The covid-19 pandemic has affected human activity in almost every domain and the whole world has experienced its negative impacts. Coronaviruses are a type of virus. There are many different kinds, and some cause disease. A coronavirus identified in 2019, SARS-CoV-2, has caused a pandemic of respiratory illness, called COVID-19.
COVID-19 is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. The coronavirus can be spread from person to person. It is diagnosed with a laboratory test. Prevention involves physical distancing, mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and staying away from others if you feel sick (also known as quarantine).
There are different variants of this coronavirus. Like other viruses, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can change (mutate). In December 2020, B.1.1.7, a new variant, was identified in the United Kingdom, and since then, variants have appeared in other locations around the world, including B.1.351, first isolated in South Africa,
Alpha variant of coronavirus was first identified in the UK, Beta in South Africa, Gamma in Brazil, Delta in India, and Omicron in South Africa. Omicron was first detected in specimens collected on November 11, 2021 in Botswana and on November 14, 2021 in South Africa. On November 26, 2021, WHO named the B.1.1.529 Omicron and classified it as a Variant of Concern (VOC).
Many new developments occur concerning Covid-19 across the globe. Therefore, I have dedicated this blog post to highlight the latest updates regarding Covid-19. I will post links in descending order below so that you always see the latest news first:
North Korea: The mystery of its Covid outbreak
https://www.bbc.com/news/61651016
London’s Heathrow records lowest annual passenger numbers since 1972
https://www.reuters.com/article/heathrow-results-idCNL8N2UY1ZK
Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: New variant BA.2 could be worse than predecessors for public health, study warns
Bill Gates says Covid risks have ‘dramatically reduced’ but another pandemic is coming
Germany spent about 42 billion euros ($48 billion) to secure jobs threatened by the coronavirus pandemic
Novak Djokovic willing to miss tournaments over vaccine
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60354068
Trudeau vows to freeze anti-mandate protesters’ bank accounts
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60383385
Macron refused to take Russian Covid test
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60346300
AstraZeneca vaccine: Did nationalism spoil UK’s ‘gift to the world’?
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-60259302
Freedom Convoy: Ottawa declares emergency over trucker Covid rules protests
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60281088
Types of COVID-19 Vaccines
https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/there-are-four-types-covid-19-vaccines-heres-how-they-work
WHO warns it is ‘premature’ to declare victory or stop fight against Covid-19
Europe could be headed towards end of pandemic after Omicron, says WHO
Covid self-isolation in England being cut to five full days
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59980505
Inbound/Outbound COVID related health protocols (NCOC – 12-Jan-2022)
Boris Johnson faces calls to quit after lockdown party apology
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-59967930
WHO body says COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated for Omicron
Covid: Half of Europe to be infected with Omicron within weeks – WHO
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59948920
Covid: Thousands protest in France against proposed new vaccine pass
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59925408
Rising Covid cases could see a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work, the UK government says.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59848109
Covid: Pupils to wear masks in class in England’s secondary schools to tackle Omicron
https://www.bbc.com/news/education-59840634
WHO: 2022 can mark the end of COVID’s acute stage
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/12/1108932
What we know about the Omicron variant
https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/what-we-know-about-omicron-variant
IMF extends emergency funding by 18 months due to Covid
AstraZeneca vaccine booster works against Omicron, Oxford lab study finds
Israel plans to give fourth dose of vaccine to over-60s
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-59749967
FDA Authorizes First Oral Antiviral for Treatment of COVID-19
Omicron now accounts for 73% of US COVID cases after spreading at lightning speed
https://fortune.com/2021/12/20/omicron-73-percent-us-covid-fases-fast-spread
Swedish company offers a Covid pass that gets under the skin
https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2021/1222/1268232-covid-pass
Bill Gates tweets that Omicron could be triggering ‘the worst part of the pandemic’
COVID-19: Scientists ‘surprised’ by properties of Omicron variant, says NERVTAG expert
New Zealand delays border re-opening over Omicron concerns
Omicron variant in Pakistan: NCOC lowers age limit for COVID-19 booster dose
COVID: Israel bans travel to US amid omicron concerns
https://www.dw.com/en/covid-israel-bans-travel-to-us-amid-omicron-concerns/a-60191176
France says 110,000 fake health passes in circulation
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211216-france-says-110-000-fake-health-passes-in-circulation
Booster at least 80% effective against severe Omicron
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59696499
Omicron leads many UK schools to close early for Christmas
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/dec/16/omicron-covid-uk-schools-close-early-christmas
Omicron Infects 70 Times Faster But Is Less Severe, Study Says
Pakistan-West Indies ODI series postponed until June 2022
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/917433-pakistan-west-indies-odi-series-postponed-until-june-2022
HKUMed finds Omicron SARS-CoV-2 can infect faster and better than Delta in human bronchus but with less severe infection in lung
https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20211215-omicron-sars-cov-2-infection
Further five West Indies tour members test positive for COVID-19
https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2418265
UK removes all 11 countries from red list
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59653236
Google tells employees they’ll lose pay and will eventually be fired if they don’t follow vaccination rules
Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html
Covid: First UK death recorded with Omicron variant
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59639007
Omicron could cause 75,000 deaths in England by end of April, say scientists
Boosters give up to 75 percent protection from mild Omicron: UK
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/10/boosters-protection-omicron-covid-variant-uk-study
Pakistan confirms first Omicron case
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2333670/pakistan-confirms-first-omicron-case