Twenty-twenty-one was not the year we anticipated—one in which COVID-19 would wane and we could step out from behind our masks and refocus on global health issues neglected since early 2020. Instead, many of the problems associated with the pandemic in 2020 carried over to the new year. COVID vaccines, while a credit to science and technology, faced demand and distribution issues as supply chains and economies failed to rebound. The world is still struggling to contain COVID-19 variants, including the newest, omicron. Countries that pride themselves on democracy have been shaken by internal conflicts. And as nations push to curb the spread of the virus, there's been a rush to enact border restrictions and reduce economic fallout.
Despite the tumult of the past two years, more recent glimmers of hope include a fresh emphasis on the creation of a pandemic treaty to better prepare the world for the next pandemic, and we're seeing increased interest in climate change and its impact on global health.
To round up the ups and downs of the past year, our editorial team compiled a list of our favorite twenty-one articles for '21—stories we think captured the essence of the past year, including some that include ideas and visions our global health community can act on in 2022.
Our favorite twenty-one articles of 2021
The Missing Girls of India: A National Shame
A call to reform the institutions and cultural practices that perpetuate gender biases against girls
by Venkatraman Radhakrishnan
Trade in the Time of Pandemics
With borders closed and global travel constrained, trade will help us find a way out of the pandemic
by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
We May Never Get to Herd Immunity
Vaccine hesitancy and other behavioral risks reduce the likelihood of herd immunity
by Christopher Murray
Billions Committed, Millions Delivered
The mixed record of vaccine donations and diplomacy
by Samantha Kiernan, Serena Tohme, and Gayeong Song
Gaza and the West Bank: Reflections From a Psychiatrist
Q&A with a Doctors Without Borders physician working in a traumatized region
by Mary Brophy Marcus
How Tobacco Advertising Woos Women
The myth of "You've come a long way, baby" and other ploys to lure female smokers
by Gabriela Gil, Luisa S. Flor, and Emmanuela Gakidou
The Devastating Impact of COVID-19 on Democracy
The pandemic has made reversing the global decline in democracy and freedom harder
by Amy Slipowitz
How Norway's Prisons Have Weathered a Pandemic
Its famously progressive correctional system is anomalous, but still has lessons for other countries
by Ted Alcorn
Around the World in Twenty-Five Toilets
A look at toilets and sanitation for World Toilet Day
by Caroline Kantis
The Case Against a Pandemic Treaty
Strengthening global health governance after COVID-19 does not require a pandemic treaty
by David P. Fidler
Rethinking Border Management and Global Health Security after the Pandemic
Border measures will be a more complex and controversial challenge for the post-pandemic world
by Kelley Lee
Why Aren't Russians Getting Vaccinated?
A COVID-19 shot has been available for months, yet vaccination rates remain low
by Judy Twigg and Lillian Posner
To Decolonize Global Health, We Must Examine the Global Political Economy
We cannot talk about decolonizing without discussing colonialism's most fundamental legacy in global health
by Pooja Yerramilli
The Golden Hour: The Critical Time Between Life and Death
From road traffic injury prevention to definitive trauma care
by Laura Hoemeke, Nigel Rossiter, Sylvio Augustin, Alejandra Cortés-Rodríguez, and Michelle Joseph
How Haiti's History Has Hindered Its Disaster Readiness
Broken trust, neoliberal interference, and poverty are to blame says a former reporter who survived the 2010 earthquake
by Mary Brophy Marcus
Inside Israel's Vaccination Campaign
An interview with former Israeli coronavirus czar Dr. Ronni Gamzu on Israel's pandemic response
by Ted Alcorn and Thomas J. Bollyky
Overcoming COVID-19 Misinformation in Africa
Country borders and language barriers do little to stop the spread of unverified scientific claims about COVID-19
by Elaine O. Nsoesie
The War on Childhood in Yemen
Memories of halcyon summers have given way to famine, conflict, and loss
by Arwa Mokdad
The Problem of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Teens
One high school senior says the decision to vaccinate should rest with teenagers
by Laszlo Bollyky
Just How Do Deaths Due to COVID-19 Stack Up?
Despite a likely undercount in many places, COVID-19 is the leading killer in most of Latin America and Western Europe
