January 2020 BloomBerg; Like all new drugs, the vaccines that have been authorized to protect against Covid-19 come with some safety concerns and side effects. Many people who’ve received the first two Western shots deployed, one from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, and another from Moderna Inc., have experienced fever, headache and pain at …
Read More »Don’t ignore this headline: The pandemic is getting worse. What happens next is up to you
January 2021 CNN; Despite hopes of widespread vaccinations this year, experts warned the start of 2021 would be a very rough time in this pandemic. It turns out the first two weeks have been abysmal. The United States just shattered its all-time records for the most Covid-19 infections, hospitalizations and …
Read More »Chinese Covid-19 vaccine far less effective than initially claimed in Brazil, sparking concerns
January 2021 CNN; A leading Chinese Covid-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech was just 50.38% effective in late-stage trials in Brazil, significantly lower than earlier results showed, according to a statement published by the government of Sao Paulo Tuesday. While the number exceeds the threshold required for regulatory approval, it …
Read More »Three-quarters of Wuhan patients hospitalized for Covid-19 still had symptoms 6 months later, Chinese study finds
January 2021 CNN; Most patients who had been hospitalized with Covid-19 still suffered a variety of symptoms — including fatigue and sleep difficulties — six months after infection, a Chinese study has found. The study of more than 1,700 patients treated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the original epicenter of the …
Read More »Kenya starts digital verification of Covid certificates to travelers
January 2021 theStar; The Ministry of Health has announced a move to ensure that the Covid-19 certificates being issued to travelers are genuine. Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said on Friday that the ministry has collaborated with the African Union and Africa CDC, with the technical support from PanaBIOS to implement …
Read More »Coronavirus variant discoveries in UK and South Africa began with a bet of a bottle of wine
January 2021 CNN; The discovery of important new coronavirus variants in the UK and South Africa began with a bet of a bottle of wine. In mid-November, Tulio de Oliveira, who leads a genetics lab in South Africa, began receiving anxious phone calls from physicians in the Eastern Cape province …
Read More »KENYA: Kisumu Governor Nyong’o removes over 400 nurses from payroll
January 2021 Businessdaily; Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has implemented a raft of disciplinary measures against over 400 nurses who were on strike for ”absconding duty”. The health workers have been locked out of their work stations and their names struck off the payroll. In a statement by acting chief officer for …
Read More »KENYA: Joho fires 86 doctors, including KMPDU boss Mwachonda
January 2021 BusinessDaily; Mombasa county government has sacked 86 doctors, including KMPDU boss Chibanzi Mwachonda and senior specialists for refusing to return to work. In a letter signed by county secretary Jeizan Faruk, Governor Hassan Joho’s administration dismissed the 86 striking workers for boycotting duty. “Following the correspondence shared between …
Read More »Covid variant found in South Africa is worrying experts: Here’s what we know so far
January 2021 CNBC; Viruses mutate all the time, so it’s no surprise that the coronavirus which emerged in China at the end of 2019 has undergone significant mutations as the virus replicates and spreads. But a new strain that has emerged in South Africa is causing concern. Like a variant …
Read More »KENYA: NHIF to pay Sh10 million for using couple’s picture in advert
January 2021 theStandard; A decision by the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to use a couple’s picture in its commercial advertisements is to cost the taxpayer Sh10 million. The Court of Appeal declined to set aside conditions set by the trial court for the corporation to appeal against the ruling, …
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