Nยบ 207 / FREE COPY SEPTEMBER 2020
Globe Magazine Gibraltar www.issuu.com/globemagazineonline
Contents / September 6
48 THE BEST RECIPES OUR CUISINE
ROYAL GIBRALTAR REGIMENT SOLDIERS COMPLETE CIC TRAINING
8
ROLEX WAITING LISTS
14
IS THERE A SECRET TO A HAPPY MARRIAGE?
18
CHURCHILL’S POLICIES TO BLAME FOR 1943 BENGAL FAMINE
50 DAD’S KITCHEN: SARDINE TAJINE 54 INFLAMATION: THE KEY FACTOR THAT EXPLAINS VULNERABILITY TO SEVERE COVID 60 MINISTER CORTES VISITS CHILDREN’S BOOK CLUB
22 ART EXHIBITION RAISES FUNDS FOR CLUBHOUSE GIBRALTAR
61
23 CLUBHOUSE GIBRALTAR PROVIDING NEW SERVICES TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS
62 2020 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA COUPE 64 HASSANS WELCOME GILBERT LICUDI QC
24 NEW LOGO FOR THE GIBRALTAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
66 ‘OUR GIBRALTAR’ 2020 WINNERS RECEIVE AWARDS
26 COMPUTERS AND THE EYE
68 CHRISTY LEE ROGERS
37 FRONTLINE WORKERS’ EXHIBITION
72 42 BUSINESS AT LOCKDOWN 46 WHAT’S HAPPENING DOWN TOWN
Credits SEPTEMBER 2020 • Nº 207 Front Cover: Gibraltar Cultural Services Frontline Workers Exhibition, GEMA Gallery 25th August- 2nd October 2020 1st Row, L-R, Artist Name and Title of work: Maribel Mathews - 'Brave Nerina, Giorann Henshow - 'Paul Perez', Leslie Gaduzo - 'Dr Krish Rawal', Cristina Rodriguez- 'Mrs Barabich- Headteacher of Westside school' · 2nd Row, L-R Artist Name and Title of work: Kimberley Bautista- 'For better, for worse', Gill Welland - 'Louise Barea', Pauline Gomez- 'Forever Ready' , Chris-Anne Alcantara- Ulger- 'Cary-
2020 WINNERS OF THE SHOP WINDOW COMPETITION
anne' · 3rd Row, L-R Artist Name and Title of work: Michael Martinez- 'Remorino on Ops Fortis', Michael Martinez- '450065', Debora Lawson- 'Dr Sally Morrison', Tessa Neish- 'Fabian Picardo (Chief Minister)' Tessa Neish- 'Nathan Russell (Teacher)'
GLOBE MAGAZINE is published by Globe Magazine Registered • Address: Suites 31 & 32 Victoria House, 26 Main Street, GIBRALTAR Tel: (00350) 20041129 Mailing Address: 4 Laburnum Lodge, Montagu Gardens, GIBRALTAR
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CORONAVIRUS RE-INFECTION: WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS AND WHY YOU SHOULDN’T PANIC
(00350) 20041129 • E-mail: globemagazine@ gibtelecom.net
Globe Magazine Gibraltar The views and opinions expressed by contributors to this magazine may not necessarily represent the views of the publishers. CONDITIONS: Globe Magazine cannot accept responsability for the claims, goods or services of advertisers. The publishers make every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct, but cannot accept responsibility for the effects of
errors or omissions.
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Royal Gibraltar Regiment Soldiers complete CIC Training Eight Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) soldiers recently completed the basic Combat Infantrymen Course in the UK DELIVERED IN CATTERICK, the six-month course is gradual in nature and teaches recruits how to be an effective infantry soldier. Based around the pillars of teamwork, fitness and discipline, the course is a testing time for the soldiers. They are faced with a number of challenges, which they have to successfully overcome. Most notably is the infamous bayonet training element, which is physically demanding and conducted whilst the recruits are fatigued; it is an event, which all Infantry soldiers will remember for the rest of their lives. When asked what motivated these young men to join the Regiment,
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Pte Birkett commented on his “desire to commit to a respectable career, as well as, serving his country but most importantly, to make his parents proud”. The troops are now looking forward to joining the remainder of I Company when they return from a period of a well-deserved leave. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment offers excellent opportunities for graduate and non-graduate recruits, who are considering a career in the military. Anyone interested should register their interest with the Recruiting Office at rgcareers@gibtelecom.net – Tel: 20040032 or call in to the offices at King’s Bastion, Line Wall Road.
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Rolex waiting lists Article by courtesy of Watch & Bullion
IF THERE IS ONE TOPIC of conversation that has dominated the watch world in recent years, it would have to be the dilemma surrounding Rolex waiting lists. While certain watches, like the stainless steel Daytona, have tested the patience of prospective buyers. As long as I can remember recently that curse has extended to basically all the stainless steel professional models. Demand has escalated to such extents that particularly hot watches, like the Hulk or Pepsi, commonly trade for twice their retail price on the grey market and show no signs of returning to more reasonable prices. 8 GLOBE MAGAZINE
While the inflationary price on the grey market has crept up on those involved with watches, the extent of it becomes evident when you try to explain the situation to those, who do not know or care about them. The topic has transcended the community in which it originated, with people, who only know me as the guy, who talks about watches, approaching me and asking how to get their hands on these pieces, looking to make some easy money with a fast flip. Unfortunately, I have to disappoint them as I myself can’t buy any of these watches. Since January, I have been trying to buy a
Rolex, for strictly personal use rather than resale, and have been turned down by every Jewellery store I have approached. The topic tends to evoke a lot of emotions when brought up. There are annoyed retailers, who spend most of their day turning down the never changing requests from an overwhelming influx of new customers. There is disappointment for those looking to buy these watches to actually wear themselves but are denied the opportunity. And there is contempt, from those who, dislike Rolex and think this a mischievous plan to limit supply and choke out the market.
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In an effort to explain the many factors that influence this situation today, we will try to take a more nuanced look at the situation. We will consider who could be to blame, or whether this is a crime without a perpetrator. We will ask ourselves whether simply increasing supply to match demand could be a solution, and how it could possibly make things worse rather than better. And finally, we will look at what the possible upsides are of a waiting list system in an effort to add some perspective on this emotionally loaded topic. First, we will play the blame game. Who can I point the finger at and make responsible for the first world problem of not being able to spend several thousand of euros on a luxury item devoid of any real functionality? The most obvious target here, of course, is Rolex itself. Given that the real price (I am referring to the gray market one here) ends up being a result of where supply and demand meet, and that the supply is controlled by a single company, it only makes sense to hold them responsible. After all, Rolex could, if they really wanted to, just pump out one steel watch after another until everybody and their mother owns one. However, increasing supply for this kind of product comes with a lot of negative externalities, which could affect everyone involved, more on this later. 10 GLOBE MAGAZINE
Having touched on the supply side, let’s take a look at who is responsible for the crazy demand. And that is in the first line you, dear reader. Of course, no single individual can shift the market, but wanting what others have plays a big role here. After all, can you give an objective explanation why everybody loves a GMT-Master, but no one cares for the Explorer 2? Everybody wants the sun-ray dial Submariner, but as blue version on the Yacht-Master 1 hardly gets a second look. The fact of the matter is that there are steel professional models available, but with fashion seemingly being more concerned with imitation rather than innovation it is no wonder why the same watches always gather all the attention. Add to that the fact that developing countries will have a growing middle class, especially China in this instance, and the influx of people, who can afford a Rolex, has exploded in the last decade. As much as the customer is responsible, though, I find it hard to consider them the ones that deserve any blame. After all, people like what they like, and pretending otherwise isn’t particularly helpful or healthy either. There is one type of buyer, however, that gains rather little sympathy from my side which are the flippers. These are people looking to buy these watches solely to capitalize from their popularity. Having no intent to ever wear the watches they acquire, they instead
lock them in the safe for a rainy day or flip them straight away for a juicy return on investment. This works like a multiplier on the whole situation, as high prices foster attention from more flippers, who in turn drive up prices even higher. Unfortunately, combating this issue is no easy task. As a result of this phenomenon, we have seen authorized dealers become significantly more careful in who they allocate their products to. As such, the popular models are usually only sold to local customers that have a pre-established connection with the specific store. It is clear to me that the ADs are trying to avoid flippers, after all they have to sell at the MSRP and with so few watches arriving they have become a sort of reward for their most lucrative customers. And just for a sense of scale just how few watches actually arrive, a local AD in one of the biggest malls in Europe I have talked to on the topic has told me so far he has only received a single Submariner Hulk in this calendar year. Having looked at the different parties involved and the issues surrounding the crazy demand, let’s revisit the idea of simply increasing supply, a “solution” that inevitably stands in the room every time the topic is brought up. If it were so simple though, why wouldn’t they just do this? Is it really just because the almighty and elusive Rolex has nothing better
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to do than to mess with rich folk for the sake of it? First of all, I think it has to be stated that given Rolex not being focused on profits as much as some other brands have to be I think that their current position is a rather comfortable one for them. Their products are more desirable than ever, and basically sold as soon as they hit the shop, adding a lot to the brand reputation. Therefore, I believe that while they may not purposefully create this shortage, it definitely does play into their hand. Let’s envision a scenario where Rolex would try to satisfy the demand for their
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professional watches and just pump out one steel submariner after another, what would happen? Revisiting the concept of supply and demand the second hand price would eventually begin to fall before finally going below the retail price. While this new availability would certainly make a lot of people happy momentarily, long-term wise I think it could seriously damage both the owners of Rolex and the brand itself. Suddenly all the customers who bought a watch being told that it would only gain value lose that unrealised profit, making them think twice before ever buying a Rolex again. Before ending this blog, I just want to touch
upon whether the waiting list system really is that bad. Sure, it sucks not being able to buy the watch you want, I know that from personal experience. Then again being in the process of trying to buy a new Rolex I have to say that I enjoy the hunt. Calling up ADs, visiting them and having a chat, and finally (hopefully) receiving your watch makes the whole process so much more special. You may call me a sucker for Rolex, but really I am a believer in delayed gratification. This current situation isn’t ideal, and I do hope things become better in the near future. But for now I would advise you to enjoy the ride, and let’s have some perspective on these first world problems.
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Is there a Secret to a Happy Marriage? Nobody can explain the secret to a happy marriage but it doesn't stop people trying
ANYONE, WHO TELLS you their rules for a happy marriage, doesn't have one. There's a truth universally acknowledged, or one that ought to be anyway. Just as the people, who write books about good sex are never people you would want to sleep with, and the academics, who write articles about the disappearance of civility always sound ferociously angry, the people, who write about the way to sustain a good marriage are usually on their third!
would be "better than a dog, anyhow"! And the Darwins went on to have something close to an ideal marriage. As he lay dying in 1882, the distinguished scientist, who had irrevocably altered the consciousness of the world, and knew it, said simply: "My love, my precious love." What made it work? My theory is that happy marriages, from the Darwins on down, are made up of a steady, unchanging formula of lust, laughter and loyalty!
Nonetheless (you knew there was a ‘nonetheless’ on its way), although I don't have rules, I do have an observation. This principle, or formula, came to me when I was thinking about something else entirely - usually a good sign, lateral thinking being generally saner than the logical kind. It dawned on me when I was brooding on an article on the marriage of Charles Darwin and Emma Wedgwood, his cousin. In 1838, when Darwin was first thinking of marriage, he made an irresistible series of notes on the subject - a scientific-seeming 14 GLOBE MAGAZINE
Celebrities. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor
list of marriage pros and cons. Against the idea, he listed "the expense and anxiety of children" and the odd truth that a married man could never "go up in a
balloon". In favour of marriage, he included the acquisition of a "constant companion and friend in old age" and, memorably and conclusively, decided that a wife
The Darwins had lust, certainly - 10 children in 17 years suggest as much anyway - and they had laughter. Emma loved to tease Charles about his passion, already evident in youth, for obsessive theorising. "After our marriage," she wrote to him early on, "you will be forming theories about me, and if I am cross or out of temper, you will only consider: 'What does that prove?' which will be a very philosophical way of considering it." And loyalty? Well, despite Emma's
The Darwins
Christian faith, she stood by him through all the evolutionary wars, and did for him the one thing only a loyal spouse can do - pretend he wasn't in when German journalists came calling! So, marriages are made of lust, laughter and loyalty - but the three have to be kept in constant passage, transitively, back and forth, so that as one subsides for a time, the others rise. Lust, I suppose, needs no explanation. Nor does laughter need much annotation. The greatest joy in life is to discover that the same absurdities of life seem absurd to you both, creating that lovely moment of breakage when the masquerade of courtship you have been enacting becomes suddenly a backstage embrace: We're on to each other, and to the world, and will forever be in cahoots. The trick is that marriage is played upon a tilted field, and everything flows downhill towards loyalty.
We've all seen that. Marriages from which lust fled decades ago, and laughter became hollow back in the 1990’s, but which continue to run on loyalty alone. They persist on a primitive attachment, no better - and in many ways quite like - that of a couple living in rubbish bins in a Samuel Beckett play ‘The End Game’, held together by an incantation of repeated phrases in the face of the encroaching hopelessness. Loyalty alone can sustain a marriage, but not happily, and not for long. And so people are inspired again and again to try and pass directly back from loyalty back to lust - to re-light or re-kindle a marriage with the old passion. This produces the romantic getaway - the hotel room rented for the night on Valentine's Day, and all the rest of the pathetic arsenal of re-lighting a fire that went out 10 summers ago. It never works. If anything, more divorces are caused by attempts
at erotic rejuvenation than by ongoing mutual bitterness. When your troubled friends head for the Caribbean, you know that it is all over. "We tried everything, even Venice," your friend says, and you sigh for them. You can't transcend loyalty and get back to lust in one short step. This is because the three-part formula of lust, laughter and loyalty is one in which you can only return from one end of the equation to the other by passing through the middle term. It's like getting to the cafe car on a train you can't avoid walking through the cars between. The real problem, therefore, with maintaining a happy marriage is this - that although the things you both found funny early on will remain so, the larger sense of what is funny will divide over time. Any sane person, for instance, knows that the three funniest movies ever made are ‘This Is Spinal Tap’, ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’, and one of the
‘Naked Gun’ movies. My son knows this. I know this. Everyone knows this. Yet my wife, to take an example completely at random, thinks that funny movies include things such as ‘Annie Hall’ and ‘The Big Lebowski’; very, very good movies, to be sure. The best but not really funny movies! My wife, like many of her kind, thinks that funny movies are funnier when they have, you know, a point and an emotional arc, elements of pathos and meaning. She thinks that funny should be funny-plus, instead of funny-funny. Fortunately, though it becomes harder as the years go by to agree on funny-at-length, everyone can agree on funny-in-brief. And since the funniest single sketch ever recorded is Peter Cook and Dudley Moore's 1960s pub sketch the one where Pete and Dud share tales about the famous movie stars they have had to beat away from their beds - it creates the perfect pre-aphrodisiac, the moment to GLOBE MAGAZINE 15
Samuel Beckett. The End Game
begin to laugh again. This means that every marriage can be saved. And so, I realise, with the blinding clarity with which Darwin reduced the mystery of life's passage simply to the struggle for existence, that all happy marriages can be reduced to the ongoing ability to continue to laugh together when Pete explains that he had to beat Betty Grable off with a broomstick. Be lit by lust, enlightened by laughter, settle into loyalty, and if loyalty seems too mired, return to lust by way of laughter. I have had this formula worked
out - and repeated it, waggishly, to friends. Until, not long ago, I realised that there was a flaw in this idea. And that was that I had underestimated the reason that loyalty had such magnetic power, drawing all else towards it. For I had been describing loyalty in marriage as though it were a neutral passive state - a kind of rest state, a final, fixed state at the end of the road of life. And then, well, against our better wishes, and our own inner version of our marriage vows, at our son's insistence we got a
dog. And this is what changed my view. "The expense and anxiety of children" indeed; our son's small mongrel dog, “Pedro”, has instructed us on many things, but above all, on the energy that being loyal really implies. Dogs teach us many things - but above all they teach us how frisky a state loyalty can be. Dogs, after all, particularly spayed city dogs that have been denied their lusts, have loyalty as an overriding emotion. Ours will wait for hours
for one of its family, and then patiently sit right alongside while there is work to be done. Loyalty is what a dog provides. The ancient joke-name for a dog, ‘Fido’, is in truth the most perfect of all dog names – ‘I am faithful. I am loyal. I remain’. Dogs are there to remind us that loyalty is a jumpy, fizzy emotion. Loyalty leaps up at the door and barks with joy at your return and then immediately goes to sleep at your side. Simple fidelity is the youngest emotion we possess.
Some thoughts on marriage
"Marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasures." Samuel Johnson
"The whole purpose of a husband and wife is that when hard times knock at the door you should be able to embrace each other." Nelson Mandela
"Some people claim that marriage interferes with romance. There's no doubt about it. Anytime you have a romance, your wife is bound to interfere." Groucho Marx
"Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then." Katharine Hepburn
"I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." Rita Rudner
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Churchill's Policies to Blame for 1943 Bengal Famine The Bengal famine that is estimated to have killed up to three million people was not caused by drought, new study says
THE BENGAL FAMINE of 1943 estimated to have killed up to three million people was not caused by drought but instead was a result of a "complete policy failure" of the then-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, a recent study has said. The study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, provided scientific backing for arguments that Churchill's policies played a significant role in contributing to the 1943 catastrophe. The researchers analysed a soil moisture database cover the years 1870 to 2016 to reconstruct agricultural droughts. The researchers studied six major famines in the subcontinent between 1873 and 1943 and concluded that the Bengal famine was the only famine that does not appear to be linked directly to soil moisture deficit and crop failures. "The idea was to study the history 18 GLOBE MAGAZINE
WARTIME GRAIN IMPORT RESTRICTIONS The study found that the famine‐ affected region received above‐ normal precipitation between June and September of 1943. "The Bengal famine was likely caused by other factors related at least in part to the ongoing Asian threat of World War II, including malaria, starvation and malnutrition," the study published in February said.
of droughts and famines in India and the factors responsible," said Vimal Mishra, the lead researcher and an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar.
widespread soil moisture drought. But the 1943 Bengal famine was not caused by drought but rather was a result of a complete policy failure during the British era," he commented
"Aside from the 1943 Bengal famine, all the other famines, between 1870 to 2016, appear to be related at least in part to
"This was the only famine that does not appear to be linked directly to soil moisture drought and crop failures," Mishra said.
It also argued that military and political events in early 1943 adversely affected Bengal's economy, which was exacerbated by refugees from Myanmar, then Burma. Additionally, it claimed that wartime grain import restrictions imposed by the British government played a significant role in the famine. Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen had argued in 1981 that there should have been
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enough supplies to feed Bengal in 1943. "THIS WAS THE ONLY FAMINE THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE LINKED DIRECTLY TO SOIL MOISTURE DROUGHT AND CROP FAILURES" According to Indian politician Shashi Tharoor, "Churchill has the blood of millions on his hands whom the British prefer to forget." "Churchill deliberately ordered the diversion of food from starving Indian civilians to well-supplied British soldiers and even to top up European stockpiles, meant for yet-to-be-liberated Greeks and 20 GLOBE MAGAZINE
Yugoslavs," Tharoor, the author of "Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India", write. "FAMINE DEATHS SUBSTANTIALLY ELIMINATED" Janam Mukherjee, author of ‘Hungry Bengal: War, Famine and the End of Empire’, said that "it is not at all a surprise that this scientific research confirms what had been argued way back in 1980 - that the Bengal famine was not the result of the agricultural failure, but of human action". He said that "there is no doubt Churchill had an animus against Indians, and there is no doubt
that he played a role - particularly in blocking imports but to put the blame on the single person of Churchill is highly misleading".
Mukerjee, however, said that crop shortage was also a contributing factor in the famine.
"No doubt, colonial administration had atrophied to the point of dysfunction, so there is a considerable amount of policy failure," he said.
"I agree, of course, that the underlying cause of the famine was British policy, but I do think it is possible there also was a significantly short crop," she said.
In the book, ‘Churchill's Secret War: The British Empire and the Ravaging of India during World War II’, written by Madhusree Mukerjee, Churchill was quoted as blaming the famine on the fact Indians were "breeding like rabbits", and asking how, if the shortages were so bad, Mahatma Gandhi was still alive.
Despite huge population growth since the British colonial era, the study showed that famine deaths have been substantially eliminated in modern India due to "better food distribution and buffer food stocks, rural employment generation, transportation, and groundwater based irrigation".
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Art Exhibition Raises Funds for Clubhouse Gibraltar AN ART EXHIBITION “For the Glory of God” by Wanda Bush with poetry by Janet Pardo was held at the John Mackintosh Hall from the 1st of July to the 10th of July 2020; a collection of a 10-year creative accumulation of paintings, which depicted various watercolours and acrylic still life images, imaginative and religiously inspired JudeoChristian art pieces. Each painting intertwined with bible quotes suggested an inspiring fervour of solace as the artist intended via the stroke of the
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brush. To quote the artist herself, Wanda Bush, “Everybody has creativity, a God-given talent to explore, nurture, and share with others.” A number of familiar local scenes could be appreciated, the purple rock backdrop of the Rock at Catalan Bay viewed from a unique perspective, featuring fishing boats using graceful broad brushstroke outlines illustrated within the theme itself. A different stylized approach could be observed in End of Day (Yellow
House) a vivid, picturesque rendition of Governor’s Parade looking towards the steps which separated both Governor’s parade and Governor’s street, a scene reminiscent of a day in a life, the accuracy of the scenery stands out when you take into consideration the intricate details illustrated within the painting itself, a photographic scenery. Other paintings also expressed biblical scenes like the baby Jesus in the manger accompanied by Mary and Joseph and the coming of age Jesus herding his flock of
sheep through a pastoral land watching over the horizon. Wanda dedicated the Exhibition in memory of her late brother Bruce Settler, who sadly passed away during Covid-19 lockdown. Wanda managed to raise £3,729 through this exhibition in aid of the mental health support group, Clubhouse Gibraltar. Thirteen paintings were sold. Clubhouse Gibraltar would like to thank Wanda and Janet for their generous donation.
Clubhouse Gibraltar providing new services to meet local needs THE COVID 19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown brought about many changes and disruption to everyone’s lives, not least among those, who have underlying psychological or mental health issues. This has created a greater need and demand for support from the general public and Clubhouse Gibraltar has been responding to many enquiries, as well as, reaching out and maintaining communication with their members. We are therefore pleased to announce that once the lock down restrictions were lifted, Clubhouse Gibraltar launched three new services, which is open to the general public at specific times in order to provide a space for people to be able to talk about their needs or feelings and feel supported in a confidential space. We hope that anyone, who has felt challenged because of this pandemic and feels they need some support, will avail themselves of these services. OPEN DOOR Drop-in Sessions Mondays: 11:00am to 1:00pm. Open Door offers support and advice to help individuals improve their well – being and reduce mental and emotional stress. Open Doors is a dropin service available to the
Gibraltar community, who may have questions regarding their mental wellbeing. Clubhouse have trained staff, who can offer oneto-one support in thirty-minute sessions, if more time is needed an appointment can be arranged. THE HIVE Drop-in Sessions - For those aged 18-35 - Tuesday 4.30pm – 6.00pm The Hive is a drop – in service for people aged 18 to 35, a weekly dropin service available to the Gibraltar community, this runs simultaneously with the member’s Hive group. The aim of this group is to work towards mental well-being in the younger generation, who generally have different needs/outlook and ways of dealing with situations. The Hive proposes to create an atmosphere of trust, a place for people to meet, socialise and explore new opportunities, education, activities and so much more. The mental health support needs
in 18 – 35-year olds is real, and it is urgent. More 18 – 35 year olds than ever before are desperately in need of help with their mental health and for those, who take that brave step, we are here to help. We are here to support and empower, whatever the challenges. We’re here to make sure they get the best possible mental health support and to help build the resilience needed to overcome life’s difficulties. Clubhouse trained staff are available in these sessions for a casual chat, and one to one support can be arranged. WELL-BEING CAFÉ Monthly Drop in Service - Last Friday of every month 10.00am – 12.00pm Come in for a chat and find out what support, information, and resources there are available in Gibraltar at our monthly wellbeing cafe held at Clubhouse. The well-being café is for anyone who:
· may be feeling anxious, stressed or socially isolated. · may be concerned about a family member or friend. · would like to find out more about good mental health and wellbeing, · would like to find out what is available locally and also meet some of the people and/or organizations involved Clubhouse Gibraltar would like to invite other organisations/ groups to participate in our wellbeing café so that they can share information about what they have available and how people can avail themselves of their services or get involved. For enquiries or further information please send an e-mail to admin@clubhousegibraltar.com or telephone 20068423 during working hours Monday to Friday. GLOBE MAGAZINE 23
New logo for the Gibraltar Football Association 2020 MARKS the Gibraltar FA’s 125th Anniversary. Unfortunately, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the direct effect that it has had on our community, the Association has been unable to stage its planned programme of events to celebrate this historic occasion. Nevertheless, it was important that this landmark year be recognised with one significant change, and that it be introduced in time for Gibraltar’s upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign this Saturday at the Victoria Stadium. Working closely with the UEFA Grow programme, which aims at developing ‘Football Federations of the Future’ amongst its 55 members, the Gibraltar FA embarked upon an in depth project to redesign its logo and visual identity with UEFA’s industry experts’ research into the current logo laying the foundation for both the design work and its overall look and feel. In scoping and researching the new logo, the Association was clear that its new visual focal point should be intertwined with iconic imagery of our beloved nation, and reflect a modern, forward-thinking visual and corporate identity to drive the Gibraltar FA into the new decade and the next generation. Ever since football has been played at the Victoria Stadium, one landmark vision of Gibraltar has always stood out. The view of the Rock of Gibraltar, from the centre circle. The Rock has watched over generations of footballers who have filled Gibraltar with pride, from the old Nortex, 24 GLOBE MAGAZINE
gravel and sand based pitches in the 1950’s and 60s, through 70s and 80s and then in to the 90s and the first artificial surfaces, with various visiting teams and the unforgettable Sunshine Games right through into the new millennium and ultimately the modern age of UEFA and FIFA Membership.
so the Association must not forget all the work that has been done in the last 125 years in which football has played an enormous part in the growth and development of our wonderful community.
In the first competitive International as UEFA and FIFA Members at the Victoria Stadium, in 2018, Gibraltar National Team Head Coach, Julio Ribas, asked his players and staff turn to face the Rock as they sung the National Anthem and this has now become a key part of the National Teams pre match ritual, with any fans replicating this act.
We Gibraltarians are people who no matter what, never give up, a people who for hundreds of years have never surrendered in the face of all sorts of adversity. Our actions and behaviour during our current battle against the deadly COVID-19 virus is another example of this. Our frontline workers and respective authorities have defended our community without hesitation and in exemplary fashion.
Therefore, using a modern design on the angle of the Rock of Gibraltar, as seen from the Victoria Stadium, the Association’s new logo features two vertically pointing chevrons or ‘arrow-heads’. The symbolism of the two chevrons represents the ‘old’ and the ‘new’. Into a new decade the Gibraltar FA faces new challenges. Challenges that it is duty bound to undertake as the standard bearer for Gibraltarian Football. In doing
Gibraltar’s footballers are no different, they bleed red and white and will now defend our nation wearing ‘The Rock’ on their chests, displaying same courage, desire, passion and pride as generations of footballers before them always did. Ivan Robba, Gibraltar FA General Secretary stated:“The new logo is a key part of launching the Gibraltar FA into a new, modern and professional sporting
1895 - 2020
Association. We were very clear that we wanted a unique and relevant new identity that is in keeping with global footballing trends but simultaneously reflecting the Association’s core values and principles. The iconic image of the Rock of Gibraltar watching over the Victoria Stadium has, for decades, inspired generations of Gibraltarian Footballers and the further this concept was developed the clearer it became that this needed to be central to our new identity. The two upward pointing chevrons on the logo represent the Gibraltar FA moving into a new dawn without forgetting the sterling work that has been done by everyone involved in the Association since it was founded in 1895. From now on, wherever a Gibraltar National Football team take the field of play they will be wearing the Rock of Gibraltar on their chests.” Zoran Lakovi, UEFA’s National Associations Director commented: “We are delighted to see the Gibraltar FA rebranding itself as a launch pad into the next decade. The new logo, featuring the spectacular Rock of Gibraltar clearly shoes that the Association has the passion and commitment to grow and develop Gibraltarian football whilst at the same time never forgetting the core values that make it one of the oldest Football Associations in the world. Image is one of the core pillars of UEFA Grow Programme and I would like to congratulate the Gibraltar FA on the brilliant work that has been done in researching, developing, designing and creating this amazing new visual identity and brand for the Association, and we look forward to seeing it worn with true Gibraltarian passion and pride in football stadia across Europe.”
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Computers and the Eye Text by terence Moss
We are all spending a large part of our day looking at smart phones, tablets and computer screens. Are they damaging our eyes? Many of us are experiencing ‘Computer vision syndrome’, also referred to as digital eye strain, describes a group of eye and vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer, tablet, e-reader and cell phone use. Many individuals experience eye discomfort and vision problems when viewing digital screens for extended periods. An average office worker will spend 1,700 hours per year in front of a screen. Then add the hours addicted to using our phones all day long. All of that screen time seems to come with various ill effects on our bodies and minds, such as eye strain, headaches and insomnia. THE LIGHT SPECTRUM Without getting into complicated physics, there is an inverse relationship between the wavelength of light rays and the amount of energy they contain. Rays on the red end of the visible light spectrum have longer wavelengths and, therefore, less energy. Rays 26 GLOBE MAGAZINE
on the blue end of the spectrum have shorter wavelengths and more energy. The electromagnetic rays just beyond the red end of the visible light spectrum are called infrared — they are warming, but invisible. (The "warming lamps" you see keeping food warm at your local eatery emit infrared
radiation. But these lamps also emit visible red light so people know they are on! The same is true for other types of heat lamps). On the other end of the visible light spectrum, blue light rays with the shortest wavelengths and highest energy are sometimes called blueviolet or violet light. This is why the invisible
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electromagnetic rays just beyond the visible light spectrum are called ultraviolet (UV) radiation. THE DANGERS AND BENEFITS OF UV UV rays have higher energy than visible light rays, which makes them capable of producing changes in the skin that create a suntan. In fact, the bulbs in tanning booths emit a controlled amount of UV radiation specifically for this reason. But too much exposure to UV causes a painful sunburn — and even worse, can lead to skin cancer. These rays also can cause sunburned eyes — a condition called photokeratitis or snow blindness. Ultraviolet radiation, in moderation, also has beneficial effects, such as helping the body manufacture adequate amounts of vitamin D. KEY POINTS ABOUT BLUE LIGHT 1. Blue light is everywhere. Sunlight is the main source of blue light. Being outdoors during daylight is where most of us get most of our exposure to it. But there are also many man-made, indoor sources of blue light, including fluorescent and LED lighting and flat-screen televisions. Most notably, the display screens of computers, electronic notebooks, smartphones and other digital devices emit significant amounts of blue light. The amount of HEV light these devices emit is only a fraction of that emitted by the sun. However, the amount of time people spend using these devices and the proximity of these screens to the user's face have many eye doctors and other health care professionals concerned about possible long-term effects of blue light on eye health. 2. HEV light rays make the sky look blue. The short-wavelength, high-energy light rays on the blue end of the visible light spectrum scatter more easily than other visible light rays when they strike air and water molecules in the atmosphere. The higher degree of scattering of these rays is what makes a cloudless sky look blue. 3. The eye is not very good at blocking blue light. Anterior structures of the adult human eye, 28 GLOBE MAGAZINE
the cornea and the lens, are very effective at blocking UV rays from reaching the lightsensitive retinaat the back of the eyeball. In fact, less than one percent of UV radiation from the sun reaches the retina, even if you aren't wearing sunglasses.
made blue light is "too much blue light" for the retina, many eye care providers are concerned that the added blue light exposure from computer screens, smartphones and other digital devices might increase a person's risk of macular degeneration later in life.
Remember though that sunglasses that block 100 percent of UV are essential to protect these and other parts of the eye from damage that could lead to cataracts snow blindness, a pinguecula and/or pterygium and even cancer. Virtually all visible blue light passes through the cornea and lens to reach the retina.
5. Blue light contributes to digital eye strain. Because short-wavelength, high energy blue light scatters more easily than other visible light, it is not as easily focused. When you're looking at computer screens and other digital devices that emit significant amounts of blue light, this unfocused visual "noise" reduces contrast and can contribute to digital eye strain. Lenses that block blue light with wavelengths less than 450 nm (blue-violet light) increase contrast significantly.
4. Blue light exposure may increase the risk of macular degeneration. The fact that blue light penetrates all the way to the retina (the inner lining of the back of the eye) is important, because studies have shown that too much exposure to blue light can damage light-sensitive cells in the retina. This causes changes that resemble those of macular degeneration which can lead to permanent vision loss. Although more research is needed to determine how much natural and man-
Therefore, computer glasses with yellow-tinted lenses may increase comfort when you are viewing digital devices for extended periods of time. These special-purpose glasses are available without an eyeglass prescription if you have no need for vision correction or if you routinely wear contact lenses to correct your eyesight. Or computer glasses can be
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exposure is essential for good health. Research has shown that high-energy visible light boosts alertness, helps memory and cognitive function and elevates mood. In fact, something called light therapy is used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons, with symptoms usually beginning in the fall and continuing through winter. The light sources for this therapy emit bright white light that contains a significant amount of HEV blue light rays. Also, blue light is very important in regulating circadian rhythm — the body's natural wakefulness and sleep cycle. Exposure to blue light during daytime hours helps maintain a healthful circadian rhythm. But too much blue light late at night (reading a novel on a tablet computer or e-reader at bedtime, for example) can disrupt this cycle, potentially causing sleepless nights and daytime fatigue.
specially prescribed to optimize your vision specifically for the distance from which you view your devices.
your needs for viewing your computer and other digital devices and protecting your eyes from blue light.
If you have presbyopia and routinely wear multifocal lenses or bifocals, a prescription computer glasses with single vision lenses will give you the additional benefit of a much larger field of view for seeing your entire computer screen clearly, and is prescribed exclusively for seeing objects within arm's length and cannot be worn for driving or other distance vision needs. Also, a number of lens manufacturers have introduced special glare-reducing antireflective coatings that also block blue light from both natural sunlight and digital devices.
6. Blue light protection may be even more important after cataract surgery. The lens in the adult human eye blocks nearly 100 percent of the sun's UV rays. As part of the normal aging process, the eye's natural lens eventually blocks some short-wavelength blue light as well — the type of blue light most likely to cause damage to the retina and lead to macular degeneration and vision loss. If you have cataracts and are about to have cataract surgery ask your surgeon what type of intraocular lens will be used to replace your cloudy natural lens, and how much blue light protection it provides. After cataract surgery you might benefit from eyeglasses that have lenses with a special blue light filter — especially if you spend long hours in front of a computer screen or using other digital devices.
You also may want to consider photochromic lenses, which provide seamless protection from UV and blue light both indoors and out and also automatically darken in response to UV rays outdoors to increase comfort and reduce glare. Ask your eye doctor or optician which type of vision correction and lens features best suit 30 GLOBE MAGAZINE
7. Not all blue light is bad. Why not block all blue light all the time? It is well documented that some blue light
Blue light filters and protective eyewear If you are using your phone constantly — especially if you use it primarily for texting, e-mailing and web browsing — a convenient way to reduce your blue light exposure is to use a blue light filter. These filters are available for smartphones, tablets, and computer screens and prevent significant amounts of blue light emitted from these devices from reaching your eyes without affecting the visibility of the display. Some are made with thin tempered glass that also protects your device's screen from scratches. TEN EASY STEPS TO REDUCE EYE STRAIN AND COMPUTER VISION 1. Get a comprehensive eye exam. Having a routine eye examination every year is the most important thing you can do to prevent or treat computer vision problems. During your exam, be sure to tell your eye doctor how often you use a computer and digital devices at work and at home. Measure how far your eyes are from your screen when you sit at your computer and bring this measurement to your exam so your eye doctor can test your eyes at that specific working distance.
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2. Use proper lighting. Eye strain often is caused by excessively bright light either from outdoor sunlight coming in through a window or from harsh interior lighting. When you use a computer, your ambient lighting should be about half as bright as that typically found in most offices. Eliminate exterior light by closing drapes, shades or blinds. Reduce interior lighting by using fewer light bulbs or fluorescent tubes, or use lower intensity bulbs and tubes. Also, if possible, position your computer screen so windows are to the side, instead of in front or behind it. 3. Minimize glare. Glare from light reflecting off walls and finished surfaces, as well as reflections on your computer screen also can cause computer eye strain. Consider installing an anti-glare screen on your display and, if possible, paint bright white walls a darker color with a matte finish. If you wear glasses, purchase lenses with antireflective coating, which reduces glare by minimizing the amount of light reflecting off the front and back surfaces of your eyeglass lenses. 4. Upgrade your display. If you have not already done so, replace your old tube-style monitor (a cathode ray tube or CRT) with a flat-panel LED (light-emitting diode) screen with an anti-reflective surface. Old-fashioned CRT screens can cause a noticeable "flicker" of images, which is a major cause of computer eye strain. Even if this flicker is imperceptible, it still can contribute to eye strain and fatigue during computer work. 5. Adjust your computer display settings. Adjusting the display settings of your computer can help reduce eye strain and fatigue. Generally, these adjustments are beneficial:
(very slowly). This will help rewet your eyes. 7. Exercise your eyes. Another cause of computer eye strain is focusing fatigue. To reduce your risk of tiring your eyes by constantly focusing on your screen, look away from your computer at least every 20 minutes and gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds. Some eye doctors call this the "20-20-20 rule." Looking far away relaxes the focusing muscle inside the eye to reduce fatigue.
Usually, black print on a white background is the best combination for comfort. • Color temperature: This is a technical term used to describe the spectrum of visible light emitted by a color display. Blue light is shortwavelength visible light that is associated with more eye strain than longer wavelength hues, such as orange and red. Reducing the color temperature of your display lowers the amount of blue light emitted by a color display for better long-term viewing comfort. 6. Blink more often. Blinking is very important when working at a computer; blinking moistens your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation. When staring at a screen, people blink less frequently — only about onethird as often as they normally do — and many blinks performed during computer work are only partial lid closures, according to studies.
• Brightness: Adjust the brightness of the display so it is approximately the same as the brightness of your surrounding workstation. As a test, look at the white background of a Web page. If it looks like a light source, it's too bright. If it seems dull and grey, it may be too dark.
Tears coating the eye evaporate more rapidly during long non-blinking phases and this can causes dry eye. Also, the air in many office environments is dry, which can increase how quickly your tears evaporate, placing you at greater risk for dry eye problems. If you experience dry eye symptoms, use artificial tears to rewet your eyes. Do not use eye drops that reduce redness, as they are not necessarily formulated to reduce dryness and irritation.
• Text size and contrast: Adjust the text size and contrast for comfort, especially when reading or composing long documents.
To reduce your risk of dry eyes during computer use, try this exercise: Every 20 minutes, blink 10 times by closing your eyes as if falling asleep
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8. Take frequent breaks. To reduce your risk for computer vision syndrome and neck, back and shoulder pain, take frequent screen breaks during your work day (at least one 10-minute break every hour). During these breaks, stand up, move about and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck and shoulders to reduce tension and muscle fatigue. 9. Modify your workstation. If you need to look back and forth between a printed page and your computer screen, place the written pages on a copy stand adjacent to your screen. Light the copy stand properly. You may want to use a desk lamp, but make sure it doesn't shine into your eyes or onto your computer screen. Poor posture also contributes to computer vision syndrome. Adjust your workstation and chair to the correct height so your feet rest comfortably on the floor. Position your computer screen so it's 20 to 24 inches from your eyes. The center of your screen should be about 10 to 15 degrees below your eyes for comfortable positioning of your head and neck. 10. Consider computer glasses. For the greatest comfort at your computer, you might benefit from having your eye doctor modify your eyeglass prescription to create customized computer glasses. About the author: Terence Moss is a retired optometrist who has worked in UK, Gibraltar and Australia and is a former Optometry Director of a Specsavers franchise in Melbourne.
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Frontline Workers Exhibitions Exhibitions of almost every genre are certainly not a rare occurrence at our art galleries and elsewhere around Gibraltar and now, the dreaded Covid-19 virus has prompted another painting exhibition...Portraits of a very deserving group of individuals! Text by Richard Cartwright / Photographs by Globe Magaziner
AND IT’S A SUPER idea for a well thought out and meaningful exhibition set up at the GEMA Gallery at Montagu Bastion (next to the Youth Centre). 40 Local and locally resident artists have come onboard to take part in this great initiative... “We picked up the idea from something similar happening in the UK and thought it would be great to organise it here and its success has been overwhelming with some fabulous works on show, not to be missed!”, Gibraltar Culture Services’, Davina Barbara tells me. Walking round the wartimebombproof-turned-gallery, I witnessed the degree of talent within our two and a half square miles. Many of the individuals exhibiting are veterans, who’ve been around for a long time exhibiting in their own right over the years but also, there are those, who had bundled away their paint brushes and
easels and stored them away, ‘in the attic’ – so to speak, and very especially there are many youngsters, who have taken up art in a very serious way as demonstrated here and at other school and young persons’ exhibitions I have visited... “Oh yes, there’s a lot of talent amongst the young artists. The collection of over 50 exhibits on show includes paintings in oils, water colours, acrylics and pencil sketching and there are also embroidered and photographic illustrations,” Davina reveals, as she busily curates the display ahead of the opening - as I write - just a few days away. On show, you’ll appreciate the works of stalwarts like the Ullgers, Cosquieris, Gaduzos, Avellanos, Alcantaras and Buhagiars of the local art fraternity, plus other top artists of the ‘creators of beautiful things’ genre, who are on the list too. All must be equally GLOBE MAGAZINE 37
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commended for their work and time spent on the job and yes, lots of praise to those coming out of the woodwork to put brush-to-canvass once again to take part in something creative, thought-provoking and worthwhile, maybe even surprising themselves at the artistic skill they may have thought was lost but still posses...And a big thumbs up to the up-and-coming young artists in our midst many of whom are already, simply amazing at a very young age!
our frontline workers), Kitchen staff and food suppliers and a number of others – again too long a list to mention individually, all giving of their time (including busy Government Ministers) offering their private photographs. Most of the paintings were done during lockdown keeping the artists busy as they kept occupied filling in their downtime...! And it’s not over for them yet, as our talented ‘art creators’ will be interviewed at the gallery in the coming days.
At the gallery you’ll be able to appreciate portraits of GHA doctors, nurses and hospital staff, St John Ambulance workers, RGP and Customs officers, Teachers (who together with students crafted plastic, face masks for
An exhibition certainly to behold, appreciate and undoubtedly serving as a reminder of those, who have put their lives in danger in order to keep us all safe – very safe, as has been the case thus far. The
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Gibraltar Cultural Services (GCS) along with the Ministry of Culture are grateful to all those artists, frontline workers, Civil Servants and teachers taking part or helping out in this project and thank the Fine Arts Association for their support... “It is an exhibition of artworks that is more than art. It is part of our social history!” ...John Cortes (Minister for Heritage and Culture). The exhibition is running till the 2nd of October and certainly worth a visit... GEMA Gallery manager, Shane Dalmedo is happy to welcome you on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 to 3pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 to 6pm...Take a walk and love it!
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Business at Lockdown You drop out of the Civil Service or your safe job somewhere, start a business, employ one or two individuals and all is going well...COVID-19 hits the streets and the whole town is in limbo for months...’Stay at home or else!!’ No customers, no business... what now? Text by Richard Cartwright
THAT, IN A NUTSHELL, has been the situation for the past so many weeks where businesses, large or small, have had a problem or two – to say the least. ‘What do we do now?’ ‘How do we deal with this, the staff, the lack of income, the business? And how long will this drama go on for??’ Well, it went on for long enough, “More than long enough,” I hear many business people cry! Time to think, how to cope with it and I suppose, see what happens must’ve been the general thinking and so, it didn’t turn out as bad as feared according to some of the individuals I spoke to. Goes without saying, it would have been better to stay open, have a better turnover, keep people employed paying their dues to government coffers 42 GLOBE MAGAZINE
for that we have to thank the local community for their support!” Euphoria and Vijay tell the same story...Bayju says he was available for much of the time as he, on his own, was at the store ready to take on enquires and subsequent deliveries... “In the later weeks of lockdown, I would say maybe, it was better than an opened shop! Families not spending money on kids’ parties nor going out to restaurants etc meant there was plenty disposable cash available.”
and worry less about whether they were facing a closedown scenario or not. It seems, however, for some, the experience wasn’t entirely negative...“We were expecting
the worst,” multimedia store, Music Corner owner, Naresh Bassantani, told me, “The day after lockdown, we were inundated with calls and requests for goods. Deliveries to homes were a constant and it never stopped and
Us For Toys’s Bianca Sanguinetti really feared ‘the end was nigh’ when lockdown took off... “We have two shops, the staff were worried with both units closing down and it really was time to get together with my sister and brother to see what we could do. We started taking photos and filming of the toys and games
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in the shops and through social media offered free delivery of what was there. With children having to stay at home not going to school, we thought it a great idea to offer our goods online to keep them entertained...and it worked! It was time consuming walking around the shop filming then taking orders and delivering but we had lots of requests so we can’t complain, in the end, it turned out ok, if we hadn’t done that, it would have been so much worse. Sebastian of the ‘Face Frames Gallery’ was kept busy also enjoying the lockdown. “I felt it a privilege with much to do as you can become overwhelmed when you’re open. I had a team change in the store, teaching a little at the college, I was painting on Instagram and there was some selling also, so maybe in a strange way, I enjoyed the lockdown.” It’s no surprise to anyone I’m sure, the Takeaway outfits did very well also as did drinks suppliers delivering allsorts to homes everywhere... Lewis Stagnetto Ltd, told me their warehouse was kept busy, especially making sure 44 GLOBE MAGAZINE
Morrison’s wine, beer and spirit stocks were plentiful throughout the period. Saccone & Speed (Gibraltar) Ltd provided my household with £50 worth of soft drinks and spirits on two occasions and other delivery outfits and stores were on hand to transport any sort of item required. I also had a smart TV delivered to my home early on during the inevitable ‘shut down’, so there was no need to go without – all you needed to do was go online or give them a call!
The Wine Shop and My Wines made sure they didn’t stay at home twiddling their thumbs either... “Absolutely” Tony Hernandez asserts, “My Wines at Chatham Counterguard was busy delivering food and I jumped in my car and delivered bottles of wine and chocolates from my shop here in Tuckey’s Lane to homes everywhere.” Parking, I’m sure being a problem didn’t deter Tony from hauling the heavy bottles from wherever he eventually was able to park to someone’s home for
those indoors more than ready to enjoy a very welcomed tipple! Obviously when lockdown was announced ‘WHAT NOW’ neon signs must’ve lit up in every business person’s brain and Tony’ grey matter was no exception I’m certain... “No, I wondered if the business would become extinct, but I think for many, Social Media was the saviour. I started listing my wines on the website selecting something different and it kicked off. We even had wine and food tasting with live, ‘lockdown sessions’ and as time went on, hopes were lifted.” Rents were halved for many which also helped to see the period through. The biggest desire for everyone is that a dreaded spike in the virus will not occur and everything will get back to normal or the ‘new normal’... slowly I’m sure, but back to normal we will. Our entrepreneurial community will bounce back again I’m certain and in time, the effects of Covid-19 will just be remembered as a bad dream, albeit a very bad one... Here’s to, ‘a hope for the best!’
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What’s Happening Down Town? 1. Congratulations to W.O. Paul ‘Mac’ Mckenna, who has taken over as the Senior Warrant Officer at Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar; this is the most senior non-commissioned rank in the Command. 2. Blast From The Past, Lions FC 1993. 3. Children receive ASDAN Certificates from Commodore Steve Dainton. 4. Matthew Bruce-Smith celebrates a remarkable season at San Roque Old Golf Course achieving the Med Golf double by adding the 2018-19 Masters Trophy to his Player of the Year Trophy. 5A & 5B. The Minister for Heritage and Culture, The Hon Prof John Cortes MP visited the street art mural produced by Monica Popham on the facade of the Gibraltar Academy of Music and Performing Arts (GAMPA) facility. 1
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5A
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5B
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The Best Recipes of our Cuisine Spicy Vegetable and Quinoa One-Pot
Blackened Salmon Fajitas
This high fibre dish counts as three of your five-a-day, with creamy and Spicy Curried Sauce
In need of a quick fix? Go Tex-Mex with these Fish Fajitas that’ll feed four in less than fifteen minutes!
Serves: 4 Preparation: About 5 minutes Cooking: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 Preparation: About 5 minutes Cooking: 8 minutes
INGREDIENTS 1 onion, sliced - 4 tbsp vegetarian korma or Madras curry paste - 1 l milk - 750grs frozen mixed vegetable - 175 grs quinoa, rinsed HOW TO MAKE IT 1. Simmer the onion and the curry paste with a splash of water
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for 5 minutes in a large saucepan, stirring from time to time. Heat the milk in a jug in the microwave. 2. Add the vegetables and quinoa, then stir in the milk. Bring to the boil, simmer gently for 10 minutes until the quinoa is cooked. Check seasoning. Serve with warm naan bread.
INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley - 4 salmon fillets - Sunflower oil, or any oil suitable for frying - 1 fajita kit - 2 avocados - 2 limes HOW TO MAKE IT 1. Coat the salmon in 1 tbsp oil
and the fajita spice mix. Add 1 tbsp oil to a frying pan and fry for 8 minutes until blackened. 2. Mash the avocados with a fork, season and squeeze over the juice of 1 lime. Serve the salmon in large flakes with the tortillas, avocado, salsa and the other lime, cut into wedges.
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AT GLOBE MAGAZINE, we recommend you pay a visit to a series of local establishments if you wish to sample the delights of the rich gastronomy the area has to offer. From the most typical local products and a commitment
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for the traditional Mediterranean cuisine to culinary offers of international cuisines such as Argentinian, Thai, Indian, Hindufusion or Brazilian, without forgetting the important multi-
cultural contribution, which has influenced the area like the British, Moroccan, Italian, Maltese or Portuguese; an ample culinary offer, which is both rigorous and professional, as a result of the cultural melting pot, which is the area of the Straits of Gibraltar. These bars and restaurants are run by
proven experienced professionals and all serve products of great quality and stand out in their gastronomic offers on both sides of the frontier. Look for the definite GLOBE MAGAZINE RECOMMENDED GASTRONOMIC TOUR and you will not regret your choice. Bon Apetit!
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Dad's Kitchen Sardine Tagine Text by Mark Montovio
TRADITIONALLY, THIS DISH is a summer favourite in the north of Morocco and it is usually prepared with sardines, although today I’ve used anchovies, as that was what was fresh. Tuna and swordfish also work very well, and it can either be cooked in chunks, or chopped up into bite sized pieces. I remember having this dish often as I was growing up, ‘sardinas a la moruna’, and it has become one of my favourite fish dishes because although the sauce is rich and beautifully flavoured, the sardines cope very well with this and the marriage is blissful.
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The traditional way to spice the dish is using a chermoula marinade, which consists of combining, fresh coriander and parsley, garlic, black pepper, ground cumin, paprika, olive oil, and lemon juice, I use the juice of preserved lemons, which I then add to the dish in strips. Although I cook it in a tagine, I have to do so inside the oven because I have an induction hob, but it works beautifully well. I tend to put the base of the tagine in the oven for about 20 minutes to really heat up, much like a hot stone for steak, and cook the tomato sauce in a frying
pan. The usual thing. The basics: good quality tomatoes, onion, green peppers and garlic fried in extra virgin olive oil. The chermoula mix can be shop bought, but it is very easy to make, just by blending the ingredients above in a pestle and mortar, and it actually keeps well in the fridge. Once mixed, you just need to spoon a little on the inside of the cleaned sardine. You can then close the sardine up, but I actually love to make a little sardine sandwich laying one on top of another.
Once all the sardines have been spiced up, and the sauce is ready to use, it’s a question of getting the tagine out of the hot oven and pouring the tomato sauce in. The sizzle and smell is hypnotic! Of course you could mix the sardines up with the sauce, you would do that if you use tuna and swordfish, but one thing I love about Moroccan cooking is their attention to detail and I love laying them out as you can see in the pictures. That done I add a bit more olive oil to the remaining chermoula mix and pour it over the sardines. I add the strips of preserved lemon, a little more fresh coriander, which I love, and usually Moroccan olives,
which I am patiently waiting to grab as soon smoother consistency, and use it on toasted bread, just like the pate served in Portugal beas I can make it again to Morocco. fore your meal! Back into the oven at 180 degrees for about 20 minutes, but that of course depends on Mark Montovio shares some of his much the thickness of the fish, and whether you loved local and world recipes, opening up like it very well done. possibilities for making each dish to suit a variety of families, different tastes and
It really is a dish to die for with crusty Moroccan bread and a glass of vinho verde from Portugal, although red wine also goes well with this dish, and should you have any left over it’s cause to get excited. Use a fork to mash it all up, or blend it if you prefer a
particular dietary needs. Combining his love of different cultures and world cuisine he is also committed to preparing meals which are nutritious, tasty and good to look at, with minimum waste and using seasonal produce.
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Inflammation: The key factor that explains vulnerability to severe COVID Text by Sheena Cruickshank (Professor in Biomedical Sciences, University of Manchester)
www.theconversation.com
THE SEVERITY of COVID-19 can vary hugely. In some it causes no symptoms at all and in others it is life threatening, with some people particularly vulnerable to its very severe impacts. The virus disproportionately affects men and people who are older and who have conditions such as diabetes and obesity. In the UK and other western countries, ethnic minorities have also been disproportionately affected.
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While many factors contribute to how severely people are affected, including access to healthcare, occupational exposure and environmental risks such as pollution, it’s becoming clear that for some of these at-risk groups, it’s the response of their immune system – inflammation – that explains why they get so sick. Specifically, we’re seeing that the risks associated with diabetes, obesity, age and sex are all related to the immune system
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functioning irregularly confronted by the virus.
essentially the glucose fuels the virus.
when
But the virus isn’t done yet. It also causes the virally infected immune cells to make products that are very damaging to the lung, such as reactive oxygen species. And on top of this, the virus reduces the ability of other immune cells – lymphocytes – to kill it.
INFLAMMATION CAN GO TOO FAR A common feature for many patients that get severe COVID is serious lung damage caused by an overly vigorous immune response. This is characterised by the creation of lots of inflammatory products called cytokines – the socalled cytokine storm. Cytokines can be really powerful tools in the immune response: they can stop viruses reproducing, for example. However, some cytokine actions – such as helping bring in other immune cells to fight an infection or enhancing the ability of these recruited cells to get across blood vessels – can cause real damage if they are not controlled. This is exactly what happens in a cytokine storm. Many white blood cells create cytokines, but specialised cells called monocytes and macrophages seem to be some of the biggest culprits in generating cytokine storms. When properly controlled, these cells are a force for good that can detect and destroy threats, clear and repair damaged tissue, and bring in other immune cells to help.
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Obesity also causes high levels of glucose in the body and, similar to diabetes, affects macrophage and monocyte activation. Research has shown that macrophages from obese individuals are an ideal place for SARS-CoV-2 to thrive. However, in severe COVID, the way monocytes and macrophages work misfires. And this is particularly true in patients with diabetes and obesity. GLUCOSE FUELS DAMAGE Diabetes, if not controlled well, can result in high levels of glucose in the body. A recent study showed that, in COVID, macrophages and monocytes respond to high levels of glucose with worrying consequences. The virus that causes COVID,
SARS-CoV-2, needs a target to latch onto in order to invade our cells. Its choice is a protein on the cell surface called ACE2. Glucose increases the levels of ACE2 present on macrophages and monocytes, helping the virus infect the very cells that should be helping to kill it.
The same sort of inflammatory profile that diabetes and obesity cause is also seen in some older people (those over 60 years). This is due to a phenomenon known as inflammageing.
Once the virus is safely inside these cells, it causes them to start making lots of inflammatory cytokines – effectively kickstarting the cytokine storm. And the higher the levels of glucose, the more successful the virus is at replicating inside the cells –
Inflammageing is characterised by having high levels of proinflammatory cytokines. It’s influenced by a number of factors, including genetics, the microbiome (the bacteria, viruses and other microbes that live inside and on you) and obesity.
OTHER RISKS TIED TO INFLAMMATION
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Many older people also have fewer lymphocytes – the very cells that can specifically target and destroy viruses. This all means that for some older people, their immune system is not only poorly equipped to fight off an infection, but it is also more likely to lead to a damaging immune response. Having fewer lymphocytes also means vaccines may not work as well, which is crucial to consider when planning a future COVID vaccine campaign. Another puzzle that has been
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worrying researchers is why men seem so much more vulnerable to COVID. One reason is that cells in men seem to be more readily infected by SARS-CoV-2 than women. The ACE2 receptor that the virus uses to latch onto and infect cells is expressed much more highly in men than women. Men also have higher levels of an enzyme called TMPRSS2 that promotes the ability of the virus to enter the cells. Immunology is also offering some clues on the sex difference. It’s long been known that men and
women differ in their immune responses, and this is true in COVID. A recent pre-print (research that has not yet been reviewed) has tracked and compared the immune response to SARSCoV-2 in men and women over time. It found that men were more likely to develop atypical monocytes that were profoundly pro-inflammatory and capable of making cytokines typical of a cytokine storm. Women also tended to have a more robust T cell response, which is needed for
effective virus killing. However, increased age and having a higher body mass index reversed the protective immune effect in women. Studies like these highlight how different people are. The more we understand about these differences and vulnerabilities, the more we can consider how best to treat each patient. Data like these also highlight the need to consider variation in immune function and include people of varied demographics in drug and vaccine trials.
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Minister Cortes visits Children's Book Club THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION and Culture, The Hon Dr. John Cortes visited the Book Club on Thursday 27th August last; the Book Club, which run through the summer by Gibraltar Cultural Services on behalf of the Ministry of Culture. The Minister took the opportunity to view the books recently acquired to enhance the Library’s collection. The Minister spoke to the children, who had been making use of the Book Club, all of whom had found it a greatly enjoyable experience and had encouraged them to read more. Commenting on the visit, Dr John Cortes said, “A Library - and this Book Club - brings home the close connection between Culture and Education, a connection, which I look forward to building on in order to maximise how we teach and enrich the experiences of our children and young people. I am very impressed at how the John Mackintosh Hall Library is constantly improving in what it offers, and encouraged at how it is contributing to the development of children in this way. It was a real pleasure to chat to the children, about the Book Club, but also about how they have lived through COVID-19 and lockdown. Most were looking forward to going back to school!”
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2020 Winners of the Shop Window Competition THE SELF DETERMINATION for Gibraltar Group announced the winners of this year’s Shop Window Competition. These were as follows: 1st Prize: ‘Piece of Cake’, 13 Engineers Lane · 2nd Prize: ‘Ditzy B’, Unit F17 First Floor ICC · 3rd Prize: ‘Gibraltar Arts and Crafts’, 15B Balcony, Casemates The 2020 National Celebrations Shop Window Competition was organised by the SDGG in collaboration with Gibraltar Cultural Services. The SDGG takes this opportunity to thank the Judges this year and invites the general public to view these shop windows. The SDGG would also like to thank The Cellar by Saccone & Speed (Gibraltar) Ltd, Marks and Spencer, Fine Arts Prints and Gifts and Rooms by Acmoda for taking part. 1st Prize
2nd Prize
3rd Prize
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2020 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe
911 SERIES welcomes a new member: Porsche is expanding its eighth-generation range with the Porsche 911 Carrera. The new sports car is being launched as a Coupé and Cabriolet, and generates 283 kW (385PS) from its 3.0-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine with biturbo charging. The Carrera is the entry-level 911 model and offers 11 kW (15PS) more power output than its predecessor did. It shares its premium-quality standard features virtually unchanged from the 911 Carrera S. These include the high-quality interior with 10.9-inch touch-screen display, comprehensive connectivity and also innovative assistance systems like the Porsche Wet Mode that ensures even safer handling on wet roads. The Porsche 911 Carrera is distinguished by smaller dimensioned wheels and brakes 62 GLOBE MAGAZINE
and the individual tailpipe covers on the exhaust system. As with the Carrera S model, the engine, chassis and brakes are designed for exclusive sportiness. The 3.0-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine of the Porsche 911 Carrera generates power largely through the smaller wheel diameters of
the turbines and compressors that feature in the new turbochargers. Power transmission is handled by the new eight-speed dualclutch transmission (PDK). This enables the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupé to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds, with a top speed of 293 km/h; the optional Sport Chrono Package shaves a
further 0.2 seconds off the sprint. The combined fuel consumption (NEDC-correlated) of the Coupé is 9.0 l/100 km, while the Cabriolet records this figure as 9.2 l/100 km. The driving dynamics set-up includes 235/40 ZR tyres on 19-inch alloy wheels on the front axle. The mixed tyre configuration features 20-inch wheels with 295/35 ZR tyres at the rear. Stopping power is provided on both axles by 330-millimetre brake discs with black, fourpiston monobloc fixed callipers. The price of the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupé starts at 104,655€ in Germany, and the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet at 118,935€ with both prices including valueadded tax and country-specific equipment.
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Hassans welcomes back Gilbert Licudi QC. HASSANS INTERNATIONAL Law Firm Limited is delighted to announce that Gilbert Licudi QC has returned to legal practice with the firm. Gilbert first joined the firm in 1992 and was made a partner in 1998. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2012. Gilbert was elected to the Gibraltar Parliament in 2007 and became a member of the Government following elections in 2011. Between 2011 and 2020, Gilbert held ministerial office with responsibility, at different times, for Financial Services, Gaming, Education, Justice, Telecommunications, Tourism, Port and Maritime Services and Employment. During his time in Government, Gilbert introduced the Companies Act 2014 and was responsible for the establishment of the University of Gibraltar in 2015. He continues to be a Member of the Gibraltar Parliament. Gilbert’s return to the firm serves to bolster yet further Hassans’ litigation practice. On
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Gilbert’s return to practice, Senior Partner James Levy, QC commented: “I am delighted that Gilbert has returned to Hassans after his very successful time in Government. I am looking forward to working closely with him,
once again, as he focuses on re-establishing his practice in the varied fields of commercial, trusts and employment law and further developing the firm’s expertise in sports law. The value of the experience Gilbert brings back to our firm following his almost nine years in Cabinet, and his well-established leadership in the litigation context, are together a real boon for our clients, allowing us to offer the most experienced and recognised team of lawyers in Gibraltar.” Gilbert concluded by explaining that: “Having started out in my career as a lawyer in J A Hassan & Partners (as it then was) many years ago, and despite the very satisfying time I have spent in Government over the last nine years, I am thrilled to be back in legal practice with Hassans. Having last year celebrated 80 years since its establishment, I look forward to re-engaging with all my partners and colleagues at Hassans as we work to guarantee the firm’s success for many more years to come”.
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‘Our Gibraltar’ 2020 winners receive awards ‘Boys of Summer’
THE ‘OUR GIBRALTAR’ annual Competition was held at the Fine Arts Gallery. The event is produced by Gibraltar Cultural Services, on behalf of the Self Determination for Gibraltar Group (SDGG), and in association with the Fine Arts Association and the Gibraltar Photographic Society. The Minister for Culture, The Hon Dr. John Cortes opened the exhibition on Tuesday 25th August last The Prize winners this year are: • The Ministry of Culture Award - £2000 - Chris-Anne Alcantara
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The following received ‘Highly Commended’: Gavin Garcia - ‘Los Pescadores de Ayer’; Albert Danino - ‘After the Rain’; Cristina Rodriguez ‘2 M Visits’; Liz Flynn - ‘BreastFeeding’ and Joanne Bossano ‘Leisure Centre’
‘Park-Life’ • The Our Gibraltar Art Award - £750 - Willie Chiappe ‘Old
House: Flat Bastion Road’ • The Our Gibraltar Photography Award - £750 - Donovan Torres
The exhibition was open to the general public from Wednesday 26th August 2020 to Friday 25th September 2020, weekdays from 10am to 2pm and 3pm to 6pm.
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Christy Lee Rogers
The Muses Collection IN AN INTERVIEW with contemporary photographer, Christy Lee Rogers by the ‘Colnaghi Foundation’, a non-profit London organisation with the purpose of promoting Old Masters, art historian, Isabelle Kent compares Christy's works to Ruben.
something greater than ourselve, a drama and passion and motion."
Isabella, who lectures at the Victoria and Albert Museum and was a Curatorial Assistant at the Wallace Collection, said: "Christy is best known for her pioneering use of water and pools in her photography... Christy's art plays with themes of strength and vulnerability, loss and beauty... creating ethereal and otherworldly images full of colour and billowing fabrics. They have often been compared to Baroque paintings, in particular the likes of Caravaggio and I certainly think her multifigure works, with all of their movement, really remind me of Rubens."
Rogers' obsession with water as a medium for breaking the conventions of contemporary photography has led to her work being compared to Baroque painting masters like Caravaggio. Rogers is known for breaking the rules of conventional photography, by utilizing the refraction of light through water to create painting like images under very dark lighting conditions.
A process behind-the-scenes video was also created about her and her shooting process on the project.
With an eye for the chiaroscuro qualities of light (a Renaissance-period term describing the use of strong contrasts between light and dark), her In the interview, Christy, who won first prize in by Apple to create multiple images using the new subjects bend and distort; bathing in darkness, the Sony World Open Photographer of the Year iPhone 11pro, said: "There is a message in my isolated by light, and are brought to life by one’s Award in 2019 and was recently commissioned work - it is connected to that Baroque feeling about own imagination.
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Rogers is known for breaking the rules of conventional photography, by utilizing the refraction of light through water to create painting like images under very dark lighting conditions. Her use of Chiaroscuro lighting was made popular by artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt. She started by shooting at night in friends pools; the basis of her technique started out experimentally. She is also known for using real people as her models to evoke the vulnerability of the human condition is her works. Without the use of post-production manipulation, her works are made incamera, on the spot, in water and at night. Her unrestrained joy to excite and inflame the senses, while provoking the audience with vivacious movement and purpose, demonstrates her prolific use of the photographic medium to transform reality into a world of her own.
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Ms Rogers produces luminous scenes of swirling figures swathed in colourful fabrics. She creates a painterly quality in her large-scale images not by using wet pigments, but rather by completely submerging her subjects in illuminated water and photographing them at night.
Christy Lee Rogers evokes Baroque painting in her luscious colour photographs of people submerged in water. Born in Hawaii and now working in Los Angeles, Rogers began working with underwater photography as a reprieve from her film work. Self-taught, she begins her shoots around sunset, using natural light to create chromatic relations that defy conventions of photography. The drama of figures submerged in water creates a dual sense of struggle and purification in the work. “I think at the basic core is that search for freedom and that common bond between all of us,” Rogers has said.
The works shown here are part of Rogers’ most recent series, titled ‘Muses’, which were in response to a year of personal loss. She shared in an interview that “these final images represent a soft and peaceful place that I imagine exists, where you can be free to let go and experience the beauty surrounding you.”
Most recently, her image Harmony, an excerpt from her ‘Muses’ collection, was selected from over 374,000 images from 195 countries around the world and gained her the esteemed honour of 2019’s Open Photographer of the Year Award from Sony World Photography Awards.
Rogers' works have been exhibited throughout the US and Europe and are held in private collections throughout the world. She has been featured in International Magazines, including Vogue, CNN, W Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and others. The Independent Newspaper compared her work to Caravaggio.
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Coronavirus Reinfection – what it actually means and why you shouldn’t panic Text by Zania Stamataki (Senior Lecturer in Viral Immunology, University of Birmingham)
www.theconversation.com
and gain entry for a cosy haven to uncoat and begin producing more viruses. These target cells are not altered in any substantial way to prevent future infections months after the virus has been cleared by the immune response.
SCIENTISTS IN HONG KONG have reported the first confirmed case of re-infection with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, reportedly backed up by genetic sequences of the two episodes of the 33-yearold man’s infections in March and in August 2020. Naturally people are worried what this could mean for our chances of resolving the pandemic. Here’s why they shouldn’t worry. Nearly nine months after the first infection with the novel coronavirus, we have very poor evidence for reinfection. However, virologists understand that reinfection with coronavirus is common, and immunologists are working hard to determine how long the hallmarks of protective immunity will last in recovered patients.
If antibodies and memory cells (B and T cells) are left behind from a recent infection, however, the new expansion of the virus is rather short lived and the infection is subdued before the host suffers too much – or even notices at all.
virus sequencing data so they could not be confirmed, but they are quite expected and there is no cause for alarm. INHOSPITABLE HOSTS
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Our bodies do not become
impervious to viruses when we recover from infection, instead, in many cases, they become inhospitable hosts. Consider that beyond recovery, our bodies often still offer the same cell types – such as cells of the respiratory tract – that viruses latch onto
This appears to be the case with the Hong Kong patient, who did not present any symptoms of the second infection, which was discovered following routine testing at the airport. Would he ever know that he had been reinfected had he not travelled? Probably not; a more interesting question is, was he contagious during his asymptomatic second infection?
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There is mounting evidence that asymptomatic and presymptomatic people are contagious and this is why the sensible official advice is to wear face coverings to avoid infecting other people and to keep our distance to avoid getting infected. Coronaviruses from previous colds have endowed some of us with memory T cells that can also mobilise against the novel coronavirus, and this could explain why some people are spared severe disease. THREE POTENTIAL OUTCOMES So how should we receive the news on re-infection of recovered individuals? There are three possible outcomes of re-infection with a similar virus: worse symptoms that lead to more severe disease, the same symptoms as the first infection, and improvement of symptoms leading to milder or no disease. 74 GLOBE MAGAZINE
The first outcome is known as disease enhancement and is noted in patients infected with similar strains of viruses such as dengue. There is no evidence for this for the novel coronavirus, despite over 23 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide. The second outcome, where the patient suffers the same disease twice, indicates that there is no sufficient immunological memory left behind to protect
from re-infection. This could happen if the first infection did not require antibodies or T cells to be resolved, perhaps because other rapidly deployed immune defences were enough to control it. The final outcome is milder infection thanks to a healthy immune system that generated antibodies and memory B and T cell responses that persisted long enough to be of value during the second exposure.
Given the diversity of antibody and T cell responses reported in different COVID-19 patients, we anticipate that immune protection – if efficient – may vary in different people. Of course, this has implications for the potency and duration of herd immunity, the idea that when we reach a large number of recovered patients immune to re-infection, this will protect the most vulnerable. Therefore vaccination is critical to induce and sustain protective immune responses in the long term. Vaccination can elicit more potent and longer-lasting immune responses compared with natural infection, and these can be sustained by booster vaccinations when necessary. This is why scientists were not surprised to hear of evidence of re-infection. The lack of symptoms experienced by the Hong Kong patient is very good news.
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