Staff Reporter

Omicron Survives Longer on Surfaces Than Prior COVID Variants

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Experts already know that Omicron is the most transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant, but a new study has found that it survives longer than any previous variant on plastic surfaces and skin.

According to the new study, Omicron lasts on plastic for nearly 200 hours and on skin for about 21 hours.

How Infections Spread

Germs are a part of everyday life and are found in our air, soil, water, and in and on our bodies. Some germs are helpful, others are harmful. Many germs live in and on our bodies without causing harm and some even help us to stay healthy. Only a small portion of germs are known to cause infection.An infection occurs when germs enter the body, increase in number, and cause a reaction of the body.

Three things are necessary for an infection to occur: a source where infectious agents (germs) live (e.g., sinks, surfaces, human skin), a susceptible person with a way for germs to enter the body and a transmission.

A source is an infectious agent or germ and refers to a virus, bacteria, or other microbe. In healthcare settings, germs are found in many places. People are one source of germs including: patients, healthcare workers, visitors and household members. People can be sick with symptoms of an infection or colonized with germs (not have symptoms of an infection but able to pass the germs to others).

Germs are also found in the healthcare environment. Examples of environmental sources of germs include dry surfaces in patient care areas (e.g., bed rails, medical equipment, countertops, and tables) and wet surfaces, moist environments, and biofilms (e.g., cooling towers, faucets and sinks, and equipment such as ventilators).

Environmental sources also include indwelling medical devices (e.g., catheters and IV lines) and dust or decaying debris (e.g., construction dust or wet materials from water leaks).
Role of Fomites in Viral Disease Transmission

Worldwide annually there are 1.7 million deaths from diarrheal diseases and 1.5 million deaths from respiratory infections. Viruses cause an estimated 60% of human infections, and most common illnesses are produced by respiratory and enteric viruses. Unlike bacterial disease, viral illness cannot be resolved with the use of antibiotics. Prevention and management of viral disease heavily relies upon vaccines and antiviral medications. Both vaccines and antiviral medications are only 60% effective.

Control of viral disease spread requires a clear understanding of how viruses are transmitted in the environment.

Over the years studies have changed the perspective on viral transmission to include a more complex multifactorial model of disease spread. There is now growing evidence that contaminated fomites or surfaces play a key role in the spread of viral infections. Viral transmission is dependent on interaction with the host as well as interaction with the environment.

Fomites consist of both porous and nonporous surfaces or objects that can become contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms and serve as vehicles in transmission. During and after illness, viruses are shed in large numbers in body secretions, including blood, feces, urine, saliva, and nasal fluid.

Fomites become contaminated with virus by direct contact with body secretions or fluids, contact with soiled hands, contact with aerosolized virus (large droplet spread) generated via talking, sneezing, coughing, or vomiting, or contact with airborne virus that settles after disturbance of a contaminated fomite (i.e., shaking a contaminated blanket).

Once a fomite is contaminated, the transfer of infectious virus may readily occur between inanimate and animate objects, or vice versa, and between two separate fomites (if brought together).

Virus survival on fomites is influenced by intrinsic factors which include fomite properties or virus characteristics and extrinsic factors, including environmental temperature, humidity, etc. After contact with the host is achieved, viruses can gain entry into the host systems through portals of entry or contact with the mouth, nasopharynx, and eyes.

Environmental Stability

The Omicron variant survives longer on plastic surfaces and skin than other COVID variants, increasing the likelihood of it spreading through touch.

Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants exhibited more than two-fold longer survival times than those of the Wuhan strain and maintained infectivity for more than 16 hours on the skin surfaces. The high environmental stability of these VOCs [variants of concern] could increase the risk of contact transmission and contribute to the spread of VOCs.
Omicron on Plastic

According to the study, when on plastic: the original version of SARS-CoV-2 survives for 56 hours, the Alpha variant survives for 191.3 hours, the Beta variant survives for 156.6 hours, the Gamma variant survives for 59.3 hours, the Delta variant survives for 114 hours and the Omicron variant outlasts the other variants, surviving for 193.5 hours.

The highly contagious nature of SARS-CoV-2 has led to several studies on the transmission of the virus. A little studied potential fomite of great concern in the community is currency, which has been shown to harbor microbial pathogens in several studies. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have limited the use of banknotes in favor of credit cards.

However, SARS-CoV-2 has shown greater stability on plastic in several studies. In vitro studies with live virus suggested SARS-CoV-2 was highly unstable on banknotes, showing an initial rapid reduction in viable virus and no viral detection by 24 hours. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 displayed increased stability on money cards with live virus detected after 48 hours.

Omicron on Skin

It was found that the different variants of the virus survive on the skin of cadavers for differing durations. The original version of SARS-CoV-2 survives for 8.6 hours, the Alpha variant survives for 19.6 hours, the Beta variant survives for 19.1 hours, the Gamma variant survives for 11 hours, the Delta variant survives for 16.8 hours and the Omicron variant again outlasts the other variants, surviving for 21.1 hours.

The reasons for the prolonged Omicron survival time are currently unknown. The relationship between the amount of virus remaining on the surface and the risk of transmission is still unclear at this stage. It is best to consider the survival time for a variant primarily as a reference value until scientists understand more.

Infectious Surfaces

The majority of Omicron infections are most likely to occur via airborne particles. Even if the Omicron and Delta variants have more environmental stability than prior versions of SARS-CoV-2, surface transmission still plays a relatively minor role in the transmission of the virus.
If surfaces do play a role in transmission, it’s also likely that some are riskier than others.

Be particularly wary of objects that have been in contact with someone’s mouth or nose, such as used facemasks, crockery and cutlery – if you touch them, be sure to wash your hands afterwards. And if someone in your household has COVID-19, or if you’re working in a hospital or other workplace where people could be infected, frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, handrails, toilet flushes and hand towels might be more likely to harbour the virus, so be mindful of them and ensure they’re frequently disinfected or replaced.

While it’s possible that respiratory droplets could land on surfaces and objects, and that someone could become infected by touching them, this is not thought to be a common way that COVID-19 spreads.

Surfaces contaminated with microorganisms can serve as reservoirs of potential pathogens. Many of these microorganisms are continuously shed or spread by direct skin contact onto surrounding environment surfaces. Contamination of surfaces, including high-touch surfaces in the room (e.g., bedrails, over-bed tables, and call-buttons) and reusable patient care equipment that is moved between rooms, can lead to transmission to the next patient who occupies the room or uses the same equipment, or contamination of the hands or clothing of healthcare personnel with transmission to other patients.

Tips to Avoid COVID-19 from Surfaces

There are simple ways to minimize the risk of contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus from a surface.
Wash your hands a lot. Your hands are the mechanism that would bring any germs from surfaces to your face (and into your body). And so the hands are really the vehicle that you need to think about. Washing your hands with soap for 20 seconds kills the virus that causes COVID-19.

Therefore, even if the virus is on that package you brought into your house, as long as you thoroughly wash your hands after you handle it, you’ve killed and eliminated the virus. Just be careful not to touch your face or any other surface before you wash up.It’s important to wash your hands as soon as you come home from running errands or other activities in public.
Use household disinfectant often.

A good rule of thumb is to assume that any surface could be contaminated with germs. Any surface can be contaminated with coronavirus. In most household disinfectants, the active ingredients are antimicrobial, which is effective against coronavirus. In other words, nearly any household cleaner can easily kill the virus that causes COVID-19.

Coronaviruses are much easier to kill than noroviruses (the virus that causes what’s often called the stomach flu).

Make it a habit to regularly clean doorknobs, cabinet handles, sink faucets and light switches with a disinfectant. And don’t forget high-touch areas such as tables, chairs and countertops, as well as phones, keyboards and TV remote controls.

Pay attention to where you place items. Be mindful of where you put your mail and packages. Are you placing them on the same counter where you’ll be making a salad for dinner? Or maybe you’re putting your grocery bags on the kitchen counter to unload them. Disinfect the kitchen counter before you start preparing food on it.

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Panaceas of the past – Albuquerque Journal

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Turtle Courtyard fountain at the Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, ca. 1940. (Courtesy of the New Mexico History Museum)

New Mexico’s rugged geography gestated pools of hot water luring the hopeful to their healing powers.

Blame it on tuberculosis.

Twenty-three privately owned hot springs operated in New Mexico from the late 19th century through the 1980s. Health tourists flocked from the Midwest, the East Coast and even Europe to soak away their complaints in the state’s mineral-rich springs and breathe its fresh, clean air.

These patients sought cures for everything from respiratory illnesses to arthritis to polio.

“It varied from, ‘We can cure eczema’ to cancer,” said Alicia Romero, curator at the New Mexico History Museum.

The Santa Fe museum is showcasing “Curative Powers: New Mexico’s Hot Springs,” an exhibit of nearly 90 photographs documenting the evolution of how these springs were used and developed.

“It’s a matter of the geology and the geography,” Romero said. “The hot springs tend to occur when there’s an opportunity for ground water to come into contact with deeper water and then the (Earth’s) magma. Then it travels back upward and either pools or, in other parts of the country, becomes geysers.”

Old Faithful notwithstanding, New Mexico’s springs tend to correlate with the twists and bends of the Rio Grande and the Gila River. Native Americans first discovered and used them for bathing and consumption. Some were located in sacred spaces connected to oral history central to the community’s identity. Spanish-speaking colonists renamed the springs ojo calientes – hot springs – and used them to bathe and wash clothes. A dip or a drink from the springs seemed to treat any number of ailments.

“Bathing,” Douglas Magnus, Ponce de Leon Springs near Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, 1969. (Courtesy of the New Mexico History Museum)

Later, developers marketed the thermal baths as salves, if not cures, for tuberculosis and rheumatism.

“In large part, we can take it back to the health tourism of the late 19th century – T.B.,” Romero said. “Some resorts were claiming to cure cancer. Some resorts were claiming to cure alcoholism. I don’t know if science would agree to any of those claims today.”

Many of the resorts hired doctors who penned pamphlets touting the springs’ curative powers for everything from acne, ulcers, bloating, malaria, diabetes, syphilis and gonorrhea.

The exhibition explores well-known resorts such as Taos County’s Ojo Caliente, as well as lesser-known hot springs. Museum visitors will also see dramatic changes in the clothing (or lack thereof) as guests took to the waters across the decades.

At first, these resorts offered little restrictions in dress.

“The photos we have seen show the women in their best Victorian clothing with parasols and the men in their top hats,” Romero said. “Then by the 1960s the hippies came and everybody was nude.”

In the late 19th century, “Soak to your health” became the motto of people seeking natural respite from physical conditions. Many espoused a climatology theory that the natural environment would cure all kinds of ailments.

Hot springs visits waned by the 1950s. By the 1960s, abandoned resorts and untouched hot springs located in national forests surged in popularity among hippies and back-to-nature fans. By the 1980s, New Age idealists and enthusiasts frequented the waters as a refuge from the demands of daily life. Some temporary visitors became permanent residents.

Children swimming in the pool at the Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children, Truth of Consequences, New Mexico, ca. 1940. (Courtesy of the New Mexico History Museum)

In Truth or Consequences, the building of the Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children in 1937 saw hot spring water piped in to help children suffering from polio.

“They had a lot of support from FDR (President Franklin D. Roosevelt),” Romero said. Built as a Works Progress Administration project at a cost of nearly $1 million, the hospital was relocated to Albuquerque in 1981. Today it is the New Mexico State Veterans’ Home.

Long before Ojo Caliente became one of the most well-known resorts in northern New Mexico, Tewa-speaking natives called the area Posipopi or “green springs” for the algae that grew on the surrounding rocks. The area is an ancestral and sacred site to pueblos. Comanches, Utes, Apaches and Navajos visited the springs as well. Ojo Caliente gained prominence following the 1846 U.S. annexation of New Mexico. By 1893 businessman Antonio Joseph had bought up most of the tracts.

Joseph was the first developer of Ojo Caliente as a commercial resort. The Mauro family took over from the 1930s until 2000. By then, attendance had swelled to an estimated 100,000 annual visitors.

Health tourism remains an attendance driver.

“I don’t think it’s changed too much, although people aren’t coming for TB,” Romero said. “Even if it’s not a cure, you can connect with nature in this immersive kind of experience. You can soak in this pool of minerals and it will help you relax.”

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Debunking myths around household cleaning

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Cleaning may appear to be a simple task that can be completed without much thought about how to do it correctly. However, with the threat of COVID-19 still looming, it is critical to understand the truth behind certain myths about cleaning and disinfecting in order to keep viruses and bacteria out of our homes.

A clean house is also a source of positivity and good vibes, which is crucial as we spend more time at home. Here are some common cleaning and disinfecting myths that may help make your home safer and healthier.

Myth #1: There is no difference between cleaning, sanitising, and disinfecting

Most people interchange the terms cleaning, sanitising, and disinfecting; however, they must understand that while these words are related to cleaning, they have distinct meanings. Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces and works by using cleaning tools such as a mop, soap, and water. This does not necessarily kill germs; rather, it reduces the risk of infection spreading. Sanitising, on the other hand, uses chemicals to kill bacteria and reduce the number of germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting uses chemicals to kill germs and bacteria on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting surfaces with chemicals also kills viruses, germs, and bacteria. Cleaning is followed by sanitising and disinfecting.

Myth #2: Bleach cleans everything

Bleach is not a cleaning agent. While bleach will certainly whiten a stain on a shirt and kill germs on surfaces such as the floor, kitchen counter, or restrooms, it is not an appropriate cleaning agent for removing a stubborn patch of dirt from any surface. Another disadvantage of using bleach is that it corrodes metals and damages painted surfaces.

Myth #3: Vacuum cleaners damage rugs

It is thought that vacuuming carpets and rugs too frequently can cause unnecessary wear and tear on the items. In fact, failing to vacuum a carpet on a regular basis can result in a pile of dust settling on the surface, eventually causing the carpet to break down. If not cleaned properly, this can lead to a variety of health issues; therefore, vacuuming on a regular basis is the best way to keep the house clean.

Myth #4: Dry dusters remove dust

Using a dry duster causes dust to spread around, moving from one surface to another. The area may appear clean after being dusted, but the air around it may be full of tiny dust particles that will eventually settle back on the surface. When the same duster is used on multiple surfaces, germs spread. A damp cloth or a microfiber duster, both of which are more effective, is a better way to do this.

Myth #5: Newspaper is a good option to create streak-free glass

Previously, people believed that cleaning glass with newspaper was the best method. This “cleaning hack,” however, is no longer applicable. Newspapers have traditionally been made with ink and paper that reduces streaks on glass. However, the paper and ink used today have changed and no longer produce the desired result of streak-free glass cleaning. Furthermore, a damp newspaper can easily cause the ink to bleed, resulting in an even bigger mess.

Myth #6: Air freshener helps clean the air

Another common misconception is that air fresheners help to clean the air. This is completely false because all they do is perfume a room to mask bad odours rather than cleaning it. For fresh and clean air, open the windows and allow air to circulate throughout the room.

A clean home does not necessarily mean it is free of germs and viruses, so this aspect of home care must be given special attention. Your house is a safe haven! By practising good hygiene, you can invite good energy into your life by keeping it clean.

(Rajvardhan Patil, Founder of Rajaram Consumer Care)

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Increasing clean water access, sanitation facilities reduce stunting

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Increasing access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities could suppress the rate of stunting in children, according to Vice President Ma’ruf Amin.

“Several factors contribute to efforts to reduce stunting, including environmental health, especially related to sanitation and the availability of proper drinking water,” Amin noted at the Vice President’s official residence here on Saturday.

He remarked that the government had aimed at increasing access to drinking water and proper sanitation facilities in an effort to reduce the rate of stunting.

Amin delivered the statement during the third online meeting of the Association of Indonesian Environmental Health Experts.

They targeted 100 percent of the households to have access to safe drinking water by 2024 and 90 percent of households to have access to proper sanitation facilities.

The goal was stipulated in Presidential Regulation Number 72 of 2021 on the Acceleration of Stunting Reduction.

Amin noted that in the last three years, the coverage of adequate drinking water facilities had risen by 1.5 percent and the coverage of proper sanitation had increased by 2.9 percent, so the percentage of households with access to proper drinking water had reached 90.7 percent, while households with access to proper sanitation facilities had reached about 80.2 percent.

He urged everyone to commit to this goal, as only two years were left in realizing it.

The government is striving to pursue this, as these nutritional problems could stagnate efforts to develop human resources and cause economic issues.

The vice president explained that stunting compromised the intelligence and cognitive abilities apart from disrupting the metabolism, thereby making its sufferers prone to non-communicable diseases, such as heart diseases and diabetes. These would affect productivity in the future, he stated.

Stunting also caused economic losses, as it took up two to three percent of the state’s GDP, he remarked.

In Indonesia, stunting-related issues caused annual losses to the tune of some Rp300 trillion.

The vice president stated that the government was striving to reduce the stunting rate — currently standing at 24.4 percent — to 14 percent in 2024.

“This means that in the next two years or so, we must be able to reduce the prevalence of stunting by more than 10 percent,” he stated.

Related news: Bali selected to host 2024 World Water Forum: ministry

He expected the meeting to produce meaningful policy formulations and recommendations, including with regard to efforts to reduce stunting prevalence in Indonesia.

Central Executive Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Environmental Health Experts Arif Sumantri stated that three strategic issues were discussed at the meeting, including transformation in primary services, referral services, medical human resources, medical technology, and post-COVID-19 health financing.

It also discussed the impact of climate change that is closely related to the availability of clean water and the use of the demographic bonus.

Related news: Availability of clean water, proper sanitation can reduce poverty: VP

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Using far-UVC light in places where people gather indoors could help prevent the next pandemic — ScienceDaily

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

A new type of ultraviolet light that is safe for people took less than five minutes to reduce the level of indoor airborne microbes by more than 98%, a joint study by scientists at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and in the U.K. has found. Even as microbes continued to be sprayed into the room, the level remained very low as long as the lights were on.

The study suggests that far-UVC light from lamps installed in the ceiling could be a highly effective passive technology for reducing person-to-person transmission of airborne-mediated diseases such as COVID and influenza indoors, and lowering the risk of the next pandemic.

“Far-UVC rapidly reduces the amount of active microbes in the indoor air to almost zero, making indoor air essentially as safe as outdoor air,” says David Brenner, PhD, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and co-author of the study. “Using this technology in locations where people gather together indoors could prevent the next potential pandemic.”

The study was published March 23 in the journal Scientific Reports, a Nature journal.

“Far-UVC light is simple to install, it’s inexpensive, it doesn’t need people to change their behavior, and above all it’s a safe way to prevent the transmission of any virus, including the COVID virus and its variants, as well as influenza and also any potential future pandemic viruses,” Brenner says.

What is far-UVC light?

Disinfecting indoor air with far-UVC light is a new approach to safely and efficiently destroy airborne viruses in occupied spaces, including the viruses that cause COVID and influenza.

Scientists have known for decades that a type of ultraviolet light known as UVC light rapidly kills microbes, including bacteria and viruses. But conventional germicidal UVC light cannot be used directly to destroy airborne viruses in occupied indoor spaces because it is a potential health hazard to the skin and eyes.

About a decade ago, Columbia University scientists proposed that a different type of UVC light, known as far-UVC light, would be just as efficient at destroying bacteria and viruses but without the safety concerns of conventional germicidal UVC.

Far-UVC light is safe for people because it has a shorter wavelength than conventional germicidal UVC, so it can’t penetrate into living human skin cells or eye cells. But it is equally efficient at killing bacteria and viruses, which are much smaller than human cells.

In the past decade, many studies around the world have shown that far-UVC is both efficient at destroying airborne bacteria and viruses and safe for use around people. But until now these studies had only been conducted in small experimental chambers, not in full-sized rooms mimicking real-world conditions.

New study shows far-UVC is highly effective in real room environment

In the current study, scientists at the University of St. Andrews, University of Dundee, University of Leeds, and Columbia University tested the efficacy of far-UVC light in a large room-sized chamber with the same ventilation rate as a typical home or office (about three air changes per hour).

During the experiment, a sprayer continuously emitted an aerosol mist of S. aureus bacteria into the room. (This microbe was chosen because it is slightly less sensitive to far-UVC light than coronaviruses, providing the researchers with an appropriately conservative model.) When the concentration of microbes in the room stabilized, the researchers turned on commercially available overhead far-UVC lamps.

At an intensity based on the current regulatory limit on far-UVC light exposure, set by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, the far-UVC lamps inactivated more than 98% of the airborne microbes in just five minutes. The low level of viable microbes was maintained over time, even though microbes continued to be sprayed into the room.

The efficacy of different approaches to reducing indoor virus levels is usually measured in terms of equivalent air changes per hour. In this study, far-UVC lamps produced the equivalent of 184 equivalent air exchanges per hour. This surpasses any other approach to disinfecting occupied indoor spaces, where five to 20 equivalent air changes per hour is the best that can be achieved practically.

“Our trials produced spectacular results, far exceeding what is possible with ventilation alone,” says Kenneth Wood, PhD, lecturer in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of St. Andrews and senior author of the study. “In terms of preventing airborne disease transmission, far-UVC lights could make indoor places as safe as being outside on the golf course on a breezy day at St. Andrews.”

Far-UVC light is variant-proof

“Previous studies have shown that far-UVC light can kill the COVID virus, other human coronaviruses, influenza, and drug-resistant bacteria,” Brenner says. “What’s particularly attractive about far-UVC technology as a practical method of preventing indoor disease transmission is that it will be equally good at inactivating all future COVID variants, as well as new infectious viruses that have yet to emerge, while retaining efficacy against ‘old fashioned’ viruses like influenza and measles.”

Finally, because of the way ultraviolet light kills microbes, viruses and bacteria cannot develop resistance as they do with vaccines and drug treatments.

More information

The study, titled “Far-UVC (222 nm) efficiently inactivates an airborne pathogen in a room-sized chamber,” was published in Scientific Reports on March 23.

The authors are Ewan Eadie (Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland), Waseem Hiwar (University of Leeds, England), Louise Fletcher (University of Leeds), Emma Tidswell (University of Leeds), Paul O’Mahoney (University of Dundee), Manuela Buonanno (Columbia University), David Welch (Columbia University), Catherine Adamson (St. Andrews University, Scotland), David Brenner (Columbia University), Catherine Noakes (University of Leeds), and Kenneth Woods (University of St. Andrews).

The study was supported by grants from the U.K. Health Security Agency.

David J. Brenner and co-inventors have been granted a U.S. patent titled “Apparatus, method and system for selectively affecting and/or killing a virus” (US1078019B2). Columbia University has licensed aspects of filtered UV light technology to USHIO Inc. and has received a research gift from LumenLabs, a company producing far-UVC sources. Other disclosures are noted in the paper.

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Full Moon rituals: How to celebrate the Cancer Full Moon tonight

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Following the lunar cycle isn’t anything new, ancient humans used the Moon as a calendar in the sky and treated it as a higher spiritual power. In the last few years, spirituality has boomed and plenty of us are following the Moon’s journey through its eight-phase cycle. But, it looks like the majority of us are actually celebrating Full and New Moons wrong! Express.co.uk chatted to manifesting coach and astrologer Melanie Moore (@mindfulnessmelanie on Instagram) to find out how you should REALLY be celebrating Full Moons.

Full Moon and New Moons have become huge talking points on social media, but the spiritual significance of these lunar events has become misconstrued through word of mouth, like Chinese whispers.

The spiritual world is, of course, up for interpretation and something we are all free to explore in our own ways… but there are some ground rules.

The Moon affects the tides and, since we are all made up of 60 percent water, it would be silly to not consider that the Moon’s phases don’t impact us by default.

During a Full Moon, our emotions are pulled up to the surface, just as the tides are higher when the Moon is Full.

You’ve just missed the Full Moon in Cancer, but the energy is still in the air and you can still mark the occasion.

So, how should we be celebrating a Full Moon? Melanie revealed four ways to celebrate a Full Moon.

READ MORE- Horoscopes & love: Most ‘pragmatic’ sign to find ‘love at first sight’

Don’t manifest

You might have seen people trying to manifest their dreams on a Full Moon, but this is not what Full Moons are about!

Melanie said: “Stop manifesting with the Full Moon, the energy is wrong!

“People just see someone else who doesn’t actually understand manifesting on Instagram on a Full Moon and follow suit. Please, don’t do this!

“New Moons are a time for wishing and planting seeds, but Full Moons are about releasing what is no longer serving our highest good.

“We must make both literal and energetic space to allow more of the good stuff to pour into our existence.”

Write a letter

If visualisation doesn’t work for you, you should try writing a letter to what you’re letting go of.

Melanie said: “For example, if you’re always beating yourself up about your spending habits, debt and want to be free to have a healthy relationship with money, your goal for the Full Moon might be to release any self-limiting beliefs surrounding money.

“To do this, you should write a letter to money, explaining in detail why you want to put an end to these beliefs.

“Write down whatever fears you have, send gratitude and write down what beliefs you’re replacing them with.

“Remember, forgiveness is key when letting go.

“Then, you can safely burn this letter under the Full Moon and watch whatever it is that you want to release burn down into nothing.”

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Best indoor plant 2022: Spruce up your home office

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Your office space should be a sanctuary of sorts. It should be comfortable, organized, and have things on your desk that bring you joy. Whether you work from home or work in an office, one thing you should have on your desk is a plant.

Research shows that having plants around the home and office significantly improves people’s moods and reduces the likelihood of stress-related depression. And, you don’t even have to have a green thumb to keep a plant on your desk—many indoor plants are low-maintenance.

We’ve rounded up the best indoor plants for your office, and we’ve got you covered whether you need one that’s easy to water, non-toxic to pets, or merely pretty to look at during lulls in the workday.

Pothos plant

Best for purifying air

Home Depot

Botanically known as Epipremnum aureum, a pothos plant is a great, low-maintenance indoor plant option. It grows best in medium-high light spots but can also adapt to low light if your office space isn’t very sunny.

Some benefits of a pothos plant are that it functions as an air purifier of sorts. It can also increase the humidity levels in your home, so having one on hand during the dry winter months could benefit your workspace.

Be sure to watch out for yellowing leaves, which means the plant’s environmental conditions are not ideal. Pothos plants prefer moist soil, but not wet or saturated soil, so water it when you notice it’s dry.

Pros

Already pre-potted
Can tolerate missed watering
Different leaf varieties

Cons

Leaves can burn in direct sunlight
Prone to root rot
Mildly toxic to pets

Snake plant

Best for any light conditions

Home Depot

Another air purifying plant to add to your desk is a snake plant, also known as Sansevieria trifasciata, or by Mother-in-Law’s Tongue. The snake plant requires little maintenance since it is drought tolerant. In addition, it thrives in a wide range of light conditions, so a snake plant will most likely grow whether your office is sunny or dark.

Just be sure to keep this indoor plant in the temperature range of 55-80 degrees Fahrenheit so it can properly grow. And, since the snake plant is a desert plant, only water it when the soil is 100% dry.

A bonus to the snake plant is that they perform a different type of photosynthesis at night and release more oxygen, so if your office space is located in your bedroom, you’ll benefit from it while you’re sleeping.

Pros

Can withstand full sun and low light
Limited watering and no need to mist

Cons

Not pre-potted
Grows at a slower rate when indoors
Toxic to small children and pets

Money tree

Best for easy watering

Home Depot

The money tree (or Pachira aquatica) is known as a plant that brings good look in many cultures. In Feng Shui practices, money trees can bring money and good fortune to people, so what better plant to have on your work desk?

Money trees are extremely easy to water, making them the perfect indoor plant for those who don’t necessarily have a green thumb. Once a week, just put two ice cubes on the soil (or three tablespoons of water if you don’t have ice cubes on hand), and the plant should thrive. In addition, money trees also like bright, indirect light. However, they can also adapt to low and fluorescent lights, so even your office without windows should be able to be a decent environment for a money tree.

Pros

Already pre-potted
Non-toxic to pets
Doubles as a good luck charm

Cons

Be careful of overwatering
Require regular pruning

Aloe vera

Best medicinal plant

Walmart

Maybe you want a plant that can act as more than just something nice to look at. In that case, the aloe vera plant (Aloe barbadensis miller) has medicinal properties in its aloe gel and can be used to soothe minor cuts, scrapes, and sunburns. You can apply the fresh aloe gel to your skin or add it to smoothies and drinks to reap its medicinal benefits. However, stay away from the aloe vera latex, a yellow substance found inside the leave that poses risks when ingested.

Aloe vera is technically a succulent, so it is drought-tolerant and needs bright light—about six hours of sunlight. For this reason, it’s best to place your aloe vera plant in a south or west-facing window. Also, keep your aloe vera in a pot that drains well since it cannot tolerate standing water and will die if there is no outlet for water drainage.

Pros

Does not need to be fertilized
Gel can be used internally or externally
Easy maintenance

Cons

Cannot tolerate standing water
Pay attention to dosage information when taking aloe vera and talk to your doctor before taking or using aloe vera
Toxic to pets

Succulents

Best low maintenance

Walmart

Succulents are stylish indoor plants that are also relatively easy to take care of. The only things your succulent needs are indirect sunlight (so be sure to place your plant by a window), a good watering once a week, and a pot with solid drainage.

Your succulent will need even less attention in the winter months since they become dormant. This means you can wait up to a month in between watering in the winter months, but always keep an eye on the leaves to see when they might need water.

While terrariums are a popular and stylish way to house succulents, it’s harder to keep them alive in one compared to growing them in a traditional pot. Since there are no drainage holes, if you plan to keep your succulent in a terrarium, it’s best to water it with a spray bottle or let an ice cube melt in it.

Pros

Drought resistant
Easy to propagate
Comes in many different styles and colors

Cons

Grows slow
Not ideal for colder climates (if you have a cold office space)
Can rot easily

Also: Best indoor garden

How did we choose these indoor plants?

We chose these plants based on our own experience growing them and how easy they are to care for. Of course, indoor plants shouldn’t be a job to take care of — you have your day job for that — so we made sure to choose relatively low-maintenance plants that thrive in a wider variety of conditions since office spaces can vary.

Which indoor plant is right for you?

To determine the right indoor plant for you, you’ll have to look at your office space. For example, if your desk is next to a window, you can opt for plants that like more sunlight. However, if you work in a room without windows or where there isn’t much natural light, it’s best to choose a plant that can thrive in low-light conditions.

Also, pay attention to the maintenance requirements for each plant. While all the plants on this list are relatively low maintenance, you still have to pay attention and look for clues for some to see how their health is doing. If you run into any problems with your plant, try watering less, changing the plant’s location, or looking into seeing if it might need fertilizer.

Plant	Toxic?	Sunlight	Water
Pothos	Yes	Medium-high light spots, but can adapt to low light	Prefers moist soil, water when dry
Snake plant	Yes	Any light conditions	Water when soil is 100% dry
Money tree	No	Bright indirect light, but can adapt to low and fluorescent light	Two ice cubes on top of the soil once a week
Aloe vera	Yes	Bright light	Water when dry, make sure there are drainage holes
Succulent	Most are not, but some are	Indirect sunlight	Water once a week

Where can you buy plants for your desk?

Stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart have gardening sections where you can buy plants. Your local nursery will also have plenty of options for indoor plants—just be sure you buy an indoor plant and not an outdoor plant, as they require different sunlight and watering expectations.

Are there alternative indoor plants worth considering?

Here are a few others to look into:

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Despite spending Rs1,100cr, sewage still contaminating drinking water | Nagpur News

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Nagpur: Despite spending Rs1,100 crore and five years after the deadline for 24X7 water project, many areas of the city continue to get contaminated drinking water due to mixing of sewage. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) private operator Orange City Water Private Limited (OCW) is allegedly closing complaints from citizens without addressing the grievances.
A resident of Jaffar Nagar, West Nagpur, Musharraf Hussain Khateeb told TOI that around 100 houses in the residential area are getting contaminated water for more than a year now and the problem has increased in the last three months. “We have been paying the bills regularly, yet there is constant supply of contaminated water,” he said.
Khateeb claimed that since December 14, he has lodged four online complaints with OCW which declared them closed stating that the problem has been resolved.
According to former NCP corporator Abha Pande, many areas in east Nagpur continue to get contaminated water. “Telipura, Shanti Nagar, Bastarwari, houses at Zade Chowk, Prem Nagar, Nayapura, residences near Pratibha High School in my ward are badly affected. Problems increased after NMC engaged OCW in 2012. OCW does not have experienced staff and complaints are not addressed. NMC officials pass the buck on OCW,” she said.
General secretary of state youth Congress, Ketan Thakre said, “Contaminated water supply is a regular problem in a few parts of South-West Nagpur. Tukdoji Nagar and Kamgar Colony are the worst-affected. NMC is making tall claims about supplying 24×7 water. There cannot be water contamination if there is round-the- clock supply. It is inhuman to supply sewage-mixed drinking water,” he said.
Former BSP corporator Jitendra Godeshwar pointed out that in the last five years NMC never took cognizance though corporators from all political parties raised the issue in the general body. “NMC and OCW have been neglecting North Nagpur. Taj Nagar, Kuchh Kuva area, Yadav Nagar, Housing Board Colony, Khante Nagar etc in my ward are getting contaminated water,” he said.
Few areas of Siraspeth in South Nagpur are facing the same problem for the last few days.
Former Congress corporator Manoj Sable said that people are fed up of contaminated water supply in Ganeshpeth and adjacent areas.
The UPA government had sanctioned Rs 1,100 crore for improvement of water supply of the city between 2006 and 2009. NMC engaged OCW in March 2012 and paying the company at high rates. The civic body had claimed the operator will solve all issues and facilitate 24×7 water supply by March 2017.
A spokesperson from OCW said, “NMC-OCW resolve complaints on a priority basis. There was a complaint from only one area, Eidgah Galli from Jaffar Nagar, on March 16. The complaint will be resolved in a day or two. In Siraspeth, one residential lane behind Navyug School is receiving polluted water. Work is going on. We are supplying water to consumers through tankers in affected area,” he said.
The spokesperson added that many illegal water connections have been detected in Siraspeth and many pipelines have been detected passing through sewage chambers in Jaffar Nagar. “We are identifying the problems and resolving it,” he said.
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Late-season rise in flu cases | News

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

This month’s lifting of state mask requirements put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting many Oregonians to remove their face coverings.

Oregon health officials say it’s a good time to remind people about the importance of getting vaccinated against another circulating virus: influenza.

Oregon is seeing a late-season rise in flu cases – flu season generally peaks around late January or February – as mask requirements for public indoor spaces and schools fall away, making it easier to spread the virus from person to person, according to Oregon Health Authority communicable disease experts.

“The 2020-2021 flu season was virtually non-existent as public health restrictions, such as stay-home orders, mask requirements, and limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings, kept flu cases down at record-low levels,” OHA’s Public Health Division Medical Director for Communicable Diseases and Immunizations Paul Cieslak, M.D. said. “Now we’re seeing more cases at a time when the season is usually coming to a close.”

During the week of March 6 to March 12, Oregon reported that 3.1% of influenza tests were positive, compared with 2.5% the week of Feb. 27 to March 5, 1.6% the week of Feb. 20 to Feb. 26, and .6% the week of Feb. 6 to Feb. 12. During the same week of the 2020-2021 season, a scant .1% of flu tests were positive. The vast majority of flu cases have been influenza A.

Cieslak emphasizes that it’s still not too late to get a flu vaccine, and getting it now, as indoor and outdoor gatherings become more common, can help reverse the surge. Getting vaccinated can also reduce the severity of flu illness even if you get infected.

Anyone ages six months and older should get the flu vaccine, particularly young children, older adults and those who have chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease or metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

Pregnant women should get vaccinated since children younger than six months can’t get the flu vaccine. When a pregnant woman gets the vaccine, it means she not only avoids serious complications during pregnancy, but she also transmits, through the placenta, precious flu antibodies for her unborn child.

Flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19. That’s why it’s important to get the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine, both of which are available from health care providers, local health departments and many pharmacies in Oregon.

The flu vaccine is free or low cost with most health insurance plans. To find flu vaccine clinic, visit www.flu.oregon.gov and use OHA’s flu vaccine locator tool.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent the flu, according to health officials. Additional ways Oregonians can help prevent the spread of flu include:

Staying home from work or school when you are sick and limit contact with others.

Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Washing hands frequently with soap and water; use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.

Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may have flu germs on them.

Avoiding getting coughed and sneezed on.

Influenza, also known as flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

Flu signs and symptoms usually come on suddenly, the CDC states. People who are sick with flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

Fever* or feeling feverish/chills

Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

For more information, visit OHA’s flu prevention page. Also, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s FluView page for updates on influenza activity around the country.

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Originally Appeared Here

What does the Biden administration know about COVID-19 that has eluded the grasp of B.C. health authorities?

March 26, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Earlier this week, Safe Schools Coalition B.C. issued an urgent call to reinstate mask mandates in K-12 schools when Spring Break comes to an end.

“The Omicron BA.2 variant is causing cases and hospitalizations to rise in Europe, Hong Kong, South Korea, and China, with some experts warning it is close to measles in transmissibility and continuing to warn about serious effects, even in young, healthy people,” the coalition pointed out in an open letter.

The letter also pointed out that according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, the subvariant BA.2 has already surpassed the original Omicron strain. Moreover, a new subvariant, known as BA.2.2., has become a cause of concern.

Many parents are unaware that B.C. public health officials have not always been on the same page as the Biden administration and the World Health Organization in their beliefs about the transmission of COVID-19.

Below, you can see some quotes that illustrate this.

Transmission

“The most common way COVID-19 is transmitted from one person to another is through tiny airborne particles of the virus hanging in indoor air for minutes or hours after an infected person has been there.”

— Dr. Alondra Nelson, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Deputy Assistant to the President (March 23, 2022)

“What I can tell you after following up over 70,000 cases, it requires close contact to be infected with COVID-19. So it does not spread long distances. It’s not like measles, where we’ve had situations where a case of measles might walk through an airport, and an hour later, someone else will walk through the same airspace and come down with measles.”

— Dr. Patricia Daly, chief medical health officer and vice president of public health at Vancouver Coastal Health (February 2022)

“The virus can also spread in poorly ventilated and/or crowded indoor settings, where people tend to spend longer periods of time. This is because aerosols can remain suspended in the air or travel farther than conversational distance (this is often called long-range aerosol or long-range airborne transmission).”

— World Health Organization (December 2021)

“COVID-19 is a droplet spread organism. However, there are a few procedures that may cause the droplets to disperse as fine aerosols.”

— Vancouver Island Health Authority (March 2022)

Air filtration

“In fact, research shows changing the air in a room multiple times an hour with filtered or clean outdoor air—using a window fan, by using higher MERV filters in an Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, using portable air cleaning devices, and even just opening a window—can reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission—with studies showing five air changes an hour reduce transmission risk by 50 percent.”

— Dr. Alondra Nelson, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Deputy Assistant to the President (March 23, 2022)

“While there are various strategies for avoiding breathing that air—from remote work to masking—we can and should talk more about how to make indoor environments safer by filtering or cleaning air.”

— Dr. Alondra Nelson, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Deputy Assistant to the President (March 23, 2022)

“Like most common respiratory viruses, COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplet transmission within a short range. Most commonly, students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 acquire the virus through close contact with a case at home or through their social networks. Unfortunately, school-based ventilation changes are unlikely to prevent transmissions in homes and social networks. In-school transmission accounts for approximately 1% of COVID-19 cases.”

—Vancouver Coastal Health (January 10, 2022)

“In the current study [of more than 1.1 million students and more than 157,000 staff]…approximately 10% of cases were acquired within school.”

—National Institutes of Health (March 10, 2022)

Mandatory masks in schools

“This means that masks will no longer be required in all settings in schools once children and staff return from Spring Break… These decisions are grounded in science and the data about what is happening in our communities for where we are right now.”

—Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C. provincial health officer (March 10, 2022)

“Schools with mandatory masking during the Delta surge had approximately 72% fewer cases of in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2 when compared to schools with optional or partial masking policies, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study included more than 1.1 million students and over 157,000 staff attending in-person school across nine states: North Carolina, Wisconsin, Missouri, California, Washington, Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas and Texas.”

—National Institutes of Health (March 10, 2022)

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