Corona Voice - Angola. The tok show with Sofonie Dala. Don't Miss Out! Day 48

 Our Corona Voice show is live in Angola. Day 48

Because of COVID-19, some churches no longer reverberate with song; hymnals are neatly stacked and projection screens blank.

Singing has tremendous power, both spiritually and physically. Singing is critical to identity and faith, in some traditions, it is as important as the sermon.

Today the young Christians will sing for us!

Ladies and gentlemen, meet our singers with the song hallelujah!

Hello everyone! We are a Christian vocal group, we want to say that this situation of the covid-19 is simply a phase that will pass because the word of God guarantees us this, so we want to sing a song of comfort and consolation to you.

Song hallelujah 

In the world in which we live 

so much death and pleasure that it takes us to be distant from Jesus

but we know that he is coming

it is up to us to prepare ourselves 

for the meeting with the heavenly father

Hallelujah I sing amen

To the lord my savior

Your grace has saved me

Your death saved me

Sometimes when I am so alone, 

I only think of my lord who has saved me from sin and pain

Hallelujah I sing amen

To the lord my savior

Your grace has saved me

Your death saved me

After singing they decided to give some advice to prevent us from Covid-19:

Well! Brothers and sisters, Covid-19 is a very dangerous disease so we must protect ourselves and follow the preventive measures against it by using masks and gel alcohol so that we are always healthy. This is our advice be made the will of God amen.

The hymn we sing is called hallelujah and will serve as a comfort to those affected by the Covid-19 virus.

When people sing, sound runs through the body, giving rise to emotion and facilitating transformation. It acts as a natural antidepressant by releasing endorphins, the feel-good chemical.

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This is the first and the only Coronavirus show in Angola where the most ordinary citizens show their brilliant talents.

The heroes of the program are the most ordinary citizens - they share with the audience their songs, poems and real stories of how the Coronavirus pandemic affected their lives.

We launched the “Corona Voice show” campaign to provide a space for young women and men around Angola to share their views, experiences and initiatives.

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Your sponsorship will help the most affected people by covid-19 to take the first step out of poverty.

Africa Educates Her Campaign - Angola. Season 3. Don't Miss Out! Webisode 34

 Our girls back to school campaign is ongoing. Day 34

By April 2020, nearly 1.6 billion students across the world had their education disrupted due to COVID-19. The boys and girls of today are the future of tomorrow, and investing in and giving attention equally to their respective education will help us all come out on top post-pandemic.

Our today's guest is Julia, she will share with us the impact that Covid-19 had her study.

Good morning! My name is Julia Valentim, I am 15 years old, I am a 10th grader studying nursing.

Julia, how did  coronavirus impact your studies?

Well, in the beginning it was a little bit complicated because we stayed in the house for a long time this was causing me a lot of stress because we couldn't be with our family and visit our friends, but thanks to God everything is fine and we went back to school things are going well.

Has the school taken any preventive measures against the coronavirus?

Yes they did. Before entering the school we must wash our hands and disinfect them with hand sanitizer, wipe the feet on a damp carpet, then wipe the feet on the dry carpet again, the door we get in is not the same door we get out (the exits were changed ), we keep a distance between students in the classrooms and after each class we always take 5 minutes to clean our hands.

How is your academic performance? Didn't you forget anything you learned before the pandemic?

Well, before the pandemic we did not have many classes because we stopped studying in March 2020, I was not prepared. Of course I forgot the things I learned before the pandemic but we are remembering it. In October, when we returned to school, we started the first quarter again, this has helped us to revive what we have learned before.

 How do you feel? Are you afraid of the coronavirus?

I am afraid because it is a dangerous disease, a virus that nobody can see and I heard rumors that appeared another virus  worse than this one. I fear a lot for people with risk diseases like diabetics, people who suffer from hypertension and chronic diseases these are the most affected.

In that time you stayed at home, what did you do to continue learning?

I had online classes.

Opening schools for in-person learning as safely and quickly as possible, and keeping them open, is important given the many known and established benefits of in-person learning. In order to enable in-person learning and assist schools with their day-to-day operations, it is important to adopt and diligently implement actions to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 inside the school and out in the community:

Promoting behaviors that reduce COVID-19’s spread

Maintaining healthy environments

Maintaining healthy operations

Preparing for when someone gets sick

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We launched this campaign to ensure that every girl is able to learn while schools are closed and return to the classroom when schools safely reopen. Everyone can play a role in supporting girls education - whether you are a teacher, parent, student, journalist, policymaker, or simply a concerned citizen.

Don't miss this opportunity to bring girls back to school. Tell us your story!

Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus would you like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the poverty among women?

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Your sponsorship will help the most vulnerable girls and women to take the first step out of poverty.

COVID-19: ANGOLA REPORTS 99 RECOVERIES, 82 NEW INFECTIONS

Ninety-nine recoveries, 82 new cases and two deaths of Covid-19 is the balance recorded in the last 24 hours by the Angolan health authorities.

According to the Secretary of State for Public Health, Franco Mufinda, who was speaking at the usual updating session, of those recovered, 35 are Benguela residents, 25 in Zaire, 15 in Luanda, 11 in Bié, 8 in Huambo, 7 in Lunda Norte and 3 in Moxico.

Of the new cases, 28 were diagnosed in Luanda, 25 in Huambo, 21 in Bié, 7 in Cabinda and 1 in Moxico.

Both deaths were registered in Luanda province.

Angola has reported so far 19,093 infections, of which 16,921 have been recovered, 1,728 active and 444 deaths.

Republican Congressman tries to bring gun into House Chamber

 New security measures outside the U.S. House chamber prevented a Republican lawmaker from bringing a gun onto the House floor Thursday.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), Who has repeatedly flouted the magnetometers that were installed near the House chamber after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, set off the metal detectors while trying to enter. When an officer with a metal detector wand scanned him, a firearm was detected on Harris m s side of him, concealed by his suit coat. Police refused to let Harris in, and the officer signaled a security agent that Harris had a gun on him by motioning toward his own firearm.

HuffPost witnessed the interaction and later confirmed with a Capitol official that Harris was carrying a gun.

HuffPost watched Harris try to get another member to take the gun from him so he could go vote. The member, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), Told Harris he didn N.t have “a license” and refused to hold the weapon for him.

HuffPost also heard Harris complain to some fellow members that he had asked his staff to remind him about the screenings and they hadn .t.

Harris then left on the elevators and 10 minutes later returned to the House chamber. He placed his cellphone and keys on a desk to the side, did not set off the magnetometer and was allowed to enter the House floor to vote on a waiver to allow retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as President Joe Biden Ls defense secretary.

Congress has been in a heightened state of security since the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol as both chambers of Congress were meeting to count states ’Electoral College votes. Even though President Joe Biden has been inaugurated, there are still two large fences around the perimeter of the Capitol, and National Guard troops remain on the grounds.

During a security briefing with Democratic members early last week, some lawmakers suggested that members should have to go through a metal detector to get on the House floor. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) Has said she'll carry a gun around DC, which does not allow the open carrying of a firearm, and Rep. Madison Cawthorn (RN.C.) told his local paper that he was armed when insurrectionists stormed the Capitol.

When House lawmakers came back Jan. 12 for their first votes after the attack, they found magnetometers outside entrances to the House chamber. Most members followed police orders and went through the metal detectors, but some Republicans sidestepped the machines or refused to be checked with wands after they set it off - Harris among them.

In response, Capitol Police put desks and velvet ropes on the sides of the magnetometers to block members from walking around the machines, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Said she will fine members who bypass screenings $ 5,000 for their first offense and $ 10,000 for their second.

Those fines are not yet in effect, as the House hasn Thoset adopted those rules, and a few members continue to not comply with the screenings. On Thursday, HuffPost saw Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Rick Allen (R-Ga.) And Boebert all refuse to be wanded down after setting off the magnetometer.

But when Harris went through the metal detector Thursday and set it off, the police officer stepped in his way by him and directed Harris to spread his arms so he could use the handheld wand. Harris complied, and the officer found the gun on his side of it.

A spokesperson for the US Capitol Police would only tell HuffPost that “USCP is investigating this matter,” and when we asked for clarification on whether the USCP was aware that Harris had attempted to bring a gun onto the House floor, the spokesperson said the agency couldn't comment on “an ongoing investigation.”

Members are allowed to carry a gun in the office buildings, in the Capitol and on Capitol grounds, but they are expressly forbidden from carrying firearms onto the floor. And guns in the Capitol are not supposed to be loaded. Members can carry bullets separately.

Individual officers who witnessed the situation also wouldn’t comment. However, HuffPost heard officers talking about Harris having a weapon on him later Thursday afternoon.

Harris offices office did not return multiple requests for comment, nor did Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.

HuffPost did ask Pelosi for comment Thursday afternoon as she walked by the House chamber, but she told reporters she wouldn’t be taking questions.

Africa records higher deaths in second wave of covid-19-WHO

 Africa has recorded nearly 82,000 deaths due to the coronavirus in its second wave, the World Health Organization said Thursday. The figure is higher than when the first wave of the virus hit the continent in 2020.

According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the continent has recorded around 3.3 million covid-19 cases. The WHO Africa Director, Matshidiso Moeti attributes this to several factors.

“Africa is facing a second wave in the Covid-19 pandemic with more than 3.3 million cases and 81,000 lives sadly lost. So the first epidemic peak in July was surpassed in December and cases are continuing to accelerate at a significantly faster pace. I think we have a combination of factors, possibly fatigue with the measures and then of course the festive season with its travel and gatherings ”, Moeti said.

The WHO Africa Director added that the WHO COVAX program aims to deliver 600 million doses of the vaccine to the continent by the end of 2021.

“An initial thirty million doses are expected, and I say this with some caveats, to start arriving in countries by March. These are intended to prioritize healthcare workers and other high priority groups and then expanding to cover additional vulnerable groups ”, she said.

A total of 21 African nations have so far recorded death rate at 2.5 percent, the Africa CDC Director, John Nkengasong said. Globally, the average death rate is 2.2 percent.

South Africa to pay 2.5 times more than EU for COVID vaccine

 South Africa will buy doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine at a price 2.5 times higher than most European countries, the health ministry said on Thursday.

The continent’s worst virus-hit country has ordered at least 1.5 million shots of the vaccine from the Serum Institute of India, expected in January and February.

A senior health official on Thursday told the AFP news agency those doses would cost $ 5.25 each - nearly 2.5 times the amount paid by most European countries.

“The National Department of Health confirms that the price $ 5.25 is what was quoted to us,” deputy director-general of health Anban Pillay said via text message, without explaining the price difference.

European Union (EU) members will pay only 1.78 euros ($ 2.16) for AstraZeneca euross shots, according to information leaked by a Belgian minister on Twitter last month.

Bilateral deals between wealthier governments and coronavirus vaccine manufacturers have raised concern over price rise and lack of supply for low- and middle-income countries.

The World Health Organization last year warned against “vaccine nationalism” and “price gouging” once a successful shot was found.

AstraZeneca France told AFP in November that its shots would be capped at 2.5 euros (about $ 3) per dose “to provide vaccines to the widest population, with as fair access as possible”.

The pharmaceutical giant did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the health ministry’s price quote.

South Africa 20s AstraZeneca vaccine order is part of 20 million secured doses to be delivered in the first half of 2021.

The WHO-backed Covax facility is expected to provide shots for 10 percent of the population between April and June. Other vaccines will be provided via the African Union and bilateral contracts with suppliers that have not yet been disclosed.

Opposition groups have meanwhile, criticized South Africaizeds inoculation strategy.

“Reports today indicate that… government will have to spend double what some other countries are paying for their vaccines,” the main opposition Democratic Alliance said on Thursday, blaming poor planning and delayed negotiations.

Trade union Solidarity and prominent rights group AfriForum jointly announced plans to launch a legal battle against the government over lack of transparency.

“The government .s non-disclosure of information is further proof why it cannot be trusted with a monopoly regarding the purchasing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines,” AfriForum said in a statement on Thursday.

South Africa is battling with a second wave of infections fueled by a new coronavirus variant deemed more infectious by scientists.

To date, the country has recorded more than 1.3 million cases and 38,800 deaths.

The government aims to vaccinate two-thirds of its population - about 40 million out of nearly 60 million people - to achieve herd immunity by the end of 2021.

SOURCE: AFP