WHO recently announced that seven African countries will start administering coronavirus antibody tests from next week, as part of efforts to understand the extent of the outbreak on the continent.
Dr John Nkengasong, head of African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, has reportedly announced a continental testing project in countries that have low test rates. Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Zambia, Nigeria, Morocco, and Liberia have been selected as pilot groups to undertake the project. The selected countries have agreed and shown a commitment to the announcement, OkayAfrica Reports.
Africa’s relative isolation has so far spared it the worst of the pandemic, but low levels of testing in many countries mean Africa’s infection rates are likely to be higher than reported, experts say. As of Thursday, Africa had recorded more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 and 24,113 deaths, according to a Reuters tally.
According to Medical Brief, these tests are different in that they test blood for antibodies that have formed as an immune response in individuals infected with the coronavirus. Medically termed “Serology tests”, they are useful in picking up evidence that a person had the virus even if they did not show symptoms.
Antibody serology tests, in general, are useful in establishing whether a person has acquired immunity to a virus and is also useful in testing whether or not a vaccine against infectious disease is working.
explained South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
The tests are mobile and easy to conduct; a drop of blood is collected through a finger prick, unlike the complicated rigorous test for coronavirus infection which requires a deep, uncomfortable, painful nasal cavity and throat swab. These coronavirus antibody tests are also drastically less costly than typical coronavirus tests.
Over one million coronavirus infections have been recorded in Africa, which is almost 10 percent of Africa’s total population. South Africa leads to infection rate numbers, but that is because of the high number of tests.
28 MAY 2020 –– The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has now exceeded 120,000. So far, 51,418 people have recovered and 3, 691 deaths have been recorded.
If you recall, in April, a group of scientists in published a report predicting that the continent will record over 450,000 cases by the second week of May. While this projection may have been loose and inaccurate, it still holds water.
Back then, only 6,500 positive cases were recorded in a few countries across the continent. So much has happened since then; all 54 countries in Africa have active cases of COVID-19, and governments are beginning to relax restriction on movements and other commercial activities, to revive the economy even though the numbers keep surging.
It appears that in many parts of the continent, residents are already getting back to normal day life, surmising that the virus may just be a fluke, or ‘senior malaria’ that can be handled. The truth is, there’s a virus out there and Africa is still likely to record hundreds of thousands of cases in the coming months.
According to BBC, there is a general consensus among those in charge of health policy on the continent that testing rates are woefully low, and this could be distorting our understanding of how far the virus has spread. This is primarily because testing capacity is very low –– if you don’t test enough, you won’t discover a lot either. There are wide variations in testing policy across the more than 50 countries but cases could be going undetected, epidemiologists say.
Also note that the early apparent successes in combatting the spread of the virus in Africa were notable, and the number of cases has not risen as quickly as elsewhere.
Confirmed cases = 72,391
Number of deaths = 2,493
Recoveries = 25,269
Infected countries = 54
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 5,792,748 cases have been detected worldwide, including 357,476 deaths and 2,498,267 recoveries.
African countries and the number of positive cases recorded so far, in alphabetical order:
The Solidaritytrial is a multinational Phase III-IV clinical trial organized by the World Health Organization and other partners to compare four untested treatments for hospitalised people with severe COVID-19 illness globally. WHO’s Nigeria officer and member of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Dr. Fiona Braka, said Nigeria is one of the over 100 countries that have signed up to take part in the drug trial.
It is important that to note that a drug trial does not necessarily mean a vaccine trial, as there is currently no proven cure for the coronavirus. Before now, several conspiracy theories surrounding vaccine development and other alleged sinister motives in Africa have been speculated, sparking massive outrage amongst Africans and on social media.
We’re part of a much broader global effort in different research objectives, in different aspects of the response.
NCDC Director-Geberal.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV on May 3, 2020, DG of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the trial involves evaluating several therapeutic and vaccine candidates.“Ultimately, even when you do the Phase 1 and Phase 2 trial of a vaccine, once it starts getting to actually trying out in humans, you need people across different parts of the world to take some of it and to show that it works and causes no harm.
The announcement comes days after the country’s cases crossed the 2000-figure mark with the death of 87 persons and 400 cases of recoveries. At the moment, Africa has recorded over 45,000 positive cases and 1800 deaths, however, one-third of the cases have been confirmed cover-free.
ByteDance-owned TikTok and Microsoft’s Bill Gates have pledged $10 million each to support GAVI’s efforts to deploy COVID-19 vaccines to Africa. GAVI is a private global health partnership that works to improve access to vaccines for people in low-income countries. The alliance, which was founded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (alongside the World Health Organization, the World Bank, UNICEF and others) will use the funding to help with the distribution of vaccines for the coronavirus in Africa immediately after they are developed and licensed for use.
Seth Berkley, a chef executive at GAVI believes the new donation help curb “a potentially catastrophic impact on immunisation programs across the developing world”. He also expressed his excitement about the sheer number of potential COVID-19 vaccines in the early stages of development around the world, which he said would slim down to a smaller number as some progressed and some failed.
There are 76 coronavirus vaccines according to the WHO’s records, of which five are already undergoing clinical evaluation. Experts say it could take a year for one to be ready for public use. When it does happen, donations make it easier for poorer countries to get access to them.
Tiktok has been gaining popularity among young Africans. Since 2018, it has been investing in the continent, making key local hires, signing up creator talent, and throwing resources behind mobile marketing initiatives. The social network is already the third-ranked social app in Nigeria, and sixth in Kenya – based on Android’s Google Play store rankings.
According to the latest figures provided by Johns Hopkins University, 2,933,926 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, including 203,669 deaths and 839,526 recoveries. In Africa, where the spread of the virus seemed to have kicked off late, there are now 30,608 cases, 1,375 deaths and 9,156 people recovered. This means that there are currently 19,868 people active cases, with South Africa reporting the highest number (4,361), followed by Egypt (4,319), Morocco (3,897), Algeria (3,256) and Cameroon (1,518).
Egypt was the first African country to confirm a coronavirus case. More than two months after, the virus appears to have reached almost every nation on the continent. Only Comoros and Lesotho are COVID-19 free.
Politicians are also victims of the highly deadly respiratory disease, death fatalities so far include former President of the Republic of the Congo Jacques Joachim Yhombi-Opango, President Buhari’s Chief-of-Staff, Abba Kyari and Somalia’s former Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein.
Experts warn fragile healthcare systems in many African countries could be overwhelmed in the face of a severe outbreak of COVID-19, However, one interesting point to note is that Africa has a 30% coronavirus recovery rate, the highest compared to other continents.
But a big bone of contention is the continent’s ability to carry out more tests and the state of its healthcare sectors. Despite a donation of more than one million coronavirus testing kits by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, most African countries lack the equipment needed to detect the disease. South Africa is the country with the most advanced healthcare system. So far, they have tested over 150,000 people out of its 57 million inhabitants. That’s far better than Nigeria, where the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control has tested barely 11,000 samples (does not equate to people) out of a population of 200 million people.
According to Guardian, in the two months since the continent began mobilising to fight the outbreak, less than 500,000 tests have been conducted on the population of more than 1 billion, a level lower than Italy, one of the world’s worst-hit countries. The World Health Organization has warned of 10 million cases on the continent within three to six months, though experts say that the death toll could be lower if authorities are able to move swiftly to contain outbreaks of the disease.
There’s an unpopular adage that ‘the devil works hard, but Davido works harder’. There’s no falsity in that statement as the king of African music ceaselessly unveils new projects and surprises even in the middle of a pandemic. Barely 24 hours since the release of his feature on Khalid’s ‘Know Your Worth’ alongside Nigerian RnB artist Tems, the afrobeats superstar has also let loose the visuals of his 2019 hit D & G with American singer Summer Walker and producer London On Da Track. The record is a hit from his recent sophomore album ‘A Good Time’.
D&G’s video is quite outstanding as Davido rallies his fans’ support for a common good. The singer announced that all proceeds from the video will be committed to the Dolce & Gabbana and Humanitas Together for Coronavirus Research fund. The aim is to lay the basis for developing diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, contributing to the solution of a global problem. The video was filmed in Los Angeles during his last North American tour and directed by longtime visual collaborator DAPS.
David Adeleke’s affluent family have been in the local news lately for series of donations and foodstuffs of up to $2 million for vulnerable Nigerians and residents of his native Osun state. On the 27th of March, Davido announced that his fiancee and baby-mama had contracted the virus after a London trip. He shared the news about her recovery a few days ago after weeks of treatment and isolation. Despite all the dilemma, it’s still a good time for Davido.
These are terrifying times indeed. Millennials and Generation Z are experiencing the first single event that brings the entire world to a halt in their lifetime. Even if you do not live in a coronavirus hotspot, you’re probably always tracking the news and asking yourself ‘when is this going to end?‘ The reality is that no one can give us the answers or accurately forecast the timeframe and effects of the pandemic. That just makes the entire thought of it overwhelming and breeds panic and stress steadily.
There’s so much talk about avoiding use of substances but no one has come up with alternative pandemic relaxation techniques so why not. When you use marijuana responsibly, there is potential for it to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety. However, before consumption, it is important to acquaint yourself with the types of strains available so you know which is best for you. We encourage you communicate with your doctor if you choose to use marijuana therapeutically, especially if there are medication interactions to consider.
The strains listed below are just a few of the many strains that could help with panic relief. If you have any other suggestions on how to treat anxiety with marijuana, let us know by posting them in the comments section.
White Widow (Sativa Dominant Marijuana Hybrid)
White Widow is a sativa dominant hybrid. It is a cross of a South Indian indica and a South American sativa. It promotes a full-bodied, ‘spacey’ high, which makes it a popular choice for patients with anxiety or PTSD. With a THC content of between 18% and 25%, novices should opt for a less potent herb. White Widow provides the perfect blend of euphoria and stimulation and be used to relieve mood disorders.
Granddaddy Purple (aka Grand Daddy Purp or GDP)
This hybrid that was first propagated in Northern California in 2003 by breeder Ken Estes, it is a cross between Purple Urkle and Big Bud. The strain is THC-dominant and eases you into a peaceful mindset while urging your body to release all that stress and tension. Sink in and let the trees blow your mindsets over.
Sour OG (Cross of OG Kush and Sour Diesel)
If you’re in search of a mellow and relaxing strain that may help with stress and anxiety, you just found an excellent choice for relief. Its conservative THC level is around 13-17 per cent which makes it is less likely to cause side effects than other more potent strains. Because of its ability to induce relaxation without causing sleepiness, most people tend to use it as an afternoon delight and energy booster. Sour OG is also an award-winner, it received first prize in the ‘hybrid’ category in the 2011 High Times Medical cannabis cup.
Bubba Kush (Heavy hybrid strain)
Bubba Kush is a classic indica with a sedative high that leaves consumers relaxed but still functional. It has a typically high THC content, ranging from 15% to 22%. Bubba’s high begins with a warped, disoriented sensation in the head giving way for a body melt that intensifies as the high wears on. According to Leafly, muscles ease with heaviness as dreamy euphoria blankets the mind, crushing stress while bringing happy moods.
Lemon Garlic OG
This particular strain boasts of a chemical composition that’s capable of reducing stress and anxiety and replace with a fortified sense of calm. This strain is a rich, balanced blend of limonene that always delivers relief. The heady blend of citrusy, garlic and earthy pine notes offer some excellent aromatherapy.
In Lagos, Nigeria, the lockdown clocks 3 weeks today. Before the official commencement, many organisations and individuals had started taking social distancing measures, shutting down non-essential operations and gatherings. Lagos is not the only Nigerian state attempting to flatten the curve; Abuja, the nation’s capital and Ogun state, Lagos’ closest neighbour are also observing complete shutdowns and have already closed their borders. A few other regional governors around the country have unilaterally ordered the closure of their state borders too. The governors insist that enforcing strict and effective measures is crucial to containing the spread of the virus.
Nigeria, with a population of about 200 million people, has reported 665 cases of COVID-19 and there are fears that the worst is yet to come. Apart from the dire state of the healthcare system, 69 million Nigerians have no access to clean water. This invariably leads to water-borne diseases like cholera, which continue to break out as regular epidemics in seasons.
Even though the government took a decision to ban all international flights into and out of the country, the incoordination decision came rather late, as many returnees who may have been affected had settled into different communities, exposing the virus to other Nigerians.
Social distancing seems like an unrealistic and arduous task for many Nigerians. Most of the population live in tightly-packed slums and neighbourhoods where communal living, shared toilets and spaces are a common practice. These people are daily earners who live from hand to mouth or are part of the informal sector which makes up 80% of the country’s workforce.
Without a stimulus package or palliatives targeted at the largely-poor population, it’s impossible to ask people to stay at home and avoid interactions for weeks, running into months.
Nigerian politicians and lawmakers are also not doing any better. Following the death of President Buhari’s Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, controversially the most powerful political figure in PMB’s government, hundreds of state officials were seen at Gudu Cemetery, Abuja on April 18 to pay their last respect as the remains of the elder statesman was buried.
Abba Kyari tested positive to Coronavirus on March 23 after returning from a Germany trip. Although the presidency have been tight-lipped and discreet about the COS’s health status, insider reports reveal that he was flown with an Air ambulance to Wellington Hospital, St. John’s Wood, London where he died and was cremated in adherence to the global burying guidelines of COVID-19 victims. This expose is at odds with the Federal Government’s statement that Abba Kyari was receiving treatment in First Cardiology Consultants, a private hospital in Lagos. Remember, the Federal Government restrained private health institutions in the country from a admitting or managing COVID-19 cases in Nigeria.
This struggle to survive has prompted violence and unrest in many areas spearheaded by hoodlums and gang members in border communities between Lagos and Ogun states. Since then, there have been clashes and rise in tension in other parts of the state and the nation at large. Distressed residents both young and old, have formed vigilante groups to protect their communities. They keep vigils every night burning tyres, setting roadblocks and arming themselves with machetes, bottles and other sharp objects.
In Nigeria, 665 cases, 22 deaths and 188 recoveries have been recorded. Nigeria’s policy is one of targeted testing. This involves identifying those who are most likely to be infected, those who have just come back from other countries and those they have been in contact with. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) stated earlier in the month that the present testing volume is 500 tests per day and hoped to increase this capacity to 1000 or more tests per day in the coming weeks. Thus far, slightly over 5000 tests have been carried out.
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 2,480,709 cases have been detected worldwide, with 170,399 deaths and 652,982 people now recovered.
The overall intervention on health in Nigeria has been recurrently unimpressive and in a constant free-fall. Usually below 5% of total federal government’s budget (far below the WHO’s recommended 15%) is allocated for the sector. Nigeria’s 2020 health budget is a paltry N427 billion, equivalent of $1.18 billion, in a country of 200 million people.
The Federal Government lacks the financial firepower of wealthier nations that have launched robust stimulus packages to pay wages and keep their economies afloat. The economic assistance that the government has announced in response to the virus has exposed inadequacies in Nigeria’s social protection systems and risks excluding the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
The price of crude oil, which contributes over 90% of Nigeria’s externally-generated revenue, is tumbling like never before in the last 20 years. It went below $20 per barrel from above $60 just before the pandemic. On Monday, the US’ WTI was trading at $-37.45 per barrel according to prices displayed on Bloomberg energy terminal. What this means is that there is no longer storage to store excess produce because people aren’t buying, and traders will have to pay customers for patronising them. It is also a warning for the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), where Nigeria’s baskets falls under, of how bad the demand problem has gotten. Nigeria’s crude oil is benchmarked against the Brent crude.
At present, the price of a barrel of Brent crude is $25. Although traders in the market said Nigeria’s Bonny Light was sold for between $13 and $15 recently, the price is not yet in negative territory. The crude oil price collapse in the price of oil has gutted state revenues for the continent’s biggest oil producer and officials are cutting back the budget.
Social distancing is burdensome but it is no doubts the most ethical thing we can do to flatten the curve at the moment. Not many people are lucky to be with their parters during the lockdown; this simply means there’s a legion of sexually-starved folks out there and a sexdemic is in sight. The last time I checked, porn sites are making the biggest hits.
For those who can’t relate, good for you. But quarantine love easily gets boring, and you are the reason we are publishing this post. We just want to help you spark more unforgettable memories and spice up your love life. Sex is great but there’s a long list of other activitie that could even bring you and your signifiant other closer and more open to each other.
There’s no better time to feel that intimacy than when the world is taking a break. All my ideas are minimalist and are quite easy to put together. Let’s get to it, eight date ideas for lovers stuck at home:
Take a (Virtual) Trip Around the World: crazy right? But it makes a whole lot of sense. You’re not a badass health worker so no doubts that you won’t be trying any time soon. That shouldn’t stop you from experiencing beautiful or interesting new places. All thanks to the internet. Madison Square Garden, Disneyland, The Louvre and Rome are some of the places you should visit. Don’t forget to try museums, zoos, and theme parks too.
Exercise together: The gyms may be closed but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find some new ways to sweat it out. Go running or walking together around your neighborhood or a local park (keeping six feet between you and others obviously), or throw on your workout gear and try one of these free online exercise classes at home.
Have a Candlelit Dinner: It doesn’t matter if it’s plantain and eggs, a candlelight dinner will set the mood for top notch romance. You can make dinner at home or order some take-out or delivery. Just make sure you enjoy the moment, it’s priceless.
Host a Dance Party: Nobody is watching in your very own Quarantine House, so be your own DJ and vibe to your favourite band, song or artist. Instagram Live is a great place to fine e-concerts from some of the world’s biggest music legends, this is a whole new experience you need to unlock.
Watch movies or even porn: Crazy right? The world may be ending anything soon but cut that self-righteous bullsh*t. Movies are great ad there’s lots of it to watch but porn isn’t a bad idea. It could lead to the best sex ever. Be. Responsible however.
Do Spa Treatments: You and your partner can throw on some slippers and bathrobes, and make a night of it. Put on mud masks. Slide into a hot bubble bath or manage your shower. Give each other some nice relaxing massages and relax your nerves.
Have a Game Night:Board games, card games, video games or dink games. This is a great way to relieve stress or anxiety.
Drink and Do Art:Get some wine, pick a theme and paint or draw something. It’s really not a competition, just time to be silly and try something new. You can also head to YouTube and find a painting tutorial to follow.
I remember the night of March 15 vividly. I remember watching the premiere episode of ‘The Good Karma Hospital’ on my barely functioning laptop at my apartment in Accra, where I school. I also remember how hot it was that night. I remember all these little details not because I have a good memory, but because that was the night I got an email from my school telling us that learning activities had been suspended and ‘stay-safe’ messages following the discovery of the first few cases of the virus in Ghana. At the time, there were six cases in the country, but with the geometric progression of the spread, Ghana has now recorded over five hundred and sixty cases.
I do not have an austere stand on alcohol. Like many Nigerians, I had my first taste of alcohol before I reached the legal age to do so, and I did not like it, but I kept trying. Sometimes, I can remain sober for months. Every now and then, I take a drink or a few more when I’m with friends, and occasionally; though these instances are reducing as years pass by, I still get extremely drunk.
I do not get drunk because it is enticing but rather for the feeling that comes with each gulp I take. The feeling that has this indescribable sense of unlawfulness to it, a wanted danger and the feeling of experiencing a wild ride either alone or with a group of friends. This trip causes my barriers to fall, and with them falling, I feel freer that I usually would.
The thing about all the times I’ve experienced this in the past is that every time I wake up, I do so with a splitting headache, extremely dry mouth, and a sudden need to eat everything edible. And every one of those times, I think to myself; “I can’t imagine experiencing this daily. That is not who I want to be.” before proceeding to say “I am never drinking again.”
THE SWITCH
As the number of coronavirus cases in Ghana increased, I had to make the conscious decision of social distancing. This only meant I had to stock up my kitchen with the essentials; food stuff, cereals and snacks which, by the way, I finished in a day. I headed to the nearest supermarket around where I live and filled my cart with the essentials. On my way to checkout my goods, I came across the alcohol aisle and selected a few bottles of gin and rum because “why remain sober when stuck indoors?” I was in for multiple wild rides, a one-man party.
For me alcohol is not liquid courage as people call it. It’s just something I can play around with when I feel like it. So, what did I do? I played around and experimented, mixed and matched. I did this for a few nights and then got bored, but boredom led to wanting to try new things which then led to me taking them straight till I ran out of alcohol.
I didn’t take that as a cue to stop, neither was I wasn’t bothered that I was getting a little attached to the bottom of the bottle. I also didn’t think about the fact that I was about to use the little money I had left from when I withdrew for the lockdown to buy alcohol. What I cared about was just getting another bottle to keep me busy during the lockdown. I just wanted to get the alcohol, and I did. That night was a great night, just like the others. It was the most fun I had had in a while because I stayed up till 3 in the morning conversing with my best friends on Houseparty while getting drunk.
The hangover? That was not fun. My tongue felt like a sponge soaked in gin, next-level dehydration, migraines and ulcer pains. The hangovers went from physical pains to both physical and psychological pain. I felt vulnerable in my own home and was desperate for the day to end. I said “Never again” I’ve said those words a lot of times but something about this time felt different. It was the first time I said it after dealing with the side effects of alcohol dependency.
I’m not writing this to judge any drinking behaviour, or create a whole discussion based on judgment, but rather to talk about my relationship with alcohol. Everyone who drinks alcohol has had good and bad experiences with it. Before starting this story, I asked my friend about his relationship with alcohol this period, and if he takes it for leisure or any other reason in particular for perspective. He said this; “There’s a reason in part because the world is ending and alcohol is one of the few pleasures that I can stock up on. Also, it’s a great way to distract myself.”
Just like comfort eating, comfort drinking is a thing. People turn to drinks when they are bored or emotional. There’s a lot of anxiety and emotions these days. It makes sense that the bulk of us that can are turning to alcohol.”
His sentiment made me view my experience from another perspective and made me truly question my relationship with alcohol. Is it a mutually respectful relationship, a dependent one or a habit? Why do I continue to do it?
SOBRIETY (HAHA! I THINK NOT)
After that episode, I realized that if I kept up with the habit of drinking and not respecting my limit, I would stay in it. Even if what I enjoyed was the sound of gin pouring into a glass and the way it hits my throat, it was a moving train bound to crash and I need to get off it.
So, I stopped drinking… for a while. I was not thinking if it was going to be forever, or if whether I was eventually going to start again. I was just enjoying not getting flat out drunk and the feeling of having the energy to attend my online classes and being productive.
The best thing about my choice not to drink was the feeling of making daily goals and actually sticking to them. Each time I accomplish a goal, it was me showing myself that I care for myself, and my goals are priority. The best thing was me realizing could do whatever I set my mind on. Accomplishing this made me feel more confident in my abilities.
CONSCIOUS DRINKING
Getting locked down alone creates too many reasons to engage in drinking. It quickly becomes a habit and loses its spark as something one only indulges in when the occasion calls for it. In my case, I did it because getting drunk was part of my daily routine.
I am back to drinking again, but more consciously now. Took a break from alcohol and after a few days, I no longer felt the need to drink regularly anymore. I love that I broke the habit of drinking and rediscovered the spark of something cheerful. I’m back to being a conscious drinker, carefully deciding when to drink and know not to pass my limit. I’ll always remember this period in my life; the period when I recalibrated my relationship with alcohol.
2019 ended with much lustre, the promise of a new decade, and a special 2020, the hype didn’t resonate with me, but to each his/her own. 2020 has turned out to be special so far, just not in the ways we would’ve liked. Life writes the most ironic scripts, doesn’t it?
Since January, news of the coronavirus has been going around, and me, like many others, paid little mind to it because ‘it’s far away, it’ll probably not get here’. Besides, we were still coming around to other issues that were pertinent in the media at that time, like the bushfires in Australia, the prospects of WWIII (this was mostly banter tbh), Kobe Bryant’s death, etc.
Generally, I was still distanced from the Coronavirus news hoping the world would sort itself out, till around March when it rapidly spread across Europe and the world started taking it seriously.
The way it really caught my attention had me quite salty, to be frank, when my favourite sports were postponed, I felt lost like ‘What will I do without them’. And me being a Liverpool fan and all, it took some time to get over that massive blueballs.
Following that, some of my favourite people resounded advice from the WHO; stay at home, wash your hands, social distance, and so on. Looking at things squarely, it didn’t take long for me to put things into perspective and understand my role in all of this.
I was fairly cautious before the lockdown, even when I would go to work and encounter conspiracy theorists who would make it seem like I was doing too much. Soon after, the Nigerian government mandated a lockdown, and since then I’ve been trying to get accustomed to the new normal.
Being told to stay at home by the government was much more of a problem for me than actually staying at home, maybe it’s the anarchist in me or whatever. After a day or two of complete, unbridled rest, I resolved that I have to engage in some healthy practices to keep my body and mind sharp.
Healthy Engagements
Jogging in the mornings is quite helpful, I get some fresh air and break some sweat, I try to add some cardio before I hop in the shower. That’s that for physical exercise.
For the mental, I try to meditate as often as possible, I feel the impact on days that I get 10 to 15 minutes of stillness in the morning. Headspace unlocked some premium features and they’ve been helpful to me.
Since last year I’ve been learning some skills––graphic design, and a new language––and I’ve found more time to focus on them––even though I haven’t opened Photoshop in weeks, but let’s just free.
I’ve also been practising reaching out to people and just talking for talking sake, I’ve realized I take a lot of relationships for granted, and I want to keep practising connecting with people. I played beer pong on iMessage with a friend and we took shots every time we got a cup, that was mad fun.
Also listening to music has been visceral, just listening to music and not having it be the soundtrack to doing something else. Partynextdoor released an album a day before lockdown, and I’ve listened to that the most. Before I start sounding like a wellness guru, I’ll tell you about the unhealthy practices I’ve been engaging in.
Not so Healthy Engagements
Firstly, I’ve been binging social media a lot, especially Instagram; I enjoy watching different people on Live, Quarantine Radio and Eva Apio are my faves, and I’ve enjoyed some others that don’t come on as frequently. Now, it’s not that I think Instagram Lives are unhealthy, it’s just that too much of anything upsets balance, and that saying vividly shows in the amount of money I’ve spent on data bundles so far.
I started drinking mainly out of boredom, and no access to weed, it’s still quite fun, but habits sneak up on you, and I don’t wanna come out of this with a drinking problem. Another thing I would like to handle better is my to-do list, on disciplined days I write and stick with it, but disciplined days have been few and far apart.
Spiritual Ruminations
This period hasn’t been only about what I do, but how I can interpret things on a cosmic or spiritual level. I’ve been thinking that the way we have adapted to curb this pandemic is showing us that there is more than one way to live.
Not so long ago, the thought of slightly straying from the capitalist hamster wheel would have spelt descent into chaos, but it has not been so. Time away from work may allow people to evaluate what really matters to them, and the best direction that energies should be focused on to improve life experience.
The earth has benefitted from a break from humans, it’s having its own moment to breathe. I’ve come across images of visible mountains and landscapes that have been clouded for decades due to pollution, and I hope such imagery would contribute to positive movement in the climate change issue. It would be a shame if, after all of this, we just went back to ‘normal’.
The Himalayas are visible over 125 miles away in Jalandhar district of Punjab for the first time in 30 years.
Pollution in India improved by 33% amid the 21-day Covid-19 lockdown since 22 March, which means fewer cars on roads and many businesses suspending operations pic.twitter.com/CgZMuwRUOa
The Himalayas are visible from certain parts of India for the first time in "decades" due to the reduction in air pollution caused by the country's coronavirus lockdown https://t.co/v9enqznzcC
I’ll leave you with some great advice that I’ve heard recently; don’t check the news too much, it could further feelings of helplessness and despair. Take things day by day, and don’t obsess over resuming normality because no one is sure how long this will take.
Be kind to yourself, try not to guilt-trip yourself for not being a productivity machine right now, we’re in a global pandemic, life is not work, life is life.
Stay connected. Express gratitude to healthcare workers around you, they are our warriors on the front line right now. Lastly, try not to spread fake news about the pandemic, out of respect for those who have lost their lives, and those who have lost loved ones.
Jack Dorsey, cofounder and CEO of social network Twitter and mobile payments company Square, has announced on Tuesday that he will be donating a massive $1 billion toward coronavirus relief. Dorsey in a tweet thread said he’s moving $1 billion of his equity in Square, over a quarter of his total wealth to an LLC called Start Small. The charity fund will provide funding to global COVID-19 relief efforts, he said.
“After we disarm this pandemic, the focus will shift to girl’s health and education, and UBI,” Dorsey added. He also shared a sheet on Twitter that he said will keep track of the donations.
“Why now?” he wrote. “The needs are increasingly urgent, and I want to see the impact in my lifetime. I hope this inspires others to do something similar. Life is too short, so let’s do everything we can today to help people now.”
I’m moving $1B of my Square equity (~28% of my wealth) to #startsmall LLC to fund global COVID-19 relief. After we disarm this pandemic, the focus will shift to girl’s health and education, and UBI. It will operate transparently, all flows tracked here: https://t.co/hVkUczDQmz
According to Recode, Jack’s donation is “the country’s most significant private gift to tackling the coronavirus and its consequences”. Among those who previously announced donations amid the coronavirus crisis is Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who recently said he’d commit $100 million to food banks. “Even in ordinary times, food insecurity in American households is an important problem, and unfortunately COVID-19 is amplifying that stress,” Bezos said.
The United States has recorded more than 380,000 coronavirus cases, with the total death toll rising to about 12,300.
Without doubts, the virus has changed the way we use the internet. More than 2/3 of the the world’s population have been advised or forced to stay at home, which translates to spending more of time behind the screens. As the world unites to combat the novel pandemic, Global Citizen and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched the ‘One World: Together At Home’ campaign in special support of the health care workers at the frontline of the outbreak. Both organisations hope the movement will help inspire action to end coronavirus through music and more.
The global special will celebrate and support our health workers whilst uniting the world in support of WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Hugh Evans, the cofounder and CEO of Global Citizen hopes that humanity will emerge from this moment and be forever grateful for the work of doctors, nurses, teachers, grocery store workers, and all of those who are the backbone of our communities during this period. According to OkayAfrica, the initiative has already raised USD 35 million which will be used to cater for healthcare workers and various relief efforts amid the outbreak.
The concert is in collaboration with American singer Lady Gaga will also feature an array of artists and celebrities including Burna Boy, British actor Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina. The couple tested positive to the virus and have been receiving treatment with hopeful signs of recovery.
Other notable names expected at the event are J Balvin, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Lang Lang, Maluma, Paul McCartney, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Lizzo, David Beckham, Kerry Washington, Billie Eilish, Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Elton John and FINNEAS.
The special will be broadcast live on Saturday, April 18, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on ABC, NBC, ViacomCBS Networks, and iHeartMedia, as well as Bell Media networks and platforms in Canada. Internationally, BBC One will run the program on Sunday, April 19, with additional international broadcasters including beIN Media Group, MultiChoice Group, and RTE.
The world isn’t just dealing with a pandemic, since the outbreak of one of humanity’s deadliest viruses there’s been a rise of infodemics too. In times like this, people are in search of resources, news and tips to keep them updated and assure some degree of safety but it also means that they are susceptible to fake news.
The impact of misinformation in our communities during a crisis situation can be devastating. It can cause serious harm to the community, as well as the efforts of stakeholders and humanitarian agencies. Fake news also disrupts public peace, influence general opinions, and create conflicts between people. Any persons or media platforms that circulates false information is in bad faith and an advocate of confusion. An example is the ongoing fuss over 5G technology being responsible for COVID-19 globally. That is false.
In a bid to curtail the damage, WhatsApp has introduced a new limit on its messaging forwarding feature. You will no longer be able to forward messages to multiple contacts, just one chat at a time. The limit kicks in once the message has been forwarded more than five times in total.
It is important to note that while WhatsApp can’t read the content of your chats, however it can count the number of times a particular message is forwarded through the metadata. The company is also testing reverse image search and text search to limit fake news on its platform whilst working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and 20 governments all over the world to provide accurate information about COVID-19 to people.
On Sunday, in a video uploaded via his twitter page, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook announced that the company will be producing 1 million facial shields for health workers every week. The move is coming a few days after doctors in the United States protested a shortage of personal protective equipment, like face shields and masks, leaving them with high risk of getting infected as they battle the virus.
Apple has brought together several product designers, engineers, operation managers and suppliers companywide to design, produce and ship the products to health facilities across the United States. Cook also mentioned that Apple has sourced more than 20 million masks through its global supply chain and is working with governments to donate them where they’re needed.
Apple is dedicated to supporting the worldwide response to COVID-19. We’ve now sourced over 20M masks through our supply chain. Our design, engineering, operations and packaging teams are also working with suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for medical workers. pic.twitter.com/3xRqNgMThX
The first shipment has been delivered to Kaiser hospital facilities in the Santa Clara Valley this past week, and the feedback from doctors is very positive according to the CEO. Apple plans to ship more than one million shields by the end of this week and a further million each week after that. Efforts are also being made to expand distribution to more countries and health workers in other regions at the frontline of COVID-19.
Last month, Apple launched a rather basic tool for people in the US to check if they need to get tested for coronavirus. Big ups to the iPhone maker.
(6-APRIL-2020 ) With almost all the countries in sub-Saharan Africa now shut off from their neighbours and the rest of the world and many in lockdowns, several reports have predicted a surge in the number of confirmed cases over the next two to three weeks, hinting that Africa may be few points away from the worst of the pandemic storm.
South Africa is currently the country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases on the continent, this is mostly because of an advanced health ecosystem in contrast with other African countries. The country has tested over 50,000 people and has set up 67 mobile testing units nationwide. The government is planning to ramp up testing to 30,000 people daily. So far, 1400 people have tested positive and 5 death cases have been recorded.
Algeria, Egypt and Morocco follow closely with 1320, 1173 and 1021 positive cases respectively.
Meanwhile in Nigeria, the virus isn’t relenting either. In just over two weeks, there’s been a 400% upward increase in positive cases bringing the total numbers to 232. But another interesting angle to the Nigerian story is the rate of recovery which currently stands at 14%. 33 people have recovered and have been discharged and 5 death cases.
Across Africa, 9521 people have tested positive to coronavirus in 55 countries. 939 of them have recovered and 438 have died.
As at the time of publishing, there are over 700,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide. Over 190K have recovered and almost 50K people have died from the deadly pandemic. The numbers could even be much more as several countries have been accused of underreporting and testing is still not adequate. There’s also an unquantifiable number of asymptomatic cases or home hospitalised patients that aren’t recorded in the global watch. The world may have to wait for months before a potential vaccine will be developed, the only way to help flatten the curve and stop the spread of coronavirus is Social Distancing.
I’m certain you’ve seen that phrase filtered across the web more than Netflix listicles lately. Social distancing as the term implies is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions taken to prevent the spread of a contagious disease by maintaining a physical distance between people and reducing the number of times people come into close contact with each other. It is just one of the ways to avoid contacting the disease, but it is by far the most effective measure.
Since Coronavirus is most likely to spread from person to person when we come into close contact with one another, halting interactions with other humans, no matter the relationship that exists reduces the chances of getting infected, and it also enables more people stay indoors.
Physical distancing may not necessarily mean not leaving your homes from time to time, it is more about avoiding handshakes, physical greetings, and wherever possible, keeping at least 1.5 metres away from others. It is also very important to practise good hygiene, especially after running quick errands.
New data released by Kinsa Health, medical technology firm, suggests that fevers, a common symptom of COVID-19 are decreasing in areas where stay-at-home orders are in place. It simply means social distancing is working. The report also revealed that limiting the size of public gatherings or declaring a state of emergency did not seem to impact fever rates. What this means is that the government was right about banning religious and social gatherings that involved up to 10 people.
In Lagos, Nigeria. it’s still not certain how long the imposed shutdown will go on for, but it looks like the proposed two weeks may be extended since more cases are being discovered. But there’s no need to panic, stay vigilant and positive, knowing that your individual actions are saving lives.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Nigeria has quadrupled in just less than a week. As more global tensions arise, Africa is also faced with the challenge of a broken healthcare system and countries are beginning to implement total shutdowns in an effort to enforce social distancing and flatten the curve.
In Nigeria, the government and other stakeholders have been preparing for a possible widespread outbreak. Meanwhile as testing capacity and contact tracing increases, more cases are been discovered and there are no signs that things may get better soon. Four states in the region are on total lockdown and more are expected to join as other states unravel index cases.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed 23 new cases bringing the total number to 174, recording 2 deaths and 9 recoveries. Lagos remains the country’s hotspot but the state government is taking proactive measures to deal with the virus. More isolation camps have been built, medical supplies have been distributed across hospitals, increased private sector participation and public spaces and surfaces are being sterilised.
Nigeria may most likely be recording more cases of COVID-19 in nearer future, even though the government recently put travel restrictions on affected countries. It appears this decision may have come much later as the number of confirmed cases of recent returnees testing positive keeps growing.
A trusted source from the presidency has just disclosed that 5 new cases have been confirmed bringing the total number of affected persons in the country to 8. The source also revealed that 3 of the new cases arrived from the United States – a Nigerian mother, a 6-months old baby and a foreigner with undisclosed nationality, while the other two are Nigerians who arrived from the United Kingdom.
We will bring you more updates as the story unravels.
Shortly after today’s meeting, the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 announced the Federal Government’s travel restrictions on travellers from 13 high-risk countries with cases greater than 1,000. Nigeria’s government also suspended issuance of visa on arrival to travellers from these countries, noting that any travellers returning from the affected countries will be admitted to self-isolation under the supervisor of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Port health services. The ban will be effective from March 21, 2020. The countries are:
China
Iran
Italy
South Korea
Spain
Japan
France
Norway
United Kingdom
United States of America
Netherlands
Switzerland
Germany
This development comes hours after Nigeria confirmed its third case of coronavirus – a Nigerian woman who came in from the United Kingdom on Friday, 12th of March. Nigeria has now joined the likes of other African countries including South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Morocco, Gabon, Kenya and others who have closed their borders.
