COVID-19
Coronavirus may reach peak in Lagos by August – commissioner
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said on Thursday that the state may experience the peak of coronavirus by August. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Abayomi said that the COVID-19 prediction model of the state holds that the pandemic will soon reach its peak, followed by the flattening of the curve and a gradual decline in the number of cases. “We believe that in the next week or two, we are going to see an increase in both the private sector testing and public laboratory testing. “We are still seeing a gentle increase in the number of cases overtime cumulatively. Lagos will theoretically peak in the month of August, it will flatten out and over some time, we will see a decline,” Abayomi said. The commissioner earlier said the state will record between 90,000 ...
Oyo APC, Governor Makinde in war of words over N100 billion bond
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, yesterday, said it has uncovered fresh plots by Governor Seyi Makinde to add to the debt profile of the state through what it called needless borrowing of N100 billion styled bond by the governor to finance some projects. But the state government, in a swift reaction, said the APC was frustrated and has exhibited its mercantile approach to governance. The war of words came on the heels of Governor Mankinde’s approval for the issuance of N100bn Private bond for circular road, Iseyin-Ogbomoso road, Ibadan Airport expansion. However, APC, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary in the state, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olatunde, noted that the governor on his assumption of office, was shouting on the roof top of meeting debt from his predecessor, in the...
Senators Introduce Bill to Aid Indie Music Venues During Pandemic
Two U.S. Senators, Democrat Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Republican John Cornyn of Texas, introduced a new bill designed to aid independent music and entertainment venues impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Save Our Stages Act,” rolled out Wednesday, would offer six months of financial support to help “keep venues afloat, pay employees, and preserve a critical economic sector for communities across America,” according to a press release. The coronavirus has derailed the live music business, with any indie venues temporarily closed given the higher probability of transmission in small, crowded indoor areas. As the bill notes, and as previously reported, 90% of owners, promoters and bookers are at risk of permanently closing within a few months without financial assistance. “Minnesota’...
Super Falcons striker bags award in US
Super Falcons and Linköpings of Sweden forward Uchenna Kanu has been voted the Polk County Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year, in the 2020 All Sports Awards and Hall of Fame ceremony on Tuesday night in the United States of America. This was announced on the Southeastern University (SEU) official website. Kanu is now the fifth SEU athlete to win the honor in program history. The 23-year-old graduated as one of SEU’s most renowned athletes, setting the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) record for career goals with 157 and points with 366. Also, her 57 goals during the 2018 season were also an NAIA record. She played for Southeastern Fire from 2016 to 2018 signed for Sevilla in 2020 before eventually ending up at Linköpings also this year. In years past, the All Spo...
Q-Tip Rolls Out A Tribe Called Quest Coronavirus Kit
Source: Taylor Hill / Getty Capitalizing on the global reality of COVID-19, A Tribe Called Quest frontman Q-Tip will be rolling out a product under his band’s banner. The Queens Hip-Hop legend has introduced A Tribe Called Quest-themed coronavirus kit to the masses. On Monday (Jul 20), the Abstract Poetic, real name Kamaal Fareed, shared a photo of the ATCQ coronavirus package that is fashioned after the band’s sixth and final album We Got Tt From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service album artwork. In the tweet, Q-Tip shared photos of what appears to be two face masks, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, a small bottle of sanitizer fluid in a box set which features the final album cover art throughout. In the caption of the tweet, Tip wrote “Be safe. Soon come.” While the world waits on an offic...
Dave Grohl Defends Teachers, Slams Trump’s “Foolish” School Reopening Plan
Despite a spike in COVID-19 cases around the country, Donald Trump and his administration are keen on reopening schools. The dangerous move will undoubtedly put teachers and children at risk — especially students of color, according to one former CDC director. Teachers have responded with concern, anger, and even lawsuits aimed at the government. Now, Dave Grohl, former student and the son of a teacher, has been moved to speak up in defense of educators. The Foo Fighters frontman argued on behalf of teachers in a new audio version of his True Stories Instagram series, as well as in a lengthy essay written for The Atlantic. Together with helpful insight from his mother and a former teacher, Virginia, Grohl outlined the importance of “essential worker” teachers and emphasizes the hazar...
Bayelsa set to pay hazard allowances
The Bayelsa State Government has indicated its readiness to pay special allowances to frontline health workers combating the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the state. Mr Doubara Atasi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, stated this in a statement on Wednesday. It would be recalled that Gov. Douye Diri, had given the assurance to pay the allowances on Tuesday. He said it at a meeting with the representatives of the labour unions including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Association of Resident Doctors in Government House, Yenagoa. Other unions represented at the meeting include the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and Association of Medical Laboratory Sci...
‘Pitch Perfect’ Actress Anna Camp Reveals Coronavirus Diagnosis, Has ‘Lingering Symptoms’ a Month Later
Anna Camp is opening up about testing positive and batting the novel coronavirus. Taking to social media on Tuesday, the Pitch Perfect actress shared that she was “extremely sick for over three weeks” and still has “lingering symptoms” despite now testing negative for COVID “I was incredibly safe. I wore a mask. I used hand sanitizer. One time, when the world was starting to open up, I decided to forgo wearing my mask. One. Time. And I ended up getting it,” she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of herself wearing a mask. She went on to explain that though people believe that having COVID-19 is “like having the flu,” she begs to differ. “I’ve had the flu, and this is absolutely not that,” she wrote, adding that there’s a d...
Woman Jumps on Stage, Coughs on Singer Clayton Gardner During Concert
On July 17th, country singer Clayton Gardner performed an outdoor concert for a small, socially-distanced audience in Las Colinas, Texas. During the show, Gardner was interrupted by a woman who jumped on stage, refused his polite requests to step back, and then apparently coughed in his face. Gardner is best known for his 2015 album Under the Lights and the song “Buy You a Drink”. Last Friday, he performed for “about 30 people,” and livestreamed the set for his fans on Facebook. Afterwards, he posted a video of his altercation with the unknown woman. As he explained, “About fifteen minutes into the show, this random lady walked around all of my gear to sneak up behind me.” Once on stage, she requested a song by another artist. In the clip, Gardner replied, “If you could do that from l...
Senator Ngige: Suspended NSITF chief awarded N4.448 billion contracts in one day
The Minister for Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, shocked the members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) when he alleged that the suspended MD awarded about 332 different contracts worth about N4.448 billion in one day. Senator Ngige who appeared on the second day of the investigative hearing being Chaired by Hon Miriam Onuoha further revealed that the controversial contracts were awarded just two days after he left office as Minister in 2019. The two times Minister of Labour and Employment also informed the Committee that the suspended management committed about 74 different infractions for which they were suspended. Senator Ngige who insisted that the action taken so far against the affecte...
German Scientists to Use “Fluorescent Disinfectant” and “Tracking Machines” in Test Concert for COVID-19 Research
A group of German scientists are inviting 4,000 music fans to attend a test concert that doubles as an experiment to augment their COVID-19 research efforts. According to a report published by The Guardian, researchers in eastern Germany are recruiting volunteers for a “coronavirus experiment” in the form of a concert featuring pop singer-songwriter Tim Bendzko at an indoor stadium in Leipzig on August 22nd. The €990,000 initiative, titled RESTART-19, is being funded jointly between the federal states of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. At the time of the report’s publishing, 775 volunteers had signed up to attend the show. The organizers of RESTART-19 say the objective of the concert is to “identify a framework” for how larger events may tak...
Suwannee Hulaween Abandons 2020 Event, Hints at Forthcoming Virtual Edition
Organizers of the North Central Florida music festival Suwannee Hulaween have pulled the plug on its 2020 event, citing COVID-19 concerns as the impetus behind the decision. The beloved Halloween-themed festival, which was set to take place at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, was originally scheduled for October 29th to November 1st. Those dates have now been abandoned as organizers look to plan for the 2021 iteration. Representatives took to social media to share the solemn news. “It has become clear that despite our consistent efforts in tandem with the spirit of Suwanee Music Park to create and maintain a safe onsite environment, the state of Florida is visibly not ready to host the Hulaween we all know and love,” the statement reads. “Unfortunately, gi...
