Coronavirus

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's Olympic Committee said it had cancelled the remainder of the Olympic Torch relay through the country on Friday (March 13) to avoid attracting crowds that could raise the risk of coronavirus contagion. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch relay got under way on Thursday when the flame was lit by the rays of the sun in ancient Olympia in a ceremony that was scaled down in the face of the pandemic. The flame's journey in Greece had been due to last seven days. On Friday it arrived in the Peloponnese town of Sparta, where Hollywood actors Billy Zane and Gerard Butler, star of the 2009 movie "300", also ran as a torchbearers. Hundreds of people gathered to watch as the torch passed through. The Hellenic Olympic Committee said the opening leg of the relay had attracted unexpectedly high crowds, forcing it to suspend the remaining stops after consultations with the Greek Health Ministry and the International Olympic Committee. The handover of the flame to the …

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ROME (Reuters) - Theo Hernandez has tested positive for COVID-19 on his return from international duty with France, AC Milan said on Wednesday. The left back started both of France’s games at the UEFA Nations League Finals in Italy, providing a goal and an assist as the world champions defeated Belgium and Spain to lift the trophy. "Hernandez has tested positive for a swab carried out at home. The relevant local health authorities have been informed and the player is doing well," read a note on Milan's website. Hernandez is the second member of the French squad to contract the virus in the last week, after Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot missed the final following a positive test on Saturday. Hernandez has been a key player for Milan this season, making nine appearances in all competitions, and the news comes as blow ahead of a busy run of games for the team. Stefano Pioli’s side, who are second in Serie A, face Hellas Verona and Bologna over the next two weekends, …

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US employers posted a record 10.1 million job openings in June, another sign that the job market and economy are bouncing back briskly from last year’s coronavirus shutdowns. Job openings rose from 9.5 million in May, the Labor Department reported Monday. Employers hired 6.7 million workers in June. The gap between openings and hiring suggests that firms are scrambling to find workers. A record low 1.3 million people were laid off or fired in June. The US economy has rebounded with unexpected strength as the rollout of vaccines allows businesses to reopen or expand hours and encourages cooped-up Americans to get out again and visit restaurants, bars and shops. Still, the fast-spreading delta variant has cast a shadow over the outlook. Daily cases are averaging more than 100,000, up from fewer than 12,000 in late June but down around 250,000 in early January. On Friday, the Labor Department reported that the economy generated 943,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate …

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Since the beginning of the country's vaccination drive, 69.26 crore people have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and 27.88 crore are fully vaccinated. (Representative image) India administered more than 30.26 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses on October 14, taking the total number of jabs past 97.14 crore, according to the Union Health Ministry. On the 272nd day of the vaccination drive, 13.67 lakh individuals received their first shot and 16.58 lakh their second dose. Since the beginning of the country's vaccination drive, 69.26 crore people have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 27.88 crore are fully vaccinated. After a slow start, India's vaccination drive picked up in the last few weeks. It took the country 85 days to give the first 10 crore doses, 45 days for the next 10 crore and 29 days to reach the 30-crore mark. The country took 24 days to reach 40 crore and 20 days to cross 50 crore doses on August 6. Let's check out some key …

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On the 273rd day of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, 3.39 lakh beneficiaries received their first shot and 4.96 lakh their second dose. (Representative image: Reuters) More than 8.36 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered in India on October 15, taking the total number of jabs to over 97.23 crore, the Union Health Ministry said. On the 273rd day of the vaccination drive, 3.39 lakh beneficiaries received their first shot and 4.96 lakh their second dose. After a slow start, India’s vaccination drive picked up over the last few weeks. It took the country 85 days to give the first 10 crore doses, the next 10 crore took 45 days and, in another 29 days, India touched the 30-crore mark. The country took 24 days to reach 40 crore and 20 days to cross 50-crore doses on August 6. By September 13, 75 crore COVID-19 vaccines had been given. The biggest jump, however, came on September 17, when more than 2.1 crore doses were given in a day. The government has revised the gap …

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A healthcare worker gives a dose of the COVISHIELD vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), manufactured by Serum Institute of India, to a farmer in his field, during a door-to-door vaccination drive in Banaskantha district in the western state of Gujarat. (Representative image: Reuters) More than 65.86 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered in India on October 11, taking the total number of jabs to over 95.89 crore, the Union Health Ministry said. On the 269th day of the vaccination drive, 33.63 lakh beneficiaries received their first shot and 32.22 lakh their second dose. After a slow start, India’s vaccination drive picked up over the last few weeks. It took the country 85 days to give the first 10 crore doses, the next 10 crore took 45 days and, in another 29 days, India touched the 30-crore mark. The country took 24 days to reach 40 crore and 20 days to cross 50-crore doses on August 6. By September 13, 75 crore COVID-19 vaccines had been given. The …

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Representational Image (Wallpaper Flare) Manisha*, a 34-year-old homemaker, attempted suicide by consuming mouthwash in April. She was saved, as she was hospitalised on time. She was later referred to a psychiatrist for further treatment and counselling. She was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. She is now on anti-depressant pills and counselling. People who knew her for years were stunned and couldn't believe that she tried to kill herself. Her family life is stable, with a 5-year-old child and hardly any signs of financial difficulties. In this case, Manisha is lucky to survive and to get proper medical attention. But many are not so lucky. The death of Bollywood's rising star Sushant Singh Rajput by suicide has brought to the fore the lurking mental health problem that never got the attention it deserved. Close COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural …

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Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin In this case, it don’t matter if you are vaccinated or unvaccinated. You should be wearing a face mask when in any public indoor setting. That’s essentially what the newly updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on “Holiday Celebrations ” is saying about practically everyone . Of course, when you are less than two years of age, you shouldn’t have a credit card, hold a license to drive a tractor, or have to wear a face mask as a Covid-19 precaution. But otherwise, as long as you can have more than one candle on your birthday cake, you had better cover up your nose and mouth. The guidance now says “Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings if you are not fully vaccinated,” as opposed to over your chin, your butt, or your elbow. It also indicates that “Even those who are fully vaccinated should wear a mask in public indoor settings in communities with …

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Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Usually when you compare two things, they have to be somehow related. Otherwise, you may raise some eyebrows by saying something like, “these chips are making me thirsty, yet I got some botox injected into my face.” That’s why Representative Marjorie Taylor-Greene’s (R-Georgia) attempt to compare Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get the Covid-19 vaccine with Magic Johnson’s HIV diagnosis back in the 1990’s got a collective “what the bleep” from the Twittersphere. Irving, a star point guard for the Brooklyn Nets, has remained unvaccinated despite the New York City (NYC) government requiring proof of vaccination to participate in group indoor activities such as sporting events in NYC. This requirement was put in place to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) because those unvaccinated may be more likely to catch and spread the virus. Since Brooklyn is in NYC until further notice, the …

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Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Shake off stay-at-home doldrums and instead dream of far-flung destinations by deep-diving into The Best American Travel Writing 2021 , a new curated anthology of evocative and enlightening essays (published this month by Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers). Its well-crafted words will linger in your thoughts long after you’ve finished the closing chapter. This year marks the final edition of this annual best-of book series, which was brainstormed more than two decades ago by travel expert extraordinaire Jason Wilson , who has overseen its impressive literary life span. Wilson penned the book’s compelling Foreword, opining about “the before times” — before COVID-19. The novel coronavirus’s impact on the travel industry and our ability to wander the globe at will has been significant. How to make sense of that overwhelming tsunami? Wilson muses about our roads ahead, discovering joy on fresh horizons. …

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