Amid fears of a possible third wave of COVID-19, experts at a recent meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had said that as flu and coronavirus have similar symptoms, the Delhi government should continue vigorous testing to keep the spread of COVID-19 in check during the flu season. ”In response, six per cent of Delhi’s residents said there are currently ‘four or more individuals’ with flu-like symptoms.
Category:
Pandemic
In the future, scientists feel Covid will resemble the common cold-causing virus
A safe and effective vaccine against Covid-19 could save hundreds of thousands of lives in the first year or two of vaccine roll-out, but continued mass vaccination may be less critical once SARS-CoV-2 becomes endemic, the researchers said.
Google launches $3 mn fund to fight misinformation around Covid vaccine
“While the Covid-19 infodemic has been global in nature, misinformation has also been used to target specific populations,” said Alphabet’s Google
“Some of the available research also suggests that the audiences coming across misinformation and those seeking fact checks don’t necessarily overlap.”
COVID-19 spurs calls to boost protections for millions of homeworkers
“Homeworkers have been invisible for too long. But the explosion in homeworking during the pandemic has highlighted the poor working conditions experienced by millions worldwide,” ILO economist Janine Berg told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Homeworkers earn on average 13% less than non-homeworkers in Britain, 22% less in the United States, 25% less in South Africa and about 50% less in Argentina, India and Mexico, the ILO said in a report.
India records 12,584 new cases, lowest in seven months
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,01,11,294 pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.49 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent.
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh.
There are 2,16,558 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.07 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
GSK, Vir to test antibody for COVID-19 treatment
The new trial, supported by England’s National Health Service, is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021 at multiple sites across the UK, the companies said in a joint statement. Preclinical data suggested the companies’ monoclonal antibody (mAb) has the ability to clear infected cells and the potential to enhance virus-specific T cell function, which could help treat and/or prevent infection
Coronavirus spurred changes to global workforce to be permanent
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has estimated that the impact of huge job losses worldwide is creating a fiscal gap that threatens to increase inequality between richer and poorer countries.
The ILO estimated that global labour income declined by 10.7 per cent, or $3.5 trillion, in the first three quarters of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019, excluding government income support.
Japan passport most powerful in 2021, Pakistan continues to be in worst category: Report
According to the report released on January 5, Japanese citizens can travel to as many as 191 countries visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 191 destinations around the world. Singapore is in second place (with a score of 190) and South Korea ties with Germany in third place (with a score of 189).Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Switzerland are tied at the seventh position with regard to the most powerful passports in the world with a visa-free score of 185. Australia stands at the 8th position with a visa score of 184.
India ranks 85th in the most powerful passport report with a visa-free score of 58.
Domestic hospitality industry to contract by 65 pc in FY21: Report
A sharp demand recovery is possible in the later part of the financial year 2021-22, as vaccine rollouts gain traction.
Much though will be contingent upon the spread of the pandemic and success of vaccination efforts, the report by Icra said
China, Vietnam shown there is way of dealing with pandemic even in absence of vaccine: IMF
“I think China, but not only China, but other countries in Asia, look, for example, at Vietnam, have shown that there’s a way of dealing with a pandemic even in the absence of a vaccine, that will allow the economy to get back, at least close to normal operating capacity by learning how to deal with local outbreaks,” Berger told reporters during a conference call.
India’s COVID-19 caseload rises to 1,04,66,595 with 16,311 fresh infections
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,00,92,909, pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.43 per cent, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.44 per cent
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below three lakh. There are 2,22,526 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprise 2.13 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated