People with Type O blood are less likely to be infected with coronavirus, Danish researchers have found. While this may play a certain role in the distribution of vaccines if they’re in short supply, citizens were still urged to maintain good hand hygiene and social distancing. A comprehensive joint research by Aarhus University and the University of Southern Denmark has identified a blood type that offers better chances of resisting Covid-19. According to the research, which featured the data of 470,000 Danes tested for the coronavirus, people with Type O blood are less like to become infected with coronavirus than people […]
coronavirus pandemic
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One of the major concerns is that mutations of the virus in mink could reduce the effectiveness of a future vaccine in humans infected with mink variations of the coronavirus. Furthermore, a link between an infected mink farm and COVID-19 infections and deaths at care homes has been established, the Danish information reported. Up to 1.5 million mink will be put down at dozens of mink farms across Denmark due to the spread of COVID-19 among the animals and risk of further mutation. As of this week, coronavirus has been detected at 89 mink farms across Denmark. Close to 10 percent […]
Although not a bulwark of the Norwegian economy, the tourism industry accounts for over 165,000 jobs in a nation of 5.4 million and corresponds to 1.8 percent of its GDP. According to new analysis by the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), total tourist consumption between January and August of 2020 fell by a staggering NOK 41 billion ($4.4 billion) compared with the same period last year, the news outlet Kampanje reported. The decline in tourist consumption was most significant among foreign tourists, with a 68% decline in the period – from NOK 46 billion (nearly $5 billion) to NOK 14 billion […]
As new coronavirus cases begin to resurge throughout the United Kingdom, Westminister and the devolved administrations are looking to introduce new lockdown measures to curb the rising localised outbreaks. The Scottish government announced on Monday that it will be introducing a three-tier framework of coronavirus restrictions later in October, following a similar system being imposed in England. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged to “align as closely as possible with other UK nations” on a strategic level as more stringent measures were brought in for Scotland’s central belt on Friday. Sturgeon clarified that the 2-week “reset” restrictions, which have seen pubs and restaurants […]
As coronavirus cases begin to reascend in the United Kingdom following the release of lockdown restrictions, areas in the country worst affected are beginning to introduce localised rules to bring cases back down. A public health official in Newcastle flouted government scientists on Friday and demanded pubs and restaurants remain open despite coronavirus cases in the city being among the worst in the UK. Professor Eugene Milne, public health director for the city, has opposed plans by local officials to close hospitality and leisure venues next week to reduce Covid-19 infection rates and described the measures as counter-productive. He said that […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/06/1080682238_0:0:3192:1795_1200x675_80_0_0_7b3c3c5b405e64553ab69b0fbc8bf1f2.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/uk/202010061080682290-nicola-sturgeon-calls-scottish-mp-who-breached-coronavirus-restrictions-margaret-covid/ Earlier this month, Nicola Sturgeon called on Scottish National Party (SNP) MP Margaret Ferrier to “do the right thing” and resign after she took a train from London to Scotland after having tested positive for COVID-19. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has made another slip of the tongue as she called the SNP MP who breached coronavirus restrictions “Margaret COVID.” “The SNP didn’t know last Monday or Tuesday that Margaret COVID had suspected of confirmed COVID”, the first minister said while speaking at the Monday briefing. This is not the first time that Sturgeon has referred to […]
Officials argue that social distancing rules and the pressure brought by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may be contributing to the rise in the number of suicides among US military service members. US military suicide rates have increased by at least 20% this year, in comparison to the same period last year, with Defence Department officials considering the COVID-19 pandemic a potential primary factor, the Associated Press reported on Sunday. Officials mentioned other factors that are also believed to have contributed to the increase in suicide rates among the military’s active and reserve service members, including war-zone deployments, national disasters across the […]
Fans eagerly supported their idol, as the star striker himself casually downplayed his illness, suggesting it was a “bad idea” for the virus itself. Sweden’s evergreen football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. “Zlatan Ibrahimovic has tested positive for COVID-19 after a second round of swab tests. The club has informed the relevant authorities and the player has been immediately quarantined at home,” his club Milan informed, stressing that other players tested negative. The news put Milan’s web page temporarily out of order due to user overload. However, the 38-year-old striker, who is known for his larger-than-life […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080435760_0:194:1865:1243_1200x675_80_0_0_9db30805a1879cb5911e9a22d175a2b8.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/world/202009111080435794-unga-adopts-resolution-recognizing-covid-19-as-one-of-greatest-challenges-in-its-history/ UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – The UN General Assembly said in a new resolution the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic represents one of the greatest challenges since the establishment of the United Nations. “The General Assembly [recognizes] that the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest global challenges in the history of the United Nations,” the text of the resolution adopted on Friday said. The resolution notes with concern the impact of the pandemic on health, the loss of life, wellbeing, humanitarian needs, human rights, livelihoods, food security, education, poverty and the global economy. According to […]
United States lawmakers are in a deadlock over the proposed fifth funding package to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. With Republicans demanding a “skinny” bill of limited funding and Democrats wanting substantial support. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Tuesday that a vote will be forced on the GOP’s coronavirus relief package following weeks of closed-door negotiations between Republican senators and the White House. “Today, the Senate Republican majority is introducing a new targeted proposal, focused on some of the very most urgent healthcare, education, and economic issues. … I will be moving immediately today to set up a floor vote […]
However, it has also faced criticism and questions from some Western countries and companies, especially those developing their own vaccines—often based on technologies yet to be proven for safety and efficacy, such as mRNA or monkey adenoviral vector-based platforms. Following the publication of the results of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials of Sputnik V in The Lancet, we would like to summarize answers to these questions and ask some of our own.wn. Question 1: Did you steal your vaccine? No, we did not steal it. The vaccine uses a unique two-vector human adenovirus technology which no-one else in […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105739/28/1057392872_0:104:2048:1256_1200x675_80_0_0_957977e5b1ab42b73eacbc2af0d5d6d0.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/world/202009011080332897-british-pounddollar-rises-to-highest-price-since-december-2019/ The dollar fell not only against major currencies but also against emerging Asian ones, as analysts project it will remain extremely low in the near future. The British pound hit $1.3402, its highest price since December 2019, after the Japanese foreign minister said that the UK and Japan are close to signing a trade deal. The dollar was at 0.9021 Swiss francs, falling close to its lowest point in more than five years. While it is set to remain low, it is unlikely to lose its status as the world’s reserve currency, according to […]
As Moscow announced the beginning of post-registration trials of anti-COVID vaccine Sputnik V on 26 August, the US added a group of Russian research institutes, including the one testing the anti-coronavirus drug, to its sanctions list. International observers have discussed the US move unveiled amid the global effort to curb the pandemic. According to a statement, released by the US Department of Commerce on Wednesday, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding sixty entities under the destinations of nine countries to its sanctions list. These entities have been determined “to be acting contrary […]
UK public debt has exceeded 100% of gross domestic product for the first time since 1963, breaching £2 trillion ($2.6 trillion) following the government’s £26.7 billion ($34.9 billion) borrowing in July. Economists have explained how Britain found itself under such a massive debt burden and whether they can get it under control. “Debt at the end of July 2020 was 100.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), an increase of 20.4 percentage points compared with the same point last year”, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported on Friday. The government is stepping up borrowing to cope with the devastating effects of […]
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had reached a “historic peace agreement” on establishing full diplomatic ties. Under the deal, expected by the US president to be signed in three weeks, Tel Aviv has agreed to postpone its plans on sovereignty extension over the West Bank. The Emirates company, APEX National Investment, announced the signing of a strategic commercial agreement with Israel-based TeraGroup on Saturday, dedicated to the development of research on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to the official Emirates News Agency (WAM). The agreement was signed during a press conference […]
Lawmakers in Britain have suggested that the spread of coronavirus in the UK could have been slowed with earlier quarantine restrictions, on new arrivals entering the country. The Home Affairs committee said a lack of border measures earlier in the pandemic was a “serious mistake”. Political Commentator Mandy Boylett believes that the UK failed to manage its borders correctly during the coronavirus pandemic. Sputnik: Did Britain fail to manage its borders correctly during the Coronavirus pandemic? Mandy Boylett: Absolutely we did. They weren’t doing any checks at the airports, they were allowing people in from Wuhan; in from Italy; in from Iran; which, as […]
The severity of COVID-19 has been linked to the destruction of the surface of the lungs – both due to the viral attack itself and as a consequence of the immune response described as a “double-edged sword”. The same phenomenon, when patients with healthy immune systems succumbed to the disease was observed during the deadly 1918 Spanish Flu. Critically-ill COVID-19 patients can be saved by dampening their immune system, a new study from Aarhus University, Denmark has found. The research indicated that the immune system’s response to fight off COVID-19 by releasing cytokine proteins that impede the spread of viral diseases […]
A team of scientists from Sweden’s leading medical institutions has urged the American public to “stick it out” until there is a vaccine and not attempt to handle the COVID-19 pandemic the Swedish way. 25 Swedish researchers have warned Americans of the risks that could ensue from the Swedish coronavirus response strategy in an opinion piece in USA Today. “Sweden’s approach to COVID has led to death, grief and suffering. The only example we’re setting is how not to deal with a deadly infectious disease,” the signatories, all PhDs at Sweden’s leading universities, caution the US. The researchers urge US policymakers […]
The four horsemen of COVID-19 will ensure that tourists visiting one of Sweden’s most popular summer destinations “behave well”. In an unorthodox move, local authorities on Sweden’s Baltic island of Gotland have recruited equestrians posing as medieval knights on horseback to halt the coronavirus in its tracks amid the height of the summer tourist season. The four horsemen, or so-called “COVID Knights” from the regional medieval reenactment group Torneamentum, Sweden’s oldest, will visit some of Gotland’s most popular tourist attractions this summer, such as its numerous beaches and the medieval town of Visby. To drive the point home, they will be […]
The Compulsory wearing of masks Law is nothing to do with safety or science and everything do with cash and PR. If it’s necessary to wear a mask now, then surely it was even more necessary back on March 12 when the Deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries stated “For the average member of the public walking down a street, it is not a good idea… in fact, you can actually trap the virus in the mask and start breathing it in.” This was the same date that she also said that the Cheltenham Festival and other sporting events could continue […]
The United Kingdom has started to wind down many of the measures introduced to give people a stable income amid the coronavirus pandemic. Nearly a quarter of a million private renters in England are at risk of losing their homes following the end of eviction bans in August, according to estimates from a leading UK housing charity on Monday. A survey by Shelter discovered that 3% of adults in the private rented sector have fallen into arrears since the start of coronavirus pandemic. Based on YouGov polling of over 1,000 private renters across England from 4 to 11 June, the study estimated that […]
The role of vitamin D, which is developed in contact with the sun, has become the focal point of a scientific debate during the pandemic, with results of studies indicating everything from “no correlation” to “a clear link”. A Norwegian survey with tens of thousands of participants intends to reach more clarity on this issue. 140,000 Norwegians are participating in a comprehensive coronavirus study that includes questions about life in general and tanning in particular. “We wonder if there is something positive about sunbathing,” lead researcher Arne Søraas at Oslo University Hospital told national broadcaster NRK. “It would have been very […]
Despite guidance from public health experts, mask-wearing has been a contentious issue in the US. Many politicians, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have criticised President Donald Trump for his refusal to wear a mask in public and for not encouraging the nation to wear them. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that a federal mandate for all Americans to wear masks is “long overdue” as coronavirus cases in the US continue to surge. “My understanding is that the Centers for Disease Control has recommended the use of masks but not required it because they don’t want to offend the president,” […]
The United Kingdom first introduced lockdown measures in March in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and avoid overwhelming the national health service. To keep businesses afloat, Chancellor Rishi Sunak introduced unprecedented stimulus injections to support furloughed workers. Rishi Sunak has been roundly ridiculed on social media for a tweet on Tuesday where he hails the reopening of pubs in the UK. Following the announcement by the prime minister that pubs and restaurants would be reopening from 4 July, the chancellor tweeted that he was excited to “get back to the pub”, with a picture of himself accompanying the […]
French prison residents and law enforcement agents have been exposed to COVID-19 from the outset of the pandemic due to irresponsible actions of the French authorities, argue trade unionists Samuel Gauthier and Noam Anouar. On 9 June 2020, Chief Prosecutor of Paris Remy Heitz launched an investigation into the French state’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, considering possible charges including involuntary homicide, endangering life and failure to assist those in danger which based on roughly 80 complaints filed against the government since March. To date, France accounts for over 194,300 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 29,550 deaths. For comparison’s sake France’s immediate […]
The planned recapitalisation, which is conditioned on environmental measures, may further increase the share of the state in Scandinavia’s flagship carrier, which has suffered greatly during the coronavirus, having furloughed 90 percent of its staff and announced massive layoffs. Sweden and Denmark have unveiled a plan to rescue their struggling flagship carrier SAS, one of numerous airlines hit hard by the coronavirus and its travel restrictions which effectively wiped out all air traffic. According to the recapitalisation plan presented by Swedish Industry Minister Ibrahim Baylan, the government is willing to inject up to SEK 5 billion ($534 million) into the ailing […]
Swedish Interior Minister Mikael Damberg voiced his disappointment with Finland’s decision to keep the border closed over the high number of COVID-19 cases. Unlike its fellow Nordic nations, which are experiencing a cooldown, Sweden is seeing a steep increase in infections, which is attributed to increased testing. The Finnish government has announced that it will open its borders to residents of Norway and Denmark from 15 June as part of a wider reopening to Nordic and Baltic nations. Starting from Monday, the Nordic nation will open its borders to Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Visitors to these countries will […]
Army advisers headed to Afghanistan are currently preparing at the Joint Readiness Training Center on Fort Polk, Louisiana, and their rotation there has the coronavirus pandemic factored in, the commander said. The 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade, out of Fort Carson, Colorado, arrived in Louisiana this month for what is expected to be the first in a restart to the Army’s combat training center rotations that were paused during the pandemic. But mitigation measures aren’t the only way advisers will see COVID-19 during the rotation. Planners at JRTC have “maintained a close dialogue” with 3rd SFAB troops currently in Afghanistan, and […]
The debate over the necessity of the general public using masks has persisted in Finland ever since the arrival of the coronavirus amid conflicting messaging from various authorities. So far, the government has refrained from mandating or even recommending face masks, despite numerous calls from experts. A government-appointed scientific panel has recommended the use of protective masks in public and on public transportation in Finland to reduce the spread of coronavirus until a vaccine is found and made available, national broadcaster Yle reported. The panel also noted a significant risk of a second, more severe second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic […]
Up to 1.5 million Swedes in a nation of 10 million are employed by exports to other countries, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce has emphasised. Up to 1.5 million Swedes in a nation of 10 million are employed by exports to other countries, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce emphasised. Exports of Swedish goods have dwindled sharply due to the novel coronavirus crisis, and this could have far-reaching consequences for the country, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce has warned. In April alone, Swedish foreign trade plummeted by 17 percent compared to the same month last year. “For a small and export-dependent country […]
A recent Finnish study concluded that masks slow the progress of the coronavirus, but cannot entirely eliminate its spread. Overall, they were found to be beneficial, if applied properly and coupled with other precautions. Fabric masks do not protect the wearer from coronavirus, but can help protect other people, the Research Centre of Finland (VTT) has concluded. Researchers also found that a fabric mask is several times inferior to professional protective equipment when it comes to holding back the virus. Having tested polyester and cotton masks, VTT concluded that polyester is a better option than cotton due to its water-resistance and […]
Native American communities have turned out to be the most vulnerable US ethnic minorities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As some states are rushing to lift restrictions to give a boost to the economy, indigenous tribes’ pleas not to expose them to further contagion remain unheard, observes retired UN expert Alfred-Maurice de Zayas. Indigenous tribes in Alaska will be put at a grave risk of COVID-19 infection unless Governor Mike Dunleavy (R) closes this year’s $300 million Bristol Bay commercial salmon fishery, which attracts thousands of non-resident seasonal workers, says a 13 May complaint submitted on behalf of the Bristol Bay Area […]
Visitors to the tiny North Atlantic island nation, which appears to have passed the COVID-19 ordeal with flying colours, will be allowed if tested upon arrival. Having decided to start welcoming tourists starting 15 June, Iceland has become the first European nation to launch a clear plan for resuming tourism. Since the epidemic is now considered to be under control and defeated, at least for the time being, the government has decided to open up Iceland for tourists again. The condition to enter the land of geysers and volcanoes is that you get tested for the coronavirus upon arrival. Passengers will […]
With the Premier League’s powers that be in the process of how the English football league season can restart amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, one of the game’s leading managers has chimed in on the situation. Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has stated that he is keen for the campaign to get underway once again after speculation arose that he was in favour of further delays. Responding to the claims in a press release by Tottenham, Mourinho said. “I don’t think my position in the meeting has been reflected fairly at all today in media reports. I have not asked for […]
South Korea is looking into cases of potential reinfection after the country largely managed to curb the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. If short-term reinfection is a truly common thing it may affect reopening strategies and have scary implications, health experts warn, emphasising the need for effective vaccines. In late April, South Korea’s health authorities were stunned as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests indicated that some patients who recovered from COVID-19 had apparently failed to acquire immunity and seemingly contracted the highly contagious disease again. However, after weeks of research, the nation’s medical professionals put forward the assumption that these […]
Low vitamin D levels could explain why African Americans and even African immigrants in Sweden appear to be disproportionately hard-hit by the coronavirus, regardless of socio-economic factors, researchers have suggested. Vitamin D can protect against getting a severe case of COVID-19, a group of Swedish researchers and doctors have suggested in an article in the medical magazine Läkartidningen. Given that known risk factors for COVID-19 are obesity, diabetes, and being institutionalised, low levels of vitamin D, which are dependent on sun exposure, are common to all of them, the doctors emphasised. “Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of a severe course […]
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian Defence Ministry will start on Thursday withdrawing from Italy the nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) protection troops that provided COVID-19 response assistance to the country, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said. “Tomorrow, we will start withdrawing NBC protection troops from Italy. I ask the chief of the General Staff to organize a solemn reception of the interservice teams, and to provide me with offers on stimulation for the distinguished military, doctors and all those who engaged in the disinfection of Italy’s cities and facilities,” Shoigu said. Since March 22, 15 Russian military aircraft, carrying virology and epidemiology […]