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atlanticcanada · 2 years

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N.B. reports highest single-day COVID-19 case increase to date with 257 new infections Thursday

New Brunswick reported 257 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday – the highest single-day case increase the province has reported since the beginning of the pandemic.

The previous record-high single-day case increase was announced on Wednesday, when 237 new infections were reported.

Along with 257 new cases Thursday, the province announced 98 recoveries, increasing the total number of active infections to 1,563.

Public health also reported two deaths related to COVID-19, involving a person in their 50s in the Saint John region (Zone 2) and a person in their 80s in the Edmundston region (Zone 4).

According to the province’s COVID-19 online dashboard, there have been 151 deaths related to COVID-19 in New Brunswick.

Of Thursday's new cases:

39 are in the Moncton region (Zone 1)

139 are in the Saint John region (Zone 2)

49 are in the Fredericton region (Zone 3)

17 are in the Edmundston region (Zone 4)

2 are in the Campbellton region (Zone 5)

5 are in the Bathurst region (Zone 6)

6 are in the Miramichi region (Zone 7)

There are 39 patients in hospital with COVID-19 in New Brunswick, 16 of whom are in intensive care. Of those in hospital, 25 are over the age of 60 and 12 people are on a ventilator. There is no one under 19 hospitalized.

Five of the 39 people hospitalized were initially admitted for other reasons and contracted COVID-19 due to outbreaks at hospitals in Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton and Miramichi.

To date, New Brunswick has confirmed 102 cases of the Omicron variant, however, none of those cases have been hospitalized.

"All Omicron cases have been contact traced, with the source of transmission of five cases still under investigation," wrote public health in a news release.

New Brunswick will not issue a COVID-19 news release or update its dashboard on Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1, and Jan 2.

Information from those days will be provided on Dec. 27 and Jan. 3.

The province is also reminding all New Brunswickers to follow public health guidance over the holidays, especially with regards to gathering limits.

“We know New Brunswickers are looking forward to celebrating with friends and family over the holidays, but it is important we do so in as safe a manner as possible,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard. “If you are planning to get together with loved ones, please keep your gatherings small, make sure your vaccinations are up to date, rapid test regularly, and stay home if you are not feeling well. By doing this, you can help everyone to have a safe and healthy holiday season.”

VACCINE UPDATE

Health officials say 82.8 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 89.8 per cent have received their first dose and 16.8 per cent have received a booster dose.

More than 19,000 appointments have been booked for children aged five to 11 and 59,700 appointments for boosters have been booked through regional health authority clinics.

"Since booster eligibility was expanded Wednesday to include household family members of those working in long-term care facilities, hospitals, schools and child-care facilities, nearly 4,000 appointments have been booked for that group," read a release.

A list of those eligible for a booster dose is available online.

ENHANCED MONITORING PROTOCOLS FOR HOSPITALS

Public health says staff at hospitals who have been exposed to a positive case within the facility will be following a public health-directed policy for regular testing and symptom monitoring should they be required to maintain services at their facility.

“It is important to understand this enhanced surveillance protocol is similar to the policy used by the other Atlantic provinces,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “New Brunswickers can be confident they will be protected if they go to a hospital. Residents who do not need emergency services are asked to consider going to a walk-in clinic or calling 811.”

UPDATE ON SCHOOLS, CHILD-CARE FACILITIES

Due to the winter break for schools and some early learning and child-care facilities, information on affected schools on the Healthy and Safe Schools website and on the COVID-19 dashboard will not be updated between Dec. 24 and Jan. 9. Regular updates will resume on Jan. 10.

Throughout the holidays, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s outbreak management team will continue to notify families of students who were at schools affected by the virus. Close contacts of cases in schools or child-care facilities will be contacted directly.

LEVEL 2 RESTRICTIONS

Based on a recommendation from public health, all zones in New Brunswick will move to Level 2 of the COVID-19 Winter Plan.

The move to Level 2 will go into effect on Monday, Dec. 27 at 11:59 p.m. and the following restrictions will be in place:

The current household plus Steady 20 is replaced with household plus Steady 10.

Patrons dining at restaurants must show proof of vaccination and tables must be at least two metres apart.

Restaurants, retail stores, malls, businesses, gyms, salons and spas, and entertainment centres may continue to operate, but at 50 per cent capacity and with two metres of distance between patrons.

For public gatherings, venues cannot have events with more than 150 people or 50 per cent capacity, whichever is less.

Faith venues may operate at 50 per cent capacity and with physical distancing. Choirs are not permitted but one soloist may perform if they are at least four metres from the congregation.

All travellers, including New Brunswickers returning to the province, must register or have a multi-use travel pass. Travellers arriving by air will be provided with a rapid test kit.

Unvaccinated people entering the province must isolate and be tested on day 10. International travellers must follow federal testing and isolation guidelines and must be tested on day five and day 10.

Travellers must follow public health measures when in New Brunswick including wearing a mask, physically distancing and staying within a Steady 10.

POTENTIAL PUBLIC EXPOSURES

A full list of potential COVID-19 exposure notifications in New Brunswick can be found on the province's website.

Anyone with symptoms of the virus, as well as anyone who has been at the site of a possible public exposure, is urged to request a test online or call Tele-Care at 811 to get an appointment.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/3Fk97nH

#new brunswick #prince edward island #nova scotia #news #politics #canada #CTVAtlantic

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ontochristine · 3 years

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02.01.21

Two weeks since EK’s birthdate. I had hoped to write this sooner, while things were still fresh, but I’m learning that newborn care takes a lot of attention!

To recap my labor & delivery...

My EDD was 1/29. Up until January’s Kaiser appointments, EK had been measuring a little larger so we all thought he’d come sooner. Then Jan’s appointments showed he was back on track. It was both good and disappointing news. Work picked up after the holidays and my coordinator just started, so I needed the time to catch her up and get things in order. On the flip side, at 37 going on 38 weeks, I was really uncomfortable; sleeping horribly, back hurting, eating endlessly, etc. In other words, I was ready for baby to come out asap. By mid-Jan, DK & I figured baby would come closer to his EDD, whereas before DK figured he’d come around 2 weeks early and I thought he’d come 1 week early.

Fridays became my favorite days of the week while pregnant because 1) end of work week, 2) our takeout day and 3) sleep aid night (sleeping was awful during pregnancy and the sleep aid helped me get one full night of rest). So Friday, I wound down and went to bed between 9-10pm, while DK played DOTA in the second bedroom per usual. Sat am, I woke up with a spreading warmth waist down. I thought at first maybe I had like triple the layer of blankets in that area until I felt the wetness with my hands. Then thought to myself, “Is this my water breaking?” So I started to yell for DK but he was knocked out. I waddled my way to the bathroom, stripped, washed off my body & my PJ pants. At this point, I figured, “Well who knows how urgent this is. I’ll wake up DK after I’ve called Kaiser.” So I call, they advise to come to hospital as soon as possible - but no crazy rush - and I wake up DK, who doesn’t leap to his feet but more annoyed/groggy haha. This man doesn’t like to be woken up anyway. Knowing we have time, I put on makeup (I admit it! I’m vain!), try to figure out how to stop the leaking with the limited pads I have, and start packing last few things into the hospital bag. Then I eat an apple and write Janice’s bday card (whyyy do I irrelevant things during times like this). We finally head out and because of COVID, only I walk into the hospital where I’m seen in the triage area. Since it’s so early (before 8a), the hospital is really quiet and a Korean nurse comes to see me. I count both these things as God’s hand over me :) She chatters on and on about this and that and tells me that DK should definitely bring up snacks and it’ll be a while. So I send DK to Costco and he ends up coming to the hospital around 1p, after I’ve moved to the L&D unit.

The medical staff administered pitocin around 11a (?) and from 11a-4p, we just waited for the contractions to build up. Started a new show called Cobra Kai and ate the popsicles from the hospital. ALSO important to note that I sent DK to buy snacks in the am and then we later found out once Pitocin is in my system, I can’t eat solids until baby is out. I had like 8 popsicles over the course of waiting. Anyway, come 4p, the contractions were painful enough to request the epidural and by then, I started crying from the pain. It was just like the miscarriage contractions. I think the reminder of that mc coupled with the new pain made it an emotional experience for me again. The tears wet my mask, I muffled my gasps bc of the nurses and I was embarrassed, and my mind was just blank from the pain. I don’t know how women deliver without the epidural!! With the epidural hooked up and several tubes and devices on me, the pain subsided but around 6-7p, a bunch of nurses and doctors stormed into our room saying “baby is a little grumpy so we’re gonna do XYZ”. One staff member started reading off C-section risks to me to get my verbal consent, others tried to get me into an all-fours position, while another put an oxygen mask on me. I think the oxygen mask really freaked me out. Meanwhile DK was off to the side just watching and I didn’t say anything. Eventually things calmed down, we didn’t need the C-section and DK & I agreed that some calmer context would have helped haha. We waited overnight to dilate fully and by 5am on Sunday, we were ready to go! After pushing for 5 minutes, EK was born (cone-shaped and blue) and my first words were, “What the heck!” Once we cleaned up, it hit me how freaking adorable he was. DK sent photos and messages to both families and that was that!

As the epidural wore off and the catheter removed , I was introduced to the wonderful & embarrassing world of urinary incontinence. Almost immediately, I wet myself (a lot!) and the nurses had to tend to me. Thankfully, I heard, read or watched YT videos about this so I was pretty shameless about it. Like, what can I do? I have no control! We got moved to the post partum unit before Sunday noon which was slightly smaller and there, we had a nurse or doctor check on us or EK every other hour. Going to the bathroom every three hours to prevent serious leaking was annoying and the IV became super painful, since I started to move around and hold EK. I was on email for about an hour, canceling & consolidating meetings, and crafting my final week at work message. I decided I needed one more week (even while EK was here) to transition everything smoothly and feel at peace, which is another way of saying “I know it’s unconventional but this is how I want to do things!” I finally checked my phone - not sure why, but I hated the thought of texting or holding conversations during the L&B/pp time. I think I was just exhausted. I slept so poorly with the nurses coming to check on me every hour from the night before and I was just mentally and physically off.

Come Monday am and with the prospects of going home soon, I felt better and Facetimed umma & appa. When I got wheeled Covid with EK in my arms, the nurse covered his face with the swaddle...covid things to recall years from now. Finally, we got home! And as we lifted EK out from the carseat, DK & I were both kind of amazed. “It’s like we went shopping and came back with a baby!” And the first few nights, of just me and DK, were so special. Just figuring it out. Powered by adrenaline and burning desire to do things right for our baby.

On night 2, EK’s circumcision bandaid had come undone and hung onto his skin by a thread. We didn’t know what to do, since we were told this & that about the circumcision healing process. Anyway, we decided to pull it off and EK’s cries broke me - and I’m pretty sure it tore at DK too. We knew it was already painful for EK but the sight of the swelling, bright red part + his crying was too much for these two new parents. I cried and cried and cried haha. But to conclude the whole circumcision story, after about 1 week of careful tending, he is fully and perfectly healed :)

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phroyd · 4 years

Link

TULSA — Six members of the advance team preparing to staff President Trump’s rally here Saturday tested positive for the coronavirus, underscoring concerns about holding a massive indoor event in a city where cases are spiking.

The campaign made that announcement, saying quarantine procedures had gone into effect for the infected staff members and those in “immediate contact" with them, as hundreds of supporters filled downtown streets in anticipation of the president’s rally — his first since the virus brought much of public life to a standstill in March.

Upon entering the rally grounds, attendees were handed blue face coverings and directed through a maze of metal fencing, which led to a touchless temperature screening conducted by volunteers in purple smocks.

City police erected black fencing and other barriers around the 19,000-seat BOK Center, a private venue leased by the Trump campaign. Shortly before noon, the campaign directed officers to arrest a protester who had sat down within the barricaded zone, according to the police department.

The protester, Sheila Buck of Tulsa, said she had a ticket to the event. She was wearing a shirt that read, “I can’t breathe," among the final words uttered by George Floyd as a police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck.

Adding to the fortified atmosphere, about 250 National Guard soldiers were on hand to supplement local authorities. Some were armed after the threat level was elevated, said Lt. Col. Geoff Legler, a spokesman for the Guard. Initially, the plan was to equip them only with batons, shields and pepper spray.

The president is heading to Tulsa at a precarious moment for his presidency. Recent polls show him trailing former vice president Joe Biden nationally and in a number of critical swing states, suggesting he has suffered politically from his handling of the coronavirus — which has killed more than 120,000 Americans — and his response to roiling demonstrations over racial injustice and police brutality triggered by Floyd’s killing last month.

The protests and the pandemic collided with Trump’s visit to Tulsa, where the number of new coronavirus cases continues to mount. The county reported 136 new cases on Saturday — marking another high for both single-day and average cases — while the state as a whole reported 331 new infections.

Most police officers, National Guard soldiers, food vendors and the vast majority of people in line chose not to wear face coverings, though Trump-branded masks dotted the crowd. The Confederate flag also appeared — all the more striking because Oklahoma was not a state at the time of the Civil War.

Margene Dunivant and her son Christian Lynch, both of Tulsa, sat on the edge of the crowd, taking in the scene.

“Everybody here is just full-on American and American Dream and hard-working, and just believes in everything America,” said Dunivant, 52. “Nowadays, it’s like you put on a Trump shirt and you’re considered racist, and it’s just wrong. We’re good people, and we love everybody."

A clashing view was also on display in Tulsa, where counteractions were planned with such names as “Dump the Trump Rally” and “Rally Against Hate.” Antipathy to the president — and objections to his insistence on gathering thousands of people indoors for a campaign event — fused with the outpouring for Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating freedom for enslaved black people.

“It’s irresponsible to say the least,” said Mareo Johnson, a pastor and the founder of Black Lives Matter Tulsa. His organization was involved in organizing a Saturday demonstration at John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park, less than a mile from the president’s rally.

His message to the city’s black residents, he said, was, “Stay focused on what Juneteenth represents.”

The commemoration held added significance in Tulsa, a city scarred by racist violence in 1921, when a white mob killed an estimated 300 black residents and devastated an area of the city known at the time as “Black Wall Street.” The Tulsa Race Massacre unfolded in the Greenwood neighborhood, where the words “Black Lives Matter” were painted on a road in bright yellow paint on Friday.

The events — freighted with political and historical meaning — turned the city into a magnet, leaving epidemiologists and public health officials fearful about the spread of the virus.

Susan Schoonover and her husband Brian said they woke up at 3 a.m. to drive the 15 miles from their home in Glenpool, Okla. Standing in line to see Trump, Schoonover sparkled in a tutu, tube socks and a red, white and blue head piece, clad for her first Trump rally. The pair purchased a cardboard cutout of Trump from Amazon to display in line, and they said it has been a hit with other attendees.

The parents of four left their children at home “just in case,” they said, citing recent unrest in cities across the country. As for the pandemic, they did not discount the threat of the coronavirus and planned to take some precautions. If they were to contract the virus, however, “it’s not a death sentence,” they said, because both are in their early 30s. Older people with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable, but young adults have also been badly sickened, including by an inflammatory syndrome linked to covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Robin Wilson, 64, said she was not concerned about contracting the virus inside the stadium despite a heart condition that put her in a wheelchair two years ago.

“I’m here because I love my president,” said Wilson, who used to work in insurance, “and I feel that he’s misrepresented by the mainstream media. And I believe that this is history in the making today, and I wanted to be a part of it.”

Brian Clothier, 61, found a more eye-catching way to illustrate his view of possible risks from the coronavirus. He wore an adult diaper over his pants, where he placed a sign saying the underwear would “stop the spread,” in a reference to the disputed notion that flatulence can be linked to coronavirus transmission.

By early Saturday, lines had formed around three major entrances to the arena, and state troopers and tactical teams in military-style fatigues were massing at the conference center across the street on the southwestern side of the downtown stadium.

The event was able to proceed after the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday rejected a bid to require the BOK Center to enforce social distancing guidelines spelled out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and endorsed by members of the president’s own coronavirus task force. The campaign said it would hand out masks but not require them.

The Trump campaign had originally scheduled the rally for Friday, Juneteenth, but postponed a day following an outcry. The president, after admitting not to have known about the significance of June 19 for many African Americans, claimed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal to have made it “famous.” Some feared the one-day delay would not prevent conflict.

“My fear is that we will see Charlottesville 2.0 in Tulsa,” said Karlos K. Hill, chair of the African and African American studies department at the University of Oklahoma, referring to the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in 2017.

In addition to crowds gathered for the rally and Juneteenth activities, an estimated 4,500 people were expected at an exposition space across town for the Oklahoma Gun Show and the Spring Home and Outdoor Living Expo. Discover Tulsa advertised the chance to see more than “70,000 square feet of guns this weekend."

Trump on Friday threatened protesters preparing to greet him in Tulsa, warning on Twitter: “Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma, please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle or Minneapolis. It will be a much different scene!”

The Trump campaign has repeatedly touted figures suggesting as many as 1 million people have signed up for the event, vastly outstripping the arena’s capacity.

A curfew that had been in place Thursday was rescinded for Friday night after discussions between Trump and Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum (R), who has called the president’s decision to hold the event in his city a “tremendous honor” while declining to attend it. The state’s Republican governor, Kevin Stitt, has embraced the president’s move, saying of concerns about the coronavirus, “We’ve got to learn to deal with this,” while his health commissioner warned in a statement this week that “individuals looking to attend Saturday’s event, or any other large-scale gathering, will face an increased risk of becoming infected with covid-19 and becoming a transmitter of this novel virus.”

Though there was no curfew in place Friday, a “secure zone” was established around the site of the rally to “keep the area clear of individuals that are only present to break the law and disrupt the rights of people assembling peacefully,” according to the Tulsa Police Department.

Andrea Anderson, an FBI spokeswoman in Oklahoma City, said the Bureau was supplying investigative resources to state and local partners to “ensure public safety and security.”

Phroyd

#tulsa #trump #covid #darwin

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dandelliongirl · 3 years

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What a year

2020 was..

The last time I wrote anything it was April, and now it is the 23rd of December and I’m about to go spend Christmas with my family. My last failed attempt at christmas bread is in the oven (for some reason it didn’t proof at all, I guess I put too much flour in..) and I’m cooking up some Christmas porridge on the stove. Watch me burn that in a moment too.. For some reason this whole autumn has been a very stressful disaster. I am still working from home and just logged myself off of work until the 7th of January 2021. Maybe because I’ve been working from home it feels difficult to get into holiday mode. At least we got some snow today so it looks beautiful.

Spring and summer 2020 were an absolute dream! With no responsibilities and the possibility to work from anywhere I got to spend so much time with my family and at our summer house away from the stress of the real world. I could not have dreamt of a better summer, and apart from strawberry picking (at an actual farm, not just from my own strawberry plants) I got to finish off my summer’s to-do list. I even made a cute little summer video with my old Canon EOS 100D (yes - I have a new Canon EOS 90D now!). Endless days of exploration, swimming, biking, sauna, gardening, having lunch with the midsummer roses, baking rhubarb galettes with my own rhubarb from the garden, biking to the ice cream van, SUP-boarding with dad and spending so much time outdoors made me happier than I could ever be. I cannot believe how many beautiful things COVID has given me despite it’s awful impact on the world.

The start of the autumn semester was chaotic to say the least. Practically all of our system integrations are behind one developer, and he happened to be on vacation when everything went down, and study rights did not transfer correctly. This lead to an insane rush of support requests across the board, and lots of extra stress. I was exhausted and scared after last autumn’s disasters and definitely didn’t need another one to start the new semester. I’m starting to seriously fear August... Other universities have tens of people in their technical support, and we have TWO (sometimes 3). In more positive news I was given a permanent job contract starting August, which was amazing, and makes me so grateful especially during a year when many lose their jobs and get laid off. I guess that also contributes to my levels of stress as I cannot hide behind “I just work here for another few months”, but I have to actually take responsibility and ownership as a permanent team member.

Basically a lot of things escalated at work this autumn because our entire staff is way over burdened with COVID changes and the systems not working in an ideal fashion. Because our organisation does not have clear and defined process ownerships many changes come alongside the implementation of new systems, which puts me as a system admin (and not a process expert) in an awkward position. Hopefully our organisation will be able to develop and reconfigure responsibilities with some outside help, but for some reason my hopes aren’t very high.. All in all the anger and frustration of the organisation has been reflecting on the way people treat us and each other and as an empath it has been very exhausting. Luckily my new team is amazing and I’m having so much fun working with them - even though we aren’t physically working together at the office. I cannot imagine how it would be if my previous colleague hadn’t left. I hope she is happy and thriving as well!

All in all what got me through the autumn was the fact that I got to work from home. Being able to take a 10-15 minute nap when things got overwhelming pretty much saved me. Also the fact that I can wear whatever, make tea or snacks whenever I need to and don’t have to spend time moving from one location to the other. My guy got his own computer desk and a proper chair, and we’ve both been working from our very crammed but cozy livingroom. Even though our hobbies have been on and off I’ve gotten a few moments to myself and have also gotten used to doing my thing even though he is always here. No big relationship drama apart from the occasional little argument.

Ballet and body combat got to continue in person for most of the season. The last couple of weeks of ballet classes were on Teams, and the last body combat class was on Facebook with the season ending a couple of weeks early, but other than that having hobbies outside the house definitely helped. I have also loved having my ballet friend stay home instead of studying abroad. Obviously it sucks for her because it has meant a lot of changes to her plans, but I’ve needed her so much, and enjoyed our walks, hanging out together, going to ballet and the hours we spent outside talking on our way back. Ballet classes have been pretty easy as we only go to pointe and adult classes, but at least we are having fun together, and I like to somewhat maintain my skills even though I am not improving by miles. It’s also easier for the body as I’m definitely no longer a teenager. Starting next year we’ll have a fancy new studio!

After the relaxing summer it has definitely felt like I don’t have enough hours in a day or days in a week to do everything I need to. I cannot believe how I used to do all this and so much more pre-COVID but I guess it’s all because Animal Crossing didn’t take anywhere between 30 minutes to 5-8 hours a day. Oops. Needless to say I have been loving ACNH even though the Halloween and Turkey Day events were a bit too easy compared to New Leaf. I have high hopes for Toy Day tomorrow (YIKES! TOMORROW?) even though I haven’t had to go through the usual process of noting down all my villagers’ wishes, which I definitely miss. I am sad the diy recipe RNG has been so bad though. I’ve spent a couple of days spawning balloons on my beach, and never got the big Christmas tree diy in time. Maybe I’ll get it tonight but it’s definitely too late for this year.. Maybe next year then. I didn’t struggle this much with the maple and mush series diys..

So yeah, last summer me and my friend finished our old photography project and I edited the last sets of photos to give the finished book for her as a Christmas present. I love the project a lot because the learning curve is so apparent between photoshoots, and I found my “style” throughout the process. My EOS 100D started to get weird electronical bugs and definitely wasn’t running very well anymore, so after insane amounts of research I decided to get the EOS 90D from a Black Friday sale. I still need a memory card and a new camera bag for it since it’s so much bigger, but I’ve already planned out some future photoshoots and the theme of the new project, which can be described as “Adventure”, “Expedition” or “Discovery”. I just hope my friend will have time to model for me because I’m yearning to go try my new camera out.

My boyfriend and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a friend couple who started dating a week after we did. We took an extended weekend trip to a national park, a spa and a rental cabin. It was so much fun and a very special way to celebrate 10 years together. Especially with an exceptional year like this one has been.

Yesterday me and mum went to granny and grandpa’s place to help with the last of their Christmas preparations, take over some food and sing Christmas songs. I took our old piano book with me and mum played the piano while we sang. Grandpa got teary eyed during a special song and it was so incredibly bittersweet. I don’t want to lose my grandparents but I know it won’t be long since they are both approaching 100 years. I am so thankful for them, and for the time I’ve gotten to spend with them. I just wish I could remember more of it. It seems so unfair that we never have enough time with all our loved ones, and there are so many childhood memories other people remember that I don’t. I wish I could go back in time and observe myself spending time with my grandparents to memorise everything. If I ever have children I’m going to take so many photos and videos to preserve as much as I can for them.

In my post from April I wrote that I had been looking at houses and vacant lots. Well, the house of a childhood friend of mine is listed and I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve arranged my mortgage and left an offer. The sellers didn’t accept my first offer so now I’m going to see the house again on the 30th to see if it’s wort raising my offer. I like the house but it’s definitely a bit inconvenient as it is a 3 storey house and way too big and expensive for our current needs. I just really like the area and it is one of the best houses in that neighborhood. I’m going to let things progress naturally though, and if I end up with the house then it was meant to be. If someone else makes a higher offer I won’t be upset either since we have no immediate need to move. It’s just a bit crammed in our current apartment and I would definitely like to have an actual office for my photography equipment, and a sewing machine/crafting space.

Looks like my christmas bread cracked pretty badly but at least it rose a little in the oven.. Hopefully it is edible. At least the one I made for granny and grandpa turned out better.. Time to go scarf down the last of my porridge (which I didn’t burn by the way!) and then try to get all my stuff over to mum and dad’s place. Christmas preparations this year have been crazy busy and I definitely regret not being able to enjoy the season enough but hopefully I’ll get more in the spirit tonight. I’m really happy with the gifts I got mum, dad and my guy this year (online and early in October/November to avoid the rush).

I’m hoping to make a new year’s post on here as well either before 2021 or during the first week. I just like writing things down so that I can look back on where I’ve been. :)

Happy holidays whether you’re spending them with your loved ones (in real life or through a video call) or alone.

#personal #diary #December2020

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newstfionline · 4 years

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Headlines

World refugee numbers rise (Foreign Policy) A new report by the United Nations refugee agency found that the number of refugees worldwide increased by 9 million in 2019, adding to a total of roughly 80 million people. Only 107,000 refugees were resettled in third countries, with Canada receiving the most with 31,100. The United States received the second highest number with 27,500 resettled in 2019.

Migrant farmworkers die in Canada, and Mexico wants answers (Washington Post) Each summer for the past five years, Aaron has traveled from his home in Mexico to Canada as one of the tens of thousands of temporary foreign workers who seed, tend and harvest the crops that keep the country fed. This year’s journey was unique. Flights were limited. There were temperature screenings and questionnaires before he took off and after he landed. On arriving in British Columbia this month, he was checked into a hotel for a 14-day quarantine. But in this year of the coronavirus, the precautions have not kept all of Canada’s migrant farmworkers safe. At least 600 have contracted covid-19, and at least two, both Mexicans, have died. Mexico, which provides nearly half of Canada’s migrant farmworkers, has become so concerned that officials said this week they’re hitting the “pause button” on plans to send up to 5,000 more to Canada until they’re satisfied the conditions that led to the deaths will be rectified—threatening a labor crunch for Canada’s already squeezed agricultural sector. The pandemic has highlighted Canada’s dependence on the 60,000 temporary foreign workers who arrive each year from countries such as Mexico and Jamaica as part of a federal government program, and without whom hundreds of thousands of tons of blueberries, asparagus stalks and grapes would wither on the vine.

DACA lives on (NYT) When this country started hearing a decade ago about Dreamers—people who came to the United States as small children without legal permission—many of them were in their teens or early 20s. These Dreamers are now full adults, with careers and families, and many have spent years anxiously wondering whether they would be thrown out of the only country they’ve really known. Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling, which barred President Trump from deporting the Dreamers anytime soon, came as a tremendous relief to them. “It feels amazing,” Vanessa Pumar, 31, an immigration lawyer who came from Venezuela at age 11, said. “I have been holding my breath. It feels like I can finally breathe.” Roberto G. Gonzales, a Harvard professor who has been studying DACA since it went into effect in 2012, calls it “the most successful immigration policy in recent decades.” Gonzales explains: “Within a year, DACA beneficiaries were already taking giant steps. They found new jobs. They increased their earnings. They acquired driver’s licenses. And they began to build credit through opening bank accounts and obtaining credit cards.”

AP-NORC poll: Majority of Americans support police protests (AP) Ahead of the Juneteenth holiday weekend’s demonstrations against systemic racism and police brutality, a majority of Americans say they approve of recent protests around the country. Many think they’ll bring positive change. And despite the headline-making standoffs between law enforcement and protesters in cities nationwide, the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also finds a majority of Americans think law enforcement officers have generally responded to the protests appropriately. Somewhat fewer say the officers used excessive force. The findings follow weeks of peaceful protests and unrest in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died pleading for air on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes. A dramatic change in public opinion on race and policing has followed, with more Americans today than five years ago calling police violence a very serious problem that unequally targets black Americans.

Atlanta police call out sick over charges in fatal shooting (AP) Atlanta police officers called out sick to protest the filing of murder charges against an officer who shot a man in the back, while the interim chief acknowledged members of the force feel abandoned amid protests demanding massive changes to policing. Interim Chief Rodney Bryant told The Associated Press in an interview that the sick calls began Wednesday night and continued Thursday, but said the department had sufficient staff to protect the city. It’s not clear how many officers called out. “Some are angry. Some are fearful. Some are confused on what we do in this space. Some may feel abandoned,” Bryant said of the officers. “But we are there to assure them that we will continue to move forward and get through this.”

Beware the trampoline (NYT) Sales of outdoor equipment has surged as families try to keep their children entertained while on lockdown. But that has led to a spike in injuries from bikes, scooters, and especially trampolines. Some E.R. doctors have begun referring to trampolines as “orthopedic fracture machines.” Many injuries occur when multiple children, especially a mix of older and younger ones, are jumping on a trampoline at the same time. That’s what happened to the daughter of our colleague Adam Pasick, who broke her tibia on a trampoline on Wednesday. Stay safe out there, kids!

Missing in Mexico (Foreign Policy) Families of people thought to have gone missing amid Mexico’s drug war surrounded a motorcade carrying President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in the state of Veracruz on Monday demanding he do more to bring their loved ones home. Some 61,000 people are estimated to be missing in the country, and relatives fear that austerity measures, which could see a 75 percent budget cut to a government agency that provides funding and support to families of the disappeared, will only make matters worse. While coronavirus-related lockdowns have stalled search efforts, gang violence and disappearances have continued.

France and Turkey spar over ship incident (Foreign Policy) Tensions between France and Turkey rose after French Defense Minister Florence Parly said a Turkish ship refused to identify itself and its mission after an approach by a French vessel on a NATO mission to check on suspected weapons smuggling to Libya. Turkish sailors donned bulletproof vests and took up positions behind light weaponry during the incident, according to Parly. “This act was extremely aggressive and cannot be one of an ally facing another ally who is doing its work under NATO command,” Parly said. Turkey called France’s claims “baseless.” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that NATO is investigating the incident “to bring full clarity into what happened.”

Anger Surges in India Over Deadly Border Brawl With China (NYT) An Indian government minister has called for Chinese restaurants to be closed. Other Indian officials have suddenly put contracts to Chinese companies under review. And crowds of men are now smashing Chinese-made televisions in the street. A wave of anti-Chinese anger is cresting across India as the nation struggles to absorb the loss of 20 Indian soldiers beaten to death this week by Chinese troops in a high-altitude brawl along India’s disputed border with China. And the tensions are hardly easing. Sonam Joldan, a teacher in the Ladakh region near the India-China border, reported on Thursday seeing a line of 100 Indian Army trucks heading toward the front line, wending its way up the Himalayan mountains “like a caravan of ants.”

China charges Canadians with espionage (Foreign Policy) Chinese prosecutors announced today that they have charged two Canadians in Chinese detention with espionage. Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have been held by Chinese authorities since 2018 in what is seen as a reciprocal move by Beijing after the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, by Canadian police. Meng is currently under house arrest in Vancouver while fighting a Canadian court battle to halt her extradition to the United States.

Singapore opens gyms, dining out as China outbreak steadies (AP) Singaporeans can wine and dine at restaurants, work out at the gym and socialize with no more than five people at a time as of Friday, when the city-state removed most of its pandemic lockdown restrictions. Getting back to business in Singapore came as China declared a fresh outbreak in Beijing under control after confirming 25 new cases among some 360,000 people tested. That was up by just four from a day earlier. Singapore’s malls, gyms, massage parlors, parks and other public facilities reopened their doors with strict social distancing and other precautions.

Palestinians fear displacement from an annexed Jordan Valley (AP) For generations, the people of Fasayil herded animals on the desert bluffs and palm-shaded lowlands of the Jordan Valley. Today, nearly every man in the Palestinian village works for Jewish settlers in the sprawling modern farms to the north and south. The grazing lands to the west and east, leading down to the banks of the biblical Jordan River, have been swallowed up by the settlements or fenced off by the Israeli military. So instead of leading sheep out to pasture, the men rise before dawn to work in the settlements for around $3 an hour—or they move away. “Everyone here works in the settlements, there’s nothing else,” said Iyad Taamra, a member of the village council who runs a small grocery store. “If you have some money you go somewhere else where there is a future.” Palestinians fear communities across the Jordan Valley will meet a similar fate if Israel proceeds with its plans to annex the territory, which accounts for around a quarter of the occupied West Bank and was once seen as the breadbasket of a future Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to annex the valley and all of Israel’s far-flung West Bank settlements, in line with President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan, which overwhelmingly favors Israel and has been rejected by the Palestinians. The process could begin as soon as July 1.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince uses travel restrictions to consolidate power (Washington Post) The formal term in Arabic is mana’a al-safar, or “travel bans.” But the practical effect of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s policy of restricting journeys abroad by what appear to be thousands of Saudis is to intimidate those he regards as political threats. “This is hostage-taking as a tool of governing,” argued Khalid Aljabri, a Saudi cardiologist who lives in Toronto. Two of his younger siblings, Omar and Sarah, now both in their early 20s, were banned from travel in June 2017 shortly after MBS, as he’s known, became crown prince. MBS wanted leverage against their father, a former Saudi intelligence official named Saad Aljabri, hoping to force him home to face corruption allegations that Khalid says are false. An investigation shows that this practice of restricting foreign travel is much broader than generally recognized and is part of a larger system of organized repression in the kingdom. MBS has used these tools to consolidate power as he moves toward what some U.S. officials believe may be an attempt, perhaps this year, to seize the full powers of government from his ailing father, King Salman. The total number of Saudis who are subject to travel restrictions, according to Saudi and U.S. analysts, probably runs into the thousands. Those who are banned don’t usually know about their status until they go to the airport or try to cross a border post, where they’re stopped and told that exit is forbidden on order of the state security organization, which operates through the royal court. No formal, written explanation is typically given.

Zimbabwe on the brink (Foreign Policy) Three female opposition activists in Zimbabwe have been forced to remain in prison following a bail hearing on Monday as they face charges of fabricating allegations of being abducted, tortured, and humiliated by police. The charges against the women are widely thought to be politically motivated, while the U.N. called on the authorities to “urgently prosecute and punish the perpetrators of this outrageous crime.” The case against the women, one of whom, Joana Mamombe, is a member of Parliament, comes at a tense time in the country as inflation has risen to 785 percent. The price of bread and sugar has surged by 30 percent over the past week, evoking memories of the hyperinflation seen in 2008 that rendered the country’s currency worthless. Economic crisis and rising public anger have led to mounting speculation that a coup could be in the works. The national security council of Zimbabwe dismissed the rumors in a press conference last week, saying they were being fueled by allies of the late Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe.

#headlines #news

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Blog #9: Coronavirus Updates - April (so far)

This comes from a post from simplepolitics on Instagram, released throughout the month of April (so far.)

1 April: A loss of smell and taste. Some people are reporting that they are experiencing a loss of smell and taste when they are ill with the Coronavirus. A King’s College study found that around 59% of those with confirmed cases of the virus experienced these symptoms. If I have this, do I definitely have the virus? No. Loss of smell and taste can be signs of various other things - including a regular cold. However, if it is in conjunction with a new persistent cough and a fever, it could well be another sign that you have the virus. You should, of course, isolate and head to 111 online for help/instructions. Is it on the official list of symptoms? No. Public Health England and the WHO agree there’s not enough evidence. The King’s College study though? They think it’s worth looking out for - in combination with the rest.

1 April: Police guidance. There have been lots of stories recently… stopped for buying Easter eggs. Drones taking photos. Road blocks. Questions about policing, consistency and levels of enforcement have been asked. Ministers have implied it’s gone too far. New guidance. The College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs Council have looked at what might be appropriate. They suggest that while people shouldn’t be leaving their house without reasonable excuse, we must ‘police by consent’. There has to be a relationship between officers and the public. So, road blocks are excessive. It’s okay to travel a bit for somewhere nice to exercise. Arrests and fines should be a last resort. In short - judgement and common sense should be used.

1 April: Virtual Commons? What’s happening? Parliament took an early recess due to the virus. It won’t be back until at least 21 April. In the crisis, things are changing daily. A group of 100 MPs has called for a digital Parliament to be set up to allow scrutiny of the government’s response. Aren’t some things happening online? Some select committees are still meeting virtually. The Cabinet also met remotely for the first time this week. But surely it can’t work for a whole Parliament? Cue Wales. Today, the Welsh Assembly becomes the UK’s first big democratic gathering to debate using Zoom. Each party has agreed to a limited number of members taking part so it works logistically. Yes it’s smaller than Westminster, but it shows what could be possible.

1 April:

Largest single daily rise in deaths from COVID-19.

Business Secretary thanked businesses supporting life-saving work and keeping employees safe.

Reiterated forms of help available so far. Local authorities have received £12bn to help reach businesses in need.

As taxpayers ‘stepped in to help the banks in 2008’ the government wants banks to repay the favour by helping businesses in need.

Slight upturn in motor vehicle use in figures - reminder to stay safe and stay at home.

Increasing testing is still the government’s top priority. Now at 10,000 tests a day.

Wimbledon and the Edinburgh festival among events that were cancelled today.

2 April: Message from Boris Johnson (This is an abbreviated version for brevity and clarity. All the effort has been made to represent the PM’s tone and message).

If we can comply with these measures, together, we will begin to start to push the numbers down and turn the tide in the next few weeks and months. We’ve shipped in the last couple of weeks 397 million pieces of PPE. We’re also massively increasing testing. This is how we will unlock the coronavirus puzzle. This is how we will defeat it in the end. What we need to do is massively ramp up tests so that you can know whether you have had the disease. That will enable you to go to work in the confidence you can’t get the disease or be infectious. Second, people need to know they haven’t got it, rather than isolating themselves at home for no reason. And it’s crucial those who do have the disease are tested and take the necessary steps. I’m confident that we will beat it, and we will beat it together. We will do it by staying at home, protecting our NHS and saving lives.

2 April:

On protective equipment - said record quantity has been shipped to the frontline. Upgraded PPE guidance has been issued today.

On NHS Trusts - writing off £13.4 billion of historic debt.

Unveiled 5 pillars to testing strategy:

1. Swab testing in NHS hospitals to find out whether you have the virus.

2. Swab testing delivered by commercial partners for frontline workers and their families.

3. Rolling out blood tests that will test whether you have had the virus. Currently working with 9 companies to evaluate their effectiveness.

4. Understanding what % of the population have had it through sampling.

5. Asking manufacturers, inventors and developers to assist the UK’s diagnostic capability.

New target: 100,000 tests per day by the end of the month (that’s across all 5 pillars).

3 April: Matt Hancock on Radio 4.

I’m not assuming any antibody tests come on stream to hit the 100,000 test targets. These tests are important - the scientists say they are more important later, when we’re trying to come out of social distancing. It would be possible to come out of these measures without this test, but the more information we have from these tests, the better. We haven’t yet found an antibody test that works well enough to use. The first call on swab tests is for patients. Next is for critical staff, largely in the NHS. The modelling suggests that the peak of cases will come in the next few weeks, but is sensitive to people following social distancing. The ramp up of testing has been ongoing throughout.

3 April:

NHS Nightingale hospital opened in London today. Planned, constructed and staffed in 9 days.

Thanked everyone staying at home for giving the NHS time to expand.

Bristol and Harrogate join the list of planned new Nightingale hospitals.

Reiterated working hard to deliver PPE products.

Research and clinical trials are key. Three national clinical trials have been established. An expert therapeutics taskforce has also been set up to search for other candidate medicines for trials.

Forecast is for a good weekend. Ended with this instruction - stay home, protect lives - and you will be doing your part.

The PM still has a fever and is staying in self-isolation.

4 April:

UK’s highest daily total of deaths from COVID-19. There are regional variations to hospital admission:

In London, admissions fell slightly between 1-2 April.Admissions are steady in Wales.

They have gone up 35% in Yorkshire and the North East.

In the Midlands, they have gone up by 47%.

Over 10,000 tests to NHS staff were administered yesterday.

NHS capacity is being ramped up through supplies of non-invasive and invasive ventilators.

More to come next week about supporting children at risk or in need over the Easter holidays.

Welcomed constructive challenge and scrutiny of the government.

Key message - whatever the temptations this weekend - stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives.

5 April: Matt Hancock has been to TV to say that it is not okay to sunbathe in public. Even if two meters from anyone. He suggested it’s not okay to sit down for a while during exercise. The only reasons to be out of your home are to run/walk, buy essentials or get to work. He repeated that if the minority still can’t follow these rules, the lockdown measures will be made stronger.

5 April:

Following the rules is ‘mission critical’. The more we follow the rules, the quicker we will be through it.

“Cannot rule out further steps” being introduced in terms of social distancing if people don’t follow guidance - but no changes are imminent.

The NHS now has more than 9,000 ventilators, which will rise 18,000 over the next few weeks.

Welcomed former healthcare professionals back to the NHS.

There’s a new tracker to collate symptoms to better understand the disease. Encouraged anyone who has experienced symptoms to fill it in:

https://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus-status-checker/

5 April: 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has been admitted to hospital for tests.

6 April: Exit strategy. If restrictions are lifted too soon, the virus could come back again. Yet the longer lockdown goes on, the worse it will be for the economy as well as impacting on physical and mental health. Scientists need to make predictions about how people will behave once rules are lifted. Will we be more cautious? Or will we try to celebrate in large groups? There’s been some talk of a traffic light system - moving from red - to amber with some limited travel/shop openings - eventually back to green. Just one of many ideas. Current restrictions will be reviewed next week.

6 April:

Last night the PM was admitted to hospital. He had a comfortable night in hospital and is in good spirits. He continues to lead the government.

Government deploying a diplomatic network around the world to help source ventilators.

Working with airlines to bring British nationals home.

Thanked NHS staff - and urged people to continue to follow guidance and stay at home.

Staying at home is working - but it will take time for lower hospital admissions to filter through into lower numbers of deaths.

Still too early to talk about when restrictions will be lifted.

6 April: Boris Johnson has been moved to intensive care. Dominic Raab is in line to temporarily take over if the Prime Minister can no longer perform his duties.

7 April: Deputising for the PM. First, the bad news. At this point, the exact details aren’t 100% clear. Unlike other countries, we don’t have a rule book to follow. It pretty much depends on what the PM and other top dogs want to happen. What do we know? Dominic Raab is not the Prime Minister, even if he is standing in. Boris Johnson was elected into that role and keeps that position. Raab has stressed that Johnson is still in charge of the country. Instead, Raab will stand in where necessary. He will chair big meetings, he will keep the ship as steady as possible, he will sign off on documents that need signing. He will take over the day to day running of the fight against Coronavirus. Unless absolutely vital, he won’t make any big decisions that will change the course of the country. If the PM remains unable to fulfil his duties, Raab’s role will surely increase with time.

7 April:

Update on Boris Johnson: He’s receiving the very best care, breathing without assistance but has had oxygen. Further updates will follow.

Described the PM as ‘a fighter’.

Cabinet had updates today on NHS capacity, PPE and other key areas of focus.

Largest daily death toll since the outbreak began. We aren’t however seeing an acceleration in new cases.

Raab confirmed he has been asked to deputise for the PM for as long as it needed.

Confirmed cabinet will try to take decisions collectively.

8 April: Downing Street has suggested that there will be no review into the lockdown measures in the next week. Instead, that first review will probably take place around 20th April.

8 April:

PM remains in intensive care, but his condition is improving. Latest reports are he has been sitting up in bed.

Charity sector: All charities eligible for the job retention scheme. Some however, are on the frontline fighting the virus and can’t shut up shop or furlough employees.

Announcing a £750 million package to help the charity sector.

Government will also match whatever the public donate through the BBC’s ‘Big Night In’ charity appeal.

Described new UK cases as ‘not accelerating out of control’.

9 April:

PM remains in intensive care, but continues to make ‘positive steps forward’.

Message is ‘We’re not done yet’ - keep following the guidance to stay at home.

COBRA met today - believe it’s too early to relax measures and they will not give a further update until the end of next week.

Government continuing to gather data on the impact of social distancing measures.

We have not yet reached the peak of the virus.

Understands this will impact Easter weekend - but asks people not to undo efforts made so far.

Stay at home this bank holiday.

10 April:

Easter will be ‘a test of the nation’s resolve.’

The PM’s condition continues to improve. He is out of intensive care.

Thanked the NHS team for his care.

Over 19k tests were carried out yesterday.

Capacity is there to test all key social care staff and HS staff who need to be tested. Still working towards 100k tests per day by month end.

PPE plan:

1. Clear guidance - treating PPE like a precious resource, only using where there is a clinical need.

2. Distribution - making sure those that need it can get it at the right time.

3. Future Supply - making sure we have enough to see us through the crisis through new global supply lines and making our own.

Stay at home this bank holiday.

11 April:

Still seeing deaths rise, though believe we will see a reduction in the next few weeks - as measures filter through.

Total crime has fallen as people follow guidance to stay at home.

Though there are new risks from fraud and children being exploited online.

The national domestic abuse helpline has seen a 120% increase in calls.

If you are in immediate danger - call 999 and press 55 on a mobile if you are unable to talk.

A national communications campaign is launching to signpost help for victims of domestic abuse.

£2 million pounds will be given to boost online support.

Stay at home this bank holiday.

12 April: Guidance for pet owners. There is no evidence of coronavirus circulating in pets or other animals in the UK and there is nothing to suggest animals may transmit the disease to humans. In line with the general advice on fighting coronavirus, you should wash your hands regularly, including before and after contact with animals. If you have symptoms of coronavirus you must remain at home for 7 days, or 14 days as a household. If your dog cannot exercise at home, you should ask someone outside of your household to walk your dog for you. All non-essential trips to vets should be avoided. If your pet needs urgent treatment, you must phone the vet to arrange the best approach to meet your pets’ needs.

12 April:

Boris Johnson is out of hospital, but will not immediately return to work.

While daily deaths are slightly down, the total number has now reached over 10,000.

A new NHS app for ‘contact tracing’ is being developed. If you develop symptoms, it will anonymously alert people with whom you have been in contact, allowing them to take precautions.

2,295 spare critical care beds in the country. People have always been able to access the care they need. This is more spare capacity than before the crisis.

Also, obviously, stay at home.

13 April:

Overwhelming majority of people have stayed at home this Easter.

Death toll is now over 11,000. We are still not past the peak of the virus.

Social distancing will be reviewed this week. Government don’t expect to make any changes to existing guidelines.

Data suggest deaths may continue to rise this week before hopefully seeing a plateau.

Patrick Vallance said evidence is stronger that wearing masks stops you passing on the virus, rather than catching it. The government would change its mind on mask guidance, if evidence suggested it was the right thing to do.

14 April: Should strategy be UK wide? What’s happening? Nicola Sturgeon said she wouldn’t hesitate to diverge from UK plans if it saved lives. Wales’ First Minister talks about doing the right thing for Wales ‘at the right time for Wales’. Lockdown is set to continue for some time, but could the nations eventually come out of this at different times? Or should any exit be coordinated UK wide?

WOO

Having consistency across the UK makes getting the message to people much simpler.

Enforcing different rules could be difficult - especially around borders.

BOO

Each nation has slightly different demographics and may be at different stages of the virus spread.

Some decisions, like school closures, were already taken separately

14 April:

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggested today that the UK economy could shrink by 35% if lockdown lasts for three months.

Whilst the scale of what we are facing will have serious consequences, we came into crisis with a fundamentally sound economy.

It will be temporary - we will ‘bounce back’.

Said he does not accept that people will be affected for a generation.

Added that the single most important thing we can do for the health or our economy is protect the health of our people.

Looking at the data, deaths continue to rise, while hospital admissions are stabilising.

Tomorrow, Matt Hancock will talk about social care.

14 April: OBR report. Office for Budget Responsibility, the government’s independent financial forecaster. They’ve looked at the impact of lockdown on the economy. So, what have they said? The economy could shrink by a record 35% by June. It would be the largest drop in living memory. A 3 month lockdown would take borrowing to an estimated £273bn this financial year, or 14% of gross domestic product (GDP). On unemployment, they expect a rise of 2.1 million to 3.4 million by the end of June. Was there any good news? It was pretty stark. We’re in for some rough times. That it could be temporary and recovery is possible is at least something to hold on to.

15 April:

The NHS has spare capacity - everyone who has needed to have hospital care has been able to do so.

Will not lift measures until it is safe to do so.

Next steps in action plan for social care:

All care home residents coming back from hospital will be tested before being admitted to the care home.

Increasing PPE supplies to social care settings.Introducing a new ‘brand’ for social care - to allow social care staff to identify themselves - ‘a badge of honour’.

Supermarkets will be asked that carers have the same priority as NHS staff.

Wherever possible giving people’s family members a chance to say goodbye to family members.

Angela McLean, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser said there was a ‘flattened curve’ in terms of new cases.

16 April: It’s not official yet and we await tonight’s big announcement, but because of the exclusive access that SP has to news websites, the television and social media, they can say that the lockdown will continue until 7th May at the earliest.

16 April: Virtual Parliament via Zoom - a way to keep questioning through the crisis. How does it work? Up to 120 MPs will be able to take part remotely at one time. 50 will be allowed to remain in the chamber under ‘strict social distancing rules’. Screens will be placed around the Commons Chamber. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said it lets MPs “stay close to their communities” and continue “their important work scrutinising the government”. It’s thought the set-up will cover departmental questions, statements, PMQs and urgent questions. Decisions on legislation, voting and debates will be made later.

16 April:

Cabinet and Cobra met today. They took advice from SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies).

While restrictions are working, changes to social distancing measures now would risk a second peak of the virus.

Current lockdown measures therefore remain in place for at least the next three weeks.

There are five criteria that government will need to see before they’d consider a relaxation of any measure:

Sufficient critical care and specialist treatment available.

Sustained and consistent fall in daily death rate.

Reliable data that the rate of infection is decreasing across the board.

Operational challenges, like testing and PPE are in hand.

Any adjustments will not risk a second peak.

17 April: New guidance on going out.

Exercise:

Exercising once a day is fine. Ministers have suggested that this should be half an hour/an hour, but it depends on levels of fitness.

Driving to the countryside to walk is okay, but the walk should be considerably longer then the drive.

It’s okay to rest, or even have lunch during a walk, but not to take a short walk and stay seated for a longer period.

Shopping:

It’s alright to pick up only a couple of essentials, like milk or bread.

You can buy several days' supplies at a time, including luxury items and booze.

DIY bits are allowed for repairs, but not redecoration.

Work:

Key workers and non-key workers can travel if work can’t be done from home.

It’s not okay to ‘work from home’ in the park.

Other bits:

Animals can go to the vet for treatment. Not for prescriptions, which can be done on the phone.

You can move house for a couple of days to ‘cool off’ after an argument.

You can’t ‘move house’ for a few hours.

17 April: Vaccine taskforce:

Set up to accelerate the development of a vaccine - reporting to Business and Health Secretaries.

Industry, academics and regulators are involved.

21 research projects have been ‘green lighted’ with funding of around £14m.

Building capacity to mass produce vaccines.

There are no guarantees - but we are a country with a ‘history of pioneering science.’

Furloughed employee scheme now extended until end of June.

18 April:

UK death toll has passed 15,000.

Providing an extra £1.6bn to local councils to help them provide vital services.

Those who are ‘shielded’ are being regularly checked in with through phone calls.

More than 90% of rough sleepers have been offered accommodation through local councils and charities.

Made clear to councils that all parks should remain open ‘for the health of the public’.

People must abide by social distancing.

For clarity - funerals can go ahead with close family present. Cemeteries and graveyards should also remain open or be reopened.

On PPE: Said trying everything to get the equipment we need. 84 tonnes of PPE - including 400k gowns will arrive from Turkey tomorrow.

19 April:

UK death toll has passed 16,000.

No date can be given as to when schools will reopen. The government has 5 key criteria that need to be met first. These include death rates decreasing and not risking a second peak.

Working with Childline and NSPCC to make sure vulnerable children have help.

Ordering laptops to help disadvantaged young people, children with social workers and care leavers.

Acknowledged the challenge of homeschooling - referenced resources including BBC Bitesize.

20 April:

On PPE: Said it was ‘an international challenge’ and they were pursuing every possible option.

Coronavirus job retention scheme opened today at 8am. As of 4pm, 140,000 firms have applied.

Believes innovation and enterprise will help the economy recover. Launched two initiatives today - worth £1.25bn:

Future fund - to make sure high growth companies can continue to access investment.

Grant and loan funds for innovative firms across the sectors and regions.

On data: Rail and tube use down by 95%, showing how people are adhering to guidelines.

21 April: The advice on wearing face-masks in public is to be officially reviewed this week. Top dogs are suggesting the advice will not change. This is partly due to the shortage of masks and the potential threat to NHS supplies.

21 April:

Said plan has always been to keep NHS capacity ahead of need.

Reiterated 5 criteria that must be met before any relaxation of measures.

On PPE: Said over 8000 offers of PPE equipment have been made and will be investigated. Working with 159 potential UK manufacturers. Said it was a 24/7 operation.

On vaccines: Our two most promising projects are Oxford and Imperial. Both will get circa £20 million each for further development. Human trials will begin this Thursday in Oxford.

22 April:

UK Coronavirus hospital death toll is now over 18,000.

Said biggest risk is a second spike of the virus.

That’s why social distancing measures must remain in place.

Paid tribute to the armed forces for helping NHS to build capacity.General Sir Nick Carter, the chief of the defence staff gave an update on the logistics of the military operation.

Said we’re ‘coming through the peak - but we’re not done yet’. We should stay home, protect the NHS, save lives.

23 April: Human trials. What’s happening? Compared to normal timelines, this is warp speed. Scientists in Oxford begin human vaccine trials today. The government has already pledged £20 million in backing. How does it all work then? The vaccine is made from a harmless chimp virus - genetically engineered to carry Coronavirus. They’re starting with volunteers aged 18 to 55 and in good health. Up to 500 people will be on it by May, it runs for 6 months. Is confidence high? The Health Secretary is keen to point out that it’s an ‘uncertain science’. The Oxford team is starting production before the trial finishes, so there’s less delay if it proves successful.

23 April:

Introducing strategy of Test, Track and Trace which will be key to keeping the infection rate down/.

Test - Capacity now at 51,000/day. Employers of essential workers can now get tests for staff on gov.uk. Essential workers (and their households) who need a test can also book online.

Track - There will be a mass antibody survey - encouraged anyone who is asked to take part.

Trace - Contact tracing app launching - to alert others who’ve been in significant contact with someone who has the virus. 18,000 people will be hired to work in contact tracing.

24 April:

UK hospital death toll now over 19,500.

Have agreement with France/Ireland to keep freight routes open - for medicines and raw materials etc.

Ferry/flight routes also protected for essential workers.

Green light for trials of drones to deliver medical supplies, starting next week on Isle of Wight.

Funding for England’s tram network - allowing essential local routes to remain open.

Said more slots will be opening on the online test booking portal. Stressed that tests are for people experiencing symptoms - will only test whether you currently have Coronavirus.

25 April:

More than 20,000 people have now died in hospital in the UK.

If you need urgent medical attention (not virus related) - still be sure to seek help from 111, your GP or 999.

Reminder that victims of domestic abuse can move home.

There is a fall in overall crime - car crime, burglary and shoplifting. Sophisticated criminals are exploiting the virus, but the law force is adapting.

Protect yourself online by protecting your children (thinkyouknow.co.uk), stay safe online (cyber aware website), look after your money - be vigilant of scams.

Also, obviously, stay home.

26 April: Looks like Boris Johnson will be back working from Number 10 on Monday. Currently widely reported, but not yet confirmed.

26 April:

Panic buying has eased and food availability is at normal levels.

Supermarkets all have social distancing measures. Staff absence rates in the food chain have reduced.

500,000 food parcels have been delivered to the ‘shielded’. Delivery slots have also been prioritised for those in this group.

Volunteer shoppers are being located for those in need.

Hospital admissions are down, which shows social distancing is working.

It’s still, however, too soon to talk about easing lockdown measures.

27 April: Boris Johnson returns...

We are making progress in hospital admissions, fewer COVID cases in ICU - signs we are passing the peak.

We are close to achieving the first aim of protecting the NHS.

This is the moment of biggest risk, as people will wonder if this is the time to go easy on these stressful measures.

Without our private sector, there will be no economy, no cash to fund rebuilding.

We must also recognise the risk of the second strike. That would bring a new wave of death and disease but also an economic disaster.

I refuse to throw away all the effort and sacrifice of the British people.

Maintain patience, because we are coming to the end of the first phase of this crisis.

We’ll continue to suppress the disease in the second phase, to keep the infection rate below one, but we will slowly begin to open different sectors of the economy.

We simply cannot spell out now how fast or slow, or even when, those changes will be made.

27 April:

Announced a life assurance scheme for families of NHS and social care frontline staff who die during essential coronavirus work. Families would receive £60k.

The 8th NHS Nightingale hospital opened today.

Reminded people that the NHS is still open for other medical issues. Urged people to come forward if they need help.

NHS cancer treatment and mental health support will start to resume from tomorrow.

Today’s public question was whether being able to hug grandchildren would be one of the first restrictions lifted.

All credit goes to simplepolitics on Instagram.

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gordonwilliamsweb · 3 years

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Another Pandemic ‘To Do’ on the List for Schools: Contact Tracing

Chris Hodges, the principal of Gaylord High School in Otsego County, Michigan, never thought he’d be a contact tracer.

This story is from a reporting partnership that includes WCMU, NPR and KHN. It can be republished for free.

“I definitely thought, you know, ‘Why — why am I doing this?’” he said with a laugh. “That’s not what I went to school for.”

In what has become a regular part of his school day, Hodges fields reports on his charges such as hearing from the Health Department of Northwest Michigan that a student had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and was in school for three days when she might have been contagious.

One Tuesday in April, after the school day was over, he found himself walking the almost-empty halls with a laptop and a tape measure, making a list of other students who sat close enough to their sick classmate that they would need to quarantine.

Lisa Peacock, health officer for the department, said that without the school district’s help it would be “literally impossible” to keep up with contact tracing.

The school-age population has accounted for a growing share of recent coronavirus cases across northern Michigan, and Peacock said quickly identifying people exposed to those cases and telling them how to quarantine is crucial to protecting communities and containing spread.

When Hodges first started helping the health department with contact tracing, he found himself calling teachers on weekends, holidays and late in the day after they’d gone home, asking them where a particular student sat and struggling to orient himself in the classroom as they described the student’s position over the phone.

It happened so often that he’s now requiring each teacher to keep an up-to-date seating chart in a bright-yellow folder on top of their desk so he can find it easily.

But in this case, the teacher, Hannah Romel, was still at school. The student Hodges was tracing is in her yearbook class, which has different seating arrangements every day. Romel handed Hodges the three charts, and he got to work.

In each place Romel had marked the student, Hodges extended his tape measure to the surrounding desks.

Teachers have spaced their seats out as much as they can, he said, but sometimes they can’t quite get to the 6-foot distance required to avoid counting as close contact.

(The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance last month to allow for 3-foot distancing between desks, but only in communities where transmission is low. In this district, Superintendent Brian Pearson said, during Michigan’s recent surge in cases, 6-foot separation is the standard.)

Hodges moved quickly, both because if he didn’t complete the contact tracing the same day, the school can’t open the next, and because he wanted to get in touch with the families of students exposed to the virus right away.

“We want to make those phone calls as soon as we can, so that those students aren’t at work, aren’t at church, aren’t going to other people’s houses. We want to prevent the spread of covid not only inside our walls, but in our community,” he said.

Hodges will then pass on information about who was in close contact with the student to the local health department. Other nearby school districts run similar operations.

Nationally, this kind of relationship between schools and health departments is not typical in normal times, but it is happening with some regularity during the pandemic, said Adriane Casalotti, chief of government and public affairs for the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

Public health funding has declined over the past few decades, she said, forcing local departments to cut staff members who could have boosted their contact-tracing capacity.

Still, getting schools and health departments to work together can greatly help communities, Casalotti said.

Peacock, the local health officer, said that once her staffers get word of exposures at local schools, they will also get in touch with the families to talk them through the details.

“People always have questions,” she said. “They have questions about ‘What does this mean? What does it mean that I’m quarantined for 14 days?’ We recognize that.”

And, in some cases, the health department needs more information than Hodges can give, Peacock said. They might want to find out whether a coronavirus variant is at play, or do a more detailed investigation of how students got sick and where they were when contagious.

Back in Romel’s yearbook classroom, Hodges found two students sat just shy of 6 feet from their classmate who tested positive. They’ll need to quarantine for two weeks from the date of their last exposure.

Romel said she’s still surprised to hear the news that a student is sick.

“I worry about the kid,” she said. “I hope that it’s a mild case, and they get to just be OK and get back to school after their quarantine period and come back and be learning with us again.”

After a quick chat with Romel about whether the class did any group work on the days in question (they didn’t, which Hodges said is a relief, because it complicates his process), he headed off to the next classroom.

In all, 14 students will be quarantined as a result of exposure to this coronavirus case.

It’s a lot, Hodges said, but it’s a far cry from the number of quarantines stemming from a single day last month when 15 students tested positive, and each of them had several close contacts.

Making phone calls to families informing them their child will need to stay home from school for up to two weeks is not an enjoyable part of the day, for him or the families, said Hodges, but he’s gratified to play a role in mitigating the extent of the pandemic.

This story is from a reporting partnership that includes WCMU, NPR and KHN.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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This story can be republished for free (details).

Another Pandemic ‘To Do’ on the List for Schools: Contact Tracing published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

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stephenmccull · 3 years

Text

Another Pandemic ‘To Do’ on the List for Schools: Contact Tracing

Chris Hodges, the principal of Gaylord High School in Otsego County, Michigan, never thought he’d be a contact tracer.

This story is from a reporting partnership that includes WCMU, NPR and KHN. It can be republished for free.

“I definitely thought, you know, ‘Why — why am I doing this?’” he said with a laugh. “That’s not what I went to school for.”

Lisa Peacock, health officer for the department, said that without the school district’s help it would be “literally impossible” to keep up with contact tracing.