Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Nov 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Chinese Protests Spread Over Government's Covid Restrictions

Protests are erupting in major cities in China over President Xi Jinping’s zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19, an unusual show of defiance in the country as the economic and social costs from snap lockdowns and other strict restrictions escalate. Demonstrations occurred throughout the weekend in Beijing, Shanghai and the eastern city of Nanjing, according to witness accounts. Video footage and photos circulating on social media, which The Wall Street Journal wasn’t able to independently verify, suggest protests broke out in several other cities, including Wuhan, the original epicenter of the pandemic.  The protests followed demonstrations on Friday in Urumqi, capital of the remote region of Xinjiang, where a deadly fire enraged residents who had struggled with lockdowns of more than 100 days. Residents flooded social media with comments suggesting that Covid restrictions contributed to a delay in putting out the fire, in which officials said 10 people died.
27th Nov 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Videos Show How Covid Protests Are Spreading Across China

Since Friday, opposition against China’s zero-tolerance Covid policies has been gathering steam across the vast country. Protesters have taken to the streets in a public outpouring of anger and frustration, with some even calling for President Xi Jinping to step down, a level of national dissent unheard of since he took power a decade ago. Others have clashed with officials at residential compounds, defying orders to go into quarantine, while students have also been demonstrating at university campuses.
27th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg

Protests erupt in Xinjiang and Beijing after deadly fire

Public anger in China towards widening COVID-19 lockdowns across the country erupted into rare protests in China’s far western Xinjiang region and the country's capital of Beijing, as nationwide infections set another record. Crowds took to the streets on Friday night in Xinjiang's capital of Urumqi, chanting "End the lockdown!" and pumping their fists in the air, after a deadly fire on Thursday triggered anger over their prolonged COVID-19 lockdown according to videos circulated on Chinese social media on Friday night.
26th Nov 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Nov 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid Lockdowns Spark Violent Protests in China's Guangzhou City

China’s ongoing Covid lockdowns are fueling increasing public anger, with some residents in Guangzhou, one of the country’s biggest cities, staging rare protests against the stringent rules. In videos circulating on social media, hundreds of people can be seen marching in the streets and pushing over police barriers in Guangzhou’s Haizhu district, which has been in lockdown since late last month. The demonstrations took place in several “urban villages,” mainly poorer neighborhoods where migrant workers live, Hong Kong Economic Journal reported. The local government sent multiple police vehicles to the protests, according to the report.
15th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg

China Reopening Stocks Rally; Street Cautiously Optimistic

Shares of Chinese firms tied to reopening rallied after China’s top leaders called for a more targeted approach, while reinforced the need to stick with the Covid Zero policy. Market watchers are cautiously optimistic that such policy fine-tuning could spur appetite for battered Chinese assets. The following is a selection of reactions from market participants and economists. 
13th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg

‘There’s no protection’: South Africa faces Covid legacy of sex for money

A couple of months into the Covid lockdown in South Africa, Dimakatso, 25, resorted to sleeping with an older, married man for 1,000 rand (£50). It was the first time she had had sex for money. She did it because she needed to feed her two children, aged five and eight; she was unemployed, and her mother, the sole earner in the household, had lost her job. “I was desperate and thought I was safe, even though it’s super risky,” says Dimakatso. “It was because of Covid. There were no jobs. If you didn’t do it, you would starve with your children.” Dimakatso is not alone. The latest UN Aids report, which surveyed 2,812 South African women who are either HIV positive or live in high-risk areas, found that since the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020, 15% more women reported using sex work or transactional sex – where money, gifts or services are given in exchange for sex – to sustain their livelihoods.
20th Nov 2022 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Nov 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid's Drag on the Workforce Proves Persistent. 'It Sets Us Back.'

Researchers say the virus is having a persistent effect, keeping millions out of work and reducing the productivity and hours of millions more, disrupting business operations and raising costs. In the average month this year, nearly 630,000 more workers missed at least a week of work because of illness than in the years before the pandemic, according to Labor Department data. That is a reduction in workers equal to about 0.4 percent of the labor force, a significant amount in a tight labor market. That share is up about 0.1 percentage point from the same period last year, the data show. “That may sound tiny, but having that persistent difference over a period of two-and-a-half years is a big deal,” said Jason Faberman, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
7th Nov 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

North Macedonia to pardon violators of pandemic measures

North Macedonia is planning to pardon more than 1,200 people who face prison sentences because they have failed to pay fines for violating restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Justice Minister Nikola Tupancheski said the criminal court in the capital of Skopje has proposed the amnesty, noting that there’s not enough room in jails for those people. “People who violated the COVID-19 measures were usually fined, as our criminal code stipulates. We are talking about more than 1,200 people for whom, if they do not pay the fine, in a short time the punishment will be transformed into a prison sentence,” Tupancheski said. He said the criminal court’s amnesty proposal has been passed on to North Macedonia’s parliament.
12th Nov 2022 - ABC News

NYC Public School Enrollment Drops as Pandemic Exodus Continues

New York City is continuing to bleed students in its public school system even as pandemic restrictions are lifted. Enrollment in the largest school district in the US is down 1.8% in 2022 from a year ago, representing 16,000 students in 3K through 12th grade, according to preliminary estimates released Monday by the city’s Department of Education. The drop marks the continuation of a years-long trend that rapidly accelerated during Covid lockdowns and remote schooling. The exodus has begun to slow, though, and this year’s dip is the smallest decline since the onset of the pandemic. Public schools have lost nearly 100,000 pupils, or about 10% of enrollment since the 2019-2020 school year, the data show. The data includes the 7,000 kids that officials have said enrolled in public schools amid an influx of migrants from Central and South America.
9th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Nov 2022

    View this newsletter in full

The Beijing Marathon Returns, With Some Covid-Zero Conditions

The Beijing marathon is back. Probably. No one will really be certain until the starting gun goes off on Nov. 6. The race, once one of the world’s top city marathons, has been on hiatus for two years, and with China sticking to its Covid-Zero policies, the marathon’s return has been marked with delays and uncertainty. Runners didn’t even know if they’d be competing until results of the entrance lottery were announced a week ago. “Even though there’s a short time to prepare, and my condition may not be as good as before, it’s good for it to be held,” said Tao Zhan, 49, an office worker who started running marathons six years ago and broke the three-hour mark in the 2019 Chicago Marathon. “This is very good news for runners.”
6th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg

China COVID curbs hit iPhone output, shut Shanghai Disney

China's COVID-19 curbs forced the temporary closure of Disney's Shanghai resort on Monday, while production of Apple Inc iPhones at a major contract manufacturing facility could drop by 30% in November due to coronavirus restrictions, a source told Reuters. In Zhengzhou, a Foxconn plant that makes iPhones and employs about 200,000 people has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, with numerous staff fleeing the facility, prompting nearby cities to draw up plans to isolate migrant workers returning to their home towns.
1st Nov 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Oct 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Pfizer's (PFE) Paxlovid Given Less Often to Black, Hispanic People

Pfizer Inc.’s Paxlovid antiviral was prescribed to Black and Hispanic Covid-19 patients at much lower rates than those who were White, according to a study that calls into question efforts to bolster access to drugs that fight the coronavirus. From April to July, as Paxlovid’s use peaked, Black US patients received it about a third less often than White patients, according to the report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stark disparities were also seen among Hispanic patients, who were nearly 30% less likely to get Paxlovid than White patients. Asian people were prescribed the drug about 19% less frequently than White counterparts.
28th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg

China's Shanghai Migrant Worker Villages Blamed for Covid Face Demolition

Tens of thousands of migrant workers in Shanghai, who have long been living on the margins in one of China’s wealthiest cities, are facing renewed threats of eviction after their ramshackle villages were blamed for causing the Covid-19 outbreak that led to a monthslong lockdown. Like many other major Chinese cities, Shanghai has for years been razing and redeveloping the densely populated neighborhoods — known as “cheng zhong cun” or “villages within a city” — to make room for new residential and commercial complexes to drive growth in the world’s second-largest economy. This year, the demolition in Shanghai is gathering pace.
23rd Oct 2022 - Bloomberg

Possible RSV, Covid-19 and Flu Collision Has Doctors Worried. What to Know.

A possible convergence of flu, RSV and Covid-19 has doctors worried. Flu cases are rising earlier than usual, and pediatric hospitals are seeing surges of respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV. There are also signs that Covid-19 cases are increasing in parts of the country as Americans head into the cooler months. Covid-19 precautions earlier in the pandemic—and their near-disappearance lately—are a big part of the reason flu and RSV are staging a comeback, doctors say. Measures such as masking and social distancing suppressed rates of other viruses, too, leaving those of us who haven’t had a recent infection with lower levels of protection now. “It’s very clear that because people are relaxing Covid precautions that it’s very likely we will also see an increase in influenza at the same time,” says Jay Varma, director of the Cornell Center for Pandemic Prevention and Response in New York City and a physician and epidemiologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. All three viruses share similar symptoms, such as cough, sore throat, runny nose and fever, making it hard to tell what you have without a test. You can test for Covid-19 at home, and most health professionals can test for flu and RSV.
27th Oct 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

U.S. business sentiment in China hits record low as zero-COVID persists, survey shows

Optimism among U.S. businesses in China has hit record low levels, an annual survey showed on Friday, as competitive, economic, and regulatory challenges compound the stresses already imposed by Beijing's ongoing zero-COVID policies. Just 55% of 307 companies surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and consultancy PwC China described themselves as optimistic about the five-year business outlook. The reading is the lowest in the survey's 23-year history and worse than in 2020, when COVID-19 first surfaced, and during the trade standoff between Beijing and Washington in 2019.
28th Oct 2022 - Reuters

Math Scores Dropped in Every State During Pandemic, Report Card Shows

The nation’s schools recorded the largest drop in math scores ever this year, with fourth- and eighth-grade students in nearly every state showing significant declines, according to Education Department data released Monday. In the most sweeping analysis of test scores since the start of the pandemic, the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card, also revealed a nationwide plunge in reading that wiped out three decades of gains. Prepandemic declines in academic achievement intensified nationwide, and many longstanding gaps in student achievement grew.
25th Oct 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Fear of Catching Covid Has Cost US Economy $250 Billion This Year

Persistent worries about catching Covid kept about 3 million Americans out of the workforce, reducing the nation’s economic output by $250 billion in the first half of 2022, according to new research on a phenomenon dubbed “Long Social Distancing.” Close to 60% of respondents to a monthly survey of tens of thousands of adults said they wouldn’t completely return to pre-Covid activities like riding crowded subways and elevators, and were staying out of the labor force as a result. Those not working or looking for a job in part due to infection fears totaled about 2% of the labor force, which translated to the 3 million figure, the researchers found.
25th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Oct 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Hong Kong Covid News: City to Lift Public Gathering Limit to 12

Hong Kong will increase the number of people allowed to gather in public, with the substantial tweak to one of its most criticized Covid rules marking another gradual step toward reviving its reputation as a financial hub. As many as 12 people will be able to congregate together in public places starting Oct. 20, the government said in a statement late Tuesday. That’s up from the current limit of four people. The change brings the rule in line with the cap for groups at restaurants, gyms and theme parks. But the ongoing limits have been criticized by health professionals as lacking scientific support given as many as 240 people are allowed to attend an indoor banquet.
19th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Oct 2022

    View this newsletter in full

As China doubles down on ‘zero-COVID’, some have had enough

A few months ago, a box was left outside the door of 34-year-old Yu Ting Xu’s* apartment in Beijing. Inside, there was an electronic monitoring wristband and a demand that she wear the wristband at all times as part of the fight against COVID-19 in her residential area. While telling her story over a video call, Yu shuffles about in the background. When she returns to her screen, she is holding up the wristband, which looks like a smartwatch but has a plain white plastic surface instead of a display.
15th Oct 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Construction Contracts Unworkable; Defense Costs Blow-Out

Infrastructure construction contracts signed before the pandemic have become widely unworkable because of the surging cost of labor and materials, supply-chain blockages and difficulties in securing manpower, according to builder Webuild. The firm is wrestling with a 2019 agreement with the Australian government to construct the country’s largest hydroelectric power station for A$5.1 billion. The Snowy 2.0 project has come to highlight the challenges of completing large-scale projects on terms that were struck before Covid-19, and before Russia invaded Ukraine.
11th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Oct 2022

    View this newsletter in full

What the COVID-19 pandemic revealed about intellectual property

An investigation into the development of the vaccines tells a different story. The work on mRNA vaccine technology dates back many decades and was almost entirely publicly funded. Even some of the critical elements of the Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, such as the lipid nanoparticle container5, were also publicly funded7. Both BioNTech and Moderna developed their own proprietary platforms — requiring considerable ingenuity, effort and cost — relying on both patents, trade secrets and regulatory exclusivity. Pfizer’s development of Paxlovid was conducted in-house. During the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, Pfizer developed an intravenous protease inhibitor to combat that coronavirus. Pfizer was able to do so as it had recently acquired Agouron Pharmaceuticals, a firm that had been working on a similar protease in rhinovirus.
8th Oct 2022 - Nature.com

American Express to End Covid Vaccine Requirement for Offices in November

American Express Co. is ending a requirement that employees need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter offices as virus cases decline globally. The decision, which takes effect Nov. 1, applies to offices across the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, according to an internal memo to staff seen by Bloomberg. Staffers also will no longer have to be vaccinated to attend company-sponsored in-person events.
8th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg

Analysis: As China party congress looms, signals sought on easing COVID policy

The mounting economic toll of China's zero-COVID policy is raising investor hopes that Beijing may finally begin laying the groundwork for the tricky epidemiological and political task of shifting course following this month's Communist Party congress. It is not clear whether the ruling party congress from Oct. 16 will shed any light on easing strict measures to extinguish all domestic COVID-19 outbreaks, rather than seek to live with the pandemic. Any change, economists and investors predict, would entail gradual steps for a reopening from the first half of 2023 at the earliest.
7th Oct 2022 - Reuters

Biden Vaccine Mandate for Health Workers Survives Supreme Court Appeal

The US Supreme Court turned away a renewed challenge by 10 states to the Biden administration’s Covid-19 vaccine requirement for workers in facilities that receive federal health-care funds. The rebuff of the Missouri-led group follows the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in January to let the requirement take effect. The rule, issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, requires shots for workers in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive federal dollars. The requirement took effect April 15, covering about 10 million people. In its Jan. 13 decision, the court said Congress had authorized the agency to protect the health and safety of Medicaid and Medicare recipients.
5th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg

The Long Covid Plan for Ireland: Is it too little, too late?

The Mater hospital, where I work, started to study Long Covid in May of 2020. Scientific research is critical to devising strategies to deal with Long Covid. Science should win the day. We anticipated Long Covid would linger, just as it did in China, just as it did with Sars and MERS, and monitored patients over the following 12 months. The first strain of Covid-19, the Delta variant, and indeed a few of the following variants, caused severe illness and heart and lung damage, but one of our first studies reported that about a third of acute Covid patients had persistent neurological involvement, suggesting brain inflammation.
4th Oct 2022 - The Irish Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Oct 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Bereaved families fear Covid inquiry cover-up after ban on testimony

Families of those who died from Covid-19 have been barred from submitting individual testimony to the official public inquiry about the standard of care received by their loved ones during the pandemic, the Observer can reveal. Instead, the inquiry chair, Lady Hallett, is proposing they submit “pen portraits” to a private research company as part of a parallel “Listening Project” that will not have the power to demand the disclosure of documents or investigate claims about their relatives’ care. “It would appear that Lady Hallett would rather outsource the grief of bereaved families to the Listening Project than engage with us constructively,” said John Sullivan, whose daughter, Susan, died in March 2020 at Barnet hospital after being denied access to an intensive therapy unit because of her Down’s syndrome and supposed cardiac comorbidities. “The inquiry is becoming a farce and an exercise in cover-up,” he said, ahead of the first hearing on Tuesday.
2nd Oct 2022 - The Guardian

China's Tibet COVID-19 lockdown causing 'extreme hardships': campaigners

A weeks-long COVID-19 lockdown in Tibet has brought an "expansion of already suffocating living conditions", a rights group has said, after a top regional official issued a rare apology this month over virus restrictions. Cities across Tibet have been under Covid curbs since the start of August, with authorities mandating mass testing and keeping locals at home as China sticks to its strict zero-Covid policy. Complaints of chaotic transfers to mass quarantine facilities, lack of supplies and poor quarantine conditions have surfaced on Chinese social media in recent weeks. The vice mayor of Tibet's capital Lhasa issued a public apology earlier this month admitting to problems with how Covid had been handled, pinning the blame on individual officials. But "no meaningful remedial measures have been implemented to ameliorate the harsh lockdown and quarantine conditions", the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said in a report Thursday.
2nd Oct 2022 - Mizzima News

Two thirds of U.S. adults don't plan on getting COVID boosters soon -poll

Around two-thirds of adults in the United States do not plan to get updated COVID-19 booster shots soon, according to a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a health policy nonprofit organization. Only a third of adults polled said they either already received the updated shots or plan to get the booster as soon as possible, the poll found. The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Inc shots, updated to target more recently circulating Omicron subvariants of the coronavirus as well as the original strain, were authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration late last month.
1st Oct 2022 - Reuters

Australia is now living with COVID-19, but in aged care, thousands are dying with it

They're known as the Silent Generation: Australia's elders often have a reputation for copping hard knocks on the chin without complaint – but they’re also among our most vulnerable. While the COVID death rate in aged care has significantly decreased in 2022, the number of total deaths has increased exponentially Advocates say not enough people are aware of the trauma still happening in aged care. Residents are torn between fearing the outside world and wanting to be a part of it. It's because of that vulnerability many of their lives have been slower to return to a pre-COVID 'normal'. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Australians united to protect each other. During the first two years, the country was devastated to see almost 900 deaths from the illness in aged care. That figure made up about 40 per cent of the 2,220 deaths recorded during the same time frame. Floral tributes and homemade signs of hope were tied to fences of locked-down aged care facilities, where residents could only peer through the windows.
30th Sep 2022 - ABC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Sep 2022

    View this newsletter in full

China's Anti-COVID Policies in Tibet Trigger Resentment, Rare Online Outcry

The harsh COVID-19 containment restrictions China is imposing across Tibet are leading to public resentment in the capital of Lhasa, where residents who have tested positive are being quarantined in empty stadiums, schools, warehouses and unfinished buildings. Beijing's actions in Tibet reflect the draconian "zero-covid" policy of President Xi Jinping that has caused discontent and even protests in major cities such as Shanghai and Chengdu. Social media videos from Lhasa show people waiting to be bused at night to an estimated 20 makeshift quarantine camps. For Lhasa residents the "midnight bus" represents their fears of what they may find once they arrive at crowded and locked quarantine sites.
25th Sep 2022 - Voice of America

Covid-19: China reopens borders to medical students, but problems remain

Medical students from India who have been studying in China have been heartened by the decision to allow them to return to resume their studies in person, although they admit that many obstacles remain including exorbitant air fares and “zero covid” policies. The Chinese government updated its visa policies for international students on 22 August, allowing them to return. China’s borders were sealed off to international travellers in January 2020, shortly after covid-19 struck. More than 23 000 Indian students and 28 000 Pakistani students are thought to be affected by pandemic quarantines and unable to return to China even after two years. The decision by the Chinese government to start issuing visas to international students comes after months of unrest for Indian medical students in particular.
25th Sep 2022 - The BMJ

Covid-19 Unemployment Fraud May Have Topped $45 Billion, Watchdog Estimates

Criminals potentially stole an estimated $45.6 billion by making fraudulent unemployment insurance claims meant for people laid off during the Covid-19 pandemic, a government watchdog said. The new tally is nearly three times last summer’s estimate of over $16 billion in fraudulent payments. More than half of the potential fraud identified between March 2020 and April 2022 stemmed from individuals filing for benefits in multiple states. Fraudsters also used the Social Security numbers of people who were dead or in prison, as well as suspicious email addresses, the Labor Department’s inspector general’s office said in a report released Thursday. More than 1,000 people have been charged with crimes involving unemployment insurance fraud since March 2020, the report said.
23rd Sep 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Goldman Sachs Will End Covid Vaccination Requirements in Its New York Office

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. will drop vaccination requirements for staff at its New York City office, as the waning pandemic prompts Wall Street banks eager for employees to return to their desks to scrap remaining restrictions. The bank will end the requirement beginning Tuesday Nov. 1, according to a memo to staff seen by Bloomberg News. It follows the announcement by New York City Mayor Eric Adams that the city will no longer mandate that private employers require all of their workers to be vaccinated for Covid-19. Goldman Sachs had previously removed vaccine requirements in other US locations
23rd Sep 2022 - Bloomberg

Zero-COVID policy has cost Hong Kong its aviation hub status - IATA

Hong Kong has lost its position as a global aviation hub due to China's zero-COVID policy, the head of airlines group IATA said on Wednesday, warning the industry's recovery from the pandemic would be slowed if Beijing continued its restrictions next year. Attending an International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference in the Qatari capital Doha, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said China's zero-COVID policy had "devastated" Hong Kong and hit airline Cathay Pacific hard.
23rd Sep 2022 - Reuters

What Good Leadership Looks Like Now vs. Pre-Covid

Just as in the first study, among the 20 traits that Korn Ferry tested, “tolerance of ambiguity” had the strongest positive correlation this time with the Drucker Institute’s best-scoring companies. “Trust,” “risk-taking” and adaptability” all remained in the top five, as well. Given how deep-seated traits tend to be, this isn’t surprising. “It’s not that leaders have changed their spots,” says Stephen Lams, the vice president of data and analytics at the Korn Ferry Institute.
19th Sep 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Sep 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Jacinda Ardern's Feted Covid Response Could Yet Be Her Undoing

The pandemic response that swept Jacinda Ardern to a second term as New Zealand’s prime minister may end up costing her a third. Ardern this week scrapped what was left of the rules she deployed to battle Covid-19, bringing an end to two-and-a-half years of tough restrictions that initially served the country well. But their removal hasn’t come soon enough for some voters, who have grown tired of controls on daily life and are deserting Ardern’s Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general election. An economic slowdown also looms next year as the full impact of pandemic measures such as the closed border plays out.
18th Sep 2022 - Bloomberg

Australians believe life is improving after lockdowns and are more confident in government, survey finds

Australians believe their life is improving and are more confident in the government compared with last year, with much of this wellbeing boost being reported among young people, the results of a national survey suggest. The latest Covid Impact Monitoring survey of more than 3,510 adults, completed in August, found the 18 to 24 age group in particular are feeling more positive about their lives. This is despite being the age group to suffer some of the greatest psychological distress during the peak of the pandemic. “That does not mean that Australia has returned to pre-pandemic levels of wellbeing and mental health,” the results of the latest survey, published on Wednesday, found.
18th Sep 2022 - The Guardian

The Truth About Those Viral Tweets Questioning the Omicron Boosters' Safety

So far, enthusiasm for the Omicron-specific Covid boosters is just so-so. In a University of Michigan poll conducted last month among adults over age 50, just 61 percent of those surveyed said they were “very likely” to get the new booster this fall, and 23 percent of adults ages 50 to 64 said they were “not likely” to get it. There are likely many reasons for this tepid reception, including the fact that many people have recently recovered from Covid and are waiting a few months before getting boosted in order to optimize protection. But there’s another factor, too—one that we’ve seen before. Influential physicians who have opposed Covid protections since the beginning of the pandemic continue to downplay the effectiveness of vaccines.
17th Sep 2022 - Mother Jones

Gusher of pandemic aid averted global depression, but left a bad hangover

Economists around the world, from the most liberal free-spenders to fiscal conservative deficit hawks, largely agreed the coronavirus pandemic required a go-big, go-fast policy response to avoid an outright global depression.
12th Sep 2022 - Reuters on MSN.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Sep 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Long Covid Costs Australia Economy $3.6 Billion a Year: Report

Long Covid is costing the Australian economy the equivalent of $3.6 billion a year in lost output, the Australian Financial Review reported, citing an exclusive data analysis. Based on data from the country’s Treasury estimating some 31,000 workers called in sick because of the condition in June, the analysis by think tank Impact Economics and Policy found the economic cost came in at A$100 million ($68 million) a week, according to the AFR. That amounts to some A$5.2 billion on an annual basis.
10th Sep 2022 - Bloomberg

Bank of America Child-Care Spending Nears Pre-Covid Level as Parents Get Back to Work

The number of Bank of America Corp. customers making child-care payments neared pre-pandemic levels last month, an encouraging sign for the labor market as parents get back to work. Those making such payments now total about 94% of the level seen in January 2020, a noticeable jump from the prior month, the Bank of America Institute said in a report Friday. The dollar value of child-care spending per customer was up about 7% from a year ago when adjusting for inflation.
10th Sep 2022 - Bloomberg

State and Local Jobs May Take Until 2026 to Recoup Pandemic Losses

The sluggish recovery in US state and city employment has left payrolls hundreds of thousands of positions below pre-pandemic levels, a deficit that may take years to plug as the private sector lures away workers. State and local payrolls rose to about 19.4 million last month, the highest since March 2020, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Friday. However, that’s still roughly 650,000 less than the peak from right before Covid-19 struck, even after states and municipalities received hundreds of billions of dollars in federal stimulus to ease the pandemic’s blow.
9th Sep 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Sep 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Ex-minister Liam Fox gets donation from Covid test firm he recommended

Tory MP Liam Fox received a £20,000 donation in June from a Covid testing firm on whose behalf he had contacted the then health secretary Matt Hancock. Mr Fox recommended SureScreen Diagnostics to Mr Hancock in 2020, an email seen by campaign group Good Law Project and the BBC shows. The company went on to win a £500m contract to provide tests without facing competition. A spokesperson for Mr Fox said the story was a "baseless smear". It was "concocted by the political activist Jolyon Maugham and the Good Law Project", the spokesman said, and Mr Fox would be making a complaint. "It is appalling that this should be propagated by the BBC," the statement issued after publication, added.
4th Sep 2022 - BBC News

Covid boosters: surge of dangerous vaccine misinformation emerges online ahead of new jab programme

Anti-vaxxers are ramping up up their campaigns of misinformation as medics prepare to launch the autumn booster jabs against covid. Pregnant women and the overall safety of two of the most common jabs have already been targeted in recent days and experts expect further misinformation to be posted on social media through the autumn. The authors of a paper published this week in the journal Vaccine claim that the risk of serious adverse events following a Pfizer or Moderna jab, compared to those in a placebo group, “points to the need for formal harm-benefit analyses”.
2nd Sep 2022 - iNews

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Sep 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Nine million foreigners visited Spain in July, near pre-pandemic levels

More than twice as many tourists visited Spain in July than in the same month last year, a number only slightly below pre-pandemic levels, National Statistics Institute data showed on Thursday. The 9.1 million visitors in July spent close to 12 billion euros ($12 billion), more than twice as much as in 2021. Tourism earnings are a significant component of Spain's gross domestic product. Before COVID-19 put a halt to international travel in 2020, Spain received a record number of foreign tourists in 2019, with 9.9 million visiting in July of that year.
1st Sep 2022 - Reuters

U.S. plans to move COVID vaccines, treatments to private markets in 2023

The U.S. government expects its supply of COVID-19 vaccines and antiviral treatments to run out over the next year and is preparing for them to be sold via the commercial market, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Tuesday. President Joe Biden's administration expects to run out of federal funding for buying and distributing COVID-19 vaccines by January, although it has already bought over 170 million doses for a booster campaign later this year, according to a blog post written by Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O'Connell.
1st Sep 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Sep 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Melbourne launches multimillion-dollar centre for pandemic treatments

Melbourne will bid to become a global centre for the development of new antiviral therapies to deal with future pandemics after receiving the largest donation in Australian medical history. Geoff Cumming, a Canadian who lives in the city, has pledged at least A$250mn ($172mn) towards creating The Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics based in Parkville, adjacent to the University of Melbourne.
31st Aug 2022 - Financial Times

COVID-19 vaccine opponents slapped with $214,000 in legal costs after failed lawsuit

In dismissing the case in June, Justice Debra Mortimer said it had many flaws. “Their case is a general attack on the government response across Australia to the COVID-19 pandemic through the use of a vaccination program,” she said. “In a likely complex and resource-intensive case such as this, the court must be able to identify the material facts pleaded to support the allegation, or some probative basis in the primary material for the contentions. “Counsel for the applicants did not even attempt to point the court towards one.”
31st Aug 2022 - 7NEWS

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

‘American rebellion’: the lockdown protests that paved the way for the Capitol riots

It started in Michigan. On 15 April 2020, thousands of vehicles convoyed to Lansing and clogged the streets surrounding the state capitol for a protest that had been advertised as “Operation Gridlock”. Drivers leaned on their horns, men with guns got out and walked. Signs warned of revolt. Someone waved an upside-down American flag. Already – nine months before 6 January, seven months before the election, six weeks before a national uprising for police accountability and racial justice – there were a lot of them, and they were angry.
30th Aug 2022 - The Guardian

Why Some Americans Are Still Isolating From Covid-19

Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are in decline. People are traveling, socializing and returning to workplaces in greater numbers. But a group of people are still keeping mostly to themselves and taking other measures to minimize infection risks. Compromised immune systems and the risks of long Covid are among reasons they say they are maintaining caution. Two-and-a-half years into the pandemic, their relative isolation speaks to divides that remain over how to live with the virus. With imperfect insight into the risks of infection as the virus mutates and immunity shifts, people are setting their own boundaries for safe behavior. While about one-quarter of 1,243 people surveyed by the Kaiser Family Foundation recently said they had resumed all activities they were pursuing before the pandemic, 17% said they were doing very few of those things.
29th Aug 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

The growing evidence that Covid-19 is leaving people sicker

A Financial Times analysis of data from the UK’s NHS, one of the world’s richest health data sets, showed significant rises in deaths from heart disease since the start of the pandemic in all but the very oldest age groups. In the 40-64 age group, heart attack deaths increased 15 per cent in 2021 compared with 2019. In February, meanwhile, an analysis of more than 150,000 records from the national healthcare databases at the US Department of Veterans Affairs suggested that even some people who had not been seriously ill with Covid had an increased risk of cardiovascular problems for at least a year afterwards. Researchers found that rates of many conditions, such as heart failure and stroke, were substantially higher in people who had recovered from Covid than in similar people who had not been infected. A separate analysis of VA data, published in March, suggested that in the “post-acute phase” of the disease, people with Covid “exhibit increased risk and burden of diabetes”.
30th Aug 2022 - Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

At Jackson Hole, World’s Central Bankers Gauge Economic Risks in Covid’s Wake

The world’s central bankers returned to Grand Teton National Park after a three-year, pandemic-induced hiatus with angst over inflation that has been at the highest levels since the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City began hosting its annual summer symposium there in 1982. Policy makers and economists signaled growing unease with the trade-offs they could soon confront, particularly if the forces that helped central banks bring down inflation and keep it low over the past three decades are unraveling. “For the first time in four decades, central banks need to prove how determined they are to protect price stability,” said Isabel Schnabel, who sits on the European Central Bank’s six-member executive board, during a panel that concluded the conference Saturday afternoon.
28th Aug 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Pandemic's impact on U.S. productivity may be a wash, research shows

The coronavirus pandemic touched off a scramble among U.S. firms and households to adapt their work lives and business models, with work-from-home arrangements and teleconferencing tools boosting what some employees could do, and new technology helping even the smallest cafes do more with less. But the crisis also brought a wave of inefficiency in the form of snarled supply chains, time and money spent on cleaning and health management, and hiring difficulties that still keep some businesses below capacity.
27th Aug 2022 - Reuters

China drops some COVID rules for travellers but keeps quarantine

China still requires international passengers to take pre-departure COVID-19 tests and quarantine upon arrival, the country’s customs office has said, after dropping some reporting requirements for travellers clearing customs. China, which has shortened the quarantine period and removed some testing and self-isolation requirements for inbound international travellers, still has some of the world’s most stringent COVID-19 policies.
27th Aug 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Why Most Parents Aren’t Getting Their Toddlers Vaccinated Against Covid-19

Many don’t consider the virus a threat to their kids’ health or have concerns about the vaccines’ safety so they are not getting, or planning to get, their kids vaccinated against Covid.-19,
26th Aug 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

US Suspends 26 Flights by Chinese Airlines in Escalating Dispute Over Covid Policies

The US Department of Transportation is suspending 26 flights by Chinese airlines next month in a dispute over Beijing’s strict policies when travelers test positive for Covid-19. The retaliatory move follows the Chinese government’s decision to limit inbound flights by US carriers including United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc. China’s actions are “adverse to the public interest” and warranted “additional proportionate remedial action by the Department,” the US regulator said in an order dated Thursday.
26th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Taxi and private-hire drivers surprised at change in mask-wearing rule, worried about Covid-19 transmission

In Singapore, in an advisory on its Facebook page, the Land Transport Authority encouraged drivers and passengers to continue wearing masks to protect one another. Ride-hailing operators Gojek and Grab echoed this call, saying drivers and passengers should mask up if they feel unwell. Grab also advised its drivers to wind down windows to improve ventilation if passengers are agreeable. However, drivers interviewed felt that many passengers will not heed this call.
25th Aug 2022 - The Straits Times

House panel: Trump sought to pressure FDA on covid vaccines, treatment

Trump officials repeatedly stalled the Food and Drug Administration’s plan to extend safety studies of coronavirus vaccines in fall 2020, as President Donald Trump pressed the agency for a faster timeline so the vaccines could be authorized before Election Day, according to emails, text messages and interviews by a congressional panel probing the pandemic response. White House officials such as trade adviser Peter Navarro and outside allies such as TV host and physician Mehmet Oz also pressed federal officials in 2020 to authorize the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment, with Navarro and a deputy working behind the scenes to have a hospital craft a request to the FDA for widespread access to the debunked therapy touted by Trump, the House select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis concluded in a report released Wednesday.
25th Aug 2022 - The Washington Post

China reopens to Japanese students after long COVID break

The Chinese government will soon start accepting Japanese international students after a two-and-a-half year pause caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Chinese embassy in Japan has made visas for long-term overseas study in China available for applications as of Tuesday. Prospective students are expected to be allowed to sit in university classes after undergoing 10 days of isolation and health observation upon entry. This change, which would encourage exchange among the younger generation, appears to be a move to ease bilateral tensions ahead of next month's 50th anniversary of the two countries normalizing diplomatic relations.
25th Aug 2022 - Nikkei Asia

Covid: Qantas says pandemic 'existential crisis' is over

The national carriers of Australia and New Zealand say that the worst of the coronavirus crisis is now behind them, even as they posted annual losses for a third year in a row. Qantas says it is seeing demand increase "with the existential crisis posed by the pandemic now over". Air New Zealand says it has also experienced "a very strong recovery in bookings and revenues" since March.
25th Aug 2022 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Pandemic sets back fight against poverty in Asia by at least 2 years

The Covid-19 pandemic has set back the fight against poverty in Asia and the Pacific by at least 2 years, and many in the region will likely find it harder than before to escape poverty, according to a report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The region's economic growth this year is expected to reduce extreme poverty—defined as living off less than $1.90 a day—to a level that would have been achieved in 2020 had the pandemic not happened, according to Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2022, released today. Data simulations also show that people in the region with lower pre-pandemic levels of social mobility—the ability to escape poverty—may experience longer-lasting setbacks.
25th Aug 2022 - The Daily Star

Black Workers Seeing Above-Average Wage Gains After Pandemic Hit

After taking a bigger hit to employment at the start of the pandemic, US Black workers are now seeing above-average wage gains and moving into better-paying roles at higher rates than other groups, according to new research by the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers. Many Black Americans benefited as the US labor market bounced back from the worst of the Covid-19 crisis in early 2020, when millions of people lost their jobs in a matter of weeks. During the recovery, some workers gained the leverage needed to switch jobs and ask for better wages, the researchers found.
24th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg

COVID-19 pandemic fallout worse for women

Researchers from The University of Queensland have found the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia has had a greater financial and psychological impact on women than men. A study conducted by the UQ Business School shows women have experienced more significant impacts on their overall employment, hours of work, domestic labor and mental health and well-being.
24th Aug 2022 - Phys.org

Misinformation is a common thread between the COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS pandemics – with deadly consequences

Since health officials confirmed the first COVID-19 cases, misinformation has spread just as quickly as the virus. Social media may have made the amount, variety and speed of misinformation seem unprecedented, but COVID-19 isn’t the first pandemic where false and harmful information has set back public health. Misinformation altered how people trusted their governments and doctors during the 1918 influenza pandemic. It fueled the 19th century smallpox anti-vaccine movements through some of the same arguments as those currently used against the COVID-19 vaccine. What sets the COVID-19 pandemic apart, however, is the sheer magnitude of damaging disinformation put in circulation around the world. Data shows that regions and countries where disinformation thrived experienced more lethal pandemic waves despite vaccine availability.
24th Aug 2022 - The Conversation Indonesia

China's jobless turn to car boot sales as COVID-hit economy stalls

Once considered too low-status for many, peddling wares on the street has made a comeback as people who lost their jobs or closed down their businesses seek new ways to make a living and work around China's relentless anti-COVID policies. Hospitality, tourism and after-school tutoring have been particularly hard hit.
24th Aug 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

People less willing to comply with Covid-19 rules, or listen to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern according to Government survey

New Zealanders are complying less with Covid-19 rules as people's attention shifts to issues like the cost of living, according to research from the Government's own Covid survey. The survey shows a significant drop off in the willingness of people to trust the Prime Minister as the main source of truth about the pandemic. People remain confident in their ability to identify misinformation, and twice as many people use mainstream media for Covid information as use social media. At least every eight weeks, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet receives a survey of how New Zealanders feel about Covid-19. It looks at how much people are willing to comply with health rules and whether they trust health messaging on the virus, along with broader health messaging.
24th Aug 2022 - New Zealand Herald

Fauci on COVID conspiracy theories: ‘What we’re dealing with now is just a distortion of reality’

Anthony Fauci, who on Monday announced that he is leaving the Biden administration, pushed back on conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic hours later, calling the claims “a distortion of reality.” “What we’re dealing with now is just a distortion of reality, conspiracy theories which don’t make any sense at all pushing back on sound public health measures, making it look like trying to save lives is encroaching on people’s freedom,” Fauci said on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show.” False claims and criticisms, particularly about the origins of the COVID-19 virus, Fauci said, “impeded a proper response to a public health challenge” and continue to interfere with addressing public health issues.
23rd Aug 2022 - The Hill

WA police officer Ben Falconer loses legal challenge against COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Ben Falconer lost his legal case against WA's vaccine mandate. The judge found the measure was justified in a pandemic. He said the vaccine mandate was supported by experts
23rd Aug 2022 - ABC News

The Covid-19 Financial Crisis That Wasn't

The sudden realization in mid-March 2020 that Covid-19 was going to be a once-in-a-century pandemic created the kind of disruption that financial crises are made of. Pundits predicted an unprecedented triple shock: lockdowns would decimate demand, travel bans would devastate supply, and the “dash for cash” would freeze financial activity. Stock markets plunged and bond yields jumped. But despite the disastrous human toll and the inevitable economic downturn, the financial crisis didn’t happen. To understand what went right, our research team at the Yale Program on Financial Stability compiled a database of some 9,000 government actions in 180 countries. The lessons: Go big, go early, and prepare for next time.
23rd Aug 2022 - Bloomberg

Anti-mandate protesters converge on New Zealand Parliament

About 2,000 protesters upset with the government’s pandemic response converged Tuesday on New Zealand’s Parliament — but there was no repeat of the occupation six months ago in which protesters camped on Parliament grounds for more than three weeks. Many of the protesters said they had no intention of trying to stay. And police ensured a repeat was unlikely by closing streets, erecting barricades and banning protesters from bringing structures onto Parliament’s grounds. The previous protest created significant disruptions in the capital and ended in chaos as retreating protesters set fire to tents and hurled rocks at police. This time there was also a counter-protest, with several hundred people gathering in front of Parliament as the main march entered the grounds. The two sides shouted insults but a line of police officers kept them physically separated.
23rd Aug 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

How Small Businesses Tapped Billions in Covid Relief

Policy changes to the Paycheck Protection Program, one of the largest in US history, redirected loans to the neediest communities. An analysis of 2020 and 2021 lending data shows what happened.
23rd Aug 2022 - Bloomberg

Changi Terminal 5: Pandemic-Proof Airport Closer to Reality in Singapore

Singapore will start work on a fifth terminal at Changi Airport -- regularly voted among the world’s best -- with a revised design that allows it to adjust capacity during a pandemic. The move comes as the city-state works to cement its place as Asia’s primary aviation hub, with rival Hong Kong still imposing Covid quarantines and other border restrictions. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong detailed the plans in his National Day Rally address Sunday. “In the longer term, air travel will keep growing because of the fast expanding middle-class in our region,” Lee said.
23rd Aug 2022 - Bloomberg

Neurological and psychotic disorders remain 2 years after infection with COVID-19

Both neurological and psychotic disorders have been found to persist in some patients 2 years after first becoming infected with COVID-19. The risk of some neurological and psychotic disorders remain elevated two years after infection with COVID-19 compared to other respiratory viruses according to the findings of a retrospective analysis by researchers from Oxford and Cambridge universities, UK. Whilst it has become widely recognised that infection with COVID-19 leads to substantial neurological and psychiatric morbidity in the 6 months after infection, it remains uncertain whether these risks decrease over time. Clearly, it is important to fulfil this evidence gap to provide reassurance to patients experiencing such adverse effects and to inform on future health policy service provision. It is also necessary to understand if there are differences in the risk profile among adults and children and finally if these risk profiles differ between COVID-19 variants.
22nd Aug 2022 - Hospital Healthcare Europe

Philippine children back in school as pandemic restrictions ease

Millions of Philippine students returned to classrooms for the first time in more than two years on Monday, after the country lifted most remaining COVID-19 curbs to try and reverse learning losses. Students, all wearing face masks, queued to enter their classrooms and attended flag raising ceremonies in their schoolyards across the Southeast Asian country as the government phases out remote learning.
22nd Aug 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

More than 20 Chinese universities postpone new semester to stop COVID-19

More than 20 colleges and universities across China have moved to postpone the starting dates of the new semester, in a move that public health experts say is necessary to stop the spread of the COVID-19, as many places across the country are combating sporadic outbreaks. Due to the serious and complex epidemic situation across the nation, some universities and colleges in municipalities and provinces, including Beijing, Northwest China's Shaanxi, East China's Fujian, South China's Hainan, Northeast China's Liaoning and Jilin provinces, have decided to put off the start of the new semester.
21st Aug 2022 - Global Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

French fire service official tells of death threats over Covid vaccine stance

A French fire service official says he has received death threats and been harassed after calling for firefighters who have refused the Covid vaccine to remain suspended. France’s interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, condemned the alleged social media threats against Eric Brocardi, who has reported them to police. Cmdr Brocardi, who is spokesperson for France’s national federation of firefighters (FNSPF), came under attack after saying that in his view, full-time and voluntary firefighters suspended for refusing the vaccine should not be allowed to return to the service.
18th Aug 2022 - The Guardian

Attitudes toward mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in Germany

It has become obvious that sufficiently high immunity to COVID-19 cannot be achieved in Germany through voluntary vaccination alone. On this background, Thomas Rieger and Carsten Schröder from the German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, together with Christoph Schmidt-Petri from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, investigated the acceptance of a policy of general mandatory vaccination against COVID-19. The scientists also investigated the questions of which population groups are supportive of such a measure, which ones are opposed, and what their reasons are, respectively.
18th Aug 2022 - Medical Xpress

Covid-19: The government's gaslighting has left vulnerable patients feeling forgotten

McLellan and Abbasi say that we must “face the fact that the nation’s attempt to ‘live with covid’ is the straw that is breaking the NHS’s back.”1 The government’s unwillingness to confront the current reality of covid is also directly impacting some of the most vulnerable patients.
18th Aug 2022 - The BMJ

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Australia, Israel share notes on pandemic

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant will lead a team of delegates to Israel next month for a high-level information exchange on managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen Australian public health experts and clinicians will meet with counterparts from Israel's health and foreign affairs ministries along with leading academics to discuss ongoing handling of the viral disease.
18th Aug 2022 - The Canberra Times

California appeals court rejects COVID-19 fines for church

A California church that defied safety regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic by holding large religious services won't have to pay about $200,000 in fines, a state appeals court ruled. Calvary Chapel San Jose and its pastors were held in contempt of court and fined in 2020 and 2021 for violating state and county limits on indoor public gatherings. The rules were aimed at preventing the spread through close contract of the virus, which has caused more than 10 million confirmed cases and more than 93,500 deaths since the pandemic began in mid-2020, according to state public health figures.
17th Aug 2022 - ABC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Carnival Cruise bookings soar after it eases COVID testing requirements

Carnival Cruise Line said booking activity nearly doubled pre-pandemic levels on Monday after it announced an ease in COVID-19 testing requirements for passengers, sending its shares more than 3% higher. The company's parent, Carnival Corp, said on Friday it would drop mandatory testing for guests vaccinated against COVID-19 and allow unvaccinated passengers to travel without an exemption in some cases, after a similar move by rival Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd
17th Aug 2022 - Reuters

Pandemic pushes 2.3 million Filipinos into poverty

Preliminary results of the family income and expenditure survey for 2021 released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Monday showed that the poverty rate had worsened to 18.8 per cent from 16.7 per cent in 2018.
16th Aug 2022 - Nation Thailand

Artificial intelligence can explain why each COVID-19 wave impacts our bodies differently

Researchers have identified what they believe to be robust metabolic markers of Covid, a discovery which could lead to better understanding and treatments for people that suffer from symptoms of the disease months after diagnosis. Scientists from the University of Surrey collected blood samples of hospital patients and found that Covid-19 changed people's metabolism. The team observed that the effects of Covid-19 changed over time, with the first wave disrupting metabolites differently from the second.
16th Aug 2022 - Science Daily

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

China Surveillance in Xinjiang, Tibet Used to Prevent Shanghai-Like Covid Unrest

To combat fresh outbreaks of Covid-19 in outlying areas like Xinjiang and Tibet, Chinese authorities are drawing on a security apparatus previously used to quell dissent against authorities in Beijing. Broad surveillance measures used over the years against Tibetan Buddhists and mainly Muslim Uyghurs, both minority groups in China, are helping enforce lockdown rules among people long at risk of arbitrary detention. That has helped ensure there’s no public displays of anger like those seen earlier this year during the monthslong lockdown in the financial hub of Shanghai. “It’s ironic but very convenient for the CCP that it first constructed Uyghur ethno-national identity as a religious extremist ‘thought virus,’ took draconian steps to eradicate it, and then a real virus came along for which similar techniques were useful,” said James Millward, professor of history at Georgetown University, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.
15th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg

Superior protection with 'mix-and-match' COVID-19 booster strategy

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was caused by the sudden global outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since SARS-CoV-2 emerged at the end of 2019, scientists have worked relentlessly to develop several vaccines to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and protect individuals from severe COVID-19. Recently, a rapid decline in the level of antibodies elicited by vaccination with messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines has been observed. In a new Jama Network Open study, researchers discuss the durability and immunogenicity of homologous and heterologous booster regimens with the Johnson & Johnson Ad26.COV2.S and Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccines.
15th Aug 2022 - News-Medical.Net

Lancet study finds 40 percent of U.S. COVID-19 deaths were avoidable.

The report assailed Trump for his response to the pandemic, but emphasized that the disastrous response to the virus’s spread was the result of years of destructive public policy decisions on health that extended well beyond the Trump years. From the Lancet: Many of the cases and deaths were avoidable. Instead of galvanizing the U.S. populace to fight the pandemic, President Trump publicly dismissed its threat (despite privately acknowledging it), discouraged action as infection spread, and eschewed international cooperation. His refusal to develop a national strategy worsened shortages of personal protective equipment and diagnostic tests. President Trump politicized mask-wearing and school reopenings and convened indoor events attended by thousands, where masks were discouraged and physical distancing was impossible.
15th Aug 2022 - Slate

Japan travel sector calls for ‘hugely damaging’ Covid-19 entry curbs to end as economy rebounds

Japan’s economy grew at an annualised rate of 2.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2022, with private consumption up 1.1 per cent, official data shows. Travel sector says the government should remove entry curbs immediately so more tourists can visit Japan and help boost the economy, spending.
15th Aug 2022 - South China Morning Post

GDP falls 0.1% as Covid-19 vaccination programmes wind up

The UK’s economy shrank over the last three months as spending on test and trace and the Covid-19 vaccine programme subsided, figures show. Gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.1% between April and June, the Office for National Statistics said. It is a big step down from the first quarter of the year, when GDP rose 0.8%. The data may not be the start of a recession – which is defined as two quarters of GDP decline – but experts are predicting the UK will slip into a recession later this year.
15th Aug 2022 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Creighton students' COVID vaccine mandate appeal dismissed

The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal by a handful of Creighton University students who sought to be exempt from the private Catholic school’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate last year, arguing that getting the shots would violate their religious beliefs against abortion. The state’s high court said it didn’t have jurisdiction, citing its 150-year stance that people can’t appeal orders denying or granting temporary injunctions. In this case, a judge last year declined to issue a temporary injunction that would have blocked Creighton University’s requirement that all students get the COVID-19 vaccination.
13th Aug 2022 - The Associated Press

Hong Kong Population Drops by Record as People Flee Covid Curbs

Hong Kong’s population dropped by a record as people fled strict Covid-19 restrictions that have hobbled the city as most other regions move on from the pandemic. The city saw a decline of 121,500 residents in the year ended June 30, leaving the population at about 7.29 million, according to government data released Thursday. That means the population fell 1.6%, marking the third straight year of declines and the biggest drop in at least six decades. A wide-reaching national security law may have also been a contributing factor.
11th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg

Washington state COVID safety rule for farmworkers upheld by appeals court

A U.S. appeals court on Thursday rejected a flower nursery's claim that a 2020 Washington state rule requiring agricultural businesses to take various steps to protect workers from COVID-19 was invalid. A unanimous three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the state's rule, which required farms to provide face masks, conduct temperature checks and enforce social distancing, did not conflict with any federal regulations enforced by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (The rule was withdrawn last year.)
12th Aug 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 and Politics: Pandemic Deepened Countries' Divisions, Survey Says

The Covid-19 pandemic created deeper social divisions compared to the beginning of the outbreak, exposing weaknesses in political systems, according to findings of a survey conducted in 19 upper- and middle-income countries. Overall, 61% of respondents said their countries became more divided during the pandemic, according to the recent Pew Research Center survey. The perception of increased social friction was highest in the US, where 81% of those surveyed held that view, and two-thirds said the country’s pandemic response revealed political frailty.
11th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Commuting in, DIY out: UK’s new ‘new normal’ after end of Covid controls

Britain’s love for green fingers and blackened thumbs during the first Covid lockdown has since evaporated as people again find a “new normal” after the ending of restrictions, a survey suggests. The amount of time people spent gardening and doing DIY soared in March and April 2020, with people spending 40 minutes a day improving their homes and gardens compared with just 15 minutes in 2014-15. But it plummeted back to 20 minutes a day in March 2022, Office for National Statistics data shows. Lockdown lie-ins are also a thing of the past, with people sleeping 30 minutes less than they did in early 2020, while the amount of time people spend watching television and streaming is down by 34 minutes on average.
10th Aug 2022 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Despite awareness of COVID-19 risks, many Americans say they’re back to ‘normal’

Many Americans know of the potential risks to themselves and their families from infection with Covid-19, but growing numbers say they have returned to living their “normal” pre-pandemic lives, according to July 2022 national survey data from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). Increasing numbers say they personally know someone who has died from Covid-19 and personally know someone who has suffered the lingering effects such as neurological problems and fatigue that are commonly known as “long Covid,” according to the APPC survey, which was conducted July 12-18, 2022. Despite awareness of the continuing risks of Covid-19, worries about its health effects have declined, the percentage of Americans who often or always wear masks indoors with people from outside their household has plummeted, and the number saying they have returned to living their “normal, pre-Covid-19 life” has more than doubled over the past six months.
9th Aug 2022 - EurekAlert!

People ‘still travelling less and exercising more than before Covid’

People are still travelling less and exercising more than they did before the pandemic, despite the scrapping of most Covid-19 restrictions earlier this year, new analysis suggests. Working habits appear to have undergone a permanent change – though the amount of time spent sleeping and resting has returned to pre-pandemic levels. The way people use their time has been studied since 2014/15 by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), with the latest figures capturing behaviour in March 2022, when almost all the UK’s coronavirus rules had been lifted. Adults spent an average of 52 minutes a day in March this year travelling, such as driving or walking, to places, the stats show. This is up from 32 minutes in March 2021, when many Covid-19 restrictions were still in place, but well below the figure of 84 minutes in 2014/15.
9th Aug 2022 - Evening Standard

How We Mourn Covid’s Victims

Piece by piece, the Covid-19 sanctuary was born on a hilltop in the town of Bedworth in central England. The process was meant to be a metaphor for a human life. Like bones fused over time, it grew taller as the memorial’s creators spent months joining intricate pieces of wood into a skeletal structure that finally stood on its own, 65 feet high. Then they burned it all down. There have always been monuments to commemorate the loss of life from calamitous events, such as the thousands of memorials dedicated to world wars, the Sept. 11 attacks, the Holocaust.
9th Aug 2022 - The New York Times

Analysis: More Chinese women delay or give up on having babies after zero-COVID ordeal

Seeing Chinese authorities exercise extraordinary powers during a stringent COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai earlier this year altered Claire Jiang's life plans: she no longer wants to have babies in China. During the April-May lockdown, the hashtag "we are the last generation" briefly went viral on Chinese social media before being censored. The phrase echoed the response of a man who was visited by authorities in hazmat suits threatening to punish his family for three generations for non-compliance with COVID rules.
9th Aug 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Most Parents Are Saying No to Covid-19 Vaccines for Toddlers

Parents are having their say about the Covid-19 vaccines for children under 5, and for most, the answer so far is no. More than a month after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended shots for about 17.4 million children ages 6 months through 4 years, about 4% to 5% of them have received a shot, according to the most recent agency data and population estimates from the American Academy of Pediatrics. By contrast, the vaccination rate for children 5 to 11 years reached about 18% a month after the CDC first recommended shots last November. The rate now stands at about 38%. “The rates of uptake are just not what we would hope,” said Brannon Traxler, director of public health for the Department of Health and Environmental Control in South Carolina, where recent data show about 2% of the state’s babies and toddlers have received at least one dose. “This is a common theme across the country in many places.”
8th Aug 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Australia cricketer wins in Commonwealth Games gold medal match after positive Covid test

Tahlia McGrath was allowed to play for Australia in their Commonwealth Games T20 cricket final against India despite testing positive for Covid-19. The all-rounder is the No1 ranked side’s hottest property and Aussie chiefs were desperate that she started the Edgbaston showpiece. Despite experiencing “mild” symptoms, and following consultation with health experts, team and match officials delaying the toss by 10 minutes, the International Cricket Council gave her the green light. Under Games Covid rules, affected players across all disciplines are assessed on a case-by-case basis. McGrath, who contributed 126 runs and eight wickets to Australia’s previous four matches, sat apart from her team-mates in the dressing room wearing a mask.
7th Aug 2022 - The Mirror

Prada Navigates Tricky COVID Curbs to Hold Beijing Show

Prada on Friday became the first major luxury house to host a show in China this year, navigating strict COVID curbs to send models down a catwalk in a historic Beijing mansion hotel, a move aimed at underscoring its commitment to the market. Livestreamed on multiple online platforms including Weibo, more than 400 celebrities and customers attended the event held by the Italian group in the Prince Jun’s Mansion Hotel, where it showcased its men and women's fall and winter collections. Shows in Chinese cities by global luxury giants, from Prada to LVMH's Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, used to be a familiar sight and continued even in 2020 and 2021 after China curbed the spread of the virus relatively quickly thanks to tough border curbs. But much has changed in 2022 with China's continued insistence on a "dynamic zero COVID" policy that uses harsh measures to cut any virus transmission chain, even as the rest of the world opens up in the face of infectious Omicron variants.
6th Aug 2022 - U.S. News & World Report

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Northern Ireland families who lost loved ones to Covid-19 mount legal bid for central role in UK inquiry into pandemic

Families who lost loved ones to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland are mounting a legal bid to secure a central role at the UK-wide inquiry into the pandemic. The tribunal has been set up to examine the response of government and impact of the public health emergency. Lawyers representing campaign group Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice confirmed they are applying for core participant status at the hearings. A statement issued by the group said: “It is difficult to conceive of a group who have been more tragically affected by the pandemic. “Our key objectives are to secure answers and accountability for the deaths of our loved ones and to learn lessons to help save lives in the future and the most effective means of achieving this is by participating in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry.
4th Aug 2022 - Belfast Telegraph

Calls to rethink 'immoral' removal of Covid-19 sick pay policies

Nurses are among those urging governments across the UK to reinstate special Covid-19 sick pay policies for NHS staff and are appealing for support from the profession and the public via an online petition. The petition, which demands that special Covid-19 sick pay is reintroduced, has received more than 38,000 signatures in just under a month. It was launched by midwife Maria Esslinger-Raven on behalf of health professionals like herself who have long Covid.
4th Aug 2022 - Nursing Times

Austrian doctors speak out after suicide of GP following Covid threats

Austrian medical representatives have called for greater protection for doctors after a GP who faced months of violent threats from anti-vaccination activists and pandemic conspiracy theorists took her own life. Lisa-Maria Kellermayr was found dead in her practice in the lakeside resort of Seewalchen am Attersee on Friday. Prosecutors told the media they found three suicide notes and were not planning to carry out an autopsy. Her death prompted a wave of vigils and demonstrations. There have also been calls for laws against bullying and psychological warfare to be tightened, including making it easier to prosecute perpetrators in other EU countries, after at least two of the people believed to have targeted Kellermayr with death threats were identified as coming from Germany.
2nd Aug 2022 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Japan learns to live with COVID-19 as locals flock to travel spots

Japan’s residents are flocking to tourism hot spots and snapping up normally hard-to-get restaurant reservations even as COVID-19 infections surge to a record, in a sign one of the slowest major economies to fully reopen is adjusting to life with the virus. Domestic travel is booming as people enjoy their first restriction-free summer since 2019 and as still-tight border rules keep away the hordes of foreign visitors that typically crowd popular attractions. Most residents are shaking off concerns about the current wave of virus cases, with travel agencies H.I.S. and JTB reporting no obvious rise in cancellations. Nippon Travel Agency Co. says any spots that become available are quickly booked.
3rd Aug 2022 - The Japan Times

Survey: A third of US kids had excessive screen time amid COVID

More than one third of US children used media addictively in fall 2020, a finding tied to family stressors but not a decrease in the number of screen-time rules implemented, finds a survey of US parents published today in Pediatrics. Investigators from Seattle Children's Research Institute surveyed 1,000 US parents who had at least one child aged 6 to 17 years to evaluate how COVID-19 pandemic-related family stressors and the number of screen-time rules affected their children's media use in October and November 2020. The sample included 500 parents each with children in the 6- to 10-year-old group and in the 11- to 17-year-old group. Parents completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) and the Problematic Media Use Scale and were asked about parental employment status, demographic characteristics, and whether their child attended school in person or remotely.
2nd Aug 2022 - CIDRAP

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

If You Test Positive for Covid, Can You Still Cancel Flights, Hotels and Travel?

A recent rise in Covid-19 cases is making travel even tougher this summer. The Omicron subvariant BA.5 has been spreading just as people are taking long-awaited vacations. More than half of American travelers report having taken at least one trip in July, according to the most recent survey from Destination Analysts, a market-research firm. But travel hasn’t been easy. Travelers have faced flight delays, cancellations, long lines and lost luggage. Airlines and hotels laid off staff and have struggled to rehire them, which means there aren’t enough baggage handlers, pilots and housekeepers, among others. For those looking to hit the road or travel by plane, the wise move is to plan ahead. Read up on your airline or hotel’s cancellation policy before a trip, consider travel insurance and have a contingency plan in case you do test positive while traveling.
2nd Aug 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Austria mourns suicide of doctor targeted by anti-COVID vaccine campaigners

Austrian leaders appealed for national unity after a doctor who faced death threats from anti-vaccination activists and coronavirus pandemic conspiracy theorists took her own life. "Let's put an end to this intimidation and fear mongering. Hate and intolerance have no place in our Austria," President Alexander Van der Bellen said, hailing Lisa-Maria Kellermayr as a doctor who stood for healing people, protecting them from disease and taking a cautious approach to the pandemic. "But some people have been enraged by this. And these people scared her, threatened her, first on the internet and then also in person, directly in her practice." The body of the doctor -- who had often given media interviews about fighting the coronavirus pandemic and promoting vaccinations -- was found in her office in Upper Austria on Friday.
2nd Aug 2022 - EU Reporter

Life expectancy drops for Native Americans due to COVID-19

Native Americans experienced disproportionately high rates of deaths from COVID-19 due to poverty, crowded housing, high rates of chronic disease, employment in frontline jobs, and limited access to quality health care. Less is known about the pandemic's effects on life expectancy for this population, which makes up 2% of the U.S. population. Noreen Goldman of Princeton University and Theresa Andrasfay, Ph.D. '20 of the University of Southern California investigated life expectancy at birth in 2020 and 2021 -- when COVID-19 rates were surging -- compared to 2019. Life expectancy is a metric of population-level mortality in a given year, and it is sensitive to deaths at younger ages.
2nd Aug 2022 - Science Daily

France Ends All Covid-19 Travel Restrictions And Tests

It was one of the last European countries to do so, but this month France has rescinded all its Covid-19 travel restrictions and testing requirements for any travelers entering the country. Crucially, France has come out of the State of Emergency that President Macron's government instigated at the outset of the pandemic, which means that the country requires less bureaucracy of its visitors. As of 1 August 2022, it is no longer necessary to show proof of having had Covid-19, any vaccinations or the results of any testing. Nor is it a requirement anymore to sign an attestation saying that you are devoid of Covid-19 symptoms (that had been necessary up until last week). For both the vaccinated and unvaccinated, it is not a legal requirement either for visitors to justify why they are traveling.
2nd Aug 2022 - Forbes

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19 Pandemic Dramatically Increased Childcare Stress Among Health Care Workers

A September 2021 poll revealed that 1 in 5 health care workers (HCWs) quit their job since March 2020. Pre-existing disparities and issues in the health care workforce and within the current childcare system were exacerbated because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the poll. Researchers found that childcare stress (CCS) was associated with anxiety, depression, burnout (occupational stress), intent to reduce (ITR), and intent to leave (ITL) for HCWs, which were experienced at disproportionate levels across different subgroups. The source of the study, called Coping with COVID, is a 14-item survey looking at several demographic items, such as race, ethnicity, gender, years in practice, outpatient vs inpatient practice environment, and work role between April-December 2020.
1st Aug 2022 - Pharmacy Times

Will anti-vaccine activism in the USA reverse global goals?

In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-vaccine activism in the USA accelerated, amplified and formed an alliance with political groups and even extremists. An organized, well-funded and empowered anti-science movement now threatens to spill over and threaten all childhood immunizations in the USA and globally. Many countries now face declining immunization rates as a result of anti-vaccine activism. In the case of the USA, an anti-vaccine movement that began with false assertions linking vaccines to autism accelerated roughly a decade ago in Texas (where I live and work) around a libertarian framework known as health freedom2. At present, many conservative elected leaders in the US House of Representatives actively promote this health freedom anti-vaccine agenda, as do several US senators, sitting governors and federal judges. Far-right extremist groups such as the Proud Boys march at anti-vaccine rallies.
1st Aug 2022 - Nature.com

How Some Parents Changed Their Politics in the Pandemic

They waved signs that read “Defeat the mandates” and “No vaccines.” They chanted “Protect our kids” and “Our kids, our choice.” Almost everyone in the crowd of more than three dozen was a parent. And as they protested on a recent Friday in the Bay Area suburb of Orinda, Calif., they had the same refrain: They were there for their children. Most had never been to a political rally before. But after seeing their children isolated and despondent early in the coronavirus pandemic, they despaired, they said. On Facebook, they found other worried parents who sympathized with them. They shared notes and online articles — many of them misleading — about the reopening of schools and the efficacy of vaccines and masks. Soon, those issues crowded out other concerns.
1st Aug 2022 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Aug 2022

    View this newsletter in full

How the Covid-19 Pandemic Changed Americans’ Health for the Worse

The ripple effects of the Covid-19 pandemic’s influence on nearly every aspect of health in America are becoming clear. Covid-19 has killed more than one million people in the U.S., a toll mounting by some 350 people a day. A range of other chronic diseases and acute threats to health also worsened during the pandemic, data show, as people missed screenings, abandoned routines and experienced loss and isolation. “In addition to just the terrible burden of a million Americans dying, there are other repercussions from the pandemic that we need to address,” said Chrissie Juliano, executive director of Big Cities Health Coalition, an organization of city health officials.
30th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Rise of Omicron subvariants sends UK staff absence soaring

“I visited the Butler’s Wharf Chop House earlier this week and when I asked about our general manager he was off with Covid,” said the D&D boss, who oversees 2,000 staff in outlets across the UK, France and US. For Gunewardena, the latest round of pandemic-induced shortages have compounded an already tough market. The number of people going off sick has “gone up considerably,” he said, “piling on the problems that our London restaurants have already faced from a 10% staff shortage, the heatwave during which we lost 30% of our business and the £1m we lost in the week of rail and tube strikes”. The rapid spread of Covid-19 infections in the past month has sent the number of workers taking sick leave soaring, according to official figures, making staff shortages even worse and forcing many employers to shut down parts of their business.
29th Jul 2022 - The Guardian

Over Half of Brits Receive More in Benefits Than They Pay in Tax During Pandemic

More than half of Britons received more in welfare than they paid in tax last year as the government response to the pandemic drove a big reduction in inequality, according to the Office for National Statistics. A value-added-tax cut, increased spending on welfare and health, and a steep reduction in household consumption meant that 54.2% of individuals took more support from the state than they contributed in the first year of the pandemic to March 2021. The ONS said it was “both the greatest proportion and the largest annual increase” since records began in 1977. In 2020, 47.5% were net recipients. Income support programs, such as furlough, were not a benefit.
29th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Covid Leaves Some 5% of People With Faulty Sense of Smell, Taste

Losing the sense of smell and taste has become a hallmark of coronavirus infection. But a new study finds that the problem persists in some 5% of patients, disrupting their everyday lives and providing yet another set of symptoms to chalk up to long Covid. The scientists drew their conclusion after reviewing 18 studies involving more than 3,600 patients. The findings mean that as many as 15 million patients may be affected worldwide, they said in a paper published Thursday in the UK medical journal BMJ. Women were less likely to recover than men, the research found, as were patients whose symptoms were strongest or who had nasal congestion. Overall, most patients regained their sense of smell and taste within three months.
27th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Malaysia's Women Graduates Close Gender Jobless Gap Amid Virus

Malaysia’s female graduates have narrowed the unemployment rate gap with men for a third straight year, yet major differences remain for jobs requiring higher level degrees. The overall jobless rate for 2.476 million women graduates in the Southeast Asian nation declined to 4.3% in 2021, versus 4% for men. That’s a huge improvement from 2018, when female employment was a full percentage point lower than males. Still, much of the shrinkage has been based on lower level diploma jobs, according to data released by the Department of Statistics.
28th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Outrage in Brazil as Jair Bolsonaro avoids five charges related to Covid response

Brazilian senators are calling for an investigation into one of the country’s top prosecutors after she shelved several charges against the president, Jair Bolsonaro, over his mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic. A damning congressional inquiry had recommended that Bolsonaro be charged with nine offences, including crimes against humanity and charlatanism, for promoting false treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. The far-right president constantly downplayed the severity of the pandemic, initially calling it “a little flu” and telling Brazilians to man up because “we are all going to die anyway”.
28th Jul 2022 - The Guardian

In Rural America, Covid Hits Black and Hispanic People Hardest

At the peak of the Omicron wave, Covid killed Black Americans in rural areas at a rate roughly 34 percent higher than it did white people. The coronavirus pandemic walloped rural America last year, precipitating a surge of deaths among white residents as the virus inflamed longstanding health deficits there. But across the small towns and farmlands, new research has found, Covid killed Black and Hispanic people at considerably higher rates than it did their white neighbors. Even at the end of the pandemic’s second year, in February 2022, overstretched health systems, poverty, chronic illnesses and lower vaccination rates were forcing nonwhite people to bear the burden of the virus. Black and Hispanic people in rural areas suffered an exceptionally high toll, dying at far higher rates than in cities during that second year of the pandemic.
28th Jul 2022 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

MPs criticise government award of £777mn Covid contracts to medical group Randox

The UK government’s “woefully inadequate record-keeping” means it is “impossible to have confidence” that £777mn of contracts won by medical diagnostics company Randox as part of the country’s Covid-19 testing programme were awarded properly, according to a new report. The House of Commons public accounts committee on Wednesday accused the Department of Health and Social Care of failing to “show any evidence of taking any care” over potential conflicts of interest, despite officials being aware of contacts between former Conservative minister Owen Paterson, a paid consultant to Randox, and the then health secretary Matt Hancock.
27th Jul 2022 - Financial Times

Report: NBA will not have vaccination mandate in 2022-23

After some high-profile vaccine-related absences from games last season, the NBA will not have a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for players in 2022-23, Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday, citing a memo from the league office it had obtained. The league will "strongly suggest" team personnel stay up-to-date with vaccinations, per the report. Discussions between the league and the NBA Players Association remain ongoing about whether unvaccinated players will be subject to periodic COVID-19 testing during the upcoming season.
27th Jul 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Rise in long Covid sufferers unable to work costs UK £1.5bn a year

Long Covid is costing the UK £1.5bn in lost earnings per year as the number of people off work with the condition rises to almost 2 million, according to new research. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think tank estimated that 110,000 people are absent from work at any time due to long Covid, with those who were on lower incomes before the pandemic more likely to be sufferers. One in 10 long Covid sufferers who were in employment stop work while they have the condition, the IFS said. The findings will heap further pressure on the government to tackle a problem which is expected to grow further as infections rise again.
27th Jul 2022 - The Independent

China continues to adapt border control to COVID-19 situation: authority

China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) will continue to adjust and improve entry-and-exit control measures in line with the changing COVID-19 situation to fully meet people's necessary need for cross-border travel, a spokesperson said Tuesday. The immigration administration work will also continue to facilitate enterprises' production and operation to promote the country's opening-up, as well as international exchanges and cooperation, said Zhang Ning, the spokesperson for NIA.
26th Jul 2022 - Xinhua

Pandemic Drinking Led to Thousands of UK Hospital Admissions, Deaths

Increased drinking fuelled by the pandemic could lead to thousands of extra hospital admissions, deaths and cases of disease over the next 20 years, experts have warned. A new study commissioned by NHS England from the University of Sheffield found that while lighter drinkers cut their consumption during the pandemic, heavier drinkers drank more and may never return to where they were. Experts found that 25 to 34-year-olds who were drinking at risky levels before the pandemic were the most likely to increase their drinking when Covid-19 hit.
26th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Schools Choose Cheaper Ventilation Options as BA.5 Subvariant Spreads

As the highly contagious Omicron BA.5 subvariant surges across the nation, weeks before schools reopen for fall, most U.S. districts are choosing fast, cheap ventilation solutions despite billions in federal aid, data show. A federal study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found nearly two-thirds of schools aren’t planning to replace or upgrade their heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. Instead, about 70% of schools in the CDC survey reported low-cost steps to increase student safety, including relocating activities outdoors, inspecting and validating existing HVAC systems, and opening doors and windows. About a third of schools were installing high-efficiency particulate air-filtration systems in high-risk areas, according to the study released in June. Some schools have cited supply-chain issues, tight deadlines or bureaucratic challenges as reasons for not upgrading.
26th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Calling In Sick or Going on Vacation, Workers Aren't Showing Up This Summer

A rise in Covid-19 absences in recent weeks amid the spread of the BA.5 subvariant, combined with planned time off, has left restaurants, hotel chains, manufacturers and other workplaces struggling to keep operations running this summer. At some companies, bosses say, staffing is harder now than at any previous stage in the pandemic. For the period from June 29 to July 11, 3.9 million Americans said they didn’t work because they were sick with Covid-19 or were caring for someone with it, according to Census Bureau data. In the comparable period last year, 1.8 million people missed work for those reasons. Many workers also are taking vacations that they put off over the previous two years. According to the Labor Department, 4.8 million workers took vacation or personal days during the week of the Census Bureau’s June household survey this year, compared with 3.7 million workers who were taking time off in the comparable period last year.
26th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Getting Around After the Pandemic Will Be a Shared Exercise

The report concludes that consumers’ mobility demands are evolving in seemingly contradictory ways. On one hand, people want inexpensive options, but on the other, the pandemic accelerated a shift away from mass transit, which is the cheapest service available. Ultimately, consumers want agile, on‑demand, and affordable transportation, which creates challenges that are difficult to reconcile. In that environment, new players will struggle to make money as they try to fulfill these demands.
26th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid 19 Omicron: School attendance rates plummet below 50 per cent

School attendance rates for term 1 plummeted below 50 per cent - the lowest in at least a decade, as the Omicron outbreak ripped through communities. Record low levels of school attendance hit Māori and Pasifika hardest with fewer than a third of those populations attending school regularly (attending more than 90 per cent of the time). The latest Ministry of Education data showed overall 46.1 per cent of all students were attending school regularly. This was down from 72.8 per cent in term 1 2019, pre-Covid, 50.5 per cent in 2020 and 66.8 per cent in 2021. In term 4 last year it was 65 per cent. The Ministry noted the Covid-19 Omicron outbreak resulted in "high levels of absences for both students and staff".
25th Jul 2022 - New Zealand Herald

Newmarch House COVID-19 inquest told residents went without food, oxygen during outbreak

During the outbreak, 37 of Newmarch House's 97 residents contracted COVID. The facility is owned and run by Anglicare Community Services. One witness said his mother’s breathing apparatus was not operating when he went to visit
25th Jul 2022 - ABC News

‘Exhaustion and burnout’: states look to boost volunteer numbers as demand increases

Unlike many others at the organisation, the pair are continuing their volunteer work well after lockdowns have ended. “It’s given me a purpose and the best thing is I met my nextdoor neighbours,” Bergman says. Hazels agrees that their friendship has been a “lovely” outcome of her volunteering experience. “We laugh, and we have fun, and we’re all doing a good thing,” she says. They were drawn to volunteering during Melbourne’s early Covid restrictions, as it was a permitted activity that allowed them to escape lockdowns.
25th Jul 2022 - The Guardian

Xi's Covid Rules and Tech Crackdown Push Gen Z in China to 'Bailan'

The most educated generation in China’s history was supposed to blaze a trail towards a more innovative and technologically advanced economy. Instead, about 15 million young people are estimated to be jobless, and many are lowering their ambitions. A perfect storm of factors has propelled unemployment among 16- to 24-year-old urbanites to a record 19.3%, more than twice the comparable rate in the US. The government’s hardline coronavirus strategy has led to layoffs, while its regulatory crackdown on real estate and education companies has hit the private sector.
25th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Two symptoms that mean you should 'assume you have Covid', professor says

Article reports that a professor has warned people over two symptoms that probably mean they have Covid. With free tests stopped for the majority in April, it is harder for people to spot they have the virus. Omicron BA.5 is now the dominant Covid strain, accounting for approximately 79% of UK cases as of July 18. Professor Tim Spector, who heads up the ZOE Health Study, said people should assume they do have coronavirus if they wake up with a sore throat and fatigue, despite getting a good night's sleep, The Mirror reports. Professor Spector tweeted: "Twice as many covid cases as common colds currently- the ratio has never been so high. Symptoms much the same except generally more fatigue and sore throat - so best to assume it’s Covid!
23rd Jul 2022 - Birmingham Live

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Chinese tennis events for 2022 called off because of Covid-19 restrictions

The Shanghai Masters is one of four 2022 men's tennis tournaments cancelled in China as the country continues its strict Covid-19 restrictions. China hosted the Winter Olympics in February but most other international sporting events in the country have been cancelled or postponed in 2022. The women's tennis tour has no events scheduled in China this year as it seeks a resolution over Peng Shuai. Chinese authorities remain committed to a zero-Covid policy. As a result, men's tennis' governing body the ATP said events in China, typically held in September and October, would be cancelled for a third year. As well as the Shanghai Masters, the Chengdu Open, Zhuhai Championships and China Open will not take place, with six ATP 250 tournaments elsewhere filling the gap in the 2022 calendar.
21st Jul 2022 - BBC News

Californian sentenced for $27M phony COVID aid attempt

A Southern California man who tried to obtain $27 million in unemployment benefits by falsely claiming his business was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic was sentenced Tuesday to more than 11 years in federal prison. Robert Benlevi, 53, of the Encino area of Los Angeles received a 135-month sentence following his March conviction for bank fraud, money laundering and making false statements to a financial institution, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement. In 2020, Benlevi submitted 27 applications for forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, prosecutors said.
21st Jul 2022 - Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Nurse Burnout Reaches New High as Latest Omicron Variant Surges

Many people may be moving on from Covid, but nurses certainly aren’t — and as the latest variant sweeps the US, the mental stresses on the profession have reached new highs. A survey of 2,500 nurses released Wednesday finds that 64% are looking to leave the health-care profession, a nearly 40% increase from a similar survey a year ago. Three-quarters of those surveyed said they’ve experienced burnout since the pandemic began and half said they had experienced feelings of trauma, extreme stress or PTSD. “Our nurses are the backbone of our health system,” said Dr. Dani Bowie the vice president of clinical strategy and transformation at Trusted Health, a healthcare advocacy group that released the survey. “So, if they're not operating out of their best state, it's very detrimental to the wellbeing of our community and our patients.”
20th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Covid. Vacation. Covid.

Public health officials warn that this is no time for complacency. In the United States, BA.5 has become the dominant strain and is driving a significant spike in cases -- more than 120,000 a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), though experts say that number may be more like 1 million, given the underreporting of home test results. Europe, meanwhile, has seen a tripling of new Covid-19 infections over the past six weeks, with nearly 3 million reported last week, accounting for almost half of all new cases worldwide. Hospital admissions in Europe over the same period have doubled.
20th Jul 2022 - CNN

S.Africa arrests 13 police officers over lockdown violence

South Africa’s police watchdog said Tuesday it arrested 13 officers over the death of a man in custody, the first major breakthrough in several cases of alleged brutality during the Covid lockdown. The man, who has not been named, was held along with three others in April 2020 in a Johannesburg suburb for breaching lockdown rules, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) said in a statement. He was then allegedly assaulted by the police officers and members of a private security firm, before being taken to a police station, where he complained about stomach pains, it said. “An ambulance was called in, the paramedics declared the one civilian dead,” the police watchdog said in a statement, adding that a murder investigation was subsequently opened.
20th Jul 2022 - Macau Business

City of London Bankers Trigger Nearly 650 Covid Restrictions Breach Alerts

The City of London’s banks and asset managers notified the UK’s financial regulator of more than 700 incidents of non-financial misconduct by senior staff during the pandemic, including more than 600 breaches of Covid restrictions. The Financial Conduct Authority was notified of 194 incidents of non-financial misconduct by bankers belonging to its senior managers and certification regime, and another 552 by staff at fund managers from the start of 2020 to September 2021, according to a Freedom of Information request by Following the Rules, a financial regulation podcast. Those included 646 episodes tied to Covid breaches as well as 44 counts of bullying and 66 linked to racism. The FCA has disclosed it has opened five investigations into non-financial misconduct in 2019 and none in 2020.
19th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Column: The new economic normal - living with COVID

Central banks are jacking up interest rates to tackle the highest inflation in decades, economic growth is slowing, recession looms, and financial markets are in a deep funk. That's the bleak backdrop against which consumers, workers, and businesses are coming round to the realization that, despite successful global vaccination programs and 'V-shaped' recoveries across economies and markets, COVID-19 has not gone away.
16th Jul 2022 - Reuters

China's zero-COVID policy blamed as economy contracts by 2.6% in second quarter

China's zero-COVID policy is being blamed for a return to the red for its economy, with experts warning that recovery will be hampered by the darkening outlook for output globally. The authorities said the world's second-largest economy contracted by 2.6% between April and June compared to the previous three months. It meant that Chinese growth stood at just 0.4% on an annual basis. Both figures were far weaker than economists had expected, with those polled by the Reuters news agency having forecast a quarter on quarter decline of 1.5%.
15th Jul 2022 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Some Beijing travelers asked to wear COVID monitoring bracelets, sparking outcry

Some Beijing residents returning from domestic travel were asked by local authorities to wear COVID-19 monitoring bracelets, prompting widespread criticism on Chinese social media by users concerned about excessive government surveillance. According to posts published on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning on microblogging platform Weibo, some Beijing residents returning to the capital were asked by their neighbourhood committees to wear an electronic bracelet throughout the mandatory home quarantine period.
14th Jul 2022 - Reuters.com

Australia athletes barred from other Commonwealth Games venues over COVID risk

Australian athletes will be banned from supporting their team mates at other Commonwealth Games events at Birmingham due to the risk of COVID-19 transmission, team chef de mission Petria Thomas said. They will also have to wear face masks when not in their rooms or exercising at the July 28 - Aug. 8 Games as part of team health protocols.
14th Jul 2022 - Reuters

Colleges Serving Low-Income Students, HBCUs Get $198 Million in Covid-Relief Funds

In the US, the Education Department awarded nearly $198 million in Covid-19 relief funds to 244 colleges and universities serving large numbers of students who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Almost 90 percent of the money will go toward historically Black colleges and universities, universities with high rates of minority enrollment and institutions serving large populations of low-income students, including community colleges.
14th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Covid rise deepens Lake District staffing crisis

Tourism businesses in the Lake District say the rise in Covid infections is making their recruitment crisis even worse. More than 170,000 positions are thought to be unfilled in the UK. In May, for the first time ever, the number of vacancies across the UK was higher than the number of unemployed. It means businesses like The Lancrigg Hotel in Grasmere are trying to offer the same service with fewer staff. It is proving difficult for the manager, Paul Criscuolo-Wray.
14th Jul 2022 - ITV News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Get COVID-19 booster now if eligible, ECDC boss urges

Countries should start boosting older people a second time with COVID-19 shots, the head of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said on Wednesday, stressing that waiting for new variant vaccines in the fall could be too late. “The risk for people is now,” said Andrea Ammon, director of the ECDC, referencing the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the European Union driven by the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 strains. “If I get offered this vaccine now, I will take it now,” she told members of the European Parliament's special committee on COVID-19. She underlined that the existing vaccines continue to offer protection against severe disease and death against these variants.
13th Jul 2022 - POLITICO Europe

Adapted, two-strain vaccines to lift COVID protection - EU official

Adapted versions of established mRNA COVID-19 vaccines that address two variants in one shot will soon offer people better protection than vaccines that are now available, a European health official said on Wednesday. Moderna and the BioNTech-Pfizer alliance are working on vaccines based on a combination of the original Wuhan virus and an Omicron subvariant. Referred to as bivalent shots, these are planned for use in the autumn vaccination campaign.
13th Jul 2022 - Reuters

NHS awarded George Cross for efforts shown during the COVID-19 pandemic

The NHS has been awarded the George Cross by Her Majesty The Queen in recognition of the dedicated service of healthcare workers that includes their ‘courage, compassion and dedication’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. The George Cross, which is given in recognition of ‘acts of the greatest heroism or of the most courage in circumstances of extreme danger’, has only been bestowed to a collective group of people twice before, most recently in 1999. May Parsons, the nurse who administered the first COVID-19 vaccination in the world, joined NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard to attend the presentation on 12 July – exactly one week after the NHS’s birthday. The pair were joined by Pritchard’s counterparts, Caroline Lamb from NHS Scotland and Judith Paget from NHS Wales, along with Peter May, permanent secretary at the Department of Health and chief executive of Health and Social Care Northern Ireland.
13th Jul 2022 - PMLiVE

Australia athletes barred from other Commonwealth Games venues over COVID risk

Australian athletes will be banned from supporting their team mates at other Commonwealth Games events at Birmingham due to the risk of COVID-19 transmission, team chef de mission Petria Thomas said. They will also have to wear face masks when not in their rooms or exercising at the July 28 - Aug. 8 Games as part of team health protocols. "Our primary focus is that we can get our athletes to the starting line and they are performance ready,” Thomas told News Corp media on Wednesday.
13th Jul 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19: Ethnic minority staff felt “vulnerable” during pandemic, says senior leader

Healthcare workers from ethnic minority groups have felt “vulnerable” and uncared for during the covid pandemic, with some reporting that managers hid personal protective equipment from them and refused to carry out the required risk assessments, a senior nurse has said. Speaking at the NHS Race and Health Observatory conference at BMA House on 7 July, Felicia Kwaku, chair of the Chief Nursing Officers Black and Minority Ethnic Strategic Advisory Group, shared some findings from her discussions with thousands of ethnic minority staff since April 2020. “This is the stark reality of what some staff went through. Some died in their rooms on their own because of social distancing. Some couldn’t get to the phone because they were so hypoxic, so they died alone,” she said. “If you were a nurse or midwife who was new to the country, you didn’t have a lot of the networks, so it was very isolating.”
12th Jul 2022 - The BMJ

Covid rules as thousands told not to take tests even if they have symptoms

As Covid-19 infections continue to rise across the UK, millions of people are thought to currently be infected with the virus. New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that almost 4% of the English population had tested positive for coronavirus at the end of June, with higher figures (4.93%, 5.36%, and 5.94%) in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, respectively. The number of hospital admissions is also increasing amid new BA.4 and BA.5 covid variants. And there are no longer any restrictions around the virus in the UK, and as we learn to live with covid.
12th Jul 2022 - Liverpool Echo

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Hologic Announces Two New Respiratory Assays for the Detection of COVID-19, Flu A, Flu B and RSV

Hologic, Inc. announced that it is now offering its Panther Fusion ® SARS-CoV-2/Flu A/B/RSV assay and its Novodiag ® RESP-4 molecular diagnostic test for sale in the European Union in time for the northern hemisphere’s respiratory viral season. Both assays detect and differentiate four of the most prevalent respiratory viruses that can present with similar clinical symptoms: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A (Flu A), influenza B (Flu B) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2/Flu A/B/RSV assay is a high-performance cartridge-based assay that runs on the fully automated high-throughput Panther Fusion system. The test uses nasopharyngeal swab samples.
11th Jul 2022 - The Associated Press

Moderna announces its Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster is more effective against the now-dominant BA.5 variant than previous versions of the shot: Daily deaths from the virus ...

Moderna announced that its second formulation of a COVID-19 booster targeted at the Omicron variant is more effective against the BA.5 variant. The new strain is now dominant in the U.S. and its ability to evade protection from previous infection has health officials fearing it could cause another outbreak. Some experts have opposed the launching of new Omicron-specific booster - expected this fall - until more data on the shots is available. Covid deaths in America have creeped upwards to 430 per day over the past week - jumping 13% in seven days
11th Jul 2022 - Daily Mail

Large Chinese Bank Protest Put Down With Violence

Hundreds of bank customers demonstrating over frozen deposits were attacked by men in plainclothes in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, marking a violent end to one of China’s largest public protests in recent years. Images of the clash, which was widely videotaped, spread quickly enough on Chinese social media to outrun the country’s army of internet censors, sparking a wave of online criticism. Video footage verified by The Wall Street Journal with protesters who were present on Sunday showed large numbers of unidentified men, many of them dressed in white T-shirts, barreling into peaceful crowds demonstrating on the steps of the local branch of China’s central bank. The clash resulted in several injuries, according to the protesters, who said they were themselves beaten by the men in plainclothes.
11th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Workforce: the persistent victim of the covid-19 pandemic

In the past week, 11 000 people were admitted to hospitals in England with covid and the picture in the devolved nations is likely to be similar. High rates of hospital admissions, even if the patients aren’t very unwell, are disruptive for the running of hospitals. Most in the UK continue to use open bays, and this makes wards inefficient and vulnerable to outbreaks. The UK has fewer hospital beds than almost any other European comparator and we can ill afford any loss of hospital capacity. While covid has undoubtedly worsened performance, crowding in emergency departments was a problem before the pandemic. Hospitals are now full, and our “inadvertent natural experiment” has shown that occupancy rates over 92% are invariably associated with full emergency departments and delayed ambulance handovers.
11th Jul 2022 - The BMJ

China's Shanghai asks public to share 'heart-warming' COVID lockdown stories

The government of Shanghai has called on citizens to share "heart-warming" photographs, videos and stories about a punishing two-month lockdown imposed in April by the authorities to curb China's biggest COVID-19 outbreak. The government of China's most populous city has launched the propaganda campaign to "tell epidemic stories, spread volunteer culture and inherit the traditional values of solidarity, friendship and mutual help," local newspaper Wen Hui Bao said on Saturday.
11th Jul 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

China's Shanghai asks public to share 'heart-warming' COVID lockdown stories

The government of Shanghai has called on citizens to share "heart-warming" photographs, videos and stories about a punishing two-month lockdown imposed in April by the authorities to curb China's biggest COVID-19 outbreak. The government of China's most populous city has launched the propaganda campaign to "tell epidemic stories, spread volunteer culture and inherit the traditional values of solidarity, friendship and mutual help," local newspaper Wen Hui Bao said on Saturday.
10th Jul 2022 - Reuters

The pandemic has eroded Americans' trust in experts and elected leaders alike, a survey finds.

As the coronavirus pandemic entered its third year, the American public had lost much of its trust both in public health experts and in government leaders, and was less worried than before about Covid-19, according to a survey conducted in early May and released Thursday by the Pew Research Center. Confidence ratings for public health officials, like those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; for state and local elected officials; and for President Biden fell in a range from 43 percent to 54 percent in the survey — much lower than during the early stages of the pandemic.
8th Jul 2022 - The New York Times

Court: Health care workers in lawsuit must reveal identities

Nine health care workers who sued Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate have until Money to reveal their identities. The workers have so far remained anonymous, but on Thursday, a federal appeals court in Boston rejected a motion by the workers and gave them until Friday to file an amended complaint with their names, the Portland Press-Herald reported. The plaintiffs were later given an extension until Monday. Attorneys for Liberty Counsel, a law firm representing the health care workers, said in a court filing Friday that the one-day extension is needed to give lawyers time to speak with each plaintiff about whether they want to move forward with the lawsuit. The plaintiffs filed their complaint in federal court last August, before the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers at Maine care facilities went into effect on Oct. 20, 2021.
8th Jul 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Study finds growing Covid vaccine acceptance across world

Covid-19 vaccine acceptance across the world increased by about 4 per cent between 2020 and 2021, according to a new study whose findings could help improve the coverage of future immunisation drives. The research, published in Nature Communications, studied Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy globally in June 2021 in over 23,000 individuals across 23 countries. Researchers, including those from City University of New York in the US, found that more than three-quarters of respondents reported vaccine acceptance, up from 71.5 per cent the previous year.
7th Jul 2022 - The Independent

Norwegian Cruise scraps COVID testing for select voyages

Passengers boarding Norwegian Cruise Line ships won't have to take COVID-19 tests from next month unless required by local law, the U.S. cruise operator said on Wednesday as the crucial summer sailing season gathers steam. Cruises setting sail from the United States, Canada or Greece's Piraeus will still require pre-cruise COVID testing, and all of the company's guests aged 12 and above have to be fully vaccinated.
7th Jul 2022 - Reuters

Hong Kong Suspends Its Covid Flight Ban Policy

Hong Kong will stop banning routes for airlines that bring in too many passengers with Covid-19, suspending a policy that has been heavily criticized by businesses and travelers for snarling plans and leaving people stranded. The flight ban was one of many strict Covid-control policies that have left the Asian financial center more isolated from a world that is moving on from pandemic restrictions. Other travel-deterring controls including long hotel quarantines and tough testing requirements for boarding flights will remain in place, but the suspension of the flight ban beginning Thursday removes a hurdle.
7th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Australia removes final Covid-19 travel restrictions

Two years, three months and 25 days since the World Health Organisation first declared Covid-19 a global pandemic, Australia is removing its final coronavirus-related travel restrictions. From Wednesday, visitors no longer need to show proof of vaccination when flying Down Under. The last of the Covid-19 restrictions for inbound visitors have been dropped following Australia's removal of other rules put in place during the pandemic, including PCR tests for holidaymakers and mandatory quarantine periods. “As more and more of us travel internationally and we get more confident in managing our risk of Covid, our airports are getting busier,” Clare O’Neil, Minister for Home Affairs, said.
6th Jul 2022 - The National

US Pandemic Checks Had No Lasting Impact on Poor, Study Shows

“These results suggest that the cash allowed participants to spend more money, improving objective financial outcomes for the few weeks immediately following the transfer and then dissipating thereafter,” wrote the researchers, led by Ania Jaroszewicz at Harvard University’s Institute for Quantitative Social Sciences. The survey covered three groups: the first received a one-time payment of $500, the second got $2,000 and the third nothing.
6th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Oxford University Takes Aim at Future Pandemics After Covid Vaccine

The University of Oxford, one of the first to cross the finish line with a Covid-19 vaccine, is shifting its focus to health threats that could trigger the next pandemic. Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute, launched Tuesday, aims to reduce the risks posed by infectious diseases by improving data collection, strengthening surveillance and helping to create vaccines and other countermeasures. Oxford said the organization will seek to learn from the response to Covid and take advantage of the university’s research and global partnerships. But it will have to bring in additional funds to carry out its mission.
5th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg

Moshe Feiglin: Those under 30 need to avoid COVID-19 vaccine like fire

Former MK Moshe Feiglin, who is currently running for the Likud primaries, told KAN Radio on Tuesday morning that anyone under 30 years old should avoid the coronavirus vaccine "like fire." "We are horrified by the shtuyot (nonsense) that were said by someone with no understanding or knowledge on the topic," the Health Ministry tweeted in response. "It's unfortunate that a man without any professional backing is handing out suggestions based on knee-jerk instincts or delusions while going directly against existing medical knowledge and international studies on the subject, not to mention the instructions of every international organization."
5th Jul 2022 - The Jerusalem Post

One million set to perform Hajj as COVID-19 restrictions ease

After a two-year absence, international pilgrims will perform the yearly Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia for the first time starting Wednesday, after previously being restricted amid the kingdom’s battle to curb the coronavirus pandemic. Some one million people are expected to be in attendance in the holy city of Mecca in Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) for the start of the five-day ritual – a large jump from last year when only 60,000 pilgrims were permitted. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic’s early waves and before vaccines were available, about 10,000 were selected.
5th Jul 2022 - Al Jazeera English

The Health Risks of Getting Covid-19 a Second (or Third) Time

Covid-19 reinfections can bring some new risks of serious medical problems, hospitalization and death, a new study has found. Protection provided by vaccines and prior infection has greatly improved Covid outcomes since the pandemic’s early days, and reinfections are typically less severe than initial ones. Yet each new infection carries a risk of medical problems, including hospitalization, death and long Covid, according to preliminary data from a study of patients in the Veterans Affairs health system. This is a timely finding, doctors say, as more-infectious Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 proliferate and are expected to make reinfections more common.
5th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

US seeks 250000 mentors, tutors to address pandemic learning loss

The Biden administration on Tuesday will launch a new effort to recruit 250,000 mentors and tutors to help students who have fallen back in their learning during the coronavirus pandemic, the White House said. The program, which will be led by AmeriCorps and the Department of Education along with other service organizations, will seek to get adults to fill the roles over the next three years. Students on average are two to four months behind in reading and math as a result of the pandemic, a White House official said. The program is intended to help address that deficit. "Research shows that high quality tutors and mentors positively impact student achievement, well-being, and overall success," the White House said in a statement.
5th Jul 2022 - Investing

Many won’t rely on virtual options after COVID: AP-NORC poll

Many Americans don’t expect to rely on the digital services that became commonplace during the pandemic after COVID-19 subsides, according to a new poll, even as many think it’s a good thing if those options remain available in the future. Close to half or more of U.S. adults say they are not likely to attend virtual activities, receive virtual health care, have groceries delivered or use curbside pickup after the coronavirus pandemic is over, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Less than 3 in 10 say they’re very likely to use any of those options at least some of the time. Still, close to half also say it would be a good thing if virtual options for health care, for community events and for activities like fitness classes or religious services continue after the pandemic.
5th Jul 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19 misinformation bolsters anti-vaccine movement

More parents are questioning the necessity of routine vaccinations for young children. Adults are skipping shots as well, even for vaccines with a long safety record. The trend comes amid a wave of misinformation and disinformation about COVID-19 and the vaccines that helped to stem pandemic deaths. Politicization of the COVID-19 shots has bolstered the anti-vaccine movement, contributing to the decline in routine immunizations for measles, polio and other dangerous diseases. "They ask if these are truly necessary, or if we can give them at later times," said Jason Terk, a Texas pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.
4th Jul 2022 - Medical Xpress

Australia entry rules explained: The latest Covid travel advice as vaccine requirement is dropped for tourists

Strict vaccination rules will be lifted on Wednesday, taking the hassle out of Australian holidays and family reunions. However, flag carrier Qantas is set to keep its vaccine mandate
4th Jul 2022 - iNews

Thailand ends almost all travel restrictions — but one key rule remains

Travellers wondering what it’s like to visit Thailand now may be interested to know the country is “allowing almost everything” again. That’s according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the governmental entity responsible for promoting tourism to the country. Masks are no longer required, and the country’s color-coded system — which placed limits that varied by province on dining activities, gatherings and travel — is also a thing of the past, according to TAT. It’s also far easier to get into Thailand now too.
4th Jul 2022 - CNBC

Hard-hit Kyoto is conflicted as Japan prepares to reopen to foreign tourists after COVID lockdown

Kyoto locals say they want some foreign tourists, but not too many. Japan is restricting the number of foreign tourists allowed in to a small number. The yen is at its weakest in two decades, acting as a boon for tourists
4th Jul 2022 - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Muslim pilgrims flock to Mecca for first post-pandemic haj

Thousands of pilgrims started arriving in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia on Friday, among some one million Muslims expected to attend the 2022 haj pilgrimage season after two years of major disruption caused by the COVID pandemic. Wrapped in white robes, with some carrying umbrellas against the burning desert sun, hundreds performed the first ritual of the haj, which involves walking in a circle around the Kaaba, the sacred building at the centre of Mecca's Grand Mosque
1st Jul 2022 - Reuters

MorseLife, Florida nursing home, pays $1.7 million after giving donors early access to covid vaccines

The text message from the chief executive of MorseLife Health System, a luxury nursing home in West Palm Beach, Fla., was unambiguous. “Of course go after the billionaires first,” the CEO wrote to the facility’s fundraisers in December 2020, explaining who should get priority for scarce coronavirus vaccine shots intended for residents and staffers. He advised: “Do not be weak be strong you have the opportunity to take advantage of everyone who needs the shot and figure out what they have and what we can go after …” “I’ll go for the billions,” he promised. Eighteen months later, MorseLife has agreed to pay $1.75 million to settle claims that it defrauded a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program that sought to steer limited vaccine doses to the most vulnerable Americans in late 2020 and early 2021, according to the Justice Department, which released excerpts of the text messages.
1st Jul 2022 - The Washington Post

North Korea blames 'alien things' near border with South for COVID outbreak

North Korea claimed on Friday that the country's first COVID-19 outbreak began with patients touching "alien things" near the border with South Korea, apparently shifting blame to the neighbour for the wave of infections in the isolated country. Announcing results of an investigation, the North ordered people to "vigilantly deal with alien things coming by wind and other climate phenomena and balloons in the areas along the demarcation line and borders," the official KCNA news agency said. The agency did not directly mention South Korea, but North Korean defectors and activists have for decades flown balloons from the South across the heavily fortified border, carrying leaflets and humanitarian aid. South Korea's unification ministry, handling inter-Korean affairs, said there was "no possibility" of the virus entering the North through leaflets sent across the border. According to KCNA, an 18-year-old soldier and a five-year-old kindergartner who contacted the unidentified materials "in a hill around barracks and residential quarters" in the eastern county of Kumgang in early April showed symptoms and later tested positive for the coronavirus.
1st Jul 2022 - Reuters

U.S. Supreme Court nixes religious challenge to New York vaccine mandate

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday declined to hear a challenge to New York's mandate that healthcare sector workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 brought by a group of doctors, nurses and others who objected on religious grounds.
1st Jul 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jul 2022

    View this newsletter in full

China summer railway travel expected to rebound as COVID curbs ease

As China loosens its months-long COVID-19 curbs, railway travel is expected to see an uptick in passengers just in time for the summer transport season, which starts on July 1. By Aug. 31, the number of passenger trips on China's railway network is expected to reach 520 million, and 10 million on peak days. The national railway is also opening new stations such as the Xiangwan section of the Zhengzhou-Chongqing high-speed railway, the Puzheng section of the Jizheng high-speed railway, the Heruo Railway, and the Beijing Fengtai Station.
1st Jul 2022 - Reuters

Shanghai Disneyland theme park re-opens after three-month closure

More than a thousand visitors streamed in on Thursday as Walt Disney Co's Shanghai Disney Resort theme park opened after a closure of three months, with face masks and social distancing the order of the day. The park shut on March 21 as cases rose in the Chinese business hub, leading to a two-month-long citywide lockdown that eased on June 1. Just over a week later, the resort began opening some areas, with the theme park the last to re-open.
30th Jun 2022 - Reuters

China's factory, service sectors shake off 3 months of lockdown pain

China's factory and service sectors snapped three months of activity decline in June, business surveys showed on Thursday, as authorities lifted a strict COVID lockdown in Shanghai, reviving output and consumer spending. The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 50.2 in June from 49.6 in May, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said. That slightly missed the forecast for 50.5 in a Reuters poll but rose above the 50-point mark that separates contraction from growth for the first time since February.
30th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Norway Was a Pandemic Success. Then It Spent Two Years Studying Its Failures.

If you could have flown anywhere in the world in 2019 to ride out a hypothetical pandemic, you probably wouldn’t have picked Norway. In fact, when a group of distinguished health experts gathered that year to rank hundreds of countries based on their pandemic readiness, they put Norway in 16th place. They were quickly proven wrong. It turned out that few places outperformed expectations more than Norway. Not long ago, the World Health Organization published mortality stats from the past two years, which showed that nearly every country’s excess death count spiked during the pandemic. Norway’s barely moved. The Norwegians had pulled off the closest thing possible to an optimal response to the most vexing problems that Covid-19 presented. So how did they do it? As it happens, the Norwegians also wanted to know.
30th Jun 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Video: The Dance School Lifting Up Kenya's Lost Girls of Covid

On this episode of “The Pay Check,” Bloomberg Digital Originals explores how closed schools and economic hardship created a crisis for young women and girls in Kenya, and how an after-school program in Nairobi’s biggest informal settlement is creating a safe haven for some of them.
30th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

China's easing COVID curbs spark travel inquiry surge, and caution

Online searches for Chinese airline tickets on domestic and international routes surged on Wednesday, after Beijing said it would slash COVID-19 quarantine requirements and made changes to a state-mandated mobile app used for local travel. The unexpected moves mark a significant easing of rigid curbs that have severely curtailed travel and battered China's economy, although tough measures remain in place including a scarcity of international flights, and many social media users voiced caution.
29th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Widespread relief for Shanghai's restaurant sector as dine-in resumes

Restaurants and eateries in China's largest city Shanghai begun reopening their doors to diners on Wednesday, bringing widespread relief to an industry that was badly hit by the city's two month COVID-19 lockdown. Large chains such as hot pot brand Haidilao, fine dining establishments and family owned eateries had started scrubbing tableware and getting uniforms laundered since Saturday when authorities announced the curbs were lifting, a month after the city's lockdown eased on June 1.
29th Jun 2022 - Reuters

COVID can't break South Africa's love affair with shopping malls

With two days to go until opening to the public, workers rush to put the finishing touches on the Kwena Square shopping complex, a shiny $13 million sign that South Africans are defying the global "retail apocalypse". Not even COVID-19 could separate them from their beloved malls. "I love going to the mall with my daughter and my grandkids," said 54-year-old Kowie Erasmus, who's eagerly awaiting Friday's grand opening of Johannesburg's Kwena Square, which broke ground at the height of the pandemic.
29th Jun 2022 - Reuters

The Best and Worst Places to Be as World Enters Next Covid Phase

Since November 2020, Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking has tracked the best and worst places to be during the pandemic, using a range of datapoints to capture a monthly snapshot of how the world’s biggest economies were handling this once-in-a-generation health crisis. Twenty editions in, the virus has become something most countries are living with. After nearly two years of fluctuation—during which the top and bottom of the Ranking shifted as the pandemic shape-changed—places have largely settled into their permanent positions, drawing the project to a natural close. June, 2022 will be our last update. In a reflection of how far we’ve come since the coronavirus first emerged in central China, this month’s top ranked are those most effectively putting the pandemic in the rearview mirror, with the fewest scars. They’ve been able to reopen their borders and economies without a substantial spike in deaths.
29th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

Scores of Glastonbury revellers test positive for COVID as experts warn of fifth wave

A number of Glastonbury Festival revellers have reported testing positive for COVID-19 in the days after the music event. An estimated 200,000 music fans flocked to Worthy Farm in east Somerset for the 37th iteration of Glastonbury last week. Crowds gathered to watch headliners Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar along with scores of other artists for the world's biggest outdoor festival. Following three years of cancellations due to COVID restrictions, tens of thousands of music fans did not hold back as they soaked up their favourite artists, shoulder to shoulder with other fans. But the fun was soon over after many revellers took to Twitter to report bringing COVID-19 home with them.
29th Jun 2022 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid: 'Significantly' fewer primary pupils to be vaccinated

There has been a significant increase in the proportion of primary school parents who say they are “unlikely” to have their child vaccinated for Covid-19, a new survey has found. The figures have been published as experts warn the UK is experiencing a “fifth wave” of Covid, as infection rates climb, driven by new variants of Omicron. The latest data from the School Infection Survey (SIS) shows that the proportion of primary school pupils who were not vaccinated and whose parents said they were “unlikely” to agree to their child being vaccinated in future has risen from 24 per cent in December 2021 to 36 per cent in March 2022.
28th Jun 2022 - TES

In 1st year of pandemic, COVID vaccines saved 20M lives

Based on official data on COVID-19 deaths, the authors estimated that vaccinations prevented 14.4 million deaths in 185 countries and territories during the one-year study duration. Based on excess mortality estimates, they observed that vaccinations halved the potential global death toll and averted around 19.8 million deaths in a year. The latter represents the true extent of the first year of the pandemic, showing a global reduction of 63% in total deaths due to vaccination.
28th Jun 2022 - News-Medical.Net

Majority of secondary school children have Covid-19 antibodies, says new data

Nearly all secondary school-age children have Covid-19 antibodies, according to new data. Data from the School Infection Survey, which was released on Monday, revealed that numbers of primary school parents who would be "unlikely" to vaccinate their children has increased. The news comes as levels of Covid continue to rise in the UK, with new cases likely due to variants of the Omicron strain. In the last week, an estimated 1.7million people are reported to have had the virus, up 23% from 1.4 million the previous week.
28th Jun 2022 - Daily Record

Shanghai's Disneyland theme park to re-open on Thursday

The Walt Disney Co's Shanghai Disney Resort said on Tuesday it would reopen the Disneyland theme park on June 30, a month after the Chinese economic hub lifted a two month-long COVID-19 lockdown. The theme park has been shut since March 21, when the resort closed its doors amid an uptick of cases in Shanghai. The city lifted its lockdown on June 1 and the resort begun opening some areas just over a week later.
28th Jun 2022 - Reuters.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19: UK makes first payments to compensate injury or death from vaccines

The first compensation payments in the UK have been made to families who have been bereaved, or to people who have been injured, as a result of a covid-19 vaccine. Vikki Spit from Cumbria is believed to be the first person to receive compensation, after her 48 year old partner, Zion, became ill eight days after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. Zion, a former rock singer, died at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in May 2021. A handful of other people have received payments in the past few days under the government’s vaccine damage payment scheme (VDPS), which pays out up to a maximum of £120 000 (€140 000; $150 000). Sarah Moore, a partner at the Hausfeld law firm, which is representing people seeking compensation, told The BMJ it was an important moment. “While the VDPS payments are very modest in amount, and will do very little to alleviate the financial difficulties with which many families are now struggling as a consequence of injury or bereavement, the fact of payment for some will mark a moment of vindication in that it is the clearest statement yet, by the government, that in some rare instances the covid-19 vaccines have caused very significant injury or death.”
27th Jun 2022 - The BMJ

Bereaved may take legal action against Government over coronavirus inquiry delay

Bereaved families have warned they may take legal action against the Government over delays to starting the coronavirus public inquiry. The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group is considering bringing a judicial review over the failure to provide a setting up date for the inquiry into the Government's handling of the pandemic. They say this leaves the inquiry in "limbo", more than six months after Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed Baroness Hallett to chair the probe in December 2021.
27th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

Shanghai will gradually resume dining-in at restaurants from June 29

Shanghai will gradually resume dining-in at restaurants from June 29 in low-risk areas and areas without any community-level spread of COVID-19 during the previous week，a Shanghai government official said on Sunday. The Chinese econonic hub lifted a two month city-wide lockdown on June 1, but many establishments have remained unable to offer indoor dining since mid-March. Shanghai reported no new locally transmitted cases - either symptomatic or asymptomatic - for June 24 and June 25.
27th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Bereaved May Take Legal Action Against UK Over Covid Inquiry Delay

Bereaved families have warned they may take legal action against the Government over delays to starting the coronavirus public inquiry. The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group is considering bringing a judicial review over the failure to provide a setting up date for the inquiry into the Government's handling of the pandemic. They say this leaves the inquiry in "limbo", more than six months after Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed Baroness Hallett to chair the probe in December 2021. The PM has previously said the inquiry would start in spring 2022, but its terms of reference have not yet been published, nor a setting-up date specified. The group says the delay could cost lives, as it slows down how quickly lessons can be learned, and is worried key evidence could be tampered with or destroyed.
26th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

An NFT of a Covid-19 Vaccine Heads to Auction

A nonfungible token, or NFT, showcasing the molecular technology of the mRNA vaccine used to fight Covid-19, will be auctioned at Christie’s online next month to raise money for future medical research. The 3-D digital work is designed by the University of Pennsylvania and Drew Weissman, a doctor whose research helped create mRNA vaccines. The one-minute visual work also comes with a storyboard that explains how mRNA vaccines work to fight the Covid-19 virus; copies of original mRNA patent documents owned by the University of Pennsylvania; and an original letter from Weissman, director of Vaccine Research at The Perelman School of Medicine at the university. mRNA, short for messenger ribonucleic acid, is a single-stranded molecule of RNA that corresponds to the genetic sequence of a gene. Unlike traditional vaccines, which use a weakened or inactive germ to trigger an immune response, mRNA vaccines are designed to teach the body to create a protein that triggers the immune response.
26th Jun 2022 - Barron's

London's Prime Shopping Street Has a Case of Long Covid

Regent Street, London’s premier shopping thoroughfare, is struggling to shake off the lingering effects of Covid-19. Store vacancy levels, at a record 12%, are almost twice what they were at the end of 2019, while asking rents for the best space on the street have fallen by more than 30% during the pandemic, according to Savills Plc. Shoppers who stroll along the curving avenue, passing through Oxford Circus and Piccadilly in London’s West End, may notice the absence of familiar brands. J Crew, Brooks Brothers, Desigual and Zara Home all closed stores during the two years of on-again off-again lockdowns that battered brick-and-mortar retailers and accelerated a shift to online shopping.
26th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

China's Economy Improves in June From Lockdown-Induced Slump

China’s economy showed some improvement in June as Covid restrictions were gradually eased, although the recovery remains muted. That’s the outlook based on Bloomberg’s aggregate index of eight early indicators for this month. The overall gauge returned to the neutral level after deteriorating for two straight months.
26th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

Covid-19 ‘magic mirror’ reflects widening fissures in Chinese society

“Covid-19 is a magic mirror that reveals the monster within” was a popular saying in China in the early days of the pandemic. It was used by the Chinese foreign ministry in reference to the United States to suggest that Covid-19 had uncovered America’s long-standing social problems. Whoever coined the saying was certainly very astute. But I wonder how many people in China at the time realised that one day the mirror could be turned on themselves. What would they see? What demons might be revealed? I have lived in China all my life. I am part of a generation that has seen outstanding improvements in this society. It seemed to us that things could only get better, and if there were any challenges along the way, there was nothing that we as a country could not get through by working together.
25th Jun 2022 - South China Morning Post

Latin America's kids slid into education black hole during pandemic

In Bolivia's highland city La Paz, Maribel Sanchez's children spent much of the last two years huddling over a small smartphone screen to attend online classes amid a lengthy lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The two boys, aged 11 and eight, frequently missed lessons when their timetables collided as the family had no computer. Bolivian school children only finally returned to in-person classes in March this year, many still not full time. The story is echoed around the region from Mexico to Brazil. Latin American has one of the worst records of school closures globally, according to a World Bank report, which shows children here faced almost 60 weeks of fully or partially closed schools between March 2020 and March this year. That's behind only South Asia and twice the level of Europe, Central and East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa or the Pacific. In North America there were long partial closures, but just seven weeks of full closures versus 29 in Latin America and the Caribbean.
24th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Video: How the Pandemic Has Accelerated Child Marriage in India

In a bid to combat child marriage, Archana Sahay started a 24-hour helpline based in the central Indian city of Bhopal. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, she was inundated with calls: Some were what she had come to expect from already-vulnerable girls and people concerned with their welfare. Others caught her by surprise. On this episode of “The Pay Check,” Bloomberg explores how another unforeseen consequence of Covid-19 in India has been a significant increase in child marriage—and how one woman is trying to fight it.
24th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

Shanghai's fashion stores struggle to clear lockdown stock hangover

Almost a month since Shanghai lifted its strict COVID-19 lockdowns, fashion retailers are stuck with piles of unsold stock as cautious consumers stay away from the commercial hub's glitzy shopping districts. Curbs to stop the virus in Shanghai, China's fashion capital, ground the city of 25 million to a halt in April and May, leaving clothing and beauty product displays in stores untouched and containers of imported apparel stranded at port.
24th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19: How has the pandemic differed across the four UK nations?

Although the overall course of the pandemic has been similar across the UK, there have been instances when the countries’ trajectory has diverged. In the first wave Northern Ireland had far fewer deaths and hospital admissions. Lockdown restrictions were similar across the UK at this time. One possible explanation for the divergence is that lockdown began at a slightly earlier stage in the pandemic in Northern Ireland, reducing the size of the peak there. In the second wave Scotland had relatively fewer cases, hospital admissions, and deaths than England and Wales. Scotland also had the most consistent set of restrictions in place between September and December 2020, which may have helped to delay the spread of the alpha variant (which was dominant in England by the beginning of December but not in Scotland until January 2021).34 Northern Ireland had a slightly later peak in cases in this wave, which may have contributed to lower mortality, as a result of the vaccination programme reducing severe disease. Northern Ireland’s younger population may also have been a factor in its lower cumulative mortality. From the middle of 2021 to February 2022 Northern Ireland had consistently higher rates of hospital admission for covid-19 than elsewhere in the UK, although case rates and mortality have been broadly similar. This suggests that hospital care for patients with covid-19 may have been organised differently in Northern Ireland, resulting in a higher admission rate. Another possibility is that hospital acquired covid-19, which has been a significant concern,5 may be a particular problem in hospitals in Northern Ireland. In February and March 2022 Scotland had the highest case rates and a rapid increase in hospital admissions, despite retaining restrictions longest in response to omicron.
22nd Jun 2022 - The BMJ

Women more likely to have long COVID, different symptom profile

Women are significantly more likely than men to experience long COVID, with symptoms that follow a distinct clinical pattern, researchers reported today. They said more efforts are needed to explore sex differences in outcomes, including greater risks of exposure for some jobs. The researchers from the Johnson & Johnson Office of the Chief Medical Officer reported their findings yesterday in Current Medical Research and Opinion, a peer-reviewed journal.
22nd Jun 2022 - CIDRAP

Nearly 1 in 5 adults who had COVID have lingering symptoms - U.S. study

Nearly 1 in 5 American adults who reported having COVID-19 in the past are still having symptoms of long COVID, according to survey data collected in the first two weeks of June, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday. Overall, 1 in 13 adults in the United States have long COVID symptoms lasting for three months or more after first contracting the disease, and which they did not have before the infection, the data showed.
22nd Jun 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Brits to have first access to vaccines and treatments when new science super-centre opens

US pharmaceutical firm Moderna is to establish a global clinical trials base in the UK, which it says will endorse the country as a science superpower - and future-proof it against emerging health threats.
22nd Jun 2022 - Sky News

RMI's COVID-19 vaccine partnership with Acacium proves a success

The joint aim of the companies was to provide vaccines to vulnerable communities Remote Medical International (RMI) – which specialises in protecting the health of workers in diverse areas across the world – partnered with healthcare solutions company Acacium Group to provide vaccinations in areas of notable need during 2021-22. Their joint aim was to deliver mobile vaccination and COVID-19 test processing units throughout the Midlands and South East of the UK during the pandemic. The companies delivered mobile-testing with a results turnaround time of less than three hours and, throughout the course of their deployment, processed in the excess of 200,000 tests
21st Jun 2022 - PharmaTimes

U.S. factories pop up to make medical gloves, spurred by pandemic

Rising from a muddy field on the outskirts of the small town of Fayette, Alabama is a bricks-and-mortar symbol of the global COVID pandemic: A new glove factory. When completed in 2024 the complex, owned by Japan’s SHOWA Glove Co will be able to produce about 3 billion medical-grade nitrile gloves a year from its dozen massive new, five-stories-tall, automated assembly lines. That may seem like a lot but is only a small slice of the over 100 billion consumed in the United States annually.
22nd Jun 2022 - Reuters

Twitter Accounts Hyped Company Seeking Covid Vaccine Trials

A network of Twitter accounts pushed messages to boost the share price of a biotech company as it sought approval to run a clinical trial of its Covid-19 vaccine, according to research provided to Bloomberg News. The tweets promoted stock for Ocugen Inc., which is based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, at rates well above market value, according to research by Alethea Group, a startup that tracks disinformation. The company’s share price nearly doubled in a little more than a week. The findings suggest a coordinated social media effort to sway interest in an otherwise little known medical technology company, according to Lisa Kaplan, Alethea Group’s founder and chief executive officer.
21st Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Canada's latest travel restrictions as Covid-19 vaccine mandate lifted for domestic and outbound travel

Passengers boarding planes or trains in Canada will no longer be required to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus from June 20. The government in Ottawa has lifted the vaccine mandate for domestic and outbound travel as infection rates continue to fall. Rules about inbound travel remain unchanged and mean that non-Canadians must be vaccinated to enter freely. Those who are unvaccinated are required to take tests before and after arrival as well as self-isolate for two weeks. Face masks remain compulsory for all travellers, unless exempt, including in certain indoor public settings. Those travelling by air are expected to get an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) to enter the country.
20th Jun 2022 - Daily Record

Saudi lifts COVID-19 travel restrictions to Turkey, India, Ethiopia and Vietnam

Saudi Arabia lifted coronavirus travel restrictions on Monday on its citizens travelling to Turkey, India, Ethiopia and Vietnam, state news agency SPA reported. Earlier this month, the kingdom lifted measures imposed to prevent the spread of the virus, including a requirement to wears face masks indoors.
20th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Is there a new Covid wave? How many cases there are in the UK and why there are concerns over new variant

Covid infections have shot up by 47 per cent this month, prompting fears the UK is embarking on its third wave of the year. Daily symptomatic infections have increased by 53,943, from 114,030 on 1 June to 167,973 on Tuesday, according to the latest figures from the ZOE Covid study app. The four-day weekend of Platinum Jubilee celebrations kicked off on 2 June, so much of the rise has been put down to street parties and other events held across the country to mark the occasion. But the post-Jubilee increase was expected to peak at about 150,000 cases a day before dropping a bit and stabilising. Instead, numbers have carried on going up, with substantial daily increases in recent days. It is entirely possible that cases could soon peak and begin to fall, but there are growing fears we are in the early stages of a new wave driven by the new Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.
16th Jun 2022 - iNews

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

The inside story of Recovery: how the world’s largest COVID-19 trial transformed treatment – and what it could do for other diseases

Two years ago this week, the Recovery trial transformed the care of COVID patients with its dexamethasone announcement. Within four hours, the steroid was included in NHS treatment recommendations. Almost overnight, treatment of COVID patients around the world changed completely. It has been estimated that dexamethasone may have saved a million lives in the first nine months following the announcement. Recovery, jointly led by Oxford Population Health and the Nuffield Department of Medicine, is a groundbreaking scientific machine which, from the outset, moved at unprecedented speed. Within 15 days, more than 1,000 participants around the UK had joined the trial; five weeks later, that number had risen to 10,000. In the first 100 days alone, the trial produced three groundbreaking results that would completely reshape COVID care.
15th Jun 2022 - The Conversation

Hong Kong police chief defends enforcement of Covid-19 rules

The head of the Hong Kong Police Force has defended officers’ enforcement of Covid-19 rules while attending a district council meeting on Tuesday. After the meeting, Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu told the press that the Force would reach “total mobilisation” for the 25 anniversary of the city’s handover to China, and that a new counter-terrorism reporting hotline had already received more than 1,000 calls. Siu attended the North District Council meeting to brief councillors on crime data in the district. He was also asked to explain the relationship between police enforcement actions and control of the disease and the effectiveness of anti-epidemic work in the North District, according to the meeting’s agenda.
15th Jun 2022 - Hong Kong Free Press

Long Covid Is Showing Up in the Employment Data

Given that you have to be unable to work for at least 12 months to qualify for Social Security disability and going on the program is a momentous step that effectively requires leaving the labor market, the still-new phenomenon that is Long Covid is probably not playing a big role (the Social Security Administration has said that only about 1% of recent claims mention Covid). Still, the turnaround in disability applications is at least not incompatible with a rise in long-term health problems related to the disease — and it turns out there are stronger signs of Long Covid in other employment-related data.
15th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

South Africa Covid-19 Hospital Admissions Show Story of Inequality

The confluence between race and inequality in South Africa has been starkly illustrated through hospital admissions over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. Black people living in the country were likely to be hospitalized at a younger age, less likely to have access to intensive care units and ventilators and had higher mortality from the disease than White residents, according to a study led by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Indian and mixed race South Africans, locally known as Colored, also fared worse. “Blacks, Indians and Coloreds were more likely to die,” Waasila Jassat, a researcher with the NICD and one of the authors of the study, said in an interview on Tuesday. The study shows “the interplay between race, age, sex and socio-economic status” and how different groups experienced Covid-19, she said.
14th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

Canada to end COVID vaccine mandate for domestic travel -CBC News

The Canadian government on Tuesday will announce an end to COVID-19 vaccine mandates for domestic travel on planes and trains and outgoing international travel, CBC News reported on Monday, citing unidentified sources familiar with the matter. The government, which has faced criticism over ongoing pandemic restrictions, may bring back the vaccine mandate if a new variant of the virus is discovered, the report added.
14th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Shanghai Disney Resort to reopen Disneytown, hotel on June 16

Shanghai Disney Resort said on Tuesday it will reopen Disneytown and Shanghai Disneyland hotel on June 16 but the main Disneyland park will remain closed until further notice. Toy Story Hotel, one of its two resort hotels will also remain closed, the resort operator said in a statement. The Shanghai Disney Resort reopened some retail and park areas last week.
14th Jun 2022 - Reuters

China's '618' shopping festival to test COVID-hit shoppers' urge to splurge

China is set to get a picture of how the country's zero-COVID-19 policy and slowing economy have impacted shoppers' urge to splurge, as e-commerce platforms gear up to report takings from the mid-year "618" shopping festival this weekend. Held in the run-up to June 18, 618 is China's second-largest shopping event by sales after Nov. 11's Singles Day, with bargain-hunters holding off purchases in anticipation of discounts spanning a range of brands.
14th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Congress examines fraud in pandemic aid for small businesses

The U.S. failed to take basic steps at the start of the coronavirus pandemic to prevent fraud in a federal aid program intended to help small businesses, depleting the funds and making people more vulnerable to identity theft, the chairman of a House panel examining the payouts said Tuesday. Democratic Rep. James Clyburn blamed the Trump administration for the problems in the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, overseen by the U.S. Small Business Administration, amid revelations that as much as 20% of the money — tens of billions of dollars — may have been awarded to fraudsters. Clyburn said the Biden administration has implemented measures to identify potential fraud and directed loan officers to address indications of fraud before approving loans, while Congress has invested in fraud prevention and accountability.
14th Jun 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Canada urged to support COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver

Advocates for vaccine equity are calling on the Canadian government to join the push for a patent waiver to help in the global fight against COVID-19, just as the World Trade Organization opens high-level talks on this and other issues.
13th Jun 2022 - CTV News

Coronavirus: More than 100 TfL workers died from Covid-19

More than 100 Transport for London (TfL) workers are known to have died from Covid-19, new figures show. Of those who died from the virus, 75 worked on London buses, while 23 worked on the Tube network. The majority were people belonging to ethnic minorities and only five were women, TfL said. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said TfL had "put in place a range of additional support for families and colleagues where there has been a bereavement". TfL said a permanent memorial would be completed later this year to "help pay tribute to the critical role transport workers played during the global pandemic".
13th Jun 2022 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid Testing No Longer Need for Flying. Airlines May Not Be Ready

Airlines have been petitioning for months to ease a pandemic-era restriction on arrivals from abroad. Now that the White House has lifted mandatory Covid testing for inbound passengers, the industry may rue having its collective wish granted just ahead of the busiest time of year for travel. As of June 12, travelers by air will join those at land ports of entry in no longer needing to submit negative Covid test results. That rule has depressed traffic and delayed a recovery for long-haul international service, airline lobbyists and the U.S. Travel Association have told the Biden administration repeatedly. But no more mandatory tests may presage an upswell in demand the industry is ill-prepared to handle. The situation in Europe -- where mandatory testing was abandoned as early as January in the UK -- isn’t encouraging.
12th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

COVID-19: How long-term smell loss can impact daily life

Recent studies show that 12-18 months after getting COVID-19, up to 46% of people are still experiencing a clinical reduction in their sense of smell. But what are the impacts of long-term smell loss on everyday life? Issues can include challenges with food safety, weight, relationships and mental health, according to a neuroscientist. Smell training can improve olfactory functions over time.
10th Jun 2022 - World Economic Forum

Preventing another Covid-19: Ugandan lab leads hunt for zoonotic diseases

On the shores of Lake Edward, near Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a renovated building houses a research laboratory capable of handling serious diseases such as anthrax. This building is the newest front in the hunt for zoonotic diseases and is at the forefront of a growing research movement that focuses on east Africa and other infection hotspots. The recent emergence of Covid-19 and monkeypox, both of which jumped from animals to humans, have been a reminder of the power that such diseases have to reshape our world, and the importance of early identification and genomic sequencing to help stop their spread.
10th Jun 2022 - Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

China Markets Spring Back Into Action as Covid Lockdowns Ease

Financial markets across China are buzzing with activity as easing Covid lockdowns boost trading. Yuan-trading volumes in the onshore market bounced off two-year lows while stock turnover topped the key 1 trillion yuan ($149 billion) mark for two straight sessions this week. That’s after Shanghai officially reopened following a two-month lockdown and Beijing further loosened Covid curbs, spurring bets of an economic rebound and a return of foreign inflows into the country. “It appears that the re-pricing of China macro growth risk due to the lockdowns has run its course,” Ken Cheung, strategist at Mizuho Bank Ltd. said. A slew of pro-growth measures and the reopening in Shanghai and Beijing have helped stabilize expectations for China’s economy, he said.
10th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg

Explainer: Can we still avoid Covid-19 and is there any point trying?

With new Covid-19 case numbers down, many may be asking if there's any point keeping up precautions to avoid the virus, particularly those who haven't caught it yet. Is it still possible to protect ourselves from the illness? Surely we're all going to get it at some stage, and the 'milder' Omicron variants make it less of a threat to our health, so what's the big deal? Here's what you need to know. We are now more than two years into a pandemic that turned many people's lives upside-down.
9th Jun 2022 - RNZ

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Vietnam’s health minister arrested over COVID test gouging

Vietnam’s health minister and the mayor of the capital Hanoi have been arrested as part of an expanding investigation into massive price gouging of COVID-19 tests, state media reported. Nguyen Thanh Long was dismissed from his ministry post and Chu Ngoc Anh, who previously was the science minister, was fired as Hanoi mayor, Tuoi Tre online news outlet reported Tuesday. They are being investigated for abuse of power, according to the Ministry of Public Security, and have been expelled from the ruling Communist Party. An investigation concluded earlier that mismanagement in the science and health ministries had allowed Viet A Technology Corporation to inflate prices for test kits supplied to hospitals and health centers in Vietnam.
8th Jun 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

US has thrown out more than 82m Covid vaccine doses

The United States has thrown out 82.1m Covid vaccine doses from December 2020 to the middle of last month, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. That number of wasted vaccines accounts for more than 11 per cent of the doses distributed by the federal government during the pandemic, reports NBC News. Retail pharmacy chains CVS and Walmart were responsible for more than a quarter of the discarded doses in the US during the time period. This is a reflection of the volume of doses each company handled, said the report. The wasted vaccines were caused by a variety of factors, including doses that expired at pharmacies before they could be used, power cuts, broken freezer storage and open vials being thrown out at the end of business days unused. CVS wasted nearly 11.8m doses, or about 13 per cent of the 89.9m it received.
7th Jun 2022 - The Independent

Reasons behind COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and efficient strategies to address it

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Olivier Sibomana, an enthusiastic and highly committed medical student at University of Rwanda (UR), college of medicine and health sciences, department of general medicine and surgery. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writers and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.
7th Jun 2022 - The European Sting

China offers Covid vaccine insurance to win over jab sceptics

China has devised a new incentive to boost elderly vaccinations to levels that could finally allow the country to relax its zero-Covid strategy and revive the economy: insurance packages for people worried about jab-related side effects. Dozens of cities across the country have begun offering people aged 60 and older free insurance that pays out up to Rmb500,000 ($75,000) if they fall ill — or worse — because of Covid-19 vaccines. The packages also promise payouts to families if it can be proven that a loved one’s death was related to receiving a jab. In Beijing alone, about 60,000 seniors have signed up for the coverage since April.
7th Jun 2022 - Financial Times

Universal Beijing Resort to reopen on June 15 as COVID curbs ease

The Universal Beijing Resort said on Tuesday it will reopen on June 15 after being closed more than a month to comply with China's COVID-19 prevention measures, but it will cap the number of visitors at no more than 75% of capacity. The resort, which includes a retail district, two hotels and the Universal Studios theme park, was shut on May 1. After it reopens, all visitors must show a negative PCR test taken within the past 72 hours and wear masks at all times, in line with city-wide measures. The resort will also test its employees daily and carry out regular disinfection, it added.
7th Jun 2022 - Reuters

U.S. Treasury approves first state projects from $10 bln COVID broadband fund

The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday announced the first state awards from a $10 billion COVID-19 aid program aimed at boosting broadband internet access in underserved communities, funding $583 million worth of projects in Virginia, West Virginia, Louisiana and New Hampshire. The Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, a relatively unheralded portion of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, provides money for broadband infrastructure and other projects that enable work, education and healthcare monitoring.
7th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

UK shoppers cut spending by most since COVID lockdown in 2021

British shoppers facing a surge in inflation cut their spending in May by the most since the country was in a coronavirus lockdown in early 2021, according to a survey published on Tuesday. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said total retail spending was 1.1% lower than a year earlier, the biggest fall since January last year and representing an acceleration from April's 0.3% decline.
7th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Turkey removes all Covid-related restrictions for Indian travellers

Turkey has relaxed all the conditions for travellers entering the country and is expecting to welcome the highest-ever number of Indian tourists this year, Turkiye Tourism Board said on Monday. Earlier, Indian travellers were required to submit either a vaccination certificate or an RT-PCR test report to visit Turkey, according to a statement. Now, Indian travellers no longer have to show proof of vaccination against coronavirus or proof of recovery from the disease or a negative RT-PCR test result, it added. With both Indigo and Turkish Airlines resuming direct international flights to Turkiye, the country is expecting to welcome the highest-ever number of Indian tourists this year, it said.
6th Jun 2022 - The Financial Express on MSN.com

U.S. aims to ramp up international tourism hit hard by COVID

The U.S. Commerce Department on Monday will unveil a new strategy aimed at boosting international tourism hit hard by COVID-19 and government travel restrictions by streamlining the entry process and promoting more diverse destinations. The "National Travel and Tourism Strategy" sets a goal of 90 million international visitors by 2027 who will spend an estimated $279 billion annually, topping pre-pandemic levels, the department told Reuters.
6th Jun 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Shanghai Residents Revel in Outdoor Walks, Haircuts and More of the Mundane

Residents gathered at the gates of some housing compounds in Shanghai late Tuesday to stage a countdown to midnight, when the city’s government lifted anti-Covid-19 restrictions that had kept them holed up inside their apartments—in many cases for more than two months. Shortly after the deadline passed, a convoy of cars emerged from the gates of one complex, sounding their horns and with national flags draped over their hoods, videos circulating on social media showed. Passengers could be seen standing with their heads out of sunroofs. Firecrackers sparkled in the night sky as a festive mood entered the city after weeks of chaos, frustration and mounting despair. From midnight, the Shanghai authorities said most of the city’s 25 million residents were free to leave their apartments and residential compounds to go to work, with all businesses cleared to resume normal operations. Officials are eager to get China’s most economically important city running again.
2nd Jun 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jun 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Legal challenges to Queensland's COVID vaccine mandate get underway

The first of several civil cases, brought on by dozens of Queensland frontline workers who are challenging their COVID-19 vaccine mandates, including police officers and paramedics, begins in Brisbane.
31st May 2022 - ABC.Net.au

Hong Kong to distribute 240,000 RAT kits following sewage COVID-19 detection

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Tuesday that it will distribute about 240,000 sets of COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits to people in some areas of the city as part of a follow-up on recent detection of the COVID-19 virus in sewage samples. The test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers, and property management staff working in the areas with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, in order to help identify infected persons, it said. The HKSAR government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive results for COVID-19 via the government's online platform.
31st May 2022 - English News.cn

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

North Korea Calls Covid Vaccines "Immortal Potion Of Love" From Kim Jong Un: Report

As North Korea finally began its COVID-19 vaccination programme, the nation's supreme leader Kim Jong Un declared that the coronavirus jabs are an “immortal potion of love” gifted by him. According to Daily Star, the North Korean leader made the bizarre claims through loudspeakers playing through vehicles at vaccination sites. Responding to its recent Covid outbreak, North Korea started rolling out the vaccines. However, so far, the Covid jabs are only reserved for soldiers working on national construction projects.
30th May 2022 - NDTV

Tasmanian MP backs petition questioning COVID-19 masks and vaccinations

A Tasmanian government MP has come under fire for making a "concerning" decision to sponsor a petition to State Parliament containing vaccine-related misinformation. Liberal backbencher John Tucker has sponsored a petition to State Parliament that claims vaccine and mask mandates imposed by the government he is a member of "have not stopped the spread or mitigated the risks of contracting COVID-19 in Tasmania". It also argues that, "there is increasing public concern that vaccinations and masking are unsafe," and calls on the Tasmanian government to lift all vaccination mandates and end mask requirements in schools, medical clinics and transport.
30th May 2022 - ABC News

Queensland's frontline workers begin series of legal challenges to COVID-19 vaccine mandate

The first of several civil cases, brought on by dozens of Queensland frontline workers who are challenging their COVID-19 vaccine mandates, including police officers and paramedics, has begun in Brisbane. More than 70 Queensland Police Service (QPS) and Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) staff who have refused to comply with their employer's directives, are testing the legality of the policies in the Supreme Court, arguing they are unjust or an improper exercise of power. Some of the applicants, made up of three groups, have also claimed that similar directions made by the state's Chief Health Officer last year breached human rights laws, but that matter will be heard at a later date alongside other similar legal challenges.
30th May 2022 - ABC News

Why some Hongkongers are still shunning Covid-19 vaccines

May 31 vaccine pass deadline means only those with three jabs or suitable exemption will be allowed entry to most venues citywide. Firm belief in personal freedoms, fear of side effects remain key hurdles for inoculation drive.
30th May 2022 - South China Morning Post

Increase in depression and anxiety rates in the U.K. identified during COVID-19 lockdowns

Though many studies have been conducted over the last two years, both during and after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions were implemented, the long-term effects of these events remain unclear. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* discusses changes in the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and their association with individual and environmental factors.
30th May 2022 - News-Medical.Net

Wary of foreign 'bad manners', Japan cautiously eases borders to aid tourism

Japan's easing of a two-year ban on foreign tourists seeks to balance the enormous economic importance of tourism with concerns that travellers would trigger a COVID outbreak, insiders say. Under the decision, Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign tourists on package tours starting June 10. Last week a few "test tours", mainly of overseas travel agents, started to arrive. Relaxing some of the world's strictest pandemic border measures required months of pressure from travel and tourism executives, three insiders told Reuters, describing both the government's fears of public backlash if infections spiked and the industry's concerns of an economic wipeout.
30th May 2022 - Reuters

India to provide scholarships, counselling to those orphaned by COVID-19

India's federal government will provide educational scholarships, mental health counselling and health insurance to children who have been orphaned by the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. "For those who have lost a loved one to coronavirus, the change it has brought to their lives is so difficult," Modi said during an online event as he announced government benefits for minor children who have lost both parents to COVID-19.
30th May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

The Best and Worst Places to Be in a World Divided Over Covid

Most of the world is now living alongside Covid-19, with the omicron variant penetrating parts of the globe that avoided the worst of the early pandemic, triggering record waves in places like New Zealand and Taiwan. In Europe and North America, while life has largely normalized, there’s still a constant stream of Covid fatalities—especially in the US and UK. The ability to open up with low levels of death is why Norway retains the No. 1 position in Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking for a third month. A 91% vaccination rate in adults has helped the Nordic country keep its fatality rate low, despite a consistently circulating virus. Ireland comes in second in May, while Denmark overtakes the United Arab Emirates for third as it emerges from an omicron-fueled wave.
27th May 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Spain's Covid booster jab entry requirement for all holidaymakers explained

Brits holidaying in Spain could need Covid boosters to enter the sunny travel hotspot this summer. Jabbed travellers can bypass testing with the right proof of vaccination on hand. It comes as the country opened its doors to non-vaccinated travellers to the first time ever since the pandemic began. The changing rules is indicative of the times as countries relax some restrictions to boost travel while sometimes maintaining key rules on jabs. For example, tourists entering the UK don't need a vaccine certificate, but British citizens have been warned to meet Spanish authorities' validity period requirements. The Foreign Office has advised Brits exactly when they'll need a booster to enter Spain.
26th May 2022 - Daily Record

Latino and Indigenous Mexican farm-working communities face high risk of COVID-19

Although everyone has been affected by COVID-19 and the pandemic it spawned, not all populations have been affected equally. In the United States, for example, COVID-19 cases and death rates have been disproportionately high in Latino and Indigenous populations. To understand how determinants of health affect perceptions of the coronavirus, its spread, and decision making around COVID-19 testing and vaccination in vulnerable populations, a team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside, conducted a study in the Eastern Coachella Valley region of inland Southern California, home to Latino and Indigenous Mexican farm-working communities. Led by Ann Cheney, an associate professor of social medicine, population, and public health in the School of Medicine, the team reports in BMC Public Health that these immigrant populations are vulnerable to inequalities that increase their risk of COVID-19 exposure, morbidity, and mortality.
26th May 2022 - News-Medical.Net

COVID-19 boosters and building trust among UK minority ethnic communities

Ethnic disparities in COVID-19 persist, with increased rates of infection, severe disease, and death among people from minority ethnic groups.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 COVID-19 vaccination rates also remain lowest in these communities compared with white people in the UK. Among people older than 18 years, the proportion who have had three COVID-19 vaccinations in England in March, 2022, was lowest among Black Caribbean (38%), Black African (45%), and Pakistani (45%) ethnic groups.1 These disparities are likely to be attributed to the intersection of key social determinants, including socioeconomic factors such as deprivation, overcrowding, and working patterns and conditions, alongside discrimination and structural violence in the health-care system and society.
26th May 2022 - The Lancet

COVID-19: 55% of early pandemic survivors still symptomatic 2 years on

The first cases of COVID-19 were reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019Trusted Source. It has now been over two years since the beginning of the outbreak connected to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan. Since then, many COVID-19 survivors have reported lingering health issues or symptoms that suddenly appear months and even a year after the initial infection. It is important to note that these patients experienced COVID-19 before vaccines were developed against SARS-CoV-2. A recent study looked into the current conditions of COVID-19 patients from Wuhan two years later.
26th May 2022 - Medical News Today

South Africa COVID vaccine hesitancy due to side-effect fears- survey

Fears over the possible side effects and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines have been the main drivers of hesitancy among thousands of South Africans, a government-backed online survey showed on Thursday.
26th May 2022 - Moneyweb.co.za

Analysis: Britain's shrunken workforce hampers COVID recovery

Britain's economy regained its pre-COVID size late last year, but in one crucial way it has not recovered: there are 400,000 fewer workers than at the start of the pandemic. This stands in contrast to most other big, rich economies where the labour force has recovered more, and adds to the Bank of England's inflation worries after surging energy prices and other bottlenecks pushed it to a 40-year high. The central bank fears a tight labour market will limit the economy's growth potential and put fresh upward pressure on wages, making it harder to bring inflation back to its target.
26th May 2022 - Reuters

Unwanted, Teen Pregnancies Rose During Covid Pandemic

All day long, kids stream in and out of the Tiffany-blue front door at Project Elimu, the premier ballet school in Kibera, a vibrant, low-income community in Nairobi, Kenya. But not all of the school’s visitors are dancers. Some, like 18-year-old Esther, are in acute distress, facing abuse at home or struggling with early pregnancy and parenthood. Esther is one data point in a wave of girls who became pregnant during the pandemic. According to the UNFPA, the United Nation’s sexual and reproductive healthy agency, some 1.4 million women and girls became pregnant unintentionally as a result of contraception interruptions in the first year of the pandemic alone.
26th May 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

NGOs urge Biden to push for changes to WTO's COVID waiver text

Oxfam America, Partners in Health and other civil society groups urged U.S. President Joe Biden to press for changes in a draft agreement on waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, underscoring divisions over the current text.In a letter sent to Biden on Monday, and viewed by Reuters, the groups said an "outcome document" reached after months of discussions between the main parties - the United States, the European Union, India and South Africa - fell short of his "righteous goal" of removing IP barriers for COVID vaccines.
25th May 2022 - Reuters

Hemmed in by COVID curbs, Beijingers seek respite in urban outdoors

On a hot, sunny day, children and adults splashed in the cool run-off of the Yongding River in a park on the western outskirts of Beijing, a city under near-lockdown in China's head-on battle with COVID-19. While gatherings are discouraged and many parks in the sprawling city of 22 million are shut, Beijingers - like others across China with limited travel options - have taken up outdoor pursuits such as camping and picnicking after more than two years of strict and often claustrophobic pandemic curbs.
26th May 2022 - Reuters

Manhattan return-to-office plans face persistent headwinds over COVID, safety

Efforts by financial firms and others to bring workers back to Manhattan offices more than two years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic face persistent headwinds, consultants said, with commuters still worrying about COVID-19 as well as safety. New York has lagged others major markets in the percentage of employees regularly working in the office, in part because of high usage rates of public transportation and COVID concerns, said David Lewis, chief executive of HR consultant firm OperationsInc, which works with several firms in the financial sector.
24th May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Are UK coronavirus cases actually going down or are they just harder to count?

For almost two years we’ve been glued to a set of numbers: the grim trio of cases, hospitalisations and deaths that defined coronavirus in the UK. The daily figures led news reports for more than a year: people watched in horror as the height of the Omicron wave brought the highest ever daily caseload on Tuesday 4 January 2022 when 275,618 people tested positive. And they saw how many people died: a number that peaked on Tuesday 19 January 2021, when 1,366 people died, making it the the worst day of the pandemic*. Since March 2022 case numbers from the daily government dashboard have tumbled. A fall that has coincided with the government’s Living with Covid plan: as restrictions fell away in England, so did cases. The government ended restrictions including the legal requirement to self-isolate on 24 February and cut the provision of free tests on 1 April.
24th May 2022 - The Guardian

Manhattan return-to-office plans face persistent headwinds over COVID, safety

Efforts by financial firms and others to bring workers back to Manhattan offices more than two years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic face persistent headwinds, consultants said, with commuters still worrying about COVID-19 as well as safety. New York has lagged others major markets in the percentage of employees regularly working in the office, in part because of high usage rates of public transportation and COVID concerns, said David Lewis, chief executive of HR consultant firm OperationsInc, which works with several firms in the financial sector.
24th May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Shanghai reopens some public transport, still on high COVID alert

Shanghai reopened a small part of the world's longest subway system on Sunday after some lines had been closed for almost two months, as the city paves the way for a more complete lifting of its painful COVID-19 lockdown next week. With most residents not allowed to leave their homes and restrictions tightening in parts of China's most populous city, commuters early on Sunday needed strong reasons to travel.
23rd May 2022 - Reuters

Tesla plans to ramp up to pre-lockdown output in Shanghai by Tuesday

Tesla Inc plans to restore production at its Shanghai plant to the level at which it had operated before the city's COVID-19 lockdown by Tuesday, a day later than its most recent recovery plan, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. Tesla will more than double its daily output to 2,600 electric vehicles at its Shanghai plant from Tuesday, according to the memo detailing the plan. That compares to around 1,000 EVs produced on Monday, according to the memo, and would bring Tesla's weekly output to nearly 16,000 units, the memo showed.
23rd May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Shanghai faces exodus of talent as lockdown dashes workers hopes for good jobs and a better life

Shanghai is facing an exodus of talent and labour as thousands of people leave the pandemic-hit city which has been in total lockdown since April 1, knocked by worries that local authorities will backtrack from plans to switch to normal virus control measures in June after achieving a societal zero-Covid goal. At the city's Hongqiao railway station, passengers have to queue up for two hours before they can even access the terminal. Those who plan on leaving need to show train tickets, approval letters from sub-district authorities and negative nucleic reports within 48 hours of their journey, before gaining permission to enter the terminal. A rapid antigen test is also required at the security checkpoints.
21st May 2022 - South China Morning Post on MSN.com

Taiwan export orders fall for first time in 2 years, hurt by China lockdowns, global weakness

Taiwan's export orders -- a bellwether for global technology demand -- fell for the first time in 25 months in April, taking a larger-than-expected hit from COVID lockdowns in China and broader global supply chain disruptions. Export orders unexpectedly fell 5.5% from a year earlier to $51.9 billion last month, data from the Ministry of Economic Affairs showed on Friday. The decline was the first in more than two years, since the COVID-19 pandemic began sweeping the world in 2020, and up-ended analysts' forecasts for 8.3% growth.
20th May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

African J&J COVID vaccine orders mark a 'financial failure'

Late last year, Johnson & Johnson’s COVID production partner Aspen Pharmacare touted the game-changing potential of its “monumental” licensing deal to make and sell J&J’s single-dose shot in Africa. Five months later, and two months after Aspen started production, the effort has encountered a problem currently familiar to all pandemic vaccine manufacturers. Owing to a lack of demand—even in Africa where just 15.9% of the continent’s 1.2 billion population has completed a coronavirus vaccination course—Aspen hasn’t received a single order for its branded version of the J&J shot, Bloomberg reports. “There were a lot of calls both from the West and from Africa that the best way to try and solve the problem was to establish our own local vaccine production capacity,” Stavros Nicolaou, Aspen’s head of strategic trade, told the news outlet. The subsequent dearth of business “sends an incredibly bad message,” he added.
19th May 2022 - FiercePharma

Taiwan firms resuming production in China as COVID curbs ease -minister

Roughly half of Taiwanese companies that had previously suspended work in China due to COVID-19 control measures have resumed production as curbs ease, the island's economy minister said on Thursday. Shanghai and neighbouring Kunshan, a hub for Taiwanese electronics makers including Apple supplier Quanta Computer, last month imposed stringent lockdowns to control the country's biggest COVID outbreak.
19th May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Inside the US communities where many are still unvaccinated

Holmes County in northeastern Ohio is a typical Midwestern community in the United States. Large red barns dot the rolling landscape. Trucks carrying freshly cut lumber boom through village streets. Woods and lakes dominate the landscape between villages named Berlin, Strasburg and Dresden. But in many ways, this is a place far from typical: At a time when approximately 77 percent of the wider United States population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, only about 19 percent of Holmes County residents have – one of the lowest county-level rates in the country. Approximately half of Holmes County’s 50,000 residents are members of the Amish community, a traditional Christian group that largely eschews modern technology and farms land in rural areas mainly in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.
19th May 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Other People Are Working Through Covid. Do You Have To?

As the disease and corporate sick policies evolve, a number of factors have made it less clear-cut when workers can, or should, take a break to recover. Employers such as Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc. have recently cut back the expanded sick leaves they introduced in the early days of the pandemic. The Omicron variant’s often milder symptoms are also prompting many employees with remote-work options to simply power through their illness from home. As cases rise in places with high vaccination rates, many say they feel the same pressure to minimize sick days as they did in prepandemic times. A survey of 3,600 hourly workers by The Shift Project at Harvard University’s Kennedy School this spring found that two-thirds of those who reported getting sick with Covid-19 or otherwise worked through their illness. People cited financial responsibilities as the top reason, followed by being afraid they would get in trouble for calling in sick and not being able to get their shifts covered.
19th May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Shanghai lets financial firms resume work as COVID curb ease - sources

Shanghai authorities have granted approval to 864 of the city's financial institutions to resume work, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, as it gradually eases a city-wide lockdown that began seven weeks ago. The move is part of the financial hub's plan to reopen broadly and allow normal life to resume after the lockdown was enacted to curb China's worst outbreak since the coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan in late 2019 halted most economic activity.
18th May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid support schemes left ‘open goal’ to fraudsters, says watchdog

The business department’s handling of Covid support schemes left an “open goal” to fraudsters and embezzlers that has added “billions to taxpayer woes”, parliament’s spending watchdog has found. In its review of the annual report of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said it recognised that the government offered crucial support to businesses at the height of the pandemic. However, it said efforts to identify fraud and error had come too late, given that by the time they are confirmed the money will have been spent and “trails will have long ago gone cold”. “BEIS says it saw this risk coming but it’s really not clear where government was looking when it set up its initial Covid response,” said the PAC’s chair, the Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier.
18th May 2022 - The Guardian

CDC: Africa tourism favorite now at 'high' risk for Covid-19

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has placed a popular African destination in its "high" Covid-19 risk category for travelers.South Africa -- renowned for its stunning vistas, wildlife, wineries and culture -- is now at Level 3. In total, the CDC moved up four destinations to the "high" risk column on Monday:
17th May 2022 - CNN

Austria lifts COVID-19 entry requirements – EURACTIV.com

Entering Austria no longer requires proof of vaccination, recovery passes, or testing after all COVID-19-related entry requirements were dropped from Monday. Provided there is no extension or change, these measures, presented by the health ministry Friday evening (13 May), should remain lifted until the end of September. According to the ministry, the current epidemiological situation justified lifting the entry regulations.
17th May 2022 - Euractiv

Shanghai residents leverage Excel skills, management savvy to navigate lockdown

China's worst COVID-19 outbreak has frayed nerves and stirred resentment among many residents of Shanghai but some have thrived in the face of adversity, stepping up with bright ideas and commitment to help their communities through the crisis. Not surprisingly, many such people have used the skills they developed in their jobs to help others navigate the frightening new world of forced quarantine and lockdowns that no one dreamed of before COVID.
17th May 2022 - Reuters

Students protest, discontent grows over China’s COVID policy

Administrators at an elite Beijing university have backed down from plans to further tighten pandemic restrictions on students as part of China’s “zero-COVID” strategy after a weekend protest at the school, according to students Tuesday. Graduate students at Peking University staged the rare, but peaceful protest Sunday over the school’s decision to erect a sheet-metal wall to keep them further sequestered on campus, while allowing faculty to come and go freely. Discontent had already been simmering over regulations prohibiting them from ordering in food or having visitors, and daily COVID-19 testing.
17th May 2022 - Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Children less active after Covid-19 restrictions eased, study finds

Activity levels among children fell below national guidelines after Covid-19 restrictions eased, a study finds. A university of Bristol study found by the end of 2021, less than a third were meeting the recommended guidelines of 60 minutes of physical activity daily. The findings showed children in England aged between 10 and 11 were doing eight minutes less activity than before 2021. Researchers said it "highlights a greater need" to work with families, and schools to get children active.
16th May 2022 - BBC News

Long Covid Symptoms Often Include Crushing Fatigue. Here’s How to Cope.

New studies offer clues about who may be more susceptible to long Covid, a term for lingering Covid-19 symptoms. WSJ breaks down the science of long Covid and the state of treatment
16th May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Around 60,000 NHS workers living with PTS after battling the pandemic

An estimated 60,000 NHS workers are believed to be living with post-traumatic stress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research. NHS Charities Together also found nine in 10 workers (90%) say it will take them years to recover. Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters (73%) have expressed concerns about their colleagues leaving the workforce due to poor mental health. Neal Ashurst, an operating department practitioner, was redeployed during the pandemic, switching from anaesthetics to a critical care unit.
13th May 2022 - Sky News

'Not free from COVID': Thousands pray at Portuguese shrine despite fears of new wave

Last year, only 7,500 were allowed inside the sanctuary and people had to stand in circles to maintain social distancing. For many, it was a special moment to see the sanctuary finally opening doors to a big crowd after the vast majority of COVID-19 rules were lifted last month. But, as daily infections rise again, Teresa Maria decided to keep her mask on. "I always try to take precautions," she said as she waited for the farewell procession, one of the highlights of the event, to begin. "We are not free from it because cases are going up."
13th May 2022 - Reuters

Shanghai Lays Out Covid-19 Reopening Plan as China Cancels 2023 Soccer Tournament

Shanghai officials outlined plans for a phased reopening of shopping malls, supermarkets and other businesses, even as many residents in China’s financial hub remained confined to their locked-down homes. Chen Tong, Shanghai’s deputy mayor, said Sunday that the city would begin allowing businesses to open on a limited basis starting Monday as daily Covid-19 infection cases continue to decline nearly two months into a hard lockdown of the city of 25 million people. Mr. Chen characterized the city’s approach to the pandemic as entering a new transition phase, “from emergency response to normalized prevention and control.” On Sunday, Shanghai health authorities reported roughly 1,200 new Covid cases for the previous day, from a high of more than 20,000 last month. Daily infection counts have been below 5,000 for nearly two weeks.
13th May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Around 60,000 NHS workers living with PTSD after battling the pandemic

An estimated 60,000 NHS workers are believed to be living with post-traumatic stress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research. NHS Charities Together also found nine in 10 workers (90%) say it will take them years to recover. Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters (73%) have expressed concerns about their colleagues leaving the workforce due to poor mental health. Neal Ashurst, an operating department practitioner, was redeployed during the pandemic, switching from anaesthetics to a critical care unit. He told Sky News he had felt "incredibly apprehensive" initially as it meant significant changes from his usual role which he found "very daunting"
13th May 2022 - Sky News

UK police recommend more than 100 fines for Downing Street lockdown breaches

British police said on Thursday they had now made more than 100 referrals for fines as part of their investigation into lockdown rule-breaking at gatherings held in Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised for receiving a fine in April for breaking lockdown rules by attending a gathering in his office to celebrate his birthday, but has refused to resign over it.
12th May 2022 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

New Zealand to Fully Reopen Its Border At The End of July

New Zealand will fully reopen its border two months early, allowing the arrival of tourists, students and migrants from non visa-waiver countries like China and India. The border will be accessible to all from 11:59 p.m. on July 31, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Wednesday. Previously, the government had said the final re-opening step would occur in October, though it signaled the date would likely be brought forward. The maritime border will also open for cruise ships on July 31. New Zealand has been progressively allowing foreign visitors to return this year, hoping to revive a decimated tourist industry and add workers to a labor market battling with skills shortages. Visitors from visa-waiver countries such as the US, UK, Canada and Germany were able to enter from May 2, while Australians could arrive from April 13.
11th May 2022 - Bloomberg

Johns Hopkins students ask for online exams after covid spike

A late-semester spike in coronavirus cases at Johns Hopkins University, spurred by recent social events, has some students pleading for the option to take exams online. After many months of strict health protocols at Hopkins, the campus in Baltimore has seen more than 500 cases in the past week and, according to its online dashboard, had filled all available isolation housing. The spike shocked some students because of the school’s international reputation in public health and its early and enduring warnings about the dangers of the pandemic.
11th May 2022 - The Washington Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

For widows in Africa, COVID-19 stole husbands, homes, future

Across Africa, widowhood has long befallen great numbers of women — particularly in the continent's least developed countries where medical facilities are scarce. Many widows are young, having married men decades older. And in some countries, men frequently have more than one wife, leaving several widows behind when they die. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has created an even larger population of widows on the continent, with African men far more likely to die of the virus than women, and it has exacerbated the issues they face. Women say the pandemic has taken more than their husbands: In their widowhood, it’s cost them their extended families, their homes and their futures.
10th May 2022 - ABC News

Toyota to slash production plan, suspend some domestic operation due to COVID lockdown in China

Toyota said on Tuesday it would suspend operations on 14 lines at eight domestic factories for up to six days in May due to the COVID lockdown in China. The duration will be between May 16 and May 21, the company said, expanding the number of lines and factories affected by partial suspension to a total of 20 and 12, respectively. The partial suspension would affect output of about 30,000 vehicles.
10th May 2022 - Reuters

Tesla stutters under tighter Shanghai lockdown; Beijing keeps hunting COVID

Tesla operated its Shanghai plant well below capacity on Tuesday, showing the problems factories face trying to ramp up output under a tightening COVID-19 lockdown, while China's capital kept up its fight with a small but stubborn outbreak. Many of the hundreds of companies reopening factories in Shanghai in recent weeks have faced challenges getting production lines back up to speed while keeping workers on-site in a "closed loop" system.
10th May 2022 - Reuters

Cancun, Tulum Struggle as Covid Sparks Mexico Travel Boom

It’s 2 p.m. in the Mexican resort town of Tulum, and the beach club at the Ikal Hotel is heating up for its “ecstatic dance” session. Inside a thatch-roofed pavilion, a sweaty crowd bops to a “folktronica” track spun by a DJ whose next stop is Berlin. Down a set of wide stone steps, fit thirtysomethings smack volleyballs on a beach that smells of seaweed and sunscreen. A “treehouse” room will set you back $800 a night, and a bottle of Crémant de Bourgogne sparkling wine runs $110.
10th May 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid: Learning to live with the virus in the UK

The latest survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed a continued fall in Covid 19 infections from a recent peak in April in the UK. The arrival of summer means more people will congregate outdoors at lower risk to themselves. But the return of people from holidays to work and study after summer holidays, and the onset of cooler autumnal weather could create conditions for another uptick in infections. More immediately, new strains of the Omicron variant could cause problems. The BA.2 version has proved more transmissible than BA.1.
9th May 2022 - BBC News

Once a zero-Covid poster child, Taiwan learns to live with the virus

Once a poster child for the success of zero-Covid, Taiwan is now dealing with an “Omicron tsunami”. In response – and in stark contrast to regional neighbours – health authorities have decided zero-Covid is no match for the new variant and have flipped the switch to “living with the virus”. “It is the right decision, and it’s also the decision we had to make,” says Dr Chen Chien-jen, Taiwan’s former vice-president and professor of epidemiology. Taiwan closed itself off in early 2020, and employed a regime of stringent contact tracing, social restrictions and personal hygiene measures which it kept even as vaccines and antivirals were developed. It defeated an outbreak of the Alpha strain and another of Delta in 2021. But after the highly virulent Omicron began affecting countries in November and December, Chen says he and other scholars advised the government to start shifting towards living with the virus.
9th May 2022 - The Guardian

Laos reopens to tourists and other visitors from abroad

The landlocked Southeast Asian nation of Laos reopened to tourists and other visitors on Monday, more than two years after it imposed tight restrictions to fight the coronavirus. Thipphakone Chanthavongsa, head of the government’s agency for controlling COVID-19, announced on Saturday the reopening date, the last in a three-phase plan, state news agency KPL reported. She said vaccination certificates or virus tests will still be required for Lao citizens and foreigners entering the country.
9th May 2022 - Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus Forces Cancellations in Jazz Fest's 2nd Weekend

Willie Nelson is cancelling an upcoming performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival and postponing other shows after a positive case of the coronavirus in his band. The 89-year-old musician posted on his band's website on Friday that “due to a positive Covid case in the Willie Nelson Family Band” two upcoming shows scheduled to happen May 6 and May 7 would be postponed and that Nelson's Sunday performance at Jazz Fest would be cancelled. Nelson was slated to close the Gentilly Stage — the same stage where his son Lukas Nelson is performing earlier in the day with his band the Promise of the Real. No replacement for the elder Nelson has yet been announced.
7th May 2022 - Bloomberg

Jon Batiste 'So Disappointed' to Cancel Shows After Positive Covid Test

Jon Batiste said he was "so disappointed" as he cancelled several upcoming shows after testing positive for Covid-19. The Grammy-winning artist said he would be absent from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and have to postpone the premiere of his American Symphony at Carnegie Hall in New York - a show he had been working on for years. Batiste said the decision to cancel was to "keep my family, my friends and our loyal fans safe" and reassured them that he would be returning to the stage soon.
7th May 2022 - Bloomberg

Piers Corbyn fined over ‘murder’ claim at Covid vaccine clinic

Piers Corbyn has been fined £250 after accusing NHS staff at a London Covid-19 vaccination clinic of murdering people. The brother of the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had arrived with a group of anti-vaxxers at Guy’s hospital in central London on 18 January with a “cease and desist” letter that they claimed was to prevent NHS staff from administering the Covid-19 vaccine. Corbyn told Chelsea Butcher, a nursing sister: “We are not leaving, you are murdering people here,” and another member of the group said, “This is a crime scene,” Westminster magistrates court heard. Iestyn Morgan, prosecuting, said Corbyn, 75, and David Burridge, 44, from Hounslow, west London, refused to leave the hospital’s atrium despite requests from NHS staff and police.
6th May 2022 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

China to fight comments, actions denying its COVID response policy -state media

China will fight any comments and actions that distort, doubt or deny the country's COVID-19 response policy, state television reported on Thursday, after a meeting of the country's highest decision-making body. Relaxing COVID controls will lead to large-scale infections, state television reported, following the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party's politburo, adding that China will step up research into and its defence against virus mutations, and will avoid one-size-fit-all policies.
5th May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

China censors more economists after critical takes on zero-Covid

More outspoken economists and prominent investors are being silenced on social media in China as Beijing tightens its grip on online speech amid mounting economic pressure and growing controversies surrounding its zero-Covid policy. The public accounts of Hong Hao, who was head of research at Bank of Communications (Bocom) International Holdings were removed from both WeChat and the Twitter-like Weibo service on Saturday. Hong had more than 3 million followers on Weibo. It was unclear which red line the economist had crossed.
4th May 2022 - South China Morning Post

Fewer than 1 in 5 US parents say they'll get Covid-19 vaccines for kids under 5 as soon as they can, survey finds

US children under 5 are getting closer to authorized Covid-19 vaccines, but most parents may be reluctant to actually get them when they become available, a new survey found. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation's Vaccine Monitor survey, published Wednesday, only 18% of parents of children under 5 said they would vaccinate their child against Covid-19 as soon as a vaccine was available.
4th May 2022 - MSN.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Pfizer accused of Covid profiteering as first-quarter sales hit $26bn

Pfizer has made nearly $26bn (£21bn) in revenues in the first three months of the year, the bulk from its Covid-19 vaccine and new pill to treat the virus, prompting fresh accusations of pandemic profiteering. Covid vaccines have saved many lives around the world and relieved the pressure on health systems, but Pfizer has faced criticism over its vaccine pricing and its refusal to waive patent protection to enable others to make the jab. Last week 35 campaigners from Global Justice Now, Act-Up London, Just Treatment and Stop Aids protested against what they call pandemic profiteering, and delivered wheelbarrows full of fake money to Pfizer’s UK headquarters in Surrey on the day of the company’s annual shareholder meeting.
3rd May 2022 - The Guardian

Some in Shanghai Come Out for Air as Beijing Resumes Mass COVID Tests

Some of Shanghai's 25 million people managed to get out on Tuesday for short walks and shopping after enduring more than a month under a COVID-19 lockdown, while China's capital, Beijing, focused on mass tests and said it would keep schools closed.
4th May 2022 - Reuters

Covid-19: Hong Kong to reopen beaches, pools on Thur, no masks for outdoor exercise; bars to reopen May 19

Hong Kong will reopen beaches and pools, masks will no longer be required during outdoor exercise, and restaurants will be allowed to sit eight people to a table from Thursday, as the city prepares to further ease Covid-related restrictions. Bars and clubs will also be allowed to reopen on May 19, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced during a press conference on Tuesday.
3rd May 2022 - Hong Kong Free Press

Hong Kong to further ease COVID curbs, bars to stay open until 2 a.m.

Hong Kong will further ease COVID-19 restrictions, allowing bars to open until 2 a.m. and raising the number of diners permitted at a table to eight from four, as cases in the global financial hub continue to ease, leader Carrie Lam said. Beaches and swimming pools would reopen from Thursday, when restaurants could also cater to four more people at each table, Lam said at a regular news briefing.
3rd May 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd May 2022

    View this newsletter in full

The New Jet Set: How the COVID-driven boom in private jets is still flying high

Guy Stockbridge runs multiple businesses from his headquarters in central California, including landscape companies that ripple across his home state and a utility solar business with operations in 17 states. Flying is a way of life for Stockbridge and others at his company, Elite Team Offices, based in Clovis. For years they flew both privately and on commercial flights out of Fresno, roughly 10 miles from Clovis. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and private jet ownership became more and more attractive.
2nd May 2022 - Reuters on MSN.com

Tears and chocolate as New Zealand opens its borders to 60 more countries

New Zealand welcomed thousands of travellers from around the globe on Monday as the country opened its borders to visitors from around 60 nations including the United States, Britain and Singapore for the first time since COVID-19 hit in early 2020. Maori cultural performers sang songs at the arrivals gate in Auckland and travellers were handed popular locally made chocolate bars as the first flights came in from Los Angeles and San Francisco.
2nd May 2022 - Reuters

Amazon ends COVID paid leave for U.S. workers

Amazon.com will end its paid time-off policy for employees with COVID-19 from May 2, the company told U.S.-based staff on Saturday. The change follows the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and revised guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it said. The U.S.-based staff will now get five days of excused, unpaid leave following a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, Amazon told workers in a message it provided to Reuters.
2nd May 2022 - Reuters

Greece lifts COVID curbs for travellers ahead of key summer season

Greece lifted COVID-19 restrictions on Sunday for foreign and domestic flights, its civil aviation authority said, ahead of the summer tourism season that officials hope will see revenues bouncing back from the pandemic slump. To fly in or out of the country, travellers were previously required to show either a vaccination certificate, a certificate saying they had recovered from coronavirus or a negative test. From May 1, passengers and crew will need only to wear a face mask, the civil aviation authority said.
2nd May 2022 - Reuters

China, North Korea halt border rail crossing over COVID fears

China has suspended cross-border freight train services with North Korea following consultations after COVID-19 infections in its border city of Dandong, the foreign ministry said on Friday. The suspension came within four months after North Korea eased border lockdowns enforced early in 2020 against the coronavirus, measures global aid groups have blamed for its worsening economic woes and risks to food supplies for millions.
30th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

'These lives matter': Oxfam and partners urge J&J, Pfizer and Moderna investors to focus on vaccine equity efforts

As the world struggles with COVID-19 more than two years after the virus first broke out, vaccine disparities continue to undermine the global response in some regions. During the annual meetings for three major vaccine players, access advocates are asking investors to step in. While 65.1% of the world population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, only 15.2% of people in low-income countries can say the same, according to Our World In Data. Vaccine inequity could cost the global economy more than $2 trillion by 2025 and spur “bouts of social unrest,” according to a CNBC report last summer. Oxfam has a goal for “everyone, everywhere” to have access to COVID-19 vaccines. The group says three major vaccine players shoulder much of the blame for vaccine disparities. During their annual meetings, it's renewing calls more transparency and access.
28th Apr 2022 - Fierce Pharma

Tourist favourite Thailand's recovery lags on COVID rule changes

As regional peers have eased entry requirements, Thailand has clung to a cumbersome process. "Whichever (country) offers easy, smooth, less complicated procedures wins my heart," said Johansen. Tourism professionals say Thailand's complicated entry rules are now holding back recovery in an industry that contributed 12% of GDP before the pandemic. Forward bookings for 2022 show Thailand reaching 25% of pre-pandemic levels, behind levels of 72% and 65% each for Singapore and the Philippines.
29th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Outpouring of Resentment on Chinese Social Media Is Overwhelming Censors

In the early hours of April 14, the Chinese Communist Party’s social media strategy went off the rails. It began when state media accounts on Weibo, China’s Twitter equivalent, promoted the hashtag “The U.S. is the country with the largest human-rights deficit.” Tens of thousands of Chinese internet users turned the accusation around onto Beijing. They criticized not only China’s Covid response of strict stay-at-home orders and minimal financial support for households but also wider social problems: long working hours, high property prices, violence against women, and censorship itself. “Our doors are locked down. Our pets are killed. Our medical resources are wasted so that people with acute illness can’t be treated,” wrote one poster. “The American government is so horrible, I’m so lucky to be born in China,” read a typically ironic post.
27th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

Global COVID deaths drop to lowest since early pandemic months

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, said cases and deaths continue to drop, with just over 15,000 deaths reported to the WHO last week, which he said is the lowest weekly total since March 2020. He said the welcome news comes with the caveat that countries are reducing their testing, and the WHO is receiving less information on transmission and evolution. "But this virus won't go away just because countries stop looking for it," Tedros said. "It's still spreading, it's still changing, and it's still killing." The threat of new variants is still very real, and scientists still don't understand the long-term consequences of infection, he said, repeating the WHO's call for countries to maintain their surveillance activities. In China, Beijing has completed its first round of mass testing, which targeted 20 million people and yielded 12 cases. Cases in the city have been slowly rising, prompting mass testing and fears that residents of the country's capital could face a lockdown, similar to Shanghai's—which has been in effect for about a month.
27th Apr 2022 - CIDRAP

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid Zero Criticism Is New Test for China Censorship

It began when state media accounts on Weibo, China’s Twitter equivalent, promoted the hashtag “The U.S. is the country with the largest human-rights deficit.” Tens of thousands of Chinese internet users turned the accusation around onto Beijing. They criticized not only China’s Covid response of strict stay-at-home orders and minimal financial support for households but also wider social problems: long working hours, high property prices, violence against women, and censorship itself. “Our doors are locked down. Our pets are killed. Our medical resources are wasted so that people with acute illness can’t be treated,” wrote one poster. “The American government is so horrible, I’m so lucky to be born in China,” read a typically ironic post.
28th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

Transparency urged to raise COVID-19 vaccine uptake

Issues around vaccine acceptance must be addressed alongside equity of access and logistics if the goal of vaccinating 70% of the world's population against COVID-19 is to be met, says a report by global health policy experts. Emerging causes of so-called "vaccine hesitancy," described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines," should be monitored continually in order to better understand the problem, according to the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP).
27th Apr 2022 - Medical Xpress

Dutch celebrate first King's Day holiday without COVID curbs since 2019

The city streets around the Netherlands streamed with festival-goers wearing orange on Wednesday in celebration of the national holiday King's Day in traditional fashion -- with music and open-air markets -- for the first time since 2019, without COVID-19 restrictions. King Willem-Alexander, who turns 55 on Wednesday and whom the holiday celebrates, was visiting the southern city of Maastricht with his family, keeping a promise that had been postponed for two years due to the pandemic. In Amsterdam, where Kings' Eve is a party comparable to New Year's Eve, the streets of the historic centre have been mobbed with tens of thousands of celebrants since late Tuesday.
27th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Which Countries Are Open to Unvaccinated Tourists?

The U.K. doing away with all coronavirus-related travel restrictions on March 18 was major news—that is, until six more European countries (and counting) followed suit since. Whether they’re vaccinated or not, travelers entering the region now have even more destinations in which they won’t have to take a pre- or post-arrival test, follow any quarantine rules, or fill out passenger-tracking forms. International travelers still need the requisite visas, of course, but there are now nations on every continent that have adopted a post-pandemic attitude toward travel—even internally with mask-free living and no-quarantine requirements for those who test positive. The loosening of restrictions is sparking optimism for wanderlust after two years of stay-home pandemic rules and border closings. It’s also, alternately, serving as a red flag for travelers still taking a more cautious approach.
26th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

Confusion, fear behind reluctance to take Covid booster, says experts

With only 4.64 lakh people taking their third Covid jab since April 10, Indians could be grappling with vaccine fatigue, a reluctance to take a booster shot that experts attribute to a combination of fear, confusion and misinformation.As India's Covid graph inches upwards, not enough people are getting their booster shots. Among the reasons for the apparent lethargy are the fear of adverse effects, the view that Covid is now a mild infection and doubts over whether a precaution dose is indeed useful, said scientists, public health experts and industry insiders. According to virologist Dr T Jacob John, vaccine fatigue has set in, also because the "cacophony of new experts" has been confusing.
26th Apr 2022 - Business Standard

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Shanghai's Covid Experience May Affect How the Rest of China Sees the Pandemic

In recent days, the censorship machine within WeChat has come out. Last weekend, its biggest guns were aimed at a short six-minute clip called the “Voices of April.” It was a simple video showing the city skyline, with audio snippets of officials’ comments at press conferences and residents’ pleas for help. It seems to have touched on a sore subject: the overstretched Shanghai public health system. However, it was not something so sensational it deserved instantaneous censorship. When my friends tried to circumvent WeChat’s censor and share the video via various cloud services, their links were quickly blocked. By Saturday afternoon, people became so frustrated they started posting the song “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from the musical Les Miserables. That got censored, too. But the word was out. And it matters that it is out in Shanghai. The city is not Xian, or northeastern Jilin province where local governments could just bury discontent. Shanghai is China’s commercial and cultural hub; its 25 million residents include native Shanghainese and more than 10 million from all over China. These are constantly in touch with their hometowns.
25th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

Eid al-Fitr events return to Birmingham after Covid-19 restrictions lifted

Large-scale celebrations at the end of Ramadan are returning to Birmingham after a two-year break caused by the pandemic. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and fasting. Before Covid-19 restrictions, an event in Birmingham's Small Heath park was among the largest in Europe, regularly attracting more than 60,000 people. It returns at the beginning of May, albeit with a reduced 20,000 capacity, with public health measures in place. Celebrations will also be held at Edgbaston Stadium for the first time. "Eid is a joyous occasion, where Muslims come together to celebrate, spend time with family and worship as a community," project manager Saleem Ahmed said.
25th Apr 2022 - BBC News

What science journalism can't tell us about Covid-19 deaths

In the first piece of science journalism I ever wrote, I compared deciphering the effects of climate change to baking a cake. I was a college sophomore. This was homework. We were to read a study and then find an analogy for it, transforming what we found dizzying and technical into something easily imaginable. In my hands, an existential threat became dessert. I don’t remember exactly why I thought that computer models showing possible futures for an ocean inlet were best conveyed through recipes and increments of butter. But I do remember what (I think) the professor wanted us to remember: When an idea is hard to grasp — too big, too small, too abstruse, too abstract — liken it to something else. It’s so fundamental it’s almost a cliché, so prevalent it’s almost unnoticeable. We describe genes as blueprints, receptors and viruses as locks and keys. We take the measure of galaxies in celestial football fields.
25th Apr 2022 - STAT News

Panic buying in Beijing as district starts mass COVID testing

Beijing residents snapped up food and other supplies as the city's biggest district began mass COVID-19 testing of all residents on Monday, prompting fears of a Shanghai-style lockdown after dozens of cases in the capital in recent days. Authorities in Chaoyang, home to 3.45 million people, late on Sunday ordered residents and those who work there to be tested three times this week as Beijing warned the virus had "stealthily" spread in the city for about a week before being detected.
25th Apr 2022 - Reuters

OCA confident Asian Games will go ahead in September - official

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has requested an update from Beijing on the COVID-19 situation in China but remains confident the Asian Games will go ahead in Hangzhou in September, a senior official at the body told Reuters on Monday. The 19th edition of the multi-sports Games, second in size only to the Summer Olympics, is scheduled to take place from Sept. 10-25 in the capital of Zhejiang province, some 175 kilometres southwest of Shanghai. A media report last week quoted the OCA's director-general as saying that there was a possibility the Games would have to be postponed because of the month-long COVID-19 lockdown in China's financial capital
25th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Shanghai, China Covid Lockdown: Residents Complain Online

Chinese internet users rallied to outwit government censors on a video documenting weeks of lockdown in Shanghai, flooding social media feeds as frustration continued to escalate over strict Covid Zero rules. The six-minute video titled “The Sound of April” was posted on Friday and soon got censored as it went viral. Chinese Wechat users then uploaded the film from different accounts and in various forms including upside-down and mirrored versions until late night, as newly-uploaded clips were also removed. The film, on a slowly-moving frame of overhead shots of the city in black-and-white, spliced in sound clips from government press briefings, voice call recordings seeking medical help and information transparency, hungry and frustrated residents chanting in unison for government rations, and chats between neighbors and ordinary people helping each other out.
24th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

Rio's Carnival parade returns after long pandemic hiatus

Colorful floats and flamboyant dancers are delighting tens of thousands jammed into Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Sambadrome, putting on a delayed Carnival celebration after the pandemic halted the dazzling displays. Rio de Janeiro’s top samba schools began strutting their stuff late Friday, which was the first evening of the two-night spectacle. Ketula Melo, 38, a muse in the Imperatriz Leopoldinense school dressed as the Iemanja deity of Afro-Brazilian religions, was thrilled to be back at the Sambadrome. “These two years were horrible. Now we can be happy again,” Melo said as she was about to enter Friday night wearing a black and white costume made of shells that barely covered her body.
24th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press

Rise in Hong Kong suicides during Covid should spark action

In late February, the number of suicides in Hong Kong began to rise; at the peak on March 23, four people committed suicide every day on a seven-day rolling average basis. Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, director of the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, noted that if the trend continued, the number of suicide cases this year could hit 1,400, exceeding the historical peak during the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic 19 years ago when 1,264 people, or 18.8 per 100,000 people, took their own lives. A government survey in 2010-13 estimated that one in seven Hongkongers aged 16 to 75 suffers from anxiety, depression or other mood disorders. Ageing can also have a negative impact on mental health.
23rd Apr 2022 - South China Morning Post

Judge who fired employee for not getting vaccinated did not abuse power - ruling

A bankruptcy judge who fired an employee who was denied a religious exemption from a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement did not engage in discrimination or an abuse of power, a federal appeals court judge ruled. Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Michael Chagares in a newly released opinion dismissed a complaint the ex-employee filed with the Judicial Council of the 3rd Circuit in a rare judicial misconduct case over a federal court employee vaccine requirement. The decision is dated Feb. 22 but was only released this week. As is typical with cases filed under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, the ruling did not identify the complainant, judge or even court to which it pertains.
23rd Apr 2022 - Reuters

Portugal becomes first EU country to give fast-track entry to Britons since Brexit in move that could spark a 'domino effect'

Is seen as bid to lure Britons away from rival destinations such as Spain and Italy British passports must now be checked manually, increasing waiting times But passport e-gate lanes were set up for Britons at Portugal airports this week
21st Apr 2022 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Air pollution increases risk of Covid infection among young adults, study suggests

Air pollution heightens the risk of Covid-19 infection among young adults, a new study suggests. Previous studies have shown that areas of poor air quality have more cases of Covid-19, pointing to a potential link between the virus and rates of infection. The researchers merged a population-based project which has followed more than 4,000 participants in Stockholm from birth with Sweden’s national communicable disease registry, SmiNet. They identified 425 people who had tested positive for Sars-CoV-2 between May 2020 and the end of March 2021. The average age of the participants was 26, and 54 per cent were women.
21st Apr 2022 - The Independent

Hong Kong Disney opens as COVID eases; Shanghai deaths rise

Hong Kong relaxed pandemic restrictions on Thursday, with Disneyland and museums reopening and nighttime restaurant dining resuming as the city’s worst COVID-19 outbreak appears to be fading. Enthusiastic visitors ran into Disneyland the moment the gates opened after a three-month closure. Popular theme parks were ordered to close in January as Hong Kong’s fifth wave of the coronavirus took hold. Nearly 1.2 million people in the city of 7.4 million were infected in less than four months, and nearly 9,000 have died.
21st Apr 2022 - Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Moderna and Pfizer urged to share vaccine technology with developing world

Pressure is mounting on Moderna and Pfizer to share vaccine technology with the developing world after the two biggest proxy advisers lent support to shareholder resolutions. Institutional Shareholder Services has recommended that investors vote in favour of proposals by Oxfam America that would compel Moderna and Pfizer to commission third-party reports about transferring their vaccine technology. The drive to expand access to the well-performing mRNA vaccines comes as Moderna unveiled strong trial results for a new “bivalent” vaccine. Oxfam is lobbying to create a more equal distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, arguing that not sharing the IP and technical knowhow creates reputational risks and could slow the end of the pandemic.
20th Apr 2022 - Financial Times

US supreme court rules against air force officer who refused Covid vaccine

The supreme court has allowed the US Department of Defense to take disciplinary action against an air force lieutenant colonel who refuses to get a Covid-19 vaccine. In a brief, two-sentence ruling on Monday, a majority of the court sided with the Pentagon. Three justices in the conservative majority – Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch – dissented. The ruling was merely the court’s latest on challenges to Covid-19 vaccine mandates. In January, the court blocked a Biden administration requirement that employees of large businesses be vaccinated and wear masks on the job.
20th Apr 2022 - The Guardian

For China investors, COVID lockdowns are the clear and present danger

Prolonged lockdowns in Shanghai, as China doubles down on its zero-COVID policy, have become the predominant risk to its economy and markets, forcing money managers to cut holdings or turn defensive on stocks. Global fund managers such as Pictet Wealth Management and Principal Global Investors and China-focused managers such as MegaTrust Investment and Water Wisdom Asset Management point to the worrying toll that weeks of tough anti-virus measures in many major cities have taken on people and businesses. "The city-wide lockdown in Shanghai is a big deal," said Qi Wang, chief executive officer of MegaTrust Investment (HK).
20th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Heads accuse Government of 'ignoring Covid' by ending publication of school coronavirus data

Headteachers have criticised the Government for its “deeply troubling and ill-advised” decision to stop publishing data on the number of school absences in England linked to Covid-19. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said the move appeared to be part of an “ignoring Covid plan” for schools. The Department for Education (DfE) published its fortnightly absence statistics for state schools in England today. Figures for 7 April showed that in schools that had not broken up for Easter, attendance stood at 89.1 per cent, compared to 88.6 per cent on 31 March.
19th Apr 2022 - iNews

COVID-19 vaccines go to waste as rollout stalls

Australian medical professionals are speaking out about mass amounts of COVID-19 vaccine wastage, calling for more government direction in donating the vaccines to developing countries. It comes as GPs are reportedly throwing out thousands of expired vaccines due to dwindling demand. More than 95 per cent of Australians over the age of 16 have received two doses, and about 300,000 vaccines are administered nationally each week.
19th Apr 2022 - 9News.com.au

Hong Kong zero-COVID policies create mountains of plastic waste

Hong Kong arrivals meet plastic everywhere in quarantine hotels: Remote controls are wrapped in cellophane, pillows are encased in plastic bags, food comes with plastic cutlery. Hong Kong’s strict quarantine policies - intended to halt COVID-19 at the border and in the community - have been criticised for damaging the economy and mental health. Environmentalists say the policies are also hurting the environment by generating excess waste.
19th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Latino Mortality Rate Spiked 48% in Los Angeles During Covid

The death rate of Latinos in Los Angeles rose dramatically more than any other ethnic group during the Covid-19 pandemic. Between 2019 and 2021, the percentage rate of deaths for any reason for Latinos spiked 48%, data from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health show. Just under half of the city’s population is of Hispanic or Latino descent, according to Census data. While all ethnic groups suffered more than usual deaths during the first year of the pandemic, only the Latino population saw the trend continue the following year. The overall two year mortality-rate for Black people increased 23% and 22% for Asian people, consistent with the broader county statistics. The overall mortality rate for White residents rose by 7% in the two-year span. Black residents in Los Angeles, who comprise just under 9% of the population, still have the highest death rate of any group.
14th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

WHO: COVID cases, deaths in Africa drop to lowest levels yet

The number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Africa have dropped to their lowest levels since the pandemic began, marking the longest decline yet seen in the disease, according to the World Health Organization. In a statement on Thursday, the U.N. health agency said COVID-19 infections due to the omicron surge had “tanked” from a peak of more than 308,000 weekly cases to fewer than 20,000 last week. Cases and deaths fell by 29% and 37% respectively in the last week; deaths decreased to 239 from the previous week. “This low level of infection has not been seen since April 2020 in the early stages of the pandemic in Africa,” WHO said, noting that no country in the region is currently seeing an increase of COVID-19 cases.
14th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press

U.S. CDC lifts COVID 'Do Not Travel' recommendations on about 90 countries

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday it had dropped its "Do Not Travel" COVID-19 recommendations for about 90 international destinations. Last week, the CDC said it was revising its travel recommendations and said it would its reserve Level 4 travel health notices "for special circumstances, such as rapidly escalating case trajectory or extremely high case counts." The countries and other regions dropped to "Level 3: High," which still discourages travel by unvaccinated Americans, include the United Kingdom, France, Israel, Turkey, Australia, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain and Russia.
18th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Officials Adopt New Message on Covid-19 Behaviors: It’s Your Call

In the latest phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, federal and local officials are telling people to decide for themselves how best to protect against the virus. Health officials are leaving it up to people to assess if they need booster shots, whether to wear a mask and how long to isolate after a positive test. Businesses, schools and other entities are scaling back specific guidelines as they prepare for a return to normal. The question of when older adults should get a second vaccine booster is the latest example of the government shifting decisions from broad-based community outreach to personal choice.
18th Apr 2022 - Wall Street Journal

Guatemala: As COVID misinformation spreads, vaccine doses expire

On a recent afternoon, the COVID-19 vaccination centre in the heart of the Indigenous Mayan town of Santiago Atitlan was quiet. The health centre had a vaccine supply, but demand was low. The lack of coordination of a Guatemalan government-led campaign to overcome vaccine hesitancy has resulted in the expiration of millions of doses across the country this year, critics have said, as more than half of the population remains unvaccinated. According to Juan Manuel Ramirez, an evangelical preacher in Santiago Atitlan, some community members have taken the vaccine, knowing it helps to protect against severe disease. But others have subscribed to conspiracy theories about its potential dangers. “There are other people who also have other types of thoughts, such as that the vaccine comes with a chip,” he told Al Jazeera. “Because of that, there is uncertainty, and therefore they have not been vaccinated. Earlier this month, approximately 1.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine donated by the United States expired. In March, the same fate befell nearly three million doses of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine, worth more than $33m. And by the end of June, more than two million doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines will also expire.
14th Apr 2022 - AlJazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Delta Air Lines drops surcharge for unvaccinated employees

Delta Air Lines has dropped a $200 per month surcharge that it had been levying against unvaccinated employees who were on the company’s health plan. “We have dropped as of this month the additional insurance surcharge given the fact that we really do believe that the pandemic has moved to a seasonal virus,” CEO Ed Bastian said on a call Wednesday with analysts and reporters. “Any employees that haven’t been vaccinated will not be paying extra insurance costs going forward.” U.S. airlines tried different approaches to get employees vaccinated against COVID-19, including a mandate by United Airlines, which ended up dismissing about 200 employees. Delta was the only one to impose an insurance surcharge, and it credited the move with helping get more than 90% of its U.S.-based workers vaccinated.
13th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press

COVID-19: Emotions released as New Zealand eases border restrictions for first time in two years

Border restrictions for New Zealand have eased, with residents, visa holders and Australians now able to enter quarantine-free after two years. Other travellers will be allowed easy access from next month.
13th Apr 2022 - Sky News

Covid Cancellations Hit Broadway as BA.2 Variant Spreads

Covid is wreaking havoc on stage, again. Broadway’s “Plaza Suite” has extended its run to allow for ticket rescheduling after stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick both tested positive. It was put on pause through April 13. “Americano” will resume April 18 and has set a new opening night for May 1. Performances of “At The Wedding” will resume April 18, with “Paradise Square” returning April 19. “A Strange Loop” pushed its opening to April 14. And “Heartland” canceled all remaining performances after Covid spread throughout its company.
13th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Shanghai Factory Closures Mount as Covid-19 Lockdowns Hit Supply Chains

More factories in and around Shanghai, including two run by an Apple Inc.supplier, are halting production because of extended Covid-19 lockdowns in the region, adding to pressure on the global supply chain. Analysts said Shanghai-area manufacturers were having more trouble getting parts delivered because China’s restrictions on movement are making it difficult for trucks to enter the region. That means some factories can’t operate normally even if they manage to keep workers on the job. Pegatron Corp., a major assembler of Apple products, said Tuesday it has temporarily suspended production at factories in Shanghai and nearby Jiangsu province in compliance with local government requirements.
12th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Chinese Stockpile Food as Covid-19 Concerns Ripple Out From Shanghai

As Shanghai battles the country’s worst Covid-19 outbreak in two years, people across the rest of China are stockpiling necessities as they brace for the prospect of similar lockdowns. In Beijing, where some residential districts have been closed in recent weeks as infections have been discovered, supermarket shelves in some parts of the city have been picked clean of toilet paper, canned foods, instant noodles and rice in recent days. In Suzhou, an industrial hub roughly two hours’ drive west of Shanghai, residents swarmed supermarkets to fill their grocery baskets with instant noodles and other food on Tuesday morning, hours after local officials said they would conduct districtwide testing in one section of the city.
12th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Shanghai patients crowdsource medical help during COVID lockdown

Shanghai residents have turned online for grassroots help on medical treatment as the city's tough COVID-19 curbs limit access to healthcare and fuel frustration and anxiety. While the city of 25 million has used lockdowns and extensive testing to fight the disease, those suffering from other medical conditions are posting requests for help in mutual-help platforms and social media chat groups. One woman said she sought help online as her worry grew over the risk of infection to her paralysed mother from a urinary catheter used for about a month.
12th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

States of Covid Performance

More than two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s time to draw some conclusions about government policy and results. The most comprehensive comparative study we’ve seen to date was published last week as a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and it deserves wide attention. The authors are University of Chicago economist Casey Mulligan and Stephen Moore and Phil Kerpen of the Committee to Unleash Prosperity. They compare Covid outcomes in the 50 states and District of Columbia based on three variables: the economy, education and mortality. It’s a revealing study that belies much of the conventional medical and media wisdom during the pandemic, especially in its first year when severe lockdowns were described as the best, and the only moral, policy.
11th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

The BA.2 Variant Is Spreading. Do You Need to Worry?

You’re going to the movies and eating indoors. Your kid stopped wearing a mask to school; you no longer wear one to work. After two years of Covid precautions, you finally feel normal again. Well, mostly. BA.2—a subvariant of the Omicron variant that tore through the U.S. this winter—is spreading. It’s now the dominant variant throughout the country and has triggered recent surges in Europe. If you live somewhere where local statistics suggest cases are rising but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map still shades your county low-risk green, it can be tough to figure out what to do. So, do you need to worry? When? And how do you know what to look for?
11th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Thousands rally in LA to oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates

Thousands of people including truckers and firefighters from across the country gathered Sunday outside Los Angeles City Hall to protest vaccination mandates designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. The crowd gathered at Grand Park to hear speakers and performers, while big-rig trucks from the “People’s Convoy” were parked on nearby streets. Members of the convoy jammed traffic during a Washington, D.C., protest earlier this year. The peaceful crowd gathered to hear speakers and singers and was similar to a rally held at the same spot last year and to others staged around the country. California battled a deadly winter coronavirus surge linked to the omicron variant but began easing masking and vaccination requirements this year as caseloads and hospitalization rates fell, which public health officials largely attributed to widespread vaccination and other safety measures.
10th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Shanghai jumps into group buying to stay fed during COVID lockdown

When Shanghai first went into full COVID-19 lockdown last week, Ping Mai wasn't expecting she'd become her housing compound's unofficial broker for its meat supply. With her and her neighbours stuck at home and struggling to buy food amid lockdown curbs that have shuttered stores and dramatically reduced the number of couriers, she is among millions that are trying to figure out how to buy fresh supplies on a daily basis. One popular solution has been community group-buying, which sees residents at the same address band together to bulk buy groceries or meals from suppliers or restaurants, placing single orders that could add up to thousands of dollars.
9th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Women in healthcare and life sciences: The ongoing stress of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a seismic shift in the workforce, with a specific impact on women. Millions of Americans have resigned from their jobs, and many have cited unmanageable workloads or a need to care for family as important factors in their decision. The healthcare sector is no exception. Our most recent analysis is based on the seventh annual Women in the Workplace data (for 2021), by McKinsey and LeanIn.Org. That research looks at drop-offs in female representation, promotion rates, and external hiring at the highest levels in healthcare; at the barriers to advancement for women of color and at threats to recent gains. In many cases, these outcomes are correlated with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including reports of increased responsibilities at home and higher levels of burnout.
9th Apr 2022 - McKinsey

Can US tenants cope with COVID eviction protections ending?

Housing rights campaigner Rob Robinson and Legal Aid’s Beth Mellen on the housing crisis in the United States. “Once the courts open up, we will see a rush to evict,” says housing rights campaigner Rob Robinson. America’s federal moratorium on evictions ended in August last year and, with COVID housing protections almost all gone, the expected wave of evictions will likely worsen the country’s homelessness crisis. Robinson himself was unhoused for two years and eventually “found his way out”. But he warns against the narrative that unhoused people should be able to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”.
9th Apr 2022 - Al Jazeera English

UK airport warns COVID-related delays could last months

A major British airport warned passengers on Friday to expect the delays plaguing travel to continue for months, as the U.K. aviation regulator told the country’s air industry to shape up after weeks of canceled flights and long airport queues. The head of Manchester Airport in northwest England said passengers could face waits of up to 90 minutes to get through security “over the next few months.” Travelers in Britain have suffered days of delays during the current Easter school holiday break, with British Airways and easyJet canceling hundreds of flights because of coronavirus-related staff absences, and long lines building at airport check-in, security and baggage points.
9th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press

'Get used to it': Outbreaks give taste of living with virus

The U.S. is getting a first glimpse of what it’s like to experience COVID-19 outbreaks during this new phase of living with the virus, and the roster of the newly infected is studded with stars. Cabinet members, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Broadway actors and the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut have all tested positive. Outbreaks at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University are bringing back mask requirements to those campuses as officials seek out quarantine space. The known infections likely reveal only the tip of the iceberg — with actors and politicians regularly tested at work. Official case figures are certain to be vast undercounts of how widely the virus is circulating because of home testing and mildly sick not bothering to test at all.
9th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Japan arrests four of 'QAnon'-style group for Covid-19 vaccine protest: Media

Four members of a group said to be a Japanese version of QAnon, which has frequently protested against Covid-19 vaccinations, were arrested on Thursday (April 7) for intruding on a clinic where vaccinations were taking place, media reports said. Japan is conducting booster shots against the virus that causes Covid-19, with about 44 per cent of the population having received a third dose. About 80 per cent of the general public have had the first two shots. Four members of "YamatoQ," a version of the US QAnon group, were arrested on charges they intruded into a Tokyo clinic, police were quoted by media as saying. The group's website says vaccines are untested and "a number" of people have died after receiving them. It also lists anti-vaccine protests around Japan.
7th Apr 2022 - The Straits Times

As Queensland's COVID-19 vaccine mandates ease in social settings, they still apply to many workers

In Queensland, changes from 14 April will allow unvaccinated people to go to restaurants, clubs, museums, and stadiums. Vaccine mandates will remain for the health sector, prisons, schools and childcare centres. According to Acting Premier Cameron Dick there is not going to be any move made to get rid of vaccine mandates entirely at this stage. "We will take the advice of the Chief Health Officer and of course that's also the agreed position I understand it nationally," he said. Infectious diseases physician Dr Paul Griffin said easing the mandates in certain settings makes sense.
7th Apr 2022 - ABC.Net.au

Trump's endorsement of Covid-19 vaccines increased uptake in counties with low vaccination rates

Watching an ad in which former President Donald Trump promoted Covid-19 vaccines was linked to increased vaccinations in US counties with low immunization rates, according to a new study. The study was released Monday as a working paper in the National Bureau of Economic Research that has not yet been peer-reviewed. Researchers created a 27-second ad designed to serve as a public service announcement from Trump encouraging people to get vaccinated. Through a randomized control trial, the ad was featured on different YouTube channels across more than 1,000 counties with populations of less than 1 million and in which more than half of the population was still unvaccinated. When compared to counties that did not receive the ads, those that did receive the ads had more than 100 additional vaccinations on average. In total, treatment counties received an estimated 104,036 more vaccines than control counties. The analysis also found that for every 1,000 more ads presented, there were nearly nine additional vaccinations, on average, per county.
7th Apr 2022 - CNN

They got illicit Covid-19 vaccine doses -- and say they'd do it again in a heartbeat

Last July, Andrea Ogg stood outside a pharmacy in Castle Rock, Colorado, fully prepared to lie to get herself a Covid-19 vaccine. Her stomach knotted in anxiety, Ogg was ready to say she was getting her first shot when actually she was getting her third. At the time, government rules didn't allow for third shots, even for immune-compromised people like her who failed to develop antibodies after two doses. "I was very nervous, because I am typically an honest person, but I wasn't going to tell them the truth if they asked me. There was just no way," said Ogg, 55, who was born with a cardiac defect and takes medicine to suppress her immune system so she won't reject the heart transplant she received four years ago.
7th Apr 2022 - CNN

Shanghai Calls on China Communist Party Members to Fight Covid

China’s Communist Party issued a rare call imploring rank-and-file members to help contain the coronavirus in Shanghai, showing the strain the locked-down financial hub is under as its worst outbreak to date spreads. “We must dare to draw our swords and fight against all kinds of behaviors that interfere with and undermine the overall situation of the fight against the epidemic,” the top party branch in Shanghai wrote to members late Wednesday, the same day the number of new cases in the city rose to more than 19,900. “Wherever there is a need, there must be a Communist Party member,” it added in the open letter posted on an official government social media account.
7th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

Naturopathic doctor admits selling fake COVID vaccine cards

A naturopathic doctor in Northern California on Wednesday pleaded guilty to selling fake COVID-19 immunization treatments and hundreds of fraudulent vaccination cards that made it seem like customers received Moderna vaccines, federal prosecutors said. Juli A. Mazi, 41, of Napa, plead guilty in federal court in San Francisco to one count of wire fraud and one count of false statements related to health care matters, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement. The case was the first federal criminal fraud prosecution related to fraudulent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards for COVID-19, the department said. Mazi provided fake CDC vaccination cards for COVID-19 to at least 200 people with instructions on how to complete the cards to make them look like they had received a Moderna vaccine, federal prosecutors said.
6th Apr 2022 - The Asssociated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 Hits Broadway Once More, Leading to Cancellations, Changes

Covid is hitting Broadway again. Several highly anticipated shows have been affected by breakthrough cases of Covid-19, as Broadway looks to make up for pandemic losses with big names and longtime favorites lighting up the Great White Way. “Macbeth,” starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga and directed by Sam Gold, said Tuesday it was canceling shows through Saturday at 8 p.m. ET because of “a limited number of positive COVID test results within the company.” Mr. Craig, who is returning to the stage for the first time in six years, tested positive for Covid-19 last week.
6th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Shanghai says it will make some exceptions in COVID children separation policy

Guardians of children with special needs who are infected with COVID can apply to escort them, a Shanghai city official said on Wednesday, pointing to a relaxation of a child-separation policy that has triggered widespread public anger. The city has been separating COVID-positive children from their parents, citing epidemic prevention measures. China's elimination strategy against COVID sees it test, trace and centrally quarantine all cases. In the face of rising public criticism, the government said on Monday it would allow children to be accompanied by their parents if the parents were also infected, but that they would still separate them if they were not.
6th Apr 2022 - Reuters

China's services sector activity hit hard by Omicron surge - Caixin PMI

Activity in China's services sector contracted at the sharpest pace in two years in March as a surge in coronavirus cases restricted mobility and weighed on demand, a private sector survey showed on Wednesday. The Caixin services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dived to 42.0 in March from 50.2 in February, dropping below the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis. The reading indicates the sharpest activity decline since the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020. The survey, which focuses more on small firms in coastal regions, tallied with an official survey, which also showed deterioration in the services sector
6th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Hit by staff shortages, airlines and airports struggle with travel recovery

Thousands of holidaymakers have seen their Easter getaways disrupted or cancelled because airlines and airports do not have enough staff to meet the recovery in demand as pandemic restrictions are eased in Europe. High rates of COVID-19 in Britain have caused staff absences for airlines and airports that were already struggling to recruit after workers deserted the industry during the pandemic. Low-cost carrier easyJet was one of the worst affected, saying it cancelled around 60 UK flights on Tuesday and expected to pull a similar number in the coming days.
5th Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

EasyJet cancels 100 flights due to Covid absences

British travellers are facing Easter holiday disruption after airlines cancelled more than 120 flights and Eurotunnel warned of three hour delays. Easyjet and British Airways blamed staff absences from Covid for cancellations, while Eurotunnel said a broken down train caused delays. Some schools have broken up for Easter - the first holiday since the end of the pandemic travel restrictions. That's led to rising demand and frustration for holidaymakers. Flight cancellations were down to a combination of factors which had come together in "a perfect storm", Simon Calder, travel correspondent at The Independent, told the BBC. "We have got very high levels of Covid in the nation and that is affecting the transport industry. But there are also more underlying problems which go back to the start of Covid," he said.
4th Apr 2022 - BBC News

Covid-19: Vaccine passes gone by midnight – but businesses can keep using them

Four months after becoming the entry key to many events, bars and restaurants, gyms, hairdressers, sports and faith-based gatherings, vaccines passes will soon be optional for hosts. My Vaccine Pass – brought in as part of the Government's Covid-19 protection framework – will no longer be required from 11.59pm Monday, although businesses will still be able to use the system if they want. Those supplying basic needs, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations, public transport, schools and health services, were exempt, but were a legal requirement for many other close-proximity businesses. Also from 11.59pm Monday, some government vaccine mandates for workers will be removed. Those still covered include health and disability sector workers, including aged-care workers, along with prison staff and border and MIQ workers.
4th Apr 2022 - Stuff.co.nz

Covid Vaccines for Kids Are Dividing Divorced Parents

In late 2021, Adele Grote, a divorced mother of two in Minneapolis, took her children to a vaccination clinic at the Mall of America. But when her 13-year-old daughter called her father to let him know they were getting the shot, Ms. Grote knew they would have to leave without it. Just over a quarter of children between ages 5 and 11 in the United States are fully vaccinated, according to a New York Times database; among older kids, ages 12 to 17, the rate is 59 percent. For parents who have yet to vaccinate their children, the reasons for hesitation vary.
4th Apr 2022 - The New York Times

Vaccine hesitancy: What causes it, what can change it? - study

In the time since the coronavirus vaccine has been made available to the public, there have been many instances of hesitancy, reluctance, and even refusal to be vaccinated. A new study published by the Israel Journal of Health Policy Research has examined this phenomenon and discovered that there are several distinct phases of vaccine hesitancy, all presenting in different ways. The peer-reviewed study entitled “Understanding the phases of vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic” examines the distinct categories under which vaccine-hesitant people fall and the way in which socio-economic background, circumstances, and the changing phases of the pandemic itself have affected the reluctance some show when it comes to the vaccine.
4th Apr 2022 - The Jerusalem Post

Hong Kong university entrance exams ‘to go ahead as scheduled’ as coronavirus infections continue to fall

Special centres will be set up at the Hong Kong government’s isolation facility at Penny’s Bay for university entrance exam candidates who are close contacts of Covid-19 patients or infected themselves, with the annual assessments scheduled to start from April 22. Education authorities on Monday said candidates who chose to sit the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams at the special centres would then have to remain at the facility for a full stint in quarantine, which lasts at least seven days, depending on their vaccination status
4th Apr 2022 - South China Morning Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Man in Germany Gets 90 Covid Shots to Sell Forged Passes

A 60-year-old man allegedly had himself vaccinated against COVID-19 dozens of times in Germany in order to sell forged vaccination cards with real vaccine batch numbers to people not wanting to get vaccinated themselves. The man from the eastern Germany city of Magdeburg, whose name was not released in line with German privacy rules, is said to have received up to 90 shots against COVID-19 at vaccination centers in the eastern state of Saxony for months until criminal police caught him this month, the German news agency dpa reported Sunday. The suspect was not detained but is under investigation for unauthorized issuance of vaccination cards and document forgery, dpa reported.
3rd Apr 2022 - Bloomberg

Indonesia greets Ramadan with mass prayer as COVID curbs ease

The world's largest Muslim-majority nation of Indonesia welcomed the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan with a mass prayer at Jakarta's grand mosque on Saturday, with plateauing coronavirus cases allowing for eased restrictions this year. Thousands gathered after dusk at Istiqlal mosque in the Indonesian capital to join the Tarawih prayer, special prayers performed only during the month of Ramadan, donning masks and using check-in apps to take part in the event. For the past two years Indonesia has grappled with one of the highest rates of COVID-19 in Asia, but this Ramadan, traditionally a time of community, reflection and prayer, cases have eased enough to allow for mass gatherings.
3rd Apr 2022 - Reuters

Why We Are Covid Broke

Washington dysfunction is so comprehensive, it’s sometimes difficult to know where to start. So there is usefulness in a recent White House missive to Congress—which in a few short pages neatly sums up the dishonesty and malpractice of today’s Beltway. “Dear Madame Speaker,” begins the March 15 letter, devoted to the topic of Covid poverty. “We are notifying you of the following actions necessitated by the lack of critical funding.” Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young and White House Covid coordinator Jeffrey Zients explain that unless Congress supplies tens of billions more in taxpayer dollars, the federal government will no longer be able to “secure sufficient booster doses,” will end “the purchase of monoclonal antibody treatments,” will halt “critical testing,” and will scale back “preventive treatments for the immunocompromised.”
2nd Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Meta no longer requiring COVID booster shots for staff in U.S. offices

Facebook-owner Meta is no longer requiring employees to have COVID-19 boosters to enter its offices in the United States, a company spokesperson said on Friday. The social media company previously said that all workers returning to the office would have to present proof of their booster jabs, while the company monitored the Omicron variant situation. "We updated our requirements in early March to align with CDC guidance, and now COVID-19 boosters are no longer required for entry, though strongly recommended. The primary vaccination requirement (1- or 2-shot series) remains in place," said Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton.
1st Apr 2022 - Reuters

U.S. to end COVID order blocking asylum seekers at border with Mexico

The United States will end a sweeping, pandemic-related expulsion policy that has effectively closed down the U.S. asylum system at the border with Mexico, U.S. health officials said on Friday, arguing it was no longer needed to protect public health. The Title 42 order will remain in effect until May 23 to allow border officials time to prepare for its termination and to ramp up COVID-19 vaccines for arriving migrants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a 30-page order.
1st Apr 2022 - Reuters

COVID weighing less and less on the U.S. job market

The coronavirus pandemic's grip on the U.S. job market notably loosened in March, two years after a state of emergency was declared, as the number of people homebound by COVID-19 concerns hit a new low and fewer people reported having to work remotely. In all, the government's benchmark monthly nonfarm payrolls report out Friday showed that by several metrics - including the total number of unemployed dropping below 6 million and a 3.6% unemployment rate - the U.S. job market had all but recovered from the devastating hit delivered in the first two months of the pandemic when 22 million people were thrown out of work
1st Apr 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Apr 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Groups urge Biden to reject potential WTO 'concept' on COVID-19 vaccine barriers

Doctors without Borders, Oxfam America, Amnesty International and other top civil society groups on Wednesday urged US President Joe Biden to reject a potential deal on COVID-19 vaccine intellectual property rights at the World Trade Organization. In a letter, the groups called the proposal a "rehash" of a European Union position that fell far short of the rights waiver Biden backed in May 2021 to speed vaccines to developing countries.
31st Mar 2022 - Reuters

COVID-19: How can I get lateral flow tests from Friday and how much do they cost?

In England, the majority of people who want to be tested for COVID-19 will have to pay for their own lateral flow tests from this Friday under new plans put forward by ministers. The government has announced who will be eligible for free tests when free universal testing in England comes to an end. People have been discouraged from ordering packs of lateral flow tests (LFTs) from the government website in a last-minute scramble to get hold of them by 1 April.
31st Mar 2022 - Sky News

U.S. CDC scraps COVID warning for cruise travel after 2 years

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday removed its COVID-19 notice against cruise travel, around two years after introducing a warning scale showing the level of coronavirus transmission risk on cruise ships. The move offers a shot of hope to major U.S. cruise operators such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise that have struggled to bring in revenue since the pandemic started.
31st Mar 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

'We demand an explanation!' Shanghai residents vent COVID lockdown irritation

Frustrated and locked down, residents of Shanghai have taken to social media to vent, questioning the practicality of persisting with China's zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19 in its most populous city. In the home to 26 million people, videos and images of crowded quarantine centres were shared as authorities extended lockdown from the east of the city to parts of the west, posting calls for help with medical treatment and purchasing food. One video widely shared on Chinese social media featured an angry exchange between a group of patients and hazmat suit-clad healthcare workers at the vast Shanghai World Expo Center - temporarily converted into a giant quarantine facility.
30th Mar 2022 - Reuters

Covid-19 news: Just 64 per cent are self-isolating in England

Self-isolation rate dropped from 80 per cent to 64 per cent after the legal requirement changed to guidance. Fewer than two-thirds of people who test positive for covid-19 in England are choosing to self-isolate, according to an Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey. Using the NHS Test and Trace database, 1369 adults in England who tested positive for covid-19 before 24 February, when the legal requirement to self-isolate was dropped, were asked about their behaviour while infected. They were interviewed between 28 February and 8 March, when self-isolation was advised but not legally required. Fewer than two-thirds (64 per cent) said they fully self-isolated, compared with 80 per cent in a similar survey last month.
30th Mar 2022 - New Scientist

Boris should ‘hang his head in shame and quit’ relatives of Covid dead say

Bereaved relatives tearfully called on Boris Johnson to ‘hold his head in shame’ and resign over lockdown-breaking parties in Whitehall. They called for the Prime Minister to stand down as they led a silent procession to Downing Street for coronavirus victims. Hundreds of grief-stricken families gathered at the National Covid Memorial Wall in London on Tuesday to mark its first anniversary and pay tribute to those they lost during the pandemic. Those attending, joined by politicians including Labour MP Afzal Khan and shadow health minister Rosena Allin-Khan, then walked to No 10 to hand in a petition to make the mural permanent.
30th Mar 2022 - Metro on MSN.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Less than two-thirds of people self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus, figures show

The number of people self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus has fallen "significantly" since it stopped being a legal requirement - with less than two thirds of those who know they have the virus following government advice, figures show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) spoke to 1,369 people over 18 who tested positive for coronavirus up to two days before 24 February 2022, when the legal requirement to self isolate for at least five days was removed. The respondents were interviewed between 28 February and 8 March 2022 when self-isolation was advised but not legally required. The survey found 876 respondents (64%) were self-isolating after testing positive for COVID.
29th Mar 2022 - Sky News

‘A slow-moving glacier’: NIH’s sluggish and often opaque efforts to study long Covid draw patient, expert ire

The National Institutes of Health is fumbling its first efforts to study long Covid. Fifteen months ago, Congress showered the agency with a massive $1.2 billion to research the mysterious cases of patients who never fully recover from Covid-19 infections. But so far the NIH has brought in just 3% of the patients it plans to recruit. Critics charge that the NIH’s missteps are even bigger: that it is acting without urgency, that it is taking on vague, open-ended research questions rather than testing out therapies or treatments, and that it is not being fully transparent with patient advocates and researchers.
29th Mar 2022 - Scientific American

Academic on trial for spreading misinformation on Covid vaccines

A professor of clinical pharmacology and a vocal critic of coronavirus containment measures went on trial in the northern port city of Thessaloniki on Tuesday for disseminating misinformation regarding the Covid-19 vaccine. Aristotle University’s Dimitris Kouvelas was put under investigation and indicted last year after making claims online indicating that a prominent government official’s health problems were a result of his being vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. In these claims, Kouvelas said that former deputy civil protection minister – and one of the top government officials in the fight against the pandemic – Nikos Hardalias should take the National Organization for Medicines (EOF) to task for approving the coronavirus vaccine, which, he indicated, contributed to the heart attack he suffered in August 2021. The academic, who has gained widespread popularity among anti-vaxxers for his outspoken and often vulgar criticism of Covid restrictions and vaccine mandates, was indicted under new legislation aimed at stemming the dissemination of “fake news.”
29th Mar 2022 - Kathimerini English Edition

Premature deaths in elderly due to Covid in England and Wales among worst in the world

Elderly people in England and Wales had the highest rate of premature deaths to Covid-19 among 20 comparable countries, researchers have shown. The study by University of Manchester epidemiologists, published in the Journal of Global Health, reveals 5.78 per cent of the over-90s were lost to the disease. In Sweden the figure was 3.82 per cent, Italy 3.18 per cent, Germany 2.46 per cent and France 2.08 per cent. In the Netherlands, the figure for the over 95s was 3.87 per cent. The high mortality rate was largely due to the failure to stop the virus from sweeping through care homes as older patients were discharged from hospital without being tested. There was a substantial increase in deaths in care homes in England and Wales in the first three months of the pandemic – estimated by other researchers at 79 per cent.
29th Mar 2022 - iNews

Brazil health regulator says time to ease COVID travel restrictions

Brazilian health regulator Anvisa recommended that COVID-19 travel restrictions be eased due to a drop in cases and deaths, requiring only full vaccination and doing away with quarantine for unvaccinated travelers. People entering the country who have not been vaccinated will still need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, but quarantining will be eliminated immediately. Travelers' health declarations used for tracing COVID cases will no longer be required, with immediate effect, while testing for vaccinated travelers will be suspended from May 1, Anvisa said.
29th Mar 2022 - Reuters Canada

GM told workers to sleep in factory during China lockdown: report

General Motors is asking workers to sleep on the floors of its Shanghai factories to keep production going during the city's new COVID-19 lockdown, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter. China, which has pursued a zero-COVID strategy throughout the pandemic, is battling several new outbreaks of COVID-19. The city of Shanghai said Sunday it was locking down half of the city from Monday to Friday while it launched a mass COVID-19 testing drive. The other half of the city is to be locked down for the same period starting April 1. While the lockdowns last, China has told companies based in the zone to enforce a "closed-loop" arrangements, whereby workers live and work in a bubble away from the public, Reuters said.
29th Mar 2022 - Business Insider

Covid-19 pandemic isn’t over for Black Americans, report warns

A searing report released Tuesday by the Black Coalition Against COVID details the immense toll the Covid-19 pandemic has taken — and continues to take — on Black communities, and calls for continued vigilance and action to prevent further losses even as the rest of the nation is eager to move on. The report’s authors — physicians and public health and policy experts — note with alarm that even as case rates began to fall sharply across the country earlier this year, the Covid-19 hospitalization rate for Black people was higher than it had been at any time during the pandemic for any racial or ethnic group. For the week ending Jan. 8, 2022, the hospitalization rate for Black Americans was 64 per 100,000 — more than twice the overall rate. Rates for all Americans have since fallen, though they remain much higher for Black people.
29th Mar 2022 - STAT News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

MIT Reinstates SAT, ACT Mandates Many Colleges Dropped During Covid

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is reinstating its standardized testing requirements, citing that most students are now able to access the exams safely. Vaccine availability and an increase in students taking tests at school have alleviated challenges that had made it especially difficult for high-schoolers to sit for the SAT and ACT during the pandemic, MIT said Monday in a statement. Many colleges across the U.S. have made the requirements optional amid ongoing Covid disruptions and concerns that the tests unfairly favor wealthier students. The math component of the exams are especially important in evaluating whether a prospective student will do well at MIT, the college said.
28th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg

For red and blue America, a glaring divide in COVID-19 death rates persists 2 years later

Political polarization in the U.S. was evident and intensifying long before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, two years ago. Polling shows that the emergence of the novel coronavirus in 2020 exacerbated the rift, pushing Americans further apart on key pandemic response efforts. Surveys from Pew Research Center, last year, found that in the early months of the pandemic, about 6 in 10 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents believed the virus was a major threat to the health of the U.S. population, compared to only a third of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents. That 26-point gap would ultimately grow to approximately 40 points by the fall, researchers found.
28th Mar 2022 - ABC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Pfizer, Moderna and J&J Face Shareholder Pressure to Broaden Covid-19 Vaccine Access

Socially conscious investors and global-health activists are turning to shareholders to press Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers Pfizer Inc, Moderna Inc and Johnson & Johnson to make more of their shots available to people in poorer countries. Groups including the antipoverty organization Oxfam have succeeded in placing proposals on shareholder proxy ballots that ask drugmakers to do more to widen access to the Covid-19 vaccines, such as exploring the transfer of their technology to other manufacturers. The proxy battles are the latest effort seeking to push Covid-19 vaccine makers to share their technology in order to boost supplies at lower-income countries, after some of the countries asked the World Trade Organization to lift patent restrictions and activists urged the U.S. government to share companies’ vaccine technology with other countries.
27th Mar 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Uninsured Americans now to be charged up to $195 per COVID test by some providers: report | TheHill

Several testing providers will no longer provide COVID-19 tests for free to uninsured Americans, even if they are symptomatic, saying they will begin to charge between $100 and $195 dollars for PCR tests, ABC News reported. Quest Diagnostics, which is one of the country's largest COVID-19 testing providers, told ABC News that patients will now be billed $125 per PCR test if they are not on Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance. Quest has started telling partners and clients that it will no longer be able to reimburse for uninsured claims due to a lack of congressional funding, ABC noted.
27th Mar 2022 - The Hill

Nearly half of foreign businesses in Hong Kong are planning to relocate

Foreign businesses have for decades reaped the benefits of setting up shop in Hong Kong, a historically stable, expat-friendly finance hub at the doorstep of mainland China. But lately, as Beijing has tightened its grip on the former British colony, those firms are increasingly eyeing the exits. Nearly half of all European businesses in Hong Kong are considering relocating in the next year, according to a new report. Companies cite the local government's extremely strict Covid-19 protocols that mirror those on the mainland. Among the firms planning to leave, 25% said they would fully relocate out of Hong Kong in the next 12 months, while 24% plan to relocate at least partially. Only 17% of the companies said they don't have any relocation plans for the next 12 months.
27th Mar 2022 - CNN

Harvard Economist Says Covid Hit Worse by Education Than Gender

While the pandemic disproportionately hurt women in the workforce more than men, the bigger divide was among education levels, according to a new paper by Harvard University economist Claudia Goldin. When restaurants, retailers and other service providers closed, those without college degrees were more likely to lose their jobs. Meantime, many college-educated Americans could continue to work from home. “The pandemic produced both a he- and a she-cession,” Goldin wrote in a report discussed at the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity conference Thursday. “Relative to previous recessions, women have been harder hit. But the largest differences in pandemic effects on employment are found between education groups rather than between genders within educational groups.”
25th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Majority of GPs think England Covid restrictions removed too soon

The majority of GPs in England think Covid restrictions should still apply, a Pulse survey has revealed. Speaking to Pulse, GPs said removing restrictions meant difficulties keeping vulnerable people safe, and they expressed particular concern with regards to the scrapping of free Covid testing. More than two-thirds of GPs are also concerned about their own health in light of the lifting of restrictions. Since the end of last month (24 February), fully-vaccinated people and children have not been required to isolate if they develop symptoms of Covid-19 and, from next week (1 April) free testing will be scrapped altogether except for the most vulnerable. However, asked in a Pulse survey to what extent they agreed with the Government’s decision to remove restrictions: Well over half (59%) of GPs said they disagreed and almost a quarter (24%) of GPs said they ‘strongly’ disagreed. Although another quarter (27%) of GPs did agree with scrapping restrictions, only 7.5% ‘strongly’ agreed. Of the respondents, more than two thirds (69%) felt concerned about their own health with the removal of restrictions – 23% of these felt very concerned. Just 31% felt unconcerned.
25th Mar 2022 - Pulse

U.S. airline CEOs urge Biden to lift COVID mask mandate -letter

The chief executives of American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and other carriers have urged U.S. President Joe Biden to end a federal mask mandate on airplanes and international pre-departure testing requirements. The airline executives, including the chairman of Southwest Airlines and JetBlue's CEO, said in a letter the restrictions "are no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment."
24th Mar 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Indonesia's annual holiday exodus to go ahead this year as COVID cases ease

Indonesia will lift a ban on domestic travel during the Muslim holiday season of Eid al-Fitr in early May, President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday, after banning the annual tradition for two years during the pandemic. The decision to allow the annual exodus after the holy month of Ramadan is the latest in a series of measures aimed at easing COVID-19 restrictions and reviving Southeast Asia's largest economy. Indonesia, a country of 270 million, banned the mass travel known locally as 'mudik' in early 2020 as it scrambled to contain the spread of coronavirus along with the rest of the world.
23rd Mar 2022 - Reuters

New Zealand sports to welcome back crowds as COVID rules eased

New Zealand sports will welcome full-capacity crowds when COVID-19 rules ease this weekend after a bruising period for revenues. New Zealand capped crowds at 100 people for outdoor events while battling an outbreak of the Omicron variant, but will lift the curbs from Saturday, along with the need for fans to wear masks, the government said on Wednesday. "While Omicron is transmissible the natural ventilation of an outdoor seating reduces the risk," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.
23rd Mar 2022 - Reuters

COVID vaccine maker Moderna flags Japan ambition with sumo sponsorship

Moderna Inc is sponsoring sumo flags in its first such promotion in Japan, as the COVID-19 vaccine maker seeks to wrestle market share from compatriot Pfizer Inc. The U.S. firm's introduction to the broader Japanese public was set back after some of its doses last year were found to be contaminated, although it has clawed back market share since with the help of a government-endorsed programme. Now, as the government plans a fourth-dose vaccination programme, Moderna is looking to sumo to boost its public appeal as it seeks to expand beyond COVID-19 shots.
23rd Mar 2022 - Reuters.com

Hong Kong hopes to 'resolve' COVID flight-ban rule as cases ease

Hong Kong is looking to resolve a problem over a ban on airlines which bring in COVID-positive passengers as it eases travel curbs that have sealed off the city for two years, its leader said on Wednesday. The government said this week a ban on flights from nine countries - Canada, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Britain, the United States, France, Australia and the Philippines - would be lifted on April 1 but it was not clear if airlines would face a two-week ban if they bring in infected people, as is currently the case.
23rd Mar 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

'Refuse quarantine!': frustrations mount as China replays COVID controls

Article reports that in footage shared on social media last week, a crowd of people in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang bang against the windows of a clothing market as they shout in frustration at the announcement of yet another round of COVID-19 tests. Though the local government quickly urged people not to "spread rumours" about the incident, the response from netizens was immediate. "Refuse quarantine!" said one. "Many people have awoken to the truth," said another. "It's actually over," said a netizen posting on WeChat under the username "Jasmine Tea". "The common cold is more serious than this… The testing agencies want this to go on. The vaccine companies want to inoculate forever."
22nd Mar 2022 - Reuters

Covid’s Fifth Wave Shows Us How to Live With the Virus

Covid cases are on the rise in several European countries. Upticks are visible again in France, Italy and the U.K. Infection rates in both Austria and Germany eclipse previous waves of the virus (based on cases per million). China is grappling with new highs in terms of case counts. The U.S. may soon follow. This fifth wave of the virus is likely to be mercifully short-lived in many areas, but the picture varies around the world. This divergence gives us something of a report card on the efficacy of the Covid policies in place.
22nd Mar 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Charities call for annual Covid-19 memorial day in recognition of pandemic death toll

In the UK, charities are calling for an annual memorial day ahead of the second anniversary of lockdown this week as Covid cases and hospitalisations continue to rise. Marie Curie is among the charities taking part in a National Day of Reflection on Wednesday to support the millions of people who are grieving, and remembering the family, friends, neighbours and colleagues lost to the virus over the last two years. People can join a minute’s silence at noon or visit a local centre to see a “wall of reflection”, the charity said.
21st Mar 2022 - iNews

Doctors finding hurdles to using pills to treat COVID-19

High-risk COVID-19 patients now have new treatments they can take at home to stay out of the hospital — if doctors get the pills to them fast enough. Health systems around the country are rushing out same-day prescription deliveries. Some clinics have started testing and treating patients in one visit, an initiative that President Joe Biden's administration recently touted. The goal is to get patients started on either Pfizer’s Paxlovid tablets or Merck’s molnupiravir capsules within five days of symptoms appearing. That can prevent people with big health risks from growing sicker and filling up hospitals if another surge develops. But the tight deadline has highlighted several challenges. Some patients are delaying testing, thinking they just had a cold. Others have been unwilling or unable to try the new drugs.
21st Mar 2022 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

The Pandemic Is Two Years Old. Baseball’s Vaccination Problem is Just Beginning.

Major League Baseball players have been more reluctant to take the Covid-19 vaccine than their counterparts in any of the other American professional sports. Now that decision could have a significant impact on how the upcoming season unfolds. Because of Canadian border restrictions, unvaccinated players won’t be allowed to enter the country to play against the Toronto Blue Jays. They won’t be paid or receive service time for any games missed because of their vaccination status under the industry’s new labor contract, which the owners and players’ union agreed to last week. The rule will, for the first time, provide a clear glimpse into how many players have declined to take the shots, which have been found to be safe and effective by experts around the world. While the NFL, NBA, NHL and WNBA have all reported that nearly all of their players have been vaccinated, baseball is a different story.
20th Mar 2022 - Wall Street Journal

Parents up in arms against an Ontario school board's move to keep masks on

As students in Canada's most populous province return to mask-free classes after two years on Monday, one Ontario school board is facing backlash for defying the province's decision to drop masks, potentially setting the stage for a clash on a contentious pandemic issue. The mask mandate and other pandemic measures have become a lightning rod in Canada for an anti-government movement, sparking a three-week protest in capital Ottawa last month.
20th Mar 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Doctors urge Boris Johnson to do better on global Covid-19 vaccine drive

More than 130 leading NHS clinicians and several medical bodies have called on the government to step up funding for the global Covid vaccine drive, saying Britain’s failure to do so is condemning poorer nations to an “ongoing pandemic”. In a letter to Boris Johnson, shared with The Independent, they say government must “play a bigger role in achieving the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 70 per cent global vaccination target by July 2022”. Key signatories include the presidents of the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of GPs.
17th Mar 2022 - The Independent

WHO says global rise in COVID cases is 'tip of the iceberg'

Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the WHO said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus. After more than a month of decline, COVID cases started to increase around the world last week, the WHO said, with lockdowns in Asia and China's Jilin province battling to contain an outbreak. A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA.2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures, the WHO said.
17th Mar 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Hong Kong set to run out of coffins within days

Hong Kong is running out of coffins as it fights a devastating surge in coronavirus deaths. Kwok Hoi-bong, president of the Funeral Business Association, said that the city would use up its remaining 300 coffins in the next two to three days. Families would have to delay funeral services if the problem was not be addressed, he added.
16th Mar 2022 - The Times

COVID-19: Most people still taking voluntary precautions to prevent spread of COVID two years into pandemic, ONS survey shows

Two years on from the start of the pandemic, and despite the fact that almost all COVID restrictions have now been lifted, the majority of people are still taking voluntary precautions against infection. According to an ONS attitudes survey released today, most adults report taking at least one preventative measure to stop the spread of COVID-19. Around four-fifths, 81%, of people say they are still frequently washing or sanitising hands, 76% are still wearing face coverings and 57% are avoiding crowded places.
16th Mar 2022 - Sky News

Pets and COVID-19: Experts say vigilance needed but risks small

A pet sneezes, its nose is runny, and it seems sluggish. Could it be a normal pet illness like a cold – which can be caught by dogs and cats from human owners – or could it be COVID-19? It is a question that has sat uncomfortably on the minds of many pet owners throughout the pandemic and was resurrected again in January when authorities in Hong Kong culled hundreds of hamsters and other small animals following an outbreak of the Delta variant traced to a pet shop and warehouse.
16th Mar 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

China’s Covid-19 Surge Shuts Down Plants in Manufacturing Hubs Shenzhen and Changchun

A surge in Covid-19 cases led Chinese manufacturing hubs Shenzhen and Changchun to lock down in recent days, halting production at many electronics and auto factories in the latest threat to the world’s battered supply chain. A number of manufacturers including Foxconn, Technology Group, a major assembler of Apple Inc.’s iPhones, said they were halting operations in Shenzhen in compliance with the local government’s policy. The government placed the city into lockdown for at least a week and said everyone in the city would have to undergo three rounds of testing after 86 new cases of domestic Covid-19 infections were detected Sunday.
15th Mar 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

UK to end all COVID-19 travel rules ahead of Easter break

Britain’s government said Monday all remaining coronavirus measures for travelers, including passenger locator forms and the requirement that unvaccinated people be tested for COVID-19 before and after their arrivals, will end Friday to make going on holiday easier for the Easter school vacation. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the changes will mean people “can travel just like in the good old days.” The passenger locator forms require people to fill in travel details, their address in the U.K. and their vaccination status.
14th Mar 2022 - Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

War in Ukraine could make the Covid-19 pandemic worse, WHO says

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Sunday it is concerned the war in Ukraine could worsen the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is trying to do more to limit the spread of infectious diseases. Cases in the region are down from the previous week, but there's significant risk there will be more severe disease and death due to low vaccination rates in Ukraine, as well as among the more than two million who've fled the country to surrounding areas, regions also with low vaccination rates. Ukraine's Covid-19 vaccination rate is around 34%, while neighboring Moldova's is around 29%, according to Our World In Data. There have been a total of 791,021 new cases of Covid-19 and 8,012 new deaths in Ukraine and in surrounding countries between March 3 and 9, a WHO situation report published Sunday said. "Unfortunately, this virus will take opportunities to continue to spread," said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, during a Wednesday news briefing. "
14th Mar 2022 - CNN

Coronavirus Daily: A Rural-Urban Vaccine Divide in the US

In President Joe Biden’s National Covid-19 Preparedness Plan there’s a glaring omission: efforts to improve on high levels of vaccine hesitancy in rural parts of the U.S. First-dose vaccination coverage is about 59% for people in rural areas compared with 75% for those in urban areas, according to a recent government study, and that disparity has more than doubled since April 2021. Overall, more than 65% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. The divide is particularly stark among children and teenagers who need parental consent to get vaccinated. Only about 15% of children ages 5-11 have been vaccinated in rural areas, compared with 31% in urban areas.
14th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

UK economy bounces back from Omicron as more people dine out

Britain’s economy bounced back from the effects of the Omicron Covid variant at a faster pace than expected during January, as consumers returned to eating and drinking out in pubs and restaurants. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said all sectors of the economy returned to growth, helping to lift gross domestic product by 0.8% in January from a month earlier, fuelled by a rise in consumer-facing services. GDP was estimated to be 0.8% above its pre-pandemic level, reflecting a weaker impact on the economy than expected after the emergence of the Omicron variant led to a sharp rise in coronavirus infections. City economists had forecast a slower growth rate of 0.2%.
12th Mar 2022 - The Guardian

Age groups being hardest hit by Covid in York revealed

As the Covid rate soars in York, the age groups being most affected by the coronavirus have been revealed. City of York Council's latest Covid data tracker report says people aged between 30 and 49 are currently experiencing the highest Covid infection rate. It says people aged 40 to 44 had the highest rate of new cases in the week to March 5, with a rate of 801 per 100,000 population. The next hardest hit groups were people aged 45-49, who had a rate of 655, people aged 35-39, with a rate of 561 and people aged 30-34, with a rate of 547. The rate for people aged 60+ was 392.7. The council ward with the highest rate was Wheldrake, with a rate of 695.8 per 100,000, and the lowest rate was 257.5 in Clifton.
12th Mar 2022 - York Press

Australia nears living with COVID like flu - PM Morrison

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the nation's political leaders want to move to a new phase of living with COVID-19 as though it were the flu, but would consult health experts. A day after meeting with the national cabinet of state and federal leaders, Morrison told reporters on Saturday morning they had discussed moving to "Phase D" of the national pandemic response plan. "Our airports are open again, international arrivals can come, there are waivers now on quarantine for people returning, so we are pretty much in Phase D," he said.
12th Mar 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Covid Study Finds 18 Million Deaths, Three Times Official Tally

The pandemic’s death toll may be three times higher than official Covid-19 records suggest, according to a study that found stark differences across countries and regions. As many as 18.2 million people probably died from Covid in the first two years of the pandemic, researchers found in the first peer-reviewed global estimate of excess deaths. They pointed to a lack of testing and unreliable mortality data to explain the discrepancy with official estimates of roughly 5.9 million deaths. “At the global level, this is quite the biggest mortality shock since the Spanish flu,” said Christopher J.L. Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, where the study was conducted.
11th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg

Seniors, freed from COVID isolation, sashay in New York dance class

Seniors sway hips and stomp feet as they salsa, cha-cha, merengue and bachata in a New York dance class to get moving again after two years of COVID-19 pandemic isolation. Despite stiff joints - or even the loss of a limb - the students stick it out in the free class taught by Walter Perez at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood in upper Manhattan.
10th Mar 2022 - Reuters

'Lost generation' feared as COVID school closures fuel inequality

Around 1.6 billion children globally - more than 90% of all school students - have been affected by pandemic school closures, which threaten to widen wealth inequalities both within and between countries. "We're running the risk of a lost generation," U.N. education expert Robert Jenkins told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "It's a now-or-never moment to turn things around." Without urgent action, many countries could end up without the skilled workers they need for their future development, said Jenkins, head of education at UNICEF.
10th Mar 2022 - Thomson Reuters Foundation

Novavax, eyeing the COVID 'vaccine hesitant' and kids, unveils new education campaigns as Nuvaxovid nears US finish line

Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson were quickest off the mark in getting COVID vaccines into American arms, but Novavax is hoping to add another pandemic vaccine to the U.S. mix soon—and it's pushing new campaigns to get the word out. The biopharma, which has approvals and authorizations in Europe and around the world, is now on the cusp of a potential green light in the U.S. And with a market comes the need for marketing. But because it still has no U.S. approval—and it cannot under law advertise to consumers in Europe—Novavax is launching two new global, unbranded vaccine education programs: "We Do Vaccines" and "Know Our Vax." They're designed to offer up vaccine information and "explain Novavax’ commitment to vaccine development and innovation,” the company told Fierce Pharma Marketing.
10th Mar 2022 - Fiercepharm

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Florida vaccine plan for children denounced as ‘irresponsible and reckless’

In a pronouncement which stunned experts on Monday, Florida’s controversial surgeon general Dr Joseph Ladapo said the state would be the first to “recommend against” Covid-19 vaccination for “healthy children”. The move followed two recent Covid-19 surges in which pediatric hospitalization was believed to be higher because of low vaccination rates among children. “It’s very generous to call it a recommendation, because recommendations come with supporting evidence and transparency,” said Saad B Omer, director of the Yale Institute of Global Health and professor of medicine in infectious diseases.
9th Mar 2022 - The Guardian

Having Covid-19 linked to risk of economic hardship, study suggests

People living in the UK’s most deprived areas are more likely to be infected with Covid-19, but research suggests this relationship is a two-way street: becoming infected also increases people’s risk of economic hardship, particularly if they develop long Covid. “We’ve shown that Covid has an impact on people’s ability to meet their basic household requirements – something that is only going to be exacerbated by the cost of living crisis which is happening at the same time,” said Adrian Martineau, a professor of respiratory infection and immunity at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), who supervised the research. The findings have boosted calls for ministers to do more to support the growing number of working-age adults affected by the condition, which is also known as post-acute Covid syndrome (Pacs).
9th Mar 2022 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Florida's top health official says healthy children should not get coronavirus vaccine

Florida’s governor and chief health official announced a new state policy that will recommend against giving a coronavirus vaccine to healthy children, regardless of their age — a policy that flies in the face of recommendations by every medical group in the nation. The announcement came at the conclusion of a 90-minute forum that Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) hosted in West Palm Beach. “The Curtain Close on COVID Theater” was live-streamed from a studio with hundreds of participants appearing on a towering screen behind the panelists. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo prefaced the change by deriding the school closures and mask and vaccine mandates issued by many states since the start of the pandemic as “terrible, harmful policies.”
8th Mar 2022 - The Washington Post

Trucker convoy laps Washington, DC, beltway to protest Covid-19 measures

A convoy of vehicles lapped the Washington, DC, beltway Sunday morning to demand an end to Covid-19 mandates and restrictions. The protests come at a time when many pandemic-related mandates and restrictions -- imposed by state and local governments rather than lawmakers in Washington -- have already begun being lifted in much of the country. The group planned to drive at least two loops around the beltway before returning to Hagerstown, Maryland, Maureen Steele, an organizer with the "People's Convoy" told CNN. Sunday's protest may mark the beginning of several days of disruptions, according to District of Columbia emergency management officials.
8th Mar 2022 - CNN

Japan's ANA lines up low-cost carrier in bet on post-COVID tourism boom

Japanese airline ANA Holdings Inc plans to launch a new international low-cost carrier in late 2023 or early 2024, joining its rival Japan Airlines Co in a bet on a revival in tourism as the impact of the COVID pandemic fades. ANA said on Tuesday the carrier, Air Japan, would fly mid-range international flights to Asia-Pacific destinations, without disclosing planned routes. ANA already has a separate low cost carrier (LCC), Peach Aviation, which flies domestic routes as well as to a handful of short-haul Asian destinations.
8th Mar 2022 - Reuters

Health groups press for more wildlife SARS-CoV-2 tracking

The statement on animal surveillance came from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), and the World Health Organization (WHO). They said though wildlife doesn't play a key transmission role in humans, SARS-CoV-2 spread in animal populations can affect their health and lead to the emergence of new variants. So far, farmed mink and pet hamsters have shown the capacity to infect humans, and scientists are reviewing a possible case of transmission between white-tailed deer and a human. And in the United States, large numbers of white-tail deer have been shown to carry the virus, underscoring concerns about establishment of an animal reservoir.
8th Mar 2022 - CIDRAP

COVID deaths vary by race, community, social factors

Social determinants of health (SDOH) tied to COVID-19 death rates varied by race and community type in the first year of the pandemic, suggests an observational spatial analysis involving 3,142 counties in all 50 US states and Washington, DC. The study was published late last week in JAMA Network Open. SDOH are nonmedical factors, such as where people live and work, that influence health outcomes such as COVID-19 infection and death. "Racial disparities in health largely emanate from the inequitable access to social, economic, and physical or built environmental conditions resulting from racism in the US," the researchers wrote. "Specifically, racism interacts with and exists within societal structures and systems to shape the major SDOH."
7th Mar 2022 - CIDRAP

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

U.S. CDC urges Americans to avoid travel to Hong Kong, New Zealand

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday urged Americans to avoid travel to Hong Kong, New Zealand and Thailand over COVID-19 cases. The CDC elevated its travel recommendation to "Level Four: Very High" for the three destinations. In total, the CDC urges Americans to avoid travel to about 135 countries and territories. The CDC lists another 33 destinations as "Level 3: High" and recommends unvaccinated Americans avoid travel. It lowered six destinations on Monday to Level 3: Anguilla, Cape Verde, Fiji, Mexico, Philippines and United Arab Emirates.
8th Mar 2022 - Reuters

Moderna reaches preliminary agreement to build Covid vaccine manufacturing plant in Africa

Moderna plans to invest $500 million to produce messenger RNA, the technology underlying its Covid vaccines, at the facility in Kenya. It could fill Covid vaccine doses at the Kenya facility as early as 2023 subject to demand, according to the company. Moderna has faced criticism from groups such as Oxfam International and Doctors Without Borders for not sharing its vaccine technology with middle and lower income countries.
7th Mar 2022 - CNBC

Americans significantly less worried about contracting COVID-19: Gallup

A new Gallup poll shows that concerns about the pandemic have fallen, with just over a third of respondents saying they are now worried about contracting COVID-19. Americans questioned in the survey released Monday are more optimistic about the state of the pandemic than they have been since June, before the pandemic's delta and omicron variants contributed to a significant uptick in infections, according to the survey giant. For example, just 34 percent of people said they are worried about contracting COVID-19, compared to 50 percent in January.
7th Mar 2022 - Yahoo News

Convoy protesting COVID-19 mandates begins beltway circuit

A large group of truck drivers and their supporters who object to COVID-19 mandates began their mobile protest in the Washington, D.C., area Sunday, embarking on a drive designed to snarl traffic and make their objections known to lawmakers. The “People’s Convoy” follows similar demonstrations by truckers in Canada upset at vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border. The Washington Post reported that convoy organizer Brian Brase intends for protesters to travel on the beltway every day during the upcoming week until its demands are met.
7th Mar 2022 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Trucks, RVs and cars flock to Washington area to protest COVID restrictions

More than a thousand large trucks, recreational vehicles and cars are gathering on the outskirts of Washington as part of a protest against COVID-19 restrictions that threatens to roll on the U.S. capital in the coming days. The so-called "People's Convoy," which originated in California and has drawn participants from around the country, is calling for an end to all pandemic-related restrictions. It was inspired by demonstrations last month that paralyzed Ottawa, Canada's capital city
6th Mar 2022 - Reuters

COVID and the Russian invasion: Ukraine’s dual crisis

Most of us could be forgiven for thinking there were glimmers of light at the end of a very long pandemic tunnel. We are not out of the pandemic yet, but with vaccines, advances in therapeutics and a wealth of knowledge on how the COVID-19 virus works and spreads, things have been improving. However, Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine has opened up a dark chapter, one which will likely drive COVID infections up – not just in Ukraine but in surrounding countries. And history tells us warzones can provide the ideal conditions for infectious diseases to spread. Distracted government institutions, faltering health services, and the congregation of large numbers of vulnerable people, alongside environmental degradation, can create the perfect storm of conditions for an outbreak of a catastrophic infectious disease.
5th Mar 2022 - Al Jazeera English on MSN.com

Half of Insured Americans Owe Medical Debt, Boosted by Covid

More than half of Americans have medical debt -- whether they have health insurance or not. A recent survey of 1,250 U.S. adults found that 56% owe health-related debt and almost one in six people with medical bills aren’t currently paying it off. A large chunk of the debt came from Covid-19 treatment and testing, according to the poll conducted by Affordable Health Insurance.
5th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg

Most EU women blame COVID pandemic for spike in gender violence -poll

Nearly three out of four European Union women think the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred an increase in physical and psychological violence against them, according to a Eurobarometer poll published on Friday. The poll, commissioned by the European Parliament ahead of Women's Day on March 8, shows 77% of women in the EU think the pandemic caused a rise in gender violence in their countries, with nine in 10 respondents in Greece and Portugal saying so.
4th Mar 2022 - Reuters

The evolving post-COVID U.S. job market in five charts

In the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic upended the U.S. economy, the labor market has rebounded far faster than most had predicted after roughly 22 million jobs were wiped out in the space of two months in the spring of 2020. As remarkable as the rebound has proven to be, the comeback from the low point in April 2020 has not been evenly spread across industries and demographic groups, with restaurant employment, for instance, still in a deep hole and the share of Black women with jobs trailing the recovery in other groups.
4th Mar 2022 - Reuters

Life in South Asia returns to normal as COVID cases decline

Shoppers buy produce at an open air market in Ahmedabad, India, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Slowly but steadily, life in South Asia is returning to normal, and people hope the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind them. Experts are optimistic that the omicron surge, which brought relatively low levels of death, has reinforced immunity from vaccines, which are widespread in the region. Slowly but steadily, life in South Asia is returning to normal, and people hope the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind them. Experts are optimistic that the omicron surge, which brought relatively low levels of death, has reinforced immunity from vaccines, which are widespread in the region. The markets are crowded again. Traffic is jamming the roads. Migrant workers have returned to the cities. And young people are back at schools and universities — many of them for the first time in years. It isn’t quite how things were before the COVID-19 pandemic — mask mandates still exist in some places — but with infections steadily declining, life in South Asia is returning to a sense of normalcy. The mental scars from last year’s delta-driven surge persist — especially in India, where health systems collapsed and millions likely died — but across the region high vaccination rates and hope that the highly contagious omicron variant has helped bolster immunity are giving people reasons to be optimistic.
4th Mar 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Education Scotland partners with cybersecurity firm to help young learners stay safe online

Scotland’s national education agency is partnering with a leading cybersecurity firm to provide interactive learning and ‘demystify’ the subject for young people. Palo Alto Networks is working with Education Scotland to equip children with the right information to help them manage their online interactions safely and securely. Together, they are launching the Cyber Citizens programme, which will be available from 3 March, 2022, to coincide with CyberScotland Week. The lessons are designed so that they can be delivered by anyone, regardless of their prior knowledge, with modules catering for children from ages five to 15-years-old.
3rd Mar 2022 - FutureScot

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Partisan media exposure could inform COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

Vaccine hesitancy may be more attributed to partisan media exposure and an individual's pre-existing attitudes, rather than a lack of information about vaccine effectiveness, according to a Washington State University study. The study, published in Current Psychology, experimentally tested the intertwined relationships among message frames, partisan media use and attitudes on vaccine intention. In general, the findings show that those who consumed lower amounts of conservative media and held positive vaccine attitudes were higher on vaccine intention. Among people who consumed a higher amount of conservative media and held negative vaccine attitudes, the messages that talked about individual benefits of getting the vaccine resonated more.
2nd Mar 2022 - Medical Xpress

COVID-19: New Zealand police move to end three-week vaccine mandate protest

Protesters have fought police with fire extinguishers and pitchforks as officers moved to end an anti-vaccine mandate protest in New Zealand's capital three weeks after it began. The protesters had been outside Wellington's parliament buildings for 23 days when police in riot gear moved in early on Wednesday morning. Protesters used projectiles, shields, fire extinguishers, and pitchforks to fight police, as officers began dismantling protesters' tents and towing away up to 50 vehicles.
2nd Mar 2022 - Sky News

Covid-19 Has Orphaned 5.2 Million Children

An updated modeling study in The Lancet shows that number of children globally affected by COVID-19-associated orphanhood and caregiver death is estimated to have increased dramatically from approximately 2.7 million in April 2021 to a devastating 5.2 million in October 2021. To put those numbers into context, the researchers state that is the equivalent of one child every six seconds during the six-month period. With the pandemic far from over, we have both a moral and public health imperative to protect and support these children from direct and secondary harms. Children’s lives are permanently changed by the loss of a mother, father, grandparent, or other primary caregivers. The loss of a parent is an adverse childhood experience that is linked to a greater risk of dropping out of school, lower self-esteem, suicide, violence, sexual abuse, and developing anxiety, depression, and substance abuse problems. These impacts could be compounded further by the circumstances and additional stressors of the pandemic
2nd Mar 2022 - Forbes

Two years after world's biggest lockdown, India surges back to normal life

Almost two years after India went into the world's biggest lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19, students headed back to school in Maharashtra state on Wednesday, a sign of normal life resuming as infection rates fall. India's daily coronavirus infections rose by less than 10,000 for a third straight day on Wednesday, a level last seen in late December before the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, data from the health ministry showed.
2nd Mar 2022 - Reuters

COVID cases, deaths continue to fall globally, WHO reports

The number of new coronavirus cases reported globally dropped by 16% last week, marking a month-long decline in COVID-19 infections, according to figures from the World Health Organization. In its weekly report on the pandemic issued late Tuesday, the U.N. health agency also said that deaths fell by 10%, continuing a drop in fatalities first seen last week. WHO said there were more than 10 million new cases and about 60,000 deaths globally. The Western Pacific was the only region where COVID-19 increased, with about a third more infections than the previous week. Deaths rose by 22% in the Western Pacific and about 4% in the Middle East, while declining everywhere else.
2nd Mar 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Dubai entry requirements: Travel restrictions ease in UAE with Covid tests scrapped for fully vaccinated

Fully vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to present a negative PCR test upon arrival in Dubai after the country eased its Covid entry rules over the weekend. Unvaccinated travellers will be able to enter either with a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours before arrival or with proof of recovery from Covid within the past month.
1st Mar 2022 - iNews

Italy entry requirements: Travel restrictions ease as Covid tests scrapped for fully vaccinated arrivals

Fully vaccinated travellers arriving in Italy will no longer need to provide proof of a negative Covid test from Tuesday. From 1 March, Italy is easing entry restrictions for all arrivals from non-EU countries, including the UK. The country will accept proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative Covid test result for entry.
1st Mar 2022 - iNews

Tackling vaccine hesitancy by targeting 'fence-sitters'

A new study, published in the Journal of Community Health, emphasizes the importance of outreach to people who have mixed feelings about getting vaccinated. The study looked at the attitudes of participants aged 55 years and older about vaccines at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers accessed data from the COVID-19 Coping Study to identify people in the United States who were either receptive, ambivalent, or against getting vaccinated against the disease.
1st Mar 2022 - Medical News Today

More than £600,000 in Covid-19 fines served to London’s businesses

More than £600,000 in Covid-19 fines have been dished to London’s businesses by local authorities wielding the emergency powers, an Evening Standard investigation has revealed. Police forces have faced the brunt of the scrutiny over coronavirus powers being used to break up illicit parties and enforce the lockdown rules, while Scotland Yard is currently deciding whether to hand out fines for the Partygate scandal at Downing Street. However little attention has been paid to how local authorities – also permitted to issue fines and bring prosecutions under the Covid laws – have used their powers. Freedom of Information requests reveal councils around the capital have handed out at least £600,000 in fines since the pandemic began, while a further £24,000 in fines have been imposed after full criminal prosecutions brought by six councils – Greenwich, Waltham Forest, Ealing, Haringey, Bexley, and Tower Hamlets.
1st Mar 2022 - Evening Standard

Hong Kong leader calls for calm, after supermarkets emptied ahead of mass COVID testing

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam called for calm on Tuesday after residents emptied supermarkets, stocking up on produce ahead of reports of compulsory mass COVID-19 testing and rumours of a city-wide lockdown. Local media reported compulsory COVID testing would start after March 17, sparking concerns many people will be forced to isolate and families with members testing positive would be separated. Lam appealed to the public "not to fall prey to rumours to avoid unnecessary fears being stirred," with the supply of food and goods remaining normal, according to a statement on Tuesday.
1st Mar 2022 - Reuters

Demand for Science Lab Buildings Soars During Covid-19 Pandemic

The rapid growth of life-science research during the pandemic is triggering a record boom in the development of new lab space and offices serving these companies. Development of buildings geared toward biotechnology, pharmaceutical and other laboratory firms was already on the rise before 2020. But demand for this space intensified as billions of dollars poured into research and development of a Covid-19 vaccine and other therapies for the virus. Life-science space has also been enjoying high occupancy rates because—unlike traditional office buildings—much of the lab work requires specialized equipment and building infrastructure that cannot be easily replicated at home.
1st Mar 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Mar 2022

    View this newsletter in full

90% adolescents administered 1st Covid-19 vaccine dose in Delhi: Data

Ninety per cent of adolescents in the age group of 15 to 18 years in Delhi have been administered the first dose of vaccine against COVID-19 since the launch of the drive on January 3, according to official data. Up to February 24, 54 per cent of them had also received the second dose of the vaccine, the data presented during a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) earlier this week mentioned.
28th Feb 2022 - Business Standard

How Covid vaccine misinformation is still impacting inoculation rates in Lancashire

The Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has been subject to months of debate based on numerous health concerns primarily surrounding blood clots. And due to these concerns, some members of Lancashire’s Asian community have been reluctant to have the jab, over worries that it is safe. Certain medical studies and reports note that one of the most common reasons for hesitancy within the British-Asian community are concerns regarding side effects and long-term effects on health.
28th Feb 2022 - Lancs Live

Hong Kong domestic helpers abandoned as COVID takes toll

A rapid spread in COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong has cast a spotlight on the plight of domestic helpers in the global financial hub after some were fired or made homeless by their employers when they tested positive for coronavirus. Hong Kong has around 340,000 domestic helpers, most hailing from either the Philippines or Indonesia. Many families in the city depend on live-in helpers for housekeeping and to look after the elderly and children, with the minimum wage set at HK$4,630 ($593) per month. Under Hong Kong law, migrant domestic workers must live with their employers, often residing in tiny rooms or sharing the bedrooms of the children they care for.
28th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Community Workers Push to Get Covid-19 Tests to the Vulnerable

As the Biden administration distributes hundreds of millions of Covid-19 tests, some public-health workers are moving to deliver the kits a final mile to some of the people most vulnerable to the virus. In some places, including low-income areas, rural parts of the country and some communities of color, a more local effort from health providers and community organizations is needed to get tests into people’s hands, officials and providers said. That work echoes efforts to bring Covid-19 vaccines to people who struggled to reach vaccination sites or were hesitant to get a shot.
27th Feb 2022 - Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Google drops coronavirus vaccine requirement for US office workers

In a major update to Covid-19 protocols, Google will no longer mandate vaccines as a condition of employment for US workers. "Based on current conditions in the Bay Area, we're pleased that our employees who choose to come in now have the ability to access more onsite spaces and services to work and connect with colleagues," a Google spokesperson said in a statement to CNET. "We are giving employees who welcome the chance to come into the office the option to do that wherever we safely can, while allowing those who aren't ready to keep working from home."
24th Feb 2022 - Business Standard

Anti-Covid vaccine mandate protesters chase New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern outside school

A group of shouting protesters have chased the New Zealand prime minister’s van down a driveway as she visited a Christchurch primary school, amid tensions over increasingly volatile anti-vaccine mandate protests. Jacinda Ardern, who was visiting a primary school in Christchurch, was met by a crowd of people shouting “shame on you” and “traitor”. Some held signs saying that the prime minister would be “put on trial” and “held responsible”, and one man brandished a fabricated arrest warrant – references to conspiracy theories that a cohort of world leaders and powerful people are secretly using vaccines to commit a genocide, and would soon be put on trial and hanged for treason. Police officers formed a barrier to allow the prime minister to pass through.
24th Feb 2022 - The Guardian

US truckers planning pandemic protest to begin heading to DC

Modelled after recent trucker protests in Canada, truck drivers in the United States are planning on setting off on a massive cross-country drive towards Washington, DC to protest against coronavirus restrictions. Organisers of the “People’s Convoy” say they want to “jumpstart the economy” and reopen the country. Their 11-day trek that is estimated to be 4,000km (2,500 miles) long will approach the Beltway – which encircles the US capital – on March 5 “but will not be going into DC proper”, according to a statement. Separate truck convoys have been planned through online forums with names like the People’s Convoy and the American Truckers Freedom Fund – all with different starting points, departure dates and routes. Some are scheduled to arrive in time for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on March 1, though others may arrive afterwards.
23rd Feb 2022 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

U.S. truckers plan pandemic protest, inspired by Canadian counterparts

Taking a cue from demonstrations that paralyzed Canada's capital city, Ottawa, for weeks, U.S. truckers on Wednesday plan to embark on a 2,500-mile (4,000-km) cross-country drive toward Washington to protest coronavirus restrictions. Organizers of the "People's Convoy" say they want to "jumpstart the economy" and reopen the country. Their 11-day trek will approach the Beltway around the U.S. capital on March 5, "but will not be going into D.C. proper," according to a statement. The Pentagon said on Tuesday it had approved 400 National Guard troops from the District of Columbia, who would not carry weapons, to help at traffic posts from Saturday through March 7.
23rd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Weary of promises, Bulgarians protest against COVID curbs, inflation

About 1,000 Bulgarian demonstrators gathered in downtown Sofia on Wednesday to protest against curbs imposed to combat COVID-19 and rampant inflation at a rally organised by the opposition ultra-nationalist Revival party. Holding banners reading "I want a normal life," and "COVID is a tyranny, not a pandemic" the demonstrators booed as Prime Minister Kiril Petkov addressed them. Bulgaria, where scepticism about vaccines and entrenched distrust of government institutions has meant fewer than one in three adults are inoculated against the coronavirus, has seen infections drop in recent weeks after they peaked at the end of January, prompting the government to start easing restrictions.
23rd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

In Hong Kong's All-Out Fight Against Covid, Singapore Is Winning

In pursuit of a tough Covid Zero strategy to fight its worst ever coronavirus outbreak, Hong Kong is ceding ground to Singapore, a rival Asian financial and transport hub that’s been easing pandemic-linked restrictions to get its economy back on track. Key data compiled by Bloomberg Economics economists Tamara Mast Henderson and Eric Zhu show that some businesses, weary of stringent quarantine rules and the inability to travel freely, have been shifting to Singapore. The analysts have cut their economic growth forecast for Hong Kong by 0.6 percentage point to 1.4% this year, and expect Singapore’s gross domestic product to grow 4.7%
22nd Feb 2022 - Bloomberg

Convoy Leader Denied Bail as Canadian Officials Warn of Unrest

Canadian banks froze about C$7.8 million ($6.1 million) in just over 200 accounts under emergency powers meant to end protests in Ottawa and at key border crossings, a government official said Tuesday. The new tally was revealed in testimony to lawmakers examining Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to invoke the country’s Emergencies Act to end a three-week occupation of the nation’s capital. Trudeau and his ministers have said the measures announced last week are meant to cut off funding to protest leaders and to pressure trucking companies to prevent their semis from being used again in blockades. Ottawa’s downtown core was cleared out over the weekend, but dozens of trucks remain gathered at encampments outside the city.
22nd Feb 2022 - Bloomberg

Protester drives at New Zealand police as cordon tightens

One protester drove a car toward a New Zealand police line, narrowly avoiding officers, while other protesters sprayed officers with a stinging substance, police said Tuesday, as they tightened a cordon around a convoy that has been camped outside Parliament for two weeks. The clashes in the capital of Wellington came a day after police reported that some of the protesters had thrown human feces at them.
22nd Feb 2022 - ABC News

Canada's parliament approves Trudeau's emergency powers

Canada's parliament on Monday backed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to invoke rarely-used emergency powers to end pandemic-related protests that have blocked streets in the capital Ottawa for more than three weeks. The Emergencies Act was approved in parliament by 185 to 151, with the minority Liberal government getting support from left-leaning New Democrats. The special measures, announced by Trudeau a week ago, have been deemed unnecessary and an abuse of power by some opposition politicians.
22nd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Bulgaria to ease coronavirus restrictions as cases drop

Bulgaria plans to lift the obligatory COVID-19 "green certificate" for entry to restaurants, shopping malls and other public venues from March 20 as coronavirus infections ease, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said. The health pass - a digital or paper certificate showing someone has been vaccinated, tested negative or recently recovered from the virus - was made obligatory for most indoor spaces in Bulgaria last October. Its introduction has prompted a series of protests in the European Union's least vaccinated member state, angering bar and restaurant owners and anti-vaccine activists.
22nd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Ugandans would face fines, jail for refusing COVID jab under new law

Uganda plans to impose fines on people who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who fail to pay could be sent to prison under a new public health law which lawmakers are scrutinising, parliament said on Tuesday. Although the East African country started administering COVID-19 jabs nearly a year ago, only about 16 million jabs have been administered in a population of 45 million, with officials blaming widespread reluctance for the low coverage. Parliament's house health committee has begun scrutinising Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2021 which seeks to make coronavirus vaccinations mandatory.
22nd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

UK's Johnson scraps COVID restrictions in England

British Prime Minister Boris on Monday said he would end all coronavirus restrictions in England including mandatory self-isolation for people with COVID-19 and free testing, drawing scepticism from some scientists and political opponents. Johnson's "living with COVID" plan has sparked alarm that it is premature and will leave the country vulnerable to new viral variants, but the government says it has provided more testing than most other countries, and must now curb the cost. The plan to ditch the remaining legal restrictions is a priority for many of Johnson's Conservative Party lawmakers, whose discontent over his scandal-ridden leadership has threatened his grip on power. Some critics think the plan is also a bid to divert attention from those scandals.
21st Feb 2022 - Reuters UK

U.K. Unions Challenge Johnson’s Move to End Covid Rules

U.K. trade unions are challenging plans by Boris Johnson to end Covid-19 regulations in England, saying the prime minister should put public health first. The Trades Union Congress, an umbrella group for British unions representing more than 5.5 million people, said Monday that the government should first commit to improving sick pay and supporting people with weakened immune systems and long Covid. The group warned that introducing charges for Covid tests at a time of rising consumer prices would be “an act of madness.” Johnson is set to announce an end to England’s rules on Monday, a day after the U.K.’s 95-year-old monarch Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for the virus. The Cabinet is scheduled to meet Monday to sign off on the so-called Living with Covid plan ahead of a statement by the premier to Parliament.
21st Feb 2022 - Bloomberg

COVID-19: Emotional reunions as Australia opens border to vaccinated tourists

Australia has reopened its borders to vaccinated travellers after almost two years of pandemic-related closures. Hundreds of people have been reunited with family and friends, with more than 50 international flights arriving in Australia through the day. "It is a very exciting day, one that I have been looking forward to for a long time, from the day that I first shut that border right at the start of the pandemic," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said during a visit to the island state of Tasmania, which relies heavily on tourism.
21st Feb 2022 - Sky News

Canada looks to end Covid-19 protests with tougher financial measures after another weekend of arrests

Another weekend of protests against Canada's Covid-19 mandates saw around 200 arrests in the nation's capital as authorities moved to end the weekslong demonstration, towing vehicles and going after protesters' pocketbooks with financial penalties. Police said they employed pepper spray and escalated tactics over the weekend to disperse crowds and make arrests with protesters gathered in front of the Parliament building. Some of those arrests included protesters who allegedly had smoke grenades and fireworks, and were wearing body armor, police said. Ontario's Special Investigation Unit is also reviewing an incident where a woman was reportedly seriously injured after an interaction with a police officer on a horse, and a second where an officer discharged a less-than-lethal firearm at protesters.
21st Feb 2022 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Freedom Convoy Leaves Town and Quiet Returns to Ottawa

For the first time in over three weeks, downtown Ottawa on Sunday was largely deserted, with the heavy-duty trucks and thousands of protesters demanding an end to Covid-19 vaccine mandates replaced by police vehicles, officers, and crews trying to clean up after a 23-day demonstration. Officials in the capital and across Canada remained on high alert. While police in Ottawa cleared out Freedom Convoy protesters there, authorities in some of Canada’s biggest cities, such as Toronto and Vancouver, dealt Saturday with either the threat of a trucker-led demonstration or protesters that disrupted traffic. “It’s still clear that while police have made significant progress, the job is not yet done,” Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief and Canada’s emergency-preparedness minister, told CTV News on Sunday. “The threat, the risks, the reasons we had to invoke emergency powers, they still exist.”
20th Feb 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

'God Save The Queen': messages pour in after Elizabeth catches COVID

News that Britain's Queen Elizabeth had tested positive for COVID-19 drew shock, concern and messages of goodwill from across the country on Sunday, with politicians and the public willing the 95-year-old to recover. On a wet and blustery day, a few sightseers gathered at the gates of Windsor Castle where the queen is receiving medical treatment for mild symptoms. Others went online to express support and message boards in the London Underground urged the monarch to "take it easy".
20th Feb 2022 - Reuters

UK shoppers return to stores after Omicron knock

British shoppers began to return to stores last month after many stayed away during a wave of COVID-19 cases that peaked at the turn of the year, although fast-rising inflation is curbing their spending power. Retail sales volumes rose by 1.9% in January after a 4.0% decline in December, the Office for National Statistics said, the largest rise since lockdown rules for non-essential stores in England were relaxed in April 2021. The monthly increase was greater than the average 1.0% gain forecast in a Reuters poll, although December's drop in sales was slightly bigger than first estimated.
18th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Hundreds of Aussie mining workers set to lose jobs over vaccine mandate

Hundreds of BHP workers across Australia are being forced to quit or lose their jobs after the mining giant won a legal challenge to enforce its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The company expects up to 700 employees, or 3 per cent of its staff, will choose not to be vaccinated, effectively leaving the business, The Australian reports. The rule came into place from January 31 after unions lost a legal challenge fighting the mandate. Under BHP workplace rules, anyone who does not show proof of vaccination will not be permitted on sites and their positions are currently under review. Unvaccinated contractors will also be unable to work with BHP. The mining giant has joined other major Australian companies, such as Bunnings, Qantas and Telstra to implement the measures.
17th Feb 2022 - 9News

US parents of under-fives clamor for off-label use over Covid vaccine delays

When providers sign an agreement to provide Covid-19 vaccine shots, they also agree not to give the vaccine off-label, or use it for purposes other than what it was approved to do. In this case, the Moderna vaccine is approved for adults aged 18 and up, and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved for those aged 16 and up. But the vaccines are still under emergency use authorizations for younger patients. Providers who give off-label vaccinations in the US may not be protected by legislation that keeps them from being held liable in the case of a rare adverse event.
17th Feb 2022 - The Guardian

The last of Canada's Covid-19 demonstrations may end soon as Ottawa police warn of consequences of staying

A nearly three-week protest in Ottawa over mandated Covid-19 precautions in Canada may be approaching its end as police tell demonstrators to either leave immediately or face legal consequences. "You must leave the area now," the Ottawa Police Service said in a statement to protesters Wednesday. "Anyone blocking streets or assisting others in the blocking (of) streets, are committing a criminal offence and you may be arrested." Many demonstrators have vowed to hold out for as long as necessary, and the federal government has moved to enact emergency powers to freeze financial support of the protests despite opposition in Parliament. Beginning with a group of truckers arriving in Ottawa in late January objecting to a vaccine mandate, the protest has morphed into a general airing of grievances against all Covid-19 safety protocols.
17th Feb 2022 - CNN

Fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates used by Australians to beat mandates and enter venues

Unvaccinated Australians are using fake certificates to gain entry to venues the government banned them from at the beginning of this month. The services were first identified late last year, but they are gaining prominence in online forums among people opposed to vaccine mandates in Australia. The ABC has seen one such website, hosted in Russia, that generates highly convincing fakes. It includes an animation that mimics the green tick and a moving Australian coat of arms, and a clock supposedly counting down the time from login.
17th Feb 2022 - ABC News

How to move: exercising after having Covid-19

The Omicron variant has caused an avalanche of Covid-19 cases in Australia in the past months. While most people who catch the disease experience mild symptoms, many report feeling short of breath and sluggish for weeks afterward. “It’s normal to feel tired after a viral infection, and everyone’s recovery is different,” says Janet Bondarenko, a senior respiratory physiotherapist at Alfred hospital in Melbourne. “But the severity of your Covid illness doesn’t necessarily predict whether you will have those lingering symptoms.” The coronavirus can damage various organs, causing ongoing fatigue, says Dr Robert Newton, professor of exercise medicine at Edith Cowan University. “The cardiorespiratory system can’t deliver oxygen to the working muscles efficiently. So what was a light to moderate intensity activity previously feels quite vigorous now.”
17th Feb 2022 - The Guardian

Covid Survivors Deal With Mental-Health Issues Months After Infection

Early Covid-19 survivors were at higher risk of anxiety, depression and a raft of other mental health problems up to a year after their infections, according to a large U.S. study that widens the scope of the pandemic’s economic and societal impact. Even patients who were never sick enough to be hospitalized for Covid were still 68% more likely than their non-infected counterparts to be diagnosed with a sleep disorder, 69% more likely to have an anxiety disorder, and 77% more likely to have a depressive disorder. The relative risk of developing the conditions was significantly higher still in patients hospitalized for Covid, and translates into dozens of additional mental health conditions for every 1,000 coronavirus cases.
17th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Canadian government wants to quickly clear COVID protest blockades in Ottawa

Police in the Canadian capital Ottawa on Wednesday started warning truck drivers blockading the downtown core that they should depart or face arrest, part of a promised crackdown to end a three-week-old protest over COVID restrictions. "You must leave the area now. Anyone blocking streets ... (is) committing a criminal offense and you may be arrested," read leaflets handed out by police to truckers. "You must immediately cease further unlawful activity." Police also started ticketing some of the hundreds of vehicles blocking the downtown core.
16th Feb 2022 - Reuters

New Zealand COVID vaccine protesters defy police ultimatum to leave parliament

An anti-vaccine mandate protest outside New Zealand's parliament swelled in numbers on Wednesday, with hundreds of people ignoring a warning from police that their vehicles would be towed away if they did not leave voluntarily. Inspired by truckers' demonstrations in Canada, protesters have blocked several roads around Wellington's 'Beehive' parliament for nine days with trucks, vans and motorcycles, and camped out on the lawns in front of the distinctive building. "There has been an influx of protesters at Parliament today, including children. However, the crowd had been orderly," Assistant Police Commissioner Richard Chambers told reporters, estimating there were about 450 vehicles blocking the site.
16th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Covid-19 is not a marathon

A brief survey of pilot fatigue and workload-related issues indicates that the people who staff ICUs are under far more prolonged and intense stress than pilots, with fewer and more limited mitigation options. Given the stakes, shouldn’t health care and research workers have something like the load-management guidelines that air crews have? What do the coaches and managers of elite athletes know that health care leaders don’t know? Legendary coaches like John Wooden, Vince Lombardi, and Bill Bowerman kept practices short, paid attention to recovery, and were constantly asking what they could simplify and stop doing. They also saw themselves as teachers who turned the actual competition over to the athletes and did not micromanage from the sidelines.
16th Feb 2022 - STAT News

Companies revert to more normal operations as COVID wanes

For the first time in two years for many people, the American workplace is transforming into something that resembles pre-pandemic days. Tyson Foods said Tuesday it was ending mask requirements for its vaccinated workers in some facilities. Walmart and Amazon — the nation’s No. 1 and 2 largest private employers respectively — will no longer require fully vaccinated workers to don masks in stores or warehouses unless required under local or state laws. Tech companies like Microsoft and Facebook that had allowed employees to work fully remote are now setting mandatory dates to return to the office after a series of fits and starts. “There has been a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases across the country over the past weeks,” Amazon told workers in a memo.
16th Feb 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Belgium permits four-day week to boost work flexibility post COVID

Belgian employees will be able to work a four-day week after the government on Tuesday agreed a new labour accord aimed at bringing flexibility to an otherwise rigid labour market. Speaking after his seven-party coalition federal government reached a deal overnight, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the coronavirus pandemic had forced people to work more flexibly and combine their private and working lives. "This has led to new ways of working," he told a press conference. Employees who request it will be able to work up to 10 hours per day if trade unions agree, instead of the maximum 8 now, in order to work one day less per week for the same pay.
16th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Finland entry requirements: New travel rules scrap Covid tests for fully vaccinated and recently infected

Finland is the latest country to scrap testing for fully vaccinated travellers from the UK. From Tuesday the requirement to present a PCR or antigen test upon arrival is to be dropped for those with either with proof of vaccination, proof of a recent infection or a combination of both.
15th Feb 2022 - iNews

Israelis mount their own COVID 'Freedom Convoy'

Hundreds of vehicles drove along the main highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Monday and converged on parliament to protest against COVID-19 curbs in a convoy inspired by demonstrations in Canada. Other protesters stood on overpasses and at junctions as the so-called "Freedom Convoy" passed by, withbanners and Israeli and Canadian flags flying from the vehicles. "Freedom doesn't look like this," read one sign, showing a picture of a girl in a mask. Outside parliament, protesters sounded horns and beat drums, and called for pandemic restrictions to be lifted.
15th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Canada to ease travel requirements as COVID cases decline

Canada will ease entry for fully vaccinated international travelers starting on Feb. 28 as COVID-19 cases decline, allowing a rapid antigen test for travelers instead of a molecular one, officials said on Tuesday. Antigen tests are cheaper than a molecular test and can provide results within minutes. The new measures, which include random testing for vaccinated travelers entering Canada, were announced by federal government ministers at a briefing.
15th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

New York City Fires 1430 Unvaccinated Workers Following Deadline

More than 1,400 public-sector workers in New York City were fired over their refusal to get vaccinated before the city’s mandated Feb. 11 deadline, most of whom were Department of Education employees. The terminations make up less than 1% of the city’s 370,000-member workforce. About half of the 3,000 employees originally at risk for being fired decided to get vaccinated before the deadline, according to a City Hall spokesperson. New York City mayor Eric Adams characterized the employees’ termination as quitting, saying that they’re choosing to leave their jobs by not following the rules.
15th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg

Tunisia entry requirements: New travel restrictions see Covid tests scrapped for vaccinated arrivals

Fully vaccinated travellers visiting Tunisia from the UK will no longer be required to present a negative Covid test upon arrival. The rule change has been confirmed by the Foreign Office and comes into effect from Tuesday 15 February. Children who are unvaccinated will be allowed to test to enter, with either a PCR test less than 48 hours before travel, or an antigen test less than 24 hours before travel. Children aged six and under are exempt from all testing and vaccine requirements.
14th Feb 2022 - iNews

U.S.-Canada bridge reopens after police clear protesters

North America's busiest trade link reopened for traffic late Sunday evening, ending a six-day blockade, Canada Border Services Agency said, after Canadian police cleared the protesters fighting to end COVID-19 restrictions. Canadian police made several arrests on Sunday and cleared protesters and vehicles that occupied the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, after a court order on Friday. The blockade had choked the supply chain for Detroit's carmakers, forcing Ford Motor Co (F.N), the second-largest U.S. automaker, General Motors Co (GM.N) and Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) to cut production.
14th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

French COVID protest convoy defies Paris stay-away order

A convoy protesting COVID-19 restrictions breached police defences and drove into central Paris on Saturday, snarling traffic around the Arc de Triomphe and on the Champs Elysees, as police fired tear gas at demonstrators. Protesters in cars, campervans, tractors and other vehicles had converged on Paris from Lille, Perpignan, Nice and other cities late on Friday, despite warnings from Paris authorities that they would be barred from entering the capital. Inspired by horn-blaring "Freedom Convoy" demonstrations in Canada, dozens of vehicles slipped through the police cordon, impeding traffic around the 19th century arch and the top of the boutique-lined Champs Elysees, a magnet for tourists.
13th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Australian police urge protesters to leave capital

Australian police have given thousands of protesters until the end of Sunday to leave occupied areas of the country’s capital, as days-long rallies continue against COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Several thousand protesters remained in place at Canberra's major showgrounds, while fewer than 100 demonstrators were gathered near the federal parliament building, an Australian Capital Territory (ACT) police spokesperson told Reuters. No protesters in Canberra had been arrested so far on Sunday after three were detained on Saturday.
13th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Canada Border Blockades Leave Automakers Scrambling

Blockades of the U.S.-Canada border stymied flows of critical supplies for the fourth day on Friday, leaving companies scrambling for materials and shutting down major auto factories from Ontario to Alabama. The partial closure of the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest land crossing between the countries and a vital conduit for the auto industry, sent ripples through North American supply chains. Business groups called on officials to forcefully remove protesters who were causing the blockades. Some companies tried to redistribute key parts among their factories and looked for other ways to move products. But others appeared resigned to shutdowns, saying that bypassing the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, was just too expensive or difficult.
12th Feb 2022 - The New York Times

US conservative figures cheer on Canadian trucker protest

Several conservative media figures in the U.S. have taken up the cause of Canadian truckers who have occupied parts of Ottawa and blocked border crossings to protest COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates. Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity cheered the truckers on while showing four live reports from Ottawa this week. Tucker Carlson’s online store is selling “I (heart) Tucker” T-shirts edited to say “I (heart) Truckers.” “Send our solidarity, love and support to all of the brave people who are there,” Hannity told Fox reporter Sara Carter, who was with the protesters in Ottawa, on his show Thursday. “Don’t give up.”
12th Feb 2022 - The Associated Press

Venice's 'Carnival of hope' kicks off as COVID worries ease

Thousands of people revelled in the start of the annual Carnival celebrations in Venice on Saturday, marking a slow return to normality after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the two previous editions. The 2020 Venice Carnival, which usually draws tourists from around the world, was curtailed when the pandemic broke out in Italy in February that year and then cancelled the following year as the government sought to contain infections. "This is the Carnival of hope," said Venice resident Cristian Scalise. "COVID is ending and we hope to return to our life as always."
12th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Amazon to allow work without face masks, require vaccination for paid COVID leave

Amazon.com Inc on Thursday informed staff at its U.S. warehouses and logistics sites that they must report being fully vaccinated by March 18 if they wish to receive paid leave due to COVID-19. The company also said fully vaccinated operations staff could work without a face covering starting on Friday as local regulations allow, according to a message to workers that Amazon shared with Reuters. The online retailer attributed its policy updates to a recent decline in coronavirus cases across the United States, increasing rates of vaccination, and guidance from its medical experts and public health authorities.
11th Feb 2022 - Reuters

COVID: South Africa gradually 'returns to normalcy'

The world was shocked when the Omicron variant was discovered in South Africa last year. But life is almost back to normal there. The government has lifted most lockdown restrictions, and tourists are flocking back. The pandemic felt like a distant memory on the first Thursday of February in Cape Town. Once a month, galleries, restaurants, and shops in the city center open until late, turning the area into a massive pedestrian zone. "Friends told me that there would hardly be any restrictions," German tourist Dominik Irschik told DW. He had just arrived in Cape Town. "But I didn't expect this. Streets, bars, and clubs are full of people — everybody is relaxed and lives like normal again. It's great," Irschik said.
11th Feb 2022 - Deutsche Welle

Thousands of unvaccinated New York municipal workers could lose jobs Friday

Thousands of unvaccinated New York City municipal workers are up against a deadline on Friday to get a COVID-19 shot or get fired, with Mayor Eric Adams apparently determined to carry out the terminations despite an outcry from union leaders. Fewer than 4,000 of the city's 370,000 workers were facing termination at the end of January as a result of the mandate, according to the mayor's office, which said it expected to have an updated number of affected city employees on Monday.
11th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

US urges Canada to use federal powers to end bridge blockade

The Biden administration urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government Thursday to use its federal powers to end the truck blockade by Canadians protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, as the bumper-to-bumper demonstration forced auto plants on both sides of the border to shut down or scale back production. For the fourth straight day, scores of truckers taking part in what they dubbed the Freedom Convoy blocked the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, disrupting the flow of auto parts and other products between the two countries. The White House said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with their Canadian counterparts and urged them to help resolve the standoff.
11th Feb 2022 - The Associated Press

Paris police authority bans ‘freedom convoy’ Covid protests

“Freedom convoys” of motorists that have set off from half a dozen French cities in protest against the country’s coronavirus restrictions will not be allowed to enter Paris, the capital’s police authority has said. “The stated objective of these demonstrations is to ‘block the capital’ by preventing road traffic from circulating in order to further their demands … from Friday, before moving on to Brussels on Monday,” the authority said. “Because of the risk to public order, these protests will be banned from 11 to 14 February,” it said, adding the penalties for blocking public roads included two years in prison, a fine of €4,500 and a three-year driving ban.
10th Feb 2022 - The Guardian

Brussels bans 'freedom convoy' protesting COVID curbs from entry

Brussels authorities have banned a pan-European "freedom convoy" of motorists protesting COVID-19 restrictions from entering the Belgian capital, the regional government said in a statement on Thursday. The convoy was expected to arrive at the home of European Union institutions and NATO on Monday. Authorities in Paris had earlier banned the convoy. Protesters set out from southern France on Wednesday in what they called a "freedom convoy" that will converge on Paris and Brussels to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions, inspired by demonstrators who have gridlocked the Canadian capital Ottawa.
10th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Africa transitioning out of pandemic phase of COVID, says WHO

Africa is transitioning out of the pandemic phase of the COVID-19 outbreak and moving towards a situation where it will be managing the virus over the long term, the head of the World Health Organization on the continent said. "I believe that we are transitioning from the pandemic phase and we will now need to manage the presence of this virus in the long term," Dr Matshidiso Moeti told a regular online media briefing. "The pandemic is moving into a different phase ... We think that we're moving now, especially with the vaccination expected to increase, into what might become a kind of endemic living with the virus," she said.
10th Feb 2022 - Reuters

UK police to contact 50 over Downing Street lockdown parties

More than 50 people believed to have attended lockdown parties at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Downing Street will be contacted by police to explain their involvement, officers said on Wednesday, as they considered widening their investigation. A statement from the Metropolitan Police said officers would start contacting people from the end of this week, asking them to complete a document with formal legal status on the events that have left Johnson facing the gravest crisis of his premiership. Police are investigating 12 gatherings held at Johnson's office and residence after an internal inquiry found his staff had enjoyed alcohol-fuelled parties in Downing Street.
10th Feb 2022 - Reuters

‘Move on’: New Zealand police break up Wellington trucker protest

Scuffles broke out and some 120 people were arrested in New Zealand on Thursday as police began forcefully removing a protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic measures outside the parliament building in Wellington. Inspired by the trucker demonstrations in Canada, protesters began blocking streets in the capital with trucks, cars and motorbikes on Tuesday, pitching their tents outside parliament.
10th Feb 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Canada's Covid-19 trucker protests go global

A trucker protest that has clogged the streets of the Canadian capital for weeks has spread to cities across the world, and impeded access to the busiest land crossing between the United States and Canada as drivers and their supporters demonstrate against vaccine mandates and pandemic control measures. The so-called "Freedom Convoy" began at the end of January in Ottawa as an objection to a vaccine mandate requiring truckers entering Canada to either be fully vaccinated or face testing and quarantine requirements, Paula Newton and Travis Caldwell report. Other protesters then joined to rail against mask mandates, lockdowns, restrictions on gatherings and other Covid-19 preventative measures. The protests, which have seen demonstrators leave trucks idling on roads, have infuriated politicians and business owners, with some in downtown Ottawa complaining about financial losses. "Individuals are trying to blockade our economy, our democracy, and our fellow citizens' daily lives. It has to stop," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in parliament on Monday, the same day the Ambassador Bridge, which runs across the border between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, was obstructed by demonstrators.
9th Feb 2022 - CNN

New Covid surge batters Afghanistan's crumbling health care

Only five hospitals in Afghanistan still offer COVID-19 treatment, with 33 others having been forced to close in recent months for lack of doctors, medicines and even heat. This comes as the economically devastated nation is hit by a steep rise in the number of reported coronavirus cases. At Kabul’s only COVID-19 treatment hospital, staff can only heat the building at night because of lack of fuel, even as winter temperatures drop below freezing during the day. Patients are bundled under heavy blankets. Its director, Dr. Mohammed Gul Liwal, said they need everything from oxygen to medicine supplies. The facility, called the Afghan Japan Communicable Disease Hospital, has 100 beds. The COVID-19 ward is almost always full as the virus rages. Before late January, the hospital was getting one or two new coronavirus patients a day. In the past two weeks, 10 to 12 new patients have been admitted daily, Liwal said.
9th Feb 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

5G and QAnon: how conspiracy theorists steered Canada’s anti-vaccine trucker protest

The brazen occupation of Ottawa came as a result of unprecedented coordination between various anti-vaccine and anti-government organizations and activists, and has been seized on by similar groups around the world. It may herald the revenge of the anti-vaxxers. The so-called “freedom convoy” – which departed for Ottawa on 23 January – was the brainchild of James Bauder, an admitted conspiracy theorist who has endorsed the QAnon movement and called Covid-19 “the biggest political scam in history”. Bauder’s group, Canada Unity, contends that vaccine mandates and passports are illegal under Canada’s constitution, the Nuremberg Code and a host of other international conventions.
8th Feb 2022 - The Guardian

IBM Employees' Questions About the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Continue to Go Unanswered

According to Against Federal Mandates, an action committee started by IBM employees who oppose IBM's vaccine mandate, on February 1st, IBM revoked badge access to all worksites and client sites for all unvaccinated employees and employees who did not submit their vaccine status. IBM also stated that it will allow those who work from home to continue to do so, at least temporarily. As IBM continues its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, US IBM employees opposed to the mandate still have unanswered questions
8th Feb 2022 - Yahoo News UK

New Zealand protesters block streets outside parliament

Hundreds of people protesting vaccine mandates and pandemic restrictions blocked streets outside New Zealand's parliament on Tuesday with trucks and campervans, inspired by similar demonstrations in Canada. The "convoy for freedom" protesters arrived from all corners of New Zealand and gathered outside the parliament building in the capital Wellington, called the Beehive, ahead of the first speech for the year by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
8th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Ireland's St. Patrick's Day parade returns after three-year COVID absence

Ireland will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a parade through the streets of Dublin for the first time in three years next month - and organisers hope the green-festooned festivities will energise a tourism sector hammered by a tough lockdown regime. The March 17 public holiday, celebrated in towns and villages across the country, was one of the first big events to be cancelled in 2020, shortly before the economy was shutdown for the first time to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The government dropped almost all COVID-19 curbs last month, backed by one of Europe's highest uptake of booster vaccines. The remaining restrictions such as mask-wearing are set to end later this month. "Our national day sends the message out loud and clear – Ireland is open again for tourism and we cannot wait to roll out the "green carpet" and welcome visitors from near and far," Tourism Minister Catherine Martin said in a statement.
7th Feb 2022 - Reuters on MSN.com

Ottawa declares state of emergency over COVID-19 protests

The mayor of Canada’s capital declared a state of emergency Sunday and a former U.S. ambassador to Canada said groups in the U.S. must stop interfering in the domestic affairs of America’s neighbor as protesters opposed to COVID-19 restrictions continued to paralyze Ottawa’s downtown. Mayor Jim Watson said the declaration highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government. It gives the city some additional powers around procurement and how it delivers services, which could help purchase equipment required by frontline workers and first responders. Thousands of protesters descended in Ottawa again on the weekend, joining a hundred who remained since last weekend. Residents of Ottawa are furious at the nonstop blaring of horns, traffic disruption and harassment and fear no end is in sight after the police chief called it a “siege” that he could not manage.
7th Feb 2022 - The Associated Press

Hong Kong residents raid supermarket shelves as COVID surge disrupts supplies

Hong Kong residents crowded supermarkets and neighbourhood fresh food markets on Monday to stock up on vegetables, noodles and other necessities after a record number of COVID-19 infections in the city and transport disruptions at the border with mainland China. The city of 7.5 million people reported a record 614 coronavirus cases on Monday, in the biggest test yet for the Chinese territory's zero-COVID strategy.
7th Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Misinformation and distrust: behind Bolivia’s low Covid vaccination rates

South America, once the region most afflicted by the pandemic, is now the most vaccinated in the world. But this turnaround doesn’t extend to Bolivia, where roughly half the population is yet to receive a single dose – even though the state has had all the vaccines it needs since October. As it stands, 45% of the population has received two doses, and a further 12% have had a single dose. Less than 7% have received a booster dose. Data leaked from the Ministry of Health before Christmas gave a more detailed snapshot, revealing huge variations between municipalities. In general, departmental capitals had high levels of vaccination. Smaller cities were doing less well. But in many rural municipalities, particularly in the altiplano, less than 30% of the adult population had received a dose.
6th Feb 2022 - The Guardian

GoFundMe Boots Canada Trucker Fundraiser Opposing Vaccine Rules

GoFundMe has removed a fundraiser for Canadian truckers opposing vaccine mandates from its platform, saying the campaign violates terms prohibiting the promotion of violence. Protesters have occupied the streets of the Canadian capital, Ottawa, for nearly a week, demonstrating against Canadian and U.S. laws requiring truckers crossing the border to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Donations to “Freedom Convoy 2022” on GoFundMe surpassed more than C$10 million ($7.8 million) earlier this week.
5th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg

Poor Countries Affected by Covid Worst, Facing Pandemic Debt Crunch

The pandemic has taken its heaviest toll in some of the world’s poorest countries. Indebted governments from Latin America to Africa spent money they didn’t have to shore up rickety health systems and provide a safety net for citizens, pushing their finances further into the red. Creditor nations helped them by suspending debt repayments and lending them more. Now those waivers have ended and global borrowing costs are on the rise, raising the risk of disorderly defaults.
4th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Olympic spotlight back on China for a COVID-tinged Games

Long before the global pandemic upended sports and the world in general, the 2022 Winter Olympics faced unsettling problems. It started with the fact that hardly anybody wanted to host them. Beijing ended up solving that problem, but only after four European cities thought about it and dropped out, mostly because of expense and lack of public support. In the end, it was a race between two authoritarian countries. The IOC narrowly chose China’s capital and its mostly bone-dry surrounding mountains over a bid from Kazakhstan. “It really is a safe choice,” IOC President Thomas Bach said after the balloting.
3rd Feb 2022 - The Associated Press

Indian health workers allege widespread vaccine certificate fraud

Health workers on the frontline of India’s Covid vaccination programme say people are being officially registered as double vaccinated without receiving both doses because of pressure to meet government targets. Workers described how easy it was to falsely register second vaccine doses for people who did not attend appointments, by using personal records from their first dose and opting to bypass a code sent to their mobile phone.
3rd Feb 2022 - The Guardian

Venezuela COVID patients, exhausted doctors get mental health help from medical charity

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is providing mental health care for COVID-19 patients, their families and also medical staff in two public hospitals in Venezuela to support the country's run-down health system. They are organizing phone and video calls between the sick and their loved ones and even helping dying patients to say their goodbyes, Elizabeth Hernandez, who leads MSF's effort at Caracas' Lidice hospital, said. She said they are providing one-on-one mental health consultations for doctors and nurses.
3rd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Anti-vaccine mandate protesters say they will block Ottawa for as long as necessary

Truck drivers who have been blockading downtown Ottawa for six days on Wednesday said they had no intention of leaving the Canadian capital until the government scrapped COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Despite increasing complaints from residents about noise, pollution and aggressive behavior from some truckers, Ottawa police have declined to end the protest, citing the risk of aggravating tensions. The demonstration began as a move to force the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to drop a vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers
3rd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Spotify's plan to add advisory to COVID podcasts is a positive step -White House

Spotify's plan to add a content advisory to any discussion of COVID-19 on its platform is a positive step, but tech platforms should do more to prevent the spread of misinformation on the coronavirus, the White House said on Tuesday. "Our hope is all major tech platforms and all major news sources for that matter be responsible and be vigilant to ensure that the American people have access to accurate information on something as significant as COVID-19", White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in a briefing. "This disclaimer - it's a positive step, but we want every platform to continue doing more to call out misinformation."
2nd Feb 2022 - Reuters

U.S. Army begins discharging soldiers who refuse COVID-19 vaccine

U.S. soldiers who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine will be immediately discharged, the U.S. Army said on Wednesday, saying the move was critical to maintain combat readiness. The Army's order applies to regular Army soldiers, active-duty Army reservists and cadets unless they have approved or pending exemptions, it said in a statement. The discharge order is the latest from a U.S. military branch removing unvaccinated service members amid the pandemic after the Pentagon made the vaccine mandatory for all service members in August 2021.
2nd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Fraudulent Covid-19 Test Sites Proliferate, Triggering Consumer Warnings

Officials nationwide are trying to stay ahead of a proliferation of Covid-19 test sites that they say are offering fraudulent services to the public. Attorneys general in states including New Mexico, Oregon, Florida, Minnesota, New York and Illinois have shut down pop-up test locations, or issued warnings, citing late or false test results and theft of people’s personal information. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has warned that “scammers are preying on people looking for Covid tests.” Authorities have alleged that the operators of these sites are making money by sending bills to people whose insurance is supposed to cover Covid-19 tests or falsely claiming consumers are uninsured as a way to seek reimbursement from the federal government.
2nd Feb 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Virginia governor sued again over order to make masks optional in schools

A civil liberties group said on Tuesday it sued Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and his administration over his order making masks optional in public schools, saying it violates the rights of students vulnerable to complications from COVID-19. The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia (ACLU) said its suit in a federal court in Charlottesville seeks a temporary restraining order and permanent lifting of Youngkin's order barring school districts from implementing universal mask requirements. The ACLU said the order violates federal disabilities law.
2nd Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Little cheer for Year of the Tiger in Hong Kong as COVID bites

On January 21, when the number of coronavirus cases hit 20 in the densely-populated high-rise public housing estate of Kwai Fong, residents were given two hours to prepare for a five-day lockdown. Santiago Fung’s family focused on the essentials. His mother and sister bought lettuce and vegetables. Fung picked up frozen seafood, herbs for his two pet tortoises, along with two packs of cigarettes and 24 cans of beer. “I think for five days, that’s enough,” he said as the lockdown began. Challenges mounted by the day. As hundreds of the building’s 2,800 residents crammed the lifts and lobby to get tested, positive cases zipped into the triple digits. Government-supplied meals were tasteless and arrived late. Mostly, he endured the challenge of being a 33-year-old locked down in a 300-square-foot apartment (27.9 square metres) with a younger sister and a mother who insisted they share Chinese herbs with the neighbours.
1st Feb 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Truckers and protesters against Covid-19 mandates block a border crossing. Others tried to take meals away from the homeless in Ottawa, shelter says

What started as a convoy of truckers protesting Covid-19 mandates has snowballed into a blockade in the Canadian capital and the obstruction of a US-Canadian border crossing. Some protesters pressured staff at a homeless shelter to give them food, the facility said. And criminal investigations are underway after the alleged "desecration" of monuments during weekend protests that spilled into Monday. The protests stemmed from the "Freedom Convoy" of truckers that traveled across Canada for several days before arriving in the capital city of Ottawa on Saturday. The drivers oppose a recent vaccine mandate requiring truckers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated or face testing and quarantine requirements. Downtown Ottawa remained packed with rigs and cars Monday morning as protesters rallied against Covid-19 mandates and some legislators were set to return to Parliament Hill.
1st Feb 2022 - CNN

Politicizing COVID-19 vaccination efforts has fuelled vaccine hesitancy

The current political landscape has become increasingly intertwined with vaccine policy. Platforms from political parties have included vaccine mandates, third-dose policies and mandatory vaccination proposals aimed at children. Québec has even proposed taxing people who remain unvaccinated. This is concerning, particularly given that vaccination efforts are driven by the combined efforts of health-care providers, public health agencies and community leaders.
1st Feb 2022 - The Conversation

New Zealand Open scrapped over COVID travel restrictions

The New Zealand Open golf championship has been cancelled for the second year running, due to ongoing travel restrictions to protect the country from the pandemic, the organisers said on Tuesday. New Zealand's borders have been shut to foreigners since March 2020. The government pushed back plans for a phased reopening from mid-January to the end of February out of concern about a potential Omicron outbreak, as in neighbouring Australia. "We have done everything within our power to make this event happen," tournament chairman John Hart said on the event's website.
1st Feb 2022 - Reuters

Italy chief chaplain condemns call for COVID disobedience by police

Italy's national Catholic military chaplain has hit back at a renegade, vaccine-denying archbishop, accusing him of inciting insubordination among the armed forces and police over their role in enforcing COVID-19 laws. The national chaplain, Archbishop Santo Marciano, issued a statement to all military and law enforcement personnel on Monday night, hours after Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano made a statement urging them to disobey orders and not be "automatons". Vigano, a former Vatican ambassador in Washington, has been in hiding for more than three years since issuing a broadside against Pope Francis, demanding his resignation.
1st Feb 2022 - Reuters

COVID shines spotlight on imbalanced approach to death globally -expert panel

The way we die needs a fundamental rethink, according to a group of international experts, who say COVID-19 has shed a harsh spotlight on care for the dying. Death has been “overmedicalized” and millions around the globe are suffering unnecessarily at the end of their lives as a result, with healthcare workers in wealthy nations seeking to prolong life rather than support death, according to an expert panel convened by the Lancet medical journal. At the same time, around half of people globally die without any palliative care or pain relief, particularly in lower-income countries
1st Feb 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Feb 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Thailand Ready for Rush of Tourists With Quarantine-Free Visas

Thailand expects to welcome hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers a month with the kickoff of a quarantine-free visa program that’s set to serve as a model for tourism-reliant countries balancing safe border reopenings with economic revival. Starting Tuesday, visitors of any nationality can apply for quarantine-free entry into Thailand, provided they are fully vaccinated. The government expects between 200,000 and 300,000 travelers to take advantage of the so-called Test & Go program in February alone, with the numbers expected to swell in the following months.
31st Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Spotify to link COVID content to facts after ‘misinformation’ row

Music streaming company Spotify says it will start guiding listeners of podcasts discussing COVID-19 to facts about the pandemic, after artists, including Neil Young, pulled their songs from the platform in anger at alleged misinformation. In a post on Sunday, Spotify Chief Executive Daniel Ek laid out more transparent platform rules given the backlash stirred up by Young after the tech giant declined to get rid of episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience, which has been criticised for spreading virus misinformation.
31st Jan 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Omicron Pushes Health Authorities Toward Learning to Live With Covid-19

The Omicron variant spreads so quickly and generally causes such a mild form of illness among vaccinated populations that countries are tolerating greater Covid-19 outbreaks, willingly letting infections balloon to levels that not long ago would have been treated as public-health crises. From different starting points, authorities in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific are moving in the same direction, offering a glimpse into a future in which Covid-19 becomes accepted as a fact of everyday life, like seasonal flu. Health officials everywhere, many for the first time, are forgoing some of the sharpest tools they have to combat Omicron—even as infections soar. They are accepting the virus like never before to minimize disruptions to economies, education and everyday life.
31st Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Indonesia says Bali to reopen to foreign travellers, again

Indonesia's holiday island of Bali will start welcoming back travellers from all countries from later this week, officials said on Monday, more than three months after announcing it was open to selected nationalities. Though Bali officially opened to visitors from China, New Zealand, and Japan among other countries in mid October, there has since been no direct flights, Tourism minister Sandiaga Uno told a briefing. The reopening follows similar announcements by Thailand and the Philippines, which put quarantine waivers on hold in December over initial uncertainty about vaccine efficacy against the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
31st Jan 2022 - Reuters

F1 to Mandate Covid-19 Vaccines for All Staff

Formula One staff must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 under new FIA rules. The policy drawn up by the sport’s governing body will be written into the regulations for the new season and will apply to all drivers, teams, media and hospitality guests. It is expected that no exemptions will be granted. The sport hopes the rule will avoid a repeat of the Novak Djokovic fiasco which overshadowed the build-up to this month’s Australian Open. All of the grid’s current drivers are understood to be vaccinated. An F1 spokesperson said: “Formula One management will require all travelling personnel to be fully vaccinated and will not request exemptions.”
31st Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Cyprus Orthodox archbishop suspends 12 unvaccinated priests

The head of Cyprus’ Orthodox Christian Church said Sunday that he will suspend a dozen priests from his diocese because they refused to heed his call to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Archbishop Chrystostomos II told state broadcaster CyBC that most of the priests are also theologians who have swayed some of the faithful not to get vaccinated. The archbishop called the insubordination “unheard of” and warned that the suspensions could be extended to six months or lead to the priests being defrocked. He suggested that some of the unvaccinated priests may be emboldened to defy him because of his frail health. Archbishop Chrysostomos has been vocal in his support for vaccinations for all the faithful and the Church’s highest decision making body, the Holy Synod, has issued a clear appeal in favor of vaccination.
30th Jan 2022 - The Associated Press

Ottawa police investigating some anti vaccine protesters

Police in Canada’s capital said Sunday they are investigating possible criminal charges after anti-vaccine protesters urinated on the National War Memorial, danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and used the statue of Canadian hero Terry Fox to display an anti-vaccine statement. Thousands of protesters gathered in Ottawa Saturday to protest vaccine mandates, masks and lockdowns. Some travelled in truck convoys and parked on the streets around Parliament Hill, blocking traffic. Many remained on Sunday. Ottawa Police said officers are also investigating threatening behavior to police and others. “Several criminal investigations are underway in relation the desecration of the National War Memorial/Terry Fox statue,” Ottawa police said.
30th Jan 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Lifting England Covid rules while 3bn people unvaccinated reckless – experts

Boris Johnson has been accused of taking a reckless approach to public health by failing to take enough action to get jabs to 3 billion unvaccinated people in poorer countries while lifting all plan B Covid restrictions in England. The prime minister has robustly defended his record on the pandemic this week while awaiting the findings of the Sue Gray report on the “partygate” scandal, insisting he “got the big calls right” on the biggest global health crisis in a century. But now more than 300 leading scientists, health experts and academics have said his failure to take sufficient action to boost vaccination levels worldwide means it is more likely new variants will put thousands of lives at risk across the UK. “We write to you as scientists, academics, and public health experts concerned about the emergence of the Omicron variant and the threat that future variants may pose to public health, the NHS, and the UK’s vaccination programme,” they said in a two-page letter delivered to 10 Downing Street.
28th Jan 2022 - The Guardian

Spotify Publishes Content Policy, Covid-19 Hub in Response to Joe Rogan Controversy

Guitarist Nils Lofgren is among the artists who said they have removed their music from the streaming service. Spotify Technology SA is publishing its content policy and creating a Covid-19 information hub in response to a growing chorus of artists and podcasters speaking out against Joe Rogan. “We know we have a critical role to play in supporting creator expression while balancing it with the safety of our users,” said Chief Executive Daniel Ek in a blog post Sunday. “In that role, it is important to me that we don’t take on the position of being content censor while also making sure that there are rules in place and consequences for those who violate them.”
30th Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Protests at Canadian Capital Over Trucker Vaccine Rule Continue on Sunday

Raucous protests in Canada’s capital continued Sunday over trucker vaccine mandates and other Covid-19 health restrictions, but the crowd thinned from its height a day earlier after drawing military and political rebukes for poor behavior. The main avenue outside the parliament buildings in Ottawa remained blockaded by a line of big rigs, and protesters speaking on a makeshift stage said they don’t intend to leave anytime soon. Canada’s legislature has been on a winter break since mid-December, but is scheduled to resume sitting on Monday. The trucker convoy has drawn an unusual amount of global attention, most recently from Donald Trump. “We want those great Canadian truckers to know that we are with them all the way,” the former U.S. president told a Texas rally Saturday night.
30th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Argentine truckers stranded at Chilean border by slow COVID testing

Thousands of truck drivers from Argentina were stuck at the Chilean border on Saturday due to slow COVID-19 testing, as Chile faced its second transport delay crisis. Since Jan. 21, more than 3,000 trucks have been stranded at the customs checkpoint of Cristo Redentor in Mendoza, according to the Argentinean Federation of Business Entities for Cargo Transport (FADEEAC). The long wait has put both drivers and some of the trucks to the test, as trucks with refrigerator units must stay running at all times to keep the cargos at cold temperatures.
30th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Thousands of Czechs protest against COVID curbs

Thousands of Czechs massed in Prague's Wenceslas Square on Sunday, waving flags and chanting slogans against COVID-19 restrictions, even as infections surge. Protesters mainly objected to harsher restrictions for the unvaccinated, including a ban on eating in restaurants. "The state should listen to the people's demands. The arrangements and restrictions lead us on the road to hell," Zuzana Vozabova who banged a drum through the protest, said. The country of 10.7 million reported its highest daily tally of cases on Wednesday - 54,689, and the numbers on other recent days have ranked among the highest since the start of the epidemic.
30th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Canada rally against vaccine mandates blocks Ottawa as Trump praises protest

Dozens of trucks and other vehicles blocked the downtown area of Ottawa for a second day after thousands descended on Canada's capital city on Saturday to protest against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Trucks remained parked on the streets near parliament on Sunday, a day before lawmakers are due to resume work after the holiday break. Hundreds of protesters were out on Sunday, too. Some truckers said they will not leave until the mandate is overturned.
30th Jan 2022 - Reuters

In France, anti-vax fury, politics make public service risky

In Sainte-Anastasie-sur-Issole, a village that curls catlike in verdant Provence hillocks, voters are making an early start on France’s presidential election. From their ballot box this weekend and next will come the name of the candidate — picked from among dozens — that they want their mayor to endorse. Normally, the choice would be Mayor Olivier Hoffmann’s alone, under a right that, at election time, turns small-potato public office-holders into hot properties — wooed by would-be candidates who need 500 endorsements from elected officials to get onto the April ballot. But in an inflamed climate of election-time politics, and with fury among opponents of COVID-19 vaccinations increasingly bubbling over into violence directed at elected representatives, Sainte-Anastasie’s staunchly apolitical mayor doesn’t want to be seen taking sides.
29th Jan 2022 - Associated Press

‘Very scary’: Austria says anti-vax COVID activists cross borders

Some activists who reject COVID-19 vaccines and anti-coronavirus measures are crossing borders to join protests where extremist ideology is being spread, Austria’s new domestic intelligence chief told the AFP news agency, calling the trend “very scary”. Omar Haijawi-Pirchner said foreign activists are travelling to Austria – where COVID vaccines will become mandatory next month – to demonstrate and hold “network meetings with their partners, right-wing extremists”.
29th Jan 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Greece allows music in bars and restaurants again as COVID cases ease

Greece will allow music in restaurants and bars again and extend their operating hours as it lifts some of the restrictions imposed last month now that coronavirus infections and the pressure on hospitals are easing, authorities said on Thursday. The country last month forced bars, nightclubs and restaurants to close at midnight, with no standing customers and no music, following a surge of cases over the Christmas holidays due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant. "We have decided to scale back the restrictions, taking into consideration the course of the pandemic in terms of cases which have been declining in recent weeks," Health Minister Thanos Plevris said in a televised statement.
27th Jan 2022 - Reuters

As Omicron ebbs, England revives Plan A: living with COVID

After an uncomfortable but relatively brief return to coronavirus restrictions triggered by the Omicron variant, England is going back to "Plan A" - learning to live with a disease that is probably here to stay. The bet is that booster jabs, antiviral pills and Omicron's lower severity will enable the government to manage outbreaks of a virus that cannot be shut out. Other countries equally keen to unshackle business and personal freedom will be watching. Work-from-home guidance ended last week, and measures such as mask mandates and COVID passes, also introduced in England last month, lapsed on Thursday, returning the rules to where they were last July.
27th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Anti-vaccine Canada truckers roll toward Ottawa, praised by Tesla's Musk

Canadian truck drivers determined to shut down central Ottawa over a federal government vaccine mandate rolled across the country toward the capital on Thursday, boosted by praise from Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk. The protesters are unhappy that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government has imposed a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truck drivers. Industry officials say 90% of drivers traversing the U.S. frontier are inoculated but a minority have refused, saying the mandate contravenes personal freedom.
27th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Paid Leave Is Falling Apart Just as Omicron Keeps Sick Americans From Working

The latest Covid surge highlighted with renewed urgency that when Americans get sick, most don't get paid time off from work. At the start of this month, 8.8 million people reported that they weren’t working because they had Covid or were caring for someone who did, according to the Household Pulse Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau — nearly triple the figure from early December. For many, particularly low-wage hourly earners, that could mean forgoing a paycheck or going into work while still recovering or contagious. The U.S., unlike most other high-income countries, guarantees workers nothing in the event of sickness or new parenthood, costing Americans an estimated $22.5 billion annually in wages, according to think tank Center for American Progress.
26th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Hong Kong risks exodus over extended COVID isolation, Euro chamber says

HK reopening seen delayed until China rolls out mRNA vaccine. High costs include exodus of international residents. Appeal as global business hub seen fading Firms may shift to mainland, Singapore or Seoul
26th Jan 2022 - Reuters

In Germany, activists rise up to counter vaccine skeptics

Stefanie Hoener was at home one night in Berlin when she heard police sirens wailing through her Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood and anti-vaccine protesters shouting angry slurs as they marched down to the Gethsemane Church — a symbol of the peaceful 1989 revolution in East Germany that ended the communist dictatorship. “That night these people really crossed a line,” Hoener said Monday as she stood with 200 others— many of them neighbors — in front of the red brick church to protect it from anti-vaccine protesters glaring from the other side of the street.
26th Jan 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

‘Putting lives at risk’: Bulgaria referred to rights body over Covid vaccine rollout

Bulgaria’s government has been accused of negligence for failing to prioritise over-65s and people with pre-existing health conditions in its Covid vaccine rollout, in a case that exposes the low uptake of jabs in one of the EU’s poorest member states. The Open Society Foundations (OSF) charitable group said it was filing a formal complaint to the human-rights-focused Council of Europe, alleging that Bulgaria’s government had put lives at risk, possibly leading to thousands of avoidable deaths.
25th Jan 2022 - The Guardian

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis Touts Covid Monoclonal Antibody Treatments FDA Stopped

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he would consider suing the federal government to allow use of two monoclonal antibody therapies for Covid-19, after the Food and Drug Administration halted their use and said they don’t work against the omicron variant. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said DeSantis’s position was “crazy” when the government was still supplying the potentially life-saving treatment -- just not the specific brands found to be ineffective. The FDA said Monday that it was rescinding authorization for the Eli Lilly & Co. and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. monoclonal antibody treatments in the U.S. because they aren’t effective against omicron, which has become overwhelmingly dominant in all regions of the country, including Florida.
25th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Croatia's conservative party initiates COVID certificate referendum

Croatia's conservative Most party handed 82 boxes of papers in to parliament on Monday carrying the signatures of 410,533 people calling on the government to hold a referendum on whether to abolish COVID-19 certificates. The government must check the signatures, and if they are found to be valid, the date for a referendum can be set. Croatia has one of the European Union's lowest vaccination rates, with around 55% of its population inoculated against COVID-19, ahead of only Bulgaria, Romania and Latvia.
25th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Spain breaks up COVID passport forgery ring

Spanish police said on Tuesday they had detained seven suspected members of an international criminal gang that created and sold forged COVID-19 passports and negative tests. The Spanish arm of the ring, which advertised its services on "anti-vax" instant message groups, fraudulently added at least 1,600 people to the national vaccination register with the help of health workers, the investigation found.
25th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Hong Kong Push for Covid Zero Creates a Labor Shortage

Domestic helpers — cooks, cleaners and nannies in one — are in high demand, but a system that favors employers has some fearing they’ll be jobless if they seek higher wages.
25th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Protesters hurl stones at police in Guadeloupe COVID unrest

Protesters attacked police with stones in the early hours of Monday as police moved in to clear out some blockades on Guadeloupe, the authority on the French Caribbean island said, amid ongoing protests against COVID-19 protocols. The Guadeloupe authority said police had been attacked at the Riviere-des-Peres part of the island as they tried to clear out roads that had been blockaded.
24th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Beijing Tests Shoppers Buying Fever Drugs Before Winter Olympics

China’s capital is requiring anyone who buys commonly available anti-fever medicine to undergo Covid-19 testing, as authorities try to root out undetected virus infections without locking down the country’s most important city and host of next week’s Winter Olympics. Beijing residents who purchase antipyretics, antivirals and drugs that target coughs and sore throats will get an alert on the mobile app China uses for contact tracing and which is frequently checked to allow entry to public venues. The buyer will then need to take a Covid test within 72 hours or face movement restrictions
24th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Truckers fighting government vaccine mandate march to Canadian capital

A convoy of truckers started their march from Vancouver on Sunday to the Canadian capital city of Ottawa protesting the government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truckers, which the industry says would create driver shortages and fuel inflation. Canada imposed the vaccine mandate for the trucking industry from Jan. 15, under which unvaccinated Canadian truckers re-entering Canada from the United States must get tested for COVID-19 and quarantine themselves.
24th Jan 2022 - MSN.com

Some Hong Kong civil servants, bankers to work from home as COVID spreads

Hong Kong has told some civil servants to work from home from Tuesday, and some banks have given similar instructions to staff following a spate of COVID-19 infections in the Asian financial hub a week before the busy Lunar New Year holiday. Health authorities said there were 109 new cases on Monday, out of which 98 were locally transmitted and five were untraceable. Daily cases hit an 18-month high of 140 on Sunday, fuelled by an outbreak in a congested public housing estate.
24th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Water cannon, tear gas at COVID-19 protests in Brussels

Police fired water cannons and thick clouds of tear gas Sunday in Brussels to disperse people protesting COVID-19 vaccinations and government restrictions that aim to curb the fast-spreading omicron variant. Police said the protest in the Belgian capital drew an estimated 50,000 people, some traveling from France, Germany and other countries to take part. Protesters yelled “Liberty!” as they marched and some had violent confrontations with police. Video showed black-clad protesters attacking a building used by the European Union’s diplomatic service, hurling projectiles at its entrance and smashing windows.
24th Jan 2022 - Associated Press

Protesters March in Washington Against Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates

Protesters rallied in Washington DC Sunday against government mandates for Covid-19 vaccinations, a sign of the challenges for public-health officials looking for ways to persuade more Americans to get the shots. Protesters marched along the National Mall and gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial, despite cold temperatures. The organizers said they would be protesting mandates, not vaccines themselves.
24th Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Back in court - UK hospitality groups take on insurers over lockdown losses

Some of the world's biggest insurers are bracing as a second wave of multi-million pound lawsuits, brought by struggling British pubs, restaurants and bakery chains over lockdown losses, starts hitting London's courts next week. Zurich, MS Amlin, Liberty Mutual, Allianz and AXA are among those due in court one year after Britain's Supreme Court ruled that many insurers had been wrong to deny thousands of companies, battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, business interruption payouts. Insurers have since paid out 1.3 billion pounds ($1.8 billion), according to the Financial Conduct Authority. But the ruling did not cover all policy wordings and, where it deemed claims valid, some companies are now disputing payout levels.
21st Jan 2022 - Reuters

Rioters fight Brussels police, smash headquarters of EU foreign service

Protests in Brussels against coronavirus restrictions spiralled into violence on Sunday as protesters clashed with police officers and vandalized the offices of the European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic arm. In one of the largest demonstrations against COVID-19 measures in the city, an estimated 50,000 people poured onto the streets, including groups traveling from outside Belgium, according to a police spokesperson. The demonstration was organized by the EU-wide network Europeans United for Freedom and other groups that oppose health restrictions. Police used teargas and water cannons to clear the Cinquantenaire park near the EU institutions after groups of protesters threw objects at officers and charged at them. Live footage showed protesters at street level hurling metal fences and a burning dustbin at policemen below them in the entrance to a metro station. An escalator was later shown burning.
23rd Jan 2022 - POLITICO Europe

Foreign Executives in Isolated Hong Kong Head for Exit, Sick of Zero-Covid Curbs

Stringent rules to try to keep Hong Kong free of Covid-19 are driving away more foreign executives, chipping away at the city’s decades-old status as one of the world’s top business hubs. Flight bans, lengthy quarantine stays for arrivals and repeated school closures are pushing more people to a breaking point as the pandemic enters its third year and the city clings to a zero-Covid strategy abandoned by nearly all countries save for China. A growing outbreak at a public housing estate has prompted the government to lock down buildings and send more people into quarantine. Executives complain the travel restrictions have prevented them from keeping tabs on operations in other countries or visiting business partners and potential clients, even in mainland China. Meanwhile, there is the ever-present risk of being sent to quarantine if they happen to cross paths with a Covid-19 sufferer in Hong Kong just by visiting a pet store or eating lunch out.
23rd Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

New Zealand Urges Business to Be Ready for Omicron Disruption

New Zealand’s government is warning businesses to be prepared for labor shortages and supply disruptions as omicron takes hold in the community. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has urged companies to ensure business continuity plans are in place and pledged government support, but warned that the impact of the variant could be severe. Modeling showed that in a scenario of 25,000 daily cases there could be 350,000 workers a day self-isolating, he said. “What we see from overseas is the supply side of the economy is where the big impacts have been,” Robertson told reporters Sunday in Wellington. “We’re working very hard to make sure we don’t see disruption but inevitably there will be some.”
23rd Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Clashes erupt again over COVID curbs on French island of Guadeloupe

One police officer was injured and police faced gunfire during a night of civil unrest over COVID-19 restrictions in Guadeloupe, a French overseas territory in the Caribbean, the island's local authority said on Friday. Shops were vandalised and there were attempted robberies during the unrest, focused on Guadeloupe's largest urban centre, Pointe-a-Pitre, the authority said. Police moved in at dawn to clear blockades set up by protesters.
21st Jan 2022 - Reuters

Anti-vaccine movement's DC rally comes amid covid successes

As anti-vaccine activists from across the country prepare to gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, they are hoping their rally will mark a once-fringe movement’s arrival as a lasting force in American society. That hope, some public health experts fear, is justified. Almost two years into the coronavirus pandemic, the movement to challenge vaccines’ safety — and reject vaccine mandates — has never been stronger. An ideology whose most notable adherents were once religious fundamentalists and minor celebrities is now firmly entrenched among tens of millions of Americans.
21st Jan 2022 - The Washington Post

Hong Kong warns people to stop trying to prevent COVID hamster cull

Hong Kong police will deal with pet lovers who try to stop people giving up their hamsters to be put down, or who offer to care for abandoned hamsters, authorities said, after they ordered a cull of the cuddly rodents to curb the coronavirus. On Tuesday, officials ordered the killing of about 2,000 hamsters from dozens of pet shops after tracing a coronavirus outbreak to a worker at a shop, where 11 hamsters later tested positive for COVID-19. Thousands of people have offered to adopt unwanted hamsters amid a public outcry against the government and its pandemic advisers, which the office of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam called irrational.
21st Jan 2022 - Reuters

US conservatives spreading anti-vax misinformation to unvaccinated Uganda

US Christian legal organisation Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and Texas-based libertarian think tank the Brownstone Institute are among the organisations backing Uganda’s ‘End Lockdown Now’ campaign. The Brownstone Institute’s founder told Ugandans at an online event: “There’s no real case for getting a vaccine if you’ve had natural immunity. It doesn’t make any sense.” End Lockdown Now has platformed anti-vax, anti-mask, anti-lockdown and pandemic-denying arguments, with journalists and scientists from Europe and Australia among those spreading misinformation to Ugandans at the group’s online events. One such event was hosted by ADF. Separately, ADF has also involved itself in three legal challenges opposing lockdown measures in Uganda.
21st Jan 2022 - Open Democracy

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Czech anti-coronavirus vaccine folk singer dies after deliberately getting infected with Covid-19, son says

A Czech folk singer who was opposed to having a coronavirus vaccine has died after deliberately contracting the virus, according to her son. Hana Horká, of the folk band Asonance, died Sunday at the age of 57 after intentionally exposing herself to the virus at home while her son and husband were sick, according to CNN Prima News. Horká wanted to infect herself so she could be "done with Covid," her son, Jan Rek, said.
20th Jan 2022 - CNN

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Visa Challenge Failed Due to Antivaccine Stance

Novak Djokovic’s last-ditch effort to defend his Australian Open title by having his visa reinstated failed because a court accepted that people, especially youngsters, could emulate the tennis icon’s opposition to being vaccinated. On Thursday, a panel of three judges at Australia’s federal court said they upheld a decision by immigration minister Alex Hawke to cancel the visa of the men’s tournament’s top seed partly because Djokovic’s presence in Australia had already created unrest, including a Jan. 11 protest involving the player’s supporters. Djokovic was deported from Australia on Sunday after the court decided earlier in the day that Hawke acted lawfully when he canceled Djokovic’s visa two days earlier, citing public interest.
20th Jan 2022 - Wall Street Journal

Austria Starts Lottery to Boost Support for Obligatory Vaccine

Austrian lawmakers were set to pass the European Union’s first law making coronavirus vaccinations mandatory as other member states ease restrictions in the latest wave of the pandemic. The parliament’s lower house was set to approve the policy on Thursday with additional support from most deputies in two opposition groups. Only the far-right Freedom Party rejects the plan.
20th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Cheap version of Merck COVID pill to be made for poorer nations

Nearly 30 generic drugmakers in Asia, Africa and the Middle East will make cheap versions of Merck & Co's COVID-19 pill, under a landmark U.N.-backed deal to give poorer nations wider access to a drug seen as a weapon in fighting the pandemic. Merck's early greenlight to production of its anti-viral pill molnupiravir by other companies during the pandemic is a rare example in the pharmaceutical sector, which usually protects its patented treatments for longer periods.
20th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Florida suspends health official who urged staff to get vaccinated

A top Florida public health official has been put on administrative leave as officials investigate whether he violated a state ban by emailing employees about their low vaccination rate against COVID-19 and urging them to get shots. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican widely believed to be planning a run for the U.S. presidency, in November signed a law banning schools, businesses and government entities from requiring vaccination against COVID-19, drawing condemnation from health experts and Democratic leaders.
20th Jan 2022 - Reuters

The pandemic is birthing billionaires and killing the poor

We enter 2022 witnessing the biggest increase in billionaire wealth since records began. A billionaire was created every 26 hours during this pandemic. The wealth of the world’s 10 richest men alone has doubled, rising at a rate of $15,000 per second. But COVID-19 has left 99 percent of humanity worse off. Our malaise is inequality. Inequality of income is now a stronger indicator of whether you will die from COVID-19 than age. In 2021, millions of people died in poorer countries with scant access to vaccines as pharmaceutical monopolies, protected by rich countries, throttled their supply. We minted new vaccine billionaires on the backs of denying billions of people access to vaccines.
20th Jan 2022 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Report: German police see surge in fake vaccine certificates

Police in Germany are investigating thousands of cases of suspected forgery of coronavirus vaccine certificates, the dpa news agency reported Wednesday. It cited figures obtained from the country's 16 states showing more than 12,000 police investigations have been opened nationwide. Those who supply or use fake certificates could face severe penalties, from fines and suspended prison sentences to losing their jobs. Prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation in one case after a woman used a fake vaccine certificate to continue working at a nursing home, despite having family members ill with COVID-19 at home.
19th Jan 2022 - The Independent

Canadian truckers block highway at US border to protest Covid vaccine mandates

Dozens of Canadian truck drivers have blocked the highway near the US-Manitoba international border to protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Videos shared on social media showed truck drivers carrying Canadian flags and holding a demonstration on the Manitoba Highway 75, which connects the Emerson community in Manitoba with the US city of Pembina in North Dakota. The demonstration slowed down traffic on both sides and caused delays for vehicles both entering and leaving Canada.
19th Jan 2022 - The Independent

Fuzzy Hamsters Are Hong Kong’s Newest Enemy in Its Covid-Zero Campaign

Authorities ordered some 2,000 hamsters in Hong Kong to be killed over concerns that the animals may have transmitted Covid-19 to humans, one of the city’s latest measures to try to stamp out a fresh outbreak. Under the latest order, authorities will cull the animals at almost three dozen pet shops across the city, including a store selling small animals linked to two recent Covid-19 infections in the city. One of the two infections was an employee at the pet store, while another was a recent visitor to the store, authorities said. Health chiefs said the order was being made out of prudence as there was no international evidence that pets can transmit the Covid-19 to humans.
19th Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Worker Absences in U.K. Fall in Sign of Omicron Wave Ebbing Away

Omicron’s grip on the U.K. economy is weakening, with falling Covid-19 case numbers mirrored by a drop in worker absences during the second week of January. The estimated number of people missing work in the U.K. from Jan. 10 through Jan. 16 stood at almost 2.7 million, a 3% decrease from a year earlier and down from 3.1 million in the first week of this year, according to data from GoodShape, which tracks work-related illness and wellbeing at U.K. employers. The lower level of absence meant the U.K. economy lost 112 million pounds ($152 million) less compared to the same period in 2021, GoodShape estimates showed.
19th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Australia calls on backpackers to help ease Omicron-fuelled labour shortage

Australia threw out an invitation to backpackers on Wednesday, seeking reinforcements for a workforce crippled by an Omicron COVID-19 outbreak as the country's health system creaks under the pandemic's strain with more deaths predicted in weeks ahead. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government was waiving the A$630 ($453) visa application fee for any backpacker or student who arrives in Australia within the next 12 weeks, and encouraged them to see work as they tour the country. "Come on down now because you wanted to come to Australia," Morrison said during a televised press conference.
19th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Young Brazilians Studying Less, Dropping Out More During Covid

Young Brazilians are studying less and dropping out more during the pandemic, reversing decades of educational advances and exacerbating the country’s demographic inequalities, a new study found. School dropout rates among children aged 5-9 years old rose from 1.4% in 2019 to 5.5% by the end of 2020, the highest percentage seen since 2006, according to research from the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a Brazilian think tank. Although the dropout rate improved to 4.25% in the third quarter of 2021, that was still 128% higher than before the pandemic. “Younger children, the age group in which we have made great educational advances in the last 40 years, is where we are having the greatest losses,” co-author and economist Marcelo Neri said during a phone interview Wednesday. There was also a socioeconomic gap when it came to time spent hitting the books when school wasn’t in session.
19th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Merck signs supply deal with UNICEF for 3 mln courses of COVID-19 pill

Merck & Co Inc and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said on Tuesday they had signed an agreement with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to supply up to 3 million courses of their COVID-19 antiviral pill. Merck would supply the pill, molnupiravir, to UNICEF through the first half of 2022 for distribution in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries upon regulatory authorizations, the companies said. The pill received authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December and has also been authorized in several other countries including India, Mexico and the UK. Many countries have signed supply deals with Merck for the drug.
18th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Analysis: With Omicron, global economy spots chance to push past COVID

Governments worldwide are easing quarantine rules, reviewing coronavirus curbs and dialling back pandemic-era emergency support as they bid to launch their economies back into some version of normality. The moves, motivated by the lower severity of the Omicron variant and the need to keep workers in work and the global recovery on track, have generated a whiff of optimism that has lifted oil and stock prices. Health experts say the variant's rapid spread may yet herald a turning point in the pandemic.
18th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Your Child's Fussy Eating May Stem From Covid-19

Covid infection could be turning more and more children into fussy eaters, experts have suggested. This may be because they are suffering from parosmia - a disorder where people experience strange and often unpleasant smell distortions. For example, chocolate may smell like petrol, or someone may smell rotting cabbage instead of lemon. Smell experts at the University of East Anglia and Fifth Sense, the charity for people affected by smell and taste disorders, say children in particular may be finding it hard to eat foods they once loved. Fifth Sense and Carl Philpott, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, are launching guidance to help parents and healthcare professionals better recognise the disorder.
18th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Morrisons confirms sick pay cut for unvaccinated staff

Supermarket Morrisons has confirmed it has cut sick pay for unvaccinated workers who are forced to isolate after being exposed to Covid. It follows similar moves from big retailers including Ikea, Next and Ocado as staff absences rise. Unjabbed Morrisons workers who are told to isolate but test negative now get statutory sick pay of £96.35 a week. Covid-positive staff get full sick pay regardless of vaccination status. The firm pays staff at least £10 per hour.
18th Jan 2022 - BBC News

Uncorking today’s Covid-19 supply chain to meet the challenges of future pandemics

At what point do the benefits of local production of medical supplies outweigh the potentially higher cost? The sudden and near-overwhelming demand for Covid-19 testing during the Omicron phase of the pandemic means that the U.S. is now at a critical point where we need better — and quicker — access to testing supplies via a domestic supply chain. Over the last three decades, the world’s economy has become increasingly globalized, resulting in lower inflation-adjusted prices for goods and products and improved standards of living around the world. The Covid-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity to once again debate the United States’ reliance on inexpensive overseas manufacturing, and reconsider the value of high-quality domestic production.
18th Jan 2022 - STAT News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Beijing Olympics tickets will not be publicly sold due to COVID-19

Olympics set to begin on Feb. 4 will be distributed to "targeted" groups of people and will not be sold to the general public, the organising committee said on Monday, in the latest setback to the Games inflicted by COVID-19.
18th Jan 2022 - Reuters

The poor die from COVID while the rich get richer, Oxfam warns

The wealth of the 10 richest men has doubled during the coronavirus pandemic, stoking inequality that contributes to the deaths of at least 21,300 people each day, according to a report released on Monday by Oxfam International. “We enter 2022 with unprecedented concern,” Oxfam’s Inequality Kills report warns, arguing that the current global state of extreme inequality is a form of “economic violence” against the world’s poorest people and nations. In this deeply unequal world, structural and systemic policy and political choices are skewed in favour of the richest and most powerful, resulting in harm to the majority of ordinary people around the world, said the report, which highlighted the COVID-19 vaccine divide as a prime example. “Millions of people would still be alive today if they had had a vaccine — but they are dead, denied a chance while big pharmaceutical corporations continue to hold monopoly control of these technologies,” said Oxfam. The report calculates that 252 men have more wealth than all one billion women and girls in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean combined. And 10 of the world’s richest men own more than the least affluent 3.1 billion people.
17th Jan 2022 - Al Jazeera English

Don’t demonise those who refuse the Covid vaccine

I read David Green’s letter on anti-vaxxers (12 January) and empathised with the letter written in response (13 January). The week before Christmas my dad died of Covid. The intensive care consultant couldn’t have been clearer that, in her opinion, if he had been vaccinated he would not have developed Covid pneumonia to the severity that he did. He died very frightened and asking his family to come and be with him, and we couldn’t. The experience traumatised my sister so badly that she was hospitalised with psychosis three days after his passing. The reason he wasn’t vaccinated is because his mind was poisoned with conspiracy theories and misinformation exacerbated by two years of lockdown and reduced social contact. While I am angry that he would not get vaccinated, I don’t think any good would ever come from criminalising his choice. Is it not anti-vaxxers who should be demonised and prosecuted. It is the people, organisations and companies who perpetuate lies and make money from the fear felt by vulnerable people.
17th Jan 2022 - The Guardian

Omicron Variant Encourages Some to Move Past Covid-19 Precautions, Despite Risks

Omicron’s ubiquity and reduced severity are encouraging some people to drop pandemic precautions, decisions that public-health experts say present new risks for people at risk of severe Covid-19 outcomes. People, including those who got vaccinated and boosted and curtailed their activities for months, are letting their guard down in the face of a variant that appears to be infecting everyone but causing largely mild illness.
17th Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Anti-vaccine far-right rally attracts hundreds in Hungary

Over a thousand people marched in Budapest protesting against COVID-19 inoculation at a rally organised by the far-right Our Homeland Movement, which has been campaigning on a fierce anti-vaccine and anti-immigration message ahead of April 3 elections. "Vaccines should not be mandatory! We don't tolerate blackmail," said the slogan of the rally where people held up banners saying: "I am unvaccinated, not a criminal" and "Enough of COVID dictatorship."
17th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Chinese cities on high COVID-19 alert as peak Lunar New Year travel season starts

Several Chinese cities went on high COVID-19 alert as the Lunar New Year holiday travel season started on Monday, requiring travellers to report their trips days before their arrival, as the Omicron variant reached more areas including Beijing. Authorities have warned the highly contagious Omicron adds to the increased risk of COVID-19 transmission as hundreds of millions of people travel around China for the Lunar New Year on Feb. 1.
17th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Protest in Netherlands against coronavirus measures

Thousands of protesters packed Amsterdam's streets on Sunday in opposition to the government-imposed COVID-19 measures and vaccination campaign as virus infections hit a new record. Authorities were granted stop and search powers at several locations across the city and scores of riot police vans patrolled neighbourhoods where the demonstrators marched with banners and yellow umbrellas. Regular anti-coronavirus protests are held across the country and Sunday's large gathering was joined by farmers who drove to the capital and parked tractors along the central Museum Square.
16th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Malta sees biggest protest yet against COVID measures

Malta saw its biggest protest yet against COVID rules on Sunday, with hundreds of people marching in the capital Valletta against new measures requiring production of a COVID certificate for entry to most venues including restaurants, gyms and bars. Malta has seen one of the biggest take-ups of COVID vaccination jabs in the European Union, and almost three-quarters of adults would have taken the additional booster jab by Sunday, according to Health Ministry data.
16th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Polish COVID advisers quit over lack of science influence on policy

Thirteen of the 17 members of Poland's Medical Council advising the prime minister on COVID-19 resigned on Friday, condemning what they said was a lack of scientific influence on policy. Even with one of the world's highest per capita death rates, Poland has introduced much more limited measures than many European countries to curb the spread of the coronavirus during the latest wave of infections. "The discrepancy between scientific and medical rationale and practice has become especially glaring in the context of the very limited efforts in the face of the autumn wave and then the threat of the Omicron variant, despite the enormous number of deaths expected," the 13 council members said in a statement to Reuters, confirming a report by the PAP state news agency.
15th Jan 2022 - Reuters

In rare move, Uruguay opens borders for residents infected with COVID-19

Uruguay has opened its borders to citizens and residents even if they are infected with COVID-19, a rare move amid surging cases worldwide, though passengers would need to travel in private vehicles across the border and be in a family "bubble". The South American country's government said the move was in "solidarity" with Uruguayans and residents who were infected with the virus abroad. "All Uruguayan travelers and resident foreigners who have got Covid abroad may return to our country at any time," Uruguayan Health Minister Daniel Salinas said on his Twitter account on Friday.
15th Jan 2022 - Reuters

India extends ban on public events in election states as COVID cases rise

India's election commission extended its ban on political rallies and roadshows in five states on Saturday due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country. The ban, which runs to Jan. 22, excludes indoor political party events of less than 300 people, or at 50% of a venue's capacity, the watchdog said in a statement. India reported 268,833 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking its total tally to 36.84 million, according to data from the federal health ministry. Deaths from COVID-19 rose by 402 to 485,752.
15th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Apple to require employee proof of COVID-19 booster

Apple Inc will require retail and corporate employees to provide proof of a COVID-19 booster shot, The Verge reported on Saturday, citing an internal email. Starting Jan. 24, unvaccinated employees or those who haven't submitted proof of vaccination will need negative COVID-19 tests to enter Apple workplaces, the report said. The Verge said it was not immediately clear if the testing requirement applies to both corporate and retail employees. "Due to waning efficacy of the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and the emergence of highly transmissible variants such as Omicron, a booster shot is now part of staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccination to protect against severe disease," the memo read, according to The Verge.
15th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Thousands protest in Vienna against mandatory vaccination

Thousands of people took to the streets of Austria's capital on Saturday to protest against government plans to introduce mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all next month. "The government must go!" crowds chanted at one rally in central Vienna in what has become a routine Saturday event. Parliament is scheduled to vote next week on the issue, which has polarised the country as coronavirus cases surge.
15th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Dutch announce COVID lockdown easing amid record infections

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday announced the reopening of stores, hairdressers and gyms, partially lifting a lockdown despite record numbers of new COVIC-19 cases. "We are taking a big step and that also means we're taking a big risk," Rutte told a televised press conference. Non-essential stores, hairdressers, beauty salons and other service providers will be allowed to reopen under strict conditions until 5 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) for the first time since mid-December. Rutte added that the uncertainties meant that bars, restaurants and cultural venues would have to remain closed until at least Jan. 25.
15th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Spotify Pressured by 270 Scientists, Medical Professionals Over Joe Rogan Episode

A coalition of 270 scientists and medical professionals this week issued an open letter to Spotify Technology SA, urging the streaming platform to establish a misinformation policy after an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, among its most listened-to podcasts, promoted what they said were “baseless conspiracy theories” about the pandemic. The Dec. 31 program featured Robert Malone, a doctor who has called himself the “inventor” of mRNA vaccines, the type that serves as the basis for the Covid-19 vaccine. Malone was banned from Twitter for circulating anti-vaccine misinformation. YouTube deleted a recording of the Rogan podcast shortly after it was uploaded to the website by a third-party.
15th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Citigroup reaches 99% compliance on U.S. staff vaccine mandate

About 99% of Citigroup Inc's staff in the United States have complied with the company's COVID-19 vaccine requirements, the bank's Head of Human Resources Sara Wechter said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday. Citi staff in the U.S. who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 14 will be placed on unpaid leave and fired at the end of the month unless they are granted an exemption, Reuters reported last week, citing a memo.
15th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Australia Says Djokovic’s Vaccination Stance Poses a Public Risk

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke barred the world men’s No. 1 tennis player despite saying Djokovic had entered Australia with a valid medical exemption from being vaccinated and presents a negligible health risk himself, according to court documents released Saturday. His ongoing presence, however, “may lead to an increase in anti-vaccination sentiment generated in the Australian community, potentially leading to an increase in civil unrest of the kind previously experienced in Australia with rallies and protests which may themselves be a source of community transmission,” Hawke said in the filing.
14th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

French teachers walk out of classrooms in strike over Covid strategy

French teachers have held one of the biggest education strikes in recent years, forcing the closure of hundreds of primary schools in protest at the government’s handling of Covid-19 measures in the education sector. Tens of thousands of teachers took part in the one-day strike. Trade unions said 75% of primary teachers walked out alongside 62% of secondary teachers. The education ministry gave much lower figures on Thursday morning, saying there was an average of 38.5% of teachers on strike in primary schools, and just under 24% in high schools. Teachers and education support staff joined a protest march through the centre of Paris to the education ministry, and others demonstrated in towns across France.
13th Jan 2022 - The Guardian

So long Toronto: COVID-19 pandemic hastens Canada's urban exodus

Canada's urban exodus picked up steam into the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with tens of thousands of people leaving Toronto and Montreal for smaller cities or rural areas, official data showed on Thursday. More than 64,000 people left Toronto for other parts of Ontario from mid-2020 to mid-2021, up 14% from the previous 12-month period, according to Statistics Canada population estimates, with another 6,600 moving out of province.
13th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Australian Open crowds capped at 50% capacity due to COVID

Crowds at the main Australian Open tennis stadiums will be capped at 50% capacity under updated COVID-19 restrictions, organisers said on Thursday, as authorities battle a surge of cases in Melbourne. Face masks will also be mandatory for all patrons, except when eating or drinking, and there will be density limits of one person per two square metres at indoor hospitality venues. Tennis Australia (TA) said the 50% cap only applied for ticket sales at the Rod Laver Arena centre court and the second show court Margaret Court Arena.
13th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Students at New York City’s Largest High School Stage Walkout Over Covid Protocols

Students at Brooklyn Technical High School in New York City staged a walkout today in protest of the school’s in-person teaching mandates during the omicron-fuellde Covid surge. The walkout, which went viral on Twitter, happened at the largest in-person high school in the state. Brooklyn Tech had 6,043 students enrolled during the 2020-2021 school year.
12th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Omicron wave prompts media to rethink which data to report

For two years, coronavirus case counts and hospitalizations have been widely used barometers of the pandemic’s march across the world. But the omicron wave is making a mess of the usual statistics, forcing news organizations to rethink the way they report such figures. “It’s just a data disaster,” said Katherine Wu, staff writer who covers COVID-19 for The Atlantic magazine. The number of case counts soared over the holidays, an expected development given the emergence of a variant more transmissible than its predecessors. Yet these counts only reflect what is reported by health authorities. They do not include most people who test themselves at home, or are infected without even knowing about it. Holidays and weekends also lead to lags in reported cases.
12th Jan 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

5 reasons you should not deliberately catch Omicron to 'get it over with'

The idea of intentionally trying to catch Omicron is "all the rage," said Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with an exasperated sigh. "It's caught on like wildfire," agreed Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Havey Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "And it's widespread, coming from all types of people, the vaccinated and boosted and the anti-vaxxers," he added, with a warning. "You'd be crazy to try to get infected with this. It's like playing with dynamite." In case the thought had crossed your mind, here are five reasons why you should not purposely try to catch Omicron.
11th Jan 2022 - CNN

Vaccine hesitancy changes over time: Attitudes toward vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic

Worldwide, vaccine hesitancy is proving to be a stumbling block to securing much needed protection against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Now, researchers from Japan have uncovered specific factors that influence attitudes about vaccines, which is valuable knowledge for combating vaccine hesitancy. In a study published last month in Vaccines, researchers from the University of Tsukuba reported dramatic changes in vaccine acceptance over a five-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic. Detailed information about what causes these changes could help address low vaccine uptake in specific populations.
11th Jan 2022 - Medical Xpress

Anti-vax leader urges people to drink their urine instead of get vaccine in latest wild conspiracy

Some Anti-vaxxers will do anything to avoid taking the coronavirus vaccine, including, reportedly, drinking their own urine. The Daily Beast reports that a prominent figure in the anti-Covid-19 community, Christopher Key – who calls himself the "Vaccine Police" – is now telling his followers to drink their own urine in order to cure themselves of Covid-19.
11th Jan 2022 - The Independent

A million set to throng India's Ganges for holy dip despite COVID-19

Nearly one million Hindu worshippers are expected to gather on the banks of the Ganges river this Friday and Saturday for a holy bathe despite galloping COVID-19 infections across the country, an official told Reuters on Tuesday. India reported 168,063 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, a 20-fold rise in a month. Most infected people have recovered at home and the level of hospitalisations has been less than half of that seen during the last major wave of infections in April and May.
11th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Spain Calls for Debate to Consider Covid as Endemic, Like Flu

Spain is calling on Europe to debate the possibility that Covid-19 can now be treated as an endemic illness, setting a model to monitor its evolution akin to the one used for flu.
11th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Ikea Cuts Sick Pay for Unvaccinated Staff Ordered to Isolate

Ikea imposed a financial penalty on unvaccinated U.K. employees who miss work if they are ordered to self-isolate after coming into contact with someone with Covid-19. If these workers become ill with the virus themselves, however, they will still receive sick pay as normal, Ikea said in a statement to Bloomberg. The changes, which came into effect in September, mean that unvaccinated staff only receive statutory sick pay of 96.35 pounds ($131) a week during the 10-day isolation period -- which is much lower than average weekly wages before taxes.
10th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Pope backs COVID immunisation campaigns, warns of ideological misinformation

Pope Francis on Monday condemned "baseless" ideological misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, backing national immunisation campaigns and calling health care a moral obligation. Francis spoke in his yearly address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican, sometimes called his "State of the World" address because it is a broad survey of the global situation. His words to diplomats from nearly 200 countries marked the closest he has ever come to a de facto backing of vaccine mandates, which have become controversial in Italy and other European countries.
10th Jan 2022 - Reuters

French politician attacked by anti-COVID vaccine pass demonstrators

French politician Stephane Claireaux, who is a member of President Emmanuel Macron's ruling La Republique En Marche party, said on Monday that he had been attacked over the weekend by protesters demonstrating against France's COVID health pass. The attack on Claireaux, which occurred on Sunday, comes amid public anger in France after Macron said he wanted to "piss off" unvaccinated people by making their lives so complicated they would end up getting the COVID vaccine.
10th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Canada resists pressure to drop vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pushing ahead with a vaccine mandate for international truckers despite increasing pressure from critics who say it will exacerbate driver shortages and drive up the price of goods imported from the United States. Canada will require all truckers entering from the United States to show proof of vaccination starting on Saturday as part of its fight against COVID-19. That could force some 16,000, or 10%, of cross-border drivers off the roads, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) estimates. The government estimates 5% of drivers will be impacted, according to a government source.
10th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Royal Caribbean pauses some cruise operations due to Omicron concerns

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd has paused some of its cruise operations amid rising numbers of COVID-19 infections due to the Omicron variant. The sailings of three ships - Serenade of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas - have been paused while the return of its Vision of the Seas to cruising has been postponed to March 7, 2022, the cruise line said in a statement on Friday. "We regret having to cancel our guests' long-awaited vacations and appreciate their loyalty and understanding," the company adding that these measures have been implemented "in an abundance of caution."
10th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Citigroup to enforce 'no-jab, no-job' policy starting Jan. 14 - source

Citigroup Inc staff in the United States who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 14 will be placed on unpaid leave and fired at the end of the month unless they are granted an exemption, according to a company memo seen by Reuters on Friday. The U.S. bank announced its plan to impose new vaccination rules in October and now becomes the first major Wall Street institution to follow through with a strict vaccine mandate.
7th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Covid: Thousands protest in France against proposed new vaccine pass

French authorities say more than 105,000 people have taken part in protests across the country against the introduction of a new coronavirus pass. A new draft law would in effect ban unvaccinated people from public life. Demonstrators in the capital, Paris, held placards emblazoned with phrases like "no to vaccine passes". Interior Ministry officials said 34 people were arrested and some 10 police officers were injured after the protests turned violent in some places. The bill, which passed its first reading in the lower house of France's parliament on Thursday, would remove the option of showing a negative Covid-19 test to gain access to a host of public venues.
8th Jan 2022 - BBC News

Smash and shout: Dutch find new ways to vent COVID-19 frustrations

One swinging a sledgehammer and the other a crowbar, twin brothers Steven and Brian Krijger grin as they take turns pulverising a Peugeot 106 spray-painted with the words "F*** COVID". They are participants in "CarSmash", a Dutch project aimed at providing locked-down locals with ways of releasing anger and frustration built up during a pandemic now entering its third year. Dutch bars, restaurants and most stores have been closed since mid-December, when curbs took effect that the government - battling to contain record numbers of coronavirus cases - is not due to review until Jan. 14.
7th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Boris Johnson Calls Out U.K. Anti-Vaxxers 'Spouting Nonsense' Online

Boris Johnson slammed anti-vaxxers spreading “nonsense” about Covid-19 on the internet, a change in tone he said was driven by the “tragedy” that so many people admitted to U.K. hospitals are not vaccinated. “I want to say to the anti-vax campaigners, who are putting this mumbo jumbo on social media, they are completely wrong,” Johnson told reporters at a vaccination center in the East Midlands on Thursday. “And you haven’t heard me say that before, because I want a voluntary approach.” While the U.K. has one of the highest levels of vaccinations in Europe -- 60% have had a third booster dose -- a small and vocal minority has consistently campaigned against vaccination. Johnson said 30-40% of patients coming into hospital with Covid-19 haven’t had any vaccine doses.
7th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Novak Djokovic Denied Entry to Australia Over Vaccine Fight

The family of Novak Djokovic accused Australia of trying to deny the top world tennis star a record 10th Grand Slam victory there, and his country’s president denounced what he called a “political campaign” over Covid-19 protocols. Djokovic’s lawyers mounted a legal challenge against Australia’s decision to hold him at a hotel used for detaining refugees and expel him after federal officials overruled a state vaccine exemption for the tennis star that sparked a national uproar. Due to compete in the Australian Open this month, the Serbian player offered insufficient proof to enter the country under current pandemic rules, the Australian Border Force said Thursday. While he was earlier granted a medical exemption to enter the state of Victoria, the federal government revoked that after officials questioned the athlete for hours at Melbourne Airport.
6th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg

Dogs to visit 3 school districts to sniff out COVID-19

Two dogs trained to detect an odor distinct to people who are sick with COVID-19 will visit three school districts in Bristol County this week. A black Labrador named Huntah and a golden Lab called Duke can detect the smell of the virus on surfaces and will sit to indicate when they pick up the scent. The dogs will visit schools in the Freetown, Lakeville and Norton school districts, WBZ-TV reported Tuesday. “With COVID, whether it’s the omicron, whether it’s the delta, our dogs will hit on it,” said Bristol County Capt. Paul Douglas. “And if there’s a new variant that comes out in six months, hopefully there isn’t, but if there is one, COVID is COVID.” Fairhaven School Superintendent Tara Kohler welcomed the dogs saying their presence shows students, “we are doing everything we can to mitigate the risk and I want them to feel secure and safe and not anxious about their surroundings.”
5th Jan 2022 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Rio cancels Carnival street parades due to rising COVID-19 cases, Omicron threat

Rio de Janeiro has canceled street parades and parties during its world-famous Carnival for a second year due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and the threat from the arrival of the Omicron coronavirus variant, the city's mayor said on Tuesday. However, the spectacular parade by Rio's samba schools, which the public watches from the stands of the city's Marques de Sapucai Sambadrome, will go ahead, unlike last year, with health precautions to prevent spreading the virus, he said. Rio mayor Eduardo Paes announced after a meeting with health authorities that the city would call off the street events that draw hundreds of thousands of Carnival revelers each year.
5th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Bank of America to staff: Get a booster, we'll give a food bank $100

Bank of America Corp told workers on Wednesday it will donate $100 to local food banks for every one of its employees who gets a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot and notifies the bank before Jan. 31, according to a memo seen by Reuters. It is a new spin on the $100 financial incentives that some cities and states offered newly vaccinated residents, and comes as companies look for ways to protect staff and ultimately return to work in offices. Bank of America, the United States' second-largest bank, said it would donate up to $10 million for workers who get booster shots this month or who have already gotten the shot if they register that information with the bank.
5th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Australia to push ahead with reopening amid record COVID-19 cases

Australia's government said the milder impact of the Omicron strain of COVID-19 meant the country could push ahead with plans to reopen the economy even as new infections hit a record of more than 37,000 and the number of people hospitalised rose. Record daily case numbers were reported on Monday in the states of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, as well as the Australian Capital Territory. In New South Wales, there were 20,794 cases, higher than Sunday's figure but below the daily record of 22,577 set on Saturday, with testing numbers lower over the New Year's holiday weekend.
4th Jan 2022 - Reuters

Texas Sues U.S. to Block Vaccine Requirement for National Guard

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sued the Biden administration Tuesday, seeking to halt a requirement that National Guard members be vaccinated against Covid-19. Earlier in the day, Mr. Abbott sent a letter to the Texas Military Department, ordering it not to force Texas Guardsmen to receive vaccines. “Unless President Biden federalizes the Texas National Guard…he is not your commander-in-chief,” the letter said. “I will not tolerate efforts to compel receipt of a Covid-19 vaccine.” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III ordered in August that all service members be vaccinated for Covid-19, saying that healthy forces are necessary for a national defense.
4th Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jan 2022

    View this newsletter in full

Omicron Surge Stymies Public-Transit Systems

Public-transit services in New York and other cities are being interrupted, as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 continues to drive staffing shortages. Service on several New York City subway and bus lines was partially suspended Monday. An MTA spokesman said hundreds of employees have been out sick in recent days. He declined to give an exact number or say how many workers have tested positive for Covid-19, adding that the agency doesn’t track specific illnesses. MTA ridership is down about 50% compared with pre-pandemic levels, New York City Transit Interim President Craig Cipriano said. The MTA is currently running over 90% of the buses and trains it typically operates, he said. Mr. Cipriano said that the MTA has contingency plans that outline service tweaks in case of staff shortages on any given day.
3rd Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Omicron-related disruptions cause over 4000 flight cancellations to kick off 2022

Over 4,000 flights were cancelled around the world on Sunday, more than half of them U.S. flights, adding to the toll of holiday week travel disruptions due to adverse weather and the surge in coronavirus cases caused by the Omicron variant. The flights cancelled by 8 pm GMT on Sunday included over 2,400 entering, departing from or within the United States, according to tracking website FlightAware.com. Globally, more than 11,200 flights were delayed. Among the airlines with most cancellations were SkyWest and SouthWest, with 510 and 419 cancellations respectively, FlightAware showed.
3rd Jan 2022 - Reuters

Brazil health agency warns against boarding cruise ships amid COVID-19 outbreaks

Brazilian health agency Anvisa on Sunday warned passengers against boarding cruise ships operating along the Brazilian coast after outbreaks of COVID-19 affecting crew and customers, according to a statement on its website. The move follows a call for the "immediate temporary interruption of the cruise ship season in Brazil" as they pose a risk to public health. "In view of recent events, Anvisa does not recommend the embarkation of passengers who have trips scheduled on cruise ships for the next few days," the statement said.
3rd Jan 2022 - Reuters

Dutch police disperse thousands protesting against lockdown measures

Riot police with batons and shields broke up a crowd of several thousand who had gathered in Amsterdam on Sunday to protest against COVID-19 lockdown measures and vaccinations. Public gatherings of more than two people are prohibited under restrictions imposed by the Netherlands in an effort to prevent the Omicron variant of the coronavirus overwhelming an already strained healthcare system. At least 30 people were detained after scuffles, during which four officers were injured, police said in a statement. Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema had issued an emergency ordinance, empowering police to clear the central Museum Square, after the protesters defied a ban on public gatherings.
2nd Jan 2022 - Reuters

Kuwait encourages citizens to leave UK on Omicron fears

The Kuwaiti embassy in the United Kingdom has encouraged its citizens to leave the country due to a "significant and unprecedented" increase in Omicron cases there, the Gulf country's state news agency reported on Sunday. The daily number of new COVID-19 infections across Britain rose to a record 189,846 on Friday, far higher than during previous peaks.
2nd Jan 2022 - Reuters

New Year celebrations muted by Omicron, but South Africa ...

The Australian city of Sydney was one place where the New Year charged in with something like full swagger, as spectacular fireworks glittered in the harbour above the Opera House. But many other landmark cities were forgoing pyrotechnics as midnight rolled across the globe, with displays called off at Paris's Arc de Triomphe, London's riverside and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The glittering ball is still due to drop at New York's Times Square, but the crowd shouting out the countdown of the year's exit is set to be a quarter the usual size - masked up, socially distanced, and with vaccine proof in hand. Still, South Africa, which first raised the alarm about the new fast-spreading coronavirus variant, gave the world one of the last big good surprises of the year, becoming the first country to declare its Omicron wave had crested - and with no huge surge in deaths. The abrupt lifting
1st Jan 2022 - Thomson Reuters Foundation

UK honours COVID scientists and medics, Bond actor Daniel Craig

Britain recognised the scientists and medical chiefs at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19 in Queen Elizabeth’s annual New Year’s honours list, while James Bond actor Daniel Craig was given the same award as his famous onscreen character.
31st Dec 2021 - Reuters UK

COVID-19: Police appeal for information after dozens of anti-vaxxers protest at testing site

Police have appealed for information after an anti-vaccine demonstration took place at a COVID testing centre in Milton Keynes. Footage from the protest showed a woman appearing to pick up medical equipment and papers from the site and then dumping them in a nearby bin. Another demonstrator allegedly knocked down a sign, and another man apparently threw a couple of traffic cones. Dozens of people were seen in the video, including some who were holding anti-vaccine placards and shouting anti-vaccine slogans. Police said that "where criminal offences have been disclosed, we will take swift action and bring offenders to justice".
30th Dec 2021 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

CDC Investigating 86 Cruise Ships With Covid-19 Cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating or monitoring 86 cruise ships with reported Covid-19 cases on board, according to a list posted on its website Tuesday, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant spreads around the world. The CDC investigates a ship if there are one or more reported Covid-19 cases among the crew or if cases reported account for at least 0.10% of total passengers in the past seven days. For a ship with 6,500 passengers, that would mean seven cases would trigger an investigation. As part of the investigation, the CDC works with the cruise ship to lower transmission and ensure medical resources on board aren’t overwhelmed, according to the agency. It also gathers additional information such as case exposure histories, vaccination rates and details about close contacts.
29th Dec 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Dutch Travel to Germany, Belgium to Avoid Lockdown

A new lockdown in the Netherlands has had an unexpected consequence: packed roads and shopping streets in neighboring Belgium and Germany. Faced with the spread of the omicron variant across Europe, the Dutch government introduced new restrictions on social contact on Dec. 19, closing non-essential stores and shuttering hospitality businesses at 5 p.m. But some Dutch people haven’t stopped shopping and celebrating. Instead, they simply moved these activities to countries where stores, restaurants and bars remain open.
26th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

United, Delta cancel more than 200 U.S. Christmas Eve flights amid COVID surge

United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have canceled hundreds of Christmas Eve flights, as the spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant takes a toll on its flight crews and other workers. Chicago-based United on Thursday canceled 120 flights for Friday, while Atlanta-based Delta said it had canceled about 90. Both said they were working to contact passengers so they would not be stranded at airports. FlightAware on Friday said United has now canceled 169 flights on Christmas Eve and Delta has canceled 127, along with another 50 canceled flights for United on Christmas and 89 for Delta.
24th Dec 2021 - Reuters on MSN.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Despite consumption hit, China to stand fast on tough COVID-19 curbs

China's strict COVID-19 policy is weighing on consumption and rattling foreign firms, but its effectiveness and the imperative to maintain stability heading into a sensitive year mean Beijing will stick to its approach, experts say. China has reported just two COVID-19 fatality this year, retaining a tough line even as many other countries ease restrictions, imposing targeted shutdowns and travel curbs even when they disrupted local economies. Avoiding major outbreaks is especially critical in a year when Beijing hosts both the Winter Olympic Games and the once-every-five-years Communist Party Congress, where President Xi Jinping is expected to clinch a third term as party secretary.
22nd Dec 2021 - Reuters

Is It Safe to Fly Right Now? Omicron May Double Infection Risk on Planes: IATA

Aircraft passengers are twice or even three times more likely to catch Covid-19 during a flight since the emergence of the omicron variant, according to the top medical adviser to the world’s airlines. The new strain is highly transmissible and has become dominant in a matter of weeks, accounting for more than 70% of all new cases in the U.S. alone. While hospital-grade air filters on modern passenger jets make the risk of infection much lower on planes than in crowded places on the ground such as shopping malls, omicron is rapidly spreading just as more travelers take to the skies for year-end holidays and family reunions.
22nd Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

Singapore to freeze new ticket sales for quarantine-free arrivals

Singapore will freeze the sale of tickets for arriving flights and buses under its quarantine-free travel programme for four weeks from Thursday, the government said, citing the risk from the fast-spreading Omicron COVID-19 variant. Under the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) programme, Singapore allows quarantine-free entry for fully vaccinated travellers arriving from certain countries on designated flights or buses. The travellers have to undergo regular testing. About two dozen countries are listed in the programme including Australia, India, Malaysia, Britain and the United States.
22nd Dec 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Scotland cancels public New Year events as new COVID curbs announced

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday said public New Year's Eve celebrations in Scotland would be cancelled as she set out plans for post-Christmas restrictions on large scale events to try to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. Britain has reported record levels of COVID-19 cases over the past week, with officials and ministers warning that hospitalisations are also rising. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, under pressure from many in his own party not to introduce further curbs, held off announcing new restrictions for England following a cabinet meeting on Monday but said they may yet be needed
21st Dec 2021 - Reuters

Belgian researchers warn against holiday reliance on COVID antigen tests

Belgian researchers on Tuesday issued a pre-holiday warning against over-reliance on COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, saying they believed the breath of people infected with the disease had high levels of virus in the first two days after an infection -- a period when many antigen tests were negative. The organizations involved said they were communicating their findings in advance of a peer-reviewed publication in the interests of public health, as many families may be planning to use antigen tests as a way of screening for illness before family gatherings. "A negative rapid antigen test just before a meeting offers no guarantee to protect others, in particular when the person tested has recently been exposed to the virus," said Emmanuel Andre, a microbiologist at KU Leuven, which conducted the research together with UZ Leuven, a university hospital, and IMEC, a microelectronics think-tank.
21st Dec 2021 - Reuters

Israel Bets Travel Restrictions Will Buy It Time to Fight Omicron

As the Omicron variant spreads quickly across the world, Israel has leaned more heavily than other countries on shutting down its borders to international travel, wagering it would slow down a coming wave of infections and buy time to prepare. So far, Israel has closed its borders to foreigners and has also banned its residents from traveling to dozens of countries, including the U.S. and Canada, the U.K., much of Europe and most of Africa. “Our sole aim is to delay this massive local transmission,” Prof. Ran Balicer, a senior adviser to the government on the pandemic, said Monday while explaining the travel restrictions to journalists in a briefing organized by the Europe Israel Press Association.
21st Dec 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

NFL could become trend-setter for COVID-19 testing policies

The NFL’s decision to reduce COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic, vaccinated players could signal a trend for pro sports leagues and provide an example for society to follow heading into 2022. Despite a rising number of positive cases that forced three games to be rescheduled over the weekend, the NFL, in cooperation with the players’ union, agreed on Saturday to scale back testing for vaccinated players. The move aligns with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends “diagnostic testing” only for symptomatic or close-contact vaccinated people, and “screening tests” only for unvaccinated people. The NFL previously required vaccinated players to get tested weekly before amending the protocols. The NFLPA had advocated for daily testing for vaccinated players but eventually agreed to “target” testing.
21st Dec 2021 - The Associated Press

Edinburgh’s New Year Celebrations Scrapped After Omicron Surge

Edinburgh’s famous Hogmanay street celebrations at New Year were canceled again after a surge in cases of the omicron variant in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said. The government will also limit the number of fans at soccer matches to 500 from Dec. 26 for three weeks. More money will also be made available to support businesses after an increase in funding from the U.K. Treasury, albeit falling short of what Scotland would like to spend, she said. The omicron variant of Covid-19 is currently ripping through the country and is more transmissible than previous strains. The priority is to deliver all booster vaccinations for adults and ensure that schools can reopen as normal after the winter break, Sturgeon said.
21st Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

Romanian crowd tries to storm parliament in protest at COVID-19 pass

Romanian protesters tried to force their way into parliament on Tuesday, blocking traffic and vandalising some cars in the capital Bucharest in an attempt to prevent lawmakers from making a COVID-19 health pass mandatory for workers. Riot police were caught off guard when hundreds of protesters poured in through a yard gate, spray painting cars and forcing security staff to block the building's entryways. The protesters later left. Police did not use force. While the ruling coalition of centrists and leftists is currently negotiating the terms of a health pass mandate, no such bill is on parliament's legislative agenda at the moment.
21st Dec 2021 - Reuters

The Guardian view on Boris Johnson’s Covid plan: decided by Tory rebels

Mr Johnson’s behaviour, and the suggestion that he is beholden to no one, has provoked a crisis of government. Caught between the spread of a highly infectious Omicron variant and a Tory revolt, the prime minister dithered and delayed. His own scientific advisers say that there are likely to be between 1,000 and 2,000 Covid hospital admissions a day in England by the end of the year. The case for more Covid restrictions, they say, is overwhelming. Yet cabinet ministers dismiss the modelling – signalling to backbench rebels that they are with them. Others are perhaps afraid of being blamed for cancelling Christmas when people begin travelling around the country. Mr Johnson calculated that he was too weak in office to risk a Commons showdown with his party over new restrictions. Policy is being decided by Tory MPs, many of whom have no plan beyond “let Omicron rip”.
21st Dec 2021 - The Guardian

WHO urges people to consider canceling holiday plans amid omicron surge

World Health Organization Director-General is urging people across the globe to consider cancelling their holiday gatherings. “There can be no doubt that increased social mixing over the holiday period in many countries will lead to increased cases, overwhelmed health systems and more deaths,” Tedros said. White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci on Tuesday reiterated his claim that vaccinated Americans can feel comfortable communing with other vaccinated individuals.
21st Dec 2021 - The Hill

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Israel to add US, Canada to travel ban over omicron variant

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office announced the decision following a Cabinet vote. The rare move to red-list the U.S. comes amid rising coronavirus infections in Israel and marks a change to pandemic practices between the two nations with close diplomatic relations. The U.S. will join a growing list of European countries and other destinations to which Israelis are barred from traveling, and from which returning travelers must remain in quarantine.
20th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press on MSN.com

Death of child with Covid-19 prompts calls for Māori to be prioritised in NZ vaccine rollout

The first death of a child with Covid-19 in New Zealand has prompted calls for Māori children to be prioritised in the next stage of the vaccine rollout, as the country grapples with racial inequalities compounded by the pandemic. A Māori boy, under the age of 10 and who had tested positive for the virus, died last week, becoming the youngest New Zealander to die with Covid, the Ministry of Health confirmed. It is unclear whether Covid-19 was the cause of the boy’s death, as New Zealand records all deaths of people considered active Covid cases in its official count. It is the country’s 49th death of a Covid-positive person since the start of the pandemic. Māori make up an estimated 17.1% of the population but they have accounted for 32% of all Covid-19 related deaths.
20th Dec 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

CNN closes U.S. offices to most workers as COVID-19 cases spike - memo

CNN is closing its offices in the United States to all nonessential employees as COVID-19 cases increase, the network said on Saturday in an internal memo to staff seen by Reuters. CNN, part of AT&T Inc's WarnerMedia division, will close its offices to all employees who do not have work in the office, the memo said. "We are doing this out of an abundance of caution," CNN President Jeff Zucker said in the memo. "And it will also protect those who will be in the office by minimizing the number of people who are there."
19th Dec 2021 - Reuters

London Mayor Declares ‘Major Incident’ as Omicron Cases Surge

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has declared a “major incident” due to a rapid spread of the omicron variant across the U.K. capital, according to a statement. A major incident refers to an event or situation with a range of serious consequences which requires special arrangements to be implemented by one or more emergency responder agencies. It is “beyond the scope of business-as-usual operations, and is likely to involve serious harm, damage, disruption or risk to human life or welfare, essential services, the environment or national security,” the government said.
18th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 Cancels Christmas Around Europe…Again

As Omicron variant spreads, mounting restrictions dash hopes of return to normal this festive season; France to place restrictions on tourists from U.K. From Spanish holidays to Greek celebrations to German circus performances, the Covid-19 pandemic has derailed plans and upended Christmas traditions across Europe for a second year in a row. After a surge in cases this fall dashed hopes of a normal festive season this year, authorities on the continent have tightened restrictions to avoid overwhelming hospitals. Expectations that the highly transmissible Omicron variant will soon take hold are further adding to the fears.
16th Dec 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Army says nearly 98% got the COVID-19 vaccine by deadline

Nearly 98% of the active duty Army had gotten at least one dose of the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine as of this week's deadline for the shots, but more than 3,800 soldiers flatly refused and could start being removed from the military next month, officials said Thursday. The U.S. military's largest service, however, reported the lowest number of service members seeking a religious exemption — a bit more than 1,700 soldiers — compared with the other three smaller services. In comparison, there are more than 4,700 in the Air Force 3,000 in the Marine Corps and 2,700 in the Navy who are requesting religious exemptions, according to data released by the services in the past week. None has yet been approved.
16th Dec 2021 - The Independent

Queen Elizabeth cancels pre-Christmas lunch as COVID cases soar

Queen Elizabeth has cancelled a pre-Christmas lunch with her family as a precaution while cases of COVID-19 soar in Britain, a Buckingham Palace source said. "The decision is a precautionary one as it is felt to put too many people's Christmas arrangements at risk if it went ahead. "While there is regret that it is cancelled, there is a belief it is the right thing to do for all."
16th Dec 2021 - Reuters

EU leaders struggle to find common ground on COVID travel rules

Divisions within the European Union have deepened over travel rules to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, after Italy and Greece followed Portugal and Ireland in announcing additional curbs on travellers from other EU states. The EU's 27 member states have been debating for weeks how to coordinate travel policy, with the aim of containing the virus without disproportionately disrupting travel within the border-free European Schengen area.
16th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Thousands protest COVID-19 rules as New Zealand marks 90% vaccine rates

Thousands marched in New Zealand's capital Wellington on Thursday to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and lockdowns, as the country reached the 90% fully vaccinated milestone. New Zealand's tough lockdown and vaccination drives have helped keep coronavirus infections and related deaths low, but it has also drawn criticism from some calling for more freedoms and an end to mandatory vaccine requirements. The government has mandated vaccinations for teachers, workers in the health and disability sectors, police and other public service sectors.
16th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Vaccine skeptics in Eastern Europe having change of heart

Some former vaccine skeptics in Eastern Europe have shifted over to the other side as coronavirus infections surge, countries are making it more difficult for the unvaccinated to travel abroad and authorities battle against government distrust and vaccine disinformation. When she rolled up her sleeve in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo to take her first COVID-19 vaccine dose, Fata Keco was afraid of possible adverse side effects. But she said the worst she had to contend with over the next few days was “moderately discomforting pain” in her left arm around the site of the injection. More significantly, the 52-year-old self-employed cleaning woman has joined the global community of vaccine-believers after months of “being very susceptible” to what she now describes as “the most ridiculous theories.”
16th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

German police foil 'anti-vaxxer murder plot' against state premier

German police have foiled a plot by anti-vaccination activists to murder the state premier of Saxony in eastern Germany, they said on Wednesday, as concerns grow over an increasingly violent pushback against COVID-19 vaccination plans. The plot to kill Michael Kretschmer is the latest in a series of incidents that underscore the anger of some Germans over restrictions on the unvaccinated and plans to make vaccinations compulsory for the general population. Saxony has one of Germany's highest levels of COVID-19 infection but also its lowest vaccination rate. It is a stronghold of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which harbours many vaccine sceptics and anti-lockdown protesters.
15th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Shortage of vaccinated nannies adds fuel to US childcare crisis

As if working parents didn’t have it hard enough during the pandemic, now a shortage of vaccinated nannies, babysitters and day-care workers is making the seemingly impossible quest to find child care even harder. Almost every parent who comes to Tiny Treasures Nanny Agency, which makes nationwide placements, are seeking vaccinated providers. Yet, just 60% of the nannies looking to get work through the company have gotten the shots, according to founder Ruka Curate. The mismatch is creating a feeding frenzy for fully vaccinated, qualified nannies, driving hourly rates to eye-poppingly high levels. Six-figure jobs that two years ago would have been filled in a day are now met with resistance from inoculated child-care workers who realize they can ask for more money, Curate said.
15th Dec 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Covid vaccinations: 'We desperately need volunteers'

With the government announcing all over-18s are to be offered their booster jabs by the end of the year, vaccination centres are in dire need of more volunteers. The BBC spoke to some of those helping out at one centre in Essex. At the vaccination centre at Maldon District Council's offices, volunteers are helping marshal queues and vaccinate the thousands of people who turn up every week. Across Mid and South Essex, 7,500 jabs are administered every day - but that that needs to reach 22,000 by the end of December if every person eligible for a booster vaccine comes forward.
15th Dec 2021 - BBC News

SQREEM’s New AI-powered Study Examines Motivations Surrounding COVID-19 Vaccine Resistance in the US

Leveraging proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) built to understand online human behavior in a completely anonymous way, SQREEM Technologies ′ recent U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Study provides a striking insight into the attitudes and motivations of anti-vaxxers and the vaccine-hesitant. The study utilizes anonymized digital engagement scores as the main metric to understand audience relevance to topics/aspects surrounding COVID-19 vaccination. In the study, ‘anti-vaxxers’ are audiences that do not agree with the COVID-19 vaccine and its use, while ‘vaccine-hesitant’ are audiences that are reluctant to use the COVID-19 vaccine despite its availability. For both groups, digital engagement scores with values greater than 5 signify awareness, while values greater than 10 signify a strong engagement with the topic.
15th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

When Two Nations Are Divided by a Common Pandemic

Covid is possibly even more political in the U.S. than it is in the U.K., and the federal system allows for far greater differences in response between states. But Covid fatigue is universal and a political tripwire at this point. So is the U.K. right to regard omicron as such a serious danger? Let’s look at the evidence from South Africa, where the variant was first identified and provides the most data. Capital Economics Ltd. of London has produced these excellent charts.
15th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

U.S. Air Force removes 27 service members for refusing COVID-19 vaccine

The U.S. Air Force on Monday said 27 service members had been discharged for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, the first active-duty troops believed to have been removed for declining the vaccine. The Pentagon made the vaccine mandatory for all service members in August and the vast majority of active-duty troops have received at least one dose. Ann Stefanek, a spokeswoman for the Air Force, said the troops were given a chance to explain why they had refused to get vaccinated, but none of them were given exemptions.
14th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

U.S. Supreme Court rejects religious challenge to New York vaccine mandate

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected challenges brought by a group of Christian doctors and nurses and an organization that promotes vaccine skepticism to New York's refusal to allow religious exemptions to the state's mandate that healthcare workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. Acting in two cases, the justices denied emergency requests for an injunction requiring the state to permit religious exemptions while litigation over the mandate's legality continues in lower courts. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have granted the injunction.
14th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Thousands protest in Prague against COVID vaccine mandate

Several thousand people marched through the Czech capital on Sunday, protesting a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for certain groups including people age 60 and over. The participants didn’t wear face coverings or follow social distancing rules despite a request by police to do so. One person was detained. The protesters, chanting “Freedom!” alleged their constitutional rights are being violated. They said they weren’t against voluntary vaccination but opposed a vaccine mandate. The outgoing government released an order this week, making vaccination mandatory for the 60 and over age group, as well as medical personnel, police officers, firefighters and medical students.
13th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Preparing for Omicron as a covid veteran

Now I’m disillusioned. I’ve seen how our medical trends with how to treat covid-19 can change by the hour, with self-declared experts always ready to criticise decisions and cherry pick evidence to follow. I’ve watched how systematically hospital systems continue to prioritise efficiency, rankings, and profits over patient centred care. I’ve learnt that I am nothing but one of millions of healthcare workers expected to come to work every day based solely on my own goodwill. The calls for the protection of healthcare workers with life insurance, disability insurance, and student debt forgiveness have been forgotten just as quickly as they were proposed. Lacking these investments in my personhood, it’s hard to feel like more than another faceless number in the system. My patients are now jaded too, as politics has entered their hospital bed. Some ask for ivermectin and refuse to have conversations about quarantine for family members they have exposed to the virus. They “other” me, seeing me as part of the healthcare system that mocks the political right, rather than as another human being at their bedside feeling just as vulnerable as they are to the pandemic. My vaccinated patients remind me of their status over and over again, as if trying to clue me in to give them preferential treatment or empathy for having a breakthrough infection. I empathise with both my patients who are vaccinated and unvaccinated, but I still leave each room feeling a sense of defeat, powerlessness, and anger that the pandemic persists.
11th Dec 2021 - The BMJ

London's Heathrow says business travellers cancelling over Omicron

London's Heathrow Airport said it was seeing high levels of business travellers cancelling over concerns they could be trapped overseas by travel restrictions triggered by the new Omicron variant of coronavirus. The airport said demand in November was down 60% on pre-pandemic levels, despite the United States reopening to transatlantic travel earlier in the month. The figures released on Friday show that the start of a gradual recovery seen in October, when demand was down 56%, had petered out. Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye called on the British government to reduce restrictions as soon as it was safe to do so, including allowing UK nationals arriving from red list countries to isolate at home.
11th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Vaccinated, maskless crowds enjoy Christmas markets in Budapest

Traditional Christmas markets have opened in Budapest's main squares only for people vaccinated against COVID-19, but have drawn many tourists and locals alike even as central Europe battles a renewed surge of the coronavirus. There were no festive outdoor markets in Budapest a year ago as Hungary was in complete lockdown against the virus, before any vaccines were available. "It's great to have the market back. It was very depressing when I visited the square last year - it was decorated but there were no people," said Adrienn, bundled up in a black fur coat against the subzero cold in front of the Hungarian capital's neo-classical St. Stephen's Basilica.
11th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Ukraine spa town stands out amid nation’s vaccine hesitancy

A small spa town in western Ukraine is standing out in a European country where only 29% of the people have received COVID-19 vaccine shots, and locals credit their community spirit for fending off the worst of the pandemic. In Morshyn, a scenic town nestled at the Carpathian foothills in the Lviv region, 74% of its 3,439 residents had been fully vaccinated as of late November. While Ukrainian authorities have imposed new restrictions amid a surge of infections and deaths blamed on a slow pace of vaccination and designated the region around Morshyn as a “red zone” where most public places have been shut down, the wellness centers in Morshyn have remained fully open.
9th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press

Coronavirus: Vaccine refused by more than 230 Hertfordshire hospital workers

More than 230 hospital workers in parts of Hertfordshire have refused to have a Covid-19 vaccination, NHS bosses said. Last month the government announced proposals that health workers undertaking any CQC-regulated activity should be fully vaccinated by April. A meeting of the West Herts Hospitals Trust board identified 239 staff who had so far refused the vaccination and the status of 132 staff was "unknown". The trust said 91% of its staff had been vaccinated. The report presented to the board said senior leaders and clinicians would play a role in proactively encouraging staff to take the vaccine, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
9th Dec 2021 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Maine activates National Guard amid hospital bed shortage

Maine's governor activated as many as 75 members of the Maine National Guard on Wednesday to help expand capacity at health care facilities. The state is dealing with a surge in COVID-19 that has challenged its hospitals. A record of 379 people were hospitalized Wednesday with the virus. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said the guard members will be used in non-clinical support roles. That will include supporting nursing facilities and helping to administer monoclonal antibodies to prevent serious illness from the virus and keep patients out of critical care, Mills said. Mills and other state officials said those steps will free up hospital beds. The announcement came as the state's largest hospital, Maine Medical Center, said it has postponed about 50% of surgeries because of the burden of COVID-19 on the facility.
8th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press on MSN.com

Unvaccinated parents highly unlikely to OK COVID vaccine for their kids

A research letter yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics shows that 25.6% of a sample of US parents responding to an online survey said they were hesitant to vaccinate themselves against COVID-19, and these parents were highly unlikely to approve of COVID vaccination for their children—by a wide margin. In the ongoing CHASING COVID nationwide cohort study, City University of New York researchers analyzed responses from the June 2021 survey of 1,162 parents of 1,651 children 2 to 17 years old. Willingness to have their children vaccinated varied from 8.3% to 13.9% in vaccine-hesitant parents, depending on the age of the child, compared with 64.9% to 86.4% among parents who had already gotten the COVID vaccine or were willing to receive it.
7th Dec 2021 - CIDRAP

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

As many as 6 million eligible Britons may not have had a Covid jab. Who are they?

The Omicron variant has refocused attention on vaccination rates as data shows disparities in uptake across age, region and ethnicity. Hundreds of cases of the new Omicron Covid-19 variant have now been confirmed in the UK and experts have called for a renewed focus on vaccination rates.
7th Dec 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Some Covid-19 policies fuel violence against women and girls

The emergence of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 with its many mutations has rightly sparked global concern. Another Covid-related issue that should also spark concern, but continues to fly under the radar, is the endemic violence directed toward women and girls around the world that has been heightened by responses to the pandemic. On a recent visit to a tribal village in South India, I met with children, elders, and teachers, who told me how their lives have been affected by Covid-19. The implementation of crucial, but often blunt, public health measures such as stay-at-home policies and the disruption of key services like schools and health facilities have significantly eroded social well-being, isolation, income, and educational attainment. They have also increased violence against many women and girls.
6th Dec 2021 - STAT

Canadian employers, facing labor shortage, accommodate the unvaccinated

Canada's tight labor market is forcing many companies to offer regular COVID-19 testing over vaccine mandates, while others are reversing previously announced inoculation requirements even as Omicron variant cases rise. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government adopted one of the strictest inoculation policies in the world for civil servants and has already put more than 1,000 workers on unpaid leave, with thousands more at risk.
6th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Anti-lockdown protesters hit with water cannons and tear gas in Belgium

Belgium became the latest European country to see disorder linked to reimposed Covid-19 restrictions on Sunday. Police deployed water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters in Brussels rallying against new measures designed to slow the winter wave. The government announced new rules for the third Friday in a row last week in a bad to dampen infections and take pressure of the struggling health system. Thousands chanted ‘freedom, freedom’ while others carried anti-vax placards as the crowd headed towards the headquarters of the European Union.
6th Dec 2021 - Metro

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Omicron Sounds Death Knell for Globalization 2.0

On top of an intensifying cold war between the U.S. and China and other seismic changes, the rapid spread of Covid-19’s newest variant could finish off our most recent phase of global integration.
5th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

Covid Vaccines in Italy: New Rules Target Anti-Vax Supporters, Protests

Italy, which has one of Europe’s highest vaccination rates, is further cracking down on the small minority that has so far refused the shot. As of Monday, a green pass -- which is proof of vaccination, recovery or a recent negative test -- will be required for buses, metro, local trains and hotels. It’s already compulsory for working, long-distance travel and most indoor venues. A new “reinforced” green pass, which can be obtained only with the vaccine or after recovering from Covid, will be required for many leisure activities, including eating inside restaurants, and going to theaters, cinemas, sporting and other public events.
5th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

German COVID-19 rules put off shoppers, says retailer group

The tighter restrictions Germany has introduced to try to limit the spread of COVID-19 are putting people off from shopping in the usually busy run-up to Christmas, the country's association of retailers (HDE) said on Sunday. The HDE said sales in bricks-and-mortar non-food retail were down an average of 26% in the last week compared to the pre-crisis year of 2019, according to a survey of some 1,600 firms. Clothing retailers were particularly hard hit, with sales down 35% on the pre-crisis level.
5th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Hundreds march against COVID-19 restrictions in Belgium

Belgian police used water cannon and tear gas Sunday to disperse some rowdy protesters in Brussels after most demonstrators marched peacefully to protest tightened COVID-19 restrictions that aim to counter a surge of coronavirus infections. Thousands came to reject the new measures announced Friday, the third week in a row that the government has tightened its rules as an avalanche of new cases strains the country’s health services, depriving people with other life-threatening diseases of treatment.
5th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press on MSN.com

Germany: incoming minister advises against Christmas travel

Germany’s incoming transport minister is advising people against traveling over Christmas as the country tries to stem a wave of coronavirus infections. Federal and state leaders on Thursday announced tough new restrictions that largely target unvaccinated people, preventing them from entering nonessential stores, restaurants, sports and cultural venues. In a longer-term move, parliament will consider a general vaccine mandate. Volker Wissing, whose pro-business party has designated him as transport minister in the incoming government, told Sunday’s edition of the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that “in the current situation, it seems more sensible to spend Christmas in a small group at home and not to plan big trips across the country.” “Winter 2021 will be more dramatic than winter 2020,” he added.
5th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press

We Have to Live With Covid. Here's How We Get Our Lives Back

Two years into the pandemic, the emergence of yet another Covid-19 variant has brought home the fact that the virus is here to stay. That means the world will need to find long-term strategies to co-exist with delta, omicron and the strains to come. As governments reopen at varying paces, there are things individuals and companies can do to navigate a careful return to some kind of normalcy. Simple but permanent changes in how people live and work can limit the risks. “So far, the governments have been responsible for people’s behavior but I don’t think they will intervene so much anymore, and it’s becoming individual choice,” said Benjamin Cowling, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong.
5th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

More than 40000 march in Vienna against coronavirus lockdown

More than 40,000 people marched through Vienna on Saturday to protest against a lockdown and plans to make vaccinations compulsory to curb the coronavirus pandemic. Faced with a surge in infections, the government last month made Austria the first country in Western Europe to reimpose a lockdown and said it would make vaccinations mandatory from February. People carried signs saying: "I will decide for myself", "Make Austria Great Again", and "New Elections" - a nod to the political turmoil that has seen three chancellors within two months - as crowds gathered.
5th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Two hippos in Belgian zoo test positive for COVID-19

Two hippos have tested positive for COVID-19 at Antwerp Zoo in Belgium in what could be the first reported cases in the species, zoo staff said. Hippos Imani, aged 14, and 41-year-old Hermien have no symptoms apart from a runny nose, but the zoo said the pair had been put into quarantine as a precaution. "To my knowledge, this is the first time in this species. Worldwide, this virus has been reported mainly in great apes and felines," said the zoo's vet, Francis Vercammen.
5th Dec 2021 - Reuters

Brazil's Rio cancels New Year celebration as pandemic continues

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro canceled New Year's Eve celebrations after Brazil confirmed the first known cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Latin America’s biggest country. Eduardo Paes tweeted on Saturday that he would follow the recommendations of Rio de Janeiro state to cancel the celebrations, despite the city's own view to the contrary. "We respect science," Paes tweeted, saying there are dissenting opinions between scientific committees in the city and the state, but he would rather stick with the most restrictive one. "The city's committee says it can go ahead and the state's says no. So it can't take place. Let's cancel the official New Year's Eve celebration in Rio," the tweet said.
4th Dec 2021 - Reuters

U.K. to Require Pre-Arrival Covid Tests for All Travellers

The U.K. will require all travelers to take a pre-flight Covid-19 test within 48 hours prior to their flight regardless of their vaccine status, a surprise government move that prompted a swift and angry reaction from the airline industry. The measure, which takes effect on Dec. 7, will be temporary and be reviewed as the omicron outbreak develops, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. More than 150 people across the U.K. have been identified with the new variant.
4th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

Covid Outbreak on Cruise Ship Approaching New Orleans

Ten people aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship approaching New Orleans have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Saturday night. The Norwegian Breakaway had departed New Orleans on Nov. 28 and is due to return this weekend, the Louisiana Department of Health said in a news release. Over the past week, the ship made stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico. More than 3,200 people are on board the ship, officials said. According to the statement, Norwegian “has been adhering to appropriate quarantine and isolation protocols as new cases and exposures have been identified aboard this vessel.”
4th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg

Opinion | Vaccine Hesitancy Is About Trust and Class

First, people are unlikely to trust institutions that do little for them. And second, public health is no longer viewed as a collective endeavor, based on the principle of social solidarity and mutual obligation. People are conditioned to believe they’re on their own and responsible only for themselves. That means an important source of vaccine hesitancy is the erosion of the idea of a common good.
3rd Dec 2021 - The New York Times

Auckland reopens as New Zealand tries new virus approach

Bars, restaurants and gyms reopened in Auckland on Friday as the last major parts of a lockdown that lasted more than 100 days ended. New Zealand has begun a new phase in its coronavirus response in which there won’t be lockdowns but people will be required to be fully vaccinated — and prove it with vaccine passes — in order to access many services. The government decided that vaccination rates were high enough to switch to the new system, with about 87% of people aged 12 and over fully vaccinated. In Auckland, which has been at the center of the nation’s outbreak, the rate is over 90%.
3rd Dec 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Facebook, Instagram remove Chinese network over fake 'Swiss biologist' COVID claims

Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc said on Wednesday it had removed accounts used by an influence operation originating in China that promoted claims of a fake "Swiss biologist" saying the United States was interfering in the search for COVID-19's origins. Meta said in a report the social media campaign was "largely unsuccessful" and targeted English-speaking audiences in the United States and Britain and Chinese-speaking audiences in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Tibet.
2nd Dec 2021 - Reuters

Bristol Myers is sued for refusing COVID-19 vaccine religious exemptions

Bristol Myers Squibb Co was sued on Wednesday by four employees who said the drugmaker refused to grant them religious exemptions from its COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and threatened to fire them on Dec. 6 for remaining unvaccinated. The plaintiffs in the proposed class action filed in Manhattan federal court accused Bristol Myers of violating a federal civil rights law known as Title VII by "systematically manufacturing" reasons to refuse religious accommodations.
2nd Dec 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Greece imposes monthly fines of 100 euros on the over-60s who refuse a Covid vaccine

Failure to get a first dose of a coronavirus shot by Jan. 16 for anyone aged 60 and above will result in a monthly fine of 100 euros ($114). As of Tuesday, about 62% of the Greek population was fully vaccinated against the virus. This is below the EU’s average of 66%, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Greece’s announcement comes at a time when other European nations are also considering compulsory vaccination.
1st Dec 2021 - CNBC

Anti-vaccine Christian broadcaster Marcus Lamb dies from Covid-19

Texas-based Daystar Television Network announced Lamb's death on Tuesday. Conservative christian network has been a vocal opponent of Covid vaccines. The broadcaster becomes the latest anti-vaccine radio host to succumb to virus
1st Dec 2021 - Daily Mail

COVID-19: Help vaccinate poor countries or face more new variant shocks, rich economies told

The world's rich nations must help vaccinate the poorest nations or else they will face a continual cycle of economic shocks and restrictions in the face of new variants, the OECD's chief economist has said. Laurence Boone told Sky News that the Omicron variant could cause the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) to downgrade its outlook for economic growth and inflation, but it is too early to say what damage it could cause. She said that the variant was a reminder that for the richest countries - a group represented by the OECD - funding vaccinations in the developing world would cost only a fraction of their outlay in the past 18 months yet would bring immeasurable benefits.
1st Dec 2021 - Sky News

Courts block two Biden administration COVID vaccine mandates

The Biden administration was blocked on Tuesday from enforcing two mandates requiring millions of American workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a key part of its strategy for controlling the spread of the coronavirus. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Monroe, Louisiana, temporarily blocked the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from enforcing its vaccine mandate for healthcare workers until the court can resolve legal challenges. Doughty's ruling applied nationwide, except in 10 states where the CMS was already prevented from enforcing the rule due to a prior order from a federal judge in St. Louis.
1st Dec 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Dec 2021

    View this newsletter in full

The life and tragic death of John Eyers – a fitness fanatic who refused the vaccine

Argument aside, it was a great get-together. “John was on really good, funny form,” says Jenny. They went for dinner at a Turkish restaurant and played darts in the garden. John scored a bullseye with his eyes closed and bragged about it all weekend. There was only one other difficult moment, when the family went to a local health club. John refused to wear a mask. The twins had a fight in reception. “I said: ‘John, put your face mask on,’” Jenny remembers. “‘He said: ‘You aren’t my mother – don’t tell me what to do.’” John eventually acquiesced, then made another easy joke. They went swimming and played tennis and forgot about it. A perfect weekend, then. Twins enjoying each other’s company after the enforced separation of the pandemic. Neither had any idea it would be their last time together.
30th Nov 2021 - The Guardian

Vegan dies of Covid-19 after refusing vaccine over animal testing

A vegan man who rejected the Covid-19 vaccine citing concerns about animal cruelty, died regretting his decision, his wife said. Glynn Steel “begged for the vaccine,” his wife Emma Steel said, before he was shifted to life support. But by then it was too late for the vaccine to be effective on him, she said. “The last thing Glynn (Steel) said to me was ‘I have never felt so ill, I wish that I had the vaccine’,” Ms Steel, who is double-vaccinated, told The Sun.
30th Nov 2021 - The Independent

COVID-19: Don't socialise unless necessary to help slow Omicron variant spread, says UKHSA chief Dr Jenny Harries

Boris Johnson has urged people not to cancel Christmas parties or school nativity plays despite a health chief encouraging Britons to cut back on unnecessary socialising ahead of the festive season. Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK's Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said everyone can do their bit by reducing the number of social contacts they have - and by "not socialising when we don't particularly need to". But the PM rejected Dr Harries' call, insisting that he had already put in place a package of "balanced and proportionate measures" in response to the threat posed by the new Omicron variant.
30th Nov 2021 - Sky News

Omicron: Vaccine nationalism will only perpetuate the pandemic

The United Kingdom and wealthy European nations are in a panic. Unsurprisingly, hoarding huge swaths of the global vaccine supply has enabled the emergence of dangerous new variants of COVID-19. And once again, rich countries are punishing the victims of global vaccine inequality by slamming shut the borders to anyone from southern African nations.
30th Nov 2021 - Al Jazeera English on MSN.com

Map: Tracking the Omicron variant

The Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in at least 19 countries since November 24. On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the global risk from the spread of Omicron was “very high” and urged 194 member nations to speed the delivery of vaccinations to high-risk groups. No Omicron-linked deaths have yet been reported, though further research is needed to assess its potential to escape protection against immunity induced by vaccines and previous infections, the WHO added. The map below highlights the countries that have reported Omicron cases. (The map will be updated as more information becomes available)
30th Nov 2021 - Aljazeera.com

Russian coronavirus-denying monk given prison sentence

A rebel Russian monk who castigated the Kremlin and denied that the coronavirus existed was convicted Tuesday on accusations of encouraging suicides and given a 3½-year prison sentence. The monk, Father Sergiy, was arrested in December 2020 on charges of inciting suicidal actions through sermons in which he urged believers to “die for Russia,” breaching the freedom of conscience and making arbitrary moves. He rejected the accusations and his lawyers said they would appeal Tuesday’s ruling by Moscow’s Ismailovo District Court.
30th Nov 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Pilots union asks Britain to set up winter fund amid Omicron concerns

The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) on Monday urged the government to establish a "winter resilience fund" to support the ailing aviation industry, after some travel curbs were brought back to contain the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. "The latest changes have shattered the fledgling confidence in air travel including for Christmas and new year bookings," said BALPA in a statement. Britain, which has so far reported 11 cases of the variant, has said arrivals from all countries would have to self-isolate until they receive a negative result from a PCR test and that face masks must be worn in retail settings.
29th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Judge blocks U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rule for health workers in 10 states

A federal judge on Monday blocked in 10 states a Biden administration vaccine requirement, finding the agency that issued the rule mandating healthcare workers get vaccinated against the coronavirus likely exceeded its authority. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp in St. Louis prevents the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from enforcing its vaccine mandate for healthcare workers until the court can hear legal challenges brought by the 10 states. CMS in a statement said it was reviewing the ruling, adding that unvaccinated healthcare staff pose a threat to patient safety.
29th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Nursing unions around world call for UN action on Covid vaccine patents

Nursing unions in 28 countries have filed a formal appeal with the United Nations over the refusal of the UK, EU and others to temporarily waive patents for Covid vaccines, saying this has cost huge numbers of lives in developing nations. The letter, sent on Monday on behalf of unions representing more than 2.5 million healthcare workers, said staff have witnessed at first hand the “staggering numbers of deaths and the immense suffering caused by political inaction”. The refusal of some countries to budge on rules about intellectual property rights for vaccines had contributed to a “vaccine apartheid” in which richer nations had secured at least 7bn doses, while lower-income nations had about 300m, it argued.
29th Nov 2021 - The Guardian

Russian Vaccine Skeptics Oppose Covid Passes

Russia’s rollout of a nationwide QR code system that would restrict access to public places and transport to encourage vaccination is running into widespread opposition from anti-lockdown activists, even as Russia’s pandemic death toll continues to soar. With vaccine skepticism rife and only around 35% of Russians having received their jabs, moves to make jabs all but obligatory have been met with dismay, as polls show almost half of the population opposing the use of QR codes under any circumstances. “Forcing people to get vaccinated through QR codes violates at least six articles of the Russian Constitution,” said Yevgeny Stupin, a Communist member of the Moscow City Duma who has campaigned against Covid restrictions.
29th Nov 2021 - The Moscow Times

Thousands protest against Czech COVID measures as hospitals fill

Several thousand people protested in Prague against anti-coronavirus restrictions on Sunday as many Czech hospitals halted non-urgent procedures in the face of one of the world's fastest rates of new infections. Gathered in a park overlooking the Czech capital's centre, protesters waved national flags and carried signs with slogans such as: "Get vaccinated? Over your dead bodies".
29th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Ski holidays thrown into doubt as France mandates vaccine passport for lifts

France has mandated the use of vaccine passports in ski lifts, throwing the winter travel plans of thousands of British families into doubt. Anyone over the age of 12 will need a pass to show they are fully vaccinated, or have had one dose and recovered from Covid-19 in the last 180 days from December 4. But Thursday’s announcement will cause misery for Brits with teenagers - as the NHS app with a Covid pass is only available to the over-16s, the Times reports.
26th Nov 2021 - Evening Standard

New COVID variant Omicron triggers global alarm, market sell-off

The discovery of a new coronavirus variant named Omicron triggered global alarm on Friday as countries rushed to suspend travel from southern Africa and stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic suffered their biggest falls in more than a year. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Omicron may spread more quickly than other forms, and preliminary evidence suggested there is an increased risk of reinfection. Epidemiologists warned travel curbs may be too late to stop Omicron from circulating globally. The new mutations were first discovered in South Africa and have since been detected in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.
26th Nov 2021 - Reuters

U.S. to restrict travel from 8 African nations after Covid variant detected

The U.S. will restrict travel from eight African nations starting on November 29. The ban comes amid the discovery of a Covid-19 variant “Omicron” detected in South Africa. The World Health Organization confirmed the variant is highly transmissible.
26th Nov 2021 - MSNBC

European nations lead off in shutting borders to African nations with cases of new Omicron COVID variant

All 27 European Union member states and the United Kingdom have temporarily suspended travel to southern Africa following the discovery of a new COVID variant. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday classified the B.1.1.529 variant, now designated as Omicron, as a SARS-CoV-2 "variant of concern", saying it may spread more quickly than other forms. Infections in South Africa had risen steeply in recent weeks, coinciding with the detection of the variant. After a closed meeting of independent experts who reviewed the data, WHO realised a statement saying there had been a "detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology".
26th Nov 2021 - ABC News

Former Covid-Zero Haven Ditches Masks, QR Codes in Stark Pivot

The biggest state in Australia is eliminating a raft of pandemic restrictions as it nears a 95% vaccination rate, in one of the starkest reversals from the Covid-Zero strategy yet. From Dec. 15, or once the 95% inoculation target is hit, masks will only be required on public transport, on planes and at airports in New South Wales, ending the need to wear a protective face covering in most indoor settings. Check-ins via QR code, which are currently mandatory in the state at any venue, will only be needed at hospitals, aged-care facilities, pubs, small bars and nightclubs, according to the latest guidelines from the New South Wales government.
26th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Emotional toll of COVID-19 on health workers is vast, varied

In the US study, a team led by Duke University researchers surveyed 1,344 HCWs in 2020 about their emotional state before the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. They recruited HCWs via email and social media from Apr 24 to May 30 (phase 1) and Oct 24 to Nov 30 (phase 2). In phase 1 involved 335 survey respondents of whom 32.6% were 35 to 44 years old, 86% were women, and 87.8% were White. Phase 2 included 1,009 participants, of whom 38.1% were aged 35 to 44, 90.5% were women, and 93.7% were White. Respondents included nurses, physicians, advanced practice practitioners, and chaplains. The HCWs reported emotions related to changes in family, social life, and occupational function. They expressed fear of contracting COVID-19 and spreading the infection to family and friends, stigmatization, short-staffing, and inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE).
24th Nov 2021 - CIDRAP

Europe’s Christmas markets warily open as COVID cases rise

The holiday tree is towering over the main square in this central German city, the chestnuts and sugared almonds are roasted, and kids are clambering aboard the merry-go-round just like they did before the pandemic. But a surge in coronavirus infections has left an uneasy feeling hanging over Frankfurt’s Christmas market. To savor a mug of mulled wine — an uncomplicated rite of winter in pre-pandemic times — masked customers must pass through a one-way entrance to a fenced-off wine hut, stopping at the hand sanitizer station. Elsewhere, security officers check vaccination certificates before letting customers head for the steaming sausages and kebabs. Despite the pandemic inconveniences, stall owners selling ornaments, roasted chestnuts and other holiday-themed items in Frankfurt and other European cities are relieved to be open at all for their first Christmas market in two years, especially with new restrictions taking effect in Germany, Austria and other countries as COVID-19 infections hit record highs
25th Nov 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Non-profit groups tell WTO to reverse 'vaccine apartheid' before any meeting

More than 130 civil society groups largely from developing countries are calling for the World Trade Organization to cancel a ministerial conference next week and instead concentrate on approving an intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines. The groups, organized under a loose coalition called "Our World is Not For Sale," said in a letter on Wednesday to WTO members that "vaccine apartheid" caused by WTO intellectual property rules must be resolved first. The meeting would otherwise "lack any pretence of legitimacy," especially when some ministers may not be able to travel to Geneva, it said.
25th Nov 2021 - Reuters

What the world could learn from Israel's Covid-19 vaccine booster rollout

When it comes to Covid-19, it seems where Israel leads, the rest of the world follows. For almost a year, the country has offered other nations a glimpse into the pandemic's future. Israel has been at the forefront of vaccination rollouts for adults and teenagers, pioneered a vaccine passport and, in recent months, has spearheaded the use of booster shots. At the end of July, the country began offering boosters to those over the age of 60; since late August, boosters have been available to anyone over the age of 16, five months after their second dose of the vaccine. Now, a person is not considered fully vaccinated in Israel until they have received a third dose of the vaccine, once they are eligible for it.
24th Nov 2021 - CNN

Here’s what the UK can learn from other countries’ responses to Covid-19

Looking at how health services in different countries have responded to Covid, we can see some common ground. Many countries are increasing funding for health services, expanding the number of frontline clinical staff, providing separate areas to care for patients with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, and using digital technology to deliver virtual rather than face-to-face appointments. But there are some distinctions: peer a bit closer and it is clear that we have something to teach and something to learn from every healthcare system. The UK has its achievements to share, from a nationalised (and devolved) system that can pool surgical resources in local areas and support mass trials to test new treatments, to a historically strong primary care model that played a key role in delivering the largest vaccination programme in British history while continuing to deliver daily care to patients.
24th Nov 2021 - The Guardian

New Zealand to stay closed to visitors until April 2022

New Zealand will keep its borders closed to most international travellers for a further five months, the government said on Wednesday, outlining a cautious easing of border curbs that have been in place since COVID-19 hit in March 2020. Along with its geographic isolation, the South Pacific country enforced some of the tightest pandemic restrictions among OECD nations, limiting the spread of COVID-19 and helping its economy bounce back faster than many of its peers. But an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant earlier this year has forced a shift in strategy, with the main city of Auckland now only gradually opening up as vaccination rates climb. Fully vaccinated international travellers will be allowed to enter the country from April 30, 2022, onwards with the re-opening staged over time, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told a news conference. Fully vaccinated New Zealanders and residence visa holders in neighbouring Australia can travel to New Zealand from January 16, while vaccinated New Zealanders and residence visa holders from most other countries will be allowed in from February 13.
24th Nov 2021 - Aljazeera.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Global licence deal to provide COVID antibody test tech free to poorer countries - WHO

A global licence for serological technology that detects COVID-19 antibodies will be provided royalty-free to poor and middle-income countries under a first of its kind agreement to boost production, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday. The existing four tests, which check for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies developed after either an infection or a vaccine dose, could also inform decisions on the need for boosters to protect against the disease, it said in a statement. The non-exclusive licensing agreement reached with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), a public research institute offering the technology as a global public good, is the first test licence signed by the WHO's Medicines Patent Pool (MPP).
23rd Nov 2021 - Reuters

EU Weighs Changes to Covid Certificates, Travel Rules During Surge

The European Union is discussing this week how to update its digital Covid-19 certificates and its approach to travel within and outside the bloc as member nations take varying steps to counter the latest wave of the pandemic.
23rd Nov 2021 - Bloomberg on MSN.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Angry COVID-19 protesters hurl abuse at WA Premier

Flanked by police, Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan had to be led to safety after he was subjected to a barrage of personal insults while leaving a town hall meeting yesterday. COVID-19 protesters demonstrating against the vaccine surrounded the premier at an engagement in Eaton, south of Perth, hurling abuse and chants of "dog" at Mr McGowan. The premier said the protesters, who claimed they were not anti-vaxxers but pro-choice, will only strengthen his resolve. Dozens of protesters waving the Australian red ensign - a red version of the Australian flag adopted by anti-government groups - could be seen on video rushing towards a convoy of government cars. Yesterday's demonstrations are the latest in a spate of protests and threats targeting the premier, whose office has confirmed no one was harmed in yesterday's encounter. Protesters have reportedly issued death and rape threats to Mr McGowan's staff members.
22nd Nov 2021 - 9News

U.S. families plan big holiday celebrations with COVID-19 shots in arms

Tanya Primiani will host 12 people around a long Thanksgiving table in her Silver Spring, Maryland home on Thursday, a boisterous scene she looks forward to welcoming after the COVID-19 pandemic limited the size of last year's gathering. Her parents are coming from Montreal, driving across the recently reopened U.S.-Canada border. Her sons, ages 7 and 10, have gotten their first round of COVID-19 vaccinations, and all the other guests are fully vaccinated against the virus
22nd Nov 2021 - Reuters

Clashes break out in Brussels in protests over coronavirus restrictions

Police and protesters clashed in the streets of Brussels on Sunday in demonstrations over government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions, with police firing water cannon and tear gas at demonstrators throwing rocks and smoke bombs, witnesses said. About 35,000 people took part in demonstrations, police said, which began peacefully before violence broke out. Protesters wearing black hoods threw stones at police as they advanced with water cannon at the main junction in front of the European Union Commission headquarters, Reuters journalists said.
22nd Nov 2021 - Reuters

Dutch COVID riots ‘pure violence’ by ‘idiots’: PM Rutte

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has criticised three nights of riots over anti-COVID measures, calling the unrest “pure violence” by “idiots” and vowed to prosecute those responsible. The riots in several cities around the country since Friday were “violence under the guise of protest”, the prime minister said. He added he would always defend the right to protest, but “I will never accept is that idiots use pure violence against people … who keep this country safe,” he told Dutch media.
22nd Nov 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Two wounded as Dutch police fire shots at protest over new COVID-19 restrictions

Crowds of rioters in the port city of Rotterdam torched cars and threw rocks at police who responded with shots and water canon, as protests against COVID-19 measures turned violent on Friday night. "We fired warning shots and there were also direct shots fired because the situation was life-threatening," police spokesperson Patricia Wessels told Reuters. "We know that at least two people were wounded, probably as a result of the warning shots, but we need to investigate the exact causes further," she said.
20th Nov 2021 - Reuters

All players must be vaccinated for Australian Open - tournament chief

All players at the Australian Open must be vaccinated, tournament chief Craig Tiley confirmed Saturday, piling more pressure on world number one Novak Djokovic, who has refused to reveal if he has been inoculated. Melbourne, where January's Grand Slam is held, has spent more than 260 days under lockdown during the pandemic and the government of the state of Victoria made clear last month there would be no concessions for unvaccinated players. Tiley said the playing group know they must get the jab to compete at Melbourne Park. "There's a lot of speculation about vaccination and just to be really clear, when the (Victoria) premier announced that everyone on site... will need to be vaccinated, we made that clear to the playing group," he told Channel Nine television.
20th Nov 2021 - Yahoo News

Fauci overwhelmed by calls after journal published mistake over beagle experiments

The nation's top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has been inundated with calls following a mistake in a scientific journal claiming that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was funding experimental research on beagles. The calls were so frequent that Fauci's assistant stopped answering the phone for two weeks in October, The Washington Post reported Friday. He received 3,600 phone calls in 36 hours. “The constant harassment in the form of ridiculous accusations and outright lies makes doing my job and that of my staff of fighting the covid-19 pandemic all the more difficult,” Fauci told the Post. “This attack on me, which clearly has political overtones to a nonpolitical scientist, I feel, is dangerous to the entire field of science and [shows] how people try to intimidate scientists.”
20th Nov 2021 - The Hill

Covid Surge May Be New Year Market Risk Missed by Strategists

A fresh blast of the pandemic may be catching traders and investment strategists off guard. As countries throughout Europe announce new restrictions going as far as full lockdowns, research notes outlining risks and opportunities for 2022 appear to completely ignore the virus. The word “lockdown” isn’t even mentioned in year-ahead outlooks for Europe circulated by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley. Meanwhile, in a Bank of America Corp. survey this week, fund managers saw Covid-19 as only the fifth-biggest tail risk, with just 5% expressing concern about its potential impact on markets. Inflation, central bank rate hikes, stalling Chinese growth and asset bubbles topped the list.
20th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg

Pro and anti-vaccination protesters take to Australia streets

Several thousand people took to Australia's streets on Saturday protesting COVID-19 vaccination mandates, while smaller crowds gathered to support the measures that have elevated the country to be one of the most inoculated in the world. Nearly 85% of Australians aged 16 and above have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus as of Nov. 19. While nationwide vaccinations are voluntary, states and territories have mandated vaccinations for many occupations and barred the unvaccinated from activities such as dining out and concerts.
20th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Ardern’s Covid lockdown finds favour as New Zealand watches Sydney’s Delta disaster

The loudest overseas critics of its elimination approach have been mostly greeted with bemusement or defiance. New Zealanders have consistently supported even the toughest anti-Covid measures. About 80% rated the government’s Covid-19 response as overall good, according to polling commissioned by the Spinoff in February, and 59% rated the response as “excellent”. The satirical hashtag #NZhellhole, which pokes fun at some of the more hysterical reactions to NZ lockdowns, was again trending on Wednesday. “If [overseas commentators] are surprised then they haven’t been paying attention,” says Dr Siouxsie Wiles, one of the country’s prominent epidemic communicators. In New Zealand, Wiles says, “the vast majority of people understand what we are up against, and are supportive of our response.”
18th Nov 2021 - The Guardian

Rollout of third Covid jabs in England condemned as ‘shambolic’

A “shambolic” rollout of third Covid vaccinations has left an unknown number of immunocompromised people still without proper protection going into winter, and in other cases even given the wrong type of injection, a leading charity has said. Blood Cancer UK said poor planning and confusing messaging meant “many thousands” of people with weakened immune systems might have missed out, leaving them at greater risk of serious consequences if they catch Covid. In a lengthy statement, the charity said NHS England had repeatedly failed to acknowledge the problem, while Sajid Javid, the health secretary, incorrectly said more than six weeks ago that the “vast, vast majority” of eligible people had already been invited for a third jab.
18th Nov 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Mulled wine only for vaccinated at some German Christmas markets

At the Christmas market on Hamburg's main square this year, only revellers who are vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently recovered will be able to indulge in steaming hot mulled wine and candied almonds or gingerbread under festive fairy lights. The unvaccinated will still be able to peruse the bottle-green stalls selling handicrafts, listen to carols, ride on the merry-go-round or admire the nativity scenes.
17th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Amazon to Pay $500,000 in California Over Covid Notifications

Amazon has agreed to pay $500,000 to help enforce California’s consumer protection laws after the company was accused of concealing Covid-19 case numbers from its workers, officials said on Monday. The judgment, which is subject to court approval, is the first of its kind nationwide and is in line with a California “right to know” law that was designed to keep workers safe during the pandemic, according to a news release from the attorney general’s office. Under the arrangement, Amazon must also tell its warehouse workers within a day about the exact number of new Covid-19 cases in their workplaces, ensure that notifications adequately inform workers of the company’s disinfection and safety plans, tell health officials about new cases and submit to monitoring by the attorney general’s office regarding its Covid-19 notifications.
16th Nov 2021 - The New York Times

U.K. Missing 465000 People From Workforce Since Covid Hit

Britain continues to face severe labor market shortages despite the end of the furlough program because 465,000 people have disappeared from the workforce since the start of the pandemic, according to Bank of America. Ending the benefit on Sept. 30 for those out of work during lockdowns was expected to bring people who had given up on job hunting back into employment. “That has not happened yet,” Bank of America economist Rob Wood said in a note on Tuesday. U.K. payroll numbers jumped by 160,000 to a new high in October, suggesting the economy can absorb many of the 1 million workers who were on furlough when the program closed. Official unemployment for the month of September dropped to 3.9%, lower than immediate pre-pandemic levels.
16th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg

Ireland reimposes early bar, nightclub closures as COVID resurges

Ireland will from Thursday require bars and nightclubs to close early while ramping up the use of booster vaccines in a bid to combat a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in its largely vaccinated population, the governing party said on Tuesday. Three months ago it announced plans to drop almost all restrictions within weeks, but infection numbers have since increased again to levels close to last January's all-time peak, even though more than 90% of adults are now vaccinated.
16th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Maori Ask Anti-Vaccine Protesters to Stop Using Ceremonial Dance

Ngati Toa, an indigenous tribe in New Zealand, denounced a group of anti-vaccine protesters for performing a ceremonial Maori dance known as the Ka Mate haka during a demonstration in Wellington on November 9th. “As the descendants of Te Rauparaha, we insist that protesters stop using our taonga immediately,” said senior member of Ngati Toa Taku Parai, in a statement on Radio Waatea this week. “We do not support their position.” Last week, thousands gathered across New Zealand to protest Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s vaccine mandate, which requires all healthcare and education workers be fully vaccinated. An estimated 3,000 marched to the Wellington parliament building last Tuesday demanding an end to vaccine mandates and Covid 19 lockdowns. During those demonstrations, some performed the Ka Mate haka, a dance used before some rugby games.
15th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg

Racial disparities in kids’ vaccinations are hard to track

The rollout of COVID-19 shots for elementary-age children has exposed another blind spot in the nation’s efforts to address pandemic inequalities: Health systems have released little data on the racial breakdown of youth vaccinations, and community leaders fear that Black and Latino kids are falling behind. Only a handful of states have made public data on COVID-19 vaccinations by race and age, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not compile racial breakdowns either. Despite the lack of hard data, public health officials and medical professionals are mindful of disparities and have been reaching out to communities of color to overcome vaccine hesitancy. That includes going into schools, messaging in other languages, deploying mobile vaccine units and emphasizing to skeptical parents that the shots are safe and powerfully effective.
15th Nov 2021 - The Associated Press

Alaska doctors seek COVID-19 misinformation investigation

Alaska doctors plan to ask the State Medical Board to investigate concerns about the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and treatments by other physicians. Merijeanne Moore, a private practice psychiatrist, said she drafted the letter out of concern over an event about COVID-19 treatments that featured prominent vaccine skeptics in Anchorage last month, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Moore said Saturday that nearly 100 doctors had signed the letter and more could before she plans to submit the letter on Tuesday. “We are writing out of concern that medical misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine and treatment is being spread in Alaska, including by physicians,” the letter stated.
15th Nov 2021 - Associated Press on MSN.com

Families fight over covid vaccines as Thanksgiving approaches

With Thanksgiving approaching, infections high or on the rise in many parts of the country and the vaccines now widely available to children, family breaches over immunization status are reaching new levels of rancor and intensity. Summer is over, and fall is ending — seasons when many gatherings could be held outdoors. Now American families must simultaneously confront the time of year when all respiratory viruses spread most easily and the challenge posed by loved ones who have rejected the best way to protect themselves — and others — from a respiratory virus that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the United States.
15th Nov 2021 - The Washington Post

Three snow leopards die of covid-19 at Lincoln Children's Zoo in Nebraska

The three big cats delighted visitors to the Nebraska zoo for years — pouncing on pumpkins during Halloween, preening for pictures and lounging on rocks in their enclosure. The Lincoln Children’s Zoo has described the snow leopards as silly, bubbly and handsome. They were one of the zoo’s main attractions, delivering a dose of mountain majesty to the Great Plains.
15th Nov 2021 - The Washington Post

‘Detox’ routines won’t undo Covid vaccine, experts tell anti-vaxxers

Medical experts are speaking out against Covid-19 vaccine “detoxes” that some inaccurately claim can remove the effects of vaccinations received under mandates and other public health rulings. In one TikTok video that has received hundreds of thousands of views, Carrie Madej, an osteopath based in Georgia, falsely claims a bath containing baking soda, epsom salts and the cleaning agent borax will “detox the vaxx” from anyone who has received a jab. Experts say such a bath could irritate the skin and eyes – but will not remove the effects of a Covid vaccine. In Kansas, Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control for the state university health system, told the Kansas City Star borax was “potentially caustic and harmful”.
15th Nov 2021 - The Guardian

India opens to fully vaccinated foreign tourists

India began allowing fully vaccinated foreign tourists to enter the country on regular commercial flights, in the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions as infections fall and vaccinations rise. Tourists entering India, starting on Monday, must be fully vaccinated, follow all COVID-19 protocols and test negative for the virus within 72 hours of their flight, according to the health ministry. Many will also need to undergo a post-arrival COVID-19 test at the airport.
15th Nov 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 Vaccines Are Now Reaching Poor Countries, but Not People’s Arms

After months of severe shortages, Covid-19 vaccine supplies for the world’s poorest nations are finally ramping up. But many countries say they will struggle to get them into people’s arms, as they grapple with the potential delivery of more vaccines in the coming weeks than they have received so far this year. Authorities lack funds to conduct public awareness campaigns and set up more vaccination sites, including the necessary fridges and freezers to store the shots. Misinformation and low case numbers have also left many in poor countries skeptical of the shots. Just 4.2% of people in low-income countries have received a first dose. Across Africa, only 6.3% of people are fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data, a project based at Oxford University.
12th Nov 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Disease center urges Germans to cancel or avoid big events

Germany's disease control center is calling for people to cancel or avoid large events and to reduce their contacts as the country's coronavirus infection rate hits the latest in a string of new highs. The center, the Robert Koch Institute, said Friday that Germany's infection rate climbed to 263.7 new cases per 100,000 residents over seven days, up from 249.1 the previous day. Germany reported 48,640 new cases Friday, a day after the daily total topped 50,000 for the first time. Another 191 COVID-19 deaths brought Germany's total in the pandemic so far to 97,389.
12th Nov 2021 - The Associated Press on MSN.com

Can at-home COVID-19 tests make holiday gatherings safer?

Can at-home COVID-19 tests make holiday gatherings safer? Yes, combined with vaccination, home test kits for COVID-19 can add a layer of safety and reassurance by providing on-the-spot results during this second year of pandemic holidays. “We will be using rapid tests to doublecheck everybody before we gather together,” says Dr. Emily Volk, president of the College of American Pathologists, who is planning a holiday meal with six vaccinated family members. “We’ll be doing it as they come in the door.” Home kits are not as accurate as the PCR tests done in hospitals and at testing sites, Volk says. But they have the advantage of giving results within minutes instead of days.
11th Nov 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Unified approach needed to deal with COVID-19, says AirAsia Group CEO

Governments around the world need to look at unified approaches to managing COVID-19, the Group Chief Executive of Malaysian budget airline AirAsia Group Bhd Tony Fernandes said at the APEC CEO Summit. Fernandes said leaders in the Asia-Pacific region were being "over-sensitive" with COVID-19 and needed to be braver and more standardised in dealing with the pandemic.
11th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19 vaccine brings hope for refugees in Uganda’s remote north

On the streets of Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda, the wheels of a boda boda motorcycle taxi stir up red dust as the driver manoeuvres slowly through the settlement, music blaring from a loudspeaker strapped to the back of his bike. The driver is a mobile messenger with the speaker broadcasting information about the Covid-19 vaccine, intended to persuade the camp’s residents to get the jab. Home to around a quarter of a million refugees from South Sudan, Bidi Bidi settlement in northern Uganda is one of the world’s largest refugee camps.
11th Nov 2021 - Evening Standard

PNG caught between COVID and vaccine

International concerns are mounting as COVID-19 continues to sweep through unvaccinated Papua New Guinea (PNG) where, according to Our World in Data website, only 1.7 percent of its population has been fully vaccinated. The vaccination rate remains abysmally low, despite adequate vaccine supplies and aid from the Australian government and international organisations such as the Red Cross. The slow take up has been in part due to poor government messaging and the proliferation of misinformation on social media via mobile phones. “There is a lot of misinformation around circulating largely from social media,” Jane Holden, Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority acting CEO, told Al Jazeera.
11th Nov 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Europe Is Experiencing Two Very Different Pandemics

Waning immunity is the bigger threat, and highly-inoculated countries like Spain or Denmark — where nearly 100% of over-60s have been fully vaccinated — are focused on zapping complacency with booster shots. Even controversial measures like health passes and mandatory shots for medical staff have paid off and lifted take-up despite protests. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said France’s Covid pass would require third doses for the elderly. These countries have some of the world’s highest vaccination rates, and, as Lone Simonsen, a professor at Roskilde University, puts it, they have the “luxury” of making minor adjustments, such as bringing back mask-wearing, to avoid a return to the full-scale lockdowns of 2020. Look further East, though, and there are signs of a “pandemic of the unvaccinated,” to borrow a U.S. term. Vaccination rates in eastern European countries are far, far lower — often fatally so.
10th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg

The US and Europe have finally reconnected, but they're moving in different directions on Covid-19

In September, when the White House announced its long-awaited plan to welcome vaccinated European travelers, the United States was consumed by a Covid-19 surge that far outpaced Europe's. At that point the US rate of new cases per capita dwarfed Europe's by nearly three to one. While European governments were plotting their roadmaps towards normality, America was battling a rise in infections and warning of pressure on hospitals. But by Monday, when the new rules came into effect and thousands of tourists jetted across the Atlantic to American cities, the two regions had experienced a dramatic reversal in fortunes.
10th Nov 2021 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 vaccine debate takes a strange turn

The Covid-19 vaccine debate is getting weird. On Twitter, Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz accused Big Bird of pushing "Government propaganda...for your 5 year old!" after the Muppet tweeted about getting the shot in his wing. CNN aired a special on Saturday with "Sesame Street" to explain the vaccine to children ages 5-11, who are now eligible to get the shot. Watch Rosita, a green Muppet, overcome her fear and bravely get her first Covid-19 vaccine dose.
9th Nov 2021 - CNN

Boeing U.S. worker vaccine exemption requests top 11000 -sources

The number of Boeing Co employees seeking a vaccine exemption on religious or medical grounds has reached more than 11,000 - or nearly 9% of its U.S. workforce - a level many times higher than executives initially estimated, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The widespread reluctance has left executives scrambling for a strategy that keeps employees safe and complies with President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for federal contractors, but avoids an exodus of engineering and factory labor, the people said.
9th Nov 2021 - Reuters

U.S.-Mexico border reopens after 20 months of COVID shutdown

There were fewer crossings at the Mexico-United States border than expected on Monday as it reopened to nonessential travel following a 20-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with many residents staying home to avoid potential chaos. Officials in the Mexican border city of Tijuana said people did not make the most of restrictions being lifted along the 2,000-mile (3,200-km) border due to fears of being caught in traffic.
9th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Thousands protest in New Zealand against COVID-19 rules

New Zealand beefed up security measures at its parliament on Tuesday as thousands of people gathered to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and government lockdowns aimed at controlling the pandemic. All but two entrances to the parliament building, known as the Beehive, were closed off in unprecedented security measures, as mostly unmasked protesters marched through central Wellington and congregated outside parliament. While the demonstration was peaceful, many people were seen holding signs and placards with messages like "Freedom" and "Kiwis are not lab rats" and shouting slogans as they demanded the government roll back compulsory vaccination and lift restrictions.
9th Nov 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Eager travellers line up for U.S. flights as COVID travel curbs are lifted

Paul Campbell had waited nearly two years to reunite with his German fiancée at Boston's Logan airport on Monday, the day the United States eased travel restrictions imposed on much of the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began. "I'm just ecstatic that she's here, I'm happy," said Campbell, 63, a retired firefighter from Vermont who greeted her with a heart-shaped balloon. "Our relationship is still thriving even though we've been apart for two years." At John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, a child held a sign reading, "Do I look bigger?" as he waited for the first British Airways flight from London's Heathrow. "730 days missed u! Aunty Jill + Uncle Mark," his sign said.
8th Nov 2021 - Reuters

N. Ireland official suing Van Morrison over COVID criticism

Northern Ireland’s health minister is suing Van Morrison after the singer called him “very dangerous” for his handling of coronavirus restrictions. The Belfast-born singer opposes restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, and has released several songs criticizing lockdowns. He denounced Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann during a gathering at Belfast’s Europa Hotel in June after a Morrison concert was canceled at the last minute because of virus restrictions. The defamation suit relates to three incidents in which Morrison criticized Swann, calling him “a fraud” and “very dangerous.”
8th Nov 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

States Sue to Stop Biden’s Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate

More than half of U.S. states are suing to stop the Biden administration from implementing new rules that require employers with more than 100 workers to ensure their employees are vaccinated against Covid-19 or get a weekly test. The states’ attorneys general, who filed multiple lawsuits in various courts Friday, said they were suing because the federal government doesn’t have the authority to issue the requirements. They say the issue should be left to states. “States have been leading the fight against COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic,” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said Friday. “It is too late to impose a federal standard now that we have already developed systems and strategies that are tailored for our specific needs.”
5th Nov 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

‘He was adamant he didn’t want it’: the pro-vax parents with vaccine-hesitant kids

Even if children have avoided anti-vaccine misinformation on social media, they may have come across it at the school gate. There have been demonstrations outside schools across the UK; some protesters have loudhailers, and give alarming leaflets to children, or point them in the direction of websites with misinformation. At least one school was targeted by protesters showing images of what appeared to be dead children, falsely claiming they had been killed by the vaccine, which unsurprisingly distressed children. The Association of School and College Leaders union found nearly 80% of British schools had been targeted in some way – mainly emails threatening legal action – and 13% had reported seeing anti-vax demonstrators directly outside the school gates; 18 schools said protesters had actually got inside.
4th Nov 2021 - The Guardian

Vaccine certificates-for-sale scam undermines Lesotho’s Covid effort

The Lesotho government’s plans to implement a Covid passport system this week are being undermined by widespread fraud involving certificates being sold to unvaccinated people. Covid-19 vaccination certificates are being sold for less than £20 by unscrupulous health workers to the largely vaccine-averse population in Lesotho, where there has been little positive campaigning around the jabs. The prime minister, Moeketsi Majoro, announced in October that from this week, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, gyms and sporting facilities would only admit people who had a Covid-19 vaccination certificate.
4th Nov 2021 - The Guardian

Australian customer service workers subjected to violence and abuse for Covid-19 compliance checks

Customer Service staff face increase of abuse amid Covid compliance checks National Retail Association (NRA) received 89k reports of abuse in last 6 months Aggressive & violent behaviour mainly occurred where Covid rules are in place NRA says shoppers need to remember staff are not responsible for Covid laws
4th Nov 2021 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Analysis: Wide array of opponents prepare to fight Biden vaccine mandate

The country's first national COVID-19 vaccine mandate, expected to be unveiled by the Biden administration this week, is likely to unleash a frenzied legal battle that will hinge on a rarely used law and questions over federal power and authority over healthcare. States, companies, trade groups, civil liberty advocates and religious organizations are expected to rush to court with demands to stop the mandate in its tracks. Two dozen Republican state attorneys general have already vowed to use "every legal option" to fight the mandate and 40 Republican lawmakers said on Wednesday they were preparing their own challenge.
3rd Nov 2021 - Reuters

New Zealand gang leaders unite to urge community to get Covid shots

Seven New Zealand gang leaders, representing four of the country’s most well-known street gangs, have joined forces in a video urging their communities to get vaccinated, in a concept that was conjured up by a government minister. The video was commissioned by the minister for Maori development, Willie Jackson, after a discussion with gang leaders, who then provided footage that was edited by Jackson’s son, Hikurangi, the Herald reported. In the four-minute video, Denis O’Reilly, who joined the Black Power gang aged 19, says he had “taken a few shots” in his time, including the two shots against Covid-19, and he is asking his community “to do the same”
3rd Nov 2021 - The Guardian

Ukrainians protest vaccine mandate as COVID-19 cases soar

More than a thousand people blocked several streets in the center of the Ukrainian capital Wednesday, protesting against COVID-19 vaccine certificates and state-imposed restrictions aimed at halting the spread of the coronavirus. The protesters, mostly women and young people, didn’t wear masks and held up signs reading “Say No to COVID Passports”, “Say No to COVID Genocide” in front of the Ukrainian parliament building in Kyiv. The rally comes in response to restrictions that require teachers, government employees and other workers to get fully vaccinated by Nov. 8 or have their salaries suspended.
3rd Nov 2021 - Seattle Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

RBNZ Says Transition to Living With Covid-19 May Drag on Economy

New Zealand’s transition to living with Covid-19 could lead to changes in consumer behavior that damp economic growth, the central bank said. “Businesses will need to adapt, and some businesses that have stayed afloat to date may not be viable as support schemes wind down,” the Reserve Bank said in its semi-annual Financial Stability Report published Wednesday in Wellington. “These changes could drag on economic activity.” The transition from pandemic to Covid-19 being an endemic disease also creates financial stability risks, “although the magnitude of these is still hard to gauge at this stage,” the RBNZ said.
2nd Nov 2021 - Bloomberg

CDC panel debates: Should all school kids get COVID vaccine?

Should all school-age kids get Pfizer’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine? That’s the question before an influential government advisory panel Tuesday. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency use of kid-size doses for children ages 5 to 11. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also must sign off before widespread vaccinations begin in that age group. CDC’s advisers are weighing who will get the most benefit as they deliberate whether to recommend the shots for up to 28 million more children, or perhaps only for those most vulnerable to serious illness. Their recommendation goes to the CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, for the final say. “Today is a monumental day in the course of this pandemic,” Walensky told the advisory panel Tuesday.
2nd Nov 2021 - The Associated Press

Covid anti-vaxxers are refusing to pay tax bills mistakenly thinking they are immune from prosecution

A number of Covid conspiracists have started abstaining from paying utility bills and their council tax in protest against the “tyranny” they claim to live under in the UK, according to messages posted to Telegram. Groups on the social media platform – where thousands of Covid anti-vaxxers congregate and organise protests – have started branching out from discussing conspiracy theories about coronavirus and the vaccine and have begun justifying the reasons for no longer paying their bills. Many have a misguided belief they will not face prosecution for cancelling their payments, thanks in part to disinformation spread by an influencer on the platform with a significant following who claims stopping the payment of council tax will put pressure on the Government to scrap the Coronavirus Act.
2nd Nov 2021 - iNews

Australians fired for refusing Covid vaccine search social media for ‘welcoming’ employers

Unvaccinated Australians who have lost their jobs for refusing to comply with Covid vaccine mandates are using social media to find and share employment opportunities at workplaces where the new rules are not being enforced. Telegram and Facebook have had an influx of people searching for paid jobs after states and territories implemented mandates covering a range of industries from health and aged care workers, teachers and police to construction and hospitality workers. On some job boards, businesses that are happy to accept unvaccinated people advertise that they are “welcoming of everyone”.
2nd Nov 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Thailand, Australia, Israel ease travel curbs as lockdowns bite elsewhere

Thailand, Australia and Israel eased international border restrictions significantly on Monday for the first time in 18 months, offering a broad test of demand for travel worldwide amid the coronavirus pandemic. The relaxation contrasts with tightening lockdowns elsewhere, notably in eastern Europe where infections have hit record numbers, and in parts of China, which has taken a zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19 despite relatively few cases. Hundreds of vaccinated foreign tourists arrived in the Thai capital for quarantine-free travel after the Southeast Asian nation approved visitors from more than 60 countries, including China and the United States.
1st Nov 2021 - Reuters

Eleven states sue U.S. government over vaccine mandate for federal contractors

Eleven U.S. states with Republican governors sued the Biden administration on Friday seeking to block a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors, arguing it is unconstitutional and violates federal procurement law. Saying they were necessary to fight COVID-19, President Joe Biden issued a pair of executive orders on Sept. 9 requiring all executive branch federal employees and federal contractors be vaccinated
1st Nov 2021 - Reuters

Cambodia reopens to 'new way of life' after beating COVID-19 vaccine target

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen declared his country reopen and ready for a new way of life on Monday, having surpassed its COVID-19 vaccination target and recorded one of Asia's highest inoculation rates. Cambodia has vaccinated nearly 86% if its more than 16 million people, with two million given booster shots already and 300,000 school children age 5 set to be inoculated on Monday alone. The ratio is similar to that of Singapore.
1st Nov 2021 - Reuters

COVID-19: Tears, hugs and laughter at Sydney airport as Australia reopens border

There have been tears, laughter and warm embraces at Sydney's international airport after Australia's border opened for the first time in 20 months. Travellers tore off their face masks as they saw their loved ones for the first time in almost two years. The airport, Australia's busiest international hub, has been almost deserted during the pandemic, but now the country is hoping its vaccination rates are high enough to mitigate the danger of allowing international visitors again
1st Nov 2021 - Sky News

Northern Ireland: Reopening of nightclubs part of ‘return to normality’

The reopening of nightclubs in Northern Ireland represents part of the return to normality that many young people have been craving, a leading promoter has said. For the first time in a year and a half, nightclubs opened their doors on Halloween night across Northern Ireland after some Covid-19 restrictions were eased. A Stormont minister repeated her concerns about the nightclub sector reopening without a mandatory Covid vaccination certification system. Nightclubs had been the last remaining part of the hospitality sector which had been prevented from opening due to public health regulations.
1st Nov 2021 - Irish Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Nov 2021

    View this newsletter in full

As COVID cases fall, Halloween brings more fun and less fear

Witches and warlocks, ghosts and ghouls can breathe a little easier this year: Coronavirus cases in the U.S. are generally on the decline, and trick-or-treaters can feel safer collecting candy. And while a new poll indicates Halloween participation is rebounding but still short of pre-pandemic levels, an industry trade group says people who are celebrating are driving record-level spooky spending this year. Sales of candy, costumes and décor are up at least 25% over last year and are predicted to set a new high, between $10 to $11 billion, said Aneisha McMillan, spokeswoman for the trade group Halloween and Costume Association.
30th Oct 2021 - Associated Press on MSN.com

Australia Covid-Zero Approach Changes as Borders, Travel Opens Up

Like many in Australia, Maherau Arona saw the coronavirus as a distant threat, at worst, long after it became a daily reality in most of the world. Following a month and a half of lockdown, the Sydney suburb where the 53-year-old social worker lives returned mostly to normal in May 2020. Protected by a hermetically sealed border, people there and in the rest of the country lived for the next year largely as they had before Covid-19. They could holiday on the beaches of Byron Bay and Noosa, pack into pubs and cafes, and even see Hamilton onstage. Few were in a hurry to get vaccinated, and the national government, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, didn’t seem to view distributing shots as urgent. While there were some setbacks, including a surge of cases that threw Melbourne into a lengthy second lockdown, Australians essentially skipped the trauma that was transforming societies elsewhere.
29th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid Vaccination Rates: How Black Doctors Increased Shots in Philadelphia

Earlier this year, Philadelphia’s partnership with the student-led group Philly Fighting Covid Inc. abandoned testing sites in Black neighborhoods. It seemed like the latest affront in a long legacy of racism that has fueled distrust in the medical system, dating back to the infamous Tuskegee experiments in the 1930s. But Philadelphia, after a slow start, is closing out the year with one of the highest Black vaccination rates in a major U.S. city. In Philadelphia, 54% of Black citizens are now vaccinated. That puts it at the top of a group of the country’s 10 most Black cities, with populations of 500,000 or more and with Black people making up anywhere from 77% to 28% of the population. (The country’s second-largest city, Los Angeles, has vaccinated 55% of its Black residents, but they’re just 8% of the population.)
28th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg

NYPD Has 10000 Unvaccinated Officers as Mandate Deadline Approaches

Nearly a third of New York Police Department cops are unvaccinated against Covid-19 ahead of the city’s Friday deadline. The Police Benevolent Association, which represents 24,000 cops in the most populous U.S. city, said 10,000 of the roughly 35,000 uniformed NYPD officers have not gotten the shot. Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio eliminated the test-out option and said all city employees must receive their first vaccine dose by Oct. 29 or face unpaid leave. The union is fighting the mandate in court, but a judge has refused to block it in the meantime. It’s not clear what effect the drop in staff will have on the operations of the nation’s largest police force, but de Blasio on Thursday sought to assure New Yorkers they will be safe.
28th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Colorado lawsuit tests religious exemptions to COVID vaccine mandates

The doctor, one of the protagonists of this story, is a pediatric intensive care specialist in Colorado Springs working with some of the sickest children in the state. She’s unvaccinated against COVID-19, despite both state and employer mandates requiring vaccination. In one telling of this tale, the doctor is the hero, a devoutly religious person who has made a moral choice consistent with those beliefs and is being unconstitutionally punished for them. In another telling, the doctor is the villain, using her religion as cover for a personal belief that is recklessly endangering her patients and colleagues. Both versions of the story are contained within the pleadings of an ongoing lawsuit in federal court in Denver that challenges the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus’s vaccination requirement for physicians and medical students.
27th Oct 2021 - The Colorado Sun

NSW records 304 COVID-19 cases as new law targeting anti-vaxxers come into effect

NSW has introduced a new law stopping people from using fake vaccine certificates after the state recorded 304 new local cases of COVID-19. As of today it is now illegal to present a fake proof of vaccination when attempting to enter venues in NSW. Health Minister Brad Hazzard signed off on the amendment to the public health order yesterday after concerns about people procuring forged certificates. Security experts have warned the federal government's COVID-19 vaccination certificates can be forged within 10 minutes as people can alter or copy versions of the certificates and then change the name shown.
27th Oct 2021 - ABC News

Covid-19 borders: Tourists WILL be back to Australia before the end of year, says Scott Morrison

Tourists will be able to enter Australia without quarantine by the end of the year - but they must be double vaccinated, Scott Morrison has announced. Australia's international border has been closed since March 2020 to reduce the spread of coronavirus and the country has been alone among democratic nations in banning its own citizens from leaving. The move has helped reduce the impact of Covid-19, which has only claimed 1,669 lives in Australia, compared with 140,000 in the UK and 739,000 in the US.
27th Oct 2021 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Thousands of Nicaraguans go to Honduras border for vaccines

Nearly 8,000 Nicaraguans received COVID-19 vaccines at two customs border crossings with neighboring Honduras in recent days, Honduran health authorities said on Monday, as supplies of the inoculations in Nicaragua have run low. Promoting the vaccines for Nicaraguans, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez wrote in a post on Twitter that "the solidarity and brotherhood of Hondurans crosses borders." He added that up to 500 doses were being given out daily to Nicaraguans. Honduran health authorities also pitched the cross-border assistance as a way to help beat back the risk of more infections at home.
26th Oct 2021 - Reuters

New York City Inches Toward Covid-19 Becoming Endemic

Each wave of Covid-19 patients that has crashed through the doors of Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens has been more manageable than the last. In the spring of 2020 and the following winter, the hospital needed extra spaces to care for Covid-19 patients in need of oxygen and struggling to breathe. At the height of the Delta surge this summer and fall, Covid-19 patients didn’t fill its ICU. “We’re seeing it more as a chronic problem than as an immediate, huge pandemic problem like we were before,” said Mangala Narasimhan, a critical-care pulmonologist and director of critical-care services at Northwell Health, a large health system in the New York region that includes Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
26th Oct 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Beijing Marathon postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19

The Beijing Marathon has been postponed indefinitely after Sunday's race was called off amid rising COVID-19 cases in China, the BBC quoted organisers as saying. Organisers said they were cancelling next weekend's race "in order to prevent the risk of the epidemic spreading (and) effectively protect the health and safety of the majority of runners, staff and residents," the BBC reported. The marathon was set to return this year after it was suspended in 2020 due to COVID-19. The Wuhan Marathon, which was due to be held last Sunday, was also called off with a new date yet to be determined.
26th Oct 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Red Cross urges action for Papua New Guinea as COVID-19 overwhelms health system

Concerted international action is needed to support Papua New Guinea as a surge in COVID-19 cases overwhelms the Pacific country's health system, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Monday. Coronavirus cases in the island nation of 9 million have been surging in recent weeks, with 385 new cases recorded on Thursday, according to latest available government data. There have been 26,731 officially confirmed cases and 329 deaths in the country 150 km (90 miles) north of Australia.
25th Oct 2021 - Reuters

Facebook takes down Bolsonaro video over false vaccine claim

Facebook late on Sunday removed a video by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro from its platforms, in which the far-right leader made a false claim that COVID-19 vaccines were linked with developing AIDS. "Our policies don't allow claims that COVID-19 vaccines kill or seriously harm people," a Facebook spokesperson said on Monday.
25th Oct 2021 - Reuters

Rural areas, hit hard by COVID-19, lack access to new treatment trials

Three-quarters of rural Americans live more than an hour from the nearest site testing new treatments for COVID-19, research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reveals. Overall, almost a third of Americans would have to travel more than 60 minutes to access new therapies as they are being tested. This geographic disparity limits access to COVID-19 clinical trials in many parts of the country that are being hit hardest by the latest wave of the pandemic. Native Americans and Alaska Natives are particularly affected, with more than 50% living more than 60 minutes from a trial site.
25th Oct 2021 - EurekAlert!

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Endemic Covid-19 Has Arrived in Portugal. This Is What It Looks Like.

Close to 100% of people over the age of 50 have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Portuguese government. For those between the ages of 25 and 49 it is 95% and from 12 to 17 it is 88%. Some 89% of Portugal’s entire population of 10 million has had at least one vaccine dose, not far behind the rate in the world-leading United Arab Emirates, compared with 65% in the U.S. and 73% in the U.K., according to Oxford University’s Our World in Data. Portugal has been averaging six deaths a day for the past month, compared with almost 300 at the peak in January. Adjusted for population, the current rate equates to about 200 in the U.S. The deaths plunged to one or two a day in May and June before rising to 20 in July. The number of new daily recorded infections and hospitalizations has been trending down since the summer. The country is now averaging about 750 new cases a day, compared with almost 13,000 in January. There are about 320 people hospitalized, down from almost 6,700 at the peak
24th Oct 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid: Nicola Sturgeon urged to challenge UK Gov's vaccine 'selfishness'

Nicola Sturgeon has a “duty” to challenge the UK Government over its “staggeringly selfish” stance on providing coronavirus vaccines to poorer nations, campaigners have said. Scottish members of the People’s Vaccine Alliance made the plea to the First Minister as global leaders, including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, prepare to take part in the G20 summit in Rome. A new report for the organisation claims that of 1.8 billion Covid vaccine doses that have been promised by richer nations, only 261 million jabs – 14% – have actually been delivered. The Dose of Reality report also said the UK Government had taken 500,000 doses from the Covax programme, a worldwide initiative aimed at ensuring fair access to vaccination.
21st Oct 2021 - HeraldScotland

Only 14% of promised Covid vaccine doses reach poorest nations

Only one in seven Covid vaccine doses promised to the world’s poorest countries have been delivered, a report reveals. Of 1.8bn doses pledged by wealthy nations, just 261m (14%) have arrived in low-income countries, according to the analysis by the People’s Vaccinealliance, a coalition of groups that includes Oxfam, ActionAid and Amnesty International. Nearly a year after vaccines first became available, only 1.3% of people living in the poorest parts of the world are fully vaccinated.
21st Oct 2021 - The Guardian

Unvaccinated players face being barred after AFL issues Covid-19 jab mandate

All AFL and AFLW players will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by mid-February or they will be barred from playing and training. The AFL has released its long-awaited vaccination policy, with clubs to ultimately determine action on staff who do not receive the jab. If players do not have a medical exemption, there will be options to transfer them to the inactive list, pay them no less than 25% of their contracted salary, or agree to part ways. The AFL’s vaccination schedule will be rolled out across three stages, but all players will be required to have the jab eventually.
21st Oct 2021 - The Guardian

WHO estimate: 115,000 health workers have died from Covid-19, as calls for vaccine access grow

Some 115,000 health care workers died from Covid-19 from January 2020 to May of this year, according to a new World Health Organization estimate, as the agency pushed once again for efforts to address vaccine inequity. Globally, 2 in 5 health care workers are fully vaccinated, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing Thursday. But, he added, “that average masks huge differences across regions and economic groupings.” In most high-income countries, more than 80% of health care workers are fully vaccinated, Tedros said. But in Africa, the rate is less than 1 in 10. “The backbone of every health system is its workforce — the people who deliver the services on which we rely at some point in our lives,” Tedros said. “The pandemic is a powerful demonstration of just how much we rely on health workers and how vulnerable we all are when the people who protect our health are themselves unprotected.”
21st Oct 2021 - STAT News

Brazil’s Bolsonaro accused of crimes against humanity over COVID

A Brazilian Senate report has recommended pursuing crimes against humanity and other charges against President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 66-year-old leader quickly rejected the accusations on Wednesday, insisting that he was “guilty of nothing”. More than 600,000 people in Brazil have died from COVID-19, the second-highest death toll in the world after the United States. The decision to proceed with the charges will depend on Brazil’s prosecutor-general, a Bolsonaro appointee and ally. Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the threat of COVID-19 and touted misinformation and unproven treatments while ignoring international health guidelines on mask use and public activity.
21st Oct 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Hundreds protest against Bulgaria's COVID health pass

Hundreds of anti-vaccine protesters joined some political leaders in Sofia on Wednesday to demonstrate against Bulgaria's decision to make a COVID-19 "Green Certificate" mandatory for access to restaurants, theatres and shopping malls. The interim health ministry announced the move on Tuesday to try to slow a surge in infections and deaths in the European Union's least vaccinated country.
20th Oct 2021 - Reuters

Restricting travel over vaccine type could be discrimination, PAHO warns

Countries should grant entry to vaccinated travelers regardless of which shot they received to prevent discrimination and facilitate business, a top official of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday. With vaccination rates on the rise, countries are facing fresh questions about how to contain the spread of COVID-19 while easing pandemic travel restrictions. The United States last week said it would reopen the land border with Mexico - the busiest in the world - but only allow people who have been inoculated with vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO), leaving out two shots heavily used in Mexico - Russia's Sputnik V and one from China's Cansino Biologic
20th Oct 2021 - Reuters

They take an oath to do no harm, but these doctors are spreading misinformation about the Covid vaccine

She was a frequent guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show -- an Ivy League-educated OB-GYN who often spoke about women's health and holistic medicine. She was a media darling, and in 2013 made Reader's Digest's annual list of 100 most trusted people in America. If you go to Dr. Christiane Northrup's Facebook page, her posts dispensing advice on health and aging to her 558,000 followers seem consistent with that persona of several years ago. But Northrup also uses her Facebook page to direct followers to Telegram, where another side of her is apparent. Here, on this platform with lax moderation, lies a miasma of misinformation and conspiracy theories. "Best Explanation I've Seen About Why the Covid Jabs Are Killer Shots," reads one post that she shared.
20th Oct 2021 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid Made London and Paris Cheaper — for the Rich

Yes, remote work has decreased demand for office space, and should eventually soften housing demand too, but it’s not happening yet. Plus, look at city streets and you’ll see how the splendid isolation of the elite, suburban “Zoomocracy” is already starting to backfire: The shift to “hybrid” home and office working has drivers commuting into town at ever more random times. Traffic congestion over the past month in Paris and London has been even worse than the comparable period in 2019, according to TomTom. Cities, after all, are still where the jobs are, especially when it comes to high-skill services — Google Inc. recently announced a 7 million square-foot campus in San Jose.
19th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg

Religious exemptions threaten to undermine US Covid vaccine mandates

Epidemiologists are concerned that the loophole will embolden the vaccine-hesitant to evade requirements and undermine the state’s progress against the pandemic. And lawyers and legal experts are bracing for a deluge of complaints over the blurry lines that define “sincerely held” objections to the vaccine. Many parents and even some teachers have raised opposition to the mandates, with walkouts and protests already taking place across the state. In rural northern California and conservative patches of the south, parents picketed against the public health measures on Monday, insisting that they wouldn’t “co-parent with the government”. Last week, teachers at a school district in Los Angeles who were denied religious exemptions demonstrated outside the headquarters.
19th Oct 2021 - The Guardian

Australian state could fire more than 40 police staff for refusing a Covid-19 vaccine

A total of 43 police staff in the Australian state of Victoria have been stood down from duty and could face being fired after they failed to comply with a Covid-19 vaccine mandate, Victoria Police said. Under Victorian state law, all emergency service workers including police officers were set an October 15 deadline to book a vaccination, and must receive their first dose by Friday. In a statement sent to CNN on Tuesday, Victoria Police said 34 police officers and nine public safety officers who had "not complied with the vaccination direction" had been stood down from active service while they are investigated by the state's Professional Standards Command.
19th Oct 2021 - CNN

Covid-19: Irish press pause on some Covid-19 reopening plans

The Republic of Ireland is to pause some of the measures that had been planned for the reopening of society on Friday 22 October. It follows a rising number of Covid-19 cases in hospitals. The slight pause comes after a recommendation from the country's National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). It is being made even though 89% of those aged over 12 are vaccinated. Cabinet ministers have decided to continue the use of Covid certificates for the hospitality sector and for entrance to night clubs which will now open for the first time since March 2020.
19th Oct 2021 - BBC News

No special deals to allow unvaccinated players at Australian Open: official

Australia's Victoria state will not do special deals with unvaccinated athletes to allow them to compete at major events, an official said on Tuesday, putting Novak Djokovic's Australian Open title defence and bid for the Grand Slam record in doubt. World number one Djokovic, level on 20 Grand Slam titles with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, declined to reveal his vaccination status again this week and said he was unsure if he would defend his Australian Open crown as authorities work out COVID-19 restrictions for the tournament
19th Oct 2021 - Reuters

Ireland to allow nightclubs to reopen, but keeps some COVID curbs

Ireland will allow nightclubs to reopen for the first time since March 2020 but stepped back on Tuesday from plans to drop almost all COVID-19 restrictions in response to a rise in infections in one of the world's most vaccinated countries. After imposing one of Europe's toughest lockdown regimes, the government had hoped to lift most curbs this week including the need for physical distancing and requirement for vaccine certificates in bars and restaurants. Those measures will instead be extended until February, as will a requirement that bars and restaurants operate table service only. Those attending nightclubs must wear facemasks except when eating, drinking and dancing.
19th Oct 2021 - Reuters

UK under pressure to reimpose restrictions as COVID cases soar

Many scientists are pressing the British government to reimpose social restrictions and speed up booster vaccinations as coronavirus infection rates, already Europe’s highest, rise still further. The United Kingdom recorded 49,156 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the largest number since mid-July. New infections averaged 43,000 a day over the past week, a 15 percent increase compared with the week before. Last week, the Office for National Statistics estimated that one in 60 people in England had the virus, one of the highest levels seen in Britain during the pandemic. In July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government lifted all the legal restrictions that had been imposed more than a year earlier to slow the spread of the virus, including face coverings indoors and social distancing rules. Nightclubs and other crowded venues were allowed to open at full capacity, and people were no longer advised to work from home if they could. Some modellers feared a big spike in cases after the reopening. That did not occur, but infections remained high, and recently have begun to increase.
19th Oct 2021 - AlJazeera

Workers denied COVID-19 vaccine exemptions sue hospital

Several employees at the largest hospital system in Massachusetts say in a lawsuit that they were subjected to discrimination and retaliation in violation of federal law when their requests for medical or religious exemptions from the organization’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate were denied. The federal suit was filed Sunday by eight workers at Mass General Brigham. Attorneys for the workers said in a memo attached to the lawsuit that they are not challenging the legality of the vaccine mandate, but are attempting to “prevent discrimination and retaliation based on religion or disability.” “Defendant’s offering of medical and religious exemptions was illusory and not based in accordance with federal law,” the suit says.
19th Oct 2021 - The Associated Press

Italy's president criticizes violent COVID-19 pass protests

Italy’s president on Monday strongly criticized the violence that has erupted amid protests over the country's new coronavirus workplace health pass requirement, saying it appeared aimed at jeopardizing Italy’s economic recovery. President Sergio Mattarella spoke out as riot police again clashed with protesters at the port in the northern city of Trieste at times using water canons to push them back. The protesters, who have included right-wing agitators in previous episodes, oppose Italy s Green Pass requirement. Italy on Friday became the first major European economy to require all workers — from hairdressers to factory workers — to present proof of vaccination, a negative test within the past 48 hours or proof of having been cured recently of COVID-19 to enter workplaces. The pass had already been required to enter indoor venues like restaurants, museums and theaters, or for long-distance domestic travel.
18th Oct 2021 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Nearly a Third of Chicago Police Have Failed to Report Their Vaccine Status

About one-third of Chicago Police Department employees have not reported their Covid-19 vaccination status to the city, defying Friday’s deadline to provide the information or risk unpaid leave. About 64% of the department’s 12,770 employees have reported their vaccine status with about 36% of police staffers not providing the required information, according to data released by city officials on Monday. That’s the lowest reporting rate among the city’s departments. The figures show that 6,894 say they’re fully vaccinated and 1,333 report they are not, according to the data. About 4,500 from the department have not responded as mandated by the city amid a standoff between Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge #7 President John Catanzara Jr.
18th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg

Biden: Teachers 'most consequential' people after parents

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted a White House ceremony Monday to recognize the 2021 and 2020 national teachers of the year, the state teacher finalists for those years and teachers nationwide, all of whom had to work longer and harder during the pandemic. The president was a surprise guest, walking out onto the South Lawn after the first lady, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and both national teachers had spoken at the ceremony. Biden said teachers are the “single most consequential people in the world,” beyond one’s parents, because of the influence they have over their students.
18th Oct 2021 - The Associated Press

Reluctant men: reaching South Africa’s most hesitant groups with the Covid-19 vaccine

Many men must choose between hustling to find something that will put bread on the table, or going to queue at a health facility.” Laura Lopez Gonzalez explores South Africa’s efforts to persuade men to get the jab.
18th Oct 2021 - Yahoo News UK

COVID-19: Italian police use water cannon to disperse workers protesting against mandatory COVID pass

Italian police used water cannon and tear gas to break up a demonstration in the port of Trieste, where workers protested against the government's mandatory COVID pass. Under the new rule, workers will be suspended without pay and could face a fine of up to 1,500 euros if they try to work without the COVID pass.
18th Oct 2021 - Sky News

Social distancing at Mecca’s Grand Mosque dropped

The Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, has returned to operating at full capacity, with worshippers praying shoulder-to-shoulder for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began. On Sunday, floor markings that guide people to social distance in and around the Grand Mosque were removed. “This is in line with the decision to ease precautionary measures and to allow pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque at full capacity,” the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Pictures and footage on Sunday morning showed people praying side by side in straight rows of worshippers, the formation revered in Muslim prayers, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold last year. While social distancing measures were lifted, authorities said visitors must be fully vaccinated against coronavirus and must continue to wear masks on mosque grounds.
17th Oct 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Brazil pandemic probe to recommend Bolsonaro face 11 criminal charges, senator says

A Brazilian Senate probe into the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic will recommend in its final report due next week that President Jair Bolsonaro face 11 criminal charges, the senator leading the inquiry said on Friday, though it remains highly unlikely that he will face a trial on any such charges.
17th Oct 2021 - Reuters

We cannot continue to ignore the COVID childcare crisis

The world is facing a global care crisis that we must address urgently. When children live in unstable family environments or lose crucial family bonds at an early age, it can have irreversible consequences on the rest of their lives. We see it when we meet children like eight-month-old Aleksander* and his 10-year-old sister Natalyia, who both live in Ukraine. Tragically, they recently lost their mother who was raising them as a single parent. Local child protection authorities put them in the care of their father, Ivan. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ivan lost his job and also found himself unable to adequately provide for the children. The pandemic exacerbated the suffering of children like Alexander and Natalyia all over the world.
16th Oct 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Opinion | The Unvaccinated May Not Be Who You Think

Reality has refuted dire predictions about how Americans would respond to vaccine mandates. In a poll in September, 72 percent of the unvaccinated said they would quit if forced to be vaccinated for work. There were news articles warning of mass resignations. When large employers, school districts, and hospital systems did finally mandate vaccines, people subject to mandates got vaccinated, overwhelmingly. After United Airlines mandated vaccines, there were only 232 holdouts among 67,000 employees. Among about 10,000 employees in state-operated health care facilities in North Carolina, only 16 were fired for noncompliance.
16th Oct 2021 - The New York Times

Horse race marks Sydney's emergence from long COVID-19 lockdown

Thousands of Sydney residents flocked to a prominent horse race on Saturday, as Australia's biggest city emerges from a strict COVID-19 lockdown and the nation begins to live with the coronavirus through extensive vaccination. Up to 10,000 fully vaccinated spectators can now attend races such as The Everest in Sydney, Australia's richest turf horse race, and the country's most famous, Melbourne Cup Day, on Nov. 2. New South Wales state, of which Sydney is the capital, reached its target of 80% of people fully vaccinated on Saturday, well ahead of the rest of Australia.
16th Oct 2021 - Reuters

They Resisted Getting Vaccinated. Here’s Why They Changed Their Minds.

Mandates have prompted a surge in vaccinations among those who had held out. Some report feeling relief; others, anguish and resentment. The uptick in vaccinations has contributed, experts say, to a flattening of the virus curve in New York City, where the numbers of new infections and hospitalizations have been falling — a trend across the United States as well. Yet with winter approaching, public health experts are watching closely for yet another rise in infections. New York’s vaccination rate is higher than that of the country as a whole, with two out of every three residents fully inoculated. Still, about one million adult New Yorkers have not gotten at least one vaccine dose.
15th Oct 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Queensland cops take police to court over Covid vaccine mandates

Queensland Police have been told by their commissioner to get Covid vaccine But 50 furious staff members are taking the fight to court and refuse to get vax Dozens of officers have already been suspended after not getting vaccinated Mandatory vaccination is becoming an increasingly controversial issue In NSW, people must be double-jabbed just to go to shops or the pub
14th Oct 2021 - Daily Mail

Anti-vaxxers paying $500 for fake Australian Covid vaccine passports that work to enter venues

More than a dozen accounts selling fake vaccine passports set up on Telegram One website is offering counterfeit Australian government documents for $500 Sources have told Daily Mail Australia they are aware of them working in Sydney A woman said her colleague was using one to successfully enter businesses The reports comes as Victoria and ACT prepare to reopen as they hit jab targets
14th Oct 2021 - Daily Mail

U.S. pastors, advocacy groups mobilize against COVID-19 vaccine mandates

From the outside, First Harvest Ministries in Waveland, Mississippi, could almost be mistaken for a storage shed were it not for the steeple. From the modest building however, Shane Vaughn, the Pentecostal church's pastor, has helped spearhead an online movement promoting personal faith as a way around workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates. He posts form letters for U.S. workers seeking religious exemptions that have been downloaded from his website around 40,000 times, according to a screen shot of web traffic he shared with Reuters.
14th Oct 2021 - Reuters

How to Deal With an Anti-Vaxxer at a Holiday Dinner

So at a holiday gathering, plan a collaborative activity, like a puzzle, or Legos, or prepping dinner. Then get people telling stories—about how they made big life decisions, about lessons from loved ones they never forgot. Personal stories, personal truths—that’s how you coax out their values. You allow people to build bridges to their better selves. You’ll return to those values to find common ground and make your case. You persuade them by reminding them of the trust you’ve built and the values you share.
14th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

South Korea launches panel to debate 'living with COVID-19'

South Korea established a panel on Wednesday to debate a strategy on how to "live with COVID-19" in the long-term, as the country seeks to phase out coronavirus restrictions and reopen the economy amid rising vaccination levels. Under the strategy, the government aims to relax coronavirus restrictions for citizens who can prove they have been fully vaccinated, while encouraging asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients aged below 70 to recover at home, the health ministry said last week. The government will also focus on the number of hospitalisations and deaths rather than new daily infections, and will consider not publishing the latter on a daily basis, Yonhap news agency has reported.
13th Oct 2021 - Reuters

Neo-fascists exploit ‘no-vax’ rage, posing dilemma for Italy

An extreme-right party’s violent exploitation of anger over Italy’s coronavirus restrictions is forcing authorities to wrestle with the country’s fascist legacy and fueling fears there could be a replay of last week’s mobs trying to force their way to Parliament. Starting Friday, anyone entering workplaces in Italy must have received at least one vaccine dose, or recovered from COVID-19 recently or tested negative within two days, using the country’s Green Pass to prove their status. Italians already use the pass to enter restaurants, theaters, gyms and other indoor entertainment, or to take long-distance buses, trains or domestic flights. But 10,000 opponents of that government decree turned out in Rome’s vast Piazza del Popolo last Saturday in a protest that degenerated into alarming violence.
13th Oct 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Australians Planning to Get Covid Vaccine More Optimistic: Westpac

Australian consumers who intend to get vaccinated are far more optimistic than those who don’t intend to have a jab, Westpac Banking Corp.’s October household sentiment survey showed. Respondents who are not vaccinated but intend to be recorded an index reading of 122 points, while those who aren’t vaccinated and don’t intend to be posted a reading of 84.8, Westpac’s monthly survey showed Wednesday. The overall consumer sentiment index slid 1.5% from last month to 104.6. “The confidence level of those not intending to get vaccinated has also fallen quite sharply in the last month,” said Bill Evans, chief economist at Westpac. “Encouragingly, the size of this group has fallen as well, accounting for only 6% of respondents in the October survey compared to 9% in September and just under 20% at the start of the year.”
13th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg

Schools are new battleground in war of disinformation over Covid-19 vaccines

The rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations to schoolchildren in the United Kingdom has opened up a new front in the disinformation war: anti-vax campaigners are now taking their protests to the school gates. Groups opposed to vaccination have sought to stoke the fears of parents and children by falsely claiming that the vaccines are untested and dangerous. Last week, a small group of protesters demonstrated outside St. Thomas More Catholic School in the town of Blaydon, near Newcastle in northeastern England, as children entered the school gates.
12th Oct 2021 - CNN

COVID-19: Thailand reopens to vaccinated UK travellers, as visiting dozens of destinations now easier after red list cut to just seven countries

Thailand will end quarantine for fully vaccinated UK travellers, as British COVID advice has been relaxed making it easier to visit almost 90 countries. Forty-seven nations were taken off the red list at 4am, meaning anyone arriving from places including South Africa, Brazil and Argentina no longer need to quarantine in a hotel.
12th Oct 2021 - Sky News

Demand for Holyrood inquiry on Covid-19 handling after damning MP report

The call comes after the publication of a report by Westminster MPs labelled the UK Government’s early response to the pandemic “one of the most important public health failures the United Kingdom has ever experienced”. The report, from the cross-party joint committee of the health and social care and science and technology committees, concluded that there was an element of “groupthink” around the UK Government’s approach to herd immunity.
12th Oct 2021 - The Scotsman

Covid-19: Ethnic minority deaths were ‘unacceptably high’ during pandemic, MPs say

A damning report from MPs has slammed the “unacceptably high” death rates among people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study, from the cross-party Science and Technology Committee and the Health and Social Care Committee, said serious errors and delays, including on testing, care homes and the timing of the first lockdown, have cost lives during the virus outbreak. The pandemic exacerbated existing social, economic and health inequalities among ethnic minority communities, the MPs said.
12th Oct 2021 - The Independent

COVID-19: 'A slap in the face' - Families of pandemic victims attack MPs' report and call for judge-led inquiry

Families of COVID-19 victims have attacked an MPs' report into government failings during the pandemic as "laughable" and a "slap in the face" - and say a judicial inquiry is needed to get to the truth. The report said decisions on lockdowns and social distancing early in the pandemic were "one of the most important public health failures the United Kingdom has ever experienced" and cost thousands of lives. It said "groupthink" among officials meant chances to delay the spread of the virus were missed, and it was a "serious early error" not to lock down sooner.
12th Oct 2021 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Russian spy ‘stole Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine blueprint and used it to develop Sputnik jab’

Russian spies stole the blueprint for the Oxford/AstraZenecacoronavirus vaccine and used it to create their own Sputnik V jab, according to reports. UK security services have allegedly told ministers they now have solid proof an agent stole vital information from the pharmaceutical company, including the blueprint, according to The Sun. The late security minister James Brokenshire last year said Britain was “more than 95 per cent sure” Russian state-sponsored hackers had targeted the UK, US and Canada in attacks on drug companies.
12th Oct 2021 - The Independent

COVID-19: Report shows despite UK's vaccine success massive mistakes were made

The UK's independent inquiry into COVID-19 is due to launch in Spring 2022. Until then, this parliamentary report is the best assessment we are likely to get into the government's pandemic response. And putting aside the success of the vaccine and former health secretary Matt Hancock's "100,000 tests target", the cross-party committee's conclusions are damning. The government's initial "fatalistic" approach was "a serious early error". The test, trace and isolate system was "often chaotic" and "ultimately failed". Thousands of care home deaths "could have been avoided".
12th Oct 2021 - Sky News

Covid vaccine: Why these US workers won't get jabbed

Joe Biden has been urging US employers to issue ultimatums to their staff: get vaccinated, or lose your job. The president says he will soon bring in a mandate that requires all healthcare workers to have had the jab, and has urged states to do the same with teachers. In Concord, New Hampshire, it is striking to see some of those attending a large protest against vaccine mandates wearing hospital scrubs. Leah Cushman is prepared to lose her nursing job rather than get vaccinated. "My beliefs are religious. I believe that my creator endowed me with an immune system that protects me, and if I get sick, that's an act of God.
11th Oct 2021 - BBC News

Jeremy Vine ‘unnerved’ after home targeted by anti-vaccine protesters

The television and radio presenter Jeremy Vine has said he was unnerved after anti-vaccine protesters targeted his home. Vine tweeted that the group tried to serve what it called an “anti-vaxx writ” while he was out, instead giving it to his wife. The BBC and Channel 5 broadcaster said the group was angry at the BBC’s reporting on the issue of coronavirus vaccines, adding: “They were polite, for which I’m grateful, but coming to my home on a Sunday? And I’m a little unnerved by the heavy breathing too.”
11th Oct 2021 - The Guardian

Romania remains vaccine sceptical despite surge in COVID-19 cases

In leafy Romanian villages surrounding the capital Bucharest, few people realise one person has died from COVID-19 every six minutes in the country during the first 10 days of October, and vaccine scepticism remains high. These villages have some of the highest COVID-19 infection numbers and lowest vaccination rates in the country, which is being ravaged by the fourth wave of the pandemic, with ambulances queuing outside hospitals filled to the brim. Daily transmission numbers are rising across Central and Eastern European states, and Romania is experiencing record case and death rates as it grapples with the European Union's second-lowest vaccination rate.
11th Oct 2021 - Reuters

Malaysia and Singapore ease international travel restrictions in pivot to living with Covid

Singapore and Malaysia have each revealed plans to start reopening their borders as the Southeast Asian neighbors move away from their zero-Covid strategies toward living with the virus. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Sunday the country would end its domestic and international travel restrictions for fully vaccinated residents from Monday, after reaching its target of full inoculation for 90% of the adult population. It comes one day after Singapore added eight new countries to its vaccinated and quarantine-free travel lanes -- the most significant easing of travel restrictions since borders shut last March.
11th Oct 2021 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Moderna, Racing for Profits, Keeps Covid Vaccine Out of Reach of Poor

Moderna, whose coronavirus vaccine appears to be the world’s best defense against Covid-19, has been supplying its shots almost exclusively to wealthy nations, keeping poorer countries waiting and earning billions in profit. After developing a breakthrough vaccine with the financial and scientific support of the U.S. government, Moderna has shipped a greater share of its doses to wealthy countries than any other vaccine manufacturer, according to Airfinity, a data firm that tracks vaccine shipments. About one million doses of Moderna’s vaccine have gone to countries that the World Bank classifies as low income. By contrast, 8.4 million Pfizer doses and about 25 million single-shot Johnson & Johnson doses have gone to those countries.
9th Oct 2021 - The New York Times

Govt slams 'Pfizer jab is a killer' claim

The government has condemned a claim that the Pfizer mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, being offered to students aged 12-17 as part of the plan to reopen schools in November, will have fatal consequences for all recipients within two years. In a message spread via the Line app by several teenage groups campaigning against the Pfizer vaccination programme for young people, it was claimed the vaccine was a tool for committing genocide against young people as they would eventually die within two years if injected with the vaccine, said Dr Chawetsan Namwat, director of the Emergency Health Hazard and Disease Control Division. This claim is believed to have fuelled fears among the parents of many students who appear reluctant to give their consent to have their children vaccinated, he said.
9th Oct 2021 - Bangkok Post

San Francisco to welcome cruise ships after 19-month hiatus

Cruise ships are returning to San Francisco after a 19-month hiatus brought on by the pandemic in what’s sure to be a boost to the city’s economy, the mayor announced Friday. The Majestic Princess will sail into the port of San Francisco Monday, the first cruise ship to dock in the San Francisco Bay Area since March 2020 when the Grand Princess captured the world’s attention and made the coronavirus real to millions in the United States. The ship was carrying people infected with the coronavirus, and thousands of passengers aboard were quarantined as the ship idled off the California coast. The port of San Francisco, home to the Bay Area’s only passenger cruise terminal, expects to welcome 21 cruise ships through the remainder of the year.
9th Oct 2021 - The Associated Press

The Pandemic’s Toll on Women’s Careers

For all the change brought on by the pandemic, women in white-collar roles still made strides at nearly every level of U.S. companies last year, a comprehensive new study shows. The proportion of women in the corporate workforce didn’t decline significantly last year, and the number of women holding some senior roles increased, according to data from the 2021 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey & Co. and LeanIn.Org. But the report also found that women are experiencing higher rates of burnout than men, and are questioning whether they want to remain with their companies and on their existing career paths. Lareina Yee, a senior partner at McKinsey who previously served as the firm’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, and Rachel Thomas, Lean In’s co-founder and CEO, spoke separately with the Journal about some of the takeaways from this year’s report. Here are edited excerpts of the conversations.
9th Oct 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Give Asian youth a voice to decide their post-pandemic future

Like many of her generation, Pauline Mandrilla, a 23-year-old civil engineer from Manila, suddenly found herself jobless when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Mandrilla felt like a statistic, as she joined the ranks of some 22 per cent of unemployed Philippine youth affected by the pandemic’s economic fallout. “During the onset of the pandemic, we were placed in a no-work, no-pay situation,” Mandrilla recalled. “My previous job heavily relied on my being physically present on a construction site, but because of the quarantine restrictions, which halted public transportation in my region, I couldn’t go to work.”
8th Oct 2021 - South China Morning Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Divorced parents are going to court over vaccinating their kids against the coronavirus

Veronica was in her garden in New England when she got the email ping from her ex-husband in early May. “I started to have a panic attack,” says Veronica, who is not using her last name for privacy reasons. Her ex wanted a court to decide whether their 12-year-old daughter could be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The timing was terrible. “It was the day before I had her appointment scheduled,” she says. Divorced parents who disagree about coronavirus vaccination are taking their fights to court. The tensions have been fueled by inconsistent mask rules, misinformation and reports of more children hospitalized for covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.
7th Oct 2021 - The Washington Post

Man sentenced to 15 months in prison for spreading COVID-19 hoax on Facebook

Christopher Charles Perez, 40, made a Facebook post in April 2020 falsely claiming that he paid a COVID patient to lick items at a San Antonio grocer. He also made a post threatening to spread the virus at another area store. Investigators and Perez's confession revealed his posts to be false. He was found guilty of criminal false information and hoaxes related to biological weapons. Perez was sentenced to 15 months in prison, three years of supervised release that requires him to seek mental health treatment, and fined $1,000
7th Oct 2021 - Daily Mail

Covid-19: NI schools warned about hoax vaccine letters

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has warned post primary schools in Northern Ireland about hoax Covid vaccine consent letters. Some schools have received emails claiming to come from the NHS, which contain a "consent checklist" for vaccination. The email asks them to share the checklist with parents and pupils. But the PHA said "the false email and 'consent form' content contains a number of important inaccuracies". It should "not be forwarded to parents," the PHA said. BBC News NI has been contacted by some principals in Northern Ireland whose schools have received the hoax consent forms. They are presented as a form with information to be sent to parents ahead of pupils being given Covid vaccinations.
7th Oct 2021 - BBC News

More than 120,000 US kids had caregivers die during pandemic

The number of U.S. children orphaned during the COVID-19 pandemic may be larger than previously estimated, and the toll has been far greater among Black and Hispanic Americans, a new study suggests. More than half the children who lost a primary caregiver during the pandemic belonged to those two racial groups, which make up about 40% of the U.S. population, according to the study published Thursday by the medical journal Pediatrics. “These findings really highlight those children who have been left most vulnerable by the pandemic, and where additional resources should be directed,” one of the study’s authors, Dr. Alexandra Blenkinsop of Imperial College London, said in a statement.
7th Oct 2021 - The Associated Press

‘Reaching a detente’ with SARS-CoV-2: Helen Branswell on covering Covid-19, misinformation and more

On Wednesday, STAT senior writer Helen Branswell spoke with Seth Mnookin, director of the MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing. The AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards sponsored the talk as part of its annual fall lecture series and in honor of Sharon Begley. Branswell spoke about Begley’s legacy, reporting on infectious diseases, and the past and future of the Covid-19 pandemic. Highlights from the conversation have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
6th Oct 2021 - STAT News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

BofA Gives $200 to Merrill Staff Who Confirm Vaccination Status

Bank of America Corp. is offering $200 awards to Merrill Lynch Wealth Management branch employees who return to the workplace and confirm they’re fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The company will give the award to client associates, administrative support and operations staff “in recognition of the important work they are doing as the business has transitioned back into the office,” a Merrill spokesman said in a statement to Bloomberg News. While the new policy stops short of being a mandate like those put in place by United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Microsoft Corp., Bank of America is following other U.S. companies in providing a financial incentive to get the shots. Delta Air Lines Inc. is imposing a $200 monthly surcharge on employees who aren’t vaccinated.
6th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg

Anti-vaxxers tear down Covid testing site in New York

Two anti-vaxx demonstrators attacked a Covid-19 testing site on Monday, during a protest against New York state’s vaccine mandate. A video caught the men in Union Square flipping over a table next to a mobile coronavirus testing van, tearing down the tent erected next to it and tossing a chair, before police intervened to stop them permanently destroying any property. Protesters at the rally shouted “boo” and “shame on you” at the staff member working at the Covid-19 testing site as they went past, followed by chants of “no vaccine mandate”.
6th Oct 2021 - The Independent

Texas man sentenced to 15 months in prison for posting Covid-19 hoax on social media

A Texas man was sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for spreading a hoax related to Covid-19 on social media, prosecutors said. Evidence showed Christopher Charles Perez, 40, posted two threatening messages on Facebook in April 2020, falsely claiming he paid someone infected with Covid-19 to "lick items at grocery stores in the San Antonio area to scare people away" from the businesses, the US Attorney's Office in the Western District of Texas said in a news release Monday.
6th Oct 2021 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

How has COVID-19 affected Australia’s homeless?

When Melbourne went into lockdown between March and October last year, the city’s rough sleepers were considered to be at high risk. Without a secure and isolated place in which to lock down, the concern was that they could easily catch and transmit COVID-19. The Victorian government responded by providing funding for people experiencing homelessness to access hotel rooms across the city, which were empty due to the lack of tourists. Dave Lovelock is an outreach worker at Launch Housing, a not-for-profit organisation that assists people experiencing homelessness. Launch Housing are one of a number of similar organisations who were involved with the government hotel programme due to their close connections with rough sleepers. Dave Lovelock’s job was to scour the streets to find people who were at risk of rough sleeping during the pandemic and offer them a place to stay at one of the designated hotels.
5th Oct 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Anti-vaccine villagers in Guatemala hold coronavirus team

Anti-vaccine residents of a village in Guatemala seized and held a team of nurses who were trying to administer coronavirus shots Monday, authorities said. The team was held for about seven hours in the village of Nahuila, in the province of Alta Verapaz, north of Guatemala City. The villagers said they didn’t want the shots, and later blocked a road and let the air out of the nurses' tires. A cooler and about 50 doses of vaccine were destroyed. Police and local officials later negotiated their release. Officials said they had previously encountered villages that rejected vaccination teams, but Gabriel Sandoval, the director of the provincial health department, said it was the first time they faced such physical opposition.
5th Oct 2021 - ABC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Doctors grow frustrated over COVID-19 denial, misinformation

The COVID-19 patient's health was deteriorating quickly at a Michigan hospital, but he was having none of the doctor's diagnosis. Despite dangerously low oxygen levels, the unvaccinated man didn't think he was that sick and got so irate over a hospital policy forbidding his wife from being at his bedside that he threatened to walk out of the building. Dr. Matthew Trunsky didn’t hold back in his response: “You are welcome to leave, but you will be dead before you get to your car,’” he said. Such exchanges have become all-too-common for medical workers who are growing weary of COVID-19 denial and misinformation that have made it exasperating to treat unvaccinated patients during the delta-driven surge. The Associated Press asked six doctors from across the country to describe the types of misinformation and denial they see on a daily basis and how they respond to it.
4th Oct 2021 - The Independent

HS: Majority of Finns don't accept refusing coronavirus vaccine on principle

A clear majority of Finns do not approve of people who refuse to get vaccinated against the coronavirus on principle, finds a poll by Helsingin Sanomat. Almost two-thirds (63%) of the poll respondents viewed that refusing to get vaccinated on principle was unacceptable and over one-quarter (27%) that doing so was acceptable. Understanding for the decision was limited especially among older respondents, with over 80 per cent of over 70-year-olds saying refusing on principle is unacceptable. Roughly a half of under 30-year-olds estimated that it is acceptable and 41 per cent that it is unacceptable to turn down the vaccine on principle.
4th Oct 2021 - Helsinki Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Mother warns coronavirus 'can happen to anybody' after teenage daughter dies on day she was to get vaccine

A mother has warned that anyone can die from COVID-19, even young people, after her teenage daughter died just days after contracting the virus. Jorja Halliday, 15, from Portsmouth, died at the Queen Alexandra Hospital on 28 September after she tested positive for the coronavirus four days earlier. Her mother, Tracy Halliday, 40, said: "Some children are sort of a bit blasé about, the say 'it's not going to happen to me, I'm going to be fine'. I just want people to know that it can happen to anybody, at any age, at any time. Even if you're young and healthy."
3rd Oct 2021 - Sky News

Get a friend vaccinated and eat out on us, Swiss govt tells citizens

Swiss citizens who persuade their friends to get COVID-19 shots can look forward to a free restaurant meal or cinema outing courtesy of the state, under a scheme aimed at boosting the country's low vaccination rate. Switzerland has witnessed numerous anti-vaxxer protests and 42% of its 8.7 million population are not yet fully vaccinated, relatively high by European standards. Announcing what he admitted was an unusual incentive scheme to bring that number down, Health Minister Alain Berset told a news conference in Bern: "The immunisation rate ...remains very low and this means we cannot end containment measures."
1st Oct 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Oct 2021

    View this newsletter in full

AP-NORC poll: Virus fears linger for vaccinated older adults

Bronwyn Russell wears a mask anytime she leaves her Illinois home, though she wouldn’t dream of going out to eat or to hear a band play, much less setting foot on a plane. In Virginia, Oliver Midgette rarely dons a mask, never lets COVID-19 rouse any worry and happily finds himself in restaurants and among crowds. She is vaccinated. He is not. In a sign of the starkly different way Americans view the coronavirus pandemic, vaccinated older adults are far more worried about the virus than the unvaccinated and far likelier to take precautions despite the protection afforded by their shots, according to a new poll out Wednesday from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
30th Sep 2021 - The Associated Press

Health workers once saluted as heroes now get threats

More than a year after U.S. health care workers on the front lines against COVID-19 were saluted as heroes with nightly clapping from windows and balconies, some are being issued panic buttons in case of assault and ditching their scrubs before going out in public for fear of harassment. Across the country, doctors and nurses are dealing with hostility, threats and violence from patients angry over safety rules designed to keep the scourge from spreading. “A year ago, we’re health care heroes and everybody’s clapping for us,” said Dr. Stu Coffman, a Dallas-based emergency room physician. “And now we’re being in some areas harassed and disbelieved and ridiculed for what we’re trying to do, which is just depressing and frustrating.”
30th Sep 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

UK’s Johnson says COVID bereaved will have role in inquiry

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday he will appoint a chair this year to the planned public inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic and that bereaved families will have a role in the proceedings. Following a “very emotional” meeting with the COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, Johnson said the experiences of those who have suffered a loss during the pandemic would form a major part of the public inquiry. “And obviously, there’s very little I could say to mitigate their own suffering,” he said. “But what I did say was that we were determined to make sure that the experience of the bereaved was something we took account of.” The event, which took place more than a year after the prime minister promised to meet the bereaved, lasted just over an hour and took place outside at the request of the families. Five members of the group, which included co-founder Jo Goodman, shared how their loved ones caught the virus and died.
28th Sep 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Boris Johnson meets with members of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families group for first time... 18 months after first death to the virus was recorded in UK

Boris Johnson is meeting a group of families bereaved by coronavirus - more than a year after he first promised to do so - with the PM to be told by campaigners: 'If we'd been listened to - other lives might have been spared'. The Prime Minister held a private meeting with members of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group in the Downing Street garden this afternoon, with each person attending carrying an A4 photo of the loved-one they lost. Families have asked for it to take place outdoors with social distancing and said they would tell Mr Johnson how their loved ones caught the virus and died, and repeat their calls for a public inquiry to start.
28th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

How Covid Misinformation Created a Run on Ivermectin

For months, the veterinary center in West Point, Miss., had watched its supplies of the drug dwindle. Dr. Karen Emerson, the veterinarian who owns the hospital, started the year with one 500-milliliter bottle of ivermectin, which she uses to kill parasites in dogs, chickens and other patients. But as the bottle emptied and her staff tried to find more, they were able to obtain only a 50-milliliter vial. Everyone else told them: None available. So Dr. Emerson began rationing the medicine to give to snakes and other exotic animals for which she had no other deworming treatment. She told dog owners to pay for a more available replacement drug that can cost seven times as much.
28th Sep 2021 - The New York Times

South Africa, Oxfam call for fairer trade rules in response to pandemic

South Africa's president and the head of Oxfam heaped pressure on World Trade Organization members and manufacturers to allow fairer access to COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday, including through a waiver on intellectual property rights. At a WTO public event on trade and COVID-19 also attended by German vaccine maker BioNTech, Cyril Ramaphosa said a waiver on patents was needed to save millions of lives during the pandemic,
28th Sep 2021 - Reuters

For many families, the countdown has begun to coronavirus vaccines for younger children

For almost a year, Whitney Kuhn has been trying to escape the grip of long-haul symptoms after contracting covid-19. And she has not stopped worrying about how to protect her 10-year-old son, Tyler, from the illness she experienced. She has been too anxious to go on family vacations, visit relatives for the holidays or even take Tyler to the grocery store. She has pulled him from basketball — his favorite sport — and other extracurriculars. And when he had to return to school, she could only hope his classmates wore their masks the right way.
28th Sep 2021 - The Washington Post

Connecticut doctor's license suspended for providing blank, signed Covid-19 exemption forms, health department says

A Connecticut doctor's state physician and surgeon license has been suspended for providing blank, signed exemption forms related to the Covid-19 vaccine, Covid testing, general vaccines and medical opposition to wearing facial masks, the state Department of Public Health said. Connecticut's Medical Examining Board suspended the license through a unanimous decision last week, the department said in a news release. Retired physician Sue Mcintosh of Durham, who is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, was giving signed forms to people without physically meeting them or examining them, the department said. She would provide the exemption forms to anyone who provided a self-addressed stamped envelope requesting one, they said.
28th Sep 2021 - CNN

Covid-19 may stay with us forever

The major problem is that the rise of more infectious strains of Sars-CoV-2 have quashed hopes of herd immunity, even in countries with high vaccine uptake. Scientists such as Francois Balloux, who directs the UCL Genetics Institute, say that this outcome was inevitable as soon as Covid-19 became a truly global pandemic. “I believe the opportunity for global eradication was gone very, very early in the pandemic,” says Balloux. “You can eliminate it locally, but as long as there’s a focus somewhere in the world, whether that’s Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, it will eventually come back. As of February 2020, it was clear that elimination would not be possible.”
28th Sep 2021 - Wired.co.uk

New Austrian anti-lockdown party seeking more seats after election coup

A new Austrian political party that opposes lockdowns, compulsory mask-wearing and other coronavirus restrictions hopes to spread across the country after surprisingly securing seats in one of Austria's nine provincial parliaments on Sunday. People Freedom Fundamental Rights (MFG), a newly created party that campaigned online and with a tour of bars and restaurants, stunned many observers by securing 6.2% of the vote in Upper Austria's election on Sunday, above the 4% threshold required to enter the provincial parliament. The province of Upper Austria, home to Linz, the country's third-biggest city, and bordering Germany and the Czech Republic, is home to much of Austria's heavy industry.
28th Sep 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Crowdsourced Covid Antiviral Project Gets $11 Million in Funding

A crowdsourced effort to design a Covid-19 pill won 8 million pounds ($11 million) in funding from the Wellcome Trust, a significant boost for a project that aims to make a low-cost antiviral broadly available. The project, called Covid Moonshot, started with locked-down scientists around the world sharing data and ideas online in March 2020. Some 250 people eventually submitted more than 4,500 potential molecular designs intended to block the virus’s main protease -- the key protein that helps it replicate. The Wellcome funding will help pay for the expensive last step of research needed to bring the project into human clinical trials.
27th Sep 2021 - Bloomberg

Thailand to reopen to more vaccinated visitors from November

Thailand will waive its mandatory quarantine requirement in Bangkok and nine regions from Nov. 1 to vaccinated arrivals, authorities said on Monday, as the country tries to boost its immunisation rate and revive its battered tourism sector. The regions include popular tourist areas Chiang Mai, Phangnga, Krabi, Hua Hin, Pattaya, and Cha-am, and follow the successful reopening of Phuket and Samui islands to vaccinated people in pilot schemes since July. The regions include popular tourist areas Chiang Mai, Phangnga, Krabi, Hua Hin, Pattaya, and Cha-am, and follow the successful reopening of Phuket and Samui islands to vaccinated people in pilot schemes since July.
27th Sep 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19: England sees biggest fall in life expectancy since records began in wake of pandemic

The covid-19 pandemic led to the biggest year-on-year drop in life expectancy in England since statistics were first collected in 1981, Public Health England has said. In 2020, the agency said that “the very high level” of excess deaths because of the pandemic caused life expectancy in England to fall 1.3 years for men to 78.7 and 0.9 years for women to 82.7. This was the lowest life expectancy in England for both sexes since 2011. Not all countries have reported life expectancy data for 2020 yet. But of those that have, PHE noted that Italy, Poland, and Spain experienced similar decreases in life expectancy to England in 2020, while France had a smaller decrease. Germany had little or no relative excess mortality in men or women. The US and Poland had the highest relative excess mortality in 2020, in both men and women.
27th Sep 2021 - The BMJ

Rowdy celebrations erupt in Norway as COVID restrictions end

Police in Norway on Sunday reported dozens of disturbances and violent clashes including mass brawls in the Nordic country’s big cities after streets, bars, restaurants and nightclubs were filled with people celebrating the end of COVID-19 restrictions that lasted for more than a year. The Norwegian government abruptly announced Friday that most of the remaining coronavirus restrictions would be scrapped beginning Saturday and that life in the nation of 5.3 million would return to normal. The unexpected announcement by outgoing Prime Minister Erna Solberg to drop coronavirus restrictions the next day took many Norwegians by surprise and led to chaotic scenes in the capital, Oslo, and elsewhere in the country.
26th Sep 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Rowdy celebrations erupt in Norway as COVID restrictions end

Police in Norway have reported dozens of disturbances and violent clashes including mass brawls in the Nordic country’s big cities after streets, bars, restaurants and nightclubs were filled with people celebrating the end of COVID-19 restrictions
26th Sep 2021 - ABC

A Canadian COVID-19 study that turned out to be wrong has spread like wildfire among anti-vaxxers

An inaccurate Canadian study suggesting an extremely high rate of heart inflammation after COVID-19 vaccines has been retracted due to a major mathematical error — but not before it spread like wildfire on anti-vaccination websites and social media. The preprint study, which was released by researchers at the Ottawa Heart Institute last week but has not been peer-reviewed, looked at the rate of myocarditis and pericarditis cases after Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccinations in Ottawa from June 1 to July 31. The study identified 32 patients with the rare side effects out of a total of 32,379 doses of mRNA vaccines given in Ottawa in the two-month period, finding an inordinately high rate of close to 1 in 1,000 — significantly higher than other international data has shown. But the researchers made a critical error that experts say caused the study to be "weaponized" by the anti-vaccination movement at a time when concern over COVID-19 vaccine side effects are top of mind for parents whose kids may soon get the shot.
25th Sep 2021 - CBC.ca

Doctors scale rockslides, invoke gods to vaccinate Himalayan villages

To visit the Indian village of Malana deep in the Himalayas, a COVID-19 vaccination team scrambled over a landslide that blocked the road the day before, scaled a retaining wall and then began a three-hour trek down and up a river valley. Despite the hostile terrain, the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, where Malana is located, earlier this month became the first in India to administer at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose in all its adults. The steep topography was one challenge overcome by health workers walking for hours or days to reach remote villages and another was religious beliefs, as the tourism-dependent state immunised its roughly 5 million adults.
25th Sep 2021 - Reuters India

Dutch protest against COVID-19 vaccine pass to enter bars, restaurants

Hundreds of protesters marched against the introduction of a "corona pass" in the Netherlands on Saturday, as proof of COVID-19 vaccination became compulsory to get into bars, restaurants, theatres and other venues. Hours after the requirement to show the pass or a recent negative coronavirus test took effect, the government of caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte sacked a cabinet minister who had publicly questioned the measure.
25th Sep 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

England’s Covid travel rules spark outrage around the world

England’s Covid travel rules and refusal to recognise vaccines administered across huge swaths of the world have sparked outrage and bewilderment across Latin America, Africa and south Asia, with critics denouncing what they called an illogical and discriminatory policy. The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, described England’s rules, unveiled last Friday, as “a new simplified system for international travel”. “The purpose is to make it easier for people to travel,” Shapps said. But in many parts of the world there is anger and frustration at the government’s decision to recognise only vaccinations given in a select group of countries.
23rd Sep 2021 - The Guardian

PM Morrison says Melbourne anti-lockdown protesters should be 'ashamed' for actions at war memorial

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called the actions of protestors on Wednesday at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance “disgusting.” More than 200 people were arrested after an intense stand-off between protestors and police at the war memorial. Two police officers were also struck in the head with bottles while one was admitted to hospital with chest pains.
23rd Sep 2021 - The Independent

The World Is at War With Covid. Covid Is Winning.

So when vaccine developers were figuring out how to produce billions of Covid-19 vaccine shots as quickly as possible, they decided to use an alternative: disposable bioreactor bags. At first, it was a win-win. The bags are quicker and cheaper to make than the tanks, and using them can shave precious hours off manufacturing times because they don’t have to be cleaned and sterilized after each use. But before long, even this innovation became an obstacle in the quest to end the Covid pandemic. First, larger vaccine makers bought up many more bags than they could use, leaving smaller vaccine makers with no recourse and potential manufacturing sites underutilized. Then as the vaccination campaign wore on, supplies began drying up altogether. Only a few companies make the bags, and they have little incentive to ramp up their manufacturing efforts because there’s no telling how long the uptick in demand will last.
21st Sep 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

‘Don’t get vaccinated’: Fake funeral home used to promote coronavirus shot

An ad truck appearing to spread anti-vax messaging caused a stir among US football fans in Charlotte, North Carolina, over the weekend. The vehicle, which had a funeral home’s name and website at the bottom of its giant advert, was emblazoned with a plain black board and a slogan which read: “Don't get vaccinated”. As it happens, though, the advert contains a hidden message. There is no “Wilmore Funeral Home”, which the ad claims to represent, and going to its website takes visitors to a landing page instructing them to do the opposite of what it says. “Get vaccinated now” appears on the site, along with a message that says, “If not, see you soon”. The ad agency, BooneOakley, said it was time to get creative and tackle America’s waning Covid-19 vaccine take-up
22nd Sep 2021 - The Independent

California woman who said she was ‘unmasked, unmuzzled, unvaccinated, unafraid’ has died of Covid-19, aged 40

A vocally anti-mask, anti-vaccine woman in California has died of Covid-19. Kristen Lowery, 40, was the mother of four school-age children in Escalon, California. In her Facebook posts, she proclaimed herself a “free thinker” who was “unmasked, unmuzzled, unvaccinated, unafraid”. In one photo, she held up a protest sign reading “Give a voice to the vaccine injured”. In September, her sister wrote that Ms Lowery had been hospitalised with the coronavirus.
22nd Sep 2021 - The Independent

Melbourne police arrest 200 at COVID-19 lockdown protests

Police in Australia's second largest city of Melbourne arrested more than 200 people after projectiles thrown by protesters injured two officers on Wednesday, the third consecutive day of demonstrations against COVID-19 curbs. Golf balls, batteries and bottles were among the items thrown at police during the protests held in defiance of stay-at home orders after a two-week closure of building sites to rein in infections, which rose again in the state of Victoria.
22nd Sep 2021 - Reuters

U.S. parents weigh risks, benefits as COVID-19 vaccine for kids nears approval

Monday's announcement from Pfizer and BioNTech that a low dose of their coronavirus vaccine proved safe and effective for children ages 5 to 11 in a clinical trial has come as a relief to many parents anxiously awaiting the chance to protect their children. The highly contagious Delta variant of the virus has collided with the start of the U.S. academic year, sending infections among young children soaring - including many cases requiring hospitalization - and forcing thousands of schools to shut for days or even weeks. The companies said they plan to file for regulatory authorization as soon as possible for a 10-microgram dose for children ages 5 to 11 after it led to a strong immune response in a 2,268-participant trial.
22nd Sep 2021 - Reuters

German cashier shooting linked to Covid-19 conspiracies

A man suspected of shooting dead a cashier at a German petrol station has been linked to Covid-19 conspiracy theorists and the far right. The 20-year-old student employee was shot after a row over face masks, in what is thought to be the first killing linked to German Covid rules. Researchers believe the suspect, named only as Mario N, was a far-right supporter and Covid-denier. Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned the "heinous" killing. Prosecutors said the killer had initially tried to buy beer at the petrol station in the western town of Idar-Oberstein on Saturday, but left after the cashier refused to serve him as he was without a mask.
22nd Sep 2021 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

India Covid-19: Meet the teacher who turned a street into a classroom

Schools across India have been closed for more than a year to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. But most of them, especially government-run schools and those in rural areas or remote parts, have struggled to keep teaching. Patchy or no internet access and a lack of electronic devices such as phones and laptops has meant poorer children have had little to no education since the pandemic started. But in a remote village in India's West Bengal state, primary school teacher Dwipnarayan Naik did not let any of this stop him: he set up an open-air school of sorts, using the outside of buildings as blackboards and the streets as classrooms.
21st Sep 2021 - BBC News

Melbourne police fire pepper balls, pellets to break up COVID-19 protest

Police in Melbourne fired pepper balls and rubber pellets on Tuesday to disperse about 2,000 protesters who defied stay-at- home orders to damage property, block a busy freeway and injure three officers, leading to more than 60 arrests. It was the second day of demonstrations in the locked-down Australian city after authorities shut construction sites for two weeks, saying workers' frequent movement was spreading the coronavirus.
21st Sep 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID has killed about as many Americans as the 1918-19 flu

COVID-19 has now killed about as many Americans as the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic did — approximately 675,000. The U.S. population a century ago was just one-third of what it is today, meaning the flu cut a much bigger, more lethal swath through the country. But the COVID-19 crisis is by any measure a colossal tragedy in its own right, especially given the incredible advances in scientific knowledge since then and the failure to take maximum advantage of the vaccines available this time. “Big pockets of American society — and, worse, their leaders — have thrown this away,” medical historian Dr. Howard Markel of the University of Michigan said of the opportunity to vaccinate everyone eligible by now.
21st Sep 2021 - The Associated Press

Melbourne construction sites shut down after anti-vaccine mandate protest

Australian authorities shut down construction sites in Melbourne for two weeks from Tuesday after an anti-vaccine mandate protest in the city turned violent and COVID-19 infections in the state of Victoria surged. Hundreds of people clashed with union officials with bottles and a crate thrown at them, footage on social media showed, after the Victorian government required all construction workers to have at least one vaccine dose by Friday.
21st Sep 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout Falters in Bulgaria Amid ‘Perfect Storm’ of Mistrust, Fake News

As a European Union member state, Bulgaria has access to Western-approved Covid-19 vaccines and enough doses for its population. But a mix of misinformation, low trust in authorities and conflicting messaging means less than a fifth of Bulgarians are fully vaccinated. With few takers at home and some shots soon expiring, the government recently donated 172,500 doses to the Kingdom of Bhutan, nearly 4,000 miles away. Some expired shots are being thrown away. Bulgaria, a country of some seven million people, has fully vaccinated far less of its population than the EU average of 61% and the U.S. rate of 54%, according to Our World in Data, a project based at Oxford University. It has emerged as an extreme case study of the challenge to convince vaccine holdouts to get the shot.
20th Sep 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

New body launched to self-regulate Covid testing amid No10's crackdown on 'exploitative' firms

New body promises to put a stop to unfair, late, and overpriced Covid travel tests. It comes after the Government promised to crackdown on 'Covid cowboys.' However one member of the new group appears to be in breach of its own rules
20th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

Perspective | Doubters' push for religious exemptions from coronavirus vaccination may not work

Compulsory coronavirus vaccination has been a specter hovering over vaccine skeptics throughout the pandemic, but the issue is coming to a head, after President Biden announced federal mandates affecting up to 100 million Americans and such enormous institutions as the Los Angeles Unified School District mandated vaccinations, too. Opponents of vaccination mandates are ready to fight and are aiming to use religious, philosophical and personal-belief exemptions to abstain from required vaccinations. The history behind the process for gaining such an exemption suggests that those seeking religious exemptions to the coronavirus vaccination mandates will not be widely successful. In recent years, many states, including California, Connecticut, New York, Maine and Vermont, rolled back personal-belief exemptions from mandatory vaccination, making it nearly impossible to claim that individual convictions prevent you from being vaccinated.
20th Sep 2021 - The Washington Post

Can we live with COVID-19? Singapore tries to blaze a path

Only 60 people in Singapore have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic first emerged, and some 82 percent of its population is now fully vaccinated against the disease. In June, the government announced it would move towards a “living with COVID-19” strategy, focusing on tracking and treating outbreak clusters with vaccinations and hospital admissions – but without the strict lockdowns, border closures, and work-from-home orders that have been the defining feature of much of the pandemic across the world.
20th Sep 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Australian police clash with anti-lockdown protesters, arrest nearly 270

Australia's police arrested 235 people in Melbourne and 32 in Sydney on Saturday at unsanctioned anti-lockdown rallies and several police officers were injured in clashes with protesters. Victoria police said six officers required hospitalisation. Several officers were knocked to the ground and trampled, the police said and television footage showed. About 700 people managed to gather in parts of Melbourne, as 2,000 officers made the city centre virtually a no-go zone, setting up checkpoints and barricades. Public transport and ride shares into the city were suspended.
18th Sep 2021 - Reuters

Nicki Minaj's Covid-19 vaccine 'swollen testicles' claim is false, says Trinidad health minister

Trinidad and Tobago Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh criticized as "false" the claim by American rapper Nicki Minaj that a person on the Caribbean island suffered swollen testicles after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. Minaj sparked an international furor when she alleged on Twitter that her cousin in Trinidad refuses to get a vaccine because his friend became impotent after being vaccinated. "His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding," Minaj, who has 22.6 million Twitter followers, said. The comments triggered an international backlash, with senior US and British coronavirus officials condemning the claims.
17th Sep 2021 - CNN

Nearly half of Spaniards think Covid-19 vaccination should be mandatory

“Everyone should be forced to get vaccinated even if they don’t want to.” Fully 47.7% of Spaniards checked this answer in a survey about Covid-19 immunization carried out in September by Spain’s Center for Sociological Studies. Another 25.4% said that “nobody should be forced to get vaccinated” while 21.8% said it depends on each case and 4.8% were undecided. These percentages rise considerably for certain professions: 81.5% of respondents said that healthcare personnel, senior home staff and workers who deal directly with the general public should all get mandatory shots. This percentage includes the 47.7% who support obligatory inoculation for everyone regardless of their occupation.
17th Sep 2021 - El País

Facebook targets German anti-lockdown movement

Facebook has cracked down on the anti-Covid restriction movement in Germany, removing dozens of accounts that contribute to “co-ordinated social harm”. Almost 150 accounts and pages on Facebook and Instagram — linked to anti-lockdown demonstrators in the European nation — have been taken off the platform, under a new policy focused on groups that spread misinformation or incite violent. The Querdenken movement includes vaccine and mask opponents, conspiracy theorists and some far-right extremists, and has long protested German virus measures. One post from such an account included a debunked claim that the Covid-19 jab was responsible for creating virus variants, while another wished death upon police officers who broke up violent anti-lockdown protests in Berlin.
17th Sep 2021 - News.com.au

Denmark returns to pre-pandemic life with a huge pop concert

While many in Europe fretted over the Delta variant, university student and care worker Sofie Mari Jensen joined tens of thousands of people at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium to watch the pop-rock band The Minds of 99. The event on September 11, a day after Denmark dropped all coronavirus restrictions, was Europe’s first concert hosting more than 50,000 people since the pandemic began.
17th Sep 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Facebook shuts down network linked to German anti-COVID group, launches rules on 'social harms'

Facebook has removed a network of accounts linked to an anti-COVID restrictions movement in Germany as it announced a new crackdown on coordinated campaigns of real users that cause harm on and off its platforms. Reuters exclusively reported on Thursday that Facebook's security teams were expanding the tactics used to take down influence operations using fake accounts to do more wholesale shutdowns of coordinated groups of real-user accounts causing harm, through mass reporting or brigading.
16th Sep 2021 - Reuters

Malaysians enjoy taste of travel after lockdown in tourism restart

The first plane carrying tourists in more than four months touched down on the Malaysian island of Langkawi on Thursday and was greeted by a twin water cannon "salute", in the launch of a programme to revive a travel sector frozen by the pandemic. The first batch of 159 travellers from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, arrived eager for a vacation after a monthslong, nationwide lockdown imposed to address one of Asia's highest per-capital coronavirus infection rates.
16th Sep 2021 - Reuters

As COVID-19 vaccine mandates rise, religious exemptions grow

An estimated 2,600 Los Angeles Police Department employees are citing religious objections to try to get out of the required COVID-19 vaccination. In Washington state, thousands of state workers are seeking similar exemptions. And in Arkansas, a hospital has been swamped with so many such requests from employees that it is apparently calling their bluff. Religious objections, once used sparingly around the country to get exempted from various required vaccines, are becoming a much more widely used loophole against the COVID-19 shot.
16th Sep 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Conservative radio host who swore off Covid-19 vaccine dies after contracting virus, co-host says

Conservative radio host Pastor Robert "Bob" Enyart, who swore off Covid-19 vaccines, has died from complications due to the virus, his co-host announced on social media. "It comes with an extremely heavy heart that my close friend and co-host of Real Science Radio has lost his battle with Covid," said co-host Fred Williams on Facebook. In October, Enyart won a lawsuit against the state of Colorado over its Covid-19 restrictions, CNN has reported. In a phone call with CNN following the ruling, Enyart said, "We have a right, even an obligation to worship him (God), and that's without government interference."
15th Sep 2021 - CNN

Malaysia's germ-busting clown finds new role in pandemic

When the coronavirus pandemic struck Malaysia, Shaharul Hisam Baharudin, like many others working closely with people, soon lost his work as an entertainer who juggled and sometimes dressed up as a clown. But rather than give up, the 43-year-old from Taiping, in western Malaysia found a new way of using his skills - disinfecting people's homes while wearing his clown's outfit. For his new role, he adapted the smoke machine he had used at parties to become a disinfection device, while providing some extra cheer by entertaining children in his clown outfit, completed by a surgical mask with a painted-on red nose and smile.
15th Sep 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

UK health secretary signals the end of PCR COVID-19 tests for travel

Britain's Health Secretary Sajid Javid signalled on Tuesday that a requirement for expensive PCR tests for COVID-19 for international travellers arriving in Britain would be dropped in favour of cheaper lateral-flow-tests. Asked by a lawmaker if lateral flow tests could be used for initial screening, with the small proportion of positive cases then needing a PCR test, Javid said: "I don't want to pre-empt the statement of my right honourable friend the transport secretary but I believe when he makes that statement that my honourable friend will be pleased."
14th Sep 2021 - Reuters UK

‘The virus is painfully real’: vaccine hesitant people are dying – and their loved ones want the world to listen

Matt Wynter, a 42-year-old music agent from Leek, Staffordshire, was working out in his local gym in mid-August when he saw, to his great surprise, that his best friend, Marcus Birks, was on the television. He jumped off the elliptical trainer and listened carefully. The first thing he noticed was that Birks, who was also from Leek and a performer with the dance group Cappella, looked terrible. He was gasping for breath and his face was pale. “Marcus would never usually have gone on TV without having done his hair and had a shave,” Wynter says.
14th Sep 2021 - The Guardian

Conservative Colorado radio host and pastor dies from COVID-19 after railing against vaccines

The anti-vax radio host died on Monday after contracting COVID on September 1 He had called for his listeners to boycott the vaccines made by 'child killers' and was notorious for his ruthless stance against LGBT relations and abortions. In October 2020, Enyart filed a lawsuit against the state that reduced the number of people allowed at religious gatherings. Enyart said people have a 'God-given right to worship him, our creator, without the government interfering.' It comes days after Howard Stern mocked a slew of anti-vax radio hosts who died from Covid and described their deaths as 'really funny'
14th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

Asia’s Covid-19 Success Stories Warily Ponder Post-Vaccination Moves

Earlier this month, Singapore reached a Covid-19 milestone: The fully vaccinated portion of the population crossed 80%. But instead of moving ahead with a planned reopening pegged to the achievement, the government put on the brakes. That is because cases were rising to several hundred each day after an earlier relaxing of some restrictions, raising fears of a hospital-bed shortage.
14th Sep 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Covid: Significant return to office could see ‘rapid’ rise in hospitalisations, Sage warns

It is “highly likely” that a decrease in the number of people working from home in the next couple of months would lead to a “rapid” rise in hospital admissions for Covid, scientific advisers to the government have warned. Millions of Britons have been heading back to the office this month, coinciding with the return of schools and universities. Last week, London saw its busiest morning rush-hour since the pandemic hit, with hundreds of thousands of journeys made across the city, according to official data. But modelling published on Tuesday by a sub-group of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) suggests there is the “potential” for another large wave of hospitalisations in the coming months.
14th Sep 2021 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

DeSantis threatens cities with fines for vaccine mandates

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday threatened local governments with $5,000 fines per violation for requiring their employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus that has overrun hospitals and killed tens of thousands across the state. Local municipalities, such as Orange County and the city of Gainesville, potentially face millions of dollars in cumulative fines for implementing a requirement that their employees get a COVID-19 vaccine, the Republican governor said. “We are not going to let people be fired because of a vaccine mandate,” DeSantis said at a news conference outside Gainesville. “You don’t just cast aside people who have been serving faithfully over this issue, over what is basically a personal choice on their individual health.”
14th Sep 2021 - The Associated Press

Yoga, organic food and misinformation: Wellness influencers are taking the anti-vaccine movement mainstream

For many, the term “misinformation” conjures up images of conspiracy-theory chat forums and Russian bots. But an alarming amount of it is reaching audiences in the health and wellness realms. Many social media influencers who focus on natural remedies, holistic health and new age spirituality have been sharing posts and videos questioning the wisdom of vaccinating against the coronavirus. Public health experts say widespread vaccine hesitancy increases the threat of the virus mutating and helps keep the pandemic raging.
13th Sep 2021 - The Washington Post

Ivermectin frenzy: the advocates, anti-vaxxers and telehealth companies driving demand

Health authorities have warned there’s no proof for Ivermectin’s value in treating Covid-19. Still groups are touting the drug as the way out of the pandemic
13th Sep 2021 - The Guardian

Nicaragua gov’t squeezes doctors, talk of ‘health terrorism’

Other countries have lured doctors out of retirement, pushed medical students to the front lines and buoyed medical personnel exhausted by COVID-19 cases, but in Nicaragua doctors have been harassed, threatened and sometimes forced into exile for questioning official handling of the pandemic. Vice President Rosario Murillo, who is also the first lady, has accused doctors of “health terrorism” and of spreading “false outlooks and news” by reporting that COVID-19 has been far more widespread than officials acknowledge.
13th Sep 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Denmark lifts all Covid restrictions as vaccinations top 80%

Denmark’s high vaccination rate has enabled it to become one of the first EU countries to lift all domestic restrictions, after 548 days with curbs in place to limit the spread of Covid-19. The return to normality has been gradual, but as of Friday, the digital pass – a proof of having been vaccinated – is no longer required when entering nightclubs, making it the last virus safeguard to fall. More than 80% of people above the age of 12 in the Scandinavian country have had the two shots, leading the Danish government to declare as of midnight it no longer considers Covid-19 a “socially critical” disease.
11th Sep 2021 - The Guardian

Refugees fear COVID risk in Australian immigration detention

Campaigners in Australia are urging the government to release asylum seekers held in immigration detention after at least one COVID-19 case was officially confirmed at a facility in Melbourne. Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, is currently in its sixth lockdown amid a coronavirus outbreak driven by the highly infectious Delta variant.
11th Sep 2021 - Al Jazeera English

School Is Back and the Covid Rules Keep Changing: ‘It’s as Chaotic as You Can Get.’

Last year, Covid-19 shut down schools around the nation, forcing a largely failed experiment in remote learning and angry standoffs among teachers and parents over returning to schools. Now, the majority of the country’s 51 million school-age children are returning to class in the midst of a coronavirus resurgence, compelling districts to rethink their strategies. Schools are writing and rewriting pandemic policies for faculty and students from the moment they walk in the door, including where and how they interact, requirements for masking and testing, and the best ways to support students’ mental health.
11th Sep 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

'Loved ones died confused and alone' - calls for urgent public inquiry into pandemic handling in Wales

Our loved ones are being let down, families across Wales say, as a campaign has been launched for an inquiry into the Covid-19 handling. A UK-wide campaign has been launched as 'families deserve answers' following hundreds of thousands of Coovid-related deaths across the country. As a result, a Wales-specific group was launched - Covid-19 Bereaved Families Cymru group to provide support for Welsh families and not to be a 'footnote' in UK findings. The groups is calling for an independent public inquiry which will 'not save lives' but lessons can be learnt.
11th Sep 2021 - North Wales Chronicle

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

The Pandemic Has Set Back the Fight Against H.I.V., TB and Malaria

The Covid-19 pandemic has severely set back the fight against other global scourges like H.I.V., tuberculosis and malaria, according to a sobering new report released on Tuesday. Before the pandemic, the world had been making strides against these illnesses. Overall, deaths from those diseases have dropped by about half since 2004. “The advent of a fourth pandemic, in Covid, puts these hard-fought gains in great jeopardy,” said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC, a nonprofit organization promoting H.I.V. treatment worldwide.
9th Sep 2021 - The New York Times

COVID-19: Anti-vaccine posters found with razor blades attached to back of them to cut people as they are taken down, union says

Transport for London (TFL) workers have been warned about taking down unofficial COVID posters, after a union confirmed anti-vax signs have been found with razor blades attached to the back of them. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said the posters had been put up on rail and tube stations in London. The union has called for action to be taken against those responsible for the posters, which bear the message "Masks Don't Work" and have a razor blade attached on the rear - potentially injuring anyone who tries to take it down.
9th Sep 2021 - Sky News

COVID-19 is rising again in the U.K., but many shrug it off

A spike in new COVID-19 infections is sweeping Britain, but from packed trains on London's subway to full audiences at West End musicals, the prevailing attitude may be shifting to "We can live with it." "It's done. COVID is over, for sure," Hannah Worrel, 34, said as she joined a crowded throng of after-work partiers on Soho's famed Old Compton Street. England lifted mask mandates — except in some places such as the London subway — and occupancy restrictions for indoor gatherings over the summer. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have kept them in place for now.
9th Sep 2021 - CBC.ca

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

India restricts religious festivals over COVID third wave fears

Indian authorities are restricting major religious festivals that start this week and attract huge crowds, warning that a new COVID-19 wave had already begun in the financial capital, Mumbai. State governments across the country of 1.3 billion people, which saw a devastating coronavirus surge in April-May, are clamping down on mass gatherings.
8th Sep 2021 - AlJazeera

British man with Covid-19 faces eight years in a Polish jail over 'faked test certificate'

The 39-year-old man was detained by border guards trying to fly to Nottingham Officials discovered he had faked the test result at passport control in Poland He had altered his positive test result in a desperate attempt to return home He was fined £100 and faces between six months and eight years in a Polish jail
8th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

S.Korea planning to live 'more normally' with COVID-19 after October

South Korea is drawing up a plan on how to live more normally with COVID-19, expecting 80% of adults to be fully vaccinated by late October, health authorities said on Wednesday.
8th Sep 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

U.K. Is Among First Western Nations to Increase Taxes to Cover Covid-19 Costs

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Tuesday announced tax increases to support the country’s state-funded National Health Service as it struggles to manage a backlog of millions of patients in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. With the announcement, Mr. Johnson is renouncing an election pledge not to raise payroll taxes, a move that sparked criticism from within his own Conservative Party and underscored the pressure the pandemic has put on governments to find funding for social services stretched by Covid-19 and aging populations.
7th Sep 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Scepticism and fraud hamper Covid vaccine take-up rates in Romania and Bulgaria

Vaccine scepticism is helping to keep Romania and Bulgaria’s Covid-19 vaccination rates the lowest in the EU, exposing the union’s poorest nations to higher risks amid a fourth wave of the pandemic fuelled by the contagious Delta coronavirus variant. Fraud is adding to official frustration in Romania over take-up rates, with instances of doctors allowing people to go without jabs while still issuing them with certificates that help to make it easier to work and travel.
7th Sep 2021 - Financial Times

Covid US: Anti-vaxx Georgia councilman urges conservatives to get jabbed after hospitalisation

Jim Sells, 71, urged people not to take the COVID-19 vaccine before he was hit with a bout of the virus that left hospitalized for more than two weeks. Sells is now pushing for others in his community to get vaccinated to ease pressure on the state's hospital system. More than 96% of Georgia ICU beds are currently occupied as the state sees a surge of virus cases. Only 35% of residents of Sells' county are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and 60% are totally unvaccinated
7th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

Vietnamese man jailed for five years for spreading COVID-19 to eight people, one who died

Vietnam has jailed a man for five years for breaking strict COVID-19 quarantine rules and spreading the virus to others, state media is reporting. Le Van Tri, 28, was convicted of "spreading dangerous infectious diseases" at a one-day trial in the People's Court of the southern province of Ca Mau, the state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
7th Sep 2021 - ABC News

Covid-19 Australia: Cops swarm Melbourne synagogue after 100 worshippers celebrate Jewish New Year

Significant Covid breaches occurred at a gathering in Ripponlea, Melbourne Gathering dispersed by Victorian police after fiery confrontations. People in two buildings understood to have gathered for Jewish New Year. Police blocked roads surrounding buildings on Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea. Victoria recorded 246 Covid-19 cases on Tuesday and remains in lockdown
7th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Fake COVID-19 vaccine passports for sale online

Fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates are being sold online for hundreds of dollars. One user on the encrypted message app, Telegram, told 9News he was selling counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination certificates for $500 in Bitcoin. He even produced a dummy version of the document, which was close to the real thing
6th Sep 2021 - 9News

Singapore opens Covid-19 travel bubble with Germany

Singapore is about to allow quarantine-free travel from Germany after vaccinating 80 per cent of its population in a taste of what's to come for Australians when the international borders finally open. The so-called 'vaccinated travel lane' will begin on Wednesday for fully jabbed travellers, but excludes under 12s for whom there are no approved vaccines. Instead of quarantining for 14 days, arrivals will have to get tested when they land in Singapore and isolate at home or in a hotel until their negative result.
6th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Anti-vaccine protesters try to storm London offices of medical regulator

Police have prevented anti-vaccine protesters from storming the headquarters of Britain’s medical regulator during violent clashes in east London. At least four officers were injured and arrests were made during a confrontation as hundreds of people gathered outside the offices of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in Canary Wharf. Police drew batons and called for reinforcements as protesters attempted to force open the door of the regulator’s offices, with security guards looking on from inside.
4th Sep 2021 - The Guardian

American Airlines to end pandemic leave for unvaccinated staff

American Airlines said it would not provide special leave from next month to unvaccinated employees who have to quarantine due to COVID-19. Unvaccinated workers will have to use their sick time or medical leave if they miss work due to the disease, it said. "Given there is an FDA-approved vaccine, pandemic leave will only be offered to team members who are fully vaccinated and who provide their vaccination card to us," the carrier said in a memo to staff seen by Reuters.
4th Sep 2021 - MSN.com

Crowded U.S. Jails Drove Millions Of COVID-19 Cases, A New Study Says

If the U.S. had done more to reduce its incarceration rate, it could have prevented millions of COVID-19 cases. That's the conclusion of researchers who conducted what they say is the first study to link mass incarceration rates to pandemic vulnerability. Many of those preventable cases, they add, occurred in communities of color. The U.S. jail and prison system acts as an epidemic engine, according to the study from researchers at Northwestern University and the World Bank. That engine is driven by a massive number of people who, despite some counties' efforts to trim jail populations, have been cycling between cramped detention facilities and their home communities.
2nd Sep 2021 - NPR

Tyson Foods Offers Vaccinated Workers More Paid Time Off

Tyson Foods said it would provide 20 hours of paid sick time a year to fully vaccinated employees to enhance benefits for workers willing to receive coronavirus vaccinations. The new benefit, announced on Friday, followed discussions with the United Food & Commercial Workers, which represents several thousand Tyson workers, over the company’s requirement that all its U.S. workers be vaccinated “as a condition of employment” by Nov. 1. The paid sick leave policy takes effect on Jan. 1, and also applies to all nonunion employees.
3rd Sep 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

'Mass-scale misinformation' to blame for Covid vaccine hesitancy, says Prince Harry – video

Prince Harry gave a speech about Covid vaccine hesitancy in a virtual appearance at the GQ Men of the Year awards, where he presented a prize to Prof Dame Sarah Gilbert, Prof Catherine Green and the team behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine
2nd Sep 2021 - The Guardian

Australia Covid-19: Remote Indigenous communities refusing vaccination as many fear it is a hoax

Covid vaccination rates below 20 per cent in many remote indigenous areas SA Health deputy chief executive Don Frater says misinformation is the cause Fringe Christian groups and hoax claims common in Indigenous settlements
2nd Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

Misuse of COVID funds alleged as Filipino health workers protest

Allegations of misuse of COVID-19 funds have emerged in the Philippines, prompting anger among healthcare workers, who protested in the Philippine capital to demand the release of unpaid benefits as they battle another surge in cases due to the Delta variant. Protesters wearing protective medical gear gathered on Wednesday at the Department of Health (DOH) and held placards demanding their risk allowances, hazard pay and the resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque.
2nd Sep 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Doctors dismayed by patients who fear coronavirus vaccines, but clamor for unproven ivermectin

Oklahoma doctor Matthew Payne regularly encounters covid-19 patients in his hospital who say they had feared coronavirus vaccines and thought they had found a safer approach — taking ivermectin, a medicine long used to kill parasites in animals and humans. “There is surprise and shock when they initially get sick and have to come to the hospital,” said Payne, a hospitalist at Stillwater Medical Center. “They’ll say, ‘I’m not sure why I feel so bad. I was taking the ivermectin,’ and I will say, ‘It doesn’t do any good.’ ”
1st Sep 2021 - The Washington Post

New Zealanders line up for takeaway as COVID-19 restrictions ease, Auckland remains under stage four lockdown

New Zealanders are visiting beaches and queuing for takeaway food as tough lockdown measures have been eased in most of the country. About 1.7 million people in Auckland remain under a strict level 4 lockdown for another two weeks, but restrictions for the remainder of the country have been loosened. Surfers and kayakers were seen heading to the beaches in droves, while other outdoor recreation facilities like golf courses were busy again.
1st Sep 2021 - ABC News

Four conservative radio talk-show hosts bashed coronavirus vaccines. Then they got sick.

Marc Bernier was adamant: He was not going to get a coronavirus vaccination. “I’m Mr. Anti-Vax,” he told listeners of his talk-radio program in Daytona Beach, Fla., after the federal government provisionally approved the first vaccines in December. He later declared that the government was “acting like Nazis” in urging people to get vaccinated. But in early August, WNDB, Bernier’s radio home for more than 30 years, announced that the 65-year-old host was being treated in a hospital for covid-19. On Saturday, the station said that Bernier had died.
1st Sep 2021 - The Washington Post

Majority of U.S. companies may mandate COVID-19 vaccine in coming months - survey

More than half of U.S. companies are planning to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the workplace by year end, with almost a quarter considering vaccination as a condition for employment, according to a national survey of nearly 1,000 employers. In the face of a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, spurred by the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant, that has strained the U.S. health care system, many companies have come out with mask mandates and changed their vaccination policies.
1st Sep 2021 - Reuters

Opposition to vaccine crumbles: Just 14% of US adults now say they won't take the shot as work mandates kick in

Work mandates biggest driver, 43 percent saying this would make them get jab A further 57% of workers said they support vaccine requirements from employer Those who are in hard opposition to the vaccine make up a new low of 14 percent
1st Sep 2021 - Daily Mail

FDA approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine spurs American confidence: Harris Poll

Last week's FDA approval of Pfizer’s Comirnaty vaccine boosted consumer confidence among both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. A Harris Poll survey over the weekend found that 80% of Americans who were aware of the approval now have more confidence in it. Even more encouraging? Almost half (49%) of unvaccinated people who heard about the approval said they will “probably” or “definitely” get vaccinated. Overall awareness of the Pfizer approval was high—79% of those surveyed by The Harris Poll were aware of the FDA thumbs-up.
31st Aug 2021 - FiercePharma

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Sep 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Australian imports of ivermectin increase tenfold, prompting warning from TGA

A national shortage and tenfold increase in Australians importing ivermectin in August has sparked a warning from the Therapeutic Goods Administration against the use of the medicine, which is typically used to deworm livestock, as a treatment for Covid-19. Amid growing reports in the United States in recent weeks of people calling poison information hotlines over self-medicating with ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19, a spokesperson for the TGA told Guardian Australia there had been a massive increase in people bringing the drug into Australia.
31st Aug 2021 - The Guardian

Ex-CIA officer turned Q-Anon conspiracy theorist dies of COVID-19 while on anti-vax tour of Florida

Robert David Steele was a former CIA officer who became a big supporter of conspiracy theories. He had become a devotee of QAnon and was in the midst of a tour decrying coronavirus vaccines when he was hospitalized with the virus He has since died, his friend Mark Tassi announced on Instagram on Sunday Steele bragged that he was the first person to call the coronavirus a hoax He had also claimed that child slaves were being sent to Mars, forcing NASA to issue a denial, and said 5G was a weapons system designed to kill humans
31st Aug 2021 - Daily Mail

Mormon vaccine push ratchets up, dividing faith’s members

After more than a year of attending church virtually, Monique Allen has struggled to explain to her asthmatic daughter why people from their congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don’t wear masks. Allen said she’s taught her daughter that wearing a mask is Christlike, but now she worries her child feels like an outcast. Church leaders recently issued their strongest statement yet urging people to “limit the spread” by getting COVID-19 vaccines and wearing masks, but Allen said she fears it’s still not enough to convince the many families in her congregation who refuse to wear masks and have succumbed to anti-vaccine misinformation.
31st Aug 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Croatia thrilled at summer season success despite COVID-19

Beaches along Croatia's Adriatic Sea coastline are swarming with people. Guided tours are fully booked, restaurants are packed and sailboats were chartered well in advance. Summer tourism has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations in Croatia this year. Once fearful that the coronavirus pandemic would discourage people from traveling, Croatia’s tourism industry was caught by surprise. “It's much better — it’s almost like 2020 never happened,” said Josip Crncevic, a tour guide in Dubrovnik, a southern city known for its Old Town and nightlife that is Croatia's most popular destination.
30th Aug 2021 - Associated Press on MSN.com

Budapest mural pays tribute to Katalin Kariko, Hungarian-born pioneer behind COVID-19 vaccine

Katalin Kariko, the Hungarian-born scientist who laid the groundwork for the mRNA vaccines fighting COVID-19, has been recognised in her homeland in the form of a huge mural in central Budapest. The city's urban designers created the portrait of Kariko, senior vice president at German company BioNTech which with Pfizer developed one of the most effective coronavirus jabs, to pay tribute to her scientific endeavours.
30th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Lagging in COVID-19 vaccinations, Brussels takes vaccination campaign to shops

Health authorities in Brussels began offering COVID-19 jabs in supermarkets and shopping centres on Monday to increase vaccination rates in the Belgian capital that have not kept up with Belgium's rapid inoculation roll-out. Host to the European Union and NATO, Brussels has only given vaccinations to about 65% of its population, much lower than the surrounding Belgian regions, mainly because people did not respond to requests to go to vaccination centres.
30th Aug 2021 - Reuters

McDonald's, others consider closing indoor seating amid Delta surge in U.S.

Some U.S. fast-food restaurants are closing indoor seating areas or limiting hours of operation because of the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, according to franchisees. McDonald's had temporarily closed indoor dining at nearly all U.S. locations in early 2020, but it reopened 70% by last month. The global burger chain said on July 28 that it was on track to open nearly 100% by Labor Day - barring any COVID-19 resurgence. But last week, McDonald's instructed its franchisees on steps they should take to re-close their dining rooms in areas where the Delta variant is rapidly spreading
30th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Anti-vaxxers spread fake news about vaccine deaths during bizarre bridge protest on Hayling Island

Stood in a social-distanced line, the ‘anti-vaxxers’ repeated unfounded claims the coronavirus vaccine had been responsible for ‘1,600 UK vax deaths’ and ‘rising’. Holding yellow placards, the protester’s cards read: ‘Can we trust the media? Or push agendas? Do they provide fairness? And hide information? Because here’s the thing… The Covid vaccine is seriously harming people and killing them. Heart damage in teens, long-term health risks are completely unknown. UK vax deaths at 1,600 and rising. Please think about it.
30th Aug 2021 - Portsmouth News

Greek police fire tear gas as 7000 protest coronavirus vaccine rules

Around 7,000 people protested in Athens on Sunday (Aug 29) against a new rule obliging health workers to get vaccinated against Covid-19, said police who fired teargas to quell violence among the demonstrators. The rule change, which came into effect on Wednesday requires that all personnel working in hospitals be vaccinated. The demonstrators waved Greek flags and brandished placards declaring: "We are not against vaccines, but against fascism" and "Long live democracy".
30th Aug 2021 - The Straits Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

No Jab, No Entry at Eateries Under Sydney Proposal to Stem Virus

Unvaccinated people may be denied entry to restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues under a reopening proposal in Sydney where delta cases are surging despite a lockdown, according to local media. The New South Wales government is consulting with industry groups on a plan to require all hospitality staff and patrons for proof they have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine when the state begins to emerge from lockdown after reaching 70% vaccination rate, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Under the proposal, vaccination certificates and QR codes now used to check-in to venues may be merged, the report said, citing unnamed industry sources that confirmed the plan.
28th Aug 2021 - Bloomberg

Calls Grow to Discipline Doctors Spreading Virus Misinformation

A tiny number of doctors have had an outsize influence in spreading false information about Covid-19 and vaccines.
27th Aug 2021 - The New York Times

Police, protesters clash as thousands march against COVID curbs in Berlin

Police tussled with protesters as thousands of people marched through Berlin on Saturday chanting slogans and waving banners against COVID-19 restrictions. Some demonstrators tried to get past barricades to the government district around the Reichstag parliament building and clashed with officers, police said. Four officers were injured, the Berliner Zeitung reported.
27th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

YouTube has removed 1 million videos for dangerous COVID-19 misinformation

YouTube has removed 1 million videos for dangerous COVID-19 misinformation since February 2020, according to YouTube’s Chief Product Officer Neal Mahon. Mahon shared the statistic in a blog post outlining how the company approaches misinformation on its platform. “Misinformation has moved from the marginal to the mainstream,” he wrote. “No longer contained to the sealed-off worlds of Holocaust deniers or 9-11 truthers, it now stretches into every facet of society, sometimes tearing through communities with blistering speed.”
26th Aug 2021 - TechCrunch

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Pentagon: US troops must get their COVID-19 vaccines ASAP

Military troops must immediately begin to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a memo Wednesday, ordering service leaders to “impose ambitious timelines for implementation.” More than 800,000 service members have yet to get their shots, according to Pentagon data. And now that the Pfizer vaccine has received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, the Defense Department is adding it to the list of required shots troops must get as part of their military service.
25th Aug 2021 - The Associated Press

Not Everyone Can Afford to ‘Learn to Live With’ COVID-19

COVID-19 now appears to be falling along these familiar lines. The effort to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control has really become two distinct battles. Within America’s borders, where vaccine doses are abundant, it’s a fight against misinformation and hesitancy. Globally, it is a race between vaccine delivery and virus transmission.
25th Aug 2021 - The Atlantic

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Channel 4's Jon Snow abused as anti-vaccine protesters storm HQ of UK news programmes

Anti-vaccine protesters have stormed the London headquarters of production company ITN, which produces ITV News, Channel 4 News and Channel 5 News. It's reported that more than 100 protesters managed to gain access to the building in Gray's Inn Road, central London. Footage on social media showed several dozen protesters in a tussle with police who attempted to block the entrance, with one clip showing veteran news anchor Jon Snow being abused by the crowd.
24th Aug 2021 - Sky News

Gig apps for a pandemic economy: Part time, no commitment

For months, Gabrielle Walker had been looking for a part-time job. She applied to restaurant chains and retailers like Nando’s and Primark, and she scoured the job search site Indeed. Nothing. Then one day, Walker, a 19-year-old student at University College London, was scrolling through TikTok and stumbled on a video about an app called Stint. A face on the screen explained that Stint could help students earn money by working brief temporary stints at places like restaurants and bars that require little training or experience.
24th Aug 2021 - The Associated Press

Analysis: Delta variant disrupts Hollywood's box office comeback

Three months after Hollywood launched a marketing blitz that proclaimed "the big screen is back," the Delta variant of the coronavirus has interrupted cinema's rebound from the pandemic. Studio executives and movie theater operators, meeting this week in Las Vegas for the annual CinemaCon convention, hoped to reignite moviegoing this summer. After encouraging turnouts for action flicks such as Marvel's "Black Widow" and "Fast & Furious" franchise movie "F9," recent U.S. and Canadian ticket sales have underwhelmed. "The only audience that seems to be going on a consistent basis is 18- to 35-(year olds)," said Jeff Bock, senior media analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co.
24th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Asian American leaders fear Covid-19 origin report could fuel more bigotry and violence

Asian American leaders are concerned that a report on the origins of the Covid-19 virus expected to be released this week by the Biden administration will be used to "legitimize racist language" and lead to more anti-Asian violence across the country.
24th Aug 2021 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid 19 coronavirus: Vaccine 'hesitancy' media stories as impactful as misinformation

Media articles highlighting some people's hesitancy toward receiving the Covid-19 vaccine could be just as impactful in swaying us as outright misinformation, a new study finds. Yesterday, it was announced that vaccinations in New Zealand had passed the one million mark - with director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield among the latest to receive their first dose. Surveys have shown willingness to receive the Pfizer vaccine has been rising over time, reaching the point where four in five Kiwis now either intend to get the shot or are leaning toward it.
23rd Aug 2021 - New Zealand Herald

A Covid Booster Is The Privilege Scientists Say Will Curb Delta

The roll out of a third dose of Covid vaccine has sparked debate on ethical and political grounds, since a large swath of the human population is yet to receive any inoculation. But the case for boosters on scientific grounds is building. The reason is delta. The most-infectious coronavirus variant to emerge so far is in a race with the human immune system, and there’s mounting evidence that delta is winning -- at least initially. Fully vaccinated individuals infected with the variant have peak virus levels in the upper airways as high as those lacking immunity, a large study from the U.K. showed last week.
22nd Aug 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

French protesters rally against COVID health pass

Thousands of people have marched in cities across France to protest the COVID-19 health pass that is now required to access restaurants and cafes, cultural venues, sports arenas and long-distance travel. For a sixth straight weekend, opponents on Saturday denounced what they see as a restriction of their freedom. Many criticised the measure, claiming the French government was implicitly making vaccines obligatory and unfairly restricting the rights of the unvaccinated.
21st Aug 2021 - AlJazeera

‘Unmute us’: Marchers demand return of Dutch music festivals

Dutch music fans have been banned for months from going to large-scale festivals due to coronavirus restrictions. On Saturday, the festivals came to them. Hundreds of performers and festival organizers held marches through six Dutch cities on Saturday to protest what they argue are unfair restrictions that have forced the cancellation of summer music festivals and other events. Thousands of people attended one of the “Unmute Us” marches in Amsterdam, walking and dancing behind a convoy of trucks carrying DJs and sound systems pumping out music.
21st Aug 2021 - The Associated Press

French scientist who pushed unproven Covid drug may be forced from post

The French scientist who promoted the discredited hydroxychloroquine treatment for Covid-19 backed by Donald Trump faces being pushed out of the infectious diseases institute he founded, amid concerns from key members over its role in feeding conspiracy theories and an investigation by regulators into its clinical studies. Didier Raoult has built a worldwide following throughout the pandemic for his support of the malaria drug despite its failure in randomised control trials. Multiple studies, including by the Recovery trial and the World Health Organisation, have found hydroxychloroquine to be ineffective in treating Covid-19.
20th Aug 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19: How Kerala kept itself above water in India's devastating second wave

India is one of the worst hit countries in the pandemic, but one state has fared comparatively well. Kamala Thiagarajan asks what Kerala did differently. India’s first confirmed case of covid-19 was detected in the southern state of Kerala on 27 January 2020. Despite being one of the worst affected states—with over three million recorded cases, a quarter of infections in India—Kerala has the lowest covid death rate in the country at 0.4%, less than a third of the national average of 1.3%. As of 8 August, Kerala had 17 654 recorded deaths.
19th Aug 2021 - The BMJ

What is being done to distribute COVID-19 vaccines globally?

What is being done to distribute COVID-19 vaccines globally? Several groups are working to get shots to poor countries, but they’re falling far short of what’s needed to curb outbreaks around the world. Among the efforts is COVAX, which relies on donations from rich countries and private funders. The group has missed its own distribution targets largely because it didn’t have the resources to secure vaccine supplies early on in the pandemic. As of mid-August, COVAX has distributed about 207 million doses to 138 countries and territories. That’s compared with more than 417 million doses distributed in just the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
19th Aug 2021 - The Associated Press

Gulf Coast’s beloved ‘Redneck Riviera’ now a virus hotspot

Tourists and servers alike dance atop tables and in the aisles at one restaurant on the “Redneck Riviera,” a beloved stretch of towns along the northern Gulf Coast where beaches, bars and stores are packed. Yet just a few miles away, a hospital is running out of critical care beds, its rooms full of unvaccinated people fighting for their lives. On maps that show virus “hot spots” in red, this part of the U.S. coast is glowing like a bad sunburn. And a summer of booming tourism that followed the lockdowns and travel restrictions of 2020 is making the turn toward fall with only a few signs of slowing down.
19th Aug 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Pope Francis says getting coronavirus vaccine is ‘act of love’

Pope Francis is adding his voice to a campaign to overcome vaccine scepticism, issuing a public service announcement insisting that vaccines are safe, effective and an “act of love”. The video message released on Wednesday is aimed at a global audience but directed particularly at the Americas.
18th Aug 2021 - Belfast Telegraph

Cardinal in serious condition after contracting COVID-19

A high-ranking Catholic cardinal who has COVID-19 is alive but in serious condition and has been sedated, according to officials at a Wisconsin shrine that he founded. Cardinal Raymond Burke, one of Pope Francis loudest critics and a vaccine skeptic, tweeted Aug. 10 that he had caught the coronavirus. His staff tweeted Saturday that he was hospitalized and on a ventilator. His condition and whereabouts since then have been unclear. His staff has provided no official updates. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops referred questions to officials at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which Burke founded in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
18th Aug 2021 - The Independent

Many Bible Belt preachers silent on shots as COVID-19 surges

Dr. Danny Avula, the head of Virginia’s COVID-19 vaccination effort, suspected he might have a problem getting pastors to publicly advocate for the shots when some members of his own church referred to them as “the mark of the beast,” a biblical reference to allegiance to the devil, and the minister wasn't sure how to respond. “A lot of pastors, based on where their congregations are at, are pretty hesitant to do so because this is so charged, and it immediately invites criticism and furor by the segment of your community that’s not on board with that," Avula said.
18th Aug 2021 - The Independent

Pharmacist arrested for allegedly selling Covid-19 vaccination cards on eBay

A licensed pharmacist was arrested in Chicago on Tuesday for allegedly selling dozens of authentic Covid-19 vaccination cards on eBay, the Justice Department said in a news release. Tangtang Zhao, 34, allegedly sold 125 Covid-19 vaccination cards from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to 11 different buyers for about $10 a card in March and April, the department said. Zhao, who worked as a pharmacist during that time, was indicted on 12 counts of theft of government property, the release added.
18th Aug 2021 - CNN

A radical plan to treat Covid’s mental health fallout

Though the idea of social prescribing has existed in the UK for a couple of decades, the cascading health consequences of a year in isolation has energised interest in the practice. And, as Covid-19 rapidly burns both ends of the healthcare candle – more patients in need of care, and a health service stretched to capacity – more health workers, policymakers and patients see social prescribing as part of the answer.
18th Aug 2021 - Wired.co.uk

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

What’s safe to do during summer’s Covid surge? STAT asked public health experts about their own plans

With Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations spiking around the country, dreams of a summer like those many us had in mind just a short time ago have faded. The fully vaccinated have been told to resume wearing masks indoors. Companies and institutions are leveling vaccine mandates. And some municipalities are requiring people to show proof of vaccination to get into restaurants, bars, and gyms. Confusion abounds about what is safe to do. (For the unvaccinated, there’s no confusion about what’s most important to do: Get immunized.)
17th Aug 2021 - STAT News

Federal agents seize thousands of fake covid vaccination cards destined for locations across U.S.

Bundles of counterfeit coronavirus vaccination cards printed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention logo have been shipped from Shenzhen, China, to recipients all around the United States, as some unvaccinated people try to evade restrictions that require proof of the shot to enter certain bars, schools and public spaces. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said in a Friday statement that agents have seized thousands of fake vaccination cards passing through Memphis, a shipping hub.
17th Aug 2021 - The Washington Post

Singapore prepares for long term life - and death - with COVID-19

With just a few dozen COVID-19 deaths and one of the world's highest vaccination rates, Singapore wants to reopen for business - and is laying the groundwork to live with the coronavirus as it does other common diseases such as influenza.
17th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

New Yorkers largely back mayor's vaccine mandate to dine out

New Yorkers interviewed by Reuters on Monday were largely backing the push by the city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter restaurants, gyms and other businesses. The policy is set to launch Tuesday as the delta variant continues to make progress. With vaccines widely available, political leaders were combating the latest surge in infections with shots and masks rather than ordering businesses to close and Americans to stay home as they did last year.
16th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Protesters in France denounce COVID health pass rules for fifth weekend

Protesters have marched in cities across France for a fifth consecutive weekend against rules compelling them to show a COVID-19 health pass for daily activities, but in lesser numbers than a week ago. Crowds rallied through the streets of Paris, Marseille, Nice, Montpellier and other towns, waving placards reading "Pass=Apartheid" and chanting "Freedom, freedom".
16th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Misinformation at public forums vexes local boards, big tech

There are plenty of places to turn for accurate information about COVID-19. Your physician. Local health departments. The U.S. CDC. But not, perhaps, your local government’s public comment session. During a meeting of the St. Louis County Council earlier this month, opponents of a possible mask mandate made so many misleading comments about masks, vaccines and COVID-19 that YouTube removed the video for violating its policies against false claims about the virus. “I hope no one is making any medical decisions based on what they hear at our public forums,” said County Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, who supports mask wearing and said she believes most of her constituents do too. The video was restored, but Clancy’s worries about the impact of that misinformation remain.
15th Aug 2021 - Associated Press

Covid US: Vaccine card black market emerges as New York and other cities bring in mandates

Most are being sold on Telegram, an encrypted site that is favored among people who don't trust typical Silicon Valley giants like Facebook and Twitter The blank cardboard cards are being sold for anything between $24 and $400 The Attorney Generals of multiple states wrote to Twitter, Shopify and eBay asking them to crackdown A California father and son were arrested trying to vacation in Hawaii with fake cards A California bar owner who was selling them was also arrested earlier this year NYC will start requiring vaccine status in restaurants and gyms will start requiring them from August 16 New Orleans , Los Angeles and San Francisco are also bringing them in Businesses will have a grace period before having to enforce them on September 13
14th Aug 2021 - Daily Mail

Back of the line: Charity only goes so far in world vaccines

An international system to share coronavirus vaccines was supposed to guarantee that low and middle-income countries could get doses without being last in line and at the mercy of unreliable donations. It hasn’t worked out that way. In late June alone, the initiative known as COVAX sent some 530,000 doses to Britain – more than double the amount sent that month to the entire continent of Africa. Under COVAX, countries were supposed to give money so vaccines could be set aside, both as donations to poor countries and as an insurance policy for richer ones to buy doses if theirs fell through. Some rich countries, including those in the European Union, calculated that they had more than enough doses available through bilateral deals and ceded their allocated COVAX doses to poorer count
14th Aug 2021 - Associated Press

Victoria police investigate threats against SPC after company mandates Covid-19 vaccines

Police in regional Victoria are investigating social media threats against canned food producer SPC, after the company mandated Covid-19 vaccines for its workers. The company, which runs a major cannery in Shepparton, set a precedent for corporate Australia by mandating vaccination for workers and contractors earlier this month. The anonymous online posts suggest defacing SPC products on supermarket shelves and asked what might happen if a needle was found in a can of SPC food, according to reports.
14th Aug 2021 - The Guardian Australia

Covid stifled US mental health therapy. Online forums provided a safe haven

Over the course of the pandemic, many people with mental health problems have turned to online communities for support. In March 2020, when the pandemic forced Americans to stay indoors, many turned to the online universe as a way of reaching out and making contact to recreate the supportive communities they were now physically cut off from. People joined Facebook groups, subreddits, Discord channels and online forums so they could gather virtually without the worry of catching or spreading the virus. In August 2020, a Facebook survey of 15,000 people found that 91% of respondents “have given some form of support to others through a group or community during the pandemic. 86% have said they received some form of support from others.” As of January, Reddit had over 100,000 active communities.
13th Aug 2021 - The Guardian

Facebook and YouTube execs say removing Covid-19 misinformation isn’t enough

New falsehoods have emerged to match every stage of pandemic response. Unquestionably, that misinformation has been amplified on social media platforms, as the world locked down in waves and citizens looked online for answers. On Thursday, leaders from Facebook and YouTube joined a panel at the global conference of the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) to discuss the threat misleading information poses to the pandemic response. But even as vaccine misinformation continues to hamper vaccination efforts in the United States, the conversation failed to address the impact of falsehoods on these platforms head-on — instead, focusing on platforms’ efforts to proactively share accurate, trusted Covid-19 information.
13th Aug 2021 - STAT News

27 on board Carnival cruise test positive for COVID-19

A Carnival Cruise Line ship that arrived in Belize on Wednesday after departing from Texas recorded 27 positive COVID-19 tests, all among people who are fully vaccinated. The Belize Tourism Board said in a press release that the Carnival Vista ship, which left from Galveston, Texas, arrived in Belize City with a total of 2,895 guests and 1,441 crew members. "As per the normal protocol, upon submission of the Maritime Declaration by the ship in anticipation of its call to Belize the ship reported that it had on board 27 positive cases, 26 of which were crew members and 1 passenger,” the statement said.
13th Aug 2021 - The Hill

‘Everybody I Know Is Pissed Off’

The vaccinated, across party lines, have kind of had it with the unvaccinated, an array of new polls suggests. While most state and national GOP leaders are focused on defending the rights of unvaccinated Americans, new polling shows that the large majority of vaccinated adults—including a substantial portion of Republicans—support tougher measures against those who have refused COVID-19 shots.
12th Aug 2021 - The Atlantic

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus digest: New Zealand plans phased reopening of borders from 2022

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday that strict border controls would remain in place this year, adding, however, that a phased reopening of international travel would be possible in 2022. New Zealand closed its borders to everyone except permanent residents and citizens at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. It now plans to allow quarantine-free entry to vaccinated travelers from low-risk countries starting early 2022. "We're simply not in a position to fully reopen just yet," Ardern said in a speech at the 'Reconnecting New Zealanders to the World' forum in Wellington.
12th Aug 2021 - Deutsche Welle

Covid-19: £22k car offered to care staff as jab incentive

A care group has offered staff the chance to win a £22,000 car if they have taken both doses of a Covid jab. PJ Care, in Peterborough and Milton Keynes, says the incentive to get staff vaccinated is "more cost-effective than recruiting new team members". The government announced that anyone working or volunteering in a care home must be fully vaccinated by 11 November, unless exempt. The company said 85% of its 600 staff had received all their jabs. Neil Russell, chairman, said he hoped by raffling a Renault Clio E-Tech worth £22,000 it would "help to encourage those who are open to changing their minds"
12th Aug 2021 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Volunteers in Vietnam come to the rescue as coronavirus lockdown hits the vulnerable

Vietnam’s strict lockdown to curb its fourth wave of Covid-19 infections has left many unable to work, go out to get food, or even get oxygen. Individuals and up to 90 community groups and organisations have stepped in where authorities fell short, but their efforts are not always coordinated.
11th Aug 2021 - South China Morning Post

COVID-19: Firm that claimed Pfizer vaccine turns people into chimpanzees banned from Facebook

Facebook has removed hundreds of accounts linked to a COVID-19 vaccine disinformation network operating out of Russia. The mysterious advertising agency called Fazze sought to pay social media influencers to repost misleading content about vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca. But their plot was uncovered after influencers in France and Germany exposed offers they had been sent.
11th Aug 2021 - Sky News

COVID-19: Man's anguish as his unvaccinated mother, father and brother all die with coronavirus

A Cardiff man who had to bury his unvaccinated mother, father and brother after they died with COVID-19 says it is "absolutely vital" people get their jab against the virus. Francis Goncalves returned to Wales last Friday after flying out to Portugal where his family relocated to a few years ago. His 40-year-old brother Shaul, 65-year-old mother Charmagne and 73-year-old father Basil all died in July.
11th Aug 2021 - Sky News

French vaccination centres vandalised as health pass is introduced

Vandals have attacked more than 20 vaccination centres and other health facilities, daubing some with Nazi-themed slogans, as the French government steps up its COVID-19 vaccination drive. Anger has been fueled by the introduction of a health pass showing proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test which is now mandatory for entering restaurants, trains and other public places.
11th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Lockdowns make people lonely. Here are 3 steps we can take now to help each other

With lockdowns and social restrictions likely to be a part of life in Australia until a significant majority of us are fully vaccinated, it’s timely to think about what we can do to look out for people who may be vulnerable. Loneliness is a personal and distressing experience that can be complex to resolve. But for people who are lonely, feeling meaningfully connected to others can help. Here are three steps we can all take to help people who may be experiencing loneliness.
9th Aug 2021 - The Conversation AU

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Oxford researcher urges Britain to donate vaccines rather than give boosters

Booster shots for COVID-19 vaccines are not currently needed and the doses should be given to other countries, Oxford vaccine chief Andrew Pollard said on Tuesday in contrast to the position taken by Britain's health minister.
10th Aug 2021 - Reuters UK

Facebook shuts down vaccine disinformation 'laundromat'

Facebook has said it has shut down a disinformation operation which sought to spread Covid-19 vaccine hoaxes by duping social network influencers into backing false claims. The leading social network labeled the operation a "disinformation laundromat" which sought to legitimise false claims by pushing them through people with clean reputations. Influencers who caught onto the sham turned out to be the undoing of a deceitful influence campaign orchestrated by British marketing firm Fazze and operated out of Russia, according to Facebook.
10th Aug 2021 - RTE.ie

Long delays as Canada opens border to fully vaccinated American tourists after 16 months

Long delays were reported at the border on Monday as Canada finally opened to fully vaccinated American tourists for the first time in 16 months, causing a rush of travelers during the busy summer season - and bottlenecks for a desperate tourism industry. Government data showed a seven-hour wait for the Fort Frances, Ontario, and International Falls, Minnesota, crossing. Fort Frances advertises itself online as "rarely experiencing delays."
10th Aug 2021 - Reuters

'We are not the virus': Two-tier Delta lockdowns divide Sydney

On the sands of Bondi Beach, one of Sydney's wealthiest suburbs, surfers and seaside walkers jostle for space, while joggers clog the nearby promenade and fitness buffs huddle around public exercise equipment. To the west, where COVID-19 infections are greatest, stores sit shuttered on empty streets as some of Australia's most migrant-heavy neighbourhoods endure heightened lockdowns, enforced by high-visibility policing backed up by the military.
10th Aug 2021 - Reuters

US turns to social media influencers to boost vaccine rates

As a police sergeant in a rural town, Carlos Cornejo isn’t the prototypical social media influencer. But his Spanish-language Facebook page with 650,000 followers was exactly what Colorado leaders were looking for as they recruited residents to try to persuade the most vaccine-hesitant. Cornejo, 32, is one of dozens of influencers, ranging from busy moms and fashion bloggers to African refugee advocates and religious leaders, getting paid by the state to post vaccine information on a local level in hopes of stunting a troubling summer surge of COVID-19. Colorado’s #PowertheComeback target audience is especially tailored to Latino, Black, Native American, Asian and other communities of color that historically have been underserved when it comes to health care and are the focus of agencies trying to raise vaccination rates.
10th Aug 2021 - The Associated Press

If we’re not careful, booster vaccines could end up giving the coronavirus a boost

The sooner we start using booster jabs, the more likely it is that we will need them. In the eight months since Covid-19 vaccines first became available, nearly four billion doses have been administered, and yet the number of cases and deaths continues to rise. Why? For the simple reason that we are not making the most efficient global use of the doses available. Now, as evidence is emerging about the potential benefits of booster shots in the face of the continued spread of Delta variant, offering fully vaccinated people a third dose before it is absolutely necessary is in danger of becoming the latest example of this.
9th Aug 2021 - LinkedIn.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Coronavirus vaccine hesitancy among younger people decreases, ONS figures show

Hesitancy among younger age groups to receive a COVID-19 vaccine has fallen, according to new figures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey looked at attitudes during the period from 23 June to 18 July - a day before most coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England. For 16 and 17-year-olds - who are now able to get a jab following last week's announcement to extend the rollout to that age group - hesitancy has decreased from 14% to 11%.
9th Aug 2021 - Sky News

Fake COVID-19 Vaccination Cards Worry College Officials

As the delta variant of the coronavirus sweeps across the United States, a growing number of colleges and universities are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for students to attend in-person classes. But the mandatory requirement has opened the door for those opposed to getting the vaccine to cheat the system, according to interviews with students, education and law enforcement officials. Both faculty and students at dozens of schools interviewed by The Associated Press say they are concerned about how easy it is to get fake vaccine cards
9th Aug 2021 - Time

Some May Be Getting Covid-19 Vaccines In Disguise To Hide Vaccination Status

There haven’t been any high school genre movies entitled The Fully Vaccinated Breakfast Club or Mean Antivaxxers just yet. But apparently some people who want to get vaccinated against Covid-19 may be facing high school-type peer pressure or even bullying. In the following video, Priscilla Frase, MD, the chief medical information officer for Ozarks Healthcare, described how her patients said they actually had to don disguises while getting vaccinated so that their family members and peers wouldn’t find out
9th Aug 2021 - Forbes

No test, no entry: Berlin nightclubs pilot 'reboot' project

Six Berlin nightclubs opened their doors this weekend to some 2,000 revellers free of masks and social distancing restrictions in a pilot project to assess whether testing for COVID-19 could prevent another lockdown for the city's night life venues.
9th Aug 2021 - Reuters

Crowd of 10,000 attends largest open-air music event in Ireland since start of pandemic

A crowd of 10,000 people have attended an open-air event in Falls Park, Belfast – the biggest crowd at a music event in Ireland since the start of the pandemic. The crowds were present on Sunday night as part of this year’s Féile an Phobail which is being held both in person and online. The Diversionary Féile Music Night, featured international DJ Paul Van Dyk and Judge Jules.
9th Aug 2021 - Irish Times

Anti-vaxxers try to storm the BBC in protest over vaccine passports and jabs for children

A group of anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination protesters clashed with police as they tried to gain access to BBC studios in west London. Protesters were seen confronting officers with scuffles breaking out as they attempted to enter the site in White City. A line of police officers were filmed pushing back protesters to stop them entering. It is understood the group arrived to protest plans for vaccine passports and the vaccination of children.
9th Aug 2021 - LBC

Italian police break up network selling fake COVID ‘green passes’

The Italian police have shut down several groups on the mobile messaging app Telegram where users were selling fake COVID-19 health passes required to access services and leisure activities. Italy introduced the so-called green pass on Friday.
9th Aug 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Protesters mass in France against Macron's Covid health pass

Almost a quarter of a million people took to the streets across France on Saturday for the biggest protests yet against a coronavirus health pass needed to enter a cafe or travel on an inter-city train, two days before the new rules come into force. Similar but smaller protests were held in Italy. Championed by President Emmanuel Macron, the French regulations make it obligatory to have either a full course of vaccination against Covid-19, a negative test or be recently recovered from the virus to enjoy routine activities.
8th Aug 2021 - International Business Times UK

Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland lands six-figure award to help lonely and isolated

A charity with a strong presence in Lanarkshire has been awarded £100,000 in funding to tackle loneliness and isolation through its Kindness Programme. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) has been awarded the six-figure funding as part of the Scottish Government’s £1 million Summer Fund to help those affected in this way as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It will enable the charity reach more people.
7th Aug 2021 - Daily Record

CNN fires three who turned up to work unvaccinated against coronavirus

CNN has fired three staff members for working in the office despite being unvaccinated against the coronavirus, in an incident that highlights the potential challenges facing employers who mandate inoculations amid a surge of the highly transmissible delta variant in the United States. Jeff Zucker, the cable network’s president, wrote in a Thursday memo obtained by The Washington Post that CNN was “made aware” in the past week of three employees violating its policy that only fully inoculated people work from its buildings.
6th Aug 2021 - The Washington Post

They rejected coronavirus shots in vaccine-rich countries. In the hospital, they changed their minds.

The fit and healthy bodybuilder in England. The religious woman from Canada. A conservative talk radio host in Tennessee. All chose not to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, despite living in countries where doses are plentiful. But after contracting the disease and falling severely ill, they have since expressed an overwhelming sense of regret and urged others not to make the same mistakes they did — some just days before they died.
6th Aug 2021 - The Washington Post

As delta variant surges, trust in the media plummets

We're a long way from 1976 or even 2005, aren't we? Because in 1976, in the post-Watergate era of journalism, trust in the Fourth Estate was 72 percent, according to Gallup. That's right: Nearly three of four Americans trusted that what they read, what they heard, were the facts with no narrative or cause or agenda being advanced. In 2005, 72 percent became 50 percent in terms of trust in the media. A 22-point drop, sure, but a respectable number when compared to just how bad things have become for an institution once revered for icons such as Cronkite, Brinkley, Mudd, Reasoner, Wallace, Jennings, Koppel and Russert.
6th Aug 2021 - The Hill

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Fit and healthy man, 42, killed by coronavirus regretted refusing vaccine - as sister issues misinformation warning

The sister of a fit and healthy man who died from COVID-19 says her brother was "beating himself up" over his decision not to get vaccinated during his final days, as she issued a warning over jabs misinformation. John Eyers, 42, from Southport, Merseyside died last week - exactly a month after catching the virus. The "fit" and "adventurous" father-of-one had been climbing Welsh mountains and wild camping a month before he became seriously ill.
5th Aug 2021 - Sky News

Businesses face ‘horrible’ abuse amid UK’s coronavirus vaccine checks dilemma

Hospitality is back in business post-lockdown — but staff face the prospect of abuse as they grapple with “confused” government guidance on checking customers' coronavirus status. Companies who have opted to put in place checks say they have faced a social media backlash from anti-vaccine and “freedom” campaigners. The U.K. has so far tried to encourage businesses with a higher risk of COVID transmission to voluntarily adopt its NHS COVID Pass, allowing customers to prove they are free of the virus. Users can show they have either had two doses of an approved vaccine, a negative PCR or lateral flow test result within 48 hours of entry, or have natural immunity. Business owners making use of the scheme so far say they have been on the receiving end of abuse, amid confusion from customers about the scale of the checks.
5th Aug 2021 - POLITICO.eu

Around 14% of US population is still opposed to the vaccine and most believe it is more dangerous than Covid-19 itself

Around 14 per cent of US population is still opposed to the Covid-19 vaccine. More than half of unvaccinated adults said vaccine is bigger risk to their health than getting infected with the virus itself. Some three quarters said they are 'not worried' about getting seriously sick from the virus
5th Aug 2021 - Daily Mail

Cambodia’s nightlife scene tests COVID success

In March 2020, Cambodian authorities made it clear they would take no chances with COVID-19. Tourism visas were suspended. Land borders were closed, leaving citizens stranded. Curfews and domestic travel restrictions emptied the kingdom’s world-renowned archaeological sites of visitors and shut down once-bustling nightlife spots. For nearly a year, such vigilance made Cambodia a COVID-19 success story. As of January this year, the country had recorded no deaths from the coronavirus and just 463 positive cases, 86 percent of which were imported cases that were contained by what was described as a “watertight” quarantine-on-arrival system.
5th Aug 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Barbie launches doll of scientist Sarah Gilbert who created coronavirus vaccine

Barbie producer Mattel has created a doll in the likeness of the scientist who designed the Oxford coronavirus vaccine: Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert. Professor Gilbert started working on creating a jab in early 2020 when Covid-19 was first reported to be spreading in China. The vaccine she designed, the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, has now been used in more than 170 countries, making it the most widely used in the world. The doll depicts Professor Gilbert wearing a black trouser suit with a white shirt and glasses.
4th Aug 2021 - The Independent

‘Jabs for kebabs’ — The art of coronavirus vaccine persuasion

After the early rush among older citizens for a coronavirus vaccine, many countries are now resorting to bribery to convince people to get themselves jabbed. The persistent minority of vaccine skeptics — especially across Europe — are probably immune from the incentives on offer. But governments are hoping that a small nudge may be what's needed with people for whom the prospect of long-COVID or even death was not, by itself, enough to make them find a window in their schedule for a vaccine appointment. Some countries — notably France — are adopting more of a stick approach, by mandating that certain key workers receive the jab or restricting access to leisure activities for unvaccinated people. Pakistan is even taking the unconventional approach of cutting off the cellphone signal to those who refuse to get the jab.
4th Aug 2021 - POLITICO Europe

Covid-19: 'Lack of transparency' over Irish decisions

Experts in human rights law have accused the Irish government of lacking transparency and accountability in key decision-making during the pandemic. A report by academics from Trinity College Dublin said there was a lack of clarity about how decisions affecting prisoners and asylum seekers were made. It questioned how policies were arrived at in the vaccination programme and how Covid-19 deaths are counted. The report also said it was unclear who made some key decisions
4th Aug 2021 - BBC News

More US employers mandate COVID-19 vaccines

The list of major American companies who will soon begin mandating COVID-19 vaccines continues to grow, as both Tyson Foods and Microsoft announced that all employees will need to show proof of vaccination in the coming months. Tyson Foods is the first major food industry employer to require vaccinations. All front-line workers will be required to be vaccinated by Nov 1. According to the Associated Press, the Springfield, Arkansas, company will offer a $200 bonus for all front-line workers who receive a vaccine. So far, only half of Tyson employees are vaccinated against COVID-19. Throughout the past 18 months, Tyson meat processing plants were the site of major outbreaks, but the company now reports low numbers after investing $700 million in workplace safety.
4th Aug 2021 - CIDRAP

COVID-19: Health workers face online abuse for encouraging vaccination

In England, health organisations are calling for an end to the abuse aimed at doctors and nurses during the pandemic, especially from anti-vaxxers. A letter has been signed by groups including the Royal College of Midwives, Unison, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the NHS Confederation, the British Medical Association, and the Royal College of Nursing. It was prompted by online abuse directed at RCM chief executive Gill Walton after she encouraged pregnant women to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
4th Aug 2021 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Top RNC official in Florida spreads Covid-19 conspiracies, calling vaccines the 'mark of the beast'

Amid recent surging coronavirus cases in Florida, a top Republican National Committee official in the state has spread anti-vaccine rhetoric and misinformation, comparing the Biden administration's vaccine efforts to Nazi-era "brown shirts," and twice calling the vaccines "the mark of the beast," comparable to a "false god." A review by CNN's KFile found that Peter Feaman, a lawyer and RNC committeeman from Florida made the comments on his blog the "The Backhoe Chronicles," which he publishes regularly in a private group on MeWe. The social media platform bills itself as the "anti-Facebook" app.
3rd Aug 2021 - CNN

Hackers block Italian Covid-19 vaccination booking system in 'most serious cyberattack ever'

Hackers have attacked and blocked an Italian Covid-19 vaccination booking system, a source from Italy's cybercrime police told CNN on Monday, marking the worst cyberattack the country's health service has ever seen. An investigation has been opened into the "very serious" attack on the IT system of the health department of Lazio, one of the most populated regions of Italy and home to capital Rome, according to a source from the Postal and Communications Police, which investigates cybercrime.
3rd Aug 2021 - CNN

Ireland's Catholic church, government clash over COVID-19 restrictions

Five Roman Catholic bishops from Ireland's 22 dioceses are set to defy COVID-19 restrictions after instructing local parishes to hold communion and confirmation services this month, drawing a sharp rebuke from the government, which have pleaded with them to wait until they consider further easing curbs later this month
3rd Aug 2021 - Reuters

Should I Mask? Can I Travel? What About Hugs? How Delta Is Changing Advice for the Vaccinated

The rise of the Delta variant of the coronavirus has raised new questions about how the vaccinated can stay safe and avoid breakthrough infections. We asked the experts for advice.
3rd Aug 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Have a chat to help others through loneliness

Looking back over the past 18 months, the Joni Mitchell lyric ‘you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone’ comes to mind. It’s only now, having been isolated, that we can appreciate how much small moments of contact with family and friends can mean. Bristol Myers Squibb’s Janice Creasy discusses how the company is helping reduce feelings of loneliness amongst its teams.
2nd Aug 2021 - pharmaphorum

Serbia benefits from COVID-19 'quarantine tourism' as Indians visit

Serbia is benefiting from COVID-19 'quarantine tourism' as thousands of Indians make a two-week stopover on the way to other countries. India has registered more coronavirus cases than any other country except the United States. Its citizens are barred from entering many countries during the pandemic unless they spend two weeks in another country en route.
2nd Aug 2021 - Reuters

Sky News Australia suspended from YouTube for a week over Covid-19 misinformation

YouTube has temporarily barred Sky News Australia from uploading new content over misinformation related to the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Google (GOOGL)-owned platform, the broadcaster was issued a "strike" last Thursday, which prevents it from posting videos or live-streams for a week. Three strikes over a period of 90 days would result in a permanent removal of the channel. A YouTube spokesperson did not disclose which videos by Sky News Australia had violated its policies, but said in a statement issued on Monday that "we don't allow content that denies the existence of Covid-19 or that encourages people to use hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin to treat or prevent the virus."
2nd Aug 2021 - CNN

Covid-19 Contained Among Olympic Athletes Despite Tokyo Surge

Tokyo is experiencing a record surge in Covid-19 cases during the Olympic Games as the more infectious delta variant rips through Japan, though contagion among those linked to the event appears to be relatively contained so far. To date, organizers have announced 276 positive cases among people connected to the Olympics, including 24 athletes out of the more than 11,000 who are expected to participate. Of over 400,000 tests conducted so far on athletes and stakeholders, the positivity rate has been only 0.02%, organizers said on Monday.
2nd Aug 2021 - Bloomberg

Covid-19: First people arriving into UK after rules relaxed for fully jabbed

The first passengers have been arriving in the UK after rules changed to allow people fully vaccinated in the US and EU to avoid quarantine. The change, which came in at 04:00 BST, affects those arriving from countries on the UK's amber list - except France. The UK government said the change would help to reunite family and friends whose loved ones live abroad. Airline bosses have welcomed the move but are calling for more countries to be added to the UK's green travel list.
2nd Aug 2021 - BBC News

CDC rebuffs Biden bid to reinstate COVID-19 eviction moratorium

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has turned down President Joe Biden's request for a new scaled-down pandemic-related moratorium on residential evictions, citing a lack of legal authority to take the action, the White House said on Monday. The previous moratorium, which protected millions of Americans behind on their rent from being tossed out of houses and apartments, expired at midnight on Saturday, with Congress failing to renew it as Biden had asked. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier on Monday pressed Biden to have his administration renew the ban without congressional action.
2nd Aug 2021 - Reuters

To Fight Vaccine Lies, Authorities Recruit an ‘Influencer Army’

Ellie Zeiler, 17, a TikTok creator with over 10 million followers, received an email in June from Village Marketing, an influencer marketing agency. It said it was reaching out on behalf of another party: the White House. Would Ms. Zeiler, a high school senior who usually posts short fashion and lifestyle videos, be willing, the agency wondered, to participate in a White House-backed campaign encouraging her audience to get vaccinated against the coronavirus?
1st Aug 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Aug 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Broadway to require vaccinations, masks for audience members

Broadway theatergoers will need to prove they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19 and masks will be required when theaters reopen in the coming weeks, producers announced Friday. Audience members will have to wear face coverings and show proof they are fully vaccinated by a FDA or WHO authorized vaccine when they enter the theaters until at least the end of October, the Broadway League said in a news release. “Get vaccinated, and we’ll see you in the fall,” tweeted Broadway and TV star Jeremy Jordan. Composer Jason Robert Brown also agreed with the move: “That’s right. That’s where we’re at.”
31st Jul 2021 - Associated Press

COVID: Berlin court bans anti-lockdown protests

Judges in the German capital have moved to ban a number of weekend demonstrations amid fears they will lead to a rise in coronavirus infections. Police expect protesters to travel to Berlin nonetheless.
31st Jul 2021 - DW (English)

Thailand outlaws reports that cause 'fear' as Covid-19 cases surge

Thailand will allow officials to block online reports that cause “fear”, even if they are true, in a move critics have lambasted as an effort to shut down debate of the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The measure announced late on Thursday will penalise anyone who causes “misunderstandings” or jeopardises national security during the country’s state of emergency, which has been in effect since March 2020.
30th Jul 2021 - Financial Times

'I am furious with myself': Unvaccinated Covid patient describes the exhausting illness

Sitting in her hospital room in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Aimee Matzen struggled to breathe as she described how exhausting it is to have Covid-19. "The fact that I am here now, I am furious with myself," she told CNN between deep, deliberate breaths. "Because I was not vaccinated." Matzen, 44, finds herself in the Covid-19 intensive care unit at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge. She is receiving oxygen treatments and hopes she stays well enough to avoid getting hooked up to a ventilator.
29th Jul 2021 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

EU health body warns against visiting popular Greek islands over COVID-19

Greece's south Aegean islands were marked dark red on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's COVID-19 map on Thursday after a rise in infections, meaning all but essential travel to and from the region is discouraged. The cluster of 13 islands includes Greece's most popular destinations for foreign tourists - Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes - which, combined, draw millions of people every summer.
29th Jul 2021 - Reuters

European Union Pulls Ahead of the U.S. in Vaccinations

The 27 member states of the European Union altogether have now administered more coronavirus vaccine doses per 100 people than the United States, in another sign that inoculations across the bloc have maintained some speed throughout the summer, while they have stagnated for weeks in the United States. E.U. countries had administered 102.66 doses per 100 people as of Tuesday, while the United States had administered 102.44, according to the latest vaccination figures compiled by Our World in Data. This month, the European Union also overtook the United States in first injections; currently, 58 percent of people across the bloc have received a dose, compared with 56.5 percent in the United States.
29th Jul 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan vaccinates 90% of its population, becoming a beacon of hope for a region struggling with Covid

Bhutan has fully vaccinated 90% of its eligible adult population in a week with Covid-19 shots, a feat that has been described as a "success story" and a "beacon of hope" for other countries in the region, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday. The tiny South Asian kingdom of 770,00 people is nestled in high in the Himalayas between India and China, and its high altitude, remote mountain villages, nomadic herders and extreme weather posed unique challenges to health workers delivering the vaccines safely across the country.
28th Jul 2021 - CNN

Relaxing Covid-19 restrictions could pave way for vaccine resistance – experts

Relaxing coronavirus restrictions could pave the way for new virus mutations that are resistant to vaccines, researchers have suggested. A new article warns against relaxing measures prematurely, and describes an “arms race” against Covid-19. Experts at the University of East Anglia and the Earlham Institute argue that rising cases could provide opportunities for the virus to evolve into even more transmissible variants.
28th Jul 2021 - Evening Standard

Here Are The Republicans Most Likely To Refuse The Covid-19 Vaccine, Poll Finds

Nearly 40% of Republicans are still hesitant about getting the Covid-19 vaccine or refuse to get it, a new Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI)/Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) poll finds, though certain subsets of the GOP appear notably more likely to accept or refuse the shot based on their religion, media consumption and whether or not they believe in the QAnon conspiracy theory.
28th Jul 2021 - Forbes

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

A vaccine-skeptic dad died from COVID-19, realizing too late that he should have got the shot, his doctor said

A 34-year-old dad who avoided COVID-19 vaccines later died of the illness. His doctor said that he wanted to 'turn back time' and get jabbed he became seriously ill. Around 70% of the UK has been fully vaccinated, and vaccine hesitancy is rare, official data shows.
27th Jul 2021 - Yahoo

As Virus Cases Rise, Another Contagion Spreads Among the Vaccinated: Anger

As coronavirus cases resurge across the country, many inoculated Americans are losing patience with vaccine holdouts who, they say, are neglecting a civic duty or clinging to conspiracy theories and misinformation even as new patients arrive in emergency rooms and the nation renews mask advisories. The country seemed to be exiting the pandemic; barely a month ago, a sense of celebration was palpable. Now many of the vaccinated fear for their unvaccinated children and worry that they are at risk themselves for breakthrough infections.
27th Jul 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Opinion | 'Medical freedom' anti-vaccine bills like New Hampshire's endanger public health

Sununu and other Republicans are engaged in performative libertarianism. But even the most strident forms of that creed come with a qualification. It is John Stuart Mill who is most closely associated with the “harm principle” — that humans should be free to act, unless their actions bring harm to others. I think this is impoverished as a moral theory. But it accurately describes the mission of public health.
26th Jul 2021 - The Washington Post

‘There’s a disconnect’: After a rapid rollout why has US vaccine effort stalled?

Bonnet, who is Black, described her resistance as a mix of hope the pandemic would fade, and skepticism born from the American medical establishment’s history of racism. Bonnet’s story is just one example of how people in a vast, heterogeneous country are reckoning with the re-emergence of the pandemic with the more contagious Delta strain predominantly causing new cases and their own willingness to prevent it using the most powerful tool at humanity’s disposal – the vaccine.
26th Jul 2021 - The Guardian

Heathrow urges UK to open up to vaccinated travellers after losses hit £2.9bn

Heathrow has urged the government to open the UK up to vaccinated international passengers after it announced its cumulative losses from the pandemic had reached £2.9 billion. Fewer than four million passengers travelled through the UK’s largest airport in the first half of the year amid the third lockdown. The same total was reached in just 18 days in 2019.
26th Jul 2021 - iNews

A conservative radio host was skeptical of COVID-19 vaccines. Now that he's hospitalized with the virus, his family is urging others to get the shot

The family of conservative radio host Phil Valentine – who has been a COVID-19 vaccine skeptic – is urging others to get the vaccine after Valentine was hospitalized with the virus. Valentine, who hosts a show on WWTN-FM in Nashville,
26th Jul 2021 - CBS News

Schools closing ‘could be behind drop in Covid-19 cases across UK’ as experts welcome latest figures

Schools closing for the summer break is likely to be one of the reasons why coronavirus cases are falling across the UK, a leading expert has said. Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling group (Spi-M) advising ministers, said he is “cautiously optimistic” about dropping cases but only time will tell if the third Covid wave is “turning round”. The expert in infectious diseases, from the University of Warwick, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “any situation where cases are falling clearly is good news”.
26th Jul 2021 - Evening Standard

Covid-19: Public artwork dedicated to pandemic NHS staff

A public art installation dedicated to the NHS and the efforts of its staff during the pandemic is to go on tour around the UK. Entitled Gratitude, the 51 sculptures have been created by a number of artists and are accompanied by real-life audio stories, recorded by famous voices, about key workers. The free exhibition opens in Birmingham next month. It is then due to move on to Manchester, Edinburgh and London. The sculptures will be auctioned off at a later date, with "substantial proceeds" going to NHS Charities Together.
26th Jul 2021 - BBC News

Sydney police fine hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters for ‘filthy, risky behaviour’

Prime minister denounces ‘selfish’ protesters who marched against coronavirus measures as police taskforce traces everyone who broke rules
26th Jul 2021 - The Guardian

Thai volunteers aid COVID patients in need of care, testing

As Thailand‘s medical system struggles beneath a surge of coronavirus cases, ordinary people are helping to plug the gaps, risking their own health to bring care and supplies to often terrified, exhausted patients who’ve fallen through the cracks. In the Samai area of Bangkok, Ekapob Laungprasert’s team heads out for another weekend on the front lines of a crisis. His volunteer group, Samai Will Survive, has been working around the clock, responding to about a hundred SOS calls daily from desperate COVID-19 patients unable to get the help they need.
26th Jul 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19: Children with special educational needs 'forgotten' during pandemic

Families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) felt they were "forgotten" in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. That is according to a report from the National Children's Bureau (NCB) in Northern Ireland. Some families felt Covid-19 was used as "an excuse" by some agencies not to provide services or to limit services. Some parents have previously said their children had regressed due to the withdrawal of services in lockdown. Disabled people across the UK also spoke about the devastating impact the pandemic had on their lives.
25th Jul 2021 - BBC News

‘Too risky’: Performers call for insurance to cover COVID-19 losses

Performers are calling on the state or federal governments to provide insurance coverage for losses caused by COVID-19 restrictions - a move backed by the insurance industry. Musician Katie Wighton, a member of All Our Exes Live in Texas, said the band wanted to tour but insurance policies did not cover COVID-related cancellations. “It’s just been lockdown after lockdown and with us all being in different states it makes travel really tough,” she said. “If we had some sort of insurance it would definitely help us financially.”
25th Jul 2021 - Sydney Morning Herald

French protesters march against vaccine mandates and passes

Some 160,000 people, including far-right activists and members of France's yellow vest movement, protested Saturday across the country against a bill requiring everyone to have a special virus pass to enter restaurants and mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for all health care workers. Similar protests were held in neighboring Italy. Police fired water cannons and tear gas on rowdy protesters in Paris, although most gatherings were orderly.
25th Jul 2021 - CBS News

Anti-lockdown protest turns violent in Sydney

Thousands of people gathered in downtown Sydney, Australia on Saturday (July 24) to protest coronavirus restrictions as New South Wales (NSW) recorded its biggest daily rise in new COVID-19 cases this year.
24th Jul 2021 - Reuters Australia

Reluctance and distrust define vaccine attitudes in Gaza

More than five months since the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 jabs in the Gaza Strip, the vaccine rollout in the besieged coastal enclave has been met with general distrust and, in many cases, outright refusal. According to data from Gaza’s health ministry, some 98,000 people – or just less than five percent of the two million population – have so far received a shot.
23rd Jul 2021 - Al Jazeera English

COVID-19: Latitude Festival becomes first major festival to welcome back fans - with 40,000 expected

Latitude Festival is under way in Suffolk, as 40,000 people descend on what organisers have said is "close to being the safest place in England". The four-day music event, which is taking place at the Henham Park estate, is part of the government's Events Research Programme, meaning fans will have to show they have been vaccinated twice or tested negative for the virus. Social distancing rules were axed in England on Monday, but while Latitude is going ahead, some other festivals - such as Glastonbury and Womad - have been cancelled this year.
23rd Jul 2021 - Sky News

Slovak police use teargas at protest over COVID-19 restrictions

Riot police fired teargas at hundreds of demonstrators who blocked the entrance to Slovakia's parliament and pelted the building with eggs on Friday as deputies debated legislation the protesters oppose on COVID-19 restrictions. Some protesters chanted "Treason" and one carried a banner declaring "Stop corona fascism" over a draft law that would give people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 easier access to public events and spaces than those who have not.
23rd Jul 2021 - Reuters

White House blames Facebook and YouTube for spreading vaccine misinformation

The White House has YouTube, not just Facebook, on its list of social media platforms officials say are responsible for an alarming spread of misinformation about COVID vaccines and are not doing enough to stop it, sources familiar with the administration's thinking said.
23rd Jul 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Facebook and YouTube are still full of covid misinformation

Facebook, YouTube and Twitter all banned harmful covid-related misinformation as the pandemic took hold throughout the world. But the false claims are still proliferating. On YouTube, the accounts of six out of 12 anti-vaccine activists identified by the Center for Countering Digital Hate as being responsible for creating more than half the anti-vaccine content shared on social media are easily searchable and still posting videos. On Facebook, researchers at the left-leaning advocacy group Avaaz ran an experiment in June in an effort to show how anti-vaccine material gets pushed to people. Two new accounts it set up were recommended 109 pages containing anti-vaccine information in just two days.
22nd Jul 2021 - The Washington Post

New Jersey hospital system fires 6 workers who failed to get vaccinated against coronavirus

A half-dozen senior health-care workers who refused to comply with a New Jersey hospital system’s coronavirus vaccine mandate have been fired, the latest example of a company taking action against those who push back against vaccine policies. RWJBarnabas Health, the largest health-care system in the state, said in May that all team members at the supervisory level or above would be required to complete their course of coronavirus vaccinations no later than June 30. The idea was they would set an example for other staff members, and the state’s residents, in fighting the spread of the coronavirus.
22nd Jul 2021 - The Washington Post

COVID-19: Iceland warns against stockpiling as Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Co-op experience shortages amid 'pingdemic'

Customers at Sainsbury's have been warned its stores "might not always have" the products they want while Tesco was understood to be experiencing "temporary low availability across a small number of products".
22nd Jul 2021 - Sky News

YouTube pulls Jair Bolsonaro videos for Covid-19 misinformation

YouTube has removed videos from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s channel for spreading misinformation about the coronavirus outbreak, becoming the latest tech giant to pull his statements about the pandemic. YouTube said in a press release the decision was taken “after careful review” and without consideration for Bolsonaro’s job or political ideology. The far-right former army captain, who has overseen the world’s second deadliest outbreak, has won widespread criticism for railing against lockdowns, touting unproven cures, sowing vaccine doubts and shunning masks.
22nd Jul 2021 - The Guardian

Thousands descend on UK music festival amid rise in COVID cases

Thousands of people poured into the grounds of the Latitude music festival in eastern England on Thursday, one of the biggest gatherings since most coronavirus restrictions were lifted earlier this week. The four-day festival, expected to attract around 40,000 people, comes as COVID-19 cases across the country broadly rise. Music lovers arriving on a balmy summer's day had to show they had been vaccinated twice or tested negative for the disease.
22nd Jul 2021 - Reuters UK

UK ‘pingdemic’ raises fears of food shortages

The United Kingdom’s supermarkets, wholesalers and hauliers are struggling to ensure stable food and fuel supplies after an official health app told hundreds of thousands of workers to isolate themselves after contact with someone with COVID-19. On Thursday, newspapers carried front-page pictures of empty shelves in supermarkets, while shoppers also took to social media to highlight shortages of certain products in stores across the country.
22nd Jul 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

'A form of brainwashing': why Trump voters are refusing to get a vaccine

In downtown Little Rock, a chorus echoes around the room at Willy D’s Rock & Roll Piano Bar as groups of friends clutching beers and each other sing along to the soul hit “Stand By Me”. Yet far from standing together, the capital of Arkansas is deeply divided over how to deal with a resurgence of Covid-19. Cases are increasing, hospitals are filling up and health officials are struggling to convince residents in the city and across the state to be vaccinated. The pace of vaccinations in US states has become starkly correlated with politics, with Republican voters less likely than Democrats to have a jab, just as they are more reluctant to wear a mask or observe social distancing.
21st Jul 2021 - Financial Times

More than 1.5 MILLION children around the world lost a parent, grandparent or caregiver due to COVID-19, study finds

More than 1.5 million children lost a parent, grandparent or primary caregiver due to COVID-19, a new study estimates. Researchers at the CDC and Imperial College London made this estimate based on Covid mortality and fertility statistics in 21 nations. In the U.S., more than 110,000 children lost their parents or primary caregivers. The researchers say support is urgently needed for these children, who face higher risks to their health, safety, and wellbeing
21st Jul 2021 - Daily Mail

White House has held discussions with Fox News over its Covid-19 coverage

The White House is trying to fix the problem of slowing Covid-19 vaccinations by engaging with an unlikely source: Fox News. The network, which Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch has called the "loyal opposition" to President Joe Biden's White House, has been a hub for vaccine hesitancy and outright hostility. As the pandemic has gone on, and Covid-19 vaccinations have slowed, vaccine resistance among Republicans -- the Fox News audience base -- has been a recurring theme, leading many observers to scrutinize Fox's coverage.
21st Jul 2021 - CNN

US life expectancy falls by more than a year due to Covid-19 pandemic, CDC study says

Life expectancy in the United States fell by a year and a half in 2020 primarily due to increases in death due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to early data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "U.S. life expectancy at birth for 2020, based on nearly final data, was 77.3 years, the lowest it has been since 2003," researchers at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics wrote in a new report published on Wednesday.
21st Jul 2021 - CNN

My uncle died of Covid-19 before he could get a vaccine in Kenya, and I got mine in a US drugstore. This is what vaccine inequality looks like

Every time I see a call from home, my heart sinks. I always fear that they're ringing to say that my grandmother has died. She has been on a ventilator for four weeks and my anxiety is near breaking point. The dreaded call could come at any time: Covid-19. Again. Even at 96, my Kenyan grandmother was among hundreds of millions in the developing world who was not vaccinated until recently because rich nations have hoarded most of the available shots. Though I'm more than 60 years younger than her, I was fully inoculated by April because I was living in the United States, where anybody over 12 can get a vaccine if they want one.
21st Jul 2021 - CNN

COVID Vaccines And Infertility? How Misinformation Spreads In 6 Steps : Shots - Health News

Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines can appear almost anywhere: from an uncle's Facebook post to a well-trusted news commentator. But where does it come from, and why do some myths spread further than others? With the help of the internet research firm Graphika, NPR analyzed the rise of one persistent set of lies about COVID-19 vaccines: that they can affect female fertility. Despite a mountain of scientific evidence showing the vaccines are safe and effective, the false information persists.
21st Jul 2021 - NPR

Covid: The Mexican villages refusing to vaccinate

In November Pascuala Vázquez Aguilar had a strange dream about her village Coquilteel, nestled among the trees in the mountains of southern Mexico. A plague had come to the village and everyone ran to the forest. They hid in a hut under a tall canopy of oak trees. "The plague couldn't reach us there," Pascuala says. "That's what I saw in my dream." A few months later the pandemic had engulfed Mexico and thousands of people were dying every week. But Coquilteel and many small, indigenous towns in the state of Chiapas were left relatively unscathed. This has been a blessing but it also presents a problem.
21st Jul 2021 - BBC News

More Than 200 Facebook Groups Have Been Actively Circulating Coronavirus Vaccine Misinformation

After President Biden came down hard on Facebook last week over coronavirus vaccine misinformation, the company responded with almost equal force, insisting in no uncertain terms that it wasn’t responsible for how that type of content has spread on the web. But new research released Tuesday suggests Facebook does indeed remain a place where such misinformation is circulating: Media Matters for America, a liberal tech watchdog organization, says it has found 284 active private and public Facebook Groups currently distributing vaccine misinformation, more than double the amount the researchers found in April. Over a half million users belong to these groups.
20th Jul 2021 - Forbes

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

80% of new COVID-19 cases in Spain among non-vaccinated people, health minister says

The vast majority of new COVID-19 cases in Spain in the past five weeks were detected among non-vaccinated people, Health Minister Carolina Darias said on Monday, as new infections rose by 27,286. Just 5.5% of new cases within the period were detected among people who had been fully vaccinated, Darias said, adding 11.4% were partially vaccinated and 83.1% were unvaccinated.
21st Jul 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths are increasing, and the vast majority were not vaccinated

The surge in Covid-19 cases fueled by the Delta variant and vaccine hesitancy has now led to increasing rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows: The average number of new Covid-19 cases each day the past week was 32,278. That's a 66% jump from the average daily rate the previous week, and 145% higher than the rate from two weeks ago. An average of 258 Americans died from Covid-19 each day this past week -- up 13% from the rate of daily deaths the previous week.
20th Jul 2021 - CNN

Olympic athletes, baseball players, soccer stars: Why we're still seeing Covid-19 cases among top athletes

The close proximity that athletes spend time in could be a breeding ground for infectious diseases, he said. It should be noted that vaccine programs vary in nations around the world, and not as much is known about some vaccines given in some countries, he added. And some teenage athletes might come from countries that don't vaccinate people that age, he said. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, reporting from Tokyo, said the Olympics bring a unique challenge. More than 11,000 athletes representing 206 national Olympic committees have come to an island nation that has seen a surge in cases.
20th Jul 2021 - CNN International

COVID Vaccines And Infertility? How Misinformation Spreads, In 5 Steps

Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines can appear almost anywhere: from an uncle's Facebook post to a well-trusted news commentator. But where does it come from, and why do some myths spread further than others? With the help of the internet research firm Graphika, NPR analyzed the rise of one persistent set of lies about COVID-19 vaccines: that they can affect female fertility. Despite a mountain of scientific evidence showing the vaccines are safe and effective, the false information persists.
20th Jul 2021 - NPR

"Don't get sick": Indonesia's poor miss out on COVID care

In the teeming, impoverished North Jakarta neighbourhood of Muara Baru, people have made a grim joke out of the acronym for the Indonesian government's lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic: PPKM. "Pelan Pelan Kita Mati," Herdayati, a 48-year-old mother of six and sole breadwinner for a family living in a narrow, claustrophobic alley, said, explaining the gallows humour.
20th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Nearly a third of hospital workers in New York City are still unvaccinated against COVID-19

Nearly one-third of employees at New York City hospitals have still not gotten COVID-19 vaccines, city data show. Figures from the state Health Department reveal only 70 percent have completed their vaccine series since the shots were rolled out in December 2020. Of the five boroughs, Manhattan has the highest percentage of vaccinated workers with 76 percent having received their shots. Queens has fared second best with more than two-thirds of health care workers, or 67 percent, being vaccinated. However, almost 40 percent of hospital staff in the remaining three boroughs have either refused the COVID-19 vaccine or not gotten it yet.
20th Jul 2021 - Daily Mail

Young people are not immune from the government’s reckless policies

One of the reasons why Britain’s vaccination programme has been so successful is that the bulk of the population has been convinced that it is safe. Throughout the accelerated research and the rollout, safety has been the paramount consideration under which everyone concerned, including ministers and public health. But....
20th Jul 2021 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Migration and Covid deaths depriving poorest nations of health workers

The loss of frontline health workers dying of Covid around the globe, is being compounded in the hospitals of developing nations by trained medical staff leaving to help in the pandemic effort abroad, according to experts. With new Covid waves in Africa, and with Latin America and Asia facing unrelenting health emergencies, the number of health worker deaths from Covid-19 in May was at least 115,000, according to the World Health Organization. Its director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, acknowledged data is “scant” and the true figure is likely to be far higher.
19th Jul 2021 - The Guardian

Why the UK's new Covid-19 strategy is uniquely dangerous

I know of no episode in history where a government has willingly aided and abetted the spread of a dangerous infectious disease among its own population. History is being made. The government of the United Kingdom seems to actually want people to catch Covid-19 in the summer, rather than in the autumn and winter. Ministers reason that the understaffed and underfunded NHS will be in major trouble over the winter. To “go now” with the removal of all legal restrictions, thus producing an even higher level of infections, appears to be regarded as the right thing to do as it will reduce the inevitable problems later this year. This extraordinary policy has been revealed to the population in small dollops via Downing Street press conferences where the Prime Minister is flanked by civil servants. There is no obvious strategy and there is no published plan. In the view of much of the rest of the world, and most of the medical organisations in the UK, there is no possibility that this will be anything other than yet another failure that will cost lives and livelihoods.
19th Jul 2021 - New Statesman

COVID-19: 'It's not freedom day for everyone' - vulnerable people's fears over ending of coronavirus restrictions in England

People who are at high risk of catching the coronavirus have called the ending of restrictions in England "really frightening" and urged the government to give "more thought" to the vulnerable community. Restrictions such as limits on gatherings and social distancing, as well as face coverings, will no longer be legal requirements, although masks in certain spaces - including supermarkets and on public transport - is still being encouraged. There are around 3.8 million clinically vulnerable people in England with many saying they will do what they can to keep themselves and others safe - while charities have criticised the government for the blanket easing of coronavirus restrictions.
19th Jul 2021 - Sky News

Indonesian soup kitchen brings food to COVID-19 patients stuck at home

As coronavirus surges in the Indonesian capital, volunteers like Badie Uzzaman are pitching in to help, delivering food to people who have tested positive but are forced to quarantine at home as hospitals run short of beds. The 26-year-old driver of a three-wheeler, Badie drops off the packages in front of patients' homes, calling out that their food has arrived and making small talk from a distance.
19th Jul 2021 - Reuters

'I want to dance': London clubbers cheer end of COVID restrictions

London clubbers on Monday flocked to one of the first rule-free live music events since the pandemic began last year, dancing through the night and rejoicing in human interaction as England lifted most COVID restrictions at midnight. Britain, which has one of the world's highest death tolls from COVID, is facing a new wave of cases, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson is lifting most restrictions in England in what some have dubbed "Freedom Day". Epidemiologists are generally skeptical that lifting restrictions is the right thing to do, but many young British people have had enough of more than 1 1/2 years of lockdowns, and said they crave a party.
19th Jul 2021 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Did an Eid al-Fitr mass exodus kick-start Indonesia’s COVID chaos?

In the run-up to the holiday, the Indonesian authorities banned people from returning to their hometowns – a process known as “mudik”, usually involving some 20 million people – in a move designed to halt the spread of COVID-19. Roadblocks were set up, toll roads barricaded and checkpoints erected to prevent what was deemed unnecessary travel from May 6. But despite the ban, clandestine routes called “jalan tikus” (rat runs) mushroomed as travellers flouted the restrictions and went home anyway. Others were allowed to travel because of work or other reasons. By sheer coincidence, the Eid al-Fitr holiday, the date of which changes every year in line with the lunar calendar, coincided with Ascension Day, a Christian holiday. As a result, on May 13, a double holiday was celebrated by Indonesia’s Christian minority and Muslim majority communities across the archipelago.
16th Jul 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Opera singers are teaching long-term Covid-19 patients to breathe again

Covid-19 shoved Jeff Sweat into a medical coma for three weeks last winter, face down on a ventilator, on death's trap door. "I took care of him when he was literally near death," said Dr. Nida Qadir, a pulmonologist and co-director of the Intensive Care Unit at UCLA Medical Center. "He has no memory of meeting me." But now the pair are well acquainted -- the lung specialist and the 49-year-old married father with three teenagers -- as he sings his way to recovery in a unique therapy program at UCLA. Sweat and several other patients with serious medical complications caused by the virus attend weekly opera classes via video conference, conducted by members of the Los Angeles Opera and music educator Rondi Charleston.
18th Jul 2021 - CNN

Covid 19: More than one third of Londoners unvaccinated

More than one third of Londoners have not had their first vaccine dose making it the area with the lowest uptake in England, latest figures show. The data from NHS England also shows 55% have not had a second dose. Across England, 88% of people have had a first dose and 68% the second. Figures also show the city has one of the lowest rates of Covid-19 cases, with 298 per 100,000. Sadiq Khan said "everything possible" was being done to vaccinate everyone.
18th Jul 2021 - BBC News

England’s Covid unlocking is threat to world, say 1,200 scientists

Government advisers in New Zealand, Israel and Italy were among those who sounded alarm bells about the policy, while more than 1,200 scientists backed a letter to the Lancet journal warning the strategy could allow vaccine-resistant variants to develop. An adviser to New Zealand’s government told the summit he and his colleagues were astounded at the approach being taken in England. “In New Zealand we have always looked to the UK for leadership when it comes to scientific expertise, which is why it’s so remarkable that it is not following even basic public health principles,” said Michael Baker, a professor of public health at the University of Otago and a member of the New Zealand ministry of health’s Covid-19 technical advisory group.
17th Jul 2021 - The Guardian

Boris Johnson pursuing Covid policy of mass infection that poses ‘danger to the world’, scientists warn

Boris Johnson’s government has come under pressure to urgently reconsider its plan to end Covid restrictions in England on Monday, as international scientists warned that the move poses a “danger to the world”. More than 1,200 scientists from around the globe have condemned the prime minister’s decision to forge ahead with so-called “freedom day” on 19 July, describing it as “unscientific and unethical”. Some of the experts convened an emergency summit on Friday, warning that the UK government’s decision to lift its rules on social distancing and masks amounted to a “murderous” policy of “herd immunity by mass infection”. The group of scientists – who all signed a recent letter to The Lancet warning against the plans – fear next week’s reopening in England will allow the Delta variant to spread rapidly around the world.
17th Jul 2021 - The Independent

C.D.C. Director Warns of a ‘Pandemic of the Unvaccinated’

As the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus fuels outbreaks in the United States, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Friday that “this is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” Cases, hospitalizations and deaths remain far below last winter’s peak, and vaccines are effective against Delta, but the C.D.C. director, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, urged people to get fully vaccinated to receive robust protection, pleading: “Do it for yourself, your family and for your community. And please do it to protect your young children who right now can’t get vaccinated themselves.”
17th Jul 2021 - The New York Times

Just 5% think 'Freedom Day' will mark return to normal as Brits stay cautious

A new poll shows 85% of Brits will keep on social distancing - and nearly 40% believe it's too soon to lift Covid-19 restrictions
17th Jul 2021 - The Mirror

Moscow cancels QR code COVID-19 restriction for bars and restaurants

Moscow residents will no longer have to present a QR code demonstrating they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have immunity in order to sit inside cafes, restaurants and bars from July 19, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Friday. Russia, which reported a record daily rise in coronavirus-related deaths on Friday, is in the grip of a surge in cases that authorities have blamed on the more contagious Delta variant and the slow rate of vaccinations
16th Jul 2021 - Reuters

New poll finds confidence in science has plunged among some groups

Forty five percent of Republicans have either a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in science. More than 40 years ago, Republicans had more confidence in science than Democrats. The average adult at 33 percent either has "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in public institutions.
16th Jul 2021 - The Hill

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Child diseases on rise as COVID-19 slows routine vaccinations -U.N.

22.7 mln children missed routine vaccines in 2020 -U.N. Measles can be a killer disease of unvaccinated children. 'Large, disruptive' measles outbreaks in Afghanistan, Africa. WHO fears 'perfect storm' as nations lift pandemic curbs
15th Jul 2021 - Reuters

India’s digital divide is hampering its mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign

Millions of Indians do not have access to the internet or a smartphone, yet vaccine registration can only be done online through a government portal Other challenges include vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, people lacking identification documents, and the status of refugees such as Rohingya
15th Jul 2021 - South China Morning Post

The US Surgeon General Is Asking You To Help Fight COVID-19 Misinformation : Shots - Health News

With about a third of adults in the U.S. still completely unvaccinated, and cases of COVID-19 on the rise, the U.S. surgeon general is calling for a war against "health misinformation." On Thursday, Dr. Vivek Murthy released the first surgeon general's advisory of his time serving in the Biden administration, describing the "urgent threat" posed by the rise of false information around COVID-19 — one that continues to put "lives at risk" and prolong the pandemic. Murthy says Americans must do their part to fight misinformation.
15th Jul 2021 - NPR

'Freedom day' or 'Anxiety day'? England to end COVID-19 curbs

July 19 sees removal of legal COVID restrictions. Clubs to reopen but fear another shutdown. Concern remains about deaths, long COVID and vulnerable. Modellers cite uncertainty about public's behaviour
15th Jul 2021 - Reuters UK

We’re not virus police, French cafes say of new COVID pass

French restaurant owners and workers are as worried as anyone about the coronavirus — but they’re also concerned that new mandatory COVID passes will turn them into virus police instead of purveyors of culinary pleasures. Starting next month, all diners in France must show a pass proving they’re fully vaccinated, or recently tested negative or recovered from the virus. For restaurants – seen as the lifeblood of France -- the new rule presents yet another headache after a punishing pandemic.
15th Jul 2021 - The Associated Press

US steps up fight against COVID-19 misinformation

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Thursday called for a national effort to fight misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines, urging tech companies, health care workers, journalists and everyday Americans to do more to address a problem “that cost us lives”. In a 22-page advisory, his first as President Joe Biden’s surgeon general, Murthy wrote that bogus claims have led people to reject vaccines and public health advice on masks and social distancing, undermining efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic and putting lives at risk.
15th Jul 2021 - AlJazeera

French police fire tear gas as anti-vaccine protest turns violent

Police in Paris fired tear gas and made arrests as they tried to disperse demonstrators, many of them sceptical of vaccines, the so-called “anti-vaxxers“, who marched throughout France over new coronavirus restrictions. Some of the protests began as early as Wednesday morning in Paris as the annual military parade for the traditional Bastille Day parade, watched by President Emmanuel Macron, was taking place along the Champs-Elysees.
15th Jul 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Olympics COVID cluster at Olympic hotel as Tokyo cases surge

New COVID-19 cases at Brazil delegation's hotel. Russia women's rugby team isolating after masseur infected. Host city records most daily cases in nearly six months. Global public interest in Games at low level - poll
14th Jul 2021 - Reuters

In Athens, thousands rally against COVID-19 vaccinations

More than 5,000 anti-vaccine protesters, some them waving Greek flags and wooden crosses, rallied in Athens on Wednesday to oppose Greece's coronavirus vaccinations programme. Shouting "take your vaccines and get out of here!" and calling on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to resign, the protesters gathered outside parliament under heavy police presence.
14th Jul 2021 - Reuters

South Africa violence: Troop numbers on streets double to 5,000 amid looting - and more could be deployed

The number of soldiers deployed on the streets of South Africa has doubled to 5,000 as the army and police struggle to quell days of looting and violence. President Cyril Ramaphosa is considering boosting troop numbers even more, as at least 72 people have been killed in the worst unrest in the country for years. And some citizens are arming themselves to protect their property and businesses from the rampage, which has hit two of South Africa's nine provinces - KwaZulu-Natal, where Durban is located, and Gauteng, which includes Johannesburg.
14th Jul 2021 - Sky News

Politics is causing needless deaths in the fight against Covid-19

In what is now a pandemic of the unvaccinated, almost every adult American can make a choice not to die a needless death from Covid-19. But the task of persuading holdouts, skeptics and the merely disinterested to get their shots is being complicated by the further politicization of the pandemic -- a trend that will cost lives and exacerbate an already stark tragedy that has deepened the nation's ideological estrangement.
14th Jul 2021 - CNN

Almost half of this capital city's population may have contracted Covid-19, survey finds

Nearly half of Jakarta's residents may have contracted Covid-19, according to a health survey -- more than 12 times the number of cases officially recorded in the Indonesian capital at the time when the research was carried out. The survey, published July 10, tested for coronavirus antibodies in the blood of about 5,000 people across the city from March 15-31. The results showed 44.5% of those tested had antibodies, indicating they had been infected with Covid-19. The report was a collaboration between the Jakarta Provincial Health Office, the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Public Health, the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology and staff from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) based in Indonesia.
14th Jul 2021 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

‘Increasingly hostile incidents’ target London vaccine workers

A number of “increasingly hostile incidents” targeting London vaccine workers were revealed on Tuesday as the capital’s jabs roll-out slowed alarmingly. Mayor Sadiq Khan and the capital’s top doctor, Vin Diwakar, warned a “zero tolerance” approach would be taken as concerns grew about the threats and abuse being hurled at staff at the frontline of the jabs roll-out. Last month the Standard revealed that anti-vax campaigners had been targeting vaccine buses attempting to deliver jabs to “hard to reach” communities on housing estates, prompting councils to provide security guards.
13th Jul 2021 - Evening Standard

New Zealand scientists say UK’s ‘awful experiment’ on Covid will threaten the country

Scientists in New Zealand have expressed concern at Britain’s unlocking of Covid restrictions, describing it as an “awful experiment.” On Monday Boris Johnson announced plans to scrap a number of coronavirus lockdown measures on July 19, including ditching social distancing and dropping the legal requirement to wear a face mask.
13th Jul 2021 - The Independent

Analysis: Ministers shift responsibility for fighting coronavirus to the public

The government today passed the baton for fighting coronavirus to the public, as Boris Johnson confirmed that the last of the emergency Covid restrictions would be lifted from next week. After 16 months of government-imposed curbs on our everyday life, it appears the government has decided that enough is enough and that it’s time for it to depart the pitch, mid-game, as a summer wave of infection builds. Johnson’s message was simple. It is up to each and every one of us to look out not just for ourselves but for each other, because the government has now returned to the idea of herd immunity as the only way out of the pandemic.
13th Jul 2021 - The Independent

When and how will we know if we need Covid-19 booster shots?

There’s a lot we don’t yet know about the data behind Pfizer and BioNTech’s renewed push to change their two-shot Covid vaccination series to a three-shot regimen. But as various factions bicker about whether a third shot is going to be needed, one thing is certain: The final decision will not rest with the companies. Public health officials, not pharmaceutical executives, will be making the final call on when and whether booster shots will be needed. Pfizer and other manufacturers will surely try to push for approvals; Moderna is already testing a Delta-variant-specific booster. Depending on how their conversations go with vaccine regulators at the FDA, companies may apply for a change to their emergency use authorizations
13th Jul 2021 - STAT News

Deaths from Covid-19 remain low despite cases soaring ahead of lockdown finally lifting

Coronavirus deaths in England and Wales remain low despite soaring cases, new data shows. A further 109 Covid deaths have been recorded across England and Wales between June 26 and July 2, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures. Although this is a slight increase on the week before, it is still a low figure when compared to the sharp spike in cases. Over the same period more than 150,000 new Covid infections were recorded across the UK. ONS data showed that the number of deaths recorded in the latest week in England and Wales was actually lower than the five-year average.
13th Jul 2021 - The Mirror

Tennessee fires official Michelle Fiscus because of coronavirus vaccination guidance

Tennessee fired its top immunization official Monday, the official said, in retaliation for her attempts to let teenagers choose whether to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. Michelle Fiscus said she was fired from her job as director of immunization programs at the Tennessee Department of Health on Monday afternoon as retaliation for the department’s efforts to vaccinate teenagers against the coronavirus, a plan that angered several state lawmakers.
12th Jul 2021 - The Washington Post

Philippine vaccine hesitancy drops as safety concerns ebb, poll shows

The number of Filipinos willing to get inoculated against the coronavirus rose to 43% in June from just 16% in February, an opinion poll showed on Monday, as concerns over the safety of vaccines eased. The Pulse Asia survey of 2,400 respondents took place from June 7 to 16, more than three months after the Philippines began its vaccination drive on March 1. So far, nearly 9.7 million people have been given at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 3.5 million have been fully vaccinated, about 3.2 % of the 110 population.
12th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Europe is racing to vaccinate residents. But in some countries, undocumented immigrants have been left out.

As Europe races to vaccinate its residents against covid-19 and outpace the highly infectious delta variant, efforts to inoculate the continent face a major gap: undocumented immigrants. An estimated 4.8 million unauthorized immigrants lived in 32 European countries as of 2017, according to the Pew Research Center. Studies show they are more vulnerable to the coronavirus than European populations at large. But many countries have excluded them from vaccination drives in policy or in practice — and deep distrust among some immigrant populations toward authorities has caused complications for more inclusive campaigns.
12th Jul 2021 - The Washington Post

Cuban Protests Demand Freedom, Food, Covid-19 Vaccines

Thousands of Cubans took to the streets in a wave of demonstrations in Havana and at least 14 other cities throughout the Communist island, demanding an end to the 62-year dictatorship and protesting the lack of food and Covid-19 vaccines. “We are not afraid! We are not afraid!” people shouted as they marched through the streets on Sunday, videos posted on social media showed. “Freedom! Freedom!” The protests are unprecedented in a country with tight police control and surveillance on dissidents, analysts say. In a televised address on Sunday, President Miguel Díaz-Canel blamed the protests on the U.S., which he said seeks to economically strangle Cuba and bring about a social explosion
12th Jul 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Fears of four-hour airport queues when Covid-19 restrictions lift

Passengers could be forced to sit in aircraft on runways to prevent lengthy queues building up in airport terminals when foreign travel resumes en masse next week. The contingency plan in place at Heathrow and other airports is one of several “operational triggers” that will kick in if queues at border control exceed four hours. Officials have warned that Britain’s border infrastructure is not ready to cope with the influx of travellers following the decision to lift quarantine requirements for amber countries.
12th Jul 2021 - The Times

Covid-19 at the Euros: WHO official says lack of restrictions at Wembley for Euro 2020 final ‘devastating’

A leading World Health Organisation (WHO) epidemiologist has said it was “devastating” to see unmasked crowds crammed together at the Euro 2020 final. Maria Van Kerkhove expressed concerns during Sunday night’s match between Italy and England at Wembley Stadium that it would spur transmission of Covid-19. “Am I supposed to be enjoying watching transmission happening in front of my eyes?” tweeted the WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead, as more than 60,000 fans packed the stadium.
12th Jul 2021 - iNews

Kuwait shuts down children's activities to combat coronavirus - Cabinet

The Kuwaiti Cabinet decided on Monday to close down all activities for children, including summer clubs, from July 25 until further notice, as a precautionary measure to combat the spread of coronavirus. After a briefing by the health minister, the Cabinet also ordered the ministry of defence and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) to put their hospitals at the service of the country's healthcare system, according to a Cabinet statement.
12th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

G20 warns of risk to global recovery from virus variants

Variants, vaccine shortfalls raise risks-G20. Global tax deal on course for October signing. But US, EU hurdles could complicate things. Call for financial stability to be ensured
10th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Philippines relaxes COVID-19 curbs to allow children outdoors

The Philippines on Friday loosened coronavirus restrictions to allow children out of their homes so they can return to parks, playgrounds, and hiking trails in the capital region and some other provinces after a slowdown in infections. Children aged five and above, who were previously confined indoors, will also be permitted to go to outdoor tourist sites and dining establishments, and play non-contact sports outside, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.
10th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Opinion | Uganda Did Everything Right on Covid. And the Worst Is Still Here.

Early in the pandemic, Uganda bought itself precious time at great economic cost to protect its people from Covid-19. There were lockdowns, international travel was restricted, and border screenings were introduced to prevent entry of the coronavirus. Cases of Covid-19 identified at borders or in communities were isolated, and people who had been in contact with those infected were quarantined and checked on by public health authorities.
10th Jul 2021 - The New York Times

As the Delta variant spreads, Republican reluctance will mean thousands more deaths

Unfortunately, millions of Trump's followers were convinced by his behavior during his last year in office that COVID was not a crisis. No matter what he says today, they remain convinced that the virus was a political attack, a hoax or simply overblown, regardless of the monumental body count. And then there's the relentless disinformation campaign coming from right-wing media. Here's a little taste:
9th Jul 2021 - Salon

COVID cases climb as Southeast Asia feels force of Delta variant

Having escaped the worst when the coronavirus pandemic erupted last year, Southeast Asia is now suffering dramatic rises in deaths and cases, while vaccination shortfalls and highly contagious variants derail containment efforts. As countries like Britain, Germany and France prepare to remove most remaining restrictions after devastating outbreaks, governments in Southeast Asia are tightening measures, hoping targeted lockdowns will act as circuit-breakers in arresting record jumps in cases and deaths that started rising in May.
9th Jul 2021 - Reuters

#BoycottHeineken Trends After Brewer Celebrates Vaccines

Heineken NV ran a minute-long ad on social media Thursday showing senior citizens dancing in a nightclub and racing to take a dip at a nearby beach. It ended with the message, “The night belongs to the vaccinated. Time to join them.” By Friday, bands of aggrieved users on Twitter were threatening to #BoycottHeineken. Some uploaded videos of themselves opening bottles of the brewer’s namesake lager and pouring it down their kitchen sinks in protest. Others described the ad as pro-vaccination propaganda.
9th Jul 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Missouri governor doesn't want door-to-door vaccine help

Federal officials are pushing back after Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he doesn’t want government employees going door-to-door in his state to urge people to get vaccinated, even as a COVID-19 outbreak overwhelms some hospitals. Missouri asked for help last week from newly formed federal “surge response” teams as it combats an influx of cases that public health officials are blaming on fast-spreading delta variant and deep-seated concerns about the vaccine. After President Joe Biden mentioned the possibility of door-to-door promotion of the vaccine, Parson tweeted: “I have directed our health department to let the federal government know that sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination would NOT be an effective OR a welcome strategy in Missouri!”
9th Jul 2021 - The Associated Press

Rural India sinks deeper into debt as COVID wipes out work

Interviews with 75 households in a cluster of villages in Uttar Pradesh state show household incomes have slumped nearly 75 percent on average. Heavy debt and low income in the countryside will hold back any economic recovery the government is trying to make and also dent private savings and investment for longer than expected, economists say. “It will have a huge impact and prolong the recovery process. Private consumption and investments both will be hurt. There is merit in finding ways to put money in the hands of the people,” said NR Bhanumurthy, economist and vice chancellor at Bengaluru-based BR Ambedkar School of Economics.
8th Jul 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Olympics bans spectators after Tokyo declares COVID-19 emergency

The Olympics will take place without spectators in host city Tokyo, organisers said on Thursday, as a resurgent coronavirus forced Japan to declare a state of emergency in the capital that will run throughout the event. Although widely expected, the move marked a sharp turnabout from just weeks ago, when organisers said they aimed to hold the global sporting showpiece with some spectators, and all but robs the July 23 to Aug. 8 Games of their last vestige of pomp and public spectacle. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said it was essential to prevent Tokyo, where the highly infectious Delta COVID-19 variant was spreading, from becoming the source of another wave of infections.
8th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Is COVID coming home? England at risk from Euro 2020 euphoria

England awaits first major soccer final for 55 years. Young, mainly male, adults spread COVID during Euro 2020. Issue extends outside stadiums to bars and pubs Politicians urge prudent celebrations as Italy eyes final
8th Jul 2021 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Animals at Wisconsin zoos to receive COVID-19 vaccine

Some animals at the zoos in Madison and Milwaukee will receive an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. Animals susceptible to the respiratory disease are expected to be inoculated with the vaccine authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture by late July. No COVID-19 infections have been found in animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo or the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, but some of the big cats at the Bronx Zoo became sick when the pandemic was peaking in New York City.
7th Jul 2021 - Associated Press

Fiji police deliver groceries, toilet paper amid COVID-19 spike

Fiji on Wednesday began distributing groceries to some households as it urges people to stay at home amid rising infections of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the novel coronavirus. Authorities posted pictures on social media of bags of supermarket supplies - including packaged food and toilet paper - being delivered to homes around the capital, Suva, as they reinforced calls for people to obey social distancing rules and get vaccinated.
7th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19 Pushed 22 Million Out of Job Market in Major Economies

Labor markets in developed nations have recovered only half of the loss of employment they suffered in the pandemic, with the young and low-skilled hurt most. That’s the conclusion of a 400-page study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which found that about 22 million jobs disappeared by the end of 2020 in industrial nations. The Paris-based institution said a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels of employment won’t come until the end of next year.
7th Jul 2021 - Bloomberg

Trump Country Rejects Vaccines Despite Growing Delta Threat

Larry Krauck awoke in a strange hospital, the date written on a dry-erase board in his room: Dec. 12, 2020. That can’t be right, he thought. He remembered being treated for Covid-19 at a different hospital in Springfield, Missouri, on Nov. 1. Could the last six weeks really be blank? He told a nurse her board was wrong. She slipped out of the room and returned with a summary of his procedures, scrawled on a sticky note, including thirty-three days on a blood oxygenation machine called an ECMO. One day, Krauck had flat-lined and was resuscitated. Krauck, 50 at the time, caught the coronavirus and nearly died well before vaccines were available. Since his ordeal, he’s become an advocate for the shots — the type of local, trusted messenger that health officials hope can woo the skeptical.
7th Jul 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Doctors are arrested for Covid vaccine scam after injecting 2500 people with SEA WATER in India

14 people have been arrested so far on charges of manslaughter and criminal conspiracy. Doctors and medical staff allegedly used hospital access to make fake vaccine certificates. The organisers made over £20,000 before the programme was uncovered. Authorities have reported over 400,000 Covid deaths in India, but experts believe the number is far higher
6th Jul 2021 - Daily Mail

Covid: Why Boris Johnson's 'freedom day' is terrifying for millions

There are millions of these frail people. For those whose immune systems are compromised or suppressed, the efficacy of vaccines is much reduced. For others among the frail, any residual risk of becoming infected is too great, because for them it is literally a matter of life or death. So when you hear politicians and others talking about the important freedom to choose not to wear a mask and not to keep a respectful distance from others, note that their freedom is felt as oppression by those who through no fault of their own are more at risk from this awful disease.
6th Jul 2021 - ITV News

'Long Covid' Will Surge Among Young, England's Chief Medic Warns

So-called long Covid is set to soar among younger people in England when remaining coronavirus restrictions are lifted, England’s chief medical officer warned. Chris Whitty said that while he expected deaths to be “much lower” proportionally compared to previous waves, long Covid remains “a worry.” “Since there’s a lot of Covid at the moment and the rates are going up, I regret to say I think we will get a significant amount more long Covid -- particularly in the younger ages where the vaccination rates are currently much lower,” he said at the Local Government Association’s virtual conference Tuesday.
6th Jul 2021 - Bloomberg

Trish Greenhalgh: Freedom Day, but at what cost?

I hope I am wrong, but it looks like the UK is once again setting up a colossal natural experiment which will put wave three of the pandemic into a super-exponential growth phase. Given that we appear to be powerless to stop this happening, we should at least ensure that we collect the right kind of high-quality data to document and analyse what unfolds.
6th Jul 2021 - BMJ Blog

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Nightclubs and mass events to reopen on July 19 with no cap on attendance

Organisers of highly anticipated large events including festivals and the Premier League will be left to decide their Covid policy themselves - including whether to ask for certification
5th Jul 2021 - The Mirror

Majority of Russians Still Not Ready for Covid-19 Vaccination – Poll

A majority of Russian (54%) are still not ready to get vaccinated against the coronavirus despite a mounting surge driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, according to an independent poll published Monday. Russia set new records for coronavirus deaths for five consecutive days from June 29-July 3 as infections reached levels not seen since the peak of the country’s second wave in early January. The spread of the Delta variant, which Moscow officials say accounts for 90% of the city’s cases, has prompted several Russian regions to order compulsory vaccination for certain workers.
5th Jul 2021 - The Moscow Times

Vaccinate or repent, Russian church says amid hundreds of daily COVID-19 deaths

Russia's powerful Orthodox Church admonished people refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, calling them sinners who would have to atone for the rest of their lives, as the country reported another jump in new infections and deaths. The church urged all its faithful to be inoculated as another 24,353 new COVID-19 cases were registered on Monday, including 6,557 in Moscow, taking the official national tally since the pandemic began to 5,635,294. The government coronavirus task force said 654 people had died of coronavirus-linked causes in the past 24 hours, pushing the national death toll to 138,579.
5th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Staging Euro 2020 semis and final in London is 'recipe for disaster.' Is football -- and Covid-19 spike -- coming home?

Coronavirus cases in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East rose by 10% last week, World Health Organization Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge told a press briefing in Copenhagen on Thursday. A 10-week decline in the number of Covid-19 cases in the 53-country region "has come to an end" Kluge said, with rising cases driven by increased socializing, travel, gatherings and easing of restrictions. Kluge said the situation and was "rapidly evolving" and warned that the Delta variant -- first identified in India -- is spreading at a fast pace, resulting in increased hospitalizations and deaths.
5th Jul 2021 - CNN International

Sparse showing at Sydney's beaches during COVID-19 lockdown

Residents are allowed outside for exercise and recreation. In the winter sunshine, joggers exercised on the boardwalk and others walked on the beach. Later in the day, more people were seen at Coogee Beach, singly or in small groups. Sydney went into lockdown on June 26 as authorities in New South Wales (NSW) state tried to contain a fast-spreading outbreak of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant in Australia's largest city.
5th Jul 2021 - Reuters

Pop-up ‘coronabikes’ test German love of order

Berlin’s 10 “coronabikes” are part of a private sector mass-testing infrastructure that has sprung up in pop-up tents, cafes, night clubs and shisha bars across Germany over the last three months, in a speedy fashion at odds with Germany’s reputation for fastidious bureaucracy. A number of high-profile cases of fraud, and enduring questions over the accuracy of antigen (also known as lateral-flow) tests, have prompted criticism of health minister Jens Spahn’s scheme for triggering a free-market free-for-all, something Die Welt newspaper called a “testing gold-rush”. “It’s an absurd system, and very atypical for Germany”, said Matthias Orth, of the Institute of Laboratory Medicine at Stuttgart’s Marienhospital. Earlier this year, Germany’s disease control agency reported that one commonly used antigen test – which only detects Covid-19 cases on days the viral load is highest – had missed 61% of asymptomatic infections at the emergency ward of a Stuttgart’s Katharinenhospital clinic.
5th Jul 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Woman Afraid of Vaccine Side Effects Dies From Delta Variant: 'I Couldn't Convince Her'

A woman in Missouri was afraid of the side effects from COVID-19 vaccines and chose not to get the shots, but later contracted the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus and died in the hospital. Deborah Carmichael, the mother of now-deceased 45-year-old Tricia Jones, is speaking out and urging those hesitant about the vaccine to get the jab after losing her daughter in June. She spoke to Kansas City's news channel Fox 4 WDAF-TV about her daughter's death and vaccine hesitancy in an interview broadcast this week.
4th Jul 2021 - Newsweek

Scenes From San Francisco Tech Companies

Silicon Valley should be one of the first places to spring back to life as the pandemic eases in the U.S. Nearly three-quarters of eligible people have been vaccinated, and more than 80% have gotten at least one shot—a milestone San Francisco reached faster than any other city, according to the mayor. And yet, many tech industry offices are sitting nearly empty. Only 19% of office workers in the San Francisco metro area had returned as of June 23, the lowest share of 10 major U.S. metro areas tracked by building security provider Kastle Systems. The region's tech giants, among the first to send their office workers home when coronavirus pandemic deepened last year, may be among the last to coax them back.
3rd Jul 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Rebuilding in COVID's awful wake: One small step at a time

As a study of how people are trying, as best they can, to get through it all, The Associated Press honed in on Sartor and her family in Montmartre and on a couple in Brazil. Why them? Because their pandemic has been, on the whole, unremarkable — if one can say that of a world-changing cataclysm. It didn’t kill them or people they love. But it turned their lives upside down, and still is: They are us all.
1st Jul 2021 - The Associated Press

Teenagers are figuring out how to fake positive Covid tests using lemon juice and hacks from TikTok

British teenagers are using TikTok to learn and share tips for faking positive Covid-19 tests as hundreds of thousands of pupils in “bubbles” are already being forced to miss school. Clips of young people applying various liquids to lateral flow tests have racked up millions of views on the popular video app, with many users offering suggestions. Videos uploaded under the search term #fakecovidtest have been viewed more than 6.5 million times, with the dedicated account @.fakecovidtests gaining more than 20,000 followers. Education leaders have warned that the practice is “massively unhelpful” as schools already battle to keep education going amid outbreaks.
1st Jul 2021 - iNews

Covid-19: Taskforce appeals for the return of live music

Live music can resume from 5 July, as ministers press ahead with some further relaxations of Covid-19 rules. Music performed indoors will be restricted to an ambient sound level only, with screens placed in front of musicians, the executive has confirmed. No volume restrictions will apply to live music at outdoor events. From 17:00 BST on Friday, the cap on outdoor gatherings will be removed, and from Monday, more households will be able to gather in a private garden. The Northern Ireland Executive said it had decided to push ahead with relaxations despite the increase in coronavirus cases linked to the Delta variant.
1st Jul 2021 - BBC News

Germany could ease travel curbs as Delta variant takes over

Germany expects the Delta variant of COVID-19 to account for up to 80% of infections this month, meaning it could ease travel restrictions from countries like Portugal and Britain where it already dominates, the German health minister said on Thursday. Jens Spahn told a news conference that Germany could reduce the current 14-day quarantine requirement that it imposes on travellers from countries with high levels of the Delta variant once it is sure that vaccinated people are protected.
1st Jul 2021 - Reuters

Fairness not the ultimate virtue in a pandemic

Plans to limit indoor dining to those who can prove their fully-vaccinated status have caused quite a ruckus. Having given up so much to protect the health of the older and more vulnerable, the youngest are last in line to get their old lives back. “It’s unfair,” Tánaiste Leo Varadkar concluded. And maybe he is right. But so what? The general appeal to fairness has proven itself to be an indefatigable instinct throughout the pandemic, whether it be about vaccines or restrictions or rule-breaking. But it isn’t always a sound one.
1st Jul 2021 - The Irish Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jul 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Thailand bets on 'Phuket sandbox' program to save tourism

Since Thailand’s pandemic restrictions on travel were imposed in early 2020, tourism has fallen off a cliff, and nowhere has it been felt more than the resort island off the country’s southern coast, where nearly 95% of the economy is related to the industry. So, despite spiking coronavirus numbers elsewhere in the country, the government is forging ahead with a program known as the “Phuket sandbox” to reopen the island to fully vaccinated visitors. It hopes it will revive tourism — a sector that accounted for 20% of the country’s economy before the pandemic.
30th Jun 2021 - The Associated Press

Tuskegee relatives promote COVID-19 vaccines in ad campaign

Tuskegee is the one-word answer some people give as a reason they’re avoiding COVID-19 vaccines. A new ad campaign launched Wednesday with relatives of men who unwittingly became part of the infamous experiment wants to change minds. Omar Neal, 63, a former mayor of the Alabama town, said he was hesitant at first about the shots. Neal is a nephew of Freddie Lee Tyson, a family man who was among several hundred Black men who decades ago became involved without their consent in the federally backed syphilis study. Neal said he agreed to appear in the national campaign after doing research to gain confidence in the vaccines.
30th Jun 2021 - Associated Press

Covid: Vaccine refuser regrets turning down jab after catching virus

A Covid-19 vaccine refuser "stared death in the eyes" as he lay gasping for breath in hospital after catching the virus. Abderrahmane Fadil, 60, was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary earlier this month struggling to breathe. The father of two said declining his vaccination invite in February was "the biggest mistake" of his life. He has thanked NHS staff for saving his life and urged others to get vaccinated. "I will never forget when the paramedics were taking me down the stairs and my kids were crying and looking at me," Mr Fadil said.
30th Jun 2021 - BBC News

Aspen to partner with finance institutions to boost vaccine know-how

A group of global finance institutions led by the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) said on Wednesday they would help to facilitate an increase in vaccine manufacturing know-how in Africa by partnering with South African pharmaceutical company Aspen Pharmacare. As a first step, the IFC, French development institution Proparco, German development finance institution DEG and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation jointly loaned 600 million euros ($712 million) to the company.
30th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Fearing COVID, struggling Malawian women forgo prenatal care

Prenatal services at the health clinic were free, but the motorcycle taxi fare cost more than Monica Maxwell could afford. Just four weeks before delivering her baby, she cobbled together 1,400 kwacha ($1.75) for the 50-kilometer (31-mile) round trip. It was only her third visit -- fewer than her first two pregnancies. The money she made selling tomatoes at the local market dried up due to the pandemic. Her husband’s income selling goat meat also dwindled. “It was the most difficult period of our lives. We had no money for our daily survival,” Maxwell, 31, said as she waited outside with other women to be seen by a medical midwife. “Mostly we stayed home.” In a country where hospitals are so bare that women are expected to bring their own razor blades for cutting their babies’ umbilical cords, the deepening poverty brought on by the pandemic is further imperiling women’s lives.
29th Jun 2021 - Associated Press

The ‘Great Reshuffling’ Is Shifting Wealth to the Exurbs

White collar workers are trading their expensive lives in the nation’s most densely populated areas for cheaper, greener pastures. Online real estate company Zillow Group ZG calls it the “Great Reshuffling.” These moves will reshape transportation, real estate and an emerging fixture of American life: the exurb. Fringe outlying communities of major metropolitan regions were prized for their extreme privacy or more affordable housing before the pandemic, but were typically much less wealthy than the denser cities and affluent suburbs they surrounded
29th Jun 2021 - The Wall Street Journal

Russia says people can decline its vaccine. But for many, they'll get fired if they do

If you ask the Kremlin whether Covid-19 vaccination in Russia is voluntary, its officials will tell you it is. Yet authorities in Moscow have put together a policy that essentially gives people in public-facing roles little choice but to get their shots. Faced with stubbornly low vaccination rates, Moscow authorities announced just over a week ago that at least 60% of staff in service industries -- spanning everything from catering to housing and transport -- must get vaccinated with at least one shot by July 15. "Vaccination remains voluntary," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. But while Peskov says someone can refuse a vaccine, they just might lose their livelihood for doing so.
29th Jun 2021 - CNN

Ireland might demand a vaccine to drink inside pubs and restaurants

Ireland said on Tuesday it will restrict indoor drinking and eating in bars and restaurants to those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or who have previously been infected by it due to concerns about the Delta variant. The country joins a handful of places in Europe to introduce the measure, including Austria, Denmark and Israel, while Moscow has brought in similar restrictions. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, who announced a general slowdown of the easing of public health restrictions, said that health officials told him they thought that the variant made indoor hospitality too dangerous for the unvaccinated.
29th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Aussie Rules teams flee COVID outbreaks, rugby league crowds banned

Four Australian Football League (AFL) teams are set to base themselves in Melbourne as COVID-19 outbreaks and lockdowns across the country play havoc with the competition's schedule. The Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Lions were booked on a charter plane for Melbourne to beat a snap three-day lockdown starting late on Tuesday in Brisbane and surrounds. Perth-based teams Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles are also heading to Melbourne after authorities in Western Australia state locked down Perth after new cases of COVID-19
29th Jun 2021 - Reuters

As cases, deaths soar in Russia, why are vaccination rates low?

“The vaccine is being perfected on us. I don’t want to be a guinea pig,” Kulchina, a grandmother, told Al Jazeera. Instead, she tries to stay away from people. She lives in seclusion in her summer house outside Moscow planting zucchini, raspberries and flowers, binge-watching TV series or spending hours on the phone with her friends – most of whom are also hesitant about the vaccine. A staggering 62 percent of Russians do not want to get vaccinated, and 56 percent are not afraid of getting the virus, according to a survey by the Levada Center pollster conducted in April.
29th Jun 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Amish put faith in God's will and herd immunity over vaccine

When health care leaders in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country began laying out a strategy to distribute COVID-19 vaccines, they knew it would be a tough sell with the Amish, who tend to be wary of preventive shots and government intervention. Early on, they posted flyers at farm supply stores and at auctions where the Amish sell handmade furniture and quilts. They sought advice from members of the deeply religious and conservative sect, who told them not to be pushy. And they asked three newspapers widely read by the Amish to publish ads promoting the vaccine. Two refused. By May, two rural vaccination clinics had opened at a fire station and a social services center, both familiar places to the Amish in Lancaster County. During the first six weeks, 400 people showed up. Only 12 were Amish.
28th Jun 2021 - Associated Press

COVID-19: More than 50 arrested for string of offences after thousands attend illegal rave in Steyning, West Sussex

More than 50 people were arrested after police shut down an illegal rave attended by thousands in the South Downs. Police were called to the "large unlicensed music event" in fields near the town of Steyning in West Sussex during the early hours of Sunday. As many as 2,000 people, most of whom had travelled from outside the area, were at the event, despite coronavirus rules banning gatherings of more than 30 people. Eight people were identified as potential organisers of the rave and arrested, while sound equipment was seized, Sussex Police said.
28th Jun 2021 - Yahoo News UK

Covid-19: Crowds flee Dhaka ahead of strict Bangladesh lockdown

Crowds have flocked to Dhaka's ferry terminals for a second day to get out of the city before a strict national lockdown comes into force. For seven days from Thursday, no one in Bangladesh will be allowed to leave their homes unless in an emergency. As a result, people are fleeing the busy capital city for their homes in towns and villages. Covid cases in the country have surged, many linked to the Delta variant first identified in neighbouring India. The latest wave of the virus in Bangladesh began about six weeks ago. On 15 May there were 261 new cases and 22 deaths reported. On Friday there were 5,869 new cases and 108 deaths - the country's second-highest daily death toll of the whole pandemic.
28th Jun 2021 - BBC News

Show must go on, say dancing protesters urging Britain to fully reopen

Hundreds of people danced and blew whistles in time to dance music on the streets of central London on Sunday, part of a protest against coronavirus restrictions that have pummelled the entertainment industry, particularly nightclubs. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to remove the remaining restrictions on July 19 after being forced to postpone a reopening this month. But Save Our Scene, a campaign group for the music and hospitality sectors that organised the protest, says lockdown curbs should end immediately.
28th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Mallorca probes COVID-19 outbreak among hundreds of partying students

Authorities in Mallorca are investigating a coronavirus outbreak involving more than 600 students celebrating the end of term in the Spanish island, just as it prepares for British tourists to return following the easing of travel curbs. Students visiting from the mainland went to a music concert at a bullring in the capital, Palma, as well as parties on boats and in hotels, and officials said on Saturday they wanted to find out if venues had adhered to virus-control measures.
26th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Anti-lockdown protesters march on London in day of demonstrations

London saw a wave of protests on Saturday, marking the start of a weekend of demonstrations across the capital. The Metropolitan Police have called it “a busy weekend” of protests, with thousands of people hitting the streets to vocalise their opposition on a range of issues, ranging from inequality, Covid-19 restrictions and the framing of the climate crisis.
26th Jun 2021 - The Independent

Women Did Three Times as Much Child Care as Men During Pandemic

Child care demands at home skyrocketed during the pandemic, but men and women did not split the burden equally. Globally, women took on 173 additional hours of unpaid child care last year, compared to 59 additional hours for men, a study released Friday by the Center for Global Development, a poverty non-profit, found. The gap widened in low- and middle-income countries, where women cared for children for more than three times as many hours as men did.
25th Jun 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Community Covid Bus launches in Sheffield

Sheffield’s new Community Covid Bus launches this week as a one-stop place for all things Covid-related, including lateral flow tests for those without symptoms with results in 30 minutes. The minibus will be travelling all over Sheffield to parks, schools, community events, vaccine clinics and will provide information and advice about Covid 19, lateral flow tests for those without symptoms, free boxes of home testing lateral flow device kits, vaccinations advice and support to book an appointment. Advice and support on self-isolation will also be available, including help to access financial support.
24th Jun 2021 - The Star

Carl Frampton backs initiative helping older people cope with isolation and loneliness

When a 75-year-old east Belfast man answered his phone recently, he got the surprise of his life when former boxing world champion Carl Frampton was on the other end of the line. Frampton made the call as part of an Age NI initiative aimed at helping older people cope with isolation and loneliness, particularly amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Launched last year, the 'Check In and Chat' service provides a weekly phone conversation with a friendly volunteer with more than 20,000 calls made so far.
24th Jun 2021 - Irish Times

Nearly all COVID deaths in US are now among unvaccinated

Nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now are in people who weren’t vaccinated, a staggering demonstration of how effective the shots have been and an indication that deaths per day — now down to under 300 — could be practically zero if everyone eligible got the vaccine. An Associated Press analysis of available government data from May shows that “breakthrough” infections in fully vaccinated people accounted for fewer than 1,200 of more than 853,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations. That’s about 0.1%. And only about 150 of the more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths in May were in fully vaccinated people. That translates to about 0.8%, or five deaths per day on average. The AP analyzed figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC itself has not estimated what percentage of hospitalizations and deaths are in fully vaccinated people, citing limitations in the data.
24th Jun 2021 - The Associated Press

Portugal’s Lisbon rolls out new COVID curbs as cases surge

Authorities in Portugal’s Lisbon region are reintroducing coronavirus restrictions due to a surge driven by the delta variant, which now accounts for more than seven in 10 new infections in the capital. Two months after Portugal began to ease a prolonged lockdown, the country reported 1,556 new infections on Thursday – the highest number since February 20. More than 1,000 of them were in the Lisbon region, where some 2.8 million people live, with officials warning that hospital admissions are increasing at a “worrying” level.
24th Jun 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Britain will not demand climate talks delegates be vaccinated against COVID-19

Britain will not require delegates attending November's international climate conference in Glasgow to have been vaccinated against COVID-19, an official responsible for organising the event said on Wednesday. Britain will strongly recommend that delegates are vaccinated but it will not be a mandatory requirement, Rosalyn Eales, Chief Operating Officer of the COP26 conference, told a group of lawmakers. Climate and health experts have said poorer nations struggling to access COVID-19 vaccines could find sending delegates to an in-person meeting difficult.
23rd Jun 2021 - Reuters

Save Our Summer: UK pilots and cabin crew issue travel sector rescue plea

British pilots, cabin crew, travel agents and other workers are urging politicians to save the summer holiday season by reopening routes abroad or risk destroying tens of thousands of jobs as companies fail. Workers from the travel industry demonstrated across Britain on Wednesday. Protesters outside parliament held banners saying “Speak up for travel” as pilots and air stewardesses from British Airways, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic lined up in full uniform, to highlight the threat to their jobs from the government’s strict rules. England is expected to re-open from a third COVID-19 lockdown in July but the travel sector remains effectively shut, with the government advising against travel except to a handful of destinations.
23rd Jun 2021 - Reuters

‘No zero risk’: UK move to increase Wembley fans questioned

The British government faced accusations of mixed messaging Wednesday that could threaten its plan to fully lift lockdown restrictions in England next month after it decided to allow more than 60,000 people inside Wembley Stadium for the latter stages of soccer’s European Championship. Following a request from UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, to allow more fans inside the London stadium for the semifinals on July 6 and 7 and the final on July 11, Britain agreed to increase Wembley’s 90,000-seat capacity to 75%. That will make the three matches the largest gatherings at a sporting event since the coronavirus pandemic took root in the country in March 2020. In contrast, only around 20,000 people were inside the stadium on Tuesday night when England beat the Czech Republic 1-0.
23rd Jun 2021 - Associated Press

Covid gender gap widens as cases surge in Scotland

A Covid cases gender gap has opened up as the total number testing positive in the past 24 hours hit nearly 3,000. On Wednesday five new deaths were reported, and 2,969 cases recorded - the highest daily number since the start of mass testing. In recent days about two thirds of cases in the 15 to 44 age range have been male. Behaviour expert Prof Stephen Reicher has suggested that men meeting up to watch Euro 2020 is behind the rise. National Clinical Director Prof Jason Leitch said he believed indoor socialising was the main factor, though not necessarily linked to football.
23rd Jun 2021 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Do we have to learn to live with Covid-19?

A new wave of Covid-19 cases is threatening to disrupt another summer in the UK as the government extends restrictions for England into July amid concern about the rate of spread of the Delta variant. The Guardian’s health editor, Sarah Boseley, tells Anushka Asthana that this time around we are in a very different position with most adults now having had two vaccine jabs. However, there is still a prospect of a sharp rise in Covid cases and with it more hospital admissions and deaths. Boris Johnson has said cases of the Delta variant are rising at about 30% a week.
22nd Jun 2021 - The Guardian

A QUARTER of American adults under 40 do not plan to get a COVID-19 shot due lack of trust in vaccines and fears of potential side effects

A new CDC report finds that 24.9% of Americans under 40 do not plan on getting vaccinated. Over 56% report they do not trust the vaccine, while 56% also report they fear side effects of vaccine. Other reasons included thinking they do not need a COVID-19 shot or that the virus is not a big threat to them. President Joe Biden has set a target of hitting 70% of the population vaccinated by July 4, which is unlikely
22nd Jun 2021 - Daily Mail

How Bolton brought down Covid infection rates

Community engagement and cooperation between public bodies has played a key role in lowering Bolton’s Covid-19 infection rates, health chiefs have revealed. Health officials took on a targeted approach by identifying areas where there were a particularly high number of cases and worked closely with communities there. Barriers to accessing the vaccine such as financial or transport issues were identified and overcome by the introduction of the Vaccine Bus, which brought the jab to the people. As the health teams, the army and volunteers worked hard to bring vaccines and testing to the community, the community itself played a part in enabling the effort to succeed.
22nd Jun 2021 - The Bolton News

Euro 2020: WHO concerned about easing COVID restrictions

The World Health Organization has said it was concerned about the easing of COVID-19 restrictions by nations hosting Euro 2020 matches, noting that some were already seeing rising cases. “WHO is concerned about easing of restrictions in some of the host countries,” Robb Butler, an executive director at WHO’s Regional Office for Europe, said in an emailed statement to the AFP news agency.
22nd Jun 2021 - Aljazeera.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Young people have stepped up over the Covid-19 vaccine – for that they should be applauded

In the race between the Delta variant and the Covid vaccines, it would seem that the vaccine is at least keeping pace. Not to push the analogy too far, there was an increasing danger that the faster spread of the new mutation of the virus would mean that it would establish itself and cause a spike in cases before the usual effects of “herd immunity” started to protect the community as a whole. That was certainly evidenced in the trends in the northwest of England, Bedford and elsewhere. Even though the link between infection, hospital admissions and death have been weakened by the vaccine programme and improved treatments, there was every possibility of a third wave of Covid. Hence the decision to postpone the so-called freedom day until 19 July.
21st Jun 2021 - The Independent

Community Foundation distributes £2.2m in Covid-19 response

The Community Foundation for Lancashire has published a report detailed how the county raised £2.2m to deal with the Covid-19 and how those funds were used. The foundation co-ordinated corporate donors, private individuals, public sector partnerships including the Lancashire Resilience Forum, public donations and funders such as the National Emergencies Trust to raise much-needed cash. More than 320,000 people were supported by the foundation's work, including helping to address food poverty, the impact on mental health and wellbeing, service provisions to the vulnerable, and unemployment and loss of income. As lockdown continued, domestic abuse and digital exclusion were added as high priorities.
21st Jun 2021 - Lancashire Business View

Former Swiss "Magic Mountain" TB clinics treat COVID to stay relevant

Swiss mountain sanatoriums whose fresh-air and sunlight cures once drew tuberculosis patients from across Europe are reinventing themselves for a new generation: Patients suffering from the lingering effects of COVID-19.
21st Jun 2021 - Reuters on MSN.com

U.S. employers wrestle with COVID vaccine requirements in regulatory "hairball"

America's largest garlic farm needs 1,000 workers to harvest its annual crop, but faces an unexpected hurdle in this year's recruitment drive: it now must document and track the COVID-19 vaccine status of these seasonal laborers. Employers in California's Santa Clara County, including Christopher Ranch, are required as of June 1 to ascertain if their workers have been vaccinated and check in every 14 days on those who say they have not or who decline to answer.
21st Jun 2021 - Reuters

Exclusive: Pandemic prompts close to 4m Londoners consider moving in quest for a better life

The pandemic and subsequent UK lockdowns have had a transformative impact on UK employees, with more than a third aged 18-34 moving house so as to secure a better quality of life. The corresponding figure for those aged 55+ is just 9 per cent, while the UK average is one-in-five, according to research from Close Brothers, shared with City A.M. this evening. It is notable that people in London are most eager to make the change, with 39 per cent – or nearly 4m people – moving or thinking to move to get that better quality of life. It is a significantly greater proportion than the next most likely regions, the East Midlands and the East of England (both 23 per cent). The region in which employees are least likely to have made the shift is the North East (9 per cent). The research highlights the extent to which the past 12 months have changed the financial plans of employees across the UK.
9th Jun 2021 - City A.M.

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Nudge, nudge: the secret behind our Covid vaccine success

The Polish government organised a million zloty (£189,000) lottery, New Jersey in the US is offering a “shot and a beer” and vaccinated people in Moscow can win a car. No such eye-catching incentives are needed here: Britain boasts one of the highest vaccine take-up rates in the world. More than 64 per cent of the population have had one dose, meaning the UK should overtake Israel for first doses per person next week. More than 96 per cent of all adults aged 50 and over have been vaccinated. There is no sign of that slowing. When bookings opened to adults aged 18-20 on Friday, more than 721,000 people signed up in a single day in what officials described as a “Glastonbury-style rush”.
20th Jun 2021 - The Times

South Holland groups helped through Covid-19 pandemic thanks to grants from Lincolnshire fund

A new report has demonstrated the positive impact a community group has had in helping our area cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 300 companies have been helped by financial grants from the Lincolnshire Covid-19 Crisis Fund. This cash has targeted areas such as mental health and wellbeing, ill health, food supplies, digital inclusion and loneliness. The Lincolnshire Community Foundation also used ‘social value’ calculations to determine that every £1 they have invested has brought about a ‘social return’ of £12.
20th Jun 2021 - Spalding Today

Three-day COVID travel ban in force in Lisbon as Delta variant spreads

As a three-day coronavirus travel ban came into force around Lisbon on Friday afternoon, drivers stopped by police asking them their reason for travelling said they felt concerned about the worrying rise in infections . People living in the 18 municipalities of Lisbon's metropolitan area will be banned from leaving from 3 p.m. on Friday until 6 a.m on Monday. Those living outside the area will not be allowed in.
19th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Delta Variant: What to Know For Summer Travel

With vaccinations on the rise and mortality rates related to Covid-19 going down in Europe and other parts of the world, many people are making plans to travel this summer and beyond. But experts say the quickly circulating Delta variant is a new concern for travelers, particularly those who are unvaccinated. The European Union said on June 18 that the United States would be added to its “safe list” of countries, a decision that should allow even unvaccinated visitors from the U.S. (who can provide proof of a negative coronavirus test) to enter its 27 member states for nonessential travel. These countries, however, can impose their own restrictions and requirements for entry.
19th Jun 2021 - The New York Times

UN: Nearly 3 million fled homes in 2020 despite COVID-19 pandemic

Nearly 3 million people fled their homes in 2020 despite the global pandemic that closed many borders over the past year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said. The Global Trends report Friday showed the total number of refugees has increased to 82.4 million people, making 1 percent of the world displaced. "People were forced to flee their homes throughout the year despite an urgent appeal from the U.N. Secretary-General on 23 March 2020 calling for a global ceasefire to enable a concerted response to the pandemic," the report reads. "UNHCR data shows that arrivals of new refugees and asylum-seekers were sharply down in most regions – about 1.5 million fewer people than would have been expected in non-COVID circumstances, and reflecting how many of those seeking international protection in 2020 became stranded."
19th Jun 2021 - The Hill

In COVID hit Asia, mixed messages on refugee vaccinations

“The refugees were vaccinated in conjunction with the local government,” Nasruddin, the humanitarian coordinator of Geutanyoe Foundation, an NGO which provides education and psychosocial support to refugees in Indonesia and Malaysia, told Al Jazeera. “When we found them, they were in a crisis situation on the island with no food, water or electricity, so local residents brought them food and we also brought them 50 tanks of water,” he added. “The feeling on the ground was that we needed to share our vaccines with the refugees in order to protect them as well. No one complained that the vaccines were being given to refugees.” Aceh Province has been widely praised by humanitarian groups, NGOs and the general public for vaccinating Rohingya refugees, but elsewhere in Southeast Asia, asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers have not been so lucky.
19th Jun 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Tokyo cancels public viewing sites for summer Olympics

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has cancelled all public viewing sites for the summer Olympics, diverting some venues to be COVID-19 vaccinations centres instead. Foreign spectators are banned from attending the Games, delayed by a year due to the pandemic, but the government and Tokyo 2020 organisers have for months held off on deciding whether to allow Japanese spectators into the stadiums.
19th Jun 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Fans who had AstraZeneca vaccine won’t be allowed into Bruce Springsteen’s New York concerts

Anyone who has had the AstraZeneca vaccine will be barred from attending Bruce Springsteen’s comeback shows in New York next week. The intimate five-night run at the St James theatre will be the first Broadway show to reopen since last March and will require attendees to show proof of vaccination, reports The Telegraph. However, the list will be limited only to jabs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration - Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson. Any potential concert-goers who received their Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine overseas will be left with the prospect of being turned away at the door should they book tickets.
18th Jun 2021 - Evening Standard

Canada: Pfizer, Moderna preferred 2nd dose after AstraZeneca

Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization said Thursday people who got the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose should get Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna for their second shot. On June 1, committee had said AstraZeneca recipients “could” get Pfizer or Moderna for their second shot if they wanted, but Thursday went further to say an mRNA vaccine was the ”preferred” choice. Since the advisory committee “first looked at mixed vaccine schedules, new evidence is starting to emerge suggesting immune responses are better when a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is followed by an mRNA vaccine as a second dose,″ said its vice-chair Dr. Shelley Deeks, in the new guidance documents.
18th Jun 2021 - Associated Press

Community pharmacy COVID-19 test distribution service extended

The government has extended its free Pharmacy Collect service, which provides COVID-19 lateral flow tests to patients through community pharmacies in England, until the end of July 2021. In a statement to The Pharmaceutical Journal, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) added that it was “considering” extending its contracts with wholesalers, beyond their June 2021 expiry, to continue providing tests to pharmacies at no cost. The service, also known as the ‘Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Lateral Flow Device Distribution’ service, launched on 29 March 2021 as an advanced service and was due to be reviewed at the end of June 2021.
17th Jun 2021 - The Pharmaceutical Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

iPads donated to Shropshire school to enable virtual learning

An ambitious project to enable whole class virtual learning at a small Shropshire school has become reality following the donation of 36 iPads. Teachers and parents at Tibberton CE Primary School set about raising funds for the new devices earlier this term and thanks to the support of local businesses and others in the community they have reached their goal ahead of schedule. It means from September each child in class will have access to their own iPad and associated digital resources to support whole-class learning during lessons.
17th Jun 2021 - shropshirestar.com

Japan PM Suga urges Japanese to watch Olympics on TV to prevent spread of COVID-19

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday called on the public to watch the upcoming Tokyo Olympics on TV to avoid the spread of COVID-19 infections, as the organisers debate whether to allow domestic spectators into Olympic venues. Suga, speaking at a news conference to announce the lifting of some COVID-19 restrictions in Tokyo and several other areas, said that the most important thing was to avoid a rebound in the number of infections and the collapse of the medical system.
17th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Families mourn the loss of loved ones who hesitated on the Covid-19 vaccine

Despite vaccines being widely available for teenagers and adults, demand has slowed drastically since mid-April. At the time, the country was administering an average of 3.4 million doses per day. That moving average is now close to 600,000 per day as of Tuesday, the most recent day for which the figure is available, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Local governments are offering financial incentives for people to get the shot. Medical experts and officials are also seeing effective strategies by local pastors, coaches and community leaders working on a grass-roots level to encourage people. The word-of-mouth approach from trusted voices can be powerful, said the Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr., a prominent pastor who leads the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida​. This spring, his church invested in a mobile medical unit to make health care more accessible in his community.
17th Jun 2021 - CNN

Disneyland Paris reopens, but Mickey Mouse won't give hugs

The Disneyland Paris theme park opened to visitors on Thursday after being shuttered for nearly eight months during the pandemic, but safety measures were in force to stop the virus spreading. While cast members dressed as favourite Disney characters - among them Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy - were on hand as usual for selfies with visitors, they were keeping their distance. According to the park's revised rules, "close interactions, including hugs, will be temporarily suspended." Visitors over the age of six are also required to wear masks. Nevertheless, visitors streaming through the gates at opening time were ecstatic to be there.
17th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Community centres to share £270,000 Covid recovery fund

In Shropshire, the Covid-19 emergency funding provided to the council by government in 2020 and 2021 is aimed at enabling a number of community centres to restart, recover and once again become vibrant community assets in a safe and secure way. Cabinet member for cooperative communities, engagement and partnerships, Councillor Paul Watling said: “During the pandemic these community hubs have been the glue that has held everything together and enabled Telford & Wrekin Council to support its communities. They are right at the heart of people’s lives and have for many been a lifeline – a place where we can extend our support to the most vulnerable.
17th Jun 2021 - Shropshire Star

Empowering Indian women who lost their partners to COVID

Thousands of Indian women have lost their husbands to the coronavirus pandemic, most of those men were the sole earners in their families. Nichelle worked as a human resource professional for seven years before quitting her job nearly two years ago. Soon after her husband’s death, another reality hit her: she needed to find a job, at a time when the pandemic had caused huge job losses across India and forced millions of people out of work. She was contacted by a volunteer from COVID Women Help – an initiative that seeks to empower women who lost their partners to the pandemic by providing them financial and professional help. Less than a month after Shawn’s death, Nichelle got a job with a human resource solutions company with the help of COVID Women Help.
17th Jun 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: People aged 21 and 22 able to book coronavirus vaccine from today

Around one million people aged 21 and 22 are now eligible to book their coronavirus vaccination. Some 972,000 text messages will be sent out starting today, inviting them to schedule appointments for both doses via the national booking system. Dr Emily Lawson, lead for the NHS COVID Vaccination Programme, said "the largest ever NHS vaccination campaign is in the home stretch of the first dose roll-out," and getting the jab is "the most important step you can take to protect yourself, your friends and family so it's really important everybody in the latest eligible groups books themselves in to get their jab and plays their part in this huge national effort".
16th Jun 2021 - Sky News

Covid-19: Deaths in Brazil near half a million as controversial football tournament gets under way

Brazil continues to report a high number of covid-19 infections and deaths against the backdrop of a parliamentary inquiry into the government’s management of the pandemic and a controversial football tournament plagued by virus outbreaks. The country is expected to reach half a million deaths from covid-19 in the coming days as teams from around Latin America compete in the Copa America, which kicked off in Brasilia on 13 June. “The situation is not coming under control since [politicians] are still in denial of the pandemic, including the president,” said Helena Nader, biomedical scientist at the Federal University of São Paulo and former president of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science. At least 31 Copa America players and 10 members of staff have been infected so far, as health experts and players alike voice their concern over the health risk posed by the controversial decision to host the tournament in one of the nations worst hit by covid-19 in the world.
16th Jun 2021 - The BMJ

London: Man charged after journalist mobbed at anti-lockdown protest

A man has been charged after a BBC journalist was mobbed by a group of anti-lockdown protesters in London. Video footage shared on social media showed Newsnight political editor Nicholas Watt being physically intimidated and chased through the streets near Downing Street on Monday afternoon. Met Police launched an investigation into the incident after identifying a ‘number of possible offences’ in the video. Martin Hockridge, 57, from Harpenden in Hertfordshire, was interviewed under caution by officers and later charged with a public order offence on Tuesday evening.
16th Jun 2021 - Metro.co.uk

Taj Mahal reopens for tourists as India eases COVID-19 curbs

The Taj Mahal reopened to the public on Wednesday as India, still reeling from a disastrous second wave of the pandemic, pushes to lift restrictions in a bid to revitalise its economy. The 17th-century white marble mausoleum, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the northern city of Agra, was closed in early April as India introduced strict lockdown measures in an effort to contain a surge in COVID-19 infections that is still killing thousands every day. Only 650 tourists will be allowed inside the premises of the Taj Mahal at any time, said Prabhu Singh, district magistrate of Agra. The monument normally attracts 7 million to 8 million visitors annually, or over 20,000 people per day.
16th Jun 2021 - Reuters India

Germany set to end work from home obligation, Merkel aide tells weekly

Germany will not extend beyond the end of June a rule which forces companies to allow working from home because of the coronavirus pandemic, Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff was quoted as saying on Wednesday. Germany has gradually lifted lockdown measures in the last six weeks as infections fell. After first introducing a working from home obligation in January, the measure was anchored in "emergency brake" legislation that allows the government to impose lockdown measures if infections rise beyond certain thresholds. As coronavirus infection numbers are sinking, the home office rule does not need to be extended on June 30, when the emergency law regulating the lockdown expires
16th Jun 2021 - Reuters

UNICEF Helps Refugees Get Their Fair Shot At COVID-19 Vaccines

In Jordan, refugees are eligible for vaccination along with Jordanians and those of other nationalities. To support Jordan's COVID-19 vaccination campaign, UNICEF is providing procurement and logistical support for vaccine delivery and has donated 1.3 million syringes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, UNICEF has responded to refugees' growing needs by helping Jordan's Ministry of Health safeguard the roughly 120,000 who live in the nation's four camps
15th Jun 2021 - Forbes

Alarm rises in India over COVID-19 risks as crowds return to malls and rail stations

Having barely got over a devastating second wave of coronavirus infections, India was gripped with alarm on Tuesday over risks of a resurgence as crowds thronged railway stations and shopping malls a day after major cities relaxed curbs on movement. The capital New Delhi, in the north, and tech hub Bengaluru, in the south, were among the cities that have begun lifting strict lockdowns as the nationwide tally of new infections dropped to its lowest level in more than two months. After a strict five-week lockdown, authorities in Delhi have fully re-opened shops and malls, and allowed restaurants to have 50% seating. Suburban rail networks can run at 50% capacity, and offices have been partially reopened.
15th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Anti-lockdown protests boost Germany's far-right, says security agency

The number of politically motivated crimes in Germany rose last year, as protests opposing government measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic gave a boost to the far-right, Germany's domestic intelligence service said. More than half of the 44,692 politically motivated crimes registered in 2020 were committed by far-right radicals, the agency said in its annual report published on Tuesday. "Extremists and terrorists are not going into lockdown," Thomas Haldenwang, head of the BfV domestic security agency, said at a news conference to present the report.
15th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Comfort During Covid-19 Can Come Equally From Sanitation Measures And Community Feeling, According To New Data

Comfort in returning to stores, venues, and other public spaces amid Covid-19 comes from two key sources: sanitation and feelings of regularity and familiarity. This is according to a new quantitative study conducted by Greater Divide. For large commercial spaces, such as malls and chain stores, the main factors driving feelings of comfort was a large interior space and clear signs of proper sanitation procedures. Smaller spaces, on the other hand, were more likely to be perceived as safe if they felt local, familiar, and an ongoing part of the person’s community.
15th Jun 2021 - Forbes

Amazon has made its Covid-19 test available online, alongside a diagnostics portal for consumers

Amazon has made its FDA-cleared Covid-19 test available to consumers online, alongside a consumer diagnostics website where people can view their results. The consumer diagnostics website, AmazonDx.com, previously only had a login for Amazon employees. As of Tuesday, however, it appears any customer can sign into the site using the same login information they use to access the shopping portion of the tech giant’s website.
15th Jun 2021 - STAT News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

‘A rumour can explode in one day’: Meet the pioneer fighting vaccine mistrust

When anthropologist Heidi Larson secured the seed funding to establish the Vaccine Confidence Project a decade ago, it was a humble set-up housed in a corner of the venerable London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in Bloomsbury. Now, in a global pandemic, her expertise as one of the world’s foremost authorities on anti-vaccine sentiment and the rumours, misinformation and emotions that shape our perception of vaccines means that Professor Larson is in serious demand. In the past fortnight she has delivered the John Maddox Lecture at the Hay Festival, collected the prestigious Edinburgh Medal for her work to understand and tackle popular misconceptions of vaccines and joined UK health minister Matt Hancock and WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a Science Museum summit to explore ways to boost confidence in the Covid-19 vaccine.
14th Jun 2021 - Evening Standard

Get Covid vaccine and chance to win a car as Moscow's death toll grows

The mayor of Moscow is offering people who receive a coronavirus jab the chance to win cars as daily deaths in the Russian capital hit a four-month high and suspicion of vaccines remains widespread. Officials said yesterday that 69 people had died from Covid-19 in Moscow in the preceding 24 hours, the most since early February. The city of 12 million people recorded 7,704 new cases, the highest figure since late last year. Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor, ordered all non-essential workers to remain home next week, with full pay. He also ordered food courts to close. Restaurants, bars and clubs will be barred from serving customers between 11pm and 6am. He has ruled out a lockdown.
14th Jun 2021 - The Times

Anti-vax groups rack up victories against Covid-19 push

The partisan divide over the country's pandemic response has reinvigorated the anti-vaccine movement nationwide, with mostly Republican lawmakers in nearly 40 states backing bills to restrict Covid-19 vaccine mandates or vaccine passports. Anti-vaccine fervor that was previously concentrated in specific communities — like Orthodox Jews in New Jersey and New York, and Somali immigrants in Minnesota — spread more widely during the pandemic as the U.S. government urged people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
14th Jun 2021 - POLITICO

How Kendall Toole Built A Mental Health Community During Covid-19 On Peloton

Kendall Toole, an instructor for Peloton, explained that, of course, the quality of the exercise is great and the people who make the content and work for the team at Peloton put out fantastic exercise classes and that is part of why it works. But, to her, “really kind of the secret sauce, especially through the pandemic, is that you could connect with people.” She notes that people feeling alone or isolated could bond together by doing the same exercise, and find like minded people for support, both in class and online, like someone else who is a first responder, or a mom, or even a healthcare worker.
11th Jun 2021 - Forbes

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Saudi to allow 60,000 vaccinated residents to perform hajj

Saudi Arabia announced Saturday it will allow 60,000 vaccinated residents of the kingdom to perform the annual hajj, state media reported. The hajj ministry said this year's pilgrimage would be "open for nationals and residents of the kingdom, limited to 60,000 pilgrims", according to the official Saudi Press Agency. The pilgrimage, scheduled to be held at the end of July, would be limited to those who have been vaccinated and are below 65 years of age with no chronic illnesses, it said.
12th Jun 2021 - FRANCE 24

Queen's Birthday Honours: Covid-19 community supporters honoured

People who helped their communities in Devon during the Covid-19 pandemic are among those recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. David Cox, 58, from Teignmouth, set up services which delivered 200 meals a day during the Covid-19 crisis. Claire Twitchin, 50, raised money for NHS scrubs and Elaine Cawthraw, 70, co-ordinated local support for villagers. Nicholas Hindmarsh, 60, from Harberton, led a charity helping the vulnerable during the pandemic.
12th Jun 2021 - BBC News

Black and Latino communities are left behind in Covid-19 vaccination efforts

When vaccines became increasingly available throughout America, US health officials moved quickly to try to convince large numbers of Americans to get vaccinated. But amid the mass vaccination rollout, Black and Latino communities, who are disproportionately affected by the pandemic, have been left behind in vaccination efforts, creating racial disparities about who was more likely to get a Covid-19 shot. Amid federal and local efforts to address vaccine disparity, vaccination rates for Black Americans and Latinos lag behind the general population, leaving many communities of color still unprotected against the Covid-19 pandemic.
12th Jun 2021 - The Guardian

Community spirit in the age of Covid

Anecdotal evidence tells us that communities have been coming together in the last 18 months, with neighbours helping each other out, or shopping for those who are shielding. My research with my colleague James Laurence, though, suggests that people’s perceptions of neighbourliness have declined during Covid. We used data from one of the world’s largest panel surveys to compare people’s lives before and during the early months of the pandemic, and found that the proportion of people who felt they could trust others in their neighbourhood fell from nearly 70% in 2014/15 to 56% in June 2020 – although by November 2020 it increased to 61%. The lockdown also seems to have made people feel more isolated, with a decline in whether people feel they are similar to others in their neighbourhood. In June 2020, only 45% of people felt similar to others living around them, 16% down on 2014/15. However, this also increased (to 50%) by November.
12th Jun 2021 - PoliticsHome

UK Covid memorial wall should be made permanent, MPs say

It started as an almost guerrilla act of memorialisation. In March, grieving relatives began inscribing red hearts beside a Thameside walkway – one for every person in the UK who died from coronavirus. Now stretching 500 metres, the Covid memorial wall should be made a permanent national landmark, say more than 200 MPs, peers and mayors. Boris Johnson is facing calls to “make this wall of hearts a, if not the, permanent memorial to the victims of the pandemic” from a cross-party alliance including the mayors of London and Greater Manchester, Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham.
12th Jun 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 ventilators donated by Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi left abandoned in warehouse

Life-support machines donated by the footballer Lionel Messi are sitting abandoned in a warehouse in Argentina despite a brutal second wave of infections leaving hospitals desperate for supplies. Through his foundation, the Barcelona star had sent 32 ventilators by private jet in August last year to his home town of Rosario. For almost a year, however, the machines have been left unopened in an airport repository, pending authorisation from the national health regulator. The case has baffled the Messi Foundation, which had successfully delivered medical equipment to Argentina only a few months before, in May last year.
10th Jun 2021 - The Times

David Hasselhoff joins German vaccine appeal

Former “Baywatch” TV star David Hasselhoff is appearing in a video released by the German health ministry calling on people to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The video makes a play on Hasselhoff's 1989 "Looking for Freedom" album, which was popular in Germany after its title song become a soundtrack for the fall of the Berlin Wall. "Aermel hoch! ("Sleeves up!"), Hasselhoff says in German in the video released on Monday that had already been viewed on Twitter almost 200,000 times by Wednesday.
10th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Abu Dhabi restricts many public areas to those free of COVID

Abu Dhabi, the second-most populous emirate in the UAE, will restrict access to shopping malls, restaurants, cafes and other public places from June 15 to those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently tested negative. The new rules were announced late on Wednesday as the United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven emirates, has seen daily cases rise over the past three weeks. The UAE, which does not give a breakdown for each emirate, recorded 2,179 new infections on Wednesday, up from 1,229 on May 17. The restrictions will also apply to gyms, hotels and their facilities, public parks, beaches, swimming pools, entertainment centres, cinemas, and museums, Abu Dhabi's media office said
10th Jun 2021 - Reuters

U.S. National Cathedral bells toll 600 times to mark COVID-19 victims

On a rainy Thursday evening in Washington D.C., the bells at the National Cathedral tolled 600 times, once for every 1,000 Americans who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Fifteen months into the pandemic, the official U.S. death toll is approaching 600,000, even as a national vaccination program has successfully reduced the rate of daily infections and deaths. As of June 10, the overall COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. is 596,059, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The World Health Organization (WHO) puts the international figure at 3,758,560.
10th Jun 2021 - Reuters

Germany starts rolling out a digital EU vaccination pass

Germany on Thursday started rolling out a digital vaccination pass that can be used across Europe as the continent gets ready for the key summer travel season. The country’s health minister said starting this week vaccination centers, doctors practices and pharmacies will gradually start giving out digital passes to fully vaccinated people. The CovPass will let users download proof of their coronavirus vaccination status onto a smartphone app, allowing them easy access to restaurants, museums or other venues that require proof of immunization. The vaccination passport should be available to everyone in Germany who is fully vaccinated by the end of this month, Health Minister Jens Spahn said.
10th Jun 2021 - The Associated Press

High COVID vaccine uptake may protect the unvaccinated

Higher levels of COVID-19 vaccination in a population are tied to lower rates of infection in unvaccinated youth younger than 16 years, who were ineligible for the vaccine at the time of the trial, according to an observational, real-world, Israeli study today in Nature Medicine. Researchers from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa led the study, which involved mining vaccination records and COVID-19 test results gathered during a rapid vaccine rollout in 177 communities. They found that vaccination rates in each community were linked to a large subsequent decline in COVID-19 infections in the unvaccinated youth. For every 20 percentage points of vaccinated people in a population, on average, COVID-19 test positivity declined about twofold.
10th Jun 2021 - CIDRAP

How vaccine hesitancy is being tackled in Bristol’s diverse communities

The five areas in Bristol with the highest populations of ethnic minorities are also the five areas with the lowest Covid vaccine uptake, analysis by the Cable has found. But Bristol has been proactive in tackling the disparity, with a targeted campaign to answer people’s questions and fears around the vaccine and to take vaccine clinics into communities. “The only way we have is for trusted people to have the vaccine and to talk about their experience,” said Mohammed Elsharif, Community Development Manager for Bristol City Council’s vaccine campaign. The model is simple but labour-intensive: bringing the vaccine to communities by creating vaccine clinics in community and religious centres, getting trusted community leaders and faith leaders to publicly take the vaccine, having ‘community champions’ to encourage people within their communities to take the vaccine – and sometimes even making appointments with them. They also put on webinars where people have the chance to air their concerns about the vaccine and get answers to their questions
9th Jun 2021 - The Bristol Cable

As Britons return to lives post-Covid, a care provider is urging people to continue supporting elderly neighbours

Community networks set up during the first lockdown meant some people had more visitors and help with medication and food than before the pandemic. As restrictions ease, Radfield Home Care is worried that this support will now drop off and elderly and disabled people will return to lives of loneliness. Research carried out by the care provider found that 73 per cent of people aged 60 and over were nervous about the UK’s planned easing of restrictions on 21 June. Fifty-three per cent said they had concerns about infection rates rising when lockdown lifts, while just over 10 per cent were worried about interacting with others and eight per cent feared visiting supermarkets, shops and restaurants.
9th Jun 2021 - Homecare

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Foundation to spend $1.3B to vaccinate Africans for COVID

One of the world’s largest foundations will spend $1.3 billion over the next three years to acquire and deliver COVID-19 vaccines for more than 50 million people in Africa. It’s a first-of-its-kind effort for a Western nonprofit to bolster Africa’s lagging vaccination campaign amid widespread fears of a third wave of infections on the continent. The Tuesday announcement from the Toronto-based Mastercard Foundation, which has more than $39 billion in assets, comes days after the World Health Organization said Africa was encountering an alarming mix of a spike in virus cases and “a near halt” of vaccine shipments. The delays have been tied to India’s halt on vaccine exports, among other things. The foundation will purchase single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines at the discounted rate negotiated by the African Union during its 220 million dose deal with the vaccine manufacturer. Those vaccines will begin to be delivered to the AU’s 55 member states from July to September, with an option to purchase an additional 180 million doses through next year.
9th Jun 2021 - The Associated Press

Hospices Extending Community Partnerships Developed During COVID

The coronavirus pandemic took a heavy toll on communities across the country as many fell ill and lost loved ones to the deadly disease. Hospices reached deeper into their communities with collaborations to procure and provide resources amid heavy COVID-19 headwinds. The pandemic’s persistence remains at the forefront of many hospice providers’ minds, with COVID-19 continuing to pummel their operations and finances. Some built up partnerships with various local personal protective equipment (PPE) suppliers or became avenues of community support themselves during the public health emergency. These community collaborations represent an opportunity for hospices to develop valuable relationships that can extend beyond the pandemic.
9th Jun 2021 - Hospice News

Global COVID-19 patterns reflect dual-world track

In its weekly snapshot of the pandemic yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said overall cases declined 15% last week, led mainly by steep drops in its Europe region and Southeast Asia region, which includes India. Deaths dropped by 8%. The five highest-burden countries are India, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and the United States. Some of the countries reporting the steepest rises over the past week include Zambia (191%), Uganda (137%), South Africa (22%), the Philippines (19%), and Colombia (17%). More than 80 countries have now reported the more transmissible Delta (B1617.2) variant,
9th Jun 2021 - CIDRAP

Covid-19: Four small words make a difference in the pandemic

During the pandemic, four small words have been making a difference for some people. "How are you feeling?" is the question community pharmacists have been posing to their customers, regular and new, in a bid to create conversation around mental health. For people in Belcoo, in County Fermanagh at the edge of Northern Ireland, a trip to the doctor involves a 16-mile round trip, because there's no local surgery. That means community pharmacist Joe McAleer has found himself on the frontline. "We see the patients on a daily or weekly basis, and we know that just that simple question - how are you feeling? - opens the door to a lot of answers," he said.
9th Jun 2021 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Mastercard Foundation donates $1.3 billion to boost Africa’s coronavirus response

The Mastercard Foundation announced a $1.3 billion donation on Tuesday to boost Africa’s response to the coronavirus, which public health experts hailed as a significant step to get vaccines to some of the world’s poorest people. “Ensuring equitable access and delivery of vaccines across Africa is urgent,” Reeta Roy, the foundation’s chief executive, said in a statement. “This initiative is about valuing all lives and accelerating the economic recovery of the continent.” The funding, which will be distributed over three years in partnership with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is intended to help acquire vaccines for more than 50 million of the continent’s 1.3 billion people, improve its vaccine manufacturing and delivery system, and strengthen public health institutions.
8th Jun 2021 - The Washington Post

COVID-19: Greater Manchester and Lancashire residents told to minimise travel as variant cases rise

Greater Manchester and Lancashire are to receive a "strengthened package of support" to tackle a rise in the Delta coronavirus variant, Matt Hancock has announced - with residents told to minimise travel. Addressing the Commons, the health secretary said: "I can tell the House that today, working with local authorities, we are providing a strengthened package of support based on what is working in Bolton to help Greater Manchester and Lancashire tackle the rise in the Delta variant that we are seeing there."
8th Jun 2021 - Sky News

Charity awarded funding to help over 50s living in Northumberland to prepare for a Covid reset

Age UK, based in Ashington, Northumberland has received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to run a new project that will help older people in the county get back to a 'new normal' way of life. The 12-month project, 'A time to live – Covid reset and beyond,' will focus on supporting older individuals as the region begins to return to normal times following the coronavirus pandemic. The project will provide a range of activities, exercise classes, befriending services, practical and bereavement support.
8th Jun 2021 - inyourarea.co.uk

Ghosts in the machine: Malicious bots spread COVID untruths

Malicious bots, or automated software that simulates human activity on social media platforms, are the primary drivers of COVID-19 misinformation, spreading myths and seeding public health distrust exponentially faster than human users could, suggests a study published yesterday in JAMA Internal Medicine. Led by University of California at San Diego (UCSD) researchers, a team analyzed a sample of roughly 300,000 posts on heavily bot-influenced public Facebook groups to measure how quickly the posts' links were shared. When multiple accounts share links within seconds of each other, it is a sign of bot accounts controlled by a computer program that coordinates their operations. The researchers found that the most heavily bot-influenced Facebook groups shared identical links within, on average, 4.28 seconds, versus 4.35 hours for the least-influenced groups. Heavily influenced groups were considered those that hosted identical links at least five times, with at least half of them posted within 10 seconds.
8th Jun 2021 - CIDRAP

Red Cross to provide emergency support to thousands in Myanmar

The Myanmar Red Cross has said it was stepping up emergency support to hundreds of thousands of people in Myanmar affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the upheaval resulting from the military coup on February 1. The organisation, part of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), estimates about 236,000 people across Myanmar are facing worsening poverty and in urgent need of food relief and cash assistance, it said on Tuesday.
8th Jun 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Hundreds of former leaders urge G7 to vaccinate poor against Covid-19

One hundred former presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers have urged the Group of Seven (G7) rich nations to pay for global coronavirus vaccinations to help stop the virus mutating and returning as a worldwide threat. The leaders made their appeal ahead of a G7 summit in England which begins on Friday, when US President Joe Biden will meet the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan. It's the first time the G7 leaders have met since the start of the pandemic. The three-day summit will cover a range of issues, with a particular focus on how the group can lead the global recovery from coronavirus. In their letter to the G7, the former world leaders said global cooperation had failed in 2020, but that 2021 could usher in a new era.
7th Jun 2021 - CNN

COVID-19 misinformation was mainly spread online by bots in Facebook groups, study finds

Bot accounts used Facebook groups to quickly and massively distribute misinformation, a new study claims. Researchers looked at posts about a Danish study that found inconclusive data as to whether or not wearing a mask reduced transmission of COVID-19. Bot-created posts misinterpreted the findings and claimed masks were harmful to their wearer - a conclusion that never appears in the research. Not all public health experts agree that Facebook and other social media platforms should 'censor' misinformation
7th Jun 2021 - Daily Mail

Honda India Foundation opens COVID-19 isolation centres in Haryana & Rajasthan

Facilitating healthcare infrastructure and support for COVID-19 patients, Honda India Foundation has set up COVID care isolation centres in the states of Haryana and Rajasthan. With a focus on medical support and care for patients, especially in rural areas, the foundation has already started operations at these centres with a capacity of 100 beds at Naurangpur (Haryana) and 50 beds at Tapukara (Rajasthan) respectively. The two facilities, set-up in association with Haryana and Rajasthan state governments, have round the clock supervision by trained doctors and nurses along with other medical arrangements.
7th Jun 2021 - Manufacturing Today

78 percent of unvaccinated Americans unlikely to change their minds: Gallup

More than 3 in 4 Americans who have yet to receive a coronavirus vaccine say it is unlikely they ever will, according to a new poll. Among U.S. adults who do not plan to be vaccinated, 78 percent said in a Gallup poll released Monday they are unlikely to reconsider their plans. Roughly half — 51 percent — indicated they are "not likely at all" to change their mind and get vaccinated. Overall, just 1 in 5 vaccine-reluctant adults said they are open to reconsidering, with 2 percent saying they are "very likely" and 19 percent saying they are "somewhat likely" to ever get inoculated.
7th Jun 2021 - The Hill

With Covid-19, as with HIV, science and partnerships with communities lead the way

Like so many of her generation, Josephine Nabukenya wasn’t aware of her HIV status during her early childhood in Uganda. But when she was 8 years old, she came across a letter written by her mother that revealed the devastating news: Josephine and her mother and father were all living with HIV. Josephine was HIV-positive at birth. Now a 27-year-old youth worker at the Makerere University Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration in Kampala, Uganda, Josephine is one of the hundreds of thousands of children who belong to a generation born HIV-positive but who are alive today due to the power of antiretroviral medication — and political activism.
7th Jun 2021 - STAT News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Praise for Oldham volunteers during Covid pandemic

A charity which has served the community in Oldham during the coronavirus pandemic has spoken about the value of its "invaluable" volunteers in leading the efforts. Action Together acted as a network before the health crisis, signposting people in the borough to causes that could help them. But following the demand for support during the pandemic, Action Together started taking on its own emergency response volunteers. And they have proved to be imperative in Oldham's fight against the virus. During June, the charity is holding a month of celebration in honour to volunteers who have supported the areas.
6th Jun 2021 - The Oldham Times

If we can vaccinate the world, we can beat the climate crisis

It would only cost $50bn to ensure 40% of the world’s population is vaccinated by the end of the year, and 60% by the first half of 2022. This is a recent estimate from the IMF, the latest institution to join a chorus of voices calling for a global vaccination programme to bring Covid-19 under control. The IMF has highlighted the economic benefits of global vaccines, which would be huge. But there is another powerful reason for a worldwide campaign. Vaccinating the world will be crucial if countries are going to act together to confront the climate crisis, which will require many of the same things as delivering vaccines: resources, innovation, ingenuity and a true partnership between rich and developing countries. The Cop26 climate conference in November will be an opportune moment for building this partnership. But to do so, rich countries need to deliver on their early promises to deliver global vaccines.
5th Jun 2021 - The Guardian

Coordination was the right path for the EU's vaccine strategy, but lessons need to be learned

The EU’s vaccination campaign has gathered pace and is expected to further accelerate in the coming weeks following a surge in available vaccines. This gain in momentum is sorely needed: there is much public frustration over the EU being outpaced by countries like Israel, the United States and—probably most painfully—its former member, the United Kingdom. Inevitably, the question arose whether the EU was acting smartly by attaining and distributing vaccines as a joint effort rather than having member states negotiate contracts individually.
5th Jun 2021 - The BMJ

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Rabbit holes of information on social media ‘make users less willing to get jab’

People who use social media to obtain information are less willing to receive a coronavirus vaccine due to the “rabbit holes” of hesitancy they find themselves stuck in, according to a study. Researchers from the universities of Oxford and Southampton said some users see content suggestions “aligned with their fears”, creating an “echo chamber” effect, naming video-sharing website YouTube as a particular concern. Recommendations appear based on a person’s viewing history.
3rd Jun 2021 - Evening Standard

Brazilians bang pots in protest as 2,500 more die of COVID-19

Pot-banging protests have erupted across several cities in Brazil as President Jair Bolsonaro addressed the nation, just days after protesters took to the streets over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far killed almost half a million people in the country. The last few days have been rocky for the right-wing leader, whose popularity had already been flagging amid persistently high daily COVID-19 deaths and cases.
3rd Jun 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Indian doctors protest herbal treatments being touted for COVID-19

As India struggles with one of the world’s worst COVID-19 outbreaks, thousands of doctors across the nation fighting to save patients amid shortages of oxygen, medicine, and vaccines wore black armbands yesterday to call for the arrest of India's most popular yoga televangelist. Baba Ramdev, founder of a traditional medicine empire, is peddling unproven herbal pills and yoga cures for COVID-19, while calling modern drugs “stupid" and blaming the country’s hundreds of thousands of coronavirus deaths on modern medicine. But far from being fringe, Ramdev has close ties to India’s Hindu nationalist government and has enjoyed the support of the health minister. Since the pandemic began last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been aggressively promoting Ayurveda—a traditional system of medicine with deep links to Hinduism that originated 5,000 years ago and is still widely practiced by hundreds of millions of Indians. Ayurveda uses plant-derived products, yoga, diet, and behaviour changes to treat the mind and body, and is included in India’s official COVID-19 management protocol as a prevention and cure for the pandemic.
3rd Jun 2021 - National Geographic UK

UK to remove Portugal from safe travel list in blow for airlines - BBC

Britain removed Portugal from its quarantine-free travel list on Thursday, essentially shutting down the UK's international leisure market just weeks after it reopened and sparking outrage from embattled airlines. The industry questioned why British people could not travel when the country had some of the highest vaccine rates in the world. Portugal said the decision lacked logic. Airports demanded a cash lifeline. Transport minister Grant Shapps said however that coronavirus variants had been detected in Portugal, forcing the UK to shut off the one big European holiday destination it had sanctioned and prioritise its national reopening instead.
3rd Jun 2021 - Reuters

COVID Discord group helps Indians find oxygen, answers, and community

Arnab Biswas first noticed the cries for help on Instagram. In mid-April, the 25-year-old started re-sharing stories of people looking for life-saving resources to fight COVID, like ventilators and oxygen cylinders, in his home country of India. However, being an Instagram intermediary soon became unmanageable as requests flooded in. So he turned to Discord, a group chat service, to connect people who had essentials with those with COVID or trying to save people suffering from the disease. He found a better digital solution to an ever-growing problem as COVID cases rose precipitously during India's deadly second COVID wave, resources dwindled, and misinformation flourished. Now, less than two months later, the chat group called "COVID Fighters (India)" has attracted more than 12,000 members throughout the country.
3rd Jun 2021 - Mashable

Indonesia cancels Hajj again amid concerns over COVID

Indonesia has cancelled the Hajj pilgrimage for people in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation for a second year in a row, due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. For many Indonesians, the pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime event, with an average wait time of 20 years due to a quota system. “Due to the pandemic and for the safety of the pilgrims, the government has decided that this year it won’t allow Indonesian pilgrims to go again,” the minister of religious affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, said in a statement on Thursday. Yaqut said Saudi Arabia had not opened access to the Hajj.
3rd Jun 2021 - Aljazeera.com

The World Should Learn From India’s Covid-19 Cataclysm

In cities at least, India’s nightmarish second wave of Covid-19 finally seems to be ebbing. Delhi has brought its test positivity rate below 2% for the first time in two months. The pandemic’s scars won’t be easily erased, however — and they should be a warning to other developing nations. Those countries must learn from India’s experience if they don’t want to repeat it. The first and most obvious lesson is to avoid overconfidence. A relatively small change in how transmissible the novel coronavirus is can have large, non-linear effects on how fast it spreads. That means strategies that kept the pandemic at bay in 2020 won’t necessarily work in 2021. As new variants emerge, health authorities might need to lock down more firmly and in a more targeted fashion to remain safe.
31st May 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

New Mexico Announces $5 Million Award for Vaccination

When the book is written about how states across the country tried to persuade people to get coronavirus vaccines, it will not accuse New Mexico of being subtle. On Tuesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a lottery program through which the state will award cash prizes totaling $10 million, including a $5 million grand prize — among the largest single cash awards being offered by any state with a similar program. New Mexico’s program is called Vax to the Max. And its website does not downplay the program’s key enticement: “Get Vaccinated for Your Chance to Win the Grand Prize of $5,000,000!!!” a headline blares. Further down on the website is a large pile of $100 bills. As Governor Grisham wrote on Twitter: “Register to win! And let’s keep N.M. safe and healthy!”
2nd Jun 2021 - The New York Times

Free beer, other new incentives for Biden’s ‘vaccine sprint’

Dangling everything from sports tickets to a free beer, President Joe Biden is looking for that extra something — anything — that will get people to roll up their sleeves for COVID-19 shots when the promise of a life-saving vaccine by itself hasn’t been enough. Biden on Wednesday announced a “month of action” to urge more Americans to get vaccinated before the July 4 holiday, including an early summer sprint of incentives and a slew of new steps to ease barriers and make getting shots more appealing to those who haven’t received them. He is closing in on his goal of getting 70% of adults at least partially vaccinated by Independence Day — essential to his aim of returning the nation to something approaching a pre-pandemic sense of normalcy this summer.
2nd Jun 2021 - Associated Press

Sudan initiative harnesses youth, medical savvy to fight Covid at community level

Two US-based Sudanese doctors have created a grassroots programme using a video mentoring system to deploy volunteer medical students across Sudan to help Covid-19 sufferers in their homes. Sudan is still recovering after a 30-year dictatorship and does not have the infrastructure to tackle the Covid crisis at the local level, says Dr Nada Fadul, one of the co-founders of Sudan’s Community Medical Response Team (CMRT). “We leveraged youth organisations that led to Sudan succeeding in overthrowing this dictator, finding that energy, directing it into a new channel to help get the country over this crisis,” says Fadul, an infectious disease physician at the University of Nebraska in the US. Medical students, many of whom were sitting at home because of Covid-19 school closures, already had the trust of community members in their neighbourhood, along with the energy, knowledge and training.
2nd Jun 2021 - RFI

Covid Community champs to deliver key health messages

Training is under way for Covid Community Champions to ensure key health messages are provided about the pandemic. The champions have also prepared videos to highlight the importance of surge testing and vaccine availability. Covid Community Champions are people from all areas of Blackburn with Darwen, from different cultural backgrounds and across age groups who all want to make a difference in their neighbourhoods and help local communities recover from the damaging impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
2nd Jun 2021 - Lancashire Telegraph

Covid: India's Sikh community steps up amid pandemic

Harteerath Singh, who lives in the northern Indian city of Gurgaon, has contracted the coronavirus twice. In both instances, he took some time to recover, only to return and lead his nonprofit organization's work on the ground. The Hemkunt Foundation was set up by Harteerath's father in 2010, but this year, the NGO was catapulted into the limelight after it provided thousands of oxygen cylinders — free of cost — to COVID patients who were facing breathing difficulties. This organization is not alone in providing humanitarian aid amid India's COVID crisis. The UK-based international nonprofit Khalsa Aid and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) are also carrying out on-the-ground relief work to bridge gaps in medical supplies. There is one common thread that ties these organizations — their faith.
2nd Jun 2021 - Deutsche Welle

COVID: Thousands of Indian children orphaned by pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has devastated families across India, has left thousands of children orphaned or without one parent. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 1,700 children have lost both parents, while 140 have been abandoned and more than 7,400 have lost one of their parents to the virus, according to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The NCPCR submitted the report to the Supreme Court on Monday, detailing the problems of children orphaned during the pandemic and the need to provide them with food, shelter and clothing. The northern state of Uttar Pradesh reported 2,110 children who were orphaned, lost one parent or were abandoned, followed by Bihar at 1,327 and Kerala at 952, according to government data. Child rights activists believe that this number is likely a significant underestimate. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government last week announced measures to help orphaned children, with around 1 million rupees (€11,220, $13,700) set aside to be given to each child as a stipend, from the ages of 18 to 23. The funds would be offered from the PM-CARES scheme.
2nd Jun 2021 - Deutsche Welle

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Turkey eases COVID-19 measures, partly re-opens restaurants

Turkey further eased measures meant to curb coronavirus infections on Monday including partially lifting a weekend lockdown and opening restaurants to a limited number of guests. President Tayyip Erdogan said the lighter measures, in response to falling cases, would go into effect Tuesday. Under the new rules, nationwide daily curfews are delayed by an hour to 10 p.m. Erdogan lifted virtually all social restrictions in March but backtracked in April when daily cases soared above 60,000, making Turkey briefly second globally. A partial lockdown was imposed from the end of April to May 17.
1st Jun 2021 - Reuters

Roma mistrust in governments is an obstacle to COVID-19 recovery

As countries across Europe race each other to vaccinate their populations against COVID-19 in the hopes of controlling the spread of the deadly virus and restoring some sense of normality, there is a danger that our already vulnerable and marginalised Roma communities will fall through the cracks. There are more than 12 million Roma in Europe, making up the continent’s largest minority. In some European countries, such as Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria, Roma comprise almost 10 percent of the population. Therefore, if Europe is to defeat COVID-19, it is essential for Roma communities to take up the vaccine.
1st Jun 2021 - AlJazeera

COVID-19: Major shopping centre forced to close as anti-lockdown protest causes 'significant disruption'

Anti-lockdown protesters caused one of the UK's biggest shopping centres to close early on Saturday after forcing their way inside. Demonstrators clashed with police as they pushed to get into Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd's Bush, west London. Officers started forming a protective line around the centre at about 4.30pm as the protest became heated and police were seen using batons to keep demonstrators back. Some still managed to force their way into the building and footage shows crowds standing on tables and chanting "What do you want? Freedom! When do you want it? Now!"
30th May 2021 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jun 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Antivaccine activists use a government database on side effects to scare the public

On 5 May, Fox News host Tucker Carlson delivered a 10-minute monologue casting doubt on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines on his show, Tucker Carlson Tonight. He announced that almost 4000 people had died after getting COVID-19 vaccines, and added that those data “comes from VAERS,”—the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, a U.S. government program that collects reports of side effects possibly caused by vaccines. It was a misleading statement. The reporting of a death to VAERS indicates nothing about what caused it, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) subsequent investigations have found no indication that deaths were caused by COVID-19 vaccines, save in a small subset with an extremely rare clotting disorder linked to one vaccine. But the TV segment pulled VAERS, a 31-year-old early warning system widely relied on by scientists, even deeper into the culture wars over vaccination. After the broadcast, a new phalanx of antivaccine activists began plumbing VAERS for data to scare the public about vaccination, says Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters for America, a left-leaning nonprofit that is monitoring anti–COVID-19 vaccine activity on social media. “We have been tracking these attacks since February and this one resonated in a different way after Tucker hit it,” Carusone says.
29th May 2021 - Science Magazine

Florida rock concert tickets are $18 if you're vaccinated – $1,000 if you're not

Fans looking to see punk bands Teenage Bottlerocket, MakeWar and Rutterkin in St. Petersburg, Fla., on June 26 will have to spend just $18 to get in if they’re vaccinated — while unvaccinated attendees will be charged $999.99 per ticket. “To be eligible for the DISCOUNT, you will need to bring a government issued photo ID and your PHYSICAL COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card,” the website where tickets can be purchased states. “We’re just trying to do a show safely. And they should go out and get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families and their community,” promoter Paul Williams told WFTS.
29th May 2021 - The Hill

Hong Kong tycoons offer $1 million flat to boost Covid jabs

Hong Kongers reluctant to get the coronavirus jab have been given a million-dollar reason to roll up their sleeves after property tycoons donated a brand new flat to a vaccine lottery. Worth HK$10.8 million (US$1.4 million), the one-bedroom apartment will be the lucky draw's grand prize, the property developers announced Friday. They will also offer 20 other prizes worth HK$100,000 each. Hong Kong is one of the few places in the world to have secured more than enough doses to inoculate all 7.5 million people. But rampant distrust of the government combined with a lack of urgency in a comparatively virus-free city -- has led to hesitancy and a dismally lagging inoculation drive.
29th May 2021 - Yahoo News

Brazilians stage nationwide protests against President Bolsonaro's COVID response

Brazilians staged protests against President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in at least 16 cities across the country on Saturday, carrying signs such as "Out with Bolsonaro" and "Impeachment now." Bolsonaro's popularity has plummeted during the coronavirus crisis, which has killed more than 460,000 Brazilians as the far-right leader played down its severity, dismissed mask wearing and cast doubt on the importance of vaccines.
29th May 2021 - Reuters

The COVID evictions ban is ending – and renters face an uncertain future

In less than a week, the COVID evictions ban in England will end, opening the doors to bailiff enforcement and setting the stage for a likely surge in court action by landlords seeking to oust their tenants. Many of these evictions will be under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 – so-called ‘no fault’ evictions – despite the fact the government first committed to abolishing Section 21 evictions more than two years ago. Then-housing secretary James Brokenshire announced the plans would stop private landlords from simply evicting tenants at the end of a fixed-term tenancy contract ‘without good reason’, effectively creating open-ended tenancies, in the words of the government.
28th May 2021 - Open Democracy

No COVID-19 cases found after well-controlled indoor concert

No attendees at an indoor concert that employed rapid COVID-19 lateral-flow screening, N95 respirators, and a well-ventilated venue tested positive for COVID-19 in the next 8 days, showing no increased virus transmission risk associated with the event, according to preliminary findings from a randomized, controlled trial published yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
28th May 2021 - CIDRAP

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

How Native Americans launched successful coronavirus vaccination drives: ‘A story of resilience’

Native American tribes, among the hardest-hit by covid-19, are celebrating a pandemic success story. Navajo Nation, the largest of the 574 Indian tribes in the United States, is now about 70 percent fully vaccinated, according to Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez. Other tribes are reporting similar numbers. By late March, Blackfeet Nation in Montana reported that 95 percent of its population had received its first vaccine dose. The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation’s vaccine drive went so well that leaders offered surplus doses to a neighboring school district. The Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi, with 70 percent of its eligible population fully vaccinated, is nearing herd immunity. Tribal leaders attribute this success to several factors, including tribal sovereignty, which gave tribes the flexibility to create their own methods of distributing the vaccine, and cultural values that prioritize elders and community.
27th May 2021 - The Washington Post

Mobile clinics help get vaccine to homeless community

The Vermont Health Department is working with community groups around the state to help Vermonters experiencing homelessness get vaccinated against COVID-19. A team from Community Health Centers of Burlington is helping to distribute the vaccine in Chittenden County, Vermont Public Radio reported. On a recent day, the team arrived at the Committee On Temporary Shelter or COTS daystation around noon in an outreach van to give nine people their second Pfizer doses. They had a supply of Johnson & Johnson vaccines for walk-ins. They also go to motels housing people who are homeless during the pandemic.
27th May 2021 - Associated Press

Covid-19 vaccine booking opens for everyone over 18 in NI

Covid-19 vaccinations have been made available to everyone over the age of 18 in Northern Ireland. Appointments are available to book online on the Health and Social Care website and by telephone. More than one million people in Northern Ireland have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. The Department of Health said vaccine supplies had become limited and 20,000 slots would be available each week. The limit is to help manage the availability of the Pfizer vaccine after regulators said under 40s should be given an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the department said.
27th May 2021 - BBC News

Age UK's Befriending Service's £31k National Lottery win will help combat loneliness and isolation among Bromsgrove's older people

A scheme aimed at eradicating loneliness, isolation and loss of confidence among older people caused by the pandemic has been given a £31,000 National Lottery funding boost. The cash was awarded to Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest to support its Befriending service. The charity supports people aged 50 and over in North Worcestershire and will use the money to support members of the communities, helping them overcome some of the longer-term effects of Covid-19. Befriending is one of the charity’s core charitable services, providing local people with friendship and support through regular calls or visits from a volunteer.
27th May 2021 - Bromsgrove Standard

Facebook won’t remove posts claiming Covid-19 is man-made

Facebook says it will no longer remove claims that COVID-19 is human-made or manufactured “in light of ongoing investigations into the origin of COVID-19 and in consultation with public health experts.” There is rising pressure worldwide to investigate the origins of the pandemic, including the possibility that it came from a lab. Since the pandemic began, Facebook has been changing what it allows on the topic and what it bans. In February, it announced a host of new claims it would be prohibiting -- including that COVID-19 was created in a Chinese lab. Other claims it added at the time included the false notion that vaccines are not effective or that they are toxic.
27th May 2021 - The Associated Press

Ohio announces 1st $1 million Vax-a-Million lottery winner

A southwestern Ohio woman won the state’s first $1 million Vax-a-Million vaccination incentive prize, while a Dayton-area teen was awarded the first full-ride college scholarship offered by the program, the state announced Wednesday night. The winners were selected in a random drawing Monday and had their information confirmed before the formal announcement at the end of the Ohio Lottery’s Cash Explosion TV show. The lottery announced that Abbigail Bugenske of Silverton near Cincinnati was the $1 million winner, while Joseph Costello of Englewood near Dayton was the college scholarship winner.
27th May 2021 - Associated Press

The CDC’s latest blunder is really about trust, not masks

The announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that fully vaccinated people do not have to wear face coverings indoors, unless specified by their states or local jurisdictions, triggered a backlash from public health experts. They called the new guidelines premature — rightly so — and said that the coordination and rollout should have been better planned with the states and the rest of the Biden administration. While the criticism is accurate, the guidelines reveal another deep problem that the CDC can’t fix on its own: Americans don’t trust each other, and around half don’t fully trust the CDC.
27th May 2021 - STAT News

India’s Covid vaccine rollout favours the wealthy and tech-savvy

When all Indian adults became eligible for Covid-19 vaccinations on May 1, Postcard Hotels & Resorts, a boutique hotel chain, swung into action to get its staff inoculated. Managers scoured the country’s online jab-booking platform, Co-win, to secure appointments. Hotel cars ferried workers to clinics as far as two hours away. The company paid for the inoculations, some of which cost as much as Rs1,300 (£13) per dose. Within a week, 200 employees had received a first dose. “We ran it like an army operation,” said Kapil Chopra, the company’s founder and chief executive. “I did it for the safety of my team, which is in the line of fire.”
26th May 2021 - Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus vaccine conspiracy leaflets packed with 'disturbing' claims are circulating in Bristol

Pamphlets packed with "disturbing" claims about the coronavirus vaccine are being spread in parts of Bristol. One recipient posted a picture of the leaflet on social media platform Reddit yesterday (Tuesday, May 25), and said they were being handed out along Stapleton Road in Easton. Others reported receiving copies posted through their letterboxes, while another said they had been distributed in their workplace at a Fishponds pub. Headlined 'the mark of the beast 666', the pages and pages of text urge people not to get jabbed, voicing outlandish conspiracy theories about nanotechnology, 5G, a "media hoax" and "gene editing technology". It makes references to the Bible and false claims that the vaccine roll-out is a ploy by "Freemasons who worship Satan" to seize control of people, warning that anyone who takes it will "go to hell". Leaflets making similar claims have been reported elsewhere in the UK during the pandemic, though it is not clear which person or group is behind those circulating in Bristol.
26th May 2021 - Bristol Live

Covid-19 time limit on indoor dining makes no sense, say publicans

Imposing a 105-minute limit on customers dining indoors makes “no sense” and will encourage pub crawls, bar and restaurant owners have said. It is understood that guidelines for indoor dining, due to be published today, will say that there will be no time limit on outdoor dining, but customers will only be able to dine indoors for an hour and 45 minutes. One-metre distancing will be put in place between tables, with a limit of six people per booking, for both indoors and outdoors.
26th May 2021 - The Times

COVID-19: Risk of death in Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities higher in second wave, new data says

Mortality rates for people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani backgrounds in England increased during the second COVID-19 wave, while other ethnic groups saw a drop in relative risk compared to white Britons, new figures suggest. Most people from ethnically diverse backgrounds remained at higher risk of death involving COVID-19 compared to white Britons, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). However, the mortality rate changed between the first and second wave.
26th May 2021 - Sky News

Covid-19: Public debate is needed to decide how UK will live with SARS-CoV-2, says ethics collaborative

As the UK eases its covid-19 restrictions, and the initial two-dose vaccination rollout nears its end, more radical forms of public engagement will be essential when resolving the difficult questions about how the country will live with SARS-CoV-2, the UK Pandemic Ethics Accelerator collaborative has said. As part of the collaborative, researchers from the universities of Oxford, Bristol, Edinburgh, and University College London considered some of the challenging ethical questions that the pandemic has raised. The accelerator has been funded by £1.4m from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, as part of the rapid response to covid of UK Research and Innovation, the non-departmental government body that directs research and innovation funding. The pandemic has resulted in 130 000 covid-19 deaths in the UK and three million worldwide. Many people have also been affected by long covid.
26th May 2021 - The BMJ

South Tyneside to use £500,000 recruiting 'Community Champions' to protect against Covid

A fresh call has been made for ‘Covid Community Champions’ to help keep at-risk groups safe from coronavirus in South Tyneside. More than £500,000 has already been secured by South Tyneside Council to fund the scheme which aims to tackle misinformation around the virus. The community champions provide up-to-date, accurate health information to help people correctly follow Government guidance as the world begins to open up. Working in partnership with the third sector and local voluntary sector umbrella organisation, Inspire South Tyneside, some funds have already been allocated to charities and groups to carry out communications with at-risk groups.
26th May 2021 - ChronicleLive

'Tackling loneliness' - Wildlife Trust's £880k plan for coronavirus recovery

A project designed to fight the isolation and loneliness caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has been announced today, after Morecambe Bay was awarded £880,000 in funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Around 400 people experiencing poor mental health will be prescribed nature by GPs and other health care professionals. People referred to the project will spend time surrounded by the natural beauty of Morecambe Bay, with growing evidence showing that more time in nature helps improve mental health.
26th May 2021 - nwemail.co.uk

Experts question Olympic COVID readiness, ask WHO to weigh in

A group of infectious disease experts yesterday raised concerns about several gaps in the International Olympic Committee's (IOC's) COVID-19 protocols, and they called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to convene an emergency committee to weigh the risks and make recommendations for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. If a WHO emergency committee takes up the issue, it would mark the second time in recent years that international experts have tackled the safety of the Summer Games. In 2016, a WHO emergency committee weighed in on the Zika threat to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, saying that the event—by comparison, a relatively modest mosquito-borne outbreak—posed a very low threat.
26th May 2021 - CIDRAP

Why India’s doctors are furious over yoga guru Ramdev’s remarks

Doctors fighting a ferocious second wave of the coronavirus in India are furious over “insulting and insensitive” remarks made by a yoga guru and businessman, with their union serving a defamation notice and demanding an “apology within 15 days”. “Allopathy is a stupid and bankrupt science. First Chloroquine failed, then Remdesivir failed, then their antibiotics failed, then steroids, now a ban has been imposed on plasma therapy. Now they are prescribing Fabiflu which too has failed,” Ram Kisan Yadav, aka Baba Ramdev, told his followers last week.
26th May 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

MP Sarah Atherton celebrates Wrexham's covid community champions

Wrexham's MP Sarah Atherton has celebrated local Covid community champions. In April, Ms Atherton launched a campaign to celebrate those in the town and the surrounding area that have given back to the community during the coronavirus pandemic. Ms Atherton has now announced the winners of her search for Wrexham’s ‘Covid Champions’, saying that she had “so many amazing nominations, all of whom showed that Wrexham’s community-minded spirit had in no way subsided during the pandemic.”
25th May 2021 - LeaderLive

Schools try pep-rally tactics to get students vaccinated

A growing number of public schools are using mascots, food trucks and prize giveaways to create a pep-rally atmosphere aimed at encouraging students to get vaccinated against the coronavirus before summer vacation. Districts from California to Michigan are offering free prom tickets and deploying mobile vaccination teams to schools to inoculate students 12 and up so everyone can return to classrooms in the fall. They are also enlisting students who have gotten shots to press their friends to do the same. Officials are concerned that once school lets out, it will be even tougher to get enough teens vaccinated in time to guarantee widespread immunity on campuses.
25th May 2021 - Associated Press

White House encourages COVID-19 vaccine incentives

Today Andy Slavitt, the White House senior advisor for COVID-19 response, said during a White House press briefing on the pandemic that he was inspired by Ohio's "Vax-A-Million" lottery, which will award $1 million to a person each week for 5 weeks, with winners drawn at random with proof of vaccination. Slavitt said since the program was announced by Gov. Mike DeWine, the state has seen a 55% increase in 20- to 49-year-olds getting vaccinated, and in several counties rates of vaccination have doubled. "In other words, this program is working," Slavitt said. Maryland, New York, and Oregon have announced similar programs, and Slavitt said the Biden administration, via the American Rescue Plan, is encouraging states to get creative in offering cash incentives, lottery winnings, or other prizes as a way to draw attention to the vaccine.
25th May 2021 - CIDRAP

In NYC’s furthest flung neighborhood, vaccine a tough sell

If there’s one place where people could fear the coronavirus more than a vaccination needle, it’s the Far Rockaway section of Queens: Nearly 460 residents of the seaside neighborhood have died of COVID-19. That’s one out of every 146 people who live there, making for one of New York City’s highest death rates. And yet, no other place in the city has a lower percentage of vaccinated people. As of Monday, only 29% of people living Far Rockaway’s ZIP code, 11691, had received even one vaccine dose, according to data from the New York City Health Department. That compares to a rate of 49% citywide and nationally. The situation in the community of around 67,000 people illustrates the challenges facing health officials in many places as they try to overcome hesitancy fueled by mistrust, misinformation and fear.
25th May 2021 - Associated Press

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rises but needs boost

UK researchers leading the first study, published yesterday in JAMA, sent online questionnaires to participants in the Understanding America Study every 14 to 28 days from Oct 14, 2020, to Mar 29, 2021. A total of 7,420 participants completed 42,154 questionnaires that asked how likely they were to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and how much they trusted "the governmental approval process to ensure the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for the public" and "the process in general (not just for COVID-19) to develop safe vaccines for the public." Estimated vaccine hesitancy dropped 10.8 percentage points, from 46% in October 2020 to 35.2% in March 2021. While substantial declines in hesitancy were seen in all demographic groups, the largest reductions were among Hispanic and Black participants (-15.8 percentage points, from 52.3% to 36.5%; -20.9 percentage points, from 63.9% to 43%)
25th May 2021 - CIDRAP

Social media heavyweights wooed for Pfizer smear campaign

Social media influencers in France with hundreds of thousands of followers say a mysterious advertising agency offered to pay them if they agreed to smear Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine with negative fake stories
25th May 2021 - ABCNews.go.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: London's Vaxi Taxi scheme is driving vulnerable people to get their jabs

Throughout the pandemic, we have heard time and time again that "no one is safe until everyone is safe". That message is echoed by the London GP Dr Sharon Raymond, who is putting her words into action in the form of the Vaxi Taxi project, which helps vulnerable people access COVID-19 vaccinations. She started the initiative in February, through the COVID Crisis Rescue Foundation, which she is the director of. The foundation has partnered with NHS England and third sector organisations, like housing charities, to support people who have difficulties accessing healthcare. Black cabs pick people up and take them to pop-up vaccination centres, or they can receive their jab in the back of the taxi
24th May 2021 - Sky News

Covid: Newport and Merthyr Tydfil projects showcase lockdown arts and crafts

Creative communities have turned lockdown on its head by harnessing online platforms to make art more accessible to everyone. Some people have said that although lockdown has taken a lot of creative social spaces online, it has not stopped people getting involved. A continuing study has found people have turned to arts as "a form of coping". One woman said being part of a group had encouraged her to "keep going" whilst under restrictions. One group who moved online for lockdown is made up of over-60s who are part of a project run by The Reality Theatre Company in Newport. The aim is to tackle loneliness and isolation through creative projects. They have been organising a pantomime and a summer carnival over video calls.
24th May 2021 - BBC News

Revealed: Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy highest among among 25- to 34-year-olds as nearly one in 10 say they will refuse jab

Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy is highest among Ireland’s 25- to 34-year-olds, despite a growing majority of the population saying they will take the jab. A tracker poll on vaccine take-up shows nearly 9pc – almost one in ten – of 25- to 34-year-olds say they will not get the vaccine. And 12pc in this age group are unsure about accepting the jab, the latest poll from the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), representing the big drug companies, shows today. Last month, 10pc of this age group said they would refuse a vaccine and 8pc were unsure. If this group turn down the offer of a vaccine, it would mean a substantial number of people will remain susceptible to the virus and be at risk of passing it on to others.
24th May 2021 - Independent.ie

Officials ‘hounded’ over PPE contract approval, High Court told

Senior officials in the UK were “hounding” colleagues over the approval of a PPE supply contract worth a quarter-of-a-billion pounds to a hedge fund with “close ties” to the Government the High Court has heard. The Good Law Project and EveryDoctor are bringing legal action against the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), claiming that contracts awarded to PestFix, Clandeboye and Ayanda Capital were given unlawfully at the height of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in April and May 2020. The two groups allege DHSC has failed to provide proper reasons for why the contracts were awarded and say the Government violated principles of equal treatment and transparency when making the deals worth more than £700 million.
20th May 2021 - Evening Standard

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

The silent helpers who relieve COVID-related distress

An estimated one in 10 people who contracted COVID-19 needed some form of additional help from NGOs operating behind the scenes. Their problems ranged from access to food and medicine, handling children with special needs and challenging behaviour, even assistance with pets and farm animals, to loneliness and the “simple need for more attention”, said Tanya Melillo, who leads the Public Health Response Team. Her team is responsible for gathering contacts of positive cases and looking for the source, but they found themselves facing other problems caused by the pandemic and stepped in to help. Melillo’s case management morphed into a more humanitarian role as the team reached out to patients with the collaboration of NGOs. She expressed gratitude towards the Foodbank Lifeline Foundation and SOS Malta, who also helped them check in on the elderly and deliver food and medicines.
23rd May 2021 - Times of Malta

COVID-19: Just 15 people test positive among nearly 60,000 who attended trial mass gatherings, figures show

Just 15 people tested positive for coronavirus among nearly 60,000 who attended trials of mass gatherings including the FA Cup final and the Brit Awards, official figures show. Nine large-scale events were staged as part of the government's plan to allow for the return of big crowds this summer. Those who attended were exempt from certain coronavirus rules, such as the rule-of-six.
22nd May 2021 - Sky News

California to lift most COVID-19 limits, freeing up businesses

California will lift most remaining crowd-capacity limits and physical distancing requirements related to COVID-19 on June 15, proceeding to fully reopen its economy as the pandemic abates and vaccination rates rise, health officials said on Friday. The new policy will end California's complicated, color-coded system of tiered restrictions, imposed on a county-by-county basis last August. California, the most populous U.S. state with some 40 million people, was the first to impose statewide stay-at-home orders and mandatory business closures in March 2020 as the pandemic began to take hold.
22nd May 2021 - Reuters

France urges citizens to keep a lid on post-lockdown euphoria

French officials urged citizens not to let down their guard against COVID-19, after some people responded to the easing of restrictions by staging street parties late into the night. Starting on Wednesday, cafes and restaurants were allowed to serve customers in outside areas, and the nightly curfew was pushed back by two hours, to 9:00 pm (1900 GMT). In the city of Rennes, 350 km (217 miles) west of Paris, a large crowd of people danced around a bonfire in a central square after the 9:00 p.m. curfew fell on Wednesday evening, video footage posted on social media showed.
22nd May 2021 - Reuters

Workers struggle with COVID-19 mask guidance

Across the U.S., restaurant, retail, and grocery store workers are struggling to handle shifting mask guidance 1 week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said fully vaccinated Americans no longer have to wear masks in most indoor settings. In the week since the CDC’s announcement, Kroger, Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Macy's, Costco, Home Depot, Trader Joe’s, and Target have all said vaccinated customers can ditch masks in states without mask mandates in place, according to the Associated Press. However, workers interviewed said they do not trust patrons to be honest about vaccination status. Workers wearing masks describe being yelled at, cussed at, and berated for wearing facial coverings
21st May 2021 - CIDRAP

Breaking evangelical resistance to coronavirus vaccines will be hard

Evangelicals make up one quarter of the United States population and they are the Americans least likely to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Even as the Biden administration works fervently to overcome vaccine hesitancy and some in the evangelical community like Franklin Graham, son of legendary preacher Billy Graham, pledge to help them, they face a daunting task. The hurdle: For many evangelicals, the vaccine, and proof that you have had it, are tools of the Antichrist.
21st May 2021 - The Washington Post

Why Covax, the fund to vaccinate the world, is struggling

Early on in the pandemic, global health experts envisioned a nightmare scenario: Covid-19 vaccines are created, but they go almost exclusively to rich countries that can afford to buy them. People in poorer countries are left to get sick and die. To prevent this, the experts set up an international initiative called Covax, designed to make sure every country in the world gets access to vaccines regardless of its ability to pay. In the fall of 2020, Covax set a clear goal: Buy 2 billion doses and make them available to nations in need before the end of 2021. But we’re now nearly five months into the year, and Covax has delivered just over 68 million doses. In other words, it’s only 3.4 percent of the way to its goal.
20th May 2021 - Vox

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

'Vax & Scratch' lottery scheme aims to up New York COVID-19 shots

You gotta get poked to win, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday, unveiling a $5 million lottery prize incentive for New Yorkers who get their first COVID-19 vaccination shots next week. The "Vax & Scratch" program provides free state lottery scratch-off tickets to New Yorkers age 18 and older who get a first dose of the Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech, shot or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine from May 24 to May 28.
21st May 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19 vaccination hesitancy

Lack of confidence in vaccines for covid-19 poses direct and indirect threats to health, and could derail efforts to end the current pandemic. Concerns about unknown future effects, side effects, and a lack of trust are common reasons given by people who say they are unlikely to have a covid-19 vaccine. No single intervention is likely to be able to address vaccine hesitancy. Consider barriers to uptake of vaccination at a population level and in groups who have lower rates of vaccine uptake. Develop local approaches by engaging members of the community and co-producing communications and materials that meet population needs
20th May 2021 - The BMJ

Nearly 1 million excess deaths in 29 nations during pandemic

Nearly 1 million more people than normal died in 29 high-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, according to a time series study yesterday in BMJ. University of Oxford researchers led the study, which involved calculating weekly excess deaths for each included country in 2020, adjusting for age, sex, and seasonal and annual mortality trends in the previous 5 years. They estimated that 979,000 more people than expected died of all causes during the pandemic, with rates generally increasing with advancing age. All countries, except for Demark, New Zealand, and Norway, had more deaths than expected, especially in men. But the excess death rate in the United States was higher among women than men in the 85 and older age-group.
20th May 2021 - CDRAP

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Working mothers come together to make virtual learning work during pandemic

Nearly three million women left the workforce over the past year, according to CBS News. The number of working women dropped about one percent across the United States in 2020. While some were due to job loss or furloughs, others were because they had to stay home with kids for virtual learning. It is the tough reality so many parents faced this year - if they go to work full time, what will their kids do for virtual school? While some moms and dads quit jobs to stay home, one group of moms leaned on each other to get through. A group of five working moms each picked one day of the week to host all the kids at their house. Then, they were able to work the other four days.
19th May 2021 - MSN.com

YouTube and England's NHS join forces to tackle vaccine scepticism

England's National Health Service (NHS) has joined forces with YouTube to launch a campaign to counteract vaccine hesitancy among younger generations. The UK has vaccinated more 36 million people (53% of population) with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to Our World in Data. The 'Lets Not Go Back' campaign aims to drive credible information towards young people, in order to prepare the nation’s 18-34 year old's, for when they have the jab. The first of its kind campaign highlights the importance of getting vaccinated in the form of short videos, billboard and bus stop adverts. The campaign was spurred on by recent data from the ONS, which shows vaccine hesitancy rates are highest in younger people (13% of 16-29s) and almost double the national average in the UK (7%).
17th May 2021 - Euro News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Thousands of British tourists head overseas - some ignore advice to avoid amber list countries

Thousands of British holidaymakers have started to fly out of the country - with some heading to amber list destinations - as the ban on overseas leisure travel is lifted in England, Wales and most of Scotland. Travel firms have reported a surge in demand for trips to Portugal, after the government put it on its green list - meaning travellers will not need to self-isolate on their return, and are only required to take one post-arrival COVID-19 test. However, some passengers catching flights at Gatwick Airport on Monday morning were travelling to amber list destinations - despite ministers warning against travel to amber and red list destinations.
18th May 2021 - Sky News

Excitement and anxiety on eve of New York City reopening

Bahar Bybordi remembers hearing a “code blue” every 10 to 15 minutes or so; it was the early days of the coronavirus pandemic at The Brooklyn Hospital Center – and that intercom message meant someone was dying or needed to be resuscitated. The frequent wailing of family members of the deceased would be so loud that Bybordi, on her breaks, would lock the door to her office and turn up the music to drown out the cries.
18th May 2021 - AlJazeera

Disparities in US COVID vaccine distribution spotlighted

Two studies today describe US COVID-19 vaccination disparities, one evaluating vaccine allocation plans aimed at reducing distribution differences, and the other revealing urban versus rural inequities. The first study, led by University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia researchers and published in Nature Medicine, involved analysis of COVID-19 vaccine allocation plans provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) 64 jurisdictions, which consist of 50 states, five large cities, eight territories, and Washington, DC. In the second study, published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC researchers examined COVID-19 vaccination disparities in rural and urban US counties from Dec 14, 2020, to Apr 10, 2021. Specifically, they assessed county-level vaccine administration information on adults who received their first dose of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna coronavirus vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in 49 states and Washington, DC.
18th May 2021 - CIDRAP

Ecuador: community education during the Covid pandemic

As Covid-19 ravaged Ecuador’s largest city, Guayaquil, in the first months of the pandemic and spread through the rest of the country, smaller and more isolated communities were often the safest but forced to look to themselves to educate their children. As the photographer Johis Alarcón discovered on her visits to the indigenous village of San Clemente in the Andean highlands and the African-Ecuadorean hamlet of Playa de Oro in the coastal rainforest bordering Colombia, a renewed sense of community grew. Isolated populations were hit hardest by the closure of schools during the pandemic, which affected 4.6 million students, of whom two-thirds do not have internet access. The lack of smartphones, internet connectivity and a drop in income for their parents became a major obstacle to their continued schooling. The response was to relaunch community schools that promote their cultural identity and language, the protection of the local environment and whose teachers are also part of the community
18th May 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19: Thousands head overseas on holiday as rules ease

Thousands of British holidaymakers have begun taking advantage of the easing of lockdown rules on overseas travel. Travellers from England, Scotland and Wales are jetting off to some countries in what the crisis-hit tourism industry hopes is the start of a recovery. Travellers can now visit 12 countries on the government's green list, including Portugal and Israel, without isolating on their return. The bosses of British Airways and Ryanair said confidence was returning. The vast majority of tourist destinations remain on the amber and red lists, meaning travellers must quarantine when they get back. Bookings also remain well down on pre-pandemic levels
17th May 2021 - BBC News

Pop-up barista van combats loneliness in rural villages, one cup of coffee at a time

Rural Community Council, a charity based in Hinckley has launched a coffee van to travel across the county bringing people together over a cup of coffee. Last week, the Rural Coffee Connect van stopped in the village of Wing in Rutland, where High Sherrif of Rutland, David Wood, spent the morning with locals. "It was interesting to the number of people who came out," he said. "There were people there who otherwise might not talk to people during the week." Throughout the lockdown, weekly coffee mornings in the village had to stop. But the coffee van has offered residents a new alternative.
17th May 2021 - Leicestershire Live

Bengaluru Group Delivers Free, Fresh Meals To Families In Covid Isolation

With hospital beds hard to find as India battles a devastating second wave of Covid infections, asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms are being encouraged to isolate themselves at home. But the fatigue caused by the infection makes it difficult to find the energy to cook healthy meals. This is where a group of Bengaluru-based NGOs, CoronaCare Bengaluru, has stepped in with their service, 'Food to your doorstep'. As part of the initiative, fresh and nutritious meals are being provided for free to Covid patients in home isolation and their families. The meals are being cooked at various kitchens spread across the city and delivered to the doorstep.
17th May 2021 - NDTV

Joy for UK pubs and hugs tempered by rise in virus variant

Drinks were raised in toasts and reunited friends hugged each other as thousands of U.K. pubs and restaurants opened Monday for indoor service for the first time since early January. Yet the prime minister sounded a cautious tone, warning about a more contagious COVID-19 variant that threatens reopening plans. Theaters, leisure venues and museums were also reopening as part of the latest step in easing nationwide restrictions, raising hopes that Britain’s economy may soon start to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic. Andy Frantzeskos, a chef at Nopi, an upmarket Mediterranean restaurant in London’s Soho district, said he felt “a bit of anxiousness ... but more excitement than anything.”
17th May 2021 - The Associated Press

In New Vaccination Push, Biden Leans on His ‘Community Corps’

The federal government has set up mass vaccination sites at stadiums, sent doses to pharmacies and clinics serving lower-income Americans, and, on Friday, enticed the unvaccinated with the prospect of finally being able to shed their masks. But with the ranks of the willing and able dwindling, the campaign has in many places already morphed into a door-to-door and person-by-person effort. The Black Doctors Covid-19 Consortium is one of about 11,000 members of what the Department of Health and Human Services is calling its Covid-19 community corps, a loose constellation of volunteers, corporations, advocacy groups and local organizations working to vaccinate Americans often left behind by the nation’s health care system.
17th May 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Police move revellers off streets as Barcelona parties after lockdown easing

Spanish police said they cleared 9,000 revellers from Barcelona's city centre streets and the nearby beach on Sunday to prevent dangerous overcrowding on the first full weekend after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Many in the crowd had taken part in mass drinking sessions known as "botellones", police said. Culture Minister José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, speaking at an event in Madrid, urged young people to continue to follow social distancing rules.
16th May 2021 - Reuters

Peterborough’s Sikh community raises thousands to support Covid relief effort in India

India is currently experiencing a deadly second wave of the virus that is stretching what is already a fragile health system in many areas of the country to breaking point. One of the main problems is the lack of space in hospitals and scarcity of oxygen supplies. To help with this, Sikhs from the Gurdwara Baba Budha Sahib Ji on Royce Road put out an appeal for help within the city’s Sikh community. In just over a week, they were able to raise £8000, which was presented as a cheque to Khalsa-Aid International
16th May 2021 - Peterborough Today

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021: Cambridgeshire charity opens up about supporting people through lockdown

Over the last year, living in and out of lockdowns and under a range of restrictions, it has become more important and apparent than ever before, that we need to take care of our mental health. Many people have suffered during the pandemic, from the anxiety of living through a global health pandemic to the feelings of loneliness and isolation as we were told to keep our distance from friends and family. One Cambridgeshire charity has been on the frontlines of this, helping those who are struggling with their mental health. Lifecraft has been in operation for around 25 years and is a user-led mental health organisation based in Cambridge. Given the pandemic, Lifecraft has had to adapt its services, moving face-to-face groups online and over the phone.
16th May 2021 - Cambridgeshire Live

Bradford's Hindu community rallies to support Covid-19 appeal in time of crisis

The Hindu community in Bradford has been contributing to national efforts to help those in India devastated by Covid-19. The country has been hit hard by the virus in recent weeks, with terrible scenes broadcast across the world. The Bradford Hindu Council (BHC) has been helping to fundraise for Sewa UK, which has been sending out things like oxygen concentrators (pictured above) and essential family kits, as well as supporting orphanages and elderly homes.
14th May 2021 - Telegraph & Argus

Critics of Tokyo Olympics submit petition urging cancellation

Critics of Japan’s plan to hold the Tokyo Olympics despite a fourth wave of coronavirus infections submitted a petition on Friday signed by 350,000 people over nine days calling for the Games to be cancelled. "Stop Tokyo Olympics" campaign organiser Kenji Utsunomiya said the global festival of sport - already postponed from 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic - should take place only when Japan can welcome visitors and athletes wholeheartedly.
14th May 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid 19 coronavirus: Vaccine conspiracy campaign raises $50,000 for 'misleading' flyer drop

An organisation attacking public faith in New Zealand's Covid-19 strategy claims it has raised $50,000 towards printing two million virus "fact" flyers to be dropped nationwide - and is considering printing more. The flyers, which Voices For Freedom intends to deliver to every letterbox in the country, outlines multiple conspiracy theories about Covid-19 vaccines and their effects. Their contents have been described as "misleading" and in some cases "palpably false". Voices For Freedom co-founder Claire Deeks claimed $50,000 had been raised from "hundreds of donors" for the mass drop. People across the country have contacted the Herald, saying they had received the flyer. A mass printing retailer estimated the cost of printing two million of these flyers would be about $30,000. When asked when she expected the entire two million flyers to be delivered, Deeks said the flyer drop would end when there were no more flyers, before suggesting more could be printed.
13th May 2021 - New Zealand Herald

NGOs set up isolation centre for poor COVID patients

In India, a host of voluntary organisations joined hands with the town-based Bodepudi Vignana Kendram (BVK) to lend a helping hand to COVID-19 patients from poor and lower middle-class families amid the unabated surge in COVID-19 cases. The BVK in association with the District NRI Foundation, the NRI Parents Association, Chetana Foundation and several other like-minded organisations and individuals have set up a COVID-19 isolation centre with 30 beds on the campus of a private school hostel at Gattaiah Centre
13th May 2021 - The Hindu

Vaccinated Americans can go maskless in most places: CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) took a significant step in moving the United States beyond the COVID-19 pandemic by easing indoor and outdoor mask-wearing guidelines for fully vaccinated people on Thursday. The new guidance allows those who have been immunised to go mask-free in most places, the CDC announced, crediting data showing the real-world effectiveness of the vaccines that are being administered across the US. The CDC also no longer recommends that fully vaccinated people wear masks outdoors in crowds.
13th May 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19 pet boom has veterinarians backlogged, burned out

During the gloomiest stretches of the pandemic, Dr. Diona Krahn’s veterinary clinic has been a puppy fest, overrun with new four-legged patients. Typically, she’d get three or four new puppies a week, but between shelter adoptions and private purchases, the 2020 COVID-19 pet boom brought five to seven new clients a day to her practice in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many are first-time pet owners. Like many veterinarians across the country, she’s also been seeing more sick animals. To meet the demand, vets interviewed by The Associated Press have extended hours, hired additional staff and refused to take new patients, and they still can’t keep up. Burnout and fatigue are such a concern that some practices are hiring counselors to support their weary staffs. “Everyone is working beyond capacity at this point,” said Krahn, who added evening hours last year.
13th May 2021 - The Associated Press

Anti-Maskers Ready to Start Masking—To Protect Themselves From the Vaccinated

A conspiracy ripping through the anti-vax world may finally drive some anti-maskers to do the unthinkable: wear a mask and keep their distance. The conspiracy—which comes in several shapes and sizes—more or less says the vaccinated will “shed” certain proteins onto the unvaccinated who will then suffer adverse effects. The main worry is the “shedding” will cause irregular menstruation, infertility, and miscarriages. The entirely baseless idea is a key cog in a larger conspiracy that COVID-19 was a ploy to depopulate the world, and the vaccine is what will cull the masses.
12th May 2021 - VICE

Uber And Lyft Will Give Free Rides To COVID-19 Vaccination Spots, White House Says

Anyone needing a ride to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot will be able to get a free trip from the ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber, the White House announced Tuesday, in the latest push to encourage Americans to get vaccinated. "The feature will launch in the next two weeks and run until July 4," the White House said. People who want to use the program would need to select a vaccination site near them and then redeem the companies' offer of a free ride. The two ride-sharing firms will promote the offer in their apps. The initiative is a new facet of President Biden's push to ensure 70% of all U.S. adults get at least one vaccine shot by July 4.
12th May 2021 - NPR

'Want the COVID-19 vaccine? Have a U.S. visa?' Latinos travel north for the shot

"Want the COVID-19 vaccine? Have a U.S. visa? Contact us," reads a travel agency advertisement, offering deals to Mexicans to fly to the United States to get inoculated. From Mexico to far-flung Argentina, thousands of Latin Americans are booking flights to the United States to take advantage of one of the world's most successful vaccination campaigns, as rollouts in their own countries sputter. Latin America is one of the regions worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with the death toll set to pass 1 million this month, and many do not want to wait any longer for their turn to get vaccinated. Some people are going it alone, while others have tapped travel agencies, which have responded by offering packages that arrange the vaccine appointment, flights, hotel stay and even offer extras such as city and shopping tours.
12th May 2021 - Reuters

Covid pandemic should serve as ‘Chernobyl moment’ for global health reform, international experts say

The Covid-19 crisis should serve as a “Chernobyl moment” for global pandemic preparedness, triggering a series of actions to speed the end of this pandemic and to ensure it’s the last of its kind the world ever faces, according to a report from an international panel of experts. The report by the panel, which was established at the behest of member states of the World Health Organization, calls on wealthy countries with Covid vaccine to share their supplies in large volumes and quickly, with 1 billion doses donated by September and another 1 billion by the end of the year. The report calls for swift negotiations to lift intellectual property protections for Covid vaccines — and an automatic waiver if the negotiations fail to deliver within three months.
12th May 2021 - STAT News

‘We won’t be bouncing back’ – the unsettling truth about the big reopening

If we had to close down again,” says Andrew Lloyd Webber, “we couldn’t survive.” Webber is staging his new musical Cinderella, with book by Oscar-winner Emerald Fennell, in a full-capacity theatre in July, having already delayed its premiere twice. He has mortgaged his house in London and will be selling one of his seven theatres. “It cost £1m a month to keep them dark,” he says. “You can’t just lock them up and throw away the key. I don’t run the theatres for profit and there wasn’t a reserve.” Across the UK, the arts are reawakening after over 14 months of unprecedented disruption. As venues reopen – dates differ across the nations, though 17 May is a key date in Scotland and England – there will be much to celebrate, and many delights in store for audiences. But the pandemic hit culture and entertainment more severely than any other part of the economy, including hospitality, throwing fresh light on already deep inequalities.
12th May 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

One Good Thing: 98-year-old hosts virtual woman's group

When the coronavirus pandemic shut down the Levis Jewish Community Center last year, 98-year-old Trudy Berlin sprang into action to keep her weekly women’s group active. For Berlin, who began hosting “The Ladies Room” at the JCC’s Sandler Center in 2000, the show needed to go on. So with a little help from Stephanie Owitz, the Boca Raton, Florida, center’s director of arts, culture and learning, the show went virtual. “When the pandemic hit, of course, she was very disappointed we were shutting down the JCC,” Owitz said. Then, the center decided to make some classes, including Berlin’s, available on Zoom
11th May 2021 - The Independent

COVID-19: Hugs, indoor pints and friends at home as most of Scotland moved to level 2 of restrictions

Nicola Sturgeon has announced a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions from 17 May in most of Scotland - with hugs for loved ones allowed again. The first minister moved most of the country down from Level 3 to Level 2, which means up to six people from three households can socialise indoors in a private home. And for the Scottish islands there was even better news. Ms Sturgeon said there, the situation was so under control that "we are able to ease restrictions there more quickly than we will do on the mainland".
11th May 2021 - Sky News

Foreigners return to Mount Everest as Nepal battles second COVID-19 wave

Foreigners climbed Mount Everest for the first time since Nepal’s government reopened the mountain after it was shut last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite recent coronavirus cases at its base camp. Thirty-eight climbers including ten Bahraini and two British mountaineers climbed the world's highest mountain on Tuesday, according to hiking companies. It comes as a few climbers were evacuated from the Everest base camp in April after they fell sick with COVID-19 symptoms as Nepal battles a devastating second wave of coronavirus infections.
11th May 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19: Global Justice Now activists protest outside AstraZeneca in Cambridge, calling for ‘People’s Vaccine’

Activists have blocked the entrance to an AstraZeneca building in Cambridge where its AGM is taking place and hung a banner demanding that its Covid-19 jab becomes a “People’s Vaccine’. Police made four arrests at the demonstration in Hills Road, held by Global Justice Now, which is demanding that the Cambridge-headquartered biopharmaceutical company openly licenses its Covid-19 vaccine and commits to sharing the technology and know-how with the World Health Organization (WHO).
11th May 2021 - Cambridge Independent

Paris catwalk shows to reopen in July after long COVID closure

Parisian catwalks reopen in July as the French government unwinds coronavirus lockdown measures, allowing live fashions show to resume, in fashion industry body announced on Tuesday. The annual Haute Couture Week will take place from July 5 to July 8 and fashion houses will be allowed to organise live shows and presentations, according to a statement from the French fashion industry body “Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode” on Tuesday. Depending on how the pandemic progresses, physical shows would be allowed to welcome guests, in line with government guidance on public events, it said.
11th May 2021 - Reuters

Eat out, work out, see a film: Belgium to ease lockdown

Belgium plans to ease nearly all lockdown measures from June 9 provided the country's vaccination campaign keeps up its momentum and the number of people in intensive care units remains under 500, the government said on Tuesday. The plans to reopen mark a turnaround for Belgium, home to NATO and the European Union headquarters. It has one of the world's highest per capita death rates from COVID-19, but its vaccination drive is now among the most efficient in the bloc. "The more people are vaccinated, the faster we will get our freedom back," Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told a news conference.
11th May 2021 - Reuters

Hong Kong drops ‘discriminatory’ vaccine plan for foreign workers

Hong Kong has scrapped a plan to make coronavirus vaccines mandatory for foreign domestic workers after the Philippines and labour groups criticised the proposal as discriminatory. Still, Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, on Tuesday ordered another round of mandatory testing for all foreign domestic helpers as a “precaution” against more infectious variants of the coronavirus. Labour groups representing domestic workers also said they felt they were being singled out, noting that the families they worked for – as well as locals working in environments such as care homes – were not required to get vaccinated.
11th May 2021 - AlJazeera

Amazon, Salesforce execs weigh in on how tech can help with Covid — and how it can’t

For all the progress on Covid-19, we are still far from a post-pandemic world. “If you’re living on Planet Earth, I assure you the pandemic is not over,” Geeta Nayyar, executive medical director of Salesforce, said at the 2021 STAT Health Tech summit on Tuesday. “India and Brazil are great examples of the forest still being on fire. When we don’t go to help our fellow global neighbors, we can rest assured that the fire is spreading.” Everyone has an obligation to help, but tech companies in particular can have a huge, international impact on the response to Covid-19, she said. Together with Vin Gupta, chief medical officer for Amazon’s Covid-19 response, Nayyar outlined how health tech is well-suited to pitch in on the pandemic response, and also pointed to areas where the industry has to step back.
11th May 2021 - STAT News

NHS keyworkers fighting battle against COVID-19 go head-to-head for charity fundraiser

Frontline NHS workers from two Derbyshire GP practices are in a head-to-head fitness battle raising funds for end-of-life charity Treetops Hospice. More than 130 members of staff from Park Medical and Overdale surgeries – including those who helped prepare Derby Arena ahead of their mass Covid vaccination programme – are walking, jogging and cycling a total of 8,187 miles; the equivalent number of miles between Derby and Tokyo, where the postponed Olympic Games is set to take place.
11th May 2021 - Charity Today

Across faiths, US volunteers mobilize for India crisis

Volunteers at Hindu temples, Muslim groups and Sikh relief organizations across the United States are mobilizing to support India as the world’s second most populous country struggles to handle a devastating surge of the coronavirus. From coast to coast, faith groups tied to the Indian diaspora have collected hundreds of oxygen concentrators and electrical transformers to ship to overwhelmed hospitals, raised millions for everything from food to firewood for funeral pyres and gathered in prayer for spiritual support for the Asian nation.
11th May 2021 - Associated Press

Ethnic groups step in as Myanmar’s COVID response falls apart

As Myanmar’s national COVID-19 response collapses following a February 1 military coup, one ethnic armed organisation in the country’s north has quietly vaccinated 20,000 people in areas it governs, with support from across the border in China. The vaccines, produced by the Chinese company Sinovac Biotech, were supplied and administered with assistance from the Red Cross Society of China, a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The KIO is one of approximately 20 ethnic armed organisations operating along Myanmar’s borders with China, Thailand and India. Several of them have run their own COVID-19 responses from early on in the pandemic. Although the turmoil and intensifying civil war since the coup have disrupted their efforts, the KIO and Karen National Union (KNU), two of the country’s most well-established ethnic armed organisations, told Al Jazeera that they were continuing as much as possible
10th May 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19 has only made loneliness worse among seniors. Here's how Anthem is tackling this issue

COVID-19 has only worsened social isolation, but Anthem is addressing senior's loneliness through a "wrap-around" program that encourages them to reach out. Through Member Connect, seniors are assigned a social care partner, who assists with connecting them to community services to address their social needs. They also have a phone pal, a volunteer Anthem associate who reaches out to them weekly.
10th May 2021 - Fierce Healthcare

Singing group provides 'lifeline' for members throughout lockdown as virtual rehearsals keep people connected

A singing group which moved online during lockdown has been a ‘lifeline’ for members by providing social opportunities and support. Fine Voice Academy, which has just moved into Portsmouth Guildhall, is a school of music and singing which has continued to meet virtually throughout the pandemic. Singers from age 10 up to 80 have been singing together over Zoom twice a week, and the group now hopes to boost numbers to make a larger, grander chorus for events on the Guildhall stage. Singing member Maureen Levesque, aged 70, said: ‘Being able to sing twice a week has been a lifeline during lockdown.'
10th May 2021 - The News, Portsmouth

COVID-19 Lays Bare the Price of Populism

As populism has experienced a resurgence in recent years, many have focused on the hazards the ideology poses to democratic systems. But today’s complex and highly technical global threats—pandemics, climate change, cyberattacks, financial crises—that demand technocratic solutions have driven home a grim reality: Populism can place us all at risk. In 2018, a burst of anger over government corruption propelled a populist politician named Jair Bolsonaro to Brazil’s presidency. Brazil, which is currently suffering from one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks, is a prime example of how populist governance in one country can threaten the whole world. If the way out of the pandemic is through science, in the form of mass vaccination and other containment measures, the corollary is also true: The way we remain mired in it is, in large part, through the kind of anti-science worldview that populists frequently champion.
10th May 2021 - The Atlantic

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Vlad the vaccinator: Dracula's castle lures visitors with COVID-19 jabs

Visitors to Dracula's castle are more likely to find puncture marks in their arms than their necks this month, after medics set up a COVID-19 vaccination centre at the Transylvanian attraction. Doctors and nurses with fang stickers on their scrubs are offering free Pfizer shots to all-comers at 14th century Bran Castle, which is purported to be an inspiration for the vampire's towering home in Bram Stoker’s novel "Dracula". Castle staff hope the service will bring more people to the site in Romania's Carpathian mountains, where tourist numbers have plummeted since the start of the pandemic.
8th May 2021 - Reuters

Sconetime easing seniors' loneliness with delicious food, a cuppa and friendship

In Australia, hot scones loaded with freshly made strawberry jam and cream are the drawcard of a new social scene for seniors that's tackling the serious issue of isolation and loneliness. Former restaurateur and chef Martin Duncan launched Sconetime three years ago in the Cooroy Memorial Hall in the Noosa hinterland. Despite months of cancellations caused by COVID-19, the morning teas have proved so popular that they are also being held in Caloundra and the Glass House Mountains.
9th May 2021 - ABC.Net.au

The misinformation bubble threatening Brazil's indigenous people

False information from the mouths of politicians and preachers is reaching remote villages in the Amazon via WhatsApp, reports BBC News Brasil's Juliana Gragnani. A helicopter loaded with health workers and coronavirus vaccine doses took off from Labrea, in the southern part of the Amazon, heading to a village some 50km away. But the villagers, part of the indigenous Jamamadi group, greeted the chopper armed with bows and arrows - and demanded that it leave. They'd been hearing false rumours about vaccines and wanted reassurances from a religious missionary - not doctors - before getting jabbed. The helicopter left without administering any of the doses.
8th May 2021 - BBC News

COVID-19: Safety fears and potential side effects putting people off vaccine, official figures show

Safety fears are the most common reason for people not getting a coronavirus vaccine, official figures have shown. The speed at which the jab has been developed and potential long-term side effects were also among concerns, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Another major reason is many think catching COVID-19 does not pose a significant risk to their health - particularly young people and those who believe their immune systems are strong enough to fight the virus without the jab.
8th May 2021 - Sky News

California Man Arrested In Suspected Fake COVID-19 Vaccine Card Operation

A California bar owner has been arrested for allegedly selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards in what's believed to be the first thwarted scheme of its kind. Undercover agents with the state's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control bought the bogus cards for $20 each during multiple visits to the Old Corner Saloon in Clements, a small town in San Joaquin County. The agents were told to write their names and birth dates on sticky notes and watched as employees cut the cards, added phony vaccination dates and laminated them, the Associated Press reported.
8th May 2021 - NPR

What is COVID-19 anxiety syndrome?

As lockdowns and restrictions ease in various locations, some people find it extremely challenging to reacclimate to “normal” life. As the pandemic recedes, some consider this phenomenon as the next emerging mental health crisis.
8th May 2021 - Medical News Today

Black doctors read COVID tweets in fun, fact-filled campaign to raise vaccination awareness

Dr. Reed Tuckson laughs as he reads a tweet from his phone: “‘Once COVID is over’ is starting to sound a lot like ‘when Rihanna releases a new album.’” The former commissioner of public health in Washington, D.C., isn’t just checking his Twitter feed, though. He’s reading tweets posted by Black people about COVID for a new public health campaign. The humorous observations are entertaining, but for Tuckson and the Black Coalition Against COVID—which he co-founded—the tweets also serve as jumping off points for discussion in the new “Black Doctors Read COVID Tweets” effort. Just now rolling out on social media, the tweet re-readings are the latest content in the coalition's COVID-19 advocacy work. The group of Black doctors, nurses and researchers began by getting the word out in the Black community about public health guidance and then started working to enroll people in vaccine trials. Now, they're answering questions about vaccines and encouraging vaccinations.
7th May 2021 - Fierce Pharma

It's too soon to declare vaccine victory — four strategies for continued progress

Innovation. Vaccines should be delivered along with other health and social services that address the negative economic impacts that have left millions unemployed and unable to afford housing, food and other necessities. Enlisting trusted community leaders will be essential in advancing such efforts. Collaboration between mainstream and digital media platforms and the medical and scientific communities can interrupt the spread of misinformation and increase the availability of accurate and engaging content. Engagement with key social and economic sectors beyond health. More conversations are needed across educational institutions, businesses, healthcare providers, the agricultural sector, and the security, law enforcement, and military communities to engage their respective communities in dialogue about vaccines in the context of post-pandemic recovery. A top line priority needs to be creating hyperlocal strategies to win over skeptical Republicans and evangelicals while continuing fruitful engagement with Black, Latinx and Native American populations. Vaccines could go the way of masks in America, and become highly politicized, if proactive listening and engagement with these groups does not occur. Fortunately, Republican elected leaders and opinion makers are increasingly stepping forward publicly and privately in defense of vaccines. Those initiatives will be bolstered significantly if other trusted local messengers — the family doctor or nurse, community faith leaders and family members — join in also.
6th May 2021 - The Hill

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Pfizer, BioNTech to provide Covid-19 vaccine to Olympic athletes

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said on Thursday they would donate doses of their Covid-19 vaccine to help vaccinate athletes and their delegations participating in the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The companies said initial doses are expected to be delivered to participating delegations at the end of May with the goal of ensuring the delegations receive second doses ahead of arrivals in Tokyo. The plan was put into effect after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had a meeting with the Japanese government following Pfizer Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla’s offer to donate vaccines to athletes and their delegations.
6th May 2021 - NBC News

What the government could learn from the community response to covid

As we begin the slow journey along the road map to freedom here in the UK, the picture across the world is very different. It has been impossible to escape the devastating images and statistics flooding from India in recent weeks. There has been a relentless stream of heart-breaking stories and horrendous milestones; a baby girl dying on the steps of the hospital, surpassing 20 million recorded cases, ,more than 3,500 deaths in a single day. So here at Feed The Hungry, we decided to take a leap of faith and turn to the covid-weary British churches and wider communities for support. Trying to keep our expectations realistic, we set up the ‘Oxygen for India’ campaign, calling on people to donate to India. Four hours later we had raised over £9,000
6th May 2021 - Politics.co.uk

Pleas for help in India as COVID-19 leaves children without carers

When an Indian children's rights group tracked down two boys aged 6 and 8 after it was told that their parents were both severely ill with COVID-19 and unable to care for them, the children had not eaten for days. The case, reported by the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) group which located the boys in a small town in India's rural heartland, was one of a growing number of emergencies involving children affected by India's devastating coronavirus crisis. The exponential rise in infections and deaths has left some children, particularly in poor communities, without a carer because their parents or other relatives are too ill to cope or have died.
6th May 2021 - AlJazeera

Helen Mirren joins Italy's best known comic in light-hearted sketch to promote Covid-19 vaccine

Helen Mirren has starred with one of Italy's best known comics in a light-hearted but eccentric video extolling the benefits of being vaccinated against Covid-19. She stars alongside Checco Zalone, the stage name of Italian comic and actor Luca Pasquale Medici, who has produced and starred in some of Italy's most commercially successful films. In the video he stops to ask her directions on a dusty road in Puglia and promptly falls in love with her after asking if her off-the-shoulder look is because she has just been vaccinated.
30th Apr 2021 - The Telegraph

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

How an NHS Covid-19 vaccine scam showed me just how credible today’s fraudsters have become

Earlier this year, I got a text message. It made me leap out of my chair. “Wow!”, I told my family, “I’ve just been invited to get my Covid jab!” Then I felt a twinge of suspicion: I wasn’t in the elderly or clinically vulnerable bracket. Following the link to ‘book my jab’ took me to a website with spot-on NHS branding, but also clumsy language and spelling errors. The fraudsters had goofed – never annoy a grammar pedant. By the time I reached the stage of being asked for my bank details, the penny had dropped. But I only figured it out as I went along. This was a uniquely Covid-flavoured con, one I had never come across before. Initially it hooked me, dangling the bait of a vaccine I look forward to receiving.
5th May 2021 - iNews

‘She needs me’: The COVID positive carers on India’s front line

April 21, 2021 was an ordinary night at Sushila’s* house in Nagpur in western India’s Maharashtra state. In the bathroom, a bucket filled up with hot water in preparation for the 93-year-old’s sponge bath; in the kitchen, her night-time beverage – a pot of milk – boiled on the stove, nearly spilling over; and in the bedroom, her blood-pressure medicines were laid out neatly on the bedside table. Bindu*, the professional caregiver who sees to Sushila through the night, navigated the two-bedroomed house with familiarity, as she tended to the elderly woman she fondly calls Ajji Bai (meaning Grandmother-Madam in Marathi).
5th May 2021 - AlJazeera

Ghaziabad society launches free meal service for Covid-19 patients in home isolation

As high-rises in the national capital region become Covid-19 containment zones, apartment dwellers at a society in Ghaziabad have come up with an initiative to provide free home-cooked meals to patients in home isolation. A group of residents of Ghaziabad's Crossings Republik have undertaken the initiative with a view to keeping the Covid-19 positive persons indoors so that the chain of transmission could be broken. Shobhit Chitransh, Ujjwal Mishra, Sunjeet Malik, and Sharad Bhardwaj are among the good Samaritans who have taken care of meals for around 250 families in home isolation in their society.
5th May 2021 - India Today

Global economy rests on cutting vaccine inequity: US trade chief

United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai says that making vaccines more widely available throughout the world is needed to end the coronavirus pandemic and foster economic recovery. In remarks to a Council of the Americas conference on Tuesday, Tai said the world had made real strides towards ending the pandemic but that a lot of work lies ahead. “That includes making the vaccine widely available and addressing the global inequity in vaccine access,” she said. “This is not just a public health requirement. Our economic recovery depends on it.” Tai is due to discuss demands from developing countries for a World Trade Organization (WTO) waiver of intellectual property rights on coronavirus vaccines during a WTO General Council meeting later this week.
5th May 2021 - AlJazeera

Time for the ethical management of COVID-19 vaccines

The ethical distribution of life-saving medical and public health interventions to vulnerable groups has often been overlooked. Valuation of life linked to an individual's country of origin, the pharmaceutical industry's prioritisation of profit, the exploitation of vulnerable groups in clinical trials, and the resulting hesitancy towards drugs and vaccines have, among other factors, made the human right to health unattainable for many people. The COVID-19 pandemic presents itself as an opportunity to reverse this long-standing trajectory of unethical practices in global health. By ensuring the ethical inclusion of vulnerable groups in the vaccine development process and making a safe, effective vaccine accessible to all, pharmaceutical companies, governments, and international organisations can usher in a new era of global health that relies solely on ethical decision making.
4th May 2021 - The Lancet

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Denmark to reopen further, but no rocking for Roskilde

Denmark announced plans to reopen schools and allow a range of indoor activities this week, but a cap on gatherings led to the cancellation of several summer music festivals, including the renowned Roskilde Festival. The Nordic country has avoided a third wave of COVID-19 with broad lockdown measures introduced in late December, which drove down daily infections from several thousand to between 500 and 800 in recent months. “Denmark needs to get back to normal as fast as possible, and it has to happen responsibly,” Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said on Tuesday.
4th May 2021 - Reuters

"Like old times again" as Greece re-opens bars and restaurants

Greece allowed restaurants and bars to open from Monday as it took a further step towards easing coronavirus restrictions ahead of the planned start of the tourist season on May 15. Six months after the government reimposed lockdown measures in the face of a second wave of the pandemic, the chance to return to bars and tavernas was like a small step towards normality for many enjoying warm Easter weather. "When they brought me the glass of water, I thought, 'its like old times again'. It's great," said Grigoris Kirlidis as he sat at a cafe in Athens.
4th May 2021 - Reuters

India halts cricket league as coronavirus cases cross 20 million

India halted its hugely popular cricket league on Tuesday as COVID-19 infections surged past 20 million in the world’s second-most populous country and the opposition leader said a nationwide lockdown was now the only way out. Cricket officials suspended the money-spinning Indian Premier League (IPL) as the pandemic spirals out of control, with the country adding 10 million cases in just over four months, after taking more than 10 months to reach the first 10 million.
4th May 2021 - Reuters

Sheffield charity’s hunt for dual language students to boost its anti-loneliness work

A Sheffield charity hopes multi-lingual students will sign-up as volunteers to help cut loneliness amongst older people in the city. George Joseph is one of a handful of students from Sheffield Volunteering – University of Sheffield, Students’ Union – to have already signed up to Sheffield Church’s Council for Community Care’s ‘Good Neighbour Scheme’, which matches volunteers with isolated, older residents. The 23-year-old’s ability to speak Malayalam as well as English means he could in the future be matched to an older person whose alternative first language means they are even more isolated within their community.
4th May 2021 - Charity Today.co.uk

Virus cases plunge and LA, San Francisco come back to life

When Angeleno Wine Co. reopened its tasting room, co-owner Amy Luftig Viste teared up seeing old friends reunited for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic had shuttered so many businesses that it left major cities looking like ghost towns. Even with limited capacity, animated conversations flowed from the tables set among barrels of aging wine and echoed off the brick walls of the winery hidden in an industrial section on the outskirts of downtown Los Angeles. “It felt like the winery had come alive again,” Luftig Viste said Sunday, the day after it reopened after being closed all but two weeks over the past 13 months. The din in the small space is destined to get louder when capacity is allowed to double to 50% as Los Angeles and San Francisco lead the way toward a broader reopening of California businesses.
4th May 2021 - The Associated Press

In Europe, Gibraltar offers glimpse of post-pandemic life

“It’s really liberating,” said Samuel Calvente, a Gibraltar hotel worker, when asked how it feels to be mask-free outdoors. “Having that mask on all the time was claustrophobic and stressful, particularly because this is a hot, humid place in summer. Wearing a face mask in 40-degree heat when you’re sweating away is extremely unpleasant.” Weeks ago, Fabian Picardo, the chief minister of the tiny British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, announced that with a hugely advanced vaccination programme, for the first time in nine months, there were zero active COVID-19 cases among Gibraltar’s resident population – as continues to be the case – and that some of the most stringent public health measures, such as wearing face masks outside, could finally be lifted. A world-leading total of 85 percent of Gibraltar’s population is now vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as all of its 15,000 foreign workers.
4th May 2021 - AlJazeera

Income inequality tied to more COVID-19 cases, deaths

A study yesterday in JAMA Network Open identifies an association between US county-level income inequality and higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death in summer 2020. The ecological cohort study, by Stanford University researchers, analyzed coronavirus case and death data from Johns Hopkins University on 3,220 counties in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC, from Mar 1, 2020, to Feb 28, 2021. County income data, obtained mostly from the 2014 through 2018 American Community Survey, were used to estimate the Gini coefficient, which measures unequal income. Coefficient scores range from 0 to 1, with 0 representing perfect income equality and 1 representing perfect income inequality, in which one person earns all the income.
4th May 2021 - CIDRAP

Rickshaw ‘ambulance’ offers free oxygen to India’s COVID patients

When Indian auto-rickshaw driver Mohammad Javed Khan saw people carrying their coronavirus-stricken parents to hospitals on their backs as they were too poor to afford an ambulance, he knew he had to help. Khan, a 34-year-old driver in the central Indian city of Bhopal, sold his wife’s jewellery and converted his three-wheeled vehicle into a small ambulance, fitting it out with an oxygen cylinder, an oximeter to measure oxygen levels in the blood, and other medical supplies.
4th May 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th May 2021

    View this newsletter in full

‘No one knew we were homeless’: relief funds hope to reach students missing from virtual classrooms

About 1.5 million school-age children in the United States are homeless, according to federal data. Last fall, researchers estimated that many of them were among the 1 to 3 million students potentially missing from classrooms during remote learning. Even homeless students who have a device might not have wifi or a place to charge a laptop. “Identification is hard because we depend on teachers and social workers and others to see what the signs are,” said Deborah Dempsey, a homeless student advocate for the Kane County Regional Office of Education, outside Chicago. The 34-year-old Education for Homeless Children and Youths program, also known as McKinney-Vento, ensures that children living in shelters, hotels or “doubled-up” with other families can stay in their school. It guarantees transportation and access to additional services, such as referrals to housing, food and health care. But the law wasn’t designed with distance learning in mind, and many families are reluctant to volunteer that they’re living in a car or moving from couch to couch.
2nd May 2021 - The Guardian

All aboard! Cameroon’s race to vaccinate every child

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers and health workers step aboard a make-shift boat, headed to Manoka, a remote island off the coast of Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital. The boat is made of traditional wooden materials, steered by its passengers and driven by an outboard motor. Wearing life jackets and face masks, the group sits as socially distanced as they can, sharing the space with some water – a necessary carry-on for the journey – and mini-fridges. By reaching Manoka’s zero-dose children, health workers and volunteers unlock a door that brings the entire community into contact with the health system.
29th Apr 2021 - Gavi - The Vaccine Alliance

A Normal Summer Depends on These Key Vaccine Holdouts

By June or July, if we immunize most American adults and adolescents, levels of virus transmission will decrease precipitously. In an epidemiological modeling study with the CUNY School of Public Health, we found that roughly three-quarters of the susceptible U.S. population would need to be vaccinated to significantly slow or stop virus transmission. However, the new B.1.1.7 (United Kingdom) variant, among others now accelerating across the country, is more transmissible than the original virus lineages examined in our study. This means even higher levels of vaccine coverage, possibly 80 percent or higher, may be necessary.
22nd Apr 2021 - The Daily Beast

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Japan business leaders suggest ways for govt to speed up vaccination rate

Japanese business leaders and a Nobel-prizewinning biologist called upon the government to reform its vaccination programme, including allowing drive-through inoculations, as the nation struggles to contain a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan has secured the largest quantity of COVID-19 vaccines in Asia, as it gears up for the summer Olympics. But it has inoculated only 1.6% of its population so far, the slowest among wealthy countries. Government data on Wednesday showed that Japan has only used about a fifth of the coronavirus vaccine doses it has imported so far, underscoring logistical hurdles such as a shortage of medical staff
29th Apr 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19 community art project in Kirkby Lonsdale brings wellbeing benefits

In Cumbria, a Kirkby Lonsdale art project, about the emotional impact of Covid-19, is uniting the community and raising funds to help young people struggling with mental ill health. In total the Lunesdale Learning Trust fundraiser, for Brathay, has raised £2790.43 to help young people in Cumbria affected by poor mental health.
29th Apr 2021 - Lancaster Guardian

Medway hospital staff video urges BAME community to take up Covid vaccine after figures show uptake 25% lower

In Kent, hospital staff from a wide range of cultural backgrounds have produced a special video urging members of ethnic minority communities to step forward for their vaccine. The employees at Medway NHS Foundation Trust from a wider variety of cultural backgrounds came together to produce the film. It comes in response to data showing up to a quarter of members of the BAME community are less likely to take up a Covid-19 vaccine. The video features messages from trust staff in 12 different languages – English, Marathi, Punjabi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Thai, Bajan dialect, Yoruba, Malayalam, Egyptian Arabic, Urdu and Bengali.
29th Apr 2021 - Kent Online

Sold his SUV to buy oxygen for people: India’s good Samaritans

On Sunday, Maria Mehra, a 56-year-old COVID-19 patient, was gasping for breath at her home in Mumbai. Her oxygen level had dropped to 76 and she needed immediate hospitalisation. But there were no beds available, given the record number of infections across the metropolis over the past several weeks. Her desperate family tried frantically to arrange a hospital bed or an oxygen cylinder for her but couldn’t find one until Maria’s brother-in-law Jackson Quadras, 47, reached out to Shahnawaz Shahalam Sheikh. Sheikh provided them with an oxygen cylinder around midnight. Hours later, Quadras secured a hospital bed in Malad, a suburb in north Mumbai, for Maria but remains thankful to Sheikh whose timely intervention helped her. “Shahnawaz bhai (brother) is everything for us. He saved the life of my sister-in-law,” Jackson told Al Jazeera.
29th Apr 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Pharmacists offer COVID-19 jab to the homeless in charity event

Two pharmacists have worked alongside other healthcare professionals to vaccinate the homeless and undocumented migrants against COVID-19 in central London. Sikh charity NishkamSWAT and London-based charity The Connection at St Martin’s jointly launched a vaccination initiative for the homeless, in partnership with the NHS. They ran two vaccination clinics last week and one on Monday outside the Zimbabwean Embassy in central London. Volunteering alongside a dentist, a GP and a clinical director were Gurinder Singh, a community pharmacist and lecturer at the University of Reading, and Captain Dal Singh Virdee, an army pharmacist who runs the healthcare arm of NishkamSWAT. Following the success of the first clinics, the charities are now receiving requests from other local homeless organisations in east and west London to run similar pop-up sites.
28th Apr 2021 - Chemist+Druggist

Covid-19: Indians in London unite in wake of crisis as death toll passes 200,000

As a second wave of the Covid pandemic rages in India, leaving hospitals without oxygen and bodies on the streets, the Indian Diaspora in London are coming together. Community members have launched fundraisers to buy oxygen concentrators, as well as gathering to pray for relatives and friends suffering thousands of miles away. Yogesh Patel, 64, who works with the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London, known as the Neasden temple, told The Standard the situation in India was “dire” and there was a lot of apprehension within the London community. The temple has also launched an international emergency appeal campaign to support their relief efforts across India -which have so far included the building of a makeshift hospital in Atladara, district of Vadodara, pictured below.
28th Apr 2021 - Evening Standard

3food4u launches Contain Outbreak project to help Covid-19 sufferers

A community project that has provided a lifeline for many people during the pandemic is stepping up its service in response to the emergence of new variants of coronavirus. The 3food4u charity is launching a pilot scheme from this week offering a free food and essential delivery service to anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 and must self-isolate as required. The 3food4u Contain Outbreak project will be for two months and is being run in collaboration with Essex County Council and Essex Association for Local Councils.
28th Apr 2021 - Epping Forest Guardian

Indians step up to the plate to cook for COVID patients, families

Concerned by a spike in COVID-19 infections in her gated community in Noida, a city bordering New Delhi, Plaksha Aggarwal wanted to help and started cooking for the patients and their families. After catering to a few families within her apartment complex earlier this month, she started getting calls from around the city. “I could not refuse people. They wouldn’t be calling unless they needed help. Some orders were for people who had just lost family members,” she told Al Jazeera. Within a week, Aggarwal was preparing 120 meals a day. “While in home isolation, having someone take care of your food or your kids’ meals because you cannot cook for them is just one less thing to stress about,” she says.
28th Apr 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Harry and Meghan to lead ‘Vax Live’ fundraising concert

Prince Harry and Meghan will serve as the campaign chairs of Global Citizen’s effort to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to medical workers in the world’s poorest countries. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will appear at “Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World,” to be taped Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and air on ABC, CBS, FOX, YouTube and iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations on May 8, Global Citizen, the anti-poverty nonprofit, announced Tuesday. Harry and Meghan are also leading an effort to raise money for the vaccine-sharing program COVAX, which hopes to produce $19 billion to pay for the vaccines for medical workers.
27th Apr 2021 - The Associated Press

New Consumer Research on COVID-19 Vaccination Reveals Barriers in Reaching Herd Immunity

New DISQO research asking COVID-19 unvaccinated U.S. adults about their intentions to get vaccinated raises concerns over the country’s ability to reach the threshold widely believed necessary for herd immunity (70% of the population being vaccinated). DISQO found that 23% of unvaccinated people were “unsure” about whether they will get a vaccine when available to them, and 22% said they “would not.” DISQO fielded the new study, “ Moving the Needle, Persuading the Vaccine Unsure,” to understand COVID-19 vaccine attitudes, trust about information sources, and willingness to be vaccinated at pharmacy retailers. 22,000 U.S. adults answered survey questions and more than 30,000 opted in to share their online browsing, enabling DISQO to understand attitudes and actual behaviors.
27th Apr 2021 - The Associated Press

Hunger in Times of Covid-19: Help Rio’s Favelas by Donating to Community Campaigns

With over 4000 people just in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas dead from Covid-19, we have now entered the most critical phase where threats from food insecurity are competing with those from the pandemic. Families are struggling due to a combination of high rates of unemployment, lack of government support and skyrocketing food prices. Now more than ever, Rio’s favelas require attention from the international community. Favela-based community organizations have provided us with links to their virtual fundraising platforms and bank accounts in order to purchase foodstuffs and hygiene products. The number of campaigns has surged in recent weeks, in response to the third and most deadly wave of Covid-19 to hit Rio de Janeiro.
27th Apr 2021 - RioOnWatch

Lockdowns, quarantines, restrictions: British Muslims forge digital pathways to family during a lonely, Covid Ramadan

Muslims across the UK are observing the month of Ramadan in the absence of familial traditions due to Covid-19 restrictions, but they're using technology to bridge the gap. Ramadan generally is known to be a time for community. Prior to the pandemic, centres, mosques, and universities organised iftar dinners, and invited the local community to join in and eat together. But that too came to an end as Covid lockdown restrictions came into effect, and with that real life gatherings were replaced by digital communication.
27th Apr 2021 - alaraby.co.uk

Mayor of Hartlepool honours town Covid heroes for outstanding efforts during pandemic

The Ceremonial Mayor of Hartlepool, Councillor Brenda Loynes, launched a new awards scheme to recognise those who have helped others during the pandemic. Cllr Loynes said: “I have always said that the community spirit in Hartlepool is second-to-none and these accolades are once again testament to that. “People rose to the challenge and gave unstintingly of their time and energy to help and support other local people in need during the darkest of times.”
27th Apr 2021 - Hartlepool Mail

Vaccinations are plateauing. Don’t blame it on ‘resistance’

The U.S. vaccine rollout is plateauing. A remarkable 230 million shots have been given in a few short months, fully vaccinating about 95 million Americans as I write this. The next 100 million shots will be harder. News reports are chronicling a slowdown in appointments across the nation. The number of daily doses administered is down from the peak of 4.6 million on April 10 to about 3 million today. By now, this historic effort has captured the vaccine-hungry individuals who are eager, well-resourced, technologically savvy, and excited to get vaccinated. But as fewer people sign up to get their shots, a dominant narrative is emerging: It’s because of hesitancy — too many people don’t want to get the vaccine. Some even call this vaccine resistance. Those are convenient narratives. But they are false, and can have harmful consequences. Instead of talking up hesitancy, it’s time to talk about what motivates people to get vaccinated and identify the ongoing barriers to vaccination.
27th Apr 2021 - STAT News

In Africa, vaccine hesitancy adds to slow rollout of doses

Some Africans are hesitating to get COVID-19 vaccines amid concerns about their safety, alarming public health officials as some countries start to destroy thousands of doses that expired before use. Malawi and South Sudan in recent days have said they will destroy some of their doses, a concerning development on a continent where health officials have been outspoken about the need for vaccine equity as the world’s rich nations hold the bulk of shots. Africa, whose 1.3 billion people represent 16% of the world’s population, has received less than 2% of the COVID-19 vaccine doses administered around the world, according to the World Health 0rganization.
27th Apr 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Hyde Park: Police attacks at anti-lockdown protest condemned

An anti-lockdown protest in which eight police officers were injured will be raised with senior bosses with "utmost urgency", a policing leader has said. Demonstrators hurled bottles at police as they attempted to disperse crowds in Hyde Park on Saturday evening.
26th Apr 2021 - BBC News

Over £5.5 million in Covid-19 funding distributed by Community Foundation Wales

Community Foundation Wales has awarded over £5.5 million in funding to groups across Wales to help them to support their local communities through the Coronavirus pandemic. The scale of this emergency support for the third sector in Wales is revealed in Community Foundation Wales’ Coping with Covid-19 report published today. As an independent Welsh charity, Community Foundation Wales is well placed to help communities to respond to a local emergency or crisis. Whilst they have done that in the past in the case of local incidents, this is the first time that they have had to galvanise rapid Wales-wide support to bring vital funding to people all over Wales.
26th Apr 2021 - Wales247

Italy opens again amid hopes for real economic relaunch

Lunch-time diners filled tables on Milan’s landmark Piazza Duomo even on a cloudy, windswept Monday, proof of the pent-up demand for eating out as Italy begins its second, and many hope last, reopening of the COVID-19 pandemic. After six months of rotating on-again, off-again closures, restaurants, bars, museums and cinemas opened to the public in most of the country under a gradual reopening plan that is seen as too cautious for some, too hasty for others. The nation’s weary virologists and health care workers fear that even the tentative reopening laid out by Premier Mario Draghi’s government will invite a free-or-all, signs of which were seen over the weekend with parks and squares filling up in cities from Rome to Turin, Milan to Naples. “It is illusory to think that you give a sign of opening, and you don’t see people around. Perfection doesn’t exist,” Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said Monday. “You also have to be a little tolerant, and also a little careful.”
26th Apr 2021 - The Associated Press

Amid Brazil’s COVID chaos, socialist Marica forges different path

Located just 60km from Rio de Janeiro, Marica has modelled itself into a very different city, paying residents a universal basic income, using its own digital currency and procuring its own vaccines. More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazil seems set on beating its own tragic records on a daily basis. By April, 4,000 Brazilians were dying every 24 hours — an average of one every 20 seconds — and many while waiting for beds in overcrowded intensive care units. Hundreds of hospitals were running out of intubation kits in what the country’s leading health institution, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), called the worst “sanitary collapse” in Brazilian history.
26th Apr 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

TikTok: 'My nan has helped me get millions of views'

Lewis Leigh and his grandma Nanny Phyllis have become an unlikely social media sensation on TikTok. The pair, from Merthyr Tydfil, may have over half a century between them but together their dance videos have racked up millions of views and gained fans all around the world. Phyllis, 76, says their lockdown exploits have given her a new lease of life after the death of her husband and have brought grandma and grandson even closer together.
25th Apr 2021 - BBC News

Covid spread as overcrowding doubles among private renters in England

The proportion of private renters living in overcrowded homes has doubled during the pandemic, adding to concerns that living conditions helped the virus spread, particularly among ethnic minorities. Figures out last week from the English Housing Survey’s household resilience study found that the proportion in November and December last year was 15%, up from 7% a year earlier. That means more than one in seven private renters are enduring overcrowding, compared with only one in 50 homeowners. Overcrowded housing is believed to be linked to higher rates of coronavirus infection because it makes social distancing and self-isolation harder. Research last year by the Health Foundation and University College London’s Institute of Health Equity pointed to a relationship between overcrowding and Covid death rates.
24th Apr 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Nation Faces ‘Hand-to-Hand Combat’ to Get Reluctant Americans Vaccinated

Now that President Biden has met his goal to have all adults eligible for the coronavirus vaccine, health officials around the country are hitting what appears to be a soft ceiling: More than half the nation’s adults have received at least one dose, but it is going to take hard work — and some creative changes in strategy — to convince the rest. State health officials, business leaders, policymakers and politicians are struggling to figure out how to tailor their messages, and their tactics, to persuade not only the vaccine hesitant but also the indifferent. Officials in many states are looking past mass vaccination sites and toward having patients get vaccinated by their own doctors, where people are most at ease — a shift that will require the Biden administration to ship vaccine in much smaller quantities.
22nd Apr 2021 - The New York Times

#COVIDSOS: Indian Twitter becomes a platform of hope amid despair

After spending hours fruitlessly calling government helplines in a search for a hospital bed for a critically ill COVID-19 patient, Indian lawyer Jeevika Shiv posted an SOS request on Twitter. “Serious #covid19 patient in #Delhi with oxygen level 62 needs immediate hospital bed,” Shiv, part of a 350-member COVID-19 volunteer Medical Support Group, said on Twitter late last week. Help came quickly. The patient found a bed and was soon showing signs of recovery. “Finally, it was help online that worked as people responded with information,” Shiv said. People are bypassing the conventional lines of communication and turning to Twitter to crowdsource help for oxygen cylinders, hospital beds and other requirements.
22nd Apr 2021 - AlJazeera

Sunni the Spaniel relieving loneliness in Mackay aged care homes

Aged care residents in Mackay have received some relief from the loneliness created by the coronavirus pandemic, with the help of a four-legged therapist. Once a week, a friendly spaniel named Sunni visits residents at an aged care facility in the city, including those in the secure dementia wing. For some of the residents, it can be the only affectionate contact they have with another living creature. Aged care resident Elvie Fawcett said Sunni had a way of getting people out of their rooms. "It brings joy to their faces. It gets the older people out," Ms Fawcett said. "Especially the men." Sunni's owner Ros Ballantine, who is a psychologist and uses therapy animals in her work, said there was always a positive response to their visits.
22nd Apr 2021 - ABC.Net.au

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Community pharmacy teams to offer free Covid-19 test kits

Community pharmacy teams across Ely and East Cambridgeshire have started to offer free Covid-19 test kits. The ‘pharmacy collect’ service will make lateral flow devices available to people without symptoms free of charge from local NHS pharmacies. It comes after NHS Test and Trace research found that people prefer to access testing close to home. Anil Sharma, pharmacist at Haddenham Pharmacy, said: “There is so much that pharmacists and their teams can do to help our communities as Covid-19 restrictions are eased."
21st Apr 2021 - Ely Standard

Twitter becomes platform of hope amid the despair of India's COVID crisis

After spending hours fruitlessly calling government helplines in a search for a hospital bed for a critically ill COVID-19 patient, Indian lawyer Jeevika Shiv posted an SOS request on Twitter. “Serious #covid19 patient in #Delhi with oxygen level 62 needs immediate hospital bed,” Shiv, part of a 350-member COVID-19 volunteer Medical Support Group, said on Twitter late last week. Help came quickly. The patient found a bed and was soon showing signs of recovery. "Finally, it was help online that worked as people responded with information," Shiv said.
21st Apr 2021 - Reuters India

Most Americans say they should be vaccinated before the U.S. donates Covid-19 shots elsewhere

Three-quarters of Americans believe the U.S. government should start donating Covid-19 vaccines to other countries, but only after every person in the U.S. who wants a vaccine has received one, according to a new survey from STAT and The Harris Poll. At the same time, just over half of Americans said they agree with the idea that the Biden administration should immediately start donating vaccines to other countries in order to achieve global herd immunity, which reflects growing concern that the coronavirus cannot be contained until most of the world is vaccinated. “The data says that most everybody is on the same page — Americans clearly prioritize ensuring they get vaccinated as a top priority,” said Rob Jekielek, managing director at The Harris Poll, which queried 1,963 people between April 9 and 11. “But you also have a really good chunk of the population who also believes we need to put a global lens on the issue.”
21st Apr 2021 - STAT News

Social Media Influencers Are Spreading Wild Rumors About COVID-19 Vaccines and Periods

A few media outlets have written about vaccines and menstruation—back in February, it was in the news in Israel, where the vaccine rollout is further along. In the United States, there has been a flurry of coverage over the last few weeks, first in smaller outlets like The Lily and a few days ago in the New York Times. A few weeks ago, Dr. Kathryn Clancy, a professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois, tweeted about her own post-vaccine menstrual irregularity. She heard from so many people with similar experiences that she and a colleague decided to run a survey to collect data on post-vaccination cycle changes. It has received more than 19,000 responses since it launched in early April. Over the last few days, social media accounts from those opposed to vaccines have begun to promote the outlandish idea that simply being around people who have been vaccinated causes menstrual issues and even miscarriage.
21st Apr 2021 - Mother Jones

New Mexico prepares to fight vaccine hesitancy in some areas

New Mexico health officials said Wednesday they are preparing to respond to pockets of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in some communities at the same time that overall interest in getting vaccinated increases. Health Secretary Tracie Collins said the state is exploring recruiting “community champions” — trusted residents of regions with vaccine hesitancy who can address concerns about safety and effectiveness. Town halls also are a possibility to vet concerns and possible misinformation. And video testimonials about coronavirus vaccines already have been recorded. “We’ve got a lot of work we’re going to be doing these next few weeks to really get ahead of this vaccine hesitancy,” Collins said. She said precise statistics showing the vaccine hesitancy trends are not yet ready to be released. Medical providers also have a crucial rolU.Se in listening and addressing people’s fears, Human Services Secretary David Scrase said in a virtual news conference.
21st Apr 2021 - Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

There is a real danger that covid-19 will become entrenched as a disease of poverty

Since reaching a height of around 70 000 confirmed covid-19 cases a day in England at the start of the year, the third lockdown has brought cases down to around 2500 a day (at the time of writing). Hospital admissions are back to levels last seen in September 2020, and over half of the adult population has received at least one dose of covid-19 vaccine. We’ve experienced almost six months of national lockdown in the past year and are just emerging from what has been promised to be the last one. But while we have all experienced this pandemic together, we have not all had the same experience. Deprived and minority ethnic communities have borne the brunt of the pandemic so far and there is now a very real danger that covid-19 will become entrenched as a disease of poverty.
20th Apr 2021 - The BMJ

Australia’s stolen generations survivors experienced ‘retriggered’ trauma during Covid lockdown

Australia’s stolen generations survivors felt more disconnected from their communities, lonely and isolated during Covid lockdowns, with many finding the experience re-triggered their trauma, new research suggests. Survivors also experienced an increased decline in both physical and mental health, the Healing Foundation found after examining the impact of the coronavirus and the public health response. The research found the necessary and swift public health response to protect First Australians also created “unprecedented disruption to cultural practices and normal relational and collective practices” of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, leaving people feeling vulnerable and disconnected from their community.
20th Apr 2021 - The Guardian

Norwich children help to tackle loneliness through pen friend scheme

Primary school children in Norwich have been helping to tackle loneliness amongst older people as they pen regular letters to bring a smile to faces. The Norwich Together Alliance has teamed up with Age UK Norwich and Drayton CofE Junior School for the scheme which sees 50 isolated people receive a handwritten postcard throughout April, asking if they would like to be pen pals. The children, who are aged from 7-11, will then continue writing to the lonely people with messages and pictures about what they have been up to.
20th Apr 2021 - Norwich Evening News

Community raises £7k in memory of retired GP who died with Covid

A local community has embarked on a significant fundraising challenge in memory of its ‘much-loved’ GP who died with Covid. Dr Om Prakash Chawla died on 2 January after testing positive for the virus. He had spent more than 25 years at Wingerworth Surgery in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, until retiring in 2018. Paying tribute, more than 70 relatives and friends, including practice colleagues, have surpassed their target fundraising for the town’s Ashgate Hospicecare. With one participant alone racking up 700 miles, the current total stands at approximately £7,000.
20th Apr 2021 - Pulse

COVID vaccine shortfall: The Abu Dhabi art dealer peddling jabs

From a small office in an Abu Dhabi skyscraper, Ukrainian national Natalya Muzaleva and her Hungarian husband Istvan Perger run an art gallery, a real estate agency and an oilfield services company. They have also pursued another venture: selling COVID-19 vaccines into Europe. Muzaleva wrote a proposal to the Czech ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, reviewed by Reuters and dated February 24, offering to procure and sell at least one million doses to the Czech Republic of Covishield, the shot from Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca. She said the vaccines would be supplied by an unnamed partner from AstraZeneca’s “UK and India plant” and delivery would follow within 45 days of payment being received. While the Czech government did not take up the offer, it came to light on March 3 when Prime Minister Andrej Babis, singling Muzaleva out by name, told a news conference he would not support the “black market”.
20th Apr 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Intutorly, free virtual tutoring service for kids, wins first prize in high school entrepreneurship competition

Intutorly, a free online tutoring service started by high school teenagers amid the pandemic, won first prize in the University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship's Diamond Challenge on Friday, weeks after it was featured in "CBS This Morning's" series A More Perfect Union. The story highlighted how high school students from around the country are helping younger kids bridge the digital divide through the service that pairs tutors with tutees. When the piece aired, Intutorly included about 1,000 kids — 500 tutors and 500 tutees. Intutorly's co-founders, Virginia teenagers Alex Joel and his younger brother Ben, say that in the month since then, the program has grown to help hundreds more kids.
19th Apr 2021 - CBS News

Greta Thunberg joins fight for coronavirus vaccine equity

Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has urged governments, vaccine developers and the world to “step up their game” to fight vaccine inequity after the richest countries snatched up most COVID-19 vaccine doses and those in poorer nations have gone lacking. Her comments on Monday came as the World Health Organization announced 5.2 million new confirmed virus cases during the latest week, the largest weekly count yet, according to the UN health agency.
19th Apr 2021 - Al Jazeera English

COVID vaccine shortfall: The Abu Dhabi art dealer peddling jabs

From a small office in an Abu Dhabi skyscraper, Ukrainian national Natalya Muzaleva and her Hungarian husband Istvan Perger run an art gallery, a real estate agency and an oilfield services company. They have also pursued another venture: selling COVID-19 vaccines into Europe.
19th Apr 2021 - Al Jazeera English

What To Know Before Your Second Dose Of The AstraZeneca Vaccine

Dozens of HuffPost UK readers have shared questions and concerns about the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Since rumours surrounding the AstraZeneca jab and a possible link to blood clots began swirling, there has been some worry about what that means for those who’ve already had their first dose of the vaccine. “If I’ve had my first AstraZeneca vaccine, will I be at risk of getting a clot on my second?” asks HuffPost UK reader Ashleigh. While reader Jacqueline asks: “I had the AstraZeneca jab in February and was very ill for over a week and still don’t feel well. I am reluctant to have the second dose. Could I have the Pfizer?”
19th Apr 2021 - Huffington Post

COVID variants are hitting US young hard

Throughout previous waves of Covid, children and young adults eluded the pandemic’s gravest consequences, exhibiting mild symptoms or none at all. Now faster-spreading variants are sending more to the hospital. Fatalities remain low, but doctors say the virus is now making the young sicker, some gravely. Cautionary tales are beginning to multiply. University of Alabama students are mourning the death of the basketball team’s unofficial mascot, Luke Ratliff, a 23-year-old plaid-clad campus fixture. The student affectionately known as Fluffopotamus died from Covid-19 complications early this month as the team went on an NCAA tournament run. In Michigan, where Covid-19 is spreading at one of the planet’s fastest rates — an average of almost 8,000 new cases a day — hospitals are seeing far more youths. The state’s Department of Health and Human Services reported 50 pediatric cases in hospitals Thursday, the most since the post-holiday surge in early January.
19th Apr 2021 - AlJazeera

Tredegar Covid community film wins major European award

A "remarkable" documentary about a community coming together during the pandemic has won a European film award. As people isolated, volunteers in Blaenau Gwent were filmed as they completed 15,000 tasks including delivering food and prescriptions. The documentary, called Together - Volunteers of a Covid community, won two awards at the North Europe Fusion International Film Festival. One of these was for the best film of the entire festival. "A big part of why this film was chosen was because this group of film-makers are selfless and the work they have done is incredible," said festival director Steve Grossmith in announcing the results.
18th Apr 2021 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

New book captures Waltham Forest community kindness during Covid

Waltham Forest Community Hub (WFCH) came together to create a book featuring stories of local kindness during lockdown. Here, the creators and designers describe making the book. “As soon as we had 100 simple acts of kindness, we were ready to work on publishing the book – but we were very aware that we haven’t captured everyone and everything. I hope that more similar projects will manifest – as the legacy of a crisis like this can teach us about the importance of community.”
18th Apr 2021 - Waltham Forest Echo

Celebrities make a stand for COVID vaccines on TV special

President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and a slew of celebrities including Billy Crystal, Jennifer Hudson and Lin-Manuel Miranda are part of a special aimed at boosting COVID-19 vaccination rates. “Roll Up Your Sleeves,” airing at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday on NBC, will feature Matthew McConaughey interviewing Dr. Anthony Fauci to help separate “fact from fiction” about the vaccines, the network said. Biden will make a direct appeal in support of the effort, while Obama will be joined by basketball greats Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal to reinforce the role of vaccines in allowing Americans to get their lives back on track.
16th Apr 2021 - Associated Press

Qatar Seeks Covid-19 Vaccinations for All World Cup Visitors

Qatar said it’s in talks with coronavirus vaccine makers to ensure all 2022 soccer World Cup visitors are vaccinated. “Right now there are programs under development to provide vaccination to all the attendees of the World Cup,” Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Friday during a virtual conference. “We will be able, hopefully, to host a Covid-free event.” The Gulf state has seen a resurgence in Covid-19 cases despite pushing ahead with its inoculation program, forcing a lockdown to be reimposed. Qatar has administered 1.2 million jabs - enough for 21.6% of its people, according to Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker. Qatar, one of the richest countries on the planet per capita, is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure construction ahead of the FIFA event, fueling an oversupply in property.
17th Apr 2021 - Bloomberg

Police ramp up patrols in crackdown on first weekend of new lockdown freedoms

Police forces across the country have upped their patrols this weekend as people enjoy their new freedoms from the coronavirus lockdown. It comes as thousands of drinkers packed out pubs and streets last night as they enjoyed the first Friday evening where they go for a drink out with friends. An astonishing five million pints and 500,000 bottles of wine were thought to have been drunk on ‘Fab Friday’ – the biggest night out across the country for six months.
17th Apr 2021 - Metro

Brazil: Battling Bolsonaro’s COVID misinformation

How leading media outlets in Brazil have joined forces to take on Bolsonaro and his COVID denial.Some of Brazil’s biggest media companies have come together to combat COVID-19 misinformation – a lot of which is coming from President Jair Bolsonaro’s office.
17th Apr 2021 - Aljazeera.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Ivanka Trump causes MAGA meltdown after sharing photograph getting vaccine

Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump took to Twitter to announce that she got the Covid-19 shot and encouraged others to do the same, a move that has caused a meltdown among anti-vaxxers and conservative supporters of the former president. The former first daughter broke her three months of social media silence on Wednesday posting a photo of her taking the coronavirus vaccine injection, with the accompanying note: “Today, I got the shot!!! I hope that you do too! Thank you Nurse Torres!!!” Ms Trump’s enthusiastic tweet about the coronavirus vaccine met with several angry responses from Trump supporters who called it a disappointment and accused her of “virtue signalling.”
15th Apr 2021 - The Independent

Shop workers, hairdressers and bar staff key to tackling loneliness and mental health in pilot scheme launched in York

Shop workers, hairdressers and bar staff across North Yorkshire will be part of a new scheme aimed at tackling isolation, loneliness and mental health following the Covid-19 pandemic. The pilot - named Community Conversations - will be launched in the Groves and Clifton areas of York and will involve staff at numerous businesses and organisations having specialist free training to help them spot the signs that someone may be at risk of mental health and as a result engage with them and signpost them to help and support.
15th Apr 2021 - Yorkshire Post

Homeless Americans finally getting a chance at COVID-19 shot

Homeless Americans who have been left off priority lists for coronavirus vaccinations — or even bumped aside as states shifted eligibility to older age groups — are finally getting their shots as vaccine supplies increase. While the U.S. government has only incomplete data on infections among homeless people, it’s clear that crowded, unsanitary conditions at shelters and underlying poor health increase the danger of COVID-19 infections, severe complications and death. COVID-19 outbreaks have been documented at homeless shelters in cities such as Boston, San Francisco and Seattle. Vaccinating in vulnerable areas will be a key to achieving herd immunity, the goal of building a barrier of protected people to stop uncontrolled spread.
15th Apr 2021 - The Associated Press

1 in 5 Americans say they won't get COVID-19 vaccine

A poll published yesterday from Monmouth University found that 1 in 5 Americans remain unwilling to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Partisanship continues to be the defining factor determining which Americans are willing to get vaccinated and which are not: 43% of Republicans say they will avoid the vaccine, compared with just 5% of Democrats, and 22% of independents say they want to avoid getting the vaccine altogether. A new Quinnipiac University poll shows 45% of Republicans are unwilling to get the vaccine. A poll from the University of Michigan also suggests age may be a factor. Only 20% of teens and young adults polled last October said they were unwilling to get vaccinated, and that percentage shrank to 15% last month.
15th Apr 2021 - CIDRAP

Unsung COVID vaccine heroes—and biotech science giants—star on influencer's TikTok

Ready to meet the science heroes behind the world's first COVID vaccines? Ready to watch them dance on TikTok? Anna Blakney thinks you are. She’s an assistant professor and vaccine researcher at the University of British Columbia coaxing some of the mega-accomplished scientists behind the vaccines to join her in off-the-cuff choreography and conversation. So far, she’s been joined by Robert Langer, MIT Institute professor and Moderna co-founder, and Pieter Cullis, the co-founder of Acuitas Therapeutics behind the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine.
15th Apr 2021 - FiercePharma

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy: Not helpful to 'lump people together' under BAME, says public health expert

Tackling Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy in minority ethnic communities in Scotland is not helped by grouping people together under the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) umbrella, a public health expert has said.
14th Apr 2021 - The Scotsman on MSN.com

‘Super-spreader’: Over 1,000 COVID positive at India’s Kumbh Mela

More than 1,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus at the site of a major Hindu festival in India in two days, officials said, as huge crowds of mostly maskless devotees descend on the Ganges River in the northern Uttarakhand state. The virus was detected in the city of Haridwar, which lies along the river where the weeks-long Kumbh Mela, or the pitcher festival, is being observed, officials said. Of some 50,000 samples taken from people in Haridwar, 408 tested positive on Monday and 594 on Tuesday, the Uttarakhand government said.
14th Apr 2021 - AlJazeera

It's time to reward our Covid-19 heroes

In Wales, community has garnered a new sense of importance over the past year. Local businesses have taken priority, neighbourly support thrives within every street, and community spirit has carried us through our darkest days. Emotionally, financially, physically and socially, there are community heroes who have dedicated hours upon hours to helping others, and this year's South Wales Evening Post Community Awards will celebrate them. On Thursday, April 29, the South Wales Evening Post Community Awards will be streamed virtually so that we can both support our community and keep everyone safe, too.
14th Apr 2021 - WalesOnline

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19: Government faces legal action over contract for antibody tests

The non-profit organisation the Good Law Project has been given the go ahead to mount a High Court challenge to the UK government’s decision to award contracts to Abingdon Health to produce rapid antibody tests for covid-19. The Department of Health and Social Care for England bought a million lateral flow test kits from the UK Rapid Testing Consortium, a group of manufacturers led by Abingdon Health and assembled by John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University and the government’s life sciences adviser. The contract, which was awarded without competitive tender, included a provision for the government to buy more kits if the test was approved for home use by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency by a specified date. But the approval was not forthcoming, and England’s health secretary, Matt Hancock, announced in January that the government was moving to a different procurement strategy.
13th Apr 2021 - The BMJ

Ramadan 2021: Muslims can get Covid-19 jab without breaking fast, Manchester’s public health chief confirms

Muslims are being advised that they can take the Covid-19 vaccine during Ramadan without breaking fast. Taking a coronavirus test, either PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or lateral flow test (LFT), is also safe during this time, Manchester’s public health chief has added. The month of Ramadan is marked by acts of devotion, including completely abstaining from eating or drinking between dawn and sunset. Islamic scholars, working in partnership with the Muslim Council of Britain, have shared messages of reassurance to worshipers confirming that getting the Covid-19 vaccine during Ramadan is permitted.
13th Apr 2021 - Manchester Evening News

Befriending service could be the answer for lonely residents

Isolated or lonely over 50s – or even younger residents – could find the support they are looking for through the Powys Befriending Service. Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) has seen an increased demand for the service it runs to maintain social networks for the county’s older residents during the coronavirus pandemic, but in a surprising twist it has also helped younger generations as well. Those who have asked for more support have been referred to PAVO’s Powys Befriending Service, but it is only able to help those who are aged 50 or older. So, to solve this problem, isolated or lonely younger residents have been asked to volunteer and make phone calls to older residents.
13th Apr 2021 - Powys County Times

COVAX reaches over 100 economies, 42 days after first international delivery

More than one hundred economies have received life-saving COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX. The milestone comes 42 days after the first COVAX doses were shipped and delivered internationally, to Ghana on February 24th. COVAX has now delivered more than 38 million doses across six continents, supplied by three manufacturers, AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech and the Serum Institute of India (SII). Of the over 100 economies reached, 61 are among the 92 lower-income economies receiving vaccines funded through the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment. Despite reduced supply availability in March and April – the result of vaccine manufacturers scaling and optimising their production processes in the early phase of the rollout, as well as increased demand for COVID-19 vaccines in India – COVAX expects to deliver doses to all participating economies that have requested vaccines in the first half of the year.
13th Apr 2021 - Gavi

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

100 Covid Community Champions helping Somerset stay safe

A major milestone has been reached with more than 100 trained Covid Champions now in place to help people in Somerset stay up to date with the Covid-19 latest advice. The Covid Community Champion Network has been going from strength to strength since it was first launched in October. There are now just over 100 trained Champions across Somerset, sharing messages about Covid-19 and how to stay healthy, happy and safe with their friends, family and work colleagues.
12th Apr 2021 - Burnham-On-Sea.com

Czech COVID-19 daily tally lowest since September as pupils return to classroom

The Czech Republic reported its lowest daily tally of new COVID-19 cases since September on Monday, the same day a six-month state of emergency expired and many pupils return to the classroom. The central European country was badly hit by the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Czech government managed to slow the spread of infections by imposing its toughest lockdown yet. Students in grades 1-5 were set to return to school on Monday and restrictions on movement eased with people allowed once more to travel outside their home districts.
12th Apr 2021 - Reuters

Dutch tourists trade lockdown at home for confinement in Greek resort

Almost 200 Dutch tourists traded lockdown in the Netherlands for eight days of voluntary confinement in a Greek beach resort, as part of a test to see if safe holidays can be arranged during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m very excited,” said Amy Smulders, 25, a graphic designer who travelled with her sister, beaming beneath her face mask as she waited for her luggage on Rhodes island on Monday. “It feels very strange to be here, but (I’m) really excited to go on holiday.” For 399 euros ($475) each, participants will have “all-inclusive” access to the pool, restaurants and other facilities of the Mitsis Grand Hotel Beach, but nothing else.
12th Apr 2021 - Reuters UK

US colleges divided over requiring student vaccinations

U.S. colleges hoping for a return to normalcy next fall are weighing how far they should go in urging students to get the COVID-19 vaccine, including whether they should — or legally can — require it. Universities including Rutgers, Brown, Cornell and Northeastern recently told students they must get vaccinated before returning to campus next fall. They hope to achieve herd immunity on campus, which they say would allow them to loosen spacing restrictions in classrooms and dorms. But some colleges are leaving the decision to students, and others believe they can’t legally require vaccinations. At Virginia Tech, officials determined that they can’t because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only allowed the emergency use of the vaccines and hasn’t given them its full approval.
12th Apr 2021 - The Associated Press

Biden launches community corps to boost COVID vaccinations

Seeking to overcome vaccine hesitancy, the Biden administration on Thursday stepped up its outreach efforts to skeptical Americans, launching a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote COVID-19 shots in hard-hit communities. The administration’s “We Can Do This” campaign features television and social media ads, but it also relies on a community corps of public health, athletic, faith and other groups to spread the word about the safety and efficacy of the three approved vaccines.
1st Apr 2021 - Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

China Knocks on People’s Doors to Speed Up Domestic Covid-19 Vaccination

A year after Covid-19 swept through China, the virus is under control. Now authorities have to motivate a population that feels little urgency to get vaccinated by using a mix of social pressure, incentives, education and coercion. While surveys show vaccine acceptance remains high, the motivation to go out and get inoculated is lagging in the world’s second-largest economy given low infection rates. China’s public health officials say the aim is to get 40% of the population vaccinated by summer. With the country administering more than 4.5 million shots a day in the past week, 161 million had been given by the end of Friday, according to the National Health Commission. Oxford University data-tracking project Our World in Data said about 11% of China’s population had received at least one dose.
10th Apr 2021 - Wall Street Journal

Irish photographer takes lockdown portraits of families at home during pandemic

Ireland has been under strict lockdown for much of the past year, with people largely confined to their households for months at a time. Medjber normally photographs top music acts and festivals. When Ireland was first ordered into lockdown in March 2020, her work also went on pause and Medjber said she remembered an idea she'd had years before while walking around Dublin of using people's illuminated windows to frame them. "When lockdown hit. I suddenly realized that ‘God, everybody across Ireland is at home right now.' I remembered the idea I had years ago, and I thought now it has relevance. Now it means something." Medjber first set herself the goal of doing just 16 homes, enough for an Instagram post. After she posted them though, Ireland’s main national newspaper The Irish Times published the images on its front page, and she was flooded with requests from people asking her to photograph them.
10th Apr 2021 - ABCNews

UK’s Sikh community prepares for second Vaisakhi under lockdown

Half a million British-Sikhs are preparing to mark the Vaisakhi festival under coronavirus lockdown restrictions for the second year running. Harmeet Singh, general secretary of Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Southall, said: “This Vaisakhi will remind us that the virtues Guru Gobind Singh Ji instilled in the Khalsa are more important than ever. During the pandemic, Sikhs across the world have shown their compassion and commitment by serving their local communities with langar – free kitchens – serving anyone and everyone, regardless of their background, recognising humanity’s oneness. Volunteers have shown immense courage, working to feed those on the front line."
10th Apr 2021 - Al Jazeera

Wrexham’s MP launches campaign to celebrate local ‘Covid Community Champions’

Wrexham’s MP has launched a campaign to celebrate those in the town and the surrounding area that have given back to the community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sarah Atherton MP is encouraging everyone across Wrexham to take part and celebrate the town’s ‘Covid Community Champions’. This can include anyone from an NHS worker or care worker, a teacher, someone who started a community group during the pandemic, or anyone who has been an inspiration to others during the past year.
10th Apr 2021 - Wrexham.com

Pandemic, hunger force thousands into sex work in Mexico

Hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic have forced former sex workers in Mexico back into the trade years after they left, made it more dangerous and reduced some to having sex in cars or on sidewalks for lack of available hotels. Claudia, who like most of the sex workers interviewed asked to be identified only by her first name, had stopped working the streets a decade ago after she married one of her former clients. But when her husband lost his job early in the pandemic, the couple fell four months behind on rent for their apartment. The only solution Claudia saw was to go back to working the streets.
10th Apr 2021 - Associated Press

One of Britain’s youngest Imams is leading Covid community efforts

One of Britain’s youngest Imams is supporting community efforts in south west London during the Covid-19 pandemic. Adeel Shah, 26, is part of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Mr Shah said: “The reason we’re doing this is because Islam teaches us to help our neighbours and to play our part in society.” Since March last year, the Ahmadiyya community has delivered 673,000 pieces of PPE on behalf of the government and 10,036 food packages to front line workers. Using a hotline, the Ahmadiyya community assisted vulnerable people with errands and emotional support. The effort helped 21,407 households.
9th Apr 2021 - SWLondoner

Covid-19: a disaster five years in the making

The covid-19 pandemic is not a one-off extraordinary event but the culmination of a five year unravelling of progress in global health, writes Peter Hotez. We live in extraordinary times in global health. Through two decades of the United Nations’ millennium and sustainable development goals, the number of childhood deaths from measles and some other vaccine preventable infections has fallen by as much as 87%.1 The launch and support of global vaccination programmes through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and mass treatment programmes for HIV-AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases have produced enormous global health gains.1 We are also moving towards the elimination of neglected tropical diseases including onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, scabies, yaws, and trachoma, with major falls in the incidence of AIDS in Africa and elsewhere. The benefits of these successes go beyond public health to reduced poverty through improvements in productivity, child development, and maternal-fetal outcomes. Global security has also been strengthened. Over the past 5-6 years, however, we have seen abrupt reversals in these developments leading to the emergence or re-emergence of both vaccine preventable diseases and neglected infections in multiple areas of the world. And that’s before the onset of covid-19. Humanity is able to make tremendous gains against global disease like never before—but we have allowed those gains to unravel. The novel coronavirus has shown us the consequences of this.
9th Apr 2021 - The BMJ

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Exclusive: CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky Unveils Initiative to Address Racism in Health

The reason for that skewed impact doesn’t have so much to do with biology or genetics as it does a myriad of other factors, such as where people live, how clean the air they breathe is, what they eat, whether they work and if they do, what jobs they hold, and whether they rely on public transportation to get around. Dr. Rochelle Wolensky, the new director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), knows this dynamic well. As division director for infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, her research and clinical work focused on HIV, and she has served on Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 advisory board, helping to shape pandemic policy in that state. “I came from a place of taking care of patients with HIV and infectious diseases and those who work in public health have known forever that the diseases afflicting the poor, and afflicting those with access to health care, and afflicting racial and ethnic minorities are different than the diseases afflicting white Americans, or more privileged Americans,” says Walensky. “I came to the job with that reality every single day.”
8th Apr 2021 - TIME

In the Covid-19 vaccine push, no one is speaking Gen Z’s language

Useful Covid-19 information isn’t reaching the Instagram generation. There’s almost no messaging specifically tailored to them from federal or state public health officials. There’s hardly anything official on Tik Tok. And even the limited efforts to reach them where they are — like Instagram’s links to its “Covid-19 information center”— aren’t working. Just ask Kymon Palau, a 21-year-old from Albuquerque, N.M., who has over 18,000 followers on the site.
8th Apr 2021 - STAT News

Achieving human rights to water and sanitation amid COVID-19

Amid a pandemic, huge sections of the global population are still being left behind in their access to water, sanitation and hygiene. Before the pandemic hit, 40 percent of the world’s population already lacked access to basic hand-washing facilities at home, and children at almost half of the world’s schools did not have water and soap. While many governments have increased the provision of public hand-washing stations during the pandemic, the economic fallout of COVID-19 has only exacerbated what was already an urgent need in homes, schools, and healthcare facilities all over the world. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic may contribute to the first increase in global poverty in more than 20 years, and by 2021, an additional 150 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty.
8th Apr 2021 - Al Jazeera English

How humility can save us from Covid-19

The hospital and health system had to constantly improvise, rethink, and change course. I believe that what saved us — and saved lives — was having the humility to continually reassess and admit when we needed to shift. From June through December, our teams simulated Arizona’s pandemic triage protocol, the process for determining in the fairest way possible who gets a scarce resource like a ventilator. We pushed on the medical staff and role-played panicked families and stressed health care workers. We pushed on nurses and administrators during these simulations to find equipment across the Banner system. And even after running the simulation numerous times, we still found it needed to be revised. For now, it’s as good as we can make it. If we ever have to use it, we will stay humble and look to improve it even more
8th Apr 2021 - STAT News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Irish teachers could strike over vaccine priority

Teaching unions in the Republic of Ireland have said members will be balloted for industrial action, potentially involving strike action, if the profession is not re-prioritised for Covid-19 vaccination. The Irish government has changed its strategy to focus on age groups. The Minister for Education Norma Foley said she understood the news was difficult for teachers. She said evidence showed schools to be areas of low transmission. The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI), the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) and the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) have been holding their annual conferences online.
7th Apr 2021 - BBC News

‘We failed the test’ of COVID-19, says human rights champion

Agnès Callamard is best known for her investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and has made a career uncovering extrajudicial killings. The French human rights expert’s focus on rights abuses is taking on new dimensions as she assumes leadership of Amnesty International and turns her attention to what she says is one of the world’s most pressing issues — vaccine equity to end the coronavirus pandemic, which has eroded freedoms globally.
7th Apr 2021 - Washington Post

Survey: Even as schools reopen, many students learn remotely

Large numbers of students are not returning to the classroom even as more schools reopen for full-time, in-person learning, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Biden administration. The findings reflect a nation that has been locked in debate over the safety of reopening schools during the coronavirus pandemic. Even as national COVID-19 rates continued to ebb in February, key measures around reopening schools barely budged. Nearly 46% of public schools offered five days a week of in-person learning to all students in February, according to the survey, but just 34% of students were learning full time in the classroom. The gap was most pronounced among older K-12 students, with just 29% of eighth graders getting five days a week of learning at school.
7th Apr 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

U.K. Community Leaders Step In to Aid Vaccination in Ethnically Diverse Areas

Minority communities in Britain have long felt estranged from the government and medical establishment, but their sense of alienation is suddenly proving more costly than ever amid a coronavirus vaccination campaign that depends heavily on trust. With Britons enjoying one of the fastest vaccination rollouts in the world, skepticism about jabs remains high in many of the very communities where Covid-19 has taken the heaviest toll. “The government’s response to the Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities has been rather limited,” said Dr. Raja Amjid Riaz, 52, a surgeon who is also a leader at the Central Mosque of Brent, an ethnically diverse borough of North London. “Those people have not been catered for.”
6th Apr 2021 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Pope Francis pays surprise visit to Vatican vaccine centre for homeless people

Pope Francis visited the Vatican's vaccination centre for the poor and homeless on Good Friday. Francis, 84, surprised doctors, nurses, charity workers and those getting their jabs when he arrived at the pop-up clinic. The makeshift centre has been set up in the Vatican audience hall to give free vaccines to homeless people or those in need.
2nd Apr 2021 - Sky News

Biden launches community corps to boost COVID vaccinations

The Biden administration is unveiling a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote COVID-19 shots as it seeks to overcome vaccine hesitancy
1st Apr 2021 - ABC News

International travel: Will I be able to go on holiday abroad this summer?

Under England’s roadmap for easing Covid-19 restrictions, which Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday was on track, the earliest that foreign holidays could be permitted is May 17. The government’s Global Travel Taskforce will provide a report later this week on how international leisure travel can resume. Boris Johnson said the government will set out “well before May 17th what we think is reasonable”. He added: “I know that people watching will want to know exactly what they can do from May 17th but we’re not there yet.
5th Apr 2021 - ITV News

‘Divisive and discriminatory’: UK MPs to oppose COVID passports

More than 70 legislators, including 41 MPs from Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ruling Conservative Party, have said they would oppose so-called vaccine passports in a rare show of cross-party unity in the United Kingdom. The UK, like several other countries, is considering making such certificates mandatory to help to open the economy as it starts lifting COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
2nd Apr 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Many still hesitate to get vaccine, but reluctance is easing

So few people came for COVID-19 vaccinations in one county in North Carolina that hospitals there now allow anyone 16 or older to get a shot, regardless of where they live. Get a shot, get a free doughnut, the governor said. Alabama, which has the nation’s lowest vaccination rate and a county where only 7% of residents are fully vaccinated, launched a campaign to convince people the shots are safe. Doctors and pastors joined the effort. On the national level, the Biden administration this week launched a “We Can Do This” campaign to encourage holdouts to get vaccinated against the virus that has claimed over 550,000 lives in the U.S.
2nd Apr 2021 - The Associated Press

Over 70 pct of S. Koreans Willing to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine Shots: Poll

Over 7 out of 10 South Koreans are willing to receive coronavirus vaccine shots, a poll showed Friday. In a survey on 1,000 people aged 18 and above conducted on Wednesday and Thursday by Gallup Korea, 71 percent said they would like to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Among them, 50 percent said they will “definitely” receive vaccine shots. Only 23 percent were not willing to join the nationwide inoculation campaign, with 8 percent of them saying they will “never” get vaccinated. Compared with the pollster’s similar survey carried out from Feb. 23-25, just before the vaccine rollout kicked off here, the rate of those who said they will “definitely” or “never” receive vaccine shots rose by 2 percentage points and 3 percentage points, respectively. By age bracket, those in their 20s were evenly divided on the matter, with 49 percent showing eagerness toward coronavirus vaccination and the other 49 percent not.
2nd Apr 2021 - The Korea Bizwire

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Apr 2021

    View this newsletter in full

£14.7m Lottery cash boost to tackle loneliness in East Lindsey's older people

Ageing Better was originally a six-year (2015-2021), £78 million programme set up by The National Lottery Community Fund to improve the lives of people aged over 50 by addressing loneliness and developing creative ways they can be actively involved in their local communities. Almost 150,000 people have been supported through Ageing Better across 14 locations, from Torbay to Middlesbrough and the Isle of Wight to East Lindsey, with 60% feeling less lonely and a third being more involved with local activities. The National Ageing Better Programme was due to end in 2021, but the partnerships have been awarded a further £6 million with the funding intended to alleviate the difficulties experienced by communities as a result of COVID-19.
31st Mar 2021 - Louth Leader

COVID-19: Millions of people told they no longer need to shield from coronavirus

More than 90% have had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. People who were shielding can access priority supermarket delivery slots until 21 June if they have already registered.
31st Mar 2021 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Sir Lenny Henry has written an open letter urging black Britons to take the Covid-19 vaccine

Film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton, author Malorie Blackman and radio DJ Trevor Nelson are among the signatories of an open letter written by Sir Lenny Henry urging black Britons to take the Covid-19 vaccine. In the letter, actor and comedian Sir Lenny acknowledged the "legitimate worries and concerns" that people feel, adding: "We know change needs to happen and that it's hard to trust some institutions and authorities." He said: "But we're asking you to trust the facts about the vaccine from our own professors, doctors, scientists involved in the vaccine's development, GPs, not just in the UK but across the world including the Caribbean and Africa.
30th Mar 2021 - The Scotsman

Trapped in gloves, tangled in masks: Covid PPE killing animals, report finds

The masks and gloves protecting people from coronavirus are proving a deadly threat to wildlife when thrown away, a report has found. A fish trapped in the finger of a rubber glove in the Netherlands, a penguin in Brazil with a mask in its stomach and a fox in the UK entangled in a mask were among the victims. The researchers searched news sites and social media posts from litter collectors, birdwatchers, wildlife rescue centres, and veterinarians and found incidents on land and in water across the world. But they said much more information is needed and have launched a website where anyone can submit a report. The study, published in the journal Animal Biology, is the first overview of cases of entanglement, entrapping and ingestion of Covid-19 litter by animals. The PPE litter was mainly single-use latex gloves and single-use masks, consisting of rubber strings and mostly polypropylene fabric.
29th Mar 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Survey Finds COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy Remains Unchanged

Daily national surveys by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) show that although COVID-19 vaccine uptake has increased, the proportion of vaccine-hesitant adults has remained unchanged. The concerns about adverse effects (AEs) remain high, especially among females, Black adults, and those with an eligible health condition, according to the study. “Prior research by the CDC has found that Black and Hispanic adults are the least likely to receive the annual flu vaccine each year,” said Alex Reinhart, assistant teaching professor in CMU's Department of Statistics & Data Science and a member of the Delphi Research Group, in a press release. “Our survey suggests that COVID vaccine hesitancy follows a similar trend.”
29th Mar 2021 - Pharmacy Times

‘There’s a sense of community’ – how a west Cork town became Ireland’s first rural remote-working hub

Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen is proof that any business can be run from rural Ireland with the right connectivity. The west Cork town launched the country’s first rural remote-working hub in 2016 after local entrepreneurs decided they were sick of seeing students leave for college and never return. When Vodafone and the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) came together to make Skibbereen Ireland’s first gigabit broadband town, it set in motion a rural revival that exceeded all expectations.
29th Mar 2021 - Independent.ie

Covid: Ethnic jab gap 'not due to area or education'

Where people live, how poor that area is and their level of education explains only a fraction of the difference in Covid vaccination rates between ethnic groups, the Office for National Statistics has concluded. The ONS highlighted higher vaccination hesitancy among some ethnic groups. White people were the most and people of black African ethnicity were the least likely to have had a jab. But location, education and health accounted for just 30% of this gap.
29th Mar 2021 - BBC News

Rule of six and weddings resume as millions take step out of lockdown

Friends and families will be reunited from today as England takes a second major step out of lockdown. Two households or groups of up to six can socialise in parks and gardens once more, while outdoor sports facilities can reopen and small weddings can resume. Weddings will be limited to six people, including the couple, for at least two weeks until April 12, when 15 guests will be allowed. Boris Johnson urged Brits to take caution as Covid cases continue to rise across Europe, amid fears the new variants could trigger another UK wave despite more than 30 million receiving a jab.
29th Mar 2021 - Metro

London street theatre company offers doorstep performances from singers and dancers in lockdown

Street Theatre provides range of performances for people on their doorsteps Singers and dancers put on five-minute-long shows outside homes for just £30 Set up to support the performing arts as theatres remain closed until May 17
29th Mar 2021 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid: Boris Johnson urged to share vaccines with poorer nations

A group of charities is urging Boris Johnson to "swiftly clarify" how many Covid vaccine doses the UK is prepared to donate to poorer countries. Save the Children and the Wellcome Trust are among those calling on the PM to start donating jabs through Covax. This scheme aims to provide jabs for low and middle-income countries. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the UK does not currently have a surplus of vaccines, but when it does that surplus will be shared. The UK, which has ordered 400 million vaccine doses and will have many left over, has said it will donate most of its surplus vaccine supply to poorer countries.
28th Mar 2021 - BBC News

Exclusive: Facebook freezes Venezuela president Maduro's page over COVID-19 misinformation

Facebook has frozen Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s page for violating policies against spreading misinformation about COVID-19 by promoting a remedy he claims, without evidence, can cure the disease, a company spokesman said on Saturday. Maduro in January described Carvativir, an oral solution derived from thyme, as a “miracle” medication that neutralizes the coronavirus with no side effects, a claim doctors say is not backed by science. Facebook has taken down a video in which Maduro promotes the medication because it violates a policy against false claims “that something can guarantee prevention from getting COVID-19 or can guarantee recovery from COVID-19.”
28th Mar 2021 - Reuters

Covid vaccine: Social media urged to remove 'disinfo dozen'

Facebook, Twitter and Google have been urged by a US lawmaker to ban a dozen people who it is claimed are spreading the vast majority of disinformation about Covid vaccinations. Representative Mike Doyle made the call to remove their accounts during a US congressional session on how the three firms were dealing with fake news. He challenged Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey and Sundar Pinchai to deplatform the dozen people immediately. None have responded to the call so far. Facebook said that it was looking into the matter to see if the accounts violated its community standards.
26th Mar 2021 - BBC News

How we can show hesitant Black D.C. residents that coronavirus vaccines are safe and effective

Black Americans are dying at nearly twice the rate of White Americans from the coronavirus. In the nation’s capital, about 75 percent of coronavirus deaths are among Black Americans — despite making up less than half of the population. So, it’s particularly troubling that 44 percent of Black D.C. residents say they won’t get vaccinated. As Black doctors and voices within the health-care community, we have a responsibility to address these views about vaccines. Among Black people who are unsure, the most common two reasons given are worries about side effects and a desire to see how other people respond to the vaccine. These are perfectly reasonable concerns; no one wants to be a guinea pig.
26th Mar 2021 - The Washington Post

Volatility of vaccine confidence

How can vaccine hesitancy be addressed? Communication about vaccines must be delivered in an empathic manner to avoid stigmatizing those who question inoculation. This requires leveraging established relationships to address concerns of the vaccine hesitant. Examples include the Engaging in Medical Education with Sensitivity initiative during the 2019 measles outbreaks, in which Orthodox Jewish nurses empowered parents in that community to reach their own conclusions about vaccines while listening to their concerns and helping them contextualize information. Also, the University of Maryland's Health Advocates In-Reach and Research network of Black barbershops and salons trains personnel as health educators to encourage customers to pursue healthy behaviors.
26th Mar 2021 - Science Magazine

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Teens organize free virtual tutoring programs to aid kids with remote learning amid pandemic

Many children in the U.S. have spent more than a year attending school virtually, raising significant concerns about a growing inequality gap. For the "CBS This Morning" series A More Perfect Union, Jan Crawford introduces high school students around the country who are on a mission to bridge that divide by teaching what they've learned to younger students.
26th Mar 2021 - CBS News

Dodford farm in fundraising drive to help children post-Covid

A children's farm which supports disadvantaged children with mental and physical health difficulties is trying to raise funds to enable it to continue its services post-Covid. Dodford Children's Farm, in Dodford, Worcestershire is seeking funding so that it can get children out into the countryside and be active, thus supporting their mental health and wellbeing, to kick-start their recovery after the pandemic. This will involve supporting children, many of them being from inner-cities, in a Covid-safe environment, outside in bubbles.The project will involve refocusing the Children's farm and re-engaging with the local community after the lockdown, and developing a team of local supporters and funders to build a community within Dodford and Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, to help in achieving its goals.
25th Mar 2021 - inyourarea.co.uk

Covid-19: Bristol BS3 group offers 'amazing' lockdown support

In Bristol, a Covid-19 community support group has helped 700 people since it was set up during the first national lockdown. BS3 Covid Response offers support, shopping and prescription collections, and phone call chat services. The group based in Bedminster and Southville was set up in March 2020 using social media and messaging services to co-ordinate help. Since its creation, it has grown to include 5,500 members and 1,000 registered volunteers. Analytics manager Becky Lewis-Jones, 39, has coordinated a 20-strong core team from her home in Southville, despite shielding due to asthma. "The community really has come together in so many ways and many connections and friendships have been forged through this," she said.
25th Mar 2021 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

New Zealand Olympians to get early access to Covid-19 vaccine

Athletes representing New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics later this year will be able to apply to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they depart. Chris Hipkins, the minister responsible for New Zealand's response to the global health crisis, said people would be eligible to jump the queue for the vaccine on compassionate grounds or to compete in events of "national significance". The latter category would include Olympians, Paralympians and the national cricket team, who will be travelling to Britain to play India in the final of the ICC World Test Championship in June.
24th Mar 2021 - Sky Sports

Covid community heroes honoured in art project

An art project has named eleven people and organisations as "community heroes" from around Derbyshire. First Art, as part of its Shine a Light campaign, have recognised them for their commitment and for going the extra mile during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nods could be given for all manner of selfless acts, as long as they helped others during this difficult year of their lives. Among the winners is a motorcyclist, Simon Jones, who helped deliver PPE to those need around Clay Cross by setting up Volunteer Riders UK.
24th Mar 2021 - Derby Telegraph

Facebook, Twitter must do more to stop COVID-19 anti-vaxxers, US states say

Attorneys general for 12 U.S. states on Wednesday accused Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc of doing too little to stop people from using their platforms to spread false information that coronavirus vaccines are unsafe. In a letter to Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, the Democratic attorneys general said “anti-vaxxers” lacking medical expertise and often motivated by financial gain have used the platforms to downplay the danger of COVID-19 and exaggerate the risks of vaccination. They called on both companies to enforce their own community guidelines by removing or flagging vaccine misinformation.
24th Mar 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 vaccines and the danger of religious misinformation

As coronavirus vaccines slowly roll out across the world, leaders are working hard to build confidence in them. Religious leaders in particular can play a crucial role in convincing people to vaccinate. Many are working hard to spread the news that vaccines are safe and effective, but as the BBC’s population reporter Stephanie Hegarty has been finding out, there are figures in almost every faith who are undermining that message, with some spreading misinformation which could lead to vaccine hesitancy.
23rd Mar 2021 - BBC News

Community has got Britain through the pandemic. How can we create more of it?

The loss of social connection during the pandemic has shown us the dangers of taking social relationships for granted. We are social animals and a sense of community is essential to our wellbeing. This is crucial to remember in our ever more atomised society, where social relationships are commodified and patients and students are regarded as “clients” and “consumers”. As the UK recovers from the pandemic, finding ways to build healthy social relationships should be a key part of addressing public health. But even as it has distanced us from loved ones, the pandemic has also brought us closer together in other ways. At a street, neighbourhood and even national level, the shared experience of crisis has forged a greater sense of unity. As a groundbreaking body of new psychology has shown, a sense of belonging to communities can protect people against depression, improve cognition in older people, dramatically improve people’s health prospects on retirement and greatly improve recovery from heart attacks. Our membership of groups and communities is its own type of “social cure”.
23rd Mar 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID long-haulers speak about living with brain fog, rancid smells and crushing fatigue

In February, the NIH announced a four-year, $1.15 billion dollar initiative to study what causes long COVID, but even before the initiative was put forth, clinics were springing up around the country to research and treat the growing number of long-haul patients. Health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have also drawn connections between long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, which is characterized by symptoms like fatigue and brain fog and can be triggered by infectious diseases like mononucleosis, Lyme disease and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. Dr. Sara Martin is working to get one such initiative off the ground. The Adult Post-Acute COVID clinic at Vanderbilt University, which launched this week, brings together specialists from internal medicine, infectious disease, pulmonology, cardiology, ophthalmology, psychology, physical medicine, ear, nose and throat, speech pathology and neurology.
20th Mar 2021 - ABC News

Lessons from a year of lockdown: UK regional leaders on how their communities have tackled the Covid pandemic

Wales has forged its own route through the coronavirus crisis following its first case in Swansea on 28 February last year and its first case of community transmission in Caerphilly less than a fortnight later. A poll last month found that people in Wales overwhelmingly think the First Minister Mark Drakeford and the Welsh Government, which has imposed an unprecedented series of “made in Wales” measures, has handled the crisis better than Boris Johnson and the UK Government. While the death rate in both countries was similar at the peak in January this year, it was at its biggest gap in February between the two nations since March 2020 at 272.2 deaths per 100,000 in Wales compared with 393.2 in England.
22nd Mar 2021 - i on MSN.com

COVID-19: The patriarchal pandemic

From Argentina to Malaysia and Sudan to the United Kingdom to the United States, there has been a surge in reports of violence against women. To be sure, there are more opportunities for domestic violence when people are confined to domestic space. And yet the pandemic has disproportionately affected women in other ways, as well. In numerous countries, females are overly represented in industries, such as hospitality and food services, that have suffered high job losses.
22nd Mar 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Covid One Year On: Charities 'blessed' with community spirit

Throughout North Somerset, community-led initiatives have been launched during the pandemic, each with the goal of supporting people. Nailsea Community Group, formerly Nailsea Covid Support Group, has evolved from a band of neighbours helping each other with their shopping to close to 200 volunteers. Vice-chairman Jules Richardson estimates that more than 11,000 people combined have used the groups delivery service. Clevedon Foodbank experienced a rapid rise in the number of residents reliant on its services during 2020 compared to previous years which eventually led to the creation of Yatton Foodbank. Trustee, Alison Kember, told the Times: "Usually we help around 2,000 to 3,000 people but the number surpassed 5,000 last year.
22nd Mar 2021 - North Somerset Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Scuffles and arrests as anti-lockdown protesters march through London

Scuffles broke out as anti-lockdown protesters marched through central London on Saturday, defying police warnings for them to stay away due to coronavirus restrictions. Police said they had made 33 arrests, most for COVID regulation breaches, after up to 10,000 people gathered holding banners with slogans such as “Stop Destroying Our Kids’ Lives” and “Fake Pandemic”. Crowded close to one another, protesters also set off flares. Under England’s coronavirus rules it is unlawful for groups to gather for the purpose of protest, but opposition to such measures has grown this week, not specifically related to anti-lockdown demonstrations.
21st Mar 2021 - Reuters

Police use water cannon as German lockdown protest turns violent

Police deployed water cannon and pepper spray after a gathering of some 20,000 protesters against lockdown and other coronavirus rules in central Germany turned violent, with some demonstrators throwing bottles at police. Protesters from all over Germany converged on the central city of Kassel for the march, which was organised by the “Querdenker” - “Lateral Thinkers” - online conspiracy movement. “Bottles were thrown and there were attempts to break through barriers,” police said on Twitter.
21st Mar 2021 - Reuters

Chillicothe business, school developed virtual reality classrooms in response to COVID-19

A new partnership between a local school and a small business is helping students stay connected to their class even when learning remotely. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Bishop Flaget School and Objective Reality Games — a virtual reality arcade and game studio — collaborated to provide a new educational opportunity. By using an Oculus headset, students can visit a VR classroom, participate in lectures, complete assignments and engage with their peers all from home.
20th Mar 2021 - MSN

Covid-19 leaflets: How pandemic disinformation went offline

A newspaper dropped through Mark Langford's letterbox. It was called The Light. "The first thing you saw was the main headline: 'Covid jabs kill and injure hundreds.' I was horrified." Mr Langford confronted the woman who had delivered it. She told him she was a nurse, that the pandemic was a hoax and that no-one had died from coronavirus. He said he didn't believe a nurse would say that but didn't challenge her credentials at the time. The paper itself contained an article listing people who had allegedly died after receiving the vaccine, but provided no evidence that any of these deaths had been caused by the jab. Another section of the paper claimed face masks were responsible for "thousands" of deaths from bacterial pneumonia. There is no evidence whatsoever for this claim.
20th Mar 2021 - BBC News

Community champions sought to support those most at risk from Covid-19

Telford & Wrekin Council is looking to recruit community champions to support those most at risk of Covid-19. The council is launching a community champions project to reach residents most at risk from coronavirus, after securing £50,000 funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Borough residents are urged to volunteer to help make a difference in the communities they are living in. In particular, volunteers from 'seldom heard groups' are being asked to come forward, from groups who might be struggling to access council services (such as people from ethnic minority backgrounds or from disability communities) but applications from other communities across the borough are also welcomed.
20th Mar 2021 - Shropshire Star

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Google removed more than 99 million malicious Covid-19 ads in 2020, figures show

Google blocked or removed more than three billion adverts for violating its policies in 2020, including more than 99 million linked to the coronavirus pandemic, the company has revealed. The internet company’s annual Ads Safety Report showed it suspended 1.7 million advertiser accounts for breaking Google rules. It said a major revamp of its advertising policies, including the addition or updating of more than 40 rules for both advertisers and publishers had meant a drastic increase in the number of ads removed over the last 12 months. Among the 3.1 billion adverts removed were over 99 million related to Covid-19, many for misleading claims such as miracle cures or fake vaccine doses, but also ads for N95 masks during supply shortages
18th Mar 2021 - Evening Standard

Drive to help Wirral BAME communities feel safe about Covid jab

A Wirral woman is championing a campaign to ensure ethnic communities across the borough feel safe about having the Covid-19 vaccine. Carol Haque is encouraging others in the Bangladeshi community to take up the vaccine as the safest, most effective way to tackle the virus in a campaign launched by Cheshire and Merseyside NHS. Using insight from local research, representatives from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic will address questions about the vaccine in a series of radio adverts, posters and social media adverts.
17th Mar 2021 - Wirral Globe

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Hundreds more laptops ensure students in Lancashire are fully equipped to work remotely

Lancashire County Council has secured a further 1,000 laptops for schools to ensure that all students have the technology they need to be able to work remotely. An extra £650k for the new hardware brings the council's investment in laptops for schools to £1.47m. In total the council has secured 3,350 laptops for schools with this funding. Lancashire schools welcomed back all students earlier this month, with measures in place to prevent the spread of the virus. However schools must be able to support remote learning in cases where students are asked to self-isolate due to a confirmed case in their bubble.
17th Mar 2021 - inyourarea.co.uk

Google blocked nearly 100 million harmful Covid-19 ads in 2020

Google blocked or removed nearly 100 million adverts linked to the Covid-19 pandemic last year, new figures show. The company's Ads Safety Report revealed these formed a significant proportion of the 3.1 billion adverts it banned in total for violating its policies in 2020. Among the blocked Covid-19 adverts were many spreading misleading claims about fake vaccine doses and miracle cures. Others were seen to be profiteering from in-demand products such as face masks during supply shortages. Google said the figures are the result of increased investment in its automated detection technology and a major revamp of its advertising policies.
17th Mar 2021 - Wales Online

'You might be the only person they’ve seen all week': how two charities are tackling isolation during Covid

Social isolation has affected us all this past year, following Covid-19 into our lives like a grey shadow. The webs of restrictions and worries catch differently for each household, matter in different ways to each person, but we have all felt the effects of seeing fewer people. During the first lockdown, researchers at Queen’s University Belfast found up to 70% of people reported feeling “isolated, left out, or lacking companionship some of the time or often”. Other studies show loneliness has an impact on both physical and mental health, linking a lack of connection with others to increased risk of earlier death, heart disease, depression and dementia. Doctors have called for “urgent action” to make sure the benefits of shielding from coronavirus are not outweighed by the problems caused by being alone.
17th Mar 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Student volunteers team up with council to fight loneliness in York

York students are helping to combat loneliness in the city in a pioneering new initiative. YUSU Nightsafe has teamed up with City of York Council for a project called Door Natters, to help combat isolation during the Covid-19 Pandemic. From the University of York Students’ Union, Nightsafe normally sees volunteers help their fellow students during on nights out. Door Natters sees Nightsafe volunteers pop postcards through people’s doors across York, explaining the scheme. The volunteers then return to look out for postcards placed in windows, telling them if the person living there is vulnerable or lonely and would like a casual chat with a volunteer.
16th Mar 2021 - YorkMix

Aston Villa's Neil Taylor encourages BAME community to get coronavirus vaccine

Neil Taylor is urging BAME communities to ignore misinformation about the Covid vaccination program. Speaking in support of a campaign run by the British Red Cross to combat mistrust, the Aston Villa full back, who is of mixed Welsh and Indian descent, said he understood concerns but that the skepticism does not make sense. “We are the ones most at risk, ethnic minorities are more likely to die from this virus than anyone else so for us to be skeptical does not add up. We were all thinking; how on earth have they come up with a vaccine so quickly but it has become clear now it is working. It’s the right thing to do.”
16th Mar 2021 - The Times

COVID-19: Facebook to label all posts about vaccines with WHO information

Facebook will add labels to all posts about COVID-19 vaccines to show additional information from the World Health Organisation. The move comes amid concerns that misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines may be driving hesitancy in people receiving the jab, potentially putting themselves at risk and prolonging the coronavirus pandemic. In an announcement on Monday, the social media giant said it was working closely with the NHS and global health authorities "to deliver important public health messages quickly, helping people access credible information and get vaccinated."
16th Mar 2021 - Sky News

Raising the curtain again: London theatres prepare to re-open a year on

In an empty London theatre, producer Nica Burns sits among the once buzzing stalls hoping audiences will soon be back for good to watch live performances. A year ago, Burns shut the doors to her six theatres, where shows like “Harry Potter And The Cursed Child” and “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” played to crowds in London’s West End, as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Twelve months on, following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown for England, she is cautiously preparing to re-open them from mid-May.
16th Mar 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

To help people find Covid-19 vaccines, Facebook debuts new features

Facebook is rolling out a handful of new tools on its platforms to help people get vaccinated against Covid-19. The tech giant, which owns Instagram and WhatsApp, announced on Monday that it will use its platforms to help assist users in learning more about Covid-19 vaccines, including where and when they can get vaccinated. "Now that many countries are moving towards vaccinations for all adults, we're working on tools to make it easier for everyone to get vaccinated as well," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in prepared remarks posted to the social media platform on Monday.
15th Mar 2021 - CNN

Hungarian far-right party protests lockdown

Demonstrators in Hungary’s capital broke a ban on public gatherings on Monday to demand an end to the country’s lockdown restrictions, even as a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations sweeps the country. The demonstration was organized by a far-right party, Mi Hazank Mozgalom (Our Homeland Movement), and joined by some 1,000 people. The group broke through a police cordon and marched to Hungary’s parliament in central Budapest. They demanded an end to pandemic restrictions that have been in effect for more than four months and have placed a heavy burden on the country’s economy.
15th Mar 2021 - The Associated Press

Facebook to label vaccine posts to combat COVID-19 misinfo

Facebook is adding informational labels to posts about vaccines as it expands efforts to counter COVID-19-related misinformation flourishing on its platforms. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a blog post Monday that labels will contain “credible information” about the vaccines from the World Health Organization. They will be in English and five other languages, with more languages added in coming weeks. “For example, we’re adding a label on posts that discuss the safety of COVID-19 vaccines that notes COVID-19 vaccines go through tests for safety and effectiveness before they’re approved,” Zuckerberg said.
15th Mar 2021 - The Associated Press

Community projects to help Lewisham recover from Covid-19

Community projects that will help Lewisham recover from the Covid-19 pandemic will be able to bid for community infrastructure levy (CIL) funding from May this year. Councils can apply a levy to developments in the borough – the money is to mitigate their impact and goes towards improving local infrastructure. An open call for projects is set to be launched in mid to late May of this year and will run for eight to ten weeks.
15th Mar 2021 - London News Online

Exclusive: Regular booster vaccines are the future in battle with COVID-19 virus, top genome expert says

Regular booster vaccines against the novel coronavirus will be needed because of mutations that make it more transmissible and better able to evade human immunity, the head of Britain’s effort to sequence the virus’s genomes told Reuters. Sharon Peacock, who heads COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) which has sequenced nearly half of all the novel coronavirus genomes so far mapped globally, said international cooperation was needed in the “cat and mouse” battle with the virus. “We have to appreciate that we were always going to have to have booster doses; immunity to coronavirus doesn’t last forever,” Peacock told Reuters at the non-profit Wellcome Sanger Institute’s 55-acre campus outside Cambridge.
15th Mar 2021 - Reuters

Addiction and behavioral health care workers should have access to Covid-19 testing and vaccines

At the beginning of the pandemic, the U.S. government and private organizations rushed to support health care workers — and rightfully so — with massive ramp-ups in making available personal protective equipment and testing supplies to ensure that frontline workers had the resources they needed to keep themselves, their patients, and their families as safe as possible. These providers have been now been given priority to get the Covid-19 vaccines that are being rolled out across the country. But one group of health care workers has been excluded from these efforts: those who work in behavioral health and addiction treatment centers.
15th Mar 2021 - STAT News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

With Trump gone, QAnon groups focus fury on attacking coronavirus vaccines

Within the alternative universe of the “Q NEWS OFFICIAL TV” group on Telegram, coronavirus vaccines aren’t saving lives and bending the pandemic toward its eventual end. Rather, they are bioweapons concocted by an evil cabal of corrupt government officials and drug companies. Their goal? Depopulation. Social control. Altering the very genetic structure of our species. Such unhinged conspiracy theories once ran rampant on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. But months of purging accounts that trafficked heavily in the baseless QAnon ideology — especially after it helped fuel the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol — have reduced those voices on leading social media sites.
14th Mar 2021 - The Washington Post

Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Jews get COVID vaccine but still face resentment

Outside the synagogue in Jerusalem’s Ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood Har Nof, a poster bears the name of Osnat Ben Sheetrit, a pregnant mother of four who died of COVID-19, and the words: “For the ascension of her soul, get vaccinated.”
13th Mar 2021 - Reuters

COVID-19: Misinformation wars on WhatsApp sees faith groups take on fake news

Faith groups are leading the fight against vaccine misinformation on what one called the "lawless wasteland" of WhatsApp. Messages spreading fake COVID-19 information are widely shared on the private messaging app. This is often through a simple "forwarding" feature that copies messages to other contacts. But the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and other groups have been pushing back on that disinformation. Sky News has been collecting and analysing messages to monitor what type of misinformation is shared on WhatsApp, while also speaking to groups which are tackling the problem head on.
13th Mar 2021 - AlJazeera

Nurses fight conspiracy theories along with coronavirus

Los Angeles emergency room nurse Sandra Younan spent the last year juggling long hours as she watched many patients struggle with the coronavirus and some die. Then there were the patients who claimed the virus was fake or coughed in her face, ignoring mask rules. One man stormed out of the hospital after a positive COVID-19 test, refusing to believe it was accurate. “You have patients that are literally dying, and then you have patients that are denying the disease,” she said. “You try to educate and you try to educate, but then you just hit a wall.” Bogus claims about the virus, masks and vaccines have exploded since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic a year ago. Journalists, public health officials and tech companies have tried to push back against the falsehoods, but much of the job of correcting misinformation has fallen to the world’s front-line medical workers.
13th Mar 2021 - Associated Press

The path to the post-Covid city

The basic exchange that’s required is obvious: cities need to take space from cars, offices and shops and give it to affordable housing, community and nature. The city of the future may look a lot like the city of the past, just cleaner: bicycles, farms and 18th-century-style homeworking rather than flying cars. I’ve tried to distil the best ideas for the post-Covid city, focusing on rich-country megapolises such as London, New York and Paris. Developing-world cities have different problems, but much of what follows applies to them, too.
12th Mar 2021 - Financial Times

A tantalising glimpse of a post-vaccine world

The big threat to the “dream” scenario of governments being able to ease restrictions almost entirely as inoculation programmes end is the emergence of new variants that resist existing vaccines or cause worse symptoms and higher hospitalisations even among the young and healthy. Later rounds of jabs — booster shots against mutated strains — seem inevitable. Testing programmes may be needed for some time to hunt down new variants, and as an alternative to “vaccine passports” for those who cannot or choose not to be jabbed. Little by little, however, outlines of the post-pandemic normal are becoming discernible. Rich-world governments that are making good progress with vaccinations now need to prepare to donate their surplus doses to the developing world — to ensure they are not the only ones that can enjoy that brighter future.
12th Mar 2021 - Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Loneliness and anxiety ‘magnified’ by pandemic, say Samaritans

Loneliness, anxiety, bereavement, financial worries and relationship problems have all been “magnified” by the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health charity Samaritans Ireland has said. The organisation revealed today that their volunteers have listened to callers’s concerns for almost 73,000 hours since the pandemic began. Samaritans Regional Director Rory Fitzgerald – who also volunteers on the helpline - has estimated that three out of five calls under the current Level 5 restrictions relate to worries about the Covid-19 pandemic.
11th Mar 2021 - Irish Times

MP to host Zoom meeting to tackle post-pandemic loneliness

York Central MP Rachael Maskell is inviting constituents to a Zoom public meeting to discuss how to tackle loneliness after Covid. The Shadow Minister for Civil Society and Loneliness says she is holding the meeting because she has been contacted by a large number of people telling her they feel lonely, isolated and scared as the country eases out of its third national lockdown. She said others had experienced loneliness for a long time but longed for friends to talk to and people who cared.
11th Mar 2021 - yorkpress.co.uk

As pandemic enters 2nd year, voices of resilience emerge

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has seen death, economic hardship and anxiety on an unprecedented scale. But it has also witnessed self-sacrifice, courage and perseverance. In India, Brazil, South Africa and other places around the globe, people are helping others and reinventing themselves. “I’ve been adaptable, like water,” said a woman whose dream of becoming a U.S. boxing champion was dealt a blow by the crisis, though not necessarily a knockout punch. Their voices and images can inspire, even though the future is as uncertain for them as it is for everyone else.
11th Mar 2021 - Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

How virtual fitness classes are providing much-needed community right now

Among the (many) mental health challenges of a year-long pandemic is the loneliness and isolation of social distancing — and digital fitness platforms have emerged as a way for people to find meaningful connection with others. “COVID-19 altered the way people spend their time. We are no longer commuting to large offices, meeting friends for happy hour or interacting at special events,” said Kinsey Livingston, vice president of partnerships at ClassPass. “For many people, physical activity and connectedness top the list of our mental health needs, and we are turning to virtual, outdoor and distanced studio workouts as a healthy coping mechanism for pandemic stress.” Fitness has always had a strong community aspect, but being able to tap into this connection digitally has been a lifesaver for many.
10th Mar 2021 - MSN.com

COVID-19: Wales to prioritise homeless for jabs during coronavirus vaccine rollout

Homeless people in Wales will be prioritised for a coronavirus vaccine as they are more likely to have an underlying health problem, the Welsh government has said. Health Minister Vaughan Gething said this includes rough sleepers, those in emergency accommodation, and people who were recently homeless and are now in supported accommodation. Mr Gething, who was speaking during a Welsh government coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, said those people will now be part of priority group six in the country's vaccine roll-out.
10th Mar 2021 - Sky News

Facebook to tackle coronavirus vaccine misinformation

Facebook is launching a media literacy campaign to tackle the spread of false information about the coronavirus vaccine. It follows vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi last month telling Sky News the government was battling a "tsunami of disinformation" around the jabs as well as the coronavirus pandemic itself. Facebook previously announced that it would be banning proven false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, but warned it would "not be able to start enforcing these policies overnight".
10th Mar 2021 - Sky News

A look at the Covid-19 disinformation pushed by China and Russia

CNN's John Avlon looks back at the disinformation around Covid-19, as the US reaches the milestone of one year into the pandemic.
10th Mar 2021 - CNN on MSN.com

Michigan vaccine hunters and angels help seniors find coronavirus vaccine appointments

Trying to find a coronavirus vaccine appointment for her elderly family members was like firing a blind shot in the dark, said Elizabeth Griem. “I’m in my 30′s, I could only imagine what it would be like as someone (who is) 80 trying to navigate that,” Griem said. After sorting out vaccines for her father and father in-law, Griem met Katie Monaghan and began helping more seniors find vaccines. Monaghan noticed vaccine hunter Facebook groups popping up in other states, so she decided to start some in Michigan. Vaccine hunting is a national trend taking place mostly on Facebook where people find coronavirus vaccines and crowdsource information about them
10th Mar 2021 - MLive.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus vaccine bots: A force for good or agents of chaos?

Amateurs have been setting up automated bots to scan the websites of clinics in search of new appointment information before posting their findings on social media - a practice known as “web scraping” - which is proving popular with grateful Twitter users relieved to have had their attention drawn to an open slot on behalf of an elderly relative. South Jersey-resident Benjamin Shover tweeted his thanks to Vaccine Bot NJ, built by local software engineer Kenneth Hsu, on 23 February after securing an appointment for his father, writing: “THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I GOT MY DAD AN APPOINTMENT! THANK YOU SO MUCH!”
9th Mar 2021 - The Independent

Vaccine tips and tricks: a start-up industry helps Americans find a shot

The US has now delivered first doses of a coronavirus vaccine to 21 per cent of its adult population, making it the sixth fastest Covid-19 vaccine programme in the world. On Saturday the country administered a record 2.9m shots, the White House announced on Monday. But the rollout has been patchy, with states, local health departments, individual clinics and private pharmacy chains all running their own systems. On top of this, many states are now allowing anyone with an underlying condition to claim a vaccine — a group that can account for as much as 60 per cent of the population. So many people are now eligible for so few doses that people are doing anything they can to secure highly sought-after appointments. Some are lining up for 12 hours outside supermarkets to secure unclaimed vaccines; others are tapping up networks of friendly pharmacists and nurses to find out when appointments become available; some are monitoring registration websites throughout the day and night.
9th Mar 2021 - Financial Times

More than 100 vaccine hesitant people have now had coronavirus jab - after being contacted in mother tongue

In Manchester, more than 100 people who had previously refused or ignored the coronavirus vaccine offer have now had the jab - after being contacted in their mother tongue. A multilingual team called dozens of people of Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds in south Manchester to answer questions and “debunk vaccination myths”. The volunteers rang people identified by GPs at Ladybarn Group Practice, Al-Shifa Medical Centre and David Medical centre to discuss specific concerns. As a result, 110 people had their vaccinations at Chancellors Hotel, in Fallowfield, where more multilingual staff and translated materials were available
9th Mar 2021 - Manchester Evening News

Corby wellbeing programme helped by £31,000 boost from Loneliness and Isolation Fund

A Corby community-led arts consortium will be able to give their wellbeing programme a shot in the arm to help those suffering from isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Made With Many’s Corby arts programme has received a £31,000 boost for creative projects from the government’s Loneliness and Isolation Fund, to allow it to reach more people with their cultural and creative activities.
9th Mar 2021 - Northants Telegraph

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Virtual lessons on the world of farming for British Science Week

More than 200,000 primary school pupils are delving into the world of food and farming in one of the country’s biggest virtual classrooms this week, as the National Farming Union broadcasts live lessons to celebrate British Science Week.
8th Mar 2021 - shropshirestar.com

Russian Intelligence Linked to Spread of False Info About COVID-19 Vaccines

Four websites featuring articles that cast doubt about the COVID-19 vaccines have been traced back to Russian intelligence agencies as part of their alleged campaign to diminish confidence in the drug’s efficacy and safety, the Wall Street Journal reports. An official with the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center found that these online publications, which have been identified as New Eastern Outlook, Oriental Review, News Front, and Rebel Inside, are spreading false or misleading information about the side effects of the Pfizer vaccine and the United States’ role in attempting to rush its approval by Food and Drug Administration. While the readership on these sites is quite low, there’s concern that these articles could garner more attention if they were to be picked up and circulated by international outlets.
8th Mar 2021 - Yahoo

Yellen says COVID-19 having 'extremely unfair' impact on women's income, jobs

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an “extremely unfair” impact on the income and economic opportunities of women, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday, calling for long-term steps to improve labor market conditions for women. Yellen, in a dialogue with International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva, said it was critical to address the risk that the pandemic would leave permanent scars, reducing the prospects for women in the workplace and the economy.
8th Mar 2021 - Reuters

‘Disparities we had before played out during the pandemic’

Black, Asian and other minorities in the United Kingdom have been disproportionately struck by COVID-19, with some communities still experiencing a higher rate of hospitalisations and deaths as the pandemic continues. Over the past year, several reports and studies have underscored that this bleak reality is a consequence of structural racism. In an interview with Al Jazeera, British Medical Association chief Chaand Nagpaul says the government must now acknowledge the “structural inequalities that have plagued our society for decades” if it is to address healthcare disparities. He spoke about the UK’s handling of the pandemic, how lessons from a public inquiry will help save lives in the future, and why some ethnic minorities are reluctant to take the vaccine.
8th Mar 2021 - AlJazeera

One in four remain unwilling to get coronavirus vaccine: poll

A new poll released by Monmouth University on Monday found that, while a majority of people reported being satisfied with the coronavirus vaccine rollout, 1 in 4 still say they do not plan on getting the shot. “The American public has become less concerned about contracting Covid-19 since vaccines have become more widely available. However, 1 in 4 remain unwilling to get the shot, even though most are satisfied with the vaccine rollout so far,” the university said in a press release. “The Monmouth University Poll also finds that public opinion of how state governors and federal health agencies have handled the pandemic remain largely positive, although not quite as positive as they were at its onset one year ago. Confidence in President Joe Biden’s ability to get the outbreak under control has dipped since he first took office, but remains largely positive.”
8th Mar 2021 - The Hill

Covid-19: Essex boy's lockdown art project raises £100k for NHS charity

In England, a 12-year-old boy's lockdown art project has raised about £100,000 for charity, after 250 artists came forward to help him. Noah, who has hydrocephalus, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, began painting on cardboard at home in Dedham, Essex, a year ago. His father posted on Instagram, asking artists to finish the pictures. More than 200 pieces were then auctioned on eBay and raised more than £80,000, with the rest made up from book sales featuring the art and donations. Noah's father Nathan Jones said they had originally hoped to raise £500 and were "absolutely stunned" by the total.
8th Mar 2021 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Paris police clear Seine riverside over lack of social distancing

French police cleared the banks of the River Seine in central Paris on Saturday over concerns people were getting too close together and not respecting coronavirus social distancing rules. Hundreds of people were asked to leave the area - popular for strolling and picnicking on sunny days - and police officers closed the riverbanks for the rest of the day. “Social distancing rules are not being respected,” police called out through a megaphone. The police has regularly been clearing the area over the past few weeks with warmer weather bringing people out to take advantage of the sunshine before a curfew kicks in from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
7th Mar 2021 - Reuters

Night and day in South America: Buenos Aires welcomes nightlife, new lockdowns in Brazil

In Buenos Aires on Friday night the doors of the Colón Theater reopened for the first time in a year since being shut because of the coronavirus pandemic, a sign of how the capital of Argentina is slowly letting its hair down once again. In neighboring Brazil, however, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have gone in the opposition direction, both announcing tighter restrictions this week, a reflection of how the two regional powerhouses are on completely different tracks battling the virus.
7th Mar 2021 - Reuters

Dutch dance lovers offered lockdown relief at test event

Dance music lovers in Amsterdam were offered a short relief from COVID-19 lockdown on Saturday, treated to their first live show in over a year while serving as guinea pigs in a research project. A total of 1,300 people were allowed at a carefully orchestrated test event in Amsterdam’s biggest music hall, the ZiggoDome, which in normal times has a capacity of up to 17,000. Dancing to tunes delivered by Dutch DJs Sam Feldt, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano and others, the fans were followed in all their movements and contacts through a tag they were made to wear, in an effort to see how events might safely be opened up for the public again.
7th Mar 2021 - Reuters

Funding joy for organisers of Bishop's Stortford's Covid-19 lifeline support scheme Operation CommUNITY

A "fantastic web of support" is keeping Bishop's Stortford-based lifeline scheme Operation CommUNITY on track – and organisers have revealed they have secured funding until the end of March. The scheme, which was launched in March 2020 at the start of the first coronavirus lockdown to support vulnerable people, ran out of funding in January but received a Covid Winter Grant of £9,634 from Hertfordshire Community Foundation to keep its vital support network going. Lisa Rodmell, of Bishop's Wellbeing and lead volunteer for Operation CommUNITY, revealed the scheme had delivered 4,999 meals to individuals, families and homeless people, and heaped praise on the community for its continued support.
7th Mar 2021 - Bishops Stortford Independent

New York cinemas reopen, brightening outlook for theaters

After growing cobwebs for nearly a year, movie theaters in New York City reopen Friday, returning film titles to Manhattan marquees that had for the last 12 months instead read messages like “Wear a mask” and “We’ll be back soon.” For a theatrical business that has been punished by the pandemic, the resumption of moviegoing in New York — is a crucial first step in revival. “It’s a symbolic moment,” said Michael Barker, co-president of the New York-based Sony Pictures Classics, which on Friday released the Oscar contenders “The Father” and “The Truffle Hunters” in Manhattan theaters. “It says that there is hope for the theatrical world to reactivate itself.”
6th Mar 2021 - The Associated Press

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

California to give 40% of vaccine to Latino, high-risk areas

California will begin sending 40% of all vaccine doses to the most vulnerable neighborhoods in the state to try to inoculate people most at risk from the coronavirus and get the state’s economy open more quickly, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday in the latest shake-up to the state’s rules. The doses will be spread among 400 ZIP codes where there are about 8 million people eligible for shots, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s health and human services secretary. Many of the neighborhoods are in Los Angeles County and the central valley, which have had among the highest rates of infection.
5th Mar 2021 - The Associated Press

An Uncertain Public — Encouraging Acceptance of Covid-19 Vaccines | NEJM

Having explored multiple polls, we believe that there is great potential for public willingness to receive Covid-19 vaccines but that effective public education and outreach are needed to maximize the proportion of the population that will do so quickly. We also believe that clinical physicians, rather than pharmaceutical companies, political leaders, or even medical scientists, should be at the fore of education and outreach strategies. Featuring clinicians in messaging is particularly important given that many people will not see their own physician when making vaccination decisions: current vaccine policy and cold-chain logistics mean that people will largely be attending mass-vaccination clinics. To reach communities that are less trusting of vaccine efforts, outreach should be led by, or should meaningfully incorporate, physicians reflecting the diversity of the relevant communities.
4th Mar 2021 - nejm.org

COVID-19: 'Light at the end of the tunnel' as pubs and bars announce outdoor area reopening plans

Wetherspoons will open patios, beer gardens and rooftop gardens at 394 of its pubs in England from 12 April as COVID-19 restrictions ease, the pub chain has announced. Revolution Bars, another chain, said it would reopen 20 venues from April as its boss said "the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter".The announcement comes after Chancellor Rishi Sunak extended a business rates holiday and VAT cut for the hospitality sector in the budget, as well as extending the furlough scheme.
4th Mar 2021 - Sky News

Croydon organisation works to dispel Covid-19 vaccine myths in BAME communities

Croydon BME Forum is joining forces with local organisations in a bid to inform the black community about the Covid-19 vaccines following the recent low uptake. A recent study by the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that 21 per cent of black people over the age of 80, who are currently eligible to have the vaccine, have been vaccinated compared to 43 per cent of their white counterparts.Croydon BME Forum is partnering with South West London CCG and the Asian Resource Centre to deliver an outreach programme aimed at those from BAME communities to inform and answer questions. Upcoming plans include interactive Zoom events, smaller community sessions held online and video interviews with health experts.
4th Mar 2021 - inyourarea.co.uk

'Vaccine hunters': Online community helps people find COVID vaccine appointments

Since it launched on Feb. 1, the vaccine hunters Facebook group has grown to more than 20,000 members and now helps people across Minnesota find and sign up for appointments each day. Members share tips about when vaccine appointments open online, photos of themselves or their parents getting vaccines and stories of what they went through to get COVID-19 shots. The administrators also update a separate website several times a day. Winnie Williams, a freelance software developer, manages the vaccine hunter website and helps individuals book appointments from her home in Woodbury, Minn.
4th Mar 2021 - MPR News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

CRISPR rivals put patents aside to help in fight against Covid-19

Coronavirus made the rivalry less cutthroat because patents were not a paramount concern. “The awesomely good thing about this terrible situation is that all the intellectual property questions have been put aside, and everyone’s really intent on just finding solutions,” said Chen. “People are focused on getting something out there that works, rather than on the business aspect of it.” The ultimate goal for both teams is to create CRISPR-based coronavirus tests that would be like a home pregnancy test: cheap, disposable, fast, and simple, something you could buy at the corner drugstore and use in the privacy of your home. Harrington and Chen of the Mammoth team unveiled their concept for such a device in May 2020 and announced a partnership with the London-based multinational pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline to manufacture it. It would provide accurate results in 20 minutes and require no special equipment.
3rd Mar 2021 - STAT News

US Catholic group tells followers to avoid Johnson & Johnson vaccine

An American Catholic church body on Tuesday urged its followers to avoid the coronavirus vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson, alleging that it was “developed, tested and produced using abortion-derived cell lines.” The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) urged Catholics to choose between the alternatives offered by Pfizer and Moderna because the J&J vaccine raised questions about “moral permissibility.” “The approval of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine for use in the United States again raises questions about the moral permissibility of using vaccines developed, tested, and/or produced with the help of abortion-derived cell lines,” said Bishop Kevin C Rhoades, chairman of USCCB. The body said the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are preferable “if one has the ability to choose a vaccine.”
3rd Mar 2021 - The Independent

Covid-19: Sprinter urges BAME groups to 'have conversation' about the jab

A British sprinter has urged black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities to "have the conversation" about the coronavirus vaccine. Eugene Amo-Dadzie, from east London, said he had overcome his concerns after discussing them with a family member. New research shows people from ethnic minorities have been less likely to want to get vaccinated and trust family members' views over the government. Amo-Dadzie said he had "responsibility" over his career and family. "Let's have the conversation, let's ask the questions, let's understand what our fears and hesitancies are, and then let's deal with those and move forward," he said.
3rd Mar 2021 - BBC News

Chinese groups in UK are being taught how to handle Covid hate crimes after brutal attack on lecturer

Community groups supporting Chinese and other East Asian communities in the UK are being trained to support victims of Covid-related racial attacks, after a Chinese lecturer was assaulted last week. Peng Wang, 37, was brutally attacked by four men while he was jogging near his home in Southampton last Tuesday. He sustained facial injuries and an injury to his elbow in the attack, which took place at around 4.15pm on Vosper Road, Southampton. The men drove past Mr Wang in a car and shouted abuse at him. When the University of Southampton lecturer shouted back to defend himself, they stopped the car and assaulted him. Police arrested a 23-year-old man from Southampton on suspicion of racially aggravated assault. He was released from custody but remains under investigation.
3rd Mar 2021 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Rochdale charity helps older adults keep active and get online to avoid lockdown loneliness

In England, Rochdale based culture and leisure charity, Link4Life, is continuing to support the local community get through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic even as the doors remain closed on their leisure centres, Touchstones Museum and Art Gallery and their other live event venues. The charity launched ‘Link4Life at Home’ during the first lockdown to offer a virtual alternative to the pre-pandemic sessions, which take place at Link4Life’s venues, helping people stay active, creative and healthy at home. This virtual support is planned to continue for the foreseeable future to ensure accessibility for all.
2nd Mar 2021 - AboutManchester

COVID-19: Twitter expands 'warning labels' to target misleading vaccine posts

Twitter is expanding its use of warning labels, targeting tweets that contain misleading details about coronavirus vaccines. The decision has been made to strengthen the social network's existing COVID-19 guidance, which has led to the removal of more than 8,400 tweets and challenged 11.5 million accounts worldwide. Labels providing additional context are already attached to tweets with disputed information about the pandemic. However, this is the first time the firm has focused on posts about vaccines specifically. Twitter said it is starting a strike system that "determines when further enforcement action is necessary".
2nd Mar 2021 - Sky News

A third of all military personnel are refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine

A third of all military personnel in the U.S. are refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, and in some units just 30% of enlistees are willing to have a shot, according to a new report. The figure is alarming commanders as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage across the United States. Personnel who refuse the vaccine will face no repercussions due to a federal law that 'prohibits the mandatory application of medicines within the military that are not fully licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration', The Nation reports.
2nd Mar 2021 - Daily Mail

Google and University of Oxford launch global Covid-19 tracker platform

Google.org, the charitable arm of Google, along with the University of Oxford and others have launched a global data repository to help track Covid-19 variants and future infectious diseases. Global.health is an open-access store and builds on an idea first initiated by University of Oxford researchers in January 2020, which involved building a Covid-19 database which pulls together anonymised data on as many individual cases as possible. The university also launched an online tool for tracking and comparing the policy responses of governments around the world tackling the coronavirus outbreak in July 2020. Following early investment by the Oxford Martin School at the start of the pandemic, Google.org provided funding and a team of 10 fulltime Google.org Fellows and seven part-time Google.org volunteers to scale up the project. The Rockefeller Foundation has also provided funding.
2nd Mar 2021 - Digital Health

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Charity issues plea for volunteers amid spike in loneliness and isolation in Aberdeen

A north-east charity in Scotland has issued a plea seeking volunteers who can bring hope and joy to people’s lives. As part of their new befriending service, Aberdeen based TLC are calling on those in the surrounding area to step up and help support others. Starting in April, it is hoped that members of the community can help alleviate the loneliness and isolation being felt by many during the pandemic. Through their outreach work into communities across the city, the charity has witnessed a spike in people finding their physical, emotional and mental health in decline.
1st Mar 2021 - The Press and Journal

Food boxes 'only way to defeat Covid in lockdown' say Isle of Dogs volunteers

In England, a “mega food distribution” to beat isolation is being run by volunteers on the Isle of Dogs to reach households in lockdown. Members of the Island Network of voluntary groups were out at the weekend taking food packs to those staying indoors, including the elderly, disabled and anyone in poverty. The volunteers are also planning to distribute packs today, Monday, March 1, to primary schools in the area to be given to the most needy.
1st Mar 2021 - East London Advertiser

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Mar 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid has connected UK communities and spurred volunteering, report finds

In the UK, the coronavirus pandemic has fostered “a greater sense of connection”, spurring millions to volunteer to help others in their communities, research suggests. An ICM poll found that almost three times as many people said Covid had made their community more united (41%) than said it had become more divided (13%). When extrapolated to the entire UK population, the results of the nationally representative survey of 2,373 UK adults suggest 12.4 million adults volunteered during the pandemic. Out of these, 4.6 million were first-time volunteers, of which 3.8 million people were interested in volunteering again.
28th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

Germans say ‘Nein Danke’ to Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine

The head of STIKO, Thomas Mertens, conceded on BBC's Radio 4 Today program Thursday morning that in terms of slow take-up, his panel's assessment "may be part of the problem." "[Even though] we always stated that [our assessment] had nothing to do with the safety of the vaccine ... we never criticized the vaccine to be unsafe," he added. Mertens noted that there are now 1.4 million doses of the vaccine in Germany, while only about 240,000 have been administered. "We are working quite hard … to try and convince people to accept the vaccine and really to build ... trust in the vaccine among the population," he said. The government is also rushing to regain this trust, assuring citizens that the vaccine provides reliable protection from severe and lethal cases of COVID-19. "The vaccine ... is safe and highly effective," tweeted government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Monday. "It prevents many infections and protects against serious illnesses. Vaccination can save lives."
27th Feb 2021 - POLITICO.eu

Is Covid at risk of becoming a disease of the poor?

Detailed data on uptake down to a community level is not being published by the government to the frustration of many - the figures for Birmingham were published by the council. But what information is available suggests the poorest and most ethnically diverse communities (there is a huge overlap between the two) are seeing the lowest levels of uptake.
27th Feb 2021 - BBC News

Funding boost for groups helping COVID hit communities

A housing trust has given community groups in Birmingham and Telford that are working to help those hit hardest by the impacts of COVID-19 a funding boost. Bournville Village Trust has awarded grants totalling £17,500 to 15 grass-roots groups as part of a commitment to support communities through the pandemic.
26th Feb 2021 - CharityToday

Charity drive to bring North West communities together over covid rules

New research shows that more than half of the people living in the North West of England believe those who disagree on rules around covid 19 are a threat to the country’s future. The charity Engage Britain is launching a national drive to help bring communities back together. It comes after the poll asked people in the North West about how issues like the vaccine and lockdown rules are impacting their lives. Boris Johnson has laid out his road map out of lockdown, but the survey found that community spirit is still fading after battling the pandemic for almost a year. 22% of residents said they’ve become more suspicious of people in their community with a different approach to the rules.
26th Feb 2021 - ITV News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

England minorities: Higher COVID-19 cases, fewer vaccinated

England’s ethnic minority communities have higher levels of COVID-19 infections and lower levels of vaccine acceptance than other groups, according to a new study that highlights how the pandemic is worsening health inequalities. The study found that 92% of people across England either have received or would accept a vaccine. But that figure dropped to 87.6% for Asians and 72.5% for Blacks, according to the study released Thursday by Imperial College London. Researchers also found that most people of all age groups produced disease-fighting antibodies after two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
25th Feb 2021 - The Independent

COVID-19: Anti-fraud probe as EU nations are offered 900 million 'ghost' jabs worth €12.7bn

Fraudsters are trying to cash in on mistakes made by the EU's coronavirus vaccination campaign by offering millions of scam jabs to member states. The bloc's anti-fraud agency OLAF said around 900 million vaccines have been pitched to several countries for €12.7bn (£11bn). These offers were said to be made by "alleged intermediaries," prompting OLAF to investigate. Pharmaceutical companies involved in making vaccines against COVID-19 say they sell to governments direct only.
25th Feb 2021 - Sky News

COVID-19: Almost 70,000 COVID lockdown fines handed out, with steep rise since Christmas

Police have handed out nearly 70,000 fines to people for breaching COVID-19 lockdown rules since they came into force, with more than 6,000 issued in a single week, new data shows. Figures published by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) on Thursday show that a total of 68,952 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) were issues by forces. Of this figure, 63,201 fines were handed out in England and 5,751 in Wales between 27 March last year and 14 February.
25th Feb 2021 - Sky News

The Good, the Bad, and the Embarrassing in America’s COVID-19 Response

The pandemic has been both a bad and an embarrassing time to be an American. Bad in an actuarial sense, because per-capita death rates here have been among the highest in the world. Embarrassing at the level of national identity. In Washington, last year, the President promised that the virus would be gone by Easter, and when it wasn’t he mused that Americans might self-treat with bleach. In Michigan, armed men guarded a barbershop that had defied public-health orders to close. On South Padre Island, in Texas, spring break proceeded as usual—packed and unmasked—even as cases were climbing. The state’s lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, insisted that there were “more important things than living”; later, he urged Texans to keep the economy open even if it meant more deaths.
25th Feb 2021 - The New Yorker

Far right 'exploiting' anger at lockdowns to radicalise wellness community, police say

Rightwing extremist groups have “exploited” anger at Covid-19 lockdowns to radicalise Australians in wellness and alternative medical circles into adopting white supremacist ideologies, Victoria police have warned a parliamentary inquiry into extremism. The inquiry into extremist movements and radicalism has separately been warned by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that Australians as young as 13 are involved in onshore terrorism, both in Islamist and rightwing extremist circles, and that encrypted online communication channels are preventing authorities from intervening before “lone actors” become radicalised and carry out attacks.
25th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

Covid 19 coronavirus in NZ: One year into the pandemic, five lessons for 2021 and beyond

Exactly one year ago tomorrow, the first confirmed case of Covid-19 arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand. What are some of the lessons we have learned about this pandemic? And what are the implications for improving our response in future? Arguably, New Zealand's greatest lesson is that an elimination strategy is the optimal response for a moderate to severe pandemic like Covid-19. The strategy provides a vivid example of how protecting public health also protects the economy when compared with mitigation or suppression strategies. This successful approach has required decisive science-backed government action and outstanding communication to create the social licence needed for an effective response.
25th Feb 2021 - New Zealand Herald

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

All adults in Wales will get a coronavirus vaccine by July 31, says nation's health minister

Every adults in Wales eligible for coronavirus vaccine will receive a jab by July 31, health minister Vaughan Gething has announced. He said that Wales would be able to offer a vaccine to all eligible adults by July 31, provided that the supply promised by the UK government was fulfilled. Mr Gething said: "Our incredible vaccine programme is the other beacon of hope that will help guide us out of lockdown. I can today confirm that we will offer the vaccine to all eligible adults in Wales by 31 July, as long as the supply matches our ambition."
24th Feb 2021 - Wales Online

Italian mafia tightens grip on small businesses during lockdown

The provision of Mafia “welfare” to Italy’s struggling small businesses sharply increased during the first months of the Covid-19 lockdown according to the first comprehensive report by the country’s interior ministry on organised crime since the pandemic began. The report by the anti-mafia investigation directorate (DIA) said there was a significant threat that organised criminals would take advantage of the country’s economic crisis to take over small businesses after initially providing them with assistance.
24th Feb 2021 - Financial Times

Holidaymakers rush to book summer getaways to Greece, Spain and Turkey after PM announced aim to restart international travel from May 17 - but SAGE scientist warns don't book a trip abroad before 2023

Britons are rushing to book their summer getaways ahead of the return of international travel from May 17 - despite a SAGE professor warning holidaymakers not to go on foreign trips before 2023. Some of Britain's biggest airlines and travel firms revealed a surge in holiday bookings to destinations including Greece, Spain and Turkey in the hours after Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled the roadmap out of lockdown yesterday.
24th Feb 2021 - Daily Mail

China's bid to stop Wuhan COVID-19 spread cut deaths from other causes: study

The number of deaths in China - excluding the coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan - fell slightly during the first three months of 2020, suggesting efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 reduced fatalities from other causes, a new study showed. Researchers from the University of Oxford and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysed official death registry data from Jan. 1 to March 31 last year for changes in overall and cause-specific deaths. The death rate in Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was first identified, stood at 1,147 per 100,000 over the period, 56% higher than expected, they found in the study published on Wednesday by BMJ, the journal of the British Medical Association.
24th Feb 2021 - Yahoo News Singapore

EU mulls vaccination passports to resurrect tourism after COVID-19

European Union leaders will agree on Thursday to work on certificates of vaccination for EU citizens who have had an anti-COVID shot, with southern EU countries that depend heavily on tourism desperate to rescue this summer’s holiday season. Lockdowns to slow the pandemic caused the deepest ever economic recession in the 27-nation bloc last year, hitting the south of the EU, where economies are often much more dependent on visitors, disproportionately hard. With the rollout of vaccines against COVID-19 now gathering pace, some governments, like those of Greece and Spain, are pushing for a quick adoption of an EU-wide certificate for those already inoculated so that people can travel again. However, other countries, such as France and Germany, appear more reluctant, as officials there say it could create de facto vaccination obligation and would be discriminatory to those who cannot or will not take a jab.
24th Feb 2021 - Reuters

Doctors and nurses face endless covid misinformation battle

Nakhasi is one of countless health-care workers who have found themselves combating the coronavirus on two fronts during a global pandemic that is now stretching into its 12th month. Beyond spending their working hours in hospitals and clinics, many doctors and nurses have also voluntarily entrenched themselves in “the information war,” as Nakhasi calls it. It’s a fight Nakhasi and other medical professionals say feels overwhelming. Baseless claims often spread faster than facts, and purveyors of misinformation are quick to retaliate with vitriol and threats. And yet, health-care workers, many of whom are already experiencing burnout and the emotional toll of witnessing covid ravage their patients, haven’t backed down. “It’s never-ending,” Nakhasi said. “There’s not a moment where I don’t feel some level of duty or responsibility” to take action.
24th Feb 2021 - The Washington Post

Mission Possible: Pfizer and BioNTech star in their own vaccine discovery movie

The movie-length product placement is a behind-the-scenes look at Comirnaty, the now-authorized coronavirus shot Pfizer developed and produced in concert with its partner BioNTech. Pfizer provided the National Geographic's scientific storytellers “unprecedented access” to the vaccine's development, said Sally Susman, Pfizer executive VP and chief of corporate affairs, said. “This film is riveting and suspenseful,” Susman said in a media backgrounder from Disney Advertising Sales, the Disney group that oversees National Geographic’s CreativeWorks branded content studio, which created the film. “It is a testament to all of our employees and partners across the biopharmaceutical industry who have put in the long hours of tireless dedication and sacrifice, often working away from their families."
24th Feb 2021 - FiercePharma

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Even the World's Most-Vaccinated Economy Faces a Tough Reopening

But even as that brings hope for businesses shuttered for months, and for economies across the globe that have spent trillions of dollars to support people during lockdowns, the Israel experience shows that an emerging new normal that may not look much like the pre-pandemic world for some time to come.
24th Feb 2021 - Bloomberg

'Closer to normality': New York City arenas open doors to elated fans

On Tuesday, standing outside Madison Square Garden in the chilly February air, Cumello was grateful her long-awaited game had finally arrived. “I’m really excited that we finally got to go because I was really upset when it got canceled,” said Cumello, who plays point guard in her youth league in Fairfield, Connecticut. “I’m excited that we just get to be here and get to watch.” Cumello and her mother were among the 2,000 fans ready to watch the New York Knicks take on the Warriors, as New York City welcomed ticketholders at live sports events for the first time since the pandemic brought sports to a halt nearly a year ago.
24th Feb 2021 - Reuters

Covid-19 could become disease of the poor and persist in some areas of UK, expert warns

Dr Mike Tildesley, reader in mathematical modelling of infectious diseases at the University of Warwick and member of the Government advisory group SPI-M, said that he was "concerned" that the virus might persist particular parts of the country. Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme whether Covid-19 could remain a "disease of the deprived", he said: "This is a real concern actually for me and I know a number of other scientists have raised this, that we may end up in a situation where we have the 'vaccine rich' and as it were, who are able to access the vaccine who have taken up the vaccine and are at much lower risk.
23rd Feb 2021 - Mirror Online

Fauci: Vaccinated people shouldn't dine indoors or go to the theater quite yet

Dr. Anthony Fauci cautions against indoor dining and theatergoing even for those fully vaccinated. The number of coronavirus cases in the US remains high. He said it'd be safer to gather indoors again as more people get vaccinated and COVID-19 cases drop.
23rd Feb 2021 - Business Insider

COVID-19: How European nations are trying to plot route out of lockdown

The details of England's route out of lockdown were revealed this week. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is "very optimistic" he will be able to remove all coronavirus restrictions by 21 June under his four-stage plan. But how are European countries faring in the second year of the pandemic?
23rd Feb 2021 - Sky News

Holiday bookings surge in UK after lockdown exit plans revealed

Airlines and travel companies have reported a surge in holiday bookings after the Boris Johnson announced his roadmap out of lockdown. EasyJet, Ryanair, Tui and Thomas Cook reported a jump in bookings to destinations including Spain and Greece after the prime minister said international trips could potentially resume from 17 May, subject to review and assuming there was no resurgence in coronavirus and vaccination programmes went well. The increase bolstered shares in airlines and travel companies on Tuesday. EasyJet and Tui were among the top risers on the FTSE 250, up 7% and 3% respectively. On the FTSE 100, British Airways’ owner International Airlines Group, was up 3.5%.
23rd Feb 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

False claims tying coronavirus vaccines to infertility drive doubts among women of childbearing age

As the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine ramps up across the United States, women of childbearing age have emerged as a surprising roadblock to efforts to halt the pandemic by achieving herd immunity. Officials have encountered hesitancy among other groups, including some Black and Hispanic adults and those who believe the pandemic is a hoax. But the reluctance of women in their 20s and 30s — largely around disinformation spread on Facebook, Twitter and other social media — has been more unexpected. With such women making up a large share of the health-care workforce, vaccine uptake at nursing homes and hospitals has been as low as 20 to 50 percent in some places — a far cry from the 70 to 85 percent population target that health officials say may be needed to stop the virus.
22nd Feb 2021 - The Washington Post

Spanish region vaccinates 7,000 adults living with a disability in a week

In Spain, Extremadura last week took on the challenge of vaccinating 7,000 adults with need for daily care who are not in residences, and their professional carers in a week. This group included people who need help to carry out basic tasks, recognized as Grade III dependents under the Law of Dependency, those who have asked to be recognized in this category and those who, without having made any request, are accredited with suffering from a disease which requires them to have significant support measures. Thanks to the support of family and health workers, the vaccination day was “surprisingly easy,” said the coordinator of the drive, Paula Salamanca. Red Cross teams, which facilitated up to 300 trips to the center, were also key. Salamanca said that it all comes down to teamwork: “If one of us fails, we all fail.”
22nd Feb 2021 - El País

ER doctor documents COVID-19 battle in LA hospital with emotional photographs

Dr Scott Kobner, 29, chief resident at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center’s Department of Emergency Medicine, documented his front-line colleagues The amateur photographer took pictures of doctors and patients at the 600-bed public hospital using Leica M6 and M10 cameras and posted them on Instagram Dr Kobner had permission from the hospital and patients. Kobner, originally from New York, doesn't photograph people he treats but comes in on his days off instead. He tested positive for the virus in the summer but recovered alone at home In LA County, more than 19,880 people have died of COVID-19. There is a long history of photographing medical treatment during disasters that gained popularity in the US during the Civil War
22nd Feb 2021 - Daily Mail

A year after its 1st COVID-19 cases were discovered, Italy is cautiously bouncing back

Italy discovered its first COVID-19 infections one year ago. The outbreak led to the first nationwide lockdown outside of China, and it has claimed more than 95,000 lives across the country. But as CBS News correspondent Chris Livesay reports, it's a very different story there now. Life has slowly been returning to normal, and Italians packed the streets over the weekend – even in the country's north, which was once the epicenter of its coronavirus epidemic. Old traditions are bouncing back across Italy, but with some differences. A year ago, something as simple as drinking a cappuccino out in the open had become unthinkable. Life is hardly back to normal; the law still requires that you to wear a mask at all times in public, even outside, except when you're eating or drinking.
22nd Feb 2021 - CBS News

This UK lockdown must be the last. Here's how we can achieve that

As the UK has yo-yoed in and out of multiple lockdowns, restrictions have harmed people’s livelihoods, businesses, mental and physical health, and their quality of life. In the first and second lockdowns, these restrictions proved insufficient to permanently drive down the prevalence of Covid-19. This time, we have been promised that all adults will have received their first vaccine dose by July – but its level of effectiveness, coupled with the potential emergence of new strains of the virus, means the vaccine rollout will not be a complete solution to the pandemic.
22nd Feb 2021 - The Guardian

French city of Nice asks tourists to stay away amid COVID surge

The mayor of Nice in southern France called on Sunday for a weekend lockdown in the area to reduce the flow of tourists as it battles a sharp spike in coronavirus infections to triple the national rate. The Nice area has France’s highest COVID-19 infection rate, with 740 new cases per week per 100,000 residents, according to Covidtracker.fr. “We need strong measures that go beyond the nationwide 6 p.m. curfew, either tighter curfew, or a partial and time-specific lockdown. A weekend lockdown would make sense,” Mayor Christian Estrosi said on franceinfo radio. Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Saturday the government would decide this weekend on tightening virus control measures in the Mediterranean city.
22nd Feb 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Britain to offer all adults a COVID-19 vaccine by end of July

All adults in Britain will be offered a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday ahead of a planned announcement on the cautious reopening of the economy from lockdown. Johnson will set out a roadmap to ease England’s third national lockdown on Monday, having met a target to vaccinate 15 million Britons from higher-risk categories by mid-February. Britain now aims to give a first dose to all over-50s by April 15, the government said, having previously indicated it wished them to receive the shot by May.
21st Feb 2021 - Reuters

Gen V: The Young Vaccine Heroes Convincing Their Elders To Get The Covid Jab

Neesie has recruited 20 young people aged between 18 and 25 who are from Black, Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi backgrounds, and teamed up with Bradford’s university and hospital to teach them about Covid and arm them with facts about the vaccine. The plan was for the young people to go out into their communities to spread awareness – but, due to the lockdown, they are speaking to community groups through online platforms to eradicate myths and misconceptions. Someone who looks like you and speaks the same language and has the same cultural or faith background as you is often better at relaying the message and being trusted
20th Feb 2021 - HuffPost UK

COVID-19: Sadiq Khan urges BAME communities to get vaccine after he receives jab

Sadiq Khan has received his first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and urged members of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities to follow suit, declaring: "I wouldn't be taking the jab if I didn't think it was safe." The London mayor received a COVID-19 jab on Friday morning at a vaccine centre located inside a church in southwest London.
20th Feb 2021 - Sky News

Escaping lockdown: when will life return to normal?

Governments and societies will have to learn how to manage a complex series of risks, both in the short term while only part of the population has been vaccinated, and in the long term as the disease lingers even after most people have received the jab. International travel could face restrictions for some time to come. Some scientists describe a long drawn-out battle with an endemic virus that constantly evolves — with new vaccines and treatments being deployed in a way that they hope will allow much but not all of normal life to return. “The challenge is to find a way to live with it without keeping huge restrictions in place,” says Azra Ghani, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London.
20th Feb 2021 - The Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Danish supermarket to help small, shuttered businesses survive lockdown

Danish supermarket cooperative Kvickly has pledged to set aside some of its extra proceeds made while smaller retailers were shut down by coronavirus restrictions and use it for marketing to help them reopen successfully. Supermarkets, but not smaller retailers, in the Nordic country have been allowed to stay open during a lockdown introduced in December to curb the spread of a more contagious variant of the coronavirus first identified in Britain. Kvickly said it would donate its proceeds from sales of non-food items to shuttered shops for use in marketing campaigns as they reopen for business. That would amount to at least 7-10 million Danish crowns ($1.14-$1.63 million) - but more if the current coronavirus lockdown is extended beyond March 1.
18th Feb 2021 - Reuters

Covid crisis: 1.9m people in UK 'have not worked for more than six months'

Almost 2 million people in Britain have not worked for more than six months during the coronavirus pandemic, amid growing risk to workers from long-term economic damage caused by the crisis. The Resolution Foundation said up to 1.9 million people in January had either been out of a job or on full furlough for more than six months, revealing the lasting impact on employment caused by Covid and multiple lockdowns. Highlighting the risks to workers from long-term unemployment, it called on the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to use next month’s budget to extend targeted support for sectors of the economy hardest hit by the crisis. The report warned that while the outlook for the economy was steadily improving thanks to the vaccination programme and as the government prepares to roll back Covid restrictions, many workers remained concerned about their job prospects.
18th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

Lockdown over, tennis fans back as Australia says no new virus cases for over 48 hours

Australia said on Thursday it had gone more than 48 hours since detecting the last locally acquired case of COVID-19, as Victoria state ended a lockdown letting thousands of tennis fans back in Melbourne Park for the last days of the Australian Open. Jack Barber, a 25-year-old student, was among 7,477 spectators in the stadium watching Japan’s Naomi Osaka defeat the United States’ Serena Williams to go through to the ladies final. “Yeah, it’s awesome. I wasn’t sure if they were going to put the event on. It’s been really nice to be here. I actually kind of like the lower crowds,” said Barber, with the Rod Laver Arena limited by social distancing restrictions to half its capacity. “It’s kind of nice to be able to walk around and go wherever you want.”
18th Feb 2021 - Reuters Australia

COVID rumours hamper Brazil’s efforts to vaccinate Indigenous

Indigenous nurse Almeida Tananta battled heavy downpours of tropical rains as he rode his motorbike for hours across the red-soiled dirt tracks of Tabatinga, a municipality in Western Amazonas, which borders the Amazon rainforest and Colombia, and has the largest concentration of Indigenous Brazilians in the Amazon. Tananta was en route to apply the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to the remote Umariacu villagers, in Alto Rio Solimoes. But when he arrived at the village of wooden-thatched houses skirting the banks of the Amazon river, the nurse’s hopes of vaccinating the 1,037 villagers quickly vanished.
18th Feb 2021 - AlJazeera

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

NYC’s rich neighbourhoods get disproportionate share of coronavirus vaccines

New York City’s vaccines are going disproportionately to wealthier neighbourhoods in Manhattan and Staten Island, according to data the city released on Tuesday. The disparities highlight the inequities of a vaccine drive that has already been criticised for what New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called "profound" racial disparities. White residents composed almost half the people who had at least one dose, despite being only a third of the population. More than a quarter of those getting the coronavirus vaccine are nonresidents, who tend to be younger and are more likely to be White than those living in the city.
17th Feb 2021 - The Independent

Glasgow priest Canon Tom White takes legal action against ministers to stop UK divide on lockdown right to worship

A Glasgow priest has launched a legal action to stop a north-south divide on the right to worship during lockdown. Canon Tom White whose St Alphonsus parish is in the heart of the city’s famous Barras has issued a pre-action letter to the Scottish Government demanding it ends the blanket ban on places of worship. A response must be made before Tuesday February 23. Lockdown measures designed to stop the spread of coronavirus have forced places of worship to shut.
17th Feb 2021 - heraldscotland.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: 'Progress' made on vaccine hesitancy amid 'pandemic of disinformation', NHS chief says

"Meaningful progress" is being made in the campaign to overcome COVID vaccine hesitancy, but it is happening amid a "pandemic of disinformation", the head of the NHS in England has said. The country is fighting a "dual epidemic" and must take on both coronavirus and disinformation with "equal vigour", Sir Simon Stevens said at Monday's Downing Street news conference. He added that progress is being made on uptake among black and south Asian communities, and believes the involvement of local religious leaders will help build momentum.
16th Feb 2021 - Sky News

England's route out of Covid lockdown taking shape but timings unclear

While the government has said very little about how lockdown restrictions in England will start to be relaxed, there is a lot to be read between the lines. With a week to go before Boris Johnson spells out his roadmap for lifting the lockdown, leaks about new rules and timetables being discussed in multiple meetings across Whitehall will be filtering into newspapers. The chronology now seems to be taking shape. There is a hope of allowing a small easing of restrictions at the same time as schools reopen, to allow people to meet one other person for a coffee in the park, say, rather than just for exercise, without running the risk of being moved on by police. That would put the whole country under something similar to the tier 4 rules that were in place across swathes of England in December. Apart from schools reopening, the difference to a full lockdown is only subtle.
16th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

German business groups berate government over lockdown extension

The German government is coming under mounting attack from business groups angry at its refusal to ease the country’s coronavirus restrictions, as pressure grows for an exit strategy out of one of Europe’s longest shutdowns. “Businesses are growing increasingly desperate, and angry,” said Guido Zöllick, head of DEHOGA, the German association of hotels and restaurants. “More and more fear for their existence.” He was speaking after a crisis meeting with German economy minister Peter Altmaier where 40 groups representing the hospitality industry, tourism, retail trade and other sectors lambasted the government’s pandemic policies.
16th Feb 2021 - The Financial Times

Madrid: an island in a sea of coronavirus restrictions

Compared to other major European capitals, Madrid is swimming against the tide with regard to its Covid-19 strategy. Although most of Europe’s main cities are imposing heavy restrictions on both mobility and social activities in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the Spanish capital is opting for relaxing restrictions despite a 14-day incidence rate of 625 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In fact, while Lisbon, London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Athens and Brussels remain in partial lockdown, Madrid plans to put the curfew and closing times in the hospitality sector back an hour. The Swedish capital, Stockholm, which took a controversial early approach to fighting the virus by trusting to individual responsibility, is one of the few big European cities to take a similar line. But experts warn of the risks of relaxing restrictions when transmission remains high.
16th Feb 2021 - El País

Dutch coronavirus curfew upheld temporarily after legal setback

Appellate judges ruled on Tuesday that a night-time curfew would remain in place in the Netherlands pending a government appeal of a lower-court ruling that found the measure lacked legal justification. Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s coronavirus policy was dealt a major blow earlier in the day when a district court in The Hague said his government had failed to make clear why it was necessary to use emergency powers at this stage of the pandemic. The government requested and was granted an injunction, or emergency order, in which the three-judge appellate panel in The Hague agreed to suspend that ruling and uphold the curfew pending the outcome of the appeal to be heard on Friday.
16th Feb 2021 - Reuters

Israel blocks shipment of Russian Sputnik V vaccine to Gaza

Israel has stopped 1,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine that are intended for front-line medical workers from entering the besieged Gaza Strip. The Palestinian group Hamas which governs the Gaza Strip on Tuesday blasted Israel’s refusal to allow vaccine doses destined for Gaza health workers through its blockade of the territory as a “violation” of international law. Israel – which is carrying out one of the world’s fastest vaccination campaigns per capita – has faced international calls to share its stocks as an occupying power with Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza.
16th Feb 2021 - AlJazeera

‘Vaccine nationalism’ will hurt all countries: New WTO chief

The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) incoming chief has warned against “vaccine nationalism” that would slow progress in ending the COVID-19 pandemic and could erode economic growth for all countries – rich and poor. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told the Reuters news agency that her top priority is to ensure the WTO does more to address the pandemic, saying members should accelerate efforts to lift export restrictions slowing trade in needed medicines and supplies.
16th Feb 2021 - AlJazeera

Four reasons experts say coronavirus cases are dropping in the United States

The rate of newly recorded infections is plummeting from coast to coast and the worst surge yet is finally relenting. But scientists are split on why, exactly, it is happening. Some point to the quickening pace of coronavirus vaccine administration, some say it’s because of the natural seasonal ebb of respiratory viruses and others chalk it up to social distancing measures. And every explanation is appended with two significant caveats: The country is still in a bad place, continuing to notch more than 90,000 new cases every day, and recent progress could still be imperiled, either by new fast-spreading virus variants or by relaxed social distancing measures.
15th Feb 2021 - Washington Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus in the UK: New BBC Panorama research reveals rise in anti-vaccine propaganda accounts on social media

An investigation for the BBC’s Panorama has revealed an alarming increase in the followers of anti-vaccine accounts on social media – and the impact of the content being shared. Research for the programme, which airs on BBC One on February 15th, analysed anti-vaccine content available on the major social media platforms. It found that anti-vaccine accounts on Instagram increased nearly five-fold in 2020, reaching over four million followers. “Naturally we didn’t have the time maybe to do the sort of preliminary work that we do when we’re introducing vaccines,” said Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at Public Health England. “I think it's fair to say that we didn’t have time to do all those things as well as we would normally do but we’re very much playing catch up now.” It comes at a time when more people are seeking health information online.
15th Feb 2021 - MSN.com

The superspreaders behind top COVID-19 conspiracy theories

As the coronavirus spread across the globe, so too did speculation about its origins. Perhaps the virus escaped from a lab. Maybe it was engineered as a bioweapon. Legitimate questions about the virus created perfect conditions for conspiracy theories. In the absence of knowledge, guesswork and propaganda flourished. College professors with no evidence or training in virology were touted as experts. Anonymous social media users posed as high-level intelligence officials. And from China to Iran to Russia to the United States, governments amplified claims for their own motives. The Associated Press collaborated with the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab on a nine-month investigation to identify the people and organizations behind some of the most viral misinformation about the origins of the coronavirus. Their claims were explosive. Their evidence was weak. These are the superspreaders.
15th Feb 2021 - ABC News

Landlords evicting hundreds during lockdown with government’s new ‘eviction ban’ loopholes

Hundreds of renters have been thrown out of their homes in the middle of lockdown after the government caved in to landlord lobbying and introduced loopholes to its eviction ban. New figures show eviction attempts by landlords doubled during the winter coronavirus lockdown, while more than 500 households were forced out by county court bailiffs. The government promised in March that nobody would be made homeless because they had lost their income due to coronavirus, and put a blanket ban on evictions.
15th Feb 2021 - The Independent

Australian Proud Boys sought combat-trained supporters to 'arrest' police at Covid lockdown protests

The far-right Proud Boys in Australia sought people trained in combat to help confront police during anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne last year. Amid repeated warnings from security agencies in Australia and overseas about the way far-right groups have used the Covid-19 pandemic to recruit, Guardian Australia can reveal that senior members of the neo-fascist Proud Boys group were involved in protests during Melbourne’s second-wave lockdown last year. A series of messages posted to anti-lockdown social media groups in the past year reveal the increasingly blurred line between the loose coalition of conspiracy groups that orchestrated those protests and far right groups such as the Proud Boys.
15th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

Locked down and lonely, London Zoo faces fight to survive

London Zoo should be teeming with children released from school by half-term holidays. But instead, the monkeys’ pranks are unobserved, King Cobra is coiled friendless in the reptile house and the future of the world’s oldest scientific zoo is in peril. As the menagerie in Regent’s Park, central London, nurses a multi-million-pound hole in its budget and lockdown keeps visitors away, even during school holidays, the keepers are sad and anxious. “Lockdown here has been really surreal - like with no visitors here, it’s been a really sad time for the zoo,” Kate Sanders, big cats team leader at the zoo, told Reuters.
15th Feb 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: All restrictions must be lifted by end of April, lockdown-sceptic MPs tell Johnson

A group of lockdown-sceptic MPs has told Boris Johnson that coronavirus restrictions must be fully lifted by the end of April. In a letter to the prime minister, the COVID Recovery Group said there will be "no justification" for restrictions to remain once all over-50s have been offered a jab. The CRG described reopening England's schools on 8 March as a "national priority" that must be achieved, and said pubs and restaurants should be allowed to open in a COVID-secure way by Easter. More than 60 Conservative backbenchers are said to have backed the letter, which demands that Mr Johnson commits to a timetable for exiting lockdown.
14th Feb 2021 - Sky News

Challenges to Covid-19 Lockdowns Have Been Mostly Losing in Court

When the owners of four Albuquerque trampoline parks sued New Mexico’s governor for pandemic-related shutdowns that almost bankrupted them, they argued it wasn’t fair that they had to close when tanning salons, guided balloon tours and ice-skating rinks stayed open. The argument got nowhere with U.S. District Judge James Browning. “The Court will not recognize a new fundamental right to operate a trampoline facility,” he wrote in a Feb. 8 ruling, upholding the closures. The decision was the latest in a long line of defeats for businesses and individuals challenging lockdown rules and state emergency measures intended to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Together, the roughly 300 civil liberties lawsuits related to Covid-19 represent the most significant test in more than a century of the emergency powers of state governors and the scope of liberty in dire times.
13th Feb 2021 - Wall Street Journal

The show goes on in Madrid as cultural life continues despite pandemic

Madrid’s Teatro Real opera house is busy preparing its latest productions in what at any time would be an ambitious season. With Spain battling some of Europe’s worst coronavirus infection rates, its plans are all the more remarkable. The Real’s premiere of a production of Wagner’s four hour-long Siegfried takes place on Saturday while two other operas with largely foreign casts — Bellini’s Norma and Britten’s Peter Grimes — will be staged this month. The performances are part of a flurry of artistic activity that has continued in the Spanish capital despite the pandemic, as Madrid gives its answer to the question: how much should cultural life be closed down to keep the virus in check?
13th Feb 2021 - Financial Times

New Covid-19 outbreaks in China reopen pet owners’ wounds, but public pressure eases some lockdown restrictions

During early pandemic quarantines, many pet owners in China were forced to leave their pets alone at home or send them into the wild. Following public pressure, Daxing district in Beijing adjusted measures to allow pets to be moved to hotels with their owners.
13th Feb 2021 - South China Morning Post

Coronavirus: in Wuhan, a Lunar New Year rush to pay tribute to Covid-19’s victims

Early on Friday, the first day of the Lunar New Year, shops in the central Chinese city of Wuhan were selling out of chrysanthemums as residents bought them to take to the grave or home of a deceased family member. Throughout Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital, it is a tradition to visit the household of a person who has died in the last lunar year to offer flowers and burn incense soon after midnight. This year, demand for the flowers for shao qing xiang or “burning incense” was particularly high, with many residents buying the yellow and white chrysanthemums to remember those who died from the coronavirus.
13th Feb 2021 - South China Morning Post

‘No One Is Safe Until Everyone Is Safe’ – Vaccine Rollout Misses Key People

Homeless people, migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and some people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are among those struggling to get a coronavirus jab even when they’re entitled to one. The UK’s coronavirus vaccination rollout is being hailed as a rare pandemic success with the NHS on target to hit its goal of immunising 15m of the most vulnerable people by next week. But people are falling through the gaps because they face barriers to accessing healthcare. Experts say many of the people being missed out in the vaccine rollout are already at greater risk of health inequalities and have cautioned that until all communities in the population are reached with the vaccine, coronavirus cases will “keep creeping back”. Charities and campaigners say the easiest route for people to be called for a coronavirus vaccine is by being called for one by their GP. But those with an unstable immigration status are often too terrified of registering with a GP or seeking medical care as they fear they might get reported to the Home Office and deported.
13th Feb 2021 - Huffington Post

This COVID-vaccine designer is tackling vaccine hesitancy — in churches and on Twitter

Kizzmekia Corbett, an immunologist at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), is one of the scientists who in early 2020 helped to develop an mRNA-based vaccine for COVID-19. Developed in collaboration with biotech firm Moderna of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the vaccine is now being distributed across the United States and elsewhere. And Corbett is taking on another challenge: tempering vaccine hesitancy by talking about COVID-19 science in communities of colour. Corbett is one of many Black scientists and doctors who are doing this outreach, often virtually, in their free time. Researchers say it’s necessary to make scientific knowledge accessible in public forums, to ease health disparities.
13th Feb 2021 - Nature

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Indigenous leaders warn of missionaries turning Amazon villages against vaccines

Medical teams working to immunize Brazil’s remote indigenous villages against the coronavirus have encountered fierce resistance in some communities where evangelical missionaries are stoking fears of the vaccine, say tribal leaders and advocates. On the São Francisco reservation in the state of Amazonas, Jamamadi villagers sent health workers packing with bows and arrows when they visited by helicopter this month, said Claudemir da Silva, an Apurinã leader representing indigenous communities on the Purus river, a tributary of the Xingú. “It’s not happening in all villages, just in those that have missionaries or evangelical chapels where pastors are convincing the people not to receive the vaccine, that they will turn into an alligator and other crazy ideas,” he said by phone.
12th Feb 2021 - Reuters India

France is seeing a baby bust nine months after its first covid lockdown

When France confined more than 64 million people under one of the world's strictest coronavirus lockdowns last spring, there was widespread speculation that a baby boom would follow. Nine months on, though, instead of a boom, France is witnessing a sharp decline in births. Economic uncertainty, social stress and in some cases anxieties about the virus itself appear to have prompted families to abandon or postpone plans to have a baby. The number of babies born at the Saint-Denis hospital plummeted by about 20 percent between mid-December and mid-January and is expected to remain below 2020 levels for at least the first half of the year. While the coronavirus wards were hives of activity last week, lights in the maternity ward were dimmed and the corridors empty.
11th Feb 2021 - The Washington Post

Family lockdown activities for half-term: chosen by readers

Guardian readers share their tips for family lockdown activites. Travelling the world one dinner at a time is proving popular, but readers also have outdoor ideas involving oaks, fairies and common-or-garden weeds
11th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Nearly a third of US adults say they definitely or probably will not get a COVID-19 vaccine

Nearly one-third of U.S. adults say they are not likely to get a coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available to them, a new poll suggests. Conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the report found that 67 percent of Americans plan to get vaccine or have already done so. However, 15 percent are certain they will not get the jab and 17 percent said they probably will not. Many expressed doubts about the vaccine's safety and effectiveness, suggesting that substantial skepticism persists more than a month and a half into the U.S. vaccination drive that has encountered few side effects.
10th Feb 2021 - Daily Mail

Facebook and YouTube ban ‘Planet Lockdown’ film filled with coronavirus falsehoods, after it was shared by millions

While thousands of families grieved the loss of loved ones and the United States’ coronavirus death toll surpassed 350,000 in early January and continued to rise, a film parroting false claims about the pandemic began to spread to millions of social media users. The video, called “Planet Lockdown,” racked up more than 20 million views and engagements, according to the social media monitoring tool CrowdTangle, in late December and January. It went largely unnoticed by the social media platforms playing host to the misinformation until the liberal media watchdog group Media Matters for America published a detailed accounting of the film’s spread on Monday.
10th Feb 2021 - Washington Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Over-70s can now book first coronavirus jab and don't need to wait for contact from NHS

People aged 70 and over in England who have not yet had a coronavirus vaccine are being urged to book an appointment with the NHS to get a jab. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the policy is changing to make sure no-one falls through the cracks as the drive to inoculate against COVID-19 continues. It comes as the race intensifies for all those in the top four priority groups to get their first jab by 15 February before attention turns to rolling the vaccine out to the other five priority groups, reaching all over-50s by May.
9th Feb 2021 - Sky News

Navajo Nation outpaces much of US in delivering COVID vaccines

The Navajo Nation announced on Tuesday it will receive about 29,000 additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines as the tribal area continues to outpace the broader United States in delivering jabs. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said that as of Sunday, the Navajo Area Indian Health Service (NAIHS) delivered 74,048 of the 78,520 vaccine doses it had received, a 94 percent rate. Nez said the goal is to administer 100,000 doses by the end of February. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the broader US has delivered 42,417,617 of its total 59,307,800 doses, or about 71 percent, as of Monday. Dr Loretta Christensen, chief medical officer of the NAIHS, told Al Jazeera the Navajo Nation has been “very good with what we have received and we’ve been very efficient and timely in using that vaccine”. The success comes in administering the vaccine due to planning and high-level cooperation, Christensen said.
9th Feb 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Facebook cracks down on anti-vaccine accounts amid COVID surge

Facebook Inc. said it will take stronger steps to eliminate false information about Covid-19 and vaccines on its social network, a move that could remove major groups, accounts and Instagram pages for repeatedly spreading misinformation. The company is acting on advice from the World Health Organization and other groups to expand its list of false claims that are harmful, according to a blog post on Monday. Facebook will ask administrators of user groups to moderate such misinformation. Facebook-owned Instagram will also make it harder to find accounts that discourage vaccination, and remove them if they continuously violate the rules. The company this week will also include in its Covid-19 information center details from local health departments about when and where people can get vaccinated. If Facebook’s systems come across content that says the coronavirus is man-made or manufactured, that it is safer to get the disease than to get the vaccine, or that the shots are toxic, dangerous or cause autism, that content will be removed.
9th Feb 2021 - Al Jazeera English

North West Academies Trust campaign to equip all pupils with laptops for home learning

Academic Trust is running a campaign to help children across Cheshire and Shropshire who don't have access to a laptop. Teachers who are part of North West Academies are working hard to maintain the highest possible standard when delivering classes remotely. The Chester-based trust decided to act when, despite distributing all school-owned laptops to pupils, an audit revealed there was still a substantial number of children without the necessary equipment to join the virtual classroom.
8th Feb 2021 - In Your Area

COVID-19: Undocumented migrants 'likely to remain fearful' despite govt's vaccine amnesty offer

The government's "vaccine amnesty" has been criticised for not giving enough assurance to those who are too scared to access healthcare in the UK. The Home Office has promised no action will be taken against people in the UK illegally if they register with a GP to be vaccinated. It is part of a government effort to get as many people as possible vaccinated against the virus, which has already caused the deaths of more than 112,000 people in the UK.
8th Feb 2021 - Sky News

Covid: BAME communities urged to have coronavirus vaccine

"I'd shout it from the street - please have your vaccinations, you don't know what we're going through." This is a plea from Shamim Abbas of Newport, who lost husband Ghulam and brother-in-law Raza to Covid. The brothers died within hours of each other last April. Concerns have been growing in recent weeks about an apparent hesitancy from some people in black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) communities to have the Covid-19 vaccine. And even though the virus has had such a devastating impact on Shamim's family, some relatives have been unsure about having it.
8th Feb 2021 - BBC News

Web searches could help detect Covid-19 outbreaks early, study says

Using symptom-related searches through Google could allow experts to predict a peak in cases on average 17 days in advance, a group from University College London (UCL) said. Analysing internet search activity is already used to track and understand the seasonal flu. Using data on Covid-19 web searches in a similar way alongside more established approaches could improve public health surveillance methods. “Adding to previous research that has showcased the utility of online search activity in modelling infectious diseases such as influenza, this study provides a new set of tools that can be used to track Covid-19,” said lead author Dr Vasileios Lampos.
8th Feb 2021 - Aberdeen Evening Express

How Australia beat COVID-19 while the United States and Britain broke

Australia is a fortress of hope in a world conquered by COVID-19. But, even as vaccines raise the prospect of relief, the siege is growing stronger. And the cracks in our defences are growing. Incompetence. Hesitance. Partisan politics. All are being blamed across the world for overwhelmed health systems, stalled economies and soaring death rates. Australia has dodged these bullets. So far.
8th Feb 2021 - News.com.au

COVID-19: NHS staff fall victim to anti-Chinese hate crimes - amid fears violence will rise when lockdown ends

Police chiefs have warned they will "respond robustly" to anti-Chinese hate crimes amid concerns there could be a surge in offences once lockdown ends. The COVID-19 Anti-Racism Group (CARG) has told Sky News it is witnessing worrying levels of hate speech online linked to the pandemic - and it fears this will turn into violence when coronavirus restrictions are eased. One Chinese health worker told the survey: "Patients and people in general say that COVID-19 originated from China and that being of Chinese descent is culpable for the pandemic."
8th Feb 2021 - Sky News

Britons set for a post-Covid spending binge, says Bank chief

The Bank of England is braced for the possibility that a mood of national depression that engulfed Britain as it plunged into a third national lockdown will end with a spending spree when restrictions are lifted. In an interview with the Observer, the Bank’s governor, Andrew Bailey, said there was a chance after being cooped up for so long people would “go for it” once the vaccine programme allowed the economy to reopen. Bailey said that while the crisis of the past 12 months had accelerated the shift to online shopping and would change working patterns, the long-term structural impact on the economy would be less pronounced than the shift from manufacturing to services in the 1980s and 1990s. “It won’t be as fundamental as that”, he added.
8th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

New Zealand's Māori tribes deserve recognition for their part in vanquishing Covid-19

Global business leaders and others rightly rate New Zealand’s Covid-19 response as the best in the world. But is it equally right to simply credit Ardern and her government for this success? Partly, of course, but another group deserve credit too – iwi. When the country went into lockdown in March 2020 iwi on the East Coast of the North Island, its west coast, and its northerly tip swung into action distributing masks, sanitizer, written advice, and food parcels to vulnerable people in their region. Crucially, they also set up checkpoints to regulate movement in and out of their territory, ensuring the virus had no chance to transmit as the country went about its restrictions. In the early days some New Zealanders were furious with that particular intrusion on their movements. But despite the small yet vocal backlash, the government came around to the iwi initiatives.
8th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

'It's all open!': French flock to Madrid cafes for pandemic reprieve

French tourists weary of their strict national lockdown are flocking over the border to Madrid, where bars and restaurants are open and people can stay outdoors until 10 p.m., even as COVID-19 batters Europe in a virulent third wave. Though it made mask-wearing mandatory and slashed occupancy of public spaces by half, Madrid’s conservative regional government has set one of Spain’s loosest curfews, defying national recommendations to shut hospitality venues and non-essential shops. The city’s counter-current policies stand out in Spain which, like France, is being pummelled by a third infection wave.
8th Feb 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Gardaí across Ireland respond to 'Jerusalema' dance challenge from Swiss police in bid to lift nation’s spirits

In Ireland, An Garda Síochána have stepped up to the challenge issued by Swiss Federal Police last month which saw Swiss forces performing a mass, socially distant dance routine set to 'Jerusalema' by Master KG. The dance routine was designed to lift spirits of the public during coronavirus restrictions across Europe. After publishing their video, Swiss police directly challenged gardaí to respond with their own version. The official Garda video shows a socially-distanced dance routine featuring members and locations spanning the island of Ireland.
6th Feb 2021 - Independent.ie

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Sixteen African nations show interest in AU COVID vaccine plan

Africa CDC director says countries asked for 114 million doses in total and allocations could be announced within three weeks. Sixteen African countries have shown interest in securing COVID-19 vaccines under an African Union (AU) plan, and allocations could be announced in the next three weeks, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said. While many rich nations have already begun mass inoculation drives, only a few African countries have started vaccinations, and the 55-member African Union hopes to see 60 percent of the continent’s 1.3 billion people immunised in the next three years.
5th Feb 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Why Are So Many Health-Care Workers Resisting the Coronavirus Vaccine?

Despite confronting the damage of covid-19 firsthand—and doing work that puts them and their families at high risk—U.S. health-care workers express similar levels of vaccine hesitancy as people in the general population. Recent surveys suggest that, over all, around a third of health-care workers are reluctant to get vaccinated against covid-19. (Around one in five Americans say they probably or definitely won’t get vaccinated; nationwide, hesitancy is more common among Republicans, rural residents, and people of color.) The rates are higher in certain regions, professions, and racial groups. This hesitancy is less outright rejection than cautious skepticism. It’s driven by suspicions about the evidence supporting the new vaccines and about the motives of those endorsing them. The astonishing speed of vaccine development has made science a victim of its own success
4th Feb 2021 - The New Yorker

Istanbul’s population falls as countryside beckons during COVID

Istanbul’s population fell last year for the first time in at least two decades as coronavirus lockdowns shuttered Turkey’s commercial capital and attracted people to the countryside. The population of Istanbul province shrank 0.4% to 15.46 million, reversing record 3% growth the year before, according to data published by the statistics office on Thursday. The trend followed patterns seen elsewhere around the world during the pandemic. For decades, Turks from around the country of over 83 million have flocked to Istanbul seeking work and opportunities. But since the coronavirus hit, the government has implemented curfews to curb socializing and restricted opening hours for shops and restaurants, making young professionals reassess what they get for their money in big cities. Surrounding provinces were the beneficiaries, with the population of Tekirdag to the west up 2.4% to 1.1 million and Kocaeli to the east up 2.3% to 2 million. The pandemic also struck Istanbul’s tourism sector and universities with tens of thousands of seasonal workers and college students staying away for much of the last year.
4th Feb 2021 - Aljazeera.com

Help parents find a way to let their children exercise, ministers urged

The government needs to give parents a helping hand in providing children the exercise they need during the lockdown half-term, the UK’s leisure industry body has said, after guidance on reintroducing sports clubs failed to materialise. With most schools across England set to break up in 10 days’ time, a period without traditional learning for many children will be followed by one without recourse to sports clubs or activities, as research continues to show a decline in physical activity among the young. Ukactive, which represents the British leisure sector, has been calling for government to provide a “recovery plan” for ensuring physical activity can be safely reintroduced into schools both during term time and holidays
4th Feb 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Covid is the greatest test of global solidarity in decades – we have to work with, not against, each other

In September 2000, 189 countries signed the Millennium Declaration, shaping the principles of international cooperation for a new era of progress towards common goals. Emerging from the Cold War, we were confident about our capacity to build a multilateral order capable of tackling the big challenges of the time: hunger and extreme poverty, environmental degradation, diseases, economic shocks, and the prevention of conflicts. In September 2015, all countries again committed to an ambitious agenda to tackle global challenges together: the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
3rd Feb 2021 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Mapping coronavirus anti-lockdown protests around the world

Since the start of 2021, a growing number of countries have seen street demonstrations, some of which have turned violent, against government measures implemented to fight COVID-19. Over the same period, nearly 100 countries have imposed nationwide lockdowns or stay-at-home orders, nearly one year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
2nd Feb 2021 - Al Jazeera English

As 13 million in US get COVID vaccine, minority uptake uncertain

About 13 million Americans—about 5% of the population 16 years and older—received at least the first of their two COVID-19 vaccine doses in the first month of availability, but limited data paint a foggy picture of how many doses reached key demographics like blacks, according to a report yesterday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Another MMWR study homes in on skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), finding that more than three quarters of residents and almost 40% of staff members have received at least one vaccine dose during the first month. Both studies were led by scientists with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
2nd Feb 2021 - CIDRAP

Europol warns travellers over fake Covid-19 vaccine certificates

The EU's police agency on Monday warned travellers to watch for organised crime gangs selling fake Covid-negative certificates at airports, sometimes for as much as 300 euros each. The warning from Europol comes after police busted several suspects selling forged certificates declaring people Covid-19 negative at airports in Britain and France, online and through mobile messaging chat groups in Spain and the Netherlands. Many EU countries and others now require proof that passengers are not infected by the disease, which has killed more than 2.2 million people around the world. Many EU countries and others now require proof that passengers are not infected by the disease, which has killed more than 2.2 million people around the world. "As long as travel restrictions remain in place due to the pandemic, it is very likely that criminals will seize the opportunity of producing and selling fake Covid-19 test certificates," Europol said
2nd Feb 2021 - France24

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: Every care home resident in England has been offered a coronavirus jab

Every care home resident in England has been offered a COVID-19 jab, the NHS has confirmed, just hours after a new record was set for vaccinations in the UK. Older people living in more than 10,000 care homes across England have either been vaccinated or offered the jab and those forced to wait because of an outbreak of the virus will be treated as soon as possible, health professionals said.
1st Feb 2021 - Sky News

Over 80% of Northern Ireland people will take the coronavirus vaccine

The vast majority of people in Northern Ireland will accept the Covid-19 vaccine when offered - but a hefty minority will not or are still unsure, the new LucidTalk poll has indicated. More than 80% of the population here will definitely get the jabs, 7% said they will not, and 10% do not know, are unsure or have no opinion. The percentage of vaccine supporters is similar to the UK as a whole and also the Republic of Ireland, but it is much higher than some other European countries.
1st Feb 2021 - Belfast Telegraph

More than HALF of Americans say they'll delay getting coronavirus vaccine or REFUSE it altogether

Only 41 per cent of people surveyed said they are happy to be vaccinated now 13 per cent will refuse vaccinations while 31 per cent want to 'wait and see.' Survey also found divisions on political, racial and economic lines in the US. Many are reluctant to get the shots because of myths spread by anti-vaxxers. President Biden plans to roll out 100million doses in 100 days in office
1st Feb 2021 - Daily Mail

Covid-19: Volunteers step forward as vaccination taxis

With the Covid-19 vaccination rollout in full swing, people are stepping forward to volunteer to take people for their jabs. But this service can be more than just a car journey, a connection is being made with some of the most vulnerable in our communities. Carolyn Carter, 56, chairwoman of Chippenham Link Transport in Wiltshire, regularly drives clients to their medical appointments and is now helping with vaccination runs. She said: "I thought long an hard about doing it, but...I can do good by doing this. "Wednesday we were all just backwards and forwards to the surgery. Between the 11 of us we did about 40 trips over two days. "Everyone has been fantastic. They are just helping with whatever they can to get this done."
1st Feb 2021 - BBC News

'We've had enough': In France, Spain and Denmark, anti-lockdown protests continue

Marches to denounce COVID-19 restrictions put in place by various government have been taking place in cities across Europe. An authorized protest in support of culture workers quickly turned into a rave in the centre of Perpignan on Saturday, with about 200 maskless party-goers at the height of the demonstration. The open-air disco, which even had a sound system installed on a podium, was over by the early evening. The group "Men in Black" chanted "Freedom for Denmark. We`ve had enough," as they protested in Aarhus.
1st Feb 2021 - Euronews

Japan's super-spreader weekends

Recent COVID-19 cases in Japan have shot up sharply, leading to another round of partial lockdowns, but reported cases appear subdued compared to the United States or Europe. Total cases in the United States have surpassed 23,000,000 cumulative while the cumulative number for Japan passed 315,000 cases. That is 69 cases per 1,000 people in the United States compared with two cases per 1,000 in Japan. If Japan had the same ratio of cases per 1,000 people as the United States, Japan would have more than 8,700,000 cases. That approximates the population of metropolitan Tokyo. If the United States had the same ratio of cases per 1,000 people as Japan, the number of cases would be under 660,000. That is about the population of Oklahoma City. Much has been researched and written about this disparity, but we will probably not learn of meaningful factors that can explain it for several more years.
1st Feb 2021 - The Japan Times

Italians flock back to coffee bars as COVID-19 restrictions eased

The familiar tinkling of ceramic cups and chatter returned to coffee bars across most of Italy on Monday, as rigid COVID-19 restrictions were eased. After severe curbs over the Christmas and New Year period, two-thirds of Italy was declared a “yellow zone” allowing bars in those less risky areas to serve customers at counters and tables again instead of offering only take-away in plastic cups. The Health Ministry eased restrictions in 15 of Italy’s 20 regions, as the number of people infected continued to fall. Five regions remain red zones and travelling between regions of any colour remains prohibited until mid-February.
1st Feb 2021 - Reuters

Mumbai's suburban train services restored after 11 months

One of the world’s busiest urban rail systems situated in India’s financial capital Mumbai was restarted for all commuters on Monday, 11 months after it was shut down to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in the city. An average of eight million people were using the train services daily before the pandemic. Operations were stopped in March last year, as part of a strict lockdown imposed by the government. On Monday, commuters trickled into still empty train coaches, wearing masks and armed with sanitisers.
1st Feb 2021 - Reuters

Britain's centenarian fundraiser Captain Tom in hospital with COVID-19

British centenarian Captain Tom Moore, who raised millions of pounds for the health service by walking laps of his garden in last year’s lockdown, has been admitted to hospital after testing positive for COVID-19, his daughter said on Sunday. The World War Two veteran caught the public’s imagination in April, just before his 100th birthday, when he was filmed doing laps with the help of a walking frame around his garden in the village of Marston Moretaine, north of London. He hoped to raise 1,000 pounds. Instead, he raised more than 30 million ($41 million) for the National Health Service, broke two Guinness world records, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, scored a No. 1 single, wrote an autobiography and helped set up a charity.
1st Feb 2021 - Reuters

Couple starts Facebook page that helps thousands of older people get COVID-19 vaccinations

When Russ Schwartz and Katherine Quirk saw that COVID-19 vaccine appointments were going to be distributed online, they immediately thought of their own parents and the senior citizen residents of the South Florida town they call home. "Knowing that seniors were the first group it was going to roll out to, we started to think about the challenges that they might face trying to navigate how all of the information would come through," said Quirk, a pediatric hematology and oncology nurse. Quirk and Schwartz, an elementary school principal, had the idea to start a Facebook group to share information about how to sign up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments. One month later, their Facebook group, South Florida COVID-19 Vaccination Info, has nearly 20,000 members and has helped thousands of people get appointments for COVID-19 vaccines.
1st Feb 2021 - goodmorningamerica.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Feb 2021

    View this newsletter in full

More Brazil protests against Bolsonaro’s COVID-19 response

Protesters in Brazil rallied for the second straight weekend in multiple cities to demand the resignation of President Jair Bolsonaro for his government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two hundred people protested on Sunday in Brasilia, the capital, holding signs and banners reading, “Bolsonaro Out” and “Impeachment Now”, while a procession of cars honked their horns in support. Other demonstrations were also held in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
1st Feb 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Hungarians protest against lockdown measures despite gathering ban

Restaurant workers were among hundreds of people protesting against coronavirus lockdown measures on Sunday in Budapest, and at least 100 restaurants planned to re-open even as the government threatened them with heavy fines. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has said it could only start easing the measures if the number of coronavirus cases falls sharply, or if large numbers of Hungarians are inoculated. Hungary became first in the EU this week to sign a deal for Russia’s Sputnik V COVID vaccine and Chinese Sinopharm’s vaccine. nL1N2K40FS. Current lockdown measures include a night curfew and closing secondary schools, and all restaurants and cafes, except for takeaway meals.
31st Jan 2021 - Reuters

Australian Open to be allowed 30,000 fans a day

The Australian Open will be allowed to admit up to 30,000 fans a day, around 50% of the usual attendance, when the Grand Slam gets underway on Feb. 8, Victoria state sports minister Martin Pakula said on Saturday. The limit will be reduced to 25,000 over the last five days of the tournament when there are fewer matches, but Pakula said the announcement would ensure some of the biggest crowds for a sporting event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’ll mean that over the 14 days, we will have up to 390,000 people here at Melbourne Park and that’s about 50% of the average over the last three years,” he told reporters at the venue for the tournament.
30th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Family Literacy Day emphasizes virtual learning

In Canada, online learning is taking centre stage this year for Family Literacy Day across the country. It's the first time ABC Literacy Canada's event has gone virtual in its 22-year history, but its executive director said it's a crucial component. "What we're saying is that your family can be your social learning environment, your family can be your inspiration," said Mark Rogers. "And in truth, your family is the group that has the most influence on your learning." As different community initiatives go online, Rogers stressed the importance of digital literacy. In particular, as society moves online, he said it can just as crucial to pick up those skills.
28th Jan 2021 - CTV Toronto

Africa secures another 400 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

Another 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been secured for the African continent through the Serum Institute of India, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. With the new doses, on top of the 270 million doses announced earlier this month from Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, “I think we’re beginning to make very good progress," Africa CDC director John Nkengasong told reporters. An Africa CDC spokesman said the 400 million doses are of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. As with many vaccine deals, there were no immediate details on cost or how much people might pay per dose.
28th Jan 2021 - The Independent

COVID-19 lockdowns could result in 300,000 fewer US babies this year, and long-lasting economic impact | TheHill

The birth rate in the United States has been declining for years, falling to a record low in 2020. Hopes of a second “baby boom” mirroring that of the mid-1900s have been dashed by the coronavirus pandemic. A new report by NBCLX found that birthrates are dropping at a faster rate than in previous years.
28th Jan 2021 - The Hill

Covid: Social workers 'braced for tsunami of needs' after lockdown

Social workers say they are braced for a "tsunami of needs" as the UK recovers from the pandemic. The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) expects workloads to increase as restrictions are lifted. One worker described a "big surge" in referrals after the first lockdown and the fears of missing something wrong. Officials in all four nations praised the efforts of social workers and highlighted schemes to help vulnerable children set up in the pandemic.
28th Jan 2021 - BBC News

Young People Spreading Covid a Concern in Rapidly Aging Japan

The world’s most rapidly aging society has long struggled to talk to its youth. That’s a disconnect that’s turning deadly in the pandemic. The difficulty in persuading young adults to upend their lifestyles to prevent Covid-19’s spread has challenged countries across the globe. Yet nowhere are the stakes higher than in Japan, where nearly a third of residents are over the age of 65, and the virus response depends on voluntary cooperation. The nation has so far relied on people changing their behavior in its largely successful fight against the virus, as authorities lack the legal ability to enforce lockdowns. But while calling for cooperation worked in the early days of fighting an unknown pathogen, like their global peers younger Japanese are increasingly hit with virus fatigue. That’s left officials struggling to persuade a demographic that’s least likely to be struck by a harsh bout of Covid, but most likely to pass the virus on.
28th Jan 2021 - Bloomberg

Chinese New Year: Clamping down on going home for the holidays

Today marks the start of the world's largest human migration - an event which sees millions of people travel thousands of miles across China to reach home in time for the Lunar New Year. For some, it is the only time they will see their families all year and is an event not to be missed. But there are fears the Spring Festival travel season, or Chunyun in Chinese, could become a superspreader event. After all, last year's Chunyun is believed to have played a significant role in the spread of Covid-19. So the Chinese authorities have been left with a problem: how do you encourage people to stay local, without actually cancelling the country's biggest annual celebration?
28th Jan 2021 - BBC News

Security forces clash with protesters in locked-down Lebanon

Lebanese security forces clashed for the third night with protesters in Tripoli angry about a coronavirus lockdown, with witnesses and local media reporting that riot police fired live bullets as protesters tried to storm the city’s government building. Security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who threw stones, hurled Molotov cocktails and lit a car on fire, a witness and police said. Dozens were wounded. The police did not immediately comment on whether live rounds had been fired. Reuters footage showed sparks hitting the ground, apparently from ricocheting bullets, and the sound of gunfire. It marked the third night of violence in a row in one of Lebanon’s poorest cities, where protesters railed against a strict lockdown that they say has left them with no means to survive the country’s economic collapse.
28th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Free vaccines and India's humanitarian diplomacy

Large parts of the world are still reeling from the spread of the coronavirus, with renewed lockdowns in effect in many places. With every stricken country focused on tackling its COVID-19 crisis, there is little international generosity in donating large quantities of medicines or vaccines when demand for them is sky-high. So, when India in recent days delivered millions of COVID-19 vaccines as gifts to countries in the Indian Ocean region, it attracted international attention. More than 5 million Indian-made vaccines were airlifted last week to countries extending from Myanmar and Bangladesh to Mauritius and the Seychelles. And millions of more free vaccines are on their way this week.
27th Jan 2021 - The Japan Times

Lucky break or gold standard? How NSW got Covid under control

After weeks of no reported community cases of the virus, a man from south-west Sydney tested positive on 16 December. By the end of that day, two further cases were announced, affecting Sydney’s northern beaches. By mid-January, the summer outbreaks had reached a total of 217 cases. But not long after, on 26 January, NSW marked nine days in a row without any new cases of the virus in the community. NSW’s containment was achieved without the premier, Gladys Berejikian, resorting to the drastic statewide lockdowns or business closures that many called for. Instead, the NSW approach was to focus lockdowns on the most affected suburbs and to reintroduce limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings without banning them altogether. It is not the first time NSW has contained an outbreak with potential to spiral beyond control.
27th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

Here are five ways the government could have avoided 100,000 Covid deaths

Yesterday Britain passed a grim milestone. A further 1,631 deaths from Covid-19 were recorded, taking the official tally above 100,000, though data from the Office for National Statistics suggests the total number will now be nearer 120,000. In a briefing, Boris Johnson has said his government did everything it could to minimise the loss of life, but these deaths were far from inevitable. While the number of UK deaths has entered the hundreds of thousands, New Zealand has recorded only 25 deaths from Covid-19 so far. Taiwan has recorded seven, Australia 909, Finland 655, Norway 550 and Singapore 29. These countries have largely returned to normal daily life.
27th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

Pushed by pandemic, Germany seeks to boost technology use

The German government on Wednesday agreed on a strategy to boost the use of data for commercial purposes and signed a deal with state education authorities to fund laptops for teachers who have to work from home because of the virus lockdown. The measures are part of a drive to boost digitalization in a country that has fallen behind many of its peers due in part to concerns about privacy and data protection. Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged the country’s digital shortcomings this week, telling participants in a virtual meeting of the annual World Economic Forum that Germany “didn’t look good” when it came to linking up the country’s over 400 regional health agencies, or in the use of IT for distance learning. “We need to get better and faster here,” she said
27th Jan 2021 - Washington Post

YouTube has removed more than half a million videos spreading Covid-19 misinformation

YouTube has removed more than half a million videos spreading misinformation about Covid-19, it has said. Technology platforms from YouTube to Facebook have struggled with keeping public health misinformation in check as the pandemic has spread across the world. False information posted on the site includes information suggesting the virus is not real to discouraging vaccines that can prevent disease. YouTube boss Susan Wojcicki that such videos have been posted in vast numbers the site, even as it looks to stop their spread.
27th Jan 2021 - The Independent on MSN.com

One year after lockdown, Wuhan clubbers hit the dancefloor

Glow-in-the-dark rabbit ears, pulsating beats, and a flexible attitude to masks: nightlife in China's Wuhan is back with a vengeance almost a year after a lockdown brought life to a standstill in the city of 11 million. As the rest of the world continues to grapple with lockdowns and soaring infections, young people in the city, once the epicentre of the novel coronavirus, are enjoying their hard-earned freedom. The hedonistic vibes and champagne on ice are far from the austerity preached by authorities in Beijing. But Chen Qiang, a man in his 20s, praised the Communist Party for having practically eliminated the epidemic, despite a recent surge in cases in other parts of the country in the past few days.
27th Jan 2021 - Times of India

Hospital incursions by Covid deniers putting lives at risk, say health leaders

Lives are being put at risk and the care of patients disrupted by a spate of hospital incursions from Covid-19 deniers whose online activity is channelling hatred against NHS staff, say healthcare and police chiefs. In the latest example of a growing trend, a group of people were ejected by security from a Covid-19 ward last week as one of them filmed staff, claimed that the virus was a hoax and demanded that a seriously ill patient be sent home “He will die if he is taken from from here,” a consultant tells the man on footage, which was later shared on social media. Following contact by the Guardian, Facebook took down footage and other shocking posts in which conspiracy theorists described NHS staff as “ventilator killers”.
27th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

India Has Plenty of Coronavirus Vaccines But Few Takers

Most of the world is struggling to secure enough vaccines to inoculate their populations. India has the opposite problem: Plenty of shots, but a shortage of people willing to take them. As India rolls out one of the world’s biggest inoculation programs, some health-care and other frontline workers are hesitating because of safety concerns over a vaccine that has yet to complete phase III trials. As of Monday, only about 56% of people eligible to get the shot have stepped forward in a nation with the world’s second-worst Covid-19 outbreak. Unless the inoculation rate significantly increases, India will fall far short of its target of inoculating 300 million people -- or about a quarter of the population -- by July. That will setback global efforts to contain the virus and snuff out optimism that a recovery is taking root in an economy set for its biggest annual contraction in records going back to 1952.
26th Jan 2021 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

National museum makes virtual learning fun for children

With Level 5 restrictions ongoing, the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) is inviting children and parents to bring the museum into their home this spring. Children are a key audience at NMI, with approximately 90,000 primary and post-primary students attending its four museum sites in Dublin and Mayo annually. In light of Covid rules, the NMI has had to rethink how students can engage with the national collections. They’ve developed different online resources/activities as part of their ‘Museum in the Classroom’ and ‘Museum at Home’ programmes (www.museum.ie/en-ie/home).
26th Jan 2021 - Irish Examiner

Teachers, students march in France for more virus support

Schoolteachers and university students marched together in protests or went on strike Tuesday around France to demand more government support amid the pandemic. “No virus protocol, no school!” read posters carried by schoolteachers, demanding better virus protections at their schools, which have remained open since September because of the government's concern over learning gaps. “Sick of Zoom!” chanted university students frustrated that they've been barred from campuses since October. The common concern at Tuesday's protests in Paris Marseille and other cities around France was economic.
26th Jan 2021 - The Independent

Lebanese in impoverished north protest coronavirus lockdown

Dozens of Lebanese protesters, enraged at a nearly month-long lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus, took to the streets of the country’s second largest city on Monday and pelted security forces with stones. The security forces responded with tear gas to break up the protesters, who gathered in central Tripoli despite a strict lockdown in place since mid-January aimed at containing a major surge in infection in the small Mediterranean country. Protesters in Tripoli were complaining that their region, the most impoverished in Lebanon, is unable to cope with the nearly month-long lockdown with little to no government assistance.
26th Jan 2021 - The Indian Express

Dutch police detain more than 150 in third night of anti-lockdown violence

Dutch police detained more than 150 people in a third night of unrest in cities across the Netherlands, where roaming groups of rioters set fires, threw rocks and looted stores in violence triggered by a night curfew aimed at curbing the coronavirus. The nation’s first curfew since World War Two followed a warning by the National Institute for Health (RIVM) over a new wave of infections due to the “British variant” of the virus, and was imposed despite weeks of declines in new infections. Ten police were injured in the port city of Rotterdam, where 60 rioters were detained overnight, Dutch news agency ANP said on Tuesday.
26th Jan 2021 - Irish Examiner

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19 cases, deaths in US increase with higher income inequality

U.S. counties with higher income inequality faced higher rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the first 200 days of the pandemic, according to a new study. Counties with higher proportions of Black or Hispanic residents also had higher rates, the study found, reinforcing earlier research showing the disparate effects of the virus on those communities. The findings, published last week by JAMA Network Open, were based on county-level data for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
25th Jan 2021 - EurekAlert!

'I can't save money for potential emergencies': COVID lockdowns drove older Australians into energy poverty

Many of us who endured lockdowns in Australia are familiar with the surge in energy bills at home. But for older Australians who depend on the Age Pension for income, lockdowns drove many deeper into “energy poverty”. Some faced up to 50% higher bills than in 2019, as a result of COVID. Energy poverty involves low-income households restricting their energy consumption by avoiding certain activities like showering, spending high proportions of their income on energy and, sometimes, being unable to pay bills.
25th Jan 2021 - The Conversation AU

The daily grind never felt sweeter: New Zealanders should enjoy their Covid-free liberties

Most working New Zealanders are back to the grind after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Schools start next week. Parliament resumes on 7 February. Business as usual, but there’s something light-hearted about it in 2021. The tedium and drab necessity of returning to work is tempered by the knowledge that it’s not that bad, that it could be a lot worse. The mere fact we can move around the towns and cities, squeeze into elevators, and mooch around with each other in offices and cafes and doctor’s waiting rooms and any confined space you care to name, is a joy. Freedom isn’t just the open road; freedom is also a day measured in paperclips and paper jams. It’s a freedom denied other countries in lockdown.
25th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

Covid-19: Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Israelis protest over lockdown rules

Hundreds of members of Israel's ultra-Orthodox community have taken to the streets of the country to protest the imposition of lockdown rules to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. Protesters scuffled with police in the city of Bnei Brak, while a 41-year-old bus driver was hurt after he was attacked with pepper spray by demonstrators, who proceeded to set his bus on fire, according to Reuters and eyewitnesses who posted video footage on Twitter. One police officer reportedly fired in the air to repel crowds throwing stones after feeling his life was in danger. Police said that smaller confrontations with ultra-Orthodox protesters also broke out in several other towns, including the port city of Ashdod.
25th Jan 2021 - Middle East Eye

'Lockdown fatigue' cited as UK shopper numbers rose 9% last week

The number of shoppers heading out to retail destinations across Britain rose by 9% last week from the previous week, indicating “lockdown fatigue” for people cooped up at home, market researcher Springboard said on Monday. Footfall across all retail destinations was 65% lower than in the same week last year, Springboard said. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered England into a new national lockdown on Jan. 4 to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases that threatens to overwhelm parts of the health system.
25th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Dutch police detain 240 nationwide as anti-lockdown protests turn violent

Images on Dutch television showed bands of youths looting shops, throwing bicycles and setting fires in the southern city of Eindhoven. At least 55 people were arrested in Eindhoven, the city said in a statement. The demonstration in the city’s Museum Square, which violated a ban on public gatherings, came the day after the government introduced a nightly curfew for the first time since World War Two. Police cleared the square after people ignored instructions to leave and detained those who attacked them with stones and fireworks in nearby streets, the mayor’s office said. Parliament voted narrowly last week to approve the curfew, swayed by assertions that a variant of COVID-19 first identified in Britain was about to cause a new surge in cases. New infections in the country have generally been declining for a month, and fell again on Sunday, to 4,924 new cases.
25th Jan 2021 - Reuters

As this second Covid wave rips through minorities, inequalities are becoming even more apparent

Within months of Britain’s first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, it grew clear that the virus attacked fiercely along pre-existing pathways of inequality. By May last year, studies showed that the virus discriminates in the same way as society: along racial, class and regional lines, causing twice as many tragic deaths among Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and in the most deprived areas. Many wondered if the UK’s inequality epidemic, at last so viscerally exposed, might finally be addressed.
25th Jan 2021 - iNews

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

More children across northern Lincolnshire plugging into virtual learning thanks to laptop donations

In Grimsby, families struggling with their children's home learning have been given a helping hand by businesses and charitable groups. Phillips 66 Humber Refinery at Killingholme has donated 100 laptops and software worth £45,000 to local schools in support of pupils' home learning. The donation came after Grimsby Live highlighted how some families with five children only had one device for virtual learning during the latest lockdown.
24th Jan 2021 - Grimsby Live

Police detain 100 in Amsterdam after protest over lockdown, curfew

Rioters looted stores, set fires and clashed with police in several Dutch cities on Sunday, resulting in more than 240 arrests, police and Dutch media reported. The unrest came on the second day of new, tougher coronavirus restrictions, including a night curfew, which had prompted demonstrations. Police used water cannon, dogs and mounted officers to disperse a protest in central Amsterdam on Sunday afternoon, witnesses said. Nearly 200 people, some of them throwing stones and fireworks, were detained in the city, police said.
24th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Help With Vaccination Push Comes From Unexpected Businesses

Amazon wrote to President Biden on Thursday offering to assist with communication and technology. Microsoft is opening up its largely empty office campus as a vaccination center as part of a broader partnership with the State of Washington. Starbucks is assigning workers from its operations and analytics departments to help design vaccination sites, donating the labor to the same state while continuing to pay employees. While some retailers and pharmacy chains have been directly involved in the rollout of coronavirus vaccinations, more surprising is the number of companies that have offered help despite having little to do with health care. What these companies do have are vast national footprints, significant manpower, huge distribution warehouses and, in some cases, empty office buildings. And they have the money to spare for a public service effort that could boost both their public image and their bottom line.
23rd Jan 2021 - The New York Times

How does fake news of 5G and COVID-19 spread worldwide?

A recent study finds misinformation on the new coronavirus spreads differently across various countries. However, there was a consistent misunderstanding of 5G technology. Among the search topics examined, the myth around 5G having links to COVID-19 was the one that spread fastest. Dispelling myths and encouraging people to fact-check sources could help build trust with the public.
23rd Jan 2021 - Medical News Today

Phnom Penh yoga fans return to mat after lockdown - with a beer

For some, a post-lockdown group activity that combines exercise with alcohol may seem like the ideal coronavirus stress-buster - though yoga purists should probably avoid Phnom Penh’s TwoBirds Craft Beer brewery while it’s taking place. The brewery’s yoga classes, resumed after a six-week lockdown across Cambodia - which has officially recorded not a single COVID death - was lifted on Jan. 1, combine holding a pose with clutching a beer, and they’re attracting devotees. “I have more fun with beer yoga. It’s not as serious as traditional yoga,” said Sreyline Bacha, 25, as she reached for a beer glass, wobbling just a little to maintain her balance in a pose.
23rd Jan 2021 - Reuters

Portugal holds presidential election as COVID-19 cases spiral

Portuguese voters - largely confined to their homes due to a strict COVID-19 lockdown - will pick a new president on Sunday, but many fear going to the polls could worsen a surge in coronavirus cases and low turnout is expected. The country of 10 million people, which fared better than others in the first wave of the pandemic, now has the world’s highest seven-day rolling average of new cases and deaths per capita. Authorities reported a record daily toll of 274 deaths and more than 15,300 new cases on Saturday. “It wouldn’t have been a problem to wait another month. Exceptional times call for exceptional measures,” said Lisbon resident Miguel Goncalves, 55.
23rd Jan 2021 - Reuters

India’s female health workers on rural front line get COVID shot

Jyoti Bhambure is usually the one dispensing medicine – this week she was at the receiving end, among the first in India’s million-strong force of women health workers to win a COVID-19 vaccine. Dressed in a bright green sari with a gold border, Bhambure visited the small, rural hospital in western India at the time allotted and said the jab had lifted a weight off her shoulders. “I no longer fear the coronavirus,” said Bhambure, after getting her initial dose on Tuesday, one of the first tranche of front line workers to win protection in the pandemic. “We handle children and interact with mothers,” she said. “So I am glad I am vaccinated. I have no fear left in my mind.” India has suffered 152,000 deaths due to the virus and has prioritised about 30 million front-line workers in the first phase of an inoculation drive that began on January 16.
22nd Jan 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Brits 'jumping Covid vaccine queue as NHS appointment links shared on WhatsApp'

Britons are jumping Covid-19 vaccine queues by signing up through NHS appointment links shared on WhatsApp and social media, it is reported. It means ineligible people are being given jabs which should go to the UK's most vulnerable residents and health workers thanks to an IT loophole. The links are part of Swiftqueue's online booking system which is being used by some NHS trusts, an investigation by the Evening Standard found. It said there is evidence that people who are not on a priority list have used the portal to get Covid-19 jabs in east London and parts of the north.
22nd Jan 2021 - Mirror Online

Brazil’s most vulnerable communities face COVID food crisis

Coronavirus is spreading and the death toll is mounting — but what most worries the leaders of Brazil’s isolated and vulnerable communities is how on earth to feed people now that the government has pulled their main emergency aid. Ivone Rocha is cofounder of Semeando Amor (Sowing Love), a non-profit that distributes basic staples to some of the very poorest people in Rio das Pedras, one of Rio de Janeiro’s many favelas. For most of last year, they had received a decent government stipend to survive the pandemic, but that all ended with 2020, unleashing a frenzy of favela requests for food. “People here have no jobs,” Rocha told Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. “Now the aid has ended. My God, what will happen?” It was April when Congress first passed a bill that established the monthly $600 real ($112) stipend — a little over half the country’s minimum wage — pledging to tide people over for three months during the pandemic.
22nd Jan 2021 - Al Jazeera English

UK imams, influencers counter COVID vaccine misinformation

Imams across the United Kingdom are helping a drive to dispel coronavirus misinformation, using Friday sermons and their influential standing within Muslim communities to argue that COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Qari Asim, chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) which is leading a campaign to reassure its faithful, is among those publicly advocating that the inoculations are compatible with Islamic practices. “We are confident that the two vaccines that have been used in the UK, Oxford Astra-Zeneca and Pfizer, are permissible from an Islamic perspective,” he told the AFP news agency. “The hesitancy, the anxiety (and) concern is driven by misinformation, conspiracy theories, fake news and rumours.”
21st Jan 2021 - Al Jazeera English on MSN.com

Covid-19 long-haulers want you to know that they're still not okay

Ten months have passed since Suzanne Hughes first fell ill. Before March 2020, the 56-year-old would go for long walks along the Welsh coast and spend hours tending to her garden. Now she feels lucky if she manages to walk more than a couple of minutes from her front door. “I can only do 30 per cent of what I’d like to do,” Hughes says. Even small exertions require a trade-off between what she wants to achieve now and how she’ll be feeling hours later. “Everything I do, I have to think, ‘What is this going to do to me? What’s the payback?’” Although we are still deep within the darkest days of the pandemic, with almost six per cent of the UK population already vaccinated against Covid-19 it is becoming possible to imagine life beyond the pandemic. In the coming months many of us will return to lives no longer dominated by a virus that has already taken so much from us. Covid-19 long haulers may never get that luxury.
19th Jan 2021 - Wired.co.uk

Use 'Order Local' to help your favourite takeaway - and businesses can sign up for free

Businesses across the UK are once again facing a battle to survive - and once again we are here to help support them. For the third time, our Order Local campaign is relaunching to put independent businesses - particularly the hardest-hit retail and hospitality sectors - in touch with as many customers as possible. All business owners need to do is list themselves in the form below, or here, if they’re still open for delivery or collection and their services will be publicised for free in our interactive search tool to potential customers in their area.
18th Jan 2021 - The Mirror

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

This is what will happen to Covid-19 when the pandemic is over

After months of not knowing how the Covid-19 pandemic would end, we now have some answers. Vaccines that came even faster and work even better than anticipated are the light at the end of this very dark, long tunnel – the beginning of the end is in sight. But the virus is unlikely to go away for good. The global race to vaccinate as many people as possible will usher in a new phase of our fight against Covid-19, yet there is little chance it will deliver a knockout blow. In the long run, what started as a global pandemic may become yet another example of humankind learning to live alongside a deadly virus.
21st Jan 2021 - Wired.co.uk

Coronavirus: Emmanuel Macron promises more support for students in France

French university students have protested against the financial and psychological effects of the lockdown. The French president has promised to allow a very limited return to campus. French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday pledged more support for students affected by university closures. Students had protested on Wednesday against campus closures as part of coronavirus restrictions, calling for a resumption of in-person teaching. They rallied against the financial and psychological effects of the lockdown.
21st Jan 2021 - Deutsche Welle on MSN.com

Wealthy UK flyers opt for private jets to evade Covid and lockdowns

Wealthy flyers in the UK are opting for private jets and charter flights to evade Covid-19 and beat sudden lockdowns, data shows. While the number of commercial flights from the UK has dropped by three-quarters since the start of the pandemic, private flights are down only 42% compared with 2019, according to the aviation consultancy WingX. In August, demand for private jets was back to 93% of normal levels, while scheduled flights were down 65%. Another rebound was seen around Christmas, with private flights operating at around 70% of pre-pandemic levels in December.
21st Jan 2021 - The Guardian

Research finds people more likely to follow Covid rules when friends and family do

New research has shown that people are more likely to follow Covid-19 restrictions based on what their friends do, rather than their own principles. Research led by the University of Nottingham carried out in partnership with experts in collective behaviour from British, French, German and American universities shows how social influence affects people's adherance to government restrictions. The researchers found that the best predictor of people's compliance to the rules was how much their close circle complied with the rules, which had an even stronger effect than people's own approval of the rules. The research published in British Journal of Psychology highlights a blindspot in policy responses to the pandemic. It also suggests that including experts in human and social behaviour is crucial when planning the next stages of the pandemic response, such as how to ensure that people comply with extended lockdowns or vaccination recommendations.
21st Jan 2021 - EurekAlert

Remember normal? Pfizer and BioNTech join with health groups to remind us—and promote COVID-19 vaccine safety

Remember hugging, playing with grandchildren, kissing people goodbye and sharing exciting news with family in person? While COVID-19 has kiboshed those things, Pfizer and BioNTech want to remind people about them—and how they'll be possible again with vaccines. The Comirnaty vaccine makers, together with a coalition of health organizations, recently debuted an awareness campaign aimed at shoring up confidence in the new COVID-19 shots. The 25- to 30-second videos are real takes of real people—found online and then licensed with consent for the digital campaign, which launched last week on social media. Future plans include a move to local TV.
21st Jan 2021 - FiercePharma

Wuhan bustles a year after world's first coronavirus lockdown

Barriers still enclose Wuhan's notorious seafood market -- one of the few immediate reminders the city was once the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic that has transformed the world. Otherwise, the new normal in the central Chinese city of 11 million is much like the old reality; cars buzz down highways, sideways bustle with shoppers and public transport and parks are busy
21st Jan 2021 - Times of India

Tennis-Anderson urges players to show more respect for Australia's COVID-19 fight

Former U.S. Open and Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson appealed to players at the Australian Open to show more respect for the local community’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, following a chorus of complaints about quarantine conditions in Melbourne. As many as 72 players are confined to their hotel rooms for two weeks and unable to train for the Feb. 8-21 Grand Slam after passengers on three charter flights tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Complaints by some players over the severity of the health measures, food quality and even mice infestations in their rooms have sparked a backlash in Australia, which has many citizens stranded overseas due to pandemic-linked border restrictions. Novak Djokovic was panned after writing to Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley to ask for reduced isolation periods and having players moved to “private houses with tennis courts”.
21st Jan 2021 - Reuters

Good news for shot-makers: COVID-19 vaccine confidence leaps to 69%, Harris Poll finds

Americans are back on the COVID-19 vaccine bandwagon. Sixty-nine percent now plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine, close to the previous high of 73% in April, according to the latest data from The Harris Poll. At the lowest point in October, vaccine skepticism had far more Americans hesitating: Just 58% said they would get a vaccine. That’s good news for vaccine makers—and at least a little better news for public health officials, who say a minimum 75% of the population will need to be vaccinated to stop COVID-19. That percentage has been moving upwards of late; Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), recently admitted the goal may need to move as high as 90% to truly halt the U.S. outbreak.
21st Jan 2021 - FiercePharma

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Distributing the COVID-19 vaccine ... the just way

A look at COVID-19 vaccine distribution and how the developing world will almost certainly be left behind in the vaccination process.
20th Jan 2021 - Deutsche Welle

Coronavirus: French students highlight pandemic's mental health toll

French students have planned a series of protests on Wednesday to draw attention to the rising mental health problems many say they are suffering as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. A combination of isolation, inactivity and a broader loss of purpose has left many students close to breakdown, according to university psychologists. Student mental health resources, such as counsellors, have been overwhelmed by the numbers seeking help in recent weeks. In the last two weeks alone, two undergraduates in Lyon have tried to take their lives.
20th Jan 2021 - BBC News

Covid: Crops 'damaged nationwide' by lockdown walkers avoiding mud

Crops are "being damaged nationwide" by lockdown walkers avoiding mud, a rural business organisation has said. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said an influx of people walking over planted crops was affecting farmers' businesses. One farmer said there had been a tenfold increase in walkers during lockdown, while another had seen a 5ft (1.5m) path widen to 36ft (11m) across. Walking charity Ramblers said people must "stick to marked paths". CLA president Mark Bridgeman said while he did not want to discourage people from using the countryside, "crops are being damaged nationwide" by those avoiding quagmires.
20th Jan 2021 - BBC News

China triumphant one year after Wuhan lockdown

"People Supremacy, Life Supremacy" reads the sign at a Wuhan exhibition, where visitors are greeted by a paean to China's triumph over the pandemic and the agility of its communist leadership in a crisis. Saturday marks one year since the start of a 76-day lockdown of Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the coronavirus was first detected before sweeping across the world and killing more than two million people. With China's official death toll from the virus under 5,000, Beijing is on a prolonged victory lap to promote its narrative of how it contained Covid-19, engineered vaccines and rebooted its economy.
20th Jan 2021 - FRANCE 24

Australian Open linked to more coronavirus cases after arrivals for grand slam

Ten people who have flown to Melbourne for the Australian Open have tested positive to coronavirus, authorities said. Lisa Neville, police minister for the state of Victoria, reported three new cases on Wednesday, adding one of the cases was a player who has been in "hard lockdown" since arrival into Australia as he came in on a flight where positive cases had been recorded. The second case related to another player and the third is a support person with the player, she added. Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said the safety of the Victorian community will not be compromised, but added the body was walking a "tightrope"
20th Jan 2021 - The Independent

New Zealand Hosts 20,000-Person Concert as Country Marks 2 Months Without COVID in Community

On January 16, New Zealand held a 20,000-person outdoor concert where attendees neither had to wear face masks nor observe social distancing measures. The concert occurred as the country marked its second month without any new COVID-19 transmissions occurring between citizens. The concert was the first stop in the six-stop summer tour of the native soul-pop band Six60. Before Six60's concert, the country had hosted various New Year's Eve music festivals that also had massive crowds, including Rhythm and Vines, Rhythm & Alps and the Northern Bass festivals, each held in different parts of the nation, according to NME
20th Jan 2021 - Newsweek

Is Joe Wicks ok?

Cometh a third lockdown, cometh Joe Wicks: once more beaming positivity and PE lessons into our lounges. But what about his own mental state? Kerry Potter stretches off and listens to his woes
20th Jan 2021 - Evening Standard

Race, income inequality fuel COVID disparities in US counties

A study today in JAMA Network Open details US county-level COVID-19 infection and death inequities based on racial composition and income in the first 200 days of the pandemic, adding to mounting evidence of disproportionate burdens among racial minorities and those of lower income levels. Researchers from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and DePaul University analyzed data from seven US agencies and organizations on all but 1 of 3,142 counties in 50 states and Washington, D.C. from Jan 22 to Aug 8. They found that a 1.0% increase in a county's income inequality was associated with a 2.0% increase in COVID-19 infection and a 3.0% rise in related deaths.
20th Jan 2021 - CIDRAP

Desperate relatives of Covid patients in Brazil queue for hours to fill their loved-ones' oxygen tanks as mutant strain ravages country

Amozonas state has been gripped by a devastating resurgence of the disease and doctors at hospitals in Manaus, the rainforest's largest city, are having to decide which of their patients should get oxygen. Desperate family members queued up outside a local oxygen plant during a downpour on Tuesday. They arrived with huge green tanks to be filled with oxygen and then rushed back to their ailing relatives. Comes as Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro dispatched oxygen to the region infuriating President Jair Bolsonaro. 'He could give aid to his people too, right? Wages there don't buy half a kilo of rice,' Bolsonaro said
20th Jan 2021 - Daily Mail

Winterwatch wildlife to help get us all through coronavirus lockdown three

Springwatch helped many people in the UK get through the first lockdown. So it was a joy to have Winterwatch on our screens, reminding us that even during these dark days we can still be inspired by the great outdoors. Winterwatch presenter Chris Packham says: “People think winter’s a dead time, which is so wrong. All of our seasons are always setting up for the next one.They are always dynamic, so there’s always an enormous amount of things going on. You have the bite of the cold up your nose and beautiful clear skies – and it’s a great time to see wildlife. Now is the time to make that extra special effort.”
20th Jan 2021 - Mirror.co.uk

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Bells and candlelight to honor 400,000 COVID-19 dead on eve of Trump's White House departure

President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday led a national memorial observance on the eve of his inauguration to honor the 400,000 Americans who have perished from COVID-19 during the 11 months since the novel coronavirus claimed its first U.S. life. The sundown commemoration came hours before President Donald Trump was due to depart the White House for the last time and hand over a country wracked by the greatest public health crisis in a century, economic devastation and violent political upheaval. Ceremonies spearheaded by Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris from the base of the Lincoln Memorial marked the federal government’s first official nod to the staggering death toll from the pandemic.
19th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Campaign launched to help children have access to a laptop in Doncaster

Laptops for Kids was an idea created by David Richards - founder and chief executive of WANdisco - who launched the campaign in Sheffield with The Star and Learn Sheffield in September 2020. Individuals and businesses donate unused computers, which are recycled and cleaned, ready to be distributed to a young person who is currently unable to learn at home. A spokesperson for Laptops for Kids Doncaster, said: “The unfortunate reality is that for many young people, virtual learning = digital isolation. Something that many of us assume is a basic necessity - access to digital tech - is a very real challenge for lots of young people...right now.”
19th Jan 2021 - Doncaster Free Press

Fang Fang: Author vilified for Wuhan Diary speaks out a year on

She has faced a nationalist backlash for her diaries documenting life in Wuhan in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, but Chinese author Fang Fang she says she will not be silenced. "When facing a catastrophe, it's vital to voice your opinion and give your advice," she told BBC Chinese in a rare email interview with international media. In late January, when Wuhan became the first place in the world to enter a state of complete lockdown, many of the city's 11 million residents found solace in reading Fang Fang's online diaries. They also provided a revealing glimpse into the city where the virus first emerged.
19th Jan 2021 - BBC News

As Chinese cities face new Covid-19 lockdowns, have 2020 lessons been learned?

Echoes in Hebei of measures a year ago in Wuhan, with students stranded in icy conditions and some people unable to get routine medical treatment. Residents complain of mistakes being repeated, as countries continue to struggle to balance a speedy response with the public’s wider needs
19th Jan 2021 - South China Morning Post

Most Americans want vaccine as nation tops 400,000 COVID deaths

One day before Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, a new poll from Washington Post-ABC News shows that 52% of Americans think the coronavirus outbreak is out of control, and 62% say trying to control the pandemic is more important than restarting the economy. The numbers come as a national vaccine campaign has rolled out in fits and starts across the country. Though the new poll still shows a political divide, most Americans said they will (40%) or probably will (23%) get a COVID-19 vaccine when one is made available to them. Half of Democrats polled said they would definitely get a vaccine, while only 25% of Republicans said the same.
19th Jan 2021 - CIDRAP

GP couple give covid vaccine to housebound patients on their day off

In England, newlywed doctors spent their day off going door-to-door to get the coronavirus vaccine to housebound patients. GP duo Dominique Thompson and Simon Bradley volunteered their spare time to vaccinate 36 vulnerable people in the Little Stoke area of South Gloucestershire. They spent most of Friday driving and wheeling around vials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in a special trolley, and administering it to patients in their own homes. All patients were eligible to get the vaccine at Concord Medical Centre, where Dr Bradley works, but were unable to get there. He said: "We just wanted to get out and vaccinate our housebound."
19th Jan 2021 - Bristol Live

Unwanted tech helps bridge 'digital divide' in lockdown Britain

Nearly one in 10 British families - including up to 1.8 million children - had no computer or tablet at home at the start of the pandemic, according to estimates from the country’s Ofcom media regulator. The government has pledged more than a million laptops to help children get online, and has said that those without computers at home can attend school if necessary. But education experts and charities have warned that many poorer families are still struggling with a “digital divide” that risks widening existing education gaps. Dozens of business and community-led computer donation schemes have sprung up around the country to help plug gaps, an offshoot of “mutual aid” community groups established in many neighbourhoods to help the vulnerable during the pandemic.
18th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Healthy Kids: Program seeks volunteer families to help teach empathy to local students

In Oregon, a unique program that teaches emotional literacy to first and second graders in Lane County is looking for families with young babies to volunteer in its revamped, virtual program. “Roots of Empathy supports emotional health and mental health and well-being by creating a safe space for children to process and talk about their emotions,” says Sara Loveless, the program implementation coordinator for Roots of Empathy in Lane County. “Students observe behaviors in babies and then are able to flip it back on themselves and recognize those behaviors around them.”
18th Jan 2021 - nbc16.com

Wildlife Trust launches My Wild Winter pack to keep children entertained

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is hoping to keep young people connected to nature during lockdown by launching its My Wild Winter pack. The My Wild Winter pack is full of ideas of how to explore nature and wild places locally, as part of the permitted daily exercise during lockdown 3. The pack is completely free to sign up to and gives lots of tips and inspiration on how best to enjoy and support the natural world during winter.
18th Jan 2021 - In Your Area

Coronavirus in Scotland: CMO Dr Gregor Smith ‘really concerned’ by Covid-19 vaccine misinformation on social media

Scotland’s most senior health chief has revealed that he is “really concerned” by coronavirus vaccine misinformation, as he warned Scots to avoid spurious claims on social media. Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gregor Smith, called bogus claims about vaccines “one of the biggest dangers that we face”, and called on the public to seek out trusted sources of information. Speaking at the First Minister’s daily press briefing, Dr Smith said misinformation “makes me really concerned because it preys on people's anxiety and fear. “My plea to everyone is to read trusted sources of information in relation to the vaccination.”
18th Jan 2021 - The Scotsman on MSN.com

Covid: New Zealanders attend largest ever concert since pandemic began

Thousands of New Zealanders flocked to a music concert on Saturday, in stark contrast to the UK which remains under lockdown. Huge crowds gathered to watch the nation’s most famous band, Six60, perform at a sports grounds in Waitangi – the largest outdoor show allowed to go ahead in the country since the pandemic began. People were pictured brushing against each other and coming into close contact without wearing masks. Guitarist Chris Mac even interacted with the crowd, which did not have to abide by social distancing rules. As of January 15, New Zealand had 76 active cases of the virus, raising its overall total to 2,246 infections since the start of the outbreak. Residents are no longer required to social distance due to low rates of transmission and are only encouraged to wear face masks on public transport except for in Auckland, where it is a legal requirement.
18th Jan 2021 - Metro.co.uk

Staying safe in the time of coronavirus: pay attention to ‘the guy you know’

"For the last nine months, my team of anthropologists and I have been asking people across the United States to tell us their experiences of living during a global pandemic. We have seen a dangerous theme emerge: the belief that dangers of the virus come from strangers and that friendship and family ties can cancel contagion. Though logical, these interpretations of biology are wrong — sometimes dead wrong. Stories help people make sense of a world in crisis. They can also lead to potentially harmful behaviors that can interfere with the ability to stay healthy or protect loved ones from Covid-19. When we asked dozens of interviewees across a spectrum of demographics, “What is Covid-19?” they consistently responded with answers like, “It’s a guy we don’t know,” or “It’s dangerous because we know the cold and the flu, but we don’t know this one.”
18th Jan 2021 - STAT News

Thousands protest in Amsterdam against Dutch coronavirus lockdown

Several thousand people held an unauthorised protest in Amsterdam on Sunday against a national lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, before being dispersed by riot police. The protesters gathered on a square in front of the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum art galleries, carrying signs reading “Freedom: stop this siege” and chanting “What do we want? Freedom!”. None wore masks, which are not mandatory, and few respected social distancing rules. Authorities had declined an application for the protest to be held on Museum Square. The demonstrators refused to leave when police told them to do so, and some threw fireworks.
17th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Virtual library gives children in England free book access

Children in England will be able to access books online free during school closures via a virtual library. Internet classroom Oak National Academy created the library after schools moved to remote learning for the majority of pupils until February half-term. Formed with The National Literacy Trust, the library will provide a book a week from its author of the week. The aim is to increase young readers' access to e-books and audiobooks, particularly the most disadvantaged.
17th Jan 2021 - BBC News

Bayer aims to help CureVac with COVID-19 vaccine output, says CEO

German pharmaceutical giant Bayer is examining whether it can help CureVac to produce its experimental COVID-19 vaccine, its chief executive was quoted as saying on Sunday. Though inoculation campaigns have started around the world using various COVID-19 vaccines, many countries say their ability to get shots into arms is being limited by lower than expected supplies owing to a shortage of production. “We are prepared to pull out all the stops for this,” Werner Baumann told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. “This is not primarily about financial considerations but about making the vaccine available as quickly as possible.” Bayer agreed this month to help fellow German company CureVac with development of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which is in late-stage clinical trials and has not yet been approved.
17th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Thousands Take To Streets To Protest Over Vienna's New Lockdown Laws As Cases Spike Again

On Saturday, January 16, thousands of people marched through Vienna to protest against the restrictions kept in place to battle the novel coronavirus. According to the reports by CNA, the demonstrators chanted "Kurz Must Go" and "Make Influenza Great Again" during marches through the city centre. Also, the demonstrators were not seen wearing any mask. The protests began when Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his government discussed extending the existing lockdown in Austria. The lockdown includes movement restrictions and the closure of all non-essential businesses. However, no official announcement has come as of now. People took to their social media handles and shared image and videos from the protest march. Let’s have a look.
17th Jan 2021 - RepublicWorld

From hard lockdown to tactful reopening: How China bounced back from Covid

The smell, salty and pungent, wafts through the freshly paved streets near the gleaming new factory. The factory is owned by a company called Laoganma, which makes a piquant chili-and-soybean sauce famous across China for its power to set mouths watering. In a time of global pandemic, when the jobs of working people around the world hang in the balance, the factory’s scents signal opportunity. Since it opened in March, when China was still in the grip of Covid-19, the factory has struggled to find enough machinery operators or quality control technicians. Now workers are flocking to Changmingzhen, a once-quiet farming town ringed with green mountains and rice paddies, from which young people once fled for better jobs elsewhere.
17th Jan 2021 - Business Standard

Tonga's dog population surges as coronavirus restrictions keep foreign vets out of the country

While dog shelters were left empty and people in Australia had to wait months for a dog due to the surge in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tonga's main island of Tongatapu has had the opposite problem. The closure of international borders meant foreign vets from South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW) couldn't run their free desexing programs in the country — and without a qualified vet in Tonga, there are now estimated to be more than 20,000 dogs on Tongatapu alone. Angela Glover, vice-president of the Tonga Animal Welfare Society, said the need for veterinary care has never been more urgent.
17th Jan 2021 - abc.net.au

People from ethnic minorities far more hesitant to take coronavirus vaccine

Scientific advisers are concerned about the coronavirus vaccine uptake among black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, following the release of data from a new study. Research from the UK Household Longitudinal Study – which conducts annual interviews to gain a long-term perspective on British people’s lives – showed 72 per cent of black people said they were unlikely to have the jab. A report from Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) highlighted the persisting problems of structural, and institutional racism, and historic under representation in healthcare research, as driving the reduced levels of trust in the vaccination programme.
17th Jan 2021 - iNews on MSN.com

NHS heroes fear Government are using them as coronavirus vaccine 'guinea pigs'

NHS heroes have blasted the Government for using them as “guinea pigs” by denying them an early booster vaccine. Doctors, nurses and paramedics fighting Covid must wait three months like the rest of us for a second jab – instead of the three weeks recommended after manufacturer trials. But calls are growing for frontline heroes to get the booster within the 21 days vaccine maker Pfizer deems vital for best protection. The UK’s chief medical officers recommended the 12-week gap so more of the population can get some immunity from the first jab. Currently, the NHS is under severe strain with record numbers of Covid patients.
15th Jan 2021 - Mirror Online

African Union vaccines to be allocated according to population

Millions of coronavirus vaccine doses secured by the African Union (AU) will be allocated according to countries’ population size, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday. Ramaphosa, who is the current AU chairman, said on Wednesday that vaccines from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca would be available this year, but he did not specify how much each African country would get. No African countries have begun large-scale coronavirus vaccination campaigns and the AU’s 270 million shots, if administered two per person, would still only cover around 10% of the continent’s 1.3 billion people.
15th Jan 2021 - CNBC Africa

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

100,000 hours: Uni students, teachers and professors offer free tutoring during lockdown

In the UK, lockdown means that the country’s young are fitting remote learning around a much-changed, yet monotonous daily life. Students have been in and out of the classroom for almost a year now. Taking children out of the classroom and putting them in their homes to learn has highlighted inequality up and down the country. Schools are being relied on to teach from a distance, which in theory sounds feasible, but the practical application has proved much more difficult. CloseTheLockdownGap is a new initiative that aims to provide 100,000 hours of free education to help close the ‘lockdown gap’. Set up by brothers Mustafaen and Arsalan Kamal, CloseTheLockdown Gap has called on university students, graduates, teachers and professors to volunteer anything from 30 minutes of their time to provide a one-to-one online learning environment that can help students make up for some of the time lost in the classroom.
14th Jan 2021 - ITV News

Bridging the digital divide in new lockdown

With schools closed to the majority of pupils across the UK once more, the challenges disadvantaged pupils are facing accessing online learning have reappeared. Despite ongoing government support and pledges for more laptops for schools, families are struggling to get the devices their children need. If you have a laptop or tablet that you want to donate then please go to bbc.co.uk/makeadifference where you can find details of charities who will help get them safely wiped and sent to the children that need them the most.
14th Jan 2021 - BBC News

What should I know about COVID-19 vaccines if I'm pregnant?

What should I know about COVID-19 vaccines if I’m pregnant? Vaccination is likely the best way to prevent COVID-19 in pregnancy, when risks for severe illness and death from the virus are higher than usual. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says COVID-19 vaccinations should not be withheld from pregnant women and that women should discuss individual risks and benefits with their health care providers. The U.S. government’s emergency authorization for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being rolled out for priority groups doesn’t list pregnancy as a reason to withhold the shots.
14th Jan 2021 - The Independent

Embracing new challenges! From yoga in the garage to getting creative from home, how the UK is adapting to life under lockdown

In the UK, we have all experienced huge changes to our daily routines as we play our part in helping beat the virus. Many of these changes have been challenging, but people are finding creative ways to adapt positively to our new circumstances. Whether it is studying for a qualification, rediscovering the joy of reading or trying out new recipes, there are plenty of approaches to take advantage of the extra time we are now having to spend at home. Others have enjoyed catching up with friends on Zoom or phoning to check on the wellbeing of people living alone as part of the NHS Volunteer Responders programme. Here we look at how people are embracing living responsibly under the restrictions.
14th Jan 2021 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Palestinians desperately await COVID-19 vaccine

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a coronavirus vaccine jab on December 19, kicking off a national roll-out that has made Israel the world’s COVID-19 vaccination drive leader. But while Israel’s vaccination campaign even includes Jewish settlers living deep inside the illegally occupied West Bank, it will exclude the nearly five million Palestinians living under occupation there or in the blockaded Gaza Strip. They will have to wait for the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority (PA), which administers parts of the West Bank under interim peace agreements signed in the 1990s, to provide the jabs. The Palestinian health ministry expects the first batches of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to arrive in the occupied West Bank and Gaza at the beginning of March, more than two months after Israel began its roll-out.
14th Jan 2021 - Al Jazeera English

Joan Bakewell threatens legal action over delays to second Covid vaccine dose

The journalist and Labour peer Joan Bakewell is threatening the government with legal action over its policy to delay the second dose of Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid vaccine. Lady Bakewell, 87, said there were grounds to show the decision taken by ministers to widen the gap between doses – from the three weeks recommended by the manufacturer to up to 12 weeks – was unlawful. She has instructed the law firm Leigh Day to start proceedings in response to the new dosing strategy, and names the respondent as the health secretary, Matt Hancock.
13th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

COVID-19: Police in talks with ministers about tightening 'vague' lockdown exercise rules

Police are in talks with ministers to tighten the "woolly" and "incredibly vague" lockdown regulations around exercise, a senior officer has said. Existing rules are "a real challenge", Owen Weatherill, from the National Police Chiefs' Council, told a committee of MPs on Wednesday. The assistant chief constable, who is leading the policing response to the pandemic in England and Wales, was giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee. Mr Weatherill told members police were holding discussions with the Home Office and the Department of Health, in the hope that they could "give greater clarity to the public and also to our officers". He said: "It's really difficult to get the right balance, I don't think there's a perfect answer for anybody, because whichever way you frame it somebody will be disadvantaged. That's the reality of what we're dealing with here. "There was a deliberate effort to try and make it flexible initially so there was a degree of freedom of choice for people, and you could exercise some of the decisions you wanted to within certain ranges, but that clearly is presenting other problems.
13th Jan 2021 - Sky News

COVID-19: Compliance with restrictions at highest point since first lockdown, new data reveals

Compliance with coronavirus rules has risen sharply since December and is now at its highest point since the first lockdown, according to a major new survey seen by Sky News. The results cast doubt on the government's claims that rule-breaking is contributing to a rise in COVID-19 deaths, after ministers and senior police officers warned that enforcement would be increased to ensure compliance. But while the restrictions are being followed by most people, the study confirmed "rule-bending" remains as commonplace as throughout the pandemic, with a large minority adding their own "modifications" to the rules, especially when it comes to meeting other people and self-isolation time.
13th Jan 2021 - Sky News

Covid-19: Breaking down Asian vaccine myths in Lancashire

A teacher is making online videos with children to tackle myths in South Asian communities about the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine. A study recently found some ethnic minorities were targeted with inaccurate anti-vaccination messages. Neetal Parekh, from Preston, believes the language barrier is one reason why some older people have been scared to have the vaccine. She said many were being misled "simply because they do not know enough". The 36-year-old has created a collection of short videos of young children urging their grandparents to have the vaccine in a variety of South Asian languages such as Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
13th Jan 2021 - BBC News

Tokyo's Covid outbreak adds to doubts over hosting Olympic Games

A dramatic rise in coronavirus cases in Tokyo has reignited speculation about the Olympic Games, which are due to open in the city in just over six months’ time. Japan widened its coronavirus state of emergency to cover more than half the population on Wednesday as surging infections sparked warnings of intense pressure on hospitals. The prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, said anti-virus measures introduced in the greater Tokyo region – at the centre of the latest wave of cases – would be expanded to include seven other prefectures. Suga said he would “take every measure” to protect lives, adding that all non-resident foreign nationals would be banned from entering Japan until the emergency measures were lifted. Japan had previously permitted business travellers from 11 Asian countries where case numbers appeared to be under control.
13th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

Meagre lockdown food parcels for English school children provoke outcry

Shared images of meagre food packages supplied to children by schools during England’s COVID-19 lockdown prompted an outcry on Tuesday and led the government to warn private suppliers to raise their standards. With England in lockdown to try to control a surge in coronavirus cases, the government has asked schools to provide free lunches for eligible children stuck at home. However, images shared online of some of the food parcels were criticized by politicians, celebrities and the public, who questioned whether they contained enough food and nutrition for the number of meals they were supposed to cover. The outcry began when one Twitter user posted a parcel she said was expected to last 10 days of lunches containing: a loaf of bread, two potatoes, two carrots, three apples, a tomato, some dried pasta, bananas, cheese, beans and other small snack
13th Jan 2021 - Reuters

How book clubs, virtual choirs and gardening are helping people across UK embrace lockdown

People across the UK are finding imaginative ways to embrace life under lockdown by turning to online book clubs, cooking, gardening and virtual choirs to stay active, healthy and maintain social bonds. While tough restrictions imposed across the country are vital to slow the spread of coronavirus, they have also contributed to an increase in those reporting feeling bored, lonely or isolated. But there are many ways people can make the most of their time spent at home while playing their part to beat the pandemic. Every Mind Matters can get you started with a free NHS online plan, showing you simple steps to help manage anxiety, sleep better, and boost your mood.
13th Jan 2021 - The Independent

German COVID-19 study finds concert halls are safe ‘at half capacity’

A German concert hall commissioned a study which found that – with the correct ventilation system – arts venues are theoretically ‘covid-safe’ at half audience capacity. Concert hall closures have been a heavy blow for musicians in Germany, the UK and in all countries shaken by the coronavirus pandemic. And while there has been government aid, it has rarely been enough to offset lost income from cancelled gigs. In the wake of ongoing closures in its region, in north Germany, the Dortmund Concert Hall decided to commission a study from scientific research organisation, the Fraunhofer Society, to investigate the spatial spread of aerosols and CO2 in a music venue. The study looks specifically at the risk of infection for audience members when attending concert halls and theatres.
12th Jan 2021 - Classic FM

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Google Launches $3 Million Fund To Tackle Covid-19 Vaccine Misinformation

Amid an ongoing effort by Google to counter the deluge of misinformation and conspiracy theories about the coronavirus pandemic, the tech giant said Tuesday it will devote up to $3 million to back fact-checking initiatives to counter vaccine misinformation, which it says has emerged as a particularly troubling phenomenon as global immunization efforts get underway.
12th Jan 2021 - Forbes

Pope Francis will receive Covid-19 jab this week and declares 'without a vaccine you are playing with life'

Pope Francis will receive his Covid-19 vaccine this week, days after his personal doctor died from complications with the virus. The pontiff said it was an 'ethical duty' for everyone to get inoculated as Vatican City prepares for its rollout of the jabs. He told Italian news outlet TG5: 'Everyone should get the vaccine. Without a vaccine, you are playing with health, life, but also with the health of others.'
12th Jan 2021 - MSN.com

COVID-19: 'Stubborn number' of people still refusing to follow coronavirus rules

A "stubborn number" of people are still refusing to follow the rules despite England entering a third coronavirus lockdown, the chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council has said. Speaking at a Downing Street news conference, Martin Hewitt said forces across the UK have issued almost 45,000 fines for breaches of COVID-19 rules. Appearing alongside him was Home Secretary Priti Patel, who insisted the current restrictions were "very simple and clear" as well as being "tough enough".
12th Jan 2021 - Sky News

Sir David Attenborough receives Covid-19 vaccine

Sir David Attenborough has become the latest well-known name to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, his representative has confirmed. The news about the 94-year-old natural historian comes a few days after it was revealed the Queen had been vaccinated. It's not known which vaccine Sir David has been given or exactly when he had it. The Perfect Planet host is one of several stars to receive the first of two doses of the vaccine. They include The Great British Bake Off's Prue Leith, actor Sir Ian McKellen, choreographer Lionel Blair, actor Brian Blessed and actress Dame Joan Collins.
12th Jan 2021 - BBC News

Third Democrat tests positive for COVID after riot lockdown

Democrats have proposed a $1,000 a day fine on lawmakers who refuse to wear masks while in the Capitol complex. Rep. Debbie Dingell is leading the charge on the issue and blasted Republicans for 'laughing off' requests to wear one. Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider became the third lawmaker to test positive for COVID after being in lockdown with lawmakers last week. About 100 lawmakers were huddled in a poorly-ventilated room together during the MAGA riot on the Capitol with many Republicans refusing to wearing masks. He slammed Republicans: 'I was forced to spend several hours in a secure but confined location with dozens of other Members of Congress,' he said. 'Several Republican lawmakers in the room adamantly refused to wear a mask' He is isolating at home in Illinois and not yet showing symptoms. Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, 55, also tested positive for COVID-19. And Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, 75, announced earlier on Monday that she had tested positive for the coronavirus and was suffering mild symptoms. Both Jayapal and Coleman blame their infections on being trapped with Republicans who refused to wear face masks Jayapal says she believes it will turn out to be a 'superspreader event'
12th Jan 2021 - Daily Mail

Analysis: Boris's Sunday spin away from No 10 undermines UK Govt's tough lockdown message

Chris Whitty, the UK Government’s chief medical brain, spent hours on the morning media shift urging people to “double down” on complying with the Covid-19 restrictions, Boris Johnson told people to "do the right thing" and stick to the rules.
12th Jan 2021 - heraldscotland.com

Lockdown adds to suffering of vulnerable Lebanese: charity

A total lockdown set to start this week will exacerbate the suffering of vulnerable Lebanese families struggling to make ends meet unless the government offers assistance, a charity has warned. “We recognise the importance of taking thorough measures... but we are very concerned that vulnerable families and their children will be left to deal with a catastrophe on their own," Jennifer Moorehead, Save the Children’s Lebanon director, said late Monday. Lebanon, a country of more than six million, is grappling with its worst economic downturn since the 1975-1990 war.
12th Jan 2021 - FRANCE 24

Coronavirus: Wetherspoon pub chain to remove lockdown-sceptic posters

The Wetherspoon pub chain says it will remove lockdown-sceptical posters from its venues as coronavirus continues to spread in parts of England. Last month bosses made pages from their company magazine, Wetherspoon News, available to download and put in pub windows. It was part of a campaign by chairman Tim Martin against government restrictions, which he said were “messing up the economy and also the health of the nation”. One of the flyers was pictured still visible in some pub windows this month. It reproduces a news story from 20 November last year, which cast doubt on the dire warnings of government scientists about the threat posed by the second Covid-19 wave.
12th Jan 2021 - The Independent

New Austrian COVID cluster: mainly British group on ski teacher course

Austria said on Tuesday it has identified a new cluster of 17 COVID-19 cases, a mainly British group on a ski teacher training course, despite the country being on lockdown and having banned flights from Britain over fears of a new coronavirus variant. The Alpine province of Tyrol, which suffered Austria’s worst outbreak to date at the ski resort of Ischgl, said the cluster in the town of Jochberg was suspected to be of the new, more infectious variant first pinpointed in Britain in September that has spread to dozens of countries including Austria. The fact such a training course was allowed to happen despite lockdown restrictions, which include closing schools to all but daycare, stunned many Austrians.
12th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Toys How to keep your kids entertained at home during lockdown

As soon as the schools closed for the latest lockdown there was a huge focus on homeschooling and the various ways parents can help prevent their children falling behind academically. Yet little has been said about the fact there are entire weekends and evenings where you’ll need to find ways to keep your kids entertained when the usual soft plays, swimming pools, zoos, craft centres and other go-tos are closed. Having downtime, and being given time to relax and play, is vitally important. If the very thought of all of this is giving you cold sweats, we’ve compiled a list of fun activities for all ages, capabilities and budgets to inspire you to get your children playing and chilling.
12th Jan 2021 - Wired UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Which US demographics are more likely to refuse a COVID-19 vaccine?

A new survey indicates that over 31% of individuals queried had no intention of getting vaccinated against infection with SARS-CoV-2. According to the same source, the groups most likely to reject a COVID-19 vaccine are Black people, women, and those with conservative political leanings. The researchers who led the survey emphasize that policymakers must find better ways of communicating with and reassuring the public about the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
11th Jan 2021 - Medical News Today

Largest UK student accomodation provider gives 50% off rent for lockdown

The UK’s largest student accommodation provider has offered a 50 per cent rent discount in light of the new lockdown. It comes after students were told to remain where they were - while many were still at family homes for the Christmas break - until at least mid-February,
11th Jan 2021 - The Independent

In the first lockdown, England proved it could end homelessness. Why not now?

Halfway through a walk early last summer, I noticed a change around Peckham Rye train station in south-east London. Before the pandemic, there had been a semi-permanent cluster of men and women who would sleep by the entrance. Their makeshift shelters had become increasingly elaborate over the years. Mattresses, duvets and the occasional tent were common enough sights, a damning indictment of the UK’s spiralling homelessness crisis. But I couldn’t see any trace of them that afternoon. A few months had passed since the implementation in March of Everyone In, the scheme to temporarily house rough sleepers in self-contained accommodation during the first wave of the pandemic, including in newly deserted hotels and hostels. The homelessness charity Crisis called it extraordinary, while others lined up to congratulate the government on its unusually bold course of action to shelter thousands of society’s most vulnerable people.An article in the Lancet estimated that the measures prevented more than 21,000 infections and 266 deaths. Simply put, Everyone In saved lives.
11th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

COVID-19 pandemic puts Barcelona urban greening plan in the fast lane

One of Barcelona’s largest parks, named after Spanish painter Joan Miro, is just a stone’s throw from the busy crossroads between Consell de Cent and Rocafort streets, but here you could be mistaken for thinking nature is a million miles away. That could be about to change under an ambitious new 10-year plan, unveiled by Barcelona City Hall in November, aimed at drastically cutting traffic and expanding green spaces in the central district of Eixample. The 38 million-euro ($46.5-million) plan aims to turn one in three streets in the densely populated residential and commercial area into green zones. It responds to longstanding problems of air pollution and cramped living conditions in the Spanish region of Catalonia’s main city, brought to the fore by COVID-19, said Janet Sanz, Barcelona’s deputy mayor for ecology, urban planning and mobility. Lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 made urban residents realise how important nature is to them personally and to their wider communities, said Josep M. Pages, secretary general of the Belgium-based European Nurserystock Association
11th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Lockdown protests erupt in Europe cities

The coronavirus is wreaking havoc across Europe but in some cities some people are fighting the stay-at-home message. Thousands turned out in central Prague on Sunday to protest against recently extended restrictions designed to contain the coronavirus. Footage of the demonstration in Prague showed many protesters not wearing masks and standing close to one other. A day earlier in Denmark, protesters became violent and lit fireworks as police arrested nine people in the capital Copenhagen and northern city Aarhus. The demonstrators, who call themselves 'Men in Black', gathered at the town hall square in Copenhagen and clashed with police in the wintry conditions. Denmark and Czech Republic are among the nations to extend lockdown measures in the fight against soaring COVID-19 infections and a new, more infectious variant.
11th Jan 2021 - The West Australian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Joe Wicks: How to watch PE lessons during lockdown

Joe Wicks is relaunching his live "PE lessons" on Monday as the UK enters the second week of another national lockdown. The fitness coach and author, also known as The Body Coach, created the weekly online exercise sessions in March when the UK went into lockdown for the first time as a way of keeping children fit while schools were closed. The workouts were hugely popular, with one having helped Wicks achieve a Guinness World Record as nearly a million people tuned in live to watch. Wicks also used the popularity of classes as an opportunity to raise money for the NHS, with £580,000 donated through his online workouts.
10th Jan 2021 - The Independent

COVID-19: Ad campaign launched with plea to public as fears grow over lockdown compliance

A new public awareness campaign has been launched, urging people to "stay at home" in an attempt to encourage the public to comply with lockdown rules. It comes amid growing fears that people have not been observing social distancing rules, as case numbers surge, hospitals become swamped and deaths continue to rise. On Friday, a record 68,053 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the UK and one in 50 people in England are now thought to have coronavirus, according to the Office for National Statistics.
9th Jan 2021 - Sky News

COVID-19 lockdown fines reviewed in Derbyshire after women 'treated like criminals' over country walk

A police force is to review its lockdown fines after being criticised by two women who "thought someone had been murdered" due to the "heavy-handed" response to what they thought was a legal walk. Jessica Allen told Sky News she and her friend Eliza Moore travelled in separate cars to make the five-mile journey from their home town in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, to Foremark Reservoir, just across the county border in Derbyshire, on Wednesday.
9th Jan 2021 - Sky News

COVID-19: Lockdown mobility data shows people have become accustomed to bending the rules

Transport app Citymapper tracks how many people plan journeys in London, Manchester, and Birmingham. It doesn't track car trips but it captures everything else. According to its data, journeys during the first lockdown fell to less than 10% of pre-pandemic levels, and stayed that way for days. This time round however, things are slightly different. Movement has fallen since the lockdown was announced, but it isn't down to the levels of March and April. Instead, mobility fell to a little under 20% of pre-pandemic levels.
9th Jan 2021 - Sky News

Car owners told not to miss MOT despite Covid lockdown

Car owners in the UK have been told to make sure they do not miss their MOT, even if they are not currently able to use their vehicle. During the first national coronavirus lockdown in 2020, the need for the annual checks was put on hold and drivers whose certificates were due to expire before 31 July were given a six-month extension. However, the government has declared that MOT and servicing centres are an essential service and remain open for business during the current lockdown. Its guidance explains that tests should be booked as usual, but those who are isolating, shielding or have Covid-19 symptoms must not travel to an MOT centre. There are separate procedures for Northern Ireland.
9th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

More than 1000 Swindon residents volunteer for coronavirus vaccine studies

The rollout of the coronavirus vaccine is under way across the UK, giving hope for a way out of the crisis which changed our lives nearly a year ago. But developing a vaccine wouldn't have been possible without a pool of volunteers from across the four nations, with more than 1,000 people from Swindon putting their name forward to be a part of the effort. Researchers need people to take part in studies to find out which potential vaccine is most effective, and those involved are required to visit a hospital or research site every few months.
8th Jan 2021 - Swindon Advertiser

Trust in COVID-19 vaccine grows after months of decline, polls show

Confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine is growing, a USA TODAY analysis of dozens of polls and scientific papers shows. Surveys in recent weeks show close to 60% of respondents saying they’d get the COVID-19 vaccine, up from a low of 1 in 2 Americans polled in September. A Pew Research Center survey of 12,648 Americans in late November showed 60% said they’d get the vaccine if it were available today, up from 51% polled in September. The Kaiser Family Foundation noted a similar increase, with 71% of the 1,676 surveyed indicating they’d accept a COVID-19 vaccine, up from 63% in September. USA TODAY's analysis drew on methods used by Duke University and Florida State University researchers and by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to summarize vaccine polling.
7th Jan 2021 - The Arizona Republic

Increased socializing may have jeopardized lockdown benefit in England

Researchers in the UK report that much of the potential beneficial impact of the November 2020 English National lockdown on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic was likely undermined in many areas due to increased socializing in the days running up to its implementation. They say that information leaked about the intended lockdown five days prior to its implementation led to increased socializing in areas that had been categorized as Tier 1 and tier 2 as part of the country’s three-tier system.
7th Jan 2021 - News-Medical.Net

France Has Lockdown Lessons for Boris Johnson

Optimism about Covid-19 vaccines has quickly turned to pessimism about how slowly they’re being rolled out — and the grim realization that stay-at-home restrictions will be with us for longer as a result. This is being felt acutely in Europe, where Brits are now in their third national lockdown, barely a month after the second one ended. Ireland has also reintroduced tougher curbs. Both countries have seen cases and hospitalizations pile up this winter.
7th Jan 2021 - Washington Post

Hang in there, Australia—we're in great shape, but we're only halfway through the COVID marathon

In the midst of the anxiety over the latest outbreaks in NSW and Victoria, it is easy to forget the wider context of Australia's privileged COVID position. Relative to most Western countries, some of which are losing someone to COVID every 60 seconds, we live in a largely COVID-free oasis. This puts us in an incredibly good position to carefully exit from the COVID crisis and manage a steady return to nationwide normality, without the suffering seen in other nations. But we have 12 months or so to go.
7th Jan 2021 - Medical Xpress

Nation of small-business owners adapts to England lockdown No 3

A year ago, yoga teacher Brenda Ward would have been dashing between hotels, gyms and schools to deliver her classes but as England entered a third national lockdown, she stepped into her living room and greeted students by video call. Having switched all her yoga and wellbeing classes online, the 53-year-old has joined a host of small-business owners finding ways to adapt and thrive despite lockdowns that have upended high streets and downed economic activity. “I’m probably busier (than before the pandemic),” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from her home-turned-studio in northwest England.
7th Jan 2021 - Reuters UK

Coronavirus Northern Ireland: We may never return to normality despite success of vaccine, warns Professor Young

After almost a year living under the shadow of a pandemic, the approval of two Covid-19 vaccines finally brought some hope to a world weary of coronavirus. There isn't a part of our lives that hasn't been affected by Covid-19 - schools are closed for the third time, life-saving operations are being cancelled, the business community is on its knees, even the simple act of giving a loved one a hug is no longer acceptable. Throughout everything that Covid-19 has thrown at us, we've held on to the day when a vaccine would be rolled out and lives could finally return to normal.
7th Jan 2021 - Belfast Telegraph

Some Israeli Arabs, Jerusalem Palestinians wary of coronavirus vaccine

As Israel leads the world in the rate of coronavirus vaccination, some of its Arab citizens and Palestinians in annexed East Jerusalem are regarding the shot with suspicion. In what officials see as a result of misinformation about possible side effects or supposed malicious properties, turnout for vaccines has been low among Arabs, who make up 21% of Israel’s population, and Jerusalem Palestinians. “I will not be vaccinated because I don’t know what is in there. No one explained it to me,” said Marouf Alyino of East Jerusalem. “Everyone is looking at Facebook and social media, where we hear about someone dying (after getting vaccinated).”
7th Jan 2021 - Reuters UK

Patients refusing Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to 'wait for English jab', doctor claims

People are reportedly delaying getting the potentially life-saving jab as the UK hit the highest number of coronavirus deaths today since the first wave in April
7th Jan 2021 - The Mirror

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Mafia on the hunt for coronavirus vaccines, say Italian police

The mafia will be trying to get their hands on COVID-19 vaccines, Italian police have warned. Giving vaccines to millions of people is proving problematic for most governments and now law enforcement authorities are bracing for an additional challenge — criminals targeting vaccine distribution. “Their interest in vaccines is due to the high demand and the low initial supply,” the Italian police body monitoring mafia infiltration of the economy said in an internal report, extracts of which were released on Wednesday.
6th Jan 2021 - POLITICO.eu

Retreat of the UK coronavirus lockdown skeptics

What a difference a month (and a new strain of coronavirus) makes. The last time MPs held a major vote on coronavirus measures, on December 1, it prompted the biggest rebellion of Boris Johnson’s premiership with 55 of his backbenchers voting against new restrictions. When the House of Commons is asked to vote on the new national lockdown on Wednesday, any such backlash among the lockdown-skeptic wing of Johnson’s party is likely to be much smaller, several MPs predicted, with a number of former rebels saying they would now back the government.
6th Jan 2021 - POLITICO.eu

Life after lockdown: New Zealand creatives on navigating a post-Covid world

In a year that mostly felt devoid of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel emerged from a surprising source: the bottom of the world. Long-since illuminated for its history-making politics, 2020 saw New Zealand burn even brighter on the global stage for all but eliminating coronavirus (twice) with remarkable efficiency — announcing 95 percent probability of zero local transmissions — as other first-world nations confronted yet another surge. Perhaps it was the country’s dispersed population, borderless isolation or high governmental trust index, but once again a small island nation just North of Antarctica (and often confused with Australia) had set an undeniable precedent.
6th Jan 2021 - VICE

Britain's Asda urges lockdown shoppers not to stockpile

British supermarket group Asda on Wednesday urged its customers to shop considerately and not buy more than they normally would after new COVID-19 lockdowns were introduced across the United Kingdom to stem the spread of the virus. Under the new rules in England, schools are closed to most pupils, people should work from home if possible, and all hospitality and non-essential shops are closed. Semi-autonomous executives in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have imposed similar measures. With the hospitality sector shut, there is pressure on supermarkets to meet demand. December trade hit record levels.
6th Jan 2021 - Reuters

'No law can order us': Greek Christians defy COVID ban on Epiphany services

Greek Christian churches held Epiphany services on Wednesday, openly defying government coronavirus restrictions that banned public gatherings including religious ceremonies on one of the most important days of the Orthodox calendar. Despite a plea by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for Church authorities to set an example during a crisis that has killed more than 5,000 in Greece, worshippers attended morning services, although limits were placed on the number allowed into churches at one time. “State orders are one thing and faith is another,” said a 38-year-old worshipper who gave her name as Stavroula, after attending morning service at a church in the outskirts of Athens. “No law can order us what to do.”
6th Jan 2021 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Column: Will we still commute after the epidemic? - John Kemp

In the advanced economies, the coronavirus epidemic is likely to accelerate long-term structural changes in the location of work and accommodation and the transport systems that link them. But the rate of change will be tempered by enormous inertia in real estate and transit systems to accommodate a widespread shift in work from central cities to the suburbs and secondary cities. The current distribution of land use is the product of the railways in the 19th century and the automobile in the 20th century, which allowed people to travel much greater distances from home to the workplace. While many executives and professionals can afford to live in central areas of large cities if they want to take advantage of networking opportunities and cultural facilities, most workers are forced to live in suburbs and satellite communities where housing is cheaper.
6th Jan 2021 - Reuters UK

US pharmacist 'tried to ruin Covid vaccine' because of safety fears, court told

Steven Brandenburg was detained following an investigation into spoiled vials of the Moderna jab, which would have inoculated 500 people. A US pharmacist convinced the world was “crashing down” told police he tried to ruin hundreds of doses of coronavirus vaccine because he believed the shots would mutate people’s DNA. Court documents from Wisconsin showed pharmacist Steven Brandenburg was detained following an investigation into the 57 spoiled vials of the Moderna vaccine, which officials say contained enough doses to inoculate more than 500 people.
5th Jan 2021 - Wales Online

Covid-19: England lockdown looms as hospital ejects 'Covid deniers'

A group of Covid-19 "deniers" were removed from a hospital by security guards after going there to take pictures of empty corridors to post on social media to back up their claims that there is no crisis, according to its chief executive. Describing the incident at Colchester Hospital, where the intensive care unit is running at maximum capacity because of the virus, Nick Hulme said it "beggars belief" some people were calling the pandemic a hoax. "Of course there are empty corridors at the weekend in outpatients, because that's the right thing to do," he added.
5th Jan 2021 - BBC News

Covid: Can we really jab our way out of lockdown?

With the country in lockdown and a new faster-spreading variant of coronavirus rampant, it's clear the UK is in a race to vaccinate. Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants all the over-70s, the most clinically vulnerable and front-line health and care workers to be offered a jab by mid-February, to allow the restrictions to be eased. That requires about 13 million people to be given the opportunity to be vaccinated - but so far only one million have been. And ensuring a quick rollout to the rest is fraught with difficulties. There is enough vaccine in the country, BBC News has learned, but getting it into people's arms could be hampered by: a global shortage of glass vials to package up the vaccines long waits for safety checks the process of ensuring there are enough vaccinators
5th Jan 2021 - BBC News

Watching New Zealand's Covid success from bungling Britain has been torture

Like most Britons this past year, I’ve spent more time than I care to admit doomscrolling social media. But in between the muted festive lockdown celebrations, I also saw photos of crowded house parties, family barbecues and road trips to baches and beaches. My social feeds have split into alternate realities. Because although I’m a British citizen living in Oxford, I’m also a resident of New Zealand, where things really couldn’t be more different. As a resident of two countries, with friends and family in each, I’m used to witnessing events and political developments in both places at once. Usually this experience is a rewarding one where new ideas and cultural differences cross-pollinate in my brain and expand the way I see the world. But in 2020 it’s been an exercise in frustration. The torture of watching how one country has handed the Covid pandemic so well, while living in another that has bungled it so badly, has been one of the defining characteristics of my past year.
5th Jan 2021 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

Cambodia reopens schools and museums as others lock down

Cambodia has started reopening schools and museums as it relaxes a six-week lockdown following a coronavirus outbreak late last year, marking a contrast with some neighbouring countries that are facing new restrictions due to rising COVID-19 cases. The Southeast Asian country of just over 16 million people, one of the least impacted by the novel coronavirus with just 382 infections and no deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, saw a rare cluster of cases in November. On Monday, students wearing masks lined up for temperature checks and hand washing before being allowed to enter the Sovannaphumi primary school in the capital Phnom Penh.
4th Jan 2021 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jan 2021

    View this newsletter in full

The ‘Healthy Building’ Surge Will Outlast the Pandemic

Over the past several months, the Covid-19 pandemic has sparked a surge of interest in the role that indoor environments—where we spend 90 percent of our time, even in a normal year—play in our health. Suddenly, developers and CEOs are realizing that incorporating health concerns in a building’s design isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. “People are really thinking about, ‘Are these spaces safe? Are they healthy? How could I improve them?’” says Rick Cook, a founding partner of the New York-based architectural firm COOKFOX. Cook and other architects have been working with the International WELL Building Institute, an organization that’s developing standards for healthy buildings. Since the pandemic, the Institute has been registering more than a million square feet of real estate a day in its certification program, putting buildings on the path to wellness
15th Dec 2020 - Wired

Yorkshire theatres reflect on a tough year - but the show must go on in 2021

It has been a tough year for our theatres but, as Nick Ahad reports, the energy and verve with which they have reacted, plus the public’s support, gives hope for the future.
31st Dec 2020 - The Yorkshire Post

Vaccine passports, travel bubbles, pricey flights: the future of Asian tourism?

The coronavirus has changed the industry, forcing companies and countries alike to pivot from their existing models in a region where tourism is a huge economic driver. But catering to local travellers cannot fully make up for the downturn, experts say, while changing appetites and abundant concerns mean the future is anything but certain
2nd Jan 2021 - South China Morning Post

UK public transport downturn to continue after pandemic ends

Over half of public transport users in the UK say they will continue to avoid buses and trains after the pandemic is over in favour of cycling or walking, a study of consumer spending reveals. The Co-op’s annual ethical consumerism report, which has monitored ethical spending habits for over 20 years, this year singles out public transport as “the biggest loser” of changed spending priorities due to Covid-19, with users reluctant to jump back onto buses and trains because of the threat to their personal space. In other sectors, the study found that the “stay at or near home” culture which has led to a boom in online shopping and home deliveries is likely to stay, with 58% of shoppers determined to continue to support their local high street.
2nd Jan 2021 - The Guardian

Pope criticises people going on holiday to flee COVID lockdowns

Pope Francis condemned on Sunday people who had gone abroad on holiday to escape coronavirus lockdowns, saying they needed to show greater awareness of the suffering of others. Speaking after his weekly noon blessing, Francis said he had read newspaper reports of people catching flights to flee government curbs and seek fun elsewhere. “They didn’t think about those who were staying at home, of the economic problems of many people who have been hit hard by the lockdown, of the sick people. (They thought) only about going on holiday and having fun,” the pope said. “This really saddened me,” he said in a video address
4th Jan 2021 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

French Retailers Seek Aid as Sales Fail to Recover From Lockdown

French retailers called for government support after sales failed to rebound fully from a second lockdown, suggesting measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic are changing consumer patterns. Despite a good pick-up in spending thanks to Black Friday discounts and year-end purchases, many clothing, shoe, jewelry, beauty-product and perfume retailers face a drop in revenue of more than 20% in 2020, the French Council of Commerce, a group of about 30 business federations, said in a statement on Monday. “Many shopkeepers could decide to put up the shutters for good to avoid racking up further losses and dragging out an insurmountable economic situation,” said William Koeberle, chairman of the trade group.
29th Dec 2020 - Bloomberg

China Covid-19: How state media and censorship took on coronavirus

At the start of the year the Chinese government faced two major challenges; an unknown disease which threatened to tear through its population and a wave of voices online telling the world what was happening. By the end of 2020, a glance at Chinese state-controlled media shows that both appear to be under control. The BBC's Kerry Allen and Zhaoyin Feng take a look back at the country's online government censors who worked harder than ever to supress negative information, the citizens that managed to break through the Great Firewall, and how the propaganda machine re-wrote the narrative.
29th Dec 2020 - BBC News

Australia could deport hundreds of Brits after ‘super-spreader’ party

Hundreds of backpackers risk being stripped of their visas and deported from Australia after a huge party was thrown on a beach on Christmas Day. Shocking footage from Sydney shows around 300 people, many believed to be British travellers, chanting next to Bronte Beach wearing Santa hats and what appear to be England football shirts. Australian immigration minister Alex Hawke said he was ‘shocked’ and would be ‘very happy’ to deport those caught disobeying public health orders in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. ‘Absolutely, under the migration act, if someone is threatening public safety or health, their visa can be cancelled and revoked,’ Mr Hawke said on 2GB this morning.
29th Dec 2020 - Metro

Lockdown library: Meet the woman closing the literacy gap from her garden

A woman in Manchester is helping to close the literacy gap by starting a library at the bottom of her garden. Helen Beesley from Burnage began the project with just one box of books, stashed in an old cupboard in the bottom of her garden. Anyone was welcome to help themselves and read for free. The idea came from the Little Free Library movement - which started in the USA but has now spread across the globe. The aim is to improve literacy and share a love of reading.
29th Dec 2020 - ITV News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Pre-K teacher goes viral after sharing virtual-classroom dance parties: ‘It’s about bringing that joy factor’

There’s been no shortage of praiseworthy teachers throughout the pandemic, and among them is a pre-K teacher who went viral this week after sharing footage of his virtual classroom’s dance sessions — a unique “joy factor” strategy that he uses to keep students engaged. Azel Prather has been teaching early childhood education for the last five years and has spent the last two at the KIPP DC Arts & Technology Academy, a public charter school. “I want them to learn and they want to have fun, so let me meet them where they're at,” he says regarding his innovative classroom dance breaks.
28th Dec 2020 - Yahoo Canada

Elite Boarding Schools Offer Students a Unique Covid-19 Bubble

Many high schools are struggling with whether to allow students to learn in the classroom as Covid-19 infections surge across the U.S. But not the nation’s boarding schools. These schools have been mostly able to offer in-person learning with relatively few incidents, using a variety of intensive virus-mitigation strategies, according to Peter Upham, executive director of The Association of Boarding Schools. About a third of the nation’s more than 260 academic boarding schools have had Covid-19 cases, Upham said, but very few schools have seen outbreaks of more than just a couple students.
28th Dec 2020 - Bloomberg

The perverse political effects of Covid-19

The PRC’s success in largely suppressing the disease stands in marked contrast with the terrible toll that Covid-19 has taken on the west. But politics moves in unexpected ways. Paradoxically, there is a strong case to be made that both the US and the EU may also end up being politically strengthened by Covid-19.
28th Dec 2020 - The Financial Times

Ukrainians flock to local ski resort, with many European resorts shut to curb coronavirus spread

Ukraine’s biggest ski resort Bukovel in the Carpathian mountains is fully booked until the end of year as Ukrainians have sped to it instead of other foreign resorts that have been shut due to coronavirus-linked restrictions across Europe. Bukovel’s management said the resort had already been booked at 80% capacity through January. Unlike some European countries, Ukraine did not tighten restrictions on the movement of its residents within the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus over the Christmas and New Year season.
28th Dec 2020 - Reuters UK

Sydney told to watch its famous New Year's Eve fireworks from home

Sydney, one of the world’s first major cities to welcome each New Year with a public countdown featuring a fireworks display over its well-known Opera House, has banned large gatherings that night amid an outbreak of the coronavirus. A mid-December resurgence of COVID-19 in the city’s northern beach suburbs has grown to 125 cases after five new infections were recorded on Monday. About a quarter of million of people there must stay in strict lockdown until Jan. 9. That has led to further restrictions of the already toned-down plans for the New Year’s Eve. New South Wales (NSW) Premier Gladys Berejiklian banned most people from coming to Sydney’s downtown that night and limited outdoor gatherings to 50 people.
28th Dec 2020 - Reuters UK

Scarred by 2020, Gen Z looks to a COVID-free future

Lives that had been focussed on school, university, sports or even going to K-pop concerts vanished overnight for members of Gen Z as the global pandemic struck. While a lot was heard about older people at risk from COVID-19, this younger generation - born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s - also saw their worlds turned upside down in 2020. Reuters profiled 10 young people around the world to learn how their lives had been affected by the coronavirus. Shut up in bedrooms - many forced to live with their parents - some went from being students, athletes and workers to caring for sick relatives and doing whatever they could to earn money to support families. One teen even became a mother
27th Dec 2020 - Reuters UK

Cramped housing has helped fuel spread of Covid in England – study

Overcrowded housing has helped to spread Covid-19 in England and may have increased the number of deaths, according to research by the Health Foundation. People living in cramped conditions have been more exposed to the coronavirus and were less able to reduce their risk of infection because their homes were so small, the thinktank found. Overcrowding was a key reason why poorer people and those from ethnic minority backgrounds in particular had been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, it said.
27th Dec 2020 - The Guardian

Old and vulnerable people 'aren't getting their Covid jabs' with spare vaccines offered to healthy volunteers

Concerns are growing that some older and vulnerable people are not taking up the Pfizer vaccine. At one health centre in South London, The Mail on Sunday has learned that 75 doses of the vaccine were left over as uptake had been so low. Managers were left scrambling to find other patients to vaccinate and even offered a jab to healthy volunteers working there. Experts suggested that elderly people may be struggling with transport or are nervous about venturing outdoors.
26th Dec 2020 - Daily Mail

Wealthy Britons 'offering private doctors £2,000 to jump Covid vaccine queue and get jabs early'

Rich people are offering huge sums of money to skip the queue for the coronavirus vaccines. The jabs can currently only be obtained through the NHS, but several private British doctors say they have been bombarded with requests from wealthy individuals offering to pay to have theirs ahead of time. Dr Roshan Ravindran, owner of Klnik, a private clinic in Wilmslow, Cheshire, claimed some clients had offered £2,000 for injections.
26th Dec 2020 - Daily Mail

In Christmas message curbed by Covid, pope calls on nations to share vaccines

Pope Francis in his Christmas message on Friday said political and business leaders must not allow market forces and patent laws to take priority over making Covid 19 vaccines available to all, condemning nationalism and “the virus of radical individualism”.
25th Dec 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Inside Oxford's coronavirus vaccine development | Art and design

From a small discovery to producing at scale, photojournalist David Levene documents the groundbreaking work of the scientists of Oxford University during the development of a vaccine which is now poised for approval by medicines regulators
21st Dec 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Rich Americans are trying to cut the line for Covid vaccine, doctors say

Rich Americans in California are offering to buy their way to the front of the coronavirus vaccine line as the state continues to see a surge in infections and deaths, reports have said. Speaking to CNN, a number of concierge doctors in the area say have received a number of requests for early access to the new vaccine in return for premium payments or donations. Dr Jeff Toll, whose boutique internal medicine practice has admitting privileges at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said his high-profile clients have offered large sums in turn for prioritisation. The doctor told outlets that one of his clientele, which includes chief executives and entertainment figures, offered to donate $25,000 to the hospital for early access to the shot.
19th Dec 2020 - The Independent

Postcards from Wuhan: One year on, residents share lockdown memories, hopes for 2021

In China’s Wuhan, the original epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, the city’s residents are returning to normal life, even as they continue to grapple with memories of the early outbreak, which struck fear in the city. It’s been almost seven months since the city recorded a locally transmitted case of the disease due to a strict city-wide lockdown and a mass testing event of almost all the city’s 11 million residents. Today, restaurants, shopping streets and bars are crowded, but locals are still experiencing the lasting impact of the lockdown on mental health and work.
20th Dec 2020 - Reuters UK

Could Beyoncé do for the coronavirus vaccine what Elvis did for polio?

Beyoncé could help, it's been suggested, as could Tom Hanks or The Rock. Or maybe an athlete instead. Serena Williams, perhaps, or even Michael Jordan? As millions of Americans continue to express reluctance or outright refusal to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, the country's political and public-health leaders are pondering a question critical to ending the pandemic: Who can change their minds? When the federal government faced a similar dilemma more than a half-century ago, it had a king at its disposal.
19th Dec 2020 - The Independent

New COVAX agreements renew vaccine hopes for developing countries

Global health officials have feared that richer nations could snap up much of the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, and since the early days of the pandemic, the WHO and its partners, including the GAVI vaccine alliance, have been pushing forward with COVAX, a plan to support the development of new vaccines and secure doses for participating countries. Experts have maintained that beating back the virus in all parts of the world, especially with vaccine, is a key step in ending the pandemic threat, but there are deep worries that a wide funding gap will cause a lengthy delay in the first vaccine deliveries for developing nations. In its announcement, the WHO said COVAX now has agreements in place to access nearly 2 billion doses of several promising vaccine candidates.
18th Dec 2020 - CIDRAP

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How France is confronting its big anti-vaxx problem

As it emerges from its second Covid lockdown, France is preparing to roll out one of the biggest vaccination campaigns in its history. The country has been badly battered by the pandemic, tallying 59,000 Covid deaths and 2.39 million cases so far, and the vaccine would finally offer a way out of the ordeal. Yet, Paris will now have to grapple with another alarming reality: France has become one of the most vaccine-sceptical countries in the world.
17th Dec 2020 - Wired.co.uk

New Zealand's 'go hard and early' Covid policy reaps economic rewards

New Zealand’s economy has accelerated out of a coronavirus induced recession to grow by a record 14 per cent in the third quarter, reflecting authorities’ adept handling of the pandemic. Figures published on Thursday showed a resurgence in household spending drove the country’s recovery. The easing of some of the world’s toughest social distancing restrictions prompted 11.1 per cent growth in service industries and 26 per cent growth in the goods producing sector. New Zealand’s statistics agency also revised the decline in gross domestic product in the June quarter to 11 per cent, from previous estimates of a 12.2 per cent contraction. However, the damage wrought by a nationwide lockdown remained evident in the annual growth figure, which shows economic activity fell 2.2 per cent in the year to the end of September.
17th Dec 2020 - Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

TikTok update targets Covid vaccine misinformation

TikTok is cracking down on Covid-19 vaccine misinformation through a suite of new changes aimed at protecting vulnerable users from harmful conspiracy theories. The video-sharing app will introduce a new tool to detect content relating to the Covid-19 vaccine as part of a series of updates being released later this month. From that date, any relevant videos will come with a banner message attached, stating: “Learn more about Covid-19 vaccines.” Coronavirus vaccinations developed by Pfizer and BioNTech began to be administered in the UK last week and have since begun in the US and other countries.
16th Dec 2020 - The Independent

Covid-19: BAME communities urged to accept vaccine

People from BAME backgrounds are being encouraged to accept a Covid-19 vaccine amid concerns that they are less likely to take it up. Thornbury district nurse Genevieve Palmer was given the jab at Kingswood Health Centre in Bristol on Tuesday. She asked communities to take the vaccine "to protect yourself, protect your family and protect everybody." A Royal Society for Public Health survey found that BAME groups were less likely to want the Covid vaccine.
16th Dec 2020 - BBC News

French culture takes centre stage in Covid protest

Hundreds of actors, theatre directors, musicians, film technicians and critics, and many others from the world of French culture gathered in the heart of Paris and other cities on Tuesday to protest against the government's shutdown of culture venues because of Covid-19. Cinemas, theatres, museums and concert halls had been set to reopen, but days in advance Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a change of heart in response to France's stubbornly high infection rate. No reopening will take place now until at least 7 January - a decision Mr Castex said was "particularly painful for us".
16th Dec 2020 - BBC News

Jacinda Arden on how New Zealand eliminated Covid-19: 'You just have to get on with it'

New Zealand this year pulled off a moonshot that remains the envy of most other nations - it eliminated the coronavirus. But the goal was driven as much by fear as it was ambition, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed in an interview with The Associated Press. Ms Ardern said the target grew from an early realisation the nation's health system simply could not cope with a big outbreak.
16th Dec 2020 - The Irish News

After experts criticized its approach, Facebook overhauls its Covid-19 misinformation policy

Facebook has overhauled its approach to harmful Covid-19 health misinformation, announcing major changes that would send a much stronger message to users who have interacted with harmful falsehoods about the virus. The decision on Tuesday comes after STAT reported in May on expert criticism of the social network’s handling of falsehoods about Covid-19 from the researchers whom Facebook said it had consulted to design the policy. Those experts told STAT that Facebook appeared to have misinterpreted the research and that the social media platform’s approach was unlikely to be effective.
16th Dec 2020 - STAT News

Unicef to feed hungry children in UK for first time in 70-year history

Unicef has launched a domestic emergency response in the UK for the first time in its more than 70-year history to help feed children hit by the Covid-19 crisis. The UN agency, which is responsible for providing humanitarian aid to children worldwide, said the coronavirus pandemic was the most urgent crisis affecting children since the second world war. A YouGov poll in May commissioned by the charity Food Foundation found 2.4 million children (17%) were living in food insecure households. By October, an extra 900,000 children had been registered for free school meals.
16th Dec 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Paris Opera singers go digital after COVID keeps theatres closed

Just five days before they were due to perform before a live audience for the first time in almost two months, the singers of the Paris Opera learned they could not re-open before January as France’s coronavirus cases remained stubbornly high. So they decided to film their performance of works by a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and 18th century French composers Chevalier de Saint-Georges and Andre Gretry and offer it on a new video-on-demand portal launched last week by the Opera de Paris, which runs the Garnier and the Bastille opera venues. “Of course it is sad, but we’re very lucky to be able to film this concert, especially because some pieces of music that will be played have never been recorded”, said French soprano Pauline Texier.
15th Dec 2020 - Reuters

Many African, Asian families marry off daughters amid virus

The man first caught a glimpse of Marie Kamara as she ran with her friends past his house near the village primary school. Soon after, he proposed to the fifth-grader. “I’m going to school now. I don’t want to get married and stay in the house,” she told him. But the pressures of a global pandemic on this remote corner of Sierra Leone were greater than the wishes of a schoolgirl. Nearby mining operations had slowed with the global economy. Business fell off at her stepfather’s tailoring shop, where outfits he had sewn now gathered dust. The family needed money. Her suitor was a small-scale miner in his mid-20s, but his parents could provide rice for Marie’s four younger sisters and access to their watering hole. They could pay cash. Before long, Marie was seated on a floor mat in a new dress as his family presented hers with 500,000 leones ($50) inside a calabash bowl along with the traditional kola nut
15th Dec 2020 - The Associated Press

2.7 billion people did not get state aid during pandemic: Oxfam

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures to contain it have hit millions of people hard, with poverty set to increase sharply in almost every country for the first time in decades unless action is taken now, according to a new report by Oxfam. Hundreds of millions of people have lost their jobs and income, and 2.7 billion people have not received any public financial support to deal with the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Oxfam said in the report published on Tuesday.
15th Dec 2020 - Al Jazeera English

BAME groups hit by Covid 'triple whammy', official UK study finds

Black and minority ethnic groups suffered a “triple whammy of threats” to their mental health, incomes and life expectancy that left them more vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic when it took hold earlier this year, according to the UK government’s official statistics body. Research from the Office for National Statistics into the wellbeing of different ethnic groups in the UK showed that 27% of people from black backgrounds reported in April finding it difficult to make financial ends meet, compared with fewer than 10% among most white groups.
14th Dec 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Queues form outside Milan food banks as crisis bites ahead of Christmas

Long queues have been forming outside food banks and help centres in Italy’s financial capital Milan as the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus has deepened before Christmas. s case numbers surged after the summer, Italy - the first European country to be struck by the pandemic and among the worst hit - has seen its stagnant economy dealt a blow by lockdowns to try to halt the spread of COVID-19. “During this period of the pandemic, the numbers have gone up,” said Luigi Rossi, vice-president of local aid group Pane Quotidiano, as a queue stretched down the block outside the centre in the south of Milan.
14th Dec 2020 - Reuters UK

Covid: How different ethnic groups have been affected by the pandemic

Most people in the UK have said they experienced a worsening of their mental health between 2019 and April 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS has analysed data from different ethnic groups in the UK just before the Covid-19 pandemic and in April this year, when the UK was in a full national lockdown. Data from the ONS reveals most ethnic groups have suffered in society in the past year - whether that is financially or mentally - through stress or lack of sleep and loneliness.
14th Dec 2020 - ITV News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

CNN to reveal the most inspiring moment of 2020

The two-hour special salutes everyday people who became bright spots during this challenging year -- frontline workers, advocates, scientists, teachers and neighbors -- by going above and beyond to help those in need and push for social justice. Among those being recognized: a) Covid-19 ICU nurse Shannon Basara endures untold stress at her job but benefited from the First Descents Hero Recharge program, which provides free adventures to frontline workers b) Scientist Mike Smith worked round the clock to develop a vaccine for Moderna. c) Dawn Baker, a volunteer vaccine tester and the first person in a Phase 3 clinical trial in the US d) Rahul Dubey sheltered 72 Black Lives Matter protesters overnight to prevent them from being arrested e) Tattoo artist Ryun King helped start the Cover the Hate campaign to cover hate tattoos for free f) Michelle Brenner earned the nickname of the "Lasagna Lady" by making and delivering thousands of free homemade lasagnas to anyone in her community g) Shelly Tygielski founded Pandemic of Love to match up people who need help with those who can provide it h) Desmond Meade, of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition worked to extend democracy in his home state by removing obstacles that prevented citizens with felony convictions from being able to vote i) DJ D-Nice brought his unique brand of joy to people in quarantine
13th Dec 2020 - CNN

Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine: Distribution, Side Effects and Everything You Need to Know

Pfizer Inc. and partner BioNTech SE received authorization from the Food and Drug Administration on Friday to begin distributing their Covid-19 vaccine. As the shot goes into use across the U.S., here’s what we know and don’t know. Who is authorized to receive the vaccine? The FDA authorized the vaccine to be administered to people 16 and older to prevent Covid-19.
13th Dec 2020 - The Wall Street Journal

Germans deprived of mulled wine in Christmas lockdown

Germany’s tightened lockdown measures have eliminated one remnant of seasonal frivolity: “Gluehwein” or mulled wine, a staple of Christmas markets usually served in steaming mugs on cold days in town squares round the nation. A blanket outdoor alcohol ban, starting mid-week, was announced on Sunday among measures to curb the coronavirus second wave. Offenders will be fined.
13th Dec 2020 - Reuters

COVID-19 vaccine not advised for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

They say that “it has been advised that until more information is available those who are pregnant should not have this vaccine”. Their statement adds that “many vaccines can be given safely in pregnancy” but because of “the new formulation of this particular vaccine the MHRA wants to see more non-clinical data before finalising the advice in pregnancy”. It adds: “It is standard practice when waiting for such data on any medicine, to avoid its use in those who may become pregnant or who are breastfeeding. This will be kept under review as more evidence becomes available”. The document adds - “Here are the key points you should consider until we have more evidence:
13th Dec 2020 - The News Letter on MSN.com

Now that there’s a coronavirus vaccine, how do you persuade people to take it?

In Philadelphia, public health officials think block captains may be more effective than football stars in persuading people to get coronavirus vaccines. Researchers in the Navajo Nation anticipate that directives about the shots will have to be reworded to resonate with Native people. And in Atlanta, where a federally funded project has been working with community leaders to increase minority participation in clinical trials, physicians have a lesson to learn in how to talk to patients about vaccines. Memo to docs? More empathy. Less authority.
12th Dec 2020 - The Washington Post

The magnifying glass: how Covid revealed the truth about our world

The pandemic has illuminated deprivation, inequalities and political unrest, while reminding us of the power and beauty of nature and humanity
11th Dec 2020 - The Guardian

UK: Why do some ethnic minorities fear the coronavirus vaccine?

When 29-year-old Shabrez Ali from Bradford was a child, his mother was cautious about vaccines.“For the longest time, my mum didn’t want me to take jabs during primary and secondary school,” Ali, who has South Asian origins, told Al Jazeera by phone.He was not sure why, but guessed, “it may have been due to some potential conspiracies she might have heard in the past”. Since the UK went into its first coronavirus lockdown in March, Ali, who suffers from an autoimmune condition, has barely left the house. He had received a letter from the government urging him to “shield” because the immunosuppressant drugs he takes made him vulnerable.
8th Dec 2020 - Aljazeera.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

This Was the Year When Everything Became TV

All of this further bonded us to TV and blurred the definition of the genre. To some extent, the pandemic accelerated changes that were already underway, be it the separation of movies from cinemas or the shift of recreational time to mobile devices. (We all drew the line at Quibi, though.) This wasn’t limited to entertainment. Thanks to FaceTime and texting and virtual spaces, our social lives were already growing more digital and mediated. I remember speaking on a panel at the Park Slope Food Co-op in late February (on the shopping floor, the panic-buying of beans and rice was just beginning), and the moderator worrying aloud about how much time young people today socialized on-screen, instead of having “real” physical interactions.
10th Dec 2020 - The New York Times

Stealing to survive: More Americans are shoplifting food as aid runs out during the pandemic

Early in the pandemic, Joo Park noticed a worrisome shift at the market he manages near downtown Washington: At least once a day, he’d spot someone slipping a package of meat, a bag of rice or other food into a shirt or under a jacket. Diapers, shampoo and laundry detergent began disappearing in bigger numbers, too. Since then, he said, thefts have more than doubled at Capitol Supermarket — even though he now stations more employees at the entrance, asks shoppers to leave backpacks up front and displays high-theft items like hand sanitizer and baking yeast in more conspicuous areas. Park doesn’t usually call the police, choosing instead to bar offenders from coming back.
10th Dec 2020 - The Washington Post

No, the COVID-19 Vaccine is not made from aborted babies…

You may have seen a story doing the rounds on social media about the new Covid-19 vaccine being made from the cells of aborted babies. Like most rumours on social media, it is just not true. A simple way to check if a story is true is to look it up on Snopes – the fact-checking site
10th Dec 2020 - Slugger O'Toole

Covid: 'How a picture of my foot became anti-vaccine propaganda'

Patricia is suffering from an unexplained skin condition - but a misunderstanding about what might have caused it set off a chain of events that turned her foot into fodder for anti-vaccine activists. The picture showed purple and red sores, swollen and oozing with pus. "Supposedly this is a [vaccine] trial participant," read the message alongside it. "Ready to roll up your sleeve?" Within a day, those same feet had been mentioned thousands of times on Instagram and Facebook. The picture went viral on Twitter as well.
10th Dec 2020 - BBC News

Scammers targeting elderly with promise of coronavirus vaccine

Scammers are trying to use the Covid-19 vaccine rollout to take elderly people’s money in one part of Wirral. Older residents in the New Ferry area are being targeted by con artists who ring them with an automated voice telling them they have been selected to receive the coronavirus vaccine and to press a number to arrange a booking. On its Facebook page, Wirral Council said elderly people with 0151 645 numbers were being targeted and scammers were calling them from the number 075374 00307. The authority’s post added: “This is a scam. Pressing the number will allow them to charge your phone company and take a sum of money from your account. Please warn elderly vulnerable residents to be on their guard to avoid being scammed.”
10th Dec 2020 - Liverpool Echo

Air pollution roars back in parts of UK, raising Covid fears

Air pollution in many towns and cities across the UK now exceeds pre-pandemic levels, exacerbating the risk of Covid-19 and putting the health of millions of people at risk. A study published on Thursday says that although air quality improved dramatically in the first half of the year as the country went into lockdown, pollution now meets or exceeds pre-Covid levels in 80% of the 49 cities and large towns that were analysed. There is growing evidence that exposure to toxic air increases the risks from Covid-19 and the authors of the study say their findings underscore the need for local councils to do more to reduce car use and improve air quality by prioritising walking and cycling.
10th Dec 2020 - The Guardian

Pope's Midnight Mass to start early to respect COVID curfew

Pope Francis will celebrate Midnight Mass earlier than usual to comply with Italy’s anti-coronavirus curfew and will deliver his Christmas and New Year’s blessings in ways that aim to prevent crowds from forming. The Vatican on Thursday released the pope’s COVID-19 Christmas liturgical schedule. It said the pope’s Dec. 24 Mass — which for years hasn’t been celebrated at midnight at all but at 9:30 p.m. to spare pontiffs from the late hour — would begin at 7:30 p.m. this year. Italy has imposed a 10 p.m. nationwide curfew, as well as restaurant closures and other restrictions, to try to prevent crowds from forming following a surge of COVID-19 infections and deaths this fall.
10th Dec 2020 - Associated Press

Italians Will Be Frozen in Place This Christmas

If U.S. states’ lockdowns are too onerous for you, be thankful you’re not in Italy. In November Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte promised that “if we respect the rules, we’ll have a serene Christmas.” Italians largely complied but didn’t get their reward. Now Mr. Conte says it’ll be “a different Christmas, but not less authentic.” Covid-19 hit Italy early and hard. With more than 60,000 deaths and a case-fatality rate of 3.5% (compared with 1.95% in the U.S., 2.57% in Sweden and 2.4% in France), it is clearly a country where things went wrong. In the spring, when the epidemic was concentrated in the North, the country implemented the strictest lockdown in the Western world. It seemed to succeed, and Italians had an uneasy summer, with enclaves of normalcy. Some went to the beach; some hiked mountains; some even went clubbing. In October infections began to rise again.
10th Dec 2020 - The Wall Street Journal

French to find out if virus surge will ruin Christmas holidays

With just two weeks to go until Christmas, French people were on Thursday nervously awaiting news by the Prime Minister on whether lockdown restrictions will be relaxed as planned. Failure to adequately stem the number of coronavirus cases has fuelled fears that Jean Castex will scupper end-of-year festivities at a press conference set for 6pm. Under plans laid out in November, cinemas and theatres are due to reopen on 15 December, with a night-time curfew replacing a nationwide lockdown – allowing people to travel to see loved ones over the holidays.
10th Dec 2020 - RFI English

Alarming levels of hunger in India even post-lockdown, says survey

In India, the hunger situation remains grave among the marginalised and vulnerable communities even five months after the lockdown has ended, with a large number of families going to bed without food, showed a ‘Hunger Watch’ survey conducted across 11 states. About 56 per cent of the respondents never had to skip meals before lockdown. In September and October, 27 per cent respondents went to bed without eating. About one in 20 households often went to bed without eating.
10th Dec 2020 - The New Indian Express

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

German intelligence places coronavirus protesters under observation - media

German intelligence agents have placed under observation a group of protesters against coronavirus restrictions, citing the influence of radicals including far-right Nazi admirers. The domestic intelligence service in the southwestern Baden-Wuerttemberg region put the “Querdenken 711” group on a watch-list due to its increasing radicalisation, the state’s interior ministry said on Wednesday. “Querdenken 711” was founded early in the pandemic by IT entrepreneur Michael Ballweg in the affluent city of Stuttgart and helped begin a nationwide movement.
9th Dec 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Masked dolls and anti-virus lab kits - toys reflect Spain and Portugal's Coronavirus Christmas

Children in Spain and Portugal could find that their Christmas presents this year reflect the coronavirus pandemic as dolls wearing face masks, kits for making personal protection items, and other toys adapted to fit the times fly off shop shelves. Millions of kids around the world were stuck in their homes during a series of lockdowns, and when they did emerge, they were often told to wear masks. So, as the holiday season approached, some toymakers gave their toys a twist. “I think it’s a way of adapting to reality,” said mum Reyes Lopez as she looked around a toy store in Madrid. “Dolls also have to represent society.”
8th Dec 2020 - Reuters

Virtual pantomime hoping to bring Christmas joy to pupils across the North West during coronavirus lockdown

In England, an unlikely duo have come together to save the Christmas panto by offering school children across the North West the chance to watch it online instead. An unlikely duo have come together to save the Christmas panto by offering school children across the North West the chance to watch it online instead. Waterloo Primary Academy in Blackpool is just one of the schools who will get to watch the performance. Head teacher Mark Hamblett, said: "Usually at this time of year we would be taking the children to the theatre to watch the pantomime, this year we'll be taking the pantomime to the children instead."
8th Dec 2020 - ITV

France, Germany and Italy agreed to keep their skiing resorts shut until January, sparking a row with Austria

It took a pandemic to silence Gerhard Schmiderer. For the past quarter-century, the now 70-year-old “DJ Gerhard” has blasted trashy hits for drunken après-skiers at MooserWirt, a bar in St Anton, an Austrian ski resort. This year, however, the speakers will be silent rather than blaring out yet another rendition of The Final Countdown, a raucous anthem sung by big-haired Swedes. The usual revellers dancing on tables in ski boots will be absent. The 500m run back to the resort will no longer be strewn with those who have quaffed too much and fallen over in the snow.
8th Dec 2020 - iNews

A year on, markets bustling in Chinese city where COVID-19 emerged

Hundreds of shoppers pack a wet market on a December weekday morning in the Chinese city of Wuhan, jostling to buy fresh vegetables and live fish, frogs and turtles. Almost a year since the city reported the world’s first cases of COVID-19 in one of its handful of vast wet markets, and even as several other countries remain firmly in the grip of the subsequent pandemic, life in Wuhan has largely returned to normal. Wuhan has not recorded a new locally transmitted case in several months and is now indistinguishable from other Chinese cities with crowded shopping streets, traffic jams and tightly packed restaurants.
8th Dec 2020 - Reuters UK

Summer holidays and ‘normal life’ on horizon as health chiefs hail ‘historic’ Covid vaccine rollout

The UK’s coronavirus vaccine tsar has said she expects families will be able to go on holiday next summer as the Covid jab started its historic rollout. Kate Bingham, chair of the coronavirus vaccine taskforce, said she expects by the summer that people will be in a “better place” to get on planes. She made the comments just hours after Margaret Keenan, 90, became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer jab on what has been dubbed “V-Day”. Ms Bingham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "My gut feel is that we will all be going on summer holidays.
8th Dec 2020 - Evening Standard

Densely packed BAME communities in England bear brunt of Covid-19

Some of England’s most ethnically diverse areas have suffered up to four times more coronavirus infections than mostly white neighbourhoods only a few miles away, a Guardian analysis reveals, as health experts said the UK had paid the price for failing to tackle structural racism. A study of England’s 10 worst-hit council areas found huge disparities in the effect of Covid-19 on residents living alongside one another, with densely packed Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities bearing the brunt of the pandemic. In Blackburn with Darwen, which has experienced the UK’s highest coronavirus cases per capita, the contrast between neighbouring areas is stark. One in 10 people have had the virus in Bastwell, where 85.7% of residents come from a BAME background – four times higher than a neighbourhood five miles away where only 2% of people are non-white.
7th Dec 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

UK shops reopen after lockdown - but footfall still down 30% on 2019

Britons flocked to the High Street after for the first weekend following the lifting of the nationwide lockdown - but footfall remained lower than pre-pandemic levels. The number of shoppers out this weekend was down 30% on the same period in 2019. Crowds keen for a Christmas bargain flocked to shopping areas across the UK on Saturday with large numbers of shoppers photographed on London's Regent Street and in Manchester. Diane Wehrle, marketing director for Springboard who produced the figures, said the boost was partly down to people desperate to leave their homes after lockdown
7th Dec 2020 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

The vaccine miracle: how scientists waged the battle against Covid-19

In the early afternoon of 3 January this year, a small metal box was delivered to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre addressed to virus expert Prof Zhang Yongzhen. Inside, packed in dry ice, were swabs from a patient who was suffering from a novel, occasionally fatal respiratory illness that was sweeping the city of Wuhan. Exactly what was causing terrifying rises in case numbers, medical authorities wanted to know? And how was the disease being spread? Zhang and his colleagues set to work. For the next 48 hours, virtually non-stop, he and his team used advanced sequencing machines to unravel the RNA – the genetic building blocks – of the virus which they believed was responsible for the outbreak. Decoding the 28,000 letters of this RNA – which acts as letters of DNA do in a human – would give a precise indication of the new pathogen’s nature and behaviour.
6th Dec 2020 - The Guardian

COVID-19: Christmas shoppers flood high streets in return after lockdown

Christmas shoppers flooded England's high streets for the first weekend since lockdown was lifted and non-essential stores were allowed to reopen. Despite the difficulties of the pandemic, retail experts predicted £1.5bn would be spent in shops nationwide on Saturday. Taking advantage of the first non-working day to do their Christmas shopping, people flooded London's Regent Street and city centres in Manchester and York. Shoppers visiting Westfield, east London and stores in central Birmingham had to contend with hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters staging demonstrations against more potential restrictions next year.
6th Dec 2020 - Sky News

COVID-19: Anti-lockdown and vaccine protests held across Australia

Anti-lockdown and vaccine protests have been held across Australia, with hundreds gathering in Sydney to hear from COVID-19 sceptics at a self-described “freedom” rally. The Sydney protest was observed by police but appeared to remain peaceful, with a NSW Police spokesperson confirming to NCA NewsWire there were no arrests. The rallies took place despite more significant easing of restrictions in NSW and Victoria following weeks of extremely low or zero case numbers. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt told Sky News on Sunday morning he had complete confidence in the Therapeutic Goods Administration and medical experts, who had kept Australia safer than most countries in the world. He urged against complacency about COVID-19 and said it remained a contagious and deadly virus.
6th Dec 2020 - The Australian

'76 Days' review: Inside Wuhan hospitals during COVID-19

The first minutes of the experiential COVID-19 documentary “76 Days” are claustrophobic and disorienting — a feeling not unlike your first trip to the grocery store while wearing a mask. But it gets better. In the controlled chaos of a hospital’s corridors, everyone is sheathed head to toe in PPE. We see a woman screaming to say goodbye to her father and having to be restrained. A crowd bangs on a door pleading to be let in as the hospital staff reassures them that they will all be admitted if they only remain patient.
5th Dec 2020 - Los Angeles Times

Warner Bros to release all 2021 films on HBO Max and in cinemas on same day

Warner Bros will release all of its 2021 films, including Dune and The Matrix 4, online on the same day they hit cinemas. The move to put such major blockbusters straight on streaming service HBO Max is another blow to the struggling cinema industry, which has largely closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Warner Bros said the one-year plan was in response to the "unprecedented times" of the outbreak, but the multiplexes will no doubt still be concerned about what it could mean for their future. They have been stung by a raft of delays to high-profile films in 2020, including the latest instalments in popular franchises such as Marvel and James Bond.
4th Dec 2020 - Sky News

'They don't need me now': COVID impact forcing Britons to food banks

British food banks are seeing more families needing their support as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic forces struggling people to seek help, charities and volunteers say. Lockdowns and other measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus have forced businesses to close or lay off staff. The rise in those out of work has resulted in more people turning to food banks, which provide emergency food supplies to families in need. “I was working part-time as a cleaner for evenings, and then when COVID started, we had to quit because everything was closed and our offices, they’re not opening until 2021 because people can work from home,” said Vilma Tunylaite, 40, queuing at a food bank in southwest London. “And me, they don’t need me now.”
4th Dec 2020 - Reuters

COVID-19 crisis: Fewer women than men feel they can ask for raise

Ginning up the courage to ask for a raise is tough in any labour market, let alone one ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. But men are exhibiting more moxie than women when it comes to bargaining for better pay during the pandemic. That is the finding of a study released this week by Moody’s Analytics and Morning Consult that surveyed 5,000 adult workers in mid-September.
4th Dec 2020 - Aljazeera.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Biden says he will join former presidents in publicly getting COVID vaccine

President-elect Joe Biden said he would publicly take a vaccine when it's available to encourage the public to get vaccinated, joining three former presidents who recently pledged to do the same. Biden said he'd "be happy" to join former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in getting the vaccine in public to prove it is safe. "When Dr. Fauci says we have a vaccine that is safe, that's the moment in which I will stand before the public," Biden said during an interview on CNN Thursday night. “People have lost faith in the ability of the vaccine to work,” Biden told CNN, pointing to the high number of cases. "It matters what a president and vice president do. I think my three predecessors have set the model on what should be done."
4th Dec 2020 - USA Today

Is this the hardest working teacher in the UK? Maths teacher from south-west London wins £33,000 global award after his free tuition website helped students around the world study during Covid lockdown

Jamie Frost, 34, given prize for going above and beyond to keep pupils learning Teacher started free online learning platform used by students around the world He was one of 10 finalists shortlisted for Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize Ranjitsinh Disale, primary school teacher from India, won the million-dollar prize
3rd Dec 2020 - Daily Mail

Facebook vows to remove false claims about Covid-19 vaccines

Facebook on Thursday said it would start removing false claims about Covid-19 vaccines, in a tightening of its policies on health-related misinformation. The new restrictions come a day after UK prime minister Boris Johnson vowed to fight the spread of misleading content from “anti-vaxxers”, as the UK prepares to roll out Covid-19 vaccinations from next week. Facebook said in a blog post that it would remove falsities debunked by public health experts, citing as an example claims that Covid-19 jabs contain microchips, a theory often spuriously linked to Bill Gates. Earlier this year, Facebook began removing Covid-19-related misinformation, but only if it could “contribute to imminent physical harm”, while material considered false by fact-checkers was covered with a warning label.
3rd Dec 2020 - The Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Hawaii’s new remote-work program will cover your airfare in exchange for volunteering

While you might be eyeing remote-work visas abroad as a way to travel internationally again, Hawaii just created a long-term-stay program for U.S. residents to get away from the mainland. Movers & Shakas, a state- and company-funded program, will provide airfare to Oahu to 50 out-of-staters willing to spend at least a month in Hawaii volunteering with nonprofits. The program begins Dec. 15. A spokesperson for the program said that depending on how the Oahu pilot program goes, future volunteering remote workers heading to other islands could be eligible for the free roundtrip airfare.
2nd Dec 2020 - Washington Post

U.S. employers could mandate a COVID-19 vaccine, but are unlikely to do so -experts

Private U.S. companies have the right under the law to require employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but are unlikely to do so because of the risks of legal and cultural backlash, experts said. Companies are still in the early stages of navigating access and distribution of vaccines against the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, but inoculation is considered the key to safely resume operations at crowded warehouses, factory lines and on sales floors.
2nd Dec 2020 - MSN.com

CVS, Walgreens to Give Covid-19 Shots at Nursing Homes

CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. are preparing to administer Covid-19 vaccines in tens of thousands of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities across the country, with shots possibly rolling out in just weeks. Federal advisers on Tuesday urged that residents at long-term care centers be first in line for the Covid shots, along with at-risk health-care workers. In making the recommendation, the advisers said the move would be well-supported by a new partnership formed between the Department of Health and Human Services and pharmacy companies to vaccinate at the centers.
2nd Dec 2020 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Europe's schools still open, still relatively safe, through covid-19 second wave

When European schools reopened their classrooms in the spring, after the first wave of the coronavirus had crested, some parents expressed concern their children were being used as “guinea pigs” in a dangerous experiment. But to the extent that European schools have acted as laboratories for the world, the findings eight months later are largely positive. Most of Europe kept schools open even during a worst-on-the-planet second wave of infections this fall. And still, schools appear to be relatively safe environments, public health officials say. As long as they adhered to a now-established set of precautions — mask-wearing, hand-washing, ventilation — schools are thought to have played only a limited role in accelerating coronavirus transmission in Europe.
1st Dec 2020 - The Washington Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Dec 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How anti-vaxxers are threatening the UK's Covid programme

In the imagination of extreme opponents of vaccination — or anti-vaxxers — every human inoculated against coronavirus will be turned into a chimera, injected with nanoparticles that beam out their biometric data and commoditised with bar codes linked to cryptocurrency. In their view, far from liberating us from the recurring nightmare of lockdowns, vaccines in development in Europe and the US are secretly intended to “enslave us to the system”. However far-fetched it may appear, this kind of vision has been proliferating online alongside more prosaic forms of misinformation just as the mass roll out of Covid-19 vaccines comes within sight.
30th Nov 2020 - Financial Times

EasyJet launches cut-price Covid-19 tests for travellers

EasyJet is offering discounted coronavirus tests for passengers in a bid to boost demand for air travel. The Luton-based airline said it has agreed a deal with two private testing firms to offer preferential rates to flyers. Testing has become a requirement for entry to a number of easyJet’s most popular destinations, such as Germany, Spain and Italy.
30th Nov 2020 - Aberdeen Evening Express

International students arrive in Australia after 9 months of COVID lockdown

The first international students to arrive in Australia since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have landed in Darwin, signalling another change for the country’s locked-down border. Students from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia have arrived at Darwin International Airport on a charter SilkAir flight from Singapore as part of a pilot program to return international tourists to Australia. The 63 students who landed this morning were to be transferred straight to the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility east of Darwin for 14 days of quarantine, the ABC reported.
30th Nov 2020 - NEWS.com.au

Anti-Lockdown Protesters Chant 'Open L.A.' Outside Health Chief's Home Before New Covid Restrictions Begin

Crowds gathered outside the home of the Los Angeles County's public health director on Sunday to protest against the latest round of Covid-19 restrictions taking effect this week. Dr. Barbara Ferrer's Echo Park home was surrounded by dozens of demonstrators, carrying placards, waving flags and chanting: "Open L.A." and "No science. No data. No shutdown". Footage from the scene shows few people in the crowd were wearing face masks as they paced up and down the street. LAPD officers could be seen over looking the scene with a police vehicle parked in what appears to be Ferrer's driveway.
30th Nov 2020 - Newsweek on MSN.com

Pandemic Motors: Europeans snap up old cars to avoid public transport

Want a cheap used car to nip around town without running the gauntlet of coronavirus on public transport? Welcome to Pandemic Motors, we have just what you need. Across Europe, people are snapping up old bangers, clunkers, Klapperkasten, tacots and catorci, desperate to avoid buses and trains but wary of splashing out on a shiny new motor in uncertain economic times. “Public transportation is terrific here, but with the COVID and all that, it’s better to avoid it,” said Robert Perez, who recently moved to Spain’s capital Madrid from Argentina.
30th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

How the COVID-19 recession will forever impact Gen Z

The coronavirus pandemic has brought much of the world’s economies into a recession, affecting every sector of the global population. But one demographic – Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012 – may never recover. From a lack of socialisation to not being able to start their careers, we are examining how Gen Z’ers from ages eight to 23 will have to manage these unprecedented challenges.
30th Nov 2020 - Aljazeera.com

Coronavirus: German anti-lockdown protests shift to Polish border

Objectors of coronavirus curbs have converged on Frankfurt-an-der-Oder on Germany's border with Poland. Meanwhile, at viral hot spot Hildburghausen in Thuringia state, the local county chief is under police protection.
28th Nov 2020 - DW (English)

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How an anti-lockdown 'truthpaper' bypasses online factcheckers

When the factcheckers tried to find the source of a viral photo that was spreading across Facebook, they were confused. The picture – which had been uploaded by users in the UK, US, Australia and elsewhere in the world - showed a headline that made the false claim that a US government agency had declared Covid-19 did not exist. It appeared to be from a real print newspaper, but no credible outlet would publish such a claim. It turned out the headline was from a new self-published conspiracy theorist “truthpaper” called the Light, edited by a man from Manchester who runs a business selling anti-vaccine T-shirts and 9/11 conspiracy merchandise. The outlet, which has published three issues since it first appeared in September, draws heavily on the gloop of long-running online conspiracies about a new world order, which have attached themselves to the current pandemic. Among other things it encourages people to stop wearing masks and disobey lockdown on the basis that the coronavirus is a hoax.
28th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Suspected North Korean hackers targeted COVID vaccine maker AstraZeneca - sources

Suspected North Korean hackers have tried to break into the systems of British drugmaker AstraZeneca in recent weeks, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as the company races to deploy its vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. The hackers posed as recruiters on networking site LinkedIn and WhatsApp to approach AstraZeneca staff with fake job offers, the sources said. They then sent documents purporting to be job descriptions that were laced with malicious code designed to gain access to a victim’s computer. The hacking attempts targeted a “broad set of people” including staff working on COVID-19 research, said one of the sources, but are not thought to have been successful.
27th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

This Black Friday, a global coalition is holding Amazon to account

Black Friday is here once again, and bargains abound. With widespread lockdowns preventing crowds at brick-and-mortar stores, online sales are expected to soar. One merchant, in particular, stands to profit greatly: Amazon’s chief executive, Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man, at the helm of one of the world’s most powerful companies. But this year’s Black Friday not only presents an opportunity for Bezos to make extraordinary pandemic profits. It also marks the arrival of a new global movement linking warehouse workers, environmental activists and advocates for racial, tax, and data justice around the world in a common mission to #MakeAmazonPay.
27th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Volunteers discuss side-effects after receiving Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines

Volunteers who received two of the potential coronavirus vaccines in the US have spoken out about the side-effects they experienced following their jabs. This month, Moderna and Pfizer announced their vaccine candidates had been tested to 94.5 per cent and 95 per cent efficacy respectively. Jennifer Haller, who was injected on 16 March with Moderna’s experimental vaccine in Seattle, told WVPI-TV she only experienced mild side-effects as a result. "I had two doses of the vaccine four weeks apart,” she told the broadcaster. “Each time my arm was pretty sore the next day but besides that I personally didn't experience any other side effects." Ms Haller was the first person to receive a shot of Moderna’s candidate at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute as part of the first human trial of a vaccine to prevent the virus.
26th Nov 2020 - The Independent on MSN.com

Here's how to tackle the Covid-19 anti-vaxxers

If we are talking to someone who’s uncertain about the vaccine we should try to be empathetic, actively listen, and focus on the benefits of taking it. And rather than contradicting them, we should suggest places where they can find out additional information. If people feel respected and trusted they are more likely to listen; and if they can find out on their own, then they will have time to process and engage with it without feeling defensive. And there are broader behavioural science tactics that the government can use to improve the uptake of vaccines, including making it seem like the default and showing it to be a social norm. This means using language that inherently assumes everyone will take the vaccines, making people feel they are actively opting out, rather than opting in.
26th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

This Lockdown, England’s Theaters Know What to Do Online

The first coronavirus shutdown caught playhouses unawares, but they learned lessons that stood them in good stead when the shutters came down again. What a difference a lockdown makes. By way of proof, consider the terrific lineup of actresses brought together for “Little Wars,” an imaginative if overly arch play by the American writer Stephen Carl McCasland that is streaming online through Dec. 3. Its run finishes the day after England’s second coronavirus shutdown is scheduled to be lifted, at which point theaters in most regions will, with luck, be open again. Whereas streaming prospects during the first lockdown relied largely on recordings from theaters’ archives, the preference now is for material fashioned for the strange era in which we find ourselves. The digital premiere of “Little Wars” testifies to the abundance of talented performers who can be drawn upon during the pandemic, and to their desire to practice their craft against difficult odds. I’m not sure McCasland’s conceit would amount to as much as it does without the collectively hefty presence of such actresses as Linda Bassett, Juliet Stevenson and Sophie Thompson, all established theatrical names here.
26th Nov 2020 - The New York Times

India Coronavirus: How do you vaccinate a billion people?

When it comes to vaccine making, India is a powerhouse. It runs a massive immunisation programme, makes 60% of the world's vaccines and is home to half a dozen major manufacturers, including Serum Institute of India - the largest in the world. Not surprisingly, there's no lack of ambition when it comes to vaccinating a billion people against Covid-19. India plans to receive and utilise some 500 million doses of vaccines against the disease and immunise up to 250 million people by July next year.
26th Nov 2020 - BBC News

As France eases lockdown, ski resorts left out in the cold

Megeve, in the foothills of Mont Blanc, was gearing up to welcome back skiers before Christmas after a COVID-19 lockdown was eased. But France’s government - while allowing cinemas, museums and theatres to reopen from Dec. 15 - says its ski slopes must stay off limits until 2021, leaving those who make their living in the Alpine village frustrated and, in some cases, perplexed.
26th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

Never mind what antivaxxers say — just watch what they do

Antivax talk is worrying. However, it is only talk. Social media has made this the wordiest era in history. Sharing conspiracy theories online is excitingly subversive, making people feel they have taken the “red pill” and seen the truth. More telling, though, is their behaviour. In real life, when things get serious, almost everyone chooses vaccination. “If Covid-19 vaccines are found to be efficacious and safe and widely available, my guess is that a very large proportion of people will ultimately take them,” says Vish Viswanath of Harvard’s School of Public Health. Even French behaviour is reassuring. Vaccination rates here have been rising: 98.6 per cent of babies born in early 2018 received the “hexavalent” vaccine that protects against six illnesses, including hepatitis B and tetanus. True, it’s compulsory, but parents still have to bring in their kids. Even in the US, where parents can more easily refuse vaccinations, only about 7 per cent or fewer adamantly oppose them, depending on the vaccine, says Viswanath. He adds: “This small group gets a disproportionate share of attention.”
26th Nov 2020 - Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus surge: Is lockdown 'fatigue' to be blamed for the rise in cases?

Delhi, which once successfully turned the tide over in COVID-19 is grappling with infection spikes again. The same has been witnessed in other cities across India. Unlike what many believe, the worst might not just be over yet. This, despite the fact that India as a country is witnessing a depleting peak of COVID. While authorities are imposing strict measures to safeguard the community, there have been significant lapses on the part of the public as well.
25th Nov 2020 - Times of India

‘Relocation of the nation’ expected to spike next month

They were once the cities people would move to for work but the coronavirus pandemic has made things look dramatically different now. While people have anecdotally shared stories of people moving from Melbourne after the Victoria’s harsh lockdown restrictions, new data shows just how true that is. But Melburnians don’t want to move to Sydney either, with the city being snubbed for Brisbane. South Australians are also heading to the sunshine state, according to Muval, a national online removalist booking platform.
25th Nov 2020 - NEWS.com.au

German restaurant bears out pandemic with furry customers

The owner of a Frankfurt restaurant is staging a protest against the coronavirus lockdown in Germany by filling his tables with a hundred stuffed toy pandas, in a play on the word “pandemic”. German officials are expected on Wednesday to agree to extend until Dec. 20 a “lockdown light” they imposed on Nov. 2 that means bars, restaurants and entertainment venues must stay closed, while shops and schools can remain open. “We wanted to put some life back into our restaurant,” said Guiseppe Fichera, manager of restaurant Pino. “They are Panda-Mic pandas.”
25th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

Can't dine out? UK restaurants offer DIY meal kits to survive lockdown

From fast food to fine dining, some restaurants in Britain are relying on home kits to keep them afloat during lockdown, turning clients into cooks who recreate favourite meals in the comfort of their own kitchens. For brothers James and Thom Elliot, the lockdowns provided an unexpected lifeline for their “pizza in the post” Pizza Pilgrims business. The venture now sells over 1,000 kits a day delivered by couriers.
25th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus vaccines face trust gap in Black and Latino communities, study finds

In the US, if offered a coronavirus vaccine free of charge, fewer than half of Black people and 66 percent of Latino people said they would definitely or probably take it, according to a survey-based study that underscores the challenge of getting vaccines to communities hit hard by the pandemic. The survey released Monday is one of the largest and most rigorous to date. Other recent studies have also pointed to vaccine hesitancy in communities of color, but Monday’s survey delved deeper into the reasons, polling respondents on a spectrum of questions to get at the roots of their distrust.
25th Nov 2020 - Washington Post

Crowds of up to 4,000 and grassroots sport to return after English lockdown

Crowds of up to 4,000 people will be allowed to return to sporting events in England from next week, and grassroots sport will also resume as part of an easing of coronavirus restrictions announced by the prime minister. The changes were greeted with widespread relief after weeks of concerted pressure from sporting bodies and the public, who had both argued the importance of being able to participate in sport during the pandemic and also of the ability to watch it safely. England is to return to a system of tiered restrictions from 2 December but gyms, pools, golf courses and leisure facilities will now be allowed to open in all tiers after the government accepted their positive impact on physical and mental health
24th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Misinformation and fear could be coronavirus vaccine’s biggest problem

These are just some of the things Londoners said to me when I asked them if they’d take a Covid vaccine. Perhaps they’ve joined the small but vocal minority claiming that the vaccine is a plot to insert surveillance microchips into the population, or maybe, like many thousands more, they simply worry the development of the jab has been rushed. We will probably never know, but while it’s easy to dismiss as ridiculous some of the more extreme anti-vaccine sentiment out there — like anyone repeating the rumour spread by Russian bots that the vaccine will turn us into chimpanzees — the number of “vaccine hesitant” people is growing. Most of them are not cranks, just cautious — and, in a climate of fear and confusion, their trust in what they read in the papers or hear in government briefings is diminishing.
24th Nov 2020 - Evening Standard

In race for coronavirus vaccine, Russia turns to disinformation

When two COVID-19 vaccines were announced within a week of each other, everyone cheered that the end to the global pandemic was now in sight. Everyone, that is, except Russia. Since the summer, Moscow has conducted a global disinformation campaign aimed at both undermining vaccines produced in the West and promoting its own rival product, particularly to countries across the developing world, according to interviews with four national and European Union disinformation experts and a review of Kremlin-backed media outlets by POLITICO.
24th Nov 2020 - POLITICO.eu

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

A birthday lunch left 15 Texas relatives battling covid-19: ‘Please don’t be like my family’

Enriqueta Aragonez reclined on a hospital bed in Arlington, Tex., with plastic tubes snaking from her nose and pneumonia in both of her lungs. The 57-year-old had a message for everyone doubting the need for covid-19 restrictions. “I went to my nephew’s house and loved seeing my family, but now, I’m fighting against covid-19,” Aragonez said in a video message. “Please protect yourself. It’s real.” Aragonez is one of 15 family members who contracted the coronavirus after a small indoor birthday celebration earlier this month where no one wore masks. Weeks later, in an emotional video shared by the city of Arlington, the family is begging others to avoid gathering with anyone outside their immediate household.
23rd Nov 2020 - The Washington Post

Majority of Croatians sceptical of coronavirus vaccine

A majority of Croatians do not plan on taking a vaccine to immunise against the coronavirus once it becomes available, a recent survey has found. According to the poll, which was conducted by the Valicon market research company and published by Croatian news agency RTL last week, 43 percent of respondents said they would definitely or would probably vaccinate, mostly citing responsibility towards others and that a higher rate of vaccination will limit infections as reasons. But 57 percent said they definitely would not or probably would not vaccinate, citing mistrust of the vaccine until it was proven to be safe, while a large number of respondents also said they feared there could be side effects. Others said they would not vaccinate because they believed they were not at risk, while a quarter of respondents said the virus constantly mutates and that vaccinating would not protect them. The survey gathering opinions from 523 people in Croatia comes as a global scientific race is under way to produce an effective vaccine for the coronavirus.
23rd Nov 2020 - Al Jazeera English

Millions of Americans set to ignore warnings against Thanksgiving travel

Ominous warnings came as Donald Trump appeared to admit that coronavirus is “running wild” across the US, in contrast with his statements throughout the election campaign that the virus would simply “go away” or “disappear” and, more recently, that the country was “rounding the turn” on the pandemic. As new Covid-19 infections in the US approached 200,000 a day, Trump tweeted on Saturday night to insist things were bad outside the United States as well, posting: “The Fake News is not talking about the fact that ‘Covid’ is running wild all over the world, not just in the US.”
23rd Nov 2020 - The Guardian

In Italy, theater reopens in town devastated by COVID

In a signal of rebirth, the Donizetti theater in the northern Italian city of Bergamo, devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, reopened this weekend after three years of renovations. But the planned gala celebration had to be postponed, and new productions for an annual festival dedicated to the city’s native composer Gaetano Donizetti had to be streamed online from an empty theater. Festival musical director Riccardo Frizza said the autumn festival was envisioned as a life-affirming moment for the city and province, where 6,000 people died in a single month last spring.
23rd Nov 2020 - Associated Press

Pizza worker at centre of South Australia lockdown 'unaware' of public attention

In Australia, the Spanish national at the centre of a police investigation into his failure to disclose to contact tracers he worked shifts at the Woodville Pizza Bar is unaware of the growing public focus on him as he remains in hotel quarantine, Guardian Australia has learned. The 36-year-old man, currently on a temporary graduate visa in Australia, had his devices seized by South Australian police over the weekend after they issued a search warrant to obtain them from his quarantine hotel room. All the focus on the one man is causing concern among contact tracing experts, who argue it might hinder people coming forward for testing. They say the best way to get the most accurate information from people during contact tracing interviews is to ensure their privacy and protect them from punishment.
23rd Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Wealthy nations urged to give portion of Covid vaccine as 'humanitarian buffer'

Public health groups are lobbying countries to commit a portion of their Covid-19 vaccine supplies to a “humanitarian buffer” that would be used to inoculate people living in rebel-held territories, those in asylum-seeker camps and others unlikely to receive vaccinations from their governments. The emergency stockpile is intended to act as a safety net to ensure the global effort to end the Covid-19 pandemic is not sabotaged by governments using vaccines as bargaining chip with restive populations, or simply denying it to some marginalised groups. “In Syria there are a lot of internally displaced people who might end up in areas not controlled by the government, or they might be considered to be anti-government or pro-revolution,” said Alain Alsalhani, a vaccine pharmacist who works with Médecins Sans Frontières.
21st Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Unions call for frontline UK workers to be prioritised for Covid vaccine

Unions have called for key frontline workers to be granted priority access to an approved Covid vaccine after they were omitted from the list of those who should receive it first. The unions, representing more than 1.8 million employees, say that by prioritising only the elderly and health and social care workers, the distribution plan fails to protect other key workers with increased risk of exposure. Gail Cartmail, assistant general secretary of Unite, said: “It is absolutely correct that social care staff and health workers receive the vaccine at an early stage so they are protected and are not at risk of inadvertently transmitting the virus.
20th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

'People need mountains': Swiss ski resorts buck Alpine lockdowns

Blue skies over the Matterhorn drew skiers and snowboarders to Zermatt on Saturday, as well as police to break up crowds, as Switzerland’s modest coronavirus restrictions allowed near-normal operations while other Alpine resorts keep their lifts shut. France, Italy, Austria and Germany have all ordered even the high-altitude lifts that could be running this early in the winter to remain closed for now in the hope that all resorts can benefit at peak-season, if and when the infection rate slows. Switzerland, despite being a second-wave coronavirus hotspot with 5,000 infections a day and mounting deaths, is hoping that a middle way of social distancing, limits on gatherings and mask-wearing on lifts can prop up pillars of the economy such as tourism without fuelling the pandemic.
21st Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

Christmas in lockdown preferred by UK public over new restrictions in January

Most of the public would rather have a locked-down Christmas than have a new lockdown imposed in January, a new poll suggests. With the government considering the extent to which restrictions should be lifted to limit the impact on Christmas family gatherings, the latest Opinium poll for the Observer found that the public opted for a locked-down Christmas over new January restrictions by a margin of 54% to 33%. This split is almost identical across all party groups and demographics, with older voters in particular preferring to lock down over Christmas rather than in January. There was also strong support for banning people from posting conspiracy theories about the vaccine online, with 64% supporting the idea.
21st Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Snape Maltings to host virtual tea dance to combat isolation during lockdown

The organisation which runs Snape Maltings is staging popular virtual tea dances to help bring some normality back to people’s lives during the coronavirus crisis - and tackle social isolation. Tea dances at Snape Maltings have been hugely popular, becoming valued by residents of East Suffolk care homes, their carers and people of all ages for the opportunity to socialise in a warm, welcoming environment and enjoy music, dancing, tea and cake. This year, bringing people together in a physical venue is not possible - so instead, Britten Pears Arts is planning a virtual version of the Tea Dance, taking place on Tuesday, December 8 at 2pm.
19th Nov 2020 - East Anglian Daily Times

To beat Covid-19 will take far more than a new vaccine

We are entering a new phase of Covid-19 as interim data, first from Pfizer and BioNTech, and then Moderna, show promise of a safe and effective vaccine. More candidates are expected to follow — Sanofi has two vaccines in trials. One, a collaboration with GSK, is based on our flu vaccine and data from phase 1 and 2 studies will come shortly. The second is a messenger RNA vaccine similar in approach to Pfizer and Moderna. But, having a vaccine is only one facet in the complicated war to contain the virus.Distribution is perhaps the biggest hurdle. Vaccines are not interchangeable and ensuring that individuals get two doses, if required, of the same vaccine is critical. There may also be issues with safeguarding potency. Moderna’s and Pfizer’s vaccines need to be stored at minus 20C and about minus 70C respectively, and used within five or 30 days of being refrigerated. Pharmaceutical companies are rushing to develop transportable cold storage containers and logistics companies are building freezer farms. Mass vaccination clinics, such as the UK’s repurposed Nightingale hospitals, could help distribution in cities.
19th Nov 2020 - The Financial Times

How China crushed coronavirus

Hong Wei returned to his hometown of Luoyang in Henan province for the Spring Festival in early February. It took a few days for the gateway of his residential compound to be cordoned off, signalling that only residents should enter. For Hong, this was just the first sign of the mass mobilisation of people that has characterised China’s remarkably successful response to the coronavirus pandemic. Hong’s uncle had already stocked up on all the ingredients to serve roast meat, braised fish and soup at his restaurant ready for what is usually his most lucrative period, but once state media began telling people to stay at home, he voluntarily closed his restaurant
19th Nov 2020 - Wired.co.uk

Covid could change our tolerance of flu deaths

Another, more lethal seasonal risk is the flu — in a bad year, as many as 25,000 people die from the virus in England alone. Yet this year, thanks in large part to lockdowns, flu cases are way down across the world and are likely to stay that way. That’s because the habits we’ve adopted to limit the spread of coronavirus — handwashing, mask-wearing and distancing — are effective for other respiratory pathogens too. “The measures we’re taking are enough to essentially eliminate flu,” says David Spiegelhalter, chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication at Cambridge University. A study by the US Centers for Disease Control has found huge falls in flu activity both in the southern hemisphere’s winter and in the US summer season.
19th Nov 2020 - Financial Times

Northern authorities will 'not hesitate' to block anti-vax Covid-19 conspiracy theorists who could 'cost lives'

Councils across the north-east and Highlands have promised to police their public-facing online channels to avoid myths being spread and “threatening public safety”. The Grampian and Highland health boards have also urged responsible social media use during the pandemic, warning their comments sections will be monitored. Glasgow City Council hit out at the so-called ‘anti-vaxxers’ on Tuesday, promising to block those making “false and dangerous claims” which could “cost lives”. The P&J has sought assurances from northern authorities that similarly robust action would be taken to ensure key public health information can be distilled from the sea of coronavirus fearmongering online.
19th Nov 2020 - Press and Journal

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: UK millennials shun city living amid move to remote working

Millennials are making a “radical move away from city-centre living” as the UK shifts towards remote working in response to the coronavirus pandemic, a new study has found. As living close to physical workplaces becomes less important, first and second time buyers are looking to get more for their money and are focusing on suburbs, market towns and villages to get a better deal and enjoy greater access to nature and outdoor space, according to new research by Credit Karma. Half of young people (49%) now hope to buy or rent outside of the town or city that they work in, according to the survey of over 1,000 UK adults.
18th Nov 2020 - Yahoo Finance UK

'The cow can't tell my secrets' - UK care farms a lifeline during pandemic

Care farms nestled in the British countryside are providing a lifeline for people struggling with mental health during the pandemic, allowing them to swap therapy sessions on Zoom for the joys of fresh air, mucking out cow sheds and cuddling donkeys. With vital public services for vulnerable people shut down or reduced to video calls because of social distancing measures, care farms have been able to stay open as activities take place in wide open spaces. At Future Roots in the southern county of Dorset, 14-year-old Liam Holt has found that spending time outdoors working with animals and other people has had a transformational effect on his state of mind.
18th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

How a vaccine could upend real estate markets -- again

In just a matter of months the coronavirus pandemic dramatically changed the landscape of the housing market, especially in big cities. But now news of a promising vaccine could turn the market on its head again. Nationally, home prices have never been higher, driven up as surging demand due to record low mortgage rates comes up against historically low inventory of homes for sale. But the most expensive urban areas have been experiencing the opposite problem. Cities like New York and San Francisco have seen higher vacancy rates and lower rents and sale prices as many people, untethered from office jobs, retreated to the suburbs and less densely populated areas.
18th Nov 2020 - CNN Business

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Educators work with industry leaders to make remote learning more hands-on

Students have powered on as best they can during the pandemic. Handling remote learning and adjusted teaching methods. Now, some schools are partnering with local industry leaders to help make some classes more hands-on, even while taking classes from home. "We have several auto-shop classes. Auto shop is completely hands-on, right? Kids need to be in the grease, they need to be on the tools. And so, it's been very difficult. So we've actually had some teachers that actually put together tool kits and checked them out to students where they can tinker with things at home," said Dr. Jamon Peariso, the Director of College and Career Readiness at Visalia Unified School District.
17th Nov 2020 - WXYZ Detroit

Insurers are trying to escape COVID-19 liability, watchdog tells UK Supreme Court

Insurers are trying to escape liability for pandemic-related business losses with counter-intuitive arguments that go against the essential purpose of insurance, Britain’s markets watchdog told the UK Supreme Court on Tuesday. A lawyer for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which brought a test case against insurers on behalf of policyholders, said insurers had reached an “extraordinary conclusion” that business losses were largely uncovered during the coronavirus pandemic because of the widespread havoc it has caused. “(Insurers) are saying: ‘We insure perils but not ones that are going to cost us a huge amount of money. We never contemplated that’. Well, that isn’t an answer,” Colin Edelman, the FCA’s lawyer, told the second day of a four-day appeal, watched by thousands of businesses brought to their knees during the pandemic.
17th Nov 2020 - Reuters

Watchdog criticises UK government for COVID procurement amid 'chumocracy' claims

The British government did not properly document key decisions nor was it open enough about billions of pounds of contracts handed out during the COVID-19 pandemic, its spending watchdog has said, as critics accuse ministers of running a “chumocracy”. The National Audit Office (NAO) said on Wednesday there had been a lack of transparency and a failure to explain why certain suppliers were chosen, or how any conflict of interest was dealt with, over 18 billion pounds in procurement deals made between March and the end of July, often with no competition. The report comes amid growing criticism some multi-million pound contracts were awarded during the coronavirus crisis to companies with links to ministers, lawmakers and officials. “While we recognise that these were exceptional circumstances, it remains essential that decisions are properly documented and made transparent if government is to maintain public trust that taxpayers’ money is being spent appropriately and fairly,” NAO head Gareth Davies said.
17th Nov 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 contracts smell of cronyism – so I'm taking the government to court

There is an England of my mind. And in it those who have made their fortunes offer their time and talents in service of the public good, modelling self-sacrifice and respect for good governance to ensure the nation thrives. But that England is no longer this England. Take the story of Kate Bingham. She is wife to a Treasury minister and cousin by marriage to Boris Johnson’s sister. Despite having – by her own admission – no vaccines experience, she was appointed by the prime minister, as far as we know without competition, to head up the “vaccines taskforce”. With this role came responsibility for investing billions of pounds of public money, a task she performed while remaining managing director of a private equity firm specialising in health investments. While in post she gave, again apparently without competition, a £670,000 contract to a tiny PR firm, whose last accounts show net assets of less than a third of that sum. Its directors include Collingwood Cameron, a longstanding business associate of Humphry Wakefield (better known as Dominic Cummings’ father-in-law).
16th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Many thousands suffering from long COVID, UK health minister says

Many thousands of people in Britain are suffering from “long COVID”, ongoing illness after contracting the coronavirus, health minister Matt Hancock said on Monday. “We’ve already seen the serious impact that long COVID can have on people’s quality of life, even the fit and the young, symptoms like fatigue and breathlessness, muscle pain and neurological problems, long after they first had the virus,” Hancock told a media conference. “And we know that long COVID affects thousands of people, many thousands of people,” he added, saying England would have a network of 40 clinics to deal with long COVID by the end of the month.
17th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

Anti-lockdown demonstrators clash with police in Italy and French Catholics demand right to worship

Protest organised by ultra-right Forza Nuova and the No Mask movement took place in Piazza Venezia, Rome. Demonstration saw protesters face off with riot police as they shouted and tried to barge through barricade. In France, several Catholic protests organised across country demanding the return of religious services
16th Nov 2020 - Daily Mail

French Catholics protest for end to lockdown on Mass

With banners reading “Let us Pray” and “We Want Mass,” Catholic protesters held scattered demonstrations around France on Sunday to demand that authorities relax virus lockdown measures to allow religious services. In the western city of Nantes, hundreds gathered in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary, some kneeling on the rain-soaked pavement, according to local broadcaster France Bleu. Similar gatherings were reported or planned in the eastern city of Strasbourg, Bordeaux in the southwest, and outside the Saint-Louis Cathedral in Versailles.
16th Nov 2020 - ABC News

French authors offer to pay bookshops' Covid lockdown fines

A group of French authors has promised to pay fines imposed on the country’s bookshops that remain open in defiance of coronavirus lockdown rules. The pledge was made by the bestselling writer Alexandre Jardin, who said authors were getting together to support booksellers during the crisis. Under France’s lockdown rules, which are in force until at least 1 December, only essential shops and businesses can remain open. Bookshops are not deemed “essential”. Jardin, who lost a close relative to coronavirus last month, said he was not taking the health threat lightly, but feared for the future of independent bookshops. “We will not let our bookshops close,” he told BFMTV. “We can’t be having the cops descending on them.”
16th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Spain's hard-pressed millennials move out of the city amid COVID

Thirty-one-year-old Ines Alcolea ditched the bustling life of Madrid in October for a village near the much quieter medieval town of Toledo, unable to face the prospect of more COVID-19 restrictions in her small flat in the Spanish capital. “At least here, if there’s another lockdown we’ll have more space, a garden. It’ll be lighter,” Alcolea said, sitting in her new home surrounded by boxes and her two cats. She is paying half the rent she used to for nearly twice the space, and has a rooftop terrace thrown in.
16th Nov 2020 - Reuters

Packed crowds and euphoric leaders: Australia revels in Covid-free days

When the premier of Queensland held her regular Covid-19 update on Friday she couldn’t help letting a smile creep across her face. “Now, here’s a good one,” Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters. “I think all Queenslanders are going to be happy about it.” She went on to announce that Brisbane’s Suncorp stadium would host a capacity 52,500 crowd for the forthcoming State of Origin rugby league decider against New South Wales next week. “The cauldron can be filled to 100% capacity,” she said.
15th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Charleston schools launch learning pods for low-income students to aid virtual instruction

When Charleston County schools first reopened their doors in September after six long months of coronavirus-mandated online learning, parents were presented with a difficult choice. They could opt to send their children back to the classroom in person and risk them getting infected with a deadly virus, or they could attempt to minimize health and safety risks by having them start the school year from behind a computer screen, isolated from their peers and teachers. Around 27,500 students, or around 54 percent of the district’s total student population, ultimately decided to tune in to their first day of school virtually, a figure that far exceeded the district’s initial projections.
15th Nov 2020 - Charleston Post Courier

In Michigan, undocumented immigrants form learning pod so they won't lose their jobs

When public schools in Ann Arbor, Mich., closed last spring, Betty, an undocumented domestic worker, feared losing her job if she stayed home to help her children navigate virtual schooling. But even if she could stay home, she worried that she didn't have the English proficiency to support her daughter, a ninth-grader at a public high school in Ann Arbor, Mich.
14th Nov 2020 - Minnesota Public Radio News

Socially distanced Diwali celebrated in UK under lockdown

Britain’s Hindus, Jains and Sikhs are celebrating their first ever virtual Diwali on Saturday, as the Covid lockdown has forced the cancellation of almost all normal festivities. Despite the usual gatherings of friends and families being impossible because of the pandemic, numerous councils and temples across the UK have instead taken the celebrations online, hosting video streams for the faithful to tune in.
14th Nov 2020 - The Independent

India fears annual Diwali festivities will cause coronavirus surge

India fears annual Diwali festivities will cause coronavirus surge - The crowds filling shopping areas ahead of the Diwali festival of lights on Saturday are raising hopes of India's distressed business community after months of lockdown losses but also spawning fears of a massive coronavirus upsurge. People who've restricted their purchases to essentials for months appear to be in a celebratory mood and traders are lapping it up, said Praveen Khandelwal, general secretary of the Confederation of All India Traders. "The past three days have seen a tremendous increase in customer footfall in shopping markets for festival purchases,” he said.
13th Nov 2020 - YAHOO!

How to reinvent cities for the post-pandemic world

The once mighty financial capitals of the world have been reduced to ghost towns as they suffer the effects of COVID-19. For more than a century, cities have been magnets for millions of people seeking work opportunities and the promise of a better life. But the COVID-19 pandemic is rewriting the way we live and work. City centres have been turned into ghost towns as people work from home. It could potentially leave lasting scars with shops, restaurants and services that cater to commuters being decimated.
14th Nov 2020 - Aljazeera

Communal worship ‘criminalised’ under lockdown, church leaders in England say

More than 100 Christian leaders have launched a legal challenge against the ban on communal worship in England under lockdown restrictions. They claim worship has been “criminalised” and the ban has “inflicted a terrible human cost” on congregations for whom collective worship is a core element of their religious life. The restrictions on public worship, they argue, breach article 9 of the European convention on human rights which protects the right to freedom of religion. The claim for judicial review by 122 church leaders from different traditions is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre, an arm of the conservative evangelical organisation Christian Concern.
14th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

'Just hugging was amazing': joy and tears as Victorian families reunite after Melbourne lockdown

As Mel McNamara drove from the Victorian mainland over the Phillip Island bridge, her eyes filled with tears. “My daughter, she asked me why I was crying,” Mel says. “I had to tell her that these are happy tears – I was just so grateful to be by the sea and going to see my family.” It had been four months since Mel last saw her mother Julie and stepdad Damian, both residents on the island. Victoria’s “ring of steel” had kept them apart, with the threat of a $5,000 fine for any Melburnian who tried to escape the confines of the city. Mel burst into tears again when she finally saw her mum.
14th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

More than 300,000 New Yorkers have fled the Big Apple in the last eight months

More than 300,000 residents have reportedly fled New York City from between March and October, report says. 295,103 residents filed change of address forms with the U.S. Postal Service, but the number of movers likely rises when considering multi-person households. Many residents relocated to New Jersey, Long Island and Westchester. Wealthy residents on the city's Upper West Side made 9,076 mail forwarding requests - the largest chunk in the city. Key factors included economic stressors, crime surges, concerns over local schooling and the pandemic
14th Nov 2020 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Families make the dash across SA to be re-united with loved ones in Western Australia

Campers and caravans are on the move in South Australia as the WA hard border is set to come down early on Saturday morning. For some families, it's been an emotional trek to reunite with their loved ones. Newcastle couple Pete and Kim Mackie haven't seen their children and grandchildren in Perth for 11 months, and said they've skipped the sightseeing through South Australia to take the direct route to be with their family.
12th Nov 2020 - ABC News

Germany’s protests against coronavirus restrictions are becoming increasingly radical

Around 9:30 on a quiet Sunday morning late last month, a crudely made explosive device went off with a small bang and a flash in central Berlin near the building of an association of German scientific institutes. A note found nearby demanded the end to coronavirus restrictions. Just a few hours earlier, molotov cocktails had been tossed at the front of the Robert Koch Institute, the German federal agency responsible for controlling the virus. The incidents come against the backdrop of a growing violent undercurrent at large-scale street demonstrations against coronavirus restrictions, including one attended by 20,000 people Saturday in Leipzig. The developments point to an increasingly radicalized movement of virus skeptics in Germany, embraced by the country’s far-right extremist groups and energized by global conspiracy theories, notably those put forth by the U.S.-born QAnon movement.
12th Nov 2020 - Washington Post

Gates Foundation adds $70 million more funding for COVID vaccines for poor

The Gates Foundation added another $70 million of funding on Thursday to global efforts to develop and distribute vaccines and treatments against the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it hoped other international donors would now also pledge more. An extra $50 million will go to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) led by the GAVI vaccine alliance, the foundation said, and another $20 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) which is co-funding development of several COVID-19 vaccine candidates.
12th Nov 2020 - Reuters

Boosting Psychological, Social Well-Being Could Play Role In Countering Conspiracy Theories, Misinformation About COVID-19, Opinion Piece Says

To counter conspiracy theories, boost well-being - Aleksandra Cichocka, political psychologist at the University of Kent and affiliate of the Nicolaus Copernicus University....“…[T]hose who believe conspiracy theories are less likely than those who don’t to comply with public health measures. The World Health Organization has called on countries to manage the spread of false information. But how? … [The Routledge Handbook of Conspiracy Theories] concludes that it is easier to spread them than to refute them. Correcting entrenched beliefs is very difficult. So it is better to prevent falsehoods taking root than to try to weed them out. That means looking beyond their content and the platforms and algorithms that fuel their spread. We need to examine what makes people susceptible. … The COVID-19 pandemic created a perfect storm for vulnerability to conspiracy narratives. Uncertainty and anxiety are high. Lockdown and social distancing bring isolation.
12th Nov 2020 - Kaiser Family Foundation

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

A Hub In DC Public Housing Helps Kids With Distance Learning

An 11-year-old girl took a math test on decimals. A nine-year-old boy solved a word problem that directed him to calculate the attendance size of the Super Bowl. His seven-year-old sister doodled in a notebook during a break from her virtual second-grade class. The students are part of a learning hub inside the Greenleaf Gardens Apartments, a 493-unit public housing community in Southwest D.C. Worried that students were falling behind academically after the coronavirus pandemic forced most classes online for the city’s schoolchildren, residents at Greenleaf and other public housing developments approached the non-profit GOODProjects about creating the hub, said Darius Baxter, the organization’s founder.
11th Nov 2020 - WAMU 88.5

Covid-19: Universities to oversee student exodus for Christmas

An evacuation-style plan will aim to get students home safely for Christmas. Students in England are to be allocated departure dates during a "student travel window" between 3 and 9 December, to minimise the risk of them spreading Covid-19. In Wales, they are being asked to travel by 9 December at the latest. Many will be offered rapid result tests, while teaching will move online from 3 December in Wales and 9 December in England. The Scottish government wants as many as possible of the 80,000 or so students going home for Christmas to be offered voluntary tests before they travel. Northern Ireland is expected to publish plans for students' return in the coming days. One union said the plan for a week-long travel window in England "leaves little room for error"
11th Nov 2020 - BBC News

Covid: Lockdown 'exploited by extremists to recruit'

The second lockdown in England is making more young people vulnerable to being groomed by extremists, a senior counter-terror officer has warned. Supt Matthew Davison, from Counter Terrorism Policing, said extremists were using the pandemic to spread hate and disinformation online. He said young people were being targeted "in their bedrooms". At the same time referrals to the anti-extremism Prevent programme are falling. The government said it would "continue to challenge and disrupt extremists who sow division".
11th Nov 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Study Shows Endangered Marine Mammals Are At Risk Of Contracting COVID-19

Wastewater is known to carry the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In fact, cities around the world are testing wastewater to gauge the extent of local coronavirus outbreaks. Wastewater is often treated before it enters the ocean to kill microbes, like viruses and bacteria. However, untreated wastewater is occasionally released into waterways when treatment plants reach capacity, such as during a heavy rain event. In these situations, wastewater treatment facilities may release wastewater that has not been fully treated. When over-capacity wastewater treatment plants release untreated effluent during the current pandemic, the virus that causes COVID-19 enters marine habitats.
10th Nov 2020 - Forbes

How are people in Berlin handling 'lockdown light?'

German authorities have tightened restrictions on public life for a second time to fight the spread of the coronavirus. Bars and hotels are shut, and restaurants are open for takeout only. How are people in Berlin handling the situation?
10th Nov 2020 - Deutsche Welle

Coronavirus: Hundreds protest against 'fake pandemic' in Madrid

Hundreds of anti-vaccine demonstrators took to Madrid's Prado promenade on Saturday hitting out against the "fake pandemic" and the restrictions imposed by the Spanish authorities in an attempt to stem the spread of COVID-19. It came after police in Spain last week made dozens of arrests during clashes with protestors for a second consecutive night as demonstrators took to the streets to denounce the new coronavirus restrictions.
10th Nov 2020 - Euronews

German investor moral drops on concerns over second coronavirus lockdown

German investor sentiment dropped more than expected in November as a second wave of coronavirus infections and a partial lockdown to contain the disease increased uncertainty over the outlook for Europe’s largest economy. The ZEW economic research institute said on Tuesday that its survey of investors’ economic sentiment fell to 39.0 points from 56.1 points the previous month, undershooting a reading of 41.7 in a Reuters poll. “Financial experts are concerned about the economic impact of the second wave of COVID-19 and what this will entail,” ZEW President Achim Wambach said in a statement, adding that the data pointed to an economic slowdown in the fourth quarter.
10th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

Beaches, mountains, COVID data: Spain's lesser-known regions shine amid pandemic

The popularity of once under-the-radar regions like Asturias on Spain's northwestern coast has boomed as Spaniards factor in their handling of the pandemic alongside newfound priorities including sparse population and abundant natural spaces.
10th Nov 2020 - Reuters

Dance teacher goes shopping dressed as a 'non-essential' ballerina to protest France's lockdown

Amandine Aguilar, ballet teacher from South West France danced in a store Filmed herself dancing to protest France's lockdown measures affecting the arts Her black tutu read 'I am "non-essential" to call out lack of help to culture sector Wrote on Facebook was 'depressed' after suffering several closures due to covid
10th Nov 2020 - Daily Mail

From schoolboy to tea seller: Covid poverty forces India’s children into work

The pandemic has pushed millions of urban poor into crisis – and left children struggling to help their families survive. Subhan Shaikh used to start the day with a cup of cinnamon-flavoured tea, brought to him by his mother, Sitara, before he got ready for school. But the lockdown in March brought her salary as a school bus attendant to an end, and providing food – never mind tea – for Subhan, 14, and his two younger sisters, became a challenge. Today, life for Subhan revolves around tea, which has become a lifeline for his family. After seeing his mother struggle, Subhan decided to do something and became a tea seller on the streets of Mumbai.
10th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Covid-19: 'Lockdown' declared Collins Dictionary word of the year

"Lockdown" has been declared the word of the year for 2020 by Collins Dictionary, after a sharp rise in its usage during the pandemic. It "encapsulates the shared experience of billions of people", Collins said. Lexicographers registered more than 250,000 usages of "lockdown" during 2020, up from just 4,000 last year. Other pandemic-linked terms on the 10-strong list include "furlough", "key worker", "self-isolate" and "social distancing" as well as "coronavirus". According to the dictionary, lockdown is defined as "the imposition of stringent restrictions on travel, social interaction, and access to public spaces".
10th Nov 2020 - BBC News

Collins Dictionary names ‘lockdown’ its word of the year for 2020

10th Nov 2020 - ITV

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Vaccine hesitancy may undermine fight against COVID-19, UK report says

An 80% uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine may be needed to protect communities from the novel coronavirus, but volatile levels of misinformation and vaccine mistrust could undermine efforts to tackle the pandemic, British scientists said on Tuesday. A report by scientific institutions the British Academy and the Royal Society found that, in part due to circulating misinformation and behavioural factors, around 36% of people in Britain say they are either uncertain or very unlikely to agree to be vaccinated against COVID-19. It said an “open dialogue” is critical to building public support for COVID-19 vaccination, and called for a “frank conversation” to manage public expectations that life will not immediately get back to normal when vaccines arrive.
10th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

We may soon have a COVID-19 vaccine. But will enough people take it?

With COVID-19 vaccine trial results looking positive, governments and pharmaceutical firms face their next daunting challenge: convincing the world to get inoculated. Public resistance to vaccines has been much discussed this year, but the issue became very real on Monday when Pfizer and BioNTech announced their candidate was more than 90% effective in large trials - hoisting an actual shot onto the horizon. Numerous opinion polls carried out before and during the pandemic showed confidence is volatile, and that political polarization and online misinformation threatens uptake. Many people have concerns about the accelerated speed of COVID-19 vaccine development.
9th Nov 2020 - Reuters

Covid-19 sniffer dogs that can sniff out virus in a second could soon come to Leeds

Specially-trained dogs that can sniff out coronavirus could soon be spotted in Leeds. The clever canines, which have been trained by the charity Medical Detection Dogs, can detect Covid-19 on people. The adorable Labradors were put through the paces at London Paddington train station in a trial earlier this month, where health secretary Matt Hancock was joined by the Duchess of Cornwall to see them in action. There are suggestions the sniffer dogs could be deployed in busy areas such as train stations and shopping centres to try and find people with Covid-19 and therefore minimise the risk of asymptomatic people mixing with others.
9th Nov 2020 - Leeds Live

Spell of heavy smog in Indian capital raises fears for COVID patients

Residents of the Indian capital are enduring one of the worst spells of air pollution in years, data released on Monday showed, raising the risks to city residents posed by the novel coronavirus, doctors said. Pollution in New Delhi had almost disappeared earlier this year, when the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the coronavirus. But the curbs have been lifted and the pollution, and the virus, are back with a vengeance. Delhi’s overall air quality index (AQI), which includes the concentration of PM2.5 particles as well as bigger pollutants, has stayed above 400, on a scale of 500, for five consecutive days, government data showed. The tiny PM2.5 particles can cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases including lung cancer, and pose a particular risk for people with COVID 19.
9th Nov 2020 - Reuters

In Britain, the poppy appeal grapples with COVID-19 lockdown

Britain’s poppy appeal, when tens of millions buy a red paper or metal poppy to remember the war dead and help armed forces families, is facing a battle of its own - collecting money amid the strictest lockdown in peacetime history. Charities across the world are struggling after the novel coronavirus lockdowns closed swathes of the economy, drove millions out of work and shuttered normal life - including many traditional ways of giving. Even the hardy Remembrance Poppy has been threatened. Red poppies sprang up beside the fallen amid the carnage of World War One trench warfare in the fields of Flanders, a contrast that swiftly graced some of the grief-stricken poetry of the so-called Great War.
9th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

Lockdown in paradise: Antigua’s plea for visitors

Osmilta Prince sits on a rock beneath a palm tree, her homemade mask covering her face. By her feet, is a basket of handmade shell bracelets and calabash bowls. Close by, a laminated sign reads: “Stay Apart 6 feet – or 9½ coconuts”. By this time of day, the 48-year-old single mother will have ordinarily sold enough curios to put food on the table to feed her four sons. But today, the sun-loungers on this usually popular beach are mostly empty. “It’s scary to realise that this could go on for another year,” she says, taking in the quiet beach. “This is my income, and the modest savings I have won’t last. I don’t want to go and beg. Everything I earn now goes on food because there hasn’t been a chance to save since we reopened.”
8th Nov 2020 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

It’s official: allotments are good for you – and for your mental health

Jen Anderson managed to grow five “small but tasty” melons in Glasgow this summer, and she is not alone in finding her allotment a godsend during the pandemic. For the four years she has owned it, she says, it has “absolutely 100%” made her happier. Her experience tallies with a study by academics at the University of Sheffield, published last week, which outlines the wellbeing benefits of allotment gardening. The 163 volunteers recorded “high levels of social and community activities, including the sharing of surplus food produce, knowledge exchange, awareness and interaction with wildlife, emotional connection to their allotment, appreciation of time spent outside and aesthetic delight in the natural world”.
8th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Covid-19 prompts UK call for statutory paid bereavement leave

People who lose a close relative or partner should be entitled to two weeks’ statutory paid bereavement leave, the Sue Ryder charity has said. The coronavirus pandemic has brought into focus the current rules, under which employers are only obliged to grant bereavement leave to parents who have lost a child. Sue Ryder says that extending the requirement would give people space to grieve and alleviate some of the pressure they feel, particularly benefitting those in low-income jobs. People in low-income jobs often are less likely to be offered bereavement leave, and research has found they are at higher risk of experiencing ongoing grief because of the higher relative impact of financial losses and the fact that they face more barriers in accessing services to help them cope.
9th Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Can I still go fishing during coronavirus lockdown?

Anglers will be able to continue with their sport during lockdown, which started across England on Thursday. The national governing body representing all game, coarse and sea anglers in England, Angling Trust, is urging people to: "Fish safely, locally and respect the ‘rule of two’ during lockdown." Those who enjoy spending time on the banks of waters are being trusted by Government to respect the restrictions tied-in with fishing's continuance, as they were as the first to enjoy recreational activity again after spring's lockdown when many newcomers were attracted to the sport.
7th Nov 2020 - Lancashire Telegraph

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Human rights watchdog investigating impact of COVID-19 on BAME healthcare workers

Britain's human rights watchdog is investigating the impact of coronavirus on black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) healthcare workers. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it will consider the "structural issues which have left people from a range of ethnic minorities at greater risk" from coronavirus across England, Scotland and Wales. It comes after a study commissioned by London mayor Sadiq Khan last month found that black people are at almost twice the risk of dying from COVID-19 as their white counterparts.
5th Nov 2020 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Mass exodus of students is expected as lockdown starts

Students in cities across England could begin a mass exodus back to their families ahead of new lockdown measures coming into force on Thursday. Hilary Gyebi-Ababio, National Union of Students vice president for higher education, said students were "really wanting to go home". "There's a sense there could be a mass exodus," she told the BBC. It comes after Universities Minister Michelle Donelan urged students, in a letter on Monday, not to "rush home". Her message aimed to prevent these young people from travelling across the country to their families and potentially taking coronavirus with them, thus fuelling the pandemic.
4th Nov 2020 - BBC News

Students looking ahead to teacher placements in `Covid classrooms'

Student teachers will face a very different experience to their predecessors this year when they undertake their first teaching practice in Covid classrooms. Here, two young trainees share their thoughts. A new generation of Northern Ireland's young teachers believes it will be uniquely equipped to take on the classrooms of tomorrow. As this year's student teachers head out to schools for their teaching practice, they'll face not only the challenges of those placements, but the added complications of the Covid classroom too.
4th Nov 2020 - The Irish News

Londoners hit the town one last time before new lockdown

Londoners shrugged off a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic and flocked to pubs and restaurants on Wednesday night, hours before the introduction of a new month-long lockdown across England. While the UK’s death toll from the coronavirus rose on Wednesday by 492, the most since mid-May, London’s Soho entertainment district was busy with revellers seeking one last night out before lockdown. People will be ordered to stay at home from 0001 GMT on Thursday to combat a surge in new infections that scientists say could, if unchecked, cause more deaths than a first wave that forced a three-month lockdown earlier this year.
4th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

The truckers who keep India's coronavirus patients breathing

Subhas Kumar Yadav has fought fear, deadlines and hunger to truck liquid oxygen from a factory in India’s Himalayan foothills to hospitals in the northern plains during the coronavirus epidemic. The worst time, he said, was in the weeks after the federal government imposed a sweeping lockdown to contain the disease in late March, when roads were deserted, police made arbitrary checks and roadside restaurants, repair shops and motels were shuttered. But the oxygen he was carrying was saving the lives of thousands of those infected. “We were on duty,” said the 33-year-old driver with Linde India Ltd, an affiliate of the world’s largest supplier of industrial gases, Linde Plc. “It’s not like we could just give up and go home.”
3rd Nov 2020 - Reuters

Students defy guidance and race home before lockdown in England

Students are defying government guidance that they should stay at university throughout lockdown to make a last-minute dash home before the new restrictions kick in across England on Thursday. The universities minister, Michelle Donelan, has written to students urging them to stay put. After a challenging first term, during which thousands of students have already had to lock down and self-isolate as a result of Covid outbreaks, many have decided to leave campus. With continuing uncertainty about what might happen over Christmas and the majority of learning now online, they plan to continue their studies at home during lockdown without fear of being trapped at university over the holiday.
3rd Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Melbourne to honour 'community heroes' who stood up during lockdown

The long months of lockdown caused fear, anxiety and isolation across Melbourne, but they also sparked an outpouring of community kindness. Take Alex Dekker, for example. When the pandemic struck, Mr Dekker was a 20-year-old global studies student at Monash University, intent on pursuing a career in academia. His sister Pietra, a first-year doctor working on coronavirus wards, was so busy at work she was getting by on muesli bars. So Mr Dekker made her a few lasagnas. Then he announced on his Facebook page that he would make lasagnas for other healthcare workers and their families.
3rd Nov 2020 - The Age

Halloween parade in Wuhan draws huge crowd as city continues to recover from Covid-19 lockdown

Halloween revellers in the central Chinese city of Wuhan flocked to the Happy Valley amusement park to watch a parade on October 29, 2020. The celebrations took place months after the city that was the initial epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to recover from a strict lockdown to fight the spread of the coronavirus that causes the disease.
2nd Nov 2020 - South China Morning Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Kids Are Participating in COVID-19 Vaccine Trials. Here's What Their Parents Think

Katelyn Evans, 16, has never met Randy Kerr—and there’s no reason she should have. It was 66 years ago that Kerr, then 6, became briefly famous, receiving the first injection of Jonas Salk’s experimental polio vaccine during the massive field trial of hundreds of thousands of children in the spring of 1954. History notes that the vaccine worked, and the children who stepped forward to receive either the actual shot or a placebo were heroically dubbed the Polio Pioneers.
2nd Nov 2020 - Time on MSN.com

Students told not to rush home for lockdown

Universities say students in England should not move home for the lockdown - even if courses are switched to being taught online. They do not want a rush of students leaving universities as the new restrictions come into force this week. But the National Union of Students says students should have a choice to go home safely ahead of the lockdown. The government's guidance says universities should consider putting teaching online where possible. Universities UK says students should stay in their current accommodation and a mix of face-to-face and online teaching will continue through the lockdown.
2nd Nov 2020 - BBC News

Fresh lockdowns fuel angry protests as Covid-19 cases climb across Europe

Anger and exasperation over new coronavirus curbs grew Sunday as European nations wound back the clocks to the spring with fresh lockdowns and restrictions aimed at halting galloping infections and deaths. Protesters in several Spanish cities clashed with security forces for a second night running Saturday, police said, while England prepared for fresh stay-at-home orders, following in the steps of Austria, France and Ireland. European governments are desperate to stem the worrying spike in infections on the continent which has registered more than 279,000 deaths since the new coronavirus first emerged in China at the end of 2019.
2nd Nov 2020 - FRANCE 24 English

‘Tragedy in the making’: Charities warn rough sleepers will have no protection during second lockdown

Charities are warning of a “tragedy in the making” due to the lack of measures in place to protect rough sleepers during the second lockdown. Ministers are being urged to re-introduce a scheme that housed homeless people during the first months of the pandemic, amid warnings that without urgent action, people will be forced to either sleep in the cold or take refuge in night shelters where social distancing is impossible. Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the government has moved nearly 30,000 homeless people into emergency, self-contained accommodation, including hotels, under what has been termed the “Everyone In” scheme.
2nd Nov 2020 - The Independent

In Italy, Like Everywhere the Virus Goes, It’s the Discontent That’s Contagious

When the coronavirus first hit Italy, overwhelming the country’s hospitals and prompting the West’s first lockdown, Italians inspired the world with their resilience and civic responsibility, staying home and singing on their balconies. Their reward for months of quarantine was a flattened curve, a gulp of normalcy and the satisfaction of usually patronizing allies pointing to Italy as a model. Italy is now a long way away from those balcony days and its summer fling with freedom. Instead, as a second wave of the virus engulfs Europe and triggers new nationwide lockdowns, Italy has become emblematic of a despair, exhaustion and fear that is spreading throughout the Continent.
1st Nov 2020 - The New York Times

Amid COVID-19, Portugal’s ethnic minorities feel heavily policed

According to Pina, the PSP police officers said they had been sent by the DGS (Portugal’s National Health Office, responsible for deciding COVID-19 public health measures) because she was selling beer, which is currently only permitted in Portugal after 8pm if accompanied by food. Another reason often given for mandatory closures is that cafes allow people to gather in large groups. But here, as in many neighbourhoods in the suburbs of Lisbon, residents feel they are not being treated equally to people in the rest of the city. “If you go down the road to the white neighbourhoods you’ll see the cafes are full of people drinking, sitting in groups, playing cards for example,” says José Sinho Baessa da Pina, a community organiser from Casal da Boba. “They treat us completely differently up here. It’s like they’re not here to protect us – they’re here to provoke us.”
2nd Nov 2020 - Al Jazeera English

UK's Nigel Farage set to relaunch Brexit Party as anti-lockdown party

Nigel Farage, the British politician who helped force a Brexit referendum and successfully campaigned to leave the European Union, will fight Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s COVID-19 lockdown by recasting his small Brexit Party as Reform UK. Cast by his supporters as the godfather of Brexit, Farage said Johnson had terrified the United Kingdom into submission over COVID-19 and squandered vast amounts of taxpayers’ money while holding out hopes of a “miraculous” vaccine. “What we’ve seen in this pandemic I think is a total failure of leadership at almost every level,” Brexit Party leader Farage told Talk Radio from Pennsylvania. “What about the millions of people out there running their own businesses? This second lockdown is the death knell economically for many of those people,” Farage said.
1st Nov 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Nov 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Victoria's coronavirus lockdown might be finally be over, but we are still deeply divided

It shouldn't be surprising that in the midst of a pandemic we still find ourselves mired in politics. I suppose the stakes are too high for us not to be: The hardship, the loss of life, the preventable deaths, the economic destruction, the psychological toll. But let's be blunt for a moment — Daniel Andrews plays a mean game of chicken. The Victorian Premier, with his health officials, has pursued a virus-reduction strategy that has put him in the political crosshairs for months.
31st Oct 2020 - ABC News

Three in four more worried about impact of lockdown than catching coronavirus, poll finds

Almost three in four people are more concerned about the impact of lockdown. The results come from a poll of 2,000 adults by the Recovery group. Recovery put forward its 'five reasonable demands' as they call for ministers to balance the need to tackle Covid with the impact its policies are having
31st Oct 2020 - Daily Mail

Amazon drops French Black Friday ad campaign as lockdown starts

Amazon is withdrawing advertising for pre-Black Friday discounts in France, after the government said the campaign was unfair to small shops at time when a coronavirus lockdown has forced them to close. France entered its second national lockdown on Friday to try to contain a surge in infections. The curbs imposed under it include the closure of non-essential stores. A spokeswoman for Amazon AMZN.O said the group had agreed to halt its radio advertising campaign around pre-Black Friday sales. A page with discounted items under the header “Black Friday ahead of time” was live on its French website on Saturday, however.
31st Oct 2020 - Reuters UK

The long shadow of racism in medicine leaves Black Americans wary of a COVID-19 vaccine

As the coronavirus pandemic has progressed, and the need for a vaccine has become more urgent and apparent, the number of Americans who say they would take such a vaccine keeps falling. In particular, Black Americans — who have been among those hit hardest by the pandemic — are resistant to the idea. A new Yahoo News/YouGov poll found that only 27 percent of Black Americans and 46 percent of white Americans plan to get a coronavirus vaccine if and when one becomes available. The perceived politicization of the vaccine process and unprecedented pace of Operation Warp Speed has led to doubts nationwide. Until very recently, President Trump was predicting that a vaccine could arrive ahead of Election Day, Nov. 3, contradicting members of his own coronavirus task force, who have repeatedly given less optimistic time frames that have turned out to be more realistic.
30th Oct 2020 - Yahoo News UK

Coronavirus lockdown rules have led to relatives refusing to speak to each other, research finds

One in 12 people is no longer speaking to a friend or family member because of disagreements about the pandemic. When and how the UK should emerge from lockdown restrictions has divided not only the nation but also families and friends – even leading to some relatives refusing to talk to each other, research has revealed. People who rely on social media for coronavirus information are more likely to have been involved in confrontations and reports to the authorities over lockdown rules, the study by King’s College London (KCL) and Ipsos Mori also found. They are at least five times as likely to say they have been reported and four times as likely to have been confronted for not wearing a face covering. A small minority have challenged others about following the rules too carefully, the researchers found, and one in 12 is no longer speaking to a friend or family member because of disagreements about the pandemic.
29th Oct 2020 - iNews

Little Recognition and Less Pay: These Female Healthcare Workers Are Rural India's First Defense Against COVID-19

India’s ASHA program is likely the world’s largest army of all-female community health workers. They are the foot soldiers of the country’s health system. Established in 2005, a key focus of the program was reducing maternal and infant deaths, so all recruits are women. They have also played an essential role in India’s efforts to eradicate polio and increase immunization, according to numerous studies. But even as health authorities have leaned on ASHAs to quell the spread of COVID-19 in rural areas, where a substantial number of new cases have been reported, many of these health care workers say the government is failing them. Pay was meager to begin with, but some workers have reported not being paid for months. Their hours have increased dramatically, but pay rises, when they have come, have not reflected the increased demands. Many ASHAs have also complained about not being provided adequate protective equipment for their high-risk work.
28th Oct 2020 - TIME

Machu Picchu reopens after eight month Covid closure

Machu Picchu, the ancient city high in the Andes mountains, has reopened after nearly eight months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Peruvian authorities organised an Incan ritual to thank the gods on Sunday as the major tourist attraction once again allowed visitors.
31st Oct 2020 - BBC News

The Leeds bakery that gave away 200 meals to families struggling to feed children

Taking over a successful family business right before a pandemic would be enough to make anybody anxious. But Samantha Atkin is somehow unflappable. In Bramley, a suburb of Leeds, the 28-year-old runs Carol’s Confectioners, a bakery and sandwich shop that specialises in Jewish bread. It is one of the many cafes, pubs and restaurants that offered free meals to children during the half-term holidays. “We watched it on the news and there was just absolutely no way, in the position we’re in, to not make a sandwich for a child,” Atkin said.
2nd Nov 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Sanofi and GSK to provide COVID-19 vaccine doses to COVAX Facility

Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline have signed a statement of intent with Gavi to provide 200 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine available to the COVAX Facility. The COVAX Facility is a global risk-sharing mechanism aim at securing COVID-19 vaccines for equitable distribution. The doses of Sanofi and GSK’s adjuvanted recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine will be used to support COVAX’s ambition to ensure successful shots reach those in need, once they obtain the appropriate approvals. “To address a global health crisis of this magnitude, it takes unique partnerships. The commitment we are announcing today for the COVAX Facility can help us together stand a better chance of bringing the pandemic under control,” said Thomas Triomphe, executive vice president and global head of Sanofi Pasteur.
29th Oct 2020 - PharmaTimes

Coronavirus France: Gridlock as people flee Paris before lockdown

Thousands of Parisians caused massive traffic jams as they tried to flee the French capital for the country. Huge numbers of locals attempted a mass exodus in a bid to avoid the start of the second national lockdown. Many were enjoying their final night of freedom in France ahead of new lockdown restrictions from Friday Draconian measures will see people needing documents to show their reasonable excuse for leaving home. Europe has seen rising infections, with France recording 47,637 new infections in 24 hours and 235 deaths
30th Oct 2020 - Daily Mail

Protect nature or face deadlier pandemics than COVID-19, scientists warn

Pandemics will emerge more often, spread faster, cost more and kill more people than COVID-19 without bold action to halt the habitat destruction that helps viruses hop from wildlife to humans, according to a study published on Thursday. The findings www.ipbes.net/pandemics suggest that moves to protect tropical forests and other rich ecosystems to help slow climate change and save animal, bird and plant species could also prevent pandemics. “It turns out that by doing something about pandemics we are also doing something about climate change and biodiversity, and that’s a good thing,” Peter Daszak, a zoologist who chaired the study by 22 international experts, told Reuters. The group found that about half of an estimated 1.7 million undiscovered viruses in nature might be able to infect people.
29th Oct 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Lockdown in paradise: how the Seychelles is reopening to visitors

Darting through the opal-blue water of Anse Source d’Argent is a riot of silver fish; their puckered lips pecking at the mounds of blushing coral beneath me. A pale moray eel slithers past, flashing a toothy grin. As the warm waves lap over my back, I revel in this quiet, watery world. Praslin Island in the Seychelles couldn’t feel further from the grey UK or, indeed, the events of this year. With only 153 cases of coronavirus recorded since the start of the pandemic and zero deaths, the Seychelles has recently been added by the Foreign Office to the travel corridor list, meaning visitors from Britain don’t have to quarantine on their return. Direct flights there have resumed. It’s good news for those desperate for respite
28th Oct 2020 - The Times

Three Covid-19 Success Stories

Yet there are also reasons for cautious optimism. I’d like to highlight three recent success stories. 1) Disney World in Florida has operated for 3 months safely. An October 9, 2020 story in the New York Times reported that, “As tumultuous as the three months since the reopening have been, however, public health officials and Disney World’s unions say there have been no coronavirus outbreaks among workers or guests. So far, Disney’s wide-ranging safety measures appear to be working.”
28th Oct 2020 - Forbes

Midnight revelry in Melbourne as lockdown ends, eager diners say it 'feels like New Year's Eve'

Melburnians have flocked to bars and restaurants and even Kmart in a celebration of the four-month coronavirus lockdown lifting at midnight. With restrictions still on how many people are allowed in certain venues, bookings were made hours in advance by those eager to finally "get on the beers". And over 10,000 people ahd been through the doors at Kmart since 6am this morning, the group's managing director Ian Bailey told 3AW. "I now officially declare Melbourne restaurants open for business," Angus and Bon steakhouse owner Liam Ganley said as he cut a ribbon to cheers, confetti and applause.
28th Oct 2020 - 9News

US consumers brace for COVID-19 surge by hoarding food – again

American consumers who’ve worked their way through the trove of shelf-stable meals they frantically bought back in March are at it again. This time, food makers are prepared. General Mills Inc., the maker of Cheerios and Annie’s boxed mac and cheese, added 45 external production lines through contractors since the first round of pantry loading this spring. Campbell Soup Co. spent $40 million to expand production of Goldfish crackers and is building capacity for chip brands like Cape Cod. Conagra Brands Inc. boosted third-party manufacturing and warehousing, while Stonyfield Farm, a producer of organic dairy products, is buying more milk from its direct supply network of farms.
28th Oct 2020 - Aljazeera.com

In the UK, young, non-white people likelier to lose jobs: Survey

Twice as many young and non-white British workers have lost their jobs after going on furlough compared with the average, largely because they are more likely to work in sectors hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, a study showed. The Resolution Foundation think-tank said 19 percent of workers aged 18-24 and 22 percent of ethnic minority staff had lost their jobs after being furloughed, compared with 9 percent of employees overall.
28th Oct 2020 - Aljazeera.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Cornwall woodworker building free desks for virtual learning students

Besner had heard about kids learning from home not having the proper space and decided to make desks in his small shop. "My wife and I decided that we'd build twenty desks and hand them out to kids who are registered in virtual learning and also for parents who couldn't afford to buy their kids one," he said. "The idea behind it is to get the kids off the kitchen tables, to get them off the couch or get them off their bed where they're laying down and this way they could have their own desk to work on." Besner finished the first 20 desks last week and has started on the next order to build 20 more to be given away, all for free.
27th Oct 2020 - CTV News Ottawa

Ely Museum virtual school visits

During lockdown, lots of people learnt new skills, and the team at Ely Museum were no different - except they decided to tackle virtual time travel to deliver school visits online. Suspecting that visiting schools in person during the autumn term would not be possible, the summer was spent devising a plan. Since then, classrooms have time travelled virtually to explore what life was like for people in Ely as far back as the Stone Age. Thanks to a ‘heritage emergency fund’ grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the museum was able to purchase the necessary equipment to make live-streaming visits possible and began preparation and rehearsals over the summer. 
27th Oct 2020 - Ely Standard

Cities reboot: Adapting to a pandemic world

Downtown is deserted and happy hour is history - the pandemic has upended urban life for billions and futurologists expect a changed cityscape to emerge in the post-viral world. From home to office, park to pub - all corners of city life have undergone some sort of reboot during COVID-19. More than 43 million people have been infected by the virus and the death toll tops 1.1 million, according to a global tally by Johns Hopkins University. After months in lockdown, second waves of the novel coronavirus have forced new travel curbs and a messy mosaic of lockdown laws from Madrid to Melbourne. Experts agree cities will never look the same.
27th Oct 2020 - Thomson Reuters Foundation

Covid: Post-furlough unemployment 'hits young and ethnic minorities'

Young and ethnic minority workers were more likely to be made unemployed post-furlough, according to a new report. A survey of about 6,000 adults by the Resolution Foundation found 19% of 18-24 year olds who were furloughed during lockdown were unemployed in September. For black, Asian and minority ethnic workers the figure was 22%, compared to 9% for the general population. The Treasury said its wage support schemes had helped to protect millions of jobs. The government's Job Retention Scheme initially covered up to 80% of an individual's wages if they were placed on furlough and unable to work.
27th Oct 2020 - BBC News

Black participation in covid-19 vaccine trials is key to Black economic recovery

Vaccine trials need Black people. And the Black economic recovery needs a vaccine. The economic downturn from the novel coronavirus has had a staggering financial impact on Blacks. Job losses from the pandemic have overwhelmingly affected low-wage, minority workers. Black men and women are among those taking the longest time to regain their employment. Black Americans account for about 13 percent of the U.S. population but 24 percent of coronavirus deaths, the Pew Research Center reported in June. But when I ask the Black folks I know if they’re going to take a coronavirus vaccine, most without hesitation say, “No, I will not.”
27th Oct 2020 - Washington Post

Global survey shows widespread disapproval of Covid response

People in most of 25 countries around the world think governments and leaders failed to respond either well or fast enough to the coronavirus crisis, a new global survey shows. YouGov’s globalism survey of about 26,000 people in countries from Australia to Sweden, designed with the Guardian and carried out by the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project between July and August, before the second wave hit in Europe and elsewhere, showed striking variations in approval for governments’ handling of the pandemic, which has killed nearly 1.1 million people. A record four in five respondents in Denmark, which locked down very early in March as the first wave hit and has managed to limit Covid deaths to 119 per million inhabitants, thought their government had done very or fairly well.
27th Oct 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

C+D joins with COVID-19 trial pharmacy lead to find community recruits

C+D and Professor Mahendra Patel are campaigning together to find 1,000 pharmacies to contribute to an Oxford University COVID-19 clinical trial by signposting suitable patients. In September, Professor Patel was appointed as national black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) community and pharmacy lead for the PRINCIPLE COVID-19 clinical trial, run by Oxford University. The trial is evaluating whether the use of two common antibiotics, azithromycin and doxycycline can help people with COVID-19 symptoms recover at home, thereby reducing the need for hospital admissions. It is open to people who are aged over 50 with certain underlying health conditions, and to anyone over the age of 65.
26th Oct 2020 - Chemist+Druggist

Boxing Day Test crowd allowed at MCG after Melbourne lockdown ends

A crowd at the MCG for the Boxing Day Test has been all but guaranteed by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews as the state’s coronavirus restrictions were significantly eased. Melbourne will start to open up following more than four months in hard lockdown, after no Covid-19 cases were recorded in Victoria on Monday. Cricket Australia is yet to lock in its international schedule for a summer highlighted by a blockbuster four-Test series against India. Premier Andrews said the lifting of restrictions meant it was too late for crowds to attend next month’s Melbourne Cup, but not the biggest day in Australian cricket.
26th Oct 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Northwich cafe owner offers remote working deal to customers

With the hospitality industry taking a battering this year due to lockdown and further restrictions brought in to combat a rise in coronavirus cases, businesses are having to be creative ways to fill the void. Arabica Caffe, a Northwich coffee shop and cafe located within Gadbrook Business Park, has seen its customer base pretty much vanish since the lockdown was announced in March. For owner Chris Buck, the fact many of the local office workers in the neighbourhood have either been furloughed or are working from home, has led to him offering them a space in his cafe instead.
25th Oct 2020 - Northwich Guardian

How Teachers Can Foster Community in Online Classrooms

The school year is difficult for both teachers and students, to say the least. Some districts are using a hybrid of remote and in-person learning, while others are on Zoom entirely. And that means teachers are stretched thin and unable to build community with their students, and classmates are unable to get to know their peers well. But there are some choices you can make to combat that. Melanie Gottdenger, a New York-based seventh-grade teacher in a selective middle school, says, “Studies show that strong communities produce more holistically successful people—rather than students who can ace a test or become a doctor, education professionals are starting to understand that the humanity in us all is what makes our world better, and proves our ‘success’ as teachers.” These tools can be used in a variety of places, with your class, business, or community.
25th Oct 2020 - WIRED

At 75, I've volunteered for a Covid vaccine trial. It could set people free

There’s a 50% chance that this week I was injected with a vaccine designed to protect me from Covid-19. If not, I got the saltwater placebo instead. I won’t know until the study ends in 13 months, which is a shame. It would be nice to walk the streets without looking balefully around me at young people not wearing masks and thinking: I’m 75, this virus kills people my age. It killed my chum Mike Pentelow, who was having a lot of fun in his retirement, writing books with titles such as A Pub Crawl Through History, and Mike was a year younger than me. Perhaps he’s the reason I volunteered to be a guinea pig for one of the companies working on a vaccine.
24th Oct 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Foreign tourism shutdown supports Russia's struggling economy amid COVID-19

Russia’s economy could benefit by up to $30 billion this year from Russians spending their roubles at home rather than on foreign holidays due to travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, economists say. The estimates are a rare piece of good news for an economy battered by low global oil prices as well as coronavirus lockdowns. Russia ran a budget deficit of around $23 billion in the first nine months of this year. Like many other countries, Russia also saw foreign tourists stay away in droves in 2020. But it sent far fewer travellers overseas than usual after closing its borders in March. The outflow in some cases fell by as much as 80%.
22nd Oct 2020 - Reuters UK

Indian garment workers cover bosses' lockdown losses

From unpaid overtime to wage cuts, Indian garment workers say they are being made to compensate their bosses for the food, shelter and salary provided in the coronavirus lockdown. But it is a steep price for a workforce that was already juggling low pay and poor conditions before the pandemic shuttered their factories and strangulated orders. Workers say they are being offered the choice of less money or working extra shifts for free to pay back their bosses, who dangle the threat of unemployment if employees refuse.
22nd Oct 2020 - Reuters India

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Sir David Attenborough says Covid-19 is 'threat to environment'

Sir David Attenborough said the Covid-19 pandemic was a threat to the environment as politicians deal with the crisis instead of climate change. The naturalist and broadcaster expressed his fears to environmental activist Greta Thunberg at a virtual wildlife film festival in Bristol. The 94-year-old said Thunberg had given the world hope by energising young people to fight for the environment. The teenager also praised Sir David's new film A Life On Our Planet. Sir David said several international climate conferences had been cancelled because of Covid-19. "I am worried that people will take their eyes off the environmental issue because of the immediate problems they have on Covid-19," he said.
21st Oct 2020 - BBC News

U of T alumni design AI platform to gauge student understanding in virtual classrooms

A new software platform, created by two University of Toronto alumni, aims to make virtual classrooms more functional by providing real-time feedback and specific insights into how student understanding of mathematics is changing. Last March, Nived Kollanthara, an alumnus of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, was living in New York City, where he volunteered part-time at a shelter, helping kids with their math homework. When the pandemic hit, he realized right away the impact it would have. “The kids I work with need extra, individual attention to help them succeed in the classroom,” Kollanthara says. “I was worried about how they would be getting that in a remote environment.” Kollanthara spoke with teachers and learned that one of the first things that gets lost in virtual learning is real-time feedback, which provides a window into student understanding.
21st Oct 2020 - News@UofT

Research to understand COVID-19 spread on public transport

A major scientific study has been launched to understand the risks of COVID-19 transmission on buses and trains - and to identify the best measures to control it. Led by the University of Leeds and with support from the Department for Transport and several transport organisations, the investigation will involve taking air and surface samples on parts of the transport network to measure background levels of the coronavirus. The researchers will develop detailed simulations of the way the virus could potentially spread through airflow, from touching contaminated surfaces and from being close to someone infected with the virus.
21st Oct 2020 - University of Leeds

Socioeconomic factors drive COVID risks for minorities - UK govt report

The increased risk to ethnic minorities from COVID-19 is largely driven by factors such as living circumstances and profession and not the genetics of different groups or structural racism, a report into racial disparities from the pandemic has found. Several studies have shown a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities, and the British government in June promised further work to look into the causes of the disparities. But the dynamics of whether certain groups are more likely to contract the virus to start with due to external factors, or are more susceptible to it once exposed, have been unclear.
21st Oct 2020 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Mask Mandate? In a Montana Town, It ‘Puts Us at Odds With Customers’

Outside River Rising Bakery sits an older gentleman, his face uncovered. He’s here every morning, greeting customers as he drinks his coffee and reads. Inside, people mill about, waiting to order. A group of moms chat at a corner table. The employees wear masks, but patrons are not required to. Most don’t. It feels almost normal. As if the pandemic had never happened. Half a block away in Hamilton, at Big Creek Coffee Roasters, most customers don’t go inside; instead they wait to order at a makeshift to-go window. There are a lot of strollers and Lululemon tights, and most people in the line are wearing a mask. If anyone did go inside, wearing one would be mandatory.
19th Oct 2020 - The New York Times

‘EdTech companies will change the way kids learn’

With money invested in India’s education technology startups increasing nearly four times to $1.5 billion in the first nine months of 2020 as compared to $409 million in entire 2019
20th Oct 2020 - Times of India

Docu Meme highlights unseen victims of coronavirus pandemic in Japan

As the number of novel coronavirus infections continues to grow, so do the stigmas and stereotypes associated with certain segments of Japan’s population, be they caregivers, entertainment-district workers, foreign residents, students or the unemployed and homeless. Adrift in the torrent of issues that have come out of the pandemic, many people are finding it difficult to be heard and receive the support they need. Out of this landscape emerged Docu Meme, an independent collective of documentary creators — Naoki Uchiyama, Itaru Matsui and Toru Kubota — who are on a mission to shed light on those who have been neglected or even rejected by society during the pandemic. Similar to viral images found on the internet, the group wants its documentary shorts to travel widely and convey as efficiently as possible the plight of voiceless people in Japan.
20th Oct 2020 - The Japan Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Surf lifeguards 'expecting huge crowds' at beaches during post-lockdown summer

Ahead of the patrol season starting this long weekend, there are concerns resources will be tested more than ever with many beachgoers eager to hit the water. “The fact that we're not travelling overseas, we are expecting huge crowds on the beaches,” Surf Lifesaving New Zealand’s search and rescue manager Allan Mundy told 1 NEWS. Complicating things further, international lifeguards who often bring experience to patrols on the country’s busiest coastlines won’t be allowed in due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, officials have been working with their international counterparts in Britain, the United States and Australia to learn how they’re keeping beaches under control during the pandemic. “Their public were choosing to swim on beaches that people had never swum on before and that was a real risk because they didn't have any lifeguard cover,” Mundy said.
19th Oct 2020 - 1News

Serum Institute has begun manufacturing intranasal Covid vaccine: Harsh Vardhan

While there are three vaccine candidates against Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) being tested on humans in India, there is no intranasal vaccine candidate under trial currently, said Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday. However, he also said that Serum Institute of India was manufacturing an intranasal vaccine candidate. The minister also said that Bharat Biotech has also entered in an agreement with Washington University School of Medicine to conduct trials to produce and market an intranasal vaccine
19th Oct 2020 - Hindustan Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Hundreds queue in Yiwu, China for experimental Covid-19 vaccine

A city in eastern China has started offering a coronavirus vaccine to the general public - although it has not yet completed clinical trials. Hundreds of people have been queuing outside a hospital in Yiwu, where nurses are administering the injections for a fee of around $60 (£45).
18th Oct 2020 - BBC News

Researchers hope Covid-19 testing programme developed in Norwich could be used across country

Scientists in Norwich who helped develop a Covid-19 testing programme are hoping to roll it out to other academic institutions. The Norwich Testing Initiative (NTI) was developed on the city's research park, and was a collaboration between the Earlham Institute, University of East Anglia, The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals, the John Innes Centre, the Quadram Institute and The Sainsbury Laboratory. The project was designed to identify the resources, facilities and expertise needed to run a regular testing programme on people not displaying symptoms. The Office for National Statistics has estimated that as many as 80% of cases are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. it was hoped the NTI would help keep prevent rapid virus spread.
18th Oct 2020 - ITV News

Residents go for voluntary lockdown in Jaisalmer dist

Looking at the increasing Covid-19 cases, the general public has come up with voluntary lockdowns. In Nachana, a two-day successful voluntary close took place on Friday and Saturday while residents in Lathi have decided to go for a three-day voluntary lockdown from Sunday to Tuesday.
18th Oct 2020 - Times of India

Scientists worry whether COVID-19 vaccine will make a difference with 51 percent saying won't take

'Operation Warp Speed' aims to deliver 300 million doses of a vaccine to Americans by January 2021. Hundreds of vaccines are in the pre-clinical testing phase, but only four are currently in Phase 3 clinical trials and some of them have run into problems. More than half of Americans in a recent poll say they won't get a shot High-profile personalities such as Elon Musk have also said they will not be taking the vaccine. It has fed the growth of the anti-vaxxer movement with many deciding not to take the jab along political party lines. Scientists worry that if fewer than 70 percent of the population receive the injection, herd immunity will not be reached and its effectiveness will be lost
18th Oct 2020 - Daily Mail

The Coronavirus Slayers: Meet The Female Leaders On India’s Covid-19 Frontline

KK Shailaja makes for an unlikely national hero. But the bespectacled, sari-clad, 63-year-old minister of health and social justice – and former science teacher – was an early beacon in India, thanks to her foresight and fast thinking in preparing her state, Kerala, for the pandemic. It is thanks to the quick intervention of the Coronavirus Slayer (as she became known in the Indian press) that the state still has such low mortality rates from Covid-19. In June, Shailaja was recognised for her efforts by the UN.
18th Oct 2020 - VogueUK

Coronavirus: Only around 1/3 of French respondents would take COVID-19 vaccine, Euronews poll shows

Only little more than a third of French respondents would take a low-cost COVID-19 vaccine, a Euronews-commissioned survey has revealed. France is among the worst-hit countries in Europe from the disease, with more than 33,000 deaths as of October 16. But just 37% of French people questioned would take a low-cost vaccine if it came available in the next year. This compares starkly to several of France's neighbours, where a majority say they would get vaccinated. Respondents in the United Kingdom were keenest, with 63% backing vaccination, followed by Germany (57%) and Italy (55%).
16th Oct 2020 - Euronews

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Fauci warns Americans to rethink Thanksgiving amid coronavirus surge

Anthony Fauci warned on Thursday that Americans should rethink their usual plans for traditional Thanksgiving gatherings, citing increased coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. Fauci, the most senior public health official on the White House coronavirus taskforce, told ABC News that given the rise in cases in almost three dozen US states, “we’ve really got to double down on fundamental public health measures that we talk about every day, because they can make a difference”.
15th Oct 2020 - The Guardian

Helen Salisbury: Older lives are not worth less

If you’re lucky, age brings wisdom and leisure, but for many it means illness, frustration, and failing bodies. “I’m sorry to be such a nuisance, doctor,” older patients often tell me. I reassure them that they’re not a nuisance and that, if they didn’t trouble me with their ailments, I’d be out of a job. While a few patients stockpile medication, others worry about “bankrupting the NHS” and try to avoid any treatment that’s not strictly necessary. I try to explain that they’ve already paid for the care and medicines they now need, through a lifetime of taxes.
13th Oct 2020 - The BMJ

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Emergency coronavirus recovery grants issued to West Sussex arts, culture and heritage sites

Theatres, museums, music venues and heritage sites across West Sussex have received thousands of pounds worth of emergency funding to help them survive the coronavirus pandemic.
14th Oct 2020 - Worthing Herald

Americans tend to think children should be allowed to trick-or-treat despite COVID-19

Halloween may look different this year, but many Americans still intend to celebrate. Data from YouGov finds that 33% of US adults intend to celebrate Halloween by watching a spooky movie, while 28% say they’ll decorate their house and/or carve a pumpkin. About one-quarter (26%) of Americans plan to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters this year, while slightly fewer intend to wear a costume (19%), go to a party (12%), or go trick-or-treating (11%) themselves. About three in 10 (31%) don’t intend to do any of the above activities, and 4% aren’t sure of their Halloween plans.
14th Oct 2020 - YouGov US

Tell us how COVID-19 is affecting your commute in new survey series

How is the COVID-19 pandemic affecting your commute? The Division of Administration is conducting a series of surveys designed to gain a better understanding of commuter attitudes and behaviors in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey results will inform mobility and transportation efforts on campus and scholarly research at the university. The surveys are for members of the Vanderbilt University community who currently commute to campus for work or study, as well as those currently working or studying remotely. The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
14th Oct 2020 - Vanderbilt University News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Study: There's work to be done before people feel ready for COVID-19 vaccine

A new study indicates some significant public messaging should be communicated before any COVID-19 vaccines are made available in the US. And with vaccines potentially being approved by the end of the year or early next year, the clock is ticking. The report, published in the journal Vaccines, shows that 68% of respondents are supportive of being vaccinated for COVID-19, but concerns remain about side effects, sufficient vaccine testing and vaccine effectiveness. "Messages promoting the COVID-19 vaccine need to alleviate the concerns of those who are already vaccine-hesitant," said senior study author Brian Poole, a professor of microbiology and molecular biology at Brigham Young University
13th Oct 2020 - EurekAlert!

Poor numerical literacy linked to greater susceptibility to Covid-19 fake news

People with poor numerical literacy are more likely to believe Covid-19 misinformation, according to a survey conducted in five countries. Researchers at Cambridge University said the findings suggested improving people’s analytical skills could help turn the tide against an epidemic of “fake news” surrounding the health crisis. Five national surveys – reflecting national quotas for age and gender – were conducted this year to evaluate susceptibility to coronavirus-related misinformation and its influence on key health-related behaviours. The study found the most consistent predictor of decreased susceptibility to misinformation about Covid-19 was numerical literacy – the ability to digest and apply quantitative information broadly.
14th Oct 2020 - The Guardian

Facebook to ban ads that discourage vaccines

Facebook will start banning advertisements that discourage people from getting vaccinated, the social media company said, as it also announced a new flu vaccine information campaign. The United States-based company said in a blog post on Tuesday that ads advocating for or against legislation or government policies around vaccines, including a COVID-19 vaccine, would still be allowed.
13th Oct 2020 - Al Jazeera English

A Dose of Optimism, as the Pandemic Rages On

On March 16, back when White House news conferences were still deemed safe to attend, President Trump stood before reporters and announced that drastic nationwide restrictions — in schools, work places, our social lives — were needed to halt the coronavirus. The guidelines, “15 Days to Slow the Spread,” were accompanied by a grim chart. Based on a prominent model by London’s Imperial College, the chart illustrated with a sinuous blue line how many Americans might die if nothing were done to protect the public’s health. The line rose sharply as the estimated deaths went up, then drifted slowly down until finally, at the far right end of the graph, the number of new cases reached zero. Our national nightmare would end by October 2020 — that is, right about now. Along the way, if no action was taken, about 2.2 million Americans would die. Dr. Deborah Birx, one of Mr. Trump’s science advisers, referred to the graph as “the blue mountain of deaths.”
12th Oct 2020 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How to make the hybrid workforce model work

Even before the coronavirus pandemic made homeworking commonplace, Automattic’s 1,277-workforce was entirely remote, with perks that include reimbursing expenses to set up workers’ home offices. Yet despite its remote ethos, the group, which owns and operates web design company WordPress, does not expect its employees to work in isolation every day. It offers a monthly stipend to be used towards co-working spaces (day passes or ongoing membership) or coffee shops (WiFi costs, coffees). The social highlight of the year is the GM — or Grand Meet-up — where staff from 76 countries speaking 95 different languages, get together for a week of keynote sessions, workshops, team sessions, socialising focused on strategy, learning and team bonding. Employees are encouraged to eat with different colleagues every night to meet people outside their teams.
12th Oct 2020 - Financial Times

The coronavirus pandemic: A threat to food security

For years, the Global Hunger Index has shown global advances in combating malnutrition. But the coronavirus pandemic could undo them, according to the latest report for German aid organization Welthungerhilfe.
12th Oct 2020 - DW (English)

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Selling flowers out of her VW Beetle helps Rio woman survive COVID-19

You can’t miss the green 1969 Volkswagen Beetle parked at the corner, orchids and ferns crowding its open bonnet, sunflowers sticking out of windows, potted plants on the roof. Turning her car into a flower shop was Valcineia Machado’s survival plan after her business collapsed in the COVID-19 pandemic, and she is has become a hit in Rio’s Copacabana beach district. At 51, she has reinvented herself, moving from real estate to selling roses and other flower on a busy corner.
10th Oct 2020 - Reuters.com

Is COVID-19 being used as a weapon against Indigenous Peoples in Brazil?

Today, according to the Brazil's Indigenous People Articulation, more than 27 000 Indigenous people have been infected with COVID-19, of which 806 have died from the disease (situation as of Sept 15, 2020), giving a mortality rate of 3%. This pan­demic already affects 146 different Indigenous groups across the country.3 On Aug 5, 2020, the Supreme Federal Court recognised the failure of the government of President Bolsonaro to deal with the effects of the epidemic on Indigenous communities.3 The latter was ordered to put in place an emergency plan for the benefit of the Indigenous populations, as well as to adopt the necessary measures to remove invaders from their territories (illegal miners and loggers are not only vectors of diseases, but also cause environmental destruction, in particular through mercury pollution).4 Faced with inaction from the Brazilian Government, some nations, such as the Paiter Suruí and Parque Indigena do Xingu peoples, have placed themselves in voluntary isolation since March, 2020.
10th Oct 2020 - The Lancet

‘There are no words’: As coronavirus kills Indigenous elders, endangered languages face extinction

The old man knew he was dying. The disease he'd been warning of for weeks had taken hold, and it wouldn't be long now. He looked to his son, who would soon be the leader of what remained of their people. The old man was fluent in five languages, but the one he chose to speak now was one that virtually no one else in the world could understand. “Awiri nuhã,” Aritana Yawalapiti, 71, said in the language of the Yawalapiti, an Indigenous tribe in the Amazon rainforest. “Take care of the people. Take care of the land. Take care of the forest.”
9th Oct 2020 - The Washington Post

Coronavirus pandemic fuels child labor in India as desperate families send kids off to work

When India's government imposed a strict lockdown in March to try to curb coronavirus infections, Sagheer Shah, a tailor in the small town of Faizabad, had to close his shop. For three months he didn't earn a penny, burning through his savings to put food on table for his family. He was able to reopen when restrictions started easing in July, but only saw a fraction of his previous trade resume. To make ends meet, he decided to send his 14-year-old son Asif, whose school was closed anyway, hundreds of miles away to Delhi to work in a car painting shop.
9th Oct 2020 - CBS News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

AI cameras introduced in London to monitor social distancing and lockdown restrictions

Artificial Intelligence cameras are being used in London and other cities in the UK to monitor social distancing. The sensors were initially developed by Vivacity to track the flow of traffic, cyclists and pedestrians and monitor how roads are being used. But when the country went into lockdown in March, Vivacity added on an extra feature to the AI scanners so it could register the distance between pedestrians. This data is shared in a monthly report with the Government.
8th Oct 2020 - Evening Standard

Cash no longer king in Italy as COVID helps government push for plastic

Italy’s love affair with cash is fading. The coronavirus is turning Italians off notes and coins and the government is launching a raft of incentives to accelerate the trend, believing plastic payment can curb rampant tax evasion. The Treasury estimates some 109 billion euros of tax is evaded annually, equal to about 21% of the revenue actually collected. The government believes the problem can be tackled by boosting digital payments which, unlike cash, leave a trace. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is offering refunds on some money spent electronically, tax breaks for outlets with card machines and a new 50-million euro ($58.93 million) state lottery for card users only. The coronavirus, which forced the government to lock down the economy between March and May, is helping his efforts.
8th Oct 2020 - Reuters UK

Poorest areas of England four times as likely to face lockdown as richest

England’s poorest communities are nearly four times as likely to face lockdown restrictions as the wealthiest areas, a Guardian analysis has found, as local leaders warned of a “winter of dangerous discontent” in the north of England without urgent financial support. A study of official figures shows a wide disparity in the resurgence of coronavirus across the country, with the most deprived areas bearing the brunt of the second wave. In Liverpool, almost two-thirds of the areas with the highest infection rates were among the poorest 10% of communities in England. More than half of Birmingham and Manchester’s worst-hit areas are among the country’s most deprived.
8th Oct 2020 - The Guardian

‘Rural Surge’ Propels India Toward More Covid-19 Infections Than U.S.

Defiance of the coronavirus rules is happening across rural India, and it is propelling this nation’s virus caseload toward the No. 1 spot globally. Infections are rippling into every corner of this country of 1.3 billion people. The Indian news media is calling it “The Rural Surge.” In the Indian megacities where the pandemic first hit, vigorous public awareness campaigns have left the populace mostly on guard. But when it comes to government efforts to contain the virus, rural India is resisting. In many villages, no one is wearing masks. There is no social distancing. People are refusing to get tested and they are hiding their sick.
8th Oct 2020 - New York Times

We should be counting years of life lost or saved

A group of researchers led by Olga Yakusheva, a University of Michigan economist, has sought to estimate the net number of lives saved (or lost) by pandemic-mitigating policies in the US in 2020. The team finds that these public-health measures saved between 913,762 and 2,046,322 lives, but also could result in an “indirect collateral loss” of 84,000 to 514,800 lives, implying 398,962 to 1,962,322 net lives saved. That is a wide range, but still clearly a positive outcome.
8th Oct 2020 - The Age

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

What pandemic? Crowds swarm the Great Wall of China as travel surges during holiday week

The scene at the Great Wall of China this past week would have been unthinkable just months ago. Photos of the tourist attraction in Beijing last weekend show massive crowds crammed along the winding wall, pressed together in close quarters and squeezing past each other through narrow doorways. Most are wearing face masks -- but a number of people, including young children, pulled their masks down to their chin, and a few seem to have foregone masks entirely. It's Golden Week -- an eight-day national holiday, one of China's busiest annual travel periods, and a major test for the country as it emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.
7th Oct 2020 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Wuhan sports centre that was a makeshift coronavirus hospital reopens

A Wuhan sports centre which was converted into a 1,100-bed makeshift coronavirus hospital at the height of China's COVID-19 outbreak has held its first game since life in the city returned to normal. As many as 7,500 spectators swarmed into the Wuhan Sports Centre last night to watch a basketball game organised by retired NBA star Yao Ming, according to Chinese state media.
6th Oct 2020 - Daily Mail

Dementia Australia launches virtual classrooms for aged care workers

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dementia Australia has developed virtual classroom education for aged care workers, to equip staff with strategies and skills to provide quality care for people living with dementia. The courses are suitable for everyone involved in providing support for people living with dementia in residential aged care and community care.
6th Oct 2020 - Inside Ageing

High coronavirus COVID-19 rates found amongst people living in hardship in Paris | MSF

A survey has found infection rates of the new coronavirus to be as high as 94 per cent among some people living in precarious situations in Paris. The findings confirm that COVID-19 is more easily spread among people living in crowded conditions, such as hostels for disadvantaged people and shelters for the homeless. With winter coming, measures to provide homeless people with appropriate accommodation, such as hotels, must be urgently implemented.
6th Oct 2020 - Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International

Hundreds of musicians protest outside Parliament

In London, a 400-strong ensemble of freelance musicians played outside Parliament to highlight the plight of the music industry during the current pandemic. Violinists Nicola Benedetti and Tasmin Little were among the performers who played a short segment of Mars, from Holst's The Planets, in central London. They then held a two-minute silence, to put pressure on the government to give more support to self-employed artists. A concurrent protest took place outside Birmingham's Symphony Hall. The events were supported by the Musicians Union, which represents more than 32,000 performers in the UK.
6th Oct 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

4,000 people from Bradford volunteer for 'world's first' COVID vaccine trials

An incredible 4,000 people from Bradford have volunteered to take part in the world's first Covid-19 vaccine trials, starting in the city tomorrow. Bradford Institute for Health Research, at Bradford Royal Infirmary, is one of 20 UK centres testing the efficacy of the Novavax drug on human subjects. Researchers have selected around 500 people from the 4,000 Bradford volunteers to be vaccinated. The expert leading the groundbreaking research, Consultant Respiratory Physician Professor Dinesh Saralaya, said it has been a "very good response" from people in Bradford, but more volunteers are needed from BAME groups. "This is where we are lacking," he explained.
5th Oct 2020 - Yorkshire Live

Mana, last village on India-China border, to continue with its own lockdown

In India, even though the entire country is in Unlock mode, the 500-odd residents of Mana – the last Indian village before China border adjoining Uttarakhand – have unanimously decided to continue with their self-imposed lockdown and isolation. Not a single case of Covid-19 has been reported in the village with over 150 families, and the locals do not want to spot their track record. It was a unanimous decision by all the families.
5th Oct 2020 - Times of India

CEPI establishes global network to compare COVID-19 vaccines

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) has established a global network to reliably assess and compare COVID-19 vaccine candidates. The centralised lab network has initially selected five laboratories across the globe,
6th Oct 2020 - PMLiVE

Virtual reality program helps Fort Collins seniors battle social isolation amid COVID-19

With a virtual reality headset securely strapped to her face, Burr — a resident at Fort Collins memory care facility Aspyre Rock Creek — skydived virtually with images of the alps whirling around her. "It looks like your parachute just opened," said Carina Vargas, Aspyre Rock Creek's life enrichment coordinator, as she sat — iPad in hand — next to a beaming Burr. On the tablet, images of the alps sped by, showing Vargas what Burr was experiencing. The skydiving scenario is just one of 200 virtual travel, recreation, music and arts experiences Vargas can take Aspyre Rock Creek residents through thanks to a newly-formed partnership between the Fort Collins facility and MyndVR, a virtual reality company that provides virtual reality services for older adults.
6th Oct 2020 - Fort Collins Coloradoan on MSN.com

Madrid's fearful residents head for the hills | News

Madrid residents fearful of another strict lockdown are moving in droves to the Sierra de Guadarrama, the mountain range 30 miles north of the Spanish capital. Estate agents say that demand to buy or rent a home in the area is 40 per cent higher than before the three-month lockdown in March and that almost all customers are Madrileños. Prices are rising in the mountains in contrast with the city, where they are falling.
5th Oct 2020 - The Times

Six months since lockdown lifted in Wuhan

It has been almost six months since the Chinese city of Wuhan, the original epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, emerged from a lockdown on April 8. The city in Hubei Province is bustling with tourists as China observes its eight-day National Day holiday. Meanwhile, bereaved families want the government to take responsibility for its initial response to the outbreak. The lockdown was lifted in April following a decline in the pace of infections. Local authorities say they have carried out tests on nearly 10 million residents and have contained the virus. They say no new cases have been confirmed since June, except for visitors from abroad.
5th Oct 2020 - NHK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

5 charts on how COVID-19 is hitting Australia's young adults hard

The following five charts provide a snapshot of how COVID-19 is affecting Australians aged 18-24. Though the health impacts of the coronavirus fall most on the elderly, it is young adults that have been hit hardest by the economic and psychological costs of the pandemic response. The data for the charts comes from results gleaned from two major surveys run by the Melbourne Institute at the University of Melbourne.
2nd Oct 2020 - The Conversation AU

Myanmar volunteers under strain as coronavirus toll grows

As Myanmar’s coronavirus infections soar, the work never seems to stop for volunteers who have stepped in to help carry those suspected of symptoms to quarantine centres or hospitals. Fatalities hit a new record for one day on Sunday with 41 deaths, bringing the total to 412 from only seven a month ago. The toll is now the third highest in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia and the Philippines, and both deaths and case numbers are doubling faster than anywhere in the world according to Reuters figures.
4th Oct 2020 - Reuters UK

Pfizer chief hits out at politicisation of Covid-19 vaccine

Pfizer’s chief executive has criticised the politicisation of a Covid-19 vaccine during the first presidential debate, as the head of the drugmaker in the lead to develop an inoculation said his company would move at the “speed of science”. Albert Bourla, who leads the company with the best chance of submitting a vaccine for authorisation before the US election, said he would not be pressured to move more quickly or slowly in what he described as a “hyper-partisan” year. In a memo to staff, seen by the Financial Times, he argued that the “amplified political rhetoric” around vaccine development and timing was “undercutting public confidence”.
2nd Oct 2020 - Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19 and African rheumatology: progress in adversity

The pandemic of COVID-19, the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), hit Africa later than much of Asia, Europe, and North America. It has led to immense disruption of health-care services, economic hardship, and loss of life in Africa. By Sept 17, 2020, more than 1 million cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and 33 000 deaths from COVID-19 had been confirmed across Africa.1 However, the cataclysm of COVID-19 has taught us major lessons and incited the potential for rapid growth in African rheumatology after the pandemic subsides.
1st Oct 2020 - The Lancet

Covid-19 vaccine 'may not help life return to normal until 2023', scientists warn

A Covid-19 vaccine may not help life return to normal until 2022, scientists have warned. Experts looking at possible rollout concluded it may take up to a year after a jab is possibly approved next Spring to expand it to the general population. A report has been published by the Royal Society looking at challenges developing, evaluating, manufacturing and distributing a vaccine. The verdict from its Data Evaluation and Learning for Viral Epidemics (DELVE) group will come as a shock to families desperate for a jab to save us from the pandemic and has big implications for the economy. The Government has previously suggested a working vaccine could be discovered by the turn of the year.
1st Oct 2020 - The Mirror

Black people almost twice as likely to die from Covid-19, study finds

Black people are at almost twice the risk of dying from Covid-19 than white people, a new study commissioned by London Mayor Sadiq Khan has found. Mr Khan is urging the Government to tackle the inequalities which have led to Londoners experiencing a disproportionate impact of Covid-19. His calls came after the independent report highlighted the uneven effect of the pandemic in relation to factors such as ethnicity and gender, showing that black people were 1.9 times more likely to die from coronavirus than white people.
1st Oct 2020 - Evening Standard

China contained Covid-19. Now, hundreds of millions of people there are about to go on vacation at the same time

China is on the move again. As October 1 arrives, hundreds of millions of people are expected to pack highways, trains and planes for the National Day holiday, one of the busiest times for travel in the world's most populous country. The eight-day Mid-Autumn Festival break is China's first major holiday since it emerged from the coronavirus outbreak. While life has largely returned to normal in recent months, the upcoming "Golden Week" holiday will be an ambitious test of China's success in taming the virus -- and a much-awaited boost to its economic recovery.
1st Oct 2020 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Oct 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Panama's trans community failed by gendered lockdown measures – report

A London School of Economics study has found the response “failed to recognise diverse gender identities and may reproduce inequalities and injustice for non-binary individuals with unknown long-term effects”. The controversial measures were meant to halve the numbers of people on the streets at any one time but the rules left trans people vulnerable to victimisation.
30th Sep 2020 - The Guardian

Coronavirus lockdown costs South Africa millions of jobs

South Africa's economy lost 2.2 million jobs in the second quarter of 2020 during the country's coronavirus lockdown, the authorities say. It is the biggest fall in job numbers since the employment survey began in 2008.
30th Sep 2020 - BBC News

Coronavirus US: Disney cuts 28,000 jobs as lockdown hits theme parks

The announcement was made in a letter to employees Tuesday from Josh D'Amaro, Disney's head of parks, who described the move as a 'difficult' decision The layoffs have been made to workers within Disney's parks, experiences and products segment - accounting for 25 percent of Disney's US resort workforce Around 67 seven percent of the 28,000 layoffs were part-time workers, but they ranged from salaried employees to nonunion hourly workers - While the company has been able to operate its Florida park at limited capacity, its resort in California has remained shuttered since the spring -
30th Sep 2020 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

One million dead: How Covid-19 tore us apart

A Chinese doctor who tried to sound the alarm. A father of six who emigrated from Pakistan to the United States to give his family a better life. A 15-year-old boy who left his remote home in the Amazon to study. They all died from Covid-19. In eight months, more than 33 million people have been diagnosed with coronavirus, across nearly every country. The disease has taken lives on every continent except Antarctica -- and more than one million people have died. That’s four times as many people who died in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, 16 times as many people killed by the common flu in the US last winter, and more than 335 times the number of people who perished in the 9/11 attacks. But the tragedy of coronavirus isn’t just in the death toll. It’s also in the grim truths it has revealed about who we are and how we treat our most vulnerable. The pandemic has exposed shocking failures of governance, worsened deep-rooted inequalities in access to healthcare, and inflamed a long-waged war on facts preventing scientists from conveying information that could save lives. Almost every person in the world has been affected by the pandemic. But it hasn’t drawn us closer -- in many ways, it’s tearing us further apart.
29th Sep 2020 - CNN

Dating Tips During COVID-19

Online dating is the way of the world, and as much as I like to poke fun at the swipe, tap, stalk, text monotony of it all, I have to admit—it’s completely changed the way everyone dates today. However, unlike last year or the year before, a match made in heaven (or in reality, on your smartphone) doesn’t lead to drinks, dinner, or a midnight kiss. With COVID-19, quarantine, and the regulations that come from a worldwide epidemiology pandemic, relationships are now starting based solely on text conversations, phone calls, and Facetime or Zoom dates. Even though restrictions have lapsed and some are heading out to meet their suitors in bars and restaurants, most are keeping their distance when it comes to meeting new matches, which is completely changing the way so many people are dating.
29th Sep 2020 - Fodor's Travel

Stretched to the limit, Spanish medics demand better conditions

Dressed in white lab coats, medical scrubs and face masks, hundreds of junior Spanish doctors took to the streets of Barcelona on Tuesday to demand better working conditions as they struggle against a second wave of coronavirus infections. “We’re working up to 80 hours a week and clocking shifts of 24 hours,” protester Clara Boter, a 28-year-old medical resident intern, told Reuters. “Our contract is for 40 hours a week and we’re on a basic salary.” Doctors in her position earn around 960 euros a month, she said. Between chants, the young doctors put down blankets around Barcelona’s busy Plaza de Espana roundabout to stage a sleep-in, highlighting the long hours they have to work. One protester lay next to a sign that read: “I haven’t slept in 24 hours. Can I take care of you?”
29th Sep 2020 - Reuters UK

Japan's National Parks Have Installed Work Stations, to Make WFH Easier

Regardless of your job or the size of your home, there's definitely no denying that doing remote work for the last several months has been incredibly tedious. However, amid the ongoing pandemic, National Parks across Japan are now encouraging locals to do their remote work outside — immersed in nature — by implementing "work stations" in hotels and at campsites, to experience nature from 9 to 5, which have been deemed "workations."
29th Sep 2020 - Green Matters

Fall 2020 Virtual Farm Tours Available for Classroom and Remote Learning

American Dairy Association North East’s free Virtual Farm Tours will provide teachers and families the opportunity to bring an operating dairy farm into their classrooms or their homes in November. “Whether students are learning in school or from home – or a hybrid of both – our virtual farm tours offer a real-time look at a dairy farm using live video chat technology,” said ADA North East CEO Rick Naczi. “The tours show how dairy farmers care for their cows, the environment and their local communities in an engaging way.”
29th Sep 2020 - Hoard's Dairyman

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Care leavers are facing 'digital poverty' with no online access to education or work, campaigners say.

Care leavers are facing "digital poverty" without laptops or access to the internet, campaigners say. A government scheme to provide digital devices and internet access to vulnerable young people in England during the pandemic is set to end in November. Charities say it risks leaving up to 80,000 18-25 year-old care leavers isolated and unable to access education and work or to keep in touch with friends and family. In an open letter to ministers, leading charities and youth organisations including Barnardo's and The Children's Society have called on the government to extend the scheme and ensure every care leaver gets internet access for at least 12 months when they first live independently.
29th Sep 2020 - Sky News

Chattanooga's Rotary Club to give grant for virtual classrooms throughout downtown

The virtual classrooms will be housed in churches across the area, providing resources like unlimited hot spots, chrome books and headphones for each student.
28th Sep 2020 - WRCB-TV

Covid: Adults without A-levels to be offered free college courses

Adults in England without an A-level or equivalent qualification will be offered a fully funded college course, the government has announced. The offer will be available from April and applies to courses offering "skills valued by employers". In a speech on Tuesday, the PM will say that, amid the coronavirus pandemic, the government cannot "save every job" but wants to help people find new work. Labour said the plans would not reverse the impact of "a decade of cuts". The government decision comes amid fears that unemployment is set to grow sharply.
28th Sep 2020 - BBC News

Italian firm developing AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine might go public -CEO

Italian biotech firm IRBM, which is cooperating with British drugmaker AstraZeneca AZN.L in developing a COVID-19 vaccine, could be listed on the stock exchange, its chief executive said on Monday. “Why not?”, Piero Di Lorenzo told Italian newspaper Il Riformista, answering a question on whether the stock exchange could be in the company’s future. “Many big companies would like to enter our capital. We are receiving interest from all over the world and I don’t rule out any option,” he said, adding however that such a decision was not currently a priority, given the focus on the vaccine. Italy could have its first shots of the vaccine by the end of November, IRBM said earlier this month. The group has already produced tens of thousands of vaccine doses for the trial stage and has the potential to produce up to 10 million doses a year. However, it does not have a production contract with AstraZeneca yet “but it is likely to, in the future”, Di Lorenzo said.
28th Sep 2020 - Reuters

Manchester students warned to remove 'let us out' signs from windows

University bosses have reportedly warned students to remove protest signs from their accommodation windows. Some 1,700 students at Manchester Metropolitan were put into a lockdown on Friday without any warning, after 127 students tested positive for Covid-19. Even if they showed no symptoms, students at the Birley campus and Cambridge Halls were told to self-isolate for 14 days, leaving many left wondering how they would get food and essential supplies. The handling of the situation has been heavily criticised by the students, who claim they received no warning of the stringent measures and hit back by sticking posters to their windows.
27th Sep 2020 - Metro.co.uk

UK wants students to be able to go home for Christmas despite COVID

The British government wants university students to be able to return home for Christmas, culture minister Oliver Dowden said on Sunday, amid concerns that restrictions on movement may be needed to curb the rising number of coronavirus cases. Outbreaks have forced some institutions to ask students - many of whom are far from home and paying thousands of pounds for accommodation and teaching - to self-isolate in their rooms and follow lectures online. Health minister Matt Hancock had said on Thursday he could not rule out asking students to stay on campus over Christmas to prevent the virus from spreading. “I very much want students to be able to go home at Christmas,” Dowden told Sky News.
27th Sep 2020 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

After The Covid-19 Deluge, A Bankruptcy Tidal Wave?

The number of people filing for bankruptcy could set records next year. And, while bankruptcy reform artificially spurred the 2005 record of nearly 2.1 million cases filed, this peak will be all about the reality of a Covid-19-blasted economy. That’s a bankruptcy tidal wave of a different color. So far, 2020 has avoided a surge of personal bankruptcies. In fact, total bankruptcy filings year to date trail the 2019 figures.
26th Sep 2020 - Forbes

Perth campaigner says lack of clarity over Covid-19 measures is leaving blind people unable to shop safely

A Perth disability campaigner fears a lack of clarity over coronavirus restrictions in shops are making it extremely difficult for blind people to visit stores safely. Jon Attenborough, who can only see shapes and colours, feels he in no longer able to go shopping on the high street by himself due to the visual nature of the majority of restrictions implemented by stores. The campaigner has called for shops to adopt a uniform approach to the guidelines to help people with impaired visibility safely navigate stores on their own. “Going into shops was difficult before the restrictions were put in place but with some shops there’s now queues you don’t know about or a one-way system and it’s very difficult to know which way to go.
26th Sep 2020 - The Courier

Covid-19: Swansea soprano stars in drive-in London opera

A night at the opera might summon up images of people in suits and ballgowns sitting in stalls and boxes overlooking a stage. But when she performs in Europe's first drive-in opera this weekend, Welsh soprano Natalya Romaniw will be singing to an audience sitting in their cars. Ms Romaniw, from Swansea, is starring in Puccini's La bohème, in the grounds of London's Alexandra Palace. The 32-year-old said she felt "lucky to be performing again". Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, performances have been cancelled with many venues remaining closed due to social-distancing measures.
26th Sep 2020 - BBC News

‘We’re suddenly drowning in people’: Argentinians flock to Uruguay amid pandemic

“It started as a trickle when the pandemic first hit Argentina, but now we’re getting over 20 calls a day,” she said from her office in Uruguay’s luxury beach resort of Punta Del Este. Valls runs a thriving business guiding well-off Argentinians through the red tape of acquiring Uruguayan residence – a skill she learned arranging her own residency application after marrying a Uruguayan lawyer last October. “The pandemic hit us like a sledgehammer – we are suddenly drowning in people wanting to come here,” said her husband Diego Torres. About 15,000 to 20,000 Argentinians are estimated to have moved to Uruguay since the pandemic began in March – a number equivalent to about 0.6% of Uruguay’s population of 3.5 million.
26th Sep 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Lives of hundreds of homeless people saved when UK went into lockdown

The lives of hundreds of homeless people may have been saved by emergency accommodation during the lockdown. Rough sleepers were rapidly brought into hotels at the start of the outbreak, while dormitory-style communal shelters were closed, and infection control measures were ramped up in hostels. It’s now thought the measures could have prevented 266 deaths linked to Covid-19, according to a study by University College London (UCL). Data from charities and hostels suggests around 4% of homeless people caught coronavirus during the first wave of the virus.
24th Sep 2020 - Metro

'Totally awakened': how tragedy has left Italians alert to deadly virus

Morena Colombi, from Truccazzano, a small town near Milan, was among the first people in Italy to test positive for Covid-19 and knows only too well the impact of the virus. The 59-year-old suffered a mild initial illness, but months after being declared recovered she is among Italy’s post-Covid ‘long-haulers’ – struggling daily with muscle pain, chronic tiredness and occasional memory loss.
24th Sep 2020 - The Guardian

China has almost eliminated Covid-19. What can the world learn?

In May 2020, Xi Chen, an associate professor of public health at the University of Yale, published a study explaining how China’s prompt and decisive reaction – including “quarantines, city lockdowns, and local public health measures” – in the face of the first outbreak of Covid-19 resulted in the avoidance of what he and his coauthors estimated to be 1.4 million infections and 56,000 deaths.
24th Sep 2020 - Wired.co.uk

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How remote working is changing our homes - with open plan living going out of fashion

This allows specific areas to be created for activities such as home working and exercise, according to the Flexible Living Report 2020 by John Lewis. Research by the retailer found that one in five people has reconfigured their open plan space to accommodate multiple activities throughout the day. This has driven a change in shopping trends, with sales of office furniture soaring along with ‘statement artwork’ which provides an attractive backdrop for video calls.
24th Sep 2020 - The Scotsman

Aid agencies warn of Covid-19 crisis in refugee camps as winter approaches

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic an abiding fear had stalked the world’s most vulnerable populations. Millions of people displaced by conflict in the Middle East watched with alarm as Europe and the west withered under a caseload that stretched first-world healthcare systems to their limits. They saw field hospitals being set up in capitals. Governments buckling under the strain. The developing world offering aid to the developed. It seemed inevitable that the contagion would reach those less able to absorb its impact. And now, as second and third waves of Covid-19 surge around the globe, worst fears are being realised. Several months into the crisis, the virus has crept into the populations of refugees and internally displaced people, where stopping its advance will be close to impossible. Up to 15 million people across the region, many of whom were already at risk of disease, now face a rampant spread through their communities.
23rd Sep 2020 - The Guardian

The UK's new lockdown rules are still failing BAME communities

Parth Patel was working as a junior doctor at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic when he saw for himself how the outbreak was disproportionately hitting people from minority ethnic backgrounds. In June, a report from Public Health England confirmed what Patel and many others in the NHS already knew: people of Bangladeshi ethnicity had around twice the risk of dying from Covid-19 while those from other minority ethnic backgrounds had between a ten and 50 per cent greater risk of dying than those from a white British background.
23rd Sep 2020 - Wired.co.uk

Coronavirus: Here's how the government could make lockdown measures even tougher

The prime minister has tightened lockdown rules and warned tougher measures could follow - but what other options could be on the table? Ban on home socialising - Mr Johnson could announce a ban on different households mixing together indoors. This may be the most likely next step as Scotland and Northern Ireland have announced the same move. If he follows suit it would likely involve exceptions; such as for extended households, couples not living together and for childcare reasons.
23rd Sep 2020 - Sky News

Are Parisians really fleeing to the countryside since lockdown?

While the pandemic has shaken the entire world, lockdown was an opportunity for some to reflect on their way of life and to decide they wanted a new one out of the capital. The nationwide lockdown in the spring meant two months confined at home - and for many people in Paris that meant small apartments with no outdoor space. An exceptional situation that led many to reconsider their lives and even some to conclude they wanted to leave the French capital. Leaving Paris as soon as lockdown ended is what Félicitée and her husband Maxime decided to do - after being confined with their three boys in their 67 square metres appartement in the 10th arrondissement. “It was the quickest but also the best decision we have ever taken,” 36-year-old Félicitée told The Local.
23rd Sep 2020 - The Local France

Social gatherings in Ecuador spike following end of lockdown

Crowds and gatherings in Ecuador have increased by 15 percent in the first week following the end of lockdown restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), an official source said on Tuesday. "The latent concern we continue to have is the issue of crowds, they are on the rise. At the national level we are growing by 15 percent and in (the capital) Quito, by 12 percent," Juan Zapata, director of the country's emergency service, ECU 911, told a local TV network. Since a state of emergency was lifted on Sept. 14 after some six months, authorities have reported 57,726 crowds or social gatherings, mainly in the three largest cities: Cuenca, Guayaquil and Quito. The impact of these social gatherings will be seen in 14 days, said Zapata, calling for continued social distancing.
23rd Sep 2020 - China.org.cn

Pandemic exacerbates barriers to voting for homeless Americans

Now, instead of churchgoers and immigrants, the building acts as a haven for dozens of homeless men. Where pews once sat are long folding tables where the centre’s clients play crossword puzzles, read or simply relax. Other men sit in chairs spaced several feet apart and watch the news. Some wait in line to add their names to a list for a hot shower. Volunteers take down information about where each man stayed the night before. Offices and meeting spaces line the big room. And off to one side are four signs that serve as a gentle reminder of November’s general election and provide information on how to register to vote.
23rd Sep 2020 - Aljazeera.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Bebe Neuwirth to Host Dancing Classrooms' Virtual MAD HOT BALL

The New York City dance education organization Dancing Classrooms will hold its popular annual fundraiser, known as The Mad Hot Ball, in a virtual format on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 6:30pm EST. The online gala will be hosted by Emmy and Tony Award winning actor Bebe Neuwirth. Guests who make donations of at least $500 will receive an exclusive invitation to join the VIP Cocktails with Neuwirth, which will feature a mixologist and exclusive performance
23rd Sep 2020 - Broadway World

‘Provide food to sex workers during lockdown’: SC tells Centre, states

Moved by the plight of lakhs of sex workers rendered jobless and without an alternate source of livelihood following the Covid-19 lockdown, the Supreme Court gave a week’s time to the states to respond on providing them free ration and asked Centre if something could be immediately provided to them in the exercise of its powers under the National Disaster Management Act.
22nd Sep 2020 - Hindustan Times

'Bring it on': New Zealand tourist hotspots bank on holidays to ease Covid pressures

Covid-19 restrictions have been dropped and school’s almost out for a fortnight – to the delight of mayors in New Zealand’s tourism hotspots, where there are hopes the holidays will boost coffers in the struggling tourism sector. “Bring it on, bring it on,” said David Trewavas, the mayor of Taupō district – an area in the central North Island that is home to some of the country’s most famed skiing and hiking. “You can even have a mass gathering down here.” He added: “Hopefully the [Ministry of] Health boys have got it all under control, which I’m sure they have.” The removal of restrictions in New Zealand highlights the dilemma for governments trying to balance exhortations from struggling businesses to allow them more freedom, with the views of health experts, many of whom have urged more caution.
22nd Sep 2020 - The Guardian

Populism and Ostracism: Living with COVID-19 in India – Byline Times

Aday after declaring the world’s strictest lockdown on 24 March, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said that India would win the war against the Coronavirus in 21 days. The country has now passed five million recorded cases of COVID-19, with more than 87,000 reported deaths. In the past 21 days (28 August to 17 September), India added 1.7 million infections to its numbers – more than the total case count in Russia, the fourth worst affected nation. When India just had more than 500 cases, a 21-day lockdown was declared by Modi, giving 1.3 billion people a mere four hours’ notice to prepare themselves. All activities were brought to a halt, including public transport. The result was a 23.9% contraction in the country’s GDP. Experts warned that it was too early for India to go into lockdown. It didn’t help to ‘flatten the curve’ of the pandemic either.
21st Sep 2020 - Byline Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Favourite Aussie summer hot spots about to get even more crowded

Just 13 weeks out from Christmas, Australians are planning family holidays not just domestically, but without leaving their own state borders. And some of Australia's most popular destinations could become even more crowded this summer, as Aussies close out their year from hell with much-needed local breaks.
21st Sep 2020 - 9News

India's Taj Mahal gets first visitors even as coronavirus infections climb

India reopened its famed monument to love, the Taj Mahal, with the first visitors trickling in on Monday, as authorities reported 86,961 new coronavirus infections, with no signs of a peak yet. A Chinese national and a visitor from Delhi were among the first to step into the white marble tomb built by a 17th-century Mughal emperor for his wife when it opened at sunrise, ending six months of closure. Daily visitor numbers have been capped at 5,000, versus an average of 20,000 before the pandemic. Tickets are only being sold online, with fewer than 300 bought on the first day.
21st Sep 2020 - swissinfo.ch

China’s Attempt to Steer Covid Narrative in TV Drama Backfires

Backlash against a new Chinese television drama about its fight against Covid-19 underscores the challenges facing Beijing as it attempts to steer the narrative about its handling of the pandemic. Eight episodes of the propaganda series “Heroes in Harm’s Way” have aired since Thursday on state broadcaster China Central Television, and were criticized on Chinese social media. That included calls for the 14-episode series to be pulled from the air, with people saying it minimized women’s contributions to containing the virus and failed to reflect the hardship endured by medical workers.
21st Sep 2020 - Bloomberg

Dash for bigger homes pushes up September asking prices, Rightmove says

Surging activity in Britain’s housing market nudged up asking prices for homes in September, as buyers sought larger properties following the coronavirus lockdown, a survey showed on Monday. Property website Rightmove estimated there were almost 40% more sales moving through the pipeline than a year ago, chiming with other surveys that show a post-lockdown surge in the market, helped by a temporary cut in property tax. Rightmove said asking prices rose 0.2% in September, reversing August’s decline. The national average asking price now stands at 319,996 pounds ($415,642), up 5.0% on a year ago.
21st Sep 2020 - Reuters

Coronavirus: cautious Italians return to football stadiums | News

A thousand fans will be allowed into Italian football stadiums for top-flight games this month, marking a cautious return to normality in Europe’s first coronavirus hotspot. The move is significant, given that a Champions League match hosted by Atalanta in Bergamo in February was blamed for helping to trigger northern Italy’s devastating outbreak.
21st Sep 2020 - The Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

The coronavirus vaccine volunteer: 'I hope this is a kick up the ass to do things better'

The world is watching the Covid-19 vaccine trials conducted by the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute closely. Australian Josh McGrane is an associate professor and educational researcher living in Oxford. He decided to take part in the trials when he saw the call-out for volunteers on Facebook earlier this year.
20th Sep 2020 - The Guardian

Sheffield blazes a trail during pandemic to support community and help healthcare students gain clinical skills

People with communication difficulties in South Yorkshire have continued to receive specialised care during the pandemic, thanks to staff and healthcare students at the University of Sheffield.
20th Sep 2020 - The Star

Rising student mental health problems need urgent action

Prompted by rising reports of student distress and suicide, universities are becoming increasingly responsive to the mental health and well-being needs of their students. But the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the day-to-day experiences of international students calls for immediate, whole-of-university action that is proactive, visible and accessible. Most international students transition into university at a time of life when they are also transitioning to adulthood, a period associated with greater than average levels of anxiety and mood disorders. To be successful, they must manage disparate academic, social and cultural expectations and integrate into unfamiliar communities, while assuming financial independence and personal responsibility.
19th Sep 2020 - University World News

Milton Keynes Community Foundation funds MK SNAP for Reaching Out Project

MK Snap recently received an Emergency Grant from MK Community Foundation to enable them to adapt their services, address the needs of those most vulnerable & continue to provide vital support. During the emergency phase of the grant programme, Milton Keynes Community Foundation has supported local community groups with over £500,000 as they work to deliver vital projects to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. MK SNAP were among the recipients, and put their emergency grant towards the expansion of their Reaching Out Project – which focuses on adapting their services and support to reach people with learning disabilities who also suffer with underlying health conditions that may prevent them from receiving the face-to-face support offered to them in the MK SNAP Centre.
20th Sep 2020 - MKFM

Football: Italy to allow 1000 fans at Serie A games from Sunday

Italy will allow up to 1,000 supporters to attend top flight Serie A soccer matches from Sunday (Sep 20) following an agreement between the regions and various government departments, sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora said on Saturday. The regions of Emilia Romagna - home to Parma, Sassuolo and Bologna - and Veneto - where Verona are based - had already announced that fans could watch matches in their jurisdiction but Spadafora said the measure had been extended to nationwide. Spectators have been barred from Serie A matches since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
19th Sep 2020 - CNA

Coronavirus: Lockdown theatre group takes show to Nottingham doorsteps

An arts charity, which normally performs shows in theatres, care homes and nurseries, has started touring residents' doorsteps because of coronavirus. City Arts is taking its family-friendly puppet show "The Search for Tedding Island" outside the homes of Nottingham residents while many theatres remain closed due to the pandemic. The show, which is aimed at children aged two to five, is being performed with government social distancing guidelines in place. Creative development manager Alison Denholm said: "The Covid-19 pandemic has created a lot of challenges for theatre and arts.
19th Sep 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How courageous schools partnering with local communities can overcome digital inequalities during COVID-19

Across the U.S., “pandemic pods,” or quarantine learning bubbles, are being established to protect students and teachers from the coronavirus, or COVID-19, and limit possible exposure within the group. Homeschooling has become an increasingly viable option for parents who can offer the space, time, structure, and technology to their children. Private and charter schools are also drawing the attention of families with children in public schools by offering more robust digital resources and student support.
17th Sep 2020 - Brookings Institution

Indonesians caught without a mask forced to dig graves for Covid-19 victims

Villagers who refuse to wear masks are being forced to dig graves for victims of Covid-19 by local authorities in one part of rural Indonesia, in the hopes that a little bit of manual labor and empathy will convince others to do their part to help stop the pandemic. Three middle-aged men and five minors in Cerme district of Gresik Regency, East Java, were given the unique punishment on September 9, authorities said.
17th Sep 2020 - CNN on MSN.com

Coronavirus: Speak to those breaking rule of six first before calling police - PM

In an interview with the Sun, Boris Johnson said he had "never much been in favour of sneak culture, myself". It comes after policing minister Kit Malthouse, called on people to report neighbours breaking the coronavirus rules. The new measures came into force in England, Scotland and Wales this week. Speaking to the Sun, Mr Johnson said: "What people should do in the first instance is obviously if they are concerned is raise it with their friends and neighbours. "But I think what is reasonable for anyone to do is if they think there is a serious threat to public health as a result of their neighbour's activities - if there is some huge kind of Animal House party taking place, as I am sure, hot tubs and so forth - and there is a serious threat to public health then it's reasonable for the authorities to know."
17th Sep 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus in Scotland: Almost half of over-50s ‘less confident about going to shops due to Covid-19’

Some 35% of respondents said they are not comfortable visiting friends, 62% are less confident to eat out and 63% are worried about using public transport. There has also been an increase in the number of people experiencing loneliness, the charity said. Three in ten (30%) respondents who live alone said they have spent too long on their own and just over one in five (22%) said they feel lonely and isolated – more than three times the figure for those living with others.
16th Sep 2020 - The Scotsman

Coronavirus crisis caused 40% of parents to change their job situation, survey finds

Working parents are feeling the sting of the coronavirus pandemic — and it’s hitting women especially hard. School shutdowns have left many trying to juggle work, childcare and helping their kids with distant learning. Since the crisis began, 40% of working parents have had to change their employment situation, according to a new survey from career website FlexJobs. Of those polled, 25% voluntarily reduced their hours and 15% quit entirely. Of those who quit, 38% don’t plan to rejoin the workforce.
16th Sep 2020 - CNBC

Nearly half of New York's top earners have considered leaving the city

Poll surveyed 782 New Yorkers who make more than $100,000 a year. Found that 44% of high-income New Yorkers have considered leaving. The group makes up 80% of the city's income tax revenue. Cost of living, crime, and lifestyle are the top reasons they consider moving
16th Sep 2020 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Teachers in India carry on with lessons outdoors during lockdown

Out on a street in an Indian village, half a dozen children gather around their teacher who points a stick at the diagrams on a wall, one of many murals in the neighbourhood being used to help poor students keep up with their education during the coronavirus pandemic. With schools shut since March in a virus lockdown, teachers in Nilamnagar, western India, became concerned that some youngsters would fall behind because their families cannot afford an Internet subscription for online classes. So they came up with a workaround – children like playing on the streets, so they would take their lessons outside. “Since most of the families lack resources to educate their kids digitally, we had to come up with an innovative method to keep children invested in education, ” said Ram Gaikwad, a teacher at Asha Marathi Vidyalaya school.
15th Sep 2020 - The Star Online

ANALYSIS: Has crime in France spiralled out of control since lockdown?

As a ferocious debate over whether French society has descended towards "savagery" and gang culture has dominated headlines in France the past weeks, we look at whether crime rates really are on the rise since lockdown ended. The word ensauvagement has dominated news headlines in France the past weeks. The term, which could be translated as "a descent into savagery", is not new. It has been a favourite of France’s far-right for years and in 2002, then Front National (now Rassemblement National) party leader Jean-Marie Le Pen used it repeatedly during his presidential campaign. This time it was not a far-right party member, but Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin who brought it back into public discourse. “We need to stop the ensauvagement (descent into savagery) of a certain part of society," Darmanin told Le Figaro in late July.
15th Sep 2020 - The Local France

U.S. COVID-19 death analysis shows greater toll on Black, Hispanic youth: CDC

A disproportionate percentage of U.S. COVID-19 deaths have been recorded among Black and Hispanic people younger than 21, according to a U.S. study, a reflection of the racial and ethnic make-up of essential workers who have more exposure to COVID-19. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that from Feb. 12 through July 31, there were 121 deaths among people younger than the age of 21 in 27 states. Hispanic, Black, and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskan Native people accounted for about 75% of the deaths in that age group, even though they represent 41% of the U.S. population aged under 21.
15th Sep 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Cities count cost of lasting exodus from offices

Employers are bringing increasing numbers of white collar staff back to their offices, but they are also planning radical shifts in working patterns that risk inflicting permanent economic scars across the UK. Working from home became a reality for millions of employees during the coronavirus lockdown, and despite calls by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for staff to now return to offices, future arrangements are highly uncertain because of a resurgence in Covid-19 cases and a lack of clarity on when a vaccine will be ready. But Financial Times research has found that business leaders are proposing big changes to working patterns that will have far-reaching consequences for the urban economy.
14th Sep 2020 - Financial Times

Vaccine Makers Keep Safety Details Quiet, Alarming Scientists

Researchers say drug companies need to be more open about how vaccine trials are run to reassure Americans who are skittish about getting a coronavirus vaccine.
13th Sep 2020 - The New York Times

Extreme poverty 'will double by Christmas' in UK because of Covid-19

Britain’s largest food bank network has warned that UK destitution rates will double by Christmas alongside an explosion in demand for charity food parcels, as coronavirus job and income support schemes are wound down. The Trussell Trust predicts that at least 670,000 extra people will become destitute in the last three months of the year – a level of poverty that leaves them unable to meet basic food, shelter or clothing needs – if the government withdraws Covid support for low-income households. Despite unprecedented demand for charity food since lockdown – 100,000 people used food banks for the first time between April and June – the trust said ending furlough in October would trigger a rise in food bank use of at least 61% – equivalent to a year-on-year increase of 300,000 parcels.
14th Sep 2020 - The Guardian

More women than men left jobless post-lockdown

The adverse impact of the pandemic-induced lockdowns and restrictions on the livelihood of women is reflected in the responses of 3,221 women workers from the informal sector in a new survey report covering 20 Indian states.
14th Sep 2020 - Times of India

Stuck on the launchpad: How coronavirus is trapping our young people

Ms Thomas, 19, is not alone. She is among the 320,000 people aged between 15 to 24 whose jobs disappeared between March and May. While in other parts of Australia the recovery is under way, Victoria’s youth employment numbers are bumping along the bottom. According to research by Dr Jenny Chesters from the University of Melbourne’s Youth Research Centre, being out of work at the beginning of their productive lives could have long-term consequences for young people. The damage to self esteem from years of rejection stayed with them.
14th Sep 2020 - The Age

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Edmonton museums expand digital programming to reach out during COVID-19

Renée Williams, vice-president of customer experience at Fort Edmonton Park, said when the pandemic hit they put content online so people could still experience the park. They put out videos and released resources on social media, including how to dance the Charleston, made popular in the 1920s. And, they plan to do more. “As this started to progress, the thoughts for us were: this actually makes longer-term sense,” said Williams, adding that accessibility is top-of-mind for Fort Edmonton Park and across the sector.
14th Sep 2020 - Edmonton Journal

£2 million eco fund to help Scottish islands recover from coronavirus

Scotland's islands will benefit from a £2 million programme of locally-led green projects designed to help support their economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the Scottish Government has confirmed. The Islands Green Recovery Programme was announced in the Programme for Government and is now open for applications. It aims to deliver investment in low carbon transport, food sustainability and zero waste projects.
13th Sep 2020 - The National

How to Make the Most of Covid Winter

Don’t write off the darkest season just yet. Even with colder weather and shorter days, it’s still possible to plan for pandemic-safe outdoor fun.
13th Sep 2020 - Bloomberg

Kirklees charity trebles community response efforts following onset of COVID-19

Yorkshire Children’s Centre – has ramped up the level of support given to Kirklees residents, as demand reaches record levels. The organisation’s services helped almost 6,000 people in the initial 12 weeks of lockdown – three times more than in the whole of the 2019 calendar year. And demand has remained high as Kirklees’ battle with the pandemic has continued. The roll-out of a community anchor service for Batley and Birstall – soft-launched by Yorkshire Children’s Centre in January – has therefore been accelerated, as a result. Initially set up to assist the Primary Care Networks with social prescribing – as part of the NHS’s 10-year plan to provide health-related help to the community – the service aimed to facilitate the integration of the voluntary and community sector within the social prescribing provision.
11th Sep 2020 - Charity Today News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Bicycle sales go up amid pandemic as India eases COVID-19 lockdown

As more people try to avoid public transport during the pandemic to avoid the virus, India is seeing an precedented sale of bicycles. Bicycle groups have emerged on social media and are lobbying for more bike lanes in cities. Bicycle dealers are finding it hard to cope with the steep rise in demand. Will COVID-19 bring about a change in the way people commute or will this trend be short-lived? Watch the video for more.
10th Sep 2020 - Business Today

China is building a new 'COVID-proof' city designed to make lockdowns easier

The Xiong'an New Area near Beijing will have a self-sufficient neighbourhood. It is designed to let people live more comfortably in the event of pandemics. The complex will have larger balconies, 3-D printers and drones, among others. Its architect from Spain was inspired while working in coronavirus lockdown.
10th Sep 2020 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Mum's app to decode junk food labels 'fuels Covid healthy eating kick'

Parents have helped fuel healthier eating after ditching ready meals for cooking with their children as lockdown dragged on, data from a London entrepreneur’s app suggests. Marie Farmer, who pitched her Mini Mealtimes invention to a virtual audience of backers at London Tech Week, aims to “decode” food labelling and nutrition for busy parents. She was inspired by her own experiences supermarket shopping with her five-year-old son, saying “disingenuous” Big Food brands often dress up labelling with cute characters to appeal to youngsters while disguising high salt and sugar levels.
9th Sep 2020 - Evening Standard

Pope wears face mask, warns against political exploitation of coronavirus

The pope called people who turn their backs on the suffering coronavirus had caused "devotees of Pontius Pilate who simply wash their hands of it." Pope Francis, seen wearing a mask for the first time in public, said on Wednesday no one should seek political gain from the coronavirus and that vaccine developers should not see it as a chance to make a profit. At his second weekly general audience with public participation after six months of virtual audiences, the pope was seen wearing a white mask as he entered and left his car and using sanitizer occasionally squirted onto his hands by an aide.
9th Sep 2020 - The Jerusalem Post Blogs

Teddy bears in face masks help Oxfordshire’s vulnerable children understand COVID-19

Annelies said: “COVID-19 has impacted on how we provide social care and increased the ‘out of sight’ risks to children. We’re working together, with children and families, to support the #Stopthespread campaign. “At the height of lockdown, we couldn’t visit most children in their homes. They were isolated, behind closed doors, home-schooling. If they were struggling at home or being abused or exploited, it was more difficult to detect.
9th Sep 2020 - Banbury Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus lockdown drives rise in micro start-ups across the UK amid fears for job security

UK workers have been turning to starting their own companies in unprecedented numbers as fears over job security have spurred a new wave of entrepreneurs. The “State of the Nation” review, compiled by website builder group GoDaddy, showed there had been a 14 per cent increase in micro-businesses, start-ups with nine or fewer employees. The online group, which provides website templates to new businesses, has also experienced a 62 per cent increase in new UK customers. The survey also identified micro-business hubs which experienced bursts of activity between 2017 and 2019 and have continued their growth trajectory. The hubs suggest a suburban revival, as micro-business activity is concentrated on the outskirts of some of the UK’s largest cities.
8th Sep 2020 - iNews

Lockdown rules in England to be changed with new limits on who you meet

The Government is about to change the lockdown rules across England, limiting the number of people who can gather - according to reports. Sky News says the maximum number of people who can gather will be cut in a bid to stop the rise of coronavirus. It would put a temporary end to parties, wedding receptions and large family get-togethers. More than 160 places have seen an increase in infection over seven days with some places trebling the number of cases.
8th Sep 2020 - Wales Online

Slough's black communities united against the Covid threat

Slough's black communities have been reaching out via churches, podcasts and social media to confront the dangers of Covid-19. The town has now been removed from the Government's 'areas of concern' list. But efforts through the #OneSlough project to keep people safe remain at full throttle. Student Mary De-Wind, 20 - a volunteer with the Aik Saath Youth Group - has produced a podcast to talk young people through taking a coronavirus test at the Montem Lane testing centre. On her Maz Talks podcast, Mary dispels the myths associated with taking a test and adds, 'You will be out of there in a jiffy'.
8th Sep 2020 - Slough and Windsor Observer

Children and young people describe how their communities came together during the pandemic

In the middle of a global ­pandemic, it can be hard to find the positives. But I recently had an unexpectedly cheery morning judging a competition which asked young people for their silver linings – ways that the pandemic had brought their communities together. The entries were by turn moving, funny, and uplifting. The winners and runners up of the competition, run by Faiths United, a coalition of faith leaders and activists, with i as a partner, were announced on 7 September. We are delighted to publish the three winning entries.
8th Sep 2020 - iNews

University of Oxford to support global communities impacted by Covid

The University of Oxford is set to provide vital support to vulnerable global communities impacted by Covid-19. The project is one of 20 benefitting from vital UK government funding to aid global communities most at risk from the impact of coronavirus due to long-term conflict, food and water shortages, and crowded living conditions. The 20 new projects will will benefit from a share of £7.2 million of UK government funding and bring scientists and researchers together to develop new technology to address the challenges faced by vulnerable people such as refugees and children.
8th Sep 2020 - Oxford Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Sumter YMCA helps students, their parents adjust to virtual learning

Pandemic-induced adjustments can be seen in full force at the family health and wellness center on weekdays, where students are taking part in its new Y Virtual Learning Academy. "A lot of parents have to work, so they can't stay home, or they're single parents," said Fannie Lockett, youth development director at the Y. Lockett usually runs the Y's after-school and summer programs, and they realized they could fill a need for families when Sumter School District announced it would begin the school year this fall in an all-virtual capacity. Currently, 37 students spend their day at the Y, getting help from counselors during school and getting their daily dose of physical activity in the afternoon. Parents who can't work from home don't have to worry about leaving their young children home alone and can rest assured they are not falling behind in school.
8th Sep 2020 - Sumter Item

Exhausted Indian doctors battle surging COVID-19 cases

Doctors at one of the largest private COVID-19 facilities in the Indian capital say they are exhausted and facing staff shortages after nearly six months of relentless work. India's total cases of the novel coronavirus crossed 4.2 million on Monday, overtaking Brazil as the second worst-hit country after the United States.
7th Sep 2020 - Reuters

Health tech pins hope on Africa's pandemic shift to online care

Across the globe, the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated changes in the way medicine is practised as medical care increasingly begins with an online consultation rather than a face-to-face meeting. In this story, the clinic, run by Nigerian health technology firm eHealth Africa, sent a patient a web browser link to hold a video chat with a doctor who diagnosed her son with a mild illness and prescribed medicine to avoid dehydration.
7th Sep 2020 - Reuters

Return to work is too late to save city centres, says British Retail Consortium

The slow return of UK workers to their normal place of work will come too late to save hard-pressed city centre stores from going under, the body that represents retailers has said. Despite a pick-up in spending in August, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said sales were still below their pre-pandemic level and the lack of people was having a devastating impact on shops operating in places once thronged with workers. The latest health check of high street and online spending from the BRC warned that September would see more job losses, a gloomy view backed up by the latest survey of employment trends from the consultancy group Manpower.
8th Sep 2020 - The Guardian

Good news for travel enthusiasts as Cuba finally welcomes tourists after months of COVID-19 lockdown

The countries have finally started lifting the nationwide lockdowns amid COVID-19 pandemic to boost the tourism industry and the latest to join the bandwagon is Cuba as it now welcomes travellers. Rolling out its red carpet for tourists post the COVID-19 lockdown, the news came as a ray of hope not just for travel enthusiasts but also for several laid-off leisure industry employees residing in the Communist-run island. Similar to the rest of the world, Cuba had too closed its airports in March courtesy COVID-19 and decided to open from September 4. On Friday, an Air Canada plane arrived at the Cayo-Coco airport on the northcentral coast and is now expected to fly weekly to Cuba and biweekly from next month.
7th Sep 2020 - Hindustan Times

PR blitz: China tries to flip the pandemic script, starring a 'reborn' Wuhan

China is recasting Wuhan as a heroic coronavirus victim and trying to throw doubt on the pandemic's origin story as it aims to seize the narrative at a time of growing global distrust of Beijing. China is recasting Wuhan as a heroic coronavirus victim and trying to throw doubt on the pandemic's origin story as it aims to seize the narrative at a time of growing global distrust of Beijing. The PR blitz plays out daily in comments by Chinese officials and lavish state media coverage of a "reborn" Wuhan that trumpets China's epidemic-control efforts and economic recovery while the United States struggles. The drive peaked in the past week as Chinese primary schools welcomed back students with considerable fanfare and Wuhan hosted executives from dozens of multinationals, from Panasonic to Dow and Nokia, on a highly choreographed tour of the central Chinese city
7th Sep 2020 - RTL Today

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

No, there will be no COVID-19 vaccine before Election Day — and it’ll take two years to vaccinate the US: doctor

According to Dr. Jonathan Reiner, George Washington University professor of Medicine, don’t hold your breath on Trump’s claims. “First of all, no vaccine will be distributed before Election Day,” he said frankly. “Even if we identify a vaccine, which looks both safe and effective, the distribution plan will be really complex. First of all, these vaccines require subzero storage. So, you need a supply chain that can do that. We’ll have to pick who gets the vaccine first. Health care workers, the elderly, nursing homes, people at risk. There is an elaborate plan that will go into this. So, it’s will take a while to get the vaccine into people, and vaccination will take probably two years to vaccinate the country.”
7th Sep 2020 - Raw Story

In the Amazon, the coronavirus fuels an illegal gold rush — and an environmental crisis

Alessandro Souza is a gold hunter. He chases it deep into protected Indigenous lands in the Amazon rainforest, traveling days by foot and canoe, and doesn't emerge until his pockets are full. Sometimes he's gone two months. Sometimes six. The only certainty is that he'll be back, because hunting gold is his business, and business is booming. “Today’s market quote,” Souza messaged his WhatsApp group, Goldminers Without Borders, one recent day: Gold was going for nearly $1,800 an ounce. Souza posted an arrow pointing skyward.
7th Sep 2020 - The Washington Post

Thousands of Columbia Students Return, and So Far the Positive Covid Rate is Low

Columbia University officially starts classes on Tuesday and thousands of students are already back in the city. About 1,000 are on campus, and about 13,000 are living off campus, with 4,400 living in Columbia-owned housing and the rest in other apartments, according to President Lee Bollinger. There are 15,400 students in remote-only classes. About a quarter of classes will be in-person or hybrid, with the rest online-only. Undergraduate classes will be entirely online. Columbia plans to test people who will be on campus. So far, they have run 13,000 tests and have a positivity rate of just 0.05%, Bollinger wrote. “Under New York State rules governing colleges and universities, Columbia would immediately revert to universal virtual classroom instruction for at least two weeks if we experience an outbreak of 100 or more positive cases over a 14-day period,” he wrote. Students are expected to adhere to New York’s rules, includig wearing masks and enrolling in the college’s contact tracing progam.
6th Sep 2020 - westsiderag.com

US university workers fight a return to campus as COVID-19 cases grow

A wave of activism is sweeping US campuses that have reopened after their summer break amid the COVID-19 crisis. Across the country, university workers — including faculty members and staff who teach in classrooms and laboratories, and housekeeping staff who clean dormitories — are pushing back against requirements that they show up on campus alongside undergraduates, thereby, they say, risking their own health. One group has filed a lawsuit against the University of North Carolina (UNC) system, which includes 16 institutions across the state, claiming that the system has not provided a safe workplace for its staff. Others have staged protests — including ‘die-ins’, in which demonstrators have simulated coronavirus deaths — to demand remote classes and more COVID-19 testing. In one case, university faculty members passed a ‘no confidence’ vote to indicate that their chancellor had neglected their concerns and botched the institution’s reopening.
5th Sep 2020 - Nature.com

India will supply coronavirus vaccines to the world — will its people benefit?

As scientists edge closer to creating a vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, Indian pharmaceutical companies are front and centre in the race to supply the world with an effective product. But researchers worry that, even with India’s experience as a vaccine manufacturer, its companies will struggle to produce enough doses sufficiently fast to bring its own huge outbreak under control. On top of that, it will be an immense logistical challenge to distribute the doses to people in rural and remote regions. Indian drug companies are major manufacturers of vaccines distributed worldwide, particularly those for low-income countries, supplying more than 60% of vaccines supplied to the developing world. Because of this, they are likely to gain early access to any COVID-19 vaccine that works, says Sahil Deo, co-founder of India’s CPC Analytics in Pune, which is studying vaccine distribution in the country.
5th Sep 2020 - Nature.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Stay-at-home workers having 'devastating effect' on city centre footfall

City centre shops are still suffering from a slump in footfall as many workers continue to stay at home. The latest BRC ShopperTrak footfall monitor shows that footfall across the UK was down by 34.3% in August compared to the same month last year. This was a 7.3% point improvement compared to July.
4th Sep 2020 - Sky News

Fighting Covid-19 on Africa's frontlines: CNN Heroes work to slow the pandemic

In Ethiopia -- where the number of active cases and deaths have been on the rise since mid-June -- 2019 CNN Hero of the Year Freweini Mebrahtu has shifted gears during the pandemic. Mebrahtu's factory normally manufactures reusable menstrual pads for girls in Ethiopia, allowing them to stay in school. Through partner organization Dignity Period, she helps distribute the pads and raise awareness on the issue. Since March, however, Mebrahtu has been working to manufacture masks and get them into the hands of those who need them most. "We have produced over 50,000 cloth masks to help out the most vulnerable women and children in our community," she said. She and her team distribute the masks along the main thoroughfare of Mekelle, a capital city in northern Ethiopia. Many women sell fruit and vegetables on this street and are in contact with people all day long, making masks essential for their safety.
4th Sep 2020 - CNN on MSN.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19 sparks 12-fold increase in remote delivery of mental health care across the US

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a remarkable number of psychologists across the United States to shift to delivering mental health care to patients remotely, according to a national study led by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University. The study, "The COVID-19 Telepsychology Revolution: A National Study of Pandemic-Based Changes in U.S. Mental Health Care Delivery," which was published in the journal American Psychologist, involved a survey of 2,619 licensed psychologists across the country and found that the amount of clinical work performed via telepsychology had increased 12-fold since the pandemic began.
2nd Sep 2020 - Science Daily

Activists push all-virtual start for Detroit schools amid pandemic

Less than a week before Detroit schools are slated to launch a new academic year, the activist group By Any Means Necessary led a demonstration Wednesday calling for a virtual-only start to stop the spread of COVID-19. The group coordinated an “emergency response picket/car caravan” near Dixon Educational Learning Academy, where Royal said members learned staff had possibly been exposed to the coronavirus this week.
2nd Sep 2020 - The Detroit News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Venice Reclaims Spotlight as 1st COVID-Era Film Fest Opens

Venice is reclaiming its place as a top cultural destination with the opening of the Venice Film Festival — the first major in-person cinema showcase of the coronavirus era after Cannes canceled and other international festivals opted to go mostly online this year. But don’t be fooled. The 77th edition of the world’s oldest film festival will look nothing like its predecessors. The public will be barred from the red carpet, Hollywood stars and films will be largely absent and face masks will be required indoors and out as the festival opens Wednesday.
1st Sep 2020 - The New York Times

Meet Germany’s Bizarre Anti-Lockdown Protesters

A strange mix of conspiracy theorists, far-right extremists and ordinary citizens have taken to the streets. Why?...
31st Aug 2020 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Sep 2020

    View this newsletter in full

‘They saved us’: how English schools support students during Covid-19

The children’s commissioner has called for grieving children to be given access to counselling and mental health support in school, but Selda, who runs Singalong with Selda and was a primary school teacher for two decades, says she believes this support should be available in all schools, and not just for grieving children. “The school has been so nurturing that I really think they will be looked after. The kids will be on their radar and we’ve had excellent communication with them.”
30th Aug 2020 - The Guardian

Musicians try to lift spirits in COVID-hit Brazilian favela

Musicians have been trying to lift spirits in COVID-hit Brazil. They played in Sao Paulo's largest favela, Heliopolis, which is home to more than 200,000 people and has been badly affected by the virus. The musicians, from Heliopolis, are part of the Baccarelli Institute, a non-profit organisation that has been promoting the social inclusion of children and young people in the community. While the string quartet played, residents returning from work stopped to listen on the street or from their windows and balconies.
31st Aug 2020 - Euronews

Australian Religious Leaders Criticize ‘Immoral’ COVID-19 Vaccine Deal

A coronavirus deal signed by Australia with an international drug company is raising ethical concerns among prominent church leaders. Australia has signed a deal with the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to produce and distribute a vaccine being developed by Britain's Oxford University... if the treatment works. But three of Australia's most senior archbishops have written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison urging him to reconsider the agreement, saying the use of "fetal tissue” in the research is “deeply immoral.” “To use that tissue then for science is reprehensible,” said Glenn Davies, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney. “Once I know something that is morally compromised, it is my job to speak out about it.” The Oxford University study uses embryonic kidney cells harvested from a female fetus in the Netherlands in 1973.
30th Aug 2020 - VOA Asia

Voluntary work comes under spotlight in UK’s virus recovery

A group of economists led by a former head of the civil service and the Bank of England’s chief economist are launching a commission to examine how best to utilise civic society in Britain’s recovery from coronavirus. Gus O’Donnell and Andy Haldane are using significant additional philanthropic funding for the charity they founded, Pro Bono Economics, to examine how volunteering and the charitable sector can play a more important role in the economy, helping the country turn buzz phrases such as “levelling up” and “build back better” into reality. Speaking to the Financial Times, Lord O’Donnell said the charitable sector was facing a “double whammy” resulting from Covid-19. “Needs have gone up and funds have gone down with the possible exception of charity shops,” he said.
30th Aug 2020 - Financial Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

New Blackpool hotel will be first of its kind - and you can stay for £300 a month

A 'new kind' of hotel is set to open in Blackpool that offers remote workers a place to stay and work. Somewhere Different sells itself as a co-working co-living space in the centre of Blackpool, offering flexible workers from all over the world the chance to experience life in the seaside town whilst still earning a living. Tourism entrepreneur and photographer Duncan Ridgley had the idea to launch Somewhere Different after spending years working as a 'digital nomad' - someone who typically works remotely in foreign countries. During his travels he saw a lack of successful and affordable co-working co-living spaces, so he decided to set up his own in Egypt and later saw the opportunity to launch one in the UK.
27th Aug 2020 - Lancs Live

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Community support hubs helping thousands of people in Barrow

Volunteer-run community hubs across Barrow have supported some of the area’s most vulnerable people and families during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and lockdown. As part of ‘Barrow the Place’ initiative, Spring Mount, Ormsgill, Walney, Barrow Island and Hindpool/Central community hubs, have provided daily food parcels, dental and toiletries packs and children’s packs to help people through the crisis. By the end of May to the middle of June, Spring Mount community hub alone had supported 3,286 people across Barrow. The hub has also provided mental health drop-in support for young people, which was funded by Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group. The ‘Barrow the Place’ initiative has been funded by a £130,000 grant from Cumbria Community Foundation which has supported volunteers, public sector, third sector organisations, multi-agency groups and partners including the Barrow Community Resilience Forum to work together through May to July to help those people and families in crisis.
25th Aug 2020 - Cumbria Crack

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How coronavirus has led to a UK boom in community food growing

When Covid-19 and the lockdown struck, a two-acre stretch of a field on Barnwell Road just outside the centre of Cambridge, the most unequal city in the UK, was just bare soil. But thanks to 110 volunteers and donated fencing to prevent rabbits from nibbling on the crops, an organic market garden was created to help stock seven local community food hubs with an abundance of tomatoes, pumpkins, broccoli, aubergine and much more by the end of July.
24th Aug 2020 - The Guardian

Two Kenilworth sisters have been recognised once again for the role they have played in helping others during the coronavirus pandemic

At 17 and 20 we are flattered to be recognised by the Lions as they play such an important part in our town." They have already given bottles to foodbanks and other groups in need - and now they have set themselves another challenge. They added: "During the awards we discussed Waverley Day Centre and the important part it plays on our community - the importance of it to our elderly residents and their families too. "Their finances are stretched and sanitiser is a product that invariably costs money.
24th Aug 2020 - Leamington Courier

Katharine Lawrence: Digital empathy in the age of coronavirus

Digital empathy and compassion offer helpful constructs in thinking about virtual healthcare delivery, counteracting the tendencies of digital disinhibition and reinforcing caring social relationships between patients and providers. A strong foundation in digital empathy can help us acknowledge challenging moments in virtual encounters and partner with our patients to work through them. But more research is needed on how to conceptualize these constructs and operationalize them in virtual practice. Similarly, the impact of digital disinhibition on the patient-provider relationship must be better understood if we are to adequately build and scale virtual health services.
24th Aug 2020 - The BMJ

Customers urged to nominate their coronavirus High Street Heroes

Members of the public are being asked to nominate local businesses who have gone the extra mile to help communities for the High Street Heroes Awards. They can put forward a local person, business or organisation they feel has made a difference to keeping town centres going and ensuring customers are safe during coronavirus. The awards are part of the Scotland Loves Local campaign, led by Scotland’s Towns Partnership to encourage people to back businesses in their own area instead of online retail giants. Phil Prentice, chief officer of Scotland’s Towns Partnership, said: “For all that civic-minded citizens, business owners and local organisations in our town centres have done for us, now it’s time for us to do something for them. “These are people who are at the heart of our communities. They go to remarkable lengths to support those around them - never more so than in recent months.
24th Aug 2020 - Insider.co.uk

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Feature: Italian museums regain popularity despite coronavirus

Earlier this week, the daily newspaper La Stampa reported that despite a small trickle of tourists in Italy this summer, many museums are reaching capacity at peak hours and must turn people away. Rome's much-heralded exhibit marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Renaissance master Raphael is staying open until midnight until it closes Aug. 30, in order to maximize the number of visitors they can let in. Florence's Uffizi Gallery, the Brera Museum in Milan, and Turin's Egyptian Museum are among those that have reported robust ticket sales in recent weeks. "We sold a little more than 20,000 tickets in the first two weeks of August," Christian Greco, director of the Egyptian Museum, told Xinhua. "That's a little less than two-thirds of the 32,000 tickets we sold in the same period last year, but considering the coronavirus restrictions and the lack of tourists, we're very happy with the result."
23rd Aug 2020 - Xinhua

Asia’s El Chapo has Covid-19 to thank as Australia’s drug habit booms

The coronavirus pandemic has sent demand and prices for illicit drugs booming in Australia, where local production is limited. Criminal gangs such as the triad-linked ‘The Company’ are cashing in and taking advantage while authorities are busy with the health emergency
23rd Aug 2020 - South China Morning Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: South African community starts own COVID-19 healthcare system as government response falters

Lenasia, a township near Johannesburg, has created its own response to the pandemic after thousands of local people fell ill.
17th Aug 2020 - Sky News

Brazil bars Doctors Without Borders COVID-19 help to indigenous villages

The Brazilian government has not allowed Médecins Sans Frontières to provide assistance to prevent and detect suspected cases of COVID-19 in seven villages of the Terena indigenous tribe in southern Brazil, the medical NGO said on Thursday. MSF, or Doctors Without Borders, presented a plan to assist the seven communities with about 5,000 inhabitants, adding in a statement that it had been invited to help by tribal leaders. Instead, the government’s indigenous health agency Sesai authorized its own doctors to assist another village with 1,000 inhabitants, where it said COVID-19 cases were more prevalent. A Sesai statement said that MSF presented an expanded plan for assisting Terena communities that was not authorized because it failed to name the communities and resources to be used.
20th Aug 2020 - Reuters

Barts clinicians develop programme for long-lasting Covid-19 symptoms

A digital programme to treat the lasting symptoms of Covid-19 has been developed by clinicians from Barts Health in collaboration with UCL researchers and UCL Partners. A team led by Barts Health clinicians and UCL health researchers have developed a rehabilitation tool with app developers Living With that can be delivered completely remotely. The tool combines evidence-based methods from physiotherapists, psychologists, dieticians and respiratory physicians to create bespoke treatment plans for each patient. It targets three primary on-going symptoms being reported – fatigue, anxiety and breathing problems. The tool is an additional aid that complements the existing rehab pathway and patients who do not have access to a smart device will continue to receive traditional printed rehab plans and follow-up. Dr Paul Pfeffer, respiratory physician at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and Queen Mary University of London, said: “The proportion of people needing further help is really high. We’re finding that half of the patients we discharge from hospital, are still experiencing significant symptoms after three months.
20th Aug 2020 - Digital Health

These women have cleaned a N.J. beach, and fought COVID isolation, for 110 straight mornings

In the face of a coronavirus pandemic that had upended their lives and threatened to sink them into despair, a group of women on the Jersey Shore have banded together in what began as a modest rebellion against isolation and uncertainty, that has grown into a sustained effort to keep a beach clean and helped them forge new friendships and empowerment.
21st Aug 2020 - NJ.com

Coronavirus has infected TWICE as many poor New Yorkers compared to the richest residents

Of the nearly 1.5 million coronavirus antibody tests in New York City, more than 27% came back positive. Among the five boroughs, the Bronx, which has many poor neighborhoods, had the highest rate at 33.1% and Manhattan had the lowest rate at 19%. The highest rate was in Corona, Queens, a majority-Hispanic neighborhood at 51.6% while the lowest rate was in Long Island City, Queens, at 12.4%. In ZIP codes classified as 'very high poverty,' 35% of residents tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies in comparison with to18.5% of those in 'low poverty' areas. Residents of more affluent neighborhoods with fewer cases were more likely to be tested than those in poorer areas with more cases. Many wealthier New Yorkers either had jobs that enabled them to telecommute or fled to destinations such as Pennsylvania, the Jersey Shore and Florida
20th Aug 2020 - Daily Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How an Indigenous Community in Brazil Used Tech to Contain the Coronavirus

When news broke of a “foreign” virus in early March, Indigenous leaders in the 6.5 million–acre territory that is home to more than 7,000 people from 16 different groups promptly mobilized to try to keep the disease at bay. They adopted a voluntary quarantine and produced videos and other educational materials with prevention tips in Karib languages. Still, despite their best efforts, the coronavirus arrived in Xingu. Since the first death from COVID-19, a 45-day-old Kalapalo baby in early June, at least 10 other deaths and more than 210 confirmed cases have been registered.
19th Aug 2020 - Slate on MSN.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

£5m to tackle loneliness, improve wellbeing and recovery from COVID-19

Funding of £5m has been awarded to The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) to help maintain people’s health and wellbeing following the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will go towards supporting local community partnerships, encouraging innovation, and improving the evidence base for social prescribing. Some of the wellbeing projects will include football to support mental health, art for dementia, improving green spaces, and singing to improve the effects of COVID-19. Working with partners, including the Arts Council England, Natural England, Money and Pensions Service, NHS Charities Together, Sport England and NHS England, the academy will support a range of local community activities.
17th Aug 2020 - Health Europa

Coronavirus: Ten African innovations to help tackle Covid-19

As Africa passes more than a million confirmed Covid-19 cases, innovators on the continent have responded to the challenges of the pandemic with a wide range of creative inventions. Here are 10 we've picked out.
16th Aug 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Second wave Covid-19 spike in Oldham bigger than height of the pandemic

Oldham’s second covid-19 spike is bigger than it was during the height of the pandemic. For the week ending August 11 there were 266 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the borough, according to government figures. This is an increase of 18 from the previous highest week’s total of 248 which was recorded in the week to April 12. The borough is currently on the verge of a local lockdown being introduced to try and halt the numbers of new cases of the virus. But the town’s MP Jim McMahon has confirmed that he would not back a borough-wide lockdown if the government decided more stringent lockdown measures were required. Cases of Covid-19 have been cropping up across many areas of the borough in recent weeks, but the biggest spikes have been seen in the Alexandra Park and Werneth areas around the town.
17th Aug 2020 - Oldham Chronicle

Concern over rise in Covid-19 cases in Northern Ireland after nearly 300 are diagnosed within a week

Almost 300 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in Northern Ireland over the last week, official figures have revealed. The Department of Health said yesterday that 27 cases had been confirmed over the previous 24 hours, bringing to 288 the number of people diagnosed over the last seven days. According to the official statistics, there were seven people with Covid-19 in hospital and one person with the virus fighting for their life in intensive care yesterday. It follows on from the diagnosis of a further 65 cases of Covid-19 on Saturday and 74 cases on Friday, and the news that the R number is likely to be 1.6. The majority of positive cases over the past week have been in Mid and East Antrim, with 74 people diagnosed, followed by Belfast where 60 people have tested positive, and a further 48 cases in Antrim and Newtownabbey.
17th Aug 2020 - Belfast Telegraph

It's 'highly likely' fresh lockdown retrictions will be imposed in Milton Keynes if Covid-19 cases continue to rise, says council leader

Councillor Pete Marland said on Friday that 29 people had officially tested positive in the city over the previous two weeks. But the true figure of untested cases in the community will be higher, he said. Over the weekend seven more cases were confirmed. Pete said: "Most recent cases have been in young adults, particularly people in their 20s and 30s. And they've been spread across several areas of Milton Keynes, not just on one place. I must therefore say this: If people continue not to follow the guidance and if cases continue to rise, if it highly likely that restrictions will be reimposed here."
17th Aug 2020 - Milton Keynes Citizen

Beijing art exhibition glorifies China's Covid-19 response

The world may be in the midst of a global pandemic, but visitors to a new Beijing exhibition could be forgiven for thinking the battle has already been won. A triumphant art show celebrating the "great spirit of the Chinese people" in fighting Covid-19 opened this month at the country's National Museum, near Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing. Through a collection of almost 180 artworks, including sculptures, watercolors and dramatic oil paintings of heroic doctors, the exhibition aims to document the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan and its aftermath.
17th Aug 2020 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Some Australia Libraries Called Every Elderly Member To Check In Amid Lockdown

This library system in Australia had the most wholesome plan to care for its elderly members during coronavirus lockdown. And so library staff started going through their database of community members to find every, single one who was over 70 years old, and then used their work-issued phones to start calling those seniors to check in. In total, there were more than 8,000 elderly members whom library staff called to check in during lockdown. The 16,000 call total, which the author of the piece later corrected, is because they called all 8,000 elderly members at the start of lockdown and are now calling them again.
14th Aug 2020 - Scary Mommy

In Vietnam’s Da Nang, locals send cash, food as lockdown hits poorest

Months after Vietnam saw no local cases, a new outbreak in Da Nang has sent people back indoors, with many unable to afford food and rent. Local groups and others have been sending care packages to struggling families and overwhelmed hospitals
16th Aug 2020 - South China Morning Post

France's secret spaces flourish in the aftermath of coronavirus lockdown

The unsung wonders of France are getting their moment in the sun due to the coronavirus. Places such as the Creuse and the Haute-Vienne, in central France, the Moselle in the east, the Sarthe and the Ardennes have been perennially eclipsed by glitzier venues of the Cote D’Azur in the south or the Ile de Ré over to the west. But the traditional minnows appear to be capturing the interest of city dwellers who were stuck amid the concrete during the three-month lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. During June, Alès in south-eastern France - known locally as the capital of the Cevennes - trumpeted its splendours on hundreds of posters dotted around the Paris metro.
15th Aug 2020 - Yahoo News UK

St Albans Roman theatre's 'brilliant' first post-lockdown show

An open air theatre - said to be the only one of its kind in the UK - has put on its first show following the easing of lockdown measures. The open air Roman Theatre of Verulamium in St Albans, Hertfordshire, hosted its first show on Friday with socially-distanced seating. The theatre was built in about AD140 and was refurbished in 2014. Emma Wright said the opening show of William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor was "brilliant". She said she had not performed on stage since before Christmas and although she had been in a Zoom production of Twelfth Night over lockdown it was "lovely" to be back on stage. Mrs Wright, who plays Alice Ford in the production, said: "Everyone in the cast was desperate to get back on stage.
15th Aug 2020 - BBC News

Mexico City cinema, theater and bars emerge from lockdown gloom

After months without museums, cinemas and bars, Mexico City residents began exploring them again this week, even as authorities continue battling the coronavirus pandemic that has so far killed over 55,000 people in Mexico.
15th Aug 2020 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Internet use in Auckland spikes after move to alert level 3

Internet traffic has spiked in Auckland thanks to the “Zoom effect” of homebound workers holding virtual meetings online, and school children attending lessons in virtual classrooms. Chorus, the country’s largest broadband infrastructure provider, said Auckland internet traffic on Wednesday was 67 per cent higher than it was on Monday. The rise internet traffic in the rest of New Zealand was 7 per cent, Chorus said. Chorus spokeswoman Holly Cushen said much of the extra traffic was the result of meetings that would have been held face-to-face in offices and other workplaces, but which were instead held through online video-conferencing platforms.
13th Aug 2020 - Stuff.co.nz

Creating community in the virtual classroom

As students prepare for an academic year that will be entirely virtual, many Harvard faculty members have, like Carpenter, reconceived and redesigned their courses to offer students ways to find community in the absence of in-person learning. Michelle Rosen and her teaching team will organize informal study groups, host small group meetings, and assign large- and small-scale team projects that mimic the camaraderie of a lab setting in her introductory SEAS course, “Computer-Aided Machine Design.” Without access to labs, lecture halls, and the campus machine shop, Rosen’s team looked for ways to foster collaboration among the group of mostly first-year students. “These opportunities for them to get together when they aren’t being graded are important because they can talk and really express their ideas,” said the lecturer in mechanical engineering design. “The plan is to create some spaces for the students to have that kind of organic interaction.”
13th Aug 2020 - Harvard Medical School

Bill Gates On Covid Vaccine Timing, Hydroxychloroquine, and That 5G Conspiracy Theory

Bill Gates, the Microsoft Corp. co-founder and billionaire philanthropist, has become, for better and worse, a central character in the story of Covid-19. The good news: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged more than $350 million to fight the disease, including funds for vaccine manufacturing efforts at AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax. The bad news: Gates has been vilified by anti-vaxxers and other conspiracy theorists who claim he seeded the virus for his own nefarious purposes. Gates says he’s optimistic about the world’s chances of seeing through the wilder theories and of beating the coronavirus, too. His remarks have been condensed and edited for clarity.
13th Aug 2020 - Bloomberg

Covid-19 lockdown means 115 million Indian children risk malnutrition

A staggering 115 million children in India are at risk of malnutrition, as the world’s largest school lunch programme has been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. When India went under a strict lockdown on 24 March to reduce the spread of the virus, 12-year-old Kavi’s life changed. His mother, a roadside tailor, was no longer able to work and his father doesn’t have a job due to health problems. With schools closed, Kavi began selling fruit and vegetables from a sparsely stocked cart. The cart is now their primary source of income, but isn’t enough for a family of four. “Some days, we just eat rice or chapati with salt,” says Kavi. Before lockdown, Kavi was guaranteed a nutritious meal of rice, lentils and vegetables under India’s state-run school lunch programme. As many as 115 million children between the ages of 6 and 14 were dependent on these school lunches for their daily dietary requirements, which aimed to address India’s chronic malnutrition problem. Of the 1 million deaths of children under 5 in India in 2017, around 700,000 were attributed to malnutrition.
14th Aug 2020 - New Scientist

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

News from the allotment: the impact of coronavirus on the gardeners

As the virus disrupted existing social structures, new tribes have emerged: “shielders; furloughed; home-workers; key workers – the experience of the allotments during this year’s growing season has been shaped by these categories as much as any aspect of life. For the home-workers, tethered to a never-ending schedule of Zoom meetings whilst competing for IT equipment and suitable workspace with spouses and young home-learners, the allotments have provided an essential escape – a safety valve on the mental pressure cooker that lockdown became on occasion.
13th Aug 2020 - The Northern Echo

Nominated By Readers: Volunteers Tackling COVID-19 Problems In Their Communities : Goats and Soda

Last month, we asked our audience: What are some of the inventive ways that people are addressing COVID-19 challenges in their community? Dozens of NPR readers wrote in with nominees. Many are people who have found ways to put their special skills and talents to good use. A former toy-maker, laid off from his job, is putting on puppet shows in his living room window for passersby. An artist set up a socially distant art gallery in her backyard. Two siblings are helping local businesses provide low-cost meals to immigrant families in need.
12th Aug 2020 - NPR

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Chronic stress and endless hours: Were we ready to work from home?

According to data from NordVPN, a personal virtual private network service provider, people have been working up to two hours extra a day in Europe and three hours in the United States. One in every four employees has had to use their free time to meet their obligations, according to a Eurostat survey, and we have done so from the sofa or from the kitchen, sharing improvised spaces with our partners and/or children. And people’s work has cost them hours of sleep.
11th Aug 2020 - EL PAÍS in English

‘Tsunami’ of parents interested in homeschooling amid COVID-19 pandemic

Homeschooling has never been on entrepreneur Sarah Renner’s radar, yet she’s taking it on this fall in order to educate her daughters free from distractions. “We were going somewhere the other day and by the time we got there three masks had been broken, so I was like, ‘How exactly is this going to work for my six year old?'” Renner said. “I don’t know if that’s really what I want for them — to be playing around with masks and spending a ton of time talking about how we need to be in a classroom now with these new measures.”
11th Aug 2020 - Global News

How vaccine alliance Gavi uses the power of radio to combat isolation during the pandemic | Transform

The show’s seven-member crew works for Gavi, a Geneva-based organization focused on providing vaccines for children in the world’s poorest countries. As the organization’s approximately 280 employees turned to working remotely when the coronavirus pandemic struck, Mends, Gavi’s director of operations, worried some might become isolated. He pulled together other members of Gavi’s social club, which he runs, to think about ways to help their colleagues connect. “One of the things that really resonated with me when we were having that conversation was the power of music and the familiarity of hearing people talking,” Mends says. “So I came up with the zany idea that we do a radio station.”
11th Aug 2020 - Microsoft

Coronavirus UK: Anti-lockdown activists storm Morrisons

A group of anti-mask activists has staged a protest inside a Morrisons, urging food shoppers to ‘resist the new world order agenda’. StandUp X members told the public to ‘ask questions’ and refuse to consent to coronavirus lockdowns, as they demonstrated inside the supermarket in Peckham, south London two weeks ago. The footage emerges after masks were made mandatory in more indoor settings – including museums, cinemas and places of worship – in England and Scotland on Friday. Demonstrators shouted ‘your masks are so bad for you’, while others claimed the British people were being ‘conditioned’, as customers looked on in Morrisons.
11th Aug 2020 - Metro.co.uk

North Korea's Red Cross deploys thousands of volunteers to help cope with coronavirus, floods

North Korea’s Red Cross has deployed 43,000 volunteers to help communities prevent outbreaks of the coronavirus and provide flood assistance, an official with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Monday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared an emergency last month and imposed a lockdown on Kaesong, near the inter-Korean border, after a man who defected to the South in 2017 returned to the city showing coronavirus symptoms. Heavy rain and flooding in recent days have also sparked concern about crop damage and food supplies in the isolated country.
11th Aug 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Care packages halved for most people with learning disabilities during Covid, report carers

Care packages have at least halved for most people with learning disabilities during the Covid-19 lockdown as their needs have increased, carers have reported. The impact has been reduced independence, poorer health and more pressures on carers, found the online survey of 1,069 family members and carers carried out by Mencap in late June and the first half of July. Two-thirds of respondents (65.3%) said the amount of social care support their loved-one received from their local authority had at least halved, in terms of hours, during the lockdown. The lockdown has seen mass closures of day and short break services services, shut special schools and residential colleges, reduced social support and cut home care in line with social distancing requirements. Most carers (67.4%) reported increases in need among the people with learning disabilities they care for during the shutdown, with 35.9% saying it had increased a lot.
10th Aug 2020 - Communitycare.co.uk

£400,000 Lottery grant to help make most of Covid-19 volunteers

A £400,000 National Lottery grant will enable a Wiltshire charity to tap into the appetite for volunteering discovered by hundreds of people during the coronavirus pandemic. All over Wiltshire people who are self-employed, were on furlough or who just wanted to help, came forward to help Covid response groups and other charities, giving up their time to do shopping, collect prescriptions and even tend graves for elderly and vulnerable people who were shielding.
10th Aug 2020 - Wiltshire Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Thousands protest against Netanyahu over COVID-19, corruption allegations

Thousands of Israelis rallied outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem on Saturday as anger mounted over corruption allegations and his handling of the coronavirus crisis. “Your time is up”, read the giant letters projected on to a building at the protest site, as demonstrators waved Israeli flags and called on Netanyahu to resign over what they say is his failure to protect jobs and businesses affected by the pandemic. The protest movement has intensified in recent weeks, with critics accusing Netanyahu of being distracted by a corruption case against him. He denies wrongdoing. Netanyahu, who was sworn in for a fifth term in May after a closely fought election, has accused the protesters of trampling democracy and the Israeli media of encouraging dissent.
8th Aug 2020 - Reuters UK

UK medics protest, seeking pay raise after pandemic struggle

Hundreds of health care workers have rallied in British cities, demanding the government acknowledge their hard work during the coronavirus pandemic with a hefty pay increase
8th Aug 2020 - ABC News

UK’s first Dutch-style cycle friendly roundabout opens in Cambridge

Britain's first Dutch-style roundabout prioritising cyclists and pedestrians over motorists has opened in Cambridge. Cyclists have an outer ring on the roundabout, with cycle crossings over each of the four approach roads in a contrasting red surface. There are also zebra crossings over each approach road for pedestrians and motorists must give way to pedestrians and to cyclists when joining and leaving the roundabout.
9th Aug 2020 - Evening Standard

The lockdown effect on home moves:number of Londoners looking to swap the city for village life rises by 150 per cent

The post-lockdown lure of village life has seen enquiries from Londoners keen to move out to the sticks increase by almost 150 per cent, a new study reveals today. Research from property portal Rightmove found the number of would-be buyers currently living in the capital but now considering an escape to the country is up 144 per cent from June to July this year compared to the same period last year. And enquiries about homes in satellite towns are up by 79 per cent. The same pattern was found in major cities across the UK. Lower prices in the hinterland of London may be one reason for this new-found enthusiasm to leave. But Miles Shipside, Rightmove’s property expert, believes that quality of life is key. ““The lure of a new lifestyle, one that is quieter and has an abundance of beautiful countryside and more outdoor space, has led to more city dwellers choosing to become rural residents,” he said. “We saw a shift as early as April in more people living in cities enquiring about moving out of that city, and this trend has continued.
9th Aug 2020 - Homes and Property

India's biggest slum has so far nailed coronavirus. Here's how they did it

With its narrow streets, congested housing, underfunded health care and poor sanitation, many thought India's largest slum would be devastated by COVID-19. In fact, Dharavi — located in India's financial capital Mumbai — was often heralded as a prime example of why the country was ill-prepared to deal with the coronavirus. Stigma associated with the disease spread deep into the neighbourhood. "Everyone was scared and locked themselves in their homes," local resident and asthma sufferer Sameer Vhatkar told the ABC. "When corona was spreading in our local areas, we felt that Dharavi was going to be finished." Mr Vhatkar tested positive for the virus in May after he took a neighbour, who had contracted COVID-19, to hospital.
8th Aug 2020 - ABC News

Historic 'wine windows' used in Tuscany during plague come back into use during coronavirus

Restaurants and cafes in Tuscany are reopening their 17th century wine windows. They were originally used during the plague so merchants could sell their wine. Small business owners are now selling coffee, ice cream as well as wine. There are around 300 of the buchette del vino that are known about in Tuscany
8th Aug 2020 - Daily Mail

CQC-Style Ratings to Hold Matt Hancock to Account

In a move many health professionals may only previously have dreamt of the performance of Government health ministers in England is to be rated. The ratings from an independent evaluation system will be similar to those issued to NHS organisations by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the findings will go to the Commons Health and Social Care Committee which is chaired by former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
7th Aug 2020 - Medscape

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Chessington School students stunning art from lockdown

Schools have been one of most heavily impacted institutions by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the Chessington School is no exception. Rather than have the virus stunt her art students' learning, however, Head of Art Miss Kavanagh leaned into the lockdown and encouraged her students to express themselves and learn new techniques in illustration, painting and other visual art forms. "Lockdown came as a shock to everyone. At Chessington School we were very lucky in the fact that we had already taken teacher training in Google Classrooms," she told the Comet.
6th Aug 2020 - Surrey Comet

Struggling Tourist Destinations Pitch Themselves to New Digital Nomads as Remote Work Locales

The dream of living life as a “digital nomad” is not new. The term first entered the popular imagination around 2014, when freelance designers, developers, entrepreneurs, and writers with privileged passports would head to southeast Asia or eastern Europe for a cheaper lifestyle reliant only on Wi-Fi and a little bit of hustle. It was an enviable, if niche, dream for many. But the forces of the pandemic have changed that a bit. With the cultural acceptance of remote work accelerating years in a matter of months, more and more individuals are seeing that not only do they not need to work from an office, but they don’t need to work from home, either. Some tourism destinations are pivoting their offering to cater to this recently-expanded market. And in doing so, they are helping make up for the steep decline in short-term leisure tourism revenue. If travelers are avoiding coming for just a few days due to the headaches of travel restrictions, Covid testing on arrival, and/or quarantine, why not invite them to come for months?
7th Aug 2020 - Skift

Learning 'pods': a new solution to the coronavirus school crisis

Parents are banding together to form education pods for children to learn in groups, but not everyone can afford them.
6th Aug 2020 - Al Jazeera English

Are Berlin locals packing up and leaving the city to flee the coronavirus?

Media reports show that many New Yorkers, Londoners and Parisians are moving to the countryside to escape the pandemic. But what about Berliners?
6th Aug 2020 - DW (English)

Lockdown sees Turkish women bear brunt of unpaid work: research

Turkish women did four times as much household and care work as men during lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, research supported by the United Nations Development Programme showed on Thursday. A survey conducted in May of more than 2,400 people showed women shouldered most of the unpaid work during lockdown even though men spent substantially more time working in the home. The gender gap in paid work narrowed under lockdown as a result of changes in work patterns and a fall in men’s paid work hours, the research found. But gender gaps in unpaid work and total work time widened: on average women’s workload, including both paid and unpaid work, increased while that of men decreased, the findings said.
6th Aug 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Guatemala Teacher Pedals His Classroom To Students Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic closed Guatemala's schools in March, teacher Gerardo Ixcoy decided to take the school to children using a tricycle..
5th Aug 2020 - RepublicWorld

English speaking-countries were less likely than French or Italian to comply with lockdown rules, study says

British people, Americans, and other English speakers were measurably less likely to comply with coronavirus lockdown regulations than people in other European countries, a new study has claimed. Academics at Durham University found that 71 per cent of English speakers around the globe followed guidelines. But 89 per cent of French and Italian speakers are said to have complied, according the academics' analysis, based on a survey of over 8,300 respondents from 70 countries.
5th Aug 2020 - The Independent

British BAME groups face 'greater barriers' than white people in avoiding Covid-19

The Runnymede Trust found that people from BAME backgrounds faced greater barriers in shielding from Covid-19, with employment, public transport, and multigenerational and overcrowded households all risk factors. Those from BAME backgrounds are over-represented in Covid-19 diagnosis, severe illness and deaths. A Public Health England report published in June found people from Bangladeshi backgrounds faced the greatest risk of dying from the disease. The findings of the survey of 2,585 adults in Britain, including 750 from BAME backgrounds, suggest that one of the main reasons ethnic minorities are at greater risk of dying from Covid-19 than their white counterparts is that they are more exposed to coronavirus.
5th Aug 2020 - The Guardian

New support service helping Covid survivors on the road to recovery

The Covid-19 Recovery Service, which has been set up by NI Chest Heart & Stroke (NICHS), will help survivors deal with the physical and psychological problems caused by the illness and will assist them in building up their lung and general health on the long road to recuperation.
5th Aug 2020 - Carrickfergus Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

NHS clinicians given access to online training for treating Covid-19 patients

NHS doctors and nurses in England are being given access to training in treating Covid-19 patients from some of UK-based technology companies. A consortium called Resilient XR has provided the health service with interactive videos that allow healthcare staff to rotate the content 360 degrees and view it from any angle. The group is a collaboration between industry, academia and government. It is made up of Microsoft, volumetric production studio Dimension, digital technology innovation centre Digital Catapult, content distribution platform VISR VR, mixed-reality development agencies Fracture Reality and Make Real, the University of Leeds’ Centre for Immersive Technologies, and University College London. Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust and Health Education England (HEE) are advising and contributing to Resilient XR to ensure the content is accurate, informative and up to date.
4th Aug 2020 - Digital Health

Coronavirus: Ethnic minorities 'over-exposed' to Covid-19

People from ethnic minority backgrounds in Britain "face greater barriers" when trying to protect themselves from coronavirus, according to a report. The Runnymede Trust, a race equality think-tank, said Bangladeshi and black African people were most vulnerable. Jobs, households and using public transport are all said to be risk factors. The government said it is working to help ethnic minorities, who have been disproportionately harmed by Covid-19. There is growing evidence that people from those communities are at greater risk from the virus. The Runnymede Trust also warned important public safety messages aimed at reducing transmission were currently not reaching all black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities.
5th Aug 2020 - BBC News

Returning Covid-19 patients to care homes slammed

A campaigner for the elderly in Northern Ireland has said decisions which led to covid-positive patients being sent from hospital back to care homes must not be repeated. The Belfast Telegraph reported on Saturday how seven patients with Covid-19 were returned to care facilities at the height of the pandemic. It has now emerged that hundreds of others were not tested at all. A Freedom of Information request by the Local Democracy Reporting service found that the Northern Trust discharged six people with coronavirus into nursing homes between March 1 and April 15, before the change in government guidance.
4th Aug 2020 - Belfast Telegraph

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: WHO warns of 'no silver bullet' amid vaccine search

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that while there is hope for a vaccine against Covid-19, one might never be found. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing there was "no silver bullet at the moment - and there might never be". Mr Tedros implored people around the world to comply with measures such as social distancing, hand-washing and mask-wearing, saying: "Do it all." Globally, more than 18 million Covid-19 infections have been recorded. The death toll stands at 689,000, with both figures given by the US-based Johns Hopkins University.
2nd Aug 2020 - BBC News

An incoherent approach to controlling Covid-19

The recent approach to controlling Covid-19 transmission in England seems particularly boneheaded: the recent local “spikes” were entirely preventable by a proper system of testing, tracking and tracing, identifying contacts of individual cases and locking them down; this system is just not in place, and no macro-statistic of total tests undertaken will substitute for it. This is what “local measures” should mean, not targeting huge swathes of the urban population. Second, the measures recently adopted are incoherent to the point of absurdity – I can go out with friends for dinner, but not visit my mother? The danger here is lack of credibility, exacerbated by a complete inability to enforce such parochial restrictions.
2nd Aug 2020 - The Guardian

Workers slow to return to offices after England relaxes rules

Workers were only slowly returning to offices around England on Monday after the government relaxed its guidance about working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. In the centre of London footfall was only 2 per cent higher on Monday compared with last week, according to data collected by the New West End Company, reflecting how the number of office workers and visitors remained subdued. Footfall was 68 per cent lower compared with this time last year. Boris Johnson last month announced a relaxation of the official guidance put in place at the start of the Covid-19 crisis that many people should work from home if possible, with the change taking effect on Monday.
4th Aug 2020 - Financial Times

We must not wait idly for an elusive Covid-19 vaccine

A package of behavioural and drug-based interventions will save lives and better prepare us for the next crisis. The two lessons to be drawn are that our aspirations in vaccine development are not always realised, and that we can make great progress nonetheless with new drugs and other interventions. Our faith in vaccines against Covid-19 is partly driven by the counter-narrative, which is equally true. Smallpox was eradicated by a vaccine and those against polio, measles and other viral diseases have greatly improved human health. Still, the challenges to developing and deploying a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine in 2021 are substantial. We do not know whether natural infection confers robust immunity.
3rd Aug 2020 - Financial Times

COVID-19: Pharma on the frontline

Pharma stepped up to support the NHS, the country and the World during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pf brings you some examples of pharma on the frontline of COVID-19. On the frontline – medical affairs to ICU doctor George Godfrey, AstraZeneca UK
3rd Aug 2020 - Pharmafield

Coronavirus: Eight ways life in the UK has changed

Restrictions on daily life in many parts of the UK - to try to curb the spread of coronavirus - have been eased in recent weeks. Employers in England can bring staff back to the workplace and people can use public transport for non-essential journeys (while wearing face coverings). Many pubs, shops and restaurants have reopened, while most of those who have been shielding are no longer advised to stay at home. There are places where the easing of lockdown measures has been halted - Leicester and Greater Manchester, for example. But, overall, how have people in the UK responded?
3rd Aug 2020 - BBC News

Less than half of people in England understand current lockdown rules

Levels in Scotland and Wales have also fallen but are higher than those in England, with reported levels of understanding at 75% and 61% respectively. Complete understanding has fallen even further, with only 14% of adults in England reporting understanding the rules completely as lockdown eased, compared to 18% in Wales and 27% in Scotland.
3rd Aug 2020 - Medical Xpress

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Aug 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Indian Billionaires Bet Big on Head Start in Coronavirus Vaccine Race

In early May, an extremely well-sealed steel box arrived at the cold room of the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker. Inside, packed in dry ice, sat a tiny 1-milliliter vial from Oxford, England, containing the cellular material for one of the world’s most promising coronavirus vaccines. Scientists in white lab coats brought the vial to Building 14, carefully poured the contents into a flask, added a medium of vitamins and sugar and began growing billions of cells. Thus began one of the biggest gambles yet in the quest to find the vaccine that will bring the world’s Covid-19 nightmare to an end.
1st Aug 2020 - The New York Times

Kashmir's open-air classes offer stunning solution to lockdown

Schools across India are struggling to teach online as the pandemic forces them to stay shut. But this town in Indian-administered Kashmir has found a novel solution, reports Abid Bhatt. Every morning, students in Doodpathri, a town in Budgam district, walk past streams and bridges, and up the hill to their new classroom: a picturesque spot with the snow-capped Himalayas as a backdrop. The outdoor school is a breather for both parents and children after months of a grinding lockdown to slow down Covid-19 infections. The state has reported more than 19,000 cases and some 365 deaths. "It's far better that our kids attend such schools than grow weary in homes where they often end up frustrating themselves," says Mushtaq Ahmad, whose son is attending the open air school. Officials should collaborate with locals to set up more such schools, he adds.
2nd Aug 2020 - BBC News

Japan's kabuki theatre resumes, socially distanced, after coronavirus hiatus

Japan’s stately traditional kabuki theatre resumed performances on Saturday after a five-month break due to the novel coronavirus, with musicians in masks, actors farther apart on stage and only half the usual number of seats. The re-opening of Tokyo’s famed Kabukiza Theatre, which called off performances from March due to the spread of the coronavirus, came even as new cases have spiked to record highs around the country. “We’re re-opening based on guidelines from infectious disease experts, paying attention to audience safety from the time they enter until the time they leave,” Kabukiza manager Yoshitaka Hashimoto said at a Friday preview for journalists. Onstage, the number of musicians is limited and all wear draped black cloth masks from nose to chest.
2nd Aug 2020 - Reuters UK

‘We have to change to survive’: Japanese bathhouses’ future in doubt amid plunge in customers

Although the Japanese government kept bathhouses open during the pandemic, the number of customers taking communal baths, long a tradition, is way down The owner of one bathhouse, Takuya Shimbo, has plans to enhance it with craft beer and live music, hoping to point to a way of keeping the businesses going
1st Aug 2020 - South China Morning Post

Good time for a 'workation' but is Japan Inc. ready?

The word, alternately spelled “workcation,” is a largely alien concept in Japan that has emerged only in the last couple of years, attracting the attention of a smattering of companies and municipalities, such as Japan Airlines Co. and Wakayama Prefecture. Similar to the concept of digital nomads, it is typically understood to be a hybrid activity in which employees telecommute from hotels, resorts and other destinations that allow them to escape the mundane reality of everyday life. The Japan Tourism Agency said it was looking into the concept even before the pandemic. But Suga’s unexpected mention of the term Monday, coming hot on the heels of the recent outcry over the controversial Go To Travel campaign, has catapulted it into the public spotlight, stoking concerns it could blur the line between work and personal life to the point of encouraging overwork.
31st Jul 2020 - The Japan Times

Anti-vaxxers on social media could ruin chance of an effective treatment

Social media influencers and celebrities with millions of followers are boosting anti-vaccination messages worldwide, as more people say that they will not take a coronavirus vaccine. Politicians and experts have given warning that the rapid spread of misinformation about a Covid-19 vaccine could mean that it cannot be rolled out effectively. Damian Collins, a former chairman of the Commons committee on digital, media, culture and sport, said that the findings required urgent legislation.
1st Aug 2020 - The Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Community Circles: The lockdown lifesavers connecting hundreds across Lancashire

When you’re an organisation dedicated to helping people connect and come together to explore hobbies, interests, and experiences together, a global pandemic resulting in lockdown and social distancing can safely be described as a bit of an issue.
30th Jul 2020 - Lancashire Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

What Teachers' Unions Are Fighting For as Schools Plan a New Year

Teachers in many districts are fighting for longer school closures, stronger safety requirements and limits on what they are required to do in virtual classrooms, while flooding social media and state capitols with their concerns and threatening to walk off their jobs if key demands are not met. On Tuesday, the nation’s second-largest teachers’ union raised the stakes dramatically by authorizing its local and state chapters to strike if their districts do not take sufficient precautions — such as requiring masks and updating ventilation systems — before reopening classrooms. Already, teachers’ unions have sued Florida’s governor over that state’s efforts to require schools to offer in-person instruction.
30th Jul 2020 - The New York Times

Coronavirus child-care crisis will set women back a generation

With day-care centers shuttered or severely restricting enrollment, and school districts opting for remote learning, many women are finding they just can’t make their jobs work during the pandemic. That could have lasting consequences.
30th Jul 2020 - The Washington Post

How many people signed up to volunteer in Bolton during the coronavirus crisis

MORE than 700 people signed up to Bolton’s urgent response volunteer scheme to help communities combat the coronavirus crisis earlier this year. In addition to this, more than 2,000 people from the borough became NHS volunteer responders, a national scheme offering help to people in need of support or who are avoiding public places during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of this is on top of the 40,000 regular volunteers already in Bolton. The figures were revealed by Darren Knight, chief executive officer of Bolton Community and Voluntary Services (CVS), at the first meeting of the borough’s Active, Connected and Prosperous Board on Tuesday morning
30th Jul 2020 - The Bolton News

Coronavirus: UK lockdown solidarity 'starting to fray'

The restrictions of lockdown have fostered a new community spirit in Britain, but there are signs feelings of solidarity and togetherness are already beginning to fragment and fray. That is the warning from a campaign called Together, which includes the NHS, charities, media groups and employers among its founders. The organisation helped organise the birthday clap for the health service this month and is launching a national public consultation on how to avoid new community divisions opening up.
30th Jul 2020 - BBC News

UK studies exploring Covid-19 links with ethnicity awarded £4m

Specially tailored public health messaging, the impact of structural racism and whether healthcare workers should be redeployed are among research projects that have been given funding to explore the link between Covid-19 and ethnicity. More than £4m has been awarded to six projects that will help researchers explain and mitigate the disproportionate death rates from coronavirus among people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. The grants are from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
29th Jul 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Covid studies to examine virus link with ethnicity

UK scientists are to receive millions of pounds of government funding for a raft of studies to learn why people from an ethnic minority background are at greater risk from Covid-19. Six projects will analyse data on social circumstances, health and day-to-day activities, as well as investigating genetic risk factors. One will follow 30,000 health and social-care staff for a year. Researchers say there will be rapid action based on the findings. Prof Kamlesh Khunti, director of the Centre for BME Health at the University of Leicester, who is involved in three of the studies, told BBC News he expected results to be translated into guidance that would help save black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) lives within months.
28th Jul 2020 - BBC News

Retirement community members get hands dirty for safe pandemic activity

In the midst of COVID-19 restrictions, people are having to find more activities to do at home. That can be especially difficult at nursing homes and retirement communities where a majority of deaths have been reported in Kentucky. One retirement community, however, is staying safe, while getting their hands dirty. When the global health crisis hit, residents at the Masonic Homes turned to gardening to pass the time, but supplies were hard to come by due to increased interest in the activity.
28th Jul 2020 - WAVE 3

Hundreds of food boxes delivered to families in need across west Cheshire

More than 700 ingredient boxes a week will be delivered to families across west Cheshire as communities continue to pull together during the Covid-19 pandemic. This project is part of a holiday activity fund which provides free nutritious food and activities at a wide range of holiday clubs over the summer. Cllr Louise Gittins, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, said: “This remains a difficult and unprecedented time, and we know that there are families in our communities who are struggling financially.
28th Jul 2020 - The Chester Standard

How the Coronavirus Could Shrink the Number of Child Care Providers

Child care looks very different at Baby Steps Nature School in San Francisco since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. And it's not just because staff are taking temperatures, greeting families at the curb, and everyone over 3 is wearing a face mask. The games the children and staff play are different too, says owner Patricia Sullivan.
28th Jul 2020 - KQED

Don’t Trash Our Future: Daily Mirror backs campaign to fine litterbugs £1,000

Two thirds of Britons say ­littering and fly-tipping has exploded during lockdown. The litter epidemic is laid bare in a survey by community and information platform InYourArea.co.uk and our nationwide network of newspapers and websites. Despite a surge in dumping – linked to fewer bin collections – four in five said they were too fearful to confront fly-tippers. A third of the 7,500 surveyed said the fine for littering should go up from £150 to between £250 to £500, 16% said it should be increased to £501 to £1,000, while 18% said it should be more than £1,000.
28th Jul 2020 - Mirror Online

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Covid-19 and higher education: how universities in emerging economies are responding to the crisis

Numerous universities in emerging markets have contributed to the fight against the pandemic by producing medical supplies, thereby helping to counteract shortfalls and reduce the dependence on imports. In Morocco, for example, Rabat International University produced tens of thousands of masks to donate to hospitals. Meanwhile, in April a group of engineers from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University announced the development of two “100% Moroccan” devices: an artificial respirator and an infrared thermometer. Similarly, in Vietnam, Hanoi University of Science and Technology created a coronavirus test kit in early February. Following this, the Military Medical University developed a test in collaboration with Viet A, a local tech firm, using funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology. The kit was approved by the World Health Organisation in April and is now being distributed around the world. Another area where higher education institutions are at the forefront of medical R&D efforts is in the development of coronavirus vaccines. While the UK’s University of Oxford has been in the headlines for its work in this field, numerous institutions in emerging markets have also been making progress.
28th Jul 2020 - Oxford Business Group

'What about us?' Canada home care workers' lockdown heroics neglected

Personal care workers provided a vital service to their elderly and vulnerable clients, but face precarious terms and low wages
27th Jul 2020 - The Guardian

Residents to get new decision-making powers in cycling 'revolution'

Residents will get powers to banish through-traffic from local streets and councils will be prevented from building substandard cycle lanes under what Downing Street has billed as a revolution for cycling and walking in England. The plans will see the creation of a watchdog to ensure new cycle and walking routes are up to standard, intended to act as a transport equivalent of the schools inspectorate, Ofsted. Active Travel England, to be led by a yet-to-be-appointed commissioner for walking and cycling, will refuse to fund paint-only bike lanes – without physical barriers or protection from cars – or routes where cyclists and pedestrians have to share space. It could also cut budgets in other areas for highways departments which fail to deliver on active transport.
27th Jul 2020 - The Guardian

A virtual respiratory clinic to support patients with Covid-19 after discharge

Many patients discharged from hospital with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 need ongoing clinical support. A team of respiratory clinical nurse specialists set up a virtual clinic providing telephone support to these patients
27th Jul 2020 - Nursing Times

COVID-19 gender study gets funding boost

LSE researchers looking at the real-time impact of COVID-19 on women’s health, social and economic welfare are part of a global team which has been awarded a $1.6 million USD grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The team will provide rapid guidance and recommendations to policymakers, and others responsible for responding to the pandemic, by identifying how COVID-19 is affecting women and men differently and gaps in preparedness and response. Dr Clare Wenham, from the Department of Health Policy, and Professor Naila Kabeer, from the Department of International Development and Department of Gender Studies, are working on the project with academics from Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria and the USA. The initial Gender and COVID-19 Project was focused on China, Hong Kong, the UK and Canada with support from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR).
27th Jul 2020 - The London School of Economics and Political Science

Coronavirus: Muslim women cook free meals for struggling families during Melbourne’s second lockdown

A group of Muslim women has come together to feed Melbourne’s most vulnerable people amid the city’s second Covid-19 lockdown. Lawyers, teachers and healthcare professionals volunteer their time every Friday to cook meals for those struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic. Afshan Mantoo, chairperson of Muslim Women’s Council of Victoria Inc. and head of the volunteer group, said she hoped the programme would help change attitudes about Muslim women’s participation in Australian society.
27th Jul 2020 - The Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

UK campaigners call for action to tackle surge in Covid-19 fly-tipping

“I’ve never seen outrage like it,” said local Scottish Labour councillor Paul Carey, in regards to the community response to this “industrial scale” fly-tipping. “Locals are really concerned about the environmental impact as well as the immediate hazard. It’s in the middle of a residential area and if it went on fire you’d have toxic fumes right across their homes,” he said. But although he described this particular case as extraordinary, he mentioned several other sites in his ward where similar waste piles are building up. “I suspect unscrupulous individuals have seen lockdown as an opportunity to make some money, and perhaps told businesses that they can dispose of waste in a legitimate way but then dumped it,” Carey said.
26th Jul 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Armed with social media, Zimbabwean youth fight coronavirus 'infodemic'

While tech giants WhatsApp and Facebook have teamed up with African governments to tackle fake news through interactive bots, adverts and push notifications, VSO volunteers are leading the battle within their communities.
23rd Jul 2020 - Reuters

Coronavirus: 'We made a feature film in lockdown'

Like so many other industries, Covid-19 struck at the heart of the film industry shutting down production on big blockbusters, closing cinemas and even making the mighty James Bond franchise abandon its scheduled release of No Time To Die. Hundreds of millions of dollars had been spent on a global marketing push for an April release, which had to be abandoned. With Bond and and other blockbusters in retreat, some smaller independent film makers have taken lockdown and the pandemic as a creative point of departure.
24th Jul 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

'Wuhan Diary,' tale of virus lockdown, banned in China amid pressure

A book that recounts life in the central Chinese city of Wuhan while under a strict coronavirus lockdown has been effectively banned in China, its author said in a recent written interview with Kyodo News. Chinese critics have been trying to thwart publication of the book titled "Wuhan Diary," whose English version has received international recognition, although the country's authorities have not officially prohibited it, said the 65-year-old local novelist known as Fang Fang. The book is a collection of 60 posts from her account on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, regarding daily life during the so-called world's harshest coronavirus lockdown between Jan. 23 and April 7 in Wuhan, as well as, what she described as, the dark side of the authorities. In her posts, she expressed distrust in the Chinese authorities, lambasting them for having concealed information about the human-to-human transmission of the virus in the early stages of the city's outbreak.
22nd Jul 2020 - The Mainichi

India cancels historic Hindu pilgrimage as coronavirus cases mount

India has cancelled a historic Hindu pilgrimage to a holy cave high in the snow-capped mountains of contested Kashmir for the first time, as cases of the novel coronavirus continued to rise on Wednesday. There were 37,724 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, according to federal health data released on Wednesday. India has reported almost 1.2 million cases overall, behind only the United States and Brazil. Organisers of the Amarnath Yatra, where saffron-clad Hindu ascetics walk 46 km (28 miles) to the cave across glaciers and waterlogged trails, said a “very sharp” spike in coronavirus cases had forced the cancellation.
22nd Jul 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

California using virus-closed classrooms for child care

In Glendale, education officials opted last week to move to online instruction due to a rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. They also started a program for families in need of child care where students will be dropped off at local schools and placed in small groups. They will complete their online lessons with support from a staff member or substitute teacher during what would normally be school hours.
22nd Jul 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

One of the original 'Rosie the Riveters' is now making masks to help defeat coronavirus

One of the original "Rosie the Riveters" is serving her country once more. Mae Krier, 94, worked in a Boeing factory during World War II, where she helped make warplanes. Now, she's helping fight a different battle -- coronavirus. "I always made (them) for Rosie travel," she told CNN's Chris Cuomo. "We go to Washington and places and whenever we do, they love the bandanas. And I was making a lot of them when the virus started, and I just switched over from bandanas to face masks." Rosie the Riveter is famously depicted wearing a red polka dot bandana around her head, but now, Krier is stitching face masks from the same cloth. "People are starting to send me material and elastic and everything that I need from all over the country," she said, wearing one of the bandanas around her neck. "It's absolutely amazing. I'm just stunned."
21st Jul 2020 - CNN

SCS parents & teachers hold sit-in to support virtual learning until COVID-19 cases decrease

Memphis/Shelby County United, a group of SCS teachers and parents, held a socially distanced sit-in outside the SCS Board of Education Tuesday. They urged the school board, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, the Tennessee Department of Education and the state education commissioner to move schools to a virtual platform until there aren’t any new cases of COVID-19 for 14 days.
21st Jul 2020 - FOX13 Memphis

Spain to give 1.7 billion euros in coronavirus aid to developing countries

Spain will send 1.7 billion euros (1.5 billion pounds) in aid to developing countries to help them deal with coronavirus pandemic, Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting. Spain aims to help save lives and strengthen public health systems and also protect and restore rights and capacities, among other goals, Gonzalez Laya told a news conference.
21st Jul 2020 - The Star Online

Middle East mythbusters fight dangerous 'infodemic' | MEO

Arabic pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are brimming with fake news stories on the novel coronavirus, from benign inaccuracies to full-throated conspiracy theories.
21st Jul 2020 - Middle East Online

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19: BAME communities need targeted health messaging, scientists warn

Academics at the University of Leicester found that COVID-19 cases continued to rise in BAME groups in certain parts of Leicester in the three weeks after the announcement was made, while rates in white groups “dropped off very sharply”. They said the findings, published recently in the journal EClinicalMedicine by The Lancet, raise “serious questions” on whether lockdown on its own is effective for a diverse population.
20th Jul 2020 - BBC Focus Magazine

Two thirds of readers think lockdown is being eased too soon, M.E.N. survey finds

Two thirds of people think the coronavirus lockdown in England is being eased too soon, according to the M.E.N's Lockdown survey. We asked our readers how they feel about the changes set to happen in the coming weeks and months after the Prime Minister's announcement on Friday. Speaking from Downing Street, Boris Johnson revealed a four-month plan for a “significant return to normality” from as early as November. On August 1, most remaining leisure venues, including casinos, bowling alleys and skating rinks, will be allowed to reopen, and close-contact beauty services permitted. Indoor performances with live audiences will also resume, with trials beginning for larger events at sports and football stadiums “with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn”. And it's good news for engaged couples as wedding receptions of up to 30 guests can also resume next month. But how do the people of Greater Manchester really feel about the easing of measures? More than 2,200 readers responded to our lockdown changes survey, this is what they think:
20th Jul 2020 - Manchester Evening News

Starving and sleeping on the streets: The reality of life for women seeking asylum in lockdown Britain

Women who have sought asylum in the UK have been forced to go without food and sleep outside or on buses during the coronavirus crisis, a report has found. The study, carried out by a coalition of women’s organisations, warned that the public health emergency has made asylum-seeking women more at risk of hunger and ill health. The coalition Sisters Not Strangers, which includes organisations working with refugee women around the UK, found that three-quarters of women seeking asylum went hungry during the Covid-19 crisis, including mothers who found it difficult to find food to give their children.
20th Jul 2020 - The Independent

Working Britons used to have less time for leisure but pandemic is changing work-life balance

In March, when Covid-19 began to spread rapidly in Britain, everyone at the bank’s headquarters, like millions of other British office workers, was ordered home. Mr Ramsey experienced “teething problems” for a week, but he soon replicated his office set-up. When the office reopens, he will mostly stay at home, perhaps going in once or twice a week for meetings. He misses the camaraderie of the office, but that is outweighed by the time he saves on commuting and the flexibility to walk the dog at lunchtime. “It’s not going to go back to the way it was,” he says.
20th Jul 2020 - iNews

Young artists prepare for college during COVID-19 upheaval

In May the school planned for in-person learning, but as coronavirus cases continued to spike around the country, the school sent a June update saying it was still evaluating how to proceed. During an online orientation a few days ago, SUNY Purchase outlined its plan for both in-person and online learning during the fall semester. “I will only be having two dance classes in person in the studio, and the teacher would either be there or on a screen,” Carson said, adding that the rest of her classes will be remote. Dealing with the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic has been tough, she said. “Just to think about me not being able to be onstage and perform with a live audience, it breaks my heart because that’s been my dream.”
20th Jul 2020 - Los Angeles Times

Tips, tests and take-out: Local groups help Spanish-speakers stay informed on COVID-19

If you go onto the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s website and click on the globe icon at the top of the page, you’ll be greeted with a drop down list of 81 different languages, everything from A (Afrikaans) to Z (Zulu). Spanish is, of course, one of the available languages in which visitors can access COVID-19 testing site information and case numbers by county and ZIP code, among other items. Community health worker Yajaira Benet is helping lead the effort to bring more Spanish-language resources to Lowcountry Latinos so they know how and where to get help during the global pandemic that has disproportionately affected Latinos.
20th Jul 2020 - Hilton Head Island Packet

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Alone Together podcast: Dating and relationships during the Covid-19 pandemic

For couples, the coronavirus restrictions have brought two extremes: they have either resorted to moving in together suddenly, or attempted to carry on dating from afar. Alone Together is back for a second series, and the podcast is looking at life after lockdown.
20th Jul 2020 - Manchester Evening News

Interest in rural property soars as Covid-19 effect kicks in

Charlie McCarthy, an auctioneer who has sold houses, farms and even islands in west Cork for almost half a century, takes the calls on Coom Hill as he looks out on to the Atlantic. The last time the telephone rang so frequently back in his Skibbereen office was amid Cold War hysteria in mainland Europe during the 1970s, when German newspapers argued that west Cork was the safest place to avoid the impact of nuclear conflict. “The Germans and the Dutch came over in their droves. It was to do with the prevailing southwesterly winds,” he says. In recent weeks, the phone has been ringing off the hook again
20th Jul 2020 - The Irish Times

Russian Elite Given Experimental Covid-19 Vaccine Since April

Scores of members of Russia’s business and political elite have been given early access to an experimental vaccine against Covid-19, according to people familiar with the effort, as the country races to be among the first to develop an inoculation. Top executives at companies including aluminum giant United Co. Rusal, as well as billionaire tycoons and government officials began getting shots developed by the state-run Gamaleya Institute in Moscow as early as April, the people said. They declined to be identified as the information isn’t public.
19th Jul 2020 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Outbreak: Lockdown protests explode in several countries

Major protests are breaking out against governments in several countries after coronavirus sparked fury over grievances including economic problems and alleged corruption or incompetence. Demonstrators have taken to the streets to voice their anger at perceived failures by leaders to rise to the unprecedented challenges heightened by the pandemic. A report from the Institute for Economics and Peace entitled Covid-19 and Peace reads: “The pandemic will undo many years of socio-economic development for several countries, exacerbating humanitarian crises and potentially aggravating unrest and conflict.” The IEP said that most of the indicators of its Global Peace Index (GPI) and Positive Peace Index (PPI) — which measures the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies — were “likely to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
16th Jul 2020 - Mercury News

Illegal groups in Colombia using violence to enforce lockdowns

Illegal armed groups are imposing strict COVID-19 quarantines in parts of Colombia where the state has a weak presence, threatening and even killing those who don't comply, Human Rights Watch warned Wednesday. At least nine people have been assassinated in recent months for either refusing to abide by the restrictions or actively opposing them. One man, community leader Edison Leon, was killed in June after sending a letter alerting local authorities that members of a group called “La Mafia” were forcing residents to staff a health checkpoint in Putumayo.
16th Jul 2020 - CTVNews.ca

Quirky Campers reports boom in interest from New Zealanders post-lockdown

With international travel off the cards due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many New Zealand tourism operators catering to the domestic market are enjoying a boom. Quirky Campers is one of them - the campervan rental company is reporting a 1000 percent increase in visits to its website since January.
16th Jul 2020 - Newshub

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

One million Brits have quit smoking during covid pandemic

One million Brits have quit smoking since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) says. Ash has calculated that 1,036,000 smokers and recent ex-smokers had quit or continued their abstinence since coronavirus cases started circulating in the UK in March. The charity surveyed more than 10,000 people across England, Wales and Scotland, including 1,700 smokers and people who had quit in the last four months. It found that younger smokers were more likely to have stopped than older smokers – 17 per cent of smokers and recent ex-smokers aged between 16-29 said they had quit compared to seven per cent of those older than 50. A further 13 per cent of those aged 30 to 49 quit during the pandemic, too.
15th Jul 2020 - Evening Standard

Most Brits just won't wear face masks — here's why

According to YouGov data just 38% of Britons said they wear masks in public places. By comparison, 88% of people in Spain and 83% in Italy said they do so. Meanwhile, 90% of people in Singapore wear masks in public, as do 82% in China.
15th Jul 2020 - CNBC

Alarm as Covid-19 reaches recently contacted Amazon tribe

At least six coronavirus cases have been recorded among the Nahua people, who have lived mostly in voluntary isolation since they were first contacted in the 198os. Fewer than a thousand members of the group live in the Kugapakori-Nahua-Nanti territorial reserve, an expanse of 4,556 sq km (1,763 sq miles) in Peru’s southern Amazon. The report has prompted alarm among Amazon indigenous activists who have repeatedly warned that coronavirus could cause a disastrous repeat of previous pandemics that devastated their populations.
16th Jul 2020 - The Guardian

Fertility rate: 'Jaw-dropping' global crash in children being born

It has nothing to do with sperm counts or the usual things that come to mind when discussing fertility. Instead it is being driven by more women in education and work, as well as greater access to contraception, leading to women choosing to have fewer children. In many ways, falling fertility rates are a success story.
15th Jul 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Grassroots help for homeless, drug addicts thrives in lockdown S. Africa - The Jakarta Post

While some of the nation's homeless shelters have made headlines for harsh living conditions and police brutality, others have become unexpected havens for some residents. "I found paradise here," said Matthew Nxumalo, 35, a mechanic who is also on the methadone program, which has helped some 200 people in different shelters since the beginning of the lockdown. "Nobody else thought about us until we arrived here, but I feel like I've been given a second chance," Nxumalo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation before he gathered firewood in the bushes next to the bowling green to light an evening fire.
14th Jul 2020 - Jakarta Post

Banksy creates mask-themed work on London Underground

Coronavirus-inspired stencils on tube train feature rats with surgical face masks and hand sanitiser
14th Jul 2020 - The Guardian

No vaccine, no carnival, Rio's samba schools warn

Some of Rio's biggest samba schools say they will not participate in next year's Carnival unless a coronavirus vaccine is widely available, Brazilian media reported Tuesday. Five of the 12 top samba schools, including Mangueira and Beija Flor, told Brazil's O Globo newspaper they would vote to postpone the parades at a meeting set for Tuesday. "It's simple. If there's no vaccine, there will be no samba," said the head of the Sao Clemente school, Renatinho Gomes. "How can you gather crowds without collective immunity?"
14th Jul 2020 - FRANCE 24

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Portraits: UN interpreters adapt to new work modes during COVID-19

13 July – When the coronavirus pandemic brought New York City to a halt, United Nations interpreters ran into big trouble: their booths and equipment were no longer accessible. However, they are rising to the challenge, exploring new ways to service multilateral meetings, including from their homes. This story, with portraits produced remotely by UN Photo, documents how these professionals have been responding to new challenges COVID-19 added to their already daunting job of providing simultaneous interpretation in six UN official languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. On Friday, 13 March, Konstantine Orlov, Chief of the Russian Interpretation Section, serviced his last in-person meeting at UN Headquarters before the pandemic sent the Big Apple into lockdown. The following Monday, 16 March, “we all went into telecommuting,” he said.
13th Jul 2020 - UN News

A 14-Hour Detour Is Helping Russians Escape to the Beach

Muscovites desperate for a summer holiday abroad this year have found a loophole that’s letting them evade Russia’s coronavirus ban on foreign travel. A loophole that involves a 14-hour round trip via Belarus. Travelers are exploiting the soft border between the two former-Soviet neighbors. Russians can drive 715km (444 miles) from Moscow to Minsk with minimal checks, and once there they can make use of Belarus’s more liberal Covid-19 restrictions. “Since the quarantine, Minsk has become a Casablanca, the main crossroads for Russians who want to leave the country,” said Maxim Valetskiy, a Russian businessman with an Israeli passport and family in London, who has used the detour four times since the Kremlin halted foreign travel at the end of March.
13th Jul 2020 - Bloomberg

French mayor regrets lack of distancing at music event

The mayor of the French Mediterranean city of Nice has said he regretted a lack of social distancing at a shoreside DJ set thronged by partying crowds, vowing that in future masks would be obligatory at such outdoor events. A prominent French music producer hosted the set organised by the municipality on Saturday night, with crowds massing on central Nice's famous Promenade des Anglais esplanade. The density of the crowd as people danced the night away provoked fury on social media at a time when France is wary of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. "We regret that these rules have not been sufficiently respected," mayor Christian Estrosi wrote on Twitter.
13th Jul 2020 - RTE.ie

Families of Italy’s virus dead seek answers, solace and justice

Members of the Noi Denunceremo (We Will Denounce) Facebook group and an affiliated non-profit committee filed some 100 new cases Monday with Bergamo prosecutors investigating the outbreak, on top of 50 complaints lodged last month. Wearing a face mask with the group’s logo outside the tribunal Monday, We Will Denounce co-founder Stefano Fusco said the complaints don’t accuse anyone specifically of wrongdoing. “We simply tell our stories and ask the prosecutors to investigate about what happened here and why … there was such a huge massacre,” he said.
13th Jul 2020 - PBS NewsHour

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Blackburn with Darwen Council coronavirus 'worker bees' hailed

The coronavirus has brought new challenges and working practices for thousands of town hall staff across East Lancashire. Now one local authority is highlighting how its employees have adapted to the Covid-19 lockdown and social distancing. Blackburn with Darwen Council’s ‘Worker Bee’ social media campaign will show how backroom staff have moved onto the frontline and key staff helping the public have adapted to the pandemic. It features 11 of its employees who have been conducting 'window meetings' with residents, delivering services digitally, moving to virtual ways of working from home or transferring to its coronavirus 'Help Hub' to support 3,500 vulnerable and self-isolating individuals.
13th Jul 2020 - Lancashire Telegraph

How to volunteer and donate in New Jersey during the coronavirus outbreak (07/12/20)

As the coronavirus continues to cause disruption to the lives of New Jerseyans, some residents have been disproportionately affected and many service agencies have been critically impacted. Information on assisting agencies and nonprofit organizations is detailed below. Readers are encouraged to check back frequently, as the list will be updated regularly. To add your nonprofit organization to the guide or email newsletter
12th Jul 2020 - nj.com

How Muskoka's artists are rising to the challenges presented by COVID-19

With online ordering, deliveries, curbside pick up and safe studio visits offered by Muskoka artists, finding amazing original artwork for your cottage or home is still going to be part of your summer this year.
12th Jul 2020 - muskokaregion.com

6 Solutions To Local COVID-19 Problems, From Free Veggies To Virtual Church : Goats and Soda

Cardboard beds. Urban farms. Roving mariachi bands. These are some of the ways that regular folks are solving problems and spreading happiness during the pandemic. The solutions aren't perfect — public health experts have some critiques and suggestions. But at the same time, they applaud the ingenuity and positive vibes. Read the stories of six grassroots change-makers — then nominate your own at the bottom of this story.
12th Jul 2020 - NPR

KW Flamenco Fest 2020 goes online

The show will go on for the KW Flamenco Fest 2020, but it will be following public health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, all workshops and performances will be held online from July 21 to July 31. Workshops include helping participants develop or improve their foot work, singing, guitar skills and more. On the final day of the festival, a video performance will be released. Claudia Aguirre is one of the co-organizers of the festival, and a co-owner of local flamenco studio, CaluJules -- Flamenco Plus
12th Jul 2020 - KitchenerToday.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Harvard and MIT have sued the Trump administration over the rule barring international students from online-on

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued the Trump administration Wednesday over an order that would require foreign students to take classes in person this fall, despite rising coronavirus caseloads that are complicating efforts by colleges and universities to offer in-person learning. The lawsuit represented a swift response to an unexpected order issued this week by the federal government as universities rush to protect the status of thousands of foreign students. It also marks a new rift between Trump and education leaders over how to safely reopen schools in the midst of his reelection bid.
8th Jul 2020 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Here's how to sign up to test the first potential coronavirus vaccines in clinical trials

-The leading coronavirus vaccine candidates are weeks away from entering the pivotal phase of testing. To determine if a vaccine actually prevents infection or disease, researchers will soon start recruiting tens of thousands of volunteers into clinical trials. The US National Institutes of Health is coordinating most of this research, launching this week the COVID Prevention Trials Network.
9th Jul 2020 - Business Insider

Up to one third of people in UK may refuse coronavirus vaccine, new poll finds

Almost a third of people in the UK may refuse a coronavirus vaccine if one is developed, according to a new poll. Nearly one in five British adults say they would either probably or definitely turn down a vaccine, according to the YouGov poll of 1,663 adults, and another 15 per cent say they don't know yet how they feel about it. A coronavirus vaccine is seen by many as the only way out of the pandemic, and hundreds are at various stages of development across the globe. However, scientists say that between 70 and 90 per cent of the population will have to get the new vaccine for it to be effective in stopping the spread of Covid-19, which has killed half a million people since erupting in China six months ago. It is hard to put an exact figure on how many will need to get the vaccine, because it depends on how effective it turns out to be - if one can be developed at all. For measles, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that 95 per cent of the population get the jab.
9th Jul 2020 - Telegraph.co.uk

As Vaccine Skepticism In U.S. Grows, Experts Recommend Strategies For Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign

Experts blamed the influence of "anti-vaxxer" groups, which have capitalised on the fear and uncertainty around the pandemic
9th Jul 2020 - Forbes

A Coronavirus Vaccine Won’t Work if People Don’t Take It

If a vaccine for the coronavirus is developed tomorrow, will you take it? Many people won’t. According to recent polls, half to three-quarters of Americans intend to get the vaccine if one becomes available — woefully short of what we’ll need to protect our communities. As a pediatrician, I meet with all kinds of parents who have concerns about vaccines generally; many have told me they won’t trust a coronavirus vaccine, and that they and their children won’t take it, at least in the short term. They question the safety of a vaccine developed on an accelerated timeline, and in the shadows of political pressure — a concern that has also been raised by staunchly pro-science, pro-vaccine experts. A few families even buy into the conspiracy theory that microchips will be implanted into the vaccine.
9th Jul 2020 - The New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

CACOVID donates N1.4bn medical equipment, 26,400 test kits to boost Covid-19 testing across Nigeria

The private sector-led Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has donated N1.4 billion worth of medical supplies and additional 26,400 test kits sufficient to set up six fully functional COVID-19 medical laboratories in the fight against the pandemic. Presenting the test kits and medical equipment at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Lagos office, the MD/ CEO, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou commended the efforts of the public health institute in the fight against the virus and expressed optimism that the test kits and medical supplies provided would further expand testing capabilities across the nation to meet critical health infrastructure need to combat the virus.
7th Jul 2020 - The Guardian Nigeria

Harvard, MIT Sue Trump Administration Over International-Student Policy

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued the Trump administration in federal court Wednesday over new rules barring international students from staying in the U.S. while taking classes entirely online this fall. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, seeks a temporary restraining order prohibiting the government from enforcing rules that were laid out Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement governing how foreign students can—and can’t—enroll at U.S. universities this fall in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
8th Jul 2020 - The Wall Street Journal

Homeless choose to stay housed, but new faces appearing on streets

People who have been chronically homeless are choosing to stay in permanent housing - some for the first time in more than 20 years. Organisations working with rough sleepers say the change in attitudes is "phenomenal". But they are warning it's no time to get complacent about homelessness, especially as new faces start to emerge on the streets. Auckland City Missioner Chris Farrelly is well acquainted with people sleeping rough. There is one man in particular he never thought would be housed. He's been on the streets for 22 years. "He was reluctant. Three days into lockdown, when all of his mates had gone, he was sitting there alone and said to his case-worker 'I think it's time to go inside. But, I want a room with a view'." He's been in housing for three months now. Last weekend he took his first trip in many years out of Auckland, to visit family.
8th Jul 2020 - New Zealand Herald

We Are in Desperate Need of Quarantine Hotels

Right now, even considering how many cases of the coronavirus there are circulating in the country, it is very possible we’re in a relative lull compared with what the virus could do this fall. Which means that, right now, we need to be doing way more work to prepare for that possibility than we currently are. In addition to improving our testing and contact tracing capacity, the big thing America should be doing is figuring out how to keep people safe indoors. Part of that should mean setting up places for people to safely and comfortably isolate, away from other members of their household. I am talking (dreaming?) about quarantine hotels, which are common in countries with experience with viruses like SARS. They’re often used to quarantine incoming travelers, but there’s no reason they couldn’t be used more broadly—for travel within a country or to help anyone who wants to carry out a recommended isolation.
7th Jul 2020 - Slate

Coronavirus: Working from a holiday home! Barbados to offer year-long stays to remote workers

People working from home during the coronavirus pandemic could be given the opportunity to relocate to the Caribbean under a proposal from the Barbados government. Prime Minister Mia Mottley is considering introducing a "Barbados Welcome Stamp" which would allow international arrivals to live on the island while working remotely for up to a year. Ms Mottley has proposed the scheme as short-term travel has been become more difficult during the pandemic. Tourism makes up 40% of Barbados' GDP and 30% of its workforce is employed in the sector, according to Travel Market Report.
9th Jul 2020 - Sky News

Strains of hope: Chilean nurse serenades COVID-19 patients with violin

When most Chilean nurses finish their long shifts caring for the country’s many COVID-19 patients, there is little else on their minds but seeing their families, eating and sleeping. Not so Damaris Silva, who twice a week when she finishes her shift at 6 p.m. picks up her violin and returns to the ward. Silva, 26, spends several hours walking the corridors of the Hospital El Pino, in the capital Santiago’s poor southern La Pintana neighbourhood. She plays a mix of popular Latin songs, bringing a moment of levity for both patients - some of whom have spent weeks in critical care - and exhausted colleagues. “As soon as I walk in the patients brighten, they seem happier; they smile and applaud,” she told Reuters.
6th Jul 2020 - Reuters

Analysis | The Fight Over a Coronavirus Vaccine Will Get Ugly

For most people, a vaccine against the coronavirus can’t come soon enough, as it will be the only tolerable way to achieve herd immunity. So it’s encouraging that more than 100 drug candidates in 12 countries are in development, and eight are already entering clinical trials. To accelerate the process, some people are heroically volunteering to expose themselves to infection. With luck, some of us can get our shots next year. And yet, there’s still a danger that humanity will fail in its quest to control Covid-19. The culprit wouldn’t necessarily be the medical complexity, fiendish as it is, of engineering a vaccine. It could also be the ensuing politics surrounding inoculation. The fights will be intense, irrational and sometimes nasty.
8th Jul 2020 - Washington Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Devon woman sews 100 transparent face masks for deaf people

Claire Cross, 45 and from Devon, said her masks are 'vital' for deaf people. Nearly all people with hearing loss use lip reading to help communicate. Charities say they are at risk of 'months of misery' due to face masks
7th Jul 2020 - Daily Mail

Free ambulance helps save mothers and babies in Kenya lockdown

As soon as Kenya introduced a coronavirus curfew, Dr. Jemimah Kariuki, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Nairobi's Kenyatta Hospital, started seeing more death and complications. "Every time I went to the hospital it was fewer numbers but more complications...and when women died alone in childbirth, I was like 'in 2020?' You are dying? Alone?," she said. Mothers in labour and their babies die more frequently during disease outbreaks in Africa. Women are either too afraid of infection to give birth in hospitals, or drivers are too afraid to take them if police are enforcing movement restrictions. That means disruptions to health systems caused by COVID-19 could result in an additional 1.1 million additional child deaths and 56,700 maternal deaths in low and middle-income countries, a study by Johns Hopkins researchers showed.
7th Jul 2020 - SwissInfo.ch

Drive-in cinema: Dates, time and tickets for all of London's film screenings

With a format perfect for social distancing, insiders think they could become a major part of the industry, with Luna Cinema founder George Wood recently telling us they could be as popular and commonplace as regular open air screenings in the future. While traditional cinemas have opened up now, there are still plenty of people who feel more comfortable in their own cars, and big screens seem set to only get bigger, with drive-in comedy, music and even drag events coming to London too.
7th Jul 2020 - Evening Standard

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

The North Korean refugees supplying PPE to care homes

Jihyun Park and Timothy Chow understand the meaning of hardship. Both suffered under the brutal North Korean regime, enduring famine, the deaths of family members and imprisonment in forced labour camps - before fleeing and eventually receiving asylum in the UK. Wanting to give something back to the country that gave them safe haven, the pair have teamed up with other members of the North Korean community to donate a total of 7,000 sets of personal protective equipment to seven care homes in the north of England. "I escaped North Korea two times," says Jihyun, who lives in Manchester. "The first time I only escaped as far as China where I was married off to a farmer and effectively became his slave. I was later sent back to North Korea and forced to work in a labour camp in the mountains."
6th Jul 2020 - BBC News

British consortium ends after making over 13,000 ventilators

A British consortium formed by a group of aerospace, automotive and engineering firms to build ventilators for the country’s health service said on Sunday it would end after delivering over 13,000 devices. VentilatorChallengeUK said its production had more than doubled the stock of ventilators available for use in the National Health Service. The consortium, which was formed on a not-for-profit basis by the likes of Ford, McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Airbus, said in May it was ramping up production in case of a second peak in infections. But Dick Elsy, Chairman of VentilatorChallengeUK, said the NHS was now well-placed for the future.
6th Jul 2020 - Reuters

'Beautiful' to have a pint, 'brilliant' to get a haircut - England reopens after lockdown

People relished their first pub drinks in more than three months, went to restaurants and finally got haircuts on Saturday as England took its biggest steps yet towards resumption of normal life after the coronavirus lockdown. Some pubs started serving from 6 a.m., sparking worries of over-indulgence on what the media dubbed a “Super Saturday” of restrictions being eased. Some hairdressers were reported to have opened at the stroke of midnight. “It’s beautiful just to get back and have a pint,” said Jim Martin, a 56-year old carpenter enjoying a beer at The Holland Tringham pub in south London, part of the JD Wetherspoon (JDW.L) chain. It opened at 8 a.m. and was about three quarters full by 11.20 a.m.
4th Jul 2020 - Reuters

Coronavirus: Pubs close after positive tests

A number of pubs in England have closed after customers tested positive for coronavirus. At least three establishments announced they had shut their doors again just days after reopening at the weekend. They were among hundreds of venues that welcomed customers for the first time in three months as lockdown measures were eased. Crowds descended in some towns and cities, prompting fears social distancing was being disregarded. The affected pubs announced their closures via Facebook. The Lighthouse Kitchen and Carvery in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, said it was "slowly" working through a list of customers who had left details at the weekend. In Batley, West Yorkshire, the Fox and Hounds said a customer had phoned to say they had tested positive for coronavirus. The pub said staff had taken tests and the venue would be deep-cleaned prior to reopening.
6th Jul 2020 - BBC News

Spain forced to shut 55 beaches in Costa Del Sol and turn away British tourists amid social distancing fears

Scores of popular tourist beaches were forced to turn away visitors over the weekend after crowds defied social distancing rules. Some 29 beaches reached full capacity in Malaga, Costa del Sol - just as thousands of Brits were planning to jet out for long-awaited holidays. Another 26 beaches had to restrict access elsewhere in Andalusia, in the districts of Cádiz, Huelva, Almería and Granada, local newspaper Sur reported. Around 55 Spanish beaches were reportedly shut due to overcrowding at some point on Sunday. It came as 280,000 Spanairds were plunged back into full lockdown at the weekend after a surge in coronavirus cases.
6th Jul 2020 - Evening Standard

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Lockdown Legend: the volunteer who started a scheme to donate iPads to care homes

When the country went into lockdown in March, Eleanor Sutton had been volunteering for Helpforce, a charity that works with the NHS. Along with three other volunteers, Sutton came up with a new initiative called Connect Force. The scheme aimed to keep older generations connected to their relatives by donating iPads to care homes so that elderly residents could virtually ‘see’ their families when visits were no longer allowed. The project has been up and running since April and is primarily focused on care homes in London, but it’s already started expanding across the country.
26th Jun 2020 - Time Out London

NHS honoured in moving tributes as BBC, ITV and Channel 4 air footage from around UK

Britain's National Health Service was celebrated this evening on its 72nd birthday as people up and down the country gathered to pay tribute
5th Jul 2020 - The Mirror

Lockdown heroes: couriers get Moscow monument

A group of Russian e-commerce companies said Friday they had erected a monument in Moscow thanking couriers for helping people through the coronavirus lockdown. The tribute comes after some delivery workers, many of whom are impoverished migrants from Central Asia, protested against conditions they said were unfair. Online shopping company Ozon, sometimes called the Russian Amazon, as well as several supermarkets and food delivery services said they clubbed together to put up the sculptural tribute in the south of the capital.
3rd Jul 2020 - FRANCE 24

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

'Cuddle curtains' are going global amid the coronavirus pandemic

Social distancing during lockdowns has ruined the beauty of the hug. But many people have come up with a way to hug safely, the “cuddle curtain.” The idea has caught on and is now being seen across the world.
2nd Jul 2020 - CNBC

The kid next door: Neighborhood friendships on a comeback amid the coronavirus pandemic

Children's social worlds have been upended by the suspension of school and extracurricular activities due to the pandemic. Many older children and adolescents have been able to maintain their friendships over social media. But, for younger children, this approach is less likely to be available to them and less likely to meet their social needs. In some places, a silver lining of Covid-19 may well be the resurgence of childhood friendships in American neighborhoods.
2nd Jul 2020 - CNN

Preseason Workouts Provide Frightening Preview for Colleges

In recent weeks, universities across the country have conducted an unplanned experiment on whether students can return to campus this fall, using football players and other athletes reporting for voluntary workouts as guinea pigs. It hasn’t gone very well. The University of Texas at Austin had 13 student-athletes test positive for Covid-19. At Louisiana State University, 30 players—about a quarter of the football team—went into quarantine after some of them hit local bars. And the University of South Carolina reported 79 new cases among students in a recent eight-day stretch, but won’t say whether athletes have been infected. The troubling results show how challenging it will be to bring tens of thousands of young adults together for the resumption of classes in a few weeks. Many players who tested positive for the virus showed no symptoms. And in numerous cases, students ignored pleas from administrators to avoid crowds, contributing to a rise in positive tests. “Students are going to be returning to parties, there are going to be all sorts of things,” said Dr. Carlos Del Rio, an infectious disease expert at Emory University School of Medicine. “As long as those things happen you can do whatever you want to test people, but people are going to get infected.”
2nd Jul 2020 - The Wall Street Journal

Alabama students 'throw coronavirus parties with prize money for who gets infected first'

Students in Alabama are reportedly throwing "coronavirus parties" where guests are challenged to see who will get infected the quickest. Tuscaloosa City Councillor Sonya McKinstry has shared concerning reports that students are intentionally inviting people infected with Covid-19 to parties in the city of Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas. Ms McKinstry told city council members the students put money in a pot as a reward for the first person who gets infected with the disease. She told ABC News: "They put money in a pot and they try to get Covid. Whoever gets Covid first gets the pot. It makes no sense."
2nd Jul 2020 - Evening Standard

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Pop-up hygiene units: paving a way for crowds to return to football matches

Disinfect Group has created the stations that could help make fans feel safe to go back to stadiums.
2nd Jul 2020 - Campaign Live

Prague celebrates end of coronavirus lockdown with mass dinner party at 1,600-foot table

People in the Czech capital, Prague, built a 1,600-foot table and held a massive public dinner party on Tuesday, to celebrate the end of the country's coronavirus lockdown. Residents stretched through the city's streets and over its famous Charles Bridge after the government lifted restrictions on large gatherings. The Czech Republic was quick to implement a lockdown at the start of the global coronavirus outbreak and became one of the first countries to tell its citizens to wear masks -- helping it avoid the worst of the pandemic and ease restrictions earlier than many other nations. This meant that locals could enjoy a jaw-dropping spectacle of alfresco dining and forgo social distancing to celebrate the country's progress.
1st Jul 2020 - CNN

Peru's biggest LGBTQ disco gets a new look

Peru's biggest LGBTQ nightclub opened its doors on Tuesday as the government began to ease a strict lockdown due to coronavirus. But there will be no nighttime revelers and its dance floor will be filled with shelves stocked with groceries.
1st Jul 2020 - Reuters

How Estonia's digital society became a lifeline during COVID-19

Estonia built one of the world’s most advanced digital society long before the COVID-19 pandemic, providing services such as electronic voting, online learning in schools, digital bureaucracy and healthcare. When the coronavirus crisis struck, this investment paid off as Estonia’s digital public services continued mostly uninterrupted. Public-private partnership and trust in public institutions are the secret of Estonia’s success. Citizens embraced the digital revolution because it was transparent, fair and to the benefit of all.
1st Jul 2020 - World Economic Forum

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jul 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Unable to meet in person, nonprofit creates online hub for students with disabilities

Before COVID-19 came into the picture, Abilities Unlimited’s summer pre-employment classes were held in classrooms full of high school students with disabilities. This summer, the non-profit switched to a virtual classroom. "With COVID-19 it's a little bit different this year," program director Melissa Gerber said. Abilities' summer session helps the students prepare for the working world.
30th Jun 2020 - Hawaii News Now

Hospital bosses 'warned to prepare for A&Es to be like New Year’s Eve’ on July 4 as pubs open on ‘Super Saturday’

Health bosses have urged hospital accident and emergency (A&E) departments to prepare for patient numbers “similar to that of New Year’s Eve” when pubs and bars reopen this weekend. Thousands of drinking establishments and restaurants will open for customers for the first time in three months on July 4, on what is being dubbed ‘Super Saturday’. Sunshine and warm temperatures are forecast across large parts of the country at the weekend. The Standard has seen a letter sent on Friday by a regional NHS England director to hospital trusts' chief operating officers urging them to “ensure that your demand/activity planning reflects a busy weekend, with peaks in activity into the evenings similar to that of New Year’s Eve”.
30th Jun 2020 - Evening Standard

Fake contact tracing part of 'rapidly evolving' coronavirus fraud, U.S. DOJ warns

Scammers are posing as COVID-19 contact tracers as a way to steal personal information, three major U.S. government agencies said on Tuesday, describing “rapidly evolving” fraud related to the pandemic. The U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services and Federal Trade Commission warned that fake contact tracers were asking for money and trying to collect social security numbers, bank and credit card information from individuals.
30th Jun 2020 - Reuters

Germany: Coronavirus solidarity is on the wane but not gone

A few months ago, most people in Germany agreed with the countrywide coronavirus restrictions imposed on daily life. Are they now losing their community spirit? Not necessarily, say experts.
30th Jun 2020 - Deutsche Welle

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Cheers! Irish pubs reopen as end of lockdown nears

Irish pubs unlock their doors and begin pouring pints on Monday, ending a 15-week dry spell forced by the nation's coronavirus lockdown. Pubs serving food as well as restaurants and hotels are permitted to open as the republic enters the penultimate stage of its plan to lift stay-at-home restrictions. All domestic travel restrictions were also lifted, as churches, hairdressers, cinemas and museums opened and mass gatherings of 50 indoors or 200 outdoors were permitted.
29th Jun 2020 - FRANCE 24

New York's Broadway theatres to remain closed until at least end of 2020

New York's Broadway theatre district will remain closed until the end of the year, it was announced today, as venues said they would refund tickets up to January 3. The Broadway League, which represents the 41 theatres, said that it could not yet give a date when theatres would be ready to reopen. Theatres have been closed since March 12, which represents the longest shutdown in Broadway history.
29th Jun 2020 - Evening Standard

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Patient 91: How Vietnam saved a British pilot and kept a clean Covid-19 sheet

"If I'd been almost anywhere else on the planet, I'd be dead. They would have flicked the switch after 30 days," says Stephen Cameron from his hospital bed. The 43-year-old Scottish pilot spent 68 days on a ventilator, thought to be a longer stretch of time than any patient in the UK. He did so not in a hospital in his hometown of Motherwell, but in Vietnam's sprawling and hectic Ho Chi Minh City, with no close friends or family for thousands of miles. Cameron, the last Covid-19 patient in an intensive care unit in Vietnam, has been the sickest doctors have had to deal with during the outbreak. The country, home to 95 million people, has seen only a few hundred confirmed cases, single-digit ICU admissions and not a single recorded death. So rare was a case of Cameron's severity in Vietnam, every minute detail of his recovery was reported in national newspapers and on TV news bulletins. He's now known nationwide as Patient 91, the moniker given to him by public health officials when he fell ill in March.
27th Jun 2020 - BBC News

Australia gets second wave of toilet paper hoarding - The Jakarta Post

Australia's supermarket chains on Friday reintroduced purchase limits on toilet paper and other household items as a spike in coronavirus cases in the state of Victoria set off a fresh round of panic-buying over fears of a new stay-at-home order. Woolworths Group Ltd and Coles Group Ltd, which together account for two-thirds of Australian grocery sales, said they were once again limiting purchases of toilet paper and paper towels to one or two packs per person after photos circulated on social media showing empty shelves in stores. The buying restrictions - and images of stripped shelves - are a reminder of Australia's initial response to the arrival of COVID-19 when shoppers stockpiled household goods in anticipation of a protracted shutdown.
26th Jun 2020 - Jakarta Post

Drones display a heart to pay tribute to honor the victims of COVID-19 and sanitary workers in Madrid, Spain, Friday, June 26

Drones display a heart to pay tribute to honor the victims of COVID-19 and sanitary workers in Madrid, Spain, Friday, June 26, 2020. Spain's cabinet will extend the furlough schemes adopted during the coronavirus lockdown that brought the economy to a standstill until the end of September.
27th Jun 2020 - BTA.bg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Professional tennis set to return to Australia following lockdown

For the first time since March, professional tennis is returning to Australia. Competitors will play for prize money in a UTR pro series starting this weekend in Sydney. The series, which will involve local competition for Australia-based men and women according to the Associated Press, is set to probably run through August. Former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur is going going to take part in it, while top-ranked Ash Barty is opting out to focus on practicing instead. In Australia, players have returned to practice at the national tennis academy and community tennis has returned in recent weeks. Those participating must adhere to social distancing guidelines, but the moves have made way for tennis to return not just in the aforementioned Sydney, but also in other hub cities across the country.
25th Jun 2020 - CBS Sports

'Tears of joy': Eiffel Tower opens after 104-day virus lockdown

Tourists and Parisians ready for a workout gathered at the Eiffel Tower on Thursday as the iron monument reopened after its longest closure since World War II, a highly symbolic move as France emerges from its coronavirus lockdown. Journalists from around the world outnumbered about 50 people, mainly French, who began the steep climb by stairs to the first two levels, as elevators and the top observation deck will remain closed because of social distancing concerns. "I'm tearing up, but they're tears of joy. It's an emotional moment after these difficult months," said Therese, visiting from the southern French city of Perpignan.
25th Jun 2020 - YAHOO!

'Stay away from us': New Zealanders returning home to Covid 'lifeboat' face backlash

Some Kiwis find a harsh homecoming amid concern about importing coronavirus after months of lockdown sacrifice by ‘team of 5 million’
25th Jun 2020 - The Guardian

Ottawa artists keep creative in a time of COVID-19

Many small businesses and self-employed individuals have felt the effects of the isolation and shutdown because of COVID-19, including visual artists. With galleries closed and public showings not permitted, many artists have been forced to adapt or face serious hardship. The Orange Art Gallery in Centretown has helped to represent several local artists through virtual vernissages, ensuring they could continue showing their work through the pandemic. These Ottawa artists have taken the stress produced by the pandemic and turned it into art:
25th Jun 2020 - CapitalCurrent.ca

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

70% in Japan want telecommuting to continue after pandemic, survey finds

A recent survey has found that 70.0 percent of respondents are in favor of telecommuting even after the coronavirus is contained, with many happy with the reduction in commuting. Those in favor comprise 24.8 percent who fully think telecommuting should be promoted after the pandemic and 45.2 percent who somewhat think so. Asked to describe good things about remote work, with multiple answers allowed, 68.2 percent said they have no stress from commuting and 50.6 percent said they can live in and work from places with cheaper housing costs. Being able to work even when caring for family members or others was mentioned by 47.7 percent, followed by less time spent on unproductive overtime by 42.4 percent, and better working environments for people with physical disabilities by 41.6 percent.
24th Jun 2020 - The Japan Times

French connections - Life after lockdown: Exploring the 'new normal' in France

As France eases out of lockdown, people are heading back to their old ways of life, but these feel so unfamiliar. Though the places are the same, the way the French are supposed to navigate life is just different, whether it's wearing a mask or avoiding a kiss to say hello. What long-term impact are the coronavirus and the two-month lockdown going to have on French society? In this episode of French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot take a look at the "new normal" in post-lockdown France.
24th Jun 2020 - FRANCE 24

Disneyland Resort delays reopening of Anaheim theme parks amid COVID-19 concerns

Disneyland Resort announced on Wednesday that it will delay the reopening of the theme parks and hotel. There was no new date given. "The State of California has now indicated that it will not issue theme park reopening guidelines until sometime after July 4. Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials," Disneyland said in a statement. Disneyland employee unions had asked the state to delay the park's expected reopening in July out of concerns for health and safety.
24th Jun 2020 - KGO-TV

Could Covid-19 upheaval help film and TV industry respond to climate change?

Spain’s lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic was one of the strictest in Europe. The easing of the safety measures has been organised in very specific stages, region by region. Cinemas in some regions have been allowed to open since May 25 at just 30% occupancy. Some independent theatres in Madrid and Barcelona have been open since June 21 but the major chains are not due to open untl the last weekend in June. Cinemas are required to clean thoroughly in between each screening, offer disinfectant gel dispensers at each entrance, have assigned seating for all screenings in a way that allows for physical distancing and all tickets are sold online where possible. Government support for the decimated exhibition sector has included a €13.3m emergency fund and a reduction on the VAT on cinema tickets to 4% from 10%. To encourage audiences back to the cinemas, distributors and exhibitors and their respective associations – the Federación de Cines de España (FECE) and the Federación de Distribuidores de Cine (FEDICINE) – have joined forces to launch a publicity campaign on social networks: #yovoyalcine, underlining the joy of cinema-going with clips from movies including La La Land, The Shawshank Redemption and Cinema Paradiso.
24th Jun 2020 - Screen Daily

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Barcelona opera reopens with concert to an audience of hundreds of potted plants

A Barcelona opera has given its first concert since mid-March to an audience of potted plants. The Gran Teatre del Liceu opened on Monday for a performance by the UceLi Quartet, as a prelude to its 2020-2021 season. A string quartet played Giacomo Puccini's "Crisantemi" to 2,292 plants, in a performance that was also livestreamed to human listeners. The concert, which took place a day after Spain lifted its three-month state of emergency, was planned by Spanish conceptual artist Eugenio Ampudia.
23rd Jun 2020 - Evening Standard

Italian cities see bicycle boom after COVID-19 lockdown

Italy has seen a surge in bicycle sales since the government ended its coronavirus lockdown as people steer clear of public transport and respond to government incentives to help the environment. Some 540,000 bikes have been sold nationwide since shops across the country reopened in early May, according to sector lobby Ancma, a 60% increase in the first month compared to the same period in 2019. To keep people off metros and buses and avoid road congestion, the government has offered to contribute up to 500 euros ($562.70) for city-dwellers who buy traditional or “pedal-assisted” electrical bicycles. The subsidy, which kicked in on May 4 and runs to the end of the year, has accelerated a trend in place even in small centres where it is not available.
23rd Jun 2020 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: doctors on war footing to tackle surge in PTSD

The NHS faces a “huge surge” in Britons suffering anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the country’s top family doctor. Months of isolation, economic devastation and the loss of relatives, friends and colleagues to the disease is wreaking havoc on the nation’s mental health, said Dr Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). More than 50,000 family doctors are being issued with guidance to help them detect post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) triggered by the pandemic. Dr Jonathan Leach, a retired colonel who has supported thousands of veterans, helped draw it up.
21st Jun 2020 - The Times

France shows Europe can keep Covid-19 in check after reopening

With social-distancing measures still in place and the wearing of face masks made compulsory on public transport, new cases have lately stood at about 450 per day, from a peak of 7,500. Since easing the lockdown, the weekly number of Covid-19 patients sent to hospital has more than halved. France is to allow all businesses to resume and all children to return to school from Monday. “We are going to get back to our art de vivre and recover our taste for liberty,” Mr Macron told the French on June 14
22nd Jun 2020 - Financial Times

Coronavirus: French defy lockdown with Festival of Music

Thousands of people gathered across France on Sunday to celebrate an annual music festival, defying coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Revellers ignored social distancing rules and danced in the streets for the Fête de la Musique, known as Music Day in English. Police clashed with some revellers in Paris and with demonstrators in Nantes, using tear gas against protesters. Images posted online of the celebrations drew sharp criticism.
22nd Jun 2020 - BBC News

S'pore must remain open, reliable and resilient in a changing world

For Singapore to succeed, it has to master the major trends reshaping the global economy and speed up the transformation of its own economy
22nd Jun 2020 - The Straits Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Afghan health workers deliberately targeted during pandemic: UN

A UN report registered a dozen attacks on health workers at the height of Afghanistan's coronavirus outbreak. Targeting the health care system during the pandemic was ''particularly reprehensible,'' the world body said.
21st Jun 2020 - Deutsche Welle

Under lockdown, LGBTQ Russians were more isolated than ever. Then, the Zoom parties started

On April 12, hundreds of people logged in to Zoom. The organizers asked attendees to shout out where they were from. The chat pinged with cities and regions all over Russia, the former Soviet Union and beyond. “People weren’t afraid to turn their cameras on,” said Dyakova. “They were dancing in their underwear, waving LGBTQ flags, and the atmosphere of acceptance was fully present.” The 350-person gathering provided many young people with a means to escape the claustrophobic situations they had suddenly found themselves in.
21st Jun 2020 - Coda Story

Coronavirus: Why the new 'normal' is merely a thin veneer

It now looks likely the UK will suffer a longer lockdown than European neighbours, a worse economic hit and a higher death toll.
20th Jun 2020 - Sky

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus Isn't Over. New Yorkers Are Acting as if It Were.

All over the city, bars, stores and people themselves are bending or ignoring social distancing rules, irking officials trying to keep the coronavirus curve flat.
18th Jun 2020 - The New York Times

The flight to the suburbs is real and growing, as coronavirus changes the way people live

As the real estate market began to recover in May, home searches in suburban zip codes jumped 13%, according to realtor.com, one of the largest real estate listing websites. That doubled the pace of growth in urban areas. More than half of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas are seeing increased interest in the suburbs.
18th Jun 2020 - CNBC

UN agencies urged to support women in Covid-19 crisis

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nesa Indira urged the United Nations (UN) Women and International Organizations to support women's employment and development during the global coronavirus pandemic. "Women around the world are facing a variety of financial, social and health crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic. Women are losing their jobs and entrepreneurs' businesses have been closed," she said this recently while delivering a virtual speech at a conference. The state minister addressed a video conference "Towards Gender Responsive Covid-19 Recovery: Experience from Asia and Pacific" at the UN Women's Regional Office in Bangkok.
14th Jun 2020 - The New Nation on MSN.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

More than 100,000 carers 'forced to use food banks in UK lockdown'

Elderly spouses caring for each other and parents caring for disabled children are twice as likely as the general public to have used a food bank since lockdown, research has shown. The report, which experts said should “shock the nation”, found that more than 100,000 people doing unpaid caring for older, disabled or seriously ill relatives had been forced to use food banks since start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The figures paint a worrying picture of carers, especially those aged between 17 and 30, being under intolerable pressure. Almost 229,000 told researchers they have had someone in their household go hungry during lockdown.
17th Jun 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Project helping to combat social isolation helps thousands during the coronavirus outbreak

A project helping to combat social isolation has helped thousands of vulnerable people during the coronavirus outbreak. Community care forum Your Voice has offered a lifeline to residents forced to stay in their own homes during the pandemic. Since the lockdown their staff and volunteers have made more than 6,000 calls, staying in touch with nearly 4,500 people. Your Voice's Stephen Harrison said: "Whilst being physically distanced, we remain socially connected and are actively listening to communities and working with partners to respond to the situation.
16th Jun 2020 - Greenock Telegraph

Officials hope Austin's voluntary isolation facility will help slow coronavirus spread

The recent increase in COVID-19 cases has city officials working to minimize the number of hospitalizations. One of the ways they're doing so is with the use of a designated isolation facility. Tuesday, city officials gave CBS Austin an inside look at how they've turned a locally owned hotel into a safe place for people to voluntarily isolate. EMS Cmdr. Keith Noble is part of Austin-Travis County's Isolation Unit Task Force. "Our criteria is not based on where you live, or what your situation is. It is based on the criteria of your risk to CVOID," he said.
16th Jun 2020 - KEYE TV CBS Austin

Medical students are helping the homeless in quarantine survive the virus, isolation

The novel coronavirus poses a unique predicament for the homeless. If a homeless person contracts COVID-19 and needs isolation, where do they go? They can’t go to a shelter. The virus can spread like wildfire in such communal settings. Even if they find a place to quarantine, who will monitor their health? The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) joined forces with the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust and the Rotatory Club of Miami for a telehealth initiative to help homeless individuals infected with the virus. “Because people with COVID-19 can decompensate quickly, and the homeless are a particularly vulnerable population that lacks resources, we wanted to make sure that these patients are followed closely,” said Dr. Gregory Schneider, associate professor in the Division of Family and Community Medicine.
16th Jun 2020 - FIU News

Qatar Charity establishes 14 community-based isolation units in northern Syria to fight coronavirus - Syrian Arab Republic

Qatar Charity (QC) has started to establish 14 community-based isolation units in northern Syria, in cooperation with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to benefit 2,800 people of camps at a total cost of US$1.6 million. The initiative came as part of the urgent response to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), aiming at protecting the internally displaced Syrians living in camps from the virus. OCHA contributed to the project with a value of US$ 830,000, while Qatar Charity will contribute a value of US$770,000 to these medical and non-medical units. The community-based isolation centers, which are expected to be completely built at the beginning of next September, will provide an appropriate place to isolate COVID-19 suspicious and confirmed mild cases to prevent the spread of the epidemic in poor, especially densely crowded communities living in camps and displacement areas.
15th Jun 2020 - ReliefWeb

Peru archbishop fills cathedral with portraits of Covid-19 victims

Lima cleric covers walls and pews with thousands of photographs while criticising health system ‘based on business and not on mercy’
16th Jun 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Public space a 'lifeline' for post-lockdown cities

Public and outdoor space has been at a premium during the coronavirus pandemic: bike sales have leapt, park use is way up, and even pavement chalk drawing appears to be having a moment. Now as many cities start to reopen, some are looking at their sidewalks, squares, parking lots and even streets as a hidden asset in boosting their economies. “The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our relationship with our streets, open public spaces and public facilities,” said Laura Petrella, chief of planning, finance and economy at UN-Habitat. “Public space has emerged as a critical lifeline for cities and their residents,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The city of Braga in northern Portugal has opened public squares, sidewalks, parks and more throughout the city to restaurants and local businesses seeking to reopen to customers while maintaining social distancing.
15th Jun 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

COVID-19 social media vigilantes: A valid or harmful way of dealing with rule breakers?

What would you do if you saw someone not wearing a mask in public? Mind your own business, or perhaps advise the person to wear a mask because it is now required by law and helps reduce the spread of COVID-19? Another option might be to report the infringement to the authorities. However, some people have decided on a different approach: Snap a photo and post it on social media. With numerous Facebook groups and Telegram chats providing a platform for this in Singapore and elsewhere, experts CNA interviewed have explained why online vigilantism has appeared to become more prevalent during the pandemic. They said some see it as a social responsibility borne out of genuine concern for public health, while others cannot stand seeing others get away with breaking the rules as they themselves are compliant.
13th Jun 2020 - CNA

View from the Frontline: the firefighter delivering PPE

London Fire Brigade worker Winston Douglas talks about delivering PPE to organisations in need all over the city.
13th Jun 2020 - Time Out London

Vietnam schoolgirl creates art from the chaos of the coronavirus

Stuck at home with school suspended, Nguyen Doi Chung Anh made the most of a lockdown in Vietnam by using art to demonstrate tragedy, resilience and chaos in the world’s battle against the coronavirus. The work of 10-year-old Chung Anh shows how events unfolded globally, depicting the devastation with drawings of the coronavirus attacking landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben and the Leaning Tower of Pisa as it spread through Europe, the United States and beyond.
12th Jun 2020 - New York Post

Caring for coronavirus COVID-19 patients in Tegucigalpa | MSF

As numbers of COVID-19 cases rise in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, a team from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has started caring for patients with severe symptoms of the disease in an annex of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). Working in coordination with Honduran health and emergency authorities, MSF teams aim to prevent the capital’s hospitals from becoming overcrowded. In the hospital annex, which has been adapted into a specialist 20-bed coronavirus ward, the MSF medical team is caring for patients who need oxygen support. Patients are transferred there from local hospitals and from two other coronavirus wards set up within the university, where mild and asymptomatic patients are being cared for by staff from the Ministry of Health and the National Emergency Department. The MSF team is also providing patients and their families with psychological support over the telephone. As of 11 June, a total of 7,360 COVID-19 cases have been officially confirmed in the country; 23 per cent of them in the Francisco Morazan department, where Tegucigalpa is located.
13th Jun 2020 - Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International

Somalia's Islamist group al Shabaab says sets up COVID-19 treatment centre

Somalia’s Islamist group al Shabaab said on Friday they had set up a COVID-19 treatment centre in the country, and said the disease posed a grave threat, citing international health authorities. “Al Shabaab’s corona(virus) prevention and treatment committee has opened a COVID-19 centre,” the group said in a broadcast on their radio Andalus, adding the centre had been set up in Jilib, about 380 kilometres (236 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu. “International health organisations said COVID-19 is terribly spreading in countries of Africa continent.” For more than a decade the group has been fighting to topple the Horn of Africa’s Western-backed central government and establish its own government based on its own strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.
12th Jun 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Feeling caged up by the coronavirus? You can soon escape to the zoo.

Seizing on Tuesday’s executive order allowing various outdoor recreational activities to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic, zoos in New Jersey are once again letting humans in. At the state’s southern tip, the Cape May County Zoo will reopen on Saturday at 10 a.m., the county said in an announcement.
11th Jun 2020 - NJ.com

'China's lifeblood': street hawkers make surprise return to fire up ailing economy

Once discouraged in favour of modern, smarter cities, vendors have been praised by Beijing in a bid to keep low-skilled in work after coronavirus
12th Jun 2020 - The Guardian

Coronavirus: Bahrain school holds drive-through graduation on F1 circuit

As coronavirus bans wreak havoc on events, one Bahrain school has honored its seniors with a “drive-through” graduation ceremony complete with fireworks at the Kingdom’s Formula One circuit. In rows of well-spaced vehicles, students and their families lined up Wednesday evening in front of the main podium of Bahrain International Circuit, where Grand Prix races are held.
11th Jun 2020 - AlArabiya

Musicians perform a virtual gala in COVID-19 lockdown

Leader of the Metropolitan Opera and Philadelphia Orchestra used his time in isolation to achieve an artistic triumph that touched thousands
11th Jun 2020 - AlJazeera

Quarantined surfers return to Peru's famous waves

Peruvian surfers are returning to their nation’s world-famous waves after three months spent in lockdown due to the coronavirus. Wearing masks and carrying their boards, the surfers this week descended onto Lima’s rocky beaches for the first time since the pandemic shutdown. “It was about time, no?” said a smiling Alessandro Currarino, sporting a black wetsuit and matching face mask after hitting the waves. “Peru has some of the best waves in the world and we need to take advantage of them.” The South American nation has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, confirming nearly 210,000 cases – the second-highest number in the region, after Brazil. Authorities in early June announced they’d begin allowing non-contact sports to resume.
11th Jun 2020 - Yahoo News UK

Cambridge launches £1million bursary to help adults hardest hit by coronavirus

The University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) is offering adults hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic the chance to rebuild their futures with a new £1 million bursary programme.
11th Jun 2020 - Cambridge Independent

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How Afghan refugees are helping Turkey fight coronavirus

Afghan refugees are contributing to Turkey's fight against the coronavirus, producing soap and 1,000 face masks a day to protect people from the pandemic. A group of about 12 refugees living in the Turkish city of Kayseri have teamed up with local volunteers to produce and deliver these essential supplies to state hospitals, migrant health centres and local NGOs. The initiative is funded by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
10th Jun 2020 - Al Jazeera English

Going viral: A walk on a ‘new’ beach has never felt so good

I went for a walk on a new beach on Monday afternoon that’s some 25 kilometres from my house. Under new rules that kicked into effect in Ireland on Monday, I have a new sense of freedom – even if there are still many restrictions in place.
10th Jun 2020 - Gulf News

Netherlands sends first herring catch to German medics as coronavirus thank you

Some 4,000 new-season herrings are to be delivered to German medics as thanks for treating Dutch Covid-19 patients. The salty delicacies go to Münster clinic staff who coordinated Dutch transfers to German hospitals.
10th Jun 2020 - DW (English)

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

New Zealand gears up for 1st rugby match with spectators post lockdown

New Zealand will host the inaugural match of the Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa competition on June 13 at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. This decision comes as the New Zealand government confirmed that the country will proceed to Alert Level 1, lifting all restrictions and allowing the first major sporting event with a live mass audience at the stadiums in the country, a statement said. Pulse Energy Highlanders CEO, Roger Clark, said he is delighted that level 1 has arrived in time for crowds to attend their first home game. "No one can ever underestimate the sacrifices New Zealanders have made to allow this special event to take place. In many ways the staging of this game in front of a crowd represents our country''s success in fighting the pandemic, and while we appreciate there is still some work to do, it''s certainly a good time to celebrate what we have achieved so far.
9th Jun 2020 - Outlook India

In New Zealand, shopping, parties and big hugs mark start of 'COVID-free' life

New Zealanders hugged and kissed, shopped, and planned parties on Tuesday as the country took off all coronavirus restrictions for the first time in more than three months, while much of the rest of the world is still grappling with the pandemic.
9th Jun 2020 - Reuters UK

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Back to school for some, clubbing for others as Spain loosens restrictions

Pupils returned to school in some areas of Spain on Monday and nightclubs opened in others in a further easing of the country’s coronavirus lockdown. Spain, which has suffered one of the world’s worst COVID-19 outbreaks, imposed strict confinement measures in March but has been gradually reopening its hard-hit economy since May, with different regions progressing at different speeds. Some schools in the capital Madrid reopened for primary pupils on Monday and seniors preparing for university-entrance exams will return on Tuesday. Other regions are allowing different age groups to return.
9th Jun 2020 - Reuters UK

Thailand takes live music festival to Zoom during coronavirus outbreak

Rock fans in Thailand watched their favourite bands play via video-meeting platform Zoom on Sunday as a live music festival went online. Public gatherings have been banned in Thailand since mid-March to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, but Sunday's six-hour-long show gave people a chance to see and interact with artists from afar. "My favourite band hasn't had a live performance during the lockdown, so being able to see them today will make me happy," said 21-year old Siriyagorn Aimchomchid as she waited for their performance set to start. Some music fans gathered in small groups, permitted under the coronavirus restrictions, to watch the event, for which about 3,000 tickets were sold at 499 baht (around Rs 1197) apiece.
8th Jun 2020 - India Today

A Million Volunteers Help Thailand Curb Coronavirus Infections

Thailand is banking on an army of volunteer community health workers, tight border controls and acceptance of social distancing to reopen its economy, after a lockdown prevented a large novel coronavirus outbreak.
8th Jun 2020 - Bloomberg

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Women's unpaid and underpaid work in the times of Covid-19 - World

We ask the governments in Asia to save lives of all including caregivers from health risks of COVID-19. Invest in information, training, safety equipment, fair wages and just and favourable conditions of work. Ensure equal access to testing, treatment, and health care for all including caregivers at homes, in communities, and health centers. Commit to ensuring vaccine and treatment when available is accessible and affordable to all including women and girls living in poverty.
5th Jun 2020 - ReliefWeb

Three sisters who moved from India to save lives at Burton hospital

The sisters had always wanted to be nurses growing up in the Kerala region of southern India and when staff from Burton’s Queen’s Hospital went out there to recruit new workers, they knew it was what they wanted to do. Priya took the plunge first in 2002 when she decided to up sticks, leaving her family behind and move to the UK to work for the NHS. She was closely followed by Preema in 2004 then Preethy in 2005.
6th Jun 2020 - Derbyshire Live

Elephants, Long Endangered by Thai Crowds, Reclaim a National Park

Tourist trails helped push elephants to their deaths in Thailand’s oldest nature preserve. The coronavirus lockdown is allowing them to roam freely again.
5th Jun 2020 - New York Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

EDIS helping to release wiggles and giggles during COVID-19

The Educational and Developmental Intervention Services team at the 52nd Fighter Wing is taking the initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide a resource to families through a virtual classroom called Wiggles and Giggles.The playgroup focuses on early intervention and provides information and support to families who have questions or concerns about their child’s development. “EDIS is comprised of two programs,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Johnny Foster, EDIS flight commander. “Ages birth to age three take the program Early Intervention Services, and our school-age children the Medically Related Services. These unique services ensure children with special needs and their families have access to early intervention and school-based services with access to an audiologist, psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, speech-language pathologist, early childhood special educator, occupational and physical therapist.”
4th Jun 2020 - DVIDS

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Volunteers recognised for helping communities

Volunteers across Ryedale are being recognised for making a difference in their community. More than 1,500 volunteers are supporting thousands of people every week with shopping, collecting prescriptions or having a conversation to prevent loneliness. Joanna Chambers, of Marton, is currently shielding during the coronavirus lockdown to protect her nine-year-old son, William. William has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and severe global development delay in addition to other complex medical issues.
3rd Jun 2020 - Gazette & Herald

Amid coronavirus pandemic ‘Mompreneur’ gives back to her NYC community

Sondra Mansfield, a native New Yorker and small business owner, saw people losing their jobs around her and understood the impact of the growing food insecurity in New York, so she partnered with City Harvest to help give back to her community.
3rd Jun 2020 - YAHOO!

COVID-19 fattens wallets as Australians embark on saving spree in lockdown

Australians ramped up their saving efforts during the coronavirus pandemic and saw their bank accounts swell, according to national data released by Bankwest on Wednesday. Analysis of savings account data from the end of March to mid-May found median balances were up 45 per cent from the pre-COVID period and up 56 per cent year-on-year.
3rd Jun 2020 - Sydney Morning Herald

Leader's column: Amazing community spirit is the silver lining to coronavirus

THE silver lining in this crisis has to be the amazing community support we’ve seen, there would be too many heart-warming stories for me to list here, but I just wanted to give a shout out to Rednock School in my own ward of Dursley who made it into the national press this week for how they’ve been supporting vulnerable children. I’m really proud of how my town has come together to get through this, and as this Thursday was the official last day of our ‘clap for carers’ I’ll be thinking of all those people in my own community who have kept on working and caring for others all through these last few months. I know it’s been the same all across our district. Thank you so much.
31st May 2020 - South Cotswolds Gazette

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus isolated them in their rooms. Now, old-age home residents reconnect by spinning Elvis on the radio.

On Radio Recliner, a new online radio station, the DJs are elderly folks who have spent the past two months stuck in their rooms, meals delivered to their doors, activities canceled, their relatives relegated to waving through a window, at best. At a time of great fear and risk — old-age home residents make up about 40 percent of the nation’s deaths from the virus — the disc jockeys get to tell stories of better times as they spin their favorite tunes, from Elvis and ’40s big band tunes to ’60s rock (including the hard stuff) and a whole lot of love songs.
2nd Jun 2020 - Washington Post

Coronavirus in Ireland – Dublin hotel and charity team up to provide 100s of hot meals to elderly living in isolation

A Dublin hotel and a charity have been working together to deliver 100 hot meals a day to elderly people since March. The Bonnington Hotel teamed up with the charity Friends of the Elderly Ireland to deliver hot dinners to elderly people across North Dublin.
2nd Jun 2020 - Irish Sun

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Creating moments of comfort, connection and celebration during Covid-19

Thank-you ice creams for everyday heroes, creating opportunities for virtual catch-ups and helping families speedily cater for mealtimes. Find out how our foods and refreshment brands are reaching out to help consumers and communities navigate lockdown.
1st Jun 2020 - WebWire

BBC One soap Doctors to air lockdown episode about coronavirus pandemic

The cast of BBC One daytime soap Doctors have filmed a lockdown episode from their homes, exploring the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on staff at The Mill medical centre. Written by Toby Walton, the 45-minute episode, titled Can You Hear Me?, was entirely self-shot by the cast on their mobile phones.
2nd Jun 2020 - Aberdeen Evening Express

Picnics at last: Paris parks reopen after Covid-19 lockdown

Parks and gardens in Paris reopen on Saturday as France enters the second phase of its relaxation of lockdown rules that were imposed to stem the spread of Covid-19. Many Parisians can at last enjoy their first picnics of the summer. The city’s parks and green spaces reopen on Saturday following Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s address on Thursday, when he announced “good results” in the battle against Covid-19.
1st Jun 2020 - FRANCE 24 English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jun 2020

    View this newsletter in full

B.C. volunteers have sewn 15,000 masks since COVID-19 pandemic started

An army of volunteer sewers in B.C. has made over 15,000 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and organizers are now planning to create a non-profit organization to be able to organize and fundraise for the effort. Vancouver residents Tanya Faire and Britt Dolleren Wutschnik started the group Protect Frontline Workers on Facebook, after Dolleren Wutschnik posted that a friend who works in health care was looking for a mask. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept around the world, personal protective equipment, or PPE, became hard to find – and people stuck at home to prevent the spread of the virus were looking for a way to help.
31st May 2020 - CTV News

New drive-in cinema to tour the UK promising mix of 80s classic and family-friendly blockbusters

Once a hallmark of teenage life in 50s America, the drive-in movie is rolling into the UK. Touring across 11 cities in 12 weeks, @TheDriveIn will pop-up its screens from July 2 until September 27, starting with four days in south London, later returning to the capital for a stint in the east from September 17-20. The experience – which, given punters will be inside their own cars, should adhere to any social distancing rules which may still be in place – will screen six shows a day, with a mix of 80s classics and family-friendly blockbusters on the bill.
30th May 2020 - Evening Standard

Students put on killer Queen performance during lockdown

Musical theatre students tried a little Freddie to put on a killer Queen performance during lockdown. First and second years at University Centre Shrewsbury performed the classic Somebody to Love in one of their isolation sessions and uploaded it to YouTube. The video has received positive feedback online, including from the university's chancellor Sir Gyles Brandreth, who said: "The way the whole @uochester team has responded to this pandemic has been so impressive: heartening, inspiring, moving. I’m a mightily proud Chancellor.” Students participated in the video from their homes in England, Wales, Scotland and the United States. Ewan Ceney, Musical Theatre technician, created the instrumental track and sent it to the students to record their vocals. Once the students returned their completed solos, Ceney mixed the audio and edited the video.
30th May 2020 - shropshirestar.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

French Take Their Apéros to the Streets, Testing Lockdown Limits

With bars still closed despite the loosening of France’s coronavirus lockdown, the pre-dinner drinking tradition of the apéro has given way to the apérue: clusters of revelers on the streets, or rues, of Paris, outside establishments that are allowed to offer takeout. “They’re forcing us to do infantile things all the time,” said Frédérick Cassea, who was having drinks with two friends in front of Le Syndicat, a bar in the 10th arrondissement. “We’re all adults, we’re all responsible, we’re all aware of what’s going on,’’ Mr. Cassea added, describing the apérue and other acts of “civil disobedience” as a reaction to the government’s “catastrophic” handling of the epidemic. “Treating us like kids doesn’t work for long.”
28th May 2020 - The New York Times

National Gallery of Australia first to open its doors on Tuesday, June 2 as lockdown restrictions ease

For art and culture lovers, at least, the end of lockdown is well and truly in sight - the National Gallery of Australia will be opening its doors to the public again on Tuesday June 2. The National Museum of Australia is following suit, opening Tuesday with visitors able to finally see the landmark Endeavour exhibition that was two weeks from opening when lockdown was announced.
28th May 2020 - Canberra Times

Italians Flock to Beaches, Hoping Tourists Will Follow

It is Italy, which endured one of Europe’s worst outbreaks, that is most counting on the economically restorative powers of its beaches and seas. Tourism accounts for 13 percent of Italy’s gross domestic product, and 40 percent of that is from beach activity. Officials and beach club owners have expressed hope that foreign tourists will spend time and money in their country when the borders reopen in June. But in the meantime, it is the Italians who must pick up the sunbathing slack.
27th May 2020 - The New York Times

Michelin-starred takeout: French chef Guy Savoy turns to lockdown deliveries

It’s not your typical takeout menu, even in Paris: raw trout in a sour cream followed by quail confit with a cauliflower and almond sauce. Then again, in normal times three-star Michelin chef Guy Savoy doesn’t do delivery. One of the world’s most celebrated chefs, Savoy opened one of his four Paris restaurants, Le Chiberta near the Arc de Triomphe, for takeaway after France partially relaxed some coronavirus lockdown restrictions earlier this month. “We wanted to do this to show people that we’re still here, still here to help them keep up their spirits,” said Gilles Chesneau, executive chef at Savoy’s restaurants.
28th May 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How is Community Radio doing during COVID-19?

Put simply, there is not enough space to list all the good things that community radio is achieving with limited means and under very difficult circumstances but let’s highlight a few to counter last week’s picture.
27th May 2020 - RadioToday

Senior Citizens Use Comedy to Cope with COVID-19 Isolation

From monologues to impressions, these @GreenwichHouse comedy classes are helping seniors use humor to cope with isolation during the pandemic. In US news and current events today, these seniors are using comedy to cope with isolation during the coronavirus. Jo Firestone, a comedian and former ‘Tonight Show’ writer is offering comedy classes to senior citizens in NYC. The classes help the elderly use humor to as an outlet while they remain homebound to protect themselves against COVID-19.
28th May 2020 - YAHOO!

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Care home creates a drive-through so families can visit their loved ones safely during lockdown

Gracewell of Ascot set up a drive-through for people to visit loved ones safely The Berkshire care home keeps residents outside while visitors stay in their cars Many of the cars were decorated cheerfully with balloons, flags and drawings
26th May 2020 - Daily Mail

‘There is no work from home’: As Hong Kong moves past pandemic, unsung hygiene army soldiers on

Leung, a 54-year-old patient-care assistant in an isolation ward at Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, does not consider herself a front-line fighter against the coronavirus. A decade of serving patients had prepared her for the risks, she said, and quitting has never been on her mind. But Leung and others like her — street cleaners, hotel housekeepers, subway disinfecting crews — form a largely unheralded hygiene army helping to prevent the spread of the virus. Many of them elderly or migrants, they toil at considerable risk to their health, spending extended periods away from their families to minimize potential exposure.
26th May 2020 - The Washington Post

Germany's corona detectives led way out of lockdown

As the coronavirus permeated Germany with a speed that was scarcely credible, there was no technology in the world that could track it. Instead, the job of mapping and slowing the advance of the pandemic has been carried out largely by hand, often with little more than a telephone, a fax machine and many cups of coffee. The secret of Germany’s much-lauded contact-tracing system, one of the central pillars of its relative success in managing Covid-19, is not ingenious software nor an all-seeing state. It is an impromptu army of students, off-duty planning inspectors, social workers, police officers, military health workers, administrators and, in at least one case, the local fire brigade.
26th May 2020 - The Times

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: The strangers reaching out to Kyrgyzstan's lonely teenagers

Maksat (not his real name) feels alone and misunderstood. He often expresses suicidal feelings - a noticeable change, his teachers say, from the boy they knew before the curfew was brought in. And then he met a "phone pal" - Jalalbek Akmatov, a university student in the capital Bishkek. Jalabek is one of around 100 young adults taking part in a project to reach out via phone to teenagers just like Maksat, thousands of whom have been stuck at home for weeks. The scheme - called You Are Not Alone - was launched after seven teenagers took their own lives in the first two weeks after Kyrgyzstan started coronavirus lockdown in in March
25th May 2020 - BBC News

Once the Helpers, Now Those in Need—Effects of Pandemic Lockdown in Italy Reaches Essential Workers

In Italy, where hairdressers, daycare centers and bars have begun to reopen, many are still trapped inside their homes. They are dealing with the economic fallout of the pandemic by staying at home, waiting for help or finding other ways of coping while furthering the country's extended humanitarian crises. The systems and volunteers which have worked to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 are now, after two months of lockdown, battling a rise in abuse, extortion, and what are known as "deaths of despair" (suicide, alcohol and drug overdose). In April, the National Council of the Order of Psychologist
25th May 2020 - Newsweek

Donors are ignoring hygiene in the fight against COVID-19

Despite being critical in the fight against COVID-19, efforts to improve hygiene are mostly absent in donor commitments to tackle the coronavirus, according to WaterAid. Instead, the focus is on vaccines. “Vaccines and therapeutics are clearly essential in ending this pandemic, but until they are available the only defence we have against COVID-19 is prevention,” said Tim Wainwright, CEO of WaterAid UK, in a statement. “Three billion people have nowhere to wash their hands with soap and water at home, and many doctors and nurses in developing countries work in a healthcare centre without the most basic hygiene provision.”
25th May 2020 - Devex

Mubadala to manufacture medical supplies in UAE

Mubadala Healthcare and Strata Manufacturing (Strata) are collaborating to manufacture essential medical supplies and support the fight against COVID-19, utilizing additive manufacturing to produce intubation capsules, face shields and ear guards.
26th May 2020 - Arab News

The coronavirus doesn't exist in isolation — it feeds on other diseases, crises

Diseases don’t just interact biologically, they also interact with social factors. Poverty, housing, education and social stigma, for example, are all powerful determinants of health. Individuals with lower incomes and less education are several times more likely to develop diabetes than more socially advantaged individuals. These same relationships play a part in other risk factors for COVID-19, like high blood pressure and obesity. And it’s precisely these interactions — between both biological and social factors — that sets syndemics apart from other epidemic events.
25th May 2020 - The Conversation CA

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr holiday amid curfews, coronavirus fears

Muslims around the world on Sunday began celebrating Eid al-Fitr, a normally festive holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, with millions under strict stay-at-home orders and many fearing renewed coronavirus outbreaks. The three-day holiday is usually a time of travel, family get-togethers and lavish daytime feasts after weeks of dawn-to-dusk fasting. But this year many of the world's 1.8 billion Muslims will have to pray at home and make due with video calls.
24th May 2020 - CBC.ca

Drive-in cinema touted for Timaru

Drive-in cinema could be on the cards for Timaru next month. A joint venture involving Night Flicks Outdoor Cinema and Vivid Collective is looking at bringing the experience to South Canterbury as part of a proposed nationwide tour. The tour is also likely to visit Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill with the possibility of further centres yet to be added. Vivid Collective owner Jaymz MacKenzie-Hooper said the group had planned screenings of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and A Series of Unfortunate Events at Sir Basil Arthur Park on June 20, depending on Government announcements on how many can attend gatherings and public interest in the event.
24th May 2020 - Stuff.co.nz

Coronavirus patients turn to social media group for answers, support

“Has anyone found a relief for the intense burning in your lungs?” Chwala recently posted. The responses flooded in: Try steaming in a hot shower. Lie on your stomach. Ask your doctor for the steroid prednisone or the asthma medication albuterol. Request an X-ray to check your lungs for pneumonia. “It makes it a little easier to navigate what to do,” said Chwala, a 39-year-old hairdresser in Denver. The steam didn’t help, the stomach positioning did, and she reached out to her doctor to discuss the drugs and the X-ray. “It was comforting to have a plan,” she said.
23rd May 2020 - The Washington Post

Coronavirus: Digital poverty 'a threat to children in care'

A lack of access to basic technology during lockdown poses an "unprecedented threat" to the wellbeing of children in care and care leavers, a charity warns. Voices from Care Cymru (VFCC) said some of the most vulnerable children and young people in society cannot stay in touch with important support networks. The charity warned isolation and poor mental health is on the rise and called on councils to utilise technology. Local authorities have accepted there are "technological challenges".But the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), which represents councils in Wales, said social workers are embracing new ways of working.
24th May 2020 - BBC News

How Bristol’s communities are celebrating Eid 2020

There may be no Grand Iftar or collective gatherings this year, but that hasn’t stopped Bristol’s communities finding ways to unite people during Ramadan. “We are literally welcoming everyone with our arms open,” says Kiran Suman Malik, one of the driving forces behind Humanitarian Bristol – Covid-19, speaking on BBC’s The One Show on Thursday. The group’s efforts to distribute vital supplies to those in need and bring people together through a special socially distanced community Iftar project have gained national attention.
22nd May 2020 - Bristol247

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Italians let their hair down as coronavirus restrictions eased

After months in lockdown, as Italy opens up, there are queues for fresh haircuts. But can the country bounce back?
21st May 2020 - Al Jazeera English

Las Vegas wedding chapels bring in temperature checks, embroidered face masks and zoom congregations

Clark County clerk's office reopened on April 27 after Nevada went on lockdown. Since then, more than 1,500 couples from across country have gotten hitched. Drive-thru weddings have seen explosion in popularity during pandemic era. The 15-minute ceremony allows newlyweds to quickly tie the knot
21st May 2020 - Daily Mail

Coronavirus France: Sunbathers lie in social distancing zones

Sunbathers in La Grande Motte can book out spots cordoned off on the beach. Visitors can swim in the sea and sunbathe in their roped-off zone for three hours. Officials warn that beaches will be closed again if people do not observe rules
22nd May 2020 - Daily Mail

Tower of London lies empty amid coronavirus with famous beefeaters cut off in isolation

Now because of coronavirus the Tower of London lies practically empty, it’s fallen quiet and the drawbridge has quite literally been pulled up. Fox News was given a rare look inside. The only people living there now, cut off in isolation, are the 37 famous beefeaters, historically the British monarch's personal bodyguards who live inside the walled fortress, with their families, and who are there to protect the crown jewels.
21st May 2020 - Fox News

Coronavirus: Canadian violinists unite in isolation to perform virtual tribute

Young Canadian violinists have combined their musical talents by creating a video to unite Canadians across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organized by Sébastien Tsai of Montreal, the video showcases the talents of 40 violinists across Canada. In late March, Tsai, a student at the Montreal Music Conservatory, saw the grim situation across the country and decided to use his musical talents for good. He knew just one violin wouldn’t do, so he called his cousin in British Columbia.
21st May 2020 - Globalnews.ca

Gogglebox stars auction self-portraits to raise funds for NHS nurses

Gogglebox regulars Lee Riley and Jenny Newby are among the stars from hit show who will be auctioning off a self portrait of them on their sofas to help raise funds for NHS nurses. In recent weeks, the stars have been busy getting creative and making self-portraits to be auctioned off for Cavell Nurses’ Trust - which is raising funds for nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants during the Covid-19 pandemic.
21st May 2020 - Evening Standard

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Film and photo project focuses on front-line NHS staff

Doctors, paramedics, nurses, psychologists, virologists and support staff have contributed to the Hands Across the NHS project - photographing their hands and videoing they work amid the coronavirus pandemic. Film-makers Jonathan Beamish, Angelique Arnold and Victoria Bolstridge worked remotely on the fundraiser for NHS Charities Together. Here is a selection of photos from the series, with comments from the contributors.
20th May 2020 - BBC News

Quarantine crafting: DIY at home with kits and virtual classes from Phoenix arts studios

Arts organizations and businesses throughout metro Phoenix have closed their doors due to the new coronavirus pandemic, but they're finding ways to bring art to the homes of creators who can no longer meet in person. And with resources like virtual art classes and take-home crafting kits, there are many ways to improve your DIY abilities from the safety of your own home. From kiln-fired pottery to intricately woven wall hangings to glitter-filled slime kits, there's a crafting activity for every age and creative interest during quarantine.
20th May 2020 - AZCentral

France’s cinema bosses fear drive-in screenings that avoid lockdown laws are taking away their business

French cinema owners are furious as a novelty drive-in film festival is managing to steer clear of the country’s lockdown rules while they are forced to remain closed. The travelling drive-in film festival which began in Bordeaux this weekend, and which is set to cross the country showing a mixture of arthouse films and French hits. The Federation Nationale des Cinemas Francais said that the festival and other outdoor projections were leading audiences away when “local and national authorities should be concentrating on battling to reopen cinemas”.
20th May 2020 - Euro Weekly News

People in England flock to beaches following easing of lockdown restrictions as UK enjoys hottest day of the year

People in England made the most of their new found freedom and flocked to beaches and parks as the UK looked set to enjoy the hottest day of the year so far. Parts of the UK were set to see temperatures of 28C (82.4F) on Wednesday, looking to beat the 2020 record set on Tuesday at London’s St James’s Park when the mercury hit a high of 26.2C (79.16F). Lockdown restrictions were eased in England on Sunday 10 May allowing people to sunbathe, picnic and drive to beauty spots to enjoy "unlimited exercise". Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland remain under stricter restrictions.
20th May 2020 - ITV News

Relaxed lockdown could hurt rough sleepers

There are concerns thousands of rough sleepers currently housed in hotels and motels will be back on the street once coronavirus restrictions ease. State and territory governments have paid hotels to accommodate homeless people to help them self-isolate. Advocates say the federal government needs to pump money into social housing construction to help people keep a roof over their head. Agreements between hotels and governments end in June and July, according to a representative body for the accommodation industry. Everybody's Home spokeswoman Kate Colvin says there are an estimated 4000 rough sleepers currently staying in hotels and motels across Australia.
20th May 2020 - 9News

From Gelaterias to Beach Resorts, This Is How Italy Is Getting Ready to Reopen After Coronavirus Lockdown

This week, two months after that lockdown was imposed, Italian shops, restaurants and other public areas will open their doors as the country hopes to bounce back. I spoke to the people I was supposed to meet during my trip back home, to try to understand how my country is preparing for this new, unknown, second phase.
20th May 2020 - TIME

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Drive-in concerts to be tested in Australia this week

This Thursday (May 21), singer-songwriter and Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan is set to perform with her band at Sydney’s first-ever live theatre drive-in. The performance is organised by Drive-In Entertainment Australia and will be held at the Robyn Webster Sports Centre from 12:00pm to 1:00pm AEST. In accordance with current social distancing rules, patrons will participate in the concert remotely from their vehicles with two options for sound: tuning into an FM radio frequency and/or rolling down their windows. Extra safety restrictions will be enforced to ensure the event complies with government-mandated regulations.
19th May 2020 - NME.com

Cinemas start to reopen in Japan, showing Hollywood classics like The Wizard of Oz and Ben Hur

Cinemas across Japan have begun to reopen, after being closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Without any new blockbuster releases, however, cinemas are resorting to screening old Hollywood classics to draw in crowds. Sword-and-sandal flick Ben Hur and musical fantasy The Wizard of Oz are among the films returning to cinemas.
19th May 2020 - The Independent

Florida music students play 'Lean on Me' from their yards to honor frontline workers

When Florida schools shut down in March because of the coronavirus, music teacher Amy Isenhower knew she wanted to organize an event that brought students together. On Friday, her idea came to life when secondary music students from Oak Hammock K8 School in Port St. Lucie stepped outside at 7 p.m. to play "Lean on Me" – the Bill Withers classic – on their lawns to honor frontline workers and those who have sacrificed as a result of the pandemic. "It was a very cool experience for the kids to be able to reach out to the community and to each other," Isenhower said Monday.
19th May 2020 - USA TODAY

Volunteers helps Nevis Range prepare for life after lockdown

Volunteers are rallying around to prepare the Nevis Range resort for a return after lockdown and the biggest challenge in its 30-year history. The snowsports, mountain biking and outdoor activities destination near Fort William has organised a bike trail maintenance day and a litter-picking weekend in advance of re-opening when restrictions are lifted. Dates for the events will be scheduled when the lockdown eases and it is safe for staff and local volunteers to work alongside each other. Already more than 50 people have signed up to help and others have expressed interest in getting involved.
19th May 2020 - Press and Journal

Online dance lessons can keep you on your toes during coronavirus isolation

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, based in Fort Lee, has been hosting free noontime dance classes online five days a week since late March, shortly after everything got firmly locked down by the coronavirus pandemic. The one-hour sessions, streamed live on Zoom, include instruction on a particular dance style by a dancer/teacher affiliated with the company followed by a “meet the artists” opportunity. All skill levels are welcomed, no matter how many left feet they have.
18th May 2020 - NJ.com

GoFundMe for Latino meals at coronavirus isolation hotel raises more than $5,000

A North Shore woman raised more than $5,000 this week to provide meals of chicken, arroz con gandules, and sweet plantains to patients who are staying at the COVID-19 isolation hotel in Revere, after learning that the state was providing Italian food to a mostly Latino population. “I just felt like it’s such a small gesture that could mean something," said Cindy Ross, a yoga teacher and board member at the Salem nonprofit Root, about organizing the fundraiser.
18th May 2020 - The Boston Globe

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

GPs to support care home residents with Covid-19 'remotely and face to face'

GPs will be expected to monitor care home patients with Covid-19 face to face as well as remotely under the new support service, the Government has said.
18th May 2020 - Pulse

UK cities are awakening as lockdown is eased

The new rules, combined with warm spring weather, saw movement rates rise to 60 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels on Saturday, 16 May. That compares to nearer 30 per cent towards the end of March. Numbers have been edging up in recent weeks, with the Bank Holiday weekend between 8 May and 10 May showing an increase in walking in particular, ahead of the lockdown restrictions being partially lifted. Since Wednesday 13 May, people have been allowed unlimited exercise and can drive to other destinations in England such as beaches or parks. Data from Apple Maps show easing the restrictions had a clear and immediate effect.
18th May 2020 - New Statesman

COVID-19: Charities say transparent face masks could stop isolation for nine million deaf

Nine charities led by the National Deaf Children’s Society are calling on Public Health England and NHS England to commission transparent face masks, saying it will make a "monumental difference" to deaf people.
18th May 2020 - Homecare.co.uk News

AfDB partners with SWA to provide access to water in the fight against COVID-19

In support of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) launched an international campaign on Thursday, May 14, aimed at expanding access to water, sanitation and hygiene in Africa. The goal is to ensure that water and sanitation systems are available, mobilizing funds to support countries in need and deliver accurate and credible information. Global partners such as governments, donors, civil society organizations, and other development partners working to ensure that SWA’s goals are actualized.
19th May 2020 - Ventures Africa

Self-help project in Niger churns out hygiene products in fight against coronavirus

Mini refugee ‘factory’ produces soap, liquid handwash, bleach and water containers for free distribution.
18th May 2020 - UNHCR

Coronavirus: Commuters shun trains as they return to work after easing of lockdown

Commuters returning to work for the first time after Boris Johnson eased lockdown restrictions shunned train services despite rail firms adding extra carriages to help preserve social distancing. Network Rail, which manages Britain’s 20 busiest stations, said passenger numbers on Monday morning were “very similar” to last week, when they were around 93 percent below average.
18th May 2020 - iNews

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Live entertainment is evolving online to be a lifeline

From gigs to plays and quizzes, live entertainment has moved online during lockdown - and creative minds are coming up with new ideas to give us back some of the human connection we've lost. Every Saturday for the past two months, Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody has sat down and written a song. Well, he has co-written a song - with 5,000 fans on Instagram. He asks them for chords, comes up with melodies, and puts them to a vote. He then asks for ideas for lyrics before coming back an hour later with a finished track. "Some are really good," he says.
18th May 2020 - BBC News

Coronavirus: Clothes box attempt to help Bangladeshi workers

An Edinburgh businessman is trying to help thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers hit by cancelled orders during the coronavirus outbreak. Cally Russell said the country was left with mountains of unsold clothes in factories after UK retailers pulled out of their contracts. Now the 32-year-old is planning to sell the clothes in the UK at half price in boxes based on customer's preferences. The money will then go to help clothing workers who have lost their jobs. Mr Russell, who is the CEO of online clothing retailer platform Mallzee, has created the new venture called Lost Stock. Shoppers can buy a £35 box of clothes worth £70 after filling in a questionnaire about their size and taste in clothes. The boxes will then be made up in Bangladesh before being shipped to the UK. The shoppers do not get to choose the items but the boxes have been tailored to each customer.
18th May 2020 - BBC News

This one goes out to all the Heroes of our time Thanks @manszelmerlow for giving us such a touching version of #Eurovision 2015 winner Heroes. #ShineALight | #ESC2020

This one goes out to all the Heroes of our time Thanks @manszelmerlow for giving us such a touching version of #Eurovision 2015 winner Heroes. #ShineALight | #ESC2020
16th May 2020 - @Eurovision

Small museums welcome first visitors as France's lockdown eases

Culture is among the sectors hit hard globally by the coronavirus pandemic. In France, museums across the country closed their doors when the lockdown began in March. The largest and most celebrated, including the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, aren't due to reopen until the summer. But as France begins to ease confinement measures this week, small cultural venues are allowed to open their doors.
15th May 2020 - FRANCE 24 English

Kenyan hip hop artist Juliani stages online concert to highlight coronavirus divide

Popular Kenyan hip hop artist Juliani will stage an online concert on Sunday to draw attention to the social inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused multiple challenges for the country’s poor. Juliani, who was raised in Nairobi’s Dandora settlement that is also the largest dump site in the capital, said the concert was for his fans, most of whom are from city slums and crippled by the arrival of the coronavirus in the east African nation. Stay at home orders were hindering their ability to work, he said, while measures to prevent infection, like hand-washing and social distancing, were impossible for these communities.
15th May 2020 - Reuters

US: Muslims in Dearborn deliver food to hospitals during Ramadan

One of US's largest Muslim communities prepare food for doctors, nurses and others on the coronavirus front lines.
18th May 2020 - Al Jazeera English

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Pakistan recruits a Covid-19 'Tiger Force' to monitor social distancing

Hundreds of thousands of young people have registered for the civilian volunteer scheme, which will also help the poor
14th May 2020 - Telegraph.co.uk

'The way we get through this is together': mutual aid under coronavirus | Rebecca Solnit

Amid this unfolding disaster, we have seen countless acts of kindness and solidarity. It’s this spirit of generosity that will help guide us out of this crisis and into a better future.
14th May 2020 - The Guardian

Three-year-old dances away COVID-19 blues in Punjab hospital's isolation ward

Unperturbed by the COVID-19 pandemic that has everyone worried, a three-year-old boy admitted to the isolation ward of the civil hospital in Punjab's Nawanshahr district keeps himself busy by grooving to Punjabi songs. Admitted to the hospital along with his 35-year-old mother on April 30 after they tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from Gurdwara Hazur Sahib in Maharashtra's Nanded, the little one ensures that the mood in the ward remains upbeat.
15th May 2020 - The New Indian Express

Coronavirus: Free Isle of Man postcards to 'send hope' to those isolating

A prepaid postcard being delivered to every household on the Isle of Man will enable people to "send some words of hope" to family and friends in isolation, the chairman of Isle of Man Post Office (IOMPO) has said. The mailshot is designed to help people "stay connected" during the coronavirus pandemic, Julie Edge said. They were being distributed across the island this week, she added. The postcard can be sent to any address in the world free of charge.
14th May 2020 - BBC News

Ireland swoons over Matt Damon's lockdown love affair with village

Hollywood actor goes native in Dalkey, touting his togs in a Supervalu bag and calling in to local radio
14th May 2020 - The Guardian

SoCalGas Employees Lead Drive to Get Hundreds of Hygiene Kits to Those Transitioning out of Homelessness through LA Family Housing

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) staff and LA Kings staff, fans and mascot Bailey today held a donation event for LA Family Housing, to deliver hundreds of hygiene items for people transitioning out of homelessness. SoCalGas and the Sempra Energy Foundation also teamed up to donate $50,000 to LA Family Housing (LAFH).
14th May 2020 - YAHOO!

Reunions, eating out and a lot of haircuts: New Zealand embraces relaxation of lockdown

Joshua Young was raring to get to the Tahunanui Beach playground on Friday morning. For almost two months, the seven-year-old Nelson resident has had to see one of his favourite play spots wrapped up in caution tape, while New Zealand undertook the strictest lockdown in its history. While Joshua and his mother Claire Young have explored other parts of Nelson, there was no substitute for the popular beachside park. “We are lucky here that there are plenty of places to play without climbing structures, but he just couldn’t wait to come today,” she said.
14th May 2020 - The Guardian

Woodland Opera House Theatre and Dance Annex offering virtual classes

With the doors to both facilities closed since mid-March, the organization’s Education Director Emily-Jo Shepherd shared how they quickly came up with a plan to continue offering programming. “Immediately after our Theatre and Dance Annex closed to the public, we came together as a staff and implemented our virtual platform,” Shepherd explained. “In less than a week, our 19 instructors were trained in hosting virtual classrooms and we transitioned our 50+ classes online.”
14th May 2020 - Woodland Daily Democrat

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus creates resurgence of drive-in movie theaters

There aren't many individuals or institutions that can claim to have done well during the coronavirus pandemic, with one exception being the nation's few remaining drive-in movie theaters. With indoor theaters closed, drive-ins have provided movie-goers the opportunity for a shared audience experience. It is also inspiring a new generation of screen junkies with something they've only read about in history books.
13th May 2020 - KPIC News

Great-great grandmother hopes to raise thousands for NHS charities with 'Knittingale Hospital'

While Nightingale hospitals were being built across the country in response to the coronavirus outbreak, a great-great grandmother was creating her own "Knittinggale" hospital in wool. Known as "Norfolk's knitting queen", 91-year-old Margaret Seaman was desperate to do something to help raise money for NHS charities while in isolation with her daughter Tricia at their home in Caistor, near Yarmouth - and the "Knittinggale" hospital is her response. The masterpiece is still a work in progress, but already includes a plaster clinic, adult and children's wards, an A&E department and a reception.
13th May 2020 - ITV News

From albums to videos, how Milwaukee musicians are using their creativity to address the coronavirus pandemic

The toll of the times also inspired the debut for a new Milwaukee hip-hop supergroup — Jillian's Revenge, featuring Shle Berry, Keez and Yogie B. Work had begun on an album, but that's been put on pause. But on April 20, a date that's become an international celebration of cannabis, they released a new tune, the deceitfully titled "Everyday Is 420, So Here's a Regular Song."
13th May 2020 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Coronavirus: Llamas deliver shopping to those in self-isolation

Those opening their front door to get their shopping delivered in Pembrokeshire might be in for a surprise. Instead of a delivery driver, elderly residents are having their groceries delivered to their doorsteps by llamas. The woolly animals, usually used for trekking adventures around the county, have been roped in to carry essential supplies to those in self-isolation.
13th May 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus in Ballarat: Shower bus offers hygiene services in time of great need

The One Humanity Shower Bus recommenced its free shower service to support people experiencing homelessness on Monday. The Shower Bus ceased offering its shower service in late March in response to COVID-19, but it expanded its role in the past few weeks to offer hand washing facilities to people visiting the soup bus.
13th May 2020 - The Courier

Coronavirus: Amazon partners with NGOs to donate hygiene aid kits, PPEs

Amazon India on Monday said it has partnered with several Non-Government Organisations across the country to donate hygiene aid kits, Personal Protective Equipment kits and groceries in support of healthcare workers and communities most affected by COVID-19
12th May 2020 - Deccan Herald

Family-Owned Greenhouse Donates $1Million in Orchids to Healthcare Workers in 7 Hardest Hit US Cities

“In this extraordinary time, it was important to our organization to find ways we could contribute and the answer was clear,” said Scott Giesbrecht, Co-CEO of Just Add Ice brand orchids and Green Circle Growers. “We realized our nation’s healthcare workers have been experiencing some of the darkest days of our lifetimes. If our orchids can provide a bit of joy and color for these very deserving individuals, we felt it was the least we could do during this difficult time.” More than 50,000 orchids will be delivered to those on the frontline at hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, food banks, and more.
11th May 2020 - Good News Network

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

News - CORONAVIRUS - Relationship Matters website launch

Relationship Matters is a new partnership between City of York Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and 13 other local authorities across Yorkshire and Humber. A new website is being launched to offer families information, tips and help and what better time as the coronavirus is leading to big changes in the way we live our everyday lives. Whether couples are together or separated, disagreements are completely normal. But evidence shows that regular conflict has a big impact on children. All relationships have tricky moments it is how they’re experienced and resolved that matters especially at the moment for getting us through enforced self- isolation, lock down and social distancing. We are all spending longer periods of time with our loved ones and this is bound to bring about some added challenges.
11th May 2020 - Minster FM

Coronavirus - Gambia: Dignity Kits improve wellbeing and meet hygiene needs of women and girls amid COVID-19

During emergency situations like The Gambia is experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the essential needs of women and girls are often and easily neglected. This is why, UNFPA The Gambia in partnership with the Gambia Red Cross Society on 7 May 2020, commenced the distribution of 300 dignity kits for women and girls in Basse. The dignity kits distributed among the women and girls in the community of Basse are part of a drive to ensure they are not left behind in the National COVID-19 response efforts and make certain that access to essential sexual and reproductive health commodities and services is not limited during this period. Each dignity kit distributed contained a large plastic bucket, a baby flannel, 2 20g bars of bathing soap, 1 800g bar of laundry soap, a towel, wrapper, pair of slippers, drinking cup, scrub, deodorant, 2 underwear and a pack of sanitary pads.
11th May 2020 - Africanews

Guy Fieri has helped raise more than $20 million for out-of-work restaurant workers

Guy Fieri partnered with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation to raise money for the foundation's Restaurant Employee Relief Fund. And in under two months, Fieri, known as "The Mayor of Flavortown," has helped the fund raise more than $20 million, according to the foundation. "During these challenging times, the NRAEF's mission to support the industry's workforce is more important than ever," said Rob Gifford, NRAEF president, in a statement. "With Guy as our champion and the support of so many generous companies, we can help get our family of restaurant workers back on their feet.
11th May 2020 - CNN

Ballerinas from all over the world created a mesmerizing video to raise money for other dancers' coronavirus relief

Leading ballerinas from countries across the world have come together in a stunning performance to raise money for dancers facing financial difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic. Misty Copeland, principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, and fellow dancer Joseph Phillips collaborated with the nonprofit Entertainment Industry Foundation to launch "Swans for Relief," a worldwide virtual ballet event. The relief fund aims to raise money for dancers who depend on performance income to cover basic necessities like rent and food, and are now struggling financially as dance companies close their doors because of the pandemic.
10th May 2020 - CNN

After an officer was spat on, a UK resident made 200 face shields to protect police

Residents in the UK stepped up to help protect police on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic after an officer was spat on. Paul Mosley, along with his team, used a 3D printer to make 200 face shields for the Nottinghamshire Police. He said he decided to make them at home after hearing about an incident involving Police Constable Anthony Brice, according to a press release issued by Nottinghamshire Police. Last month, a man that was being detained by Brice spat in the officer's eye, which led the officer to fear he may have caught coronavirus. He took a test, police officials said, which ultimately came back negative.
10th May 2020 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Australian's French domestic violence charity helps expats in lockdown

Football legend Eric Cantona, Australian-Indian actor Pallavi Sharda and British-French actor Jane Birkin were recruited to the cause, posting Facebook videos explaining how to seek safety in 22 languages. The charity also used Twitter, Instagram and foreign language media to make their presence felt. "Those figures out of China, those frightening figures, really pushed us to act," McGrath said. "We were not surprised; we were disgusted, and hurt, and heartbroken. "This is the first time we reached out to victims and we did it because of COVID; we knew how much violence would increase and these foreign women are already vulnerable." The charity's fears were well founded.
9th May 2020 - The Age

Aberdeen ex-pats give 95-year-old grandpa a birthday to remember with lockdown surprises

Emily Fraser and her husband Sam, along with other family members, used to regularly make the trip out to Banchory to visit granddad Ernest Singer. But as the pair moved Down Under last August, and other relatives have been unable to visit his sheltered housing apartment due to the coronavirus pandemic, he has been left isolated and “desperate for a hug” for the last seven long weeks. Mr Singer still uses the phone and video-calling to speak to loved ones regularly, and also converses with staff and the other residents at Dalvenie Gardens. But as he turned 95 on Monday, all his family wanted to do was make a fuss and help him celebrate in person.
8th May 2020 - Press and Journal

Covid 19 coronavirus: Ngāti Hine spreads aroha with food, hygiene packs

A Ngāti Hine-based crisis response group has distributed more than 1500 food packs or "kete koha" (gift baskets) around Moerewa and as far away as Bream Bay since the Covid-19 crisis began. The packs contain flour, bread, eggs, fruit, vegetables, kumara and other essentials, and are delivered to vulnerable families and the elderly. Hygiene product packs can also be requested. As of Friday, 1535 food packs and 1386 hygiene packs had been distributed since the weekly deliveries started on March 23, just before the alert level 4 lockdown.
9th May 2020 - New Zealand Herald

Coronavirus: How lockdown is making us better neighbours and building new communities

Across the UK people have been coming together to help those most in need during the lockdown. Eugene Petzer who co-founded the mutual aid group Isolation Help Bexley tells Sky News the lockdown has unintentionally created a new sense of community in his borough.
9th May 2020 - Sky News

Coronavirus lockdown acts of kindness: From neighbours who do the shopping to a Pilates teacher on Zoom, readers share thank yous

As part of a new series, we share poignant letters from people who wish to express their gratitude to our unsung lockdown heroes
8th May 2020 - inews

Sunderland musicians invited to join virtual orchestra to show cross-country solidarity during coronavirus lockdown

Wearside musicians have been invited by Sunderland’s German twin city of Essen to join a virtual international orchestra in a five-nation effort to show solidarity during lockdown.
8th May 2020 - Sunderland Echo

Young Korean named France's best 'lockdown cook' - The Jakarta Post

A young South Korean woman was proclaimed the best lockdown cook in France Thursday by the country's trendiest gastronomic guide. Illustrator Saehan Park, 31, who lives in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, won a competition set up by Le Fooding guide to find the best home cook during the local confinement. Unable to actually taste Park's brand of "Franco-Korean cuisine using locally sourced ingredients" because of the lockdown, the judges made their choice from the photos, videos and recipes she shared.
8th May 2020 - Jakarta Post

India's lavish weddings go online in virus lockdown

n a country famous for lavish weddings that last for days, the young couple are among a growing number modifying their marriage ceremonies under a virus lockdown that has limited public gatherings. Eager to go ahead with the arranged marriage on the auspicious date selected for them by a priest, the pair turned to the internet to tie the knot. "We never imagined that even our online wedding would be so grand," Dang, a 26-year-old data analyst who is based in Toronto, told AFP of the April 19 event. "A hundred guests joined in our celebration on the app. We live-streamed the ceremony on Facebook which was watched by another 16,000 people."
8th May 2020 - Bangkok Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Germany's Bundesliga to resume behind closed doors on 16 May

The German Football Association (DFB) said the season would resume under strict health protocols that ban fans from the stadium and require players to have Covid-19 testing. About 300 people, including players, staff and officials, will be in or around the stadiums during match days.
7th May 2020 - BBC Sport

Coronavirus: Volunteer army helps those who are isolated

An app called "I can help" has seen people offer their services to deliver prescriptions from pharmacies and hospitals to people self-isolating. Families struggling in Cardiff are also being helped through the Butetown Community Centre Food Box - with 12 parcels sent out on Wednesday and 15 on Thursday to areas including St Mellons, Ely and Grangetown. The services co-ordinated by the Cardiff Third Sector Council have also taken account of the diversity of the city, with information translated into Welsh, Farsi, Arabic and Somali. People have signed up with Volunteering Wales for a variety of roles - including sharing positive public health messages on social media and distributing information to people without internet access
7th May 2020 - BBC News

Coronavirus: Gollum actor Serkis to raise cash by reading entire Hobbit live online

Andy Serkis will give a continuous live reading of The Hobbit online, to raise money for charity. The Gollum actor will read JRR Tolkien's 1937 novel from start to end, breaking only to nip to the loo. Money raised from the 56-year-old's expected 12-hour performance will be split between NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings. Serkis played the corrupted character, originally known as Smeagol, in the The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. "So many of us are struggling in isolation during the lockdown," he said. "While times are tough, I want to take you on one of the greatest fantasy adventures ever written, a 12-hour armchair marathon across Middle Earth whilst raising money for two amazing charities which are doing extraordinary work right now to help those most in need."
7th May 2020 - BBC News

Brazil's musicians offer 'little seed of happiness' via shutdown sessions

Cut off from their audience by coronavirus, artists in a country famous for music are getting together on social media. The Brazilian guitarist Cainã Cavalcante was gearing up for tours of Cuba, Colombia and the United States when coronavirus struck. Now, like thousands of musicians in the land of samba and bossa nova, he is in lockdown – trapped at home with six instruments, an empty gig schedule and a burning desire to resist the global health crisis with his strings.
7th May 2020 - The Guardian

With your help, we are bringing PPEs to NYC doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff. We have distributed to more than 10K healthcare workers and those at risk so far, and have purchased more than 1 million PPEs for this project.

(Featured on the Chris Cuomo Prime Time show on CNN) "With your help, we are bringing PPEs to NYC doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff. We have distributed to more than 10K healthcare workers and those at risk so far, and have purchased more than 1 million PPEs for this project. PPES distributed to: -hospital workers at Bellevue Hospital (April 20), -University Hospital in Brooklyn (April 29), -NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx (May 3), Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn (May 6), -New York Disaster Interfaith Services, Homeless Street Outreach & Services with Bowery Mission, Emergency Shelter Network, New York Health Care Home Care Services, Housing Yorks' COVID-19 Homeless Shelter Workers, and more"
7th May 2020 - Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes

6,000 people take part in 'groundbreaking' Bristol coronavirus study

Researchers from a world-renowned Bristol study have embarked on "vital" coronavirus research involving thousands of people. The Children of the 90s study has tracked mothers and their children from the Avon area since their birth in 1991 and 1992, developing a huge bank of health-related data. Realising they could utilise that ready-made resource, experts contacted participants to ask if they could fill in a coronavirus-related questionnaire. Within just three weeks, more than 6,000 people responded, providing insight into the prevalence of the virus among people who took part in the study. In a statement issued on May 5, the University of Bristol, which conducts the Children of the 90s study, described the research as "ground-breaking". Principal investigator Nic Timpson said: “Children of the 90s is in a unique position because we have such a large cohort of people who are actively part of the study and who represent groups with differing clinical risk.
7th May 2020 - Bristol Post

Coronavirus appeal launched by Knutsford-based Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation

The Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation has launched an emergency Covid-19 appeal. The organisation was established following a trip by Sir Bobby to Cambodia, where he witnessed the devastating impact landmines were still having on innocent civilian communities. The charity has since created conflict recovery centres in war-torn countries, delivering physical and psychological rehabilitation. This week has seen the launch of a Covid-19 Emergency Fund Appeal by the Foundation to help support these same countries which are being disproportionately disadvantaged by the coronavirus pandemic.
7th May 2020 - Knutsford Guardian

Opinion: The coronavirus response needs local communities and faith leaders

To be effective in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and international aid agencies urgently need to further existing efforts to develop their “faith literacy” by prioritizing training staff in the religious and cultural context of the communities in which they work and encouraging the inclusion of faith leaders in program design and delivery.
7th May 2020 - Devex

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

So proud to reveal this amazing piece of art Painting for Saints, created by #Banksy as a thank you to all those who work with and for the NHS and our hospital.

So proud to reveal this amazing piece of art Painting for Saints, created by #Banksy as a thank you to all those who work with and for the NHS and our hospital. Temporarily on display @UHSFT An inspirational backdrop to pause and reflect in these unprecedented times.
6th May 2020 - @paulahead_UHS

Coronavirus: New app developed to help young arthritis sufferers through pandemic

A Dundee University student is among those being helped by a new mobile app aimed at helping teenagers and young adults with arthritis through Covid-19 self-isolation. Melissa Tavendale said she had already felt the benefit of the Arthritis Tracker which provides round-the-clock access to information and advice, helping those affected to rate and record symptoms in seconds and track their pain, medication side effects, fatigue, physical activity, sleep and emotional well-being.
6th May 2020 - The Courier

Virtual Fitness Classes Offer Options

Staying physically and mentally fit is proving to be a challenge for some as local gyms, yoga studios and weight management clinics have closed their doors in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As a solution, many local health and fitness studios are offering live-streamed and recorded digital classes that can be joined from almost anywhere. From pre-recorded sessions on Facebook to live sessions with an instructor and personal sessions with a physical trainer, instructors are giving the curious and uninitiated a look inside their cyber classrooms. “I am encouraging people to focus on the mental health benefits from exercise and movement to help deal with the stress of COVID-19,” said Rachel Trope, clinical exercise physiologist at the Washington Center for Weight Management and Research in Arlington. “I am also encouraging people to be okay with exercise looking and feeling different right now. Something is better than nothing.”
6th May 2020 - Alexandria Gazette Packet

Hygiene aid to daily wagers in Assam

Aide et Action, an NGO, with support from Small Industries Development Bank of India, distributed Swavalamban Suraksha Kawach to livelihood entrepreneurs as part of the Assam Covid-19 Response for Daily Wage Earners/Small Enterprises programme in Kamrup (metro), North Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts. The initiative has been taken in view of an urgent need for masks, hygiene kits and demonstration and awareness on WASH (water sanitisation and hygiene). It is focused on promotion of hygiene through distribution of kits along with awareness through demonstration on hand hygiene and respiratory etiquettes. The initiative also aims at procuring locally produced items. This support will also help them to have a reasonable income during this crisis. It is expected to reach over 500 livelihood entrepreneurs, including those in artisanal pockets across the three districts, having manifold indirect impact.
7th May 2020 - Telegraph India

Dettol Donates Hygiene Products to Support COVID-19 Fight in Lagos

To strengthen efforts against the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria, hygiene brand, Dettol has donated over 12,000 units of its antiseptic liquid and antibacterial soap to the Lagos State Safety Commission. A statement made available to THISDAY recently, the General Manager, RB Nigeria, Dayanand Sriram said the donation forms part of Dettol’s contribution to the state government’s active measures of providing palliatives which includes the distribution of hygiene products to vulnerable residents across the state.
7th May 2020 - This Day

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Harry Potter Virtual Tour: How to take a tour of Universal Studios' Harry Potter world

Harry Potter may have defeated Voldemort, but he is still available to see up close and personal in some form. Here's how you can take a tour of Universal Studios' Harry Potter world.
5th May 2020 - Express

From the Farm to the Virtual Classroom

As students around the state continue with E-learning, some teachers have brought ag into their virtual classrooms. Ryan Rippy farms in Tippecanoe, Montgomery, and Fountain counties and his wife teaches elementary school in West Lafayette. He spent some time Monday on a Zoom call with her 3rd graders from the field. “We are a little bit nervous about this rain coming in and cold temperatures. So, trying to find something to do so we’re spraying. I was talking to them a lot about the autosteer and mapping capabilities of the sprayer and using my FieldView to map my sprayer passes.”
4th May 2020 - Hoosier Ag Today

HP to help schools and universities in Middle East create ‘virtual classrooms’

US tech company in joint initiative with education specialists to support distance learning in the region amid Covid-19 measures
5th May 2020 - The National

Aid groups desperately look for other options to combat coronavirus

The old way of having people cue up a truck or depot to receive aid packages is no longer viable. Instead, recipients must schedule appointments to pick up the aid. It’s no longer possible to gather local community leaders in a classroom to brief them on hygiene precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. One solution is to send out educational videos and media via messaging apps such as WhatsApp or Telegram, using the smartphones and wireless internet many have access to. But, perhaps, the best tool that aid groups can use to deliver aid to the most vulnerable is cold hard cash, either delivered in envelopes or deposited into bank accounts when possible. It not only helps families get the food and hygiene supplies they urgently need, it also keeps local shops up and running.
5th May 2020 - Atlantic Council

18 Theatre-Related Online Resources for Kids and Families to Get You Through COVID-19

Navigating the whole parenting through a pandemic situation? We're here to help. From free remote classrooms and live streams, to donation-based early childhood dance classes that turn your living room into a tap studio—check out this list of theatre-related online resources for families and children.
5th May 2020 - Playbill.com

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Dutch Farmers Are Writing Special Messages in Their Tulips (Video)

Dutch Farmers Are Writing Special Messages in Their Tulips (Video) - these fields call on you to Stay Strong
5th May 2020 - Travel and Leisure

Tens of thousands of flamingos have returned to Mumbai as humans stay home

Tens of thousands of flamingos have returned to Mumbai as humans stay home
4th May 2020 - @NowThisNews

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Care work: What next for the forgotten frontline of coronavirus?

As care homes are a new epicentre of the pandemic, we celebrate the historically overlooked, undervalued care sector and ask what needs to change after the pandemic.
1st May 2020 - The Bristol Cable

Thrifty meal prep queen, 29, shares her top kitchen tips to help your budget in isolation

A mother dubbed the 'queen of meal prepping' has shared her top grocery tips to help keep your food bills down while you're stuck in coronavirus isolation at home. Kaitie Purssell, 29, from Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, spends her free time whipping up delicious meals by the hundreds for as little as $1.30 per serve, and so she knows a bit about budgeting. From doing a pantry stock take to freezing as much as possible, Kaitie recently shared her top tips for helping your budget while you're working from home and eating more from the supermarket.
1st May 2020 - Mail Online

Little Simz shares 5 tips for beginners learning guitar in isolation

Attempting to learn the guitar whilst you're at home isolating from COVID-19? Check out Little Simz's advice... Little Simz is undoubtedly one of the UK's most exciting music stars with her latest album 'Grey Area' becoming an instant classic and even picking up a Mercury Prize nomination in 2019.
29th Apr 2020 - Capital XTRA

Free virtual cybersecurity school launched for teenagers in lockdown

Free virtual lessons on cybersecurity are being offered to thousands of young Brits in lockdown as part of a UK government scheme to develop their cyber skills. The Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) said its virtual school will offer educational games and activities for students aged 13 to 18. Teenagers will be able to learn how to crack codes, fix security flaws and dissect criminals' digital trails as they progress through the game as a 'cyber agent'.
1st May 2020 - Daily Mail

Musicians from Syria's National Orchestra perform online

Musicians from Syria's National Orchestra perform online
2nd May 2020 - @Reuters

Arlington Teen Organizes Virtual Activities To Help DC Nonprofit

A Yorktown High School student is organizing a week of virtual activities to help a D.C. early education center raise money.
2nd May 2020 - Patch

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st May 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus in Australia: Relaxed social distancing rules mean you can have visitors at home in NSW – but there’s a catch

“This may include conducting the visit outdoors if possible, having visual cues (such as) rearranging the furniture in a room to help us keep our distance, and making sure that we only visit when we are completely well and the people we are visiting are completely well,” the NSW Health spokesperson said. “This helps protect the most vulnerable members of the community and reduces the impact on essential, lifesaving health services.”
1st May 2020 - News.com.au

Times coronavirus appeal: Befriending offers vital support to isolated care leavers

Ms Jampel is helping him to manage, however. Although they can no longer meet in person she telephones him often and at her suggestion they are both watching the Netflix series Stranger Things and chatting about episodes. “It puts your mind at ease, you can talk about any little thing,” Mr Deer said. “It really helps.” The mentoring for care leavers in London is run by Family Action, one of the charities supported by The Times Coronavirus Charity Appeal. Its success has led the charity to launch a national befriending scheme, Listening Works, during the lockdown to support young people aged up to 27 who spent part of their childhood in local authority care.
30th Apr 2020 - The Times

In times of Covid-19, a gift of hygiene for migrant labourers

National Cadet Corps girls gifted clean pair of clothes to migrant workers living in shelter homes, making sure that their personal hygiene is maintained
1st May 2020 - Hindustan Times

Glasgow schools unite to make essential PPE for frontline staff

Eforts from schools across the city to support the NHS have been brought together into three hubs to make scrubs, face shields and deliver essential supplies to families. After being overwhelmed by volunteers from school staff, education bosses have set up three main centres in St Thomas Aquinas, Govan and All Saints secondaries. Individual schools have been making the face shields for several weeks but bringing their efforts together will increase production of them to deliver to hospital staff.
1st May 2020 - Glasgow Times

In Syria's Idlib city, a caravan spreads the word about coronavirus

A white caravan splashed with images of the coronavirus roams the streets of opposition-held Idlib city in northwest Syria where a volunteer tell passers-by of the virtues of social distancing and hygiene to avoid infection. "We remind people that they should stay at home so they don't mingle and remind them of a lurking danger that could at any moment enter our areas," Ibrahim Sarmini, a volunteer in the charity called Violet, said of the campaign in the war-torn town. Syria’s northwest does not yet have a confirmed case of the coronavirus, but doctors fear the area’s ravaged medical infrastructure and overflowing camps would quickly turn any outbreak into a humanitarian disaster. "If the disease enters our areas it will be a catastrophe that no one can stop," said Abdullah al Thamer, 33, a bemused resident who watched as the caravan passed by his home.
1st May 2020 - YAHOO!

Coronavirus: Tyneside flats isolation disco unites people around the world

An isolation disco started during the coronavirus lockdown has brought neighbours together in a colourful display either side of the River Tyne. For the past month, residents have grabbed torches and put on their best fancy dress to dance in their homes each night in North and South Shields. Started as a "little joke" by friends and neighbours Scott Miller and Graham Moralee, people as far as Belgium and Australia now post videos of their best dance moves on the Facebook group. Scott said: "It has grown into something beautiful in these dark days. Lifting everyone's spirits and bringing a little colour into our lives."
1st May 2020 - BBC News

Virtual entertainment picks: Novel Stages fest, Walker Free First Saturday, 'The Diary of Anne Frank'

With venues across Minnesota closed by the coronavirus pandemic, artists and organizations have turned to the internet to connect with audiences. The Star Tribune will run this calendar each week.
1st May 2020 - StarTribune

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

How the Yorkshire community has united during the coronavirus pandemic | Yorkshire events, weddings & celebrities

In York the Supper Collective galvanises the efforts of restaurants, cafes, chefs and food producers to provide 100 meals a day for the isolated and vulnerable in their homes as well as for key NHS workers. Based in the city’s ‘Bishy Road’ area, Supper Collective sees restaurants supply meals on different days for distribution. Examples of their efforts also include treats such as mini cheese boards from Pairings wine bar delivered to the staff at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
30th Apr 2020 - Yorkshire Life

Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive nets $428,000 worth of donations

This year's Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive resulted in more than $428,000 worth of goods donated to agencies in 15 communities. The donations were counted and sorted in mid-March, just before coronavirus restrictions were established. The donations included more than 20,000 rolls of toilet paper, which became hard to find in the early days of the pandemic.
29th Apr 2020 - Fox11Online

My Quarantine Routine: Lizzy, running The Hygiene Bank charity during lockdown

During lockdown some charities are struggling with increased need but a decrease in donations. Some need to find new ways to work and respond to the current crisis. Today for My Quarantine Routine, we’re with Lizzy Hall, 50, who is the founder and full-time volunteer for The Hygiene Bank charity, who give personal care items to those in need throughout the UK.
29th Apr 2020 - Metro

Free mental health courses offered by Jersey charity

Free mental health courses are now available online for people in Jersey. Jersey’s Recovery College has started their summer semester to help people with mindfulness and managing anxiety, stress and depression. The courses take place in a ‘virtual classroom’ of no more than 12 people.
29th Apr 2020 - ITV News

Qatar Charity's Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic: Qatar Charity and UNICEF sign two agreements to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak among vulnerable groups in Jordan and Syria - Jordan

Qatar Charity and the United Nations Children’s Fund signed two grant agreements for a total of US 2 million to address the humanitarian needs caused by the spread of the Coronavirus outbreak in Syria and Jordan. Qatar Charity allocated US 1 million to provide access to life-saving water, sanitation and hygiene services for Syrian refugees in Jordan and an additional US $ 1 million to support UNICEF in its efforts to improve Covid-19 preparedness and response levels in Syria. Ms. Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director, expressed her thanks to Qatar Charity for its support and contribution.
29th Apr 2020 - ReliefWeb

Jennifer Aniston announces donation to support nurses amid coronavirus pandemic: ‘You’re our heroes’

Jennifer Aniston revealed she has made a donation to help support frontline workers as the world continues to battle against the spread of Covid-19. The Friends star took to social media to share the news that she has chosen to contribute to the American Nurses Foundation Coronavirus Response Fund. Sharing a snap on Instagram story, the 51-year-old wrote: ‘I’m so proud of my partners at @aveenoua, who along with @jnj, are supporting frontline workers with a generous donation to the American Nurses Foundation Coronavirus Response Fund.’ She continued: ‘I’m joining them in making a donation, because their courage and dedication is beyond admirable – and they need our support.
29th Apr 2020 - Metro

Nursing staff at a Chippenham surgery sing their version of 'Angels' to say thank you during Covid-19

The nursing team at Rowden Medical Practice in Chippenham has come up with a special version of Robbie Williams' hit 'Angels' to make people smile during the coronavirus pandemic. This has been created over many lunch breaks and has kept us laughing and smiling - we want to share that with everyone. In such uncertain times sometimes laughter and a smile can make such a difference.
29th Apr 2020 - ITV News

Housing Executive boss explains new £260k coronavirus fund for community groups

The Housing Executive has launched a new £260,000 Covid-19 response fund for groups providing much needed 'lockdown' services to the vulnerable. Colm McQuillan, Director of Housing Services, told Belfast Live they came up with the idea after finding a lot of their tenants are isolated and alone. So they diverted over quarter of a million pounds to help them get what they need to get through this crisis and stay connected with others. "It is primarily to help our tenants and those living within our estates," Mr McQuillan said. Grants of up to £1,500 are being offered to groups targeting "services at a local level - particularly around those who are shielding, our own tenants who find themselves isolated - and we have found quite a few of them as we have done our ring arounds".
29th Apr 2020 - Belfast Live

Coronavirus UK: 100,000 social care volunteers needed

A national force of volunteers has been launched to help social care providers fill staff gaps during the coronavirus outbreak. The online platform, called the National Care Force, works by allowing volunteers to book shifts to help across the social care sector and hopes to recruit 100,000 volunteers. It comes after the NHS and Royal Voluntary Service launched an ‘army’ made up of 600,000 volunteers to help people who are self-isolating across the country. But the social care sector is still feeling the strain.
29th Apr 2020 - Metro.co.uk

Highland digital community platform sees 10,000 sign ups in Covid-19 effort

A new online platform formed to help people during the pandemic has already attracted 10,000 community-spirited Highlanders. Highland Covid-19, started by Inverness-based events team Planit Scotland, is a dedicated resource for people across the north Highlands to get free access to online activities, advice and help at their doorsteps.
29th Apr 2020 - The Press and Journal

Dalbeattie Community Allotments remain open during coronavirus pandemic thanks to strict physical distancing

A Dalbeattie gardening scheme is proving to be an outdoor godsend to dozens of local growers. It had been feared that Dalbeattie Community Allotments Association would suspend all activities. But thanks to a strict physical distancing regime green-fingered citizens can still plant and sow. DCAA chairperson Sandra McWhirter said getting out in glorious spring weather was an escape for many. “If we did not have this we would all go stir crazy,” Sandra told the News.
28th Apr 2020 - Daily Record

Regional funding available for Covid-19 connected community activities

A total of £50,000 is available from Sovereign Housing Association’s Pay it Forward crowdfunding scheme, and groups involved in projects such as delivering food to the most vulnerable, offering hardship support, or providing digital services to support wellbeing are encouraged to apply for the funding, which is being made available on Crowdfunder. The Pay it Forward Fund is also open to those planning relaunch events or post-Covid-19 celebrations, such as a pubs or cafes reopening with a party, special events to relaunch businesses such as hairdressers or beauticians, and activities such as street parties.
23rd Apr 2020 - UK Fundraising

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus in Ireland: call to test Roma and Traveller communities

Martin Collins, co-director of the Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre, said that limited access to basic facilities such as toilets and running water limited the possibilities for Roma to maintain good hygiene during an infection outbreak. “Travellers and Roma, due to high levels of chronic illness and poor living conditions, including severe overcrowding, are included as priority groups in Covid-19 testing that is currently ongoing,” he said. He commended the work carried out the by HSE so far with the communities to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 among Roma in Ireland. Mr Collins said he was pleased that both groups were included as priority groups for Covid-19 testing.
29th Apr 2020 - The Times

Bvlgari to donate 160,000 units of hand sanitiser to the NHS in May

Bvlgari's efforts have arrived on British shores, as the brand announces it will donate over 160,000 units of medical-grade hand sanitising gel to the NHS at the beginning of May. The gel will conveniently be housed in 75ml recyclable bottles, meaning they're sustainable and also compact enough to be carried around in healthcare workers' pockets.
28th Apr 2020 - Evening Standard

Charity working in Rochdale asks for just £1.50 to protect homeless from Coronavirus

Local charity Homeless-Friendly is working to provide protective kits to homeless people during the Covid-19 crisis. The charity says it is a race against time to create the kits for rough sleepers, who already have an average life expectancy of just 45. Packed full of hand sanitisers, masks, tissues and plasters, the life-saving hygiene equipment is being collated by the charity, which was initially set up to ensure those of no fixed abode were able to see a GP. In order to reach their first batch of intended patients, the charity needs to raise some cash – and donations are a small price to pay to save lives, says founder Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE, a GP at a Rochdale surgery.
29th Apr 2020 - Rochdale Online

End price gouging: Which? launches report tool to combat coronavirus profiteering

Which? has launched a free tool that anyone can use to report instances of price gouging and profiteering, after we uncovered a spate of price gouging on online marketplaces Amason and eBay. With evidence of similar activity taking place on a wider scale and vulnerable people feeling pressurised into overpaying online, action needs to be taken. Reports provided by the tool will be vital in helping Which?, online marketplaces, and the UK government identify the size and scale of the issue.
29th Apr 2020 - Which!

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Grandkids on Demand: Get Paid to Keep the Elderly Company

One industry that’s experiencing a surge of interest is a new field: “Grandkids On-Demand.” These companies, aiming to battle the effects of loneliness in the elderly, pair employees up with older customers who can use a little companionship — something the medical community is starting to recognize as vitally important to their health.
27th Apr 2020 - Parentology

Digital solution to support youngsters in care during COVID-19

New online platform to help young people in care to manage anxiety and low mood while staying connected socially
27th Apr 2020 - Voice Online

A city wide pottery hunt

A citywide treasure hunt is being organised by a potter who leaves his handmade pots, bowls and plates across Bristol for passers-by to discover. Rich Henderson took up pottery as a career after a serious brain tumour forced him to give up the marketing company he had spent the last 20 years building up. Instead of making new pieces of pottery, he is currently leaving one item from his r-ceramic collection somewhere in Bristol each day.
27th Apr 2020 - Bristol247

Children's drawings from lockdown show the world what they miss most

Children confined to their homes under lockdown are drawing what they miss most - friends at school, grandparents, football and green open spaces. Regardless of where they are, the themes are often the same. From Tokyo to Buenos Aires, and New York to Kathmandu, youngsters have taken to their balconies or front lawns to display and explain the drawings they have made to Reuters photographers. Eight-year-old Reku Matsui in Tokyo has drawn himself between his grandparents, all three of them smiling together. “I miss being with my grandmother and my grandfather. Also, I want to go to my grandmother’s house,” he said.
23rd Apr 2020 - Reuters

UK to fall silent in remembrance of key workers who have died amid coronavirus pandemic

Government workers will be asked to take part and the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said it is hoped others will participate “nationwide”. On Monday, health secretary Matt Hancock revealed that of the 21,092 people who had died of coronavirus in UK hospitals, 82 were NHS colleagues and 16 worked in social care. Unison, the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal of College of Nursing launched a campaign last week for the nation to take a moment to honour frontline staff who have died during the Covid-19 crisis. Between them, the organisations represent more than a million NHS and public service workers including porters, refuse collectors and care staff.
27th Apr 2020 - ITV News

YSD gives foods to 1,660 families in Ganjam

The Youth for Social Development (YSD) has provided food baskets to more than 1,660 poor and migrant families in five blocks, Khallikote, Kabisuryanagar, Purusottampur, Hinjilicut and Sheragada in Ganjam district during the last 11 days. It also created awareness among communities on preventive measures like maintaining of social distance, use of mask, frequent hand washing, registration of migrants for institutional quarantine and special care for elderly people and children to fight out the COVID-19.
28th Apr 2020 - Daily Pioneer

Official data suggest Britons are learning to help each other - but even in an age of civic-mindedness, some are left out

When the rest of Britain was ordered to stay at home on March 23rd, Jane Kinder-Williams was already growing accustomed to isolation. The 66-year-old, who lives on her own in a Buckinghamshire village, was doing her best to avoid others after treatment for cancer. But, with everyone at home, this new form of lockdown is different. Friends and family are in touch even more, via apps like Houseparty, WhatsApp and Zoom. And her street’s WhatsApp group buzzes with endless offers to help. Neighbours have done all her shopping for the past month. “Everybody is making far more of an effort towards each other,” says Ms Kinder-Williams. “We’ve realised how vulnerable we can be.”
25th Apr 2020 - The Economist

Gabriel Jesus donates three tonnes of food to Brazilian favelas and sings with popstar to help raise coronavirus funds

Gabriel Jesus has donated a whopping three tonnes of food to favelas in Brazil. The Manchester City star has gone all out to make sure people in his home country do not starve during the coronavirus pandemic.
27th Apr 2020 - The Sun

How You Can Help Migrant Workers In Singapore During The Covid-19 Crisis

It’s all rather grim, but charity organisations and individuals have stepped up to help foreign workers and to raise funds for their basic necessities, meals and even programmes to aid their mental well-being. Want to lend a helping hand? Here are a few ways to do it.
23rd Apr 2020 - TODAYonline

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Cancer surgeon expands red and green card scheme to help vulnerable

Dr Shilen Patel, a head and neck cancer surgeon at a London NHS hospital, has helped 300,000 households get access to support from volunteers while in lockdown during the COVID-19 outbreak. The scheme, called Red Green Cards, entails people sticking a red or green card in their window, which signals to their neighbours if they need help or not.
26th Apr 2020 - Sky News

Look for the helpers: A roundup of people doing good things during the pandemic

As we face historic and unprecedented changes to the way we live, one thing remains constant: People are ready and willing to help their neighbors. Here is a roundup of some of those efforts in the Southland.
22nd Apr 2020 - Chicago Tribune

UK lockdown: Calls to domestic abuse helpline jump by half

Calls to a national domestic abuse helpline rose by 49% and killings doubled weeks after lockdown, a report by MPs has revealed. Following the "surge" in violence, the report called for a government strategy on domestic abuse during the pandemic. MPs also said "safe spaces", where victims can seek help, should be rolled out to supermarkets and other shops. The Home Office said it was increasing funding to support helplines and online services. Researchers at the Counting Dead Women Project told MPs 14 women and two children had been killed in the first three weeks of lockdown.
27th Apr 2020 - BBC News

Advice and support for people experiencing domestic abuse in isolation

This is a quick-read guide with tips for people who are experiencing domestic abuse while in isolation with a perpetrator. If you are in immediate danger, always call 999. If you are looking for further information or support, call the 24-hr National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247
24th Apr 2020 - ITV News

Coronavirus: Over 1000 families without hygiene basics during Covid-19 outbreak

A small whānau-owned Christchurch roading company has turned their workshop into a distribution centre for hygiene packs to be sent to more than 5000 families across the South Island.
26th Apr 2020 - Stuff.co.nz

Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Celebration

A virtual celebration of the music of Stephen Sondheim in lockdown
26th Apr 2020 - YouTube

Dubai's Dawoodi Bohra community deliver 5500 meals to workers

Dubai: With the help of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the local Dawoodi Bohra community in Dubai has provided workers with free food parcels in their accommodation in Muhaisnah. These efforts were to help during the current coronavirus pandemic which coincides with the Holy Month of Ramadan, which is traditionally a time of giving. “No-one should go to bed hungry,’ is the underlying principle behind many initiatives of the Dawoodi Bohra Community under the guidance of Dr Syedna Aaliqadar Mufaddal Saifuddin, the 53rd spiritual head of the community worldwide,” read a release from the community on Saturday.
25th Apr 2020 - Gulf News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Combat Social Isolation to Keep Our Seniors Healthy

Physical isolation is imperative to keep Canadian seniors, especially those living with frailty, healthy. But this does not mean we must always socially isolate.
23rd Apr 2020 - Good Men Project

Experts from GOSH help families across the UK cope with isolation

As people across the country are getting to grips with how to live in this new, temporary ‘normal’, caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity) is launching a range of free, expert resources, tips and activity ideas to help all children cope with the challenges they may face as a result. For many patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital, being in isolation for long periods of time is their ‘normal’ every day, as they are treated for rare and complex conditions. Central to helping patients navigate through their treatment is the hospital’s Play team.
23rd Apr 2020 - Charity Today News

Alicia Keys debuts powerful anthem in partnership with CNN

As the pandemic swept the world, it occurred to Keys that the lyrics could also serve as a tribute to the health care professionals, frontline workers, parents, teachers and everyone else who has stepped up during this unprecedented time. "A lot of times people don't feel like they're doing a good job. They feel underwater and like there's never going to be a brighter day," she said. "Fast forward to now, with where we are now, and it's almost like the song was written for this and I didn't know it."
24th Apr 2020 - CNN

Parks and Rec cast to host special reunion raising funds for COVID-19 relief | TheHill

The cast of the comedy show 'Parks & Recreation' is hosting a reunion special to raise funds for food assistance to those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The episode will be shot from the cast’s homes and aired on April 30 on NBC. The proceeds will go to Feeding America, a hunger relief nonprofit
23rd Apr 2020 - The Hill

Doctors perform emotional rendition of Ave Maria to celebrate nurse's recovery from coronavirus

Doctors performed an emotional rendition of Ave Maria to celebrate the recovery of a fellow nurse from the coronavirus. Alicia Borja, 63, was met by applause from her NHS colleagues as she was discharged from Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, northwest London. The senior sister from the hospital's accident and emergency department left the Covid-19 unit after four weeks of treatment. Dr Maxton Pitcher played the powerful Franz Schubert tune on the violin and was accompanied by Katherine Fawcett on the piano.
23rd Apr 2020 - Evening Standard

BBC One’s The Big Night In raises £27,398,675

For the first time ever the BBC’s biggest charitable partners, BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief, came together for a special night of television and have raised £27,398,675 in the process. The three-hour extravaganza hosted by Davina McCall, Lenny Henry, Matt Baker, Paddy McGuinness and Zoe Ball featured an incredible array of famous faces who offered some light relief and entertainment whilst celebrating and rewarding those going the extra mile to support their communities in these troubled times.
23rd Apr 2020 - BBC

Andrea Bocelli: Amazing Grace – Music For Hope (Live From Duomo di Milano)

Andrea Bocelli: Amazing Grace – Music For Hope (Live From Duomo di Milano) - including new footage from our world’s silent cities. From Andrea Bocelli’s Easter Sunday performance on April 12th 2020 from the Duomo Cathedral, Milan.
16th Apr 2020 - YouTube

Volunteering makes you feel good! Josi, a self-employed hairstylist, has served lunch every day at Blanchet House for over a month.

Volunteering makes you feel good! Josi, a self-employed hairstylist, has served lunch every day at Blanchet House for over a month. Due to COVID19 she’s unable to work but gets joy from helping others. "The people served here are so grateful." #VolunteerAppreciationWeek
23rd Apr 2020 - @BlanchetHouse

Steve Buscemi, AnnaSophia Robb, Cory Booker to Read Aloud Children's Books for Series 'Gotham Reads'

Management and production company The Gotham Group on Wednesday launched a new YouTube series aimed at children in which stars and public figures will read aloud popular kids books and stories, with Steve Buscemi, AnnaSophia Robb and Sen. Cory Booker among those participating in the series. The first five episodes from the new series “Gotham Reads” launched on Wednesday on a YouTube channel with a mix of actors, authors and public figures reading new and classic children’s stories.
22nd Apr 2020 - TheWrap

Coronavirus will force millions in the UK to live without basic toiletries - here's how you can help

The economic impact of Coronavirus will see millions of Brits unable to afford basics like toothpaste and soap. Chloe Street on why hygiene poverty is spreading and how you can help
22nd Apr 2020 - Evening Standard

Tackling COVID-19 (Coronavirus) with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in DRC - Democratic Republic of the Congo

The project aims to ensure that doctors, nurses, staff, and patients -- both those with COVID-19 and people seeking treatment for other maladies -- have access to water, sanitation, and hygiene at health facilities. All too often, WASH services are lacking even in these places where people go to seek treatment. Available data for the DRC shows that at least half of health facilities lacked basic water or sanitation. During an infectious disease outbreak, ensuring these facilities have a reliable and safe water supply as well as soap allows medical professionals to provide care safely while also protecting their own well-being.
20th Apr 2020 - ReliefWeb

Coronavirus Florida: Sarasota adds hygiene stations for homeless

After weeks of delay, Sarasota officials have finally put portable toilets and supplemental hygiene stations in the city’s downtown. Officials have placed three supplemental hygiene stations with portable toilets at three downtown sites where the homeless have been clustering — near the SCAT bus station, the Salvation Army and the closed Resurrection House in the Rosemary District. This is one of the first visible attempts local governments have made to help the area’s homeless since the coronavirus pandemic shuttered many of the venues they typically used every day. Libraries, parks and the city’s day shelter closed a month ago.
17th Apr 2020 - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Morrisons food parcels helping vulnerable and isolated people in Retford

A large number of food parcels are being sent out to emergency food centres after North Notts BID teamed up with Morrisons to support local people in need. The Bassetlaw Community Volunteer Service and Bassetlaw District Council will be coordinating the distribution of the supplies to those in need. In March, it was revealed that the organisation had teamed up with the retailer Wilko to give a large number of donations to food banks, animals rescue centres, schools and nurseries.
17th Apr 2020 - Lincolnshire Live

State of the Art: Street artist raises more than £8,000 for NHS with Banksy-style Rainbow Boy murals

A street artist has raised over £8,000 for the NHS by producing Banksy-like murals of a boy watering a rainbow on scores of buildings in south London. Chris Shea, who also goes by State of the Art, has been charging pubs, cafes and homeowners £50 a time to have the Rainbow Boy piece of street art painted on to their properties. He has also created T-shirts featuring the emblem. Mr Shea is raising money for St Christopher’s Hospice in Croydon. He is also donating some of the cash to producers of personal protective equipment for medical staff as the fight against Covid-19 continues.
22nd Apr 2020 - Evening Standard

Vulnerable to get direct line to NHS volunteer army during coronavirus

MILLIONS of vulnerable people and their families will be able to directly call on the army of NHS Volunteer Responders, the NHS and Royal Voluntary Service have announced today.
22nd Apr 2020 - The Northern Echo

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Dubai launches One Million Arab Coders 'COVID-19 Hackathon'

Themed 'Coders versus Corona', a total of $50,000 is up for grabs by five teams who are able to present ideas that can mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through the use of technology.
21st Apr 2020 - Healthcare IT News

Cyndi Lauper, Troye Sivan, Michelle Visage to appear at Stonewall benefit concert

Proceeds from the Stonewall Gives Back event will go to a fund where LGBTQ nightlife workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic can apply for a grant.
21st Apr 2020 - NBC News

BBC to showcase comics in isolation

Comics including Bob Mortimer, Kerry Godliman and Tom Allen are to take part in a new series of BBC Two comedy shorts shot in isolation. In Comedians Playing With Themselves, comics will offer tips on coping with lockdown, including how to avoid arguments with your partner, finding new sports to play and perfecting a hit podcast.
21st Apr 2020 - Chortle UK

Architects and medics collaborate on "unprecedented" project to develop open-source hoods to protect healthcare workers

Model for the hood, made from a single piece of folded plastic following an idea initially proposed by Saurabh Mhatre The idea for the hoods simultaneously emerged two weeks ago at Massachusetts General Hospital, where a Covid-19 innovations team co-led by Dr Sam Smith started to research better ways of protecting healthcare workers treating ...
20th Apr 2020 - Dezeen

Six Ways Educators Can Support LGBTQ Students During COVID-19

How can teachers support LGBTQ students during the school closure crisis? I've shared several posts discussing ways educators can support particularly vulnerable student populations, including English-language learners and those with special needs. Today's post will address reaching another vulnerable group: our LGBTQ students.
21st Apr 2020 - Education Week

How Yorkshire's schools and universities are helping healthcare workers during pandemic

“Every box that gets done, there’s a cheer because it’s another batch going to people who really need these,” says Bradfield’s Head of Design and Technology (DT) Sam Booth. “It’s amazing to be doing this and really quite emotional as well. Some of the places we’re delivering to, they are in tears when we’re giving this equipment...It feels like we’re making a difference, which is a great feeling." Helen Vardy, the head of DT at King Ecgbert School, agrees. She has been manufacturing using a laser cutter in her classroom and can make up to 200 visors per day. “I’ve seen in the media the fear that key workers have without the right PPE,” she says. “If we can make them feel safer, that is an amazing thing to do.”
21st Apr 2020 - Yorkshire Evening Post

Why this doctor helped to make coronavirus advice videos in different languages to help BAME people

'Some people might flout the rules, but it's different when they haven't been provided information in the first place'
21st Apr 2020 - iNews

Assist COVID-19 Research by Sharing Your Fitbit Data

I know that my Fitbit isn’t meant to be used diagnostically, but I’m also sure I’m not the first person to have noticed a correlation between, say, an increase in my resting heart rate a few days before the onset of a winter cold. That’s why I was very excited (and personally validated) to learn that Fitbit is now giving users the option to share our health data with Scripps and Stanford in the hopes that they might make similar correlations and connections in their COVID-19 research.
21st Apr 2020 - Lifehacker

Little Free Pantries providing help to those food insecure during pandemic

The Little Free Library website has been updated to provide a map list of those libraries which have been converted into “sharing boxes” of food and household items during COVID-19. But Hillier hopes people will also register on the pantry project website, so people can easily see where the closest free pantry is.
21st Apr 2020 - Toronto Sun

Actors jump in to help the poor

Actors Israel Matseke-Zulu and Presley Chweneyagae have joined the fight in helping the underprivileged in Gauteng. The actors joined forces to donate food and COVID-19 essentials to the community of Alexandra, north of Joburg, yesterday. The two said their efforts were in response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call for all of us to do our bit to help alleviate the impact of the coronavirus especially on the poorest of the poor.
21st Apr 2020 - Sunday World

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: Mental health charity helping people in isolation

The founder of a mental health charity working to support people in need under lockdown has admitted he did not expect the scale of demand. The charity has also set up a Covid-19 support page on its website, where people can find tools and tips on how to cope while in isolation or spending extended periods cooped up inside.
18th Apr 2020 - The Courier

The power of social media: Strangers across India connect to help the needy

The world is reeling from the COVID-19 crisis and the vulnerable segments of our society are the most at risk. Microsoft News India is supporting HelpAge India buy hygiene kits for the elderly. You can help the charity reach many more. Donate here for the cause (you will be directed to the HelpAge India site). With the nationwide lockdown imposed in India due to the coronavirus outbreak, the families of daily wage earners, labourers, waiters, taxi and autorickshaw drivers, and others who depend on their everyday earnings for survival have been severely affected.
20th Apr 2020 - Hindustan Times on MSN.com

Making masks helps them become self-sufficient

she and 10 other women from her group make 3,000 masks each day. The driving force behind the initiative are Dr Mamatha, mission director, National Rural Livelihood Mission (Karnataka) and LK Ateeq, principal secretary of the department of rural development and panchayat raj. In less than a month, she got over 500 women’s self-help groups across 30 districts to stitch close to 10 lakh masks, an average of over 25,000 masks per day. The women earn Rs 2 to Rs 3 per mask.
21st Apr 2020 - The New Indian Express

New York woman creates exchange for unused travel cards to go to key workers during coronavirus crisis

As the coronavirus pandemic continues worldwide, one woman in New York has devised a simple system to ease the financial burden for those risking their lives on the frontline. Sophie Vershbow, 30, an assistant social media director in the book publishing industry, felt key workers shouldn't be paying for their journeys to work at such a time of national crisis. As she herself began to stay at home due to New York's lockdown, she launched an initiative in mid-March to enable citizens to swap their unused Metro Cards - and so far more than 650 have been sent to key workers.
20th Apr 2020 - Evening Standard

Tribute to NHS mapped by satellite in Bristol Channel

A unique tribute to the NHS has been created in the waters of the Bristol Channel. A Bristol Port Company crew used a satellite tracker to spell out ‘♡NHS’ across the entrances of Royal Portbury and Avonmouth Docks. The ‘herogram’ plotted by the crew of the Graham Robertson dredger was captured by satellites tracking the vessel on a live global ship tracking website.
20th Apr 2020 - Bristol247

Google Doodle thanks public transportation drivers on coronavirus frontlines

Google is honoring those heroes with a series of appreciation doodles featuring medical personnel, emergency workers, scientists, custodians, farmers, grocery store employees and public transportation drivers. On Friday, Google turned its spotlight to teachers and child care workers.
16th Apr 2020 - CNET

Polish artist Jarek Kubicki is recreating classics for the lockdown age.

Polish artist Jarek Kubicki is recreating classics for the lockdown age. See more at Jarek Kubicki artist.
12th Apr 2020 - Facebook

Every day, homeless and poor volunteers from the Upper Silesian Charitable Society in Katowice hand out between 350 to 400 servings of hot meals. It's more than they usually do.

Every day, homeless and poor volunteers from the Upper Silesian Charitable Society in Katowice hand out between 350 to 400 servings of hot meals. It's more than they usually do. They have adapted to the new sanitary requirements and have not stopped their work despite the epidemic. However, they also need support themselves. They collect money to keep the kettle brewing, because the one they have is in a very bad state. Anything you can do to help them carry out this fine work would be warmly appreciated
1st Apr 2020 - rmf24.pl

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

One world, #TogetherAtHome! #COVID19

LIVE: One world, #TogetherAtHome! #COVID19
18th Apr 2020 - @WHO

Who's Who of pop culture unites for 'One World' coronavirus special

Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Beyonce and Oprah Winfrey on Saturday headlined a special broadcast of music, comedy and personal stories celebrating those around the world on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.
19th Apr 2020 - Reuters UK

The #TogetherAtHome concert has ended, but our appreciation to all the health care workers of the world continues: Thank you for working round the clock to fight the #COVID19 pandemic. Thank you for the difference you are making, every day and everywhere

The #TogetherAtHome concert has ended, but our appreciation to all the health care workers of the world continues: Thank you for working round the clock to fight the #COVID19 pandemic. Thank you for the difference you are making, every day and everywhere
18th Apr 2020 - @WHO

On video, dancers from l'Opéra de Paris show elegance and grace as a way to beat the coronavirus

Confined, the artists of the Paris Opera do not stop dancing. In a video produced by Cédric Klapisch, they pay tribute to all those who are fighting on the front line against the coronavirus pandemic. A gesture of hope and solidarity.
18th Apr 2020 - Le Figaro

Social Bite delivering 4,000 free food packs to help those hit with hardship amid coronavirus lockdown

Social Bite says it has changed emphasis to meet the increased demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It said: "In a nutshell our social enterprise cafes and our corporate catering business were forced to close during the outbreak, yet more people than ever need our help with many support services closing down. “We responded to this crisis by re-purposing our kitchen, cafes and teams to create a free food delivery service - focusing on getting supplies out in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness.
16th Apr 2020 - Daily Record

Over 3 lakh women leading fight against Covid-19 in Assam, says state minister

"Over 30,000 Self-Help-Groups, 1.20 lakh peoiple are involved in the fight against the coronavirus, 44,000 Asha workers in the state helping make masks and PPE where they can. It is great for Assam that a large number of women are involved with such kind of activities,"
17th Apr 2020 - India Today

Coronavirus: Bristol Rovers players deliver food to vulnerable fans

Bristol Rovers players have delivered food and supplies to some of their vulnerable season ticket holders. The club, nicknamed The Gas, wrote to 700 of its fans over 70 to ask them if they needed extra help. Along with toilet paper, bread and milk, the players also delivered fans a surprise free Rovers shirt. Captain Ollie Clarke said: "I don't ...
19th Apr 2020 - BBC

Captain Tom Moore, 99, says he is 'overwhelmed' by raising $23 million for the NHS

Captain Tom Moore, the now famous 99-year-old British war veteran who has raised more than £19 million ($23.7 million) for the UK's National Health Service (NHS) by walking 100 laps of his garden, has said he is "absolutely overwhelmed" by the sum he has been able to raise. Moore, who will turn 100 later this month, began a JustGiving fundraiser on April 8, initially hoping to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together, which raises funds for UK hospitals, including for staff, volunteers and patients affected by the coronavirus crisis. He completed the challenge on Thursday, after walking 10 laps of his garden each day, aided by a walking frame. He told CNN he never anticipated being able to raise such a sum.
19th Apr 2020 - CNN

Please stay home! Hearing impaired Syrian children share this message via sign language.

Please stay home! Hearing impaired Syrian children share this message via sign language.
19th Apr 2020 - @UNHCR

He got a call to pickup a patient from the hospital. When he arrived, doctors and nurses surprised him with a standing ovation, plus an envelope of money.

In Spain, a taxi driver was known for taking patients to the hospital, free of charge. One day, he got a call to pickup a patient from the hospital. When he arrived, doctors and nurses surprised him with a standing ovation, plus an envelope of money.
18th Apr 2020 - @ValaAfshar

4 Look for the Helpers: Volume 3

One of our biggest sources of inspiration right now is you. The people of 417-land have pulled together to help each other in a crisis, and we're collecting their stories here.
12th Apr 2020 - 417mag

Coronavirus: Chefs unite to feed Bristol's key workers

A group of Bristol chefs and restaurant owners are pledging to feed key workers during the coronavirus outbreak. The Food Union has been set up to keep the businesses in operation while many have closed to regular customers. "For chefs to down tools when people needed feeding was unconscionable, the money we raise to feed these people goes back to the restaurants and supply chain," said Aine Morris. "It's to make sure the restaurants are still there when this is all over." The Food Union offers meals for £6 that can be gifted to a key worker. Of that, £4 goes directly to the restaurant with the rest going on delivery and administration.
9th Apr 2020 - BBC News

Drawing Covid-19: Artists around the world illustrate coronavirus in their community

With Covid-19 surpassing half a million cases globally, the pandemic has left no community untouched. We reached out to artists in six countries asking them for a snapshot into how coronavirus has transformed their daily lives.
31st Mar 2020 - Coda Story

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Dozens Of Ways You Can Help Northwest Communities During The Coronavirus Pandemic

As we try our best to adjust to this new normal, there are still safe ways to help the people around us in trying times. Here’s how you can lend a hand to a neighbor in need
16th Apr 2020 - OPB News

11 Ways to Donate to Those Affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic

There’s one safe way to offer relief to those most affected by COVID-19: online donations. (If it’s an option for you, don’t forget to consider paying housekeepers, childcare professionals, and other domestic workers, even if they’re not able to work at the moment safely.) And now that many Americans are receiving stimulus checks, a lot of us are looking for ways to assist others if we can spare the funds. Below, find a roundup of worthy organizations you can donate to from the safety of home.
16th Apr 2020 - YAHOO!

£450,000 raised in first month of Somerset Coronavirus Appeal

THE Somerset Coronavirus Appeal, launched by Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), has grown to over £450,000 since its launch just a month ago on Thursday 19 March [correct as at 16/04/2020]. The appeal raises money to fund local charities and community organisations supporting those in most urgent need during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, and donations have come from local individuals, charitable trusts and businesses. The Somerset Coronavirus Appeal has also been boosted by over £150,000 from a national appeal, run by The National Emergencies Trust (NET).
16th Apr 2020 - Frome Times

Coronavirus in Mira Bhayandar: Corporation teams up with social groups to establish community kitchens for migrant workers

With an emphasis on proper hygiene and quality control, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has teamed up with local social organizations and individuals to establish community kitchens at the ward level to ensure that the poor and needy do not remain hungry, during the nationwide lockdown period to mitigate the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus in the twin-city.
12th Apr 2020 - Free Press Journal

Watch: Health workers and patients in a coronavirus ward at a hospital in Beirut were given a special musical serenade, as musicians performed as they were lifted into the air by a giant elevator

Watch: Health workers and patients in a coronavirus ward at a hospital in Beirut were given a special musical serenade, as musicians performed as they were lifted into the air by a giant elevator
17th Apr 2020 - Time Magazine

April 17th Westminster Bridge - essential service workers like the police lead the applause for the NHS

April 17th Westminster Bridge - essential service workers like the police lead the applause for the NHS
17th Apr 2020 - @webster_scott

Hayley Wickenheiser, Ryan Reynolds and Calgary Flames encourage donations to local PPE drive

An organization backed by Canadian hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser and actor Ryan Reynolds is staging a donation drive in Calgary on Saturday to collect personal protective equipment (PPE) for front-line health workers battling the pandemic. Conquer COVID-19 has been drumming up support for health-care workers across the country by gathering PPE and other essentials needed for treating patients and minimizing the spread of the novel coronavirus. The group is organizing donation drives in several Canadian cities, including Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria.
16th Apr 2020 - Calgary Herald

Clap for Carers: PM joins applause for health workers as he continues coronavirus recovery

It is now the fourth week since the country started applauding those treating COVID-19 patients in hospitals and care homes, after the idea went viral on social media at the start of the coronavirus lockdown. Mr Johnson's fiancee Carrie Symonds said she was "clapping harder than ever tonight for our carers. You are the best of Britain". She also paid tribute to Captain Tom Moore, 99, who has raised more than £15m for an NHS charity by walking 100 laps around his garden.
16th Apr 2020 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Teens start free no-contact delivery service for the elderly during the pandemic

It started with two Maryland teenagers volunteering to help get groceries for elderly neighbors. Now their free delivery service, called "Teens Helping Seniors," is rapidly scaling up to match an increasing number of requests with their growing network of teenage volunteers.
15th Apr 2020 - CNN

Coronavirus: Camden community tech scheme donating laptops to isolated | Hampstead, Highgate, Camden, Haringey and Barnet News

SocialBox.Biz, based in Kings Cross and launched in Camden Town, gives laptops to people on the fringes of society - who have been isolated even further during coronavirus lockdown - helping them access employment, social and community services. The tech scheme recently entered a partnership with Camden Council, whose deputy leader Pat Callaghan said would ensure old laptops fulfil “amazing second lives” and help connect disadvantaged families. Cllr Callaghan said: “The current pandemic situation, where we self-isolate has shown more than ever the importance of being able to access a computer and the internet, especially to keep in contact with our relatives and friends, and to access online services.”
15th Apr 2020 - Hampstead Highgate Express

'Hot clinics' to be set up in communities to treat coronavirus patients as they recover at home

Community ‘hot clinics’ are to be set up to help support patients as they fight coronavirus as well as free up NHS staff to work in hospitals.
15th Apr 2020 - Sunderland Echo

Coronavirus: Rwandan radio stars spread hygiene message

A group of young people in Rwanda have been writing and producing a series of radio dramas to teach listeners about the vital role hand-washing and sanitation play in preventing the spread of diseases such as Covid-19.
16th Apr 2020 - BBC News

DIY Beauty Care Tips During Coronavirus Isolation

CBS4's Lisa Petrillo shares how big-name celebs to your average Joe are revealing some hair-raising experiences on social media since the stay at home orders took place.
15th Apr 2020 - CBS Boston / WBZ

Captain Tom Moore, 99, reaches £10m milestone in NHS fundraising bid

A 99-year-old veteran who is walking 100 lengths of his garden to raise cash for the NHS has been hailed as an “inspiration” as donations topped £10 million. Captain Tom Moore, who lives with his family in Bedfordshire, is due to complete the last of the 25-metre laps on Thursday. His achievements – which started at a modest target of £1,000 last week, ahead of his 100th birthday on April 30 – were singled out by Matt Hancock during the Wednesday evening press conference at Downing Street.
15th Apr 2020 - AOL UK

Google Doodle honors coronavirus heroes and helpers

On Thursday, Google saluted food service workers, who under the specter of coronavirus have to factor in more safety measures to prevent contracting or transmitting the disease. The restaurant industry has been hit hard by the outbreak, with millions of cooks, servers and bartenders losing their jobs. The National Restaurant Association estimates the outbreak will cost the industry $225 billion.
15th Apr 2020 - CNET

Ed Sheeran 'donates over £1 million to local charities'

Ed Sheeran has given away over £1 million of his own wealth to benefit charities fighting the coronavirus crisis, according to reports. The 29-year-old is said to have donated money to a string of good causes in Suffolk, his hometown where he still lives. Organisations who have received cash from the Thinking Out Loud singer include a children’s ward in a hospital in Ipswich. A source explained: “It is a horrible time and Ed wants to do what he can to help.
16th Apr 2020 - Evening Standard

Take an amazing tour of a lost Pictish village without leaving your house

David Strachan, director of Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust, said that people all over the world could now get an insight of this remarkable site. He added: “The digital reconstruction in Virtual Reality of the sites excavated in Glen Shee really brings to life what otherwise are fairly technical plans and maps of the findings.
7th Apr 2020 - The Scotsman

The Liverpool coronavirus heroes that are a beacon of light in hard times

As we go into the second week of lockdown to help prevent the spread of coronavirus many people will start to find the situation overwhelming. This is a good time to follow the famous phrase 'look for the helpers' - those people who are doing their best to make a difference in challenging times. The NHS workers, the social carers, the children sticking hand-drawn rainbows in their bedroom windows, the neighbour who always takes the time to wave from a socially-separated safe distance, the teachers sending messages to their pupils from afar. Whenever there are hard times you will find them - and never more than in Merseyside, where people have a reputation for looking out for each other.
15th Apr 2020 - Liverpool Echo

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

University engineers make face shields for NHS staff battling coronavirus

Hundreds of face visors have been created for nurses, care homes and other frontline NHS staff thanks to a university to help during the coronavirus outbreak.
14th Apr 2020 - shropshirestar.com

Holyoke police collect hygiene, cleaning supplies for seniors

Holyoke Police Officer Melissa Rex helps a resident in need outside the Senior Center ,where the police department was on the last day of a weeklong drive to take donations of personal hygiene products for senior citizens on Friday. The resident didn’t have a donation but was in need of toilet paper, so Rex took her address and then delivered some to her.
14th Apr 2020 - GazetteNET

Zoom is Booming in the Age of Coronavirus

I never thought I could main­tain per­fect at­ten­dance at school within the walls of my bed­room, but now that is the re­al­ity for me, my class­mates, and mil­lions of stu­dents across the coun­try. From kinder­garten­ers learn­ing how to read, to se­niors in col­lege work­ing on their fi­nal the­ses, all class­rooms are on­line. Sched­ules, home­work, and lec­tures re­main, and they all ex­ist vir­tu­ally. This vir­tual learn­ing re­mains pos­si­ble due to video con­fer­enc­ing com­pa­nies, such as Zoom Video Com­mu­ni­ca­tions Inc, the video­con­fer­enc­ing mogul that re­cently took over the world with its prod­uct. In the midst of COVID-19, Zoom and other video chat ser­vices, like Google Hang­outs, Mi­crosoft Teams, and We­bex, have man­aged to cre­ate a space for com­mu­nity in a time of pro­longed iso­la­tion.
14th Apr 2020 - The Hudson Independent

Peterborough’s Walters helps city medics work safely

Much-needed protective clothing has been delivered to healthcare staff at Peterborough City Hospital by a city company.
14th Apr 2020 - Peterborough Telegraph

RAF cadets perform 'Africa' from lockdown

The performance was organised over video calls by the RAF Air Cadets.
13th Apr 2020 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

The coronavirus heroes spreading kindness during the crisis - updates

Amid the coronavirus outbreak CornwallLive launched our Cornwall Together campaign -- urging all of our readers to work together and look after each other as the region battles to get through the current situation #CornwallTogether - Scroll down for the latest updates and stories about the individuals that are shining a ray of sunshine through the pandemic.
13th Apr 2020 - Cornwall Live

San Francisco is turning their empty hotels into shelters for the homeless during the #Coronavirus crisis.

San Francisco is turning their empty hotels into shelters for the homeless during the #Coronavirus crisis.
13th Apr 2020 - @wwfp

Coronavirus: 'Without these deliveries my children would starve'

Families in parts of rural England say they have become totally dependent on volunteers delivering food to them during the coronavirus crisis. About 1.5 million households are at least a half-hour round trip from a food store on foot or by public transport, government data suggests. In urban areas the average is less than 15 minutes, excluding time in the shop
14th Apr 2020 - BBC News

NC Zoo unveils Virtual Visit programs

The North Carolina Zoo is closed, but you can still visit it virtually. This week, the Asheboro destination launched the new Virtual Visit program. According to a press release, the program features a wide range of different online education events, art projects, at-home activities, and stories from the zoo and the wild that will allow children, teachers, parents and others to experience the Zoo and its animals in a completely new way.
13th Apr 2020 - WRAL

Help is at hand for unpaid carers during virus crisis

Unpaid carers across the district are being assured that help is at hand during the coronavirus crisis. The Carers’ Resource charity – which covers the whole of the Bradford and Skipton areas, plus Harrogate – is continuing to provide information, advice and a listening ear. Chief executive, Chris Whiley, said: “Our offices are closed to the public but staff are working from home to deal with phone calls and electronic queries – and we are linked-in with the official district coronavirus response led by the council.
13th Apr 2020 - Telegraph & Argus

Oh help! Oh no! Gruffalo illustrator spreads the coronavirus word for children

The illustrator of the Gruffalo, the story of a mysterious creature with knobbly knees and poisonous wart at the end of his nose who meets a precocious mouse he wants to eat, has teamed up with a top professor to help children understand the outbreak. Illustrator Axel Scheffler worked with Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to produce a free digital book for 5 to 9-year-olds about how to cope with the outbreak. Titled "Coronavirus A book for children", the book explains the coronavirus beside Scheffler's distinctive pictures and children are given advice on how to handle everything from boredom to stressed adults grappling with home working.
9th Apr 2020 - YAHOO!

BMW to start producing face masks

German carmaker BMW (BMWG.DE) will start producing face masks to help protect its own staff and the public against the spread of the new coronavirus, Chief Executive Oliver Zipse said on Wednesday. Zipse said BMW would soon be able to produce several hundred thousand masks per day. The company has already delivered 100,000 masks to the government from its own existing stocks, and handed over another 50,000 masks and a million medical gloves on Wednesday, with a further million masks to be handed over in the next two weeks
13th Apr 2020 - Reuters

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Attention hospitals: CS Dominguez Hills students have created 1,500 face shields to protect against coronavirus

“I kept hearing there was a huge need for face shields,” he said Saturday, April 11. “So I thought, ‘We have a great workforce in our students, and we have the best technology. Why can’t we repurpose that?’” So, for the past two weeks, Hamdan and about 25 students have been at work — first to create face shield prototypes, then to produce as many as possible. Using the equipment in the university’s Fabrication Lab, which includes 3D printers and lasers, the team has so far been able to make 1,500 face shields.
11th Apr 2020 - The Daily Breeze

Health care workers are dancing on social media to cheer up the quarantined and relieve stress

When the beat drops, these health care workers know it's all about the footwork. Medical professionals across the country are participating in dance challenges on social media. It's helping them share smiles and blow off steam during the demanding coronavirus pandemic. In scrubs and swag, nurse Kala Baker lip-syncs and dances in TikTok challenges to hits like "Savage" by Meg Thee Stallion at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.
12th Apr 2020 - CNN

A Spanish doctor asked for people to write letters to COVID-19 patients in hospital, telling them something about themselves, encouraging them to keep on fighting and how people loved them and were wanting them to recover - it went viral

A Spanish doctor asked for people to write letters to COVID-19 patients in hospital, telling them something about themselves, encouraging them to keep on fighting and how people loved them and were wanting them to recover - it went viral
18th Mar 2020 - El Pais

Sikh volunteers prepare 1,000 home-cooked meals and deliver them to Australians self-isolating during coronavirus crisis for FREE

A group of Sikh volunteers have started a free home delivery service and will soon deliver 1,000 home-cooked meals to Australians in coronavirus self-isolation. Sikh Volunteers Australia announced it would be delivering free food to COVID-19 affected people in Melbourne's south-east for the next two weeks. The group's Vice President, Manpreet Singh, told Daily Mail Australia volunteers sprung into action when the pandemic crisis deepened in Australia in the past few weeks.
19th Mar 2020 - Daily Mail

Belly dancers to florists flower bombing a care home - Six African coronavirus heroes

People in Africa are doing exceptional and surprising things to help others during the coronavirus pandemic. Here are just six uplifting stories of everyday heroes.
4th Apr 2020 - BBC News

Choir puts coronavirus spin on Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in viral video

A Canadian choir has released a coronavirus-themed version of the Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody. Seven members of the Phoenix Chamber Choir, based in Vancouver, adapted lyrics written by comedian Dana Jay Bein and recorded the song remotely. Lyrics include: "Is this a sore throat? Is this just allergies? Caught in a lockdown, no escape from reality." The accompanying video makes it seem as if the choir are singing together on a video call - but this would have been too difficult and lowered sound quality.
7th Apr 2020 - Evening Standard

Tips for starting your own online book club

Self-isolation does not mean you have to be alone. Forming a book club is a way of staying connected with family and friends as well as reaching out to those we do not know but share a love of reading. Here are a few tips on how to get started on setting up an internet book club, writes Sue Wilkinson. Nominate one person to choose a book each ...
10th Apr 2020 - The Scotsman

In the town of Zermatt Switzerland they have been displaying national flags on the Matterhorn to show support during these trying times. Today they did one for the United Kingdom. Previously they've done France, Spain, Portugal and Italy.

In the town of Zermatt Switzerland they have been displaying national flags on the Matterhorn to show support during these trying times. Today they did one for the United Kingdom. Previously they've done France, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
10th Apr 2020 - @peedutuisk

Coronavirus: Teenagers create video time capsule to fight lockdown angst

Company Three has launched "the Coronavirus Time Capsule" - an initiative aimed at giving "teenagers space to express themselves, to feel they are being heard and to express what life under lockdown looks like". Glasier and his team will be holding weekly virtual meetings with the young people they routinely work with (around 75 who usually meet in person). They will be encouraged to produce pieces of art - whether its poetry, song or rap, anything to encapsulate their feelings - the result being a cumulative video time capsule they will contribute to until the crisis is over.
13th Apr 2020 - Sky News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Why Wikipedia is immune to coronavirus

As the worldwide pandemic has been accompanied by an 'infodemic' of bad information, Wikipedia has stepped in to provide relief. So much so that it has become the go-to source for COVID-19 information
8th Apr 2020 - Haaretz

This Syrian refugee based in Switzerland has set up a community based delivery scheme to help the vulnerable and elderly receive food during the #coronavirus lockdown.

This Syrian refugee based in Switzerland has set up a community based delivery scheme to help the vulnerable and elderly receive food during the #coronavirus lockdown.
9th Apr 2020 - @worldwidefp

Balcony pep rallies bring cheer to California seniors

After weeks of being cooped up at home because of the deadly coronavirus, elderly residents of a retirement community in the Californian beach town of La Jolla have something to look forward to with daily pep rallies on their balconies.
9th Apr 2020 - Reuters

Sign the Petition - Personal protective equipment (PPE) for ALL frontline NHS staff

Sign the Petition - Personal protective equipment (PPE) for ALL frontline NHS staff
9th Apr 2020 - Change.org

Demand for telemedicine has exploded in the UK as doctors adapt to the coronavirus crisis

Family doctors in the U.K. have seen their day-to-day work routines radically altered by the coronavirus pandemic. Many are turning to online consultation services like AccuRx and eConsult to see patients who are stuck at home. AccuRx built a video chat tool in one weekend last month — it’s now being used in 35,000 consultations a day. It’s a radically different primary care model that physicians say won’t go away once the COVID-19 outbreak ends.
9th Apr 2020 - CNBC

Teacher Holds Virtual Disco for Students Staying at Home During Coronavirus Pandemic

A school in Woy Woy, New South Wales, took their disco online on April 6, after it was cancelled in light of restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Woy Woy South Public School teacher Mark Young danced to 27 songs in 15 minutes, and incorporated dance moves for children at home to copy. He used a wide variety of songs, old and new, such as Baby Shark, How Far I’ll Go, from Moana, and the Macarena. Though schools in New South Wales remained open during the coronavirus pandemic, parents were encouraged to keep their children at home, according to guidance from state officials. This video shows a teacher dancing in a classroom, in a video uploaded to compensate for a cancelled school disco
9th Apr 2020 - Yahoo! News

The Helpers: Islamic Relief Canada gathers supplies for the most vulnerable in Saskatoon

Bano is the Saskatchewan coordinator for Islamic Relief Canada. The organization has been raising money online and using the funds to purchase hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and sanitary pads that will be packaged into kits and given to the families that need them most. In Saskatoon, five volunteers donned gloves and gathered at the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan on Wednesday to put the kits together. They expected to make 250 kits for individuals and 200 kits for families that would be distributed to people who had asked Islamic Relief Canada for kits, and through the Lighthouse Supported Living centre and Salvation Army.
9th Apr 2020 - Saskatoon StarPhoenix

What a sight this evening outside the BRI.

What a sight this evening outside the BRI.
8th Apr 2020 - @BeardedJourno

A mental health hotline to support NHS staff has been launched - here’s how to access it

A new mental health phone hotline has been launched for health care workers on the NHS frontline during the coronavirus pandemic. The hotline is free for NHS staff to call, with phone lines open between 7am and 11pm daily. The number to call is 0300 131 7000. Healthcare workers can also choose to text FRONTLINE to 85258 to receive the service by SMS, which is available around the clock.
8th Apr 2020 - The Yorkshire Post

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

To Fight Coronavirus, U.K. Asked for Some Volunteers. It Got an Army.

More than 750,000 people are pitching in to help older and more vulnerable Britons, helping dispel the discord of the Brexit era.
7th Apr 2020 - The New York Times

How to help the elderly and vulnerable in your community during the coronavirus outbreak

Make sure those around you – neighbours or elderly family members – have everything they need while they are unable to leave the house. “Picking up some shopping, prescriptions or running errands could be a major help,” she says. This will also ensure they are less likely to take risks and leave the house themselves. A spokesperson from the Campaign to End Loneliness, adds: “You could use an app like Nextdoor to see if your neighbours need assistance. If you’re worried about transmitting the virus, you can leave bags on the doorstep.”
7th Apr 2020 - The Independent

Islamic Relief pledges $10 million to global fight against coronavirus - World

Thousands of hygiene kits containing essentials like hand sanitiser, surgical masks and thermometers have already been delivered to high-risk communities in places like Syria and Afghanistan where vital health infrastructure has crumbled due to conflict. In the coming week, more critical assistance such as ventilators, lab kits and portable x-ray machines will also be delivered to countries like Pakistan where many lack access to decent medical care. For those who have lost their jobs and sources of income in low and middle-income countries with no social safety nets, cash support will likewise be provided to allow them to purchase basics like food and medicine.
8th Apr 2020 - ReliefWeb

A big way to say thank you to the NHS in Bedminster

Thirty-year-old Seb was inspired to paint the side of the house on his daily exercise around Bedminster when he kept seeing little posters and signs in people’s windows with messages of support to the NHS, key workers, and local community. “It made me realise I had this huge blank canvas which was the side of my house! So after some deliberation whether or not to ‘deface’ my own property, I decided to follow my gut and go for it!” It took the freelance sports journalist three hours of measuring and then five hours of painting.
7th Apr 2020 - Bristol247

Coronavirus: Bridgnorth nursery open for children of key workers

Little Greenhouse Nursery in Low Town is opening three days a week to help those on the frontline battling the spread of coronavirus. While the company's other settings in Claverley and Bobbington have closed, the nursery in Mill Street continues to care for a handful of youngsters on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and has changed its operation to ensure the health and safety of staff and children.
8th Apr 2020 - Express & Star

Coronavirus: How to help and get help

The coronavirus pandemic is overwhelming, and one of the most excruciating parts for many people is the feeling of utter helplessness in the face of widespread suffering and hardship. Though staying inside and staying healthy are the most crucial ways to stave off this outbreak, CNN’s Impact Your World has compiled a list of donation opportunities and tips to help those affected by the crisis.
8th Apr 2020 - CNN

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Former Royal Stoke nurse & her helpers hand-making hospital scrubs for NHS staff

A former Royal Stoke nurse has enlisted a small army of local seamstresses to help her hand-make scrubs for hospital staff as part of a new campaign. Scrubs have been in higher demand under the current circumstances of the coronavirus crisis so the group is working with UHNM's linen services team. And after spotting a post on Facebook from a nurse in London asking for donations of scrubs to medical staff, Laura McColl decided she wanted to do something to help NHS staff locally at UHNM.
6th Apr 2020 - Stoke-on-Trent Live

Round Table mission to boost Oldham Royal Infirmary's PPE supply

An industrious charity team of volunteers have stepped up their mission to support Oldham’s NHS front line heroes in the battle against coronavirus. Initially, Saddleworth Round Table were asked to provide food, drinks and personal hygiene products to exhausted nurses and back up teams. But Round Table’s Mike Procter said: “This has now escalated into request for personal protective equipment (PPE).
7th Apr 2020 - The Oldham Times

Neighbours come to the rescue during lockdown

Scores of Goring residents have signed up to a “street champions” scheme to help neighbours who are self-isolating during the coronavirus pandemic. Almost 700 people have joined the Combat Corona Volunteers group on Facebook, which was set up by villager Helena Fahie to either offer or request assistance. More than 100 have added their names to a list of helpers and put postcards through every door in their street giving their contact details for others in need.
8th Apr 2020 - Henley Standard

'The Office' Producers Are Creating a Remote Workplace Comedy Inspired by Coronavirus Outbreak

Now that many people are working from home amid the coronavirus outbreak, producers from The Office are taking inspiration from our new normal. Deadline reports that Ben Silverman and Paul Lieberstein, former executive producers on the NBC sitcom, are developing a remote workplace comedy series that will unfold over Zoom and other methods of digital communication. The series is reportedly set around a “wunderkind boss who, in an effort to ensure his staff’s connectedness and productivity, asks them all to virtually interact and work face-to-face all day.”
8th Apr 2020 - MSN

Our support for teachers working remotely during COVID-19

The Royal Society of Chemistry is offering a wide range of teaching resources and support for teachers working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic, including free professional development courses. We have also asked for your thoughts in a survey about what support you need, so we can adapt what we are offering to suit you – our community – best during these challenging times. All resources are available for free if you register on the RSC Education website.
7th Apr 2020 - Royal Society of Chemistry

Long struggles of Irish-medium education gives sector online learning head start

Colaiste Feirste is spearheading high-quality online lessons in Irish - and believes the struggles of Irish-medium education gives it a head start. The west Belfast school's approach delivers classes online and develops new learning strategies. In addition, it offers support mechanisms for pupils' social and emotional wellbeing, and special educational needs.
8th Apr 2020 - The Irish News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Sewing NHS scrubs out of old bed sheets

Sewing machines across Shetland have been busy in an effort to help the NHS. A high turnover in hospital uniforms because of coronavirus hygiene rules is being addressed by a small army of sewing volunteers. The scheme has seen some wild and wacky designs for "scrubs" as the garments are known, even including a One Direction duvet.
6th Apr 2020 - BBC News

The Vietnamese community has donated 350 hand-made medical masks to the Śródmieście District council

The Vietnamese community in Poland decided to join the fight against coronavirus and, as part of a gesture of solidarity and help, it has donated 350 masks sewn by hand to the Śródmieście District. The masks were handed over as part of the campaign #VNJesteśmyzWami, to the mayor of the district, Aleksander Ferens, who said on behalf of the district he was very grateful for the gift.
6th Apr 2020 - Warzawa

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus: 1,000 volunteer therapists sign up to provide free support to NHS workers

A group of therapists set up the website frontline19.com so doctors, nurses and other NHS staff can access counselling services online during the Covid-19 lockdown. Organisers said 2,000 NHS staff had registered for help in the first three days alone, with a further 10,000 people attempting to access the service in the past two days.
3rd Apr 2020 - The Independent

Video applauding and celebrating the medical workers on New York

Video applauding and celebrating the medical workers on New York
6th Apr 2020 - Personal Video

Coronavirus: Edinburgh Airbnb flats help solve homelessness crisis

Housing bosses in Scotland’s capital have finally moved all homeless families with children out of unsuitable B&Bs after Airbnb properties and hotel rooms were left empty by the coronavirus lockdown. With assistance by charity Streetwork, 120 hotel bedrooms, currently empty due to the lockdown, and 65 flats including former Airbnb properties, have been transformed into safe accommodation for Edinburgh’s homeless families and rough sleepers.
5th Apr 2020 - HeraldScotland

'Dalek' spotted on UK street telling humans to 'stay inside' and 'self isolate'

One thing that we really didn't expect to see in all of this was a Dalek from Doctor Who, parading the streets telling everyone to self-isolate. Yes. That is something that has actually happened and was captured by Twitter user Ben and at the time of writing has already been viewed more than 2 million times.
5th Apr 2020 - indy100

Coronavirus: Elton John launches $1 million fund to help protect people with HIV during pandemic

Elton John has launched a new $1 million (£815,000) fund to help protect those who have HIV during the coronavirus pandemic. On Saturday, the singer shared a video on his social media accounts to announce the launch of the “Covid-19 Emergency Fund”, which has been made available by his non-profit organisation the Elton John Aids Foundation.
4th Apr 2020 - The Independent

This Brooklyn Landlord Just Canceled Rent for Hundreds of Tenants

Mr. Salerno said in an interview on Thursday that he did not care about losing his rental income in April, nor did he care to calculate the amount that he would not be collecting from his 80 apartments. He said he had about 200 to 300 tenants in total. He is likely forgoing hundreds of thousands of dollars in income by canceling April rent. His only interest, he said, was in alleviating stress for his renters, even those who were still employed and now working from home.
3rd Apr 2020 - The New York Times

Thousands of landlords offer free homes to NHS workers

Merilee Karr, a co-founder of the Short Term Accommodation Association, set up NHS Homes a fortnight ago. The site aims to put health staff in touch with landlords willing to offer properties for free or next to nothing. Mrs Karr, who also runs the luxury letting service Under the Doormat, said the the short-term letting market was down by 90 per cent. As a result, many in the industry had empty properties and were willing to help out. About 400 rooms are now listed through NHS Homes, worth a combined total of £1.2m in rent a month.
3rd Apr 2020 - BBC News

North Bristol NHS Trust staff thank public in new video

Staff at Southmead Hospital have thanked members of the public for staying inside in a new video filmed at the hospital. “You’ve clapped for us, now it’s our turn,” said Hannah Cook, video co-director. To the tune of I’ll Be There For You by The Rembrandts, best known as the theme from Friends, North Bristol NHS Trust staff dance and sing through Southmead Hospital.
3rd Apr 2020 - Bristol247

Thanks to the virus. 15 things that suddenly became free on the Internet

Various companies and services and famous people make their content free so that users around the world, while quarantined, have something to do in their free time.
25th Mar 2020 - NV.ua

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

BBC radio stars lead the nation in a mass singalong

UK radio listeners formed a nationwide choir on Thursday, as five BBC stations teamed up for a communal singalong. For the first time, Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music, 1 Xtra and Asian Network all broadcast the same programme, designed to lift spirits during the lockdown. "This is a unique moment," said Radio 1's Greg James. "Isolation doesn't mean you have to be lonely." Songs were suggested by listeners, with choices including Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline and Prince's Raspberry Beret.
3rd Apr 2020 - BBC

Not every hero wears a cape - a giant Polish grafitti mural tribute to healthcare staff

Not every hero wears a cape - a giant Polish grafitti mural tribute to healthcare staff
3rd Apr 2020 - Facebook

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

6 Ways You Can Help Your Community Fight The Impacts Of Coronavirus

Although no one can single-handedly obliterate the virus or halt its wide-ranging impacts, there are still plenty of ways to help. Charities, nonprofits and community aid networks across the D.C. region are mobilizing to help the most vulnerable people among us.
17th Mar 2020 - WAMU 88.5

Museum Asks People To Recreate Paintings With Stuff They Can Find at Home, Here Are The Results

Even though most of us are stuck at home during Coronavirus quarantine and can’t go out and enjoy art in museums, that doesn’t mean that life has to be boring or uncultured. The Getty Museum in Los Angeles challenged art fans to post photos of themselves recreating their favorite works of art from the safety of their homes. People responded with a lot of enthusiasm and flooded social media with their unique artistic interpretations. Scroll down to see the best examples!
1st Apr 2020 - Sad and Usless

How to help others in Tampa Bay during coronavirus lockdown

Give blood, make face masks, support food banks and these and other ways to assist others while we keep our distance is recommended
2nd Apr 2020 - Tampa Bay Times

Animal Crossing: Couples hold wedding ceremonies on New Horizons after coronavirus cancellations

People are throwing elaborate ceremonies on the hit Nintendo Switch game after the pandemic derailed plans worldwide
1st Apr 2020 - The Independent

James O'Brien salutes a real hero of the fight against coronavirus

Colonel Ashleigh Boreham is not a name many people know, but James O'Brien picked him out as a hero in the fight against coronavirus - as he is the man who organised the building of the NHS Nightingale Hospital.
1st Apr 2020 - LBC

1.5 Million Israelis Using Voluntary Coronavirus Monitoring App

Around 1.5 million Israelis have downloaded a mobile app in the past week that alerts users who have crossed paths with a coronavirus patient, according to the Health Ministry, helping to improve tracking of the pandemic. The app "HaMagen" - Hebrew for The Shield - is sparking interest from abroad with approaches from Germany, Italy, Britain, Australia and Chile so far, ministry deputy director general Morris Dorfman said Wednesday. Under a ministry initiative, developers created the app using open-source tools so it can be quickly deployed in other countries at no cost, he told Reuters.
2nd Apr 2020 - The New York Times

Coronavirus: Entire street joins together for 'socially-distant' dancing outside homes

Families in a Cheshire street have been sharing a novel form of daily exercise during the coronavirus lockdown, by assembling outside their homes each morning for some "socially-distant" dancing. Video shows people living on the road in Frodsham demonstrating their best moves after venturing out of their front doors for the bout of communal activity to music.
1st Apr 2020 - Sky News

Wanted: Army of helpers to help vulnerable in Middlesbrough

AN army of volunteers took to the streets yesterday to spread the word of support available in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak. Officers from across Middlesbrough Council were joined by representatives from Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation, totalling 150 people, to hand deliver nearly 70,000 leaflets on the Help Boro initiative, which calls for volunteers and vulnerable people that need support to come forward.
24th Mar 2020 - The Northern Echo

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Apr 2020

    View this newsletter in full

The beautiful story of the New Yorker who tries to seduce his neighbor despite the confinement

Jeremy Cohen, New York photographer, redoubles his inventiveness to seduce his neighbor Tori Cignarella, despite the period of extended confinement.
30th Mar 2020 - Paris Match

The cleaning staff at our hospitals are hardly ever mentioned and they also deserve a tribute!

The cleaning staff at our hospitals are hardly ever mentioned and they also deserve a tribute!
30th Mar 2020 - @JosepGoded

The Montreux Jazz festival unveils 50 free streaming concerts

With the postponement of the next edition of the festival the organizers have decided to invite themselves into your own homes and offer you the chance to see up to 50 free streamed concerts for free
29th Mar 2020 - Sortir a Paris

Polish society rallies to help medical staff and the vulnerable during coronavirus shutdown

Several groups offer help with pet care, childcare and homeschooling assistance or running errands. One such community, Widzialna Ręka (Visible Hand), was founded on 11 March when schools and universities were closed and has now reached over 80,000 members. Group founder Filip Żulewski estimates that there are now over 150 spin-offs, with thousands more members grouped by specific towns and cities across the country. There is also one for Poland’s large Ukrainian community. Some are also using the I Help You app to offer voluntary support to the needy.
17th Mar 2020 - Notes from Poland

Two Indian chefs are cooking meals for doctors and nurses in Poland

An Indian restaurant in Warsaw has been providing up to 90 free meals a day for staff at local hospitals. Its owner, Suresh Goyal, has lived in Poland 15 years and says he "feels a responsibility to help. It doesn't matter where you're from". We interviewed Goyal - who for years has been providing free food for Warsaw's homeless - in our article on how Polish society has been rallying to help those affected by coronavirus and medics on the front line. You can read it here:
25th Mar 2020 - OKO Press

Polish police dancing in the street to YMCA to entertain kids in lockdown

Polish police dancing in the street to YMCA to entertain kids in lockdown
27th Mar 2020 - Polish Police

Community rallies together to help those in need as coronavirus outbreak continues

The group, called Coronavirus Helpers Bicester and Surrounding Areas, is creating a huge list of all the people who need help such as the elderly, who have specifically been told to stay home. The support is not just for practical help including shopping but to make sure that people have someone to talk to in times of isolation and heightened anxiety.
30th Mar 2020 - Oxford Mail

Coronavirus - More than 4000 children of caregivers welcomed in facilities across the Ile-de-France

"We are civil servants above all else, we must embrace the public service ethic. "We welcome a dozen students. A rotation is organized between the teachers, they each come in for half a day per week. " We help the children with their homework and we organize games," the rector explains. In Paris, more than 400 teachers have volunteered, according to the school
30th Mar 2020 - France Info

Sewing scrubs for NHS staff

A new voluntary group has been set up to make and deliver much-needed scrubs to NHS staff in Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. ScrubHub Bristol is helping to tackle the national shortage of scrubs in the NHS. Set up by Amanda George at We Make Bristol, a gift shop in Westbury-on-Trym, ScrubHub Bristol is a voluntary group of sewers making new sanitary uniforms for staff working in the city, now everyone is stuck indoors.
30th Mar 2020 - Bristol247

Land needed as Bristol’s grassroots growers seek to increase production

Market gardener Humphrey Lloyd currently grows on a one-acre patch, Edible Futures, in Stapleton and is one of many that has had to change his business model in response to the outbreak. He is now urgently seeking more land to increase production and keep communities stocked up.
30th Mar 2020 - Bristol247

Courtyard by Marriott Warsaw Airport helps doctors. The hotel provides its rooms

The coronavirus outbreak is a very difficult time for healthcare workers. Lots of patients, and so a lot of work and hours of on-call time. The Warsaw Hotel has decided to help the doctors and is sharing its rooms so that they can relax and protect their families from possible infection
30th Mar 2020 - Warszawa Naszemiasto

Photos of our Community Policing Unit from Donnybrook & Irishtown assisting our elderly & vulnerable residents.

Photos of our Community Policing Unit from Donnybrook & Irishtown assisting our elderly & vulnerable residents. We are here to help in any situation please don’t hesitate to contact us donnybrook.community@garda.ie. #StayAtHomeAndStaySafe #HereToHelp
31st Mar 2020 - @GardaInfo

The Liverpool coronavirus heroes that are a beacon of light in hard times

This is a good time to follow the famous phrase 'look for the helpers' - those people who are doing their best to make a difference in challenging times. The NHS workers, the social carers, the children sticking hand-drawn rainbows in their bedroom windows, the neighbour who always takes the time to wave from a socially-separated safe distance, the teachers sending messages to their pupils from afar. Whenever there are hard times you will find them - and never more than in Merseyside, where people have a reputation for looking out for each other.
31st Mar 2020 - Liverpool Echo

Polish couple use 3D printers to produce protective masks for medical personnel

A Polish couple have been praised for using their 3D printers to produce hundreds of protective visors for medical personnel during the current coronavirus pandemic. Łukasz and Justyna Więcek from Zielona Góra in western Poland came up with the initiative to 3D-print masks in response to a government appeal for help from private entrepreneurs to manufacture medical supplies, reports Gazeta Wyborcza.
24th Mar 2020 - Notes for Poland

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region launches a regional platform to connect producers, food craftspeople and consumers during the Covid-19 outbreak

While local producers are finding it increasingly difficult to sell their fruits, vegetables, fresh products and other meats, consumers are struggling to find these same products near their homes. A new community assistance platform opens Tuesday to make these two needs meet. Home delivery is offered and local producers can plug into the service to keep these essential services going
29th Mar 2020 - Le Populaire du Centre

Bristol food and drink businesses collaborate in times of crisis

Chefs from restaurants in Bristol that have closed due to the coronavirus crisis are working together to cook in six kitchens in order to feed homeless people and vulnerable adults. The team, currently made up from businesses including the Pony & Trap, Poco, the Gallimaufry and Box-E, are currently figuring out how to provide a daily hot meal to NHS staff at Southmead Hospital.
30th Mar 2020 - Bristol247.com

Thousands join army of council volunteers as emergency food parcels are delivered to more than 50 of Bristol's most vulnerable residents

An army of volunteers has been delivering emergency food parcels to Bristol's most vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic. A delivery of emergency goods supplied by central government was received at City Hall on Saturday morning (March 28) before being packed into individual bags by Bristol City Council workers and volunteers. These parcels were then distributed by local taxi drivers to 53 residents across the city who are being shielded with no food and support. Following a call for volunteers to help during the Covid-19 crisis, nearly 3,000 people signed up on Can Do Bristol. From that group, 75 people said they were available to help pack food on Saturday.
30th Mar 2020 - Bristol Post

Booths launches community delivery service to help those in need

Booths has launched a next day delivery service to help the elderly and isolated to access key groceries throughout the coronavirus
30th Mar 2020 - Lancaster Guardian

From masks to meal boxes, businesses step in to help medics battling coronavirus

In response to the crisis, businesses with a social conscience have been scrambling to help, from the Spanish shoemakers producing facemasks to the Malaysian social enterprise hiring refugees to make meals for hospital staff. “It’s the least we can do,” said Lucia Cáscales, a nursing assistant who is making masks in Alicante in the south of Spain, one of the countries worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic. “You have to help people at this very serious time.” The Spanish initiative was started by a group of women volunteers who normally stitch shoes in their own homes. They have now sent more than 5,000 face masks they made to local hospitals to help plug acute shortages.
30th Mar 2020 - Reuters

Everyone in Cornwall asked to donate £1 to help county's NHS coronavirus fight

Two friends from Cornwall have set up a fundraising campaign for Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity and are urging everyone in the county to donate just £1. Natalie Pain and Louise Hopes, who both live in Helston, were so moved by the hard work carried out by NHS staff that they wanted to help. They hope to raise half a million pounds for the county's medical workers.They came up with the idea that if every household in Cornwall donated £1 per person they could raise £500,000
30th Mar 2020 - ITV News

Bicester community rallies together to help those in need as coronavirus outbreak continues

Now, a community page has been set up on Facebook where people and local businesses have volunteered to deliver food and items to the vulnerable. The group, called Coronavirus Helpers Bicester and Surrounding Areas, is creating a huge list of all the people who need help such as the elderly, who have specifically been told to stay home. The support is not just for practical help including shopping but to make sure that people have someone to talk to in times of isolation and heightened anxiety
31st Mar 2020 - Oxford Mail

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

750,000 people sign up to join NHS volunteer army in less than a week

Three quarters of a million people have signed up as volunteers to help the vulnerable get through the coronavirus crisis, in less than a week. The Royal Voluntary Service will now pause applications to allow processing with NHS England so the “volunteer army” can get up and running. The body said it was “absolutely overwhelmed” by the response to the biggest plea for volunteers in England since the Second World War.
29th Mar 2020 - Evening Standard

Find a group to help the elderly and those in most need - website resource to locate groups near you

Find a group to help the elderly and those in most need - website resource to locate groups near you
30th Mar 2020 - CovidMutualAid.org

Chester Zoo streams live virtual tour in ‘best lockdown pick-me-up’

The facility - of the UK’s largest zoo - is sharing a sneak peak of its sprawling grounds and range of animals to entertain the public during the coronavirus lockdown. The walkabout, livestreamed on Facebook, kicked off at 10am with a close-up look at its red pandas. Twitter users shared their joy at the fluffy critters, with one tweeting that watching them was “the best lockdown pick-me-up.”
28th Mar 2020 - Evening Standard

Clap for carers: applauding the NHS – in pictures

People across the UK have taken part in a mass round of applause in support of the NHS workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. In the Clap For Carers initiative people took to their doorsteps and balconies applauding, banging pans and letting off fireworks. Notable buildings around the country were also lit up in blue
26th Mar 2020 - The Guardian

Kylie Jenner Donates $1 Million to Buy Masks and Face Shields for Coronavirus First Responders

Kylie Jenner has donated $1 million to help medical professionals purchase face masks and other necessary protective gear amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi — a physician and OB-GYN at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles — thanked the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star for the sizable donation, which she said will help with the purchase of “hundreds of thousands of masks, face shields, and other protective gear” used by first responders who are working to fight against the global outbreak.
25th Mar 2020 - YAHOO!

This will move you to tears..and afterwards you will feel extraordinarily uplifted. Together we win!

This will move you to tears..and afterwards you will feel extraordinarily uplifted. Together we win!
29th Mar 2020 - @jonsnowC4

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Sanitation workers and garbagemen continue to work in Iraq amid COVID-19 fears, so a restaurant owner in Karbala delivers them free lunch everyday. #StayHome #Iraq #coronavirus

Sanitation workers and garbagemen continue to work in Iraq amid COVID-19 fears, so a restaurant owner in Karbala delivers them free lunch everyday. #StayHome #Iraq #coronavirus
26th Mar 2020 - @RashaAlAqeedi

Thousands of people across the UK clap from their homes to say a nationwide thank you to NHS staff and carers battling the spread of #coronavirus. #ClapForOurCarers #ClapForNHS.

Thousands of people across the UK clap from their homes to say a nationwide thank you to NHS staff and carers battling the spread of #coronavirus. #ClapForOurCarers #ClapForNHS.
26th Mar 2020 - @SkyNews

David Beckham leads the charge with his family as footballers join rest of UK in #ClapForNHS

David Beckham has led the charge among footballers to give support to the NHS staff working tirelessly to save lives during the coronavirus crisis. The country came together as one at 8pm on Thursday night to stand on their doorsteps and hold a minute of applause and cheer for workers in the health industry who are battling on the front line.
26th Mar 2020 - Daily Mail

Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Mendes donation to fight coronavirus worth £1m and enable three new intensive care units to be built

The Portuguese footballer has combined with his super agent to aid their country in their battle against covid-19
26th Mar 2020 - The Independent

Staying Inside - group sets the Bee Gees famous song to a new context and advises people to stay alive by staying inside

Staying Inside - group sets the Bee Gees famous song to a new context and advises people to stay alive by staying inside
26th Mar 2020 - @TrueFactsStated

Coronavirus: Government launches coronavirus chatbot to stop fake news

Professor Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said the coronavirus chatbot would ensure the public had access to the latest health guidance, ‘providing assurance that they are not misled by any of the false information circulating.’
26th Mar 2020 - Metro.co.uk

People Around the World Are 3D-Printing Face Shields to Battle the Coronavirus

An informal network of thousands of printers is emerging to provide critical medical supplies
25th Mar 2020 - OneZero.Medium.com

Coronavirus in Ireland – Calls for volunteers to get involved helping their local and national community amid

A NATIONAL Covid community response team has been launched to assist volunteers helping in local communities during the coronavirus in Ireland. The group was set up to help coordinate both national and community initiatives in their fight against Covid-19 under the tag line 'One community, together'.
18th Mar 2020 - The Irish Sun

Optimism in the time of Covid-19. "It will be all right" can become even more contagious than Covid-19. "It will be all right" message is starting to spread“

Optimism in the time of Covid-19. "It will be all right" is a message gaining traction and becoming viral by itself. "The mail box of our editorial team has been literally bombarded by drawings, photographs and messages. Like the one from little Agnese from Carpignano Salentino and Mattia da Nardò. Whole families, such as one including mom Annalisa and dad Carmine, together with their two-year-old daughter Chiara, drew us a "colorful" invitation to positivity. Moreover, from a medical perspective, it is well known that optimism can prove therapeutic and contribute to strengthening the immune system.“
13th Mar 2020 - Lecce Prima

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Coronavirus shortages see elderly look to online good Samaritans

Mr McKee said he stumbled upon a new community support group called Adopt a Nan or Pop connecting the elderly with healthy young people and families. "Sharon and Mel turned up with bags of groceries. Sharon contacts me every day to make sure I'm OK," he said. "My freezer is full, my fridge is full, my pantry is full, just from what they've done for me so far.
25th Mar 2020 - ABC Local

BBC announces Culture In Quarantine programming amid Covid-19 lockdown

The BBC has announced a “virtual festival of the arts” that aims to give people access to culture while they isolate themselves in their own homes during the coronavirus lockdown. Cultural content will be made available to the public on television, radio and online as part of the broadcaster’s Culture In Quarantine programming.
25th Mar 2020 - Oxford Mail

Book sales surge as self-isolating readers stock up on ‘bucket list’ novels

Paperback fiction sales rose by 35% last week, with a notable interest in challenging classics. Book sales have leapt across the country as readers find they have extra time on their hands, with bookshops reporting a significant increase in sales of longer novels and classic fiction.
25th Mar 2020 - The Guardian

Coronavirus: More than half a million sign up to be NHS volunteers

Boris Johnson hails the public's response and says the volunteers will be "absolutely crucial" in the fight against COVID-19.
25th Mar 2020 - Sky News

'People are so thankful': how delivery drivers became the new emergency service

Just a month ago, they were deemed unskilled workers. Now they are essential in the fight to control coronavirus. But what is it like driving down increasingly deserted streets to make sure everyone – including elderly and vulnerable people – has what they need?
25th Mar 2020 - The Guardian

This is the moment a whole street in Southampton sang 'Happy Birthday' to 8-year-old Sophia as people remain at home during the #coronavirus pandemic.

This is the moment a whole street in Southampton sang 'Happy Birthday' to 8-year-old Sophia as people remain at home during the #coronavirus pandemic.
25th Mar 2020 - Sky News

Clitheroe landlady cooks up storm for locals amidst coronavirus outbreak

Laura Smithies, who along with husband Phil, runs the Brown Cow in Clitheroe, is lending a helping hand to residents in and around the town who have been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. Mrs Smithies is providing a selection of main meals, daily, for free, for people self-isolating or those financially affected by the coronavirus,
25th Mar 2020 - Lancashire Telegraph

Var police officers came to the Sainte-Musse hospital, flashing beacons of the lit vehicles, applaud the nursing staff and the hospital staff to thank them and pay them tribute

Just last night, Var police officers came to the Sainte-Musse hospital, flashing beacons of the lit vehicles, applaud the nursing staff and the hospital staff to thank them and pay them tribute (Video HervP ) #confinement #Toulon #COVID19 #herosduquotidien
25th Mar 2020 - @Var-Matin

Amir Khan offers his £5m wedding venue in Bolton to the NHS to treat those affected by coronavirus

Amir Khan has pledged to give his £5m wedding venue in Bolton to the NHS to help those affected by the coronavirus. The Bolton boxer made the announcement on Twitter earlier this afternoon. The 33-year-old said he is prepared to offer up the four-story building as he is “aware of how difficult it is for the public to get a hospital bed at this time”.
25th Mar 2020 - Manchester Evening News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Very inspiring. Rotterdam's Philharmonic Orchestra plays 'Ode to Joy' together, whilst in isolation.

Very inspiring. Rotterdam's Philharmonic Orchestra plays 'Ode to Joy' together, whilst in isolation. We do love our EU, don't we?
21st Mar 2020 - @tarotray

Lancaster Royal Grammar School and city hotels offer free beds for NHS and other key workers

Hotels and the grammar school in Lancaster are offering beds for hospital key workers to reduce the risk of them infecting their families with coronavirus.
24th Mar 2020 - Lancaster Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Pill volunteers canvas village to provide coronavirus help

A group is distributing leaflets throughout Pill and Easton-in-Gordano in an effort to help those who have had to self isolate in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
17th Mar 2020 - North Somerset Times

Here to Help - back our campaign to support communities amid coronavirus

David Powles, editor of the EDP and Evening News, said: “We know that when we face upheaval, our communities pull together in their time of need. The outbreak of this virus is no exception, and already we’re seeing the kind gestures being made by businesses and people across Norfolk and Waveney. “But we want to encourage everyone, where possible, to be involved. We might not be able to nip round someone’s house or pop over for a chat, but there are plenty of safe ways we can help others, whether’s that’s picking up the phone for a chat to lift someone’s spirits or offering to collect a prescription.
18th Mar 2020 - Eastern Daily Press

The great Aussie spirit: Facebook group allows people to 'adopt' a healthcare worker

Chris Nicholas launched Facebook group 'Adopt a Healthcare Worker' last week. Its mission is to 'support those who support us', particularly during COVID-19. So far 17,693 have joined the group and offered their services up to others. People are walking their pets, buying their groceries and childminding
18th Mar 2020 - Daily Mail

Auckland woman creates coronavirus care packages for elderly struggling during COVID-19 pandemic

On Thursday, Mellissa Richardson posted on Facebook about her plan to create care packages of essential items and drop them off to vulnerable people in her community. Richardson told Newshub she has received numerous large donations since her post. "I was thinking of just little care packs and it's slowly turning into my second job. We have had large donations of canned food, hand sanitiser, and groceries which is great."
20th Mar 2020 - Newshub.nz

How you can help during the coronavirus outbreak

Several nonprofit organizations could use your time and money to make sure vulnerable populations are cared for during the pandemic
21st Mar 2020 - The Washington Post

“We are not the frontline in this battle. We as healthcare workers stand in the back. We’re the LAST line of defense. The frontline of this epidemic is YOU, the people in the community, tasked with the challenge of keeping each other safe.”

We’re the LAST line of defense. The frontline of this epidemic is YOU, the people in the community, tasked with the challenge of keeping each other safe.”
23rd Mar 2020 - @AuforGA

#Covidiots trends on Twitter as people urge others to stay inside amid coronavirus outbreak

Around the world people have taken to social media with a newly coined word #covidiots to describe those who behave badly during the global pandemic.
23rd Mar 2020 - Evening Standard

Scouse Army: Thousands sign up to help city's most vulnerable in coronavirus fight

Council inundated with offers as new foodbank production hub is planned
23rd Mar 2020 - Liverpool Echo

In #Turkey, people have started to leave food packets on the road for the poor and the needy who cannot earn due to #COVIDー19 lockdown.

In #Turkey, people have started to leave food packets on the road for the poor and the needy who cannot earn due to #COVIDー19 lockdown. Love you #Turks for representing us. #coronavirus #COVID19 #Italy #MulikaCorona #coronaviruskenya
23rd Mar 2020 - @jeriovinnie

Look For the Helpers: Stepping Up to Stomp Out COVID-19

Fighting the coronavirus requires people to socially distance themselves, but it also calls on community members to help one another—and that’s exactly what’s taking place all around the globe. To answer the call for help, a network of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers have stepped up to support and shield people in need. Teams are doing everything they can to aid their communities.
23rd Mar 2020 - Red Cross

Chennai-based app Alserv provides doorstep services for the elderly

Alserv, a Chennai-based startup app, promises to provide essential services, like healthcare and maintenance, to senior citizens at their doorstep
23rd Mar 2020 - The Hindu

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Bristolians are self-organising a phenomenal coronavirus fight back in ways that will outlast pandemic

Noah Goldman is a bar worker who describes himself as “the person who happened to set up a Facebook group” on 12th March. That group, Bristol Community Care – Covid-19 Mutual Aid, now has thousands of members and has helped spawn a Facebook group for almost all postcode areas in Bristol. “I was talking to a friend in Italy about how they were dealing with the outbreak, and thought we need to do something now to collectively defend ourselves,” he says. The response has been overwhelming. “People have organised in an organic way that I wouldn’t have considered a possibility last week,” he adds. “Where the government has failed, we are now looking across the street for answers.” He’s now buckling down to support the BS5 group, which has one thousand members.
18th Mar 2020 - The Bristol Cable

Here are some of the heroes rising from the coronavirus pandemic

Here are some of the ways people are lending a hand through individual acts and large-scale efforts: Feeding children who depend on school to eat, Contributing to hourly workers' wages, Providing resources to those most affected, Some people are using music to bridge the distance the outbreak has imposed on their communities,
21st Mar 2020 - CNN

Voice of the People: Coronavirus will only be defeated by acts of humanity

As a nation, we have never been here before. And we cannot be sure, beyond hope, where or how we are going to end up.
21st Mar 2020 - Mirror

Somerset Facebook group helping vulnerable during pandemic goes viral

More than 10,000 people have joined Coronavirus Community Help Taunton on Facebook to help elderly and vulnerable people during the coronavirus outbreak
21st Mar 2020 - Somerset Live

'It's loneliness that kills, not the virus': volunteers step forward to help

From musicians to dog walkers, people from all walks of life are mobilising to support people coping with isolation
21st Mar 2020 - The Guardian

Big applause hour for NHS 26th March 8pm

This made me cry just reading it. It’s going to be quite a moment. Please share far and wide #CoronaCrisis
21st Mar 2020 - @kayburley

Acts of kindness amid coronavirus pandemic

From supermarkets establishing "elderly hours" to people singing from their balconies in a show of solidarity, here are some random acts of kindness that help keep spirits up during tough times
20th Mar 2020 - CNN

Spaniards applaud their healthworker heroes each day at 8pm from their balconies and their windows

Spaniards applaud their healthworker heroes each day at 8pm from their balconies and their windows. This lifts everyone's spirits and expresses the solidarity most feel towards the Spanish health service battling the coronavirus sweeping the country
23rd Mar 2020 - El Diario

Video - police in Mallorca on lock down rounds entertain the people

The Police in Mallorca, Spain making rounds around villages on lock down to do this To alleviate the anxiety of the people and to keep them entertained
22nd Mar 2020 - @_SJPeace_

Social distancing - Mumbai, India: Empty platforms at Nahur station on central line in Mumbai

Mumbai: Empty platforms at Nahur station on central line in Mumbai. #JantaCurfew #CautionYesPanicNo
22nd Mar 2020 - @TOIMumbai

Chino Hills High School Chamber Singers recorded “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from their homes while #PhysicalDistancing in #California.

Chino Hills High School Chamber Singers recorded “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from their homes while #PhysicalDistancing in #California. 19 students *individually* filmed their a cappella parts, then synched up their videos in a virtual performance.
22nd Mar 2020 - @DrDenaGrayson

Cornavirus: Britain's rural towns warn 'don't come here to escape COVID-19'

People have been told to stay home but many are trying to find isolation elsewhere, placing strain on small towns.
22nd Mar 2020 - Sky News

Coronavirus: what your insurance may (and may not) cover

Travel has been a big issue for many people – but your policy could also help with weddings, income and rent
21st Mar 2020 - The Guardian

A senior NHS boss has accused panic buyers of depriving healthcare staff of the food supplies they need, adding: “Frankly we should all be ashamed.”

A senior NHS boss has accused panic buyers of depriving healthcare staff of the food supplies they need, adding: “Frankly we should all be ashamed.” NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis’​ comments, at a Downing Street press conference, came after days in which supermarkets have seen their shelves stripped of food by shoppers fearful of running out during the coronavirus shutdown.
21st Mar 2020 - The Independent

When you buy too much, you cause problems in the resupply chain. This hurts the vulnerable. Stop panic buying.

When you buy too much, you cause problems in the resupply chain. This hurts the vulnerable. Stop panic buying.
21st Mar 2020 - @Peoptog

NHS staff dancing - these amazing people keep us all safe (click to see video)

The spirit of NHS staff is absolutely astonishing - Please RT if you’re proud. WE WILL BEAT THIS!
20th Mar 2020 - @NHSMillion

The best financial resources during the coronavirus crisis

The newspaper lists a series of useful tips for dealing with the financial crisis which has been caused in many households because of the coronoavirus pandemic
20th Mar 2020 - New York Post

Seeking to register volunteers to help the elderly and single people in Russia during any coronavirus quarantine period

The government strongly encourage everyone over the age of 60 to self-isolate at home for at least 3 weeks in a bid to shield them from the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. NGOs are calling for volunteers to make sure that elderly and vulnerable neighbors have everything they need. In each region of the country, regional coordinators of volunteer headquarters for the elderly in the coronavirus situation have been identified.
23rd Mar 2020 - Dobro.ru

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Concert pays homage to health workers.

Concert pays homage to health workers. Musicians and singers living in a building in the Barbès district of Paris improvise a concert from their windows, in homage to the medical staff on the front line against the #coronavirus epidemic
19th Mar 2020 - @AFP

Ok this was sweet - Israelis on their balconies clapping and cheering for the doctors and nurses

Ok this was sweet - Israelis on their balconies clapping and cheering for the doctors and nurses fighting the Coronavirus pandemic
19th Mar 2020 - @BenHartman

Coronavirus: A million people demand NHS workers get priority testing

More than a million people have signed a petition calling for NHS staff to be prioritised for coronavirus testing so they can continue to work. NHS staff with a cough are facing the dilemma of being unable to work for a week or infecting patients with COVID-19.
20th Mar 2020 - Sky News

Retailers who inflate prices because of Coronavirus could be prosecuted, CMA warns

The watchdog added that it would consider asking the Government to introduce price controls if needed as products, including hand sanitiser, sell out at hundreds of supermarkets nationwide
20th Mar 2020 - Mirror Online

Coronavirus: Bangladesh mass prayer event prompts alarm

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Bangladesh for a mass prayer session on Wednesday, despite fears it posed a risk of spreading the new coronavirus. Local police chief Tota Miah told AFP news agency that 10,000 Muslims had gathered in Raipur town to pray "healing verses" from the Koran. But some eyewitnesses told the BBC the figure was closer to 30,000. A similar religious event in Malaysia in February has been confirmed as the source of more than 500 infections.
20th Mar 2020 - BBC News

Facebook has a coronavirus problem. It's WhatsApp.

The platform is being used to spread messages that often contain a mixture of accurate and misleading claims that have been debunked by medical experts. The problem is now so acute that world leaders are urging people to stop sharing unverified information using the app. "I am urging everyone to please stop sharing unverified info on WhatsApp groups," Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Monday on Twitter. "These messages are scaring and confusing people and causing real damage. Please get your info from official, trusted sources."
19th Mar 2020 - CNN

Twitter to remove harmful fake news about coronavirus

Twitter will remove tweets that run the risk of causing harm by spreading dangerous misinformation about Covid-19, the company has said, after weeks of criticism that its policies on misinformation were too lax.
19th Mar 2020 - The Guardian

Coronavirus: The med students who want to help

With the NHS under pressure because of coronavirus, medical students at the University of Liverpool are hoping to use their skills to volunteer at hospitals during the crisis.
19th Mar 2020 - BBC News

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

Want To Avoid Spreading Coronavirus Misinformation? Think Like A Science Journalist

No one wants to spread bad information—but for non-scientists, it can be hard to distinguish facts from rumors. I asked a couple of experts in the ethics of science journalism on how best to use social media responsibly in the age of coronavirus. Here are a few guidelines they shared:
18th Mar 2020 - Mother Jones

Panic buying forces British supermarkets to ration food

Britain’s biggest supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, limited purchases of all food products on Wednesday after frantic shoppers stripped shelves to prepare for possible isolation during the coronavirus outbreak.
18th Mar 2020 - Reuters

The picture that shames selfish Britain:

Stooping to check his shopping list, this elderly man is faced with a shocking reality – most of the stock has been stripped from the supermarket shelves by selfish customers. The gentleman is therefore left to wonder where exactly he will be able to pick up his essentials as shops suffer from a surge in stockpiling by uncaring shoppers. The picture was taken in a Sainsbury's store in Epsom, Surrey, but the increase in panic buying has hit all major supermarkets.
18th Mar 2020 - Daily Mail

Coronavirus: Cheltenham staff had symptoms while working at racing festival

Cheltenham Festival punters and staff have been struck down by symptoms consistent with coronavirus, sparking fresh fears that hundreds of racegoers could be infected and spreading the illness. Housemates Andrew Maclean, 24 and Scott Saunders, 25, have quarantined themselves inside their home after coming down with a fever, cough and shortness of breath. Mr Maclean and Mr Saunders, from Cheltenham, developed symptoms when they were working at a restaurant and bar, respectively, at the festival - at first thinking they only had colds - and now fear they passed their infection on to others. The pair have questioned why Cheltenham went ahead despite the worsening crisis and the calls for it to be cancelled to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
18th Mar 2020 - Mirror

'A generation has died': Italian province struggles to bury its coronavirus dead

Coffins awaiting burial are lining up in churches and the corpses of those who died at home are being kept in sealed-off rooms for days as funeral services struggle to cope in Bergamo, the Italian province hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. As of Wednesday, Covid-19 had killed 2,978 across Italy, all buried or cremated without ceremony. Those who die in hospital do so alone, with their belongings left in bags beside coffins before being collected by funeral workers. In Bergamo, a province of 1.2 million people in the Lombardy region, where 1,640 of the total deaths in the country have taken place, 3,993 people had contracted the virus by Tuesday. The death toll across the province is unclear, but CFB, the area’s largest funeral director, has carried out almost 600 burials or cremations since 1 March. “In a normal month we would do about 120,” said Antonio Ricciardi, the president of CFB. “A generation has died in just over two weeks. We’ve never seen anything like this and it just makes you cry.”
19th Mar 2020 - The Guardian

Community Activities - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Mar 2020

    View this newsletter in full

BBC halts plans to charge over-75s for licence fee due to coronavirus Millions of pensioners have begun receiving letters telling them that they must pay the £157.50 fee from June, but this is now on hold

BBC halts plans to charge over-75s for licence fee due to coronavirus Millions of pensioners have begun receiving letters telling them that they must pay the £157.50 fee from June, but this is now on hold
17th Mar 2020 - The Daily Telegraph

UK hotels could be turned into hospitals during the coronavirus outbreak

Rob Paterson, chief executive officer of Best Western Great Britain, said: "We are in unprecedented territory so we would be willing to take unprecedented steps to support the national effort. "If the NHS wants additional bed space, and we can partner with other companies to provide the right medical equipment and supplies, and we can do it safely, then we would be willing to start having those conversations immediately. "Whatever we can do to help."The move would create additional bed space for the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
17th Mar 2020 - Manchester Evening News

Supermarkets to introduce shopping hours for elderly

Lidl and Tesco are to introduce dedicated shopping hours for older and vulnerable customers. The German discount retailer will prioritise elderly customers from 9am to 11am each day starting tomorrow. There will be prioritised queuing and additional assistance in-store for customers. Lidl says the measure is to help protect more vulnerable shoppers due to increased demand and has asked all customers to respect the dedicated shopping hours each morning. A run of coronavirus panic-buying has gripped several countries, emptying shelves of basic goods despite pleas by authorities to stop.
17th Mar 2020 - RTE.ie

For millions of low-income seniors, coronavirus is a food-security issue

For older people with sufficient resources, the message is clear: stay home, stock up on food and supplies, and avoid group activities. However, these recommendations fail to address the struggle of millions of low-income older adults who lack access to healthy food and adequate nutrition on a daily basis. And although social distancing is necessary to help limit the spread of the virus, anything that deters people from accessing group meals at senior centers or food banks puts low-income seniors in danger of malnutrition and hunger. Millions of them also typically cannot afford to stock up on food or supplies, and if they can, many need transportation assistance to and from grocery stores. In light of this, federal, state, and local responders need to consider targeted solutions to ensure that food-insecure and socially isolated older adults (as well as other populations with barriers to food access) can stay fed and healthy during the crisis.
17th Mar 2020 - Brookings Institution

How to survive coronavirus lockdown as a parent, especially moms who carry the burden

Whether children are in or out of school, the threat of the coronavirus has made managing family life a much bigger job. Odd are, moms are taking on more of this emotional and domestic labor. On top of this, women are more likely to do what experts call "worry work," An expert explained. Moms are more likely than dads to anticipate the needs of the family and plan ahead for worst case scenarios. (Listen closely, and you can hear the hum of "what's next?" on a constant loop in most moms' heads.) Start tag teaming -- splitting work days and house management as much as possible, and it is making life much better. If there is a silver lining in all this, or at least a lesson that we might want to impart to our kids, it's this. In our cities, our workplaces, our classrooms, and our homes, we are being forced to realize that life works better when we can depend on one another. Parents: When you tell your children to wash their hands, don't just say they need to do it in order keep themselves or the family healthy. Tell them they need to wash their hands in order to keep everyone healthy, and explain why. Then maybe leave a note for an elderly neighbor asking if they could use any help.
16th Mar 2020 - CNN Philippines

Coronavirus: PM says everyone should avoid office, pubs and travelling

The key new government measures are: a) Everyone should avoid gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theatres b) Everyone should work from home if they can c) All "unnecessary" visits to friends and relatives in care homes should cease d) People should only use the NHS "where we really need to" - and can reduce the burden on workers by getting advice on the NHS website where possible f) By next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be "largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks" g) The UK is now "three weeks" behind Italy - the worst-hit country in Europe h) If one person in any household has a persistent cough or fever, everyone living there must stay at home for 14 days i) Those people should, if possible, avoid leaving the house "even to buy food or essentials" - but they may leave the house "for exercise and, in that case, at a safe distance from others" j) Schools will not be closed for the moment
16th Mar 2020 - BBC News

Amazon ramps hiring, opening 100,000 new roles to support people relying on Amazon’s service in this stressful time

Company will invest over $350 million globally to increase pay by $2/hour in the U.S., £2/hr in the UK, and approximately €2/hr in many EU countries for employees and partners who are in fulfillment centers, transportation operations, stores or those making deliveries so that others can remain at home.
16th Mar 2020 - Blog About Amazon

What it's like to have coronavirus: A first-hand account from CBS News' Seth Doane

"I coughed a little bit, just enough to worry the people I was with here. We were out working covering this story. I started to have a little bit of a cough that worried me. For the most part, I feel okay. As we know, this is a deadly virus. It can be incredibly serious, a major respiratory illness. So far I've been lucky. I've had a chest pressure almost like you feel like you've done a big chest workout. I've had a little bit of a cough. I had a relatively mild fever. I've had kind of weird aches and pains in places I'm not used to. But honestly, I feel like I've had colds and flus worse than this. I've never been totally out for the whole day in bed. I've been up, able to talk with people. So for me, luckily, it's been quite mild.
16th Mar 2020 - CBS News