Daily COVID Tracker: ‘Electronic nose’ for detection, reward for employees who get vaccine

February 6, 2021 8:08 am

The COVID-19 pandemic is still hitting hard on most businesses across the globe, especially as lockdown subsists in some countries. Pubs closure in the UK will waste 87 million pints or over 49 million litres of beer — a quantity that can fill 20 Olympic swimming pools — due to lockdowns. This and more are the updates you should know about the pandemic this Saturday morning.

‘ELECTRONIC NOSES’ FOR COVID-19 DETECTION

Having been struck with over one million infections of COVID-19, Indonesia has invented a technology to ramp up testing.

The technology is an electronic nose that can detect the virus within minutes.

The technology which was launched on Friday — functions by blowing into a plastic bag that is analysed by GeNose detectors — developed by the University of Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta.

The country is said to be the first to use the technology, with authorities placing it at transport stations, such as the Pasar Senen train station in Jakarta.

The “electronic noses” detect COVID-19 through particles in the breath with an accuracy of more than 90 per cent using an artificial intelligence technology.

FCTA SEALS CLINIC OVER ILLEGAL COVID-19 TESTS

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) COVID-19 protocols enforcement task force on Friday sealed the BMT Tourist Clinic and Diagnostic Centre, a private clinic over alleged illegal conduct of COVID-19 tests and issuance of fake certificates to intending international travellers.

Yakubu Mohammed, chairman FCTA COVID-19 facilities accreditation committee who led the operation said credible information revealed that the clinic was carrying out the illegal activities.

He said the clinic was never given the approval to carry out COVID-19 healthcare services and its handling of the pandemic contravened important guidelines.

UK PUB CLOSURE WILL WASTE 87 MILLION PINTS OF BEER

Pub owners in the UK are one of the worst hit by the lockdown imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in that country.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), says up to 87 million pints of beer will be thrown away as a result of pub closures during COVID lockdowns around the UK.

The association called the waste which is equivalent to £331m in sales “heartbreaking”.

Emma McClarkin, a business executive has asked the government to give publicans more help in the budget, including extending the VAT cut for the hospitality sector.

ASTRAZENECA VACCINE EFFECTIVE AGAINST UK VARIANT

The University of Oxford says its AstraZeneca vaccine has efficacy against the B.1.1.7 ‘Kent’ COVID-19 strain currently circulating in the UK to previously circulating variants.

Andrew Pollard, professor of paediatric infection and immunity said data from trials of the ChAdOx1 vaccine in the UK shows that the vaccine not only protects against the original pandemic virus, but also protects against the novel variant, B.1.1.7, which caused the surge in disease from the end of 2020 across the UK.

Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology and chief investigator on the Oxford vaccine trial, said the university was working with AstraZeneca to “optimise the pipeline required for a strain change should one become necessary”, adding that it would continue to monitor the emergence of new variants that arise in readiness for a future strain change.

COMPANY TO REWARD EMPLOYEES WHO GET COVID-19 VACCINE

Kroger, a US-based company says it will provide a one-time payment of $100 to all employees who receive the full manufacturer-recommended doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In addition to the vaccine payment, the company says it would also be giving a “Thank You” reward to associates, including a $100 store credit and 1,000 fuel points for hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy, and call centre associates.

Associates who are not able to take the vaccine due to medical or religious reasons will have the option of completing education health and safety course to receive payment.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA