FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium will be home to the Topgolf Live Stadium Tour on May 5-8.

Topgolf Live brings an immersive golf experience to some of the country’s most iconic venues. Players enjoy a one-of-a-kind opportunity to tee it up inside fan-favorite stadiums, hitting golf balls at on-field targets placed between 60 and 140 yards from the tee box. Toptracer technology accurately traces the flight path of golf balls, instantly scoring every shot in an interactive, in-stadium game, designed for all skill levels.

Tickets go on sale to the public beginning Monday, April 4 at topgolflive.com. Tee times are reserved in one-hour increments with six players to a bay. With the initial on sale date, only full bay reservations will be made available.

Food and drinks will be available on-site. Spectator tickets are also available for $15. Prices start at $75 per guest for player tickets and $45 per guest for students. Any single-ticket inventory will go on sale in late March, if available.

The “Razorback Experience” premium tickets, which are available starting at $180, includes a gameday football locker room tour and photo opportunities, a limited-edition Topgolf Live hat provided by Black Clover, two (2) drink tickets, a complimentary Topgolf Lifetime Membership and a $10 off Topgolf gameplay card.

Topgolf Live, which has been executed at over 20 stadium venues to date, also features a festival area with family-friendly games, photo opportunities, and plenty of food and beverage offerings creating a unique, one-of-a-kind Topgolf Live experience.

The 2022 lineup follows Topgolf Live tour stops that have previously taken place at venues including Soldier Field, National’s Park, Chase Field, Oracle Park and Dodger Stadium.

SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Special safety protocols will be implemented throughout Razorback Stadium to ensure Topgolf Live offers a healthy and safe environment for players and event staff, including:

• Disinfecting golf clubs, tables and hitting bays between tee times
• Washing golf balls after play and before re-use
• Placing hand sanitizers throughout the venue

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The last time Kristina, her sisters Margarita, Anastasia and their mother Iryna were all together was November 11, 2018, celebrating Margarita’s birthday in their home town of Melitopol, one of the first Ukrainian cities to have been occupied by the Russians within hours of the invasion.
Last Saturday, they were finally all reunited in Mallorca.

24-year-old Kristina, who spoke to the Bulletin two weeks ago, left Ukraine four years ago because ever since Russia invaded and subsequently annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in February 2014, tension began to mount and it was clear that something bigger was going to happen.
However, Russia made its move later than expected and Kristina had to start a new life on her own in Barcelona before moving to Mallorca last year.
And, since February 24 has been living through hell.

However, just over two weeks ago her 19-year-old sister Margarita arrived in Palma after a five-day journey from Dnipro where she was working in order to try and help the family’s finances back in Melitopol, nearly 300 kilometres away.
Then last weekend, mother Iryana and 15-year-old Anastasia, the youngest of the three sisters, landed in Palma after having managed to escape Russian occupied Melitopol in a humanitarian convoy, but they were extremely lucky.

“Our convoy was not attacked, although we went through over ten Russian check points. But the next day, the humanitarian convoy did not make it, it was attacked by Russian troops,” Iryana said.
“It’s a miracle, had they left it another 24 hours, they probably would not be here,” said Kristina. The family are now split between two apartments in Palma but they see each other everyday and talk as much as possible by phone.

They have had a celebratory lunch but they are saving the big party for when the Russians are finally defeated, they are all convinced that Ukraine will win and Russia will be defeated without control of any of Ukraine.

All of the three fled through Poland but at times were never too sure where they were until they got to Warsaw and onward travel became much clearer.
“We cannot thank the people of Europe for all of their help and here in Spain and Mallorca we have been made to feel so welcome while the aid which is being sent is so important. We can not thank the local people enough,” they said.
But, they feel a little let down by European governments and NATO.

Margarita managed to flee just before the bombs began to rain down on Dnipro, but the bombs started falling on her mother and youngster sister within hours of the invasion – the Russian flags were flying over their city within six hours.
“We spent the first ten days hiding in the local church while the Russians tried to convince us that they were here to help and patrolled the city and set up check points.

“When I finally had to leave the church to get back to our small apartment to get some extra clothes, I took some bibles with me. I gave them to the soldiers at the check point to read so they could die in peace, but they refused, they told me they were Muslim and that is when I realised that there were mercenaries from Chechnya and other countries in the city,” Iryna said.

“They the started to steal people’s private cars to patrol the city undercover and slowly, people started disappearing, never to be seen again. They kidnapped the pastor of our church and we never saw our neighbour again.
“Snatch squads would just turn up, cover people’s heads with plastic bags and take them away.
“There were no shops, hardly any food, water or electricity and all the time we were being told they were here to help and that they were in special military manoeuvers,” Iryna said.
Anastasia has been clearly affected by her harrowing experience.
She was hesitant about talking to me. She asked Kristina what I was going to ask, where it would be published and who I was.

Kristina said Anastasia was determined to make a statement by saying that her name is “NATO please close the skies over Ukraine.”
“Most of the Russians on the streets were aged between 18 and 20 and quite often it was obvious they were either drunk or had taken drugs. The older men manned the checkpoints and they too behaved in a strange way,” Anastasia said.

Anastasia even sent a message to her president urging him to secure more NATO help and to open more humanitarian corridors.
“If NATO closed the skies we would defeat the Russians in a day and that would be the end of it for everyone,” she said.
The four were obviously happy to be back together again, but they can’t hide their worry and the strains of their ordeals.

“It was so depressing, it was all grey, all the bombed and destroyed buildings. The lack of supplies, the grief and sadness but the Ukrainians will not be broken. There are three million people prepared and ready to fight in the capital Kyiv, as our president has said, Russia will need over 100,000 troops to take the city,” Iryna said.

She also told of how humanitarian aid never got to them.
“Convoys were sent but the Russians intercepted and ransacked them leaving us with next to nothing, if anything by the time the trucks arrived. It was hell and heartbreaking to see what was being done to our country and the world can see what is happening. But it will end and we will recover our country and rebuild it,” Iryna said.

Margarita, who started work aged 17 in order to help the family financially has already found work in Mallorca.
“All we can do in the meantime is work, make as much money as we can and send as much as possible back home to help our fellow Ukrainians defeat the Russians and then rebuild the country,” Margarita said.
But what about their future now?
Anastasia said that she never ever planned on leaving her home city.
“I loved it, I wanted to spend my whole life there,” she said.
Now, they are busy trying to find a school for her and more work, but they said the local authorities and charities, not to mention local residents, are all being a great help, nothing is proving a problem.

And Iryna said that Palma reminds her of Ukraine.
“We often used to go to places by the sea, so being so close to the sea here in Mallorca and some of the architecture reminds me of home.
“Plus the people are very welcoming and open minded, very much like the Ukrainians. We may be many miles apart and not neighbours, but we all seem very similar in our outlook on life,” she said.

However, they would all like to see NATO step up a gear.
“Obviously, we are extremely grateful for all the military aid and money western governments are providing but what we really need is for NATO to close the sky over Ukraine.
“If they don’t, then the Ukrainians will take care of the Russians themselves. NATO talks a lot but are they going to properly help us?” Kristina said on behalf of the family who speak next to no English and no Spanish yet.

“The crisis is no longer isolated to Ukraine. Fuel and food prices are rising across the western world as a result of what Putin is doing, so surely it must be in NATO’s interests for a quick end to this war otherwise people across the western world will continue to suffer the economic impact of the conflict. Tensions are rising in the west with industrial action and even food rationing in supermarkets. This is all part of the fall out from Russia’s invasion. How many more children does the west want to see killed before it takes strong action? Over 140 children, some of them babies have already died, not to mention the thousands of adults who have been killed or wounded and are in desperate need of medicines, never mind food and shelter,” they said.

“The politicians may be talking but it does not heal our pain, it does not disinfect our wounds and we are all bleeding one way or another.”
Iryna’s mother and the sisters’ 76-year-old grandmother is still in Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia on her own and can’t leave. Will they ever see her again?

“We don’t know if we will go back. We have left a small apartment with two bedrooms and don’t know if it is even still standing, what will we have to go back for?
“All we can do in the meantime is work hard and send as much financial help as we can back home,” they said.
As to how long the conflict will last, opinions differ. Kristina and Anastasia are confident a Ukrainian victory will come soon, Iryna and Margarita are not too convinced, but one thing they all agree on is that Ukraine will win.

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Originally Appeared Here

Cottage rentals in Ontario will likely continue to be a popular way to get away this summer even with travel restrictions loosening. Last summer saw an unprecedented amount of short-term rentals, and once you’ve gotten a taste of stress-free, close-to-home trips, it’s hard to go back. 

So, it might just be another year of playing it safe for a lot of us, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you’re going to get the most out of your escape to cottage country. 

Here’s what you need to know when it comes to renting a cottage in Ontario this summer.

Book early 

Gone are the days of booking a property a few days before taking off for the weekend. Especially if this summer is anything like last year, you’re gonna want to book well in advance, preferably now. 

Booking will go a lot smoother if you know the type of experience you want, it never hurts to put together a list of must-haves. 

Are you looking for a luxurious, spacious cottage with all of the amenities you could wish for, or are you okay roughing it, even going without indoor plumbing for a few nights? Do you want to be near a town, or beach or would you rather a cabin surrounded by forest? 

There are all types of cottages in Ontario, so knowing what you’re looking for will help narrow down the search. 

Consider other ways to save on costs 

Booking early is one way to get a better price, but finding a cottage in a slightly less popular area can also help you save some cash. That’s to say avoid Lake Muskoka, in fact, saying goodbye to the waterfront, in general, will save you big time. 

Renting with a larger group will also help as you’ll be splitting the costs between more people.

Check the cancellation policy

The extenuating circumstances policy on Airbnb only applies if you’ve contracted C**ID, so if this happens to affect your travel plans in any way, your host’s cancellation policy will apply. 

That’s why it’s best to opt for a flexible cancellation policy. You can even check the ‘Only show stays that offer free cancellation’ filter when looking for cottages on Airbnb to really play it safe. 

Remember the pandemic isn’t over 

Ontario might’ve lifted all remaining restrictions, and although this brings some relief, we’re not completely out of the woods yet.

Make sure to respect group limits when booking your spot, social distance when out and about in cottage country and bring some essentials (i.e. hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes). 

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Originally Appeared Here

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), belongs to the family Coronaviridae of genus Betacoronavirus. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the global healthcare sector and economy. As a result, several pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical measures have been developed to prevent further transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in an effort to mitigate the current pandemic.

Study: The Efficacy of Common Household Cleaning Agents for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Control. Image Credit: Alexander Raths / Shutterstock.com

Background

Although vaccination has significantly reduced the mortality rate and severity of COVID-19, the continual transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among the human population has prolonged the pandemic. Owing to genomic mutations of SARS-CoV-2, several variants have emerged, with some new strains being more virulent and transmissible as compared to the original SARS-CoV-2 strain.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified these SARS-CoV-2 strains as variants of concern (VOC) and variants of interest (VOI) according to their ability to evade immune responses induced through vaccination or natural infection, transmissibility, and virulence.

Several studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 that reaches the surface from an infected person during talking or coughing and can remain viable on these surfaces for a prolonged period. Since it is extremely difficult to obtain SARS-CoV-2 samples from environmental surfaces, limited evidence is documented on the possibility of viral transmission through this route.

Several studies have highlighted recent advancements in microbiocidal technologies. These studies reported the development of novel antiviral surface coatings and improved disinfectants that reduce the risk of surface contamination and the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 fomite transmission.

Moreover, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 fomite contamination at high-touch surfaces remains a great public health concern. According to a recent survey, 80% of respondents lacked information about how to disinfect their home appropriately to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

About the study

In a new Viruses study, researchers analyze different commonly available household cleaning products such as vinegar, bleach, dishwashing detergent, and ethanol to determine the most effective virucidal agent against SARS-CoV-2.

In this study, researchers tested different dilutions of the aforementioned products when used for 30 seconds and five minutes. A guide with the minimum dilution value for each product with retained antiviral activity was also included in the current study. 

Study findings

Previous studies have indicated that respiratory viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, remain viable on surfaces for days to months. The current study tested the virucidal activity of household chemicals when in direct contact with SARS-CoV-2 in solution in a minimal volume.

Cytotoxicity of household chemicals on Vero cells: Vero cells were exposed to (A) vinegar or its active component, acetic acid, (B) ethanol, (C) bleach, or its active component, sodium hypochlorite, or (D) detergent, at various concentrations for 1 h at 37 °C, 5% CO2. Cells were microscopically examined for morphology, and after removal of the test solution, replicate dilutions were pooled and stained with the live/dead marker 7AAD by flow cytometry within 1 h. Graphs show mean % viable cells +/-SEM of data pooled from four independent experiments. The dotted line represents cell viability when in media alone (i.e., not exposed to any chemical).

To this end, up to a 1:200 dilution of bleach, a 1:500 dilution of dishwashing detergent, and at least 40% v/v of alcohol-containing solutions can effectively inactivate SARS-CoV-2. However, vinegar was found to be ineffective against the virus, even when used undiluted from the bottle.

The stability of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity was also assessed over multiple freeze-thaw cycles. To this end, the researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 remained remarkably stable and effective by up to seven freeze-thaw cycles. Importantly, the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, which is present on the surface of this virus, is not susceptible to acetic acid or solution with acidic pH.

The current study confirms that ethanol in solution, even at a 40% concentration, can inactivate SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, ethanol-containing wipes or handwashes that typically contain more than 60% v/v alcohol can become ineffective if diluted below 40% v/v alcohol. Improper storage of the product can reduce its effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2.

Bleach could also inactivate SARS-CoV-2 at a maximum dilution of 1:200 in water within 30 seconds of exposure. The active ingredient in bleach is sodium hypochlorite, which remained fully active at a concentration as low as 0.21 g/L. Thus, the current findings indicate that laboratories should be cautious of not diluting bleach solutions beyond 10.5 g/L sodium hypochlorite to remain effective against SARS-CoV-2.

Household dishwashing detergent was also found to be effective in inactivating SARS-CoV-2 at a dilution as low as 1:500. The combination of bleach and detergent did not increase the virucidal activity substantially, as the virucidal effects of this combination were comparable with a single detergent solution against SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions

Bleach, dishwashing liquid, and alcohol-containing solutions are common household products that are effective against SARS-CoV-2. However, vinegar did not exhibit virucidal activity against the viral pathogen.

Taken together, the current study identified several household products that can effectively decontaminate common surfaces, thus reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Journal reference:

• Almeida, C. F., Purcell, D. F. J., Godfrey, D. I., & McAuley, J. L. (2022) The Efficacy of Common Household Cleaning Agents for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Control. Viruses 14(4). doi:10.3390/v14040715

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Originally Appeared Here