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Boom and doom? Singapore to launch vaccinated travel lanes with India, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia SINGAPORE: Singapore will extend its vaccinated travel lane (VTL) scheme to more countries starting from Nov 29, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (Nov 15). The country intends to launch VTLs with India and Indonesia from Nov 29, and with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Dec 6.

So I just read these two articles consecutively. Very reassuring lol. One wrong move, and there goes the whole of China all over again. ST: Despite official figures, Wuhan continues to find new asymptomatic coronavirus cases daily https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/despite-official-figures-wuhan-continues-to-find-new-asymptomatic-coronavirus-cases?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=STFB&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2zuDoEfkCBbQWkN5vNLkOy_G0SmzFAiEaWILxFA7G44OexYRFN2uE_a38#Echobox=1585025147 CNA: COVID-19: China to lift travel curbs on Hubei province, including Wuhan https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/china-coovid19-coronavirus-lift-travel-curbs-hubei-wuhan-12570658?cid=FBcna Here's the two articles: ST: Despite official figures, Wuhan continues to find new asymptomatic coronavirus cases daily BEIJING (CAIXIN GLOBAL) - Despite official figures reporting few to no new domestic Covid-19 cases on the Chinese mainland in recent days, authorities continue to detect more infections, with those in the city at the heart of the country's outbreak often amounting to more than a dozen a day, Caixin has learned. According to a member of the infectious disease prevention and control team in Wuhan, every day the city continues to record "several or more than a dozen asymptomatic infected individuals", which are people that have tested positive for Covid-19, but do not feel ill and are excluded from published numbers. As of Sunday (March 22), Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, had four consecutive days of zero new "confirmed cases." The person, who asked not to be named, said that these asymptomatic people are found by tracing the contacts of others who are infected and by screening quarantine workers who are at high risk of infection, as opposed to en masse testing. "It's not possible at the moment to tell if transmission has stopped," the person said. As reported new locally transmitted cases of Covid-19 have dwindled, China has moved to send home the teams of medical personnel it brought in from across the country to assist hospital workers in Hubei. Between March 17 and 20, some 12,000 medical personnel departed the province. But the infectious disease prevention and control team has stayed behind, after Hubei's provincial Covid-19 task force on Friday ordered it to remain until central authorities say otherwise, Caixin has learned. According to a person at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, this team of specialists was kept in Hubei because the central government continues to feel unease about the situation in the area, in part because of the presence of asymptomatic individuals. Since February, the Covid-19 prevention and control policies issued by the National Health Commission (NHC) have stipulated that asymptomatic infected individuals are not considered "confirmed cases" and that their numbers should not be released. However, given numerous studies suggesting that this group is infectious, the NHC has required that, once detected, they be subject to a 14-day quarantine and lab testing, recategorising them as "confirmed" cases only in the event they develop symptoms. Caixin previously obtained data that showed Northeast China's Heilongjiang province had 480 "confirmed cases" on Feb 25, but had also discovered 104 asymptomatic infected individuals that it left off the public tally. A March 6 preprint - a study that has not yet been peer-reviewed - by Chinese and American researchers suggested that asymptomatic cases and those with mild symptoms could account for at least 59 per cent of Covid-19 infections, potentially undetected and fuelling its spread. Considering Wuhan is the epicentre of China's epidemic, "there's still a lot that needs to be investigated and traced", the infectious disease prevention and control team member said. CNA: COVID-19: China to lift travel curbs on Hubei province, including Wuhan BEIJING: China's central Hubei province, where the deadly coronavirus first emerged late last year, is to lift travel curbs after two months under lockdown, local officials said on Tuesday (Mar 24). Healthy residents will be allowed to leave the province from midnight Tuesday. Travel restrictions for leaving Wuhan will be lifted on Apr 8, and people will be able to leave on the basis of using a health code The announcement as China reported 78 new cases of the deadly coronavirus on Tuesday, with the vast majority brought in from overseas as fears rise of a second wave of infections. The first new case in nearly a week was also reported in Wuhan - the epicentre where the virus emerged last year - along with three other local infections elsewhere in the country. Seven more people died, the National Health Commission said, all in Wuhan. There have now been more than 81,000 cases in China, and the death toll has reached 3,277. As the country tries to control imported cases, there are signs of normality beginning to return to Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei province. Travel and work restrictions in the province have been gradually eased and Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first visit to Wuhan earlier this month. Wuhan residents considered healthy can now move around the city and take public transport if they show identification, and they can also go back to work if they have a permit from their employer.

How I cope with WFH (Working from home) So this is how I am coping with working from home. I am not the most diligent worker you have seen. But my motto is work smart don't work hard. So my job scope is smth like a dialysis machine. . . My boss will have something that needs to improve or need to work on, then I will be the one working on it, making sure that the end products are relatable to the dealers/consumers. And of cuz, MyCarForum is my baby. So everyone here always sees me commenting, laughing, goofing around here. So you can say I am a papa-san in MCF. @RadX & @BabyBlade is still the discipline master and mistress. So, in the morning I wake up in my usual timing, I will pack my bed, do some mediation and light exercise before I wash up myself. Once, I have wash-up, I make myself a cup of oat milk. And because now my office is just like 13 steps away, I just take a slowwww walk back to my "office". I usually start my day with MCF, checking all the past replies and try to find interesting news to share inside MCF. And once I have done it, I will check on my email. replying to all the necessary correspondent. I also try to make my room as bright as possible, so that I am in the zone of working. Usually, my room is like a bat cave. I do not take naps and after a few tasks and replying on MCF, time flies. And it is time for lunch! I took my bicycle and cycle to kopitiam and dabao-ed duck rice. And I will eat at my dining table instead of my room. Just to change the environment abit. While eating, I did watch a bit of the Porsche documentary that @Mockngbrd recommend. Quite a nice documentary. TBH. I haven't finished yet thou. Then after my lunch, I rest a bit, went down and walk my dog and bring her go pee pee. Then when I am back home, I went to shower to freshen myself. Once I am done with the shower, I am back to work! Same old, same old. making sure some of my tasks is done, talking to my colleagues in teams. And usually, during the afternoon my concentration wasn't at my prime. I will "wander" off to read on some other stuff. Mainly is tech/car. (checking how to mod my car or what new stuff xiaomi come out.) Walk to the kitchen and make myself a cup of green tea, and munched on some biscuit. Chatted with my HR abit, as she is making sure we are all working at home. Then go back to work. . . My co-worker have different live thou. 😕 She just NAPPPPPPPP alll the wayyyyy! What do I think of working from home? It is definitely a good initiative at this time, as you minimise on public transport and socializing. However, the person who is working from home, must have some vigilant/discipline, if not end of the day you will be simpson-ing all the way. Here's are some of the things that I find it helpful for myself when I am working from home. Have a designated work area. (Tell yourself, when you are there, you are working.) No working at your bed. I play music while I am working so depends on your style. Separate your dining away from your work area. On aircon/shower if needed. (I tried not to on aircon during the morning, but I BTH. Once I have showered, I on air-con and work) Have a very realistic to-do list (try to strike out as many as possible, can add more list along the way too) Walk around or make urself a coffee if you are not in the zone. (same when you are in the office) So here are some of my takes for working at home. I think is doable, but the end day is still the trust between you and your employer lah. They must trust you, and you must not abuse it also. 🙂 Okay! back to work!

Oh no Boris is in trouble! He is on the verge of being kicked out as PM Let us help him!

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) will cut 96 per cent of its capacity that had been scheduled up to the end of April, said the airline on Monday (Mar 23). The decision was made after the further tightening of border controls around the world over the last week to stem the COVID-19 outbreak, SIA said in a news release. About 138 SIA and SilkAir planes, out of a total fleet of 147, will be grounded as a result. Scoot, the company's low-cost unit, will suspend "most of its network" and will ground all but two of its 49 planes. This comes amid the "greatest challenge that the SIA Group has faced in its existence", the company said. "It is unclear when the SIA Group can begin to resume normal services, given the uncertainty as to when the stringent border controls will be lifted," it said. "The resultant collapse in the demand for air travel has led to a significant decline in SIA’s passenger revenues." https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/covid-19-singapore-airlines-suspend-flights-coronavirus-12566248?cid=FBcna bad year for aviation

SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - As the Covid-19 pandemic grips the world, claiming thousands of lives daily, some have decided to turn the crisis into a game. Illegal gambling websites are targeting punters in Singapore and other countries by offering the option of betting on the daily number of cases. The New Paper found at least five such sites, all of which have a similar betting interface. The sites encourage punters to place bets on the last digit of the number of daily new cases announced by Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Punters can also bet on whether the number is even or odd, and if the latest number in the respective countries is higher than the previous day's. ODDS AND RESULTS The daily odds and results are displayed with other sports betting options and appear to have taken on more prominence than football betting, the usual mainstay of such sites. Psychiatrists who spoke to The New Paper said that while they had not expected gamblers to bet on coronavirus cases, they were not surprised. Dr Adrian Wang, a psychiatrist and counsellor at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said problem gamblers would turn to any avenue, including illegal ones, to feed their addiction. "The act of gambling triggers pleasure centres in the brain, releasing neurochemicals that give them a sense of reward and satisfaction," he said. "They need this regular fix. Like an alcoholic who suddenly finds himself unable to afford whisky and has to settle for cheap rice wine, problem gamblers who can't bet in the casino or on suspended soccer games... will take what's available." The betting options on Covid-19 cases surfaced after the suspension of legal betting outlets in Singapore. The two casinos, Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club have suspended operations since the circuit breaker period began on April 7. Measures to fight the pandemic, such as movement restrictions, have also made many punters turn to online gambling services. A recent study by analytics group AlphaBeta in Australia found that online gambling there has shot up by more than 65 per cent since last month. Similarly, website Global Poker noted a 43 per cent rise in the use of similar sites in the United States, with a 255 per cent increase in first-time users, gaming news site Inside Asian Gaming reported. As remote gambling is regulated in Singapore, a police spokesman told TNP that firm action will be taken against anyone found to be involved in illegal gambling. "The police are aware of betting activities relating to the number of daily Covid-19 cases and are looking into the matter," she added. Stressing that online betting contravenes the Remote Gambling Act, she said the police take a serious view of all forms of illegal remote gambling and will take tough enforcement action against offenders. Under the Act, those caught using an illegal remote gambling service can be fined up to $5,000, or jailed for up to six months, or both. Anyone who provides such an illegal service, whether from Singapore or overseas, can be fined up to $200,000, or jailed for up to five years, or both. Even with tough penalties and the dark reality of what they are betting on, problem gamblers are unlikely to be deterred, said Dr Munidasa Winslow, senior consultant psychiatrist at Promises Healthcare. Noting that such people will find a way to gamble in some form even when deprived of legal means, he said: "If they don't have Singapore Pools, they will turn to online bookies and anyone else who is willing to take a bet. "Betting on the number of daily Covid-19 cases is dark, but in the mind of a gambler, it's just another avenue for what they claim is a game of skill." He added that problem gamblers will delude themselves and may even be spurred on by betting on distasteful topics. Dr Winslow said some of them may see this as adding to the thrill, so they will "bet on deaths, or when a serial killer will be caught, a lot of strange things". "Even if they are gambling on people's lives, they will make that bet if someone is willing to accept it."

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/public-servants-receive-notification-election-duties-and-online-training-1868266 Notification / trainings issued!🤣 Beat metal while it is hot!😁 Covid well done???🥳🥳

So now that it's been more than a week already, I can happily to report that we've had (or rather, my gf has had) first-hand experience of SG's super tok kong healthcare system. Just last Monday, about +1 week after our return from Japan (we went before Japan cases boomzed) she developed a sore throat and because of social responsibility, went to see the doctor just before going to work. But because of her travel history to Japan, at the clinic, she was immediately categorised as someone of high risk and was placed into an isolated waiting room. The Clinic also immediately called for an ambulance to send her to NCID as per SG protocol. All this was before she got tested. At NCID, she was given a GPS tag on her arm (so she cannot run away) and had to wait for her Xray. Everyone was spaced apart and most ppl were calm. She did complain everyone else around her was coughing. Unfortunately for her, the x-ray showed a bit of infection and she was immediately warded in an isolated private ward at TTSH where she needed to get tested for the wuhans, in order to be discharged, she needed to clear the test (I think) twice over 2-3 days before they will give her the all clear. The test was the only thing she complained about as they had to insert a long stick into her nose to get the swab sample. It took around 6 hours for the results to arrive. Through her stay, nurses and doctors will occasionally check in on her (in full protective gear) and with free Aircon,WIFI, TV and food, she really didn't mind it all too much. She had a nice view from her room too. There is a box in the wall where they put her food in and can only be opened from either side one at a time. She was allowed one single delivery from outside for her necessities for the next 2-3 days. BUT, I was not able to send it over as my travel history to Japan meant I was not allowed to step into the hospital at all. Even though I had no symptoms. Thus, I packed all her things and sent it to her brother/mother to deliver. Of course I did the "put bag down, spray disinfectant on it, then step away" delivery method. After 2 nights, she cleared both test with no Covid detected and was given the all clear to be discharged. NCID ppl did her paperwork in the afternoon and she was out once she got some meds for her infection. All in, she paid $2.50 for her clinic visit (because of insurance, otherwise $10) and Gahmen paid for the rest of her hospital visit and test. We kept constant contact throughout her stay with watsapp and I guess she sort of enjoyed her "detox staycation". +1 week MC after her hospital stay. Her colleagues kpkb becos they all needed to go back office once she cleared. So yes, kudos to the SG medical system/team for being so thorough, efficient and too kong! For those who are unsure or who are scared of being tested or going to see doctor, hopefully, this can allay any fears you might have. + Now that you've read this, pls give me thumbs up so I can get NTUC voucher to buy toilet paper. Thank you.

https://goodyfeed.com/expats-job-losses-pay-cuts/ Expats leaving Sinkapore due to redundacies Reminds me of the AMDK at Robertson Quay

just received a renewal notice from ICA for my son's passport. question : is there any difference if i renew now (before expiry), or apply new when this pandemic is over ? i don't think we will be seeing the light at then end of the tunnel so soon also.

Disney, ocean park and timsum is possible this year!!😂 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/hong-kong-air-travel-bubble-covid-19-flights-singapore-13513966?cid=FBcna&fbclid=IwAR3wBSd7rjUjLLp_u-BbpkD782Pn8z4Wt4X30TijBjJbEV8EV78SKs5ZsRs

come back to office or else f off ....

Source: https://mustsharenews.com/free-art-kits/ 10 Free ART Kits Arriving In Letterboxes Via SingPost, Will Help In Self-Testing As Covid-19 cases surge in Singapore once again, the Government is taking measures to mitigate the spread somewhat. One of them is by ensuring that citizens test themselves to detect infection early. To that end, 10 free Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kits will be distributed via post from next Monday (18 Jul). However, some households may need to wait a few weeks to get theirs. 10 free ART kits for every household In a Facebook post on Friday (15 Jul), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the 10 free ART kits will be given to every Singapore household. They will be delivered by SingPost. All residential addresses in Singapore are eligible for them, they added in an FAQ on the MOH website. Those who live in HDB flats and condominiums, which make up the majority, will receive the kits in their letterboxes. Residents of landed properties will get them delivered to their doorsteps. Some households may wait a few weeks Many Singaporeans might be understandably eager to get the free ART kits so they wouldn’t have to rush to a pharmacy to buy them when they’re sick. However, some households might have to wait “a few weeks” for the deliveries. That’s because of the high volume of kits that are being distributed, MOH said. They sought the patience of citizens for the possible delay in getting the stock. Free ART kits encourage regular self-testing The free ART kits were promised by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in June as he spoke about the recent wave. Then, he urged everyone to test themselves regularly for Covid-19 if possible. This is especially if you’re feeling unwell, or going to visit vulnerable family members and friends. The distribution of free ART kits is thus a way to encourage people to self-test often. In this way, we can practise social responsibility by taking precautions to protect others. More ART kits can be requested For households with many members, 10 ART kits might not be enough. Thus, MOH strongly encouraged households to purchase more if need be. However, lower-income households will continue to receive help — they can request for additional ART kits. These households should be beneficiaries of Social Service Offices (SSOs) and Family Service Centres (FSCs). They can get their kits from these places, MOH added. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will also provide ART kits to children from lower-income households, upon request. Encouraging a self-testing culture As the various variants of Omicron rear their ugly heads in Singapore, we’re sure citizens will appreciate the free ART kits. Hopefully, this will ensure all residents have sufficient kits and encourage regular testing to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus. If we all behave responsibly, we can ride this wave together and emerge stronger at the other end like we’ve done before.

British PM Boris Johnson tests positive for COVID-19 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/coronavirus-boris-johnson-tests-positive-covid-19-uk-12583694

So we have reached the time where most of us need to stay indoors.. Many of us have access to streaming facilities, so what are you watching or listening to? Do you have a Covid playlist? If you're in UK, these two are quite apt. The UK landscape of empty streets is quite eerie.. 28 days later? 28 weeks later is quite apt for UK.. For USA: I am Legend Omega man: And those related to virus spread: The CLOSEST to the truth Contagion: Outbreak: Amazing how they can generate a plasma vaccine sample in an hour...

TAIPEI (REUTERS) - Taiwan raised its Covid-19 alert level on Saturday (May 15) for the capital, Taipei, and New Taipei City, ushering in a two-week clampdown on gatherings as well as the closure of many venues, while announcing 180 new domestic infections. Separately, major universities in northern Taiwan are shifting to online learning and some museums will shut as the island grapples with a rare spike in domestic Covid-19 infections, taking urgent measures to stop the spread. The new rules will not mean offices, schools or restaurants have to close, but will cause the shutdown of cinemas and other entertainment spots, while limiting family get-togethers to five people indoors and 10 outdoors. Taipei’s government has already ordered bars, nightclubs and similar venues to shut. Since the pandemic began, Taiwan has reported fewer than 1,500 cases among a population of about 24 million, most of them imported from abroad, but a recent rise in community transmissions has spooked residents. The island has never gone into a full lockdown and its people are used to life carrying on near normal, despite the pandemic ranging in many other parts of the world. Although Taiwan has just 1,290 cases, most of them imported from abroad, among a population of about 24 million, a recent small rise in community transmissions has spooked residents used to life carrying on as normal, despite the global pandemic. Late on Friday, several universities, including the elite National Taiwan University, said they would immediately switch to remote learning, telling students to stay away from campuses. "As Covid-19 is still wreaking havoc, please be reminded to wear a mask at all times when you go out, wash hands frequently, and keep appropriate social distancing," National Taiwan University said in a statement. The Taipei Fine Arts Museum, where people have queued for a hugely popular exhibition by Japanese artist Shiota Chiharu opened this month, said it would close from Saturday to comply with the city's prevention rules. "The re-opening date will be announced according to the epidemic situation and city regulations," it said. Taipei's National Palace Museum, home to one of the world's best and most extensive collections of Chinese art, said it too would close from Saturday. The current cluster of infections has centred on the north and Taipei, but cases have also cropped up elsewhere, such as the major southern port city of Kaohsiung. Its mayor, Chen Chi-mai, said authorities would disinfect wide range of public spaces, including the night markets that are usually a big draw for hungry tourists. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwan-universities-shift-online-museums-shut-in-battle-with-covid-19

Singapore passports to be valid for 10 years for applications from October https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-passport-validity-extended-10-years-renewal-ica-14760828

Pfizer says its experimental pill reduces risk of hospitalization, death from Covid-19 By Maggie Fox, and Amanda Sealy, CNN Updated 1045 GMT (1845 HKT) November 5, 2021 (CNN)Drugmaker Pfizer said Friday its experimental pill designed to fight coronavirus reduced the risk of hospitalization and death for high-risk patients taking part in a trial of the drug. The company hopes it can eventually offer the pill, given in combination with an older antiviral drug called ritonavir, to people to take at home before they get sick enough to go to the hospital. A so-called interim analysis -- done before the trial was scheduled to end -- showed an 89% reduction in the risk of hospitalization or death from Covid-19 if patients got it soon enough, the company said. Pfizer released the results in a news release and did not provide scientists to discuss the data ahead of release. The data has not been peer reviewed or published. The company says it will share more specifics in a peer-reviewed paper and with its submission to the US Food and Drug Administration. The company has been testing the drug in adults with Covid-19 who are considered at high risk of progressing to severe illness. The volunteers have been randomly given either the pill combination or a placebo within three days or five days of their symptoms starting. The pill, still known by its experimental name PF-07321332, is what's known as a protease inhibitor. It's designed to stop the virus from multiplying. Giving it along with ritonavir slows its breakdown in the body, the company said. Pfizer said 0.8% of patients who got the drug combination within three days were hospitalized within four weeks -- three out of 389 patients -- compared to 7% of patients who got placebos, or 27 out of 385. And seven of those who got placebos died, Pfizer said. No one who got the treatment died within a month. "Similar reductions in COVID-19-related hospitalization or death were observed in patients treated within five days of symptom onset; 1% of patients who received PF-07321332 (with) ritonavir were hospitalized through Day 28 following randomization (6/607 hospitalized, with no deaths), compared to 6.7% of patients who received a placebo," the company said. It said 19% of patients given the treatment suffered adverse events, compared to 21% who got placebo, but declined to disclose what those adverse events were. "These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients' lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations," Albert Bourla, chairman CEO of Pfizer, said in a statement. Currently, remdesivir, sold under the brand name Veklury, is the only antiviral approved by FDA for treatment of Covid-19. It's given by intravenous infusion, so it's not as simple to administer as a pill. People can also be treated with monoclonal antibodies, which are injected or infused therapies that kickstart the immune system to help fight off infection. They are not as easy to take as a pill and must be administered by a trained professional. Merck is seeking FDA emergency use authorization for molnupiravir, an antiviral capsule people could take at home. It's been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by about 50%. On Thursday, UK drug regulators authorized molnupiravir under the brand name Lagevrio.

I found this CNA documentary to be excellent...

I read from somewhere that Moderators need to clock post? Here's me playing my part to clock MCF posts. But please ah, only MCF mods are entitled to start a #IAMCOVIDPOSITIVE too thread. #19FebDay1

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/hong-kong-orders-hamster-cull-after-covid-19-hits-pets-2442871 The outbreak of Delta variant cases in humans linked to the shop worker prompted tests on hundreds of animals, with 11 hamsters showing up positive. That has brought a pet rodent clampdown on Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, which is following the mainland's zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19 even as much of the world shifts to living with it. The territory's Health Secretary Sophia Chan stressed at a news conference that there was no evidence domestic animals can pass the disease to humans, but authorities were anyway acting out of caution to ban imports and sales of pet rodents. Still living in the shadows of COVID-19, are we? Maybe we should start culling humans since we are the ones transmitting the virus. RIP my furry friends! Insert two cute hamsters below. ☹️

(Bloomberg) -- Sales of luxury cars in Singapore remain resilient despite the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the Business Times reported Friday, citing data from the Land Transport Authority and automakers. Six luxury brands — Aston Martin Holdings, Bentley Motors Ltd., Ferrari NV, Automobili Lamborghini SPA, McLaren Automotive Ltd. and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. — sold a total of 178 cars in the first nine months of 2020 versus 256 units for all of last year, according to the report. After adjusting for Singapore’s partial lockdown, the companies sold about 30 cars a month, up from 21 a month in 2019, the BT said. Still, registrations for the high-end car market are a lagging indicator as orders can be made far in advance of delivery, so data may not always accurately reflect a brand’s current performance, the report said. “Sales have been picking up since reopening and we attribute that to customer confidence coming back,” Bentley’s director for the Asia-Pacific region, Bernd Pichler, told the newspaper. Chong Kah Wei, a general manager at McLaren Singapore, said customer orders continued to accumulate. https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/ferrari-and-bentley-find-buyers-in-singapore-despite-the-pandemic-024059177.html

Update on Omicron. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron On 26 November 2021, WHO designated the variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern, named Omicron, on the advice of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE). This decision was based on the evidence presented to the TAG-VE that Omicron has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves, for example, on how easily it spreads or the severity of illness it causes. Here is a summary of what is currently known. Current knowledge about Omicron Researchers in South Africa and around the world are conducting studies to better understand many aspects of Omicron and will continue to share the findings of these studies as they become available. Transmissibility: It is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible (e.g., more easily spread from person to person) compared to other variants, including Delta. The number of people testing positive has risen in areas of South Africa affected by this variant, but epidemiologic studies are underway to understand if it is because of Omicron or other factors. Severity of disease: It is not yet clear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease compared to infections with other variants, including Delta. Preliminary data suggests that there are increasing rates of hospitalization in South Africa, but this may be due to increasing overall numbers of people becoming infected, rather than a result of specific infection with Omicron. There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants. Initial reported infections were among university students—younger individuals who tend to have more mild disease—but understanding the level of severity of the Omicron variant will take days to several weeks. All variants of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, in particular for the most vulnerable people, and thus prevention is always key. Effectiveness of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection Preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron (ie, people who have previously had COVID-19 could become reinfected more easily with Omicron), as compared to other variants of concern, but information is limited. More information on this will become available in the coming days and weeks. Effectiveness of vaccines: WHO is working with technical partners to understand the potential impact of this variant on our existing countermeasures, including vaccines. Vaccines remain critical to reducing severe disease and death, including against the dominant circulating variant, Delta. Current vaccines remain effective against severe disease and death. Effectiveness of current tests: The widely used PCR tests continue to detect infection, including infection with Omicron, as we have seen with other variants as well. Studies are ongoing to determine whether there is any impact on other types of tests, including rapid antigen detection tests. Effectiveness of current treatments: Corticosteroids and IL6 Receptor Blockers will still be effective for managing patients with severe COVID-19. Other treatments will be assessed to see if they are still as effective given the changes to parts of the virus in the Omicron variant. Studies underway At the present time, WHO is coordinating with a large number of researchers around the world to better understand Omicron. Studies currently underway or underway shortly include assessments of transmissibility, severity of infection (including symptoms), performance of vaccines and diagnostic tests, and effectiveness of treatments. WHO encourages countries to contribute the collection and sharing of hospitalized patient data through the WHO COVID-19 Clinical Data Platform to rapidly describe clinical characteristics and patient outcomes. More information will emerge in the coming days and weeks. WHO’s TAG-VE will continue to monitor and evaluate the data as it becomes available and assess how mutations in Omicron alter the behaviour of the virus. Recommended actions for countries As Omicron has been designated a Variant of Concern, there are several actions WHO recommends countries to undertake, including enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases; sharing genome sequences on publicly available databases, such as GISAID; reporting initial cases or clusters to WHO; performing field investigations and laboratory assessments to better understand if Omicron has different transmission or disease characteristics, or impacts effectiveness of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics or public health and social measures. More detail in the announcement from 26 November. Countries should continue to implement the effective public health measures to reduce COVID-19 circulation overall, using a risk analysis and science-based approach. They should increase some public health and medical capacities to manage an increase in cases. WHO is providing countries with support and guidance for both readiness and response. In addition, it is vitally important that inequities in access to COVID-19 vaccines are urgently addressed to ensure that vulnerable groups everywhere, including health workers and older persons, receive their first and second doses, alongside equitable access to treatment and diagnostics. Recommended actions for people The most effective steps individuals can take to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus is to keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others; wear a well-fitting mask; open windows to improve ventilation; avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces; keep hands clean; cough or sneeze into a bent elbow or tissue; and get vaccinated when it’s their turn. WHO will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available, including following meetings of the TAG-VE. In addition, information will be available on WHO’s digital and social media platforms.

Valneva says early studies show COVID-19 vaccine effective against Omicron Jan 19 (Reuters) - French biotech firm Valneva (VLS.PA) said on Wednesday that preliminary studies showed that three doses of its inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate neutralised the Omicron variant of the disease. All of the serum samples tested presented neutralizing antibodies against the ancestral virus and Delta variant, it said, while 87% of samples did so against the Omicron variant. "We are extremely pleased with these results," said Chief Medical Officer Juan Carlos Jaramillo in a statement, noting that these added to an earlier Phase III trial that showed improved immune response with two doses of the VLA2001 candidate. Valneva expects to receive potential approvals for its vaccine within the first three months of 2022, and is providing data to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as well as regulators in the UK and Bahrain.