
"Connecting Communities for COVID19 News" 23rd Jun 2020
Isolation Tips
Supporting children's mental health during COVID-19
Mutisya says that as you help children to label their emotions, you also want them to engage in activities that help them self-regulate. These activities can include mindfulness, breathing exercises, exercise, and yoga. Mbuga advises that parents
should be role models. That they should consider sharing their feelings about COVID-19 with their children at a level they can understand. “You may express worry, even frustration for what is happening. You may share some anxiety, but it is important for you to also share with your children ideas for coping,” he says. “Remind them what everyone in the family is doing to stay healthy and well. Talk about the many helpers. Consider how the family may also consider helping too,” he adds.
'I felt depressed and didn't see anyone for four weeks' - Generation Z 'loneliest' age group during lockdown
Generation Z has been the loneliest age group during the coronavirus pandemic, with nearly three-quarters of people aged up to 25 admitting to feeling lonely since April, according to exclusive data. The study, by Kaspersky research group, involved 10,500 people across 12 European countries, and Japan, and was part of Loneliness Awareness Week. It found that 68% of people in this age demographic felt lonely during the lockdown, compared to just 37% of the Silent Generation - those aged 75 and over.
‘I'm broken’: how anxiety and stress hit millions in UK Covid-19 lockdown
Nashaba Matin is a single mother with three daughters: Kaya, 17, Amber, 15, and Natalia, 13. She is also an NHS doctor, working full-time on the Covid-19 wards of the Royal London Hospital. Exhausted by her work, Matin has relied on her eldest daughter to provide a protective wing over her younger sisters. “I think they’ve all had to grow up a lot,” she says.
Hygiene Helpers
Tips for social distancing til 2022
If Covid-19 had an official glossary, words like “quarantinis” and phrases like “flattening the curve” and “Zoom call” would all be included. But if there is one phrase that defines the zeitgeist of 2020’s global pandemic, perhaps it’s “social distancing.” Now that we’ve gotten used to the term, we might as well settle into the practice. With scientists suggesting we'll be intermittent social distancing until about 2022, Americans will have a lot of time to fill. Luckily, isolation doesn't mean you can't broaden your horizons — some new skills may be just what you need to go the distance.
BMC trains sanitation workers to remain safe
The BMC wants that in a week, all the sanitary workers are trained on every saftey aspect of Covid-19. These workers include; sweepers, superviers, ward officers, sanitary inspectors, drivers and helpers of garbage transporting trucks. On Monday 157 of them were given training at patia. The training module included how to maintain social distancing, personal hygiene, hand hygiene and how to wear personal protective equipment
Sally the Robot angling to replace the salad bar in your local grocery store
Meanwhile, grocery stores have been forced to eliminate their salad bars and prepared food buffets due to safety concerns, creating the perfect opportunity for a vast army of Sallys to invade the lives hundreds of millions of Americans. So far Chowbotics says it has signed three grocery store deals and has initiated pilot programs with several others. Sally has been such a success that some store owners have requested that in addition to prepared foods, they’d like to see versions of Sally that dispense prepped meals for customers to finish cooking at home. How long will it take for Sally to eventually overtake every position in the supermarket?
'Everybody is healthy': Will the pandemic spur a new approach to homelessness?
Once the novel coronavirus has been tamed or eradicated and the world returns to ‘normal,’ what will that look like? Will COVID-19 fundamentally and permanently alter our lives? In an occasional series, this newspaper examines the potential lasting effects of the pandemic on how we live, work and play. Today: Will the pandemic point the way to a new approach to homelessness and opioids? A curious thing happened to Ottawa’s homeless population during this year’s COVID-19 pandemic: They became healthier.
Community Activities
Coronavirus: doctors on war footing to tackle surge in PTSD
The NHS faces a “huge surge” in Britons suffering anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the country’s top family doctor. Months of isolation, economic devastation and the loss of relatives, friends and colleagues to the disease is wreaking havoc on the nation’s mental health, said Dr Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). More than 50,000 family doctors are being issued with guidance to help them detect post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) triggered by the pandemic. Dr Jonathan Leach, a retired colonel who has supported thousands of veterans, helped draw it up.
France shows Europe can keep Covid-19 in check after reopening
With social-distancing measures still in place and the wearing of face masks made compulsory on public transport, new cases have lately stood at about 450 per day, from a peak of 7,500. Since easing the lockdown, the weekly number of Covid-19 patients sent to hospital has more than halved. France is to allow all businesses to resume and all children to return to school from Monday. “We are going to get back to our art de vivre and recover our taste for liberty,” Mr Macron told the French on June 14
Coronavirus: French defy lockdown with Festival of Music
Thousands of people gathered across France on Sunday to celebrate an annual music festival, defying coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Revellers ignored social distancing rules and danced in the streets for the Fête de la Musique, known as Music Day in English. Police clashed with some revellers in Paris and with demonstrators in Nantes, using tear gas against protesters. Images posted online of the celebrations drew sharp criticism.
S'pore must remain open, reliable and resilient in a changing world
For Singapore to succeed, it has to master the major trends reshaping the global economy and speed up the transformation of its own economy
Working Remotely
Canada public servants will still work remotely even as offices reopen - minister
Some of Canada’s nearly 290,000 federal employees will gradually return to their offices as coronavirus restrictions ease, but many will keep working remotely, the president of the Treasury Board said on Monday. Government employees have been mostly working from home since mid-March when public health authorities shut down many businesses and offices to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now the 13 provinces and territories are slowly restarting as the contagion slows. “We can have a public service that can be working remotely while serving Canadians very efficiently,” Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos said in a news conference.
Has COVID-19 Opened Up A New World Of Remote Work?
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to remote work as the digital world is finally at a stage where it can support technology like virtual meetings. The digital revolution that enabled telework and the upcoming roll out of 5G will also enable telerobotics and augmented/virtual reality which will increase the amount of automation globally. The increase in virtual and telepresence also has the potential to provide alternative development paths for emerging markets, away from a manufacturing-led growth model (like China) more to a service-led growth model (like India). These are just some of the findings of a new report published by Citi, A New World of Remote Work. The report, the fifth edition in the Citi GPS Technology at Work series, looks at how COVID 19 fast-forwarded existing trends and quantifies the possible impact of these trends on the future of work.
Permanent Work From Home Is Coming. Businesses, Workers See Benefits
Indefinite. Or even permanent. These are words companies are using about their employees working from home. It's three months into a huge, unplanned social experiment that suddenly transported the white-collar workplace from cubicles and offices to kitchens and spare bedrooms. And many employers now say the benefits of remote work outweigh the drawbacks. Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker says it's been a popular decision at the company. "Overwhelming. Hundreds of emails and cards and letters and phone calls. 'Thank you for doing this.' So I think we got it right," he says.
Coronavirus: Most UK workers don't want to go back to offices
Most UK office workers do not want to return to normal workplaces and hours as the reopening of the economy gathers pace, according to a survey. A poll shared exclusively by Yahoo Finance UK suggests many staff who can work remotely are comfortable doing so, and are worried about virus risks on public transport. The survey of 2,000 staff by Theta Financial Reporting, a chartered accountancy and consultancy firm, explored how the pandemic has hit employers hard and overhauled working practices. Almost two-thirds of UK workers in the nationally representative poll agreed with the statement: “I do not feel comfortable commuting to work via public transport anymore, and think it will be one of the most stressful parts of my day.”
Most workers want 'hybrid' jobs at the office and at home after coronavirus, study finds
Instead of commuting every day, they would be happier to be in the office for only two or three days of a five-day working week. "I think what we're seeing is that people are going to be more thoughtful with when, where and how they choose to spend their time — with good reason: to be most effective in their role," said Chris Mattey, a partner at Boston Consulting Group. For those who can work from home, between 41 and 60 per cent surveyed revealed a preference that sees them doing two or three days a week from home. Respondents aged over 60 most favoured working remotely, pegging their preference at between 81 to 100 per cent of the time.
New Yorkers Can Now Go Back to Offices, but Many Won’t
Even as offices across New York City were allowed to welcome back employees on Monday for the first time in months, the number of those returning to work was far lower than the swarms that once jostled elbows on public transit and packed into high-rise elevators. With the coronavirus still a threat and businesses required to limit their capacity and ensure distance between workers, sidewalks that would typically be crammed were fairly empty. Subway cars also had relatively few riders for the start of the workweek, and parks in business districts were sparsely populated during the usual lunch rush. “I’m really surprised this is still this empty,” Jason Blankenship, an optometrist, said as he looked around a quiet Bryant Park. “I thought it would be more people than this for sure. I wonder if all these people from these offices will ever come back.”
4-day work week with fewer hours, same pay could become a reality in some workplaces post-COVID-19
It's only been days since a small Nova Scotia municipality launched a four-day condensed work week pilot project, but according to the chief administrative officer, so far, so good. The nine-month project, developed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, allows the municipality's core employees to work the same number of hours over a period of four days, known to many as a compressed work week. "Our staff seem to be extra excited about the new work system," said Barry Carroll, Chief Administrative Officer for the Municipality of the District of Guysborough. "We had some minor adjustments to make, obviously, but otherwise it's been pretty seamless."
Virtual Classrooms
COVID-19 Has Exacerbated School Exclusion: UNESCO
The agency's 2020 Global Education Monitoring Report says poorer children, girls, the disabled and immigrants are among those at a disadvantage, and that the situation got worse with COVID-19 when more than 90 percent of the world's schoolchildren found their learning affected by closures. While those from better-off families had internet and wifi connections and were able to use laptops and mobile phones, millions of youngsters were left out. "Health crises can leave many behinds, in particular the poorest girls, many of whom may never return to school," wrote Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO's director-general.
Maine's Catholic schools to reopen in fall amid coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
Maine Catholic Schools is also working to develop remote learning for those who feel uncomfortable sending their kids back to school. “The Diocese of Portland is assisting each of our schools in developing a virtual, distance-learning option where interested families will still be able to receive instruction for children in core content areas while remaining connected to their local school community,” said Pelletier. Due to social distancing requirements that will be in place in classrooms, families are encouraged to enroll their student or students soon as space is filling up at all schools.
In person, online classes or a mix: Colleges' fall 2020 coronavirus reopening plans, detailed
Stanley is among a majority of university presidents who aspire to welcome students back to campus in the fall. He said many students had difficulties with remote learning in the spring. Some lacked the resources at home to complete courses online. But Michigan State still plans to hold about half of its classes entirely online. Others will be taught via a hybrid format, with students doing some course sessions online and some in person, or in larger classrooms on campus. The school plans to accommodate students who cannot return in person by giving them an online curriculum.
Two young refugees, 500 books, and a new way to learn during COVID-19
A virtual tutoring program in Seattle is just one of the ways in which the IRC is helping refugee children like Kudus and Delina, who are also real bookworms, continue their education during the global pandemic.
How Should Universities Be Redesigned in the Wake of COVID-19?
Wharton’s Eric K. Clemons, a professor of operations, information and decisions, focuses on the redesign of academic institutions in this opinion piece. As he writes, “We do this in part because it is a pressing problem that requires a solution now, if universities, faculty, and students are to plan effectively for an event that is less than three months away. In addition, we study these institutions as examples that other industries may need to consider as they approach their own redesign if they cannot implement full virtualization.”
Medical education gets creative during the pandemic
“The transition to remote learning was abrupt,” said Dr. Vivian Obeso, associate dean for curriculum and medical education. “But our course directors and faculty rose to the challenge. They embraced technology and developed innovative teaching sessions and clinical courses. I am so proud of our team.” Zoom technology and web-based learning tools like Acquifer and WiseMD became critical in teaching students in virtual classrooms and discussion groups. To preserve active learning, weekly question and answer sessions via Zoom, and frequent remote quizzes on the Canvas Learning Management Platform kept students engaged and on track.
Public Policies
Beijing coronavirus cases to see 'cliff-like' drop this week - expert
China’s capital will see a “cliff-like” drop in new cases in a recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus by the end of this week with efforts to cut chains of transmission underway, a disease control expert said. “If you control the source, and cut the chain of transmission, the number will have a cliff-like drop,” Wu Hao, a disease control expert from the National Health Commission, told state television in an interview aired late on Sunday.
Morning Briefing June 23: Govt mulls masks and ‘user pays’ isolation
What to do with the passengers who are arriving in New Zealand every day continues to present logistical challenges. The number of Kiwis returning home from high risk countries has doubled in the past month with $81 million already spent on quarantining the new arrivals. The Government says it’s considering making those in managed isolation contribute to those quarantine costs. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says they’re looking at the possibility of a ‘user pays’ system but says requiring people to pay was a “balance” given New Zealanders also have the legal right to return to the country. The Government is also "actively looking" at using campervans for managed isolation as Auckland’s hotel facilities reach capacity.
Peru: Authorities cancel reopening of Machu Picchu amid coronavirus concerns
According to reports, the site’s management group made the decision after evaluating reports from authorities in the Cusco region, which houses the citadel. Speaking to international media reports Darwin Baca, the Machu Picchu district mayor said that it has been decided that the ancient citadel “would not open” on July 1 as per the previous schedule. In addendum, he also revealed that there were a series of health measures, like testing, still pending in the area.
Boris Johnson Could Come Unstuck If 'Unlockdown' Fails The Trust Test
Two metres or not two metres, that is not the question. Tonight’s meeting of the C-19 Strategy Committee, chaired by Boris Johnson and attended by a handful of key cabinet ministers, is almost certain to have amended the 6ft 6in social distancing guidance that has dominated all our lives since late March. No, the real question is just whether the PM can retain public trust if he gets this big call wrong, and if he miscalculates just how quickly the UK should exit coronavirus lockdown. The ‘comprehensive review’ of the 2m rule (now no longer even called a rule) has involved not just scientists and medics but, crucially, economists. Underlining this is ultimately a political decision, it’s the full Cabinet that is expected to rubber stamp it tomorrow.
Regional lockdowns 'preferable' to country closing in event of more Covid-19 clusters, says expert
Lockdown could be enforced on a regional basis if clusters of coronavirus break out in certain areas, an infectious disease specialist has said. Professor Sam McConkey said while it is unclear where and when clusters of the virus will occur again, putting the country into full lockdown again would not be the best approach.
Australian state extends state of emergency over virus
Australia's second most populous state Victoria has extended its state of emergency for four more weeks to 19 July, as it battles a spike in coronavirus infections with a pick-up in community transmission. The move came a day after the state announced it would reimpose restrictions capping visitors to households to five people and outdoor gatherings to ten, starting tomorrow. The limits had been relaxed on 1 June to allow up to 20 people in households and public gatherings. Victoria reported 19 new infections today, the fifth day of double digit-rises. The state has now had 1,836 total confirmed cases, or a quarter of the cases in Australia, since the Covid-19 pandemic erupted.
Spain to decide this week which non-European tourists can visit
Borders between European Union (EU) nations have reopened, prompting thousands of French to cross into Spain on Sunday seeking cheap tobacco and alcohol. Spain is the world’s second most-visited nation, with roughly one in five of its normally 80 million annual visitors coming from Britain. Health Minister Salvador Illa told Cadena SER radio station that Madrid would discuss with European Union (EU) partners whether to also let in travellers from outside the continent and make a decision this week. Would-be holidaymakers and Spain’s tourism industry are waiting anxiously. “This year it isn’t a question of making money, it is about losing less,” said Miguel Fluxa, owner of the Iberostar hotel chain, at a news conference on Mallorca island.
France Enters Phase 3 Of Lockdown; Borders Open But These Rules Still Must Be Followed
On Monday, France enters phase 3 of lockdown or déconfinement. EU borders and all restaurants, cafés and bars opened on June 15 but from today, cinemas, sports halls, holiday parks and casinos can reopen too, meaning much of the French economy is back open for business. With some international borders expected to be lifted gradually from July 1 with EU countries, there are still a few key rules to remember:
New York to ease COVID-19 lockdown
New York City is getting ready to loosen a number of coronavirus restrictions, three months after the pandemic brought life there to a standstill. On Monday, some offices and non-essential business will be allowed to partially reopen, but the United Nations campus in New York will not be following suit. Al Jazeera's diplomatic editor, James Bays, has more.
NYC re-opens restaurants, shops and salons in Phase Two after months of lockdown
Restaurants, shops and salons are now allowed to reopen in New York City, three months after they were forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. As of Monday, New Yorkers are now able to eat at tables outside of restaurants, children are allowed to visit playgrounds, and department stores such as Macy’s, can reopen. It has been estimated that between 150,000 and 300,000 people will go back to work on Monday, according to the Associated Press. The reopening is part of the city’s Phase Two of easing lockdown restrictions, after construction and manufacturing jobs were allowed to restart two weeks ago, in Phase One. There will be four phases in total, and as part of Phase Two, restaurants, salons, shops and offices are allowed to reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
India has the fourth-highest number of COVID-19 cases, but the Government denies community transmission
India now has the fourth highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world, trailing only the US, Brazil and Russia, with more than 380,500 confirmed cases and more than 12,500 deaths. It marks a rapid rise. At the start of June, there were fewer than 200,000 cases. A month before that, it was fewer than 38,000. Last Friday's tally of more than 13,500 was the biggest spike in cases in a single day.
Roadmap out of lockdown: McGowan announces Phase 4
The next phase of Western Australia's COVID-19 roadmap out lockdown has been outlined with a number of restrictions to be eased on Saturday, June 27. The two square metre rule will still be in place but the capacity limit on all gatherings is set to be removed as part of Phase Four. Many Western Australians will be excited as patrons will now be able to stand up and have drinks at the bar without ordering a meal and unseated performances will be permitted. Major events can now occur with large stadiums such as Optus and RAC Arena reopening for events, but only at 50 per cent capacity. The casino floor at Crown will also reopen for gambling, but every second machine will be switched off.
Spain lifts national state of emergency after 3-month coronavirus lockdown
The country's 47 million residents can freely travel for the first time since mid-March and visitors from Britain and the 26 European countries that allow visa-free travel can visit Spain without going through a two-week quarantine. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that hygiene controls must be followed and had this warning: "The virus can return and it can hit us again in a second wave, and we have to do whatever we can to avoid that at all costs." BBC News said Spain usually attracts some 80 million tourists a year, providing 12% of the country's GDP. The Associated Press reports there was only a trickle of travelers at Madrid-Barajas Airport as the travel restrictions were lifted, a stark contrast to a normal June day when it would be crowded.
South Korea says it is battling 2nd wave of coronavirus around Seoul
Health authorities in South Korea said for the first time on Monday it is in the midst of a "second wave" of novel coronavirus infections around Seoul, driven by small but persistent outbreaks stemming from a holiday in May. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) had previously said South Korea's first wave had never really ended. But on Monday, KCDC director Jeong Eun-kyeong said it had become clear that a holiday weekend in early May marked the beginning of a new wave of infections focused in the densely populated greater Seoul area, which had previously seen few cases. "In the metropolitan area, we believe that the first wave was from March to April as well as February to March," Jeong said at a regular briefing. "Then we see that the second wave which was triggered by the May holiday has been going on."
UK COVID-19 Update: Shielding to be 'Paused' in England
Polling of 7497 doctors received between 16th and 18th June also revealed that 36% of ethnic minority doctors were unaware of any risk assessments taking place, compared with 41% of white colleagues. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, called the findings "extremely troubling".
Saudi ends virus lockdown despite spike in infections
Saudi Arabia on Sunday ended a nationwide coronavirus curfew and lifted restrictions on businesses, including hair salons and cinemas, after three months of stringent curbs, despite a spike in infections. Prayers were also allowed to resume in mosques in the holy city of Mecca, state media reported, just weeks before the annual hajj pilgrimage is due to start. International flights and religious pilgrimages, however, remain suspended and social gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited, according to the interior ministry.
Maintaining Services
WHO reports largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases
The World Health Organization on Sunday reported the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases by its count, at more than 183,000 new cases in the latest 24 hours. The UN health agency said Brazil led the way with 54,771 cases tallied and the U.S. next at 36,617. Over 15,400 came in in India. Experts said rising case counts can reflect multiple factors including more widespread testing as well as broader infection. Overall in the pandemic, WHO reported 8,708,008 cases — 183,020 in the last 24 hours — with 461,715 deaths worldwide, with a daily increase of 4,743.
Three members of Pakistan tour party to England test positive for Covid-19
Pakistan’s tour of England appears to be in the balance, with three of their players having tested positive for Covid-19 and a further batch of results set to be published in the next 24 hours. A 28-man squad to cover three Tests in August and the Twenty20 series that follows is due to depart from Lahore on Sunday and all players and members of the support staff were tested regionally over the weekend.
The results from Rawalpindi, where five individuals were tested, came in early and showed Haider Ali, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan have the virus but are asymptomatic. Imad Wasim and Usman Shinwari were shown to be clear.
Coronavirus: Cinemas and museums set to reopen in England from 4 July
Cinemas, museums and galleries will be able to reopen in England from 4 July, Boris Johnson is expected to announce on Tuesday as he outlines a further easing of coronavirus restrictions. Venues closed since the middle of March will be able to welcome visitors as long as safety measures are in place. The PM is also due to set out how pubs can safely reopen following a review of the 2m distancing rule. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday the virus was "in retreat". Mr Hancock said England was "clearly on track" to further ease lockdown restrictions but No 10 warned the moves would be reversed if they led to a surge in new infections.
Theatre vs Covid-19: How NI arts worked with BBC so show goes on
The sector across this island knows all about. But these are far from normal times and when “normality” does return it will be of an entirely different variety from the one we have lived with for so long. The freelance community in the North has been particularly badly hit, financially and creatively, by the effects of the crisis. In seeking to access various avenues of income support, they frequently fall between the ill-fitting bureaucracies of Northern Ireland and Britain and end up relying heavily on one another for guidance and advice. Unsurprisingly, early funding initiatives came from within the sector itself. Tinderbox’s Solo Art was the first. Under the leadership of artistic director Patrick J O’Reilly, who recalls all too well the stressful unpredictability of the freelance existence, the scheme invited individual artists to make a short piece of work in any genre, for the modest sum of £100.
Police die enforcing Latin America's strictest lockdown as Peru's futile strategy unravels
When Peru introduced one of Latin America's strictest lockdowns, national police brigadier David Rodriguez was sent to the streets of Lima to enforce the new guidelines. Just one month later the 55 year-old was struggling to breathe in the police clinic, pleading desperately on social media to be moved to an intensive care unit and for more oxygen. He died shortly after. “They’re the ones sent out to protect others from the virus and they end up infected themselves,” his daughter Krystell Rodriguez told The Telegraph. According to the country’s interior minister, nearly 10,000 police officers have contracted Covid-19 on duty in the country and 170 have died. The numbers not only present a grim picture of Peru's futile fight against Covid-19, but also the tragedy at the heart of the surging crisis in Latin America, the global epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.
French schools reopen as more COVID-19 restrictions lifted
Millions of children returned to school in France on Monday as the country entered phase three of the loosening of COVID-19 lockdown rules. There has been no recent spike in infections in France and new cases have stood at around 450 per day from a peak of 7,500. Social distancing measures are still in place and wearing face masks on public transport is compulsory. But what else has changed after more than two months of lockdown?
High risk of coronavirus second wave as Australian shops and workplaces reopen, report says
Workplaces pose a high risk of triggering a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in Australia, which means people should continue to work from home as long as they can, a report from public policy thinktank the Grattan Institute says. Published on Sunday evening, the report, Coming out of Covid-19 Lockdown: the Next Steps for Australian Health Care, says schools can safely remain open as long as policies are in place to reduce the risk of outbreaks. It comes as Victoria announced it would extend its state of emergency for at least four more weeks and ramp up its police enforcement of lockdown rules after a spike in Covid-19 cases in recent days. The rise also prompted neighbouring South Australia to reconsider its decision to reopen its border, while Queensland declared all of greater Melbourne a Covid-19 hotspot.
Russia reopens ahead of Victory Day and Putin referendum -- but coronavirus threat remains
And Moscow is reopening just in time for the festivities. The last set of lockdown restrictions on gyms and restaurants will be lifted Monday, a week earlier than originally planned by the mayor and just in time for the big military parade in Red Square. The festivities are all part of the run-up to another big event for Putin: a nationwide vote on amendments to the country's constitution, scheduled for July 1.
It's a return to normality for Russians exhausted by lockdown and economic uncertainty. But coronavirus has left a cloud of uncertainty over the festivities, which were postponed amid pandemic fears. By tradition, World War II veterans occupy the viewing stand next to Putin as thousands of soldiers march across Red Square. But this year, those veterans are quarantined at a health resort outside of Moscow. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has asked residents to watch the event on TV, saying attendance will be limited.
German coronavirus outbreak at abattoir infects more than 1,000
More than 1,000 employees at German meat processing firm Toennies have tested positive for coronavirus, prompting local health authorities to order all 6,500 employees and their families to go into quarantine. The localised lockdown is a setback for Germany’s reopening strategy. Chancellor Angela Merkel had favoured maintaining lockdown discipline for longer, but eased restrictions following pressure from regional premiers. Even though its management of the coronavirus crisis has been among the most successful in Europe, Germany has seen repeated outbreaks in slaughterhouses, whose employees are often migrants living in crowded company-provided accommodation.
NYC re-opens restaurants, shops and salons in Phase Two after months of lockdown
Restaurants, shops and salons are now allowed to reopen in New York City, three months after they were forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. As of Monday, New Yorkers are now able to eat at tables outside of restaurants, children are allowed to visit playgrounds, and department stores such as Macy’s, can reopen. It has been estimated that between 150,000 and 300,000 people will go back to work on Monday, according to the Associated Press. The reopening is part of the city’s Phase Two of easing lockdown restrictions, after construction and manufacturing jobs were allowed to restart two weeks ago, in Phase One. There will be four phases in total, and as part of Phase Two, restaurants, salons, shops and offices are allowed to reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
Healthcare Innovations
Telehealth in lockdown meant 7 million fewer chances to transmit the coronavirus
The expansion of telehealth services was a deliberate strategy to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission between practitioners and patients, so is it working?
According to our analysis, the answer is that telehealth is indeed reducing the risk. Since March 2020, more than 7 million MBS-funded telehealth consultations have been reported, with the vast majority (91%) being done by telephone
Gilead Sciences to start clinical trials of inhaled remdesivir for COVID-19
Gilead Sciences plans to start clinical trials for an inhaled version of the antiviral remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19, company officials said Monday. The inhaled form is delivered using a nebulizer -- similar to many asthma drugs -- making it easier to administer outside of a hospital at earlier stages of infection, they said.
What countries did right and wrong in responding to the pandemic
COVID-19 numbers with how strict their containment policies were, as measured by the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, which rates countries on a host of factors such as workplace closures, travel controls, restrictions on gatherings, and testing regimens. With the help of experts, CBC News found that successful countries were not only swift to respond, but also applied the three Ts of disease control: testing, tracing and trust.
EU to spend billions of euros to secure coronavirus vaccine
The EU plans to pump billions of euros into advance purchase deals with pharmaceutical companies for potential coronavirus vaccines, in a sign of intensifying rich country efforts to secure supplies of any future treatment. The bloc’s health ministers on Friday gave political backing to a European Commission plan to use a “large majority” of a €2.7bn emergency fund for the effort and to ensure fair access to any remedy worldwide. The move highlights the urgency of European efforts to escape a pandemic that has hit the populations and economies of many of its countries hard. It may also stoke fears that poorer countries will be squeezed out of vaccine purchases by the financial muscle of the world’s biggest economies.

