As every year, the first Sunday of February becomes almost "sacred" for those who like American football, the party to know who will be the winner in the final game of the National Football League (NFL) championship is big in the United States.
However, this year, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the meetings and even the very match so eagerly awaited by the audience.
It should be noted that at the beginning of the season the uncertainty of whether there would be a superbowl with or without audience was on everyone's mind; so far it is known that the LV edition will be attended by 22 thousand people, of which 7,500 places have been reserved for health personnel who have fought and fought on the front line against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, so they will be the guests of honor.
The number of fans who will witness the superbowl represents only 30 percent of the capacity of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
The NFL reported that the 32 teams in the league were responsible for making the selection of medical personnel to attend the long-awaited game, which, it should be noted, will already be vaccinated against COVID-19.
For the rest of us who won't be able to attend the game, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended getting together virtually or with people you live with, "it's the safest way to celebrate the Super Bowl this year.
He added that if you have a small gathering with people who do not live in the same household, the outside is safer than the inside.
Host a virtual superbowl party
The CDC calls for wearing clothes or decorating your home with the logo or colors of your favorite team, preparing snacks or refreshments with the people you live with to enjoy while watching the game, and sharing recipes with friends and family.
Also, call start a text group with other fans to talk about the game while watching, or attend an outdoor party where spectators can sit six feet or more away.
In addition, he suggests using a projection screen to broadcast the game and keeping the spaces between seats at least six feet apart, especially with people outside the household.
He also suggested avoiding singing or shouting, since both can launch viral particles and spread them through the air, so making noises with the foot, clapping or using rattles is ideal for expressing euphoria.
Do you trust the weather predictions of a groundhog? If so, don't put away your coats and umbrellas, because according to "Punxsutawney Phil" winter will be six weeks longer.
This Tuesday, at 7:25 a.m., and for the first time without a live audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the groundhog emerged in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and saw his shadow, which, according to tradition, will extend the frigid temperatures into spring.
Since 1887, Phil has made predictions - despite the average lifespan of a groundhog in captivity being less than a decade - and in 134 years only 20 times has he predicted an early spring, just as he did in 2020.
While the winter season has seen temperatures well above average in the northern and central U.S., and near normal in the South, there are also areas that have recorded the warmest winter in history, with up to seven degrees above normal.
According to the Washington Post, from Monday's snowstorm in the Northeast, which blanketed the city of Punxsutawney and brought up to 30 inches of snow near New York City, there are signs that support colder and stormier times ahead.
Thus, a second storm could hit the Northeast this weekend, or that could be followed by frigid air surging southeastward over the Great Lakes and Appalachians next week, where temperatures could drop suddenly.
According to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center, during February, temperatures will be milder than average in the eastern part of the country, with below-average temperatures expected only in parts of the Pacific Northwest and the Columbia River Basin in the northern Rockies.
It should be noted that Phil's predictions are dubious, as in the last 10 years only 50 percent of the time he has been right. Although its agents announce it as a 100 percent sure omen, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -NOAA, for its acronym in English- points out that the announced by the "immortal" groundhog, is as accurate as a random guess.
Groundhog Day dates back to the 1700s, when German settlers came to the United States, bringing with them a tradition known as Candlemas Day, a celebration between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox.
Nearly a century later it was reinvented as Groundhog Day. "According to superstition, sunny skies on that day signify a stormy and cold second half of winter, while cloudy skies indicate the arrival of warmer weather," explains the website the NOAA.
Today, it has been 40 days since I had the opportunity to participate in phase 3 studies of the Ad5-nCoV vaccine, developed by the Chinese laboratory CanSino Biologics Inc. and whose trial was carried out in several countries: Argentina, Chile, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates and Mexico. According to the most restrictive specifications, in theory, the deadline has been met for my body to have generated immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19 whose origin, it is believed, was found in a market of wild species for human consumption in the central city of Wuhan, in China and that 329 days after the World Health Organization declared a pandemic situation, it is estimated that it is a disease that has affected 1.5 percent of the world's population.
50/50
Offices of the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City. Photograph: Cristian Carlos.
"Your chance of being assigned to one of the groups (...) is 50 percent," the document attached to the email notification warned.
It is possible that, on the day of the test, what I was given was either the Ad5-nCoV vaccine or a simple placebo - a substance with no effect for trial control purposes. The likelihood of getting the placebo or the Chinese vaccine was 50 percent, according to the lead research physician, Dr. Guillermo M. Ruiz-Palacios y Santos of the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán in Mexico City, who explained to a group of participants 10 points ranging from the purpose of the research - to learn about the vaccine's effectiveness in a group of people - to the benefits or risks of participating in the trial - from the side effects of the vaccine (if given) to infection with COVID-19.
They have contemplated most of the possible scenarios. The fact that we had the opportunity to know, in writing, the specifications of the study and to have the personal attention of Dr. Ruiz-Palacios y Santos to answer any questions, were positive factors that gave me confidence to continue with the process.
It is important to note that, although I was selected a day before and notified via email about my participation in the clinical trial of the CanSino Biologics Inc. vaccine, at any time during the process it is possible, with complete freedom, to drop out of the clinical trial. In case of dropping out of the trial, in any of its stages, said Dr. Ruiz-Palacios y Santos, no person will be compromised in any of its situations -legal or health care.
Procedure
Waiting room with "healthy distance". National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City. Photograph: Cristian Carlos.
Suddenly, when the email arrived notifying me of my participation in the clinical trial, my chances of getting the vaccine against the disease that has taken away my family and friends had suddenly increased by 50 percent. That is to say, the next day, my chances of getting the vaccine against COVID-19 were 50 percent and, subsequently, zero percent in who knows how many months because, according to the "National Guiding Policy on Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 for the prevention of COVID-19 in Mexico" states that, according to my age - 28 years old - I could only be immunized with any of the vaccines available at the moment until the month of June of this year and before the month of March of 2022.
So all of a sudden, I could accelerate that process, almost immediately, with a 50 percent chance.
CanSino Vaccine Requirements
To be of legal age; in Mexico, the age of majority is reached at the age of 18, the age at which one acquires the capacity to determine the effectiveness of his or her legal acts and is identified by the full independence of the person and the acquisition of full capacity to act (Tobeñas, 2000).
Being generally healthy was also one of the requirements for eligibility to participate in the clinical trial. The age limit was not a restriction for participation in the trial; the study also noted that "adequate contraception" was required 90 days after receiving treatment.
Suffering from illnesses caused by other viruses that compromise the body's immunity, such as the HIV virus, which causes AIDS, was an impediment to being eligible for treatment.
Side effects and symptoms
Being a vaccine that, up to that moment, only phases 1 and 2 of the vaccine had been completed in China and the results of phase 3 are being analyzed, it causes uncertainty; however, the use of the CanSino Biologics vaccine would have received the green light in that country to immunize medical and defense personnel.
This was the point that kept me awake last night, as the sample included just over 600 adults. Perhaps this was also the highest point of concern for all the participants because, according to the informative document, it was pointed out that the most common adverse effects occurred in a population equal to or greater than 10 percent, including symptoms of a common cold and pain at the injection site for a period of no more than 3 days. However, other adverse effects such as cough, sore throat, and joint pain were included in 10 to 1 percent.
"The evidence from these two studies - the phase 1 and phase 2 studies - shows that the vaccine is safe," the informed consent letter says.
Day of the visit
On that day alone, we would have received an email total of about 50 people; however, upon investigation, I had found that groups of people like ours had already visited the Institute on previous days to take part in the trial, so that suggested that we would not be the first or the last to participate in the vaccine trials.
The appointment was set for 1 p.m. at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán; at that time, Mexico City was in orange traffic light -the high risk level within the "risk traffic light" approved by the federal government- which meant gathering 50 people for the test plus the administrative staff, cleaning staff and health professionals on site; however, the entrance, as well as the first waiting room and sanitary filters met the highest standards established for the new normality: the correct and obligatory use of mouth covers at all times, maintaining "healthy distance" - a concept in Mexico to designate physical distance - of at least 1.5 meters -4' 11"-, cough or sneeze etiquette, the extensive use of hydroalcoholic solution or antibacterial gel, and open windows so that air could circulate in the most enclosed spaces where more than 20 people congregated.
I must point out that, in these 300 days of confinement, INCMNSZ is the place where I have seen how these measures have been complied with 100 percent.
There I met people visibly younger and older than me who were coming for the same reasons I was, to get a 50 percent chance of being immunized with the vaccine. Not having a known person, Ariel, a young man, served as a witness on the "informed consent letter" that we had to read, understand and sign to participate in the process, in which we both agreed to be nervous about the method of randomization.
Randomization method
Group 2 of the day of the trial. Salvador Zubirán National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Mexico City. Photo: Cristian Carlos.
According to the explanation given by the research director, Dr. Guillermo M. Ruiz-Palacios y Santos, the randomization of the two possibilities, receiving the Ad5-nCoV vaccine or the placebo, was carried out by a personal identifier assigned to the initials of our name to the CanSino Biologics Inc. systems and back to INCMNSZ via email where the unique identifier linked to our initials would also be linked to a unique identifier of the Ad5-nCoV vaccine doses or to the placebo doses. and back to INCMNSZ via email where the unique identifier linked to our initials would also be linked to a unique identifier for the Ad5-nCoV vaccine doses or the placebo doses - both of which were already at the Institute - without being able to distinguish, at the time, which one had been finally assigned to both the health professionals and the trial participants. If neither the staff administering the vaccine nor the trial participants know what our outcome is, the clinical trial is called "double-blind".
Ariel and I agreed that this procedure was like flipping a coin, "un volado," as we call it in Mexico.
No clinical study would be complete without a sample of our blood of 25 ml, this to inform us if we were at risk for any other disease caused by any other virus, such as HIV, if so, they would contact us to let us know if there was any abnormality in the studies and, in any case, guide us to follow an appropriate treatment.
Application of the CanSino vaccine
Vaccine application. Salvador Zubirán National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Mexico City. Photo: Cristian Carlos.
Unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines that require a two-dose application to ensure a maximum of 95 percent effectiveness, the vaccine developed by CanSino Biologics Inc. requires a single application to achieve 97 percent effective immunity in 28 days.
During blood sampling, the randomization process takes place - the one that links the initial letters of our full name and either a dose of the CanSino Biologics Inc. vaccine or a placebo injection. In addition to the randomization process comes a brief questionnaire from the physicians conducting the clinical trial process - who are not allowed to participate in the trial - where, perhaps for the last time, individual questions can be answered.
The letter of informed consent does not state any restrictions other than what they call adequate contraception for both men and women; the letter stipulates that heterosexual men must abstain from penile-vaginal intercourse, sperm donation and blood donation 90 days after the dose is administered.
At no point does the letter contemplate restricting any other activity. However, in China, drug trafficking is a felony punishable by death, so I assumed that, for that reason, the use of drugs or alcohol would be implicitly limited. According to the doctors conducting the process, there is no restriction on substance use; however, we were warned that we must give notice if our habits put our lung capacity at risk, for example, smoking tobacco.
Next comes the application of the dose in the "non-dominant arm" -in my case, the right arm because I am left-handed-. For safety reasons, according to the protocol proposed by the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology and CanSino Biologics Inc. -sponsors of the study-, photographs of the doses should be avoided.
The doses come in a white box, inside the box, a glass syringe with the dose already prepared that you have to remove the plastic protection from the needle. It's not a multi-use vial like the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine - a 5-dose vial - or a vial. It is similar, they say, to the doses provided in Mexico's health sector for other vaccines.
Ariel. Salvador Zubirán National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Mexico City. Photograph: Cristian Carlos.
"Seen and unseen," said Ariel who, at all times, remained ahead of me. I hadn't seen such discipline since high school, to tell the truth, everyone was numbered and preserved the order we were assigned from the beginning, even in the use of elevators. Also, we talked the least among ourselves; keeping conversations to a minimum is one more recommendation to avoid the dispersion of aerosols that can spread the coronavirus and preserve the life of mouth covers and masks.
Two nurses were in charge of dosing. One unpacked the syringe, removed the safety seals, and exchanged it for administration. The syringe had a small print inscription on it where I could identify the name of the vaccine "Ad5-nCoV", a serial number that I could not identify, and the unique identifier that was linked to our initials. I was more focused on what the application looked like than on the application itself: a liquid that, at first glance, looked clear and disappeared after application in less than five seconds.
Follow up
After application, the protocol incubates a 30-minute waiting time - the same that is now expected in the application of vaccines that have already been approved - in order to rule out immediate adverse effects, such as an allergic reaction to the vaccine components.
Whether what Ariel and I were injected with was the Ad5-nCoV vaccine, from CanSino Biologics, we didn't know immediately; although, with a quick survey of the people in the waiting room we were able to make it evident that people with persistent injection site pain after 20 minutes had been injected with a dose of the vaccine and not the placebo.
"Whose arm hurts?" was heard from a young man who dared to ask us given the seriousness of the protocol. The pain in my arm was evident and, a few minutes later, I began to feel a constant tingling in my non-dominant arm.
Ariel, for her part, said she didn't feel anything else.
After 30 minutes, we went back to our assigned shift to return to the pair of nurses who administered the dose; after a brief questionnaire - which included general discomfort - and an inspection of the injected area with the needle of the syringe, if there was no major problem, we could go home. After a 4-5 hour process.
I'm immune thanks to CanSino's vaccine
An "antibody test" or "the presence of cold symptoms" are indicators of having been injected with the Ad5-nCOV vaccine; however, as Dr. Ruiz-Palacios and Santos mentioned, the first indicator eliminates one of the purposes of the clinical trial: blinding. The second may be subject to suggestion.
An antibody test done 25 days after the vaccine was given would show a high immune response. In conjunction with the symptoms I had during the early morning hours following the day of administration.
In the middle of the night, a headache, muscle and joint aches and pains strong enough to wake me up. We were advised to try to alleviate these symptoms with the usual medicines prescribed in advance according to our family doctors; if we did not have them, we had to call the number on our identity card.
An INCMNSZ ID card with instructions on what to do in case of serious adverse effects was provided to us upon departure. Along with a card that we must carry at all times in case of an emergent event specifying who to call and who to contact. The card specifies that we are part of a clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine. It is also an identifier that could be used to check our probable immunity to SARS-CoV-2.
We were additionally provided with a digital thermometer to check our body temperature at any time in case of a suspected fever that could be an early sign of COVID-19. I activated the thermometer upon awakening, but my body temperature was not a red flag - and even if it was, I should treat it as a side effect. Ibuprofen 600 mg and Paracetamol 500 mg. "That should do it," I thought. And it did. The next morning, the only thing that persisted was a slight general weakness - more accentuated in the arm of the injection.
The headache, muscle and joint pain disappeared for the rest of the night. My body temperature remained normal.
INCMNSZ offered us 24-hour medical care for the next 12 months in case we needed it.
The vaccine is new and safe; however, its long-term effects have yet to be studied. It is important to note that, inevitably, COVID-19 positive cases - even if they were administered with placebo or the CanSino Biologics vaccine - are expected within a year, asymptomatic or with the presence of symptoms; however, people administered with the Ad5-nCoV vaccine are expected to reduce their mortality and case fatality rate to 0 percent.
Conclusion
As Dr. Guillermo M. Ruiz-Palacios y Santos of the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán explained, people who test positive for the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus eliminate the risk of having severe symptoms of COVID-19 and even eliminate the risk of dying from the disease altogether if they take the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
That is why it is important to administer the vaccine. In principle, by believing in the advancement of science.
-Despite being sociologists, science is still the same," said Manuel Ortiz, sociologist and professor at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences (FCPyS) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and continued: "We are scientists. We do science, and in science is the search for truth.
"That's right," I thought.
-Science is synonymous with truth. Science is to prove what exists, not to prove what does not exist. Using science to prove what does not exist is nonsense," said Sandra Oceja Limón, also a professor at the FCPyS, UNAM.
Secondly, to honour the 159,533 people who have died in my country because of the pandemic and because, worldwide, 2,236,454 people have died. People who lost their lives and who died, with the most serious complications of COVID-19, waiting for a solution to the pandemic.
One solution is to protect yourself from the coronavirus by getting the vaccine that is available.
Thirdly, to reduce by up to 97 percent - in the specific case of the CanSino Biologics vaccine - the chances of contracting the new coronavirus; which, in turn, means that we are not carriers of SARS-CoV-2 and, therefore, eradicate its transmission.
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 - the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 disease - can be eradicated by vaccination.
Unfortunately, the vaccine is not 100 percent effective; however, should we fall into the remaining three percent and become infected with the new coronavirus - SARS-CoV-2 - it is very likely that we will be asymptomatic patients with a low viral load and not suffer from the disease - COVID-19 - thanks to the vaccine.
In the event that vaccinated persons become ill with COVID-19, the effects of the disease as well as its complications are reduced.
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine, according to Dr. Ruiz-Palacios y Santos, eliminates the risk of dying from this disease.
Eliza Kritz, founding teacher of Rocketship Redwood City, launched a campaign through Go Found Me to help families financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The campaign notes that money raised through the Rocketship Redwood City Prep Community Fund will support the families of 15 students at the school.
"The COVID-19 outbreak has caused many households to lose their livelihoods and income. The school where I work, Rocketship Redwood City, has collected feedback and identified families who have been hard hit and need our support right now," said teacher Kritz.
Eliza Kritz, founding teacher of Rocketship Redwood City
It is expected that the collection will reach three thousand dollars, and most likely they will surpass it this Tuesday, because as of 10:30 a.m. they had raised two thousand 905 dollars.
"We are raising money in hopes of supporting 15 families at our school in their financial needs. All proceeds raised will be given to the families to be used for bills, clothing and food assistance," the campaign states.
It is worth noting that several families not only in San Mateo County, but throughout the state have been affected in various ways due to the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as job losses and business closures, among others.
For most developing countries, widespread vaccination coverage against COVID-19 will not be achieved until before 2030, because most developing countries will depend on COVAX - a World Health Organization-led initiative that aims to secure 6 billion doses of vaccine for the poorest countries.
Vaccine supplies for COVAX may be slow to arrive, especially if delays in production and delivery to richer countries push delivery dates for poorer countries to two years from now "if at all," according to a study by The Economist Intelligence Unit.
The first two billion doses for developing and poor countries are planned to be delivered in 2021, mainly to health workers - COVAX doses will cover only up to 20 percent of each country's population.
The document states that in early 2021, three vaccines, from Pfizer (USA), BioNTech (Germany), Moderna (USA) and AstraZeneca-Oxford University (UK), will be launched on a large scale in developed countries. Moderna (USA) and AstraZeneca-Oxford University (UK), will be launched on a large scale in developed countries.
Meanwhile, Chinese and Russian vaccines are being deployed both domestically and to emerging countries such as Egypt through bilateral diplomatic agreements.
This, he said, will encourage so-called "vaccine diplomacy," with Russia and China seeking to bolster their global status by delivering immunizations this year and beyond.
Thus, countries at the top of the list, including the United Kingdom, the United States and most European Union countries, are expected to have immunized their priority groups by the end of March, while other wealthy countries will catch up by the end of June.
Analysts said they were hopeful that the global economic outlook would improve from mid-2021 onwards, with the global economic rebound accelerating in the third and fourth quarters.
However, they said, "life will not return to normal by then, as immunization programs for most of the population will continue until mid-2022.
Among middle-income countries, they explained, Russia, which has developed its own vaccines, could be on a similar schedule to wealthier economies, with mass immunization completed by mid-2022.
Other middle-income countries, including Mexico and Brazil, have been promised supplies in exchange for conducting clinical trials or manufacturing housing, actions that should give them early access to doses for priority groups, although their ability to achieve mass vaccination will depend on other factors, including fiscal space, population size, number of health workers, infrastructure and political will, they said.
China and India represent special cases; "both countries have developed their own vaccines and are moving ahead with implementation plans, but their large population sizes mean that mass immunization programs will be extended until the end of 2022."
The Economist Intelligence Unit said that the criteria taken into account in reaching these conclusions were supply arrangements, production constraints, vaccine hesitancy, population size and availability of health workers.
Analysts also adjusted the data to reflect specific conditions on the ground.
"The contrast between rich and poorer countries is stark. Most developing countries will not have widespread access to vaccines before 2023 at the earliest. Some of these countries, particularly the poorest with a young demographic profile, may lose the motivation to deliver vaccines, especially if the disease has spread widely or if the associated costs prove too high," explained Agathe Demarais, director of Global Forecasting at The Economist Intelligence Unit.
He added that vaccine diplomacy will also be an important trend to watch, as both Russia and China seek to adopt a transactional approach to vaccine delivery, "using coronavirus injections as a bargaining chip to advance interests.
Finally, Demarais pointed out that vaccines against many diseases, such as polio and tuberculosis, have been available for decades. However, many people in the poorest countries are still unable to access them.
"What was called a "new coronavirus" just a year ago will be with us for the long term, along with many other diseases that have shaped life over the centuries," he finished.
Anna Lee Mraz Bartra. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is China's most important holiday. This year the celebration of Chinese New Year 2021 will be virtual. next February 20, 2021 at 5 PM for this halfwhere we will celebrate the arrival of the hardest worker of the zodiac, the Ox, what will he bring with him in 2021?
The Chinese calendar rotates in cycles of 60 years represented by an animal year and an element to choose between wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each year is characterized by a yin or yang force, the animal and the element that year.
There is a legend, in Chinese mythology, of a great race where the 12 animals that managed to win would be announced to the world. The competition decided which animals would enter the zodiac and in what order. The Rat was the first animal to arrive.
Legend has it that the Ox, naive and kind-hearted, agreed to carry Rat and Cat on his back to cross a river. Halfway across the river, Rat pushed Cat into the water, knocking him out of the race. Then, as Ox approached the other side of the river, Rat pulled ahead and reached the finish line first. Thus, he claimed first place in the competition and the zodiac.
Chinese astrologers warned that the year of the Rat, under the Flying Star 2 positioned in the south, would cause all kinds of economic and health problems.
Maybe the Rat is cheating, maybe it's just a bad reputation; but 2020, the year of the Rat, the world went through a clear epochal change, unfortunately not in the way it was intended. It will always be remembered as a year filled with political strife, social unrest, economic decline and a global pandemic that severely disrupted our lives.
What will this coming year bring? With a big, if still virtual, celebration - February 20 at 5 PM - we will leave that 2020 behind and whether we adapt, evolve or change, new things are coming.
According to the lunar calendar, on February 12, the celebrations for the new year will begin, the symbol of which will be the White Metal Ox.
The Ox, the second animal of the Chinese zodiac is a symbol of hard work, of positivity and honesty. The Ox never held a grudge against the Rat for his cheating and they remained friends; so some astrologers predict that he will continue some of the Rat's work.
Success will come to those who work hard.
Very hard.
Hard work, responsibility, discipline; the good attributes of the Ox are not only found in the Chinese zodiac. The animal has been depicted in East Asian religion, art, literature and popular culture for centuries. Because of the Ox's strength and power, it was used as a religious icon in many ancient civilizations.
And not only from China; the Egyptians were the first to worship the ox and the cow, and traces of this are still to be found today. This religious respect was later passed on to the Greeks, for much of their high regard is due to their importance in agriculture.
White Metal Ox
In agricultural societies, oxen are reliable and strong working animals. They are pack animals and responsible for the survival of mankind, so for this reason and for the affinity with nature, for the Romans the ox was sacred.
The difficulties sown with the year of the Rat will not disappear overnight. The recounting of the damages of the past year will not end with the turning of the page. The pandemic, the economic crisis and the political conflicts will continue in the year of the Ox to complete them and bring them to their resolution.
But don't be discouraged! Across hundreds of different cultures, the Ox always finds a way out of the most difficult problems. This is not only considered a literal statement, but a metaphorical one, as the Ox is thought to be able to find solutions to any kind of predicament.
Después del año que hemos tenido, no nos queda más que agarrar al Toro por los cuernos[1].
Based in Redwood City and, through Peninsula 360 Press, a multicultural team will be conducting a virtual party with dances, songs, paper activities and more surprises. next February 20th, 2021 at 5 PM on this platform and in social networks.
[1] Esta es una expresión que se utiliza en algunos lugares de iberoamérica cuando existe un problema difícil de arreglar y una persona intenta solucionarlo de forma inmediata, con decisión, sin dudas, con valentía.
With the regional stay-at-home order lifted for all regions of the state, the California Department of State Parks this week announced the reopening of campsites for existing reservation holders, and will use a phased approach to reopen other state campgrounds for new reservations beginning January 28.
He also informed the public that not all camps are open due to the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfire impacts and other issues.
In addition, he said, group campsites will remain closed, while outdoor day-use areas of park units currently open to the public will be open.
Updates on the phased reopening will be posted on the department's Facebook , Twitter and Instagram accounts and at Parks.ca.gov/COVID19Camping.
The information will also be posted on the websites of the individual park units.
Reservations can be made at least two days - 48 hours - prior to arrival at ReserveCalifornia.com.
It should be noted that the demand for camping and lodging sometimes exceeds the available inventory, so the public is advised to plan their stay, do a little research and have alternative parks in mind in case their first choice is full.
"As state parks increase access to the state park system, it is critical that Californians continue to recreate responsibly outdoors, as the pandemic is far from over," the department said in a statement.
"Thank you to our visitors for helping to reduce outdoor exposure to the virus. Together we are protecting the safety of visitors and those who care for the State Park System," said Armando Quintero, director of California State Parks.
Among the guidelines that State Parks has implemented to reduce the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus outdoors are:
Staying localStay close to home during this pandemic period. If you or someone in your household feels sick, stay home and plan your travel for another time.
Plan ahead The ongoing pandemic response remains dynamic and fluid. Before you leave home, check the website of your outdoor destination you plan to visit to find out if it is open, if parking is available and what visitor guidelines are in place. Also, find out what safety precautions you should take when exploring the outdoors at Parks.ca.gov/SafetyTips to enjoy the outdoors safely.
Stay safe at six feet or moreNo matter the recreational activity, maintain a physical distance of six feet or more. Your guests should only include those within your immediate household. This means no guests or friends, no gatherings or parties. If there are too many people to maintain the required physical distance, visit the park another day.
NavigationDo not raft with other boaters or stop on a beach with other visitors.
Recreation of off-road vehiclesDo not drive next to others or stop next to someone else, as this may put you too close to other visitors.
Keeping clean Please be prepared as not all restrooms may be available. Some restrooms will be temporarily closed to keep up with cleaning schedules. Bring soap and/or hand sanitizer. Pack out all trash. Park units are experiencing heavy use and you can help alleviate the impact on park facilities.
Keeping covered Face shield: The state requires you to wear a face shield when you are unable to maintain a physical distance of six feet or more. Individuals must cover their face at all times.
While law enforcement agencies have the authority to issue citations, the public is expected to be responsible for complying with public health officials' advice, visitor guidelines, and closures.
Redwood City, California. Photo: Anna Lee Mraz Bartra
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
A new cold front is moving into the Bay Area from the northeast, which will bring rainfall that could develop in the next few hours, so be on the lookout.
This was reported by the National Weather Service (NWS) in San Francisco, who also called to remain vigilant for possible slippery roads.
These rains will be accompanied by wind gusts of 15 to 30 mph, and up to 40 mph at higher elevations.
It should be noted that the rains will be persistent until the night of Tuesday, February 2, and could even extend into Wednesday.
However, dry weather is expected from Thursday through the weekend.
Not everything that is published on social networks is true. Medical science, in the XXI century, has been seriously attacked due to various conspiracy theories.
Recently, a story circulated, of dubious provenance, that 24 seniors had died at a nursing home called The Commons in Auburn, New York, after being immunized with the COVID-19-trafficked vaccine, but the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak occurred before the doses were administered.
The article that appeared on January 10 on the website of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, entitled "A nursing home had zero deaths from coronavirus", was viralized and taken up by other pages where even the titles were more alarmist and yellowish, as they even suggest that these people are being experimented on in search of a cure for a virus that, for many of them, does not exist.
The note has suddenly disappeared from the portal.
According to Syracuse.com, which picked up the story, the nursing home began administering vaccinations on Dec. 22, and as of Dec. 29, there had been no deaths from COVID-19.
However, a few days later, 24 residents had died from COVID-19. The article details that, according to a spokesperson for the nursing home, the outbreak at The Commons began on Dec. 21, three days before the vaccines began to be administered.
Reuters news agency reported that after requesting an interview, a spokesman for Loretto, the company that operates The Commons, told them by e-mail that the nursing home had confirmed cases of coronavirus before the vaccines were administered.
"Loretto can confirm that the outbreak had 24 positive cases in The Commons prior to Dec. On Dec. 21, before Loretto began administering the vaccine on Dec. 22. We certainly wish the vaccines had been available earlier to help prevent the devastation caused by this virus," the email states.
They also confirmed to the media that the first deaths from COVID-19 were reported at The Commons on Dec. 29 and by Jan. 9, 24 deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 had been recorded.
In addition, a video by a person calling himself James DeValon, who claims to work in a nursing home as a certified nursing assistant, claims that older adults are "dying like flies" after receiving the COVID-19 immunization.
Facts:
William Shaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine in the Department of Health Policy and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, pointed out that with the existing COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine is not a cure for COVID-19. "You're not going to get Covid. You can't get Covid from the vaccine. Please don't think that."as reported by P360P here.
Through a conference with Ethnic Media Services, the specialist explained that very few vaccines are 100 percent effective, however, "A 90 percent effectiveness rate is very good, although it is important to know that out of every 10 people vaccinated, one will have no protection or partial protection, but we don't know who it could be.
"That's one of the many reasons why even people who are vaccinated can't throw away their masks. We're going to have to wear the masks, do social distancing, and avoid large groups for a long period," he added.
William Shaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine in the Department of Health Policy and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) itself states on its website that "none of the licensed and recommended COVID-19 vaccines or COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the U.S. contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. This means that a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19.
It also explains that it is possible for a person to become infected with SARS-CoV-2 just before or just after receiving the vaccine and still get sick because "It usually takes a few weeks for the body to develop immunity after vaccination.
Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) protest in San Francisco on 30 January 2021. Photo: Manuel Ortiz Escámez
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
Beginning Friday through June 30, 2021, millions of California renters won't have to worry about being evicted after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation to extend the state's historic moratorium on evictions.
This will protect millions of Californians who struggle every day to make ends meet due to the economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thus, with the passage of SB 91, California leads all states in enacting the strongest tenant protections in the nation.
"Once again, California is leading the way by enacting the nation's strongest eviction protections, which will provide relief to millions of Californians facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19."
Gavin Newsom, governor of California.
The governor added that this bill not only provides needed support for renters, but also provides relief for small homeowners who need mortgage payment assistance, thanks to $2.6 billion in federal stimulus funds.
Last Monday, Newsom, Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced an agreement on legislation to extend the eviction moratorium established last year under AB 3088, which was set to expire this Sunday, Jan. 31.
"Today, we took the boldest action in the nation to protect California renters and support family landlords, but we know we have more work to do and that we need to help the hurting people in our communities understand how to access this in a critical way."
Toni Atkins, President pro Tempore of the Senate.
The signed legislation stops evictions for tenants who declare under penalty of perjury the inability to pay all or part of the rent due to a COVID-19 related reason.
It should be noted that tenants are still responsible for paying unpaid amounts to landlords, but those unpaid amounts cannot be the basis for an eviction, even after the moratorium ends.
SB 91 also establishes the State Rental Assistance Program to allocate the $2.6 billion in federal rental assistance that California will receive.
The program will focus on assisting income-qualified tenants who are most at risk for rent arrears. In addition, assistance will also be extended to property owners who agree to waive 20 percent of unpaid rent.
By accepting this exemption, property owners will be eligible for 80 percent in rent rebates for amounts owed between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
Approximately $150 million of the federal funds will be reserved for tenants in counties with populations of 200,000 or less, and additional funds will be available for counties with populations greater than that number of people.
