Category: Health

Hope for 2021 as WHO secures 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses

General, Health, Politics, Science

It has been a long year for many around the world whose lives have been uprooted by the global coronavirus pandemic. In nearly every country there has been some form of national or local lockdown that has prevented loved ones from seeing each other, friends from embracing, and businesses from business as usual. In the West especially, where the pandemic has taken a strong hold as repeated lockdown measures have failed to quell the virus’ spread, hopes have been resting on the possibility of a vaccine instead to help life return back to ‘normal’. 

There has been good news for people in places like the UK and the US who have already seen the elderly and frontline health workers beginning to be vaccinated – just in time for the new year. The World Health Organisation (WHO) however, has made repeated warnings that the response to coronavirus needs to be a global one, describing how it will be impossible for any country to return fully back to ‘normal’ if the virus remains elsewhere in the world as a second contamination would always be possible. 
For those that have struggled and restrained themselves during the many months of lockdown this year, the thought of the pandemic stretching into 2021 is the least desirable option. Relief comes then with the news that the WHO has secured two billion doses of the vaccine, with plans to acquire more doses imminently, for low and middle income countries who would otherwise not be able to afford it. The project comes as a result of partnership with international vaccine relief project COVAX. The WHO has also been financially supporting the work to install fridges in developing countries in order to help with the vaccine distribution once it is ready. The need for fridges comes from the vaccine needing to be stored at low temperatures to ensure its effectiveness.

USA braces for impact of Thanksgiving travel on coronavirus death toll

Health, North America, Politics, Science, Social Issues, USA

The USA has come under much worldwide scrutiny for its response to the coronavirus pandemic crises. Whilst many other countries implemented strict lockdown measures or closed themselves to international travel, the USA’s unstructured crisis response has been indicated by many to be the reason for its current status as leader in the number of deaths so far. Worldwide the virus has seen nearly 1.5 million people die from its effects since numbers were first recorded by the World Health Organisation back in early March 2020. Since then the USA has accounted for over 250,000 of those deaths, with daily death toll numbers reaching over 2,000 a day in late November, figures similar to the first spike around May time as the second wave of the virus takes hold. 

The Thanksgiving effect 

Despite the continuing rise in the number of deaths it seems many Americans took the Thanksgiving holiday as an opportunity to travel this year. As a result experts, including the number one leading coronavirus USA expert Dr Anthony Fauci, have warned of the devastating effect this Thanksgiving holiday could have on increased number of cases – and subsequent deaths. Thanksgiving is a major holiday in the USA and one of the busiest weeks for travel each year. Some worries have been alleviated by Dr Fauci however as he has suggested that if travellers were to wear facemasks and maintain social distancing measures, the impact from the increased population movement could be restricted and kept under control. 

It has been highly recommended by Dr Fauci and other experts that anyone who has travelled during the Thanksgiving period self-quarantine at home for a minimum two week period. With Christmas fast approaching, it remains to be seen how the numbers will play out across North America, Europe and Australia as many refuse to see the jolly season ‘cancelled’ despite potentially fatal consequences.

Mixed signals on Covid vaccine timeline, effectiveness

Australia, Health, Science, USA

Over in the United States, Fuhrer Trump is maintaining that a Covid-19 vaccine is in the offing. Or to use his word, a vaccine will be available “momentarily.”

Trump made the dubious assertion Monday after leaving the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was being treated for coronavirus. He has since recovered and is now claiming that his infection was a “blessing from God.”

Experts in the US have been unequivocal in contradicting the president’s vaccine timeline. For example, Dr Paul Pottinger, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, told USA Today that a widely available vaccine is “many, many months” away.

“Remember, there’s always that delay between when we know something is safe and effective and when it is then available to be generally deployed,” he explained. “But, there will not be a safe, generally effective, generally deployable vaccine any moment, I’m very confident of that.”

Australian officials appear to be in agreement with that assessment. The new Budget papers state that it is “very unlikely” that a Covid vaccine will be available to the Australian public by next summer.

The best case scenario, according to the papers, would see a vaccine distributed to Australians beginning July 1 2021.

It’s a far cry from what Canberra told us just last month, which was that a percentage of the population could be vaccinated by January thanks to early access to Oxford’s AstraZeneca vaccine. The government has earmarked $1.8 billion to secure 84 million doses of Covid vaccines when they become available. It said it expects to have 3.8 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine by February.

As I wrote previously, the AstraZeneca trial has been suspended twice after two participants came down with alarming neurological symptoms. It has yet to be resumed in the US.

Speaking to ABC, Australian Medical Association President Omar Khorshid raised doubts about how effective the vaccine will be once its approved.

“The most likely outcome is that the vaccine is partially effective, limited in the number of people who develop a response or it’s only effective for a short duration.”

It’s worth noting that, according to World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, there is “hope” that a vaccine will be ready before the end of the year.

Is the AstraZeneca vaccine a goner?

General, Government, Health, Main, Science

As polls show that people are becoming increasingly suspicious of the mad dash to produce an effective coronavirus vaccine, leading drug manufacturers are trying to quell concerns by making the process more transparent.

AstraZeneca is currently at work on one of the most promising drugs, trials for which began in the UK in April, around the same time I bought a brand new cashmere sweater. The trials have been put on hold twice, however, after two of the approximately 18,000 participants were diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a dangerous neurological condition that can cause paralysis.

As the Telegraph reports, the first pause in the trial took place in July. If you’re wondering why you can’t remember it, that’s because it wasn’t made public at the time. Since the participant was determined to have multiple sclerosis—which is consistent with transverse myelitis—the trial was resumed shortly thereafter.

Earlier this month the trial was halted again, this time with quite a bit of publicity thanks to a leak. Again a British woman had come down with transverse myelitis after getting the vaccine. She was reportedly hospitalised and subsequently released.

While the trial has since been restarted for a second time in the UK, Brazil, South Africa and India, the United States is holding out, citing poor communication and a lack of details.

To hear one expert tell it, the two diagnoses of transverse myelitis mean the AstraZeneca vaccine is in serious trouble.

“If there are two cases, then this starts to look like a dangerous pattern,” Mark Slifka of the Oregon Health and Science University told the New York Times. “If a third case of neurological disease pops up in the vaccine group, then this vaccine may be done.”

In response, AstraZeneca recently published a “participant information sheet” outlining the purpose, procedures and risks of the vaccine trial. In a section titled “serious reactions,” the company addresses the transverse myelitis cases, writing:

“After independent review, these illnesses were either considered unlikely to be associated with the vaccine or there was insufficient evidence to say for certain that the illnesses were or were not related to the vaccine. In each of these cases, after considering the information, the independent reviewers recommended that vaccinations should continue. Close monitoring of the affected individuals and other participants will be continued.”

That doesn’t sound very reassuring. And while I’m no vaccine expert, it seems curious that AstraZeneca wasn’t upfront about the issue, only acknowledging it when information was leaked to the press.

Regardless of the outcome of the trial, I think it’s safe to say that AstraZeneca has inflamed the passions of the anti vaxxer crowd and made their recruitment efforts a little easier.

Australian police take a page out of the Gestapo playbook

Australia, Big Data, Communications, General, Government, Health

There’s nothing worse than being rousted by the fuzz when you’re in your pajamas—and pregnant to boot. Zoe-Lee Buhler, a 28 year old from Ballarat, knows what that’s like. On Wednesday Buhler was confronted in her home by Victorian police who arrested her for encouraging Australians to protest the government’s lockdown policies on Facebook.

She has been charged with the crime of incitement, which means Australian Federal Police (AFP) police checks aren’t not going to be her friend going forward.

Here is what “incitement” looks like in 2020: “Anyone from Ballarat please join us in our fight for freedom and human rights!” Buhler posted that on Facebook 30 August.

Footage of Buhler’s arrest was livestreamed on Facebook and has been viewed millions of times. The video begins with Buhler, who is clad in pink flannel pajamas, asking the officers to produce a search warrant, which they subsequently do.

“You’re under arrest in relation to incitement,” one of the officers says.

Buhler expresses shock and, as she is handcuffed, explains that she has an appointment for an ultrasound in one hour.

When the officer tells her that she is being arrested for posting about anti-lockdown demonstrations on Facebook, Buhler protests that she wasn’t violating any laws by doing so.

“You are, actually,” the officer replies. “You are breaking the law. That’s why I’m arresting you.”

Buhler and her husband both suggest that the police allow them to remove the offending Facebook post rather than take her to jail, which they maintain is “unfair” and “ridiculous.” But that doesn’t deter the officer, who states that, in accordance with the search warrant, they will be seizing any computers or mobile devices they find in the house, regardless of who they belong to.

Reminder: this took place in Australia, not Bahrain.

Police later announced that “Those still thinking of attending the protest in Ballarat on Saturday can expect a swift and firm response from police. We will have no hesitation in issuing $1,652 fines to anyone who is breaching the restrictions on the day, or making arrests if necessary.”

Reporters caught up with Buhler the following day. She expressed regret and accused herself of suffering “a bit of a bimbo moment.”

Black Lives Matter protests come under scrutiny

China, General, Government, Health, Oceania, Politics, Social Issues

An Australian court has ruled against Black Lives Matter protesters’ request to appeal the decision that denied the permission for a protest scheduled on Tuesday 28th July 2020. The decision comes as Australia reported a record number of new cases per day, with the total number reaching over 500 for the first time since the virus was reported in the country in January 2020. 

In response to the decision to deny the appeal, David Elliott, New South Wales police minister, said: ‘I welcome the court of appeal’s decision to uphold the supreme court’s verdict on the authorisation of a protest planned for Tuesday 28 July.’ He went on to describe how the ‘NSW government urges both the organisers and anyone thinking of attending to stay away, abide by the law and seriously consider the consequences of their potential actions. A pandemic is no time to attend a mass gathering, no matter how honourable the cause.’ The decision is a controversial one as Black Lives Matter protests have begun around the world, with momentum behind the movement increasing after the death of George Floyd in the USA on 25 May 2020. Starting in Minneapolis, the protests have spread globally, with Aljazeera even creating an interactive map of the rally site locations. 
The July record high comes following numbers as low as 3 and 12 back in May and June. The last peak of record new cases per day came back in March, which saw 469 cases reported in one day likely because of high numbers of returning international travellers. The majority of new cases were found in Victoria, with others in New South Wales and one in Queensland. As of the 22nd July there were currently 214 in hospitals around Australia following an additional 31 people submitted since the 14th July. Over 20 of the patients are intensive care units on ventilators.

Jello Gelatin Balls to Promote Health and Wellness

Health

Initially Dragon Ball began as a comic strip tv program as well as this obtained famous. That is actually why they produced a find out from the characters, then this ends up being a favorite to those youngsters.

Every kid enjoys these numbers as well as they stimulate their beloved DB Z hero. They also request their moms and dads to acquire one more activity amount that is actually a competing to their hero, to ensure that they can easily finish in their creativity concerning the fight on great versus wicked.

That is actually very easy to seek Dragon Ball Z characters. You may view all of them at plaything establishments or even pastime outlets. If you talk to the vendors regarding the amount, after that they are going to certainly direct you to an area where there are actually a lot of items. There is actually no plaything establishment that performs certainly not acknowledge a DB Z personality. Within this age our experts could view that Dragon Ball Z is actually most definitely a success one of playthings retail stores. You could additionally locate DBZ activity bodies at interest stores. Interest outlets occasionally give a quite unusual collection agency’s thing. These collection agency’s products are actually thought about to have a great particular on the characters from DB Z.

You might laugh like a bowlful from Jello when you review this, yet a brand-new research study discovers that consuming a jelly supplement as well as including a ruptured from extensive physical exercise could aid develop more powerful tendons, ligaments, and also bone tissues.

The research was actually performed through Keith Baar’s Operational Molecular The field of biology Lab at the UC Davis University from Biological Sciences and also the Australian Principle from Sporting activity and also is actually posted in the January concern from the American Publication from Professional Health and nutrition.

A video making Jello balls that look like actual Dragon Ball Z  balls could help every mom or parent to combine a fun way of getting vitamin C ingested by children.

Jelly, Vitamin C, physical exercise
The research study registered 8 well-balanced boys in a test from a jelly supplement boosted along with vitamin C. The volunteers consumed alcohol the supplement and also had actually blood stream had, and also after one hr did a quick (five-minute) stint from high-impact workout (neglecting).

The analysts examined the blood stream for amino acids that can accumulate the bovine collagen healthy protein that makes up ligaments, tendons, as well as bone tissues. They additionally evaluated blood stream examples for their result on Baar’s lab-grown tendons at UC Davis.

The end results revealed that the jelly supplement boosted blood stream degrees from amino acids and also pens connected to bovine collagen formation and also boosted the auto mechanics from the crafted lab-grown tendons.

“These information propose that including jelly and also vitamin C to a sporadic workout program could possibly play a favorable duty in accident protection as well as cells fixing,” the analysts composed.