In January 2020 we began compiling popular media OpEds and Commentaries about the coronavirus outbreak / pandemic that mention and/or call for One Health by name or theory.
By May 1 the list was becoming so long that it demanded its ownCOVID-19 and One Health webpage.
Please visit the entire list on that new page. If you know of additional such articles not yet listed here, please send them to ohc@onehealthcommission.org.
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One Health can provide a safe, 'no judgment zone' for many needed conversations surrounding our most difficult global and environmental health challenges.
This is a webpage where many items can be shared, from peer reviewed scientific case studies to examples of One Health successes (or missed opportunities) to Op Eds and Opinion Pieces.
Opinions expressed here are not necessarily approved by the One Health Commission but are shared ‘because’ this is a safe, no judgement zone and we need to hear from many perspectives on many of today’s challenges. Thoughtful articles written in a professional tone will be considered for posting. Submit suggested items to ohc@onehealthcommission.org.
To see peer reviewed scientific articles visit the Commission's online One Health Library Journal Articles/White Papers Section.
Author: Christoph May In: https://welttierschutz.org/
A report from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) holds hope in these dark times: German development aid is to be given a new focus that could benefit millions of animals in emerging and developing countries. The key word is "One Health", the ministry wants to set up a separate unit for this. But what does "One Health" mean? And what's behind it?
"COVID-19 now joins the “Annual One Health Locust Pandemic”. Annual because it’s been happening (nearly) every year for thousands of years. One Health because it involves both humans and animals (in this case insects)."
Author: Steve Osofsky Post on Cornell University's Medium.com
Principle 7
“Reduce the demand for and better regulate the international live wildlife and bushmeat trade not only to protect wildlife populations but to lessen the risks of disease movement, cross-species transmission, and the development of novel pathogen-host relationships. The costs of this worldwide trade in terms of impacts on public health, agriculture and conservation are enormous, and the global community must address this trade as the real threat it is to global socioeconomic security.”
"Given that humans have to be part of the healing process, I decided to revisit the One Health movement………………. I am a strong supporter of this initiative …………and you can read more about it in an interview I did with the University of Denver's Sarah Bexell, .....
Dr. Bexell correctly notes, if we harm one of the three pillars of the One Health movement—humans, other species, and the natural environment—all three are harmed. The pillars are closely interlinked. On the positive and hopeful side, when we work to protect one pillar, all have a better chance of positive outcomes and surviving……
Regardless of future possibilities, for now, while we're here, we need to deal with our ubiquitous presence. We must work together and do much better than we've done."
Sun J, He W, Wang L, Lai A, Ji X, Zhai X, Li G, Suchard MA, Tian J, Zhou J, Veit M, Su S, Trends in Molecular Medicine, In Press
" Similarities of receptor sequence binding to 2019-nCoV between humans and animals suggest a low species barrier for transmission of the virus to farm animals. We propose, based on the One Health model, that veterinarians and animal specialists should be involved in a cross-disciplinary collaboration in the fight against this epidemic. "
Author: Flavie Vial and Paul Duff, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Gov.UK Blog
“The emergence of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance in wildlife must be viewed through a multi-disciplinary lens that captures issues and threats not only in people and domesticated animals but also the wider environment. One Health is the only approach to mitigating health risks in today’s world.”
By George Lueddeke in PEAH, Policies for Equitable Access to Health, March 2020
Proposition #7 is pivotal for all others ...
What If?... THE UNIFYING ONE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING CONCEPT became the cornerstone of our education systems and societal institutions, thereby helping to create a “more just, sustainable and peaceful world” (UN-2030 Global Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs)?”
Authors: Kock RA, Karesh WB, et. al. In: The Lancet, Planetary Health
“There is an increasing focus on the human-animal environment disease interface, as encompassed in the One Health concept…… .......have we learned lessons? Yes and no. These events are of global public health and economic importance and need collective societal response. But governments and civil society are not heeding these warnings, as the 2019-nCoV attests. Concerns have been repeatedly raised and voiced since the idea of One Health was first expressed in around 2000. What we need to learn and communicate is that the zoonotic or agricultural bridging of novel pathogens from domestic and captive wildlife needs urgent attention, along with attention to the human appetite for meat.”
.... "When we speak of “health” we usually mean “human health”. But over 70% of infectious diseases affecting “humans” are zoonotic, from animals to humans. For optimal health outcomes, we need to take into consideration human, animal, plant, and environmental health. That integrated strategy is at the heart of the “One Health” approach.".....
Aurthor: Brian Dunleavy In: Contagion Live, Infectious Diseases Today
Those who require a reminder of the importance of the One Health approach need look no further than the ongoing 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak (2019 n-CoV).
One Health, which is designed to foster and streamline communication between infectious disease professionals engaged in human as well as veterinary health, is essentially where the rubber meets road when an outbreak occurs. Although we still have a lot to learn about the origins of 2019 n-CoV, it’s safe to assume that One Health protocols and principles have played, and will likely continue to play, a key role in getting the ongoing crisis under control
Biotechnology is leading to breakthroughs for human, animal and environmental health, but is there a way we can address these outbreaks before they spread from animal to human? Yes, and the concept is called One Health.
So, what is One Health? It is a public health approach that ensures all areas of government are coordinated and working together to foster and advance innovation that is critical in protecting against diseases and malnutrition. The ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as coronavirus, Ebola, Zika, avian influenza (HPAI) and MERS depends on an improved understanding of the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.
Author: Gregory C. Gray In: US News and World Report
We know that most human emerging disease viruses first circulate in animals, yet we don’t often see them coming.
.................. "The continuous viral reproduction can sometimes lead to mutations or the mixing of viruses and a never-before-seen virus may emerge. Hence, new collaborative partnerships must be forged between agricultural businesses and human, animal and environmental health groups so that emerging viruses can be better be detected and mitigation strategies developed before a novel virus crosses over to infect man. Often, such an interdisciplinary collaboration is termed the "One Health Approach." Many institutions are calling for One Health interdisciplinary collaborations as the best approach to complex problems such as emerging viral threats".................
Author: Carel du Marchie Sarvaas In: The Telegraph
Stopping disease in humans by preventing disease in animals underpins the concept of “One Health”, an approach to public health that recognises the links between animals, people and planet.
Author: Olga Jonas, Senior Fellow and Economic Adviser, Harvard Global Health Institute
Most infectious diseases with epidemic and pandemic potentials are of animal origin; control at the source thus requires detection in animals, before the threat extends to human populations. Core veterinary and human public-health systems that use One Health approaches are the first line of defense against contagion and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Adequate financing for core veterinary and human public-health systems is important for their performance. Despite the remarkably low costs of core public-health systems, financing has been inadequate, and spending has not even been officially monitored.
"Zooeiya" is the term that describes the positive benefits to the health of people as a result of interacting with animals, and the primary focus of zooeyia studies is the ways that pets improve the health of their people.
'While seeing a CRE outbreak in veterinary medicine did not come as a surprise, especially at a large veterinary hospital, this veterinary hospital was not prepared for it, and they don't think the profession is prepared for it. They are getting the word out about the outbreak, and having discussions with public health agencies, human medical colleagues, and experts in environmental monitoring, will result in some guidance for veterinarians. "It's a really good One Health opportunity........It's a great opportunity to bring everyone together."
