COVID-19 PANDEMIC

One way to cope with any extra stress or anxiety is to have the kids engage in play time to help develop motor skills, social skills and language development, according to Dr. Jen Harstein, a children’s developmental psychologist who works with autistic children daily.

It’s been a strange time, living through a global pandemic. What first might have come as a surprise, is the housing boom that followed -- and the fact that things have stayed red hot.

We know, you know: The pandemic messed with a LOT of people’s jobs.

The husband and wife team who helped develop the first COVID-19 vaccine are contributing to a book.

COVID-19 Pandemic Leads to Drop of Maternal Health Care in Africa, Raising Fears of Increased MortalityFeature

It certainly wasn’t planned this way, but Claire Nackashi had to deal with almost every aspect of her pregnancy, pandemic-style.

Jones and his family are currently residents of Miami Dade County. Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and, in an effort to keep everyone safe and healthy, a formal Installation Ceremony will be held at a later date. You may join the virtual Bible Study on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m., and Sunday School and Worship services beginning at 10 a.m., by logging on to: ZOOM – Meeting ID = 2824090699 – Passcode = 415581.

A senior administration official said Monday that U.S. health officials are "extremely encouraged" by the announcement that Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine is highly effective in preventing Covid-19. "It is a great day for science. It is a great day for humanity when you realize your vaccine has 90% effectiveness. Health officials fear the situation could become especially dire as people also get the seasonal flu and hospitals fill up. Even with a vaccine, some infectious disease experts warn the coronavirus is likely to become as "endemic" as the annual flu virus.

WASHINGTON — Latin America and Caribbean is the region hardest hit by the COVID-19 Pandemic, casting a spotlight on the need to protect the population while putting economies back on track. In the meantime, comprehensive social registries would help social transfers reach more of those who live from hand to mouth. In parallel, the coverage and quality of health care systems should be improved, and out-of-pocket health expenditures contained. In addition, keeping down health care costs often depends on local regulatory agencies fostering competition and approving, encouraging and potentially imposing the use of generics. Emergency social transfers may still be needed for the time being, but countries will have to find ways back to fiscal balance.

Nevada health officials have ordered nursing facilities in the state to immediately suspend the use of two tests, manufactured by the companies Quidel and Becton, Dickinson and Co., after the officials said the tests repeatedly delivered false positives. Nevada officials said 23 out of 39 positive antigen test results from both Quidel and BD were later found by PCR to be negative, according to a directive issued last week. He urged nursing homes to continue to use the tests, saying "there is no scientific reason to not comply with this." The Trump administration is requiring nursing homes to routinely tests residents and staff in an attempt to detect new Covid-19 cases more quickly. The coronavirus has hit nursing homes in the U.S. especially hard, and the administration has shipped thousands of tests across the nation.

GraceKennedy Foundation Cancels the 2020 GK Jamaican Birthright Programme as a result of the COVID-19 PandemicKINGSTON, Jamaica Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GraceKennedy Foundation is announcing the cancellation of the 2020 GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright Programme, which was slated to host four university students from the United States, Canada and the UK, for a six week internship in Jamaica, starting at the end of June 2020. We hope to have it up and running for 2021, all things being equal, said GraceKennedy Foundation Executive Director, Caroline Mahfood. She advised that the 2020 cohort of Birthright candidates had been selected before the onset of the pandemic. We therefore informed them that their offer will be deferred to the 2021 internship, pending the reinstatement of the programme, she said. The GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright Programme is an all-expense paid cultural and professional immersion internship programme for university students of Jamaican heritage from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Have you ever celebrated Earth Day, perhaps by planting a tree or doing something good for the environment? Considering the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic, the Earth Day Network has announced a shift to “global digital mobilizations.”It’ll be Digital Earth Day! Earth Day Network will provide live coverage of these “global digital mobilizations," which you can follow on its social media accounts. But organizers still want to “mobilize millions in a call for transformative action for our planet.”“At Earth Day Network, the health and safety of volunteers and participants in Earth Day events is our top concern. That’s now been postponed to October 24-25, 2020 to mark the half birthday of Earth Day.

Have you ever celebrated Earth Day, perhaps by planting a tree or doing something good for the environment? Considering the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic, the Earth Day Network has announced a shift to “global digital mobilizations.”It’ll be Digital Earth Day! Earth Day Network will provide live coverage of these “global digital mobilizations," which you can follow on its social media accounts. But organizers still want to “mobilize millions in a call for transformative action for our planet.”“At Earth Day Network, the health and safety of volunteers and participants in Earth Day events is our top concern. That’s now been postponed to October 24-25, 2020 to mark the half birthday of Earth Day.

// // //Vulnerable groups like the elderly and orphans to be the main beneficiaries Uncle Eddies Home first to receive//DIAMOND, EAST BANK DEMERARA, Guyana In an effort to support the national response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) is donating approximately 12,000 litres of alcohol-based sanitizing cleaner. DDL is distributing the sanitizing cleaner to institutions around Guyana such as senior citizens homes, orphanages, night shelters, prisons, and other facilities similar to these. In addition, the sanitizing cleaner will also be distributed to agencies that provide public services to assist in keeping counter surfaces clean. The first delivery of the alcohol-based sanitizing cleaner, branded Environ, was to the Uncle Eddies Home in Tucville Georgetown. Bonita Moore in thanking DDL for the contributions said that, the Management Committee, staff, and residents of the Uncle Eddies Home are very grateful for the assistance.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Superintendents announced Thursday afternoon public schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties will remain open even amid COVID-19 pandemic. Broward Public Schools Superintendent Robert W. Runcie and Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho disagreed on after-school activities. Carvalho and Runcie said there are no COVID-19 cases linked to either of the school districts. “Speak with your children about what this virus is; what it isn’t,” Carvalho said, adding “some degree of social isolation” is important. The Florida Department of Education is working with the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor public schools.