Russia’s regions hit hard by second wave
The spiralling coronavirus infection rate across Russia’s nine time zones has aroused anger among many previously apathetic Russians, at what they say is authorities’ inability to cope with the pandemic. Russia has recorded more Covid-19 cases than all but three countries, setting a new daily record of 29,093 on Sunday. The second wave has been particularly hard on Russia’s regions, which account for 70 per cent of active coronavirus cases and mostly lack the modern health infrastructure of Moscow. Read here
Thailand to re-open to the outside world next year
Thailand’s economy should rebound from the shock dealt by the coronavirus pandemic and be ready to re-open to the outside world by the second half of 2021, the kingdom’s finance minister said. Thailand has been one of the Asian economies hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic. Officials closed the country to most foreign travellers in March, and have managed to bring local infections down to near zero. But the measures devastated a tourism industry that generates about 18 per cent of gross domestic product. Read here
Vaccines pose potential side effects, doctors say
Most people taking Pfizer vaccine won’t experience severe allergic reactions to the vaccine, doctors and vaccine experts say. They might, however, experience temporary side effects such as fever and muscle pain. Such side effects are signs of something called reactogenicity, health-care providers and vaccine experts say, an indication that the immune system is doing its job. But the likelihood of getting these temporary side effects might be higher than people expect, some vaccine experts say.
German deaths rise most since start of pandemic
Germany’s daily coronavirus-related deaths rose the most since the outbreak began, highlighting the government’s struggles to contain the spread of the disease. There were 568 fatalities in the 24 hours through Wednesday morning, taking the total to 20,002, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That exceeded the previous high of 510 in mid-April. Infections have also jumped, despite a partial shutdown that closed bars, gyms and cinemas but allowed schools and other business to continue operating. Read here
Singapore cruise-to-nowhere passengers stuck in cabins over Covid
Nearly 1,700 passengers on a Royal Caribbean ‘cruise-to-nowhere’ from Singapore were told to stay in their cabins after a Covid-19 case was detected on board, forcing the ship back to port, authorities said. All passengers had cleared a mandatory polymerase chain reaction test for Covid-19 up to three days before the cruise started. The infected passenger, an 83-year-old male, had reported to the onboard medical centre with diarrhoea, and others on board were told of the infection. Read here
China tells cabin crew to wear diapers on risky covid flights
China’s aviation regulator is recommending cabin crew on charter flights to high-risk Covid-19 destinations wear disposable diapers and avoid using the bathroom to reduce the risk of infection. The advice comes in a 38-page list of guidelines for airlines to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Other advice for the flights includes dividing the cabin into “clean area, buffer zone, passenger sitting area and quarantine area,” separated by disposable curtains. The last three rows should be designated as an emergency quarantine area. The recommendation applies for charter flights to and from countries and regions where infections exceed 500 in every one million people. Read here
Specials
A generation is being raised in quarantine
A generation of young children are living in a particular new type of bubble — one without other children. They are the toddlers of Covid-19. Gone for many are the play dates, music classes, birthday parties, the serendipity of the sandbox or the side-by-side flyby on adjacent swing sets. Many families skipped day care enrollment in the fall, and others have withdrawn amid the new surge in coronavirus cases. With months of winter isolation looming, parents are growing increasingly worried about the developmental effects of the ongoing social deprivation on their very young children. Read here
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