Category: #COVID19

Actions must speak louder than words: Five asks to achieve equity in vaccine delivery

Michael Gwarisa

Ahead of the G20 Rome summit, 30-31 October, the UN and International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, have come together to reinforce a joint call for global vaccine equity. Fifteen months since the organizations first called for a “people’s vaccine” to protect everyone, everywhere, this goal is far from being reached. As the pandemic requires the international community to take extraordinary measures, today they reconvene to remind leaders that equitable vaccine distribution is a political, moral, and economic priority. In June 2020, a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic,…

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Cabinet Warns Private Schools Over Illegal Exeat Weekends

Michael Gwarisa

PRIVATE schools around the country have been allowing pupils to travel for unsanctioned exeat weekends a move feared could trigger a spike in COVID-19 infections in schools if it goes unabated. By Michael Gwarisa Briefing Journalists during a Post Cabinet media briefing, Information, Publicity and Boradcasting Services Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said COVID-19 cases in schools were on a downward trend but the illegal movement of pupils during unsanctioned exeat weekend posed a threat The nation is also being advised that the number of new COVID-19 infections among learners in…

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Science Poised To Reignite Zimbabwe and UK’s Collaborative Efforts

Michael Gwarisa

RECENTLY, the Quadram Institute of researchers in conjunction with scientists from Zimbabwe published findings detailing how the SARS-CoV-2 variants were introduced and transmitted in Zimbabwe when the pandemic was first reported in March 2020. By Michael Gwarisa The Quadram Institute is a centre for food and health research stationed in the United Kingdom (UK), combining Quadram Institute Bioscience, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals’ endoscopy centre and aspects of the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School and the Faculty of Science. Even though Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom have…

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Govt Should Strengthen COVID-19 Surveillance Ahead Of Festive Season- Rusike

Healthtimes

THE Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) Executive Director,  Mr Itai Rusike has warned that the relaxation of international and regional travel restrictions will likely lead to uncontrolled importation of new COVID-10 variants especially during the forthcoming festive season. By Patricia Mashiri His call comes at the back of emerging highly virulent coronavirus variants in other parts of the world that have seen countries such as China closing schools and travel while Russia and United Kingdom (UK) have also started wittiness a massive surge in cases and deaths. Speaking to…

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New research explores role of travel in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

Quadram Institute researchers working with scientists in Zimbabwe have built up a detailed picture of how SARS-CoV-2 variants were introduced and transmitted in the southern African country during 2020. Their findings, published in The Lancet Global Health, are based on the genomic sequencing of 156 positive samples taken across eight provinces (including metropolitan Bulawayo and Harare) in Zimbabwe between March and October 2020. The epidemiological analysis identified two distinct phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Zimbabwe. The first phase between March and June 2020 saw cases linked to international travel…

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#BREAKING: All 192 Nashville Students Test Negative For COVID-19

Michael Gwarisa

AN update by the Gweru COVID-19 task-force indicates that of all the 192 COVID-19 tests that were done on Nashiville Secondary School students, non of them came out positive. By Michael Gwarisa In an update by the task-force, they said, “Following reports circulating on social media on Nashville High school pupils alleging Covid 19 positive …and no reports being made to the responsible Ministry of Health. The following has been expeditiously done by the Response Team and Taskforce authorities headed by the DDC. 1. RRT dispatched by the Min of…

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#DEVELOPINGSTORY: Nashville Conducts Mass Testing For Pupils After Pictures Of Alleged COVID-19 Positive Students Go Viral

Healthtimes

NASHVILE Secondary School in Gweru has started mass COVID-19 testing of students in response to circulating pictures on social media of pupils lying helplessly in the sun and alleged to be down with COVID-19. By Patricia Mashiri The testing exercise commenced last night with teams from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) havig been deployed to investigate, screen and test the pupils. Speaking to HealthTimes, a Nashville Secondary staff member who refused to be named confirmed that there were massive testing going on. The Headmaster and other administration…

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Zim Citizens Warned against Complacency….As New Delta Sub-Variant Wreaks Havoc

Michael Gwarisa

NEW coronavirus strains including a Delta variant sub-strain are already giving the world headaches, amidst indications that countries such as Russia and United Kingdom and even China have started recording record high death tolls and new infections linked to new strains. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Russian federal agency inspecting consumer rights protection and human wellbeing, several cases of AY.4.2, a new Delta sub-variant of coronavirus were already being detected. A report by Russia’s coronavirus emergency task force, indicates that the COVID-19 cases went up by 36,339 over the…

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DZT Celebrates Marginalized Deaf Community

Healthtimes

THE Deaf community has been described as isolated and needs to be celebrated as they are also thriving in so many ways. By Patricia Mashiri Giving his key note address at a belated International week of the Deaf (IWD) Commemorations, Mr Marvin Mukuyu, a model who is also an artist said it was sad that even though deaf people thrive in different sectors, they are rarely recognition and appreciated. We try to fit in but it is difficult. We need not to loose hope because we have to keep pushing…

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Gvt Reviewing Vehicles Loan Scheme Rates For Healthcare Workers

Michael Gwarisa

AS part of efforts to retain skilled healthcare professionals, government has announced that a raft of measures including a subsidized vehicle loan scheme were in the pipeline. By Michael Gwarisa Briefing Journalists during a post cabinet media briefing, Information minister, Senorita Monica Mutsvangwa said government was focusing on accelerating the provision of non-monetary benefits to health workers as a short to medium-term measure to stem the brain drain observed in the health sector. Accordingly, completion of the model flats to be constructed for health professionals across the country’s provinces is…

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