COVID-19 - The African Mirror

Mar

30

2021

I’m a millionaire who wants to be taxed to pay for COVID-19

COVID-19

DJAFFAR SHALCHI I am a multimillionaire business owner, and founder of a network of multimillionaires with a message to governments: tax us. The Covid-19 economic crisis did not create the world’s searing inequalities, but it has pulled the rich and the rest even further apart. To give just one example: ILO has revealed that workers have lost $3.7 trillion in the crisis, while Forbes magazine has revealed that billionaires have gained $3.9 trillion. The crisis has also shone a light on how inequalities weaken us all. Even before the crisis, we faced the scandal that over 5 million children under…

Mar

30

2021

By The African Mirror

J&J in deal to supply vaccine to AU member states

COVID-19

JOHNSON & Johnson will supply up to 220 million doses of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to African Union's 55 member states from the third quarter of 2021, the drugmaker has announced. J&J, through its unit Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, entered into a deal with the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), which could order an additional 180 million doses, for a combined total of up to 400 million doses through 2022. (https://refini.tv/3cyeFiB) "We need to immunize at least 60% of our population in order to get rid of the virus from our continent. The J&J agreement enables us to move towards achieving…

Mar

30

2021

By The African Mirror

Ethiopia to get 300,000 doses of vaccines

COVID-19

ETHIOPIA is to receive 300,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from China's state-backed China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm). The Sinopharm doses are the first shots Ethiopia has secured outside the global COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative, Health Minister Lia Tadesse told Reuters in a text message. Ethiopia is struggling to administer shots and tame infections that have spiked. In the past month, it has recorded a 26% increase in coronavirus infections and deaths rose by 18%, health ministry data shows. On Thursday, Africa's disease control body, the Africa CDC, said Ethiopia had reported the highest number of new cases in the last week of…

Mar

29

2021

By The African Mirror

SA plans to vaccinate 200,000 people daily

COVID-19

SOUTH Africa plans to administer coronavirus vaccines to up to 200,000 people a day beginning around May, the Sunday Times newspaper has reported, citing Health Minister Zweli Mkhize. According to the report, more than 2,000 vaccination sites will be set up. The plan is based on the expected arrival of the first batch of 2.8 million Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses at the end of April, the newspaper said. The Health Ministry did not respond to telephone calls and text messages from Reuters seeking comment. South Africa has been the hardest hit nation on the continent by COVID-19. It has…

Mar

29

2021

By The African Mirror

Sinopharm waits for trial results

COVID-19

CHINA National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) will need to assess results from overseas Phase III clinical trials to decide whether its two-shot COVID-19 vaccine should be followed by a booster shot, a company executive said on Sunday. Regulators and vaccine developers are looking at whether booster doses are necessary amid concerns that emerging variants of the new coronavirus might weaken protection of vaccines designed against older strains. "The preliminary results so far showed that the booster vaccination can effectively increase the neutralizing antibody titer and antibody persistence, and also effectively improve the vaccine's ability to resist mutations," Zhang Yuntao, vice president…

Mar

28

2021

By The African Mirror

Cricket legend Tendulkar contracts COVID-19

COVID-19

INDIA batting great Sachin Tendulkar has revealed that he has contracted the novel coronavirus and has mild symptoms as infections continue to surge in the world's second-most populated country. Tendulkar, who will turn 48 next month, retired from the professional game in 2013 after notching a still unmatched 100 international centuries in a prolific 24-year career. He returned to the crease recently as captain of the India Legends team in a promotional event called the Road Safety World Series in Raipur, in the state of Chhattisgarh. "I have been testing myself and taking all the recommended precautions to ensure COVID…

Mar

27

2021

By The African Mirror

Kenya’s president orders new lockdown to curb COVID-19 wave

COVID-19

MAGGIE FICK and GEORGE OBULUTSA KENYA’S President Uhuru Kenyatta restricted travel in the capital Nairobi and four surrounding counties on Friday as COVID-19 infections hit record levels in East Africa's richest economy. In a televised address, Kenyatta said a wave of new curbs including a stricter curfew and the closure of bars would hurt but were essential to fight the pandemic. The new restrictions come a week before the Easter holiday, when many Nairobi residents traditionally travel to visit family in other parts of the country. "Whereas the foregoing measures will have a negative impact on the economy, these measures…

Mar

27

2021

By The African Mirror

UN urges divided world to unite against COVID-19

COVID-19

MATTHEW LAVIETES THE United Nations has urged a divided world to unite against a virus that ignores all borders, saying the pandemic could delay by a decade its goal to end global inequalities. A new U.N. report estimated that the novel coronavirus has unleashed the worst recession in 90 years, threatening to derail its ambitious list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The goals, approved in 2015 with a 15-year deadline, aim to end hunger, gender inequality and violence against women, while expanding access to education and health care in poorer nations. "What this pandemic has proven beyond all doubt is…

Mar

27

2021

By The African Mirror

Morocco expects 4.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses soon, officials say

COVID-19

MOROCCO expects new batches of coronavirus vaccine to arrive soon from Russia, South Korea and China, allowing it to continue its rapid immunisation roll-out despite a pause in exports from India, health ministry sources said. Morocco has already received 8.5-million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, made in India, and Sinopharm vaccine, made in China, allowing it to administer more jabs than any other African country. It expects 4.2-million more doses soon, said Health Ministry scientific committee member Said Afif, keeping it on track to reach its target of herd immunity before the summer. These include two million more Sinopharm doses, a…

Mar

26

2021

By The African Mirror

Zambia sets out vaccination plans for all

COVID-19

ZAMBIA has announced plans to vaccinate all people over 18, or 46% of the 18.3 million population, against COVID-19 as it prepares for a third wave of the pandemic. The southern African country has registered more than 87,000 cases of COVID-19 and the death toll from the disease is more than 1,000. Health Minister Jonas Chanda said health workers, the police, security officers, teachers and the clergy would be among those given priority in the vaccination campaign. Cross-border traders, bus and truck drivers, and people over 65 - including those with chronic illnesses and their care givers - would also…