Celebrations of the Chinese New Year around the world will take place this time in violation of centuries-old traditions. In China itself, fireworks and mass celebrations have been canceled, intercity travel is banned, and arriving citizens must undergo a two-week quarantine. The number of Covid-19 cases in all countries is approaching 108 million. 2.38 million people have died and 80.5 million have recovered, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. The top five most affected countries have remained unchanged for a long time: the United States, which accounts for more than a quarter of all cases, India, Brazil, Russia, and the United Kingdom. February 12 marks the beginning of 4719 according to the Chinese lunar calendar, but Covid-19 will disrupt centuries of tradition. Although there have been no new cases of the disease in the country in recent days, authorities have not eased restrictions.
Modesty, bravery, diligence. How they celebrate the Year of the Ox in China. Mass processions, fireworks, costume performances and dances were banned, and most importantly – traveling from town to town. According to Chinese tradition, relatives, especially parents and adult children, should celebrate the holiday together. The annual travel of Chinese people during the Lunar New Year is considered the largest regular migration of people in the world. Chinese living abroad can come to the country and visit their relatives, but they must undergo a two-week quarantine, which effectively renders the visit meaningless. The only joy that remains is a celebration in a small circle. But online shopping has won. In the past three weeks, the number of parcels sent to China for New Year gifts that people cannot give in person has increased by 57%, and the amount of food ordered has almost doubled.
According to the latest data, the UK’s GDP fell by 9.9% last year. A further decline of 4.2% is forecast for January-March compared to the first quarter of last year. Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, in an interview with the BBC, acknowledged a “serious shock” but explained that the high figures were partly related to the methodology of calculating GDP, which is different from that used in most countries, and that the situation was in fact no worse or even slightly better than in Germany, Italy, Spain and Canada.
Many British companies have not withstood the challenges of lockdowns. Systematic measurement of GDP in the United Kingdom began after World War II, and during this period the maximum annual decline to date has been 4.1%. However, Bank of England models allow estimation of GDP over several centuries, and according to them, the current contraction of the British economy is the worst since 1709, when the country experienced an unusually severe winter. On Friday, the coefficient R, which describes the average number of people to whom infected individuals transmit the infection, fell below 1 across the country for the first time since the fall, reaching 0.7-0.9. This means that the epidemic is declining in all regions of the UK. On Monday, the United Kingdom will pass an important milestone – as planned, it will complete the vaccination of citizens aged 70 and over and healthcare workers. According to the government, 14 million people, or more than 20% of the country’s population, have already received the first dose, and 530,000 have received the second.
We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. The number of offers should remain: Episodes End of Story Podcast Advertising Doctors in France are fighting for the life of a patient who contracted the South African strain of the coronavirus 4 months after recovering from Covid-19. Last September, doctors detected the coronavirus in a 58-year-old man with asthma who complained of shortness of breath and a high fever. Within days, however, the symptoms disappeared, and in December he underwent two coronavirus tests, both of which came back negative. In January, however, he was hospitalized again, diagnosed with the South African strain of coronavirus, and is now in intensive care in critical condition, hooked up to a ventilator. Doctors say this is the first reported case of severe reinfection with the South African strain, which occurred 4 months after the patient had a mild form of COVID-19. The description was published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. As a result, vaccine manufacturers Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna rushed to ensure that their vaccine would not lose effectiveness against both the South African and British strains. At the same time, a study last week showed that AstraZeneca’s vaccine does not prevent infection with the South African strain in mild and moderate forms. Also on Friday, the French Agency for the Certification of Medicines recommended that citizens who have recovered from Covid-19 should receive one dose of the vaccine for preventive purposes, instead of the two doses recommended by the manufacturer. France is the first country in the world to make such a recommendation.
While waiting for vaccination, Japanese people maintain a healthy mind in a healthy body. Meanwhile, Japan is just beginning its vaccination efforts. “We will start vaccination in the middle of next week,” said Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Japanese people will receive the Pfizer vaccine. Healthcare workers will be the first to receive the vaccine, followed by the elderly around April. Japan ranks 37th in the world in the number of people infected (410,000) and 41st in the number of deaths from Covid-19 (6,678 people).
Matches in front of empty stands for the first time in the history of the Australian Open. For the third time since the beginning of the pandemic, authorities in the Australian state of Victoria have imposed a temporary ban on mass gatherings due to the emergence of the “British strain” of the coronavirus in Melbourne. The disease has been detected in 12 people who had contact with the original carrier of the virus, an employee of one of the hotels. The lockdown will go into effect at midnight Friday into Saturday and will continue through the end of Wednesday. The remaining matches of the ongoing Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne will be played without spectators, who will be refunded their tickets, tournament director Greg Tiley announced. Up to 30,000 people attended the games every day. The number of offers should remain the same: The State Premier, Daniel Andrews, assured that the recent coronavirus outbreak is not related to the Australian Open.