East Asia
WHO: End to pandemic not likely in 2021
The World Health Organisation (WHO) believes it is unlikely the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19）will come to an end by the end of 2021. “I think it will be very premature and unrealistic to think that we are going to finish with this virus by the end of the year,” Michael Ryan, director of the WHO’s health emergencies programme, said at a briefing on Tuesday. “What we can, if we are smart, finish with is the hospitalisations and the deaths and the tragedy associated with this pandemic,” Ryan added. The WHO’s focus at present was to keep transmissions as low as possible and vaccinate more and more people. The situation regarding the delivery of vaccine doses had already improved compared to 10 weeks ago, Ryan said, although there were “huge challenges” in distributing them and the virus stil...
Singapore ends two-month virus lockdown
Singapore on Tuesday began allowing activities that “do not pose a high risk of transmission” to resume after two months of lockdown. Despite reporting the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in East Asia, the government chose to stick to its plans of easing restrictions from June. Asides China, Singapore has recorded more coronavirus cases than any country in East or South-East Asia. Yet, offices, factories, schools and worship centres are now opened. Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, had said on Monday that the relaxation will likely prove “a big relief to all’’ but one that is “certainly not without its risks’’. Some restrictions will, however, remain for several more weeks. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online....
