Prof. Bamidele Owoyele, the President, the Ilorin Neuroscience Group (ING) says one out of every four Nigerians suffer one form of mental disorder or the other.
Owoyele, a Professor of Physiology at the University of Ilorin, said this at the maiden Global Engagement and Advocacy Programme on Monday.
The event was organised by ING in conjunction with the International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO) at the University of Ilorin.
According to him, the upsurge in the incidence of mental disorder in the country is being aided by substance abuse and increase in the burden of neurological diseases.
The don appealed to government at all levels to make more budgetary provision for the health sector, saying that the two per cent allocation often set aside for the health sector was too small for the health need of the country.
Owoyele also called on philanthropists in the country to emulate their counterparts in advanced world by assisting in the funding of research, which would generate efficacious solutions to brain-related diseases.
The ING President also implored concerned authorities to engage in more public enlightenment programmes to educate members of the public on research participation.
He said such efforts would help in the early detection of some neurological disorders and discovery of therapeutic interventions.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, commended the ING for its initiative.
Abdulkareem, represented by the Acting Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Prof. Lawrence Olatunji, urged each Faculty in the institution to come up with Inter-Departmental and Inter-Faculties groups that could stand the test of time.
He also expressed the hope that the ING and other anticipated groups would step up the game in such a way that they would attract international support that would not only improve the visibility of members, but also improve image of the university the more.
Abdulkareem similarly expressed his conviction that the group would be more intellectually and professionally empowered to publish its own journal, which according to him will be of international standard and also stand the test of time.
Prof. Kolawole Wahab, the Director of the Centre for Research Development and In- House Training of the university in his paper presentation entitled: “Burden of Neurological Disease and National Development”, stressed the role of public and private organisations in funding Neuroscience research in Nigeria.
Wahab advised that the long-lasting solution to problems faced in the practice of Neuroscience in the country was to continue with advocacy from both government agencies and private organisations.
He advised on the need to explore external sources of funding, write fundable proposals, put adequate mentoring in place and sought for collaborations to create an enviable impact.
“We cannot solve problems by using the kind of thinking we used when we created them,” he said.
Wahab, also a Professor of Medicine and Consultant Neurologist identified poor funding as part of the problems pulling the country back in health researches.
He listed other problems to include inadequate curricula to prepare students to pick Neuroscience as a course of study, lack of research infrastructure, inadequate career development programmes and poor number of neuroscientist on the African continent.

Dublin, April 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "US Food and Beverage Industry Cleaning Services Market - Industry Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The US food and beverage industry services market by revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of approx. 7% during 2020-2026.

The floor and wall cleaning segment is expected to generate the highest revenue during the forecast period due to robotic and automated solutions. The cleaning services demand is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period, especially after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
F&B manufacturers are moving toward automation in the manufacturing process. Sustainability, innovations, enhanced sense of hygiene, and standardization of cleaning practices have become the new norm after the pandemic outbreak. These changes expect to boost the growth of cleaning services in the US F&B industry during the forecast period. The food disinfection segment is one of the major revenue gainers due to COVID-19.

US Food and Beverage Industry Cleaning Services Market Segmentation

The U.S. food and beverage industry cleaning services market research report includes a detailed segmentation by operation, service type, end-user, geography. The standard cleaning services are expected to generate incremental revenue of USD 512 million during the forecast period. With a market share of over 67% in 2020, the standard segment is expected to sustain its significance in the US cleaning services market. However, the rising awareness of environmental hazards has driven several service providers to offer green services in the F&B industry.

HVAC, equipment cleaning, and disinfection are some of the major services preferred for the F&B cleaning facilities during 2020. The demand for green operations, pest control and sanitation, production line cleaning are expected to witness traction during the forecast period. Equipment cleaning services accounted for 27% of the total revenue share in 2020.
The growth in dry ice blasting processing has increased the demand for equipment cleaning services in the F&B industry. For instance, Polar Clean offers a highly effective cleaning process that can reduce the cleaning time by 80%, reducing the overall costs. Using 75%-80% of less water in services and promoting green cleaning agents can enable companies to gain a competitive edge.

The commercial kitchen segment is expected to contribute 22% of the total revenue by 2026, owing to the increased demand for disinfection and HVAC services in restaurants, food trucks, and cloud kitchens. Pro Clean Janitorial and MC Janitorial are the key players in the segment.
The commercial kitchen cleaning services market in the US is expected to reach USD 548 million by 2026. Potential food and beverage industries are expected to rely more on third-party services in 2021 due to the high-grade cleanliness requirements.
ABM, Coverall North America, Jan-Pro Franchising, Jani-King International, and ServiceMaster Clean are the prominent players in the US food and beverage industry cleaning services market.

The Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) has called for training of journalists for effective and science-based reporting of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guild made the call during the ongoing one week NAPHARM and NGE virtual meeting with the theme: "COVID-19 Facts, Myths and Way Forward."
Speaking at the meeting yesterday, co-chairman of the committee, Mr Azu Ishiekwene, recalled that at the initial stage of the pandemic about a year ago, the media was in the forefront in terms of issues like social distancing, and whether people were wearing their mask or not, and so on.
"We found out that the more we cover this social attitude towards the pandemic, the more people respond to it," he said.
Ishiekwene, who spoke on the role of the media in the management of COVID-19, also shared a study that was done in Australia, which showed that whenever media reports were positive, there was a correlation in the attitude of the people that adopted the vaccine, but when there was a negative report, there was also a negative response, in terms of adoption of the vaccine.
He, therefore, urged journalists to train themselves on how to report the pandemic. Kinsley Uranta, from Channels Television, said the media has to dig deeper and be more creative in such a way that it will continue to sustain information in the public space.
He said the media must find a creative way to bring vaccine to the forefront. "So, I think that we have a long way to go, both the electronic and print media. We have a challenge with the social media that we have to counter what is going on out there," he said.
"We have fake news, unverified news flying out there, while most Nigerians would take everything they see on social media, the electronic and print media have the responsibility to counter the fake news with news based on facts and can be verified.
"So I urge the media not to go to sleep, because we have a lot of work to do," he said.
Managing director, the Eagle Online, Mr Dotun Oladipo, recommended the use of social media to help counter fake news. He also suggested that they use real life situation of people who have taken the vaccine and those who have died for not taking the vaccine, saying this would go a long way in boosting the confidence in getting the vaccine.
President of NAPHARM, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, identified the media as a tool for advocacy, and has the capacity to frame public opinion, hence the reason for the collaboration.
He said, "This partnership is not a one off, as there are many issues to be addressed.
"Scientists at the Pharmaceutical industry are ready to give the media science based content, to enable the media dish out the right information to the public."

The executive secretary of Borno State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Ali Mallam Bukar, has called on all intending pilgrims for 2021 Hajj in the state to make themselves available for the COVID-19 vaccination.
The executive secretary made the call through a statement he issued to journalists in Maiduguri on Sunday, following directives received from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) requesting all the 36 States including FCT to ensure that all intending pilgrims for this year's Hajj received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine immediately.
According to Bukar, this was to meet up with the average 12-weeks
interval required for the two rounds of vaccination before the Hajj exercise commences.
However, the directive from the NAHCON was sequel to instructions from the Saudi Arabian authorities, that any pilgrim, who refuses to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine, will not be allowed to perform this year's Hajj.
Bukar said that considering the fact that the inaugural flight will take off from Maiduguri, the State Pilgrims Welfare Board has made all the necessary arrangements to commence the vaccination of all intending pilgrims starting from Friday April 9 at the Board's headquarters by 9am daily and ends on the April 16, 2021.
He further said that all intending pilgrims are, therefore, requested to bring along with them the evidence of payment, such as receipts and cards.
While soliciting for maximum cooperation from all intending pilgrims, the executive secretary also called on all intending pilgrims who have made deposits but have not completed payment, to please do so immediately, so that they can receive the vaccination within the stipulated period.

Yesterday, armed groups launched an attack on Damasak town, northeast Nigeria. During the attack compounds belonging to multiple relief agencies and warehouses containing humanitarian stock were looted and set on fire. This is the second attack targeting humanitarians in the past two months in northeast Nigeria, and the fourth attack on Damasak town and its surrounding area this year.
“Yesterday’s brutal attack jeopardized our work and threatened the lives of many aid workers. Thankfully our five staff staying in Damasak town escaped unharmed. However, the perpetrators succeeded in setting our guesthouse ablaze and destroying lifesaving relief supplies, including vehicles used to deliver aid.
We condemn these acts of senseless violence. They serve to terrorise humanitarians and the communities we are here to help, and they delay critical aid from reaching families in dire need. Humanitarian space is shrinking in northeast Nigeria, and we call on the Government of Nigeria to ensure it is protected.”

Marking the World Health Day, youth leaders and civil society groups from across Nigeria are urging the government to invest in equity enhancing strategies to restore crumbling services for women, newborns, children and adolescents.
This year’s annual celebration is being held at the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to threaten the improvement in health and social services. This year, theme for World Health Day is ‘Building a fairer, healthier world’ which reminds us of a need to invest in equity enhancing strategies to address the needs of the most vulnerable.
"COVID-19 has exacerbated inequities, putting at risk hardwon gains that have been made over the past decade," says Helga Fogstad, Executive Director of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH).
"Ensuring that women, children and adolescents are protected from the disproportionate indirect social and economic impacts of the pandemic and associated financial crisis will require action from all stakeholders," adds Fogstad, who is strongly committed to human rights, public health and gender issues.
Nigeria is among 10 countries around the world that recently heeded the call and made major commitments to prioritize investments for the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents. The West African nation has pledged $2.3 billion during 2020-2028 for strategic interventions that protect the reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent and elderly health and nutrition through access to family planning services; immunization; and nutrition programmes.
Today, youth leaders, campaigners and representatives of civil society organisations from across Nigeria are meeting to deliberate on the progress of improving the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents in Africa’s most populous nation.
Nigeria has the largest youth population in Africa. Since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, the group has been negatively affected more than others due to the disruptions of essential health, nutrition and social services.
"The World Health Day 2021 is aimed at building a fairer and healthier Nigeria," says Hon. Muhammad Usman, Chair of the National Advocates for Health (NA4H).
"I am therefore calling on both federal and state governments to improve budgetary allocations and timely release of funds for health interventions, particularly for family planning, nutrition, primary healthcare – including the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund – and the national health insurance for universal health coverage," he adds.
Participants will discuss recent trends in maternal, newborn and adolescent health in Nigeria, and opportunities for parliamentarians, including National Legislative Assembly’s committees on health and finance, to contribute towards better health for women, girls and adolescents.
"Young people account for over 60% of Nigeria’s population," says Oyeyemi Pitan, Convener of the Nigerian Youth Champions for Universal Health Coverage (NYC4UHC).
"Therefore, the government, both at the federal and state levels, must invest in the health of young people by ensuring that all primary healthcare centres are adequately staffed, equipped and functional to provide access to sexual and reproductive health services, mental health services and essential life-saving drugs and commodities," Pitan remarked.
In 2020, PMNCH issued a 7-point Call to Action in response to the devastating effects of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents. It calls on leaders to protect and prioritize their rights and health during the COVID-19 response and recovery by strengthening political commitment, policies and financing for vital health services and social protections, particularly for the most vulnerable. For adolescents, it compliments the PMNCH-led worldwide Call to Action on Adolescent Wellbeing.
Other low and middle-income countries that have made similar commitments include Kenya, Liberia, Afghanistan, India, and Mexico, while donor countries, Canada, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom and the USA, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have pledged support for this critical area of global health and development that is vital to the achievement of universal health coverage.
However, experts say a lot still needs to be done and stopping preventable deaths of women, girls and children must remain a top priority.
In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has further worsened the situation as a result of disruption of essential Reproductive Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescents’ Health services, including family planning at all levels of healthcare delivery.
Recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) from 105 countries show that 90 percent of countries have experienced disruptions to health services, with low- and middle-income countries reporting the greatest difficulties. Some of the most frequently disrupted services include those related to: immunization services (facility-based services: 61 percent and outreach facilities: 70 percent) and family planning and contraception services: 68 percent.

Growing conservative backlash to the idea of "vaccine passports" — proposed by some private-sector industries to promote a safer environment as states begin to ease coronavirus restrictions — could make Republicans even less likely to get their shots, experts warned.
Last month, multiple polls found that about half of Republicans or those who identified as having voted for former President Donald Trump either want to wait and see before getting vaccinated or say they will never get the shots. So-called vaccine hesitancy among Republicans could stand in the way of the U.S.'s ultimately achieving herd immunity, which scientists estimate will be reached when 70 percent to 85 percent of the population has Covid-19 antibodies.
"The idea of a vaccine passport has become politicized quickly, making it a wedge separating people rather than a bridge to our goal of increasing vaccination," said epidemiologist Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, which has partnered with a longtime Republican pollster to study and create pro-vaccination messaging aimed at conservatives.
Vaccine hesitancy among the partisan group has remained steady even as prominent Republicans have begun to directly encourage vaccinations.
Last month, Trump said the vaccines were "safe" and effective, telling Fox News: "I would recommend it, and I would recommend it to a lot of people that don't want to get it, and a lot of those people voted for me, frankly."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Monday: "I want to say to everyone we need to take this vaccine. These reservations need to be put aside."
The vaccine passport debate could further complicate what Castrucci said was the "most urgent goal": getting everyone vaccinated. For more than a week, the concept has come under intense scrutiny on some of Fox News' most popular programs and from politicos and pundits on the right.
Conservatives have criticized such passports, as they did earlier government restrictions, like lockdowns and mask mandates, as potential government overreach and a violation of patient privacy — a point the American Civil Liberties Union has echoed.
Biden administration officials have been careful to stress that the government will not mandate such passports, nor will it maintain a federal database. Discussions about implementing passports are still at an early stage.
A.J. Bauer, an assistant professor of journalism and creative media at the University of Alabama who studies the conservative media ecosystem, said the passport debate is the latest instance of "applying culture war logic to the slow process of getting back to normal from Covid" by influential figures on the right.
Ric Grenell, who was acting director of national intelligence in the Trump administration, and Josh Mandel, a Republican candidate for the Senate in Ohio, compared the idea to Nazism. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said any company requiring one for entry would be promoting "corporate communism."
"If you’re a republican in office and you’re not vocally and aggressively opposing 'vaccine passports' it may be time to find another career," Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted Tuesday.

Pfizer and BioNTech said Thursday that trials suggest that their vaccine is effective against a coronavirus variant that first emerged in South Africa, which some experts worry might evade existing shots.
The drugmakers also said in a statement that 12,000 people involved in their Phase 3 trial experienced high levels of protection against Covid-19 six months after their second doses, with no serious safety concerns.
"It is an important step to further confirm the strong efficacy and good safety data we have seen so far," said Uğur Şahin, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech.
"These data also provide the first clinical results that a vaccine can effectively protect against currently circulating variants, a critical factor to reach herd immunity and end this pandemic for the global population," he said.
The vaccine, developed by the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, received emergency use authorization in December from the Food and Drug Administration, which is granted only in special circumstances.

Doubts cast on the effectiveness of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine in Europe and the US have fuelled the fire of vaccine hesitancy in Africa, top health officials warned.
Africa is facing its own set of challenges in its fight against Covid-19 as countries struggle to inoculate remote populations scattered across the vast continent.
Mutahi Kagwe, the Kenyan Minister of Health, said a mobile registration platform used for elections was aiding the vaccine programme across the country, but said uncertainty remained a problem.
“The hesitancy has to do with global stories about efficacy and what is happening elsewhere,” he said.
“When European countries stopped using the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines, that got into people’s minds.
“The challenge is where people are doubtful about the vaccine, so there is a need for an intensive communication campaign to address that doubt.”
US health officials have raised concerns that AstraZeneca may have included “outdated information” in its coronavirus vaccine trial in Peru, Chile and the United States.
The results were released to much fanfare on March 22, but one day later the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases issued a statement claiming the trial could have provided an “incomplete view” of the efficacy data.
Their comments came after a number of countries, including Denmark and Norway, temporarily suspended the use of the Covid-19 jab in early March, following reports that a small number of people had developed clots after their injections.
A few days later the European Medicines Agency and the WHO ruled the AstraZeneca vaccine safe and effective.
The Oxford vaccine is the preferable choice for Africa, as a lack of cold-chain storage delivery networks can make it difficult to keep other Covid-19 vaccines at the very low temperatures required, in particular when transporting them to remote communities.
“Everywhere in the world you have vaccine hesitancy,” said Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, Nigeria.
“In Nigeria, we have people who do not believe that Covid-19 exists.
"But we have enough people who do want it, and the legacy of polio has left us with a lot of infrastructure that is suitable to accept a vaccine for Covid, with cold storage facilities.
“We have a lot of experience in moving vaccines around the place, so hesitancy is not connected with the integrity of vaccines,” he said.

Enugu — The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has said that the apex bank is ready to invest in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in order to stimulate economic growth and development.
Emefiele said the sector emerged as a significant source of resilience in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, by contributing over 17.8 per cent to the GDP growth by the end of 2020.
He spoke during the weekend at the CBN Special Day at the 32nd Enugu International Trade Fair with the theme: 'Promoting new technologies, business ideas and strategies for rapid economic growth and development in Nigeria'.

In Nigeria, the government's covid-19 vaccine development program appears to be progressing gradually. On Tuesday March 23, 2021, Federal Government Secretary Boss Mustapha (photo) announced that two vaccines are in development against the virus.
During a press conference of the Presidential Task Force Against the Coronavirus (PTF) that he heads, the official praised the efforts of Nigerian researchers for the development of a local solution against the pandemic. “ The revelation that Nigerian scientists have produced at least two local covid-19 vaccines that are awaiting clinical trials and certification is significant. This is a development that will open a new perspective in scientific breakthroughs, and boost the morale and image of the medical industry in the country, ”he said.
The announcement comes as African countries face a vaccine shortage, which has slowed their vaccination campaigns. In January 2021, the Nigerian authorities announced the release of $ 25.2 million to allow Nigerian laboratories to join forces with international firms, in order to locally produce the vaccines to be administered to its population.
“ As we work to develop our own vaccines, Nigeria is exploring the possibilities of licensed production, in collaboration with recognized institutions. We are also exploring the option of local vaccine production in the country, ”said Osagie Ehanire, Nigerian Minister of Health.
Remember that Madagascar has also developed a local remedy against covid-19. His herbal tea, Covid-Organics, had then aroused criticism from the WHO and the international community.
" I call on all relevant agencies to provide the necessary support and an enabling environment for the smooth running of the remaining protocols for the certification of these vaccines, to encourage and motivate other researchers, " the secretary told media. Boss Mustapha.
Note that Nigeria has already obtained several thousand doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to launch its vaccination campaign.

Recently, news about the side effects of some vaccines is worrying. I hope that the vaccines in our country will be popularized as soon as possible.

NIGERIA recorded its first COVID-19 case on February 27, 2020, when an Italian citizen working in the country returned from Milan, Italy, to Lagos on the 25th of February 2020. He was later confirmed positive for COVID-19 by the virology laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
On March 23, 2020, exactly 25 days after the first COVID-19 case in Nigeria, the country recorded its first COVID-19 death. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which made the announcement, the country’s 1st COVID-19 death was a 67-year-old male, who returned home following medical treatment in the UK.
The NCDC also added that the man had underlying medical conditions―multiple myeloma and diabetes and was undergoing chemotherapy. He was later recognised as former managing director of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) Suleiman Achimugu,
Nigeria COVID-19 data stands at 161,868 total cases, 2030 deaths
When Nigeria recorded its first COVID-19 death last year, the country’s total COVID-19 case was just 41. The pandemic had just been recorded in five out of the 36 states of the federation, with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also making the list.
As of then, Lagos State had the highest COVID-19 cases with 48, followed by FCT with 7 cases. Ogun had 2 cases while Edo, Ekiti and Oyo State had 1 case each.
Meanwhile, one year after, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread to all the 36 states of the federation, although the death rate and infection rate differ by states.
As at Tuesday, March 23, total COVID-19 cases in the country stood at 161,868 while COVID-19 death was 2030, equating to 1.25 percent mortality rate.
It is also important to note that 1.727 million COVID-19 test samples have been carried out in the country so far, with 161,868 (equating 9.4 percent) returning positive.
No fewer than 148,125 people, who had tested positive for COVID-19, have been discharged so far, making the country‘s active COVID-19 cases stand at 11,713.
Lagos, FCT, Plateau, Kaduna and Rivers have the highest COVID-19 cases
Out of the total 161,868 COVID-19 cases in Nigeria as at Tuesday, fives states have been recognised as the states where the pandemic is prevalent.
Lagos State is the hotspot of COVID-19 in Nigeria with 57,337 cases, followed by Abuja that has 19,584 cases; Plateau with 9,015 cases; Kaduna, 8,869 cases; and Rivers with 6,867.
The five states alone account for the 63 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in Nigeria.
While Kogi, Zamfara and Yobe are having the least COVID-19 cases in the country with 5 cases, 231 cases and 293 cases respectively so far. However, Kogi governor Yahaya Bello has made disparaging comments about the virus, resisting attempts at carrying out tests in the state.
Consequently, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) has warned against travelling to Kogi after classifying the state, Yobe, Jigawa, Zamfara and Kebbi as ‘high-risk’ COVID-19 states.
The PTF hinged its decision on Kogi State government’s repeated denial of the existence of the deadly disease and its poor attitude towards report tests and isolation centres.
Lagos, FCT, Edo, Oyo and Kano have the highest COVID-19 mortality rate
According to the NCDC data, Lagos, FCT, Edo, Oyo and Kano are the top five states with highest COVID-19 mortality rates in Nigeria. The five states account for the 49.3 percent COVID-19 mortality rate in the country.
The five states have a total of 1,000 COVID-19 deaths out of 2030 cases recorded in the country so far. Lagos alone has 426 COVID-19 deaths; 156 people have died of COVID-19 in FCT; 192 deaths in Kano; 116 in Oyo, and 110 in Kano.
In Zamfara, only eight people have died of the virus. Yobe has recorded 9 COVID-19 deaths; Ekiti has 11, and Nasarawa has 13.
Prominent Nigerians that have died of COVID-19
Below are the prominent Nigerians that are among the 2,030 people that have died of COVID-19 in the country so far:
Former Chief of Staff to Nigerian President, Abba Kyari
Former Chief of Staff to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari Abba Kyari had tested positive for coronavirus disease after returning from a trip to Germany on March 15, 2020.
His death was later confirmed on April 18, 2020, in a statement posted by presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina.

Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba on Monday received the first jab of the Oxford Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccine was administered to the governor by his personal physician, Dr David Tukula.
The speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr Albasu Kunini, the Secretary to State Government, Mr Anthony Jellason, and other Executive Council Members also received the vaccine.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vaccination exercise was coming two weeks after the vaccine arrived in Jalingo the capital, through the Yola international airport.
Ishaku said the arrival of the vaccine would help in minimising the spread of the virus in the state.
The governor, who called for a seamless rollout of the vaccine, said that he was optimistic that by the year 2022 all Nigerians would have been vaccinated.
He urged health workers in the state to take advantage of the vaccine to boost their immunity as they provide health care services for others.
Ishaku, also appealed to the residents of the state to ignore the misconception that the vaccine was not safe.
He said the vaccine was safe for use and called for more awareness for people to know the importance of it.

The Biden administration is looking toward the middle of May to relax restrictions on travel across the borders with Mexico and Canada and on inbound international travel from the U.K., Europe and Brazil, according to two sources familiar with the matter. 
While there has not been a policy memo or formal codification of that time frame, the discussion has focused on trying to limit the spread of variants domestically as localities make their own decisions on how quickly to reopen. In the meantime, officials have suggested President Joe Biden and his Covid task force need more time to feel comfortable with reopening borders and increasing the level of air traffic from overseas. 
“There is going to be a sea change in mid-May when vaccines are more widely available to everyone,” according to one senior administration official. 
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. 
The White House did not respond to e-mail requests for comment before publication. 
The Department of Homeland Security announced a one-month extension of a ban on land crossings at the borders with Canada and Mexico until April 21. The previous expirations, renewed a month ago, had been set to expire March 21. 
The Biden administration has been grappling with a surge in migration at the southern border, with the volume of unaccompanied minors overwhelming shelters and the number of adults apprehended set to reach 20-year highs. The U.S. has been pressing Mexico to do more to control the flow of migration — in addition to enforcing testing and masking protocol to limit Covid spread. 
At the northern border, one official said, Canada has been requesting the U.S. keep the border closed until citizens there can get access to vaccines. In a joint communique following a bilateral meeting in late February, Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they “agreed to take a coordinated approach based on science and public health criteria when considering measures to ease Canada-U.S. border restrictions in the future.” 
As for international air travel from Britain, Europe and Brazil, interagency working groups in the Biden administration have agreed to revisit the issue on a weekly basis as new data becomes available. Public health experts have raised concerns about new variants that could spread rapidly in communities that are reopening quickly, while other officials have noted that all international travelers must test negative before boarding. Those two views, according to sources, have offset each other in deliberations. 
Before leaving office, former President Donald Trump lifted restrictions on inbound travel from allied countries, even as the United States was experiencing a surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Biden reinstated the restrictions during his first week in office. 
“With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel,” press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted on Jan. 25 when the administration moved to reinstate the limits.

All travelers who want to fly to the U.S. are required to present proof of negative Covid-19 tests. For now, proof takes the form of a printout of a test result or a photo of the result — creating opportunities for misunderstandings or potential fraud. Newly launched digital initiatives hope to clear up any ambiguity, standardize information and share the information securely.
International travel is likely to be the first industry to use new digital passports. One of the first flights to trial a new "digital passport" embedded with vaccination information and test results took off Thursday morning, a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Istanbul.
Fliers log in to the Travel Pass app using FaceID on their smartphones, then take selfies to authorize access. They can then scan their passports using the cameras on the phones. From there, passengers can add their itineraries, vaccination certificates and Covid-19 test results.
As part of the trial, passengers in Doha can go to a local medical center, which will send their test results directly to the app. The app shows a green check mark to say you're ready to travel. The airlines also have access to the back-end system, allowing for contactless and paperless verification.
"What it will do is give people and the authorities confidence that your documentation is correct that you have been vaccinated. You don't have to carry pieces of paper around, which you could lose and get into a bind with the authorities," Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said.
Both the International Air Transport Association, which developed the Travel Pass, and the airlines using it say the Travel Pass will adhere to strict data privacy restrictions.
"It also will give you confidence as a passenger that your data that you have put into the system stays on your smartphone and is not being shared with anybody else," Al Baker said.
Over a dozen airlines have signed up to trial the pass, including Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qantas. The pass will officially debut at the end of March.
Some governments and airlines have begun making their own apps or allowing for other digital systems. British Airways and the budget airline Ryanair have started letting passengers upload their vaccination and Covid-19 test results with their other personal booking information when they book online. But Al Baker said having a multitude of digital passport formats isn't ideal.
"We want it to be a standard form accepted by the entire world airport community and immigration community," he said.

The Nigerian Protein Deficiency Report 2020, the result of a survey carried out in 2020 to assess the malignant issues of protein deficiency in Nigeria will be formally presented to the public at a special Protein Challenge webinar session on Thursday, March 18, 2021.
#ProteinChallenge is the tag name of the Nigeria Protein Deficiency Awareness Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to create nationwide awareness of the prevalence, challenges and impact of protein deficiency in Nigeria and to work with relevant stakeholders to explore options of mitigating it so that Nigerians of all ages can live healthy, productive lives.
The survey was conducted on behalf of #ProteinChallenge by IPSOS, a leading market research company that conducts in-depth analyses of various issues, such as health statistics, population demographics, and other related fields.
The 2020 report is a follow up to the 2019 edition, a protein deficiency baseline study to empirically determine the status and dimensions of protein deficiency in Nigeria.
The 2020 report highlights the current levels of protein deficiency, the meal consumption patterns and the barriers to protein intake among Nigerians. It also provides insights into public-private interventions/initiatives in the nutrition sector, consumer perception of protein intakes and the prevalence of protein deficiency in selected states across Nigeria.
Globally, protein deficiency poses not only a major health problem but also an economic and social burden. It is regarded as perhaps the most important risk factor for illness and death, with millions of individuals affected.
Historical data also shows that Nigeria has a gap in its protein consumption when compared to other global economies. It is ranked below the bar in the global food security index, with a protein per capita daily intake lower than the global standard. This is a major burden that requires continuous interventions to combat and reduce the nutrition crisis in Nigeria.
Another aspect of the report was the level of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic has increased the malnutrition index and caused major problems to many individuals.
Challenges faced during the pandemic enforced lockdown included food availability, food accessibility and food affordability. The financial strains affected all the SEC’s (socio-economic classes) and reduced the purchasing powers of families. Large scale and small-scale farmers were also affected and various industries suffered setbacks with many yet to recover.
The report indicated that the farmers also experienced shortages of soybeans, citing references from the current scarcity of soybeans in the livestock and agricultural industries.
The Nigerian Protein Deficiency Report 2020 offers valuable insights for academics, health professionals, nutrition experts and agro-allied industry analysts in the agricultural space.

The Nigerian healthcare sector needs a swift turnaround that can help the country align with staying through to development that is necessary for sustainable healthcare delivery and wellbeing. In December 2020, the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire unveiled Nigeria’s health sector roadmap which was guided by the President’s “Health Sector Next Level Agenda” of 2019 in Abuja.
The plan is a nine-point, medium-term plan, to facilitate the push towards Universal Health Coverage. The Minister stated as part of the plan an active, collaboration with the private sector to create a large number of well-paying jobs for Nigerian youths; and a contribution to the realization of Mr President’s promise to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.
If such level of private investors’ involvement is what Nigeria requires, leaders in the health sector must be willing to abide by the rules of engagement, particularly when they eventually get investors to stake their monies in their businesses. What the sector cannot afford now is a bad reputation that may jeopardize its prospects for attracting the desired investment.
An instance is drawn from the recent controversy around Health Plus Limited, a foremost pharmaceutical retailer, majority owned by UK private equity firm Alta Semper Capital. The Founder of HealthPlus, Mrs. George, saw her appointment as CEO terminated by the Board in September 2020 in accordance with the terms of her management agreement. Despite remaining a director and a shareholder, Mrs. George opted to launch relentless attacks against the brand she built, including rapid institution of court cases, a cloudy intervention by the House of Representatives, which was subsequently withdrawn, and a recent communication by the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN) announcing the withdrawal of a ‘no objection’ letter written to HealthPlus to allegedly allow for investment from Alta Semper.
The PCN action alone raises serious question as such a letter is not required for investment in a pharmaceutical business in Nigeria. The PCN simply does not have the authority for such a letter to have any effect, especially regarding investments of this nature.
These incidences validate concerns about how investors in the sector are been treated by their local partners and the system in general. There is certainly a need for a deliberate policy review as it relates to FDI and driving a positive outlook for investment in Nigeria.
As Nigeria make attempts to move away from been a mono-economy, foreign investors must not be vilified, hounded or bruised into regretting venturing into arguably the biggest economy in Africa with over 180 million people and counting. An economy as huge as that will only capitulate under the pressure of dearth in capital investment.
Sadly, over the years, the Nigerian government has not been able to fully implement the resolutions of Heads of State made in Abuja in 2001 where African leaders pledged to commit at least 15% of their annual budgets towards the improvement of the health sector. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Expenditure Database, only four countries- Ethiopia, Malawi, Swaziland, and the Gambia have met their 15% target in 2014, living out Nigeria. To succeed, pharmaceutical companies must take care to design trade terms and affordability strategies that will help Nigeria manage its healthcare spending and develop its pharmaceutical market.
A 2017 McKinsey report on healthcare financing in Nigeria, with particular reference to what happens in the pharmaceutical sector stated that healthcare spending in Nigeria is predominantly a private affair. For example, out of estimated total health expenditure (THE) in 2015 of $15 billion, out-of-pocket spending accounted for approximately 70 per cent, compared with just 7 per cent in France and South Africa. Private health insurance, mostly the preserve of senior staff in large corporations, accounted for about 5 per cent of THE, compared with 14 per cent in France and 45 per cent in South Africa.
According to experts, the Nigeria pharmaceutical industry is projected to be a $4 billion industry in the next ten years amidst an improved GDP growth. Therefore, in reference to the Minister’s notes on private investment in the health sector, more investors must be encouraged through good policies by the government; an effective legal system that would be prompt in delivering judgement in case of litigation, following the rule of law and supporting enabling laws that creates a conducive business environment.
Nigeria’s large, young population, widening deficits in primary and specialty care, and the state’s encouragement of investment have created opportunities for growth across all levels of service provision. The government’s willingness to plan and partner with private investors should help to considerably improve the quality and access to good healthcare services in the years to come. Therefore, necessary measures must be adopted to ensure investors get an equitable return on their investments. This is still achievable and will help towards attracting the right investors that can significantly contribute to the sorely needed development in healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Omife is a public relations expert with an interest in strategic corporate communications.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package aimed at giving a financial boost to American households and businesses, his first major legislative victory since assuming office on January 20. 
The bill, which already cleared the Senate, now goes to Biden, who will sign it into law Friday, according to White House spokesperson Jen Psaki. 
Minutes before the 220-211 vote, largely along party lines, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “We will get to work immediately to delivering life-saving resources springing from this bill as soon as it is passed and signed, as we join President Biden in his promise that help is on the way.”  
Republican lawmakers have objected to the package, saying it is too large and does not sufficiently target those who are most in need of economic assistance.  House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday called the bill “costly, corrupt, and liberal.” 
The measure narrowly passed in the Senate on Saturday after the chamber altered some aspects of a bill approved earlier by the House.  Among the changes was the removal of an increase in the federal minimum wage. 
The measure includes $1,400 checks for all but the highest-earning adults in the country, and $3,000 or $3,600 to children, depending on their age. Unemployed workers will continue to get $300-a-week national government payments into early September on top of state assistance. State and city governments will get $350 billion to help them recover from the pandemic.  
Unlike a round of direct payments that went out last year in a coronavirus relief package, this time the checks will not have the signature of the president. 
The package also includes tens of billions of dollars to fund coronavirus testing and contact tracing, as well as vaccine distribution, along with new aid for businesses that have been hard hit by directives that curtailed their operations over the last year.  
Biden on Tuesday visited a hardware store in Washington that has benefited from a pandemic-related paycheck protection loan program.  
Compared to coronavirus relief approved last year, Biden says the newest legislation targets loans more narrowly to small businesses. He said a lot of “mom-and-pop businesses got muscled out of the way by bigger companies that jumped in front of the line” a year ago.  
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki praised the legislation at a news conference Monday, saying that while there were some changes on the margins as the Senate acted, it represented the “core” of what Biden originally proposed.  
On Tuesday, she said Biden and other senior administration officials plan to continue to tout the benefits of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan after it passes.  
“We certainly recognize that we can’t just sign a bill,” Psaki told reporters. “We will need to do some work and use our best voices, including the president, the vice president and others, to communicate to the American people the benefits of this package, how they can benefit from the package, how they can have access to [stimulus] checks.”  
“So, I think you can certainly expect the president to be doing some travel, and we’ll have more details on that in the coming days,” she said.

One year since the first wave threatened to engulf the nation, Covid-19 has reoriented business and spending in the United States in ways once thought unfathomable. It also has become a line of demarcation: The trajectory of Donald Trump’s final year as president was suddenly and sharply rerouted — with many of the administration’s key priorities upended as the nation’s commercial infrastructure was thrown into chaos.
Before the pandemic, economists and pundits had been keeping a wary eye on a mercurial president with an unorthodox, polarizing approach to governing. Were it not for Covid-19, Trump’s interventions in three critical areas of economic policy had the potential to leave the U.S. in a very different economic position than it is today.
The US government has not effectively controlled the disease. Many people are unemployed and facing economic crisis, and debts have appeared on a large scale. What the government should solve is the essential problem.

(CNN) — Once one of the world’s most powerful travel documents, the might of the United States passport has been diminished during the pandemic. With US Covid-19 cases near the 29 million mark, some nations continue to view American vacationers warily.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether travel to international destinations is a good idea. The health risks are obvious. Nations might change their rules at any time. You may have to adhere to stricter curfews and mask mandates than Americans are used to following. Violations could involve hefty fines and even jail time.
If you want expert input into your decision, the US State Department and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide Covid-19 risk assessments by country. The CDC rates many of the countries open to US travelers at Level 4, at the highest risk for Covid-19.
Also, keep this in mind: All air passengers 2 and older must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test that’s no more than 72 hours old to enter the United States. That includes US citizens returning from trips to other countries. Be sure to get information on testing sites in your destination for your return trip. US embassies report some countries are having trouble returning test results within the 72-hour window.
What follows is an alphabetical list of countries and territories where it’s still possible for US passport holders to go for a vacation:
Albania
Set on the Adriatic Sea, Albania remains open. While there’s no Covid-19 test requirements or quarantine to enter, you can expect a health screening. Mask requirements and new curfews are in place. More info: US Embassy in Albania.
Anguilla
This British territory in the Caribbean is accepting US visitors. You must be pre-approved. Click here to start the process and read up on extensive Covid-19 testing requirements, including the specific type of test you must get, as well as mandatory quarantine and insurance. More details: The US Embassy.
Antigua and Barbuda
US travelers 12 and older to Antigua and Barbuda arriving by air must present a negative Covid-19-RT-PCR (real time polymerase chain reaction) test result, using a nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab. It must be taken within seven days of the flight.
Visitors are subject to monitoring by health officials for 14 days and another Covid-19 test may be required, which could mean quarantining while waiting for the result. More info: US Embassy website | Antigua and Barbuda government websiteArmenia
NEW: From the historical capital of Yerevan to wild national parks, Armenia is open to US tourists. Armenia was in a brief war last year with neighboring Azerbaijan, but a peace treaty was signed in November. To enter, you must have a negative result from a Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival or take a test upon arrival for about $40 and self-isolate until you get your result. More info: US Embassy | Armenia’s official Covid-19 travel website
Aruba
Scroll down to the “Dutch Caribbean” entry below for information on Aruba and other islands in this group.
The Bahamas
Visitors 11 and older must have a negative Covid-19 PCR test result no more than five days old before arrival. Once you have the negative result, you can apply for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa here, where you must opt in for Covid-19 health insurance. You must also take a rapid test on day 5 unless you’re leaving. Get updates: US Embassy website | Bahamas’ travel website
Bangladesh
US citizens may travel to this culturally rich South Asian nation. To enter, you must have a medical certificate with English translation stating you’re negative for Covid-19, with the PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel. You must also “home quarantine” for 14 days even with a negative result. More details: US Embassy in Bangladesh.
Barbados
US citizens must complete an online travel form and submit it 24 hours before leaving. You must present a valid negative Covid-19 PCR test result, taken within 72 hours of arrival. All travelers must take a rapid antigen test on arrival.
As the US is designated a high-risk country, you must still quarantine at an approved hotel or resort until you get a second test and negative result. The quarantine is a minimum of five nights. You must also wear an electronic tracking bracelet. The US Embassy says PCR tests are backlogged. More info: The US Embassy | Visit Barbados website.
Belize
UPDATE: Known for diving and jungle wildlife, this Central American nation is open to US citizens. To enter, you must download the Belize Health App and input your information no more than 72 hours before arriving in Belize.
You can bring an official vaccine card reflecting that you’ve gotten inoculated at least two weeks before arrival. Otherwise, have a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 96 hours of arrival or a rapid test within 48 hours of arrival. Or you can be tested upon arrival at a cost of $50. More info: US Embassy in Belize | Belize Tourism Board
Bermuda
This Atlantic island requires each inbound passenger 10 and older to apply for travel authorization at the cost of $75 per adult and $30 for flight crew and children 9 and younger. Upon arrival, passengers must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken no more than five days before departure. You’ll be tested again at the airport and quarantined while awaiting for those results. More tests are required on days 4, 8 and 14 of your visit. More: US Embassy in Bermuda | Bermuda Tourism Authority
Bolivia
This landlocked South American country of wildly varying landscapes allows US visitors who have a negative Covid-19 test taken within 10 days of a flight departing North America. Expect a health screening. No quarantines are in place. More details: US Embassy in Bolivia.

The White House was bullish on vaccines, masks and its stimulus bill Wednesday as the Senate prepared to tackle the $1.9 trillion package that could start putting $1,400 in the pockets of most Americans – although fewer than the House version allowed – in two weeks.
What the White House is not keen on is states lifting pandemic restrictions at a time when experts warn the nation is till susceptible to a major surge in infections driven by coronavirus variants.
President Joe Biden slammed those decisions Wednesday, a day after the Texas and Mississippi governors said they're discarding masking mandates, and said they're "a big mistake.'' Only about 8% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 
"The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that, in the meantime, everything's fine, take off your mask, forget it," Biden said. "It still matters."
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves responded on Twitter, saying, “I just think we should trust Americans, not insult them.”
Earlier Wednesday, the Biden administration announced it will invest $100 million to prep Merck Co. factories to produce COVID-19 vaccine developed by rival Johnson & Johnson. Biden said Tuesday that sufficient vaccine should be available for all adults by the end of May.
Far outside Washington's political beltway, governors were preparing to return some semblance of normalcy to their states. Texas and Mississippi dropped all mask mandates. New York state was testing a high-tech "Excelsior Pass'' allowing participants to confirm vaccinations or recent negative COVID-19 tests and gain entry to events at theaters and arenas.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has warned that "now is not the time to release all restrictions."
The Senate was initially expected to begin debating the pandemic stimulus bill Wednesday but that has been delayed. Under the plan, according to two sources familiar with the deliberations not authorized to speak on the record, the stimulus checks would start to phase out for Americans earning $75,000 a year and phase out entirely at $80,000 of income for individuals. The House bill had capped income at $100,000.
The bill also includes funding for state and local governments, tax credits for families and bigger unemployment checks.

The National Economic Burden of Rare Disease Study conducted on behalf of the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases took a first-of-its-kind look at the economic burden of rare diseases in the United States for the year 2019.
Because the study only examined the financial costs of 379 rare diseases, Annie Kennedy, Chief of Policy and Advocacy at EveryLife Foundation said the research is “only the tip of the iceberg” of the overall economic burden in the rare disease community. In an interview with BioBuzz ahead of the study’s release, Kennedy said it was critical to establish the hard data in order to ensure the conversation can move from “anecdotal evidence to what the actual economic cost of rare disease is.”
The study includes both direct medical costs, as well as indirect costs that affect the families of these patients. Of that $966 billion, $418 billion (43%) was in direct medical costs, while $548 billion (57%) was in indirect costs, the study shows. Direct medical costs include inpatient and outpatient services and prescription medications, while indirect medical costs include employee absenteeism, forced retirement, and healthcare services not covered by insurance.
Kennedy said it was important for this study to show the indirect costs since so many of these are silently borne by the families of the patients. Prior to the study, Kennedy, a longtime advocate for the rare disease community, said they were not surprised the indirect economic burden was higher than the direct costs of rare diseases.
“For families, these are costs that accumulate. This is a one-year snapshot and it doesn’t show the whole picture of living with rare disease,” Kennedy said. “There’s so much more to this story.”
The survey shows that on average, the per-person excess direct medical cost of rare disease is $26,887 more than that for comparison individuals without a rare disease. The average annual direct medical excess cost for a child with a rare disease is $32,037, $29,647 for working-age adults with a rare disease, and $21,772 for rare disease patients age 65 and older.
The highest per-person excess medical cost is for “Lysosomal storage diseases” regardless of the age group. The study shows the cost breakdown at $132,757 for children and $54,996 for adults. The second most expensive rare disease group among children based on per-person excess costs is “Other endocrine or metabolic disorders,” which has an average excess medical cost of $72,285. Among adults, the second most expensive group is “Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs,” which has an average cost of $52,201.
The estimated total indirect and non-medical cost of rare disease was $548 billion in 2019, with $343 billion to persons with rare diseases and another $205 billion to unpaid caregivers.
To create the study, EveryLife Foundation, a rare disease policy organization based in Washington, D.C., had more than 100 patient organizations work with them to identify data points to collect. The organization conducted a survey of rare disease families and received a response from 3,484 households. Of those, 1,409 (40.4%) completed the survey.
Of those 39 respondents were not included because the name of the disease entered was not considered a rare disease, which is defined by the Orphan Drug Act of 1983 as a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. The diseases included in the new report include some of the more prevalent rare diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and hemophilia, but also included ultra-rare diseases, Kennedy said.
The National Institutes of Health estimates there are between 25 million and 30 million Americans living with a rare disease. Although it is expected there are about 7,000 rare diseases, only a few in the U.S. are actually tracked with International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes.

Nigeria's Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved a new anti-corruption chief nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Senate approved Abdulrasheed Bawa, a regional head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a voice vote.
The EFCC investigates and prosecutes corruption in Africa's largest oil exporter and its biggest economy. Bawa will now take charge of a string of high-profile investigations, including into alleged wrongdoing by P&ID, a gas firm with a $10 billion arbitration award that Nigeria is working to overturn.
Bawa told senators that his 16 years at the EFCC had prepared him well for the top job.
"I am versed in the investigation of advance fee fraud, money laundering, public sector corruption and other financial crime-related issues," he said during the confirmation.
Buhari suspended the previous EFCC chief, Ibrahim Magu, last year after allegations that he had diverted funds recovered by the agency into private pockets, charges Magu's lawyer has denied.
Nigeria has struggled for decades with endemic corruption. Last year, the government announced plans to form an agency to manage the money and assets seized domestically or returned from abroad following anti-corruption investigations to prevent further misuse of the assets.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris urged Black Americans on Wednesday to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as data shows Blacks and Hispanics lagging behind in inoculations.
“Let’s not let COVID get us. Let’s get the vaccine instead, right?” Harris said in excerpts from an MSNBC interview.
“We know Black people are disproportionately likely to contract the virus and die from it,” Harris said. “We know when you look at who the frontline workers are, who is the most at risk disproportionately. We are talking about people of color.”
Blacks and Hispanics have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19 with a disproportionate number of deaths, and public health officials have broadly called for equity in vaccine distribution.
Harris, the first Black and Asian U.S. vice president, noted that Black small businesses were also being affected, with 40% going out of business.
“Let’s not let COVID get us. Let’s get the vaccine instead, right?” Harris said in excerpts from an MSNBC interview.
“We know Black people are disproportionately likely to contract the virus and die from it,” Harris said. “We know when you look at who the frontline workers are, who is the most at risk disproportionately. We are talking about people of color.”
Blacks and Hispanics have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19 with a disproportionate number of deaths, and public health officials have broadly called for equity in vaccine distribution.
Harris, the first Black and Asian U.S. vice president, noted that Black small businesses were also being affected, with 40% going out of business.
Two-thirds of the people served by community health centers live in poverty, 60% are racial and/or ethnic minorities and nearly 1.4 million are homeless, the White House said.
In outreach to Black Americans in New York on Wednesday, the state’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, appeared at the York College mass vaccination site with Black clergy members.
Bishop Calvin Rice of the New Jerusalem Worship Center in the New York City borough of Queens said he had been vaccinated without incident.
“This site is being opened specifically for our community - Every tube that’s available for vaccination, you need to come and get it,” Rice said.
“We’ve seen what our communities look like fighting COVID without the vaccine and it’s painful,” he added. “I believe the vaccine is safe. It is the best tool to protect ourselves.”

The CEO of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib has stated that the first batch of the 4 million AstraZeneca vaccines is set to arrive Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a social media statement by the FG on Monday evening.
“As of today, Purchase Orders have been raised by UNICEF Supply Division for the Astrazeneca vaccine. Under normal circumstances, with routine immunization vaccines, it takes 2 weeks from when the Purchase Order is raised to when we receive the vaccine in Nigeria,” Dr. Shuaib said.
He added that the process order would be fastened to ensure availability in a week.
“However, because this is an emergency situation, we have been informed by UNICEF that this process will be fast-tracked to potentially ensure the vaccines arrive Nigeria within 1 week. As soon as we receive confirmation on date of arrival, we’ll inform Nigerians.
“We have also been informed that 4 million out of the 16million doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in the first batch of supplies to the country,” he added.
What you should know 
Recall Nairametrics reported earlier this month that the NPHCDA said Nigeria is no longer expecting the 100,000 doses of the Pfizer/BIONtech vaccine through the COVAX facility but has been allocated about 16 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Fayemi had earlier revealed that about 80 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines will soon be made available in the country, to immunize 40% of the Nigerian population this year.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, had earlier announced that the first batch of 15 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, which is from AstraZeneca under the COVAX programme, is expected to be available from February.
This is coming after the African Union (AU)’s African Vaccines had allocated 42 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Nigeria.
Also, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, said the Nigerian government expected over 41 million vaccines from the African Union before the end of April, as it also expected to source vaccines from India and Russia.
The Federal Government had earlier announced that Nigeria was about to receive 1.4 million doses of vaccines donated by MTN.
The UK Government has revealed that the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) had announced that Nigeria would be one of the first countries to receive 16 million free doses of Covid-19 vaccines through the COVAX Global Vaccines Facility.
BUA Group revealed that it had purchased a million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for Nigeria, with delivery to be made soon.

We are finally waiting for the vaccine! Although not everyone can inject, it also solves a large part of the problem.

(CNN)The United States is seeing a large decline in new Covid-19 cases -- but there's a major caveat.
According to a CNN analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University, the US is seeing a 29% decline in new Covid-19 cases compared to this time last week, the steepest one-week decline the country has seen during the pandemic.
Improvements have been made; in a White House briefing Friday, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the US continues to see a five-week decline, with the seven-day average of cases declining 69% since peaking on January 11.
But it's unclear exactly how much of the decline can be attributed to the winter weather that's gripped much of the country, forcing officials to close testing sites, which affects the collection of crucial data.
Several states impacted by winter storms are seeing large declines in new cases this week, per Johns Hopkins data, including Texas, where cases are down 56% compared to last week.
The COVID Tracking Project said Thursday it had been unable to update the daily number of tests performed in Texas for four days because of the winter weather. Overall, the US has seen nearly a 13.5% decrease in testing compared to this time last week.
Again, that's not to say the United States hasn't made progress in driving down case numbers. Early this week, Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, and Dr. Jonathan Reiner, professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University, both pointed to increased mask-wearing as one reason for declining numbers.
Whatever progress has been made, however, is also threatened by the rise of Covid-19 variants, some of which appear to be more transmissible. And while they could spell trouble, pharmaceutical companies and scientists are confident vaccines will evolve with them, according to senior White House adviser Andy Slavitt.
"I spoke to all the pharmaceutical companies and scientists, and they all say the same thing: Even if these vaccines diminish a little bit, they will be able to continually update them," Slavitt, who is responsible for the Covid-19 response, told CNN's Chris Cuomo Thursday.With more than 1,500 cases of variants reported in the US, officials have been racing to administer vaccines quickly to get ahead of further mutations, with about 59.5 million doses administered so far across the country, according to the CDC.
"Even though the numbers look promising in terms of new cases going down, that's misleading," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of tropical medicine at Baylor College in Houston, pointing to the UK Covid-19 variant. "I think we're about to get hit very hard, so we have to race ahead of the variant."
New research out of Israel and Canada has found that only a single dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine offers significant protection against the virus, but Slavitt stressed that does not mean people should skip the second dose.
"We don't know how long or how durable that benefit is without the booster," he said. "We don't know how effective it is against variants."
Dr. Anthony Fauci echoed that in Friday's White House briefing, saying he had not changed his mind after reading the Israeli report. He said the US would "stick with the scientifically documented efficacy and optimal response" of two doses.
He added he worried that if a large number of people received just one dose and had less optimal immune response, they could be exposed to the virus and start incubating viral mutations.
"You might theoretically be inducing new variants," he said.

I grew up in the Nigerian city of Jos, which is a complex place in an already complex country. Nigeria has around 200 million people spread across 250 ethnic groups and speaking over 500 languages. Generally, Christians are the majority in the south, while Muslims are the majority in the north. Jos sits in the middle of this split, in a farming region known as the Middle Belt.
In the past two decades, the city has seen waves of religious violence: hundreds killed in 2001, 2008, and 2010. Each time, communities on both sides mourned their dead and rebuilt their towns, but the scars never truly healed.
The situation isn’t unique to Jos, of course. Around the world, many people live in societies split by politics, race, religion, or something else. In the United States, tense election cycles have exposed divisions that seem too wide to bridge. Indeed, it may well seem impossible for anyone—from politicians to activists—to make progress when polarization is so intense. But it is possible, and Jos’s experience shows how.
I am the youth coordinator of the Jos Stakeholders Centre for Peace, a network of 39 organizations seeking to build a stronger city—not only to prevent violence but also to reduce poverty, promote justice, and improve health care. Peace rests on all doing work on all of these overlapping issues, and the approach we follow is called the Common Ground Approach, developed by the Search for Common Ground, the largest organization specifically dedicated to peace building.
Tested across 40 years and five continents on some of the world’s toughest violent conflicts, the Common Ground Approach starts with something that many people take for granted: locally led analysis. Before any action, there must be understanding, and the only way to understand is to speak with people living with the core issues every day. This is easier said than done
For example, crime is a major topic of debate in Jos. When a young person commits a crime, all youth get stigmatized as aggressive, angry predators. The sole solution seems to be strong policing. However, actually talking to young people reveals something else: an epidemic of loneliness, anxiety, and fear. Jos Stakeholders started the Psychosocial Working Group to address these issues; only local analysis could have led to this point.
Further, when COVID-19 arrived in Jos, the government faced steep challenges in mounting a response. After decades of violence, communities simply did not trust many politicians. And health officials could not reach the thousands of people living in Jos’s informal communities without better cooperation and data.
But nongovernmental organizations, especially those whose workers live in the communities they serve, have more built-in trust. People like those workers could go from neighborhood to neighborhood, asking residents how they felt about the disease and public health response. They could use those insights to communicate about COVID-19 in a way that overcame fears. That life-saving information could be spread in particular to the communities—often marginalized and suspicious of the government—most vulnerable to the disease.
The second step is to use the information gathered in the first step to identify the core grievances underlying the conflict. That seems obvious, but real grievances are rarely the same as spoken demand.
In October 2020, the #EndSARS movement erupted in Nigeria after an online video showed an officer of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) shooting a young man. Millions of Nigerians took to the streets, and the hashtag seemed to capture their exact demand: an end to SARS. But it was a mistake to stop at the hashtag; actual needs ran deeper.

Four people in Oregon have tested positive for the coronavirus after receiving both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, health officials said.
There are two cases each in Yamhill and Lane counties, the state's Health Authority said in a series of tweets on Friday. The cases are either mild or asymptomatic.
"We are working with our local and federal public health partners to investigate and determine case origin," the agency said. "Genome sequencing is underway, and we expect results next week."
The agency referred to the individuals who tested positive as "breakthrough cases," meaning that they got sick with the virus at least 14 days after receiving both doses.
The Health Authority said more breakthrough cases could pop up.
"Clinical trials of both vaccines presently in use included breakthrough cases. In those cases, even though the participants got Covid, the vaccines reduced the severity of illness," the agency said in a tweet.
"Based on what we know about vaccines for other diseases and early data from clinical trials, experts believe that getting a Covid-19 vaccine may also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get the virus. ... Getting as many Oregonians as possible vaccinated remains a critical objective to ending the pandemic."
The agency's announcement came the same day its health officer said there has been a decline of daily Covid-19 cases over the past several weeks. As of Friday, there were 149,576 cases in the state, according to the department's count.

MONDAY, Feb. 8, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- The highly contagious coronavirus variant that drove Britain into lockdown in December is now spreading quickly across the United States, a new study shows.
What has been dubbed the B.1.1.7 variant is doubling its prevalence every nine days in this country, according to a report posted on the preprint server MedRxiv on Sunday and not yet peer-reviewed or published in a journal. The findings, from a large collaboration of scientists, buttresses a forecast issued last month by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that showed the variant becoming dominant in this country by late March.
The researchers scrutinized genomic analyses of the virus samples from 10 states, including from 212 infections involving the variant, and concluded that the variant has been 35 to 45 percent more transmissible than other variants in the United States.
"It is here, it's got its hooks deep into this country, and it's on its way to very quickly becoming the dominant lineage," study co-author Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, told the Washington Post.
"Those models are very sensitive to assumptions about how many people the average infected person passes the virus to. If those assumptions are off by just a bit, or if we let our guard down and relax mitigation measures, I believe we could well see a dangerous upward surge of cases as B.1.1.7 comes to dominate the U.S. epidemic in March," Worobey added.
"Our study shows that the U.S. is on a similar trajectory as other countries, where B.1.1.7 rapidly became the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant, requiring immediate and decisive action to minimize COVID-19 morbidity and mortality," the authors of the new report said.
In the study, Florida stands out as the state with the highest estimated prevalence of the variant. The new report estimated the doubling time of B.1.1.7 prevalence in positive test results at just over nine days.
Florida leads the nation in reported B.1.1.7 cases, with 201 as of Monday, followed by much more populous California with 145, according to the CDC. A total of 690 cases have been reported in 33 states, according to the CDC.
The new study only looked at data through the end of January, but the percentage of B.1.1.7 infections in Florida may have risen from a little less than 5 percent to approximately 10 percent in just the past week in Florida, study co-author Kristian Andersen, an immunologist at Scripps Research Institute, told the Post Sunday.
Mary Jo Trepka, an epidemiologist at Florida International University, told the newspaper she is not surprised by the spread of the variant in Florida, because the state has not been strict about mask mandates or other restrictions, while at the same time it is a hub for international travel.
"The message is that we have to work harder to prevent transmission of all these cases of COVID," she said. "If we don't, we'll potentially see more variants. We need to get everybody vaccinated and we need to do a much better job at preventing transmission."
The variant first appeared in genomic surveys in the United Kingdom in September, but did not get tagged as a "variant of concern" until early December when its rapid spread stunned scientists and prompted lockdowns in southern England.
"What concerns me is the exponential growth in the early stages doesn't look very fast," Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Irvine, who was not part of the new study, told the Post. "It kind of putzes along — and then goes boom."

WASHINGTON (AP) — When a Halloween party sparked a COVID-19 outbreak at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, school officials conducted rapid screening on more than 1,000 students in a week, including many who didn’t have symptoms.
Although such asymptomatic screening isn’t approved by regulators and the 15-minute tests aren’t as sensitive as the genetic one that can take days to yield results, the testing director at the historically Black college credits the approach with quickly containing the infections and allowing the campus to remain open.
“Within the span of a week, we had crushed the spread. If we had had to stick with the PCR test, we would have been dead in the water,” said Dr. Robert Doolittle, referring to the polymerase chain reaction test that is considered the gold standard by many doctors and Food and Drug Administration regulators.
With President Joe Biden vowing to get elementary and middle school students back to the classroom by spring and the country’s testing system still unable to keep pace with the spread of COVID-19, some experts see an opportunity to refocus U.S. testing less on medical precision than on mass screening that they believe could save hundreds of thousands of lives. As vaccines slowly roll out, they say the nation could suppress the outbreak and reopen much of the economy by easing regulatory hurdles to allow millions more rapid tests that, while technically less accurate, may actually be better at identifying sick people when they are most contagious.
“Our whole testing approach, which has failed, has tried to tackle this pandemic as though it’s a bunch of little medical problems,” said Dr. Michael Mina, a Harvard University testing specialist. “Instead, we need to take a big step back and say, ‘Wait, this isn’t a lot of medical problems, it’s an epidemic. And if we resolve the epidemic, we resolve the medical problems.’”
The U.S. reports about 2 million tests per day, the vast majority of which are the slower, PCR variety. The initial tests developed to detect COVID-19 all used the cutting-edge technique, which quickly became the standard at U.S. hospitals and labs. It also became the benchmark for accuracyat the FDA, which has greenlighted more than 230 PCR tests but only about a dozen rapid tests. Priced as low as $5, the quick tests look for viral proteins, which are generally considered a less rigorous measure of infection.
The FDA said in a statement it supports “innovation in testing” and “has not hesitated” to make rapid tests available.
But most experts agree that the current U.S. system, which relies heavily on lab testing, is still incapable of containing the virus that is killing more than 3,000 Americans per day and has pushed the country’s death toll to nearly 460,000.
Compounding the problem is that an estimated 40% of people infected don’t develop symptoms. It’s among these silent spreaders that Mina says rapid tests have the clear advantage over lab tests. With its medical precision, he argues that the PCR test continues to detect COVID-19 in many people who have already fought off the virus and are no longer contagious. The rapid test, while less sensitive, is better at quickly catching the virus during the critical early days of infection when it can spread explosively through communities.
“This isn’t a clinical test — it’s a public health screening test,” Mina said.
The case for widescale rapid testing is getting a boost from universities and school systems that have used the approach to stay open through the latest waves of the pandemic. And proponents point to apparent success stories like the small European nation of Slovakia, which saw infections drop after screening two-thirds of its roughly 5 million people with the tests.
But many lab specialists worry about vastly expanding the use of rapid tests, which are more prone to false results, and have never been used at the massive scale being proposed.
“There’s a lot of people trying to portray things as black and white, and there’s a lot of gray here, unfortunately,” says Susan Butler-Wu, of the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine.
She points out that testing campaigns in Slovakia, the U.K. and elsewhere have been paired with strict lockdown orders. Without such measures in the U.S., critics say there is no way to predict whether people who test positive will self-isolate.
That’s a particular worry with proposals from Mina and others to blanket the U.S. in millions of rapid, home tests that would allow people to regularly screen themselves without medical supervision.
“I want to believe in people making good decisions when left to their own devices,” said Butler-Wu. “But the fact that we are where we are right now really shows you people don’t make good decisions when left to their own devices.”
One area where consensus may be emerging is in public schools, where many parents and districts are eager for a return to in-person instruction. Biden has proposed spending $50 billion to vastly expand rapid testing as part of his push to return most K-8 students to classes within his first 100 days.

The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) has stated that the Federal Government needs to prioritize the promotion of non-oil revenue to maximize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
The NESG also added that the Nigerian economy would rebound by 7.5% by 2025.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of the group, Mr. Asue Igohdalo,  during the virtual launch of the NESG report titled  “NESG Macro-Economic outlook 2021,” on Wednesday.
The NESG boss warned that Nigeria cannot approach the agreement casually as doing so will lead to job losses and called for a focus on the non-oil economy.
“Nigeria is at a crossroads and cannot afford the business-as-usual approach which will only lead to further job losses, pull millions of citizens into poverty and worsen an already fragile economy,” he said.
“Promoting non-oil exports will become an imperative if Nigeria is to benefit maximally from AfCFTA.
“Unlike developed countries where economic performance was adversely affected by lockdowns rather than commodity prices, the recovery of the Nigerian economy will hinge not only on easing lockdowns but also on the performance and the health of the global oil market” he added.
Igohdalo added that Nigeria’s economy needs a high, robust, and sustained growth that will deliver a significant reduction in unemployment and poverty.
The NESG said it expects Nigeria’s economy to bounce back by 7.5% by 2025 and expects the Nigerian economy to exit recession with a growth rate of 2.9 %.
“We anticipate that the economy will become strong and resilient in 2025 by posting a 7.5 %  growth.
“Premised on the assumptions of the rapid increase in the oil price (above 50 dollars per annum) and domestic crude oil production, as well as rapid increase in government capital expenditure, we expect the Nigerian economy to exit recession with a growth rate of 2.9%.
The NESG Chairman said that Nigeria must prioritize investment for a post Covid recovery which is an important component of aggregate demand and will play a crucial role.
“Nonetheless, the size of the sectors receiving these investments matter.
“We, therefore, propose a theory of change that highlights four key priority areas that are important in attracting significant investments and, in turn, improving Nigeria’s socio-economic outcomes over the short term to medium term.
“These priority areas are macroeconomic stability, policy and regulatory consistency, sector reforms, and human capital development,” he said.

New York City's COVID-19 test positivity rate on a seven-day average went down to 8.2 percent, compared with 8.26 percent one day earlier, Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, de Blasio said that there were 206 new hospital admissions and new cases of the coronavirus reached 4,585. "Today's as good a day as any to stay home as much as possible. Wash your hands, practice social distancing and wear your mask."
"We can officially report that we've administered 823,670 #COVID19 vaccine doses. That's more than the population of Seattle. We've proven we can deliver this vaccine to our people. We have the infrastructure and the staff," he said in another tweet. "We need more supply."
A heavy snowstorm started to hit New York Sunday night. A state of emergency was issued for 44 counties across New York, including NYC. Due to the inclement weather, vaccine appointments at five mass vaccination sites and six pop-up vaccine sites for Monday were rescheduled for later this week.
As the storm stopped late Monday, "in-person learning will resume tomorrow, February 3. Alternate side parking is suspended through Saturday, February 6. Trash collection will resume as soon as snow operations allow. Open restaurants resume at 3 PM today," the mayor announced on Tuesday.
As of Monday afternoon, coronavirus deaths added up to 27,226 and confirmed cases 603,571 in NYC, according to The City, a project that tracks the spread of confirmed COVID-19 infections and fatalities in New York City, based on information provided by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the governor's office, The COVID Tracking Project and the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.