Is it inevitable the Omicron variant of COVID-19 will spread like Delta?
3 years, 3 months ago

Is it inevitable the Omicron variant of COVID-19 will spread like Delta?

ABC  

Just weeks after Australia declared it was opening its borders to the world, some restrictions have been reimposed in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, first detected in South Africa. Key points: The World Health Organization has declared Omicron a "variant of concern" more quickly than previous variants Experts say the emergence of Omicron highlights the need to boost vaccination in poorer parts of the world including Africa They say mask wearing, social distancing and better ventilation will help prevent all variants of COVID including Omicron The federal government on Saturday announced that non-Australian citizens who have been in nine countries in southern Africa where Omicron has been detected are barred from entering Australia. The World Health Organization has already declared Omicron a "variant of concern", which University of Sydney epidemiologist Alexandra Martiniuk said was "very quick". Reinstatement of border closures gets support of epidemiologists Australia's Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said while little was known about Omicron, it was "quite different" to previous variants of concern. Professor Martiniuk said authorities in South Africa and its neighbouring countries should be thanked for "having good surveillance", noticing the emergence of Omicron and highlighting it to the global community.

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History of this topic

Forgotten but not gone: Covid keeps killing, five years on
2 months, 1 week ago

Forgotten but not gone: Covid keeps killing, five years on

The Hindu  

Five years since Covid-19 started upending the world, the virus is still infecting and killing people across the globe -- though at far lower levels than at the height of the pandemic. Still with us Around 777 million Covid cases and more than seven million deaths have been officially recorded since the first infections emerged in December 2019, according to …

Australia detects the first case of the highly transmissible COVID-19 strain dubbed XEC
5 months, 1 week ago

Australia detects the first case of the highly transmissible COVID-19 strain dubbed XEC

ABC  

A new highly transmissible variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Australia, raising questions about whether it will lead to a wave of COVID-19 cases over summer. XEC is a "recombinant" COVID-19 variant, which means it's a mix of two previous Omicron subvariants called KS 1.1 and KP 3.3. Dr Griffin says the XEC strain makes up about 5 to …

World leaders to meet to discuss threat of hypothetical ‘Disease X’ in Davos
1 year, 2 months ago

World leaders to meet to discuss threat of hypothetical ‘Disease X’ in Davos

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It’s known by the placeholder name of Disease X, …

Nearly 10,000 died from COVID-19 last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant, WHO says
1 year, 2 months ago

Nearly 10,000 died from COVID-19 last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant, WHO says

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the month jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries — mostly in Europe and the Americas …

Opinion: The U.S. is facing the biggest COVID wave since Omicron. Why are we still playing make-believe?
1 year, 2 months ago

Opinion: The U.S. is facing the biggest COVID wave since Omicron. Why are we still playing make-believe?

LA Times  

The pandemic is far from over, as evidenced by the rapid rise to global dominance of the JN.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2. We have lost the ability to track the actual number of infections since most people either test at home or don’t even test at all, but the very high wastewater levels of the virus indicate about 2 million Americans …

More hospitals are requiring masks as flu and COVID-19 cases surge
1 year, 2 months ago

More hospitals are requiring masks as flu and COVID-19 cases surge

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — More U.S. hospitals are requiring masks and limiting visitors as health officials face an expected but still nasty post-holiday spike in flu, COVID-19 and other illnesses. “What we’re seeing right now, in the first week of January, is really an acceleration — of flu cases, in particular,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease …

More hospitals are requiring masks as flu and COVID-19 cases surge
1 year, 2 months ago

More hospitals are requiring masks as flu and COVID-19 cases surge

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More U.S. hospitals are requiring …

Responding to the new COVID-19 sub-variants, now and in future
1 year, 2 months ago

Responding to the new COVID-19 sub-variants, now and in future

The Hindu  

It is four years since the novel coronavirus was first reported on December 31, 2019 from China. Virus behaviour The JN.1 sub-variant of Omicron has been reported from multiple countries and designated as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization. There is a possibility scenario where reported COVID-19 cases may increase slightly in the days ahead, or in …

COVID-19 update: WHO asks nations to strengthen surveillance as coronavirus cases rise
1 year, 2 months ago

COVID-19 update: WHO asks nations to strengthen surveillance as coronavirus cases rise

India TV News  

COVID-19 update: The World Health Organisation has urged countries in South-East Asia to strengthen surveillance given the increasing cases of respiratory diseases, including due to COVID-19 and its new sub-variant JN.1, and influenza. "For this, countries must strengthen surveillance and sequencing, and ensure sharing of data," said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, WHO South-East Asia. "As people travel and …

A new COVID variant is now dominant in the U.S. Will it cause another massive surge like Omicron?
1 year, 2 months ago

A new COVID variant is now dominant in the U.S. Will it cause another massive surge like Omicron?

Salon  

Once again, COVID-19 cases are rising sharply across the world, along with hospitalizations and death. Dr. T. Ryan Gregory, an evolutionary and genome biologist at the University of Guelph in Canada, explained to Salon that scientists have been referring to clans of variants “to capture the idea that evolving lineages is what matters, rather than any individual variant per se.” …

New COVID strain JN.1 is spreading fast. How worried should we be?
1 year, 2 months ago

New COVID strain JN.1 is spreading fast. How worried should we be?

Al Jazeera  

The new variant has spread across 41 countries as the WHO categorises it as a ‘variant of interest’. The World Health Organization on Tuesday categorised the JN.1 as a “variant of interest”. The new variant is now being closely monitored by public health agencies across the world due to its increased transmission rate. “The new variant exhibits a greater genetic …

WHO deliberates strategies to integrate COVID-19 vaccines with routine immunisation
1 year, 4 months ago

WHO deliberates strategies to integrate COVID-19 vaccines with routine immunisation

The Hindu  

Aimed at integrating COVID-19 pandemic vaccines with national immunisation programmes in countries of the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia Region, vaccine regulators and officials from the WHO on Tuesday began deliberating strategies for member countries to transition from the use of COVID-19 vaccines under Emergency Use Authorisation to full Marketing Authorisation. For this, it is crucial that the regulatory authorities …

Highly contagious new Covid variant HV.1 spreading across US: All you need to know
1 year, 4 months ago

Highly contagious new Covid variant HV.1 spreading across US: All you need to know

Hindustan Times  

HV.1, the new highly contagious Covid-19 variant is sweeping through the United States. According to the data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the variant was responsible for an estimated 25.2% of all the newly diagnosed cases during the two-week period ending on October 28. Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center …

Children infected with Omicron COVID variant remain infectious for three days: Study
1 year, 4 months ago

Children infected with Omicron COVID variant remain infectious for three days: Study

The Hindu  

October 24, 2023 04:15 pm | Updated October 25, 2023 12:45 pm IST - New Delhi Children infected with the Omicron variant remain infectious for three days on average after testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to a study. "We are basically saying five days is more than sufficient; public health and education leaders may consider shorter durations,” said …

Conspiracy theorist spreads false information about the return of COVID-19 mandates
55 years, 2 months ago

Conspiracy theorist spreads false information about the return of COVID-19 mandates

Associated Press  

CLAIM: Transportation Security Administration managers were told on Aug. 15 that by mid-September they, along with airport employees, will again be required to wear face masks and by mid-October the policy will apply to travelers as well. A spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issued a now-expired travel mask mandate in 2021, confirmed that such rumors …

BA.2.86: WHO tracking new Covid variant, highly-muted and detected in 4 countries
1 year, 7 months ago

BA.2.86: WHO tracking new Covid variant, highly-muted and detected in 4 countries

India TV News  

After EG.5 raised concerns about a new Covid outbreak, the World Health Organization has now flagged another sub-variant of Omicron BA.2.86, dubbed BA.X. “WHO has designated Covid-19 variant BA.2.86 as a ‘variant under monitoring’ today due to the large number of mutations it carries,” the global health body wrote in a post on X,” adding that “the number of mutations …

New Covid variant BA.6 is 'probably' already in the US, experts warn - amid calls for masks to return
1 year, 7 months ago

New Covid variant BA.6 is 'probably' already in the US, experts warn - amid calls for masks to return

Daily Mail  

There is no evidence at this stage that it is more likely to cause severe disease A new Covid variant that has prompted calls for face masks to return is 'probably' already in the US, experts have told DailyMail.com. The variant may make shots less effective if it has evolved to look different enough from its ancestor — though most …

Global Covid cases up 80% as new Omicron subvariant EG.5 rises
1 year, 7 months ago

Global Covid cases up 80% as new Omicron subvariant EG.5 rises

India Today  

The number of new Covid-19 cases reported worldwide rose by 80 per cent in the last month, the World Health Organization said on Friday, days after designating a new "variant of interest". In its weekly update, the UN agency said that nations reported nearly 1.5 million new cases from July 10 to August 6, an 80 per cent increase compared …

WHO classifies EG.5 Covid-19 strain as 'variant of interest'
1 year, 7 months ago

WHO classifies EG.5 Covid-19 strain as 'variant of interest'

India Today  

The World Health Organization on Wednesday classified the EG.5 coronavirus strain circulating in the United States and China as a "variant of interest" but said it did not seem to pose more of a threat to public health than other variants. "Collectively, available evidence does not suggest that EG.5 has additional public health risks relative to the other currently circulating …

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the US are on the rise again, but not like before
1 year, 7 months ago

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the US are on the rise again, but not like before

Associated Press  

Here we go again: COVID-19 hospital admissions have inched upward in the United States since early July in a small-scale echo of the three previous summers. But it’s a far cry from past peaks, like the 44,000 weekly hospital admissions in early January, the nearly 45,000 in late July 2022, or the 150,000 admissions during the omicron surge of January …

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the US are on the rise again, but not like before
1 year, 7 months ago

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the US are on the rise again, but not like before

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Here we go again: COVID-19 …

Now there's ANOTHER new Covid variant! Health chiefs claim Eris is starting to sweep UK amid spike in cases blamed on Barbenheimer and bad weather
1 year, 7 months ago

Now there's ANOTHER new Covid variant! Health chiefs claim Eris is starting to sweep UK amid spike in cases blamed on Barbenheimer and bad weather

Daily Mail  

Another Covid variant is taking off in Britain — but experts have today insisted there is nothing to panic about. UKHSA data also shows the Covid weekly hospital admission rate increased to 1.97 per 100,000, as of July 30 — rising from the 1.47 per 100,000 recorded in the previous week. The South West recorded the largest number of admissions …

Covid’s Summer Wave Is Rising—Again
1 year, 7 months ago

Covid’s Summer Wave Is Rising—Again

Wired  

At this point, it’s too early to say there’s a massive wave of infections building—but the hospitalization data is enough to pique the attention of epidemiologists and public health experts. With lower case numbers over the past few months and many people not receiving a booster shot in 2023, immunity from vaccinations and prior infections could be decreasing, making more …

Next round of COVID-19 shots in fall will target latest omicron strain
1 year, 9 months ago

Next round of COVID-19 shots in fall will target latest omicron strain

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The next round of COVID-19 vaccines will target one of the latest versions of the coronavirus, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The agency told vaccine makers to provide protection against just one omicron strain, known as XBB.1.5. The three U.S. companies that make COVID-19 shots said this week they had geared up to make the …

An FDA panel meets about which COVID strains the U.S. will target with vaccines
1 year, 9 months ago

An FDA panel meets about which COVID strains the U.S. will target with vaccines

NPR  

An FDA panel meets about which COVID strains the U.S. will target with vaccines An advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration meets to discuss the COVID strains that vaccines in the U.S. will target this fall. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Updated COVID vaccines are coming this fall, and they'll likely target a variant that's circulating now. HUANG: Yeah, you …

World must prepare for disease more deadlier than Covid, WHO chief warns
1 year, 9 months ago

World must prepare for disease more deadlier than Covid, WHO chief warns

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The head of the World Health Organisation warned on Tuesday that …

Australia's fifth COVID-19 wave is approaching. What can we expect from Omicron this time?
1 year, 9 months ago

Australia's fifth COVID-19 wave is approaching. What can we expect from Omicron this time?

ABC  

A leading epidemiologist says it is clear Australia is approaching its fifth wave of COVID-19. "It's finding occasional subtle ways to be different, but not to the extent where it's likely to cause a major outbreak," Professor Booy said. In reflecting on the fourth wave, Professor Kelly advised that it was important that response measures were "appropriate and proportionate" to …

Australians warned a new Covid subvariant is spreading
1 year, 10 months ago

Australians warned a new Covid subvariant is spreading

Daily Mail  

Health experts have issued a warning about a new Covid subvariant that's set to spread across Australia as the country heads into winter. Cases of the Omicron subvariant XBB have already exploded in Queensland and made up 62 per cent of Covid infections recorded in the state last week. Cases of the Omicron subvariant XBB have exploded in Queensland, with …

Virus has stabilised but mask up: Former AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria amid Covid surge
1 year, 11 months ago

Virus has stabilised but mask up: Former AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria amid Covid surge

India Today  

With coronavirus cases increasing across the country, the former director of Delhi’s AIIMS, Dr Randeep Guleria, advised going back to the basics, asking people to mask up in indoor spaces with poor ventilation and in crowded public areas. The number of actual cases in the country could be much higher, Dr Guleria said, adding, “We are underestimating the numbers. Most …

Many Asian Nations Seeing Covid Rise, India, Singapore on List. Are Countries Planning Curbs?
1 year, 11 months ago

Many Asian Nations Seeing Covid Rise, India, Singapore on List. Are Countries Planning Curbs?

News 18  

A recent spike in Covid-19 cases is seen among Asian nations with the fresh wave exerting pressure on the healthcare systems. India, on the other hand, has touched daily cases of 10,000, the highest in nearly eight months, while Indonesia’s caseload is near a four-month high, Bloomberg reported. Medical experts have said the virus’ new XBB.1.16 variant could be driving …

COVID-19 surge: No severe infection in children due to Omicron variant XBB.1.16, says Delhi Health Minister
1 year, 11 months ago

COVID-19 surge: No severe infection in children due to Omicron variant XBB.1.16, says Delhi Health Minister

India TV News  

Delhi COVID-19 surge: Amid the rise in COVID-19 cases in the national capital, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Thursday said that there is no indication that the Omicron variant XBB.1.16 is causing severe infection among children. But there is no information coming in from experts that says that the Omicron XBB.1.16 variant infection is more severe among children. Delhi’s …

New cases of Covid-19 in Noida are of Omicron variant, says CMO
1 year, 11 months ago

New cases of Covid-19 in Noida are of Omicron variant, says CMO

Hindustan Times  

Gautam Budh Nagar’s chief medical officer on Monday said genome sequencing at random of new Covid-19 cases in the district has shown that the outbreak at present is being caused by a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant, as has been the case nationally, where the mutations have not triggered any concern. According to CMO Dr Sunil Kumar Sharma, 16 randomly …

Explained | Should India worry about rising COVID-19 cases?
1 year, 11 months ago

Explained | Should India worry about rising COVID-19 cases?

The Hindu  

The story so far: Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week convened a high-level meeting of the COVID-19 task force. As of March 23, India officially reported 1,300 new coronavirus cases over a 24-hour period bringing the overall tally of active cases to 7,605. Editorial |No cause for alarm: On the Omicron recombinant XBB.1.16 in India He emphasised the need to …

Mutated version of Omicron is behind spike in case, health system on alert: Govt
1 year, 11 months ago

Mutated version of Omicron is behind spike in case, health system on alert: Govt

Live Mint  

Amid a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in India, Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said that currently a mutated variant of the Omicron sub-variant is spreading in the country and the health authorities are on alert. The health minister added that vaccines used by India have been found effective against all Covid-19 variants found till …

New covid variant: Israel discovers two cases of an unidentified variant
2 years ago

New covid variant: Israel discovers two cases of an unidentified variant

India TV News  

New covid variant: Israel's health ministry has reported the discovery of a new variant of Covid on, which comprises two sub-variants of the Omicron version of the virus, referred to as BA.1 and BA.2. The new variant of Covid-19 was discovered during PCR tests conducted on the passengers arriving at Israel's Ben Gurion airport.. Israel's head of public health, Dr. …

COVID-19: Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 accounts for nearly 90 per cent new cases in US
2 years ago

COVID-19: Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 accounts for nearly 90 per cent new cases in US

India TV News  

COVID-19 cases in United States: The highly transmissible Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 now accounts for nearly 90 per cent of all Covid-19 cases reported in the US, according to the latest estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The prevalence of XBB.1.5 has kept increasing since late last year, and it is estimated to account for 89.2 per cent …

Large-scale Covid testing no longer necessary; Pandemic now “endemic,” says outbreak team
2 years ago

Large-scale Covid testing no longer necessary; Pandemic now “endemic,” says outbreak team

NL Times  

Large-scale testing for coronavirus is no longer necessary, said the Outbreak Management Team in its latest advice to the Cabinet. Measures against coronavirus should be equated as much as possible with "generic measures" that already apply to other respiratory infections, the OMT advised. "That is generally no longer necessary in the current epidemiological phase," said the OMT. The OMT said …

The resurgence of COVID-19 needs to be tackled scientifically
2 years ago

The resurgence of COVID-19 needs to be tackled scientifically

China Daily  

A medical staff administers a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine for a resident through nose at a temporary vaccination site in Haidian district, Beijing, capital of China, Dec 17, 2022. Data from Feb 16 shows that only 1.1 percent of people in China had tested positive after nucleic acid testing nationwide, down from 29.2 percent during the peak; visits …

Covid-19 | Lurking presence
2 years, 1 month ago

Covid-19 | Lurking presence

India Today  

On January 23, 2023, India logged just 92 fresh Covid-19 infections and no deaths. China, on the other hand, which is grappling with a major Covid wave triggered by Omicron sub-variant BF.7 and lifting of restrictions, saw record hospitalisations—the highest since the onset of the pandemic, per World Health Organization reports. Since August 2022, a whole bouquet of Omicron sub-variants—BA.2.12.1, …

WHO: COVID still an emergency but nearing ‘inflection’ point
2 years, 1 month ago

WHO: COVID still an emergency but nearing ‘inflection’ point

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found the pandemic may be nearing an “inflexion point” where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths. Speaking at the opening of WHO’s annual executive board meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “there is no doubt that …

COVID is still a global emergency but may be nearing an ‘inflection point,’ WHO says
2 years, 1 month ago

COVID is still a global emergency but may be nearing an ‘inflection point,’ WHO says

LA Times  

COVID-19 remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization’s chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found that the pandemic may be nearing an “inflection point” where higher levels of immunity can lower coronavirus-related deaths. Speaking at the opening of the WHO’s annual executive board meeting, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “there is no doubt that we’re …

Lessons From COVID: What The World Needs to Learn to Tackle Future Pandemics
2 years, 2 months ago

Lessons From COVID: What The World Needs to Learn to Tackle Future Pandemics

The Quint  

The costly lesson from COVID: why elimination should be the default global strategy for future pandemics Getty Images Imagine it is 2030. An upgraded pandemic response to eliminate at source The process by which the WHO currently decides whether to declare a public health emergency of international concern has drawn criticism for being too slow. Elimination makes sense for other …

What You Need to Know About the Kraken Covid Variant
2 years, 2 months ago

What You Need to Know About the Kraken Covid Variant

Wired  

Since Omicron became the world’s dominant Covid variant, it’s taken on a lot of shapes. While XBB.1.5 infections are swelling, the WHO says there’s no evidence that this variant’s mutations would result in more severe infections—but it’s still early. Roychoudhury says it’s important to get eyes on variants early to identify them and consider how to design future vaccines: “Until …

World Health Organization restates call for COVID-19 data from China as US provides 'radical transparency' on Omicron outbreak
2 years, 2 months ago

World Health Organization restates call for COVID-19 data from China as US provides 'radical transparency' on Omicron outbreak

ABC  

The World Health Organization has reiterated the need for China to share more data on its explosive COVID-19 outbreak, while praising the United States for "radical transparency" in its efforts to battle a new sub-variant. Key points: The World Health Organization says COVID-19 deaths in China remain heavily under-reported Meanwhile, the US has been praised for its transparency as Omicron …

COVID In 2023: Here's What Experts Expect
2 years, 2 months ago

COVID In 2023: Here's What Experts Expect

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING It’s been three years since the novel coronavirus first emerged, and while a sense of normalcy may have returned for many people, experts say the pandemic isn’t over yet. This would depend on a “dramatically different variant” not emerging and upending the current vaccines’ effectiveness, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s then-chief medical adviser. “Delivering vaccines …

Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 increasing rapidly, says WHO; India's Covid positivity at 0.01%
2 years, 2 months ago

Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 increasing rapidly, says WHO; India's Covid positivity at 0.01%

India Today  

Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, is on the increase and has now been identified in more than 25 countries, the World Health Organisation has said. WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the global health body is following the situation closely and assessing the risk of this subvariant and will report accordingly. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/asDD6hRWtB — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus January 6, 2023 The …

Omicron variants BA.5.2, BF.7 behind China Covid surge but numbers unreliable, says WHO | 5 points
2 years, 2 months ago

Omicron variants BA.5.2, BF.7 behind China Covid surge but numbers unreliable, says WHO | 5 points

India Today  

Omicron subvariants of the Corona virus - BA.5.2 and BF.7 - are responsible for driving up Covid numbers in China, said the World Health Organisation on Wednesday. It added that the data shows no new variants were found in China but the country is "under-representing" the Covid deaths since cases started surging last month. The WHO's emergencies director, Mike Ryan, …

4 cases of Covid subvariant BF.7 detected in Bengal; all from US: Health Department
2 years, 2 months ago

4 cases of Covid subvariant BF.7 detected in Bengal; all from US: Health Department

India Today  

Four cases of Omicron subvariant BF.7 were detected in West Bengal, a health official said on Wednesday. Genome sequencing of the four people, who had recently returned from the US, confirmed that they were infected with the new variant of the coronavirus, he said. Since last month, the samples of all people arriving at Kolkata airport from abroad who tested …

Australia and China both gave up on COVID-zero just as an Omicron outbreak hit. Here's why the situation is so much worse for Beijing
2 years, 2 months ago

Australia and China both gave up on COVID-zero just as an Omicron outbreak hit. Here's why the situation is so much worse for Beijing

ABC  

After hearing how scary COVID-19 was for almost three years, 25-year-old Karen Huang felt "a little bit relieved" when she tested positive for the virus in mid-December. Parallels between Australia and China's COVID-19 opening Australia announced it would abandon COVID-zero measures at the end of 2021 and turned to living with COVID, after the highly transmissible Omicron variant spread through …

What will Australia's fourth year of the COVID-19 pandemic look like?
2 years, 2 months ago

What will Australia's fourth year of the COVID-19 pandemic look like?

ABC  

Through three years of the pandemic, Bianca Spooner didn't get COVID-19 once — until a few days before Christmas. Key points: New Omicron variants have been causing hospital admissions to rise in the final two months of 2022 Experts say vaccines will remain the main defence against COVID-19 into 2023 Despite investment in studying and treating long COVID, the virus …

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