Los Angeles county residents who get coronavirus vaccine will be able to keep proof of immunization in their iPhone’s digital wallet.
The record will live in the Apple Wallet, usually used for payment cards, boarding passes, or event tickets.
According to officials, it will first be used to remind people to get their second required dose of the vaccine.
However, it could also be used as proof of vaccination in the Covid-19 hotspot of Los Angeles.
Bloomberg first reported news of the county’s partnership with software firm Healthvana.
The digital card could be used “to prove to airlines, to prove to schools, to prove to whoever needs it,” that a recipient has been immunized, Healthvana CEO Ramin Bastani told Bloomberg.
Los Angeles County has a high level of infection of the disease, with nearly 13,000 new cases reported on December 29, and 227 deaths – bringing the number of those who have died with the disease to 9,782 to date.
The county’s vaccine chief Claire Jarashow told Bloomberg that officials were keen to make sure people came back for their second vaccine dose – as the paper document given to recipients is easily lost.
She said: “We just don’t have the capacity to be doing hundreds of medical record requests to find people’s first doses and when they need to get their second.”
Healthvana has a track record of handling sensitive patient data, having delivered millions of HIV test results to US patients in recent years.
However, there has been some resistance to the idea of a “vaccine passport”, which some fear could be used to deny entry to venues if people are unwilling to share personal medical information.
There are also some potential problems – such as not having the digital vaccine record on all phones, including Android users.
And there is no way to prove that the person holding the phone is the same person who received the vaccine, without some other identifier.
Those people might see this idea as a “hostile approach”, designed to withhold access to getting on board a flight, or attending an event.
Spain is planning to set up a registry of people who refuse to be vaccinated against coronavirus and share it with other European Union nations, health minister Salvador Illa has said.
Salvador Illa said the list would not be made accessible to the public or to employers.
The health minister said the way to defeat the virus was “to vaccinate all of us – the more the better”.
Spain has been one of the countries in Europe worst affected by the virus.
In an interview with La Sexta TV on December 28, Salvador Illa emphasized that vaccination would not be mandatory.
He said: “What will be done is a registry, which will be shared with our European partners… of those people who have been offered it and have simply rejected it.
“It is not a document which will be made public and it will be done with the utmost respect for data protection.”
The health minister added: “People who are offered a therapy that they refuse for any reason, it will be noted in the register… that there is no error in the system, not to have given this person the possibility of being vaccinated.”
According to a recent poll, the number of Spanish citizens who have said they will not take the vaccine has fallen to 28% from 47% in November.
In other comments, Salvador Illa said people would be contacted by regional authorities when it was their turn to be inoculated.
He told reporters: “People who decide not to get vaccinated, which we think is a mistake, are within their rights.
“We are going to try to solve doubts. Getting vaccinated saves lives, it is the way out of this pandemic.”
The number of people who have died from Covid-19 in Spain rose above the 50,000 on December 28. Spain has registered more than 1.8 million infections during the pandemic.
The country is under a nationwide curfew, between 23:00 and 06:00, until early May. In many places, people are only allowed out in that period to go to work, buy medicine, or to care for elderly people or children.
Spain’s regional leaders can modify curfew times and can also close regional borders for travel.
President Donald Trump failed to sign the Covid relief bill into law leaving millions of Americans without their unemployment benefits.
President-elect Joe Biden had warned of “devastating consequences” if President Trump continued to delay signing but the December 26 deadline has now passed.
Unemployment benefits and a ban on evictions will be affected.
The package worth $900 billion was approved by Congress after months of difficult negotiations and compromises.
President Trump says he wants to give people bigger one-off payments.
The bill includes the payment of $600 to Americans earning less than $75,000 a year.
President Trump says he wants Americans to receive $2,000 but Republicans in Congress refused to agree to the change.
In a tweet on December 26, President Trump again defended his position on the issue, blaming China for the coronavirus outbreak.
The coronavirus economic relief is part of a $2.3 trillion spending package that includes $1.4 trillion for normal federal government spending. A partial government shutdown will begin on December 29 unless legislators pass a stopgap bill before then – but this would not include coronavirus aid and President Trump would still have to sign it.
About 14 million Americans would be affected by a lapse in unemployment benefit payments and new stimulus cheques.
In a strongly worded statement published on the transition website on December 26, Joe Biden described President Trump’s refusal to sign the bill as an “abdication of responsibility”.
He said: “It is the day after Christmas, and millions of families don’t know if they’ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority.”
Joe Biden praised the example of members of Congress in compromising and reaching a bipartisan agreement, adding: “President Trump should join them, and make sure millions of Americans can put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads in this holiday season.”
President Trump had reiterated his objection to the bill, saying: “I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill.”
The coronavirus aid relief bill – with the larger budget bill rolled in – overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives and Senate on December 21 but, a day later, President Trump issued an implied veto threat, describing the package as a “disgrace” full of “wasteful” items.
He baulked at the annual aid money for other countries in the federal budget, arguing that those funds should instead go to struggling Americans.
According to his schedule, President Trump spent Christmas at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida with his family, where he held “many meetings and calls”.
The Girl Scouts are in a “highly damaging” recruitment war with the Boy Scouts after the latter opened its core services to girls.
According to lawyers, the “infringement” meant many parents mistakenly signed their daughters up for Boy Scouts, thinking it was Girl Scouts.
In response, the Boy Scouts accused the Girl Scouts of starting a “ground war”.
The BSA dropped the word “boy” from its recruitment program, and opened up to female members, in 2018.
It said at the time that it was renaming the Boy Scouts program Scouts BSA as it prepared to allow girls to join.
But the Girl Scouts said the change would erode their brand, calling the move “uniquely damaging” to them, filing an initial lawsuit in November 2018 against trademark infringement.
Last month, lawyers acting on behalf of the Boy Scouts asked a judge to throw out the lawsuit, which suggested it could not use “scouts” or “scouting” in its recruitment material for girls.
In the latest filing at the Manhattan federal court on Christmas Eve, the Girl Scouts described the new recruitment program as “highly damaging” to its organization, having caused an “explosion of confusion” among parents.
“As a result of Boy Scouts’ infringement… [there have been] rampant instances of confusion and mistaken instances of association between Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts,” the papers stated, adding that the organization could provide proof of such instances.
In a statement released on December 26, the Boy Scouts said this was “not only inaccurate – with no legally admissible instance of this offered to date in the case – but it is also dismissive of the decisions of more than 120,000 girls and young women who have joined Cub Scouts or Scouts BSA”.
In October 2017, the Boy Scouts’ board of directors voted unanimously to open the century-old club to all children.
The move triggered a fierce backlash online, with the Girl Scouts accusing the group of initiating a “covert campaign” to recruit girls into an organization that had a “well-documented” declining membership.
The Boy Scouts reportedly has close to 2.3 million members in the US, down by about a third since 2000, compared with about 1.7 million members for the Girl Scouts – excluding adult volunteers.
The EU is launching a co-ordinated mass vaccination to fight Covid-19, in what the bloc’s top official Ursula von der Leyen says is a “touching moment of unity”.
On December 26, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had been delivered to all 27 member states.
Some countries started administering the jabs on the same day, saying they were not prepared to wait another day.
The EU has so far reported more than 335,000 coronavirus-related deaths.
More than 14 million people have been infected, and strict lockdown measures are currently in place in nearly all the member states.
The EU mass vaccination comes as cases of the more contagious variant of the virus are confirmed in several European countries as well as Japan and Canada.
Mass vaccination for the EU’s 446 million people is due to begin in the coming hours.
This comes after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Commission authorized the German-US Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
The EU has secured contracts for more than two billion vaccine doses from a range of drug companies.
Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: “Today, we start turning the page on a difficult year. The #COVID19 vaccine has been delivered to all EU countries. Vaccination will begin tomorrow across the EU. The #EUvaccinationdays are a touching moment of unity. Vaccination is the lasting way out of the pandemic.”
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on December 26: “This really is a happy Christmas message. At this moment, trucks with the first vaccines are on the road all over Europe, all over Germany, in all federal states. Further deliveries will follow the day after tomorrow.
“This vaccine is the crucial key for defeating the pandemic. It’s the key for us getting back our lives.”
Health workers in north-east Germany decided not to wait for December 27 and started immunizing elderly residents of a nursing home in Halberstadt.
The authorities in Slovakia also said they had begun vaccinating.
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio urged his compatriots to get the vaccine: “We’ll get our freedom back, we’ll be able to embrace again.”
In Hungary, the first recipient of the vaccine was a doctor at Del-Pest Central Hospital on December 26, the state news agency says.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski earlier said officials had received about 500 tips possibly relating to the explosion.
After visiting the site, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said it was a “miracle” that no-one had been killed.
The governor said he had asked President Donald Trump for a federal emergency declaration for his state to aid relief efforts.
Officers responded to reports of gunshots just before 06:00 local time on Christmas Day in an area of the city known for its restaurants and nightlife.
Shortly afterwards, they found an RV broadcasting a warning message to leave the area.
The van exploded a few minutes later, the force of the blast knocking an officer off their feet, police said.
The RV blew up outside a building belonging to the telecoms giant AT&T, which also occupies an office tower nearby.
Buildings suffered structural damage, windows were blown out, and trees were felled. Videos posted on social media showed water from damaged pipes running down walls as alarms howled in the background.
Police emergency systems were knocked out across Tennessee.
Phone, internet and fiber optic TV services were also disrupted in Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia, according to AT&T.
A parked RV exploded in Nashville, Tennessee, early on Christmas morning, injuring three people and knocking out communications systems across the state.
Police believe the blast outside a telecoms building was caused deliberately.
Officers responding to reports of gunshots just before 06:00 found a RV broadcasting a warning message to leave the area.
The van exploded a few minutes later.
According to officials, a police officer was knocked off the feet by the force of the blast.
Police have now released this image of the van – described by Nashville police as a recreational vehicle – arriving at the scene on Christmas morning.
Nashville PD tweeted: “BREAKING: This is the RV that exploded on 2nd Ave N this morning. It arrived on 2nd Ave at 1:22 a.m. Have you seen this vehicle in our area or do you have information about it? Please contact us via Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 or online via http://fbi.gov/nashville. @ATFHQ”
The RV blew up outside a building belonging to the telecoms giant AT&T, which also occupies an office tower nearby.
Buildings suffered structural damage, windows were blown out, and trees felled. Videos posted on social media showed water from damaged pipes running down walls as alarms howled in the background.
Police emergency systems were knocked out across much of Tennessee. Flights out of Nashville International Airport were briefly halted as a result of damage done by the blast but have now resumed.
No motive has yet been established, nor do police know who was behind the incident.
A number of people have been taken to the central police precinct for questioning, a spokesman told the Associated Press.
It was not clear whether anyone was inside the vehicle at the time of the explosion, police said.
The FBI is leading the investigation. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also involved.
The explosion hit an area of Nashville known for its restaurants and nightlife.
Police spokesman Don Aaron told reporters: “To this point, we do believe that the explosion was an intentional act.”
Surveillance video posted on YouTube appeared to show the moments before the explosion, when a warning was broadcast, saying: “If you can hear this message, evacuate now.”
A loud bang follows and flames and smoke fill the screen.
In a tweet Tennessee Governor Bill Lee pledged to supply “all of the resources needed” to investigate what happened and who was behind it.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the matter.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is getting ready to tackle its annual holiday mission – tracking Santa’s storybook sleigh ride around the world.
Children and parents across the world can see just how far Santa and his reindeer are from their homes, thanks to a “Santa Tracker” that follows his route around the globe.
For over 60 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa’s flight. In 1955, a Colorado Springs newspaper advert invited children to talk to Santa on a hotline.
But the number had a typo, and dozens of children mistakenly dialed the Continental Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado Springs, the predecessor to NORAD.
The officers on duty sprang into action and began passing along reports on Santa’s progress – and the tradition was born.
Follow Santa on his Christmas Eve journey on NORAD website…
President Donald Trump has urged Congress to amend a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill to more than triple its stimulus payments to Americans.
In a video message posted on Twitter, the president said the package “really is a disgrace”, full of “wasteful” items.
He said: “It’s called the Covid relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with Covid.”
The $900 billion bill includes one-off $600 payments to most Americans, but President Trump said the figure should be $2,000.
Republicans and Democrats have been negotiating a coronavirus stimulus rescue package since July and President Trump – who has largely stayed out of the talks – had been expected to sign the legislation into law following its passage through Congress on December 21.
The package of measures is linked to a bigger government spending bill, which includes foreign aid funding as well as a $1.4 trillion spending measure to fund federal agencies for the next nine months. Those agencies will have to shut if the president vetoes or refuses to sign it by midnight on December 28.
Most legislation that comes from Congress requires the approval of the president before becoming law. If the president rejects this bill, it would require at least a two-thirds majority in each chamber – the House of Representatives and the Senate – to override the veto.
However, President Trump has not specifically said he would veto the bill.
While Congress has overridden fewer than 10% of all presidential vetoes, media say there could be enough votes from both Democrats and Republicans in Congress to do so in this instance.
In December 22 message from the White House, President Trump baulked at spending in the bill on other countries, arguing that this money should go to struggling Americans.
He said: “This bill contains $85.5 million for assistance to Cambodia, $134 million to Burma, $1.3 billion for Egypt and the Egyptian military, which will go out and buy almost exclusively Russian military equipment, $25 million for democracy and gender programs in Pakistan, $505 million to Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.”
President Trump questioned why the Kennedy Center, a performing arts complex in Washington DC, was set to receive $40 million when it is not open, and more than $1 billion has been allocated to museums and galleries in the capital.
He concluded: “Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists and special interests, while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it. It wasn’t their fault. It was China’s fault.
“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple.
“I’m also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill, or else the next administration will have to deliver a Covid relief package.”
On December 21, congressional leaders unveiled a 5,593-page package and voted on it several hours later.
Several lawmakers protested that they had not been given an opportunity to read the contents.
Nevertheless the bill sailed through the House of Representatives by 359-53 and the Senate by 92-6.
For many women, turning 30 is a big moment in their lives. Often, turning 30 coincides with numerous lifestyle changes. Women in their 30s may decide to start a family; or focus on their career. Or women in their 30s may decide to move to a new city, start a new business venture, or develop new relationships. Whatever your plan for the next ten years is, it’s important for women who are turning 30 to understand how to ensure their long-term health and wellness for years to come. Thankfully, this blog will help you achieve just that. Check out our top four health tips for women in their 30s:
Stay Active
As people get older, they tend to find it more difficult to stick to a rigorous exercise routine. However, it’s crucial that you maintain –– if not improve –– your workout habits moving forward. Regular exercise can not only help you achieve a healthy weight, but it can protect you from the onset of numerous medical conditions and illnesses. Now might be a great time to try out new exercise techniques that you may have overlooked so far.
Speak to Your Doctor
Individuals in their 20s may not feel the need to speak with their doctor all that often. Yet, as women enter their 30s, they should make it a priority to visit their doctor on a regular basis. Indeed, this is particularly true for women who are concerned with their fertility or who may want to have kids. Some women may even need to schedule an appointment with a tubal reversal doctor to improve their chances of conception. Regardless, all women in their 30s should seek to consult with their doctor more frequently.
Cut Out Bad Habits
Poor health decisions like staying up late, indulging in fast food, or engaging with cigarettes/alcohol are bad no matter when you start them. For women in their 30s, though, it’s imperative that you cut out these bad habits ASAP. Getting enough sleep, practicing a smart diet, and avoiding detrimental activities are all vital steps to building a healthy lifestyle.
Don’t Neglect Mental Health
You’re never too old to experience feelings of anxiety or depression. No one is immune to experiencing mental health issues, so it’s key that women in their 30s take their mental well-being seriously. At the very least, do your best to communicate your mental and emotional needs to others. And don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health expert should you require clinical assistance. Remember, asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness –– it’s an example of your strength!
President Donald Trump has pardoned four former Blackwater security guards convicted over their involvement in the killing of 14 Iraqi civilians in 2007.
Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Nicholas Slatten and Paul Slough opened fire in Baghdad’s Nisoor Square while escorting an American diplomatic convoy.
According to the White House, the pardons were supported by the public and lawmakers.
However, the father of a boy who died called them “indescribable” and a rights group said President Trump had hit a “new low”.
There was no immediate response from the Iraqi government.
Heard, Liberty, Slatten and Slough were among 19 Blackwater private security contractors assigned to guard a convoy of four heavily-armored vehicles carrying US personnel on September 16, 2007.
According to the DoJ, at about noon that day several of the contractors opened fire in and around Nisoor Square, a busy roundabout that was immediately adjacent to the heavily-fortified Green Zone.
When they stopped shooting, at least 14 Iraqi civilians were dead – 10 men, two women and two boys, aged nine and 11. Iraqi authorities put the toll at 17.
US prosecutors said Nicholas Slatten was the first to fire, without provocation, killing Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubiay, an aspiring doctor who was driving his mother to an appointment.
The contractors said they mistakenly believed that they were under attack.
The incident caused international outrage, strained relations between the US and Iraq, and sparked a debate over the role of contractors in warzones.
In 2014, a US federal court found Nicholas Slatten guilty of murder, while Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard were convicted of voluntary manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and other charges. Nicholas Slatten was sentenced to life in prison, and the other three were handed 30-year terms.
However, the Court of Appeals reversed Nicholas Slatten’s conviction and ordered that the three others be resentenced for their roles in the crime.
Nicholas Slatten was retried in 2018, but a mistrial was declared after the jury was unable to reach a verdict. The second retrial began later that year and he was found guilty of committing first-degree murder. Nicholas Slatten was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2019.
Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard subsequently had their sentences reduced to 15, 14 and 12 years respectively.
A White House statement said Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard had a “long history of service to the nation” as veterans of the US Army and US Marine Corps, and that their pardons were “broadly supported by the public… and elected officials”.
The statement added that the Court of Appeals “ruled that additional evidence should have been presented at Mr. Slatten’s trial”, and that prosecutors recently disclosed “that the lead Iraqi investigator, who prosecutors relied heavily on to verify that there were no insurgent victims and to collect evidence, may have had ties to insurgent groups himself”.
White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Deborah Birx has resigned after it emerged she hosted a Thanksgiving gathering.
Deborah Birx, 64, cited the criticism she had faced for a family get-together over Thanksgiving in Delaware in her decision to step aside.
She said: “This experience has been a bit overwhelming.
“It’s been very difficult on my family.”
Dr. Birx had reportedly been seeking a job from President-elect Joe Biden.
A world-renowned AIDS researcher, Deborah Birx has worked in the US government since the Reagan administration.
In December 22, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted President Donald Trump’s good wishes, saying he “has great respect for Dr. Birx and likes her very much. We wish her well”.
In an interview with Newsy aired on December 22, a masked Dr. Birx did not specify when she would stand down, but said she would help the incoming Biden administration and “and then I will retire”.
Dr. Birx had urged Americans in the days before Thanksgiving to restrict gatherings to “your immediate household”.
But it emerged on December 20 she had travelled from Washington to one of her other properties, on Fenwick Island in Delaware, where she was joined by three generations of her family from two households.
While in Delaware, Dr. Birx did an interview with CBS in which she noted that some Americans had “made mistakes” over Thanksgiving by travelling and they “should assume they were infected”.
The CDC, whose director has often joined Dr. Birx on the podium during briefings, has warned Americans not to travel over the holidays.
As the US coronavirus caseload surges, the CDC has also cautioned against indoor gatherings with people from different households.
Dr. Birx had insisted she went to the property in Delaware to prepare it for a potential sale, though she acknowledged sharing a meal with her family during the visit.
Explaining her decision to gather with her husband, daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren, Deborah Birx told Newsy: “My daughter hasn’t left that house in 10 months, my parents have been isolated for 10 months.
“They’ve become deeply depressed as I’m sure many elderly have as they’ve not been able to see their sons, their granddaughters.
“My parents have not been able to see their surviving son for over a year. These are all very difficult things.”
According to the Associated Press, Deborah Birx owns another home in Potomac, Maryland, where her parents live, and where she visits from time to time.
On December 20, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new set of guidelines for the next groups of Americans to be eligible for vaccination.
Phase 1A: US vaccine distribution has so far 21 million healthcare workers, as well as the three million elderly Americans living in long-term care facilities. Vaccinations for this group began last week.
Phase 1B: Americans aged 75 and older, in addition to frontline workers will be next up. This broad category includes some 30 million workers “who are in sectors essential to the functioning of society” with high risk of exposure. First responders, corrections workers, US Postal Service employees, and those who work in education, public transit, grocery stores, manufacturing, food and agriculture will be eligible. This phase is expected to begin in January.
Phase 1C: Americans aged 65 and older, those with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk of severe illness from Covid-19, and other essential non-frontline workers. This category includes an estimated 129 million people.
Day after the FDA started probing five allergic reactions that happened after people were administered Pfizer and BioNTech SE’s coronavirus vaccine, the CDC has made recommendations on how people with histories of allergies should proceed.
The agency issued the following guidelines on vaccination after allergic reactions:
Individuals who had a severe reaction to a vaccine against the novel coronavirus shouldn’t get the second shot.
Anybody with histories of severe allergic reactions to vaccines should consult their doctors about the vaccine dose.
Individuals who have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a Covid-19 vaccine should avoid the vaccine formulation containing the ingredient.
People with severe allergies to food, pets, latex or environmental conditions as well as people with allergies to oral medication or a family history of severe allergic reactions could still get vaccinated.
Joe Biden has received his first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine live on TV.
The president-elect said he was getting the vaccine to show Americans it is “safe to take”.
Joe Biden joins a growing number of political leaders getting the jab, including VP Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
On December 20, the roll-out began for a second vaccine, by Moderna, which was approved last week.
More than 500,000 Americans are said to have now been vaccinated.
Joe Biden said from Newark, Delaware, where he got the vaccine live on TV: “I’m doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it’s available to take the vaccine.
“There’s nothing to worry about.”
The president-elect said the Trump administration “deserves some credit” for launching the country’s vaccine program.
His wife, Jill Biden, received her first dose earlier in the day, the president-elect said.
Ariana Grande was previously engaged to comedian and actor Pete Davidson, but they called off their high-profile relationship two years ago.
In February this year, the singer was spotted by the press kissing Dalton Gomez at a restaurant in Los Angeles.
Then in May, they made their first public appearance together as a couple in the lockdown music video to Arian Grande and Justin Bieber’s collaboration, Stuck With U.
The following month, the couple then became Instagram official when she posted a picture of them in each other’s arms on to the social media platform.
Arian Gomez was raised in southern California and has been working in the luxury real estate market for five years, according to his bio on the AKG website.
Coronavirus cases are now rising fast again in the UK, driven by a mutated variant of the virus thought to be much more easily transmissible than other strains.
A further 33,364 confirmed cases have been announced by the government on December 21.
Dozens of countries have introduced UK travel restrictions following the identification of a new strain of coronavirus.
The week-long ban on travel to or from the UK begins on December 23 and applies to all travelers coming from the UK or who have been in the country over the past 10 days.
Some exceptions do apply, however, with Pakistani nationals in the UK on visitor or temporary visas permitted to return if they provide a negative test 72 hours before travel, undergo another test upon arrival and quarantine at home for seven days afterwards.
EU officials are discussing a joint response to the new, more infectious Covid-19 variant in the UK.
Canada and India joined European states in blocking flights from the UK while Europe-bound train services via the Channel Tunnel have been halted.
The new Covid strain is said to be up to 70% more transmissible, but there is no evidence that it is more deadly.
There is also no proof to suggest that it reacts differently to vaccines.
Two meetings were taking place in Brussels on December 21 – one involving health ministers and another with the EU’s crisis response team. But no decision is expected until December 22, when EU ambassadors meet.
Countries that have introduced UK travel restrictions include:
Europe: France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Croatia, Finland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Luxembourg, Malta
North America: Canada
Latin America: Argentina, El Salvador, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador
Middle East: Turkey, Israel, Iran, Kuwait, Jordan. Saudi Arabia has also suspended all international flights for a week. Oman has closed all of its land, air and sea borders for a week
A new variant of coronavirus has been blamed for the introduction of strict tier four mixing rules for millions of people, harsher restrictions on mixing at Christmas in the UK, and other countries placing the UK on a travel ban.
Specialists have “moderate” confidence that the new variant is more able to transmit than other variants.
All the work is at an early stage, contains huge uncertainties and a long list of unanswered questions.
Three things are coming together that mean it is attracting attention:
It is rapidly replacing other versions of the virus
It has mutations that affect part of the virus likely to be important
Some of those mutations have already been shown in the lab to increase the ability of the virus to infect cells
All of these come together to build a case for a virus that can spread more easily.
However, we do not have absolute certainty. New strains can become more common simply by being in the right place at the right time – such as London, which had only tier two restrictions until recently.
But already the justification for tier four restrictions is in part to reduce the spread of the variant.
The variant was first detected in September. In November around a quarter of cases in London were the new variant. This reached nearly two-thirds of cases in mid-December.
The virus that was first detected in Wuhan, China, is not the same one you will find in most corners of the world.
The D614G mutation emerged in Europe in February and became the globally dominant form of the virus.
Another, called A222V, spread across Europe and was linked to people’s summer holidays in Spain.
An initial analysis of the new variant has been published and identifies 17 potentially important alterations.
There have been changes to the spike protein – this is the key the virus uses to unlock the doorway to our body’s cells.
One mutation called N501Y alters the most important part of the spike, known as the “receptor-binding domain”.
This is where the spike makes first contact with the surface of our body’s cells. Any changes that make it easier for the virus to get inside are likely to give it an edge.
The other mutation – a H69/V70 deletion, in which a small part of the spike is removed – has emerged several times before, including famously in infected mink.
Work by Prof Ravi Gupta at the University of Cambridge has suggested this mutation increases infectivity two-fold in lab experiments.
Studies by the same group suggest the deletion makes antibodies from the blood of survivors less effective at attacking the virus.
The variant is unusually highly mutated.
The most likely explanation is the variant has emerged in a patient with a weakened immune system that was unable to beat the virus.
Instead their body became a breeding ground for the virus to mutate.
There is no evidence to suggest that the infection is more deadly, although this will need to be monitored.
However, just increasing transmission would be enough to cause problems for hospitals.
If the new variant means more people are infected more quickly, that would in turn lead to more people needing hospital treatment.
It appears that all three leading vaccines develop an immune response against the existing spike, which is why the question comes up.
Vaccines train the immune system to attack several different parts of the virus, so even though part of the spike has mutated, the vaccines should still work.
Vaccine escape happens when the virus changes so it dodges the full effect of the vaccine and continues to infect people.
This may be the most concerning element of what is happening with the virus.
This variant is just the latest to show the virus is continuing to adapt as it infects more and more of us.
When you’re shopping for furniture and trying to put together a room you can enjoy spending time in, rugs are usually an afterthought. But actually, rugs do much more than provide plush padding for your feet. They provide the foundation for a room. They’re essentially like artwork for your floor.
All this means that you should choose one carefully, especially since they can be quite pricey. But with so many options, it can get confusing. Well, you don’t have to spend months doing research. Here are the three most important things to consider when buying a rug.
The Size of the Rug
The size of the rug is very important. If it’s too small, it looks out of place. If it’s too big, it makes the room look and feel smaller. If you get just the right size, you can bring warmth and balance to your living space.
Rugs come in a variety of sizes. The most common are:
3 feet by 5 feet
4 feet by 6 feet
7 feet by 10 feet
8 feet by 11 feet
9 feet by 12 feet
Most people get rugs that are too small. If they moved into a new house, many have spent a lot of money on flooring, and they don’t want to cover it with a carpet. But the right area rug won’t hide your floor. It will enhance its beauty.
The right size depends on the dimension of your room and its function. For the living room, you’ll most likely place the rug underneath the coffee table. The sofa and armchairs can be placed either with all four legs on the rug or just the front two. But it has to be uniform, so for example, you shouldn’t put the sofa with all four legs on the rug and the armchairs with just the front two.
In the dining room, it will usually be placed underneath the dining table, so it has to be large enough that people can push their chairs back when they stand up. That means you have to measure your table and add 36 inches to the width and length. If you have a round table add 72 inches to the diameter.
For the bedroom, you want to leave about 18 to 24 inches on each side of the bed, taking into account nightstands and any furniture you have at the foot of the bed.
Rug Weaves
The rug’s weave is also important because it determines how long it will last and how it will feel when you step on it.
You’ll get the best quality from a hand-knotted rug, but they can be quite expensive. That’s because they’re made through a meticulous and time-intensive process. If you want to see a wide variety of luxury designer rugs compliments of Lawrence of La Brea and read more about how they’re made and their maintenance, you can visit the website.
Tufted rugs are a more budget-friendly alternative to hand-knotted rugs. They’re made by pulling the loops of yarn through the back of the rug. These loops are sheared, which results in a flat and plush surface. The disadvantage is that they’re prone to shedding.
If you want to avoid shedding, you can get a hooked rug. They’re made through a similar process, but the loops are not sheared, which gives them a more textured feel.
The most affordable option remains machine-made rugs. You can still find good quality and elaborate patterns. Another advantage is that they offer better stain resistance because they’re mostly made from synthetic materials.
Materials
The materials will determine the durability, softness, and price of your rug.
Wool is the most common fiber since it’s affordable, soft, and has good insulation properties.
Cotton rugs are less durable than wool but very low maintenance, and you can wash them in the washing machine, so they’re ideal for kitchens.
Silk is a more luxurious option that you’ll usually find with hand-knotted rugs. It gives the rugs a natural sheen and softness, but it also makes them more sensitive to moisture. If you want something that looks like silk at a lower price, you can try viscose.
Synthetic fibers are great for high traffic areas because they’re quite resistant to fading and staining.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda contracted the virus in October and went into self-isolation.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has spent two months in hospital in Germany after catching the disease in October – last week he appeared in video for the first time since testing positive, saying he hopes to return to Algeria soon.
Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei tested positive in September – despite calling himself “high-risk” he did not appear to suffer a severe case.
President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro,tested positive in July and spent more than two weeks quarantining in his residence.
In June, the outgoing President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, died of an illness suspected by many to be Covid-19.
Russia’s PM Mikhail Mishustin contracted the virus in April and was admitted to hospital with moderate to severe symptoms.
UK PM Boris Johnson tested positive in March – he spent three nights in intensive care in a London hospital, later saying he owed the health workers there his life.
Vice-President Mike Pence has received the coronavirus vaccine live on TV.
He told the audience and doctors: “I didn’t feel a thing.”
According to the White House, the aim of the move was to “promote the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and build confidence among the American people”.
Mike Pence’s wife and Surgeon General Jerome Adams also received the jab at the televised White House event.
On December 14, the US began rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
The Pfizer vaccine is the first to be approved in the US. It offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19.
The first three million vaccine doses are being distributed to locations across the 50 US states.
Meanwhile, a second vaccine, developed by Moderna, has come a step closer to receiving emergency approval after it was endorsed by a panel of experts.
As Mike Pence was receiving his vaccine, President Donald Trump incorrectly said on Twitter that the Moderna vaccine was “overwhelmingly approved” with “distribution to start immediately”. It is still awaiting final approval from the FDA.
More than 310,000 people have died with coronavirus in the US, which has recorded more infections and fatalities than any other country. More than 17 million cases have been recorded in the country since the start of the pandemic.
VP Pence, 61, received the first of two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab at 08:00 local time, along with his wife Karen and Dr. Adams. He is the most senior US official to be vaccinated so far.
He said: “We gather here today at the end of a historic week to affirm to the American people that hope is on the way.”
“Karen and I were more than happy to step forward before this week was out to take this safe and effective coronavirus vaccine that we have secured and produced for the American people,” he continued, calling it “a truly inspiring day”.
Top infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, and CDC Director Robert Redfield were in the audience to observe the doctors from Walter Reed hospital perform the injections.
Both men elbow-bumped Mike Pence and his wife after their jabs. President Trump did not attend the event.
Dr. Fauci said in brief remarks: “We want virtually everyone eligible to get this vaccine ultimately.
“By the time we get to several months into this [coming] year we will have enough people protected that we can start thinking seriously about the return to normality.”
Earlier this week, President Trump reversed a plan for senior members of his administration to be among the first to receive the vaccine “unless specifically necessary”.
The president, who contracted coronavirus in October and recovered after hospital treatment, said he was not scheduled to take the jab but looked forward to doing so “at the appropriate time”.
Many of his support base have doubts about the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
President-elect Joe Biden, who at 78 is in a high-risk group from Covid-19, is expected to be vaccinated next week.
The practice of medicine focuses on anticipating and reducing risk based on current and historical patient data. Medical professionals historically have made decisions that don’t always have clear, certain outcomes, but with advances in new technologies, this is beginning to change.
Predictive analytics helps clinicians and medical professionals determine the likelihood of events and outcomes before they happen so that health issues can be more effectively prevented and treated. The algorithms used in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) provide historical and real-time data that help users make meaningful predictions. Predictive algorithms support clinical decision making for individual patients, show interventions on a population level, and can be applied to operational and administrative challenges.
Predictive analytics is a branch of advanced analytics that uses current data and historical data to model forecasts about the likelihood of future outcomes in business processes. The best predictive analytics tools make it easy to gain predictive insights and actionable insights that improve business intelligence. Built-in data science with linked views and one-click predictions simplify the predictive analysis with custom visualizations and predictive models that give real-time results. Easy access to machine learning (ML) algorithms trains data to produce accurate predictions and insights for stronger forecasting. The best predictive analytics tools elevate a business’s analytics knowledge to aid in important decision making and future outcomes.
Risk Scoring for Chronic Diseases
There are many predictive analytics applications in healthcare. Prediction and prevention are essential to delivering quality patient care. Healthcare providers can pinpoint patients with higher risks of developing chronic conditions earlier in a disease’s progression than ever before. Such insights give patients the best chances of avoiding long-term, costly health problems. Predictive modeling is key to identifying and managing high-risk patients and improving quality and cost outcomes.
Identifying Equipment Maintenance Needs
Predictive analytics is useful for identifying equipment maintenance needs before they happen. Components of some medical equipment degrade over time with regular use. Being able to predict when equipment needs maintenance or replacement parts minimizes unplanned workflow disruptions that affect healthcare providers and patients. The more that new technologies and advanced equipment is used by healthcare providers, the more important predictive maintenance becomes.
Paraplegics confined to wheelchairs and patients with spinal cord injuries who need to learn how to rewalk can greatly benefit from a wearable robotic exoskeleton. Robot suits have proven useful as a means of reducing workplace injuries and aiding those who struggle to stand upright.
Ekso Bionics is the global leader in exoskeleton technology, providing disruptive clinical robotics for rehabilitation. Workplace injuries caused by repetitive motions, overexertion, and fatigue can be alleviated with the use of an exoskeleton. Their FDA-approved exoskeleton suit enhances the wearer’s natural abilities, endurance, and overall quality of life. Exoskeleton technology empowers human mobility and enhances strength and endurance with advanced robotics.
Predicting Patient Utilization Patterns
Another predictive analytics application in healthcare is the prediction of patient utilization patterns. Medical clinics that operate without fixed schedules have to vary their staffing levels in anticipation of fluctuations in patients. Analytics help predicts patterns in utilization so that clinics can have sufficient staff scheduled to manage the flow of patients while reducing wait times and improving patient satisfaction. Visualization tools and analytics help clinics make better decisions about workflow adjustments and scheduling changes.
Precision Medicine and New Therapies
The more that precision medicine and genomics evolve, the more analytics are used to supplement clinical trials and drug discovery techniques. Predictive modeling and simulation predict clinical outcomes, guide clinical trial designs, supports effectiveness, optimizes dosage, predict product safety, and evaluates potential adverse outcomes. Prescriptive analytics is especially useful in drug individualization, modeling, and simulation.
There are many predictive analytics applications in healthcare including risk scoring for chronic diseases, predictive equipment maintenance, predicting patient utilization patterns, and precision medicine and new therapies.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been diagnosed with Covid-19 after developing symptoms.
Emmanuel Macron, 42, will now self-isolate for seven days, the Elysée Palace said in a statement.
The president “is still in charge” of running the country and will work remotely, said an official.
EU chief Charles Michel and Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez are both self-isolating after coming into contact with President Macron on December 14.
France this week imposed an overnight curfew to help deal with soaring cases there.
There have been 2 million confirmed cases in France since the coronavirus epidemic began, with more than 59,400 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The Elysée Palace said in a statement on December 17: “The President of the Republic has been diagnosed positive for Covid-19 today.”
The diagnosis was made following a “test performed at the onset of the first symptoms”.
It is not yet known how President Macron caught the virus but his office said it was identifying any close contacts he has made in recent days.
PM Jean Castex, 55, and Parliament Speaker Richard Ferrand, 58, are both self-isolating, their offices confirmed.
Jean Castex, who is not showing any symptoms, was due to introduce the government’s Covid vaccination policy in the Senate on December 17 – now Health Minister Olivier Véran is doing it instead.
Spain’s PM Pedro Sánchez, 48, and EU chief Charles Michel, 44, are both self-isolating after meeting the French president for lunch on December 14.
The Spanish prime minister’s office said he would be tested.
Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte, who is 67, is also self-isolating, but has no symptoms.
President Macron is one of several world leaders who have contracted the respiratory disease since the pandemic began. Most notably, President Donald Trump tested positive in October, which led to him spending three days in hospital.
UK’s PM Boris Johnson also caught the virus and ended up in intensive care during the country’s first wave in March.
Earlier this week, France eased national lockdown restrictions imposed to tackle its second wave of the pandemic. However, infection rates still remain high and a daily 20:00-06:00 curfew was imposed. The new measures have forced restaurants, cafes, theatres and cinemas to close.
On December 16, France registered more than 17,700 new cases.
Emmanuel Macron has not tested positive for the virus before, sources have told Le Figaro.
The news website said: “His wife, the first lady Brigitte Macron, had already been a contact person [for Covid-19] a few months before but the presidential couple had until now managed to avoid contracting the virus.”
A presidential spokeswoman confirmed that all of Emmanuel Macron’s upcoming trips, including a visit to Lebanon on December 22, have been canceled.
The outfit is very important as it helps represent ourselves. If you’re not an expert in picking the right clothes for cheap and combining them professionally, look no further.
You will find something more than a recommendation on creating a budget and following it while opting for apparel in the post below.
Shop Out of Season
It is one of the best recommendations for those who want to get high-quality clothes for cheap. It’s a well-known fact that most brands charge a lot for trendy and demanded clothes. However, not-demanded or past-season garments can be purchased cheaply.
Being an undergraduate, you can spend the saved money on getting academic writing assistance online. Consequently, you will get top-notch apparel and top-grade papers.
Pick Color Scheme
All people have preferable colors. Narrow your search by picking clothes of colors you will enjoy every day. However, if you want to look trendy, you need to combine colors professionally.
For instance, try not to combine blue and green or gray and brown apparel in your outfit. If you prefer neutral colors, feel free to purchase white, black, and gray clothes. All these colors can be perfectly combined.
To discover how to create a garment color scheme, don’t hesitate to read a fashion blog post or follow trendy designers.
Stick to Your Style
These days, there are tons of clothing styles. However, if you don’t have a vast budget, stick to your most preferable style. If you like classic clothes, purchase a few outfits that imply shoes, trousers, and shirts.
In case you adore the sporty style, rather buy a new pair of sneakers than leather shoes that will be covered with dust in your wardrobe.
Find Coupons Online
A lot of apparel companies and retail stores share coupons online. By applying them, you can buy clothes with a discount online. To not spend a lot of time searching for promotion codes, install a browser application that automatically finds promo codes.
If you’re a student, you can also get an extra discount. All that you need is to confirm your student ID and buy clothes cheap.
In case you’re a student who is short on time to opt for new clothes and wants someone to help you pass your papers until a deadline, follow this link – custom writing. This site gathers trustworthy reviews on essay writing platforms. Therefore, you will easily pick the best one.
Use Cashback Apps
If the applied discount cannot reduce the final price enough, try using cashback applications. Using them, you can purchase an item and get a particular amount of money returned, which will help you save some extra dollars.
Avoid Spontaneous Purchases
A lot of shops drive clients to make spontaneous purchases. In most cases, making an impulsive buying, people purchase things they don’t need for a large price. It’s profitable for retailers, but not for consumers.
If you want to keep your budget safe, always force yourself to wait before purchasing an item.
During this time, you can learn more about the desired item and look for better deals. For instance, students who spend money wisely always examine new paper writing services, like PapersOwl, before ordering assignments online. To learn more about the mentioned service, check out PapersOwl reviews on the Internet.
Also, delete shopping apps from your smartphone and unsubscribe from newsletters that spam you with new deals.
In case you still want to buy a particular garment after a few days, head to the shop and don’t forget about the money-saving tips above.
Don’t Forget about Outlets
An outlet store is a great option to purchase high-quality clothes for cheap. Outlets offer the ability to find trendy apparel with up to 70% discount. The clothes in these shops are original and new. Therefore, don’t be shy to visit some outlets in your area.
Take Care of Clothes
In case you don’t want to spend a lot of money on clothes, make them last longer. You shouldn’t leave your clothes outside, so they will not fade because of the sun’s rays. Also, don’t throw them on the ground.
Wash your garment properly to keep it in good condition as long as possible. Don’t forget to read the labels. They will tell you how to wash, dry, and iron clothes. If lint-balls appear on your apparel, feel free to grab a razor and de-pill them.
Ask Friends To Help
Sometimes, it may be hard to pick an individual style by yourself. In such a case, ask your friend, who always has a trendy outfit, to help you. Consequently, your friend will help you pick the right clothes for you and share some fashion secrets.
If your friend is struggling to find time for shopping due to a heavy workload, recommend the services of Essay Pro. Thanks to the help of Essay Pro, a paper-writing platform, students can have their assignments completed by professionals. However, it’s always important to conduct thorough research and examine the platform’s reviews before placing an order.
Extra Hint
Sometimes, it may be hard to create an individual style by following recommendations and outfit samples. Therefore, don’t be shy to experiment by combining different styles.
For instance, SportChic is a very popular style which is a combination of classic and sporty clothes.
Joe Biden’s presidential election victory was confirmed by the US Electoral College.
In a speech after the announcement, the president-elect said US democracy had been “pushed, tested and threatened” and “proved to be resilient, true and strong”.
He condemned President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the result.
Later Russian President Vladimir Putin became one of the last world leaders to congratulate Joe Biden on his victory.
Moscow had said it would wait for the official results before doing so. Most other national leaders contacted Joe Biden days after the vote on November 3.
Confirmation by the Electoral College was one of the steps required for Joe Biden to take office.
Democrat Joe Biden won November’s contest with 306 Electoral College votes to Republican Donald Trump’s 232.
Donald Trump, who shows few signs of conceding, has not commented. Shortly after the Electoral College’s vote, the president announced on Twitter the departure of Attorney General William Barr, who had said there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the election, despite President Trump’s claims.
Speaking in Delaware, Joe Biden praised “ordinary men and women” who had refused to be bullied, referring to the president’s efforts to question and overturn the results, involving legal challenges which have been rejected by courts across the country.
He described the efforts as “a position so extreme we’ve never seen it before”.
“Respecting the will of the people is at the heart of our democracy, even when we find those results hard to accept,” he said.
“The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago,” he added.
“And we know that nothing not even a pandemic or an abuse of power can extinguish that flame.”
Joe Biden said it was time to “turn the page, as we’ve done throughout our history, to unite, to heal”.
But he warned that, with the coronavirus pandemic continuing to ravage the US, there would be difficult months ahead.
“There is urgent work in front of us,” Joe Biden said.
“Getting this pandemic under control and getting the nation vaccinated against this virus.”
Joe Biden stressed the importance of immediate economic help that was “so badly needed by so many Americans who are hurting today” and rebuilding the economy to be “better than it ever was”.
He was speaking as the coronavirus death toll in the US rose above 300,000.
Normally the electors do not get that much attention but this year, after uncertainty generated by a raft of challenges to results in Democrat-won states by the Trump campaign, the state-by-state vote was in the spotlight.
Solidly Democrat California, with its 55 electors, was one of the last states to vote on December 14 and took Joe Biden across the 270-vote threshold required to win the presidency.
Heightened security had been put in place in some states, including Michigan and Georgia, ahead of voting, which took place in state capitals and Washington DC.
In Michigan – a key swing state Joe Biden won – legislative offices in the state capital Lansing were closed due to “credible” threats of violence.
The vote at the capitol building went ahead peacefully although a group of Republicans tried to enter the building to hold their own vote and were turned away.
Nursing is an amazing career that is noble and well-respected. Working to help others is a job that you can be proud of, and with many career paths to choose from within the field of nursing, the opportunities are bountiful. However, while nursing is a great career choice, it’s also important to realize that not everything is as it seems. While it’s universally acknowledged that nursing is a challenging job, it can still be a bit of a shock to the system for new nurses when they do finally step onto a hospital ward or other healthcare environment to begin their careers. If you have been thinking about becoming a nurse, here are six things you need to know before you start your training.
1. Career Options
As mentioned above, there are a lot of career opportunities within nursing to choose from once you’re a qualified, licensed RN. You can choose to pursue a career in mental health, specializing in pediatrics, or sexual health, and so on. Before you start a nursing degree, consider what career paths you might be interested in once you do become an RN so you can start to consider what steps you will need to take to achieve your goals. You may change your mind once you become an RN, which is fine, but it’s important to think about your options.
2. Education
If you want to become a nurse, you will have to get a nursing degree, so committing to education needs to be something you’re willing to do. You should be aware that if you did want to move forward in your nursing career that some positions will require additional certifications, which means you may have to return to school to complete a master’s degree or even a DNP nursing qualification. You can fit these further studies around your work, as there are many flexible approaches to learning, including online courses. Either way, you need to know that as a nurse, you will have to be constantly learning, even if it’s not at a degree level, to keep up with the latest in healthcare.
3. Working Under Pressure
There will be numerous times when you will feel a lot of pressure at work as a nurse, and this can be very overwhelming. While it’s normal to feel this way, the bottom line is that you must be able to overcome that and be able to carry on with your work even on the toughest of days. You might get better at this overtime during your career as a nurse, but before you start this journey, ask yourself if you’re the kind of person who can cope under high-pressure situations and stay professional.
4. Long Hours
Your working hours will depend on the kind of environment you’re working in. For example, if you’re working in a hospital, you’re more likely to be working in a shift pattern. You might notice that you’re only scheduled to work 3-4 days a week, which seems great at first. If you are only working a few days of the week, you’ll likely be working 12-hour shifts, which are a lot harder than you think. In addition to this, you might find that you’re regularly called in on your days off due to short staff issues. This doesn’t happen everywhere, but it’s something you need to be prepared for if you’re going to commit to a career as a nurse. You will be working long hours, especially in a hospital. However, working in a smaller clinic or doctor’s office, you might be working something closer to a 9-5 working pattern, depending on the office hours.
5. Variety of Tasks
As a nurse,you’re responsible for more than assisting doctors and administering medications to patients. Be prepared to serve patients meals, talk to them, bathe them, deal with their families, act as a liaison between doctors, patients, and their relatives. You will have to record symptoms, perform diagnostic tests, operate medical equipment, and educate patients about how to care for themselves once they’re discharged. The list goes on, but you’ll certainly have your hands full.
6. Dealing with Death
Finally, this is probably the hardest part of the job, particularly as you will be bonding with patients as part of your role. Death is an inevitable part of life, but that doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking. Although it might not happen every day, you will have to see people die as a nurse, and even if you know it’s coming, it’ll always be sad. Each death will affect you differently but think carefully about whether or not this is something you could cope with as part of your job before becoming a nurse.
Nursing is a great career choice, but it isn’t for the faint of heart. If you think you can handle all of the above, then perhaps you’ve got what it takes to make it as a nurse.
