Target: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of World Health Organization
Goal: Enhance funding and public awareness for the potentially deadly human metapneumovirus.
Respiratory illnesses often take root during colder weather. While most of these illnesses have vaccines and other treatments available as protective measures, there is one notable exception: the human metapneumovirus (HMPV). Despite being discovered over a decade ago, this respiratory disease that causes flu-like symptoms still has no vaccine.
Most individuals who acquire HMPV will recover with no long-term repercussions, but for the very young, the elderly, and the immunocompromised, more serious infections that lead to hospitalization or – in the worse cases – death, are possible. Both the United Kingdom and China have seen a notable uptick in cases. While the disease (due to its known status among researchers) is not expected to become a pandemic, it does pose a marked risk to vulnerable people.
Sign the petition below to urge more investment in developing and distributing a vaccine for this condition.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Dr. Ghebreyesus,
Following a rise in cases in the United Kingdom and the implementation of emergency measures in China, communities around the world are understandably concerned about the potential spread of HMPV. This illness has not been deemed a global pandemic threat, but as cases rise it will pose a significant risk to populations often vulnerable to other respiratory conditions.
Due to these risks, a regular regimen of vaccines is recommended for similar ailments. But for HMPV, there is no such recourse as of yet. Neither vaccines nor approved antiviral medications are available, despite the presence of this particular illness being known for over a decade. Please help rectify this critical and dangerous gap in the world’s defenses against respiratory illness. Provide robust support and investment in preventive and treatment protocols for HMPV.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Vlada Karpovich
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