Coronavirus malware is sweeping the online world with hackers taking advantage of the borderline panic that is gripping the world in the wake of COVID-19. The new threats themed after COVID-19 and preying on people's fears range from ransomware to info-stealer Trojans and are spread through every infection vector imaginable.

Millions of small business owners will be turning to the government, seeking help for an individual and nationwide cataclysm, the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The government says it will begin disbursing loan money to company owners and freelancers Friday under the Paycheck Protection Program, part of the $2 trillion relief package signed into law last week. For many companies, it may be the quickest way to rebuild the lifeblood of any business: the cash flow that enables a company to pay its bills.

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We had to terminate all of our employees. We talked about different options, like furloughing employees, which is a temporary termination. We talked to tons of other business founders and really leaned on legal advice to the extent that we could. In the end, we had to terminate all of our employees, which we thought was the best for them, because they could file for unemployment very quickly. When the seven-day wait period for filing for unemployment was waived, we felt that was the best way forward.

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The pandemic is revealing to small businesses just how versatile they are. So: A home-decor company, a skirt designer, and a business that makes boots for horses all realize they can craft face masks. A manufacturer of pet supplements and a hot sauce company join myriad craft distilleries in production of hand sanitizers.

The task of disinfecting workplaces tainted by or vulnerable to coronavirus also has attracted a variety of unexpected entrants. At AK Wet Works, the partners set out at once to reengineer their dustless blasters to produce a cold vapor fog that can sterilize 20,000 square feet an hour. In 100 hours, they produced a working model and began converting all 10 of their machines.

Seeking validation for their plan, the founders reached out to FQE, a local chemical company with an EPA-approved coronavirus disinfectant, to create a blend for them. Thinking their idea might have legs outside the Houston-area market, they next approached MMLJ, the original blaster manufacturer, which agreed to mass-produce the modified parts and market them to its large client base. MMLJ is paying a royalty to AK Wet Works, Bland says.

Seventeen-year-old Avi Schiffmann is an entrepreneur. But he is a different kind of entrepreneur. He’s not in it for the profits, fame and continued growth opportunities. At least, not right now.

Schiffmann, a high school teenager who lives in Washington State, has attracted worldwide attention through his amazing Survival Rate Calculator website, which tracks critical information related to the coronavirus outbreak. Since launching the site during the early stages of the pandemic, Schiffmann's web crawlers have been configured to pull in, parse and process real time data from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and other governmental websites and convert that data to show infections, deaths, recoveries and rates of change for all countries around the world. The site breaks down infections on user-friendly maps, provides health information and also attempts to calculate a survival rate of someone who contracts COVID-19, based on user-submitted health data of age, gender and other health factors.

Is the site popular? You bet. According to a profile of Schiffmann on Business Insider, the site attracts about 30 million visitors a day and 700 million total so far.

Social distancing. Telemedicine. Self-quarantine. These are all words that at the start of 2020 weren't part of our vocabulary, but several months into the new decade we are all hearing and using them daily. There is no denying that the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically changed just about every facet of just about every person’s life around the world.

From a business perspective, the stock market saw its largest one day loss and largest one day gain in history. The U.S. saw the largest job-loss report ever. We are in uncharted waters, and how long we will remain in them remains uncertain. However, there is one thing that we all know, and that is that this outbreak will change the lives of everyone for years or decades to come. Nearly 20 years after 9-11, enhanced airport security, no-fly lists and counterterrorism efforts are still the norm. The same will be true of the COVID-19 aftermath. Is your business ready for the five largest macro trends we are about to see?

1. The rise of enhanced websites and digital tools
2. Cybersecurity concerns take center stage
3. An increase in virtual meetings
4. Increased control in expenses
5. Even more remote employees

The coronavirus pandemic has placed tremendous stress on the American economy. More than 55 million Americans have filed for unemployment, and more than 100,000 small businesses have been permanently shuttered, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Though the news seems dire, these changing times could present an opportunity if you are a hopeful entrepreneur.

Whether you have been planning to start a business for years, you have been laid off and are looking for new opportunities or you are moving your existing business in a new direction, now might be the time to figure out how to start a business.

1. Focus on the positive
2. Hit the reset button
3. Never give up
4. Network

Y2k… Great Recession of 2008… Dot Com Bubble… Black Tuesday 1929… Tulip Mania… The people that saw it as opportunity… Not a crisis… …ended up becoming filthy sticking rich. Not just any opportunity… But an opportunity to help better others lives. Right now… There’s a golden opportunity to do just that. Go here to see […]

Any summation of the past year begins and ends with COVID, even if we’re just talking about podcasts. Given everything that’s happened, how can it not?

We had just a little over two months of expected life in 2020 before counties across the United States started implementing initial lockdown measures, drastically altering the shape of everyday activity. Movement was scaled down, businesses were shuttered, and a great cloud of uncertainty descended upon the populace as this massive and utterly terrifying thing unfolded all around us.

Thailand has reported a total of 3,025 cases

Fr. John Whiteford talks about distractions during Great Lent.

In a time of uncertainty, we are all susceptible to fear or a loss of peace. Fr. Nicholas and Dr. Roxanne Louh helps us to remember the truth of God and the role of faith.

Fr. Nick and Pres. Roxanne host a special guest, Dr. D, a physician in Manhattan at one of the hardest hit hospitals dealing with coronavirus.

Despite our intention and our ability to justify our words, our witness has been damaged by our response to this crisis. We run the very real risk of strengthening the misperception that Orthodoxy is at odds with science. This episode grew out of the result of several long discussions Fr. Anthony had with believers who had been hurt and driven away by claims that are, in the language they know, illogical and dangerous. Fr. Anthony makes the case that we need to learn the language our audience speaks so that we can teach them the Gospel in way they will understand. You can find the article this episode is based on at orthoanalytika.org. Enjoy the show!

On this Sunday of the Cross, we unpack Hebrews 4:14-5:9, plus a few extra verses, with the help of St. John Chrysostom, Leviticus 16, Genesis 14 and Psalm 109/110. Special encouragement is found here for this difficult time of isolation and waiting.

Fr Thomas encourages us from the scriptures to patiently endure the Coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to turn back to God in repentance.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dean Triantafilou and Stacey Mason of International Orthodox Christian Charities. Stacey Mason has worked in international relations for 15 years. Over the years, she has visited over 35 countries and has earned advanced degrees in international affairs. Stacey has served as Director of Operations for International Orthodox Christian Charities, or IOCC, for the last 5 years, where she is responsible for relief and development programs in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the US.   Constantine “Dean” Triantafilou has been leading IOCC for over two decades, where he brings a deep commitment to serving the Church and others.  Starting in the field, he has held several leadership roles within IOCC and served as a board member with international and domestic alliances, giving him a unique perspective on the organization and the humanitarian industry. As Executive Director and CEO, Dean guides IOCC’s strategic priorities and direction. 

Son tiempos difíciles para todos y también para los traductores jurados. A pesar de que el teletrabajo es habitual en nuestra profesión, el coronavirus o COVID-19 ha parado la economía de todo el mundo...

The post Ser traductor jurado en tiempos de coronavirus appeared first on El Blog del Traductor Jurado.

C'est surrￜaliste. Les services de Matignon ont dￜcouvert fin mars que des stocks de masques pￜrimￜs continuaient ￜ ￜtre brￜlￜs pendant l'ￜpidￜmie alors que certains...

The 14-year-old boy, a resident of Skardu, was held at an isolation centre where he tested positive for COVID-19

I was convinced that if my time is not up, this virus can never kill me

CM Murad says province's daily testing capacity has been stretched to 12,000

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, medical equipment is in short supply, and health workers in countries around the globe have had to ration care. Now, doctors and nurses in New York are treating patients in overcapacity intensive care units with dwindling supplies of equipment. The issue of how to ration scarce medical resources is forcing healthcare workers to make impossible decisions. But is there a best way to make those decisions? This is the subject of a recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine; one of its authors, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, has some thoughts.

Also, we visit a primate research centre in Louisiana where scientists are working on a potential Covid-19 vaccine; we ask how temperature and humidity affects the spread of the coronavirus; we find out how people around the world are stocking up their pantries; and we check out the dating scene to find out how it’s surviving in this global pandemic.

Photo: Mirian Fuentes (L), a medical assistant, and nurse Laurie Kuypers check paperwork during a COVID-19 screening at an appointment-only drive-up clinic set up by the University of Washington Medical Center Northwest Outpatient Medical Center. Credit: Karen Ducey/Getty Images.

Strict physical distancing measures in response to the novel coronavirus have disrupted economies and lives in massive ways. But as shutdown measures stretch from weeks into months, many communities across the globe are now wrestling with when and how to relax those policies. Experts around the world warn that there’s no simple transition for countries looking to ease restrictions, and reopen their economies.

Also, an epidemiologist shares his thoughts on President Trump’s phased plan to reopen America’s economy; there’s a massive effort underway to help Indian nationals who are stranded in the US due to the pandemic; top cybersecurity officials are issuing warnings about Covid-19 related scams and phishing attacks; cybersecurity volunteers are stepping in to fight back; and Singapore has been seen as a model for the way it has confronted the coronavirus outbreak, but now the number of Covid-19 infections has increased again.

Image: A health personnel is seen giving the coronavirus test to a person at the Salus Gracia Geriatric in Barcelona, Spain. (Credit: Miquel Benitez/Getty Images)

“I miss you, too.” How many of us grandparents have found ourselves saying that way too often during this coronavirus pandemic? The hugs and kisses and snuggles are beginning to feel like distant memories. Will things ever return to the way they used to be? How can we grandparents be intentionally involved in the lives of our grandkids during this season of social distancing and sheltering in place? Let’s ask God to help us to . . . Be intentional!  How might you use available technology for...

The coronavirus pandemic is causing the world to realize just how fragile life can be.  More than ever, people need to hear that God is good and offers us salvation through Jesus.  As Christians, we have a unique opportunity to glorify God as we serve our neighbors. Through the ages, amazing things have occurred during difficult times. The story of C.S. Lewis writing the classic book Mere Christianity is one of those.  In the book, C. S. Lewis at War - The Dramatic Story Behind Mere...

The Coronavirus has caused many material shipments to be delayed or cancelled. As a result, the cost of ordering and supplying materials for many items has increased. 

Keep up to date with all the latest coronavirus-related news affecting the charity sector. Please refresh for the latest updates

Washington — Representatives from two labor unions are bringing attention to resources intended to protect workers in “frontline industries” from exposure to the new coronavirus and are calling on the federal government to provide coordinated guidance.

Silver Spring, MD — In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the nation’s largest union and professional association of direct care registered nurses is petitioning OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard to protect frontline workers, patients and the public from the potentially deadly respiratory illness.

The coronavirus pandemic we’re dealing with has created a situation that is beyond anyone’s control. That means we adapt, adjust and make the best of it.

Day-to-day operations are still the highest priority, even as food and beverage processors work to protect employees and contractors from coronavirus.

Children's Geographies; 08/01/2022
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Schools will remain closed; a new coronavirus testing plan

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin introduced serious measures to prevent coronavirus-caused diseases. At the same time, doctors and health officials say that coronavirus is not serious a problem at all. Pravda.Ru correspondents tried to contact infectious hospitals in Moscow in an attempt to receive an expert on the topic of coronavirus in Russia, but it turned out that the Russian Healthcare Ministry prohibited giving any comments to the media. The decree on the introduction of the regime of high alert due to the threat of the spread of coronavirus was published on the website of the Moscow mayor. For passengers arriving from China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France, Germany, Spain and other countries, where the situation is alarming, compulsory quarantine will be introduced for 14 days upon their return to Russia. Such people will have to:

Four coronavirus mutants are rushing to attack humanity: new strains of the virus have been found in the UK, Brazil, South Africa and Japan. What do we know about them? The new British strain According to the report from the British Expert Commission of Virologists and Epidemiologists (The New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group/NERVTAG), the mortality rate from British coronavirus B.1.1.7 or VUI202012/1 is approximately 30 percent higher compared to SARS-CoV-2. Its appearance in the United Kingdom dates back to September 2020.There are two stories circulating about the new virus strain. Besides the increased number of deaths, the British strain is much more contagious. Computer simulations have shown that this strain may contribute to the further development of the pandemic. The good news is that vaccines can subdue it and one develops immunity against it. The new South African strain Strain B.1.351 or 501Y. V2 that appeared in South Africa has attacked citizens of at least three dozen countries so far. As of the end of January, as Alexander Gorelov, deputy director for scientific work of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology at Rospotrebnadzor said, the South African strain was not found in Russia.Specialists of the US-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention are confident that this type of pathogen first appeared in early October 2020 in the urban district of Nelson Mandela's Bay (South Africa).Having become dominant in South Africa, the South African strain "traveled" to Australia, and proceeded to terrorize Western Europe:

After Brazil assessed the effectiveness of CoronaVac vaccine by Chinese company Sinovac on the verge of acceptable - about 50 percent, other countries that chose the same drug started showing signs of discontent as well. The Ukrainian population to be vaccinated with CoronaVac In particular, Ukraine's Minister of Health Maxim Stepanov said that the issue was politicized. "All manufacturers in the world without exception that produce vaccines, those that have provided reports, the companies that have registered vaccines ... we have been negotiating with them since May. Just like with COVAX. Therefore, all this is about manipulations - some politicians are trying to intimidate the Ukrainians," he said.

The Indian coronavirus strain, known as the delta variant or B.1.617, has four dangerous new symptoms, Express reports with reference to Abdul Ghafur, an infectious disease doctor from the Indian city of Chennai. According to the doctor, the symptoms of the delta variant of COVID-19 are similar to those of common cold: an infected individual develops a headache, runny nose and sore throat. Four new symptoms of the disease have been identified to date: diarrhea, hearing impairment, severe stomach disorders and blood clots that may lead to gangrene. Doctors note the new variant of the virus is unpredictable and state that any of the above symptoms could indicate an infection.

In Russia, the first case of delta plus coronavirus infection was recorded. "This is the only one case, most likely from abroad,” Darya Danilenko, deputy director of the Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza said. This strain was recorded in isolated cases in the United States and Great Britain.

The dangerous Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading so quickly in the United States that it's likely the mutant strain will become predominant in the U.S. within weeks, according to a new analysis.

The variant, first identified in India, is the most contagious yet and, among those not yet vaccinated, may trigger serious illness in more people than other variants do, say scientists tracking the spread of infection.

The Delta variant apparently already accounts for at least 14% of all new infections, according to the research analysis posted online Monday of more than 242,000 infections nationwide over the last six months.

Another reason to get vaccinated

"It definitely is of concern," says William Lee, the vice president of science at Helix, which is under contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help track the variants.

"Just the fact that it's so transmissible means that it's it's dangerous," Lee says, "and so I think you'll see outbreaks of Delta around the country and more people will get sick from it."

Helix launched the study when researchers spotted a drop in the prevalence of the Alpha variant, a contagious strain first spotted in the U.K. that had quickly become the dominant variant in that country and the U.S.

The researchers discovered the drop in relative frequency of the Alpha variant in their spot checks of strains circulating in the U.S. was due to a rapid increase in two other variants: the Gamma variant, first spotted in Brazil, and the Delta variant. The Gamma variant may be slightly better than the original strain at outmaneuvering the vaccines, researchers say.

"It looks like both of them are going to slowly push out Alpha," says Lee, whose study has not yet been peer-reviewed but has been posted on a pre-print server.

How Delta could prompt another U.S. COVID-19 surge

All the vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. appear, in general, to provide powerful protection against all the variants, including Delta. But the rapid spread of the variants is still raising concern because of the large number of people who remain unvaccinated.

"There still are big portions of the country where the rates of vaccination are quite low," notes Dr. Jeremy Luban, a virologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. "And, in fact, the Helix paper shows that this Delta variant is increasing in frequency — the speed at which it's increasing in frequency is greatest in those areas where vaccination rates are lowest."

The Delta variant could trigger yet another moderate surge of infections through many parts of the U.S. because of these pockets of unvaccinated people, according to a recent set of projections from the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, which is helping the CDC plot the future course of the pandemic.

The projections indicate that infections could start to rise again as soon as some time in July, especially if the vaccination campaign continues to stall.

"For the most part, it's a moderate resurgence," says Justin Lessler, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University who is helping coordinate the hub.

"We're not having massive epidemics at a national level, but we have this kind of continuation of the virus just sticking around and keeping us on our toes," Lessler says. "And in specific places there could be substantial epidemics still."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) this week requested that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine rapidly examine the information and data needed to help determine the origins of the novel coronavirus that is causing a global outbreak of respiratory illness.

WASHINGTON — In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to establish a Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today that Harvey Fineberg, former president of the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) and current president of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, will serve as the chair of the Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats.

Formed earlier this month, the National Academies’ Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats was assembled at the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The recently formed National Academies Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats, assembled at the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, has been providing rapid expert consultations on several topics, such as social distancing and severe illness in young adults.

National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau will provide remarks on behalf of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board during a virtual event on May 4 to launch an online pledging effort, the Coronavirus Global Response.

As the omicron variant of the coronavirus sweeps through the U.S. and other parts of the world — and with the possibility of emerging new variants looming — building confidence in vaccines has become even more important. How can knowledge from the social sciences inform effective communication around vaccines?

The CDC yesterday confirmed another infection with 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States in California. The patient is among a group of people under a federal quarantine order because of their recent return to the U.S. on a State Department-chartered flight that arrived on February 7, 2020. All people who have been in Hubei Province in the past 14 days are considered at high risk of having been exposed to COVID-19 and subject to a temporary 14-day quarantine.

The respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China has now been detected in 32 locations internationally, including cases United States. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”).