Chinese authorities say a patient was discovered with a new Omicron subtype in Suzhou in east China's Jiangsu province near Shanghai.

Amid COVID-19 battle, China discovers new Omicron subtype

COVID-19 cases in China continue to rise. China's zero COVID strategy seems to be in jeopardy as new cases are not slowing down in Shanghai.

China's zero COVID strategy is in jeopardy as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Shanghai

Do you know someone who has never been infected with coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic? How did some health professionals avoid falling ill despite daily contact with Covid-19 patients? A study by Sweden's University of Gothenburg may provide some clues.

Hidden immunity: Study gives clues on how some escape Covid-19 infection

Many patients have died recently at a prominent Shanghai elderly-care hospital which is currently facing a COVID-19 outbreak, according to the persons acquainted with the situation, said a report in The Wall Street Journal.

This indicates that the new wave of illness is striking China’s financial capital harder than what the authorities have officially revealed.

Since the city’s Covid cases began to rise in March, the Shanghai government has not yet reported any Covid-related deaths or outbreaks in its hundreds of elderly-care centres.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/how-does-covid-19-actually-infect-humans-study-reveals-467325">How does COVID-19 actually infect humans? World's first human challenge study reveals &nbsp;</a>

The replacement of six orderlies at the city’s Donghai Elderly Care Hospital told The Wall Street journal that they brought in previous caretakers after they were sent away to quarantine, that they had seen or heard of the recent removal of many bodies from the facility, where they said at least 100 patients had tested positive for Covid.

It could not be determined whether Covid infections or other chronic illnesses were the cause for deaths. The hospital does not publicise its data on deaths, making it difficult to compare the current rate of deaths to the previous period. Several relatives of the infected patients said that their loved ones were left unattended after the caretakers were sent for the quarantine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shanghai-enters-static-management-amid-lockdown-as-covid-19-cases-surge-467166">Shanghai enters 'static management' amid lockdown as COVID-19 cases surge</a>

Shanghai’s health officials haven’t noticed the rapid spread of the illness at the hospital. On March 16 and 17, the government reported two new Covid cases at an address matching that of Donghai Hospital. In the following days, the government listed the address as a location where the infections were earlier reported but did not say how many cases were recorded there.

Watch |&nbsp;Parts of Shanghai under lockdown: 6,000 new cases recorded on Tuesday

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Many patients have died recently at a prominent Shanghai elderly-care hospital which is currently facing a COVID-19 outbreak, according to the persons acquainted with the situation, said a report in The Wall Street Journal.

Many patients have died recently at a prominent Shanghai elderly-care hospital which is currently facing a COVID-19 outbreak, according to the persons acquainted with the situation, said a report in The Wall Street Journal. This indicates that the new wave of illness is striking China’s financial capital harder than what the authorities have officially revealed. Since the city’s Covid cases began to rise in March, the Shanghai government has not yet reported any Covid-related deaths or outbreaks in its hundreds of elderly-care centres. Also read | How does COVID-19 actually infect humans? World's first human challenge study reveals The replacement of six orderlies at the city’s Donghai Elderly Care Hospital told The Wall Street journal that they brought in previous caretakers after they were sent away to quarantine, that they had seen or heard of the recent removal of many bodies from the facility, where they said at least 100 patients had tested positive for Covid. It could not be determined whether Covid infections or other chronic illnesses were the cause for deaths. The hospital does not publicise its data on deaths, making it difficult to compare the current rate of deaths to the previous period. Several relatives of the infected patients said that their loved ones were left unattended after the caretakers were sent for the quarantine. Also read | Shanghai enters 'static management' amid lockdown as COVID-19 cases surge Shanghai’s health officials haven’t noticed the rapid spread of the illness at the hospital. On March 16 and 17, the government reported two new Covid cases at an address matching that of Donghai Hospital. In the following days, the government listed the address as a location where the infections were earlier reported but did not say how many cases were recorded there. Watch | Parts of Shanghai under lockdown: 6,000 new cases recorded on Tuesday

Covid cases unreported, patients unattended, deaths plague Shanghai’s hospital: Reports

South Korea has largely scrapped its containment efforts for covid-19 despite recording higher numbers of cases. South Korea has joined a growing list of Asian countries that have eased quarantine rules.

South Koreans plan 'revenge travel', scrap aggressive measures after strict isolation

More than two years on all pandemic-related restrictions including the mandatory wearing of mass will be lifted in the Indian state of Maharashtra. All curbs will be lifted in the state from April 2, the decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Uddhav Thackeray.

Indian state of Maharashtra lifts all covid-19 curbs

US President Joe Biden rolled up his sleeve for a second COVID-19 booster shot on Wednesday. His administration rolled out efforts to help people live with the coronavirus and a renewed push for vaccinations and funding.

Joe Biden gets second covid-19 booster shot, pushes for vaccinations and funding

China is the world's largest auto market but due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country and curbs imposed auto manufacturers are scrambling for output.

Shanghai lockdown: Auto manufacturers scramble for output

A severe COVID wave has gripped China. The city of Shanghai is the worst hit as it recorded 6,000 new cases on Tuesday. The lockdown imposed by authorities has triggered panic shopping.

Parts of Shanghai under lockdown: 6,000 new cases recorded on Tuesday

The United States is preparing to take on the BA.2 variant of COVID-19 by allowing people aged 50 & above to receive a booster dose.

U.S: People aged 50 & above to get a booster dose to prepare for BA.2 variant

China has locked down Shanghai to contain a new cluster of Covid-19 cases in the bustling coastal city. Now, curbs have been imposed on highway traffic.

Shanghai tightens COVID lockdown: Curbs imposed on highway traffic

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday eased its COVID-19 travel advisory for India. The CDC changed risk level from Level 3 (high risk) to Level 1 ( low risk). A statement has been&nbsp;released to this effect.

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice due to COVID-19, indicating a low level of COVID-19 in the country. Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine," the US department of state said in a statement.

"Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC`s specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers," the statement added.

While giving key information for travellers to India, the CDC said, "Make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travelling to India. Even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, you may still be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19. Anyone 2 years or older should properly wear a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces. Follow all requirements and recommendations in India."

CDC uses Travel Health Notices (THNs) to alert travellers and other audiences to health threats around the world and advise on how to protect themselves.

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday eased its COVID-19 travel advisory for India. The CDC changed risk level from Level 3 (high risk) to Level 1 ( low risk).

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday eased its COVID-19 travel advisory for India. The CDC changed risk level from Level 3 (high risk) to Level 1 ( low risk). A statement has been released to this effect. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice due to COVID-19, indicating a low level of COVID-19 in the country. Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine," the US department of state said in a statement. "Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC`s specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers," the statement added. While giving key information for travellers to India, the CDC said, "Make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travelling to India. Even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, you may still be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19. Anyone 2 years or older should properly wear a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces. Follow all requirements and recommendations in India." CDC uses Travel Health Notices (THNs) to alert travellers and other audiences to health threats around the world and advise on how to protect themselves.

COVID-19: US CDC eases travel advisory for India

Even after causing havoc for last two years, coronavirus seems to have been refusing to die down. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Currently, different parts of the world have been witnessing a surge in the number of cases due to the spread of a sub-variant of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of coronavirus. &nbsp;

The sub-variant is called BA.2. It is now dominant worldwide. &nbsp;

What is the BA.2 variant? &nbsp;

Amid the surge in Omicron cases, British health officials had earlier detected growing cases of BA.2 variant. In total, Omicron has three sub-strains - BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/different-variants-may-cause-different-long-covid-19-symptoms-says-study-466250" hreflang="en">Different variants may cause different long COVID-19 symptoms, says study</a>

As it is slightly harder to track, BA.2 is also called the "stealth variant". &nbsp;BA.1 is tracked through a common PCR test by default due to a missing gene. While BA.2 and another sibling, BA.3 can be found only by genomic sequencing. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Should you be concerned? &nbsp;

According to the World Health Organization, BA.2 now represents around 86% of all sequenced cases. It is more transmissible than other sub-variants, like BA.1 and BA.1.1. But the evidence so far suggests that it is less likely to cause severe infection. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Shanghai tightens COVID lockdown: Curbs imposed on highway traffic

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Vaccines are also less effective against BA.2. As per UK Health Security Agency data, protection gets restored by a booster jab, particularly for preventing hospitalisation and death.&nbsp;&nbsp;

BA.2 has led to surges in China and European countries like Germany and the UK. It is also raising concern over the potential for a new wave in the United States.

Can it&nbsp;re-infect people?

As a&nbsp;number of countries are experiencing "double peaks" in infection rates simultaneously,&nbsp;a key concern about BA.2 is that whether it could re-infect people who had already had BA.1.

But data from both the UK and Denmark show&nbsp;that while Omicron can reinfect people, who had other variants, like Delta, only a handful of BA.2 reinfections in people, who earlier had BA.1 have been found so far.&nbsp;

According to the&nbsp;scientists, a explanation for the recent spike in BA.2 cases could be the global uptick happened at the same time in many countries after lifting of public health interventions.

"In some ways, it could just be that BA.2 was the variant that was circulating when all these people stopped wearing masks," said Dr Andrew Pekosz, virologist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

Other US&nbsp;experts, such as Eric Topol, director, Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California, said it was "a little too early" to call whether the US&nbsp;too would see a significant BA.2 wave.

"It is still a huge public health problem and it is going to continue to be," said Mark Woolhouse, epidemiologist, the University of Edinburgh.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Even after causing havoc for last two years, coronavirus seems to have been refusing to die down. Currently, different parts of the world have been witnessing a surge in the number of cases due to the spread of a sub-variant of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Even after causing havoc for last two years, coronavirus seems to have been refusing to die down. Currently, different parts of the world have been witnessing a surge in the number of cases due to the spread of a sub-variant of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of coronavirus. The sub-variant is called BA.2. It is now dominant worldwide. What is the BA.2 variant? Amid the surge in Omicron cases, British health officials had earlier detected growing cases of BA.2 variant. In total, Omicron has three sub-strains - BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. Also Read: Different variants may cause different long COVID-19 symptoms, says study As it is slightly harder to track, BA.2 is also called the "stealth variant". BA.1 is tracked through a common PCR test by default due to a missing gene. While BA.2 and another sibling, BA.3 can be found only by genomic sequencing. Should you be concerned? According to the World Health Organization, BA.2 now represents around 86% of all sequenced cases. It is more transmissible than other sub-variants, like BA.1 and BA.1.1. But the evidence so far suggests that it is less likely to cause severe infection. Watch: Shanghai tightens COVID lockdown: Curbs imposed on highway traffic × Vaccines are also less effective against BA.2. As per UK Health Security Agency data, protection gets restored by a booster jab, particularly for preventing hospitalisation and death. BA.2 has led to surges in China and European countries like Germany and the UK. It is also raising concern over the potential for a new wave in the United States. Can it re-infect people? As a number of countries are experiencing "double peaks" in infection rates simultaneously, a key concern about BA.2 is that whether it could re-infect people who had already had BA.1. But data from both the UK and Denmark show that while Omicron can reinfect people, who had other variants, like Delta, only a handful of BA.2 reinfections in people, who earlier had BA.1 have been found so far. According to the scientists, a explanation for the recent spike in BA.2 cases could be the global uptick happened at the same time in many countries after lifting of public health interventions. "In some ways, it could just be that BA.2 was the variant that was circulating when all these people stopped wearing masks," said Dr Andrew Pekosz, virologist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Other US experts, such as Eric Topol, director, Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California, said it was "a little too early" to call whether the US too would see a significant BA.2 wave. "It is still a huge public health problem and it is going to continue to be," said Mark Woolhouse, epidemiologist, the University of Edinburgh. (With inputs from agencies)

'Stealth Omicron': BA.2 is now globally dominant Covid variant

China is searching for a new pandemic strategy to avert economic distress due to rising COVID-19 cases. In the latest, Shanghai will undergo phased lockdown.

China battles worst covid-19 wave, Shanghai imposes phased covid-19 lockdown

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has tested positive for COVID-19 days ahead of his scheduled trip to India later this week. Israel announced that Bennett had tested positive after he met US secretary of state Antony Blinken.

Celebrating 30 Years of India-Israel bilateral ties

Indian companies will spend an estimated $105.2 billion on information technology in 2022. This is 5.5% more than in 2021, according to a report by Gartner. The worldwide IT spending is projected at $4.5 trillion in 2022, up 5.1% from 2021.Despite the potential impacts of Covid pandemic, economic recovery is seen, with high expectations for digital market.

Indian IT sector experiencing post pandemic boom

After a halt of over two years due to covid-19 pandemic, India has resumed international flights from yesterday. The flights had been operating in an air bubble arrangement earlier with several nations the rules have also been relaxed and government has eased COVID-19 safety protocols.

After two years, India resumes international flights

Israeli PM Naftali Bennett tests Covid-19 positive ahead of India trip

When Covid-19 ripped through&nbsp;India&nbsp;in 2020-21, several million people are thought to have died. Desperate efforts to stem the pandemic hurt the battle against another huge killer: tuberculosis.

India&nbsp;is the home to a quarter of the world's TB infections and an estimated half a million people died of the curable lung disease in 2020 in the South Asian nation -- a third of the global toll.

Because of the pandemic, global deaths from the "silent killer" rose in 2020 for the first time in more than a decade, reversing years of progress, the World Health Organization says.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-resumes-regular-international-flights-here-are-new-guidelines-465856">India resumes regular international flights: Here are new guidelines</a>

In&nbsp;India, the number of new cases detected in 2020 actually fell by a quarter to around 1.8 million due to Covid restrictions and as the pandemic diverted resources.

Nearly two-thirds of people with TB symptoms did not seek treatment, according to a 2019-21 nationwide government survey released on World TB Day on Thursday.

Ashna Ashesh, 29, diagnosed with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis four years ago, saw how patients, many isolated and jobless because of lockdowns, struggled for support.

"They were incredibly afraid... They were reaching out for any kind of information that could be offered about how to access tests and medication," the public health professional with the Survivors Against TB collective told AFP.

"The impact has been immense... Covid has set back the fight against TB quite significantly. A recovery plan for TB is critical, both in&nbsp;India&nbsp;and globally."

India&nbsp;now faces an uphill battle to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of ending the spread of TB by 2025, five years earlier than the UN's target.

Experts and survivors are calling for intensive grassroots campaigns to find "missing" cases, more vaccine funding and support to combat malnutrition, a major trigger for TB.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/airport-operators-join-forces-to-study-sustainable-fuel-in-india-465746">Airport operators join forces to study sustainable fuel in India</a>

Kuldeep Singh Sachdeva from the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease said states need to increase services such as house-to-house visits and mass screenings.

"That's the only way now where you can eliminate TB," Sachdeva, who previously led the government's National Tuberculosis Elimination Program, told AFP.

&nbsp;Silver lining

Officially Covid has killed almost 520,000 Indians.

The pandemic -- which saw Covid replace TB as the world's deadliest infectious disease -- did however have one silver lining: increased mask-wearing.

Sachdeva estimates this might have cut TB transmission by 20 percent. Additional diagnostic machines&nbsp;procured for Covid could be redeployed for TB, he added.

Mumbai -- a megapolis of 20 million people and a TB hotspot -- has rolled out a programme with young survivors such as Seema Kunchikorve, who was diagnosed with TB five years ago at 20, to keep current patients on track with medications.

"The treatment has a lot of (side) effects which patients can't take," Kunchikorve told AFP during a TB awareness play staged at a school in&nbsp;India's biggest slum Dharavi.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-army-trains-specially-abled-kashmiri-youths-in-skiing-465732">&nbsp;Indian Army trains specially-abled Kashmiri youths in skiing</a>

Vijay Chavan, who treats patients with drug-resistant TB at a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) clinic in Mumbai, said the Covid battle had shown the way to fight the older pandemic.

At the clinic, which treats children as young as five, patients spend hours undergoing check-ups beside brightly coloured wallpapers featuring famous comic characters, before collecting a large tray of pills for their treatments.

"If there is a political will for TB, just like Covid, it definitely will give us good results," he told AFP.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Why Wang Yi came to India

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-wang-yi-came-to-india-465562/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

When Covid-19 ripped through India in 2020-21, several million people are thought to have died. Desperate efforts to stem the pandemic hurt the battle against another huge killer: tuberculosis.

When Covid-19 ripped through India in 2020-21, several million people are thought to have died. Desperate efforts to stem the pandemic hurt the battle against another huge killer: tuberculosis. India is the home to a quarter of the world's TB infections and an estimated half a million people died of the curable lung disease in 2020 in the South Asian nation -- a third of the global toll. Because of the pandemic, global deaths from the "silent killer" rose in 2020 for the first time in more than a decade, reversing years of progress, the World Health Organization says. Also read | India resumes regular international flights: Here are new guidelines In India, the number of new cases detected in 2020 actually fell by a quarter to around 1.8 million due to Covid restrictions and as the pandemic diverted resources. Nearly two-thirds of people with TB symptoms did not seek treatment, according to a 2019-21 nationwide government survey released on World TB Day on Thursday. Ashna Ashesh, 29, diagnosed with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis four years ago, saw how patients, many isolated and jobless because of lockdowns, struggled for support. "They were incredibly afraid... They were reaching out for any kind of information that could be offered about how to access tests and medication," the public health professional with the Survivors Against TB collective told AFP. "The impact has been immense... Covid has set back the fight against TB quite significantly. A recovery plan for TB is critical, both in India and globally." India now faces an uphill battle to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of ending the spread of TB by 2025, five years earlier than the UN's target. Experts and survivors are calling for intensive grassroots campaigns to find "missing" cases, more vaccine funding and support to combat malnutrition, a major trigger for TB. Also read | Airport operators join forces to study sustainable fuel in India Kuldeep Singh Sachdeva from the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease said states need to increase services such as house-to-house visits and mass screenings. "That's the only way now where you can eliminate TB," Sachdeva, who previously led the government's National Tuberculosis Elimination Program, told AFP. Silver lining Officially Covid has killed almost 520,000 Indians. The pandemic -- which saw Covid replace TB as the world's deadliest infectious disease -- did however have one silver lining: increased mask-wearing. Sachdeva estimates this might have cut TB transmission by 20 percent. Additional diagnostic machines procured for Covid could be redeployed for TB, he added. Mumbai -- a megapolis of 20 million people and a TB hotspot -- has rolled out a programme with young survivors such as Seema Kunchikorve, who was diagnosed with TB five years ago at 20, to keep current patients on track with medications. "The treatment has a lot of (side) effects which patients can't take," Kunchikorve told AFP during a TB awareness play staged at a school in India's biggest slum Dharavi. Also read | Indian Army trains specially-abled Kashmiri youths in skiing Vijay Chavan, who treats patients with drug-resistant TB at a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) clinic in Mumbai, said the Covid battle had shown the way to fight the older pandemic. At the clinic, which treats children as young as five, patients spend hours undergoing check-ups beside brightly coloured wallpapers featuring famous comic characters, before collecting a large tray of pills for their treatments. "If there is a political will for TB, just like Covid, it definitely will give us good results," he told AFP. Watch | Gravitas: Why Wang Yi came to India

After Covid, India tries to get on top of tuberculosis

China is searching for a new pandemic strategy to avert economic distress due to rising COVID-19 cases. In the latest, Shanghai will not undergo full lockdown.

Shanghai will not undergo full lockdown as China searches for a new pandemic strategy

Globalisation, which has both fans and detractors alike, is being tested like never before after the one-two punch of Covid and&nbsp;war.

The&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;had already raised questions about the&nbsp;world's reliance on an economic model that has broken trade barriers, but made countries heavily reliant on each other as production was delocalised over the decades.

Companies have been struggling to cope with major bottlenecks in the global supply chain.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-series-of-tweets-billionaire-elon-musk-suggests-new-platform-needed-to-compete-with-twitter-465871">In a series of tweets, billionaire Elon Musk suggests new platform needed to compete with Twitter</a>

Russia's&nbsp;war&nbsp;in Ukraine has raised fears about further disruptions, with everything from energy supplies to auto parts to exports of wheat and raw materials under threat.

Larry Fink, the head of financial giant BlackRock, put it bluntly: "The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put an end to the globalisation we have experienced over the last three decades."

"We had already seen connectivity between nations, companies and even people strained by two years of the&nbsp;pandemic," Fink wrote in a letter to shareholders on Thursday.

But US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, disagrees.

"I really have to push back on that," she told CNBC in an interview.&nbsp;

"We're deeply involved in the global economy. I expect that to remain, it is something that has brought benefits to the United States, and many countries around the&nbsp;world."

An animal that evolves

Shortages of surgical masks at the outset of the&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;in 2020 became a symbol of the&nbsp;world's dependence on Chinese factories for all sorts of goods.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-army-fired-again-at-a-nuclear-research-facility-in-kharkiv-says-ukraine-465843">Russian army fired again at a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv, says Ukraine</a>

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has raised concerns about food shortages around the globe as the two agricultural powerhouses are among the major breadbaskets of the&nbsp;world.

It has also put a spotlight on Europe's -- and especially Germany's -- heavy dependence on gas supplies from Russia, now a state under crippling sanctions.

"A number of vulnerabilities" have emerged that show the limits of having supply chains spread out in different locations, the former director general of the&nbsp;World&nbsp;Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy, told AFP.

The global trade tensions have prompted the European Union, for instance, to seek "strategic autonomy" in critical sectors.

The production of semiconductors -- microchips that are vital to industries ranging from video games to cars -- is now a priority for Europe and the United States.

"The&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;did not bring radical changes in terms of reshoring (bringing back business from overseas)," said Ferdi De Ville, professor at Ghent Institute for International &amp; European Studies.

"But this time it might be different because (the conflict) will have an impact on how businesses think about their investment decisions, their supply chains," he said.

"They have realised that what was maybe unthinkable before the past month has now become realistic, in terms of far-reaching sanctions," said de Ville, author of an article on "The end of&nbsp;globalisation&nbsp;as we know it".

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-people-are-not-our-enemy-us-president-joe-biden-says-465823">&nbsp;Russian people, are not our enemy, US President Joe Biden says</a>

The goal now is to redirect strategic dependence towards allies, what he coined as "friend-shoring" instead of "off-shoring".

A US-EU agreement Friday to create a task force to wean Europe off its reliance on Russian fossil fuels is the most recent example of friend-shoring.

For Lamy, this shows "there is no de-globalisation".

Globalisation, he said, is "an animal that evolves a lot".

Decoupling from China&nbsp;

Globalisation&nbsp;had already faced an existential crisis when former US president Donald Trump launched a trade&nbsp;war&nbsp;with China in 2018, triggering a tit-for-tat exchange of punitive tariffs.

His successor, Joe Biden, invoked the need to "buy American" in his sweeping investment plan to "rebuild America".

"We will buy American to make sure everything from&nbsp;the deck of an aircraft carrier to the steel on highway guardrails&nbsp;are made in America," he said in his State of the Union speech.

One concept that emerged during the Trump years was "decoupling" -- the idea of untangling the US and Chinese economies.

The threat has not subsided, especially with China refusing to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-says-its-not-for-biden-to-say-if-putin-stays-in-power-465827">Kremlin says it's not for Biden to say if Putin stays in power</a>

The United States has warned the&nbsp;world's second-biggest economy would face "consequences" if it provides material support to Russia in its&nbsp;war&nbsp;in Ukraine.

China already had other contentious issues with the West, such as Taiwan, the self-ruled democracy which Beijing has vowed to seize one day, by force if necessary.

"It is not in China's interest for now to go into competition with the West," said Xiaodong Bao, portfolio manager at the Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management firm.

But the&nbsp;war&nbsp;in Ukraine is a chance for China to reduce its reliance on the US dollar. The Wall Street Journal reported that Beijing is in talks with Saudi Arabia to buy oil in yuan instead of dollars.

"China will continue to build foundations for the future," Bao said. "The financial decoupling is accelerating."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: The weapons being used in the Ukraine conflict

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Globalisation, which has both fans and detractors alike, is being tested like never before after the one-two punch of Covid and war. The pandemic had already raised questions about the world's reliance on an economic model that has broken trade barriers, but made countries heavily reliant on each other as production was delocalised over the decades.

Globalisation, which has both fans and detractors alike, is being tested like never before after the one-two punch of Covid and war. The pandemic had already raised questions about the world's reliance on an economic model that has broken trade barriers, but made countries heavily reliant on each other as production was delocalised over the decades. Companies have been struggling to cope with major bottlenecks in the global supply chain. Also read | In a series of tweets, billionaire Elon Musk suggests new platform needed to compete with Twitter Russia's war in Ukraine has raised fears about further disruptions, with everything from energy supplies to auto parts to exports of wheat and raw materials under threat. Larry Fink, the head of financial giant BlackRock, put it bluntly: "The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put an end to the globalisation we have experienced over the last three decades." "We had already seen connectivity between nations, companies and even people strained by two years of the pandemic," Fink wrote in a letter to shareholders on Thursday. But US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, disagrees. "I really have to push back on that," she told CNBC in an interview. "We're deeply involved in the global economy. I expect that to remain, it is something that has brought benefits to the United States, and many countries around the world." An animal that evolves Shortages of surgical masks at the outset of the pandemic in 2020 became a symbol of the world's dependence on Chinese factories for all sorts of goods. Also read | Russian army fired again at a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv, says Ukraine The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has raised concerns about food shortages around the globe as the two agricultural powerhouses are among the major breadbaskets of the world. It has also put a spotlight on Europe's -- and especially Germany's -- heavy dependence on gas supplies from Russia, now a state under crippling sanctions. "A number of vulnerabilities" have emerged that show the limits of having supply chains spread out in different locations, the former director general of the World Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy, told AFP. The global trade tensions have prompted the European Union, for instance, to seek "strategic autonomy" in critical sectors. The production of semiconductors -- microchips that are vital to industries ranging from video games to cars -- is now a priority for Europe and the United States. "The pandemic did not bring radical changes in terms of reshoring (bringing back business from overseas)," said Ferdi De Ville, professor at Ghent Institute for International & European Studies. "But this time it might be different because (the conflict) will have an impact on how businesses think about their investment decisions, their supply chains," he said. "They have realised that what was maybe unthinkable before the past month has now become realistic, in terms of far-reaching sanctions," said de Ville, author of an article on "The end of globalisation as we know it". Also read | Russian people, are not our enemy, US President Joe Biden says The goal now is to redirect strategic dependence towards allies, what he coined as "friend-shoring" instead of "off-shoring". A US-EU agreement Friday to create a task force to wean Europe off its reliance on Russian fossil fuels is the most recent example of friend-shoring. For Lamy, this shows "there is no de-globalisation". Globalisation, he said, is "an animal that evolves a lot". Decoupling from China Globalisation had already faced an existential crisis when former US president Donald Trump launched a trade war with China in 2018, triggering a tit-for-tat exchange of punitive tariffs. His successor, Joe Biden, invoked the need to "buy American" in his sweeping investment plan to "rebuild America". "We will buy American to make sure everything from the deck of an aircraft carrier to the steel on highway guardrails are made in America," he said in his State of the Union speech. One concept that emerged during the Trump years was "decoupling" -- the idea of untangling the US and Chinese economies. The threat has not subsided, especially with China refusing to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Also read | Kremlin says it's not for Biden to say if Putin stays in power The United States has warned the world's second-biggest economy would face "consequences" if it provides material support to Russia in its war in Ukraine. China already had other contentious issues with the West, such as Taiwan, the self-ruled democracy which Beijing has vowed to seize one day, by force if necessary. "It is not in China's interest for now to go into competition with the West," said Xiaodong Bao, portfolio manager at the Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management firm. But the war in Ukraine is a chance for China to reduce its reliance on the US dollar. The Wall Street Journal reported that Beijing is in talks with Saudi Arabia to buy oil in yuan instead of dollars. "China will continue to build foundations for the future," Bao said. "The financial decoupling is accelerating." Watch | Gravitas: The weapons being used in the Ukraine conflict

New world order? Pandemic and war rattle globalisation

The UK is currently witnessing a huge surge in coronavirus cases. Last week, around 3.5 million people in England had Covid. &nbsp;

The infections have risen to their second highest level ever, the official data shows. &nbsp;

The PM’s scientific advisers have also started to call for tighter restrictions. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-to-fund-2-million-pounds-of-food-supplies-for-encircled-ukrainian-cities-465602" hreflang="en">UK to fund 2 million pounds of food supplies for encircled Ukrainian cities</a>

Around 3.48 million people were carrying the virus at any given time in the week beginning from March 19, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said as per an estimate. It is a 31 per cent rise compared to the previous week. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a week, Covid levels rose by around one million. It is now approaching the peak of the Omicron wave. A record 3.74 million people in England had virus in the first week of January. &nbsp; &nbsp;

In every corner of the UK, the infections are rising. In Scotland, they have already surpassed the previous peak. Now, one in 11 Scots seems to have been infected in the recent week, the ONS said. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-uk-pm-boris-johnson-snubbed-ahead-of-nato-group-photo-465569" hreflang="en">Watch: UK PM Boris Johnson ‘snubbed’ ahead of NATO group photo</a>

Hospitalisations are also high in Scotland and are currently rising in England. &nbsp;&nbsp;

SAGE member Professor Matt Keeling said, "With the withdrawal of free testing from April 1, this ability of the public to assess and respond to the risk of infection has been removed. Lateral flow tests are relatively inexpensive, and could even be cost saving if they help prevent sufficiently many hospital admissions." &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;UK consumer confidence slides as inflation and war worries mount

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Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser, UK Health Security Agency, asked citizens to wear masks in enclosed spaces. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The UK is currently witnessing a huge surge in coronavirus cases. Last week, around 3.5 million people in England had Covid. The infections have risen to their second highest level ever, the official data shows.

The UK is currently witnessing a huge surge in coronavirus cases. Last week, around 3.5 million people in England had Covid. The infections have risen to their second highest level ever, the official data shows. The PM’s scientific advisers have also started to call for tighter restrictions. Also Read: UK to fund 2 million pounds of food supplies for encircled Ukrainian cities Around 3.48 million people were carrying the virus at any given time in the week beginning from March 19, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said as per an estimate. It is a 31 per cent rise compared to the previous week. In a week, Covid levels rose by around one million. It is now approaching the peak of the Omicron wave. A record 3.74 million people in England had virus in the first week of January. In every corner of the UK, the infections are rising. In Scotland, they have already surpassed the previous peak. Now, one in 11 Scots seems to have been infected in the recent week, the ONS said. Also Read | Watch: UK PM Boris Johnson ‘snubbed’ ahead of NATO group photo Hospitalisations are also high in Scotland and are currently rising in England. SAGE member Professor Matt Keeling said, "With the withdrawal of free testing from April 1, this ability of the public to assess and respond to the risk of infection has been removed. Lateral flow tests are relatively inexpensive, and could even be cost saving if they help prevent sufficiently many hospital admissions." Watch: UK consumer confidence slides as inflation and war worries mount × Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser, UK Health Security Agency, asked citizens to wear masks in enclosed spaces. (With inputs from agencies)

As 3.5 million people had Covid in England last week, experts call for tighter restrictions

Amid the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases in China, Beijing has Autoshow postponed reportedly.

Reports: Beijing Autoshow postponed due to covid surge in China

The Biden administration is planning to give an option of second booster shot to the people of age 50 or older, but the question is how effective will the 2nd booster shot be?

US plans to offer second booster shots to those 50 yrs and older

UK is witnessing a rise in COVID-19 cases. With over 4.2 Million new COVID cases, the UK sets to break its past record of infections.

Over 4.2 Million new COVID cases recorded across the UK last week

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei captures the transience of life with his latest creation, a huge chandelier of bones and organs made out of glass

Huge chandelier of skeletons and body parts reflects war and COVID

After being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, India's air travel is now recovering and so does the demand for aircraft.

Indian aircraft demand soaring as India's air travel recover from the pandemic

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday that the country will be further relaxing its COVID-19 restrictions as the number of infected cases continue to decline rapidly.<o:p></o:p>

"Our fight against Covid-19 has reached a major turning point and we will be making a decisive move towards living with Covid-19," Xinhua news agency quoted Lee as saying in a live address to the nation as reported by AFP.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rescue-team-find-human-remains-at-the-chinese-plane-crash-site-465135">Rescue teams find human remains at the Chinese plane crash site</a>

The prime minister added that new safety management measures will be implemented from March 29. It will include doubling the group size to 10 persons from five and increasing the capacity limit for larger events and settings. <o:p></o:p>

When it comes to workplaces, 75 per-cent of the total number of employees will be allowed to return while wearing masks outdoors will be made optional.<o:p></o:p>

As the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is "well under control," Singapore will "substantially" ease up cross-border travelling by streamlining testing and quarantine requirements and lifting "most of the restrictions for fully-vaccinated visitors entering Singapore", said Lee according to the report.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-half-of-ukrainian-children-displaced-by-war-says-un-465162">More than half of Ukrainian children displaced by war, says UN</a>

These changes will give a boost to businesses, particularly the tourism sector, and also help Singapore reclaim its position as a business and aviation hub, he added.<o:p></o:p>

While the infection rate has decreased in the recent past, countries like Israel, Cambodia and South Korea has seen increase in cases due to a sub-variant which is still under research. <o:p></o:p>

The Prime Minister said that a measured approach that has been in place for over two years, and further relaxation on restrictions will be considered if the epidemic situation keeps stabilising.

<o:p>(With inputs from agencies)</o:p>

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday that the country will be further relaxing its COVID-19 restrictions as the number of infected cases continue to decline rapidly.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday that the country will be further relaxing its COVID-19 restrictions as the number of infected cases continue to decline rapidly. "Our fight against Covid-19 has reached a major turning point and we will be making a decisive move towards living with Covid-19," Xinhua news agency quoted Lee as saying in a live address to the nation as reported by AFP. Also read | Rescue teams find human remains at the Chinese plane crash site The prime minister added that new safety management measures will be implemented from March 29. It will include doubling the group size to 10 persons from five and increasing the capacity limit for larger events and settings. When it comes to workplaces, 75 per-cent of the total number of employees will be allowed to return while wearing masks outdoors will be made optional. As the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is "well under control," Singapore will "substantially" ease up cross-border travelling by streamlining testing and quarantine requirements and lifting "most of the restrictions for fully-vaccinated visitors entering Singapore", said Lee according to the report. Also read | More than half of Ukrainian children displaced by war, says UN These changes will give a boost to businesses, particularly the tourism sector, and also help Singapore reclaim its position as a business and aviation hub, he added. While the infection rate has decreased in the recent past, countries like Israel, Cambodia and South Korea has seen increase in cases due to a sub-variant which is still under research. The Prime Minister said that a measured approach that has been in place for over two years, and further relaxation on restrictions will be considered if the epidemic situation keeps stabilising. (With inputs from agencies)

Singapore to further relax COVID-19 restrictions as cases decline, says PM

Authorities in South Korea said on Wednesday that the total number of coronavirus infections in the country had topped 10 million. This is nearly 20 per cent of the country's population.

South Korea has been fighting a Covid wave caused by Omicron, the highly infectious variant of coronavirus.&nbsp;

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 490,881 cases for Tuesday, the second highest daily tally after it peaked at 621,205 on March 16. The total caseload rose to 10,427,247, with 13,432 deaths, up 291 a day before.

The country's infection and death rates are still far below those recorded elsewhere, as almost 87% of its 52 million residents are fully vaccinated and 63% have received booster shots.

But the death toll nearly doubled in just about six weeks, with daily fatalities peaking at 429 last Friday, fuelling demand for funeral arrangements.

The health ministry on Monday instructed the 60 crematories nationwide to operate for longer hours to burn up to seven bodies from five, and the 1,136 funeral parlours capable of storing some 8,700 bodies to expand their facilities.

"Crematories' capacity is increasing," ministry official Son Young-rae said. "But there are still regional differences."

Authorities have already boosted the combined daily cremation capacity from about 1,000 to 1,400 per day starting last week. But a large backlog of bodies and a long wait continued to be reported in the densely populated greater Seoul area, Son said.

Health ministry data showed that the 28 crematories in Seoul city were operating at 114.2% capacity as of Monday, while the ratio stood at about 83% in other regions such as Sejong and Jeju.

Crematories will be temporarily allowed to receive reservations from outside their regions, which is currently banned by some local governments, to ease the pileup, Son said.

The number of critically ill patients has been hovering above 1,000 over the past two weeks, but it could go up to 2,000 in early April, another health ministry official Park Hyang said. Around 64.4% of the intensive care unit beds are occupied as of Wednesday, compared with some 59% two weeks earlier.

As part of efforts to curb severe cases and deaths, South Korea's drug safety agency granted emergency approval for the use of Merck &amp; Co Inc's COVID-19 treatment pill for adults.

The molnupiravir tablet, branded as Lagevrio, is the second oral antiviral to be authorised in South Korea after Pfizer Inc's Paxlovid.

Lagevrio will only be allowed for patients who are aged 18 or older and not pregnant and cannot be treated with injection medications or the highly effective Paxlovid, the drug safety agency said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Authorities in South Korea said on Wednesday that the total number of coronavirus infections in the country had topped 10 million. This is nearly 20 per cent of the country's population.

Authorities in South Korea said on Wednesday that the total number of coronavirus infections in the country had topped 10 million. This is nearly 20 per cent of the country's population. South Korea has been fighting a Covid wave caused by Omicron, the highly infectious variant of coronavirus. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 490,881 cases for Tuesday, the second highest daily tally after it peaked at 621,205 on March 16. The total caseload rose to 10,427,247, with 13,432 deaths, up 291 a day before. The country's infection and death rates are still far below those recorded elsewhere, as almost 87% of its 52 million residents are fully vaccinated and 63% have received booster shots. But the death toll nearly doubled in just about six weeks, with daily fatalities peaking at 429 last Friday, fuelling demand for funeral arrangements. The health ministry on Monday instructed the 60 crematories nationwide to operate for longer hours to burn up to seven bodies from five, and the 1,136 funeral parlours capable of storing some 8,700 bodies to expand their facilities. "Crematories' capacity is increasing," ministry official Son Young-rae said. "But there are still regional differences." Authorities have already boosted the combined daily cremation capacity from about 1,000 to 1,400 per day starting last week. But a large backlog of bodies and a long wait continued to be reported in the densely populated greater Seoul area, Son said. Health ministry data showed that the 28 crematories in Seoul city were operating at 114.2% capacity as of Monday, while the ratio stood at about 83% in other regions such as Sejong and Jeju. Crematories will be temporarily allowed to receive reservations from outside their regions, which is currently banned by some local governments, to ease the pileup, Son said. The number of critically ill patients has been hovering above 1,000 over the past two weeks, but it could go up to 2,000 in early April, another health ministry official Park Hyang said. Around 64.4% of the intensive care unit beds are occupied as of Wednesday, compared with some 59% two weeks earlier. As part of efforts to curb severe cases and deaths, South Korea's drug safety agency granted emergency approval for the use of Merck & Co Inc's COVID-19 treatment pill for adults. The molnupiravir tablet, branded as Lagevrio, is the second oral antiviral to be authorised in South Korea after Pfizer Inc's Paxlovid. Lagevrio will only be allowed for patients who are aged 18 or older and not pregnant and cannot be treated with injection medications or the highly effective Paxlovid, the drug safety agency said. (With inputs from agencies)

South Korea: Covid cases top 10 million, funeral homes overwhelmed

The most important lesson of the Covid pandemic is that the only constant is change. Variants spread, cases surge and abate, treatments change and knowledge expands. This means that we — the public, elected officials and public health leaders — need to learn constantly and adapt quickly, acting on the insight that no one policy response is likely to stay effective for long.

Now is the moment to put that flexibility into practice. Rising Covid cases in Europe, the toll Omicron is taking particularly on unvaccinated elderly people in Hong Kong and slowing vaccinations are warnings that another wave of infections is likely approaching the United States. But we are by no means helpless. We can prepare better, save lives and reduce disruption.

Although the exact reasons for the rapid increase in cases in Europe aren’t known, it almost certainly results from a combination of the highly infectious BA.2 Omicron subvariant, changing public behavior and waning immunity.

BA.2 is making up an increasing proportion of new cases, and is extending the Omicron surge. At the same time, countries in Europe are lifting Covid-19 restrictions, including mask mandates and indoor capacity limits, and immunity to infection from vaccines and possibly also from prior infections is waning. Thankfully, although protection against infection through vaccination is something of a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon, the protection vaccines provide against severe infection and death is more durable.

We’ve also learned more about the nature of the threat. It has been an open question whether Omicron is a much less severe variant of the Covid virus than earlier strains, or if it has caused much less severe disease because it had run into a wall of immunity from vaccination and prior infection in the United States, Europe and parts of Asia with high vaccination rates. The deadly outbreak in Hong Kong answers that question: Covid remains ferocious, and Omicron is lethal in an immunologically naïve population, particularly among unvaccinated older people. This has caused the devastating surge in deaths there and helps explain why the United States continues to report around 1,000 deaths per day, the vast majority among people not up-to-date with vaccination.

Unfortunately, in the United States and many other high-income countries, vaccination has slowed to a trickle: It’s down in the United States by more than 95 percent from the peak of 4 million vaccinations a day. In some countries of Africa, where competing health risks are substantial and the health care infrastructure is stretched thin, vaccination rates are very low and are likely to remain so for many months.

The risks for the United States are clear. BA.2 is increasing and will likely soon account for most new cases in the country. Masks have come off and approximately 60 percent of Americans, including more than one third of people above age 65 — more than 15 million seniors — are not up-to-date with vaccination. This doesn’t mean that BA.2 will inevitably cause a deadly surge. But it does mean that cases may increase soon, and that unvaccinated and under-vaccinated elderly and medically vulnerable people could face a deadly threat.

Leaders need to redouble efforts to get more Americans, particularly older adults, vaccinated and boosted. Also, people who are older or immunocompromised and those around them should consider masking with a more protective N95 or equivalent mask. Increasing access to rapid testing could blunt the case increase by isolating people faster and linking those who test positive to rapid treatment with medications which drastically reduce the risk of severe illness.

Improving vaccination rates may be harder with the rollback of vaccine mandates, which increased vaccine uptake and saved lives. With vaccine mandates politically or legally infeasible in some places, other strategies become increasing important. These include ensuring that every physician offers Covid-19 vaccination to every patient at every clinical visit. Outreach programs and media campaigns can engage people without a regular doctor or who are otherwise not receiving care. Providers and health systems should reach out to every Medicare patient who may not be up-to-date to schedule vaccination.

Repeated Covid surges have thrown into relief the underlying weaknesses and chronic underfunding of our public health and primary health care systems. Infectious diseases emerge where society fails. Lack of trust limits the ability of governments to protect their people. Weak public health systems mean that new threats are discovered when it’s too late to take action. Sustained funding can help ensure Americans are protected from future pandemic threats by allowing permanent budget-cap exemptions for critical health defense functions rather than relying on transient supplemental funding for each health emergency. Until U.S. primary health care systems are much more robust, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination against Covid and other threats will remain lacking, allowing Covid to spread, and to do so among populations that are far less resilient than they would be if people received good preventive care.

“Follow the science” is a mantra, but science can be painfully slow and decisions inevitably need to be made before perfect information is available. We don’t yet know what’s driving the emergence of variants or what future variants will bring. Nor do we know the optimal vaccination schedule for different groups, whether a fourth dose will be needed, and, if so, for whom and when. And we don’t know whether the highly effective treatments that have been discovered, on which the Biden administration is betting heavily, can reach enough people to greatly reduce hospitalizations and deaths. The struggle to get even half of eligible Americans up to date with vaccination doesn’t bode well for widespread treatment; treatment is generally much more difficult to scale than vaccination.

Even so, we must try. Public health, like politics, is the art of the possible. Rigorous epidemiology, meticulous response management and well-communicated science need to be the foundation of public health action. Increasing vaccination, including boosters, among older and vulnerable people is a life-or-death challenge. Scaling up the linkage of testing to treatment can reduce hospitalizations and deaths substantially and protect health care systems. The United States also needs to support faster detection and response systems nationwide and globally. As a supplement to strengthening other tracking systems, monitoring for Covid in wastewater, as is done for polio and other diseases, may identify disease spread before many people become ill. If public health professionals find outbreaks right as they start, leaders can limit spread.

For now, most of us can enjoy the warm spring sun on our unmasked faces. But we can also do a lot more to control Covid. If we learn quickly and act quickly, we can outmaneuver the virus. As Covid continues to adapt, our response needs to adapt along with it. We could be entering the endgame for Covid. How we play it will determine what happens next.

The most important lesson of the Covid pandemic is that the only constant is change. Variants spread, cases surge and abate, treatments change and knowledge expands.

The most important lesson of the Covid pandemic is that the only constant is change. Variants spread, cases surge and abate, treatments change and knowledge expands. This means that we — the public, elected officials and public health leaders — need to learn constantly and adapt quickly, acting on the insight that no one policy response is likely to stay effective for long. Now is the moment to put that flexibility into practice. Rising Covid cases in Europe, the toll Omicron is taking particularly on unvaccinated elderly people in Hong Kong and slowing vaccinations are warnings that another wave of infections is likely approaching the United States. But we are by no means helpless. We can prepare better, save lives and reduce disruption. Although the exact reasons for the rapid increase in cases in Europe aren’t known, it almost certainly results from a combination of the highly infectious BA.2 Omicron subvariant, changing public behavior and waning immunity. BA.2 is making up an increasing proportion of new cases, and is extending the Omicron surge. At the same time, countries in Europe are lifting Covid-19 restrictions, including mask mandates and indoor capacity limits, and immunity to infection from vaccines and possibly also from prior infections is waning. Thankfully, although protection against infection through vaccination is something of a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon, the protection vaccines provide against severe infection and death is more durable. We’ve also learned more about the nature of the threat. It has been an open question whether Omicron is a much less severe variant of the Covid virus than earlier strains, or if it has caused much less severe disease because it had run into a wall of immunity from vaccination and prior infection in the United States, Europe and parts of Asia with high vaccination rates. The deadly outbreak in Hong Kong answers that question: Covid remains ferocious, and Omicron is lethal in an immunologically naïve population, particularly among unvaccinated older people. This has caused the devastating surge in deaths there and helps explain why the United States continues to report around 1,000 deaths per day, the vast majority among people not up-to-date with vaccination. Unfortunately, in the United States and many other high-income countries, vaccination has slowed to a trickle: It’s down in the United States by more than 95 percent from the peak of 4 million vaccinations a day. In some countries of Africa, where competing health risks are substantial and the health care infrastructure is stretched thin, vaccination rates are very low and are likely to remain so for many months. The risks for the United States are clear. BA.2 is increasing and will likely soon account for most new cases in the country. Masks have come off and approximately 60 percent of Americans, including more than one third of people above age 65 — more than 15 million seniors — are not up-to-date with vaccination. This doesn’t mean that BA.2 will inevitably cause a deadly surge. But it does mean that cases may increase soon, and that unvaccinated and under-vaccinated elderly and medically vulnerable people could face a deadly threat. Leaders need to redouble efforts to get more Americans, particularly older adults, vaccinated and boosted. Also, people who are older or immunocompromised and those around them should consider masking with a more protective N95 or equivalent mask. Increasing access to rapid testing could blunt the case increase by isolating people faster and linking those who test positive to rapid treatment with medications which drastically reduce the risk of severe illness. Improving vaccination rates may be harder with the rollback of vaccine mandates, which increased vaccine uptake and saved lives. With vaccine mandates politically or legally infeasible in some places, other strategies become increasing important. These include ensuring that every physician offers Covid-19 vaccination to every patient at every clinical visit. Outreach programs and media campaigns can engage people without a regular doctor or who are otherwise not receiving care. Providers and health systems should reach out to every Medicare patient who may not be up-to-date to schedule vaccination. Repeated Covid surges have thrown into relief the underlying weaknesses and chronic underfunding of our public health and primary health care systems. Infectious diseases emerge where society fails. Lack of trust limits the ability of governments to protect their people. Weak public health systems mean that new threats are discovered when it’s too late to take action. Sustained funding can help ensure Americans are protected from future pandemic threats by allowing permanent budget-cap exemptions for critical health defense functions rather than relying on transient supplemental funding for each health emergency. Until U.S. primary health care systems are much more robust, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination against Covid and other threats will remain lacking, allowing Covid to spread, and to do so among populations that are far less resilient than they would be if people received good preventive care. “Follow the science” is a mantra, but science can be painfully slow and decisions inevitably need to be made before perfect information is available. We don’t yet know what’s driving the emergence of variants or what future variants will bring. Nor do we know the optimal vaccination schedule for different groups, whether a fourth dose will be needed, and, if so, for whom and when. And we don’t know whether the highly effective treatments that have been discovered, on which the Biden administration is betting heavily, can reach enough people to greatly reduce hospitalizations and deaths. The struggle to get even half of eligible Americans up to date with vaccination doesn’t bode well for widespread treatment; treatment is generally much more difficult to scale than vaccination. Even so, we must try. Public health, like politics, is the art of the possible. Rigorous epidemiology, meticulous response management and well-communicated science need to be the foundation of public health action. Increasing vaccination, including boosters, among older and vulnerable people is a life-or-death challenge. Scaling up the linkage of testing to treatment can reduce hospitalizations and deaths substantially and protect health care systems. The United States also needs to support faster detection and response systems nationwide and globally. As a supplement to strengthening other tracking systems, monitoring for Covid in wastewater, as is done for polio and other diseases, may identify disease spread before many people become ill. If public health professionals find outbreaks right as they start, leaders can limit spread. For now, most of us can enjoy the warm spring sun on our unmasked faces. But we can also do a lot more to control Covid. If we learn quickly and act quickly, we can outmaneuver the virus. As Covid continues to adapt, our response needs to adapt along with it. We could be entering the endgame for Covid. How we play it will determine what happens next.

The next Covid wave is probably already on its way

Children previously infected with COVID-19 have natural circulating antibodies that last at least seven months, according to a new study led by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

The study was published in the journal 'Pediatrics'.

The researchers examined data from 218 children between the ages of 5 and 19 across Texas who were enrolled in the Texas CARES study. The study began in October of 2020 with the goal of looking at COVID-19 antibody status over time among adults and children across Texas.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-continues-to-break-covid-case-record-officials-face-the-brunt-for-laxity-464579" hreflang="en">China continues to break Covid case record, officials face the brunt for 'laxity'</a>

A total of three blood samples were collected from volunteers in the study. The samples were collected prior to the rollout of the vaccine as well as during the Delta and Omicron outbreaks. Three phases of the study have been completed to date.

"This is the first study from the Texas CARES survey that includes data from all three-time points in the project," said Sarah Messiah, PhD, MPH, professor of epidemiology, human genetics, and environmental sciences at the UT Health School of Public Health Dallas campus and corresponding author of the study.

"These findings are important because the information we collected from children infected with COVID-19 didn't differ at all by whether a child was asymptomatic, the severity of symptoms, when they had the virus, were at a healthy weight or had obesity, or by gender. It was the same for everyone," she said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/high-death-rate-in-hong-kong-shows-importance-of-vaccinating-the-elderly-464569" hreflang="en">High death rate in Hong Kong shows importance of vaccinating the elderly</a>

96 per cent of those infected with COVID-19 had antibodies up to seven months later. At their third and final measurement, more than half (58 per cent) of the sample were negative for infection-induced antibodies. The findings do not take vaccine protection into account.

According to Messiah, the results of Texas CARES are just a first step in understanding the virus's impact on children. She says 14 million kids in the US have tested positive for the virus so far.

A combination of natural infection and vaccine-induced protection provides the best defence against COVID-19, according to literature based on adults.

Watch |&nbsp;This could happen if China doesn’t control its worst Covid-19 outbreak

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"There has been a misunderstanding from some parents who think just because their child has had COVID-19, they are now protected and don't need to get the vaccine," she added.

"While our study is encouraging in that some amount natural antibodies last at least six months in children, we still don't know the absolute protection threshold."

Vaccinations are an effective means of providing additional protection to children, so if your child is eligible, take advantage of them, Messiah concluded.

(With inputs from agencies)

Children previously infected with COVID-19 have natural circulating antibodies that last at least seven months, according to a new study led by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Children previously infected with COVID-19 have natural circulating antibodies that last at least seven months, according to a new study led by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The study was published in the journal 'Pediatrics'. The researchers examined data from 218 children between the ages of 5 and 19 across Texas who were enrolled in the Texas CARES study. The study began in October of 2020 with the goal of looking at COVID-19 antibody status over time among adults and children across Texas. Also read | China continues to break Covid case record, officials face the brunt for 'laxity' A total of three blood samples were collected from volunteers in the study. The samples were collected prior to the rollout of the vaccine as well as during the Delta and Omicron outbreaks. Three phases of the study have been completed to date. "This is the first study from the Texas CARES survey that includes data from all three-time points in the project," said Sarah Messiah, PhD, MPH, professor of epidemiology, human genetics, and environmental sciences at the UT Health School of Public Health Dallas campus and corresponding author of the study. "These findings are important because the information we collected from children infected with COVID-19 didn't differ at all by whether a child was asymptomatic, the severity of symptoms, when they had the virus, were at a healthy weight or had obesity, or by gender. It was the same for everyone," she said. Also read | High death rate in Hong Kong shows importance of vaccinating the elderly 96 per cent of those infected with COVID-19 had antibodies up to seven months later. At their third and final measurement, more than half (58 per cent) of the sample were negative for infection-induced antibodies. The findings do not take vaccine protection into account. According to Messiah, the results of Texas CARES are just a first step in understanding the virus's impact on children. She says 14 million kids in the US have tested positive for the virus so far. A combination of natural infection and vaccine-induced protection provides the best defence against COVID-19, according to literature based on adults. Watch | This could happen if China doesn’t control its worst Covid-19 outbreak "There has been a misunderstanding from some parents who think just because their child has had COVID-19, they are now protected and don't need to get the vaccine," she added. "While our study is encouraging in that some amount natural antibodies last at least six months in children, we still don't know the absolute protection threshold." Vaccinations are an effective means of providing additional protection to children, so if your child is eligible, take advantage of them, Messiah concluded. (With inputs from agencies)

Children's natural immunity against Covid lasts up to seven months, but vaccines are still important: Study

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