...
Oil barrels toward its worst annual performance since the pandemic as Russia feels the pain
Oil prices have been on a downtrend due to rising output from non-OPEC producers and slowing demand growth.
One Health: Can science help prevent pandemics?
Scientists are certain that it’s only a matter of time before the next pandemic strikes. Pathogens jump regularly from animals to humans. But the risks that such zoonoses pose can be reduced.
U.S. could block asylum on public health grounds under Trump regulation
The U.S. could deny migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border access to asylum under a newly finalized regulation drafted during the COVID-19 pandemic in President Donald Trump's first term.
Even 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' can't lift 2025 box office out of pandemic-crisis doldrums
After a roller coaster year, the domestic box office is expected to finish only marginally better than last year and remains down more than 20% from pre-pandemic levels.
Health insurance costs spike for businesses, workers after pandemic
New data shows employer-sponsored health insurance costs in California jumped sharply from 2022 to 2025, rising twice as fast as inflation while shifting more costs onto workers and employers.
This week in science: Swearing, bird bills and the pandemic, and whale breath samples
Emily Kwong and Berly McCoy of NPR's Short Wave talk about why swearing might improve physical performance, how birds' bills changed during the pandemic and why scientists are sampling whale breath.
The $100 million investment that kept San Francisco tourism afloat
Unlike other parts of SF tourism, cruises excelled after the pandemic.
Brand Innovators Outlook 2026: Entertainment
The entertainment industry faces a year of change and adjustment in 2026. New technologies and merger activity will keep movies, TV and live events in play. With the limitations of the COVID pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the sector anticipates consumers will indulge in movies and live events, and brands will find new ways […]
Guns marketed for personal safety fuel public health crisis in Black communities
KFF Health News undertook an examination of gun violence during the pandemic, a period when firearm deaths reached an all-time high.
Mental health ratings hit new low, 5 years after pandemic turning point
A new Gallup survey showed just 29% of people rated their mental health or emotional well-being as "excellent," a new low in Gallup tracking.
Debate intensifies over Obamacare subsidies and health care costs
The ongoing debate in Congress over health care costs has intensified as Democrats push to extend pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies.
Springfield business owner indicted for laundering pandemic PPP loans
The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Jason Hemingway fraudulently obtained more than $316,000 in PPP loans and used it for personal benefit.
Book prepares K-12 leaders for the next public health crisis
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a new book, a team of experts in educational policy, epidemiology and public health chronicles the challenges faced by educators, public health authorities and school officials during the COVID-19 pandemic and offers a guide to some of the lessons learned as K-12 schools weathered that crisis. One key message: Collaboration between […]
How the Pandemic Lockdowns Changed a Songbird’s Beak
For ecologists, the Covid-19 pandemic has presented a remarkable natural experiment in what can happen to wild animals when humans stay home.
Higher utilization hammers Highmark Health's Q3 results
The post-pandemic spike in the use of health care services was supposed to be a blip. Patients were rescheduling medical procedures they’d put off...
OPB’s First Look: Women’s sports could be an economic win for Portland
How the WNBA and NWSL could factor into the city's post-pandemic economy. Here's your First Look at Monday's news.
Oregon’s economy is struggling, but its women’s sports industry could be a lifeline
The state’s economy has yet to recover from the pandemic, but leaders hope the success of women’s sports can help spark economic growth while preserving its grassroots culture.
Oregon’s economy is struggling, but its women’s sports industry could be a lifeline
The state’s economy has yet to recover from the pandemic, but leaders hope the success of women’s sports can help spark economic growth while preserving its grassroots culture.
What Buddy the Elf Can Teach Us About Global Health Security
You might not expect a man in yellow tights eating syrupy spaghetti to teach you about global health security—but Elf offers surprisingly helpful lessons to understand the importance of addressing biological threats before they become global pandemics.
Deadline tonight: Enroll now for ACA health insurance or risk going uninsured
Monday is the deadline to enroll in Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance for coverage beginning Jan. 1. Many are facing tough choices for their healthcare as Congress's failure to extend pandemic-era tax credits has spiked premiums.
Deadline tonight: Enroll now for ACA health insurance or risk going uninsured
Monday is the deadline to enroll in Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance for coverage beginning Jan. 1. Many are facing tough choices for their healthcare as Congress's failure to extend pandemic-era tax credits has spiked premiums.
Sergey Brin, who came back to Google to work on Gemini, says staying retired would have been a 'big mistake'
Sergey Brin says the pandemic pushed him back into Google, where he's now helping drive its Gemini AI efforts.
5 Years Ago I Received America’s First Covid Vaccine
The COVID pandemic "taught me the importance of public health and hope," writes Sandra Lindsay.
Southwick business reaches agreement over loan fraud
As part of the settlement, Comark admitted to receiving a PPP loan in January 2021, meant to be used as financial assistance during the covid pandemic.
New study reveals effects of COVID school closures on students' mental health
A new study is providing hard data about just how bad school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic were for children's mental health.
Senator warns the clock is running out on pandemic fraud cases
Joni Ernst and Ed Markey are split over extending deadlines to pursue fraud in restaurant relief and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant programs.
Poppin' Tags Free Store owner extends mission with funds, new business
Sonya Dembowski remembers the moment she decided to begin her Poppin’ Tags Free Store in West Deer. She was driving through Coraopolis in the height of the pandemic shutdown. She remembers seeing piles of donations left outside a closed store. Dembowski later saw on the news that because the donations
The New WHO Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance: Incorporating Common but Differentiated Responsibilities into PABS - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The product of three years of arduous negotiations, the treaty marks a new era of global cooperation in public health. However, core aspects of the agreement remain unresolved—notably the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, which is intended to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related materials and benefits. To support the successful implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Introduction For the first time, an international treaty has enshrined the principle of “One Health,” the compelling idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment all contribute to pandemic risks. SARS (2003), H1N1 (2009–10), Ebola (2014–16), and COVID-19 all emerged through zoonotic spillover from animal hosts—respectively, civets, hogs, and bats. Together, they underscore the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach. The Pandemic Agreement responds to this call, requiring state parties to acknowledge the ecological interplay and commit to a comprehensive “One Health” strategy. Specifically, Article 5 charges governments to address “the drivers of pandemics and the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease at the human-animal-environment interface,” including wild animal markets, deforestation, and antibiotic overuse. Yet the effectiveness of this “One Health” vision depends equally on the free flow of scientific information and data among countries and institutions. Just as environmental and animal health factors have been neglected in past global frameworks, so too has data sharing been marginalized, despite its centrality to timely detection and response. The Pandemic Agreement takes an important step by requiring governments to enhance data collection and cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these provisions will remain aspirational without a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex. The PABS system will determine whether countries and researchers can rapidly exchange pathogen samples and genetic data while ensuring equitable access to resulting research and development, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Without such mechanisms, the treaty’s promise to operationalize “One Health” and strengthen global preparedness will risk becoming largely symbolic, echoing earlier failures to translate shared principles into coordinated action. Equity Concerns When the 2025 Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement, it left the difficult question of access to pathogens and the sharing of resulting benefits to be addressed in a separate agreement. Negotiations on this separate agreement, PABS, are now underway in Geneva. Yet governments remain divided over fundamental questions of equity between the countries that primarily contribute to the system and those that primarily draw from it—and consequently benefit. For example, wildlife in countries bordering the equator is likely to produce PABS materials, but companies in Europe are likely to use them to develop lucrative products. The most likely contributor countries are likely to be those biodiverse countries around the equator, such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia, where the number of human-mammalian viral host interactions is large. Conversely, countries most likely to benefit from this material are those with the technology, investors, and infrastructure to capitalize on genomic data, such as the United States, EU member states, and Japan. This imbalance reflects a broader pattern seen in prior international frameworks. Now, as in the past, the wealthiest countries in the world (a useful heuristic is membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) disproportionately benefit from systems in which pathogens and genomic sequencing data are contributed to a common source. Under the International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the “Plant Treaty” or “Seed Treaty”) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, companies from Europe and North America disproportionately withdraw biological samples and data for development into lucrative medical products. Their governments and companies have both statutory and contractual claims to the products that those companies correspondingly produce. PABS appears poised to follow the same pattern. The text calls for strong language on access to pathogens and associated data, but the corresponding benefits that should flow to poorer countries are couched in equivocal or non-binding language. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities To address these inequities, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Common but differentiated responsibilities are often a feature of climate change negotiations. The basic principle is that, even though all countries should reduce carbon emissions, governments that became rich and powerful through massive carbon emissions (e.g., France, the United Kingdom, the United States) should have a greater obligation to address the resulting crises. Applied to PABS, it would require that governments hosting and supporting companies developing lucrative products carry greater obligations toward the cost of running the PABS system; share benefits or final medical products; and transfer technology to help countries worldwide develop their own capacities to innovate and manufacture vaccines during an emergency. For example, an annex could mandate that any company based in an OECD country that withdraws PABS material would be obligated to donate the resulting diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines to the WHO during a public health emergency or pandemic. Questions remain about how robust those donations would be, but the principle is that they should deliver highly significant lifesaving benefits to be equitably shared. Theoretically, this approach mirrors the PIP Framework, in which companies withdrawing influenza samples are required to pay half of the operating costs. In practice, however, the framework has fallen short. The PIP Framework Secretariat has struggled to secure payments from companies, with companies often disagreeing over how much is owed. Additionally, without another pandemic influenza to test the strength of the agreement during a public health emergency, corporate compliance with sharing mechanisms remains unknown. Even if these limitations did not characterize the PIP Framework, partially paying for operating expenses does not address the inequity in access to genetic data and pathogen samples that left less developed countries last in line for COVID-19 vaccines (and, before them, H1N1). Common but differentiated responsibilities would go further, addressing governments’ legitimate grievances regarding information sharing. It would make withdrawals of PABS material and resulting products more transparent, building trust across the board. Enforcement and Enduring Success A key implication of this approach is that the governing mechanism of the PABS must have real enforcement authority. The WHO Pandemic Agreement delegates its core governance responsibilities to a Conference of the Parties (COP)—a governing body composed of one representative from each participating government, similar to those established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement COP is charged with oversight functions but ultimately possesses no real authority to compel a government to take any action it does not wish to take. The text does not give the COP the ability to, for example, sanction a party that does not comply with either textual obligations or PABS provisions. In other words, there are no effective mechanisms in place to ensure compliance. Perhaps just as significant, establishing a meaningful enforcement mechanism within the PABS system would strengthen the WHO’s credibility and its ability to ensure compliance across global health governance. By setting a precedent for accountability, such a mechanism could enhance the organization’s authority not only within the Pandemic Agreement but also in enforcing the revised International Health Regulations and other frameworks for public health emergencies. Conclusion The PABS annex can—and should—be different. It should establish clear responsibilities for funding as well as for sharing the diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that result from contributions to the system. The system, in turn, must include a dedicated body empowered to hold governments and the corporations they sponsor accountable for their responsibilities before, during, and after pandemics. Doing so would restore trust in the broader agreement, which was eroded as commitments were repeatedly diluted while parties scrambled to meet their own self-imposed deadlines during the Pandemic Agreement negotiations. A robust PABS Annex would cement a grand social bargain. Wealthier countries and their corporations would gain unimpeded access to scientific information essential for developing and manufacturing lifesaving medical products. As such, they would stand to gain considerable economic benefit. Yet that privilege must be matched with responsibility. The grand bargain must include not only the right to innovate, but also the duty to ensure that innovation serves all. As medical products are developed and produced through collective contributions, every person must have equal access. All human beings deserve an equitable chance to survive—to save their own life, the lives of their families, and the well-being of their communities. … Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil, is the Bette Jacobs Endowed Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Health and the Director of the Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown Law. He serves as the co-lead for the WHO’s Working Group on Regulatory Consideration on AI and Health’s training workstream. He earned his JD from Harvard, his MPhil from Oxford, and undergraduate degrees from Kansas State University. Lawrence Gostin, LLD (Hon.), JD, BA, is University Distinguished Professor and Founding Director and Timothy and Linda O’Neill Professor of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. He is the author of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future (Harvard University Press, 2021); Global Health Law (Harvard University Press, 2014); Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2016); Public Health Law and Ethics: A Reader (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2018); Law and the Health System (Foundation Press, 2014); Principles of Mental Health Law & Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010). He also directs the WHO Collaborating Center at Georgetown University. Image Credit: United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota survey shows post-pandemic gains in student mental health
The 2025 statewide survey was first to ask in detail about social media usage, and many students think they have a problem with it.
‘Crisis’ ebbs: Minnesota student mental health rebounds post-pandemic
Results from the 2025 Minnesota student survey released Tuesday show a turnaround from 2022 when nearly one-third of students reported long-term mental health struggles in the pandemic, a finding officials then described as a “crisis.”
Trust in science is low among minorities for a reason, research finds
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a nationwide conversation in the U.S. about how much people trust scientists and trained medical professionals. But for some communities, distrust has been the norm.
Going back to school during the pandemic linked to improved child mental health
A new study finds that school reopenings during the pandemic were associated with declines in diagnoses of anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions in children.
One Million More U.S. Kids Became Obese During COVID Pandemic
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterMONDAY, Dec. 8, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Roughly 1 million American kids became obese during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study says. Childhood obesity rates in the U.S. rose from around 21% pre-pandemic to nearly 23% during the global health crisis, researchers ...
Scientists uncover a volcanic trigger behind the Black Death
A newly analyzed set of climate data points to a major volcanic eruption that may have played a key role in the Black Death’s arrival. Cooling and crop failures across Europe pushed Italian states to bring in grain from the Black Sea. Those shipments may have carried plague-infected fleas. The study ties together tree rings, ice cores, and historical writings to reframe how the pandemic began.
Opinion: Our responsibility to science communication
When we think of global threats, we don’t think of poor science communication. We think of climate change, of pandemics or perhaps of terrorism. I would be shocked if science communication cracked your top 10. And yet, we all lived through the COVID-19 pandemic. Think of how 20 years ago, vaccines were largely apolitical, but...
What's next for WA health care buyers?
People who buy their own insurance off the ACA marketplace face premium increases if Congress doesn't extend pandemic-era tax credits.
N.J. students are finally beating pre-pandemic test scores in one surprising subject
New Jersey education officials had some rare positive news when they released statewide standardized test scores this week.
Ashish Jha to step down as Brown University public health dean
PROVIDENCE — Ashish K. Jha, one of the nation’s leading public health experts who became a household name during the Covid pandemic, is leaving his post
Dr. Ashish Jha to step down as Brown University public health dean
Jha will lead an initiative that aims to bolster the nation’s defenses against emerging pandemic and biological threats.
Volcanic eruption may have sparked Europe's Black Death plague, scientists find
The plague killed between a third and half of the European population in the mid-14th Century. But it's unknown what triggered the pandemic.
Doctor and author turned social media creator: Former Colorado public official on posting science-based health content
After working as one of Colorado's top public health officials, Dr. Tista Ghosh advised Fortune 500 companies during the pandemic. Now, after writing a book, she's turned to spreading health information online.
COVID-19 pandemic narrowed health care industry pay gap, new study finds
A new study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic narrowed the wage gap between high and low paid workers in the health care industry, as the lowest earners saw the biggest boost in pay in the years since the pandemic began.