Is AstraZeneca Covid 19 Vaccine Suitable for Poor Countries? - Virus 31

Lemon grass, just for illustration

At previous post, we compare two vaccines, Pfizer – Biontech Vs Moderna (you may read at: Vaccine Efficacy Rate Increases from 90% to 94.5% - Virus 27 

I just make summary of those two vaccines:

1) Pfizer – Biontech vaccines

- efficacy rate is 95% (increasing from previously at 90% rate)
- price US$ 20 per dose
- need specific freezer to store, F minus 94 (C minus 70) degrees.

2) Moderna vaccines

- efficacy rate is 94.5%
- price US$ 38 per dose

- can be stored in the freezer with temperature F minus 4 (C minus 20) degree, “available in the most drug stores or doctor offices.” Not big deal to distribute to “rural areas” in America, Europe, Canada or Australia.

How about with UK vaccine called as AstraZeneca – Oxford vaccine?

Yards in the neighborhood, illustration only

The advantages of “UK vaccine called as AstraZeneca – Oxford” vaccine are:

- very low price, US$ 3 to US$ 4
- can be stored in normal freezer (household refrigerators), available in most parts of developing countries.

The 70% efficacy rate could be increased to 90% by two shots:

- first shot at ½ dose.
- second shot at full dose.

Actually, many industry and devoloping countries ordered AstraZeneca – Oxford vaccine, some of them are:

- USA
- European Union
- UK
- Canada
- Australia
- Japan
- China
- Brazil
- Egypt
- Indonesia

If you could choose, which vaccines do you like?

Special Mailboxes of Letters to Santa in Neighborhood

Fig 01- Mailbox to Santa in neighborhood

You know about sending letter to Santa, tradition that back to about 100 years ago, 1921 in the USA.

Kids who believe in Santa may send their letter to address such as Santa, Santa Claus, North Pole or any other address they wish.

Letters may be responded “and with small gifts sometimes” by:

- postal employees

- charitable organizations

- corporations

- any citizens who “want to respond to the letters”

What curious me that I just saw several red mailboxes or Santa mailboxes in my neighborhood this time around.

The mailboxes are provided by US Postal Service. It is said that the letters to Santa must be sent before December 15, 2020 with following address:

123 Elf Road

North Pole 88888

Fig 02- Santa and the mailbox, illustration only

The focus of program is to provide relationship between kids and the citizens. These citizens may help kids to realize their wish during holiday times.

Fig 03- Small red mailbox in the corner, illustration only

Surprisingly, millions of letter sent to Santa each year across America. Just to let you know, one state only, the New York postal service received at least a half million (500,000) letters to Santa each year.

Have you ever sent a letter to Santa or responded a letter to a kid? What did you say to Santa or Kid?

Black Market of a Fake Covid 19 Test Result – Virus 30

Bottles with flowers painting

Many countries require Covid 19 test for passengers to get onboard. It is sound good to prevent spreading of diseases.

The countries imposes test requirement and need negative test certificates include, not limited to:

- France

- Brazil

- Austria

- Cambodia

- Cyprus

- Czech Republic

- Cyprus

- Estonia

- Germany

- Greece

- Iceland

A cat sits nicely on the tree, just for illustration

Unfortunately, this requirement trigger black market to provide fake result without test.

The fake result means “negative” test result. The negative result is conveyed in the digital certificates. Then, this fake certificate is shown to authorities to get permit to travel anywhere.

What is the cost of fake certificate of covid 19 test result?

A piece of fake test result price is varies from places to places, country to country:

- could cost from US$ 180 to US$ 360 at “the Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport,” France.

- cost between US$ 65 (Blackburn) to US$ 196 (Bradford) in England

- between US$ 30 to US 50 in many developing countries

Do you hear about a fake certificate of Covid 19 test results? What do you think?

Are Olive Fruits Good for Heart? - Heart 10

Fig 01- Olives are cutting in half and slices

Many people like “bitterness” of olive fruit, but I think the “bitter” taste makes olive special.

The fruit actually well known for its rich in nutrients content long time ago. The recent studies said that this fruit good for:

- improving heart condition

- avoid osteoporosis

- against cancer

In addition to olive, other fruits considered as good for heart are:

- strawberries

- blackberries

- raspberries

- blueberries

- apples

- pears

- oranges

Fig 02- Olive fruit in the glass jar

There are long list the good foods for healthy heart. I think almost common fruit, green and yellow vegetables which we consume every day include in the list.

Fig 03- Olive fruit ready to use

I love to eat green vegetables, yellow vegetables and fruits such as:

- broccoli

- cabbage

- cauliflower

- green beans and any beans.

- peppers

- berries

Both olive fruit and berries are reported to contain antioxidants like anthocyanins.

This oxidant againts inflammation and oxidative stress, thus could prevent progress of heart diseases.

The olive also rich in “the main fatty acid” called as Oleic acid. This acid could regulate cholesterol and halt “bad cholesterol” to oxidation.

Normal blood cholesterol level, together with healthy blood pressure mean reduce risk factors of heart diseases. The stroke and heart attacks may be ward off.

However, olives contain higher salt. Consuming too much is not good idea. It is said to limit eating olive no more than two ounces (57 gram) per day.

Do you like to consume olive fruit or oil?

Plants Bundle in the Corner - Gardening and Hobby 13

Fig 01- Bundle of several plants

Bundle of plants both in the house corners and indoor getting popular recently. Many nurseries, include online nurseries sell them with discount prices.

I saw the prices range from US$ 20’s to US$ 60’s depend very much on the varieties and number of plants.

The number could be 3 to 10 species. The popular plants include:

- pink begonia

- Boston fern

- blue torenia

- aloe vera

- variegated airplane

- spider plant

- yellow four o' clock

- pink flowering sedum

- Snake Plant (Sansevieria Punk)

- Mother in law’s tongue (Snakey Sansevieria)

Fig 02- Variegated airplane and aloe vera

In addition to beautiful looking, bundle of plants may purify the air in our yards and indoors. 

Fig 03- Ferns with another a flower plant

Many of these plants are amazing properties in terms of their function in the nature and their prices.

Fig 04- A kind of Torenia plant

These plants could remove toxins such as Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) in the air around us, hence very good to improve environment quality and our health performance.

Its have many advantages which include easy to care, it is said the specific selection plants are very good for:

- home office

- kitchen

- bedroom

Do you have Plants Bundle? How many type or species?

When Will be the First Shot of Covid 19 Vaccine? - Virus 29

Vaccine production in December and per month afterward

The bad news that Corona virus causes increasing of infection and deaths in recent days.

Good news, American people will get vaccine shots soon, probably by first or second weeks of December 2020. Quicker than predicted.

Vaccine inventors, Pfizer and BioNTech applied emergency use of their vaccine to “the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” on November 20, 2020.

Emergency use is fast track vaccine authorization. The normal authorization usually take months. The process then as following:

- from November 20 to December 9, 2020 about two or three weeks, FDA will process the application.

- on December 10, 2020, the independent committee to review and vote the application.

- from December 11 to December 14, 2020, then FDA will make final determination and decision to authorize using of Covid 19 vaccines.

When the best guess of the first shot? 

Flax Lilies, just for illustration

The first shot is likely between December 11 to December 14, 2020. December 13 is the best possibility D day.

The vaccine is free of cost in the USA. There are 3 phases of vaccine rationale based on group population:

1) Phase 1 – 15% population

- the population includes front line health workers, first respondents and cleaners

- who have two or three preexisting conditions

- 65 or older who live in nursing home

2) Phase 2 – 35% population

- all people of 65 or older

- high risks workers such as teachers and social workers

3) Phase 3 – 45%

- who works in industries such as hotels, factorie and bank

4) Phase 4 – 5%

- whoever living in the USA

It is said that herd immunity will be achieved if 70% - 90% population get vaccine (please read previous post: Is Herd Immunity without Vaccine the Worst Strategy? - Virus 9)

In case of Covid 19, 70% population is vaccined is good enough. Thus, we will back to normal life about in May, 2021.

Are Raw Peanuts Good for Health? - Food Variety 6

 

Fig 01- Peanuts without shell, ready to consume

We always buy green peanut during spring and summer at farmer market, then we boiled them at home.

In the fall, raw peanuts only are sold by farmer market. I think the raw peanuts are peanuts in the shell, harvested from ground.

These peanuts are ready for:

- blending

- grinding or powdering

- roasting

- salting

- drying

- glazing (with honey)

Fig 02- Peanuts with shells in the plastic bag

In addition to boiled peanuts, I think I love to consume drying and bake peanuts. Both contain equal amount of:

- protein

- fat

- carbs

Fig 03- Price of green peanuts in the farmer market

The peanuts also rich in nutrients, contain more than minerals and vitamins include:

- potassium

- phosphorous

- magnesium

- B vitamins.

It is recommended to consume peanuts per day with amount of:

- 1 to 2 ounces of raw peanuts

- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter

Do you like to eat peanuts? What type of peanut you like: raw or processing?