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November elections in Honduras will define the future of democracy in the country and could be a trend-setter in Central America

Pamela Cruz

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2021.10.17

November elections in Honduras will define the future of democracy in the country and could be a trend-setter in Central America

November Elections in Honduras Will Define the Future of Democracy — Photo: Manuel Ortiz.

Tegucigalpa - Honduras is one of the nations hardest hit by poverty, violence and climate change in Central and South America; however, the country belonging to the so-called "Northern Triangle", will have the opportunity to change its future in democratic terms and set a trend in the region on November 28, when Hondurans go to deposit their most valuable right in the elections: the vote.

The bulk of the population in Honduras hopes that the November elections will mean a genuine change of government and that, with it, the necessary opportunities will come so that no one else will have to leave in search of a better fortune, taking risks in one of the most dangerous migratory corridors on the continent.

However, it is complicated for Hondurans to believe in the institutions and that their decision will be respected, after Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado, the current president, was re-elected in the 2017 elections, which have been called fraudulent due to records that the system reported just over 600 crashes, giving him the victory again.

Hundreds of graffiti on walls all over Tegucigalpa echo "JOH Out," a slogan that demands Hernández Alvarado's departure, not only because he is accused by New York prosecutors of drug shipments and embezzlement of U.S. aid funds, but also because he has plunged the country into a maelstrom of poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity.

According to the Latin American Strategic Center for Geopolitics - Centro Estratégico Latinoamericano de Geopolítica -CelagThere is a daily average of between 10 and 11 murders in a country of approximately 10 million people, which is indicative of the violence in one of the main emigrant-sending countries to the U.S., a fact that is not unrelated to politics.

Thus, Councillor Rixi Moncada, of the National Electoral Council -CNE-, an institution created in 2019 and which will be in charge of these elections for the first time, assured that the current political violence is the result of the coup d'état that worsened in 2013 and continued with such a course in the 2017 elections, where at least 22 young people were killed with official bullets.

"If there is violence that is verified by state institutions, it is clear that the germ of violence is magnified at the level of the neighborhood, the colony, the village or hamlet. Violence only generates violence, and does not require additional research, it is like that throughout history," he said.

For this reason, he stressed that the November elections will be "the most important of the next decade" in Honduras.

He also specified that, in order to achieve elections of true change, the Council administers, organizes and guarantees to be able to arrive on election day with the electoral material in each of the polling stations, despite the fact that conditions in the country are "quite complex".

When questioned about whether these will be clean elections, the councilor stressed that "formally yes", since "the full councilors have worked with hundreds of obstacles these two years and a month, to have an electoral process different from that of 2013 and 2017".

Marco Castillo, co-director of the nonprofit Global Exchange, said Honduran society has lived under siege by state violence and organized crime, as well as increasing poverty, since the 2009 coup, resulting in "proven corrupt governments with possible ties to organized crime that are reluctant to allow free elections.

In view of this, Honduran society is demanding free and transparent elections next November, which, if respected, could represent an opportunity to change the life of a society in crisis at its roots.

The rubble after the coup d'état in Honduras

Rixi Moncada said that "to guarantee that in 18,000 polling stations the will of the people will be fully and neatly administered, we will see on election day," because, she explained, this country is "collapsed after the coup d'état.

"It is a state that has formal authorities, that has constitutional institutions, that has buildings and appointed officials, but it is a state without justice and it is a state where formally guaranteed rights, in practice are a real tragedy," he stressed.

The main challenge, with just over a month before the general elections take place, is that in the more than 18,000 polling stations there should be at least one electoral suitcase, the ballots for the three levels of elections, a polling station integrated in the manner established by the new Honduran electoral law, and that, afterwards, "the members of these stations should assume their historic responsibility to their communities, not just to a central body".

According to the director of the Center for the Study of Democracy in Honduras - Centro de Estudios para la Democracia en Honduras -Cespad-, Gustavo Irías, from December 2020 to date there have been 20 candidates for various positions murdered, a figure that doubles the numbers recorded in the 2017 elections, which accounts for the violence that is lived in the face of a little more than five million people cast their suffrage.

This political violence, he said, while it is true that it has a long history in the country, has deepened since the coup d'état, which left nothing but misery and constant fear of human rights violations, as well as a country in defenselessness and without the rule of law.

Therefore, these elections, said Irías in an interview, "are the great historic opportunity for Honduran society to be able to make effective a change in the authoritarian regime, to be able to recover the democratic setbacks, the rule of law, restore human rights and to have an opportunity to open the way to push for a series of significant reforms, which are more than necessary to address the multiple crises that the country is experiencing.

Just Wednesday, October 14, in order to strengthen the opposition to the National Party regime, which for these elections appointed Nasry Juan Asfura Zablah, better known as "Tito Asfura" or "Papi a la Orden", the presidential candidates of the Salvadoran Party of Honduras -PSH-, Salvador Nasralla, and of the Liberty and Refoundation Party -Libre-, Xiomara Castro, decided to form an alliance a little over a month before the general elections take place.

Thus, Nasralla abandoned his race for the presidency, and has joined Castro's campaign to "get rid of this dictatorship" and "recover peace, justice and equality.

The November elections, to which more than 5.1 million Honduran citizens are called, will also elect three vice-presidential appointees, 298 municipal mayors, 128 deputies to the local parliament and 20 to the Central American Parliament.

It should be noted that after the passage of hurricanes Eta and Iota in November 2020, the country registered damages that compromise social development and economic growth, as they left at least 3.5 million people affected and half a million internally displaced; in addition to an impact of about 40 percent of GDP, so these elections could be a restart in all senses for Honduras.

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Women: main target of xenophobic hate attacks

Cover

Anna Lee Mraz Bartra

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2021.10.13

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Muslim, Asian and Latina women are the main victims of xenophobic attacks in the United States, in the context of the increase in hate crimes against immigrants.

Experts convened by Ethnic Media Services They claim that this is not a new phenomenon, but rather has historical roots.

“Hate crimes against Muslims predate the september 11“Women (76.7%) are more likely than men (58.6%) to experience Islamophobia,” explains Basima Sisemore, a researcher at the Global Justice Program at the Othering & Belonging Institute.

One of the main reasons why Muslim women are attacked is because they are more easily identifiable and therefore become easy prey. That is, their clothing, adornments, hijab, immediately distinguish them.

“This culture is perceived as being against Western ideals, and there is also the idea that Muslims are against democratic values. But what are Western ideals or democratic values?” Sisemore asks.

The research of the Othering & Belonging Institute’s Global Justice Program addresses issues related to Islamophobia, human rights, and exclusionary practices that disenfranchise immigrants, refugees, and communities of color.

Elsadig Elsheikh, the director of the Programme, explains that “Islamophobia makes it difficult for Muslims to relate to other Muslims. This is due to persecution: younger people hide their religious identity. More than 9 out of 10 women (91.8%) censor their speech or actions for fear of people’s response or reaction, and attract violence against them.”

The media contributes to the idea of “otherness” by reinforcing the premise that Muslim women are “left behind” compared to their male counterparts. How can we report on Muslim culture correctly? It is important to allow Muslims to speak for themselves. The same goes for all ethnicities and cultures, the media must allow groups to speak for themselves.

In the case of the West, Elsheikh explains, “there are a multiplicity of countries and ethnicities. There are Arabs who are not Muslims and not all Muslims are Arabs.”

In the case of Asian women, according to Helen Zia, activist and author of the book Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People, the “rise in hate crimes against Asian American women is clearly linked to COVID-19 and intensified by our former president. Of nine thousand incidents in the past year, more than 60 percent have been against women, especially Asian girls.”

The latest reports of attacks against Asian women are actually nothing new. It is a problem that has been largely ignored and made invisible.

Why are women attacked?

“Those who carry out racist attacks against people of color have always claimed that the victims are “less than human,” so women are even more expendable… therefore there is a double, triple jeopardy for them.

“They are also less likely to report, because they feel diminished and blamed. They may even face stigmatisation when reporting. Women of colour are not treated well by social institutions. They are not taken seriously and they are not treated with respect,” Zia explains.

According to experts at the EMS-convened conference, the sexualization of women of color plays a role in the incidents.

“Penthouse published a photo of a young Asian woman in BSDM; two months later a little Asian girl was found dead in the same position that the magazine had shown the model in. In the case of the little girl, she had been raped, tortured, tied up, hung and lynched,” Zia said.

Something similar happens with Latin women: they are hypersexualized.

“Migrant women in particular have faced many forms of violence from their countries of origin and seek refuge here. Many have been victims of sex trafficking, and sometimes fall prey to human trafficking here,” explains Irene de Barraicua, Director of Operations and Public Relations Manager of Líderes Campesinas, an association that represents the culmination of decades of work by women farm workers.

Líderes Campesinas provides these activists with a support system against domestic violence, sexual harassment, opportunities to coordinate their work across the state, and has created collectives so that campesinas can become agents of change and be a more effective unified voice.

“Latina women are sexualized, and fear of deportation and retaliation makes them more susceptible to violence and sexual abuse. In addition, a high number of women living in poverty are often the first to be laid off when there are workforce cuts, as happened during the pandemic. In addition, they cannot seek care due to institutionalized violence. It is a form of modern slavery,” said de Barraicua.

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Pfizer and BioNTech Request Emergency Use of COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 5 to 11 Years of Age

Pamela Cruz

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2021.10.07

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After cases of COVID-19 in children in the U.S. continue to rise, Pfizer and BioNTech applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency approval of their vaccine for use in children 5 to 11 years of age. (FDA) for emergency use authorization of their vaccine in children 5 to 11 years of age.

Both the pharmaceutical and the biotech company said the application "is an important step in our ongoing effort against COVID-19.

They noted that, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association, from Sept. 16 to Sept. 30 of this year, there was a 7.0 percent increase in the cumulative number of cases of children with COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

In this regard, he noted that to date, children account for 16 percent of the total cumulative cases of COVID-19. Meanwhile, during the last week of September, children - under 18 years of age - accounted for 27 percent of all weekly COVID-19 cases in the country.

"We are committed to working with the FDA to help protect children from this serious public health threat," Pfizer said on social media.

So far, the FDA has only licensed the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine -Comirnaty- for use in people 12 years and older, with one 30-microgram dose injected in the arm and a sequence of two more 21 days apart.

Just last September 28, the companies announced positive top-line results from the trial involving 2,268 participants aged 5 to 11 years, in which the vaccine demonstrated a favorable safety profile and elicited robust neutralizing antibody responses using two doses of 10 micrograms each.

These results, the first from a pivotal trial of any COVID-19 vaccine in this age group, were comparable to those recorded in an earlier Pfizer-BioNTech study in 16- to 25-year-olds, who were immunized with 30 μg doses. The 10 μg dose was carefully selected as the preferred dose for safety, tolerability and immunogenicity in children aged 5 to 11 years.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine based on mRNA technology

Meanwhile, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients told CNN that the vaccine for children could be ready before Thanksgiving, following Pfizer's request for emergency use authorization this morning.

The announcement comes just days before Halloween is celebrated in the country, when millions of children take to the streets in search of candy, a date that last year was diminished by the pandemic that was showing its worst face at that time.

In turn, it comes to reassure the requests of millions of parents who have shown their concern and need for their children to be vaccinated after classes have begun across the country.

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Autumn sports pose a health and safety challenge

Noah Braunstein

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2021.10.06

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Autumn sports pose a health and safety challenge

This opening weekend of the football season in AYSO It brought with it soccer balls, shin pads and cleats, but also, the mandatory use of mouth masks and some dissensions.

Throughout the Bay Area, young people are returning to a variety of fall sports, many of which were interrupted by the quarantine a year ago. The current COVID-19 pandemic and the Delta variant has teams and league officials trying to balance health and safety with the desire to get kids back on the field; however, with differing opinions and policies on safety rules, such as the use of mouth covers and vaccinations, league officials are in a difficult position.

"We're all looking forward to putting the pandemic and all of its restrictions behind us, but we're not there yet," said Belmont Parks and Recreation Director Brigitte Shearer.

Shearer explained that there are many levels of guidelines: basic precautions are mandated by the state and county, the next include city-specific statutes, and other precautions are up to individual leagues.

Currently, according to the San Mateo County Announcement As of May 19, fully vaccinated persons do not have to wear face shields outdoors, except when physical distance cannot be maintained.

In Redwood City, Community Services Director Eric Newby stated that the city closely follows state and county requirements.

"So far we have not seen any cases and we are constantly monitoring developments," Newby said.

The City of Belmont's policy adds one of the strictest guidelines, citing, "The majority of our face-to-face programs and sports teams are designed for youth 12 years of age and younger, most of whom are not currently eligible to receive the vaccine." Given the recent CDC guidelines of May 16, stating that unvaccinated children should continue to wear masks and maintain physical distance, Belmont's current policy is to "continue to require youth and staff to wear masks indoors and outdoors."

The municipal rules affect all leagues playing on their fields. Zeljko Zivkovic, AYSO Regional Commissioner, started the season with a carefully worded letter asking families to follow the rules and regulations. city guidelines.

Joe Revels, president of the Belmont Redwood Shores Little League, BRSLLissued a similar statement:

"I know it is not ideal, but we must insist on 100% compliance. The safety of our children is extremely important to us and compliance with all mandates per COVID-19 is our best tool to do everything we can to keep them safe. In addition, we could face cancellation of our fall program and loss of permits if the City of Belmont deems us non-compliant." said Revels.

However, not everyone agrees with the more restrictive practices.

At the Belmont Sports Complex on the first day of the AYSO season, a U-12 girls soccer game was delayed because coaches and referees disagreed over the different policies for wearing face masks by COVID-19 during intercity play. Belmont players were required to wear masks and asked the visitors from Menlo Park to comply.

Menlo Park coach Andrew Tiley felt the delay was unnecessary, as his team had trouble finding mouth covers for all the players.

"It's not necessary. Kids are outdoors, and there's little risk of infection. Our league suggests mouth covers, but they are optional," Tiley said.

However, father Bence Oralai, whose son plays for a football team of Belmont Unitedsupports the use of mouthguards. "If it makes things safer, it's a way to keep our kids healthier and able to enjoy fun, healthy activities like soccer," Oralai said.

Newby and Shearer agreed that, in the case of playing other cities, the rules of the city's host venue would prevail. "If a Santa Clara team came to play in Redwood City, they would have to follow San Mateo County guidelines," Newby said.

In addition to the variation in umpire policies, enforcement has been another ongoing problem. While soccer and BRSLL baseball adhere to the use of mouthguards, softball players and BRSLL baseball players have been more likely to wear mouthguards than softball players. Babe Ruth does not. Shearer acknowledged that the policy is difficult to enforce, and that it relies on league commissioners to follow the rules.

Belmont Little League players play with mouthguards, although many youngsters find it difficult.

Some young players don't like masks.

"Actually, I don't like the mouthguards. They make it hard for me to breathe when I run, and it's really hard when it's hot. Plus, I can't see my friends' faces," says Elliott Sternke, 11.

Elliott's brother Oliver, 10, agreed: "They're all annoying."

Despite the players' discomfort, the increasing number of pediatric COVID-19 cases forces league and city officials to be ever vigilant.

Matt Kerby, regional referee and AYSO board member, believes that mouthguards are the best tool to prevent COVID-19 in these circumstances.

"No one likes to wear facemasks, but it's a low-cost tool to reduce the risk of transmission. Player safety is AYSO's number one priority and the facemask contributes to the safety of everyone, especially the unvaccinated, for whom we are responsible," said Kerby.

Security precautions for COVID-19 are not the only problem posed by the leagues, as organizers also have to deal with the volatile air quality fueled by the recent fires. In Belmont, the city is demanding that youth sports be cancelled if the air quality index is over 200, which sometimes forces coaches to stop training at the last minute.

Shearer offered some optimism in the midst of the pandemic: "With today's news that one vaccine for ages 5 to 11 years old may be available soon, comes the hope that we can modify our guidelines in the future."

Amidst the many challenges ahead, it will be up to cities and league officials to enforce current and existing policies, while remaining mindful of rapidly occurring and ever-changing conditions.

Redwood City to hold community redistricting workshop

Community

Josué Karim Moreno

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2021.10.06

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Redwood City to hold community redistricting workshop

Next Saturday the City of Redwood City will hold a community redistricting workshop. The event will be held on October 9 at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) via the Zoom platform.

"We hope to share a brief summary of how we moved to district elections, why we need to redraw the current City Council District Map and how to get involved to make your voice heard throughout the process."

Like a jigsaw puzzle that requires all the pieces to complete, organizers said, all community voices need to be heard to ensure that future City Council districts best represent residents.

The workshop will begin with a presentation by the City's redistricting consultant, followed by a demonstration of the online mapping tool; after the presentation, a session will be opened for questions and comments from participants' communities of interest.

In order to join the Zoom meeting you can access through the following link https://redwoodcity.zoom.us/j/98707480568with meeting ID 987 0748 0568.

For more information about the redistricting process and upcoming workshops, please visit the www.redwoodcity.org/redistricting

Redwood City ready for a month of trick-or-treating

Pamela Cruz

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2021.10.05

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Redwood City ready for a month of trick-or-treating

Redwood City, ready to celebrate Halloween — Photo: City of Redwood City

While we're still in the midst of the pandemic, thanks to advances in vaccination and the willingness of residents to follow safety measures, kids and adults alike will be able to enjoy a month full of "tricks and treats": Redwood City has organized a variety of events ranging from contests to baking classes to make this Halloween the best yet.

Brighten up your home!

For the second time, the annual Halloween decorating contest will be held. Fans will be able to test their ghoulish imaginations and make their home as spooky as possible in an effort to beat out their neighbors for bragging rights to the best-decorated Halloween house in Redwood City.

Entries will be judged in the following categories: scariest, creative, best effects and the coveted judges' favorite.

Winners will receive fun holiday prizes and gift certificates from local businesses, as well as signs to proudly display in front of their homes.

Haunt Your Home contest participants grant permission for their homes to be photographed and displayed on the City of Redwood City Parks, Recreation and Community Services social media pages.

Enthusiasts to the event can fill out their registration form from Monday 4 and until Friday 22 October through the website https://www.redwoodcity.org/departments/parks-recreation-and-community-services/haunt-your-home

Judges will be judging entries on October 26-27 between 6:00-22:00, so decorations, lights and displays must be set up and turned on during the judging period.

It should be noted that the contest is completely free to enter, and you can decorate a house, apartment, condo, window, you name it! You must be a Redwood City resident to enter, but Emerald Hills and North Fair Oaks are also welcome.

Halloween Spooktakular in Redwood City!

The little ones at home will also be able to enjoy an event specially designed for them, where fun and costumes will be the perfect touch to create a mini carnival atmosphere.

The event will take place on October 23rd at the Red Morton Community Center at 1120 Roosevelt Ave in Redwood City from 12:00-3:00 pm and is designed for children ages 1-10.

This event is suitable for children up to 10 years old. Admission is $10 per child, which includes up to two adults accompanying the child for care, and children are welcome to dress up in costume if they wish!

The event will feature carnival games and prizes, Trunk or Treat Row, Creepy Crafts and Spooky Photo Back Drops.

To attend it is necessary to make a prior registration for which you just have to give click here. Masks are required for access and COVID-19 protocols will be followed.

Halloween Candy with The Cake Robin

Cooking is your thing? Then this event is for you, because children from 12 years old and even adults can enjoy some scary classes to learn how to prepare sweet desserts.

The event will be held next Saturday, October 23rd, at the Community Activities Building located at 1400 Roosevelt Ave in Redwood City, from 9:30 to 11:30 am.

Get ready for Halloween with new candy ideas! Bakers ages 12 and up - under 16 with an adult - can learn decorating techniques for cupcakes, spider web cookies and more.

This class focuses on decorating techniques only. Baked goods - muffins, cookies, etc. - will already be baked.

During the mini course, you will make buttercream and cookie icing to use in class. You will learn different decorating techniques and then use what you learn to make your own Halloween masterpieces to take home!

The event requires prior registration. Reserve your place by giving click hereThere are still places available!

Remember to wear an apron, your hair up, and comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

Halloween Rampage in Redwood City! A Kid's Night Out!

Everyone ages 5-17 can enjoy a spooky and fun-filled Halloween night!

Participants will be able to make spooky crafts, enjoy a scary dessert and have fun with scary games. Children can come in costume.

The event will take place on Friday, October 29th at the Red Morton Community Center, located at 1120 Roosevelt Ave in Redwood City from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Don't miss the opportunity for your children to enjoy a great Halloween event in a healthy environment of their own, so sign up by giving your children the following information click here.

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Redwood City announces measures against homelessness and to improve access to the sea

Pamela Cruz

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2021.10.05

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Redwood City announces measures against homelessness and to improve access to the sea

Redwood City Announces Anti-Homelessness Measures

The Redwood City Council recently took action to address multiple city priorities, including sheltering homeless residents, improving circulation and public safety, and preserving approximately 10 acres of city-owned waterfront property for future community uses.

Thus, among the measures that the City Council Redwood City Council unanimously approved unanimously noted the exchange of property located at 1469 Maple Street with the County of San Mateo for county property located at 1580 Maple Street.

For Redwood City, the interchange advances the construction of the Blomquist Street extension, which extends from Maple Street to Bair Island Road in the Inner Harbor area of the city.

The county also plans to relocate an aging and obsolete homeless shelter to build the county's first Homeless Navigation Center, which will have 240 individual sleeping units and provide temporary housing facilities and services on their way to moving into permanent housing.

"This property exchange advances City Council priorities going back more than a decade, including housing, transportation, recreation and economic vitality," said Diane Howard, mayor of Redwood City.

"I often hear from residents concerned about homelessness and encampments, and I'm proud that Redwood City is part of the solution," he added.

The Blomquist Extension will provide multiple benefits for residents, visitors and employees, including improved access for emergency responders by providing a second point of entry and exit to the neighborhood, and faster public safety response times in the northern portion of the city limits.

Also improved community access to and from the Inner Harbor and Pacific Shores area, including the Bay Trail, Pacific Shores jobs, visits to a future Bayfront Park, and access to waterfront recreational activities such as paddling at the Bair Island Aquatic Center, as well as improved non-vehicular access along the Bay Trail.

"This negotiation was one of the most complex of my career, and there were more than one occasion when we were frustrated," noted Melissa Stevenson Diaz, Redwood City City Manager. "With all of us coming together, I believe the impact on the community will be powerful, positive and lasting."

Of note, the city would still own approximately 10 acres of property adjacent to the water after the exchange. Meanwhile, through robust community engagement beginning in spring 2022, the city will explore recreation, open space, water access and trails in the area.

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Facebook: Will it be the beginning of the fall of the social networking giant?

Josué Karim Moreno

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2021.10.05

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Facebook: Will it be the beginning of the fall of the social networking giant?

Could this be the beginning of the fall of social media giant Facebook?

Slowly, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp apps are recovering from one of the worst crashes in their recent history, for which they were completely inaccessible for six hours for its approximately three and a half billion users worldwide.

According to a comunicadoThe company stated that "configuration changes to the backbone routers, which coordinate network traffic between data centers, created problems that disrupted this communication. This disruption in network traffic had a cascading effect on the way our data centers communicate, bringing our services to a halt.

"We want to make it clear that there was no malicious activity behind this outage; its root cause was a faulty configuration change on our part. We also have no evidence that user data was compromised as a result of this downtime," the firm added.

It should be noted that on Twitter an alleged Anonymous account wrote that "the world is a better place without Facebook and Instagram", so users of the micro blog began to award them a possible hacking that caused this problem.

The world is already a better place without Facebook and Instagram. #Anonymous
- Anonymous (@YourAnonOne) October 4, 2021

Bad timing for Facebook service failure

The fall of the Facebook service came at one of the worst moments for the company, since on September 13, the Wall Street Journal revealed that the company was aware of a wide range of problems with its products, including mental health damage in teenagers and misinformation about the Jan. 6 riots on Capitol Hill.

Added to this are the statements of former Facebook employee Frances Haugen, who said Sunday night on CBS's "60 Minutes" that the company always prioritized the pursuit of profit over the public interest.

"What I saw at Facebook over and over again was that there were conflicts of interest between what was good for the public and what was good for Facebook, and Facebook over and over again chose to optimize for its own interests, like making more money," Haugen said.

This Tuesday, Haugen will testify in front of the Senate subcommittee, chaired by Democrat Richard Blumenthal, so lawmakers will get to hear firsthand these allegations and have the opportunity to question her about what she experienced inside Facebook.

A million-dollar fall for Facebook

This Monday, the New York Stock Exchange saw a massive sell-off in Facebook shares, due to the disruption of services, as well as statements in recent days, causing the social networking giant's shares to fall 4.9 percent, accumulating a 15 percent drop since mid-September.

Thus, it is estimated that Monday's fall represented a loss of almost 6 billion dollars for Facebook, while since September 13, the company has accumulated a loss of 19 billion dollars.

Minutes after Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger began to be restored; Mark Zuckerberg expressed through his Facebook account that the social networks and instant messaging apps were coming back online, while apologizing for the failures in the platforms.

"Facebook, Instagram WhatsApp and Messenger are coming back online now. Sorry for the disruption today. I know how much you depend on our services to keep you connected to the people you love," Zuckerberg said.

https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10113957526871061

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Mosaic mural unveiled in Magical Bridge Park

Josué Karim Moreno

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2021.10.04

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Mosaic mural unveiled in Magical Bridge Park

This weekend marked the unveiling of the mosaic mural at Magical Bridge Park in Redwood City, a community project brought to life by hundreds of volunteers, the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation, and artist Elizabeth Gomez.

Notably, the Parks and Arts Foundation commissioned local artist Elizabeth Gomez to design and install this mosaic mural at Magical Bridge Playground, which brings this space to life by depicting California's native flora and fauna.

Likewise, community members had the opportunity to sponsor the artist's work, which will contain many elements created and designed by community members through private workshops.

Among the various workshops was one held at Casa Circulo Cultural, with a group of parents and adults from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office CARON (Community Alliance to Revitalize Our Neighborhood) program.

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Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Divides Opinion Among Scientific Community

Pamela Cruz

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2021.10.04

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Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Divides Opinion Among Scientific Community

Should we or should we not have a COVID-19 booster? That's the dilemma. Public health experts have divided opinions on who should get it. Currently, only those who opted for the Pfizer vaccine are eligible for the third dose.

To know the opinions of two great health professionals, Ethnic Media Services organized a session with the media to know the different points of view, and also the coincidences where better information can be provided to the public..

For Dr. Ben Neuman, virologist and head of the University of Texas Global Health Research Complex, humanity must focus on exterminating the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.

This, he said, because this disease, "will probably always kill a percentage of the people who are infected," because, looking at the figures worldwide, the case fatality rate, which is the number of people who die versus the number of confirmed infected people, always seems to settle at about 2.2 percent, with differences by age, "but one in 50 people who are infected with covid-19 are more likely to die.

He added that, currently, there is no data to suggest that the virus will change to suit humanity, because "a percentage of people who are vaccinated and get COVID will also be hospitalized or die from COVID. And this will continue indefinitely.

The expert said that based on data from the Sept. 17 FDA meeting, it suggests that the term "fully vaccinated" is being used incorrectly.

"No one is fully vaccinated. And, in fact, at this stage we don't really know what it would be like to be fully vaccinated. What we have is evidence of their waning immunity - from vaccines - and their varying degrees - of protection."

In that regard, he noted that as time passes after vaccination, the amount of protection decreases to about 50 percent after five months, but the amount of protection against death remains constant at about 90 percent.

"This is the dichotomy that is trapping people. The coronavirus is fundamentally a moving target, it's evolving, and it's changing. And if you look at the trajectory of change, the virus has gotten faster and better at reproducing very consistently throughout the outbreak, and based on the available data we don't have any evidence that this will be otherwise in the future," he said.

And, he said, of all the variants of the disease that exist, 99 percent of infections in people are currently due to the Delta variant, which has more than 40 subtypes that are being monitored.

"Delta is essentially synonymous with COVID-19 in the real world." However, the efficacy of Delta vaccines is about the same as with any other variant.

Neuman explained that while there is a relatively small difference between the elderly and those under 65 in terms of vaccine effectiveness, the benefit of a booster has also been found to be very large.

"Regardless of age group, with a booster, people end up with 5 to 10 times more antibodies than they had at the peak after the second vaccination, and they end up with up to 55 times more antibodies than they had just before the booster," he said.

"So the benefits seem to be universal. The consequences seem to be relatively similar across all age groups. And on that basis, it's hard for me, as a virologist, to understand the FDA's decision to recommend boosters only for a certain age group and not for everyone."

"If vaccination is universal, universal boosters are going to be beneficial."

And is that, he recalled that vaccines such as hepatitis A or MMR are needed three or more doses to move towards a lasting immunity, while polio is virtually eradicated and smallpox completely eliminated due to widespread vaccination.

"So with additional doses of vaccine, we're essentially trying to move from what is considered reasonable protection to a position of certainty... And I think the benefit there is very, very great psychologically. And not just in terms of hope, but in the possibility of a better life, without COVID-19," he stressed.

The expert pointed out that the booster dose is exactly the same as those administered in the first and second shots.

However, in order for COVID-19 to be eradicated, it must not only be possible to vaccinate in the country, but globally, otherwise we will not be able to move towards the right path.

"You have to fight this like you attack fire: put it out completely in one place and then extend the ring of protection until it covers everyone... If we don't stop this everywhere, it will eventually come back in some form."

For her part, Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine, explained that unlike other viruses that have been eradicated in the world, COVID-19 or measles are infections that have animal hosts, and you can even catch them before you are sick. "So it doesn't have a short period of infection and we don't know if it's immune for life.

In that sense and unlike Dr. Neuman, Gandhi stressed that, unlike smallpox, "what will probably happen with COVID is that it will go the way of measles, so it will always be with us".

Thus, he said, this type of virus will become endemic, meaning it is a disease that always occurs in one population within one geographic area.

He recalled that in the United States alone there are three vaccines that help prevent deaths from the disease, and there are others around the world that can help mitigate the pandemic, which help produce T cells (antibodies).

What are T cells?

"T cells are really there to protect you from serious diseases." These are a kind of immune cell, whose main purpose is to identify and kill invading pathogens or infected cells. They do this by using proteins on their surface, which in turn can attach to proteins on the surface of these imposters.

Each T cell is highly specific. There are billions of possible variations of these surface proteins, and each one can recognize a different target and fight the virus like SARS-CoV-2 in a lasting way.

"It's pretty amazing what a two-dose vaccine does in terms of memory B and T cell storage."

"There is evidence from the SARS pandemic of 2000 to 2003 that people who survived still have very strong T-cell immunity, just as with measles vaccines. And vaccines also generate B cells that together with T cells create important antibodies," he added.

He explained that unvaccinated people are 20 times more likely to be hospitalized for the Delta variant than those who are vaccinated. So those who require a booster of the COVID-19 vaccine are those patients with compromised immune systems. "They always need three or more vaccines than a typical three-dose vaccination in a row."

Also, those over the age of 65 and those who are frequently exposed to the disease, such as health care workers.

For the pandemic to be contained, he said, all countries, especially low-income countries, must have access to vaccines safely and effectively, because so far only rich countries have the majority of the vaccine supply.

"The only way to prevent people from being exposed to the virus is to reduce transmission everywhere and keep everyone safe," because if that's not done, even Americans can't be safe as long as other people around the world are not vaccinated, agreed virologist Neuman.

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