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#COVID19: Potential Vaccine Developed By Oxford University Shows Positive Response In Early Trial

A coronavirus vaccine being developed by scientists at Oxford University has been shown to produce a strong immune response, according to early-stage clinical trials.

British scientists/researchers first began testing the new vaccine in April in about 1,000 people, half of whom were given shots of the experimental vaccine. The vaccine, made from a combination of Covid-19 genetic material and a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees, caused the human body to produce antibodies against the disease and caused a reaction in T-cells, a type of white blood cell that helps prevent infection.

“We hope this means the immune system will remember the virus so that our vaccine will protect people for an extended period,” Andrew Pollard, lead author of the Oxford study, said in a statement released by AstraZeneca.

Phase 3 trials of the Oxford vaccine have already begun in Brazil, South Africa and Great Britain, and will soon be expanded to the United States. These trials each involve up to 30,000 volunteers who will help scientists understand whether the experimental vaccine can really prevent people from catching coronavirus and whether it is safe.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted about the latest trial results Monday,

“This is very positive news. A huge well done to our brilliant, world-leading scientists & researchers.”

 

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Why China must pay Nigeria, other African countries – Ezekwesili

There has been a widespread financial challenge globally, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. As so, Oby Ezekwesili former Vice President of the World Bank’s Africa division has therefore called on China to take responsible actions to support Africans financially. She shared her opinion in an op-ed for Washington’s Post, below:

The covid-19 pandemic has dealt a severe injury to Africa’s development prospects and worsened the conditions of its poor and vulnerable. Although there are calls for voluntary international aid to support the continent during this difficult time, this is far from the best solution.

The continent must be accorded damages and liability compensation from China, the rich and powerful country that failed to transparently and effectively manage this global catastrophe. Africa’s economic gains since the last global crisis have been eroded. It is time to make offending rich countries pay the poor ones a global risk burden tax for delaying their rise out of poverty.

Today, Africa is home to more than 70 percent of the world’s poorest people, with more than 400 million living below the poverty line. It is no surprise that it is disproportionately vulnerable to this crisis. It should not suffer even more because yet another powerful country failed to act responsibly.

China should immediately announce a complete write-off of the more than $140 billion that its government, banks and contractors extended to countries in Africa between 2000 and 2017. This would provide partial compensation to African countries for the impact that the coronavirus is already having on their economies and people.

The analysis of the balance of compensation due to Africa can then follow from discussions with the Africa Union and its member countries, alongside global and regional organizations including the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank and the European Union.

Our world is long overdue for a change of approach in the way it manages global risks that leave the poor worse off due to failures of the rich and powerful. The current model of development assistance is broken and can never deliver any real change of fortune for the most vulnerable. We need a new model that strengthens people to engage in the design of their pathway out of poverty and builds economic resilience.

The current conditions mirror what happened during the 2008 global financial crisis. In my time as the vice president in charge of the World Bank’s operations in Africa, we had to mobilize internal and partner resources to mitigate the severity of the economic recession suffered by the continent. Exogenous shocks dealt a lethal blow to the countries’ decade-long steady rises of economic growth, which had averaged 5 to 6 percent annually until tumbling to 2.4 percent in 2009.

This sharp fall ended Africa’s upward economic growth trajectory and sent per capita income tumbling. It increased inequality and the number of Africans in absolute poverty. Such fragile and low economic growth rates for a continent with one of the world’s highest concentrations of young people and annual population growth rate of about 2.5 percent is a key reason for widespread multidimensional poverty — a threat that carries seeds of global insecurity and instability.

The economic shock caused by the coronavirus has badly reduced the opportunity Africa would otherwise have had to lift hundreds of millions out of poverty. The African Union Commission estimates that Africa’s gross domestic product will shrink by as much as 4.5 percent, resulting in 20 million job losses.

This has dangerously hampered the possibility that Africa can generate jobs for young people and women, or increase literacy levels by reducing the number of out-of-school children with access to quality learning opportunities. It will result in lessened ability to reduce maternal and child mortality, improve nutrition and food security, make reliable energy available and accessible, improve the availability of quality roads, water, sanitation, and other infrastructure, and such other investments in public goods.

China, a country that only within the past four decades has managed to lift more than 850 million people out of poverty, would understand how critical it is for African countries to accelerate inclusive growth. While economies in Asia, Europe and the Americas have announced hefty emergency stimulus packages for their people and businesses, countries in Africa struggle to meet short-term food needs.

Most of Africa’s countries simply do not have the buffer required for fiscal relief in times of crisis, because they were already severely constrained by budgetary crises caused by poor domestic revenue mobilization, high public debts and low productivity. The parlous public finances of these countries worsened due to volatility in commodity prices as the pandemic worsened.

Africa faces frequent shocks caused by climate, terrorism, health issues, food insecurity, crime and other sources of risk. Most of these perils emanate from the failures of the rich and powerful economies, but end up inflicting a disproportionate share of the poor and vulnerable.

China should demonstrate world leadership by acknowledging its failure to be transparent on covid-19. Beijing’s leadership should then commit to an independent expert panel evaluation of its pandemic response. China and the rest of the Group of 20 countries should engage with the Africa Union and countries to design a reparations mechanism.

It is time for rich economies to show that our world is capable of doing right by the poor and vulnerable.

China must pay.

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“Many people are suffering from depression and anxiety because of Covid-19”– Rinret Gofwan

 – Says Government need to set up Mental health facilities and distress lines as soon as possible….

One of the downsides of the present change the world is experiencing because of the Coronavirus pandemic is the effect it would have on the mental health of so many people globally. Many have never been in situations where they have to stay in one place and not move around. While the social distancing and lockdown is a necessary safety measure to flatten the curve of COVID virus, we also need to create mental safe space for everyone.

Rinret Gofwan shares her thoughts on this. She is a behavioural change therapist, licensed trauma therapist, a certified emotional intelligence coach who specialises in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Advanced Training for Trauma Treatment of complex PTSD, overcoming compassion fatigue with professional resiliency, trauma and addiction.

Rinret is a University of Abuja Trained Communicator and Psychologist from the University of Jos, and a Sociologist From the University of Maiduguri with a Masters in International Relations and Strategic Studies. She is also the founding director at the Miriam Gofwan Women and Children Foundation. She shares her inspiring story while giving us an insight on how coronavirus will affect the mental health of people globally.

Growing up
Growing up as an only child, I was spoilt with everything. Looking back, I was an over-pampered child. My late mum wanted me to have everything life had to offer until she passed on. So at 16 years, I was alone, I didn’t know how to wash my clothes; it was at that moment life welcomed me. I had to start learning and I had to adapt and survive.

Inspiration behind Miriam Gofwan Women and Children Foundation and its impact
I always get this question and I’m always trying to figure out which life lesson to start with.  Is it being accused of witchcraft, being abused and raped or almost losing my life in an accident? All these alongside my near-death experience inspired me to start the organisation. I disconnected from reality and built a personality. I couldn’t face my life as it was, suffered from pain and disassociating (disconnecting-from reality and couldn’t feel anything). I was fortunate to meet my mentors, Innocent and Talatu Usar, who God used to pull me through that phase of my life.

Being a Behavioural Change Therapist, Certified EI Coach, Trained Communicator and managing it all
Well when you are addicted to finding ways to heal, you will stumble into many training. In my trauma healing work, I need to be equipped with the right tools that would help in healing, so I committed myself to learn. You know people respond differently to trauma; what might be traumatic to someone might not be to you. How we react and respond to traumatic events are different. With this in mind, I went into learning and this has helped me understand my clients and knowing what tool to use in any case we have at the Foundation and the wellbeing hub.

What inspired me to start the pan-Nigeria healing room and the wellbeing hub for professionals
You see, the pain has no gender, no religion, no status no tribe, no class. Pain does not choose who feels it, we ALL feel pain; either from losing a loved one, loss of our childhood, abuse of any kind (verbal, emotional and physical) heartbreaks, disappointment, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, accusation or any traumatic experience. We are constantly trying to deal with these emotional issues and staking them side by side.

When emotions are over-staked and thoughts can’t be controlled, we need to devise methods to help. That’s how the Healing Room and the hub for professionals started; to enlighten, help and give professionals a place to go seek for help. The Healing Room became a place we go to sort out all these stacked up emotions, a no-judgment zone where you speak up and get healed. Coming to the healing room to some is like coming for medical checks monthly or weekly. To others, it is like coming to take vaccines to reset their minds; to some, it’s coming for medications in each session. To some, it is a place to support others who are in pain. To some, it is a place to hang out and stay emotionally healthy with proper guidelines.
Above all, it is a place of restoring wholeness for professionals.

Mental health effect of coronavirus pandemic and what can we do as a society to sensitise people
The first thing is to encourage people to stay calm, already I have many clients who are suffering from depression and anxiety because of the situation and we kicked off online group sessions to help them.

The truth is, being isolated is not healthy for people who are not used to such serenity, or people who have had a history of depression. What mental health practitioners can do right now is to start using technology and phone calls to help manage their clients, I have started on my end and I hope many more will go that route. The government would need to leverage on technology to also enable people to get first-hand mental health help online, by providing distress numbers to call. This will make a lot of difference.

Wellness nuggets for women who don’t know how to slam the breaks and detox
You see, mental and emotional wellbeing is an important part of our overall health. Women who are mentally and emotionally healthy are more in control of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Women need to understand how to master their emotions and know how to be balanced in all seven dimensions of wellbeing, which are social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, occupational, Intellectual and physical. Stress is the feeling of being under too much pressure and feeling unable to cope with situations. Women who are constantly affected by stress in different ways end up getting sick and over time, ending up with mental health and physical issues.

Here are some things women can do to help reduce stress, constantly and instantly, over a period time:
Learning how to say NO, breathe; learn to relax your mind and body, try breathing exercises that can calm you down when under stress, exercise, get Spa dates to help release tension. Sleep – try to go to bed and wake up at a good time, laughing to relieve stress, talk- open up to someone you trust about your problems, and surround yourself with people who inspire you.


Challenges of Being a Mental Health Advocate
Mental health stigma, our justice systems, religious believes around mental health issues, funding for the foundation, consistency in following the therapy processes, the high rate of people in rural areas who are not aware of mental health issues, and how poverty has made them turn all issues of mental health to spiritual issues, the deliverance centers where they beat and abuse those with behavioural issues instead of therapy homes and the lack of mental health therapy centers.

 

Other projects and activities
We are currently working with some government agencies to launch and fix our sanitary pad boxes across the country in communities and public schools. We have opened our sanitary bank where we receive sanitary pads for distribution to schools and communities. We are opening more healing room therapy groups in five other states. We designed some trauma-informed course outlines to help schools and organizations. We recently just opened the wellbeing hub in Abuja, where we attend to clients who want private therapy and want trauma-informed trainings and care for their schools and organisations.

What makes you a Woman of Rubies
For me the stone ruby is also believed to protect self and others from negative entities that bring positive energy, promoting spiritual vitality and wellness. Now this describes the woman I have become- a strong woman who has gone through a lot and survived, coming out beautiful, standing strong and helping thousands of men and women. Now, that describes me!

As a counselor of repute and certified Trauma specialist, do you think the Nigerian Government has done enough in the Mental Health sector? If not, what would you suggest they do better?
I believe the government can do more by setting up more mental health facilities and rehabilitation centers; creating awareness around mental health issues and the stigma around it; reforming the justice process in rape cases and how evidence is processed; setting up therapy session and mental health training for our men and women in uniform; creating a safe working environment for women and young girls to speak up, not be shamed and judged; including mental health sessions in our school curriculums, and making sure we have sanitary pads and the boxes hanging everywhere in the country.

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6 things you should do while Social Distancing

Social distancing has become a norm for the lives of many around the globe. A phenomena caused by the spread of Covid-19,also known as coronavirus. Our lives, friendships and things around us are changing. Here are some ways to make this period very useful for us;
1. Plan out your routine and Prepare

Get a routine, a structure of your daily activities, from your domestic chores, to been in the shower, your meal preparation and all house activities. While you make good use of each time, don’t for forget to plan your entire life now. Get your self together for every new changes the world is about to experience. We believe things will get better but don’t be disorganized.

By creating routines, you can reduce the feeling of boredom.

2. Try something new

Get outside the box, do something you have not necessarily done before or been good at.  Try a new recipe, experiment with home repairs, learn a new dance on TikTok, paint, knit some cotton, and so on. There are dozens of new things you can do, maybe some childhood games as well. You can also do something you haven’t done in a long while.

Doing new things not only relieves boredom, but they help you acquire new skills and knowledge.

3. Keep in touch with others

Happy college girl laughs as she reads a funny text or video chats with a friend.

Make (video) calls, chat up friends and family, send mails or just anyhow you want to keep in touch. This would help you feel better, bring back memories of how you have spent time previously. You will have a sense of been together with far away loved ones and not feel so lonely.

4. Self Care

This is beyond beauty treatments. Do a soul check, – your emotional, physical and spiritual health. Periods like this are the perfect time to look into yourself. Meditate, pray and care for your body. Truth is, beauty radiates from the inwards. So while you’re getting some good food, exercise, and skincare treatments do not forget to check your soul which you don’t see.

A good self care brings feelings of contentment that will snap boredom away.

5. Read

This is not everyone’s hobby, but it is so necessary at this time. Reading helps your mind, it gets your mentality right. Get a good book, that you know has something you need. If you don’t love reading you can try creative stories that aren’t boring. You can get a handful of reasonably books online, don’t worry about a library if you don’t have one. Try reading 2 pages a day, and soon you will be through it all.

6. Bond with family

This is the perfect time to bond with your kids and spouse, and other members of your family. While so many homes are probably finding this difficult to do, engaging in heartfelt conversions will help. Initiate doing things together, bring up discussions with any difficult person in your life. Friendship is what holds any relationship strong and that comes through having sincere conversions with one another. Try to make it fun as much as you can. What if you never get the chance again.

This is a season where so many things can be repaired and put together. All the best.

 

 

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Nigeria’s Richest Woman and her husband Pledge 1 billion to Support fight against covid-19

As Covid-19 spreads, billionaire and business woman, Folorunsho Alakija has pledged her support to fight covid-19 by donating 1 billiona naira to the Federal Government.

This she did with the support of her husband;

Alakija who is involved in the fashion, oil, real estate and printing industries is a dynamic Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist.

She oversees several business endeavours.

Women shattering ceilings and we are so proud of this.

 

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