COVID: Should we continue masking up this festival season? Anthony Fauci on when it's okay to remove the mask

Diwali and other upcoming festivals to prevent a spike in cases.  In a statement, the BMC said the festival season is a “critical period" as there may be a tendency to ignore COVID-19 safe behaviour during festivals due to large gatherings, events, fairs and crowds in enclosed and non-ventilated spaces. 1) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) asked citizens to get vaccinated against the viral infection, if not done so till now   2) The Mumbai civic body has also asked all  to get booster dose, and wear face masks in crowded places and follow other COVID-19 protocols.

Covid-19 update: The death toll climbed to 5,28,923 with 10 fatalities, which include six deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated by the the Union health ministry at 8 am stated. India saw a single day rise of 1,946 infections, taking the tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,46,34,376, while the active cases declined to 25,968, according to government data updated on Wednesday. The death toll climbed to 5,28,923 with 10 fatalities, which include six deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated by the the Union health ministry at 8 am stated.

COVID-19 variants, as early signs show a fall resurgence of the virus.At the House of Commons health committee, Dr. Theresa Tam says the Public Health Agency of Canada is keeping a careful eye on the evolution of Omicron variants, which are the most common subvariants in the country.Tam says in the early days of the pandemic the virus would mutate in all sorts of ways, because there was no immunity from previous infection or vaccines.

A study of essential and frontline workers in six US states who tested positive for COVID-19 and received two or three mRNA vaccine doses before Delta infections and three doses before Omicron infections suggests that they had significantly milder infections and lower viral loads than their unvaccinated peers.

New research from the American Psychological Association (APA) shows that various state restrictions and lockdowns imposed during the first 6 months of the pandemic were not related to worsening mental health. The study is published in Health Psychology.The research was based on data collected from a survey of

Several road closures in Barrie this Thursday for funeral of 2 Ontario police officers shot dead Six patients have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been isolated.Health officials say enhanced cleaning measures and contact tracing are underway, as well as swabbing of patients and staff.Admissions to the unit are on hold during the outbreak and visitors are not permitted, staff at the health centre said.

PHILADELPHIA - Investigators with the Philadelphia Police Department's Shooting Investigation Group are searching for information regarding a shooting in North Philadelphia. Police released surveillance video of a shooting they say occurred on October 8 at 5:08 p.m. Authorities say a 24-year-old man was shot multiple times in his left shoulder and lower back while driving on the 3300 block of North Philip Street. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESThe surveillance video shows the suspect walking up to the car as it drives down the street and firing shots into the driver's seat window. According to police, the victim was later treated at Temple Hospital and was listed in stable condition. Police are searching for thi suspect seen on surveillance video from a North Philadelphia shooting on N Philip Street.  Officials say part of the video shows the shooter unmasked moments before the shooting. Anyone with information is urged to contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-8477 or submit an anonymous tip online. 

The researchers at Boston University have claimed that they have developed a Covid-19 strain that inflicts severe disease and has  80 per cent kill rate. The ones that are dominant across the world such as the sub-variants of Omicron are said to be mild when it comes to their severity. To develop the most lethal Covid strain, the researchers, according to a report, extracted the spike protein from Omicron and genetically engineered it into the strain of Covid-19 which was first detected in China’s Wuhan and tried it on mice.

Many families will be looking forward to jetting off this October half term to get some sun before winter arrives. Across the world countries have scrapped their coronavirus entry requirements, so you can travel abroad without having to worry about completing complicated forms or presenting vaccine certificates.

The Health Information and Quality Authority has published a review of public health measures that 21 countries have planned to use this winter in the event of a Covid-19 surge.

COVID-19 vaccination policy by the end of the year.The last day for the policy will be on Dec. 31.

coronavirus pandemic – and has "no regrets".Jodi Cross had been trying to fall pregnant with her husband Rob for a year.And as life slowed down for the furloughed hairdresser during the pandemic, she had more time to focus on planning for a baby. READ MORE: Mum banned from Halloween bash by 'Karens' after planning Jeffrey Dahmer costume for baby The couple, from Wixams, Bedfordshire, were delighted to find out they were expecting their first daughter during the second lockdown.She they decided to call her baby Lockie – short for lockdown.Jodi, 36, said: "We had been trying for a year to get pregnant and lockdown meant I was furloughed and Rob was working less."I think we just relaxed a bit because we had so much more time than we normally would, and then we found out I was pregnant."When she was born there was the new strain of Covid coming about – Omicron – so we knew she'd be a lockdown baby."So we named her Lockie for lockdown – we really liked the name, and lockdown was a good time in our lives because it was so relaxing."If it wasn't for the pandemic, the pair may not have fallen pregnant so quickly.Rob, 36, moved in with Jodi as the nationwide lockdown began in March 2020.Jodi recalled: "I ended up taking over a little salon during lockdown because I had been on furlough a long time."By this point we had been trying for a year and thought pregnancy wasn't going to happen so started to focus on work instead."A week later I found out I was pregnant."The couple were overjoyed – and got hitched in secret when Jodi was seven months pregnant.Their baby was born last November and they decided to celebrate her conception by calling her Lockie.Jodi said: "We know lots of people didn't enjoy lockdown but for us, it was a

States have been asked to continue monitoring incoming international travelers, undertake constant genome sequencing and step-up vaccination. NEW DELHI: Over the past 24 hours, India reported 1,542 new covid cases, the lowest single-day rise, the Union health ministry said in an update on Tuesday. Active cases are now at 26,449, with total reported cases since the pandemic hit in early 2020 at 4.46 crore.

Fauci, long Covid impairs the body system without any signs, and that's why it has not attracted much attention as a death rate. There is no test for long Covid – its precise causes remain mysterious and little is known about how it interacts with other medical and physical conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that between 10% and 20% of Covid-19 survivors have been left with lasting symptoms including breathlessness, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction that can persist long after the acute infection has resolved.

The case tally climbed to 4,46,32,430, while the active cases have declined to 26,449, it said. There has been a decrease of 385 cases in the active Covid-19 caseload in 24 hours. India saw a single-day rise of 1,542 coronavirus infections, the lowest in 182 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

US federal health authorities are gearing up for a widely-expected resurgence of coronavirus during winters. The BQ.1 variant of Covid-19 has already outpaced many rival strains in European nations from England to Germany, where the Covid wave has resurged. Previously, the CDC bundled BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 with their shared parent BA.5.

Chrystia Freeland said she believes Canada is now facing the “final act of the COVID recession” amid economic challenges, but she believes Canadians will pull through.“This is a period of economic turbulence,” said Freeland, speaking at a press conference on Monday. “This is the final act of the COVID recession.”Freeland said she is not going to “sugarcoat” the current situation and Canadians will face “some challenging months ahead,” citing inflation and rising interest rates.“Some people are going to see their mortgage payments rise and that is a challenge,” said Freeland.

recent trial results, said experts as quoted by news agency AFP. The initial testing of the nasal-spray version of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University researchers and AstraZeneca Plc, on human beings did not yield the desired protection.

Also Read: New Covid variant alert: Meet omicron's newest cousin, BF.7 The state health department said people must not ignore flu-like symptoms and should get medical advice at the earliest. The earliest possible COVID-appropriate behaviour must be followed by everyone.

COVID strain that has an 80% kill rate following a series of similar experiments first thought to have started the global pandemic that began in China. The variant, a combination of Omicron and the original virus in Wuhan, killed 80% of the mice infected with it, the university said. When mice were only exposed to Omicron, they experienced mild symptoms.The research was conducted by a team of scientists from Florida and Boston at the school's National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories. They extracted the spike protein from Omicron and attached it with the strain first detected at the onset of the pandemic that began in Wuhan, China.

Lisa Murray-Lang and her pet hamster, Spud. (Credit: Lisa Murray-Lang) Panoramic view of Waikiki Beach and Honolulu, Hawaii as seen from the Summit of Diamond Head Crater on February 20, 2022.

Ontario, Canada, healthcare systems saw an uptick in healthcare use by adult COVID-19 survivors—especially women—starting 2 months after people were infected, placing more demand on an atrophied healthcare workforce, finds a study with implications for long COVID and hospital resources long term published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

Previous non-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection was tied to a 44% lower risk of Omicron reinfection and 81% lower odds of related hospitalization, which was further improved by one, two, or three mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses (86%, 94%, and 97%, respectively), according to a study published late last week in JAMA Network Open.Canadian researchers conducted a test-negative case-control study of

FILE-Economic stimulus checks are prepared for printing at the Philadelphia Financial Center in 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Fusco/Getty Images) Millions of Americans are still eligible to receive a COVID-19 stimulus payment, with some households in store for a possibly massive payment.

ALSO READ: Potential new treatment for 'Long Covid' discovered. Read here On Thursday, the national capital logged 130 Covid cases with a positivity rate of 1.84 per cent.

Kerala government has intensified the preventive measures to control the entry or spread of new variants of the virus. Kerala Health Minister Veena George stated on Monday that two new variants of Covid-19 - XBB and XBB1 - are more contagious than the previous ones.

more contagious. Kerala Health Minister Veena George stated that two new variants of Covid-19- XBB and XBB1 are more contagious than earlier ones. She requested everyone in the state especially the elderly ones or those suffering from co-morbidities to be careful and wear masks properly for protection against the virus.

WAUKESHA, Wis. - Witness testimony resumed Monday morning, Oct. 17 in the Darrell Brooks trial, charged in the November 2021 Waukesha Christmas parade attack. The state hoped to wrap up its case Monday, however, due to interruptions from Brooks, there is more testimony expected. To start the day, Waukesha County District Attorney Sue Opper indicated a pre-trial offer was made to Brooks – and that the matter was addressed last week Thursday.

Gavi and Moderna has agreed to create new framework enabling Gavi to purchase up to 100 million doses in 2023 on behalf of the COVAX Facility. All doses are offered at Moderna's lowest-tiered price.

Sore throat, congestion, fatigue, cough and runny nose continue to be the most reported symptoms Covid has been surprising us with a new variant every few months. Of course,  Omicron has changed the course of COVID pandemic. Following the emergence of this variant, the symptoms related to it have become much milder, but in terms of how they spread, each one seems to be fitter than its predecessor.  And the newest cousins in the block are BA.5.1.7 and BF.7., again which are said to have greater transmissibility which brings concerns of a new wave during Diwali.  The latest Omicron subvariant BF.

The daily positivity rate stands at 1.86% and the weekly positivity rate at 1.02%, according to the ministry. Case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.19% NEW DELHI: India reported 2,060 fresh covid infections in the last 24 hours, pushing up the active caseload to 26,824, according to an update by the Union health ministry on Monday.

Bivalent booster shots can help the human immune system recognize new COVID-19 variants, two new studies suggest, but it may not offer protection against all future strains.

Covid-19: The number of people who recuperated from the disease surged to 4,40,75,149, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. India reported 2,060 new coronavirus cases, raising its tally to 4,46,30,888, while 10 more fatalities pushed the death toll to 5,28,905, the Health Ministry said on Monday. The active cases increased to 26,834 and comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections, according to data updated by the ministry at 8 am.

new sub-variants that are able to surpass immunity, it is important to take precautions ahead of the upcoming 5-day festival of Diwali which will start from Dhanteras, 22 October. BF.7 can escape the antibodies from earlier illnesses or vaccinations better than the many other omicron sub-variants, according to two studies. "The next two to three weeks are crucial.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 13: General view during Toys"R"Us Grand Opening at Macy's Herald Square on October 13, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy's, Inc.) Toys R Us has found second life as new in-store locations have opened in select Macy’s department stores across the country and celebrating with nine days of free events. The toy store giant filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and closed all locations in 2018 as the brick-and-mortar locations suffered declining sales.

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2021/08/17: A few dozen Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protesters rally on Foley Square demanding citizenship now for all undocumented immigrants. (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images HOUSTON (AP) - A federal judge ruled Friday that the current version of a federal policy that prevents the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the U.S.

Declan Donnelly has been seen for the first time since contracting Coronavirus, with the TV star heading out in London with his family. The 47 year old, who recently starred in the 2022 I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! trailer, was spotted enjoying a morning at a local park with his wife Ali, 43, and their two children, Isla, four, and four month old son Jack.

DECLAN Donnelly flashed a smile as he enjoyed some fresh air with his family days after being struck down with Covid. The telly favourite, 47, and presenting pal Ant McPartlin, 46, were forced to scrap their NTAs appearance and a Britain's Got Talent special after testing positive for the virus.

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 has "been edging" up in recent weeks, according to the HSE's Chief Clinical Officer.

₹4,237 crore, or nearly 85% of the 2022-23 budget allocation for inoculation purposes.  The Centre informed more than 1.8 crore doses are still available with the governments and the stock is sufficient to continue the vaccination drive for around six months.  "Any decision on whether to procure Covid vaccine doses through the government channel or get (fresh) budget allocations for the purpose after six months will depend on the coronavirus situation prevailing in the country at that time," an official source told PTI. As part of the nationwide vaccination drive which began on January 16 last year, the Government of India has been supporting states and Union territories by providing them COVID-19 vaccines free of cost.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna says that they are ready for an election at anytime.A public meeting in the series of public rallies of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, titled – 'Let's stand together' – was held in Nawalapitiya on Sunday (16).The public meeting was held under the chairmanship of SLPP Leader and the former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.Speaking at the event, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse admitted that although they may have made mistakes, there have been people in history who have made mistakes before. "When something goes wrong, we have a chance to fix it. We don't need to be ashamed," he said. He alleged that while many know the truth of what happened, many still act as if they do not know, and stick by their lies for the shame of not being able to take back their accusations.Acknowledging the protest which took place at the same location today, the former Prime Minister said that it is unclear what they demand, and he has no idea as to what they expect."We know there is a section of this country against us.

Air pollution has triggered various health issues in the last couple of years including strokes and heart ailments. In the coming week, the air quality in Delhi is likely to deteriorate severely, and the experts are of the view that in that case, COVID infections rise again, it can turn out to be fatal for many.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Minister of Education, Susil Premjayanth has met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Alexander Novak.He met with the Russian Deputy Prime Minister during an official visit to Russia.The two dignitaries discussed obtaining fuel for Sri Lanka at length during the meeting, in addition to the welfare of Sri Lankan students who went to Russia for higher education.The Minister thanked Russia for its support provided to Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 period.

Covid infections in the UK have jumped 31 per cent in 10 days, according to the latest data, with most of the country now seeing a steady increase in virus levels. Experts are warning that the rise is particularly notable among the elderly population.

PHILADELPHIA - A night of celebration and family fun on South Street came to an abrupt end Saturday as chaos quickly unfolded and shots rang just out moments later.Police say it all began when a group of dirt bikes, ATVs and an open-air vehicle started removing barricades that had been put up for the South Street Festival.Vendors were removing their tents and closing up trailers when the group started to "beam down" 8th Street."Employees of the festival were irate at the fact that they were out here acting like they're acting," said Philadelphia Police Captain Anthony Ginaldi.MORE HEADLINES:Just a block away on 7th Street, police say a female passenger of an open-air vehicle got into a physical fight with one of the vendors just before 11 p.m.They were separated by a security officer, who was struck in the leg and stomach when the driver fired two shots.

Most commonly reported manifestations include respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal and dermatological symptoms, among others In the months after acute sickness has subsided, people with COVID-19 frequently continue to experience persistent symptoms. This happens to those who weren't even hospitalized due to the infection.  A recent study, published in the scientific journal Nature, shows COVID-19 survivors had a significantly higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety than the non-COVID-19 cohort.  Furthermore, depression, cognitive deficit, impaired quality of life and general health impairment were significantly more prevalent among COVID-19 survivors for the first 6 months.

READ MORE: Will Liz Truss last longer than Daily Star's 60p lettuce takes new turn as bookies reactPreviously experienced ailments are not necessarily a good guide, as the various strange often present different symptoms.Here are the top 20 symptoms that Brits with Covid are currently experiencing and should watch out for, according to the ZOE Symptom Tracker:Sore throat - 63.55%Runny nose - 53.04%Headache - 53.02%Blocked nose - 52.47%Cough no phlegm - 52.06%Sneezing - 47.02%Cough with phlegm - 45.79%Hoarse voice - 43.86%Muscle pain aches - 29.46%Fatigue - 22.97%Dizzy light headed - 21.11%Altered smell - 19.82%Swollen neck glands - 17.72%Eye soreness - 16.41%Chest pain tightness - 16.26%Shortness of breath - 15.9%Loss of smell - 14.45%Earache - 13.96%Chills or shivers - 12.98%Joint pain shoulders - 11.08%On Friday, official data from the Office of National Statistics revealed that 1.7million Brits currently have the bug.That marked an increase from 1.3million last week.There are an additional 235,829 daily symptomatic cases according to figures from the team at ZOE.To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.With testing no longer free, fewer people are seeking clarification as to whether their illness is Covid or not.With a sore throat being the most common symptom, there is a high chance that could represent a Covid infection – although without testing it is impossible to know and it could be a cold, flu, or even a rarer infection like laryngitis, tonsillitis, strep throat or glandular fever.Health chiefs have advised anyone feeling unwell with potential Covid symptoms to steer clear of elderly friends and relatives.Director of Public Health Programmes at the UK

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Meteorological Department says that the current heavy rains are expected to continue, due to the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ – The region where the Northern Hemispheric wind and the Southern Hemispheric wind converge) located in the vicinity of the island.Accordingly, showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. Heavy showers above 100 mm can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts.Showers or thundershowers will occur elsewhere over the Island during the afternoon or night.