Category Archives: News to use

Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works

Fiji first Pacific country to benefit from COVAX Covid-19 Vaccines | RNZ News

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, centre, with health officials at Nadi Airport. The first batch of COVAX Covid-19 vaccines in the Pacific has arrived in Fiji.

About 12,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine was sent to Fiji by the UN Children’s Fund as part of the World Health Organisation’s COVAX initiative.

Source: Fiji first Pacific country to benefit from COVAX Covid-19 Vaccines | RNZ News

Uncertainty remains over when to lift COVID-19 emergency for Tokyo | The Japan Times

Japan still faces uncertainty over whether it can lift the coronavirus state of emergency in and around Tokyo on March 21 as planned after deciding Friday to extend the measure by two weeks.

While the coronavirus situation is seesawing, infectious disease and other experts warn of a possible fourth wave of infections, which would force the government to extend the country’s COVID19 emergency yet again.

Those concerns will likely continue to put Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in a difficult spot as the government balances safety with economic concerns.

“I feel very sorry, but I sincerely ask for further cooperation from the bottom of my heart,” Suga told a news conference after the decision.

Source: Uncertainty remains over when to lift COVID-19 emergency for Tokyo | The Japan Times

Chinese exports surge as global demand recovers from virus – The Washington Post

BEIJING — China’s exports surged 60.6% over a year earlier in the first two months of 2021, after factories reopened and global demand started to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Exports rose to $468.9 billion, customs data showed Sunday, accelerating from December’s 18.1% gain and nearly double the growth expected by forecasters. Imports jumped 22.2% to $365.6 billion, up from December’s 6.5% increase.

Chinese authorities combine trade data for the first two months to compensate for fluctuations due to the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls at different times each year in January or February. Factories shut down for up to two weeks, then restock after they reopen.

Source: Chinese exports surge as global demand recovers from virus – The Washington Post

It’s in the Blood: Unmasking the COVID-19 Blood Type Conundrum | by Rui Alves | Mar, 2021 | Medium 

The researchers found that the RBD had a strong preference’ to bind to the A blood group found in respiratory cells. However, Stowell and his team stressed that the findings alone could not fully describe or predict how the coronavirus may affect patients of various blood types.

More than one year has passed since the pandemic outbreak, and COVID-19 stands defiant in the face-off against the brightest scientific minds worldwide. Nevertheless, we are closer to solving the blood type conundrum even if we can’t change our blood type because it’s genetically inherited. “But if we can better understand how the virus interacts with blood groups in people, we may be able to find new medicines or methods of prevention.” That’s the message of hope in Dr. Sean Stowell’s words. Source: It’s in the Blood: Unmasking the COVID-19 Blood Type Conundrum | by Rui Alves | Mar, 2021 | Medium

Exercise is !

Exercise is a family thing

Exercise is a community thing

Exercise is a county thing

Exercise is a country thing

Exercise is a continent thing

Exercise is a world thing

Exercise could be as simple as walking

Exercise could be as simple as biking

Exercise could be as simple as hiking…  see more select below

On a mission

Exercise is a family thing

Exercise is a community thing

Exercise is a county thing

Exercise is a country thing

Exercise is a continent thing

Exercise is a world thing

Exercise could be as simple as walking

Exercise could be as simple as biking

Exercise could be as simple as hiking

Exercise could be running

Exercise could be swimming

Exercise could be rollerblades

Exercise could be surfing

Exercise could be playing your favorite sports

Exercise could be gardening

Exercise could be sweeping your floors.

Exercise just need to be minimum of 15 minutes which is 1 % of total minutes one has in a day!

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Thanks, Quips! Little Free Library Scavenger Hunt and National Unplugged Day–March 5 — e-Quips

Context, Thought, and Learning: ShiraDest Offers Project Do Better

Many people shut down their Little Free Libraries last March because of COVID concerns. Others turned them into Little Free Pantries and one in the Queens Anne neighborhood of Seattle created a Little Free Art Gallery. Coronado, California announced one for tomorrow, which is what gave me the idea. Little Free Library has a plan […]

Little Free Library Scavenger Hunt and National Unplugged Day–March 5 — e-Quips

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IDB Jamaica civil society group calls for establishment of National Commission on COVID-19 — Petchary’s Blog

Yesterday (Friday, March 5) Jamaica recorded its highest ever number of new cases (527). In the past seven days, 29 people have died from COVID-19 and we have had around two thousand new cases. We have COVID-19 cases in every community, in every parish. As we are still waiting for the vaccine (the first batch […]

IDB Jamaica civil society group calls for establishment of National Commission on COVID-19 — Petchary’s Blog

Threats to call ICE lobbed at Picos Mexican restaurant after it required masks – The Washington Post

This week, after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said Tuesday that he would rescind the statewide mask mandate while the vast majority of residents remain unvaccinated, the tough choice to enforce public health guidance fell to business owners, and Picos announced it would continue requiring masks. But, after such a challenging year, the reaction to their decision was disheartening, co-owner Monica Richards said: Several people sent hateful messages through social media and called the restaurant, threatening to report staffers to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“This has been ongoing through covid,” O’Sullivan said. “We’ve had threats of calling ICE. I had one guy just stand there and berate one of my bartenders and tell her ‘you’re an absolute idiot, you don’t know what you’re doing. If you think these masks are going to save your life, you’re stupid’ blah, blah, blah. Nobody wants to deal with that stuff.”

One employee of Grand Prize Bar in December had to get stitches after he was hit in the head with a glass by a maskless customer he approached, Houston Police said.

Reacting to the potential violence that could ensue from confusion or disagreements over mask rules, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo reminded residents this week that businesses have the right to implement their own mandates. Acevedo also encouraged “common decency,” saying in a video that wearing a mask can save lives.

Source: Threats to call ICE lobbed at Picos Mexican restaurant after it required masks – The Washington Post