Coronavirus
Many ETHDenver attendees report positive COVID-19 tests and few masks
The transmissibility of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 seems to have affected many attendees at the ETHDenver developer conference, who reported symptoms and positive test results following the event. Many social media posts from ETHDenver attendees after the conclusion of the Feb. 11–20 conference claim they tested positive for the virus. A local news outlet reported that more than 12,000 people from 100 countries attended the event, which resulted in many infections among both the vaccinated and unvaccinated. Finally got my first COVID infection courtesy of #ETHDenver pic.twitter.com/TDR3OEteI5 — T h i r k (@theThirk) February 22, 2022 According to ETHDenver’s COVID policies, attendees and staff were required to “take a rapid [antigen] test, on-site, prior to picking up their badge” and...
Justin Bieber Tests Positive for COVID-19, Postpones Las Vegas Concert
Justin Bieber has tested positive for COVID-19, Billboard has confirmed with a representative for the singer. As a result, the 27-year-old pop star has postponed his concert at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Sunday (Feb. 20). “Due to positive COVID results within the Justice Tour family, we will unfortunately have to postpone Sunday’s show in Las Vegas,” reads a statement on the venue’s website. “Justin is of course hugely disappointed, but the health and safety of his crew and fans is always his number one priority. The tour launch in San Diego was a massive success, and Justin is excited to bring this spectacular show to his Las Vegas fans as soon as possible.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news Bieber’s Las Vegas show has been rescheduled for June 28, but that date in contingent o...
Queen Elizabeth II Tests Positive for COVID-19, Experiencing Mild Symptoms
Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday (Feb. 20) and is experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms, Buckingham Palace said, adding that she still plans to carry on working. The diagnosis prompted concern and get-well wishes from across Britain’s political spectrum for the famously stoic 95-year-old. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a fixture in the life of the nation, the queen reached the milestone of 70 years on the throne on Feb. 6, the anniversary of the 1952 death of her father, King George VI. She will turn 96 on April 21. The palace said the queen, who has been fully vaccinated and had a booster shot, would continue with “light” duties at Windsor Castle over the coming week. “She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guide...
Crypto community condemns Canada for freezing dissidents’ Bitcoin wallets
Global cryptocurrency enthusiasts have expressed concerns over Canadian authorities freezing bank accounts and crypto wallets involved in funding local COVID-19 protests. On Thursday, Ontario Superior Court Justice Calum MacLeod issued an order freezing all the digital assets and bank accounts associated with “Freedom Convoy,” a series of ongoing protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions. According to a report by the Toronto Star, the amount of funds frozen so far in bank accounts and digital wallets with Bitcoin (BTC) and other assets is estimated at more than $1 million. “The names of both individuals and entities as well as crypto wallets have been shared by the RCMP with financial institutions and accounts have been frozen and more accounts will be frozen,” Deputy Pri...
The virus killer: How blockchain contributes to the fight against COVID-19
On Jan. 30, the South China Morning Post reported that one of the largest Asian pharmaceutical companies, Zuellig, had launched a blockchain-based system to track the quality of COVID-19 vaccines. Called “eZTracker,” it allows any user to “instantly verify the provenance and authenticity” of vaccines by scanning the QR code on the package. Somewhat surprisingly, throughout the pandemic, there have not been many reports of blockchain-based products adopted by big pharma or global healthcare organizations to bolster the anti-COVID effort. Here is a rundown of the major cases of such adoption, along with possible reasons for the limited interest in blockchain among healthcare officials. South Korea: Blockchain vaccine passports In April 2021, the South Korean government became the first...
Singapore firm uses blockchain to battle counterfeit COVID-19 jabs
Singaporean healthcare services provider Zuellig Pharma is using a blockchain-based network to track COVID-19 vaccinations to prevent practitioners from administering expired vaccines. Zuellig Pharma says that its new “eZTracker” management system can help prevent improperly stored or counterfeit vaccines from being used by allowing its clients to instantly verify the provenance and authenticity of their vaccines via a mobile app. “Accidents involving expired or improperly stored vaccines can be avoided,” said Daniel Laverick, vice-president and head of digital and data solutions at Zuellig Pharma. eZTracker uses the SAP blockchain to capture, track and trace multiple data points to improve supply chain transparency. The eZTracker website explains how it works: “Simply scan the QR code on ...
E Street Band Member Nils Lofgren Pulls Music From Spotify, Encourages All Musicians to ‘Cut Ties’ With Service
Nils Lofgren, a longtime guitarist for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, is among the musicians to pull music from Spotify over concerns about COVID-19 misinformation being spread on the streaming platform. He follows Neil Young, who announced Wednesday (Jan. 26) that he would remove his catalogue in protest of COVID vaccine misinformation being spread on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and Joni Mitchell, who followed in solidarity soon after. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Both musicians referred to an open letter sent to Spotify from 270 professionals in the scientific and medical communities, calling on the streaming service to address misinformation distributed on the platform. In a statement shared to the Neil Young Archives on Saturday, Lofgren shared: “A few days ago, my wife and ...
Neil Young Wants His Music Off Spotify Over Joe Rogan Vaccine Misinformation
Neil Young wants his music pulled from Spotify, citing the spread of vaccine misinformation on the popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast as the cause. “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” Young wrote in an open letter to his management team and record label posted to his Neil Young Archives website, according to Rolling Stone. The post has since been removed. “I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform.” Explore Explore Neil Young See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Rogan, who signed a $100 million deal in May 2020 giving Spotify exclusive rights to — but not ownership of — his hugely popular podcast, has come under fire for spreading misinformation on his show about COVID-19 and vaccines. In addit...
LA Reports Its First case of “FluRona”, The Flu & COVID Simultaneously
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: VALERIE MACON / Getty With the Rona‘s Omicron variant raging out of control once again and infecting everyone across the globe, things have gotten crazier as now LA has reported its first case of the Flurona, a person carrying both influenza and coronavirus at the same time. According to CBSNLA, the case was stumbled upon at a COVID-19 testing center across the street from the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California. Though not much is known about the person carrying the virus, the report states that it was a teenager who had mild symptoms and had just returned from a trip to Cabo San Lucas with his family. Luckily he was the only one in his family to test positive for both viruses while one of his parents tested positive for Covid. “CBSLA’s Joy Benedict ...
Los Temerarios & Carlos Vives Postpone Their 2022 U.S. Tours Amid COVID-19 Surge
Los Temerarios and Carlos Vives announced Wednesday (Jan. 5) that they’ve postponed their respective U.S. tours amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the nation. In an official press release shared on their social media channels, the Mexican grupero band said that due to the “critical situation,” they decided to postpone their 2022 tour — which was set to kick off Feb. 4 — and move it to 2023. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “At this moment, everyone’s health is top priority, and although we want to return to the stage and reunite with our fans, we don’t want to put anyone at risk,” Los Temerarios, led by brothers Gustavo and Adolfo Angel, wrote. Tickets purchased for the 2022 tour will be valid for the new dates, which they’ll be announcing in...
Jay Weaver, Bassist for Big Daddy Weave, Dies at 42 from COVID-19
Jay Weaver, the bass player and a vocalist for Big Daddy Weave, has died from complications of COVID-19. He was 42. His brother, Mike Weaver, frontman of veteran Christian band, announced the sad news on Sunday (Jan. 2) through social media. “My brother Jay went to be with Jesus just a couple hours ago,” Mike Weaver said in the emotional video clip on Instagram, adding that Jay died from “complications with COVID-19 on top of everything else that he already had going on.” He continued, “You’ve seen him walk the uphill battle and you guys helped carry him through so much. The Lord used him in such a mighty way out on the road for so many years. Anybody who’s come in contact with him knows how real his faith in Jesus was. Even though COVID took his last breath, Jesus was right there to catch...
Concerts’ Comeback Brought a Record Year for Latin Tours
In February, when Maluma unveiled details of his 24-city Papi Juancho tour, at the time it was the biggest and most ambitious announcement yet, for any genre, as concerts began returning from the pandemic shut down in the United States. “It was difficult to go back on stage during COVID,” the Colombian artist told Billboard earlier this year, after completing a few shows. “You have to be brave to announce a tour after all the things that happened, but I feel like everyone is just looking forward to feeling normal — and this type of concert will give that back to them.” Soon after, a wave of Latin artists announced North American tours, including Banda MS, Marc Anthony, Rauw Alejandro, Camilo and Karol G. Since, Latin acts have set a new record for the genre, accounting for n...
