SINGAPORE: Around 10 customers were gathered outside the Rich & Good Cake Shop outlet at Jewel Changi Airport a few minutes before it opened for business on Monday (Jun 14). It had been more than a month since the shop was shuttered, when Jewel and the passenger terminals at Changi Airport were closed to the public in May to control a growing cluster of COVID-19 cases. Jewel was initially slated to reopen on May 27, but the closure was extended by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the Changi Airport Group (CAG) as an “added precaution”. “(The crowd) is actually slightly more than what we expected, we were expecting it to be totally empty because dine-in is still not allowed,” said Ms Jerelyn Foo, the company's media and operations manager. “But it’s definitely less compared to what we had before the closure,” she added. At burger chain Shake Shack, which typically sees long queues during peak hours, food delivery riders as well as customers ... » Learn More about Small turnout as Jewel Changi Airport reopens after more than a month
UK eases curbs on blood donations for gay and bisexual men
INQUIRER.net STOCK IMAGE LONDON — Eligibility rules were relaxed across Britain on Monday to allow more gay and bisexual men to donate life-saving blood, platelets, and plasma. Under the changes, introduced on World Blood Donor Day, individuals will no longer be prevented from donating if they are a man who has sex with other men. Instead, they will now be asked more tailored questions about their recent sexual behavior, health, and travel, before an individual infection risk assessment is made. Those who have had the same sexual partner for the last three months will now be eligible to donate, NHS Blood and Transplant said. NHSBT chief nurse Ella Poppitt said all donations are screened for evidence of significant infections, to ensure safety. “All donors will now be asked about sexual behaviors which might have increased their risk of infection, particularly recently acquired infections,” she said. “This means some donors might not be eligible on the day but may ... » Learn More about UK eases curbs on blood donations for gay and bisexual men
Close to 4,000 Olongapo residents now fully vaccinated against COVID-19
The SMX Convention Center of SM City Olongapo Central serves as venue for Olongapo City’s vaccine rollout for senior citizens. PHOTO FROM OLONGAPO PIO OLONGAPO CITY — Over 13,000 residents here have been inoculated against COVID-19 but the vaccine rollout was temporarily put on hold pending the arrival of additional supply from the national government, an official said. In his weekly update, Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. said 9,444 residents belonging to the priority sectors have received their first dose of vaccine. At least 3,799 of them have been given their second dose or were already fully vaccinated, Paulino said. The city has been administering the COVID-19 vaccine from China’s Sinovac and AstraZeneca from the United Kingdom. Paulino said the slow vaccine rollout is a “global issue” due to the limited supply. He said the national government is prioritizing areas experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases for its vaccine supply, which was “understandable.” But the mayor ... » Learn More about Close to 4,000 Olongapo residents now fully vaccinated against COVID-19
Cebu now requires travelers from Negros, Bohol to show negative COVID-19 test
FILE PHOTO: A medical worker takes an oropharyngeal swab from a resident during mass testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus at a park in Quezon City, suburban Manila on April 15, 2020. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP) CEBU CITY — After several months of eased restrictions for domestic travel, Cebu province is now requiring COVID-19 negative tests for those coming from Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Bohol provinces. Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia issued Executive Order No. 22 that requires either a negative swab test result 72 hours before departure or a negative Rapid Antigen Test taken at least 48 hours before departure from the place of origin. Garcia’s order takes effect from June 14 to July 24 “unless further extended.” The governor took into consideration the latest data from DOH that Cebu’s neighboring provinces recorded an increasing number of active COVID-19 cases in the country. As of June 13, Negros Oriental has 3,134 active COVID-19 cases while Bohol has 1,339. Cebu ... » Learn More about Cebu now requires travelers from Negros, Bohol to show negative COVID-19 test
COVID-19 cases in Zambales up by 43
STOCK PHOTO SAN ANTONIO, Zambales — At least 43 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in this province over the weekend, a local health official said on Monday, June 14. According to Dr. Noel Bueno, provincial health director, the new patients are aged 4-71 and most of them contracted the virus at home. Some adult patients were infected by their co-workers, he also said. But Bueno said 17 of the infected patients last month had already recovered from the disease, raising the total number of recoveries to 2,192. To date, the province has a total of 2,960 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic broke out last year. Of this, 706 remained active and 60 had died. INQ For more news about the novel coronavirus click here. What you need to know about Coronavirus. The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link . ... » Learn More about COVID-19 cases in Zambales up by 43
Novavax COVID-19 vaccine more than 90% effective in US trial
FILE PHOTO: Vials labelled “COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine” and syringe are seen in front of displayed Novavax logo in this illustration taken, February 9, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Novavax Inc on Monday reported late-stage data from its U.S.-based clinical trial showing its vaccine is more than 90% effective against COVID-19 across a variety of variants of the virus. The study of nearly 30,000 volunteers in the United States and Mexico puts Novavax on track to file for emergency authorization in the United States and elsewhere in the third quarter of 2021, the company said. Novavax’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate was more than 93% effective against the predominant variants of COVID-19 that have been of concern among scientists and public health officials, Novavax said. Protein-based vaccines are a conventional approach that use purified pieces of the virus to spur an immune response and vaccines again whooping cough and shingles employ this ... » Learn More about Novavax COVID-19 vaccine more than 90% effective in US trial
Total lockdown unlikely amid COVID surge in NegOr, says gov
The Dumaguete Bell Tower stands tall in the heart of the city as new coronavirus cases continue to rise. (RAFFY CABRISTANTE/INQUIRER VISAYAS) DUMAGUETE CITY — Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo was not keen on implementing a total lockdown even amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in the province. “We cannot afford a total lockdown in the whole province of Negros Oriental unless the national government will help us,” he said. The medical sector and the Dumaguete City Council recently appealed to tighten the community quarantine classification in the province to slow down the spread of the virus. Degamo said granular lockdowns for now are seen as the “best solution” to address the problem while preserving the local economy. Under granular lockdowns, only residences and villages with high numbers of COVID-19 cases will be placed under strict measures. Degamo called on Dumaguete City officials such as Mayor Felipe Remollo and Dr. Maria Sarah Talla, City Health Officer, to meet with ... » Learn More about Total lockdown unlikely amid COVID surge in NegOr, says gov
COVID spike in Borongan City prompts E. Samar provincial gov’t to scale down workforce
TACLOBAN CITY—Employees of the Eastern Samar provincial government will operate with a skeleton workforce from June 13 to 26, 2021 amid the rising cases of COVID-19 in Borongan City where the provincial capitol is located. “(This way), we will minimize the risk of COVID-19 spreading in workplaces while ensuring that the delivery of services within the provincial government remains unhampered,” said Gov. Ben Evardone. Exempted from his order are employees of the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital, which is based in Borongan. City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda earlier placed Borongan under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). In Leyte, the municipal inter-agency task force in Calubian town has imposed a three-day lockdown beginning Monday (June 14) involving 19 barangays due to its increasing COVID-19 cases. Over 12,200 residents from these villages are affected by the lockdown. All residents of these villages are prohibited from going out of their homes except for ... » Learn More about COVID spike in Borongan City prompts E. Samar provincial gov’t to scale down workforce
NATO to toughen G7 message on China despite Beijing’s cries of ‘slander’
Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo welcomes U.S. President Joe Biden as he arrives ahead of a NATO summit, at Brussels Military Airport in Melsbroek, Belgium June 13, 2021. REUTERS/Yves Herman/Pool BRUSSELS — NATO leaders are expected to brand China a security risk to the Western alliance on Monday, a day after the Group of Seven rich nations issued a statement on human rights in China and Taiwan that Beijing said slandered its reputation. With allied leaders also raising concerns about Russia’s recent military build-up near Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg described the summit, the first Joe Biden will attend as U.S. president, as a “pivotal moment”. In a marked change of tone from his predecessor Donald Trump, Biden on Sunday described NATO as “a sacred obligation”. Arriving at the one-day summit in Brussels, Stoltenberg said China’s growing military presence from the Baltics to Africa meant NATO had to be prepared to stand up for Western security and ... » Learn More about NATO to toughen G7 message on China despite Beijing’s cries of ‘slander’
Marines rescue 24 crew, passengers of capsized boat bound for Tawi-Tawi
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur—Marines rescued 24 crew members and passengers of the ill-fated ML Sea Glory bound for Tawi-Tawi that capsized at the waters northeast off Bitinan Island, Banguingui town of Sulu in the dawn hours of Monday, June 14. Colonel Hernanie Songano, commander of Naval Task Group Sulu, said the boat bound for South Ubian, Tawi-Tawi, encountered engine trouble at sea in the evening of June 13, as it was battered by strong waves and powerful sea current. “The weather was fine when they left Zamboanga City early in the afternoon of June 13 but upon reaching Bitinan Island, the sea turned difficult, the waves were taller and the current was strong,” Songano said. “The boat captain sent for help and when the Coast Guard sought (our) help, we immediately dispatched our MPAC (multipurpose assault craft) to the area. We encountered difficulties due to the current and the huge waves,” Songano added. Among those rescued, boat captain Mohammad Ali S. Assiong said ... » Learn More about Marines rescue 24 crew, passengers of capsized boat bound for Tawi-Tawi