CORONAVIRUS IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

 As I stated earlier in the blog I am Nigerian and I came to the University of Kentucky to get my degree. Therefore, my family still lives in Nigeria. At first I didn't plan to document the coronavirus situation back at home since I didn't directly experience it but I decided to still document it not only because my Geo professor told me to but also because it affected me in at least one way. During the first months of the first covid cases in the US and all over the world in like February, countries in Africa were yet to see their first cases. Countries in Africa started taking measures to avoid an outbreak because compared to countries like America they didn't have enough resources like a ventilator for infected patients. The first case was reported in Nigeria in like the second week of March. Schools in Nigeria work on a quarter system where in each year they have three terms. The pandemic took place when students were towards the end of the second term so when first cases were reported, schools rushed their examinations and went home. The problem with that is there are public and private schools. Public schools back at home are for people that lack funds to attend a private school and the education system is mostly privatized. The major problem was that most children and students in school didn't have the resources for online learning like access to internet and a working laptop or computer so many people did not have access to education.

Secondly in Nigeria, most jobs work with monthly salaries and not hourly pay like the US. When the pandemic started and businesses were forced closed down, people were forced to stay at home. The main problem was that companies were not ready to keep on paying people their salaries while they were not doing any work so many people were laid off. These people were breadwinners for their family which meant that their families were financially unable to afford their normal lifestyle.

GLOBAL COOPERATION AND THE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE

 The world is so connected in many ways. No country produces all the things that they need, therefore each country needs each other to develop and progress. That's basically globalization. Globalization has made it possible for countries to develop in the past and still develop currently. Like every good innovation, globalizations has its benefits and costs. Globalization has benefits like alliances between countries, higher standards of living across the world, lower mortality rates from diseases and infections, technological development and so many other benefits. Due to globalization, problems that occur in a country cannot be contained in a particular space as we have seen with the coronavirus and other pandemics that have happened in the past.  

The same way globalization caused the virus to spread, I believe globalization will favor the distribution of vaccines. The production of the vaccine though has been turned into a competition by these top countries so they could monopolize the market. Instead of hearing news like "China stole Coronavirus vaccine Data" I believe that news should be heard about two or more countries collaborating to come up with a vaccine as the saying goes that 'two heads is better than one'

As I said earlier globalization has made it possible for countries to form alliances with each other. When countries form alliances they are able to make deals that are to their advantage especially when the leaders of these countries are on good terms. For example if the US creates the coronavirus vaccine, countries that have an alliance with the US will most likely have access to the vaccine before another country with no alliance. Also when leaders of different countries are in good terms new deals surrounding the distribution vaccine can be agreed.

World Organizations have been formed to help the less developed and underdeveloped countries that do not have access to the same opportunities as the developed countries. Organizations that center around distributing vaccinations, dispensing drugs, allocating funds to the countries that need them. As a result of this, underdeveloped countries can have access to the coronavirus vaccine.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF CHINA PRODUCES THE VACCINE ?

 With over a million coronavirus cases in the United States since the beginning of this year and pandemic, there is a continuous effort everyday to come up with a vaccine before the end of this year. The vaccine has definitely been turned into a political play for power by the different economically developed countries like China, Russia and America. There is a major concern that if one of this top countries end up being the first country to successfully produce a vaccine that they will dominate the market for administering the vaccine. 

In this blog I will be assuming what will happen if China  successfully produces the coronavirus vaccine to put an end to the pandemic. The first major thing that will most likely happen is that they will be the sole distributor of the vaccine that is they will monopolize the market for the vaccine. By doing this, the other countries that have been trying for months to come up with a vaccine, their efforts will be wasted. The United States alone has spent millions of dollars to come up with a coronavirus compared to what Russia and other big countries have spent.

Another main problem that will arise is that the United States will have limited access and be restricted from getting the vaccine because of the animosity that currently exists between the US and China. This animosity started as a result of this virus. Donald Trump and his regime accused China of keeping the virus to themselves and not warning other countries of it because they wanted to avoid flight bans other things that will affect their alliance with many other great countries. The continuous xenophobia of the United States towards China has caused other countries to also form animosity with China. 

COMPULSORY FLU VACCINATION FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF

The flu season is upon us. Flu vaccination is used to combat the influenza vaccine. The influenza vaccine has similar symptoms with the coronavirus and that is why doctors and healthcare workers are encouraging everyone to take their flu shots so as to avoid getting the flu. The main problem with the flu season is that one can contract both the flu and the coronavirus. It has been termed worldwide as the "Twin Pandemic." As a result of the continuous increase in cases on campus the school decided to make the next step to make flu vaccinations compulsory for all UK students. These flu vaccinations were provided by the Kroger Pharmacy and are distributes in major places around campus.

On the North Campus the main location for administering the vaccines is on the third floor of the Gatton Student Center in rooms 330 A and B. It is advised and preferred for an appointment to be booked before coming in but they also offer walk in options for administering the vaccine. The vaccine center in the student center is open on Mon-Thurs from 9am- 7pm, on Friday 9am-4pm and on Sundays from 1-6pm. The vaccine center closes on October 30th because the deadline for all students to get their flu shot is November 1st. 

On the central campus, the vaccine is administered in the Starbucks in the Willy T Library at limited time schedules. On south campus it is administered in two locations: the 90s and the University Health Service 2nd floor Lobby. At the university health science building it is only by appointment and it is open on Mon-Fri by 9am- 3pm. The 90s is open on Mon-Thurs from 11am-7pm and on Friday from 11am-4pm. It accepts both walk ins and appointment visitation.

A picture of the email sent to all students is given below

For more information regarding the flu shots for students and staff shttps://www.uky.edu/coronavirus/do-your-part/flu-shots/student-flu-shots

IS ONLINE LEARNING FAVORABLE DURING THE PANDEMIC?

 Recently I had a meeting with a resident who just came back from the isolation center at Ingels Hall. He was in quarantine for a while in his room and then tested positive and had to move to the isolation facility. I scheduled this meeting with him just to discuss how he was feeling and how online classes were going. I did not know he tested positive until the meeting and I did not know what to say exactly. My main concern was his academics because I know how much motivation and strength you lose to do things when you are sick. He told me that he had two exams while in isolation. The first question I asked was I hoped you were able to move it until after you pulled through and he replied that he doesn't think it was possible. People that tested positive had no room for delaying their homeworks or lectures. Most times they fall behind in lectures because they are battling with their mental health and physical health. 

Personally, I think that online education has not provided an equal opportunity for learning during covid. What many professors and educators do not understand is that there are many factors that affect online learning. Accessibility to internet is one of the most major factors affecting it. As a result of lack of internet some students deferred their start of school for a semester or a year. Not everyone has the financial ability to give their all to school because they have to support their families by working multiple jobs. Social distancing has also created a toll on the mental health of students which has in turn affected the academic progress of students

Online school has been adventurous. Especially since all my life I have been used to the traditional in-person learning. My online learning experience has been filled with me missing my morning zoom lectures, to falling asleep during those morning zoom lectures, to forgetting to mute myself while in a class and many other zoom experiences. With classes online, professors have given more assignments and quizzes which has been a bit too much especially since I am taking 19 credits this semester.

Last semester when we transitioned to online learning a lot of adjustments were made. The last day to drop a course was moved forward and students could request for a pass/fail grading semester in most courses. This semester I don't think they are doing all this anymore which is not fair because the conditions from last semester hasn't changed or gotten better