Category: #COVID19

Zim Public Not Ready For Another Long Lockdown

Healthtimes

MAJORITY of people who spoke to HealthTimes have indicated that going into another lockdown would worsen an already fragile socio-economic situation in the country. By Tanaka Moyo Their fears come at the back of government’s recent move to institute a localised lockdown in Kwekwe following the detection of a highly virulent and infectious Indian variant B.1.617.2 in the mining town. Junior George Jonasi an actor popularly known as ‘Tumbwiti’ in a local drama called Tunga, also a film producer and a script writer expressed great concern that the Indian variant…

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COVID-19 and coronavirus in people living with HIV

Healthtimes

Key points People with HIV appear to have a slightly increased risk of dying from COVID-19. People with HIV who have underlying health conditions such as obesity, poorly controlled diabetes and high blood pressure appear to be at higher risk. In general, the most important risk factors for death from COVID-19 are old age, an organ transplant and a recent diagnosis of a cancer of the blood. Vaccines against COVID-19 are highly effective in preventing serious illness. They are not thought to be less effective in people with HIV, but…

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#TalkingCOVIDWithDrGrant: Different Variants, Similar Control Strategies

Healthtimes
Dr Grant Murewanhema

THE Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative virus for the disease better known as COVID-19. It belongs broadly to a class of viruses known as coronaviruses, and people are more familiar with the previous SARS and MARS outbreaks. None of these ever got to the scale of the current COVID-19 pandemic. By Dr Grant Murewanhema Viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, which spread rapidly, also multiply very rapidly in a process called replication, where copies of similar virions continue to be made. Now, as you will be familiar…

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Government Defends Kwekwe Lockdown

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) says the decision to put Kwekwe under lockdown was informed by epidemiological evidence and will go a long way in reducing the spread of the highly infectious and  virulent B.1.617.2 COVID-19 variant to other parts of the country. By Michael Gwarisa The new variant is highly dominant in India where it has caused not less than 298,000 deaths and  26, 506, 167 infections since it was first reported in the Asian country.  In Zimbabwe however, the new variant was reported a week…

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VP Chiwenga Announces Lockdown For Kwekwe

Healthtimes

HEALTH and Child Care Minister, Vice President Chiwenga has announced a two week long lockdown for Kwekwe in a move to curb the spread of a more deadly COVID-19 variant that is dominant in India. HealthTimes Reporter Following localized cases of Covid 19 that occurred in Kwekwe during the period 09/05/2021 to 21/05/2021, the Ministry of Health and Child Care would like to advise the nation that; 1. The Genomic sequencing done on the viral strain in Kwekwe, detected the presence of B.1.617.2 strain. This is a sub-species of the…

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Zim Could Attain Herd Immunity In Five Years At Prevailing Immunization Rate- Experts

Michael Gwarisa
Dr Tinashe Gede

AT the current daily vaccination rate of 20,000 people, it could take Zimbabwe four to five years to vaccinate 60 percent of the population that is required to achieve herd immunity, Zimbabwe health experts have said. By Michael Gwarisa Local Immunologist and Public Health expert, Dr Tinashe Gede said Zimbabwe was too early in the vaccination race and at the prevailing daily vaccination rate, it was impossible to vaccinate 60 percent of the population by end of December 2021. As we speak in Zimbabwe, I think our cumulative COVID-19 vaccination…

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United States Gvt Becomes Worlds Largest Sharer Of Vaccines

Michael Gwarisa

THE United States Government (USG) has announced that it will be sharing 20 million more vaccine dosses from its own stocks, in addition to the 60 million AstraZeneca doses that were announced previously by President Joe Biden. By Michael Gwarisa This brings the total number of vaccines added by the government to the vaccine mix to 80 million, making them the largest sharer of vaccines in the world. Speaking during a Telephonic Press Briefing, USG State Department Coordinator for the Global COVID Response and Health Security, Gayle Smith said they…

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COVID-19 Causes Rise In Mental Health llnesses

Healthtimes

MENTAL health cases have been on the increase due the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which has stalked the world for more than a year, mental health experts have said. By Patricia Mashiri Speaking during a Mental Health and Awareness webinar, Dr Sacrifice Chirisa, a Psychologist and CIMAS General Manager Health Care Services said the COVID-19 pandemic exposed Zimbabwe’s lack of preparedness  to deal with mental health issues. The coming in of the pandemic exposed us that we are not ready to deal with mental health issues. The pandemic is…

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Unilever Zim donates to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals

Healthtimes

IN a bid to fight COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe Unilever has donated materials to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Staff Reporter Tendayi Mashingaidze, Managing Director Unilever Zimbabwe said fighting COVID-19 needs stakeholders to come up together. Covid-19 has grounded the whole world and the best way to fight this pandemic is for all stakeholders to pull resources together. As the world-leading manufacturer of hygiene products, we are throwing our weight behind global and national efforts to protect lives and livelihoods from the Covid-19 pandemic. “Through our brands that include Domestos and…

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COVID-19 Indian Variant Lands In Zim: Govt

Healthtimes

GOVERNMENT says a genomic sequencing test on the returnee from India who stayed Kwekwe tested positive of the Indian Variant codenamed B.1.717. HealthTimes Reporter The dreaded Indian Variant had a daily death toll of over 4 000 people and 400 000 daily cases. “1. Genomic sequencing test was carried out on samples collected from a reported focalized outbreak in Kwekwe which was linked to a traveller from India on the 29th of April 2021, a high risk Covid 19 transmission area. “1.1. The test conducted revealed that a. the B.1.617…

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