The World health organization has released an updated plan to deal with covid-19. The global health body has laid out three possible scenarios for how the pandemic is likely to evolve this year.

WHO lists 3 scenarios on how pandemic may evolve

Hong Kong is now running out of coffins as it battles yet another severe wave of the pandemic. People are hesitant to use paper coffins, but this is an eco-friendly solution that could help cope with this shortage.

Hong Kong runs out of coffins as covid-19 death toll rises, surge puts strain on mortuaries

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

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

Mass testing for people in Shanghai amid partial lockdown

UK is witnessing a rise in COVID-19 cases. With over 4.3 Million COVID cases recorded in early 2022, covid cases jump in United Kingdom again.

Covid cases jump in UK, infections peak in Scotland and Wales

China has registered 56,000 covid cases since March 1st and public health governance is expected to come under pressure in the coming weeks.

China reports surge in covid cases, logs 56,000 cases since March 1

Covid cases are increasing in western Europe, France has reported 90,000 average daily cases of coronavirus. WHO said that Europe has lifted curbs too brutally and experts blamed the surge on a mix of lifting curbs & BA.2 variant.

Coronavirus cases surge in western Europe, France reports 90,000 average daily Covid-19 cases

As a resurgent COVID-19 wreaks havoc in China, more than 70 officials have been let go as a “punishment” in the past one month for failing to control the virus.

China has been witnessing a spurt in Covid cases owing to the more contagious Omicron variant.

According to South China Morning Post, top leaders have warned officials that strict action would be taken if they fail to act swiftly.

The warning comes even as health officials have acknowledged that most of the infections showed little or no symptoms making their detection difficult, the newspaper reported.

The newspaper claimed that at least 74 officials have been sacked or reprimanded for failing to do their duty during the current wave.

Meanwhile, China reported over 4,700 new infections on Tuesday, with the bulk of cases being recorded from the northeastern province of Jilin, where more than 9 million people have been placed under lockdown.

Jilin has mostly banned trips both outside the province and from region to region within the province, and residents who have to travel must notify the police.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ba2-sub-variant-driving-increase-covid-numbers-in-scotland-464413">BA.2 sub-variant driving spurt in Covid numbers in Scotland</a>

The number of local symptomatic cases in Jilin's provincial capital of Changchun has increased for five days in a row and hit a record on March 21.

In Shenyang, an industrial base home to factories including carmaker BMW, 47 new cases were reported on Tuesday as authorities put all housing compounds under "closed management" and barred residents from leaving without a 48-hour negative test result.

In China's financial hub Shanghai, 865 domestically transmitted asymptomatic infections were reported on Monday, an increase from 734 a day earlier, reports Reuters citing the official data.

Although small compared with the number of infections in many outbreaks overseas, the rise is significant as Shanghai redoubles its efforts to implement China's "dynamic clearance" policy designed to curb each flare-up.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/next-covid-variant-may-be-more-dangerous-than-omicron-say-scientists-453061">Next Covid variant may be more dangerous than Omicron, say scientists</a>

The city is pressing ahead with a block by block testing scheme after already completing more than 30 million tests.

The southern tech powerhouse of Shenzhen on Monday announced it would lift its week-long lockdown "in an orderly manner", after having partially eased measures on Friday to minimise the impact of virus shutdowns on factories and ports.

Watch |&nbsp;Omicron threatens China's Zero COVID policy as it battles worst COVID wave in 2 years

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/omicron-threatens-chinas-zero-covid-policy-as-it-battles-worst-covid-wave-in-2-years-464068/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

As a resurgent COVID-19 wreaks havoc in China, more than 70 officials have been let go as a “punishment” in the past one month for failing to control the virus. China has been witnessing a spurt in Covid cases owing to the more contagious Omicron variant.

As a resurgent COVID-19 wreaks havoc in China, more than 70 officials have been let go as a “punishment” in the past one month for failing to control the virus. China has been witnessing a spurt in Covid cases owing to the more contagious Omicron variant. According to South China Morning Post, top leaders have warned officials that strict action would be taken if they fail to act swiftly. The warning comes even as health officials have acknowledged that most of the infections showed little or no symptoms making their detection difficult, the newspaper reported. The newspaper claimed that at least 74 officials have been sacked or reprimanded for failing to do their duty during the current wave. Meanwhile, China reported over 4,700 new infections on Tuesday, with the bulk of cases being recorded from the northeastern province of Jilin, where more than 9 million people have been placed under lockdown. Jilin has mostly banned trips both outside the province and from region to region within the province, and residents who have to travel must notify the police. Also read | BA.2 sub-variant driving spurt in Covid numbers in Scotland The number of local symptomatic cases in Jilin's provincial capital of Changchun has increased for five days in a row and hit a record on March 21. In Shenyang, an industrial base home to factories including carmaker BMW, 47 new cases were reported on Tuesday as authorities put all housing compounds under "closed management" and barred residents from leaving without a 48-hour negative test result. In China's financial hub Shanghai, 865 domestically transmitted asymptomatic infections were reported on Monday, an increase from 734 a day earlier, reports Reuters citing the official data. Although small compared with the number of infections in many outbreaks overseas, the rise is significant as Shanghai redoubles its efforts to implement China's "dynamic clearance" policy designed to curb each flare-up. Also read | Next Covid variant may be more dangerous than Omicron, say scientists The city is pressing ahead with a block by block testing scheme after already completing more than 30 million tests. The southern tech powerhouse of Shenzhen on Monday announced it would lift its week-long lockdown "in an orderly manner", after having partially eased measures on Friday to minimise the impact of virus shutdowns on factories and ports. Watch | Omicron threatens China's Zero COVID policy as it battles worst COVID wave in 2 years (With inputs from agencies)

China continues to break Covid case record, officials face the brunt for 'laxity'

China has registered 4,051 new covid cases and public health governance is expected to come under pressure in the coming weeks. However, Beijing is moving with zero-covid strategy.

China registers 4,051 new covid cases, Beijing continues zero-covid strategy

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday appreciated NGOs, stakeholders and healthcare workers for working tirelessly among the communities during the COVID-19 pandemic to support them in various ways.

"I seek your continued partnership for connecting with the communities to take healthcare services to them. Your work will be pivotal in enhancing awareness and accelerating uptake of e-health services (such as eSanjeevani, and tele-health) among the masses," the Health Minister said while delivering the keynote address at a webinar on 'India's Public Health Response to Manage COVID-19'.

Mandaviya further said that India's strategies of public health response have resulted in better management of the Omicron surge compared to many other countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uk-foreign-secretary-to-visit-india-amid-ukraine-war-462955">UK foreign secretary to visit India amid Ukraine war</a>

"The management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially the recent Omicron surge, has strongly demonstrated to the world the power of strong political will, self-reliance through Atmanirbharta, innovation powered by technology, shared goals and collaborative efforts through a "Whole of Government" and "Whole of Society" approach".

He further said that the timely measures including test, track and treat approach with focused genome sequencing, containment through containment zones, community surveillance, protocols for home isolation and effective clinical treatment have in tandem contributed to India's COVID management.

During the webinar, the minister highlighted the steps taken by the country demonstrating various timely public health measures.

"At a time when many countries are reporting an increase in a number of daily COVID cases, India's daily cases have reported a substantial decrease, combined with an increased recovery rate, and high levels of vaccination," he added.

Applauding the collective spirit of the citizens, he said that "India's vaccination drive is testament to India's capabilities and power of the people without whom this journey, and this high level of vaccine coverage, would not have been possible.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-nitin-gadkari-inaugurates-indias-first-hydrogen-powered-car-462868">&nbsp;Watch | Nitin Gadkari inaugurates India's first Hydrogen-powered car&nbsp;</a>

"Despite the large population combined with geographical and sociological diversities, India has set global standards of COVID vaccination, he said adding that "One of the key achievements has been our capacity to deliver over 1.8 billion COVID vaccine doses across a multitude of regions and terrains.

"Speaking about the challenges India faced during the pandemic, he said,"the country has demonstrated that 'We can do it'".

Timely and prompt decisions for containment, management, treatment and vaccination were taken by India under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he stated. "We have shown the world what a decisive and powerful political will can achieve," he noted.

He highlighted the crucial role played by technology and how it was leveraged for increased accessibility of healthcare services during the pandemic through e-Sanjeevani, CoWIN portal for vaccination, Arogya Setu app etc. India's technological innovations have lent speed and efficiency to the country's vaccination drive, he stated.

Emphasizing the Indian Philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'&nbsp;and 'Shubh Laabh', he said, "India has not only produced quality and affordable vaccines, but we have also exported medicines to more than 150 countries on humanitarian grounds. The Vaccine Maitri program of the Government has been lauded globally."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Is India's neutrality on Ukraine backfiring?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-indias-neutrality-on-ukraine-backfiring-462979/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday appreciated NGOs, stakeholders and healthcare workers for working tirelessly among the communities during the COVID-19 pandemic to support them in various ways.

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday appreciated NGOs, stakeholders and healthcare workers for working tirelessly among the communities during the COVID-19 pandemic to support them in various ways. "I seek your continued partnership for connecting with the communities to take healthcare services to them. Your work will be pivotal in enhancing awareness and accelerating uptake of e-health services (such as eSanjeevani, and tele-health) among the masses," the Health Minister said while delivering the keynote address at a webinar on 'India's Public Health Response to Manage COVID-19'. Mandaviya further said that India's strategies of public health response have resulted in better management of the Omicron surge compared to many other countries. Also read | UK foreign secretary to visit India amid Ukraine war "The management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially the recent Omicron surge, has strongly demonstrated to the world the power of strong political will, self-reliance through Atmanirbharta, innovation powered by technology, shared goals and collaborative efforts through a "Whole of Government" and "Whole of Society" approach". He further said that the timely measures including test, track and treat approach with focused genome sequencing, containment through containment zones, community surveillance, protocols for home isolation and effective clinical treatment have in tandem contributed to India's COVID management. During the webinar, the minister highlighted the steps taken by the country demonstrating various timely public health measures. "At a time when many countries are reporting an increase in a number of daily COVID cases, India's daily cases have reported a substantial decrease, combined with an increased recovery rate, and high levels of vaccination," he added. Applauding the collective spirit of the citizens, he said that "India's vaccination drive is testament to India's capabilities and power of the people without whom this journey, and this high level of vaccine coverage, would not have been possible. Also read | Watch | Nitin Gadkari inaugurates India's first Hydrogen-powered car "Despite the large population combined with geographical and sociological diversities, India has set global standards of COVID vaccination, he said adding that "One of the key achievements has been our capacity to deliver over 1.8 billion COVID vaccine doses across a multitude of regions and terrains. "Speaking about the challenges India faced during the pandemic, he said,"the country has demonstrated that 'We can do it'". Timely and prompt decisions for containment, management, treatment and vaccination were taken by India under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he stated. "We have shown the world what a decisive and powerful political will can achieve," he noted. He highlighted the crucial role played by technology and how it was leveraged for increased accessibility of healthcare services during the pandemic through e-Sanjeevani, CoWIN portal for vaccination, Arogya Setu app etc. India's technological innovations have lent speed and efficiency to the country's vaccination drive, he stated. Emphasizing the Indian Philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and 'Shubh Laabh', he said, "India has not only produced quality and affordable vaccines, but we have also exported medicines to more than 150 countries on humanitarian grounds. The Vaccine Maitri program of the Government has been lauded globally." Watch | Gravitas: Is India's neutrality on Ukraine backfiring?

India's health minister lauds healthcare workers for working tirelessly during COVID-19 pandemic

In the last two years, the world has also witnessed a substantial increase in the number of diabetes cases prompting scientists to explore whether there could be a possible link of diabetes and covid-19.

Rise in cases of diabetes, possible link of covid-19 pandemic lifestyle?

New Zealand is re-opening its borders to the world, after two years spent closed off by the pandemic. Vaccinated Australians will be allowed to enter without needing to isolate upon arrival.

New Zealand borders to reopen; Visa-Waiver countries tourists can travel from May 1

As per the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the coronavirus pandemic increased Southeast Asia's poorest by 4.7 million in 2021, reversing gains made in combating poverty. The organisation urged governments to increase economic growth to reverse the trend.

Extreme poverty - defined as living on less than $1.90 a day - affected 24.3 million Southeast Asians last year, or 3.7 per cent of the region's 650 million residents, the ADB reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stealth-omicron-behind-chinas-virus-outbreak-says-expert-462588" hreflang="en">'Stealth Omicron' behind China's virus outbreak, says expert</a>

Prior to the pandemic, there had been a decline in the number of people in extreme poverty in Southeast Asia, with a figure of 14.9 million in 2019, down from 18 million in 2018 and 21.2 million in 2017.

"The pandemic has led to widespread unemployment, worsening inequality, and rising poverty levels, especially among women, younger workers, and the elderly in Southeast Asia," said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.

Asakawa emphasized the need to improve health systems, streamline regulations to boost business competitiveness, invest in smart, green infrastructure, and adopt technology to boost growth.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-sees-multiple-covid-19-outbreaks-driven-by-stealth-omicron-should-the-world-be-wary-462208" hreflang="en">China sees multiple COVID-19 outbreaks driven by 'stealth omicron'. Should the world be wary?</a>

There were 9.3 million fewer employed workers in Southeast Asia in 2021 as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> curbs reduced economic activity, resulting in millions finding themselves jobless.

Southeast Asia's growth forecast for 2021 was 3.0 per cent.

Watch |&nbsp;China's latest Wuhan virus outbreak: 10 Chinese cities under lockdown

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinas-latest-wuhan-virus-outbreak-10-chinese-cities-under-lockdown-462456/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This year, the region was projected to grow 5.1 per cent. However, if the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/omicron">Omicron </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">v</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/omicron">ariant</a> of the virus&nbsp;spreads further and causes supply and demand shocks, that growth outlook could be cut by as much as 0.8 percentage points, the ADB said.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine had not yet been factored into the projection for 2022.

As a result of that conflict, Asia's policymakers have been forced to re-evaluate their assumptions for 2022, with weak growth and surging prices adding to the complexity of their monetary setting plans.

(With inputs from agencies)

As per the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the coronavirus pandemic increased Southeast Asia's poorest by 4.7 million in 2021, reversing gains made in combating poverty.

As per the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the coronavirus pandemic increased Southeast Asia's poorest by 4.7 million in 2021, reversing gains made in combating poverty. The organisation urged governments to increase economic growth to reverse the trend. Extreme poverty - defined as living on less than $1.90 a day - affected 24.3 million Southeast Asians last year, or 3.7 per cent of the region's 650 million residents, the ADB reported. Also read | 'Stealth Omicron' behind China's virus outbreak, says expert Prior to the pandemic, there had been a decline in the number of people in extreme poverty in Southeast Asia, with a figure of 14.9 million in 2019, down from 18 million in 2018 and 21.2 million in 2017. "The pandemic has led to widespread unemployment, worsening inequality, and rising poverty levels, especially among women, younger workers, and the elderly in Southeast Asia," said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa. Asakawa emphasized the need to improve health systems, streamline regulations to boost business competitiveness, invest in smart, green infrastructure, and adopt technology to boost growth. Also read | China sees multiple COVID-19 outbreaks driven by 'stealth omicron'. Should the world be wary? There were 9.3 million fewer employed workers in Southeast Asia in 2021 as COVID-19 curbs reduced economic activity, resulting in millions finding themselves jobless. Southeast Asia's growth forecast for 2021 was 3.0 per cent. Watch | China's latest Wuhan virus outbreak: 10 Chinese cities under lockdown This year, the region was projected to grow 5.1 per cent. However, if the Omicron variant of the virus spreads further and causes supply and demand shocks, that growth outlook could be cut by as much as 0.8 percentage points, the ADB said. The Russian invasion of Ukraine had not yet been factored into the projection for 2022. As a result of that conflict, Asia's policymakers have been forced to re-evaluate their assumptions for 2022, with weak growth and surging prices adding to the complexity of their monetary setting plans. (With inputs from agencies)

4.7 million Southeast Asians plunge into extreme poverty after the pandemic: Asian Development Bank

China reported 5,280 new cases of Covid on Tuesday, more than double the previous day's tally. It is the highest daily number since the start of the pandemic.

Jilin, a northeastern province, was the hardest hit, accounting for more than 3,000 cases, according to the National Health Commission.&nbsp;

China reported more than 1,000 new virus cases for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/for-the-first-time-since-start-of-pandemic-china-records-more-than-10000-daily-cases-461177">For the first time since start of pandemic, China records more than 1,000 daily cases</a>

Since the coronavirus first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, the Chinese government had successfully suppressed large-scale outbreaks with its "zero-Covid" strategy, which involves hard lockdowns that confine large sections of the population to their homes.

Due to this latest surge in cases at least 11 cities and counties nationwide have been locked down. This includes the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, which is home to 17 million people.

According to a spokesman for Volkswagen Group, an outbreak at a factory in Changchun, northeastern China, also forced three sites to close for three days.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-sees-multiple-covid-19-outbreaks-driven-by-stealth-omicron-should-the-world-be-wary-462208">China sees multiple COVID-19 outbreaks driven by 'stealth omicron'. Should the world be wary?</a>

The Hong Kong stock market fell by more than three per cent Tuesday, extending the previous day's tech-fuelled slide.

Flight tracking data showed dozens of domestic flights were cancelled Tuesday morning at Beijing and Shanghai airports.

Some cities, including Shanghai, have sealed off neighbourhoods and buildings.

Health officials have warned that tighter restrictions are possible.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;China locks down tech hub Shenzen; Curbs imposed in Shanghai,other major cities

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-locks-down-tech-hub-shenzen-curbs-imposed-in-shanghai-other-major-cities-462104/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In an emergency meeting held Monday night, state media reported that Jilin's governor promised to "achieve community zero-COVID in a week."

Residents of Jilin, which shares a border with North Korea, were banned from travelling out of the province and around it on Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)

China reported 5,280 new cases of Covid on Tuesday, more than double the previous day's tally. It is the highest daily number since the start of the pandemic. Jilin, a northeastern province, was the hardest hit, accounting for more than 3,000 cases, according to the National Health Commission.

China reported 5,280 new cases of Covid on Tuesday, more than double the previous day's tally. It is the highest daily number since the start of the pandemic. Jilin, a northeastern province, was the hardest hit, accounting for more than 3,000 cases, according to the National Health Commission. China reported more than 1,000 new virus cases for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday. Also read | For the first time since start of pandemic, China records more than 1,000 daily cases Since the coronavirus first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, the Chinese government had successfully suppressed large-scale outbreaks with its "zero-Covid" strategy, which involves hard lockdowns that confine large sections of the population to their homes. Due to this latest surge in cases at least 11 cities and counties nationwide have been locked down. This includes the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, which is home to 17 million people. According to a spokesman for Volkswagen Group, an outbreak at a factory in Changchun, northeastern China, also forced three sites to close for three days. Also read | China sees multiple COVID-19 outbreaks driven by 'stealth omicron'. Should the world be wary? The Hong Kong stock market fell by more than three per cent Tuesday, extending the previous day's tech-fuelled slide. Flight tracking data showed dozens of domestic flights were cancelled Tuesday morning at Beijing and Shanghai airports. Some cities, including Shanghai, have sealed off neighbourhoods and buildings. Health officials have warned that tighter restrictions are possible. Watch | China locks down tech hub Shenzen; Curbs imposed in Shanghai,other major cities In an emergency meeting held Monday night, state media reported that Jilin's governor promised to "achieve community zero-COVID in a week." Residents of Jilin, which shares a border with North Korea, were banned from travelling out of the province and around it on Monday. (With inputs from agencies)

China reports 5,280 daily Covid cases, highest tally since the pandemic started two years ago

China has reported new cases, many Chinese cities are under lockdown. Are we looking at another global wave of coronavirus cases?

China's latest Wuhan virus outbreak: 10 Chinese cities under lockdown

For the first time in two years, China's daily COVID-19 cases are over 1,000 as the highly contagious Omicron variant has triggered outbreaks on a scale only seen during the Wuhan outbreak.

The asymptomatic infections caused by the Omicron variant have driven Beijing's daily count to an all-time high since it contained the first national outbreak in early 2020.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-covid-fraud-exceeds-8-million-in-us-justice-department-names-chief-prosecutor-to-investigate-461155">As Covid fraud exceeds $8 million in US, justice department names chief prosecutor to investigate</a>

As of March 10, in mainland China, there were 112,940 confirmed cases, including those who had arrived from abroad as well as those from within the country.

In contrast to many other outbreaks outside mainland China, the size of this one is much smaller, but the increased number of cases could add pressure to China's "dynamic-clearance" goal of more quickly ending each transmission.

Chinese health authorities reported that 703 cases of asymptomatic domestic transmission were detected on Thursday, up from 435 on Wednesday.

In less than one week, the caseload increased from about 300 to more than 1,000.&nbsp;Moreover, the National Health Commission reported a total of 397 local symptomatic cases on March 10.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-pandemic-may-be-three-times-deadlier-than-reported-says-study-461157" hreflang="en">Covid pandemic death toll may be thrice than reported, claims study</a>

"Infections in vaccinated individuals are more likely to be asymptomatic than infections in unvaccinated individuals, and vaccine coverage is now very high in China," explains Ben Cowling, an epidemiology professor at the University of Hong Kong.

A recent report shows that more than 87 per cent of China's 1.4 billion people have received complete doses of primary vaccination and that more than 40 per cent of the population has received a booster shot.

Over 300 infections were reported by Qingdao, more than any other city among the dozens that reported locally transmitted cases on Thursday.

In the last few days, no new deaths were recorded, leaving the death toll at 4,636.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Hong Kong's Covid-19 outbreak triggers mass exodus

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-hong-kongs-covid-19-outbreak-triggers-mass-exodus-461093/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the face of a dire situation, Shanghai has reacted quickly, carrying out timely quarantine and medical treatment in addition to tracing the source of the virus.

Transport authorities in Shanghai are asking residents to wear masks and have their temperatures taken while riding public transportation. Public transportation such as subways and buses are required to have good ventilation, while taxis are asked to avoid driving in mid- or high-risk areas.

(With inputs from agencies)

For the first time in two years, China's daily COVID-19 cases are over 1,000 as the highly contagious Omicron variant has triggered outbreaks on a scale only seen during the Wuhan outbreak.

For the first time in two years, China's daily COVID-19 cases are over 1,000 as the highly contagious Omicron variant has triggered outbreaks on a scale only seen during the Wuhan outbreak. The asymptomatic infections caused by the Omicron variant have driven Beijing's daily count to an all-time high since it contained the first national outbreak in early 2020. Also read | As Covid fraud exceeds $8 million in US, justice department names chief prosecutor to investigate As of March 10, in mainland China, there were 112,940 confirmed cases, including those who had arrived from abroad as well as those from within the country. In contrast to many other outbreaks outside mainland China, the size of this one is much smaller, but the increased number of cases could add pressure to China's "dynamic-clearance" goal of more quickly ending each transmission. Chinese health authorities reported that 703 cases of asymptomatic domestic transmission were detected on Thursday, up from 435 on Wednesday. In less than one week, the caseload increased from about 300 to more than 1,000. Moreover, the National Health Commission reported a total of 397 local symptomatic cases on March 10. Also read | Covid pandemic death toll may be thrice than reported, claims study "Infections in vaccinated individuals are more likely to be asymptomatic than infections in unvaccinated individuals, and vaccine coverage is now very high in China," explains Ben Cowling, an epidemiology professor at the University of Hong Kong. A recent report shows that more than 87 per cent of China's 1.4 billion people have received complete doses of primary vaccination and that more than 40 per cent of the population has received a booster shot. Over 300 infections were reported by Qingdao, more than any other city among the dozens that reported locally transmitted cases on Thursday. In the last few days, no new deaths were recorded, leaving the death toll at 4,636. Watch | Gravitas: Hong Kong's Covid-19 outbreak triggers mass exodus In the face of a dire situation, Shanghai has reacted quickly, carrying out timely quarantine and medical treatment in addition to tracing the source of the virus. Transport authorities in Shanghai are asking residents to wear masks and have their temperatures taken while riding public transportation. Public transportation such as subways and buses are required to have good ventilation, while taxis are asked to avoid driving in mid- or high-risk areas. (With inputs from agencies)

For the first time since start of pandemic, China records more than 1,000 daily cases

As the Covid-19 pandemic enters its third year, the world is very close to recording its six millionth official death due to the deadly virus. As per Johns Hopkins University, the death toll stood at 59,99,158 as of March 7.&nbsp;

This comes as a tragic reminder as to how the pandemic is far from over.&nbsp;

While remote Pacific islands are struggling with their first-ever Covid outbreak, several European nations have removed all Covid-related restrictions.&nbsp;

Top US officials, on the other hand, recently laid out a plan to move the nation to a new stage of the pandemic. The new plan focuses on four goals, to help the nation move forward safely. This includes protection against COVID, preparing for new variants, preventing shutdowns and continuing to vaccinate the world.&nbsp;

Hong Kong is struggling with another wave of cases. The densely populated metropolis is in the throes of a record virus surge with thousands of confirmed cases every day.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-china-daily-local-virus-cases-at-two-year-high-459760">Also read |&nbsp;COVID-19: China daily local virus cases at two-year high</a>

Mr Pang, the former director of research policy and cooperation with the World Health Organization said, "This is a disease of the unvaccinated — look what is happening in Hong Kong right now, the health system is being overwhelmed. The large majority of the deaths and the severe cases are in the unvaccinated, vulnerable segment of the population.”

The US has the biggest official death toll in the world. However, the numbers have been seeing a downward trend over the last month.

As per WHO, the world has seen over 445 million confirmed Covid cases, and new weekly cases have been declining recently in almost all regions except for the Western Pacific, which includes China, Japan and South Korea.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the Covid-19 pandemic enters its third year, the world is very close to recording its six millionth official death due to the deadly virus. As per Johns Hopkins University, the death toll stood at 59,99,158 as of March 7.

As the Covid-19 pandemic enters its third year, the world is very close to recording its six millionth official death due to the deadly virus. As per Johns Hopkins University, the death toll stood at 59,99,158 as of March 7. This comes as a tragic reminder as to how the pandemic is far from over. While remote Pacific islands are struggling with their first-ever Covid outbreak, several European nations have removed all Covid-related restrictions. Top US officials, on the other hand, recently laid out a plan to move the nation to a new stage of the pandemic. The new plan focuses on four goals, to help the nation move forward safely. This includes protection against COVID, preparing for new variants, preventing shutdowns and continuing to vaccinate the world. Hong Kong is struggling with another wave of cases. The densely populated metropolis is in the throes of a record virus surge with thousands of confirmed cases every day. Also read | COVID-19: China daily local virus cases at two-year high Mr Pang, the former director of research policy and cooperation with the World Health Organization said, "This is a disease of the unvaccinated — look what is happening in Hong Kong right now, the health system is being overwhelmed. The large majority of the deaths and the severe cases are in the unvaccinated, vulnerable segment of the population.” The US has the biggest official death toll in the world. However, the numbers have been seeing a downward trend over the last month. As per WHO, the world has seen over 445 million confirmed Covid cases, and new weekly cases have been declining recently in almost all regions except for the Western Pacific, which includes China, Japan and South Korea. (With inputs from agencies)

As pandemic enters third year, Covid related deaths to soon reach 6 million

New&nbsp;Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda&nbsp;Ardern&nbsp;sought to cool simmering resentment&nbsp;over&nbsp;the slow unlocking of the country's&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;restrictions on Thursday, a day after police cleared a weeks-long Canada-style protest outside parliament.

Police in riot gear battled protesters late into the night on Wednesday, finally bringing an end to the occupation which, despite acts of violence and extremist elements, helped rally some support for its calls to end&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;restrictions.

In a special session of parliament to discuss the protest, the most violent in decades in the normally peaceful city,&nbsp;Ardern&nbsp;promised things would change, but gave no timeframe for easing&nbsp;curbs.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anxiety-and-depression-cases-surged-by-over-25-due-to-covid-who-458266">Anxiety and depression cases surged by over 25% due to Covid: WHO</a>

"Our people are coming home. Soon, tourists will return. Vaccine passes, mandates, restrictions – they will all change. There is reason to feel hopeful," she said.

A one-time poster child for tackling the coronavirus,&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand's&nbsp;swift response to the&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;and its geographic isolation kept the country largely COVID-19 free until the end of last year, winning&nbsp;Ardern&nbsp;strong support. Total deaths stand at just 56.

However, anger&nbsp;over&nbsp;vaccine mandates for people working in sectors such as health and education and strict border closures have put pressure on the government to now soften its stance in line with much of the rest of the world.

"Ardern&nbsp;has to weave a path between acknowledging some of the government's mistakes without appearing like the protesters had a point," said Andrew Hughes from the Research School of Management at Australian National University.

"She can't be seen condoning their behaviour but she also can't be seen as tone deaf."

A Horizon Research snap poll released on Feb. 18 found 30 per cent of those polled supported the protests and about the same percentage was opposed to&nbsp;Ardern's vaccine mandate policy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-exit-zero-covid-strategy-top-scientist-says-it-cannot-remain-unchanged-forever-457858" hreflang="en">China to exit zero-Covid strategy? Top scientist says it cannot 'remain unchanged forever'</a>

Some local businesses helped fund the encampment and well-known figures such as Olympic yachtsman Russell Coutts, Winston Peters, a former deputy prime minister under&nbsp;Ardern, and former prime minister Jim Bolger urged dialogue.

"I'm not anti-vaccine (I'm vaccinated) but I'm definitely against forced vaccinations," Coutts said in a Facebook post two weeks ago.

Ardern&nbsp;refused to meet the protesters, who she said had resorted to violence and bullying.

Omicron shift

The country of 5 million has a high COVID vaccination rate, with more than 95 per cent of the eligible population double vaccinated. More than 70 per cent of people have had a booster dose.

COVID-19 cases were restricted to fewer than 15,000 in total by end-2021 through a strict elimination approach, but the arrival of the Omicron variant has seen cases top 20,000 a day, reaching a cumulative total of nearly 150,000 on Thursday.

The government says restrictions that have frayed the public's patience are set to stay in place until at least mid-March when the Omicron surge is expected to peak.

The saga has dented&nbsp;Ardern's popularity since she won a second term in a landslide election victory in 2020.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-records-50000-covid-cases-as-first-bundle-of-goods-arrive-from-china-458203">Hong Kong records 50,000 Covid cases as first bundle of goods arrive from China</a>

Her support fell to 35 per cent, its lowest level since she became prime minister in 2017, according to a 1News Kantar Public poll at the end of January. However,&nbsp;Ardern&nbsp;remains the preferred prime minister and her centre-left coalition government is still on course to win the next election in late 2023.

The government has made some changes to its tough stand on borders that prevented many Kiwis from returning home due to a compulsory stay in limited quarantine facilities.

But the border remains closed to foreigners, unlike in neighbouring Australia which relaxed&nbsp;curbs&nbsp;this month.

Ardern&nbsp;said last week that her cabinet may bring forward the entry of foreign tourists from the current proposed date of October but again gave no timeframe.

Watch |&nbsp;The five stages of the covid Pandemic, as told by Dr Anthony Fauci

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-five-stages-of-the-covid-pandemic-as-told-by-dr-anthony-fauci-454715/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Unquestionably&nbsp;Ardern's elimination strategy was a massive success and saved lots of lives," said Martin&nbsp;Newell, a spokesman for Grounded Kiwis, representing&nbsp;overseas&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealanders.

"But with Omicron the government just seems to have been mentally unprepared for a shift in its approach."

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sought to cool simmering resentment over the slow unlocking of the country's pandemic restrictions on Thursday, a day after police cleared a weeks-long Canada-style protest outside parliament.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sought to cool simmering resentment over the slow unlocking of the country's pandemic restrictions on Thursday, a day after police cleared a weeks-long Canada-style protest outside parliament. Police in riot gear battled protesters late into the night on Wednesday, finally bringing an end to the occupation which, despite acts of violence and extremist elements, helped rally some support for its calls to end pandemic restrictions. In a special session of parliament to discuss the protest, the most violent in decades in the normally peaceful city, Ardern promised things would change, but gave no timeframe for easing curbs. Also read | Anxiety and depression cases surged by over 25% due to Covid: WHO "Our people are coming home. Soon, tourists will return. Vaccine passes, mandates, restrictions – they will all change. There is reason to feel hopeful," she said. A one-time poster child for tackling the coronavirus, New Zealand's swift response to the pandemic and its geographic isolation kept the country largely COVID-19 free until the end of last year, winning Ardern strong support. Total deaths stand at just 56. However, anger over vaccine mandates for people working in sectors such as health and education and strict border closures have put pressure on the government to now soften its stance in line with much of the rest of the world. "Ardern has to weave a path between acknowledging some of the government's mistakes without appearing like the protesters had a point," said Andrew Hughes from the Research School of Management at Australian National University. "She can't be seen condoning their behaviour but she also can't be seen as tone deaf." A Horizon Research snap poll released on Feb. 18 found 30 per cent of those polled supported the protests and about the same percentage was opposed to Ardern's vaccine mandate policy. Also read | China to exit zero-Covid strategy? Top scientist says it cannot 'remain unchanged forever' Some local businesses helped fund the encampment and well-known figures such as Olympic yachtsman Russell Coutts, Winston Peters, a former deputy prime minister under Ardern, and former prime minister Jim Bolger urged dialogue. "I'm not anti-vaccine (I'm vaccinated) but I'm definitely against forced vaccinations," Coutts said in a Facebook post two weeks ago. Ardern refused to meet the protesters, who she said had resorted to violence and bullying. Omicron shift The country of 5 million has a high COVID vaccination rate, with more than 95 per cent of the eligible population double vaccinated. More than 70 per cent of people have had a booster dose. COVID-19 cases were restricted to fewer than 15,000 in total by end-2021 through a strict elimination approach, but the arrival of the Omicron variant has seen cases top 20,000 a day, reaching a cumulative total of nearly 150,000 on Thursday. The government says restrictions that have frayed the public's patience are set to stay in place until at least mid-March when the Omicron surge is expected to peak. The saga has dented Ardern's popularity since she won a second term in a landslide election victory in 2020. Also read | Hong Kong records 50,000 Covid cases as first bundle of goods arrive from China Her support fell to 35 per cent, its lowest level since she became prime minister in 2017, according to a 1News Kantar Public poll at the end of January. However, Ardern remains the preferred prime minister and her centre-left coalition government is still on course to win the next election in late 2023. The government has made some changes to its tough stand on borders that prevented many Kiwis from returning home due to a compulsory stay in limited quarantine facilities. But the border remains closed to foreigners, unlike in neighbouring Australia which relaxed curbs this month. Ardern said last week that her cabinet may bring forward the entry of foreign tourists from the current proposed date of October but again gave no timeframe. Watch | The five stages of the covid Pandemic, as told by Dr Anthony Fauci "Unquestionably Ardern's elimination strategy was a massive success and saved lots of lives," said Martin Newell, a spokesman for Grounded Kiwis, representing overseas New Zealanders. "But with Omicron the government just seems to have been mentally unprepared for a shift in its approach."

New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern faces resentment over slow unlocking of pandemic restrictions

Podcasts aren't a new thing, but their popularity skyrocketed during pandemic years. As lockdowns became a norm, people consumed more media indoors. And that included podcasts. Preference for audio interaction was also evident from the rise of apps like Clubhouse.

People were able to establish a connection of a sort with podcast presenters who, maybe in many cases, were only human voice those in isolation had access to.

A new study has thrown light on an interesting aspect. The study says that whether or not you would establish 'perceived intimacy' with the podcast presenter or guests depended on how you heard the podcast.

As per the study, those who heard a particular podcast on headphones were more likely to empathise with the presenter than those who heard the same podcast on speakers.

The study was carried out by UC San Diego's Rady School, UCLA, and UC Berkeley.

The participants in the study were made to listen to a speech by a CEO whose company made visual information available to blind persons. The question was, should the CEO be nominated for an award?

The participants who heard the speech on headphones were more likely to say yes (30 per cent) than those who heard the podcast on speakers.

Researchers think that reason behind this is “in-head localization”. As sound from earphones/ headphones are imagined by listener to be coming from inside his/her head, the sounds “trigger a feeling of greater closeness to the person speaking to you”.

This research will be published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.

Podcasts aren't a new thing, but their popularity skyrocketed during pandemic years. As lockdowns became a norm, people consumed more media indoors. And that included podcasts.

Podcasts aren't a new thing, but their popularity skyrocketed during pandemic years. As lockdowns became a norm, people consumed more media indoors. And that included podcasts. Preference for audio interaction was also evident from the rise of apps like Clubhouse. People were able to establish a connection of a sort with podcast presenters who, maybe in many cases, were only human voice those in isolation had access to. A new study has thrown light on an interesting aspect. The study says that whether or not you would establish 'perceived intimacy' with the podcast presenter or guests depended on how you heard the podcast. As per the study, those who heard a particular podcast on headphones were more likely to empathise with the presenter than those who heard the same podcast on speakers. The study was carried out by UC San Diego's Rady School, UCLA, and UC Berkeley. The participants in the study were made to listen to a speech by a CEO whose company made visual information available to blind persons. The question was, should the CEO be nominated for an award? The participants who heard the speech on headphones were more likely to say yes (30 per cent) than those who heard the podcast on speakers. Researchers think that reason behind this is “in-head localization”. As sound from earphones/ headphones are imagined by listener to be coming from inside his/her head, the sounds “trigger a feeling of greater closeness to the person speaking to you”. This research will be published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.

Listening podcast on headphones than on speaker may make you connect more with presenters: Study

The mountain gorillas that live in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park have frequent encounters with humans. On any given day, the animals might come across smartphone-toting tourists, fecal-sample-swiping biologists or antibiotic-administering veterinarians.

So when the coronavirus started spreading around the world in early 2020, experts worried that people might unwittingly pass the virus to the endangered apes, which are known to be vulnerable to a variety of human pathogens.

“In the past, other human viruses have caused respiratory illness in the gorillas,” said Dr. Kirsten Gilardi, executive director of Gorilla Doctors, an international team of veterinarians that provides care for wild gorillas.

“We were on pins and needles wondering, OK, if this virus gets into the mountain gorillas, what’s it going to do?” Gilardi said.

In March 2020, in an effort to safeguard the animals, Rwanda temporarily closed Volcanoes National Park. When the park reopened a few months later, it had strict new precautions in place, including requiring tourists and researchers to wear masks and keep their distance from the gorillas. These rules, plus a general drop-off in tourism, mean that the park’s gorillas have had relatively few close encounters with humans during the pandemic, Gilardi said.

And so far, there have been no signs of the coronavirus among the gorillas. But in trying to control an extraordinary health threat, officials may have also alleviated a more everyday one: the routine transmission of respiratory diseases from humans to great apes. Since March 2020, the number of outbreaks of respiratory illness among the park’s gorillas has fallen to 1.6 a year, on average, from 5.4.

“The takeaway is these best-practice measures for protecting great ape populations appear to be working,” said Gilardi, who reported the findings in Nature this month. The report was cowritten by Prosper Uwingeli, chief warden of Volcanoes National Park.

The analysis is preliminary, and the researchers cannot prove that the gorillas’ health improved because humans kept their distance. But the findings suggest that even after the pandemic wanes, stricter controls may be needed to help protect endangered apes from catching diseases from people, scientists said.

“The same types of things that can protect wild animals that are susceptible to COVID can also protect them from other human pathogens,” said Thomas Gillespie, a disease ecologist at Emory University who frequently works with wild primates but was not involved in the new research.

Just over 1,000 mountain gorillas remain in the wild, divided between national parks in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many gorillas have been deliberately habituated to humans to help facilitate both research and ecotourism.

The apes face a variety of threats, including poaching and habitat loss, but respiratory disease is also a major concern and a leading cause of death in mountain gorillas.

Outbreaks of respiratory illnesses have become common among the animals.

“They happen with regularity,” said Gilardi, who is also a wildlife veterinarian at the University of California, Davis. “And we don’t always know what causes them.”

Bacteria and viruses circulate naturally among gorillas and other apes, some of which can cause respiratory infections. But scientists have also documented numerous instances in which human pathogens, including the rhinoviruses and coronaviruses responsible for common colds, found their way into great apes.

In many instances, respiratory viruses cause relatively mild, and familiar, symptoms in infected gorillas.

“They cough, they sneeze, they have runny noses, they might have goopy eyes, they might be off their feed, lethargic, literally not wanting to get out of bed in the morning,” Gilardi said. (Gorillas make, and slumber in, night nests.) “They look and act just like we do when we have an upper respiratory tract infection.”

But these outbreaks can sometimes cause severe illness, including pneumonia, or even death. In 2009, a human respiratory virus sickened 11 of the 12 gorillas in a single family group in Rwanda. Five of the animals required veterinary care and two others, including an infant, died.

To curb this cross-species disease transfer, the International Union for Conservation of Nature issued a set of guidelines in 2015 for scientists, tourists and other people who might encounter great apes. The recommendations include remaining at least 23 feet from the animals and wearing a face mask when near them. (Gilardi and Gillespie were both among the authors of the guidelines.)

But not all countries adopted, or enforced, the recommendations, Gillespie said. Until the pandemic hit.

“The pandemic has really brought everyone up toward full adherence,” he said.

Volcanoes National Park now requires tourists, park personnel, researchers and other people encountering gorillas to wear face masks, which had not previously been mandated. It also requires people to remain nearly 33 feet away from the animals. Tourism has not fully rebounded either, Gilardi said.

The difference has been noticeable, she said: “We’re just not seeing as much respiratory disease right now as we have in years past.’”

Other great ape sites are currently collecting their own data on how, and whether, the incidence of infectious disease has changed since the beginning of the pandemic, Gillespie said. And the same precautions can be used to help safeguard a wide range of wild primates, he added.

“Many of these best practices can be applied very successfully to other endangered and threatened species,” Gillespie said. “People need to be doing these things, COVID or not.”

The mountain gorillas that live in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park have frequent encounters with humans. On any given day, the animals might come across smartphone-toting tourists, fecal-sample-swiping biologists or antibiotic-administering veterinarians.

The mountain gorillas that live in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park have frequent encounters with humans. On any given day, the animals might come across smartphone-toting tourists, fecal-sample-swiping biologists or antibiotic-administering veterinarians. So when the coronavirus started spreading around the world in early 2020, experts worried that people might unwittingly pass the virus to the endangered apes, which are known to be vulnerable to a variety of human pathogens. “In the past, other human viruses have caused respiratory illness in the gorillas,” said Dr. Kirsten Gilardi, executive director of Gorilla Doctors, an international team of veterinarians that provides care for wild gorillas. “We were on pins and needles wondering, OK, if this virus gets into the mountain gorillas, what’s it going to do?” Gilardi said. In March 2020, in an effort to safeguard the animals, Rwanda temporarily closed Volcanoes National Park. When the park reopened a few months later, it had strict new precautions in place, including requiring tourists and researchers to wear masks and keep their distance from the gorillas. These rules, plus a general drop-off in tourism, mean that the park’s gorillas have had relatively few close encounters with humans during the pandemic, Gilardi said. And so far, there have been no signs of the coronavirus among the gorillas. But in trying to control an extraordinary health threat, officials may have also alleviated a more everyday one: the routine transmission of respiratory diseases from humans to great apes. Since March 2020, the number of outbreaks of respiratory illness among the park’s gorillas has fallen to 1.6 a year, on average, from 5.4. “The takeaway is these best-practice measures for protecting great ape populations appear to be working,” said Gilardi, who reported the findings in Nature this month. The report was cowritten by Prosper Uwingeli, chief warden of Volcanoes National Park. The analysis is preliminary, and the researchers cannot prove that the gorillas’ health improved because humans kept their distance. But the findings suggest that even after the pandemic wanes, stricter controls may be needed to help protect endangered apes from catching diseases from people, scientists said. “The same types of things that can protect wild animals that are susceptible to COVID can also protect them from other human pathogens,” said Thomas Gillespie, a disease ecologist at Emory University who frequently works with wild primates but was not involved in the new research. Just over 1,000 mountain gorillas remain in the wild, divided between national parks in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many gorillas have been deliberately habituated to humans to help facilitate both research and ecotourism. The apes face a variety of threats, including poaching and habitat loss, but respiratory disease is also a major concern and a leading cause of death in mountain gorillas. Outbreaks of respiratory illnesses have become common among the animals. “They happen with regularity,” said Gilardi, who is also a wildlife veterinarian at the University of California, Davis. “And we don’t always know what causes them.” Bacteria and viruses circulate naturally among gorillas and other apes, some of which can cause respiratory infections. But scientists have also documented numerous instances in which human pathogens, including the rhinoviruses and coronaviruses responsible for common colds, found their way into great apes. In many instances, respiratory viruses cause relatively mild, and familiar, symptoms in infected gorillas. “They cough, they sneeze, they have runny noses, they might have goopy eyes, they might be off their feed, lethargic, literally not wanting to get out of bed in the morning,” Gilardi said. (Gorillas make, and slumber in, night nests.) “They look and act just like we do when we have an upper respiratory tract infection.” But these outbreaks can sometimes cause severe illness, including pneumonia, or even death. In 2009, a human respiratory virus sickened 11 of the 12 gorillas in a single family group in Rwanda. Five of the animals required veterinary care and two others, including an infant, died. To curb this cross-species disease transfer, the International Union for Conservation of Nature issued a set of guidelines in 2015 for scientists, tourists and other people who might encounter great apes. The recommendations include remaining at least 23 feet from the animals and wearing a face mask when near them. (Gilardi and Gillespie were both among the authors of the guidelines.) But not all countries adopted, or enforced, the recommendations, Gillespie said. Until the pandemic hit. “The pandemic has really brought everyone up toward full adherence,” he said. Volcanoes National Park now requires tourists, park personnel, researchers and other people encountering gorillas to wear face masks, which had not previously been mandated. It also requires people to remain nearly 33 feet away from the animals. Tourism has not fully rebounded either, Gilardi said. The difference has been noticeable, she said: “We’re just not seeing as much respiratory disease right now as we have in years past.’” Other great ape sites are currently collecting their own data on how, and whether, the incidence of infectious disease has changed since the beginning of the pandemic, Gillespie said. And the same precautions can be used to help safeguard a wide range of wild primates, he added. “Many of these best practices can be applied very successfully to other endangered and threatened species,” Gillespie said. “People need to be doing these things, COVID or not.”

When people take pandemic precautions, gorillas breathe easier

Almost 15,000 “ghost flights” have flown from the UK since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, according to new official data.

Between March 2020 and September 2021, Heathrow topped the list with 4,910 ghost flights, defined as flights with no passengers or less than 10% of passenger capacity.

The airports of Manchester and Gatwick came in second and third, respectively, for ghost flights.&nbsp;

Environmentalists have slammed the practise, claiming that the carbon released during flights cannot be justified if the voyage is needless.

All 32 airports identified in the newly published data had ghost planes take off.

The data include flights that were primarily used to convey cargo or return British citizens who were trapped abroad.

According to information supplied by Robert Courts, the UK's Aviation Minister in response to a parliamentary question, an average of 760 empty flights left the UK each month during the time.&nbsp;

Because the statistics only included international departures and not local flights, the true figures may be significantly higher.

Heathrow had its worst financial year in 2021, serving the fewest passengers in nearly 50 years.

Airlines might lose precious slots if they do not use at least 80% of them, according to aviation regulations.

The guidelines were temporarily suspended after the coronavirus outbreak in April 2020.

Despite the loosening, airlines flew 14,472 empty planes out of the United Kingdom.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Almost 15,000 “ghost flights” have flown from the UK since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, according to new official data. Between March 2020 and September 2021, Heathrow topped the list with 4,910 ghost flights, defined as flights with no passengers or less than 10% of passenger capacity.

Almost 15,000 “ghost flights” have flown from the UK since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, according to new official data. Between March 2020 and September 2021, Heathrow topped the list with 4,910 ghost flights, defined as flights with no passengers or less than 10% of passenger capacity. The airports of Manchester and Gatwick came in second and third, respectively, for ghost flights. Environmentalists have slammed the practise, claiming that the carbon released during flights cannot be justified if the voyage is needless. All 32 airports identified in the newly published data had ghost planes take off. The data include flights that were primarily used to convey cargo or return British citizens who were trapped abroad. According to information supplied by Robert Courts, the UK's Aviation Minister in response to a parliamentary question, an average of 760 empty flights left the UK each month during the time. Because the statistics only included international departures and not local flights, the true figures may be significantly higher. Heathrow had its worst financial year in 2021, serving the fewest passengers in nearly 50 years. Airlines might lose precious slots if they do not use at least 80% of them, according to aviation regulations. The guidelines were temporarily suspended after the coronavirus outbreak in April 2020. Despite the loosening, airlines flew 14,472 empty planes out of the United Kingdom. (With inputs from agencies)

15,000 ‘ghost flights’ have left UK since pandemic began, Heathrow tops the list

Dr. Anthony Fauci, top medical advisor to the US President Joe Biden said we are still in the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Fauci said there are five stages of the pandemic.

The five stages of the covid Pandemic, as told by Dr Anthony Fauci

Is it time to start living with the COVID-19? What is the global strategy for the pandemic at Present? How to adapt to ever-changing challenges. Watch this video to know all the answers from experts themselves.

Is it time to start living with the COVID-19? Experts answer

Prince Charles has been reinfected with the coronavirus and met recently with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, raising questions about whether the 95-year-old monarch is at risk of contracting the virus.

The queen is not showing symptoms of COVID-19, according to an official at Buckingham Palace, who said the queen was being monitored closely. The official did not say whether the queen had been tested for the virus, nor did he offer specific details about when Charles, who tested positive Thursday, was last in contact with her. Charles was at Windsor Castle, where the queen is currently in residence, on Tuesday for an investiture ceremony, according to a palace official.

Elizabeth received a dose of coronavirus vaccine in January 2021 at Windsor Castle, along with her husband, Prince Philip. The palace has not confirmed any subsequent vaccine doses. Charles has said that he is fully vaccinated and boosted.

In recent weeks, the queen has begun appearing again in public after a difficult stretch last fall, when she cancelled a number of public engagements because of what Buckingham Palace officials described as exhaustion.

Philip died in April 2021 at the age of 99, and the queen was forced to isolate herself during his funeral service because of the pandemic. A photographer captured a poignant image of her, grieving alone and wearing a mask, in a choir stall at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor.

Charles, who is 73 and the heir to the throne, has gone into self-isolation, according to his household, Clarence House. He contracted and recovered from a mild case of the virus in March 2020, when it was first engulfing Britain. His representatives did not immediately comment on the severity of his infection this time.

Charles got the news that he had tested positive Thursday morning, according to Clarence House, and postponed a trip to Winchester, England, at the last minute. He “is deeply disappointed not to be able to attend today’s events in Winchester and will look to reschedule his visit as soon as possible,” Clarence House said in a statement.

Speaking to Sky News in June 2020, Charles said he “got away with it quite lightly” the first time he contracted the virus.

“I was lucky in my case,” he said, “but I’ve had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through.”

Charles’ wife, Camilla, tested negative for the virus and has continued with her schedule of public appearances, according to Clarence House.

On Wednesday evening, she and her husband attended a gala reception at the British Museum. Other guests included three senior British government officials: the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak; the home secretary, Priti Patel; and the health secretary, Sajid Javid.

The queen marked the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne Saturday at her country estate, Sandringham. In a statement issued that day, she said she hoped that when Charles succeeded her, Camilla would be known as queen — a major endorsement that the couple had long sought from the monarch.

“We are deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother’s wish,” Charles said in a statement. “As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout.”

Prince Charles has been reinfected with the coronavirus and met recently with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, raising questions about whether the 95-year-old monarch is at risk of contracting the virus.

Prince Charles has been reinfected with the coronavirus and met recently with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, raising questions about whether the 95-year-old monarch is at risk of contracting the virus. The queen is not showing symptoms of COVID-19, according to an official at Buckingham Palace, who said the queen was being monitored closely. The official did not say whether the queen had been tested for the virus, nor did he offer specific details about when Charles, who tested positive Thursday, was last in contact with her. Charles was at Windsor Castle, where the queen is currently in residence, on Tuesday for an investiture ceremony, according to a palace official. Elizabeth received a dose of coronavirus vaccine in January 2021 at Windsor Castle, along with her husband, Prince Philip. The palace has not confirmed any subsequent vaccine doses. Charles has said that he is fully vaccinated and boosted. In recent weeks, the queen has begun appearing again in public after a difficult stretch last fall, when she cancelled a number of public engagements because of what Buckingham Palace officials described as exhaustion. Philip died in April 2021 at the age of 99, and the queen was forced to isolate herself during his funeral service because of the pandemic. A photographer captured a poignant image of her, grieving alone and wearing a mask, in a choir stall at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor. Charles, who is 73 and the heir to the throne, has gone into self-isolation, according to his household, Clarence House. He contracted and recovered from a mild case of the virus in March 2020, when it was first engulfing Britain. His representatives did not immediately comment on the severity of his infection this time. Charles got the news that he had tested positive Thursday morning, according to Clarence House, and postponed a trip to Winchester, England, at the last minute. He “is deeply disappointed not to be able to attend today’s events in Winchester and will look to reschedule his visit as soon as possible,” Clarence House said in a statement. Speaking to Sky News in June 2020, Charles said he “got away with it quite lightly” the first time he contracted the virus. “I was lucky in my case,” he said, “but I’ve had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through.” Charles’ wife, Camilla, tested negative for the virus and has continued with her schedule of public appearances, according to Clarence House. On Wednesday evening, she and her husband attended a gala reception at the British Museum. Other guests included three senior British government officials: the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak; the home secretary, Priti Patel; and the health secretary, Sajid Javid. The queen marked the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne Saturday at her country estate, Sandringham. In a statement issued that day, she said she hoped that when Charles succeeded her, Camilla would be known as queen — a major endorsement that the couple had long sought from the monarch. “We are deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother’s wish,” Charles said in a statement. “As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout.”

Prince Charles tests positive for Covid, raising concerns about risk to Queen

Britain's&nbsp;economy&nbsp;grew by a record 7.5 percent last year on easing Covid curbs after a pandemic-driven collapse, official data showed Friday, but analysts warned that sky-high inflation clouds the 2022 outlook.

The expansion, which was the fastest since records began in 1948, followed a record 9.4-percent slump in 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) added in a statement.

Economies across the world were slammed in 2020 by the deadly pandemic, which sparked lockdowns and other public health restrictions that have since been largely removed.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/africa-transitioning-from-pandemic-will-have-to-manage-virus-who-452312">Africa transitioning from pandemic, will have to 'manage' virus: WHO</a>

The ONS added Friday that the&nbsp;UK&nbsp;economy&nbsp;increased by 1.0 percent in the fourth quarter despite the emergence of the Omicron Covid variant, matching its expansion in the third quarter.

December hit by Omicron&nbsp;

However, gross domestic product dipped 0.2 percent in December on fallout from the rapid spread of Omicron -- which is widely regarded as less dangerous than previous variants but hit the travel sector.

"GDP fell back slightly in December as the Omicron wave hit, with retail and hospitality seeing the biggest impacts," said ONS director of economic statistics Darren Morgan.

"However, these were partially offset by increases in the Test and Trace service and vaccination programmes.

"Despite December's setback, GDP grew robustly across the fourth quarter as a whole with the NHS (National Health Service), couriers and employment agencies all helping to support the&nbsp;economy," added Morgan.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/string-of-controversies-trigger-london-police-head-cressida-dicks-resignation-452267">&nbsp;String of controversies trigger London police head Cressida Dick’s resignation</a>

December activity held at its February 2020 level, before Covid struck.

Yet the fourth quarter of 2021 was slightly below that of the same period in 2019.

&nbsp;'Remarkably resilient'&nbsp;

British finance minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the data.

"The&nbsp;economy&nbsp;has been remarkably resilient; with the&nbsp;UK&nbsp;seeing the fastest growth in the G7 last year," he said in a statement, noting it was boosted by the government's vast stimulus measures and speedy vaccination drive.

"I'm proud of the resolve the whole country has demonstrated, and proud of our incredible vaccine programme which has allowed the&nbsp;economy&nbsp;to stay open."

The&nbsp;UK&nbsp;government is plotting the nation's full emergence from the long-running health emergency.&nbsp;

England will scrap the legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19 later this month if infection levels remain stable, Prime Minister Boris Johnson unexpectedly announced Wednesday.

The proposed move would be one of the most dramatic easings of coronavirus rules taken by any country so far in the pandemic, as Johnson doubles down on a strategy of trying to "live with Covid".

England in late January lifted almost all remaining Covid restrictions that had been reimposed in early December to tackle Omicron.

Watch |&nbsp;&nbsp;Former UK PM John Major calls Boris Johnson govt's actions 'shameful'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/former-uk-pm-john-major-calls-boris-johnson-govts-actions-shameful-452270/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

Cost of living crisis&nbsp;

Despite Friday's bright data, economists warn the&nbsp;UK&nbsp;outlook is darkened by a cost of living crisis that has been fuelled by rocketing domestic energy costs.

Economies worldwide are battling decades-high inflation that is forcing central banks to lift interest rates, including the Bank of England, which this month raised its key borrowing cost for the second time in a row.

Britain is experiencing the highest rate of annual inflation in nearly 30 years, while the cost of living is set to soar further from April owing to a tax hike on&nbsp;UK&nbsp;workers and businesses plus increases in energy bills.

"While the downside risks from Omicron have receded, the recovery now faces the more conventional economic challenge of high inflation," said EY ITEM Club economist Martin Beck.

"Consumers (are) facing the biggest squeeze on spending power in more than a decade," he added.

UK&nbsp;annual inflation struck 5.4 per cent in December, stoking fears of a cost-of-living squeeze as wages fail to keep pace.

The BoE this month hiked interest rates to 0.50 per cent -- and forecast inflation would peak at 7.25 per cent in April.

Britain's economy grew by a record 7.5 percent last year on easing Covid curbs after a pandemic-driven collapse, official data showed Friday, but analysts warned that sky-high inflation clouds the 2022 outlook.

Britain's economy grew by a record 7.5 percent last year on easing Covid curbs after a pandemic-driven collapse, official data showed Friday, but analysts warned that sky-high inflation clouds the 2022 outlook. The expansion, which was the fastest since records began in 1948, followed a record 9.4-percent slump in 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) added in a statement. Economies across the world were slammed in 2020 by the deadly pandemic, which sparked lockdowns and other public health restrictions that have since been largely removed. Also read | Africa transitioning from pandemic, will have to 'manage' virus: WHO The ONS added Friday that the UK economy increased by 1.0 percent in the fourth quarter despite the emergence of the Omicron Covid variant, matching its expansion in the third quarter. December hit by Omicron However, gross domestic product dipped 0.2 percent in December on fallout from the rapid spread of Omicron -- which is widely regarded as less dangerous than previous variants but hit the travel sector. "GDP fell back slightly in December as the Omicron wave hit, with retail and hospitality seeing the biggest impacts," said ONS director of economic statistics Darren Morgan. "However, these were partially offset by increases in the Test and Trace service and vaccination programmes. "Despite December's setback, GDP grew robustly across the fourth quarter as a whole with the NHS (National Health Service), couriers and employment agencies all helping to support the economy," added Morgan. Also read | String of controversies trigger London police head Cressida Dick’s resignation December activity held at its February 2020 level, before Covid struck. Yet the fourth quarter of 2021 was slightly below that of the same period in 2019. 'Remarkably resilient' British finance minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the data. "The economy has been remarkably resilient; with the UK seeing the fastest growth in the G7 last year," he said in a statement, noting it was boosted by the government's vast stimulus measures and speedy vaccination drive. "I'm proud of the resolve the whole country has demonstrated, and proud of our incredible vaccine programme which has allowed the economy to stay open." The UK government is plotting the nation's full emergence from the long-running health emergency. England will scrap the legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19 later this month if infection levels remain stable, Prime Minister Boris Johnson unexpectedly announced Wednesday. The proposed move would be one of the most dramatic easings of coronavirus rules taken by any country so far in the pandemic, as Johnson doubles down on a strategy of trying to "live with Covid". England in late January lifted almost all remaining Covid restrictions that had been reimposed in early December to tackle Omicron. Watch | Former UK PM John Major calls Boris Johnson govt's actions 'shameful' Cost of living crisis Despite Friday's bright data, economists warn the UK outlook is darkened by a cost of living crisis that has been fuelled by rocketing domestic energy costs. Economies worldwide are battling decades-high inflation that is forcing central banks to lift interest rates, including the Bank of England, which this month raised its key borrowing cost for the second time in a row. Britain is experiencing the highest rate of annual inflation in nearly 30 years, while the cost of living is set to soar further from April owing to a tax hike on UK workers and businesses plus increases in energy bills. "While the downside risks from Omicron have receded, the recovery now faces the more conventional economic challenge of high inflation," said EY ITEM Club economist Martin Beck. "Consumers (are) facing the biggest squeeze on spending power in more than a decade," he added. UK annual inflation struck 5.4 per cent in December, stoking fears of a cost-of-living squeeze as wages fail to keep pace. The BoE this month hiked interest rates to 0.50 per cent -- and forecast inflation would peak at 7.25 per cent in April.

UK economy rebounds by record 7.5% from pandemic in 2021

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them? If boosters had been pushed earlier, and more loudly, would the United States no longer trail peer nations in vaccinations?

Put differently: How much would getting our pandemic policies right have mattered?

It’s easy to speak as if policy smoothly reshapes reality. I’m more guilty of that than most. But policy lies downstream of society. Mandates are not self-executing; to work, policies need to be followed, guidance needs to be believed. Public health is rooted in the soil of trust. That soil has thinned in America.

That isn’t to absolve policymakers of responsibility for their mistakes, but it is to wonder about the power they actually wield, in a country that led the world in vaccine development but lags Chile, Vietnam and Brazil in vaccine deployment. A recent interview with Michael Bang Petersen, a Danish political scientist, drove that point home for me. “In Denmark, people are in favor of vaccines, with more than 81% of adults doubly vaccinated, but also very opposed to vaccine mandates,” he told The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson. “There are no political parties in Parliament that are loudly advocating for vaccine mandates.”

You know what’s better than a vaccine mandate? A society that doesn’t need one.

We began this pandemic by asking the wrong questions, and thus we got the wrong answers. Rewind to October 2019. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Nuclear Threat Initiative release the Global Health Security Index. It ranks 195 countries on their pandemic preparedness. Each country is judged on prevention policy, on detection capabilities, on response infrastructure, on health system capacity, on international cooperation and on underlying risk. The news is reassuring, at least if you live in the United States: We’re No. 1!

Then, only months later, we get an actual, once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States fails the test. We have more infections, more deaths, more pain and suffering and division and grief. Our performance doesn’t just fall short of rich countries like Germany and Denmark. It falls short of far poorer countries, too. The Global Health Security Index was measuring the wrong things. The researchers later noted that tucked inside the report was a finding about the United States that would prove more predictive of our response: “It had the lowest possible score on public confidence in the government.”

But that leaves the question: What &lt;em&gt;were&lt;/em&gt; the right questions? What did we miss?

A paper published Tuesday in The Lancet tries to unravel the mystery — and not just for the United States. It’s built atop new data that tries to adjust for differences in testing and gaps in reporting to paint a clearer picture of case numbers and fatality rates across 177 countries from Jan. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. (I do want to note that the data here remains far from perfect, and there is inevitably noise, randomness and distortion in these comparisons. We live in a fallen world, and yet still we try and understand.)

Looked at in an international context, the magnitude of America’s failure comes clear. So too do the successes of other countries.

Over the first 21 months of the pandemic, the United States had 545 coronavirus cases per 1,000 residents. Uruguay had 472. The United Kingdom 374. Canada 346. Germany 188, Switzerland 164. But it’s our peers in Asia that really put us to shame. Japan had 67 cases per 1,000. Singapore 59. South Korea 28. Taiwan seven. These numbers are so low as to be baffling.

The United States does better when you measure the ratio of cases that lead to death. There, our performance is at least middling. Our infection fatality rate was 4.55 per 1,000 cases. That’s lower than Germany (6.34) and Switzerland (5.56) but higher than South Korea (3.24) or Singapore (0.68). Still, our far larger number of cases mean we’ve grieved far more loss. And we’re not the only ones.

“One reason this pandemic is an epidemiological mystery is because you see a surprising amount of variation among nations in close geographic proximity,” Thomas Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and one of the paper’s authors, told me. “Bulgaria, Namibia and Bolivia have fatality rates twice as high as their neighbors, Turkey, Angola and Colombia.”

The researchers tested everything they could think of for predictive power. They looked at gross domestic product, population density, altitude, age, obesity, smoking, air pollution, cancer rates, exposure to previous beta-coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, health insurance coverage, pandemic preparedness ratings, trust in government, trust in fellow citizens, hospital beds per capita and more. It’s a dizzying suite of possibilities, and they run the numbers one by one.

When it comes to deaths caused by infections, no single variable explains everything or even all that much, with the exception of age. The coronavirus strikes the old with particular viciousness, and so the age of a population explains 47% of the variation in fatality ratios between countries. This helps explain why richer countries have seen a disproportionate number of deaths: Richer countries are older.

But age was alone in its ability to predict fatality rates. Nothing else — not body mass index, not smoking, not air pollution, not cancer prevalence, not universal health care, not hospital beds — explained very much.

More unexpected was what the researchers found when they looked at the factors that predicted how many people got infected. Some of the obvious candidates — population density, GDP per capita and exposure to past coronaviruses — failed to predict much in the way of outcomes. But both trust in government and trust in fellow citizens proved potent.

This yields the paper’s most striking finding: Moving every country up to the 75th percentile in trust in government — that’s where Denmark sits — would have prevented 13% of global infections. Moving every country to the 75th percentile of trust in their fellow citizens — roughly South Korea’s level — would have prevented 40% of global infections.

“When confronted with a novel, contagious virus the best way for governments to protect their citizens is to convince them to take the measures to protect themselves,” Bollyky said. “Especially in free societies the success of that effort depends on trust — trust between citizens and their government, and trusts between citizens themselves.”

When Bollyky told me that, I thought back to an essay I’d read in The New York Times by Hitoshi Oshitani, a key adviser to Japan’s government, that had been nagging at me.

The Japanese government, he said, understood that the virus was airborne, and they made sure their citizenry knew it. The message became that “People should avoid the three C’s, which are closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. The Japanese government shared this advice with the public in early March, and it became omnipresent. The message to avoid the three C’s was on the news, variety shows, social media and posters. ‘Three C’s’ was even declared the buzzword of the year in Japan in 2020.”

What struck me about this, when I first read it, was what it left unsaid. Japan was much quicker to understand airborne transmission than the United States, but we knew it soon enough. We certainly knew it by the time of the delta surge, when Japan again performed far better than we did. We know it now, and Japan is still performing better than we are. It is what we do with what we know that matters.

Trust is regularly polled in international surveys, and so the researchers had access to those numbers. But I suspect trust is only a cousin of what we’re really trying to measure here. Solidarity is perhaps closer to the social sentiment the pandemic demanded. Poring over this data left me thinking about something my colleague Zeynep Tufekci told me:

"If you’re in the 19th century, and you’re just puzzling over yellow fever, and you don’t even have germ theory, and you don’t understand mosquito vectors — it’s hard. It’s really hard. I read those histories, and I want to give them clues. But right now, we have everything in place. And it’s our dysfunction that’s holding us back. It’s the global, political dysfunction; our U.S.-specific dysfunction."

There are lots of policy recommendations that work to curb the coronavirus: Masking, social distancing, vaccinations, testing, quarantining and so on. But for any of them to work, they need to be followed. This has been, certainly, the Biden administration’s insuperable challenge. It can make vaccines available, but it can’t make people take them. It can make masks available, but it can’t make people wear them. The context for the Biden administration’s entire response was a Republican Party divided over the legitimacy of the 2020 election and aware that the road to 2024 ran through opposition to Biden’s coronavirus policies.

So what if you assume political polarization and media disinformation are here to stay, and you need to work around them, rather than ignoring them?

When you reframe the question, other possibilities reveal themselves. As an example: Only 36% of Republicans trust Anthony Fauci. I think the Republican campaign against him has been largely unfair, but that he is particularly polarizing among the people the Biden administration most needs to reach is simply a fact, and one it has chosen to ignore. Perhaps new voices were needed, including high-profile ones chosen for their appeal to those most inclined to doubt Biden and avoid vaccination.

I asked Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, about the absence of messengers with credibility among Republicans, and his response struck me as understandably but depressingly fatalistic. “I think this question of polarization around vaccinations is very, very complicated,” he replied. “I mean, you saw President Trump get booed when he himself advocated people getting booster shots. So this isn’t as simple as ‘Can you put more conservatives out there talking about vaccinations?’ ”

That’s certainly true. And I don’t mean to single out Fauci or overestimate the value of replacing him. Any Republican who joined the Biden administration would be seen as a traitor by much of the conservative base. But improvements are made on the margins.

That our political and social problems are maddeningly difficult to solve doesn’t make them any less necessary to at least try and ease. Whatever basket of pandemic policies the Biden administration tries — be they the vaccine mandates the Supreme Court just gutted, or new testing infrastructure, or variant-specific boosters — will not work if the social context in which those policies play out continues to deteriorate. And it is deteriorating: 88% of Americans say the pandemic has left us more divided, which is higher than in any of the other 16 countries Pew surveyed.

We erred this time by believing ourselves not just more capable, but also more united, than ultimately proved true. Now that we know the truth about ourselves, and the havoc our divisions will wreak on any pandemic response, the problem we need to solve becomes clearer.

What does good pandemic policy look like for a low-trust, high-dysfunction society?

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them?

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them? If boosters had been pushed earlier, and more loudly, would the United States no longer trail peer nations in vaccinations? Put differently: How much would getting our pandemic policies right have mattered? It’s easy to speak as if policy smoothly reshapes reality. I’m more guilty of that than most. But policy lies downstream of society. Mandates are not self-executing; to work, policies need to be followed, guidance needs to be believed. Public health is rooted in the soil of trust. That soil has thinned in America. That isn’t to absolve policymakers of responsibility for their mistakes, but it is to wonder about the power they actually wield, in a country that led the world in vaccine development but lags Chile, Vietnam and Brazil in vaccine deployment. A recent interview with Michael Bang Petersen, a Danish political scientist, drove that point home for me. “In Denmark, people are in favor of vaccines, with more than 81% of adults doubly vaccinated, but also very opposed to vaccine mandates,” he told The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson. “There are no political parties in Parliament that are loudly advocating for vaccine mandates.” You know what’s better than a vaccine mandate? A society that doesn’t need one. We began this pandemic by asking the wrong questions, and thus we got the wrong answers. Rewind to October 2019. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Nuclear Threat Initiative release the Global Health Security Index. It ranks 195 countries on their pandemic preparedness. Each country is judged on prevention policy, on detection capabilities, on response infrastructure, on health system capacity, on international cooperation and on underlying risk. The news is reassuring, at least if you live in the United States: We’re No. 1! Then, only months later, we get an actual, once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States fails the test. We have more infections, more deaths, more pain and suffering and division and grief. Our performance doesn’t just fall short of rich countries like Germany and Denmark. It falls short of far poorer countries, too. The Global Health Security Index was measuring the wrong things. The researchers later noted that tucked inside the report was a finding about the United States that would prove more predictive of our response: “It had the lowest possible score on public confidence in the government.” But that leaves the question: What were the right questions? What did we miss? A paper published Tuesday in The Lancet tries to unravel the mystery — and not just for the United States. It’s built atop new data that tries to adjust for differences in testing and gaps in reporting to paint a clearer picture of case numbers and fatality rates across 177 countries from Jan. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. (I do want to note that the data here remains far from perfect, and there is inevitably noise, randomness and distortion in these comparisons. We live in a fallen world, and yet still we try and understand.) Looked at in an international context, the magnitude of America’s failure comes clear. So too do the successes of other countries. Over the first 21 months of the pandemic, the United States had 545 coronavirus cases per 1,000 residents. Uruguay had 472. The United Kingdom 374. Canada 346. Germany 188, Switzerland 164. But it’s our peers in Asia that really put us to shame. Japan had 67 cases per 1,000. Singapore 59. South Korea 28. Taiwan seven. These numbers are so low as to be baffling. The United States does better when you measure the ratio of cases that lead to death. There, our performance is at least middling. Our infection fatality rate was 4.55 per 1,000 cases. That’s lower than Germany (6.34) and Switzerland (5.56) but higher than South Korea (3.24) or Singapore (0.68). Still, our far larger number of cases mean we’ve grieved far more loss. And we’re not the only ones. “One reason this pandemic is an epidemiological mystery is because you see a surprising amount of variation among nations in close geographic proximity,” Thomas Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and one of the paper’s authors, told me. “Bulgaria, Namibia and Bolivia have fatality rates twice as high as their neighbors, Turkey, Angola and Colombia.” The researchers tested everything they could think of for predictive power. They looked at gross domestic product, population density, altitude, age, obesity, smoking, air pollution, cancer rates, exposure to previous beta-coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, health insurance coverage, pandemic preparedness ratings, trust in government, trust in fellow citizens, hospital beds per capita and more. It’s a dizzying suite of possibilities, and they run the numbers one by one. When it comes to deaths caused by infections, no single variable explains everything or even all that much, with the exception of age. The coronavirus strikes the old with particular viciousness, and so the age of a population explains 47% of the variation in fatality ratios between countries. This helps explain why richer countries have seen a disproportionate number of deaths: Richer countries are older. But age was alone in its ability to predict fatality rates. Nothing else — not body mass index, not smoking, not air pollution, not cancer prevalence, not universal health care, not hospital beds — explained very much. More unexpected was what the researchers found when they looked at the factors that predicted how many people got infected. Some of the obvious candidates — population density, GDP per capita and exposure to past coronaviruses — failed to predict much in the way of outcomes. But both trust in government and trust in fellow citizens proved potent. This yields the paper’s most striking finding: Moving every country up to the 75th percentile in trust in government — that’s where Denmark sits — would have prevented 13% of global infections. Moving every country to the 75th percentile of trust in their fellow citizens — roughly South Korea’s level — would have prevented 40% of global infections. “When confronted with a novel, contagious virus the best way for governments to protect their citizens is to convince them to take the measures to protect themselves,” Bollyky said. “Especially in free societies the success of that effort depends on trust — trust between citizens and their government, and trusts between citizens themselves.” When Bollyky told me that, I thought back to an essay I’d read in The New York Times by Hitoshi Oshitani, a key adviser to Japan’s government, that had been nagging at me. The Japanese government, he said, understood that the virus was airborne, and they made sure their citizenry knew it. The message became that “People should avoid the three C’s, which are closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. The Japanese government shared this advice with the public in early March, and it became omnipresent. The message to avoid the three C’s was on the news, variety shows, social media and posters. ‘Three C’s’ was even declared the buzzword of the year in Japan in 2020.” What struck me about this, when I first read it, was what it left unsaid. Japan was much quicker to understand airborne transmission than the United States, but we knew it soon enough. We certainly knew it by the time of the delta surge, when Japan again performed far better than we did. We know it now, and Japan is still performing better than we are. It is what we do with what we know that matters. Trust is regularly polled in international surveys, and so the researchers had access to those numbers. But I suspect trust is only a cousin of what we’re really trying to measure here. Solidarity is perhaps closer to the social sentiment the pandemic demanded. Poring over this data left me thinking about something my colleague Zeynep Tufekci told me: "If you’re in the 19th century, and you’re just puzzling over yellow fever, and you don’t even have germ theory, and you don’t understand mosquito vectors — it’s hard. It’s really hard. I read those histories, and I want to give them clues. But right now, we have everything in place. And it’s our dysfunction that’s holding us back. It’s the global, political dysfunction; our U.S.-specific dysfunction." There are lots of policy recommendations that work to curb the coronavirus: Masking, social distancing, vaccinations, testing, quarantining and so on. But for any of them to work, they need to be followed. This has been, certainly, the Biden administration’s insuperable challenge. It can make vaccines available, but it can’t make people take them. It can make masks available, but it can’t make people wear them. The context for the Biden administration’s entire response was a Republican Party divided over the legitimacy of the 2020 election and aware that the road to 2024 ran through opposition to Biden’s coronavirus policies. So what if you assume political polarization and media disinformation are here to stay, and you need to work around them, rather than ignoring them? When you reframe the question, other possibilities reveal themselves. As an example: Only 36% of Republicans trust Anthony Fauci. I think the Republican campaign against him has been largely unfair, but that he is particularly polarizing among the people the Biden administration most needs to reach is simply a fact, and one it has chosen to ignore. Perhaps new voices were needed, including high-profile ones chosen for their appeal to those most inclined to doubt Biden and avoid vaccination. I asked Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, about the absence of messengers with credibility among Republicans, and his response struck me as understandably but depressingly fatalistic. “I think this question of polarization around vaccinations is very, very complicated,” he replied. “I mean, you saw President Trump get booed when he himself advocated people getting booster shots. So this isn’t as simple as ‘Can you put more conservatives out there talking about vaccinations?’ ” That’s certainly true. And I don’t mean to single out Fauci or overestimate the value of replacing him. Any Republican who joined the Biden administration would be seen as a traitor by much of the conservative base. But improvements are made on the margins. That our political and social problems are maddeningly difficult to solve doesn’t make them any less necessary to at least try and ease. Whatever basket of pandemic policies the Biden administration tries — be they the vaccine mandates the Supreme Court just gutted, or new testing infrastructure, or variant-specific boosters — will not work if the social context in which those policies play out continues to deteriorate. And it is deteriorating: 88% of Americans say the pandemic has left us more divided, which is higher than in any of the other 16 countries Pew surveyed. We erred this time by believing ourselves not just more capable, but also more united, than ultimately proved true. Now that we know the truth about ourselves, and the havoc our divisions will wreak on any pandemic response, the problem we need to solve becomes clearer. What does good pandemic policy look like for a low-trust, high-dysfunction society?

Opinion: The Covid policy that really mattered wasn’t a policy

Thousands of protesters across Canada took to the streets Saturday for the second weekend in a row, snarling traffic, disrupting business and residential neighborhoods and leading police to compare the demonstrations to a “siege” on the nation’s democracy.

What began last month with truckers complaining about mandated vaccines for crossing the border from the United States has grown into a catchall movement for a variety of anti-government causes, laying bare deep resentments within Canada’s political right.

While police and officials braced for rowdy crowds and potential violence, the atmosphere of the demonstrations by Saturday evening, though boisterous, remained mostly peaceful and festive.

But police in Ottawa, the capital, admitted they were overwhelmed by the crowds and warned that the noisy and disruptive protests posed a real threat.

“This is a siege. It is something that is different in our democracy than I’ve ever experienced in my life,” said Peter Sloly, chief of the Ottawa Police. “We do not have sufficient resources to adequately and effectively address this situation,” while tending to routine policing, he added.

In Ottawa, despite frigid temperatures, a band performed on the street in front of Parliament Hill underneath a Canadian flag dangling from a large construction crane. Nearby, several inflatable bouncy castles were set up, and makeshift canteens throughout downtown dispensed food.

While there were no serious injuries or uncontrolled violence associated with the demonstrations over the past week, they have nevertheless paralyzed Ottawa’s downtown core with traffic, noise and complaints of harassment.

“I’m receiving hundreds — and I’m not exaggerating — hundreds of emails telling me: ‘I went out to get groceries, I got yelled at, I got harassed. I got followed down the street, I’m so afraid that I can’t go out,’” Catherine McKenney, the city councilor for the area, said Thursday afternoon.

The Ottawa Police said on Twitter on Saturday that they had received 400 calls related to the demonstrations since they began, resulting in 50 investigations and four people being charged.

Throughout the area, many businesses have been closed for days, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in lost sales. Those that have remained open have struggled to enforce provincial mask rules.

About 200 to 250 trucks remained downtown from last Saturday’s demonstration, their drivers frequently honking their air horns. Supporters have been delivering diesel fuel to the truckers, who have stacked firewood in parks and built a small wooden canteen building next to a canal that serves as a popular skating rink in the winter.

Many residents of downtown Ottawa have turned their frustrations on the city’s police for not aggressively shutting down the protests.

Workers blocked some major roads downtown with concrete barriers Friday as part of a new “surge and contain strategy” that Chief Peter Sloly of the Ottawa Police announced. “The surge will deliver a clear message to the demonstrators: The lawlessness must end,” he said. “Our goal is to end the demonstrations.”

In Toronto, dozens of cars, pickup trucks and heavy trucks were parked along the city’s high-end shopping district downtown by midday, north of the closed-off legislature building area, with sounds of horns and shouts of “freedom” ringing out. Protesters held up signs of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and used hockey sticks as flagpoles for Canadian flags and Gadsden flags.

The Toronto Police announced that they had arrested one man for assault with a weapon, and told the public to steer clear of the demonstrations.

Corey Ley, owner of a landscape construction company, drove from his home in Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes region about 85 miles northeast of Toronto to attend Saturday’s demonstration with his wife, two children and two friends. Ley said they packed plenty of provisions to remain at the site, including food, fuel and water. “I’m here until whenever, as long as it takes,” said Ley, who said he wanted proof-of-vaccination and mask policies to be optional rather mandated.

In Quebec City, dozens of tractor-trailer cabs were parked two deep for three blocks along one of the major arteries through the downtown area, adjacent to the provincial legislature. Thousands of people lined the sidewalks, cheering on truckers as they arrived or drove past, and a large crowd gathered in front of the legislature, dancing and trying to stay warm as they listened to a series of speakers.

David LeBlanc, a biologist from Matapédia, said it was time for the government to lift pandemic restrictions. “Our children are impacted,” he said. “My son is 18 years old. He could not have a trip with his friends at high school. He could not get in the bar to have fun with his friends.”

Bruno Marchand, the city’s mayor, said Friday that he had confidence in the police’s ability to keep order, noting that the city deals with 100 protests a year.

“If they have a cause they have to do it respectfully. This is the only way to be listened to and understood,” he told reporters. “Otherwise, police officers will have to do their jobs.”

Truck convoys of varying sizes congregated in protest near provincial legislatures in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia. A group of truckers continued to block a border crossing to the United States in Alberta. Counterprotesters laid on streets to block a truck convoy as it entered Vancouver, British Columbia.

Through GoFundMe, some of the organizers of the truck convoy raised 10 million Canadian dollars, about $7.8 million, but the online service has only turned over about C$1 million of that. On Friday evening, it said in a statement that after speaking with police, it would not release any more of the money.

“We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity,” GoFundMe said.

Thousands of protesters across Canada took to the streets Saturday for the second weekend in a row, snarling traffic, disrupting business and residential neighborhoods and leading police to compare the demonstrations to a “siege” on the nation’s democracy.

Thousands of protesters across Canada took to the streets Saturday for the second weekend in a row, snarling traffic, disrupting business and residential neighborhoods and leading police to compare the demonstrations to a “siege” on the nation’s democracy. What began last month with truckers complaining about mandated vaccines for crossing the border from the United States has grown into a catchall movement for a variety of anti-government causes, laying bare deep resentments within Canada’s political right. While police and officials braced for rowdy crowds and potential violence, the atmosphere of the demonstrations by Saturday evening, though boisterous, remained mostly peaceful and festive. But police in Ottawa, the capital, admitted they were overwhelmed by the crowds and warned that the noisy and disruptive protests posed a real threat. “This is a siege. It is something that is different in our democracy than I’ve ever experienced in my life,” said Peter Sloly, chief of the Ottawa Police. “We do not have sufficient resources to adequately and effectively address this situation,” while tending to routine policing, he added. In Ottawa, despite frigid temperatures, a band performed on the street in front of Parliament Hill underneath a Canadian flag dangling from a large construction crane. Nearby, several inflatable bouncy castles were set up, and makeshift canteens throughout downtown dispensed food. While there were no serious injuries or uncontrolled violence associated with the demonstrations over the past week, they have nevertheless paralyzed Ottawa’s downtown core with traffic, noise and complaints of harassment. “I’m receiving hundreds — and I’m not exaggerating — hundreds of emails telling me: ‘I went out to get groceries, I got yelled at, I got harassed. I got followed down the street, I’m so afraid that I can’t go out,’” Catherine McKenney, the city councilor for the area, said Thursday afternoon. The Ottawa Police said on Twitter on Saturday that they had received 400 calls related to the demonstrations since they began, resulting in 50 investigations and four people being charged. Throughout the area, many businesses have been closed for days, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in lost sales. Those that have remained open have struggled to enforce provincial mask rules. About 200 to 250 trucks remained downtown from last Saturday’s demonstration, their drivers frequently honking their air horns. Supporters have been delivering diesel fuel to the truckers, who have stacked firewood in parks and built a small wooden canteen building next to a canal that serves as a popular skating rink in the winter. Many residents of downtown Ottawa have turned their frustrations on the city’s police for not aggressively shutting down the protests. Workers blocked some major roads downtown with concrete barriers Friday as part of a new “surge and contain strategy” that Chief Peter Sloly of the Ottawa Police announced. “The surge will deliver a clear message to the demonstrators: The lawlessness must end,” he said. “Our goal is to end the demonstrations.” In Toronto, dozens of cars, pickup trucks and heavy trucks were parked along the city’s high-end shopping district downtown by midday, north of the closed-off legislature building area, with sounds of horns and shouts of “freedom” ringing out. Protesters held up signs of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and used hockey sticks as flagpoles for Canadian flags and Gadsden flags. The Toronto Police announced that they had arrested one man for assault with a weapon, and told the public to steer clear of the demonstrations. Corey Ley, owner of a landscape construction company, drove from his home in Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes region about 85 miles northeast of Toronto to attend Saturday’s demonstration with his wife, two children and two friends. Ley said they packed plenty of provisions to remain at the site, including food, fuel and water. “I’m here until whenever, as long as it takes,” said Ley, who said he wanted proof-of-vaccination and mask policies to be optional rather mandated. In Quebec City, dozens of tractor-trailer cabs were parked two deep for three blocks along one of the major arteries through the downtown area, adjacent to the provincial legislature. Thousands of people lined the sidewalks, cheering on truckers as they arrived or drove past, and a large crowd gathered in front of the legislature, dancing and trying to stay warm as they listened to a series of speakers. David LeBlanc, a biologist from Matapédia, said it was time for the government to lift pandemic restrictions. “Our children are impacted,” he said. “My son is 18 years old. He could not have a trip with his friends at high school. He could not get in the bar to have fun with his friends.” Bruno Marchand, the city’s mayor, said Friday that he had confidence in the police’s ability to keep order, noting that the city deals with 100 protests a year. “If they have a cause they have to do it respectfully. This is the only way to be listened to and understood,” he told reporters. “Otherwise, police officers will have to do their jobs.” Truck convoys of varying sizes congregated in protest near provincial legislatures in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia. A group of truckers continued to block a border crossing to the United States in Alberta. Counterprotesters laid on streets to block a truck convoy as it entered Vancouver, British Columbia. Through GoFundMe, some of the organizers of the truck convoy raised 10 million Canadian dollars, about $7.8 million, but the online service has only turned over about C$1 million of that. On Friday evening, it said in a statement that after speaking with police, it would not release any more of the money. “We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity,” GoFundMe said.

Truck protest against pandemic measures spreads across Canada

Since the Covid pandemic has taken a toll on the US, most Americans have become ‘germaphobes’. &nbsp;&nbsp;

As per a recent survey, which was carried out by Xlear and OnePoll, more than two of three Americans have turned into ‘germaphobes’. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Around 69% respondents of the survey said they have adopted new hygiene practices to avoid falling ill. These include wearing masks and gloves, washing hands more often and others. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-death-toll-crosses-900000-mark-in-us-450593">COVID-19: Death toll crosses 9,00,000 mark in US</a>

Approximately, 68% people said that they have prioritised their hygiene. At least 62% claimed their cleansing habits have “permanently changed for the better”, all thanks to the Covid pandemic. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The survey was published on Wednesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Around 88% respondents said that hygiene is important to them and 57% lamented that they didn’t treat their bodies as well as they should have. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republican-party-in-us-terms-capitol-attack-as-legitimate-political-discourse-450602">Republican party terms US Capitol attack as 'legitimate political discourse'</a>

In a statement accompanying the survey, Xlear’s Dr&nbsp;Lon Jones said, “Keeping the nose clean is important because essentially all respiratory problems begin there.” &nbsp; &nbsp;

Jones looked to suggest that those seeking improved health should start with taking better care of their noses. The company’s CEO Nathan Jones also concurred, and said that he was an “avid nose washer.” &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Since the Covid pandemic has taken a toll on the US, most Americans have become ‘germaphobes’. As per a recent survey, which was carried out by Xlear and OnePoll, more than two of three Americans have turned into ‘germaphobes’.

Since the Covid pandemic has taken a toll on the US, most Americans have become ‘germaphobes’. As per a recent survey, which was carried out by Xlear and OnePoll, more than two of three Americans have turned into ‘germaphobes’. Around 69% respondents of the survey said they have adopted new hygiene practices to avoid falling ill. These include wearing masks and gloves, washing hands more often and others. Also Read | COVID-19: Death toll crosses 9,00,000 mark in US Approximately, 68% people said that they have prioritised their hygiene. At least 62% claimed their cleansing habits have “permanently changed for the better”, all thanks to the Covid pandemic. The survey was published on Wednesday. Around 88% respondents said that hygiene is important to them and 57% lamented that they didn’t treat their bodies as well as they should have. Also Read: Republican party terms US Capitol attack as 'legitimate political discourse' In a statement accompanying the survey, Xlear’s Dr Lon Jones said, “Keeping the nose clean is important because essentially all respiratory problems begin there.” Jones looked to suggest that those seeking improved health should start with taking better care of their noses. The company’s CEO Nathan Jones also concurred, and said that he was an “avid nose washer.” (With inputs from agencies)

After Covid pandemic, most Americans turned into ‘germaphobes’, says survey

American study shows that COVID pandemic is generating more than 7,000 tonnes of medical waste every day and much of it is made up of disposable face masks. However a Taiwanese company found an innovative way to deal with the problem.

Taiwanese company finds innovative way to deal with medical waste

Every morning, Ashley, a mother of two on Long Island in New York, has to navigate an ethical minefield: Her children’s schools send out a health questionnaire for COVID-19.

The “daily attestation,” as it is known, asks people to volunteer information about their health: “Fever of 100 or above?” “Sore Throat?” “In the past 14 days, have you knowingly been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19?”

Answer in the negative, and entry is granted. Answer in a way that suggests you or a family member may be sick, and you’re banned. And herein lies the problem: The forms are on the honor system.

“My kids have a runny nose the entire year,” said Ashley, who like many people interviewed for this story asked that she be identified only by her first name because she feared reprisal. “If I was to say, ‘Yes, they have one of these symptoms,’ they can’t go to school.”

So Ashley does what she feels she must. She fibs.

“It makes me uncomfortable when I do it,” she said, but added, “you kind of have to survive.”

Some attestation forms seem impractical, requiring parents to interview their pre-school-age children about their health, when some that age can’t distinguish between a boo-boo and a sore throat.

Other forms are easily bypassed, rendering them ineffectual.

In 2020, the University of Southern California created a Trojan Check system that students quickly discovered could be bypassed by registering as a guest. One student even created an auto-fill shortcut and posted it to Reddit.

Lying on these questionnaires, which are also used by employers, airlines and day care centers, has become so widespread that the humor publication McSweeney’s ran a recent spoof: “Fill out a daily health attestation by 5 a.m. We understand that you will lie.”

Ethicists say that a system in which people routinely answer falsely can undermine public confidence. “It sows the seeds of distrust,” said Keith Meador, director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. “We all have a common commitment to protecting one another.”

Abbie, who works in marketing and lives in midtown Manhattan, often finds herself bending the truth, even though she has a toddler daughter too young to qualify for the vaccine and a husband who is immunocompromised.

“She’s a day care kid — she’s had a cough since she started going. Sometimes I say ‘no’ because this is just her normal cough,” Abbie said. “But technically, she has a cough, so, yeah, I’m fibbing. I say ‘yes’ when it’s a different cough.”

Part of the problem is that the binary yes/no format allows no room for nuance, encouraging users to err on the side of healthy. This is especially true with schools and workplaces that have a zero-symptom policy: Fess up to a headache, no matter if it’s sinus, and it can result in a 10-day home quarantine.

So, people fudge to avoid all the stress and hassle.

“Think about the implications,” Ashley said. “You have working parents who have to completely rearrange their day, figure out how to parent and excel at their jobs. Because of that ripple effect, it’s causing people to be dishonest.”

So, what purpose do these questionnaires serve? “It creates an accountability,” said Pamela Herd, a professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies surveys.

Herd added that people are more likely to disclose information if they are asked to do so and more likely to answer honestly if asked via computer rather than face-to-face because they don’t feel judged.

Herd also fills out a daily screener for her middle-school-age daughter and has noticed that the questionnaire hasn’t changed in more than a year. Answering it has become rote, an exercise in checking boxes with eyes half closed. “You’re not reading it anymore,” she said, “which may weaken the effect.”

The COVID-19 attestations first appeared in the summer of 2020, when workplaces, schools and day camps were figuring how to safely return to in-person attendance. Instead of collecting and analyzing all that data themselves, many schools and employers turned to vendors such as Medcor, a health care firm in Illinois, and Pikmykid, a tech firm in Tampa, Florida, that makes an app that helps schools track students’ whereabouts.

New York University adopted the screeners, in part because it’s required under the New York State Health and Essential Rights Act, but also, “allowing or cutting off access to our buildings is an important part of enforcing our health protocols,” said John Beckman, a spokesperson for the university.

Although “people don’t love filling it out every day” to visit campus, Beckman added, “we continue to find it an effective tool.”

But the daily attestation may be falling out of favor, as a relic from the early days of the pandemic before there were vaccinations or readily available COVID-19 tests.

“As we evolved and learned more, many companies replaced day-to-day screenings with a vaccine or testing mandate,” said Carol Goodman, an employment lawyer at law firm Herrick Feinstein.

But many companies still use the forms, inadvertently encouraging parents and employees to become fibbers.

The other day, Abbie forgot to fill out her daughter’s COVID-19 attestation, but her daughter was allowed to attend day care anyway. The experience shook her confidence in the system. “The school clearly isn’t following up with parents who forgot to do it,” she said. “I wonder if other parents are taking it seriously.”

Every morning, Ashley, a mother of two on Long Island in New York, has to navigate an ethical minefield: Her children’s schools send out a health questionnaire for COVID-19.

Every morning, Ashley, a mother of two on Long Island in New York, has to navigate an ethical minefield: Her children’s schools send out a health questionnaire for COVID-19. The “daily attestation,” as it is known, asks people to volunteer information about their health: “Fever of 100 or above?” “Sore Throat?” “In the past 14 days, have you knowingly been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19?” Answer in the negative, and entry is granted. Answer in a way that suggests you or a family member may be sick, and you’re banned. And herein lies the problem: The forms are on the honor system. “My kids have a runny nose the entire year,” said Ashley, who like many people interviewed for this story asked that she be identified only by her first name because she feared reprisal. “If I was to say, ‘Yes, they have one of these symptoms,’ they can’t go to school.” So Ashley does what she feels she must. She fibs. “It makes me uncomfortable when I do it,” she said, but added, “you kind of have to survive.” Some attestation forms seem impractical, requiring parents to interview their pre-school-age children about their health, when some that age can’t distinguish between a boo-boo and a sore throat. Other forms are easily bypassed, rendering them ineffectual. In 2020, the University of Southern California created a Trojan Check system that students quickly discovered could be bypassed by registering as a guest. One student even created an auto-fill shortcut and posted it to Reddit. Lying on these questionnaires, which are also used by employers, airlines and day care centers, has become so widespread that the humor publication McSweeney’s ran a recent spoof: “Fill out a daily health attestation by 5 a.m. We understand that you will lie.” Ethicists say that a system in which people routinely answer falsely can undermine public confidence. “It sows the seeds of distrust,” said Keith Meador, director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. “We all have a common commitment to protecting one another.” Abbie, who works in marketing and lives in midtown Manhattan, often finds herself bending the truth, even though she has a toddler daughter too young to qualify for the vaccine and a husband who is immunocompromised. “She’s a day care kid — she’s had a cough since she started going. Sometimes I say ‘no’ because this is just her normal cough,” Abbie said. “But technically, she has a cough, so, yeah, I’m fibbing. I say ‘yes’ when it’s a different cough.” Part of the problem is that the binary yes/no format allows no room for nuance, encouraging users to err on the side of healthy. This is especially true with schools and workplaces that have a zero-symptom policy: Fess up to a headache, no matter if it’s sinus, and it can result in a 10-day home quarantine. So, people fudge to avoid all the stress and hassle. “Think about the implications,” Ashley said. “You have working parents who have to completely rearrange their day, figure out how to parent and excel at their jobs. Because of that ripple effect, it’s causing people to be dishonest.” So, what purpose do these questionnaires serve? “It creates an accountability,” said Pamela Herd, a professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies surveys. Herd added that people are more likely to disclose information if they are asked to do so and more likely to answer honestly if asked via computer rather than face-to-face because they don’t feel judged. Herd also fills out a daily screener for her middle-school-age daughter and has noticed that the questionnaire hasn’t changed in more than a year. Answering it has become rote, an exercise in checking boxes with eyes half closed. “You’re not reading it anymore,” she said, “which may weaken the effect.” The COVID-19 attestations first appeared in the summer of 2020, when workplaces, schools and day camps were figuring how to safely return to in-person attendance. Instead of collecting and analyzing all that data themselves, many schools and employers turned to vendors such as Medcor, a health care firm in Illinois, and Pikmykid, a tech firm in Tampa, Florida, that makes an app that helps schools track students’ whereabouts. New York University adopted the screeners, in part because it’s required under the New York State Health and Essential Rights Act, but also, “allowing or cutting off access to our buildings is an important part of enforcing our health protocols,” said John Beckman, a spokesperson for the university. Although “people don’t love filling it out every day” to visit campus, Beckman added, “we continue to find it an effective tool.” But the daily attestation may be falling out of favor, as a relic from the early days of the pandemic before there were vaccinations or readily available COVID-19 tests. “As we evolved and learned more, many companies replaced day-to-day screenings with a vaccine or testing mandate,” said Carol Goodman, an employment lawyer at law firm Herrick Feinstein. But many companies still use the forms, inadvertently encouraging parents and employees to become fibbers. The other day, Abbie forgot to fill out her daughter’s COVID-19 attestation, but her daughter was allowed to attend day care anyway. The experience shook her confidence in the system. “The school clearly isn’t following up with parents who forgot to do it,” she said. “I wonder if other parents are taking it seriously.”

Fever? Sore throat? They just check ‘no’

Experts say that there are signs that the COVID pandemic could become endemic. But protests against COVID mandates are escalating across countries.

Austrians stage protests against govt's COVID measures despite relaxations

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