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Uganda emerges from Covid-19 pandemic with renewed focus on home-grown vaccines

African nations left behind in vaccine roll-out turn to domestic healthcare solutions

Nick Webster
Nick Webster

March 20, 2022

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Slow access to vaccines and challenges to administer them across Africa have forced nations to rethink how to deliver healthcare in a new era of global pandemics.

Uganda, in East Africa, recorded one of the lowest death rates from Covid-19 largely due to a stringent 18-month lockdown and a population with an average age of just 17 that meant few were at risk of being admitted to hospitals.

Health officials in the country have been pressed into accelerating plans to become less reliant on foreign aid during times of crisis, such as the Covid pandemic.

It is clear we cannot be at the mercy of Western countries if there is another pandemic. We are now thinking about how we can build capacity for our own survival.
Dr Diane Atwine,
permanent secretary Uganda Ministry of Health

So far, Uganda’s population of 45 million has recorded 164,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 3,594 deaths.

Dr Diane Atwine, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health, had a major role in planning how to use the country’s resources during the pandemic, and said it has forced Uganda to rethink its national health strategy.

“It took almost a year to start receiving vaccines. Even though we had money, we had to go via the African Union and Covax,” said Dr Atwine, who reported directly to President Yoweri Museveni as head of the national Covid task force.

“Because of this, we had to go with our own home-grown solutions to safeguard the population.

“Our decisions were based on science, including lockdowns.

“We did not want to wait until hundreds were dying and to look at our options. Decisions were made in accordance with risk.

“If we delayed, our health system would be overwhelmed and more lives would be lost.”

Prolonged lockdown in Uganda

Nightly curfews, homeschooling for 16 million children and remote working were mandatory for 18 months.

When the population came blinking into the light in January, Uganda was a different country prepared to embrace a new set of challenges such as access to vaccines.

Around a third of the population (16 million) is protected with two doses.

Although anti-vaccine sentiments are not common, Uganda is planning a new law to fine those refusing to be vaccinated.

A law under parliamentary review proposes a penalty of 4 million Ugandan shillings ($1,140) for those refusing a vaccine. The average wage in Uganda is around $180 a month.

“Our vaccine rate is still low and we have teams in the field to push through second doses and boosters,” said Dr Atwine.

“We don’t have enough vaccines for everyone, so we can’t vaccinate children under 18 yet.

“One of the hindrances of access to care has been a culture of protecting patents for drugs.

“When the pandemic came, it was a big wake-up call.

“Africa and Uganda had been dependent on foreign support. Now we are supporting scientists here to develop our own vaccines.

A woman receives a coronavirus vaccine at the Kololo airstrip in Kampala, Uganda. AP
A woman receives a coronavirus vaccine at the Kololo airstrip in Kampala, Uganda. AP

“Our Uganda Virus Research Institute has been developing our own vaccine, and we will soon have a clinical trial in one of our hospitals.”

Covid-19 vaccine supplies to Africa have risen significantly in recent months, but just 11 per cent of the continent is fully vaccinated.

A 70 per cent target has been set for the second quarter of 2022, but that seems unlikely unless the World Health Organisation, Unicef and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies can resolve bottlenecks.

So far, Africa has received more than 587 million vaccine doses. Of those, 58 per cent have come through the Covax facility, 36 per cent via bilateral deals and 6 per cent through the African Union.

Uganda seeks home-grown Covid solutions after vaccine shortfall

While Uganda is currently developing its own Covid vaccine, the National Drug Authority has already approved its own antiviral treatment to protect the vulnerable.

Covidex is a locally made herbal remedy to fight virus infections, approved and licensed for sale in pharmacies across the country.

The WHO has not approved the drug, but pharmacists in Uganda said they had few options for viral treatments as other FDA-approved drugs such as molnupiravir, paxlovid and sotrovimab were not widely available.

A 12-day visit by the WHO in March assessed Uganda’s capacity for developing life sciences.

The tour of several sites included potential new areas for pharmaceutical manufacturing that could make the country more self-sufficient in drug production.

“We could not get PPE from China or elsewhere so we set up our own production sites, from sanitisers to masks, to look after our own needs,” said Dr Atwine.

“It is clear we cannot be at the mercy of Western countries if there is another pandemic.

“That has been a big lesson for us.

“Africa is on the move as a continent and we are now thinking how we can build capacity for our own survival.”

Government hospitals provide care to Uganda’s poorest, but services are patchy, leaving many reliant on private health providers and health insurance.

Emergency services are also expensive, with private ambulances charging around $50 to collect patients.

Others unable to pay are reliant on public goodwill to take them into hospital, or the vast network of motorcycle taxis, known as ‘boda-boda’ that cover much of Kampala.

Rise of remote care bringing doctors directly to the door

Evolving healthcare in Uganda has seen the emergence of telehealth services.

As in many nations, improving access to online medical support restricts the need for Ugandans to travel long distances, across poor public transport networks in rural areas to seek care in the city.

It is also considerably cheaper.

A start-up business to emerge strongly from the pandemic is Rocket Health — a remote care provider that offers affordable clinical support from video consultations to artificial intelligence-powered triage.

Rocket Health saw a 500 per cent increase in phone and video consultations in 2020, and a quadrupling of demand in 2021.

“Patients call us and we can either call them back or take the call immediately,” said Dr Sharon Akisa, a GP at Rocket Health.

“An assessment is made for either a prescription or to take a blood sample. They are then processed with results sent to our dashboard.

“We then call the patient back to discuss the next course of action.”

Rocket Health predominantly deals with chronic health conditions that require continuing management, but doctors saw a huge surge in demand during the pandemic for patients with Covid symptoms.

By passing on advice remotely, and delivering medication by motorbike when needed, doctors were able to keep symptomatic patients away from other vulnerable people.

Most doctors have roles in hospitals around Kampala, and complete shifts at Rocket Health to supplement their incomes.

“I joined the company during the second wave of the virus. Phones were constantly ringing and we took around 80 calls a day each,” said Dr Akisa.

“We tried to reach all those we could, and the more serious cases were referred to hospitals.”

Most regular consultations cost between 20,000 and 40,000 shillings ($5-10) in government hospitals, but Rocket Health charges just 10,000 shillings ($2.5).

Private health clinics have not yet been approved to administer Covid-19 vaccines, but they can deliver PCR tests for 145,000 shillings ($40).

Rocket Health can be used via standard-feature phones, so a mobile app on a smartphone is not required.

Users can gain access to a checklist on their mobile phone to indicate symptoms, so they can be triaged virtually and assigned a relevant doctor.

It makes the service more accessible to those living in rural communities or on a low income.

“It is convenient for them, and it means they do not have to come into the clinic or spend money on public transport,” said Betty Nazziwa, Rocket Health lab technician.

People in Africa receive Covid-19 vaccines – in pictures

A boy receives a Covid-19 vaccination at a site near Johannesburg. The World Health Organisation's Africa director Matshidiso Moeti says the continent is moving into the ‘control phase’ of the pandemic. AP
A boy receives a Covid-19 vaccination at a site near Johannesburg. The World Health Organisation's Africa director Matshidiso Moeti says the continent is moving into the ‘control phase’ of the pandemic. AP
Vaccinations are prepared at a health centre in Nairobi, Kenya. AP
Vaccinations are prepared at a health centre in Nairobi, Kenya. AP
With masks on, hairdresser Tembi Ndlovu tends to a client in a salon in Harare, Zimbabwe. AP
With masks on, hairdresser Tembi Ndlovu tends to a client in a salon in Harare, Zimbabwe. AP
A health official takes a sample for tests at a private Covid-19 testing centre in Harare. AP
A health official takes a sample for tests at a private Covid-19 testing centre in Harare. AP
A child receives his Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covi-19 in Diepsloot township near Johannesburg. AP
A child receives his Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covi-19 in Diepsloot township near Johannesburg. AP
Martin Lako prepares to vaccinate Timon Buga Kujo in Juba, South Sudan. Reuters
Martin Lako prepares to vaccinate Timon Buga Kujo in Juba, South Sudan. Reuters
A man is tested for Covid-19 in Harare. AP Photo
A man is tested for Covid-19 in Harare. AP Photo
Travellers wait for a coronavirus test at the Gatuna border post at Gicumbi, northern Rwanda. Reuters
Travellers wait for a coronavirus test at the Gatuna border post at Gicumbi, northern Rwanda. Reuters
A man is vaccinated at Wuse market in Abuja, Nigeria. Reuters
A man is vaccinated at Wuse market in Abuja, Nigeria. Reuters
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Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.

As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.

Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.

Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.

Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.

However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.

“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.

People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.

Zayed Sustainability Prize
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Tomorrow 2021
LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 5

Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')

Result

Tottenhan Hotspur 2 Roma 3
Tottenham: Winks 87', Janssen 90 1'

Roma 3
D Perotti 13' (pen), C Under 70', M Tumminello 90 2"

 

Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.

Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.

The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

Disability on screen

Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues

24: Legacy — PTSD;

Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound

Taken and This Is Us — cancer

Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)

Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg

Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety

Switched at Birth — deafness

One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy

Dragons — double amputee

Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars

Squads

Sri Lanka Tharanga (c), Mathews, Dickwella (wk), Gunathilaka, Mendis, Kapugedera, Siriwardana, Pushpakumara, Dananjaya, Sandakan, Perera, Hasaranga, Malinga, Chameera, Fernando.

India Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Pandey, Rahane, Jadhav, Dhoni (wk), Pandya, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Thakur.

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

Playing records of the top 10 in 2017

How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season

1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)

2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)

3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)

4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)

5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)

6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)

7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)

8. Dominic Thiem 60 (41-19)

9. Grigor Dimitrov 48 (34-14)

10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)

PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS

Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).

Squads

India (for first three ODIs) Kohli (capt), Rohit, Rahul, Pandey, Jadhav, Rahane, Dhoni, Pandya, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Umesh, Shami.

Australia Smith (capt), Warner, Agar, Cartwright, Coulter-Nile, Cummins, Faulkner, Finch, Head, Maxwell, Richardson, Stoinis, Wade, Zampa.

Brief scores

Toss India, chose to bat

India 281-7 in 50 ov (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)

Australia 137-9 in 21 ov (Maxwell 39, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)

India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method

What is a black hole?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Tomorrow 2021
On Women's Day
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More on this story
Plastic tipping point
NBA FINALS SO FAR

(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)

Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109

Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109

Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123

Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105

Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106

Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland

Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)

World Mental Health Day
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Kareem Shaheen on Canada
About Tenderd

Started: May 2018

Founder: Arjun Mohan

Based: Dubai

Size: 23 employees 

Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital

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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

On Women's Day
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
While you're here
Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
While you're here

Fifa Club World Cup:

When: December 6-16
Where: Games to take place at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain
Defending champions: Real Madrid

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

'O'
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Results

2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m

Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).

2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m

Winner: Mamia Al Reef, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.

3.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m

Winner: Jaahiz, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.

3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m

Winner: Qanoon, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.

4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.

Winner: Philosopher, Tadhg O’Shea, Salem bin Ghadayer.

54.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m

Winner: Jap Al Yassoob, Fernando Jara, Irfan Ellahi.

AWARDS
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Tomorrow 2021
The%20specs
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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
War on waste
Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Explained
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our commentary on Brexit
Updated: March 20, 2022, 6:27 AM`
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