How will the world decide when the pandemic is over?
3 years ago

How will the world decide when the pandemic is over?

India Today  

There’s no clear-cut definition for when a pandemic starts and ends, and how much of a threat a global outbreak is posing can vary by country. It’s about severity and it’s about impact,” says Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief. In January 2020, WHO designated the virus a global health crisis “of international concern.” A couple months later in March, the United Nations health agency described the outbreak as a “pandemic,” reflecting the fact that the virus had spread to nearly every continent and numerous other health officials were saying it could be described as such. “There is not going to be one day when someone says, ‘OK, the pandemic is over,’” says Dr. Chris Woods, an infectious disease expert at Duke University. Scientists expect COVID-19 will eventually settle into becoming a more predictable virus like the flu, meaning it will cause seasonal outbreaks but not the huge surges we’re seeing right now.

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History of this topic

Is the world ready for the next pandemic?
15 hours, 58 minutes ago

Is the world ready for the next pandemic?

The Hindu  

An awkward question remains five years after Covid-19 began its deadly rampage: is the world ready to handle the next pandemic? View from the WHO Asked whether the world was better prepared for the next pandemic, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said recently: "Yes and no". "If the next pandemic arrived today, the world would still face some of the …

No final agreement as deadline for pandemic accord closes
7 months, 4 weeks ago

No final agreement as deadline for pandemic accord closes

Hindustan Times  

Even as negotiations among governments went into the final hours on Friday – the last day of negotiations among 194 World Health Organisation member states – the final draft agreement to prevent, prepare, and manage future pandemics did not take concrete shape, people familiar with the matter said. “Governments of the world today agreed to continue working on a proposed …

Countries struggle to draft ‘pandemic treaty’ to avoid mistakes made during COVID
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Countries struggle to draft ‘pandemic treaty’ to avoid mistakes made during COVID

LA Times  

A worker takes fingerprints from the body of a COVID-19 victim early in the pandemic at a crematorium in Santiago, Chile. Britain’s department of health said it would only agree to an accord if it was “firmly in the U.K. national interest and respects national sovereignty.” And many developing countries say it’s unfair that they might be expected to provide …

Countries struggle to draft ‘pandemic treaty’ to avoid mistakes made during COVID
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Countries struggle to draft ‘pandemic treaty’ to avoid mistakes made during COVID

Associated Press  

GENEVA — After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Britain’s department of health said it would only agree to an accord if it was “firmly in the U.K. national interest and respects national sovereignty.” And many developing countries say it’s …

Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID

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. Britain's department of health said it would only agree …

We asked, you answered: How do you feel about the end of the COVID-19 'emergency'
1 year, 7 months ago

We asked, you answered: How do you feel about the end of the COVID-19 'emergency'

NPR  

We asked, you answered: How do you feel about the end of the COVID-19 'emergency' Enlarge this image toggle caption Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images The COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency is over, lifted by both the World Health Organization and the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "I tried contacting our health …

WHO, Believes Disease X Could Create A Pandemic Like Situation, All You Need To Know
1 year, 7 months ago

WHO, Believes Disease X Could Create A Pandemic Like Situation, All You Need To Know

News 18  

As the world gradually returns to a sense of normalcy following the unprecedented challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the scientific and public health communities remain steadfast in their preparations for future outbreaks and pandemics. As the global community reflects on the challenges and lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, the pursuit of knowledge and preventive measures against future outbreaks …

US ends COVID-19 health emergency today: Key figures defining the pandemic
1 year, 7 months ago

US ends COVID-19 health emergency today: Key figures defining the pandemic

Firstpost  

Though daily life has long returned to near-normal for many in the United States, the official end of the COVID-19 health emergency Thursday night still marks a new post-pandemic era for the country. Three years of health emergency A state of emergency was first declared in the United States in January 2020, more than three years ago. 1.1 million deaths …

Editorial: The COVID-19 pandemic emergency is over, but virus is still here
1 year, 7 months ago

Editorial: The COVID-19 pandemic emergency is over, but virus is still here

LA Times  

After three long and difficult years, the federal COVID-19 public health emergency ends Thursday. Now we are shifting into the next phase, in which we manage the waves of infection that are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, while seeking new medications and therapies to reduce transmission, treat infection and help the many people still suffering from infections they …

WHO says COVID emergency is over. So what does that mean?
1 year, 8 months ago

WHO says COVID emergency is over. So what does that mean?

The Hindu  

The World Health Organization downgraded its assessment of the coronavirus pandemic on Friday, saying it no longer qualifies as a global emergency. Tedros said that for the past year, WHO and its emergency committee experts have been analyzing COVID-19 data to decide when the time would be right to lower its level of alarm. The U.S. is ending its public …

WHO says COVID emergency is over. So what does that mean?
1 year, 8 months ago

WHO says COVID emergency is over. So what does that mean?

Associated Press  

LONDON — The World Health Organization downgraded its assessment of the coronavirus pandemic on Friday, saying it no longer qualifies as a global emergency. The U.S. is ending its public health emergency next Thursday, which Dr. Rochelle Walensky cited Friday in announcing her decision to leave as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention next month. “What this …

WHO downgrades COVID pandemic, says it’s no longer emergency
1 year, 8 months ago

WHO downgrades COVID pandemic, says it’s no longer emergency

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions of people worldwide. The U.N. health agency’s officials said that even though the emergency phase was over, the pandemic hasn’t finished, noting recent spikes in …

COVID-19 no longer a global emergency, says WHO
1 year, 8 months ago

COVID-19 no longer a global emergency, says WHO

The Hindu  

The World Health Organization said on May 5 that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies worldwide and killed at least 7 million people worldwide. “It's with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus …

World Health Organisation downgrades Covid pandemic: 'No longer global emergency'
1 year, 8 months ago

World Health Organisation downgrades Covid pandemic: 'No longer global emergency'

Hindustan Times  

The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies worldwide and killed at least 7 million people worldwide. “It’s with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “That …

WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19
1 year, 8 months ago

WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19

NPR  

WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19 Enlarge this image toggle caption Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images The World Health Organization has lifted the Public Health Emergency of International Concern for COVID-19. In a press conference on Friday, director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "COVID-19 has been so much more than a health crisis, …

COVID no longer a global health emergency, WHO says
1 year, 8 months ago

COVID no longer a global health emergency, WHO says

Al Jazeera  

UN health agency declares end to public health emergency of international concern, in place for more than three years. COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a “global health emergency”, the World Health Organization says. “Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern,” WHO …

COVID-19 is no longer a global emergency, World Health Organization says
1 year, 8 months ago

COVID-19 is no longer a global emergency, World Health Organization says

LA Times  

The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed at least 7 million people worldwide. “It’s with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “That does not …

Experts discuss WHO's recent COVID-related statement
1 year, 11 months ago

Experts discuss WHO's recent COVID-related statement

China Daily  

Editor's note: After the conclusion of its 14th International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, the World Health Organization issued a statement that the novel coronavirus pandemic remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. That requires society to make seasonal arrangements to protect vulnerable groups, like vaccinating the seniors who have a weak immune system and the medical staff who have …

WHO: COVID still an emergency but nearing ‘inflection’ point
1 year, 11 months 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
1 year, 11 months 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 …

Biden said the pandemic is over, but the pandemic won’t cooperate
1 year, 11 months ago

Biden said the pandemic is over, but the pandemic won’t cooperate

LA Times  

Three years after the United States logged its first case of COVID-19, the pandemic has slipped off the front pages and seemingly out of public consciousness. “We’ve reached what I would call a level of détente with the virus,” said Jay Varma, an infectious disease specialist at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. “I would say there’s a lot …

Lessons From COVID: What The World Needs to Learn to Tackle Future Pandemics
1 year, 11 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 …

Explained: How World Health Organization might fight future pandemics
2 years, 1 month ago

Explained: How World Health Organization might fight future pandemics

Hindustan Times  

Negotiations on new rules for dealing with pandemics are underway at the World Health Organization, with a target date of May 2024 for a legally binding agreement to be adopted by the U.N. health agency's 194 member countries. A medical worker disinfects a tent used for suspected Ebola victims inside the Ebola isolation center of Madudu Health Center III, in …

Covid pandemic over? WHO says not really, sets 5 focus areas with a warning
2 years, 2 months ago

Covid pandemic over? WHO says not really, sets 5 focus areas with a warning

Hindustan Times  

The World Health Organization said that the Covid-19 pandemic remains a global emergency on Wednesday. World Health Organization On Covid Pandemic: Health workers and staff wear protective suits inside a residential compound in Beijing. The statement comes amid new sub-variants sparking concern in some parts of the world, a month after Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had said that the end of …

‘The pandemic is over,’ some declare. It again misses larger point of COVID-19, experts say
2 years, 3 months ago

‘The pandemic is over,’ some declare. It again misses larger point of COVID-19, experts say

LA Times  

As California enters fall with the coronavirus very much on the decline, some are once again declaring victory. “The pandemic is over.” It’s a pronouncement we’ve heard several times in the more than 2½ years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. “We are much better off now,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical advisor for the pandemic, …

Fight to end virus pandemic takes place on UN’s sidelines
2 years, 3 months ago

Fight to end virus pandemic takes place on UN’s sidelines

Associated Press  

UNITED NATIONS — In four days of fiery speeches over war, climate change and the threat of nuclear weapons, one issue felt like an afterthought during this year’s U.N. General Assembly: the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gathered with World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and others to discuss equitable access …

Being able to see the end doesn’t mean…: WHO says Covid pandemic not over yet
2 years, 3 months ago

Being able to see the end doesn’t mean…: WHO says Covid pandemic not over yet

Hindustan Times  

The World Health Organization’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday that the Covid pandemic is not over yet. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ghebreyesus said, “Being able to see the end does not mean we are at the end,” news agency AFP reported. We’re still in the tunnel.” Tedros …

Joe Biden says the Covid pandemic is ‘over’. Is he right?
2 years, 3 months ago

Joe Biden says the Covid pandemic is ‘over’. Is he right?

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But the US — like many other countries — still continues to grapple with …

Op-Ed: No, Mr. President, the pandemic isn’t over
2 years, 3 months ago

Op-Ed: No, Mr. President, the pandemic isn’t over

LA Times  

On “60 Minutes” on Sunday, President Biden declared “the pandemic is over.” Well into our third year of battling COVID-19, we all wish that were true. There have been more than 2 million confirmed new COVID infections in the last month, and considering the untested and unreported cases, the real number is a multiple of that, most probably at least …

White House says Covid-19 policy unchanged despite Biden’s comments that the ‘pandemic is over’
2 years, 3 months ago

White House says Covid-19 policy unchanged despite Biden’s comments that the ‘pandemic is over’

CNN  

CNN — The Biden administration is largely downplaying President Joe Biden’s comments declaring the coronavirus pandemic “over,” suggesting his remarks signal a continuation of the White House’s evolving stance toward the pandemic over the past few months. Biden outlined a transition in the White House’s perspective on the virus in March, saying at the time that Covid is not over, …

Biden’s comments about pandemic widen public health split over how US should respond to Covid-19
2 years, 3 months ago

Biden’s comments about pandemic widen public health split over how US should respond to Covid-19

CNN  

CNN — Even as the US prepares for a potential winter surge of Covid-19, President Biden roamed the cavernous halls of the Detroit Auto Show for an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” and, gesturing to the mostly maskless attendees, told the nation, “the pandemic is over.” “We still have a problem with Covid. “I think it’s sort of a term …

Explained | Is there any end of the COVID-19 pandemic in sight?
2 years, 3 months ago

Explained | Is there any end of the COVID-19 pandemic in sight?

The Hindu  

The story so far: “We are not there yet, but the end is in sight.” At a press conference on September 14, World Health Organization director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “Last week, the number of weekly reported deaths from COVID-19 was the lowest since March 2020. We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic.” The …

WHO: COVID end 'in sight,' deaths at lowest since March 2020
2 years, 3 months ago

WHO: COVID end 'in sight,' deaths at lowest since March 2020

The Hindu  

The head of the World Health Organization said on September 15 that the number of coronavirus deaths worldwide last week was the lowest reported in the pandemic since March 2020, marking what could be a turning point in the years-long global outbreak. “Now is the time to run harder and make sure we cross the line and reap all the …

WHO: COVID end ‘in sight,’ deaths at lowest since March 2020
2 years, 3 months ago

WHO: COVID end ‘in sight,’ deaths at lowest since March 2020

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that the number of coronavirus deaths worldwide last week was the lowest reported in the pandemic since March 2020, marking what could be a turning point in the years-long global outbreak. “Now is the time to run harder and make sure we cross the line and reap all the …

End of COVID pandemic ‘is in sight’, WHO chief says
2 years, 3 months ago

End of COVID pandemic ‘is in sight’, WHO chief says

Al Jazeera  

WHO urges countries to keep up their efforts to fight the disease, with lowest level of recorded cases since March 2020. “We are not there yet, but the end is in sight.” Newly reported cases of the disease, which has killed millions and infected 606 million since appearing in late 2019, last week fell to the lowest level since March …

End of Covid-19 pandemic is in sight, WHO director-general says, ‘so let’s seize this opportunity’
2 years, 3 months ago

End of Covid-19 pandemic is in sight, WHO director-general says, ‘so let’s seize this opportunity’

CNN  

CNN — The world has never been in a better position to end the Covid-19 pandemic, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said in a news briefing in Geneva on Wednesday. “Last week, the number of weekly reported deaths from Covid-19 was the lowest since March 2020,” he said. Now is the time to run harder and …

Australia's COVID-19 numbers are dropping but experts warn the pandemic will not end this year
2 years, 4 months ago

Australia's COVID-19 numbers are dropping but experts warn the pandemic will not end this year

ABC  

Winter's nearly over and, with COVID-19 daily case numbers declining, you could be forgiven for hoping the coronavirus pandemic is coming to an end too. "Definitely we're in a decline phase for the pandemic and, at the moment, I'm expecting that to last until about the end of the year — if not longer — in Australia," Dr Wood said. …

What is ‘Disease X’? Why top experts are warning of another pandemic?
2 years, 6 months ago

What is ‘Disease X’? Why top experts are warning of another pandemic?

Live Mint  

‘Disease X’ is causing much a concern in Britain and accordingly, health experts have urged the government to remain prepared for a new pathogen owing to the fact that the country has seen several infections in the recent past. Medical experts have warned, as reported by The Mirror, “We're living through a new pandemic era, and Disease X’ could be …

WHO chief: The COVID pandemic is ‘most certainly not over’
2 years, 7 months ago

WHO chief: The COVID pandemic is ‘most certainly not over’

Associated Press  

BERLIN — The COVID-19 pandemic is “most certainly not over,” the head of the World Health Organization warned Sunday, despite a decline in reported cases since the peak of the omicron wave. He told governments that “we lower our guard at our peril.” The U.N. health agency’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told officials gathered in Geneva for opening of the …

'Pandemic phase' over for US, but...': Dr. Fauci's Covid assessment
2 years, 8 months ago

'Pandemic phase' over for US, but...': Dr. Fauci's Covid assessment

India TV News  

Dr. Anthony Fauci has given an upbeat assessment of the current state of the coronavirus in the United States, saying the country is “out of the pandemic phase” when it comes to new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, but that it appears to be making a transition to COVID-19 becoming an endemic disease — occurring regularly in certain areas. Fauci, the …

Possibility of more COVID variants can’t be avoided but..: WHO
2 years, 8 months ago

Possibility of more COVID variants can’t be avoided but..: WHO

Live Mint  

World Health Organisation has asserted that the acute stage of COVID can be ended this year in case vaccination coverage can be increased and at the same time, measures are taken to stop the spread. More deadly variants may emerge if… Earlier this week, WHO also pointed out that with the virus still circulating, the risk of more deadly variants …

COVID-19 virus likely continues to evolve but severity reduces over time: WHO
2 years, 9 months ago

COVID-19 virus likely continues to evolve but severity reduces over time: WHO

China Daily  

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, attends a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Dec 20, 2021. GENEVA - SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is likely to keep evolving as transmission continues globally, but its severity will reduce due to immunity acquired by vaccination and infection, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. Speaking at …

'Pandemic is not over': WHO's warning as Covid-19 cases surge globally
2 years, 9 months ago

'Pandemic is not over': WHO's warning as Covid-19 cases surge globally

Hindustan Times  

The World Health Organization on Wednesday warned that the world will continue to battle with surging Covid-19 infections and its emerging variants until all countries are covered with high vaccination. Until we reach high vaccination coverage in all countries, we will continue to face the risk of infections surging and new variants emerging that evade," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom …

2 years into pandemic, world takes cautious steps forward
2 years, 9 months ago

2 years into pandemic, world takes cautious steps forward

Associated Press  

PORTLAND, Ore. — With COVID-19 case numbers plummeting, Emily Safrin did something she hadn’t done since the pandemic began two years ago: She put her fears aside and went to a concert. “Everyone was supposed to be vaccinated or have a negative test, and I said, ‘What the heck, I’m just gonna live my life,’” Safrin said of her concert …

How will COVID end? Experts look to past epidemics for clues
2 years, 9 months ago

How will COVID end? Experts look to past epidemics for clues

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the world has seen a dramatic improvement in infections, hospitalizations and death rates in recent weeks, signaling the crisis appears to be winding down. Mask mandates are vanishing — even federal health officials have stopped wearing them — and President Joe Biden has said it’s time for people to …

The end is near, for some anyway, as the new pandemic data looks promising
2 years, 10 months ago

The end is near, for some anyway, as the new pandemic data looks promising

CNN  

CNN — While the pandemic is not over, experts say the US may be in for, at the very least, a “near normal” spring and summer, based on new US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. According to the CDC’s updated data on Covid-19 community levels, the number of counties with “high” Covid-19 levels dropped from about 1,200 on …

Conditions ideal for more transmissible, dangerous variants but…: WHO chief's latest Covid alert
2 years, 10 months ago

Conditions ideal for more transmissible, dangerous variants but…: WHO chief's latest Covid alert

India Today  

The coronavirus pandemic will end "when we choose to end it" even though the conditions are now "ideal for more transmissible, more dangerous variants"of the virus to emerge, World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a Live session at the Munich Security Conference 2022, currently underway in the German city. Offering his assessment of the pandemic that has …

COVID pandemic’s ‘acute phase’ could end by midyear: WHO
2 years, 10 months ago

COVID pandemic’s ‘acute phase’ could end by midyear: WHO

Al Jazeera  

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the acute phase of the pandemic could end by the middle of the year if about 70 percent of the world gets jabbed. The head of the World Health Organization has said the acute phase of the pandemic could end this year, if about 70 percent of the world gets vaccinated. “Our expectation is …

As case counts fall, WHO chief warns “COVID isn’t finished”
2 years, 11 months ago

As case counts fall, WHO chief warns “COVID isn’t finished”

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization insisted Wednesday that “COVID isn’t finished with us,” appealing for more support to fight the pandemic after his agency reported that new infections fell but virus deaths rose worldwide over the past week. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, launching a new $23 billion campaign to fund WHO’s efforts to lead a fair rollout …

Pandemic or endemic: Where is COVID heading next?
2 years, 11 months ago

Pandemic or endemic: Where is COVID heading next?

Al Jazeera  

Some political leaders are calling for COVID to be treated as an endemic disease, but scientists warn that talk of a pandemic endgame is premature. “I think we are leading Europe in the transition from pandemic to endemic and we’re leading the way in showing the world how you can live with COVID.” However, officials from the World Health Organization …

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