Category: variant

Fast-Spreading, Deadly COVID-19 Variants See Lockdowns Announced in South China

COVID-19 variant cases are spreading across Guangdong, a coastal province in south China. Municipal authorities have reported that all local transmissions have been related to the Indian and UK variants, and are spreading rapidly due to their increased transmissibility. After recording zero confirmed local cases a day before, China’s National Health Commission on May 31 confirmed 20…


Fast-Spreading, Deadly COVID-19 Variants Announced in South China

COVID-19 variant cases are spreading across Guangdong, a coastal province in south China. Municipal authorities have reported that all local transmissions have been related to the Indian and UK variants, and are spreading rapidly due to their increased transmissibility. After recording zero confirmed local cases a day before, China’s National Health Commission on May 31 confirmed 20…


Eyeing Variant, France Mulls Tighter Limits for UK Tourists

PARIS—France may introduce stricter coronavirus restrictions for British visitors when tourism reopens this summer to prevent the spread of a virus variant first detected in India and causing concern in Britain, authorities said Sunday. The possibility of tighter restrictions for British tourists was raised Sunday by Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. The minister suggested that…


UK Conducts COVID-19 Testing at Leicester School After 3 Cases of Indian Variant Found

UK health authorities are conducting further testing at a school after three cases of the new Indian variant of the CCP virus were found in Leicester. Professor Ivan Browne, Leicester’s director of public health, said on Wednesday that Public Health England (PHE) had been notified of three cases of the variant known as VUI-21-APR-01, which…


UK Prime Minister Johnson Cancels India Visit Amid CCP Virus Surge

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cancelled his planned trip to India, due to concerns over the ongoing CCP virus surge in that country. “In the light of the current coronavirus situation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be able to travel to India next week,” the Indian and UK governments said in a joint…


France Suspends All Flights to and From Brazil Due to COVID Variant

PARIS—France will suspend all flights to and from Brazil in a bid to prevent the spread of a variant of COVID-19 that was first detected in the South-American country, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said. “We take note that the situation is getting worse and we have decided to suspend all flights between France and…


CDC: Variant Found in Britain Most Common in US

WASHINGTON—A variant of the coronavirus first identified in Britain is now the most common strain circulating in the United States. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, says the strain, formally known as B.1.1.7, is “now the most common lineage circulating in the United States.” The strain has been…


Pfizer COVID-19 Shot 91 Percent Effective in Updated Data, Protective Against South African Variant

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine is around 91 percent effective at preventing the disease, they said on Thursday, citing updated trial data that included participants inoculated for up to six months. The shot was also 100 percent effective in preventing illness among trial participants in South Africa, where a new variant called B1351 is…


Chinese Authorities Say Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Needed After Reinfection Case Reported

Chinese health authorities have recently said that an additional third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine may be needed to boost its effectiveness. The announcement was released soon after a doctor in China’s Xi’an city was reportedly infected with the CCP virus after receiving two doses of a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine. A virologist who spoke with The…


Beijing Says Third Dose of China-Made Vaccines Needed After Vaccinated Doctor Gets Infected

Chinese health authorities have recently said that an additional third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine may be needed to boost its effectiveness. The announcement was released soon after a doctor in China’s Xi’an city was reportedly infected with the CCP virus after receiving two doses of a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine. A virologist who spoke with The…