Mistake 4: Avoiding Proper Movement And Muscle Activation

Mistake 4: Avoiding Proper Movement And Muscle Activation

"Another thing that helps performance and even recovery is making sure my body is firing properly and the right muscles are activated when I need them to be," Fraser says.

He points out that shoulder, hip, and knee pain can easily throw this out of whack. When the stabilizer muscles aren't working properly, other muscles begin taking over.

"Your muscles get pulled in funny directions, and over time, or sometimes immediately, it causes injury," he says. "I make sure my movement patterns are correct and keep mobility on point so that I am not putting my body into a vulnerable position."

When you keep the engine running properly by doing regular mobility work and stretching, eating whole foods, and taking your recovery supplements, you lessen the likelihood of getting hurt and make it easier for your body to recover between workouts. Spend time on the little things!

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Mistake 3: Training Volume That Doesn't Fit Your Needs

Mistake 3: Training Volume That Doesn't Fit Your Needs

The correlation between performance and recovery is a popular topic these days, and Fraser suggests you look not only at what you're doing outside of the gym, but also at your actual training for improvements in this area.

"A big thing that led to better recovery and performance was working on the things I needed to work on," says Fraser. "Doing things exactly the way the top guys in your sport are doing them doesn't mean you will see the same results. Odds are they're doing the things they're doing because that's what they need to work on."

Mat Fraser training with barbell

Fraser suggests you analyze what your own deficits are. Ask yourself how you can get better at them. Then, figure out the volume of work that fits best for you—not someone else. This is where better recovery comes in.

"My recovery improved when I realized volume isn't king for me," he says. "It doesn't really do anything for my performance. I tried to train at the same volume as some of the other guys, and it didn't produce the results I was looking for. Now, I train smarter, which for me means lower volume. That helps keep my body feeling its best."

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Mistake 2: Being Impatient With Progress

Mistake 2: Being Impatient With Progress

"The biggest mistake I see with people who are new to CrossFit is trying to advance too quickly," says Fraser. "Just because you can do a muscle-up doesn't mean you should. Get the fundamentals down pat before you start adding in more complex movements."

Mat Fraser

Fraser sees CrossFitters who can barely perform one strict pull-up get up and swing on the rings, attempting to get their first muscle-up. He sees the same thing with Olympic lifters. Many new athletes are under the impression that advanced barbell complexes are the answer to improvement. Fraser answers that with a big "nope."

You have to know when to pull back on the reigns. Says Fraser: "What you probably don't see is that pro Olympic lifter or CrossFit athlete spending a month's worth of workouts with a PVC pipe in their hands, a month doing nothing but a plain snatch and clean and jerk, solely focusing on technique. Get the fundamentals down before trying to make progressions."

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Mistake 1: Not Getting Enough Sleep

Mistake 1: Not Getting Enough Sleep

Fraser says the biggest thing he would go back and change or tell himself in terms of recovery is to GO TO BED.

"During high school and the early years of college, I thought everyone woke up tired," says Fraser. "I thought being groggy for the first waking hour or two and then pounding down enough caffeine to fully open your eyes was normal. But now I realize how foolish that approach is and how important solid sleep is."

Fraser also points out that just one good night of sleep on occasion won't do much for you. Like all things in fitness, you need to be consistent.

"All the changes I've made in my career added up over time," he says. "They compound over the entire year. So, after getting a good night's sleep, your training the next day might be 1 percent better. One percent over one day isn't going to do anything. But if you continue improving by 1 percent every single day for an entire year, that's when you start to see the results take place in your performance."

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Mat Fraser's Top 5 Training Mistakes to Avoid

Mat Fraser's Top 5 Training Mistakes to Avoid

Mat Fraser is a familiar name even to many people who aren't CrossFit fans. He's an athlete who can be trusted on the topic of recovery, regardless of your path in fitness!

If you haven't noticed, there are no "secrets" to training, per se. There's knowledge on training, nutrition, and recovery—and continuing to build upon that knowledge—but most often, little things keep us from achieving our desired results in the gym. Sometimes we don't even notice these small mistakes in areas such as rest, movement, and programming.

Believe it or not, Mat Fraser, four-time "Fittest Man on Earth" and XTEND-sponsored athlete, has already made some of the same mistakes you're probably making now. Whether you're pursuing CrossFit or some other path to fitness, Fraser is here to steer you in the right direction toward staying healthy, performing optimally, and lengthening your lifespan in fitness.

It's up to you to take control of the variables that could be holding you back. Here are Fraser's five training mistakes to avoid:

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Mat Fraser's Top 5 Training Mistakes to Avoid

Bodybuilder, Fitness, Muscle Man,Article,Bodybuilding,Posts,Photos,Musculer Man, Pins,

Mat Fraser's Top 5 Training Mistakes to Avoid

Mat Fraser is a familiar name even to many people who aren't CrossFit fans. He's an athlete who can be trusted on the topic of recovery, regardless of your path in fitness!

If you haven't noticed, there are no "secrets" to training, per se. There's knowledge on training, nutrition, and recovery—and continuing to build upon that knowledge—but most often, little things keep us from achieving our desired results in the gym. Sometimes we don't even notice these small mistakes in areas such as rest, movement, and programming.

Believe it or not, Mat Fraser, four-time "Fittest Man on Earth" and XTEND-sponsored athlete, has already made some of the same mistakes you're probably making now. Whether you're pursuing CrossFit or some other path to fitness, Fraser is here to steer you in the right direction toward staying healthy, performing optimally, and lengthening your lifespan in fitness.

It's up to you to take control of the variables that could be holding you back. Here are Fraser's five training mistakes to avoid:

Mistake 1: Not Getting Enough Sleep

Fraser says the biggest thing he would go back and change or tell himself in terms of recovery is to GO TO BED.

"During high school and the early years of college, I thought everyone woke up tired," says Fraser. "I thought being groggy for the first waking hour or two and then pounding down enough caffeine to fully open your eyes was normal. But now I realize how foolish that approach is and how important solid sleep is."

Fraser also points out that just one good night of sleep on occasion won't do much for you. Like all things in fitness, you need to be consistent.

"All the changes I've made in my career added up over time," he says. "They compound over the entire year. So, after getting a good night's sleep, your training the next day might be 1 percent better. One percent over one day isn't going to do anything. But if you continue improving by 1 percent every single day for an entire year, that's when you start to see the results take place in your performance."

Mistake 2: Being Impatient With Progress

"The biggest mistake I see with people who are new to CrossFit is trying to advance too quickly," says Fraser. "Just because you can do a muscle-up doesn't mean you should. Get the fundamentals down pat before you start adding in more complex movements."

Mat Fraser

Fraser sees CrossFitters who can barely perform one strict pull-up get up and swing on the rings, attempting to get their first muscle-up. He sees the same thing with Olympic lifters. Many new athletes are under the impression that advanced barbell complexes are the answer to improvement. Fraser answers that with a big "nope."

You have to know when to pull back on the reigns. Says Fraser: "What you probably don't see is that pro Olympic lifter or CrossFit athlete spending a month's worth of workouts with a PVC pipe in their hands, a month doing nothing but a plain snatch and clean and jerk, solely focusing on technique. Get the fundamentals down before trying to make progressions."

Mistake 3: Training Volume That Doesn't Fit Your Needs

The correlation between performance and recovery is a popular topic these days, and Fraser suggests you look not only at what you're doing outside of the gym, but also at your actual training for improvements in this area.

"A big thing that led to better recovery and performance was working on the things I needed to work on," says Fraser. "Doing things exactly the way the top guys in your sport are doing them doesn't mean you will see the same results. Odds are they're doing the things they're doing because that's what they need to work on."

Mat Fraser training with barbell

Fraser suggests you analyze what your own deficits are. Ask yourself how you can get better at them. Then, figure out the volume of work that fits best for you—not someone else. This is where better recovery comes in.

"My recovery improved when I realized volume isn't king for me," he says. "It doesn't really do anything for my performance. I tried to train at the same volume as some of the other guys, and it didn't produce the results I was looking for. Now, I train smarter, which for me means lower volume. That helps keep my body feeling its best."

Mistake 4: Avoiding Proper Movement And Muscle Activation

"Another thing that helps performance and even recovery is making sure my body is firing properly and the right muscles are activated when I need them to be," Fraser says.

He points out that shoulder, hip, and knee pain can easily throw this out of whack. When the stabilizer muscles aren't working properly, other muscles begin taking over.

"Your muscles get pulled in funny directions, and over time, or sometimes immediately, it causes injury," he says. "I make sure my movement patterns are correct and keep mobility on point so that I am not putting my body into a vulnerable position."

When you keep the engine running properly by doing regular mobility work and stretching, eating whole foods, and taking your recovery supplements, you lessen the likelihood of getting hurt and make it easier for your body to recover between workouts. Spend time on the little things!

Mistake 5: Not Warming Up Properly For Each Day's Training

You simply cannot be a serious athlete, or even a regular gym-goer pushing heavy weights, and think you can get away with skipping warm-ups.

"Take something like a workout with a heavy dose of ring muscle-ups," says Fraser. "I used to jump up on the rings and do a couple muscle-ups when my heart rate was low to get certain body parts warmed up and ready for the workout," he explains. "But now, I take a step back and ask myself what muscles I'm going to use, and which joints are going to take a pounding. Then I'll base my warm-up on exercises that will get those muscles and joints ready and mimic the movements I'm about to do. This way, when I start to get fatigued, my body naturally defaults to those same patterns."

Mat Fraser performing ring dips

Fraser says he used to think of warm-ups as wasting 15 minutes of his time. Now, he knows that if he wants the workout to go well—and feel good enough to do another one after—warming up properly is not something you just wing or skip completely.

"Doing everything in my power to prevent injury and just make sure I feel good before training is super important, but it also makes a huge difference in how I feel going into the next workout," he says

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Mostafa Yousri Before and After What are your future plans or goals in fitness?

Bodybuilder, Fitness, Muscle Man,Article,Bodybuilding,Posts,Photos,Musculer Man, Pins,

Mostafa Yousri Before and After

What are your future plans or goals in fitness?

My first goal is to become certified in personal training and sports nutrition so that I can pass on what I have learned to others. From there I would love to develop my own sports program and nutrition program in the light of my experience and spread them widely in order to motivate beginners from all over the globe. For my personal fitness journey, the next steps include running a marathon and completing the Ripped Remix program.

How did bc body building and fitness.blogspot.com help you reach your goals?

bc body building and fitness.blogspot.com was my go-to source for workouts, articles, and supplementation. I tracked all of my workouts, including the 12-Week Muscle-Building Trainer and 4Weeks2Shred by Kris Gethin. The videos included in these programs helped me really learn as I was going. Plus, I could track my weights during workouts. BodySpace is another great tool where I kept track of my weight and body fat percentage to easily see the progress I was making. bc body building and fitness.blogspot.com also has an awesome YouTube channel with motivational and workout videos, and their social media channels are a great way to watch motivational videos presented by bc body building and fitness.blogspot.com athletes. Joining a fit family helps you feel successful and forget about any old failures.

Any cool or interesting facts about yourself that you would like to share?

Not only did I develop myself physically, but I also learned photography and playing the piano, and I became sure that sports are the beginning of all positive things. I've formed a running team and have taken part in several marathons in my city. Today, I feel I deserve to dream high, and I hope to be a source of positive energy to everyone.

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What was the most challenging aspect of your journey?

What was the most challenging aspect of your journey?

Time. I work for 60 hours per week, which leaves very little time for learning and application. To achieve my goal, I needed time for reading, learning, preparing healthy meals, training five times a week, and having some time to rest. And after a while, something new appeared on the horizon—we were blessed with a baby boy who brightened up our life like no other thing.

One thing I learned is that you shouldn't work endlessly. Work shouldn't be your whole life, just part of it. When you have a goal, you should do your best to achieve it and save time for what's important to you, regardless of how busy you are.

If you could say one thing to someone aspiring to take on a major transformation of their own, what would it be?

Don't listen to any negative comments. Some people are simply "energy vampires"; they do nothing except give destructive criticism. Set your goal, work hard to achieve it, learn, seek advice from experienced people, and exert great effort. Dust yourself off when you fall. You deserve the best! And be patient. Good things take time.

"Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you." –Ovid

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TURKISH GRAND PRIX - ISTANBUL PARK - 13-15 November

 Autosport 11 November 2020 - by Haydn Cobb

Formula 1 heads to its latest unexpected round on the reshaped 2020 calendar with the Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park.

With Lewis Hamilton leading home a Mercedes 1-2 for the fifth time this season last time out at Imola, the German manufacturer wrapped up a record-breaking seventh consecutive F1 world constructors' crown.

This weekend Hamilton has the chance to seal the F1 drivers' title at the Turkish GP, which he will achieve if he avoids conceding eight points or more to Bottas in the standings.

When did F1 last race in Turkey?

The last F1 Turkish GP was nine years ago when Sebastian Vettel claimed victory for Red Bull at Istanbul Park.

Despite being immensely popular with the drivers, the Turkish round dropped off the F1 calendar due to increasing hosting fee demands from championship organisers.

In total there have been seven Turkish GPs in F1 history, between 2005-11, with Istanbul Park hosting all of those races after it was constructed in 2005. The circuit was designed by iconic track architect Hermann Tilke.

Why is F1 racing in Turkey?

Due to the redrafted 2020 F1 calendar following the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent cancellation of 13 races, series bosses have scrambled to produce a campaign of a minimum of eight races to meet FIA world championship criteria along with reaching a minimum of 15 races to fulfil the TV broadcasting deal.

As well as hosting double-headers at the Red Bull Ring, Silverstone and Bahrain, F1 will also head to venues not on the original 2020 calendar, with Istanbul Park the fifth of the new destinations, following on from Mugello, the Nurburgring, Portimao and Imola.

Will fans be allowed at the Turkish GP?

In October, race organisers had to drop plans to open the circuit to spectators due to growing COVID-19 concerns. Originally the Istanbul circuit had hoped to attract up to 100,000 fans for the race but with rising infections it has now been decided by the governorship of Istanbul that the race can only go ahead behind closed doors.

2020 Formula 1 Turkish GP session timings

F1 is sticking to its traditional format of two free practice sessions lasting 90 minutes each on Friday, followed by an additional practice session running for one hour on Saturday morning.

The Q1, Q2 and Q3 knockout-style qualifying format is also being retained on Saturday afternoon to decide the grid for the 58-lap Turkish GP on Sunday.

Friday 13th November 2020
Free Practice 1: 8:00am-9:30am GMT (11:00am-12:30pm local)
Free Practice 2: 12:00pm-1:30pm GMT (3:00pm-4:30pm local)

Saturday 14th November 2020
Free Practice 3: 9:00am-10:00pm GMT (12:00pm-1:00pm local)
Qualifying: 12:00pm-1:00pm GMT (3:00pm-4:00pm local)

Sunday 15th November 2020
Race: 10:10am GMT (1:10pm local)

How can I watch the Turkish GP?

Channel: Sky Sports F1 HD
Channel numbers - Sky: 406
Channel numbers - Virgin Media: 506 (Sky Sports F1 HD)

Sky Sports has live and exclusive broadcasting rights in the United Kingdom with the build-up to the F1 race starting from 8:30am ahead of lights out at 10:10am.
When can I watch the highlights?

Channel: Channel 4
Start time: Saturday qualifying 4:30pm, Sunday race 4:00pm

Channel 4 has the rights to show Turkish GP highlights of qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday.

Weather forecast for the Turkish GP

Istanbul Park is set for mixed conditions for the race weekend, with an increasing chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday. Across the three days of planned track action highs of 17 degrees Celsius are forecast - around the same temperature as the Emilia Romagna GP.

Pirelli tyre allocation for the Turkish GP

Pirelli has opted for its hardest range of compounds for the Turkish GP, with the hard tyre C1, medium tyre C2 and soft tyre C3.

For all of the races in the reshuffled 2020 F1 season each driver will be given the same allocation of tyres per race, while for Turkey there is a slight tweak in the allocation compound splits across the usual 13 sets.

Each driver will get seven sets of softs, three sets of mediums and three sets of hards rather than the usual eight sets of softs, three sets of mediums and two sets of hards. Pirelli will also supply a range of wet and intermediate tyres for each driver.

Most F1 Turkish GP wins

Felipe Massa: 3 wins (2006, 2007, 2008)
Sebastian Vettel: 1 win (2011)
Lewis Hamilton: 1 win (2010)
Jenson Button: 1 win (2009)
Kimi Raikkonen: 1 win (2005)

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VAT PAYMENTS

 Filenews 12 November 2020

The Tax Department informs today that after the legislation to pay VAT in six instalments (Law 147(I)/2020), the first instalment had a deadline of 10 November 2020.

The next five instalments should be paid no later than the 10th of each month for the next five months (10/12/2020,10/1/2021,10/2021,10/3/2021 and 10/4/2021), the Tax Department says.

The Department notes that, if the payment of the above tax is not made in accordance with this regulation (in at least six equal instalments on the specified dates), interest and a 10% financial charge are charged on the tax due.

At the same time, it informs interested parties that they can find out about the VAT due on the above arrangement, after they have connected to the "Tax Portal" and choose a "debt statement" to see their account.

According to the notice, THE PAYMENT OF VAT is made via internet banking based on the payment reference number on the Tax Portal, choosing from the "statement of debts - VAT", the period for which the payment is made. On the basis of this information, there is no need to contact the Tax Department for payment codes and forms.

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9 CHECKPOINTS TO AND FROM PAPHOS AND LIMASSOL

 Filenews 12 November 2020

With nine checkpoints on the roads leading to the provinces of Limassol and Paphos, the Police will attempt to check those who go to these two provinces.

Speaking to OMEGA, Police Spokesman Christos Andreu pointed out that the Police Action Plans for control of provinces and trafficking have been drawn up.

The 9 checkpoints to be set up are:

1. Governor's Coast
2. Stone of Rome to Paphos
3. Ora Region
4. Palechori to Agros
5. Karvoun
6. Precursor
7. Agios Nikolaos Paphos
8. Cross Psokas to Kykkos
9. Pomos to Pachyammo

Source: eyenews

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DRAFT CORRUPTION MEASURES REVEALED

 Filenews 12 November 2020 - by Nikoleta Kourousi

The draft package of measures prepared by the Government to combat corruption reveals eyenews. The design under the title "State of Law - Transparency - Accountability" concerns an update of the Horizontal Action Plan, prepared by the Ministry of Justice and Public Order and approved by the Council of Ministers on 15 May 2019, with a view to implementing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

This draft has been sent to the political parties and their positions are expected by 20 November, so that the package of proposals will then be presented by President Anastasiades.

It is also noted that the plan has a duration of five years and will be evaluated annually.

 The project aims to improve the political, economic, social and legislative environment through coordinated actions in 3 main pillars:

1st pillar: Prevention of Corruption: With the aim of reducing the opportunities for corruption and preventing its causes, through continuous Education and Awareness, horizontally of society and at all levels, information is sought on the relevant issues, with a view to changing behaviour and mentality, strengthening society's sense of demanding good management and accountability, pushing society to resist and prevent corruption and strengthening the framework for the participation of non-state actors.

2nd Pillar: Legislative Modernisation by strengthening and exploiting the legal framework against corruption, with the aim of shielding justice and strengthening control mechanisms by strengthening anti-corruption tools and achieving more effective and rapid repression procedures

3rd Pillar: Supervision and Risk Assessment, establishment of structures to monitor and monitor the progress of the implementation of the planning and effectiveness of measures to comply with good governance and accountability rules.

- As regards actions relating to the first pillar, i.e. the prevention of corruption, they are as follows:

1) Adoption of the Action Planning by the Council of Ministers and information of all government agencies and other stakeholders in December 2020.

2)Substantial strengthening and effective operation of internal control units in all Ministries, Public and Wider Public Sector Organisations (semi-state and others), Independent Services and other stakeholders, during January 2021.

In addition, the promotion of:

A. The establishment of contact points, hereinafter referred to as The Officers – Liaisons, as well as the operation of a Cyprus telephone complaint and information line in relation to the targeted issues.

B. Mapping structures, responsibilities and areas of action for all actors involved in the prosecution, control and suppression of corruption cases. Create protocols and record procedures to limit the possibility of abuse of potential loopholes in legislation.

3) Campaign to raise awareness and urge society to resist preventing and denouncing corruption.

4) Continuous education and training with specialized training programs and seminars for public and general public sector officials and managers in thematic.

5) Raising awareness & educating students about corruption issues.

6) Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Academic Institutions of the region, with the aim of providing continuous information and developing innovative methods/practices for the prevention and suppression of corruption In January 2021 the Presidency of the Ministry of Education

7) Signing of a Youth Declaration against Corruption, in which a series of actions will be promoted with the final recipients of the Youth and in a way that will make them part of the fight for Transparency.

- The 2nd Pillar, concerning Legislative and Structural Modernisation, includes the following actions, most of which are expected to be implemented in the first quarter of 2021:

1) Establish/Review/Strengthen Code of Conduct by:

A. The Council of Ministers

B. Members of the House of Representatives G. Judges and Public Prosecutors

D. Police

E. In private bodies and organisations

F. In the Public Service

2) Strengthening/Strengthening the regulation of independent and adequate mechanisms for the control of the declarations of assets of Politically Exposed Persons. These include the timely promotion of legislation on corruption and transparency, the acceleration of the administration of justice and the modernisation of the Courts and the establishment of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority.

3)Revision, harmonisation and strengthening of the provisions of the instruments relating to acts of corruption in accordance with the recommendations and evaluations of international and European organisations.

4) Strengthening/Strengthening legislation to tackle tax evasion and money laundering.

5) Strengthen the powers and responsibilities of law enforcement authorities to collect and investigate information more effectively.

6) Strengthening legislation to ensure that sanctions against legal persons are effective, proportionate and dissuasive 1st quarter 2021 NDS

7) Review of the provisions of the Penal Code in order to comply with the new perceptions and recommendations of international bodies on corruption issues, such as the deletion from the definition of arbitrary act of the phrase 'infringes the rights of another' in Article 105.

- With regard to the 3rd pillar of action, i.e. supervision and risk assessment, it is noted that it includes the following actions:

1)Preparation of an Annual Progress Report against Corruption by all Agencies and Ministries, which will be submitted to both the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority and the Council of Ministers, with continuous action January 2020 to January 2024 Independent Anti-Corruption Authority Internal Audit Units.

2) Re-establishment of the Anti-Corruption Coordinating Body which:

(a) Undertakes the ongoing evaluation of the action plan being drawn up.

(b) Advise the PDR in relation to weaknesses and omissions, or best practices to be adopted.

(c) It shall consider the recommendations and recommendations of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority.

(d) Delivers to the PDR an annual progress report and evaluation of the performance/implementation indicators of the actions within the December Presidency.

3) Establishment of a special Advisory Committee by academics and NGOs on the subject under the Minister of Justice and Public Order.

4) Voluntary inclusion of our country in the OECD Programme for Public Integrity. It is essentially a question of additional evaluation by the Council to be set up for this purpose, on issues relating to the building of better systems of governance and policy implementation, with a view to further increasing citizens' confidence in the institutions.

5) Collaboration with an approved Audit Firm, which will add Productivity Indicators (KPIs) for each of the actions, undertaking to renew them according to their implementation path. Both the indicators and the implementation path for the entire design will be accessible to citizens through the monitoring programme of the government programme "EXANTAS". It is the intention of each of the actions to set a specific implementation date as well as a responsible body.

 

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EU SEALS DEAL WITH PFIZER AND BioNTech FOR SUPPLY OF 300million DOSES OF COVID VACCINE

 Reuters 11 November 2020

EU Flag waving against blue Sky

BRUSSELS, Nov 11 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Wednesday it had sealed a deal with Pfizer and BioNTech for the supply of up to 300 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

The move follows Pfizer's announcement on Monday that its experimental vaccine developed with BioNTech was more than 90% effective, making them the first drugmakers to show successful interim data from a large-scale clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine.

Under the EU deal, the 27 EU countries could buy 200 million doses, and have an option to purchase another 100 million.

The EU has already signed supply deals with AstraZeneca , Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson for their experimental COVID-19 shots, and is talking with Moderna , CureVac and Novavax to secure their vaccines. 

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CureVac SEES ITS COVID-19 VACCINE SUITABLE FOR STANDARD FRIDGE TRANSPORT

 Reuters 12 November 2020 

© Reuters/Andreas Gebert FILE PHOTO: Employee Philipp Hoffmann, of German biopharmaceutical company CureVac, demonstrates research workflow on a vaccine for the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease at a laboratory in Tuebingen

BERLIN (Reuters) - CureVac's experimental COVID-19 vaccine will most likely be suitable for standard fridge temperature logistics and remain stable at 5 degrees Celsius (41 F) for at least three months, the German biotech firm said on Thursday.

Its vaccine candidate has the potential to fulfil standard vaccine cold chain requirements, CureVac said in a statement.

The stability of the liquid drug has been tested at its anticipated storage concentration, and it has been stored at 5 degrees Celsius C as well as below minus 60 degrees, it said.

The tests also established stability at room temperature for up to 24 hours, it added.

Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday were the first to release data showing that their vaccine worked in a large, late-stage clinical trial. However, their vaccine comes with special challenges as it needs to be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius or below - equivalent to an Antarctic winter.

© Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach FILE PHOTO: Outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Tuebingen

CureVac is using the so-called messenger RNA (mRNA) approach for its vaccine, the same as German BioNTech and its U.S. partner Pfizer and as Moderna.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger, writing by Kirsti Knolle, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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ITALY'S TRAILBLAZING RAPID TESTS FAIL TO HALT VIRUS

 AFP 11 November 2020

© Alberto PIZZOLI The rapid tests, which are only 80 to 90 percent accurate, have not stopped a coronavirus outbreak

A doctor in an open-air tent in Rome crouches and scrapes high into his patient's nostrils with a fine straw-like implement. He dabs a strip of paper and produces a result: "Negativo."

Italy was the first country in Europe to bet big on these rapid "antigen" coronavirus tests -- a negative result allows bemasked citizens to wander almost as they please -- and its apparent success encouraged Britain, the United States, Slovakia and others to follow suit.

© MIGUEL MEDINA Anyone who tests positive with an antigen test in Italy is supposed to get a PCR test to confirm the result.

Yet the tests, which are roughly 80 to 90 percent accurate, have not stopped an outbreak that has rocketed from around 500 cases a day in August, when they were first rolled out, to more than 35,000 now -- with infections set to top one million on Wednesday.

© John SAEKI Rapid antigen test

"I believe these tests are not used properly at the moment, they are just distributed randomly to everybody," Professor Andrea Crisanti of the University of Padua told AFP, saying the government has no overall plan. 

He said their use as a measure to protect vulnerable people in care homes, for example, was "absolutely criminal" because positive cases could slip through the net.

- 'No alternative' -

A vaccine may well be on its way, but not in time to battle the current wave of infections in Europe and elsewhere.

Instead, policymakers are left scrambling for solutions that avoid the economically devastating lockdowns of earlier this year.

Italy has shut bars, restaurants and shops in the worst-affected areas and introduced a nationwide night curfew, but has so far swerved a second shutdown, with the antigen tests becoming a crucial part of its efforts.

They take just minutes to produce a result and they are cheap, unlike the "gold standard" molecular PCR tests that are close to 100 percent accurate.

"Having such an instrument is fundamental, you have a method to immediately understand if a patient has the virus. It is a good starting point," says family doctor Francesco Stevanato, who has carried out roughly 50 tests from his clinic in Venice.

Rolling them out in airports, it was thought, could help protect the travel industry. With wider availability, schools and businesses could safely stay open.

Professor Sergio Abrignani of the University of Milan, who co-authored a letter with some of Italy's leading scientists in September calling for their widespread use, conceded that they were not an overall solution.

"But there are practical situations where the antigen test has no alternative," he told AFP. 

"For example, when I am boarding a train or a ship and want to reduce the risk. The molecular test takes too long to give me an answer."

- Need a better plan -

Anyone who tests positive with an antigen test in Italy is supposed to get a PCR test to confirm the result. 

But the real danger is false negatives -- if the rapid tests have an accuracy level of 80 or 90 percent, infected people will return negative results.

"If your objective is to screen a community to know if transmission is there, fine," said Crisanti.

However, he said that to halt transmission, rapid tests must be complemented by the accuracy of PCR tests, along with surveillance tools and stay-at-home orders.

The Italian health ministry told AFP there was no specific strategy for testing beyond boosting capacity.

And the National Institute of Health, in charge of monitoring the epidemic for the ministry, could not provide any data related to the uptake of rapid tests.

An integrated approach is frustrated by the fact health policy in Italy is largely controlled by regional officials -- creating wide variations.

But Crisanti said the government should have built a broader plan to capitalise on the lower number of cases after the lockdown.

"If they had built a network for molecular (PCR) tests, if they had integrated this capability with an information tool... and if they had built infrastructure to make the beds available where they are needed, I'm sure we would be in a completely different situation."

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EU SEES VACCINATIONS WITHIN MONTHS AS CASES TOP 1 MILLION IN ITALY

 relax news 12 November 2020 - by AFP

The European Union expressed hope Wednesday that it could start vaccinating people against the novel coronavirus as early as next year, as Italy recorded more than one million cases and Britain said its death toll has surpassed the 50,000 mark.

The head of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Andrea Ammon, told AFP that a vaccination programme could be kicked off "optimistically (in the) first quarter next year, but I can't be more precise," as trials in both the US and Russia suggested that vaccines currently in the final stages of testing were so far proving very effective. A vaccine is seen as the best chance to break the cycle of deadly virus surges and severe restrictions across much of the world since Covid-19 first emerged in China late last year and ballooned into a pandemic. So the announcement by US pharma giant Pfizer on Monday that a vaccine it is developing with Germany's BioNTech is 90 percent effective has sparked a wave of optimism across the globe that the pandemic might soon be brought under control. And the news Wednesday that Russia's own Sputnik V vaccine was 92 percent effective fuelled another rally on the world's stock markets. Nevertheless, the small glimmer of hope is not yet enough to eclipse the grim statistics still being recorded all across the globe. In Italy, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases passed the symbolic one million mark, while almost 43,000 people have died, official data showed. - 'Not out of the woods' -

In Britain, the death toll topped 50,000 after another 595 fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours, government data showed. "Every death is a tragedy... we're not out of the woods yet," said Prime Minister Boris Johnson. And in Spain, the death toll surged over 40,000 with infections passing the 1.4 million mark as the rate of new cases continued to grow, health ministry data showed. In Gibraltar, an elderly woman living in a care home became the first person to die of Covid-19 there, the government said. According to the World Health Organization, some 42 "candidate vaccines" are currently undergoing clinical trial, up from 11 in mid-June. In August, Russia became the first country to register a vaccine, but did so ahead of the large-scale clinical trials that are still under way. For Sputnik V, some 40,000 volunteers at 29 medical centres are taking part in the third and final phase of testing and overseas trials are also taking place in the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Belarus and other countries. Russia promised that the interim research data are to be published in one of the world's "leading peer-reviewed medical academic journals". But even when a vaccine is finally launched, it will not necessarily mark the end of the pandemic, many observers warn. - Virus still accelerating -

"The recovery may not be linear, but rather unsteady, stop-start and contingent on the pace of vaccine roll-out," cautioned European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde. "We could still face recurring cycles of accelerating viral spread and tightening restrictions until widespread immunity is achieved," she told a virtual forum on central banking. In the United States, too, the caseload is soaring -- a record 200,000 new infections were registered on Tuesday and another 1,535 people lost their lives in 24 hours. The virus is also reaching the farthest corners of the earth, with the tiny Pacific Ocean state of Vanuatu reporting its first case, ending its status as one of the few remaining virus-free countries. And in Europe, which has suffered more than 317,525 deaths from 13,339,600 infections, many countries are struggling with a surging second wave. Greece, already under lockdown, announced on Wednesday that a curfew would additionally come into effect from Friday in a bid to curb the spread of the virus and ease pressure on its strapped hospitals. "The situation is extremely critical," said deputy civil protection minister Nikos Hardalias. Sweden, which has so far refused to follow the path of most other countries in imposing mandatory lockdowns, turned up the rhetoric on Wednesday to try to persuade people to take the situation seriously. "Everyone must follow the advice and the recommendations," said Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. "The actions of everyone, the negligence of everyone are significant." In Ukraine, however, nearly 2,000 people protested in Kiev against possible weekend restrictions that officials say may come into force to slow the spread of the virus there. - New EU agency -

The European Commission announced on Wednesday that it intended to build a new agency to prepare for similar crises in the future. While health policy is mainly the responsibility of the bloc's 27 member states, EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said the coronavirus pandemic had shown the need for coordination. Brussels plans to launch a new agency, the Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA), in 2023, Kyriakides said. On Tuesday, the EU parliament and member states struck a deal to pass the bloc's multi-annual budget, unblocking 750 billion euros ($886 billion) in coronavirus recovery funds. The virus has claimed at least 1,275,113 lives worldwide, according to an AFP tally, with more than 51 million cases registered across the globe.      

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BIDEN IS SET TO 'UNDO THE TRUMP YEARS' WITH CIVIL RIGHTS PIVOT

 Bloomberg 12 November 2020 - by Erik Larsen

(Pictured) Biden and his wife Jill, and Harris and her husband Doug, react to the confetti at their election rally in Wilmington, Delaware.

(Bloomberg) -- The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department is headed for a dramatic makeover under President-elect Joe Biden, who has pledged to make racial equality a centerpiece of his agenda.

Biden will seek to return the division to its original purpose, focusing on anti-discrimination laws that protect millions of people in minority groups that were mostly ignored in the Trump years, said Vanita Gupta, who led the division under Obama from 2014 to early 2017.

That means more enforcement of protections in housing, education and the workplace, as well as pushing for better local policing following a tumultuous year of racial unrest, she said.

© Photographer: Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - NOVEMBER 10: U.S. President-elect Joe Biden addresses the media about the Trump Administration’s lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act on November 10, 2020 at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware. Mr. Biden also answered questions about the process of the transition and how a Biden Administration would work with Republicans. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

“This will be an even bigger pivot because of what the Trump administration represents,” said Gupta, who now runs the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “It’s been a kind of systematic erosion of civil rights enforcement that is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent times or recent administrations.”

The division was created in 1957 by the Civil Rights Act to enforce laws barring discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion and national origin. Under Trump, it has sued to protect college admissions for White students, abandoned efforts to protect voting rights and offered support to the president’s political agenda by pushing to ask about citizenship in the census and scrutinizing Democratic governors’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

‘Undo Trump’

Civil-rights enforcement will look a lot different under Biden, who is certain to “undo the Trump years” the same way Trump tried to undo the Obama years -- “but with a vengeance,” said Linda Chavez, who served as the White House Director of Public Liaison for former President Ronald Reagan.

“Anything having to do with race, immigration, voting -- I think you’re going to see a really dramatic shift in the people appointed” and their priorities, said Chavez, now a conservative commentator and author.

Under Trump, one of the highest-profile actions taken by the Civil Rights Division was a lawsuit accusing Yale University of discriminating against White and Asian applicants by taking race into consideration to admit more Black and Hispanic students.

All applicants “should expect and know that they will be judged by their character, talents and achievements and not the color of their skin,” Eric Dreiband, the division’s current chief, said when he announced the case in October.

Samuel Bagenstos, who served in the division under Obama, said the Yale suit illustrates the Trump administration’s approach to civil rights. Affirmative-action policies at schools are intended to level the playing field after centuries of institutionalized racism, so the Civil Rights Division shouldn’t be used to challenge them, said Bagenstos, now a law professor at the University of Michigan.

Racial Bias

Obama gave a shout out to the Civil Rights Division at a campaign speech Oct. 31 in Flint, Michigan, as he urged voters to consider what’s at stake in the election.

“A president by himself can’t eliminate all racial bias in our criminal justice system,” Obama said. “But if we elect district attorneys and state’s attorneys and sheriffs focused on equality and justice, and we once again have a Justice Department and a Civil Rights Division in the Justice Department that cares about these issues, we can make things better.”

Gupta said Trump’s actions over the past four years suggest an embrace of “white supremacy” -- the antithesis of the goals of the Civil Rights Division. She pointed to the president’s failure to unequivocally denounce white nationalists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia, his ban on visitors from predominantly Muslim countries, his disparaging remarks about African nation’s and cruel immigration polices that included separating family members.

Trump has rejected such characterizations. In an interview last month with Fox News, the president said, “I condemn all white supremacists.” He added, “If I say it 100 times it won’t be enough because it’s fake news.”

According to Tom Perez, the head of the division from 2009 to 2013 and now chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Biden will need to reaffirm the importance of civil rights enforcement as part of a broader effort to renew confidence in the Justice Department.

‘Unmitigated Disaster’

“The Civil Rights Division under the Trump administration has been an unmitigated disaster,” Perez said.

Governors in New York, Michigan and New Jersey accused the Civil Rights Division of playing politics when it considered opening an investigation into whether four Democratic-led states that regularly criticized by Trump had caused the virus to spread in nursing homes. Attorney General Bill Barr also directed the division to take legal action against state and local officials if their pandemic restrictions went too far in limiting gatherings by religious groups.

The Civil Rights Division under Trump even got caught up in the president’s failed effort to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.

The American Civil Liberties Union and a group of states led by New York Attorney General Letitia James accused administration officials including John Gore, the head of the division before Dreiband, of providing false testimony about the genesis of the census plan, which U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross claimed was intended to help enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The true motive of the plan was to increase power for Republicans in Congress, and the civil rights angle was a pretext, the states alleged. The Supreme Court called it “contrived.”

Police Practices

Crucially, the Civil Rights Division under Biden will likely resume so-called pattern and practice investigations into local police departments to root out discriminatory practices, Gupta said. That’s more crucial than ever after a year of high-profile killings of Black people by police, massive nationwide protests and civil unrest, she said. Such probes were carried out successfully under both parties but fizzled under Trump, who offered unwavering support to police.

While Biden won’t go as far as defunding local law enforcement, as some Democrats demanded, he is likely to champion a shift back to making sure police departments are addressing systemic racism and discrimination, Bagenstos said.

Deval Patrick, who ran the division under Bill Clinton before serving as governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015, said previous administrations from both parties had more respect for the Civil Rights Division.

“My predecessor in the George H.W. Bush administration may not have been as vigorous in certain areas as I would have wanted, but he wasn’t openly hostile to the assignment,” Patrick said. “He wasn’t going about finding ways to read civil rights out of the civil rights law.”

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