COVID-19 and children: the 3 most relevant figures that characterize Latin America

In the early days of the pandemic, fears that schools and childcare centers would become breeding grounds for virus transmission were justified by past experiences of similar infectious diseases. Influenza, for example, is very actively transmitted from children to adults, but evidence shows that this is not the case for the COVID-19 virus. Figures related to the pre-delta variant reveal that children were infected at very low rates and were the group least vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic. It was even said that they were not at risk and that they would be the least impacted by COVID-19. 

Over time, more evidence has been gathered about the real impact of the virus and its variants on children. Now that data are available for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), we share information on the three most relevant issues in terms of children's policies in our note "COVID-19 in children under 18 years of age": the levels of infection, the need for vaccines, and the impact of the pandemic on children in the region. This all has important implications for the urgent recovery of learning. 

Thus far in the pandemic, children have been found to be infected with COVID-19 at a lower rate than adults, even with more transmissible variants. Analyzing data from 6 countries, by the end of 2021, less than 22% of all positive cases were estimated to be in children under 19 years of age. In the 11 LAC countries with available data, we observed that the evolution and increase of infection in this age group has been lower than in countries outside the region.

Keep reading this entry.

How can justice systems mitigate violence against the LGBTIQ+ community?

It was June 28, 1969. At the time, the East Village in New York was one of the places that concentrated the bars and venues frequented by LGBTIQ+ people. They were illegal establishments and, for the most part, controlled by the mafia. Harassment by the police was frequent, with periodic raids and arrests.

And so it was that on June 28 at 1:30 a.m. in one of these raids, this time at the Stonewall Inn club, several dozen LGBTIQ+ people decided to resist police forces. This unleashed the "Stonewall Riots": six days of fierce street conflicts in southern Manhattan, which resulted in dozens of injuries and became a symbol of the struggle for equal rights for the LGBTIQ+ community. The modern movement for equal rights for LGBTIQ+ populations was born in that raid.

More than 50 years have passed since the Stonewall Riots and the movement for LGBTIQ+ equality has reached numerous milestones, starting with the legalization of different gender orientations in many countries. However, harassment and discrimination against these populations is strongly prevalent, not only in the United States, but also in LAC. And, as in the case of Stonewall, there is still much progress to be made in the region to eradicate discrimination, including a considerable share coming from the countries' judicial and law enforcement systems.

Keep reading this entry.

Pedal Cities: The IDB Group's commitment to cycling infrastructure

We are increasingly riding bicycles for trips that we used to do in motorized vehicles. The health restrictions imposed by the pandemic were, in many cases, the main incentive for us to discover the benefits of this vehicle. Now, the increase in fuel prices resulting from the war in Ukraine has turned cycling into the most affordable and healthiest alternative to move around the city. Although it is not a valid option for everyone, whether due to physical limitations, health, age, or other factors, urban cycling may be here to stay.

In 2018, the United Nations (UN), decreed June 3 as World Bicycle Day to promote its use as a sustainable means of transportation. On this anniversary, our blog addresses the importance of having adequate infrastructure to facilitate bicycle travel in cities and how the IDB Group supports the development of bicycle-friendly urbanism in cities in LAC.

Cyclists, along with pedestrians, are among the most vulnerable road users because of their increased risk of injury in the event of a collision. Bicycle lanes, also known as bike lanes, bike paths, bike routes, cycleways, or cycle paths, are the most appropriate type of infrastructure to facilitate bicycle travel. Although they have different characteristics and connect countless places, in urban areas they are characterized by being an exclusive lane of the public roadway appropriately marked for bicycle traffic.

Keep reading this entry.