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USPS COVID tests: Some tech issues arise

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USPS COVID tests: Some tech issues arise

The Biden administration on Tuesday quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially go online.

Since Saturday, private insurance companies have been required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.

According to AP, the technical bugs that embarrassed President Barack Obama’s administration with the 2013 rollout of the HealthCare.gov website should not be a problem for the COVID-19 test kit website in part because it is so much simpler, said Alex Howard, director of the Digital Democracy Project, an open government watchdog group. Howard said the new website is also simpler than the Vaccines.gov website – for finding nearby vaccine clinics and pharmacies – that was already successfully launched by the Biden administration last year.

Howard said the task of requesting someone’s address is a straightforward one, especially when compared with the Obama-era health insurance website that involved shopping for different health plans and authenticating a secure transaction. The challenge of hosting a website application under high demand is also a “solved problem” in the private sector, he said.

“My expectation is the U.S. Digital Service and any vendors they work with will be able to pull this off,” he said. “It’s the least hard part of this.”

Two tech companies that frequently work with the federal government – Microsoft and Accenture – on Tuesday referred questions about the website to the Postal Service. Amazon, a major cloud provider for U.S. agencies, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Howard said the trickiest part of the project is not the website but the physical distribution of kits.

“I don’t recall the last time the federal government sent something like this to everyone that wasn’t a tax document,” he said.

The website, COVIDTests.gov, now includes a link for “every home in the U.S.” to access an order form run by the U.S. Postal Service. People can order four at-home tests per residential address, to be delivered by the Postal Service. It marks the latest step by President Joe Biden to address criticism of low inventory and long lines for testing during a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the website was in “beta testing” and operating at a “limited capacity” ahead of its official launch. The website will officially launch midmorning Wednesday, Psaki said.

There were isolated reports Tuesday afternoon of problems relating to the website’s address verification tool erroneously enforcing the four-per-household cap on apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings. A spokesperson for the Postal Service said in a statement that the error was “occurring in a small percentage of orders.” He said any user needing assistance could file a service request at emailus.usps.com/s/the-postal-store-inquiry or contact a help desk at 1-800-ASK-USPS.

At points Tuesday more than 750,000 people were accessing the website at the same time, according to public government tracking data, but it was not immediately known how many orders were placed.

Psaki added that the administration was anticipating a “bug or two,” but had IT experts from across the government working to get the site ready.

Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.

But Americans shouldn’t expect a rapid turnaround on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.

The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7- 12 days of ordering” through USPS, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.

Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests, and shortages of at-home test kits have shown signs of easing as more supply has hit the market.

World’s oldest man dies at 112

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World’s oldest man dies at 112

According to AP, Saturnino de la Fuente, a Spaniard described by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest man, died Tuesday at the age of 112 years and 341 days, the records agency said.

De la Fuente was a cobbler by trade and started working in a shoe factory at age 13, Spain’s state-run news agency EFE reported.

Guinness World Records named De la Fuente as the world’s oldest man in September, when he was 112 years and 211 days. It said he was born in the Puente Castro neighborhood of León on Feb. 11, 1909.

De la Fuente passed away at home in León, a city in northwest Spain, it said.

CDC advises against travel to 22 destinations over Covid-19

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CDC advises against travel to 22 destinations over Covid-19

In total, the CDC now lists just over 100 countries and territories at “Level 4.” The CDC also raised another 20 countries to Level 3: High,” including Uganda, Kuwait, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Cuba. The CDC recommends that unvaccinated Americans avoid nonessential travel to those destinations.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday advised against travel to 22 nations and territories because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases, including for Israel, Australia, Egypt, Albania, Argentina and Uruguay.

The CDC elevated its travel recommendation to “Level Four: Very High,” telling Americans they should avoid travel to those destinations, which also include Panama, Qatar, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Suriname, Saint Lucia and Bolivia.

Japan widened COVID-19 curbs as Omicron drove record new infections

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Japan widened COVID-19 curbs as Omicron drove record new infections

Japan on Wednesday widened COVID-19 curbs to the capital Tokyo and a dozen regions covering half the population as the Omicron variant of coronavirus drove record new infections, according to Reuters.

Tokyo’s occupancy rate of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients, a figure closely monitored by authorities, rose to 25.9% on Wednesday. An increase to 50% would warrant escalation to a full state of emergency, officials have said.

In a sign that the pandemic is weighing on the economy, Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said it cancelled a factory line shift in Toyota City after eight workers there tested positive.

The Japan National Tourism Organisation said last year’s 245,900 overseas visitors were the fewest on record, going back to 1964.

Already in effect in three regions, the measures, set to run from Friday until Feb. 13, were made official by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after getting the sign-off from an expert panel earlier in the day.

“We are battling against an unknown virus, and I hope that we can overcome this situation with sufficient preparation and without excessive fear,” Kishida said.

The quasi-emergency measures, as they are called, permit governors to limit mobility and business activities, by shortening the operating hours of bars and restaurants, and barring sales of alcohol.

“While the measures won’t be as effective as when numbers were smaller, I think they still can mitigate things,” said Gautam Deshpande, a doctor at St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo.

“The horse is only half out of the barn at the moment.”

Japan added more than 32,000 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, a tally by national broadcaster NHK showed, exceeding an August high soon after Tokyo hosted the Summer Olympics.

Tokyo set a daily record on Wednesday with 7,377 new infections, as did the western prefecture of Osaka, with 6,101.

The country has recorded a total 1,924,937 cases and 18,436 deaths from the pandemic.

Although Omicron is more infectious than previous variants it appears to cause less serious illness, but public health experts still worry that a wave of such cases could overwhelm the healthcare system.

Japan has declared states of emergency four times during the pandemic, and vaccinated about 80% of its population of 126 million, although its booster dose programme has reached just 1.2%.

Authorities have “dragged their feet with boosters,” Deshpande added.

Japan rolled out quasi-emergency curbs this month in three regions hosting U.S. military facilities, after it appeared that base outbreaks of Omicron spilled into surrounding communities. read more

Indonesia approved law to relocate capital to Borneo jungle

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Indonesia approved law to relocate capital to Borneo jungle

According to Reuters, parliament on Tuesday approved a bill to relocate Indonesia’s capital from Jakarta to a site deep within the jungle of Kalimantan on Borneo island, the most significant advancement of an idea the country’s leaders have been toying with for years.

The new state capital law, which provides a legal framework for President Joko Widodo’s ambitious $32 billion mega project, stipulates how development of the capital will be funded and governed.

The new city has a name chosen by him – Nusantara, a Javanese term for the Indonesian archipelago – but no timeframe has yet been set for finalisation of the project, and Jakarta will remain the capital until a presidential decree is issued to formalise the change.

Nusantara would follow in the footsteps of new capitals in other countries, notably Brazil and Myanmar.

It will strengthen supply chains and place Indonesia “in a more strategic position in world trade routes, investment flows, and technological innovation,” the government said in a statement.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy has envisioned the new capital as a low-carbon “super hub” that will support pharmaceutical, health and technology sectors and promote sustainable growth beyond Java island.

But critics say the law was rushed through with limited public consultation and environmental assessments.

Nusantara will be led by a chief authority whose position is equivalent to a minister, deputy chair of the bill’s special committee, Saan Mustofa, said on Monday.

One of those being considered for the position is Jakarta’s former governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok.

“The new capital has a central function and is a symbol of the identity of the nation, as well as a new centre of economic gravity,” Planning Minister Suharso Monoarfa told parliament after the bill was passed into law.

The initial relocation will start from between 2022 and 2024, with roads and ports prioritised to enable access, with some projects operating as public private partnerships, the finance ministry said.

Plans to move the government away from Jakarta, a megacity of 10 million people that suffers from chronic congestion, floods and air pollution, have been floated by multiple presidents, but none have made it this far.

Jokowi, as the president is known, first announced his plan in 2019, but progress was delayed by COVID-19.

First lady of Korea bring the BTS figures dressed in Hanbok to Dubai

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First lady of Korea bring the BTS figures dressed in Hanbok to Dubai

Sohn Oh Gong, a South Korean toy company, improved the marketability of the BTS mini-figures and decided to sell them only in South Korea. The company revealed they will be launching the BTS premium fashion dolls limited hanbok edition on GMarket starting January 23rd. The new fashion dolls have been upgraded with sophisticated details than the existing fashion dolls as each member doll will be dressed in premium Korean traditional clothing that is custom designed.

It was revealed that the first lady of South Korea held an event in Dubai, and she had brought these premium toys. According to one netizen post, it seemed that the first lady brought these toys along with the “Baby Shark” book to donate to the Dubai library.

As soon as the new merchandise was revealed, many fans and netizens gathered in an online community to express how impressed they were. Many netizens commented that the BTS dolls dressed in Korean traditional clothes were a sensible gift to the library. Netizens commented, “I really want to buy them,” “BTS with Korean traditional clothing? That’s such a sensible gift to give,” “I would love to get that set,” “I wish they can sell the clothes separately so I can change out my dolls’ clothing,” “The dolls are okay but I would totally want them with the traditional clothing,” “The Hanbok dolls are so pretty,” and “They look nice with the Hanboks.”

Australia suffers as a fast-moving Omicron drives up hospital cases

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Australia suffers as a fast-moving Omicron drives up hospital cases

According to Reuters, Australia suffered its deadliest day of the pandemic on Tuesday as a fast-moving Omicron outbreak continued to push up hospitalisation rates to record levels, even as daily infections eased slightly.

The surge in case numbers battered consumer confidence last week, an ANZ survey on Tuesday showed, triggering self-imposed lockdowns and stifling spending even as states looked to avoid lockdowns and keep businesses open.

Omicron also dented Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s approval ratings, according to a widely watched poll on Tuesday, putting opposition Labor into a leading position months out from a federal election.

Amid rising hospitalisations, Victoria on Tuesday declared a “code brown” in hospitals, usually reserved for shorter-term emergencies, that would give hospitals the power to cancel non-urgent health services and cancel staff leave.

Australia is dealing with its worst COVID-19 outbreak, fuelled by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus that has put more people in hospitals and intensive care than at any time during the pandemic.

A total of 77 deaths was recorded, exceeding the previous national high of 57 last Thursday, official data showed.

“Today, is a very difficult day for our state,” New South Wales (NSW) Premier Dominic Perrottet said during a media briefing as the state reported 36 deaths, a new pandemic high.

Only four of those who died in NSW had received their booster shot, prompting the state’s health officials to urge people to avoid delays and get their third dose soon. Thirty-three were double-dosed.

“There needs to be a sense of urgency in embracing the booster doses,” NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said. “For Omicron, we know that the protection is lower and we need that next boosting to get that higher level of protection.”

To help public hospitals cope, the federal government has activated a plan for private hospitals to provide up to 57,000 nurses and more than 100,000 staff to Omicron-affected areas around the country, Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

While authorities usually do not specify the coronavirus variant that leads to deaths, officials have said most patients in intensive care were infected with the Omicron strain, with unvaccinated young people forming a “significant number”.

Queensland said none of Tuesday’s record 16 deaths in the state had received booster shots. Of the 45 people who have died in the state due to COVID-19 since Dec. 13, only one had received their third dose.

“Please come forward and get your booster, we know that it makes a difference,” state Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said.

About 73,000 new infections were reported on Tuesday, down from a high of 150,000 last Thursday. So far, Australia has reported about 1.6 million infections since the pandemic began, of which around 1.3 million were in the last two weeks. Total deaths stood at 2,776.

China states coronavirus on packaging, despite doubts abroad

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China states coronavirus on packaging, despite doubts abroad

Beijing Games organizers announced Monday that only “selected” spectators will be permitted at the events, which officially open Feb. 4. Beijing had already announced that no fans from outside the country will be permitted and has not offered tickets to the general public.

China has largely avoided major virus outbreaks with lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions, although it continues to fight surges in several cities, including the port of Tianjin, about an hour from Beijing.

One city that has endured weeks of lockdown under China’s “zero-COVID” policy appears to have received some relief. Falling numbers of cases in Xi’an, a city of 13 million famed as the home of the Terracotta Warrior statue army, have prompted authorities to gradually allow people to leave their homes and return to work.

Just one additional case was reported in the city among China’s 127 new domestically transmitted cases announced Tuesday.

According to AP, Chinese state media say parcels mailed from overseas may have spread the omicron variant of the coronavirus in Beijing and elsewhere, despite doubts among overseas health experts that the virus can be transmitted via packaging.

The State Post Bureau said it has ordered stronger measures to ventilate and disinfect sites where items mailed from overseas are handled. Postal workers must wear protective equipment, receive booster shots and undergo regular testing, it said on its website. International packages must be isolated, cleaned and held for a waiting period to ensure they are free from the virus, it said.

Global health experts say the virus mainly spreads through respiratory droplets when infected people breathe, speak, cough and sneeze.

The World Health Organization says coronaviruses “need a live animal or human host to multiply and survive and cannot multiply on the surface of food packages.”

However, China has repeatedly emphasized what it calls the danger of infections from packaging, despite only trace amounts of the virus being found on such items, and has boosted testing of frozen food and other items shipped from overseas.

The Communist Party newspaper Global Times cited the Beijing Center for Disease Control and virologists as linking recent infections to packages from abroad. It said Tuesday that investigators found people newly infected had picked up packages mailed from Canada and the U.S.

China has locked down parts of Beijing’s Haidian district following the detection of four cases, just weeks before the capital is to host the Winter Olympic Games. Another person in the southern technology hub of Shenzhen who tested positive for omicron handled packages sent from North America, the newspaper said.

An additional case was reported in the city’s Chaoyang district, and an office building in Shunyi, where the capital’s main international airport is located, was placed under lockdown with all inside required to undergo testing after a suspected case was reported.

Local schools in Beijing have mostly been moved online in the two weeks before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday on Jan. 31.

China remains on high alert for new outbreaks ahead of the Olympics. Around 20 million people are under lockdown and mass testing has been ordered in entire cities where cases have been discovered.

Woman Went to Hospital After Eating Too Much Sushi At All You Can Eat Restaurant

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Woman Went to Hospital After Eating Too Much Sushi At All You Can Eat Restaurant

“My best friend Amanda was in town for the weekend and she loves sushi as well so we were both looking forward to the all you can eat sushi experience.

“The all you can eat sushi is about $50 a person so Amanda and I had to make sure we got our money’s worth, which meant eating a lot.

“Our dinner was about two hours long because we were so stuffed we had to keep taking breaks.

“Immediately after dinner we were so full we had to sit in my car for about 30 minutes before driving home. My stomach felt very firm from all the sushi and probably the rice that expanded in my stomach.

“That night I went to sleep at my boyfriend’s house and I had the worst stomach ache but didn’t think much of it since I had a huge meal! I am not a morning person so when I woke up around 6am the next day I knew something was wrong.

“My stomach and chest had intense pain and it was hard to take deep breaths.”

Danielle Shapiro, 24, went for a $50-a-head sushi buffet in California, where diners could help themselves to as much food as they liked.

Danielle, who posts on TikTok as @danielleshap, decided to she really wanted to get value for money so chowed down on 32 sushi rolls, four gyozas, one bowl of edamame beans, two jalapeño poppers and a bowl of miso soup – fair play, that’s quite impressive. 

But while it was all fun and games at the time, the aftermath of her actions soon caught up with her as she woke up with extreme stomach pains the next day. 

Poor Danielle ended up having to go to hospital where she was told she had gastroesophageal reflux disease – which occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus. 

After realising the pain was too severe, Danielle’s boyfriend and her grandmother took her to the hospital where she spent several hours before being told she had gastroesophageal reflux disease and was given medication. 

Fortunately, she’s fine now and has said the whole experience didn’t put her off sushi.

Afghanistan earthquake kills at least 22 people

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Afghanistan earthquake kills at least 22 people

“Unfortunately, our initial reports show that 22 people, including women and children, have been killed and four others injured,” said Baz Mohammad Sarwari, the director of Information and Culture of the Badghis provincial administration.

According to CNN, an earthquake rocked western Afghanistan on Monday, killing more than 20 people and destroying hundreds of homes, local authorities said.

Sanullah Sabit, the head of the nursing unit at the main hospital in Badghis’ capital said they had received five patients injured in the quake, mostly with broken bones and fractures.The quake was at a depth of 30 kilometers (about 19 miles), according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center.

The 5.6 magnitude tremor shook the western province of Badghis, bordering Turkmenistan, in the afternoon, reducing brick homes to rubble, according to photos shared by local authorities.

“The Mujahideen have reached to some of the affected areas, but Badghis is a mountainous province, the number of casualties might go up,” he added, referring to Taliban fighters, and adding that heavy rain was also lashing the area.

Mullah Janan Saeqe, head of the Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of State for Emergency Affairs, confirmed the death toll and said more than 700 houses had been damaged.

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