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What next can we expect of the pandemic? | In Focus podcast
Here are the latest updates:
Hong Kong leader calls for calm, after supermarkets emptied ahead of mass COVID testing
Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam called for calm on Tuesday after residents emptied supermarkets, stocking up on produce ahead of reports of compulsory mass COVID-19 testing and rumours of a city-wide lockdown.
Local media reported compulsory COVID testing would start after March 17, sparking concerns many people will be forced to isolate and families with members testing positive would be separated.
Lam appealed to the public “not to fall prey to rumours to avoid unnecessary fears being stirred,” with the supply of food and goods remaining normal, according to a statement on March 1. - Reuters
California, Oregon, Washington to drop school mask mandates
Schoolchildren in California, Oregon and Washington will no longer be required to wear masks as part of new indoor mask policies the Democratic governors of all three states announced jointly on February 28.
“With declining case rates and hospitalizations across the West, California, Oregon and Washington are moving together to update their masking guidance,” the governors said in a statement. There are more than 7.5 million school-age children across the three States, which have had some of the strictest coronavirus safety measures during the pandemic.
The new guidance will make face coverings strongly recommended rather than a requirement at most indoor places in California starting March 1 and at schools on March 12, regardless of vaccination status. In Washington and Oregon, all the requirements will lift on March 12. In all three states, the decision of whether to follow the state guidance will now rest with school districts. - AP
White House: 40% of free COVID tests to low-income areas
The White House says 40% of COVID-19 tests ordered through its program to distribute free at-home rapid tests have gone to Americans in distressed areas.
That’s an upward revision from an estimate of around 20% of free tests ordered by people in “high vulnerability Zip Codes” that White House officials had earlier provided to The Associated Press.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced that his administration would make available 500 million free COVID tests to anyone who wanted one. The U.S. Postal Service was tapped to deliver the packages of four free tests per household. Officials placed a special focus on reaching low-income Americans. - AP
Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine less effective in ages 5-11, says New York study
Two doses of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccine was protective against severe disease in children aged 5 to 11 during the recent Omicron variant surge, but quickly lost most of its ability to prevent infection in the age group, according to a study by New York State researchers.
The vaccine’s efficacy against infection among those children declined to 12% at the end of January from 68% in mid-December compared to kids who did not get vaccinated, according the study, which has not yet been peer reviewed.
For those aged 12 to 17, the vaccine’s protection against infection fell to 51% in late January from 66% in mid-December.
“These results highlight the potential need to study alternative vaccine dosing for children and the continued importance layered protections, including mask wearing, to prevent infection and transmission,” the researchers said. - Reuters
New COVID-19 cases below 100 in Chennai after three months
After showing sharp increase in the number of new infections daily for several weeks, Chennai district recorded a drop with 96 new cases being reported in a day on February 28.
Ever since the Health Department began issuing district-wise infection data in May 2020, Chennai appeared to have been in the red, always recording significantly higher number of infections compared to other districts.
COVID-hit civil services aspirants seek second chance for UPSC mains
Civil services aspirants who were infected by COVID-19 and unable to appear in the Union Public Service main examination in 2021 have moved the Supreme Court seeking a second opportunity.
A Bench led by Justice A. M. Khanwilkar listed the case for March 7 and asked the three aspirant-petitioners to serve advance copies of their petition to all the parties listed in the case.
