Swiss TPH and the European Chapter of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) hosted a virtual symposium for young scientists in the field of environmental epidemiology from 18 to 19 February 2021. Over 200 participants came together to exchange experiences, discuss research findings and promote scientific communication.

A new joint initiative from the Botnar Research Centre for Child Health and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership will support three COVID-19-related projects in lowand middle-income countries, including a project led by Swiss TPH and Zambart that improves access to COVID-19 screening and testing in Lesotho and Zambia.

The unprecedented progress made in global health over the past 20 years is being threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent publication in Infectious Diseases of Poverty, researchers at Swiss TPH and partner institutions draw the attention of the neglected tropical disease community towards some of the major emerging economic opportunities that have arisen as a response to tackle the pandemic.

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and high blood pressure are the number one cause of death and disability globally. More than 75% of premature NCD-related deaths occur in lowand middle-income countries. A new programme coordinated by SolidarMed, Swiss TPH and partners in Lesotho aims to tackle NCDs in Lesotho, building on long-term experience in HIV/AIDS chronic disease care.

Population mobility is a result of globalisation that will likely continue to increase exponentially. EXPAND, a new project led by Swiss TPH, aims to expand neglected tropical diseases and COVID-19 surveillance and control to mobile pastoralists in Chad by increasing access to health information and services, and promoting integrated interventions. Facilitating access for this population ensures that "no one is left behind" - a prerequisite for disease elimination and the achievement of universal health coverage.

Testing for COVID-19 has rapidly scaled up in the past months, thanks to better availability of testing material and the introduction of new testing strategies. The Swiss TPH Travel Clinic and Diagnostic Centre offer SARS-CoV-2 PCR and antibody tests in Basel, Switzerland. Did you ever wonder what laboratory work is actually involved, when you take a Corona test? The following steps demonstrate how a SARS-CoV-2 PCR test is carried out with all the labour-intensive steps in the laboratory that it entails.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp decline in living standards and rising food insecurity in lowand middle-income countries across the globe, according to a new study by an international team of economists including from Swiss TPH. The study, published today Advances, provides novel insights into the collateral damage of the pandemic, and urges the international community to take action to mitigate the impact on hunger and poverty.

A health impact study has for the first time estimated the mortality burden attributable to air pollution in more than 1,000 European cities. The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, includes a ranking of the European cities with the highest rates of mortality attributable to each of the two air pollutants studied: fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The research project was led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in collaboration with Swiss TPH and Utrecht University.

The Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research increases its core contribution to the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) from CHF 6.25 million to CHF 8 million per year. Together with the additional funding from the two Basel cantons, the contribution over the next strategy period of 2021-2024 will support the work of Swiss TPH in improving public and global health through excellence in research, education and services.

The coronavirus is not only a risk for our physical health, but also affects our mental health and emotional well-being. Today is the "Day of Action" in Switzerland, which is designed to support people's mental well-being in times of COVID-19. Nicole Probst-Hensch from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Swiss TPH talks about how research can contribute, and what she does to maintain her own mental well-being.