Around half of Wales’ community pharmacies have expressed interest to health boards in providing COVID-19 vaccinations as part of the national programme.

Community pharmacies able to administer up to 400 COVID-19 vaccines per week can now apply to become designated vaccination sites, NHS England has said.

Breaking COVID-19’s chain of transmission requires effective physical distancing, contact tracing and rapid analyses of demographic data to reveal illness clusters and populations at high risk, such as people older than 65, Latinos and Blacks.

2020 was a difficult year for dental providers as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country. When stay-at-home orders went into effect in the spring, dental offices closed their doors to all but emergency patients.

Members, bestow yourselves with back pats of honor, for everything is going exactly as planned!

Here's 900 words about me coming to terms with the fact that I absolutely need to channel my anger over this pandemic

This week, I want to talk about corporations using global tragedy to “get their brand name out there” and otherwise profiteer off of human misery.

It took way too long for us to figure it out, and that figuring is a story unto itself that is too long for this post, but I have Long Covid. The impact can best be summed up thusly: it is a disability, not a disease.

Disease suggests that I might get better. I wouldn’t mind getting better, of course, but as of this writing there’s not only no cure, there’s no consistent treatment, and many medical professionals will mis-diagnose Long Covid, or even deny that it exists.

So, disability. The “disabled” demographic is perhaps the only marginalized minority group that everyone who lives long enough will eventually join. My own disability presents itself much like chronic fatigue (ME/CFS). On some days I’m fine. On others I may find myself light-headed and struggling for breath as if I’d just run a mile when all I’ve done is stand around in the kitchen talking to to the kids.

Please don’t send us your medical advice. That “too long for this post” story begins with two years of visits to specialists wherein we ruled out all of the usual suspects. You may have heard the old aphorism “when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.” We’ve ruled out the horses, and looking around at the (metaphorical) scenery, we’re not in Kansas anymore, this is the Serengeti.

But I’m not here to ask for help, or to garner sympathy. I’m here by way of explanation: the things I used to do, the things I still WANT to do? I can’t do all of them anymore. I’d love to be creating a daily comic strip and reviewing 1st-run movies on the day they arrive in my local cinema, but those aren’t options for me anymore. The point of this post, which I’ll admit I’ve taken my time getting around to, is to explain what I can do, and what you can expect.

First and foremost: Schlock books in print! This is taking longer than we wanted it to, but we have a plan and we have the ability, and we hope to get books 18, 19, and 20 in print over the course of the next 12 to 18 months.

Seventy Maxims Reprint! This coming Tuesday we’re launching a Backerkit project to reprint the Seventy Maxims books, and as part of that we’ll be doing an all-on-one-page Seventy Maxims poster. Click either of the links above for the pre-launch page.

Using My Powers for Good: I’ll be posting parts lists and instructions for some of the mobility and workplace aids we’ve custom-built for me. Long Covid affects millions of people worldwide, probably tens of millions, and this little platform of mine can be used to make their lives easier.

Reviews of Movies, Games, and More: I can’t offer reviews of new-release cinematic things because I don’t go to the theater anymore, but I do still consume a lot of media, and it’s quite easy for me to write reviews. In fact, the fancy zero-gravity chair I use to keep my heart rate manageable is the same one I’m sitting in while I write this AND while I watch TV, listen to music, and read.

I’m Not Letting This Stop Me: Yes, I’m disabled. I can’t do all the things I used to do, and I can’t do them as quickly, but I can still do quite a bit. So I shall do quite a bit. And this place is where you’ll always be able to find me doing it.

I hope you’ll come back and find me again soon.

Chronic pain has increased among adults in the US since 2019, which could be due to a rise in sedentary lifestyles or reduced access to healthcare amid covid-19 restrictions

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard says the decision, in July 2020, was very disappointing.

The Philippines has announced that it will again extend tax filing and payment deadlines, following the prolongation of restrictive measures during the coronavirus outbreak.

On May 13, 2020, the Indian Government announced new tax relief measures and administrative concessions.

The UK tax agency has extended various deadlines for responses to consultations and for other work on tax reform, in light of COVID-19.

The Dutch Ministry of Finance has announced that companies will be able to more quickly carry back losses they expect to make this year against profits made in 2019.

On May 25, 2020, the Dutch tax authority said that taxpayers receiving assessment notices for not submitting a value-added tax return on time can apply for a three-month filing extension.

The Dutch tax authority has issued a clarification of the repayment requirements for taxes deferred during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Luxembourg and Belgium will extend the duration of an agreement that clarifies the tax rules for cross-border workers affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

On May 6, 2020, the German Cabinet adopted the draft Coronavirus Tax Assistance Act, which provides for a temporary reduction in value-added tax on food served in catering outlets.

On May 13, 2020, the Belgian tax authority announced that the competent authorities of Belgium and Germany have concluded an agreement which clarifies the tax situation of cross-border workers in the context of the COVID-19 health crisis.

A EUR130bn (USD148bn) fiscal stimulus package with numerous tax measures, intended to help revive the German economy following the COVID-19 pandemic, was approved by the Federal Cabinet on June 12, 2020.

Both houses of the German parliament have now approved the EUR130bn (USD146bn) COVID-19 economic stimulus plan, which includes numerous tax relief measures.

Germany and the Netherlands have agreed to extend the validity of an agreement clarifying the tax arrangements of frontier workers during the COVID-19 pandemic until December 31, 2020.

Germany and Poland have concluded an agreement to provide relief to cross-border workers who have been affected by COVID-19 restrictions on movement.

The International Monetary Fund has collated information on the tax and non-tax policy responses of some 193 jurisdictions to COVID-19.

The Swiss Government is anticipating a shortfall in tax receipts of over CHF5bn in 2020.

The Government of Cyprus has announced a number of new tax support measures for businesses, including a value-added tax rate cut for tourism accommodation providers and restaurants.

Malta's Commissioner for Revenue has announced extensions to deadlines for the electronic filing of income tax returns by companies.

Malta's Commissioner for Revenue has released tax-related guidance for self-employed taxpayers receiving the COVID wage supplement.

Malta has announced its decision to defer reporting under the EU's sixth Directive on Administrative Cooperation, on tax schemes, for six months.

Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department has explained COVID-19 tax concessions available for taxpayers struggling to pay their tax dues and has highlighted upcoming property tax obligations.

On May 11, 2020, the French Government presented a COVID-19-related economic support package targeted at the nation's wine industry, which includes relief from social contributions.

On May 15, 2020, the competent authorities of Belgium and France concluded an agreement which clarifies the tax situation of cross-border workers in the context of the COVID-19 health crisis.

The French Government has presented to the Council of Ministers a third amendment to the Finance Bill for 2020, which provides additional support for businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Belgium has extended agreements with France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands clarifying the tax rules for frontier workers working from home due to COVID-19.

The French Government has listed the businesses that may exceptionally benefit from a two-thirds reduction in local property tax.

France's General Directorate of Public Finance has launched a scheme that allows small companies to request a specific settlement plan for the payment of their taxes.

The French Government is extending its COVID-19 financial support package for the tourism sector to various additional business types.

The French Ministry of Finance confirmed on August 31, 2020, that several tax agreements applying to cross-border workers during the COVID-19 crisis have been extended.

The French tax authority has announced that it will modify and extend a scheme that allows employers to pay workers tax-free bonuses.

In two recent speeches, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has outlined plans to extend COVID-19 supports for French businesses.

On May 21, 2020, the Italian Revenue Agency issued a summary of additional tax measures in Decree 34/2020, which are intended to further support taxpayers affected by the COVID-19 virus.

The European Commission has approved under state aid rules four Italian tax schemes to support companies and self-employed workers affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

On July 10, 2020, the Italian tax authority issued a ruling to explain the rules concerning tax credits for expenditure on adapting workplaces to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Italian Government will allow tax payments that were deferred during the COVID-19 lockdown to be paid in instalments over a two-year period.

Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department has explained COVID-19 tax concessions available for taxpayers struggling to pay their tax dues and has highlighted upcoming property tax obligations.

The Swiss Government has opened the application process for a loan guarantee scheme aimed at helping start-ups facing liquidity problems during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Swiss Government is anticipating a shortfall in tax receipts of over CHF5bn in 2020.

The Swiss Government has confirmed it will extend a tax exemption for surface disinfectants in light of COVID-19.

Saudi Arabia has announced its decision to increase its headline value-added tax rate to 15 percent from five percent, in a surprise break from the Gulf Cooperation Council's harmonized value-added tax framework.

COVID-19 restrictions limited human mobility and contact, which nearly reduced 750,000 dengue cases in 2020, reveals a new study published in iLancet Infectious Diseases.