#coronavirus-variants
#coronavirus-variants

What's Next for the Coronavirus?

New variants may emerge, challenging immunity.

Scientists studying virus evolution, immune response, and vaccine effectiveness. [ more ]

Washington Post

India randomly testing international visitors for COVID-19

People walk past a girl wearing a face mask in a shopping district of Mumbai, India, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.India has begun randomly testing international passengers arriving at its airports for COVID-19, the country's health minister said Thursday, citing an increase in cases in neighboring China and also asked the public to wear masks and maintain social distancing, even though there are no official mandates for either.

english.elpais.com

1 month ago

U.S. airport nasal swabbing expanding to Chicago and Miami

Expansion of CDC program to test international travelers for Covid-19 and other infectious diseases at more airports

Program detects coronavirus variants quickly and tests for flu and RSV as well [ more ]

www.cnn.com

11 months ago

Health

SFO becomes first US airport to formally launch airplane wastewater testing for emerging Covid-19 variants

San Francisco International Airport has launched a program with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test wastewater from airplanes for traces of emerging coronavirus variants.Traces of the virus that causes Covid-19 can be detected in people's feces when they are infected, even if they don't have symptoms.

www.aljazeera.com

India begins to randomly test international visitors for COVID

Federal health minister announces new rule in parliament, citing an increase in cases in neighbouring China.India has begun randomly testing international passengers arriving at its airports for COVID-19, the country's federal health minister has said, citing an increase in cases in neighbouring China.

www.thelocal.no

Norway enters new Covid wave' as minister issues warning

A new Covid-19 omicron variant, BF.7, which may be more resistant to vaccines, has begun spreading throughout Norway.Published: 8 November 2022 09:28 CET At the time of writing, B.A.5 is still the most common omicron variant in Norway, but BF.7 is on the rise it is now detected in 1 in 10 virus samples in Norway analysed by the National Institute of Public Health (FHI).

www.thelocal.no

Covid-19: New omicron variant spreading in Norway

A new Covid-19 omicron variant, BF.7, which may be more resistant to vaccines, has begun spreading throughout Norway.Published: 8 November 2022 09:28 CET Health authorities are now asking people in the risk group, both for the flu and coronavirus, to get vaccinated.Photo by Mufid Majnun / Unsplash At the time of writing, B.A.5 is still the most common omicron variant in Norway, but BF.7 is on the rise it is now detected in 1 in 10 virus samples in Norway analysed by the National Institute of Public Health (FHI).

The Independent

UK news

Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 booster approved by UK medicines regulator

An updated Covid-19 booster vaccine has been approved for use in the UK.

Theregister

Artificial intelligence

AI-designed COVID-19 drug nominated for preclinical trials

An oral medication designed by scientists with the help of AI algorithms could one day treat patients with COVID-19 and other types of diseases caused by coronaviruses.

Washington Post

11 months ago

Mexico develops own COVID-19 vaccine, 2 years late

MEXICO CITY - Mexican officials celebrated Wednesday the announcement that the country finally developed its own COVID-19 vaccine, more than two years after inoculations from the U.S., Europe and China were rolled out.Are you on Telegram?Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine.

the Guardian

US life expectancy dropped in 2021 for second consecutive year

US life expectancy dropped for the second consecutive year in 2021, falling by nearly a year from 2020, according to a government report released on Wednesday.

www.aljazeera.com

Australia offers 4th COVID shot as subvariants fuel new wave

Authorities expand the rollout of COVID booster shots to people aged 30 and above as hospitalisations fuelled by Omicron subvariants rise.

www.aljazeera.com

World news

China to resume visas for South Koreans after COVID row

Move comes after Seoul last week scrapped COVID-related travel restrictions for arrivals from China.China will resume short-term visas for travellers from South Korea after Seoul scrapped pandemic-related travel restrictions that angered Beijing.China will begin processing short-term visas for South Koreans for business, transit and other private affairs from Saturday, the Chinese embassy in Seoul said in a post on its official WeChat account on Wednesday.

www.aljazeera.com

India makes negative COVID test mandatory for five countries

Travellers arriving from countries, including China, will have to show a negative COVID-19 test to enter the country.India has mandated a COVID-19 negative test report for travellers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand, the federal health minister said.Passengers from those countries would be put under quarantine if they showed symptoms of COVID-19 or tested positive, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted on Saturday, as he posted photographs of tests being conducted at the international airport in the capital, New Delhi.

www.euronews.com

France politics

European nations tighten COVID rules for Chinese travellers

France, Spain and the UK will implement tougher COVID-19 measures for passengers arriving from China.Paris is requiring negative tests and is urging French citizens to avoid non-essential travel to China.It's also reintroducing mask requirements on flights from China to France.French health authorities will carry out random PCR tests at airports on passengers arriving from China to identify potential new coronavirus variants.

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles

COVID hospitalization rates in babies as bad as for seniors amid Omicron wave, study shows

Infants younger than 6 months had the same rate of hospitalization as seniors age 65 to 74 during this summer's Omicron wave, according to a new report.The findings, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, show that COVID-19 can still cause severe and fatal outcomes in children too young to be vaccinated.

www.cnn.com

Health

CDC director tests positive for Covid-19

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.

EL PAIS English Edition