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Instablog9ja
16 m
14
Activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju has raised concern about Nigerians’ attitude following the recent fuel price increase.
He said fuel is now N1,030 but nobody wanted to chase clout by protesting. Everybody is waiting for everyone to start protest.
Investopedia
17 m
12
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As homebuyers begin to reenter the housing market, they're encountering higher prices and smaller homes.
According to data from Realtor.com, the price per square foot of the median home for sale in September was $227. In September 2019, the median home listed was going for $150 per square foot. That's more than a 50% increase in the price per square foot since the pandemic.
In short, homebuyers are paying far more for each square foot than they were before the pandemic.
The increase in price per square foot could be linked to a mismatch between supply and demand.
According to the latest estimates from Zillow, the U.S. housing market is short 4.5 million homes. Homebuilders have struggled to fill the gap. High interest rates have resulted in fewer buyers and higher borrowing costs, while inflation has raised construction costs.
The disparity between supply and demand has raised home prices over the last four years. Economists, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, have said the severe housing shortage increases housing costs.
The median price per listing was $425,000 in September, compared to $312,477 during the same month in 2019.
But it's not just the price of homes rising. Economists say homebuyers are also purchasing smaller homes on average to try to save some money. Not only do smaller homes come with smaller price tags, but less of a footprint generates fewer maintenance costs, Realtor.com found in a separate study from July.
The trend also extended into newly built homes, Realtors said.
“Since the trend is now heading toward smaller and more affordable housing, it makes sense that builders would follow suit,” said Jason Gelios, a real estate agent with Community Choice Realty in Southeast Michigan, in a Realtor.com blog post.
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Healthwatch
32 m
32
By the first week in September this year, US health officials had already tallied 247 cases of measles, a highly contagious illness. For perspective, in 2023, 59 measles cases were reported during the full year.
This isn't surprising, as vaccination rates for preventable childhood illnesses have decreased, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Between the 2019–2020 school year and the 2022–2023 school year, the percentage of fully immunized kindergarteners dropped from 95% to 93%.
Even a small decline like this affects herd immunity that helps protect our communities. (Herd immunity occurs when there are enough immunized people to make spread of an illness among unimmunized people less likely.) For measles, we need 95% of people — children and adults — to be immunized to achieve herd immunity.
How do vaccines help children?
The vaccines given before kindergarten protect children against serious illnesses and possible hospitalizations or even deaths:
What to know about vaccine exemptions and schedule changes
The most concerning part of the CDC report is that it's not just that families got behind in their doctor visits, it's that more are choosing not to vaccinate. Vaccine exemptions rose from 0.4% to 3% in the 2022–2023 school year. That 3% is an average; 10 states have exemption rates over 5% (Idaho's exemption rate was 12.1%).
Some parents have children vaccinated, but alter the schedule. In a 2020 study, researchers found that only 63% of families followed the recommended vaccination schedule for their children. Among those who didn't, the majority followed an alternate schedule, spacing vaccines out, skipping some, or doing a combination of both.
But vaccines are given on a schedule for a reason: to protect children from vaccine-preventable disease. Experts designed the schedule so that children get protection when they need it — and the doses are timed so the vaccine itself can have the best effect. When parents don't follow the schedule, their children may not be protected.
Worried about getting several vaccines at once?
Parents sometimes worry about giving several vaccines at once, something that the schedule calls for, especially at the 2-, 4-, and 6-month visits. Not only is it safe, but when parents spread out the schedule it takes longer before the child is protected, leaving babies vulnerable to these diseases. It also means more visits to the doctor: the study found that babies whose parents used an alternate schedule had three more vaccination visits than babies whose parents followed the recommended schedule.
Worried about side effects?
Parents also worry about side effects of vaccines and other risks, often fueled by information they get on social media. Not every person who gets these infections has a serious case or complications. But the risk of a complication of the disease is always higher than the risk of the vaccine, an important fact that sometimes gets lost in the vaccine discussion.
When children get behind on vaccines, they are more likely to catch vaccine-preventable illnesses — which is not only dangerous for them, but also for those around them who aren't vaccinated, as we have seen in measles outbreaks. It is not just children whose parents choose not to vaccinate them that are at risk, but also children who can't be vaccinated, such as newborns or those who are taking medications that suppress the immune system. Adults with suppressed immune systems can be at risk too. Parents often forget that the decisions they make about immunization affect more people than just their child.
How can you learn more about vaccines?
It's normal for parents to have questions and worry about medical treatments given to their children. After all, it's a parent's job to worry. But as parents question and worry, it's really important that they get reliable medical information from expert sources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as Immunize.org and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have lots of accurate and useful information, and parents should always talk to their child's doctor if they have concerns.
The bottom line for parents
Think long and hard, and get information from reliable sources, before you change your child's vaccine schedule. The schedule is there to protect your child — and everyone around your child.
Source: Harvard Health Publishing
Instablog9ja
1 h
12
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to tackle corruption head-on, emphasising that no Nigerian is immune to its effects.
In his address at the 6th Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – National Judicial Institute (NJI) Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu noted that corruption has become a cancer denying Nigeria the full benefits of its resources. He stressed the need for collective action against corruption.
According to him, Nigeria’s corruption crisis has reached alarming levels, denying the nation the full benefits of its resources. Tinubu declared that his administration aims to combat this through strengthened anti-corruption agencies and judicial reforms.
The President noted that the EFCC has made significant strides in prosecuting corruption cases, with notable improvements in the justice sector. However, challenges persist, including frivolous applications, intimidation of judges, and conflicting court orders.
He said, “No Nigerian is immune from corruption, a cancer which continues to deny the nation the full benefits of its God-given resources. Rather than look up only to the anti-corruption agencies for a solution to this malaise, I believe it is in our enlightened collective interest to close ranks and aggressively tackle this common enemy.
We must tackle challenges impeding the speedy adjudication of corruption cases, including frivolous applications and appeals, intimidation of judges by counsel, judgment not based on facts of cases but on technicalities. We will also continue to support the work of the EFCC to ensure that it continues to deliver its statutory mandate without let or hindrance.”
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, highlighted additional obstacles, such as frequent adjournments, unwarranted injunctions, and suspects using courts to evade investigation.Despite these challenges, the EFCC remains undeterred, engaging stakeholders locally and globally to combat corruption. Olukoyede announced that the commission has established the Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) to prevent corruption.
He explained, “the spectre of frequent adjournments of high-profile corruption cases arising from frivolous applications, conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in corruption cases, intemperate contempt orders hauled at the Commission’s leadership, unwarranted orders of injunction restraining the Commission from investigating cases, are among a plethora of issues that bother the EFCC. bloq9ja
“As a Commission, our efforts at integrating stakeholders in the fight against corruption are continuous. Earlier this year, we held a Stakeholders Dialogue on the issue of cybercrime where we equally unveiled the Commission’s new focus on corruption prevention with the establishment of Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, FRAC. We are convinced that it is ultimately more profitable to prevent than to investigate and prosecute corruption cases.”
Harris Calls For Medicare To Pay For In-Home Health Care
Households Squeezed By The Costs Of...
Investopedia
1 h
11
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Households squeezed by the costs of caring for elderly family members could get some relief under a policy proposed by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Harris on Tuesday called for Medicare to cover in-home health care services. The proposal could potentially offer financial help to the elderly and those in the “sandwich generation” who must care for their own children and their aging parents. Harris made the proposal during an appearance on ABC’s The View talk show.
Medicare, the government’s health care program for the elderly, currently only offers limited coverage for in-home care services. The escalating cost of care, whether at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or by in-home aides, has strained finances for growing numbers of people as the Baby Boom generation ages into retirement.
In 2021, long-term care cost the U.S. $467.4 billion, with individuals paying 13.6% out of pocket. The rest was paid for by various federal programs and private insurance, according to the Congressional Research Service.
“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle,” Harris said. “They’re taking care of their kids, and they’re taking care of their age and parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work. We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”Harris offered few details of how the program would work but did say it would be paid for by the money the government saves from having Medicare negotiate prices for more drugs with pharmaceutical companies.
The government negotiated drug prices for 10 drugs for the first time this year under a law signed by President Joe Biden. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates it would have saved $6 billion on drugs if the new prices were in effect this year instead of in 2026, when they’ll take effect.
The program was the latest in a series of policy proposals from Harris that are aimed at tackling some of the most burdensome costs faced by lower- and middle-income households including child care, housing, and groceries.
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Healthwatch
2 hrs
31
Quelling the discomfort of atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, can be a daily quest. This inflamed, itchy skin condition can interfere with sleeping, socializing, and many other activities.
If home remedies such as gentle cleansing and regular moisturizing don't provide relief, your doctor might recommend a prescription treatment to apply to your skin. Which prescription cream is most effective? A new study boils it down to a few overall winners.
What is atopic dermatitis and the itch-scratch cycle?
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. The areas commonly affected include the face, hands, feet, or the skin folds of the elbows or behind the knees.
We don't know exactly what causes atopic dermatitis. Genes, the environment, and an overactive immune system all seem to play a role in creating inflammation, which feels itchy. Scratching the itch creates more irritation and inflammation, which causes more itching.
As the itch-scratch cycle continues, the rash gets worse. The skin might tear, ooze, and crust over, which can be painful.
Which skin treatments were more effective in the study?
Some prescription topical skin treatments for atopic dermatitis are more effective than others, according to a 2023 study published online by The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Scientists evaluated more than 200 randomized trials involving more than 43,000 people with atopic dermatitis (average age 18). The researchers compared almost 70 different prescription creams or ointments, which are broadly called topical treatments and are designed to be applied to affected areas of skin.
These treatments fall into five categories. If you have eczema, their generic names may or may not be familiar to you, but your medical team is likely to know them well:
Researchers looked at which medications had outcomes important to patients, including which
Which atopic dermatitis medications proved to be most effective?
The study yielded some predictable results and a surprise. The overall winners were
What did these medications improve?
"That's in line with what we often prescribe," says Dr. Connie Shi, a dermatologist who often treats people with eczema at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. "The strongest topical steroids appeared to be the most effective at reducing eczema severity in the study. However, for longer-term maintenance we may consider switching to a moderate-potency steroid, or one of the nonsteroid options, to minimize the risk of thinning the skin, which can occur with long-term use of topical steroids."
The surprise finding: the study found little to no effectiveness from using a topical cream twice daily versus just once daily. "The traditional advice is twice daily," Dr. Shi says. "Once a day would make it more convenient to use, and it may help people stay on their medication regimen without decreasing effectiveness."
Which treatments were less effective in this study? The researchers found that topical antibiotics were among the least effective treatments for eczema.
Should you change your treatment?
"While the study included more than 40,000 people, what worked for participants may not always work for you, as different people may respond differently to the same treatment," Dr. Shi explains. "There are many factors to consider when prescribing a treatment, including your age, the areas on your skin that are affected, the severity of the eczema, and potential side effects."
The bottom line? "If a treatment regimen is working for you, then continue it, as long as you don't have any serious side effects," she says. "If your current regimen isn't working well, talk with your doctor or a dermatologist to see if there's another prescription cream or ointment that you may want to try."
Source: Harvard Health Publishing
