Publications by authors named "Richard John Lessells"
Article Synopsis
- Data sharing in research is controversial due to the competitive nature of academia, where teams often withhold findings until publication, while funders push for openness.
- The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of rapid data sharing for public health, but the announcement of the omicron variant data faced backlash, including travel bans that didn’t effectively stop its spread.
- Negative public perceptions about data sharing can hinder future research participation, emphasizing the need for global health organizations to establish guidelines for responsible genomic data sharing during crises.
Background: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a single dose of the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) in health-care workers in South Africa during two waves of the South African COVID-19 epidemic.
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- Lockdown measures were implemented globally to control COVID-19, but the term lacks a clear definition, prompting a proposed framework to categorize these measures based on their compulsory/voluntary nature and whether they target individuals or the general population.
- The study examines lockdowns in nine sub-Saharan African countries, revealing variations in how these measures were designed, timed, and implemented, despite some common strategies.
- Testing rates and reported COVID-19 deaths varied significantly across these nations, with lockdowns potentially limiting transmission but also leading to negative consequences for health systems and socioeconomic conditions.
Digital storytelling (DST) is an emerging participatory visual method which combines storytelling traditions with computer and video production technology. In this project, at the heart of the HIV epidemic in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, we used DST to create a culturally grounded community engagement intervention. Our aim was to use narratives of people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to stimulate dialogue among the wider community and to encourage reflection on the contextual factors that influence ART adherence in this setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHIV-1 drug resistance has the potential to seriously compromise the effectiveness and impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART). As ART programs in sub-Saharan Africa continue to expand, individuals on ART should be closely monitored for the emergence of drug resistance. Surveillance of transmitted drug resistance to track transmission of viral strains already resistant to ART is also critical.
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