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Good morning. Your daily dose of good news. It is good for your mental health and general wellbeing to get off the internet once in a while. The constant barrage of bad news is really bad for you. I once read that, for your mind - 1 hour of bad news equals 8 hours hard labour
South Africa’s top 30 scientists, researchers and clinicians are in a race to save the world. Together with nine other countries, they are trying to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus that has infected every corner of the globe. https://www.iol.co.za/saturday-star/news/top-sa-medical-school-team-in-race-to-find-vaccine-for-coronavirus-46171433
The number of #COVID19 patients in ICU dropped for the first time in Italy, as the country also welcomed its lowest daily increase in deaths in 2 weeks. Officials in one of the worst-hit countries credited its strict lockdown, ongoing for nearly a month. https://nypost.com/2020/04/05/coronavirus-death-toll-slows-in-italy-as-icu-patients-declines/
With HIV care becoming more complicated in the face of #COVID19 the Elton John AIDS Foundation has pledged $1 million towards HIV medicines, testing and preventive treatment in marginalised communities across the globe. https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/05/elton-john-aids-foundation-hiv-1-million-emergency-coronavirus-fund/
South Africa will begin participation in a WHO vaccine study in June - the Global Solidarity Trial. WHO will arrange studies in various countries to generate the robust data to show which treatments are the most effective. https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/383295/south-africa-to-participate-in-coronavirus-trial-from-june-health-minister/
If you contracted #COVID19 at work, you may be able to claim for temporary or permanent disability, depending on how you were affected - but you will have to prove that you did, in fact, become ill at work. https://m.fin24.com/Money/what-you-can-claim-if-you-get-coronavirus-at-work-20200405
Bill Gates has committed to assisting African countries with mass-based testing kits for #COVID19. Gates has had talks with President Ramaphosa on Africa’s approach to the pandemic which has infected over 1.1-million people across the globe. https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/bill-gates-to-assist-african-countries-with-coronavirus-testing-kits/
The Springbok’s World Cup-winning squad doctor, Jerome Mampane has dusted off the old stethoscope and joined emergency medical services in the front-line battle against Covid-19. https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/springboks/springbok-doctor-on-the-front-line-of-coronavirus-pandemic-46252474
The South African Muslim #COVID19 Response Task Team has donated about R7 million to organisations that are helping communities affected by the coronavirus. https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/sa-muslim-covid-19-task-team-donates-r7-million-to-the-vulnerable/
African governments have teamed up with tech giants like Facebook & Whatsapp to fight misinformation on social media. Facebook has been working with third-party fact-checkers in a total of 15 sub-Saharan African countries to remove fake news posts https://in.mashable.com/tech/12875/african-governments-and-tech-giants-team-up-to-fight-fake-news-related-to-covid-19
Siemens has donated R500K to the #COVID19 Solidarity Response Fund. In addition it has partnered with Legae Larona, a fully black, female-owned enterprise based in Alex, to manufacture and distribute 20 000 face masks to communities in need. https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2020/04/03/siemens-donates-r500-000-towards-fight-against-covid-19-in-south-africa/
The Western Cape Provincial Treasury approved the allocation of R53 million additional funding for emergency food relief programmes that will run across the Western Cape. https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/additional-r53-million-allocated-food-relief-programmes-western-cape
South Africa has spent the last two decades fighting against its deadly HIV and TB epidemics, and many of its HIV researchers are now mustering their expertise and experience to battle the Covid-19 pandemic. https://qz.com/africa/1831067/south-africas-hiv-researchers-are-turning-on-coronavirus/
The UN food agency has negotiated a humanitarian corridor to keep food aid flowing in Southern Africa. Up to 45 million people in the region face hunger following a devastating drought and two cyclones last year. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-africa/u-n-agency-says-humanitarian-corridor-keeps-africa-aid-flowing-amid-coronavirus-idUSKBN21K2DG
Look, it is bad, but this is what we do know about #COVID19
1. We know how to slow the spread
2. More and more countries are containing the spread
3. We're working on a cure
4. People do recover
5. Testing is improving
6. Support is available
Stay at home. Wash your hands.
1. We know how to slow the spread
2. More and more countries are containing the spread
3. We're working on a cure
4. People do recover
5. Testing is improving
6. Support is available
Stay at home. Wash your hands.
That’s it for today, folks. Stay strong. Stay safe. We got this.
