Universal and free healthcare will help us all in combating the virus, but this policy will also have benefits in the longer term

The post In the era of Covid-19 healthcare should be universal and free appeared first on The Mail & Guardian.

The West’s perceptions of China hold up a mirror to its own preoccupations. More nuanced analysis is much-needed

The post The Chinese chameleon reimagined in the age of Covid-19 appeared first on The Mail & Guardian.

Contrary to past emergency situations, the COVID-19 crisis seems to have helped improve the relationship between the Jewish and Arab communities.

A Kenyan and a Ugandan trucker tested positive for the virus on Saturday.

The World Bank says countries whose debt is in dollars and those whose local debt is bought by foreigners are especially exposed.

“This is something we started in our CSR wing some years ago and we will continue doing so," he said.

New study explains effects of lockdowns and limitations on diagnosis, treatment and prevention services.

Mohamed assured that it’s a countrywide drive, and not an exclusively Rift Valley project.

The county made the move for lack of testing kits for staff at eateries.

Beijing says reforms are underway to improve disease prevention and control mechanisms.

Italian PM says the volunteer, who was taken from Kilifi in 2018, has been released.

The patient earlier sneaked into Tanzania to bury her step-father, health official says.

It would be unfair for the government to propose a blanket isolation strategy based only on age.

We must inculcate in ourselves the right attitude critical to the fight against this pandemic.

In a way, they are right. Predictions are often fraught with mistakes.

Militarising the operations creates bad blood. People become resistant and restive.

Carefree socialising is back in full swing, with no evidence that frequent handwashing has become the norm.

Children willing and able to e-learn should be encouraged.

A coalition government will further strengthen the Kenyatta and Raila axis, which is what it is all about.

Simple rules that have been repeated to us ad nauseam can, if followed effectively, ward off the virus.

This pandemic is a new test to our collective strength and we must work together to address it.

The setback has not thrown Ogallo off-track.

“This is the time for coaches, depending on their philosophy, to better the skills of their athletes.”

Health authorities have warned of a further spike in infections.

An official mourning period of three days has been decreed.

It is viewed as a rival body to the Kenya Football Coaches Association (Kefoca).

People rarely observe basic anti-contagion protocols.

Money from the sale of properties will be used to is to settle debts and run the party.

Kibochi is expected to the military chief to bring Kenyan soldiers back home from Somalia.

We all need some cheering up and need something to do with all the time we find ourselves with.

The best way to avoid arguing about money is to start talking about it before you get married.

I well understand why so many murder stories are set on cruise ships.

For him, as long as the Maa community is happy, nothing else matters.

Tour comes at a time when world leaders are holding virtual meetings

Luo Nyanza leaders feel that the handshake dividend has not trickled down to the people.

Health workers threaten to strike if they are not provided with safety kits.

Authorities acquire passenger manifest for the bus patient travelled in.

When Zima did her weekly grocery shopping in March, she was shocked by the prices.“A package of chicken that used to cost HK$39 (US$5) was HK$50,” she recalled. A litre of milk went up from HK$35 to HK$49, and the tomatoes she used to pay HK$8 for were now HK$12.She worried her family of three might not have enough to eat for the month, because they would run out of money.The 32-year-old fled Pakistan in 2015 together with her husband and son, claiming religious persecution as members of the…

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Basic Law. Forget about organising webinars to celebrate the anniversary, a debate about the core constitutional issues underlying the implementation of the Basic Law – China’s sovereignty over Hong Kong and the extent of Hong Kong’s autonomy – is unfolding right before us. The debate was triggered by statements made by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council, and the central government’s liaison office on…

When international opera star Warren Mok learned in March that he had contracted Covid-19, he immediately checked if his voice was affected.“I tried my voice right away. It was still there,” Mok said, recalling his relief that his vocal cords remained in good shape.Dubbed one of China’s Three Tenors, the world-renowned singer’s battle with the deadly virus involved spending a total of 38 days in isolation, first in Thailand, then in Hong Kong.Sharing his ordeal with the Post, the 61-year-old…

Confined to their 100 sq ft space in a subdivided flat in Hong Kong amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Wendy Cheung and her husband quarrelled numerous times over hygiene, money and caring for their son.Finally, she decided it was time to get a divorce after eight years of marriage.The distress caused by the fear of coronavirus infection, confinement measures and social isolation has taken a toll on couples. Cooped-up Hongkongers have been flooding hotlines with calls seeking help with conflicts at…

Hong Kong recorded at least one new imported coronavirus case on Sunday, ending a string of three days with no reported infections. The tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases now moves to at least 1,045. The last time the city recorded new infections was on Thursday, when four imported cases were revealed. At least eight new infections have been recorded so far this month, all imported – cases involving people with recent travel history. Health authorities have previously said the deadly…

The looming eviction and relocation of 150 elderly residents at a decades-old care home in Hong Kong amid the coronavirus pandemic has left many fearful of infection risks, as a resident prepares to launch a last-minute legal battle against the government to stop a demolition plan within a month.Situated in the suburbs of the northern border town of Sheung Shui, Dills Corner Garden has housed 16 elderly care homes since 1997 and is much beloved by many residents for its tranquil life, quality…

A new pro-establishment alliance led by former Hong Kong leaders hopes to educate young residents on the rule of law, but cannot fulfil the government’s role of addressing political issues that emerged from last year’s months of social unrest, one of its leaders said on Sunday.Hong Kong Coalition co-convenor Leung Chun-ying, the city’s chief executive from 2012 to 2017, also said the body has been formulating plans to offer young graduates training and employment opportunities.“I hope we can…

The road to hell is always paved with good intentions.The old adage is proving true for the Hong Kong government’s highly publicised scheme to distribute free reusable masks to every resident.The controversy over the CuMask+ scheme must be hugely frustrating for embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, whose administration is now facing concerns and accusations ranging from possible conflict of interest, since the commissioned manufacturers did not go through proper tender…

The US government began distributing remdesivir, an experimental drug recently approved for emergency use against Covid-19, to areas of the country struggling the most with the disease.The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) arranged for some 600,000 vials of Gilead Sciences’ antiviral medication, shown to reduce recovery times for some patients, to be shipped to health authorities in New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan and three other states, to treat an estimated 78,000 hospitalised…

France and Spain, two of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, were preparing on Sunday for an easing of lockdown rules as the global number of infections passed 4 million.In the US, the country with the world’s highest death toll, President Donald Trump faced sharp criticism from his predecessor Barack Obama who said on a leaked tape that Trump’s handling of the crisis was an “absolute chaotic disaster”.The virus has claimed more than 78,000 lives in the United States, which…

US regulators have approved a new type of coronavirus test that administration officials have promoted as a key to opening up the country.The Food and Drug Administration on Saturday announced emergency authorisation for antigen tests developed by Quidel Corporation of San Diego. The test can rapidly detect fragments of virus proteins in samples collected from swabs swiped inside the nasal cavity, the FDA said in a statement.The antigen test is the third type of test to be authorised by the FDA…

Former president Barack Obama has launched a scathing attack on Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, calling it an “absolute chaotic disaster”.In a leaked web call Friday night with former members of his administration, Obama also said the Justice Department’s decision to drop charges against Michael Flynn, the former Trump national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in the Russia probe, endangers the rule of law in the US.In the audio, first obtained by…