October 2020 BBC; Two of Europe’s biggest economies are reinstating some form of national lockdown, as the continent confronts a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. From Friday, people in France will only be allowed to leave home for essential work or medical reasons. President Emmanuel Macron said the country …
Read More »Oxford vaccine prompts immune response in elderly: AstraZeneca
October 2020 Aljazeera; An experimental COVID-19 vaccine being developed in the United Kingdom produces an immune response in both younger and older adults, British drug maker AstraZeneca said, raising hopes in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford, also triggers lower adverse responses …
Read More »ITALY brings in sweeping new coronavirus measures
October 2020 BBC; New measures to combat a surge in coronavirus cases have come into force in Italy with gyms, swimming pools, cinemas and theatres closed. Restaurants, bars and cafes must stop table service at 18:00 and offer only take-away until midnight. Contact sports are prohibited. However, shops and most …
Read More »TANZANIA: NHIF Registers 4.4 Million Tanzanians
October 2020 DailyNews; ONLY 4.4 Tanzanians have enrolled with National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and thus get health services and benefits. That is a mere eight per cent of Tanzanian eligible population and the news comes as a shock in spite of the Fund drumming up for the public to …
Read More »New Covid-19 Rapid Tests a Game Changer for Africa
October 2020 WHONews; The roll-out of new, World Health Organization (WHO) approved antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests for the novel coronavirus in Africa will significantly boost testing capacity and marks a game changer in the continent’s fight against COVID-19. Many African countries have struggled to test in sufficient numbers to control …
Read More »Chinese state-owned SinoPharm says it could produce more than 1 billion vaccine doses next year
October 2020 Yahoo; The state-owned Chinese drugmaker SinoPharm is adding enough manufacturing capacity to make one billion doses of its coronavirus vaccine next year. Production lines are being set up in China’s capital of Beijing, and in the city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, said company chairman Liu …
Read More »US set to resume Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine trials after illness review
October 2020 Yahoo; Trials of the Oxford University and AstraZeneca Covid vaccine were to resume in the United States as early as this week after it was suspended when a participant became ill. AstraZeneca’s large, late-stage US trial has been on hold since September 6, after a participant in the company’s UK trial fell …
Read More »Diabetes: Coffee and green tea might reduce death risk
October 2020 medicalnewstoday; In the United States, more than 1 in 10 adults have type 2 diabetes. Globally, the disease affects an estimated 422 million people. Diabetes increases the risk of a range of health conditions, including cancer, bone fractures, dementia, and circulatory diseases. Although medications can significantly reduce the health risks associated with …
Read More »BRAZIL: Brazil’s president slams vaccine his health ministry plans to buy
Brazil’s health minister Eduardo Pazuello — the third person to hold the job this year during the coronavirus pandemic — is in hot water with President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro took to social media to disavow his minister on Wednesday after a flurry of negative comments from his supporters opposing the …
Read More »Children will not be among first to receive initial Covid-19 vaccine, CDC says
October 2020 YahooNews; Vaccines for the coronavirus may not be recommended to children when they first become available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency said on Wednesday that drugmakers have tested potential Covid-19 vaccines – of which there are several in trial phases – on non-pregnant adults. Trials are expected …
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