In photos: Areas battered by Odette, before and after
In photos: Areas battered by Odette, before and afterSatellite image captured before the onslaught of Typhoon Odette compared with a satellite image captured after its arrival. MANILA, Philippines — New satellite images from the United Nations Satellite Centre show widespread damage on several structures in areas battered by Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai). Some photos reveal extensive destruction, which stand in stark contrast to images captured before the arrival of the typhoon that has left at least 326 dead, 661 injured and billions of pesos in damage to agriculture and infrastructure. In response, the national government has declared a state of calamity in 343 localities in six regions to allow their respective local government units to tap into calamity funds. President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged P10 billion in assistance to affected areas, but the budget department is still noncommittal as to when this will be released.
Source:Philippine Star
December 24, 2021 08:33 UTC
Odette spoils vaccines
Odette spoils vaccines“We are recording more wastage… We had to discard several because we’re not sure if they’re still safe to administer or not,” NVOC’s Dr. Kezia Lorraine Rosario said. She said they are still consolidating figures on vaccine wastage. According to Rosario, vaccines are considered wasted if they get submerged in floodwaters, are improperly stored for more than four hours, or if their labels get peeled off. If they can’t be saved it’s ok. We do not want to compromise safety, we can’t give vaccines to people if we can’t ensure they’re safe,” she said. She said they were receiving reports on vaccine wastage from several regions.
Source:Philippine Star
December 24, 2021 03:24 UTC
Canada clears Covid-vaccinated Santa for travel
OTTAWA–Santa has been cleared for travel in Canada’s airspace after showing proof of vaccination and a pre-flight negative Covid test, the transport minister said Thursday. “This year, I’m delighted to clear Santa and his crew for travel in Canadian skies,” the minister, Omar Alghabra said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENT“When I spoke to Santa (in a call to the North Pole), he assured me that he met all the pre-entry requirements to re-enter Canada,” he said. Santa’s flight crew — including reindeer Rudolph, whose “nose shone red and bright (but) made sure he had no Covid-19 symptoms before taking off” — have also been given the all clear. Last week, Ottawa advised Canadians against non-essential foreign travel over the Christmas holidays, saying the Covid-19 Omicron variant “makes us fear the worst,” including soaring infections and travel disruptions.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
December 24, 2021 03:06 UTC
Microchip implants serve as vax cards
ADVERTISEMENTThough still rare, several thousand Swedes have opted to have an electronic implant inserted under the skin in recent years, eliminating the need to remember key fobs, business cards, public transport cards, and recently: vaccine passes. No surveillance toolFor Sjoblad, the Covid pass is just one example of a possible application, which will be a “thing for the winter of 2021-2022”. The Swedish entrepreneur added he has a “strong interest in privacy.”While he acknowledged that many “people see chip implants as a scary technology, as a surveillance technology”, Sjoblad said that instead they should be viewed as a simple ID tag. All implants are voluntary, and if someone were to make them compulsory for prisoners or elderly people in retirement homes, “you will find me on the barricades,” Sjoblad said. “Nobody can force anyone to get a chip implant.”Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
December 23, 2021 21:49 UTC
WHO warns against reliance on boosters
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a press conference on December 20, 2021 at the WHO headquarters in Geneva. The World Health Organization chief called for the world to pull together and make the difficult decisions needed to end the Covid-19 pandemic within the next year. Fabrice COFFRINI / AFPTHE World Health Organization (WHO) warned Wednesday that rich countries cannot use boosters to escape the coronavirus. "This development is another big step in the country's still ongoing fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and will provide Filipinos more options for treatment," said Faberco Chairman Vinay Panemanglor. Nograles said Galvez and the National Vaccination Operations Center have directed unaffected regions to "intensify Covid-19 vaccination activities until Dec. 31, 2021."
Source:Manila Times
December 23, 2021 21:38 UTC
(Video) Tuen Mun block locked down as airport cleaner tests positive
A block at Siu Hei Court, Tuen Mun has been locked down after a 64-year-old toilet cleaner at Hong Kong International Airport tested positive of Covid-19. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health said the cleaner has to undergo frequent regular Covid-19 testing due to his job nature. His specimen collected on December 22 at the airport tested preliminarily positive and he developed symptoms on the same day. From December 15, workers at the airport in target groups have to undergo testing every two days instead of three days. Around 100 staff members have to undergo testing.
Source:The Standard
December 23, 2021 18:58 UTC
Senators seek accountability over P1.4-T in projects flagged as stalled, idle
Senators seek accountability over P1.4-T in projects flagged as stalled, idleCarpenters work on the beautification of a school as Baguio continues to enjoy good weather on Jan. 22, 2019. MANILA, Philippines — Two senators on Thursday said government agencies should be held accountable for P1.44 trillion in infrastructure projects flagged by the Commission on Audit as delayed, abandoned and idle. "We have P1.44 trillion funds for various infrastructures sitting somewhere while thousands of families have no homes and food this Christmas," Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said. "But the COA finds P1.44 trillion in idle funds? "Our social and health services took a backseat precisely to fund these infrastructure projects that the COA found delayed and idle."
Source:Philippine Star
December 23, 2021 17:54 UTC
PH receives 1.5M Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by Germany
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines received on Thursday Germany’s donation of 1.5 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The 1,531,000 doses, coursed through the Covax Facility, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 around 4 p.m, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said. ADVERTISEMENTAs of December 21, the Philippines got a total of 192,344,945 various COVID-19 vaccines. Some 46.3 million individuals in the country are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of December 22, DOH figures presented. RELATED STORIES:Over 1.5 million doses of Pfizer jab procured by PH gov’t arrivePH to get highest single-day arrivals of 10 million COVID-19 vaccinesEDVSubscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
December 23, 2021 16:07 UTC
S.Korea holds talks with China amid spat with Taiwan
SEOUL — Senior South Korean diplomats will hold talks with Chinese counterparts on Thursday following a diplomatic spat with Taiwan over its cancellation of the attendance by a senior Taipei official for a business forum in Seoul last week. Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun and aides are set to hold talks online later on Thursday with a team led by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng, the first such meeting since June 2017. ADVERTISEMENTBoth sides are expected to explore ways to reopen stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea and discuss other bilateral, regional and global issues, Seoul officials said. Taipei’s foreign ministry called the move “rude,” and summoned South Korea’s acting de facto ambassador to express its displeasure. South Korea’s foreign ministry said the decision was made by the event’s organizers based on “comprehensive considerations of all circumstances”, without elaborating.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
December 23, 2021 15:30 UTC
Last-minute gifts for the fashion-savvy
Looking for some last-minute gift ideas for Christmas 2021? For a more traditional Christmas look, you can never go wrong with the timeless Checked pyjama set. Marks & Spencer's Apothecary collection features home fragrances in various categories —including Regular-sized and Mini Diffusers, Scented Candles, Room Sprays, Fragrance Oils — for a rejuvenating Christmas season. COS' bold knits and tailored outerwear come in luxurious fabricationsRock this season with CrocsCrocs unveiled the latest addition to the Crocs Classic collection featuring the popular Unisex Classic Bleach Dye Clog, Women Classic Platform Clog, Unisex Classic Crocs Sandals and Women Classic Crocs Slide. For the Classic Crocs Sandals, the look and feel of this comfortable Classic Clog and Crocs Slide, now in sandal form.
Source:Manila Times
December 23, 2021 13:00 UTC
Last-minute gifts for the beauty junkie
The Body Shop also has gifts to delight everybody on your list. The Hydrating line or Goku Jyun for hydrating and moisturizing skin, and the Premium Whitening line or Shiro Jyun for achieving crystal bright complexion and preventing dark spots. Meanwhile, the Shiro Jyun or the Premium Whitening skincare kit comes with the Premium Whitening Face Wash that delivers 3x the brightening benefits while reducing visible redness and reawakening dull skin. This cleanser also has the Triple Anti-Pollution Formula for purifying skin against environmental pollution and 3 types of Hyaluronic Acid for keeping it soft and supple. Hada Labo completes the pack with the Premium Whitening Water Cream that has all the goodness of the Premium Whitening Lotion—plus Meadowfoam Seed Oil and Shea Butter to deliver deep nourishment to the skin.
Source:Manila Times
December 23, 2021 12:45 UTC
Philippines approves Merck's Covid-19 pill for at-risk patients
An experimental Covid-19 treatment pill, called molnupiravir and being developed by Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP. (Reuters)The Philippines on Thursday approved emergency use of Merck & Co Inc's Covid-19 treatment pill for adult patients at risk of developing severe illness as it tries to boost the country's arsenal of drugs to fight new variants. It also approved the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11 so the vaccine, which will be administered in a pediatric formulation, could be administered once it becomes available, its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief said. FDA chief Rolando Enrique Domingo told a public briefing the benefits outweighed the risks and it was already being used for children in countries like the United States and Canada. The Southeast Asian nation has halved to three months the waiting time for a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine in its battle to rein in the more infectious Omicron variant of coronavirus, which has forced a global tightening of curbs.
Source:The Standard
December 23, 2021 12:17 UTC
Philippines approves use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5-11
Philippines approves use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5-11Picture of vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 taken as elderly people are being inoculated amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, at the Carlos A Mendoza school in San Miguelito neighborhood in Panama City on March 4, 2021. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ drug regulator has granted emergency use authorization to the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech to be used on children aged five to 11. The approval came a week after Domingo announced Pfizer and BioNTech have submitted an application for an EUA for its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11. “It is reasonable to believe that the vaccine may be effective to prevent COVID-19 and the benefits of vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks,” he said. Domingo said this means that the Philippine government would have to procure new jabs specifically for the inoculation of children aged five to 11.
Source:Philippine Star
December 23, 2021 07:25 UTC
Philippines grants first emergency approval for anti-COVID pill
Philippines grants first emergency approval for anti-COVID pillMANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ drug regulator has given the first emergency use authorization for an anti-COVID pill, allowing wider use of the drug that was previously only available through select health facilities. Food and Drug Administration director general Eric Domingo said Thursday on state-run People’s Television that it has granted emergency use authorization for Molnarz, a brand of the antiviral molnupiravir. Domingo said the drug is indicated for adults aged 18 and above with mild to moderate COVID-19 who have risk factors for developing severe illness. He added that the oral pill is not recommended for pregnant women, those who may become pregnant and lactating women as it is not yet known whether the drug is safe for them. Prior to this regulatory approval, hospitals have been using molnupiravir on patients through a compassionate special permit.
Source:Philippine Star
December 23, 2021 06:39 UTC