Notebook

By: Elsie Sy-Niebar

 

*LATEST UPDATE ON COVID 19 as of PRESS TIME
*HOW LONG WILL THE WORLD SCIENTISTS SUCCEED IN THEIR WORK DEVELOPING VACCINE LIFE-SAVER AGAINST CORVID 19?
*CHICAGO MAYOR LIGHTFOOT’s DISMANTLING of CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’ STATUE WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT HER RE-ELECTION, some Chicagoans predict
*PRES. TRUMP AND BIDEN BOTH GETTING ‘HOTTER’ on THEIR FORTHCOMING ‘BOUT’ FOR THE WHITE HOUSE (a second time for Trump IF He Trumples Biden)
*LIVING a ‘QUIET LIFE’ IN THIS PANDEMIC TIMES, ACCORDING TO THE HOLY BIBLE

 

AS of Press time, August 8, the global report on the pandemic COVID 19 is as follows: affected : 19,425, 393; deaths: 722,066,000; recovered: 11,773,112. And the figures are increasing everyday. The whole world is now praying for the scientists to finally discover the VACCINE, the only known CURE for this deadly disease which continues to turn our once wonderful world (with all its imperfections), into a world of INSECURITY and DIFFICULT LIFE, today.

“Relief” is at hand, lately. Thanks God. Today’s HIGH HOPES to end this pandemic is the VACCINE, now the topmost subject being tackled by renowned scientists from various countries around the world , including the Philippines.

The news/report says: “The World Health Organization is tracking 164 different candidates for a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines typically take years of development, and then careful safety and efficacy testing, before production can be ramped up. But for COVID-19, some researchers say they’ll have a vaccine by the end of this year, or the start of 2021. (Praise Him. Amen).

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Some governments, including the United States, U.K., and the broader European Union, are working hard to have millions of doses, raising concerns about the equity of vaccine availability. The stakes are high. A vaccine is seen as key to fully reopening the economy. Without one, it will be difficult to allow free movement of people around the country, and the world, with impacts on tourism and trade. Below are answers from experts on some of the common questions about a possible vaccine.”

“How close are we to having a vaccine? The large number of clinical trials either underway, or planned, is a good sign. The report says. “Although scientists are doing everything they can to streamline the development process, there are some steps that cannot be shortened. Proving safety in humans, for example, means giving the vaccine, and then just waiting.”

“We’re much further along than in past pandemics,” said Bunny Hands, director of the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management Program at Columbia Business School. Experts say the start of 2021 is the earliest a vaccine is likely to make an impact.

Will life go back to normal with a vaccine? “That’s absolutely not a realistic expectation,” said Ellerin. Getting the vaccine is step one.” The next hurdle is distribution. The supply chain for a vaccine is more complicated than one for pills, for example, and vaccines have to be administered by a health care professional.

“A vaccine is not going to be a magic bullet,” agrees Anne W. Rimoin, epidemiologist at UCLA, and director of the Health Research and Training Program. She cautions it will take a long time to be distributed to everyone, and to be effective at controlling a virus, we need a critical mass of the population to either be vaccinated or to have immunity through an infection they’ve recovered from.” (Highlighting added on.)

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MAYOR LIGHTFOOT: facing a”Cloudy” RE-ELECTION for ‘dishonoring’ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’ statues: The dismantling of the two statues of CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS by Chicago mayor Lightfoot had created anger and sadness among many Italian Americans in Chicago, and a host of other Americans as well as immigrant-Americans.. Some call it “Mayor Lightfoot’s disrespect to American history”. Yes, one does not have to be an American to know that Christopher Columbus was an Italian World Navigator who was credited in history since time immemorial as “the founder of America in 1492.” Some Italian Americans I’ve talked to were very angry saying “this mayor tampered and killed our Italian American pride by dismantling the statues of our Hero who discovered America — without the approval of the city council. Certainly, the mayor insulted our ancestry. We are positive that what she did to us will backlash to her re-election.”

Alderman Ray Lopez, Mayor Lightfoot’s critic told the press: “What has become of Chicago? We have a mayor who is forced into submission by anarchy and mob-rule? No more public process, official discourse, or on-the-record debate…”

Other aldermen also voiced out their disagreements against the dismantling of the two Columbus statues by Mayor Lightfoot. According to them, the mayor told them before their removal, that both statues serve to determine how we elevate our city’s history and diversity.”

Italian American Ald. Nicholas Sposato, 38th Ward, is a vocal opponent against the dismantling of the Columbus statues. He sent out a press statement agreeing with Mayor Lightfoot’s “temporary ” removal of the statues but — to be put it back for the historical significance of the Columbus legacy and the many contributions of Italians to our city and country.” City politics is now playing “Chicago, my Kind of Town…”

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LIVING A “QUIET LIFE” ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE: To our Via Times dear Readers: I am not trying to “CONVERT” you to the Christian Faith, however, at times like this time brought by the pandemic Covid 19, WE are ‘forced’ to live a QUIET LIFE which gives us the opportunities to do a lot of things which we have overlooked or have no time to do it during our EVERYDAY NORMAL and FREE LIFE before the invasion of Covid 19. During these past eight lonely months, Covid 19, WE have been kept at our respective homes… except for our heroes and heroines like the FRONTLINERS who save lives… and those who have to work to support their young families. Yes, Seniors like me, have been living a QUIET LIFE for eight months since the start of cobid 19 …talking to God WE Cannot See but Believe. To end my column, let me share with you few quotes from the Holy Bible about living a “Quiet Life.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (Aug. 24th) greetings to Manang Elsie! From your sisters in Brisbane, Australia: Eva V. Maunders; Vilma V. Molina (Chicago); Janine Dalton, niece-in-law; our Celebrant; and Remy V. Cruickshank. Taken in front of nephew Joshua Dalton’s Financial office last January.

Our former church Pastor at Faith Community Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Dr. Larry E. Leanard and his wife Christine. Sadly, Pastor Larry was called by the Lord to “Come Home” last June 28. He was a “people person” who loved us, his Filipino American congregation. He loved Filipino foods specially lechon.
One thing great about this couple was, after their retirement, they have been traveling together around the world. We, at the FCPC love and miss Pastor Larry. He is now in the Hands of his Maker. Our heartfelt condolence to Christine and their family. (Elsie Sy-Niebar)