Variants Mean Coronavirus Is Here To Stay As A Lesser Threat: Scientists Variants Mean Coronavirus Is Here To Stay As A Lesser Threat: Scientists The illusion - or, as one scientist puts it, the delusion - that science had bested the virus crumbled as mutation-ridden variants with concerning new characteristics were detected.
The coronavirus variants can slip past some of the immunity generated by vaccines and prior infections.
In early December, the end of the pandemic glimmered on the horizon. Blockbuster vaccine results suggested a clear path forward. The return to normalcy would take time, but after a year of uncertainty, the conclusion seemingly had come into focus: It was a matter of making vaccine doses and getting them into people s arms.
China claims propaganda win as WHO coronavirus mission leaves empty-handed
Gerry Shih, The Washington Post
Feb. 10, 2021
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TAIPEI, Taiwan - For the World Health Organization, its fact-finding mission to China left many questions on the possible origins of the pandemic. In Beijing, however, the outcome was framed Wednesday as something solid: vindication and triumph.
The WHO s headline announcement - that it would rule out the possibility the virus accidentally leaked from a Wuhan lab - was hailed by Chinese officials and in state media as effectively silencing claims that China was hiding secrets and trying to deflect blame.
But some prominent public health experts in the West questioned whether China offered enough freedom for the WHO team to investigate fully Wuhan s piece of the global pandemic puzzle.
RISK ENVIRONMENT
The type and number of masks you need will depend on where you are going, according to Dr. Josh Schiffer, professor at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
“It is most critical to mask effectively and consistently when in the highest-risk environments for super spreader events,” he said.
Schiffer recommends wearing a cloth mask when walking the dog, for example, and upgrading to a KN95, N95 or double mask when going to the office, grocery store or clinic.
MATERIAL
“If properly worn, all masks are effective,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University. But the material and fit of a mask can make a bigger difference than the number you wear.