Lockdown diaries - COVID-19 matters!

[Hooked]

Thousands of fake COVID-19 vaccines seized in South Africa and China
https://www.capetownetc.com/news/th...-19-vaccines-seized-in-south-africa-and-china
4 March 2021

"South African and Chinese police seized thousands of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines after the global policing agency, INTERPOL, issued a worldwide warning that vaccines would be a prime target for criminal syndicates.

Approximately 400 fake vaccine ampoules, which are equal to about 2400 doses, were discovered in a warehouse in Germiston, Gauteng, INTERPOL announced on Wednesday, March 3.

South African authorities also recovered a large number of fake 3M masks. Four individuals, three from China and one from Zambia, were apprehended at the scene.

In the Chinese operation, police successfully identified and raided a fake vaccine network. Authorities stormed the manufacturing premises and arrested 80 suspects and seized more than 3000 fake vaccines.

The arrests follow an Orange Notice warning issued by INTERPOL a few weeks ago, which alerted law enforcement to prepare for organised crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both, physically and online.

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock warned that the first seizures are just the tip of the iceberg..."

 

[Adephi]

https://www.businessinsider.co.za/c...le-benefits-rollout-results-real-world-2021-2

• The coronavirus vaccines being rolled out are really, really good.
• The first real-world data shows huge drops in transmission, infections, and hospitalisations.
• Vaccines are more than a silver lining to the pandemic — they're our way out.

 

[Hooked]

Dogs trained to sniff out coronavirus were sent to work with patients at Georgia nursing homes.
https://iheartintelligence.com/dogs...ent-into-nursing-homes-to-sniff-out-the-virus
4 March 2021

"Canine Assistants is a nonprofit organization training dogs to detect coronavirus with up to 95% accuracy...

To detect the virus, the dogs sniff out sweat samples taken using sterile swabs. While they don’t smell the virus itself, they can sense the scent people create when fighting it off.

Marshall, a charming golden retriever, was the first COVID-sniffing dog introduced in the program...

In the last few months, coronavirus-sniffing dogs have been put into place at airports in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and Helsinki, Finland.

The Miami Heat also revealed they would use dogs to screen fans at American Airlines Arena for some games this season. According to a team spokesperson, the Heat is believed to be the first professional sports team to use COVID-sniffing dogs to help screen fans attending games."

 

[Hooked]

Home Affairs resumes several services
https://www.capetownetc.com/news/home-affairs-resumes-several-services
4 March 2021

"The Department of Home Affairs will from Thursday, once again, offer several services that were temporarily suspended in January 2021, Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has announced...

The citizenship service, however, will remain temporarily unavailable.

“Online services, through eHome Affairs and our partner banks, will be resumed on Monday, 8 March 2021,” said the Minister.

During Adjusted Lockdown Level 3, the department only offered services for birth registration; re-issuance of birth certificates; late registration of birth (LRB) for learners and pensioners only; death registration; application for temporary identity certificate (TIC), and collection of identity cards or documents.

Applications and collection of passports for those who are exempted to travel and applications for identity (Smart ID) cards or documents for matriculants only, were also offered during this period.

In addition to these, the department will from Thursday offer the re-issue of Smart ID Cards and identity documents; registration and solemnization of marriages; amendments and rectifications; late registration of birth (LRB) for all categories, and the application for and collection of passports for all categories..."

 

[Hooked]

Broadcaster Karima Brown dies of COVID-19
https://www.capetownetc.com/news/broadcaster-karima-brown-dies-of-covid-19
4 March 2021

"Well-known journalist and broadcaster Karima Brown has died from COVID-19-related complications on Thursday, March 4.

Brown hosted several television programmes and radio talk shows. Most recently, Brown hosted eNCA’s weekly show ‘The Fix’. She was also a respected political analyst..."

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Adephi]

 

[Stranger]

I listened to a webinar yesterday that included Bruce Whitfield as a speaker, he said that we we over the 50 000 mark of reported Covid 19 deaths but in reality it was more likely 100 000 +

 

[Adephi]

I listened to a webinar yesterday that included Bruce Whitfield as a speaker, he said that we we over the 50 000 mark of reported Covid 19 deaths but in reality it was more likely 100 000 +

Over 125 000 additional deaths according to SAMRC

https://www.samrc.ac.za/media-relea...125000-excess-deaths-during-covid-19-pandemic

But either way, its not a pretty picture. And we still got a long road ahead.

 

[vicTor]

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Hooked]

COVID Quarantine Plea
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/vaping-news/2021-03-05_covid-quarantine-plea.html
5 March 2021

"Every smoker currently having to quarantine in a British hotel due to the COVID-19 rules should be able to access vape products, says consumer group The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA). The organisation has set out its plea to Health Secretary Matt Hancock and says a positive response would be a win-win for all concerned.

People returning to Great Britain from certain Red List COVID-19 zones have had to quarantine in hotels since 15 February. They stay there for ten days and have to pay for the pleasure. The rule was introduced following reports of new variants of the disease coming from Brazil and South Africa...

It wasn’t long before people were calling the procedures a “farce”(2) as people were leaving their rooms to go for a cigarette. The Telegraph writes: “Businessman Wayne Kelly, quarantining for 10 days at the Radisson Blu hotel at Heathrow, told how he was escorted from his room by security guards – some of whom were wearing masks beneath their noses – to have a cigarette outside.”

Michael Landl is the director of the WVA(3). He is an experienced policy professional and passionate vaper. He studied at the University of St. Gallen and worked for several public policy outlets and as well in the German Parliament.

Landl commented: “Smokers in quarantine hotels in the United Kingdom should have the opportunity to get a vaping device to help them switch during their state-ordered quarantine..."

 

[Silver]

Haven’t been following the daily stats image for a while

saw it today

noticed they’ve added vaccines administered in a box on the bottom right
101k vaccines administered, tiny but it’s a start

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Dela Rey Steyn]

SWAMBO finally got vaccinated yesterday, Happy Days! Now just waiting patiently to get mine

 

[Adephi]

SWAMBO finally got vaccinated yesterday, Happy Days! Now just waiting patiently to get mine

Well according to the above stats they are doing 300 a day. We are going to wait very long.

 

[Grand Guru]

The uptake is not that good... demand will increase with time.

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Hooked]

 

[Paul33]

SWAMBO finally got vaccinated yesterday, Happy Days! Now just waiting patiently to get mine

I can’t wait to get mine.

 

[Hooked]

Seychelles says it is barring South Africans...
https://www.businessinsider.co.za/s...g-south-africans-to-keep-britain-happy-2021-3
8 March 2021

"The Seychelles will reopen its borders to international tourists on 25 March.
But visitors from South Africa have been specifically excluded from this reopening and will not be granted entry to the island nation.
Seychelles fears it will be stuck on the UK’s “red list” of banned countries if it allows South Africans...."

 

[Adephi]

https://www.groundup.org.za/article/ivermectin-study-result-boosts-regulators-court-defence/

• A study in Columbia of 398 people with mild Covid-19 symptoms found that ivermectin offered no statistically significant benefit over placebo.
• This is the first peer-reviewed large clinical trial of the drug against Covid-19 in a prestigious medical journal.
• It comes against the background of four court cases that have been launched against South Africa’s medicines’ regulator to compel it to make ivermectin available for the treatment of Covid-19, even though there is no compelling evidence of the drug’s benefit.

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Hooked]

 

[Hooked]

CAPE TOWN RESORTS + CAMPSITES ARE BACK IN BUSINESS
https://www.capetownmagazine.com/lockdown
9 March 2021

"The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department has announced that “all resorts are open and available for bookings. Camping sites will reopen by 12 March, and bookings for the Easter holiday will be open from 11 March.”

There are rules and restrictions you’ll need to follow to mitigate the risk of infection:

Guests must wear a face mask at all times

You will need to undergo a Covid-19 screening before you can enter the resort

Guests of the resorts and campsites are not allowed visitors of their own

Resorts and camping sites may not operate at full capacity, so there will be fewer bookings to facilitate social distancing."