Category: Life & Style

The government of Thailand plans to lift quarantine for fully vaccinated air travelers from Singapore and nine other countries from November 1. They plan to scrap the ban with the hope to rebuild its battered tourism sector.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said in a televised broadcast on Monday that he asked the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CSA) and the Ministry of Public health to “urgently consider” within this week regarding the allowance for visitors from “low-risk” countries to enter Thailand without going through the process of quarantine. They will have to present a negative result for their PCR test that will be done before travel and when they reach Thailand. Mr. Prayut said, “ After which, they will be free to move around Thailand in the same way that any Thai citizen can do”.

The countries to get a green signal are Singapore, Germany, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States. However, the list is yet to be finalized at a CCSA meeting later this week. The country’s tourism sector used to make up a fifth of its national income, but due to travel restrictions, it has caused its earnings to plummet.

On Monday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) vaccine adviser suggested people with weaker immune systems should be offered an additional dose of all authorized COVID-19 vaccines.

The UN health agency’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) also suggested that people over 60 who received full vaccination with China’s Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines should also e offered an additional third COVID-19 dose of the vaccine. However, the experts cleared that they are not suggesting any so-called booster shots/doses for the population at large.

Pfizer-BioNTech, Janssen, Moderna, Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZaneca have all received WHO approval to use COVID-19 in an emergency situation during pandemics.

Whether to list India’s Bharat Biotech jab as an emergency use product is nearing a decision. Last week SAGE held a four-day meeting to review the latest data on a range of vaccines for coronavirus and other diseases.

The group said, “sage recommended that moderately and severely immunocompromised persons should be offered an additional dose of all WHO EUL (emergency use listing) COvid-19 vaccine as part of an extended primary series”. “These individuals are less likely to respond adequately to vaccination following a standard primary vaccine series and are at high risk of severe Covid-19 disease”.

Singapore is all set to open up its border for more countries for quarantine free travel as the city-state seeks to rebuild its status as an international aviation hub. The country is preparing itself to reach a “new normal” to live with COVID-19.

The island will open up its border from October 19 to fully vaccinated people from eight countries including Britain, France, Spain, and the United States. According to the government, travelers for these nations will not have to quarantine themselves if they pass their COVID-19 tests. The nation took this major step to resume its international links.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the government will achieve a new normal and can lighten restrictions when the number of cases stabilizes, even if it continues to be in the hundreds. According to him, it might take them three to six months to reach the target. He also added that even after the surge in cases stabilizes, they may still see future surges, especially if there are new variants. The nation may have to tap the brakes again if the cases grow too fast for protecting their healthcare system and healthcare workers.

Defending against all known variants of Covid-19, including the Delta variant, the Republic has inked a supply and purchase agreement for an antiviral pill to treat Covid-19. Molnupiravir would be the first oral antiviral medication for COVID-19 which is designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus.

The drug was developed by Merck, which is a pharmaceutical firm in the United States and Canada along with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics in Miami. For the pill, Merck is awaiting a green signal from the United States Food and Drugs Administration. However, regarding the confirmation of the Merck agreement, the Singapore health ministry did not immediately respond to a request. Australia has confirmed the purchase of the Merck pill whereas Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia are yet to confirm their purchase.

On Friday, the data released from interim clinical trials resulted in the rush to order the drug. The data revealed that the pills could reduce 50% chances of hospitalization or death for patients at risk of severe disease from the COVID-19 infection.

This is Singapore’s biggest coronavirus outbreak to date, with 3,486 new cases being reported on Tuesday. Nearly 80% of its citizens have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country.

India has recorded its sharpest weekly case fall since mid-June due to a huge plunge in COVID-19 infection in Kerala. It led to a 22% drip with the nation reporting less than 2 lakh cases in the seven-day period for the first time in almost seven months.

The nation has recorded less than 1,56,000 new cases between September 27-October 3. This was the lowest percentage since March 8-14, where nearly 1.56 lakh were recorded amid the second wave of the pandemic spread in the nation. Between June 12-20, 29.5% was previously recorded as the sharpest fall in the cases, 15 weeks ago.

Kerala plays a factor in the plunging of the cases throughout the country as they recorded 90,219 new cases of the virus in the previous week. The state has recorded less than one lakh cases, the first time in 11 weeks in a seven-day period ending Sunday.

India has witnessed less than 30,000 cases of infection for the tenth straight day that is 20,000-25,000. The active cases have declined to 2,64,458 which is the lowest in 200 days according to the Union Health Ministry’s data.

A statement was issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), ‘The Swachh Bharat Mission- Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 visualize targets to convert all cities garbage-free by ensuring grey and black water management in all cities. The plan is expected to be covered under AMRUT.

On Friday, the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has launched the Swachh Bharat Mission- Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 mission. The two flagship schemes of the Central Government aimed to make the entire country’s cities ‘garbage free’ and ‘water secure’. Mr. Modi said at the launch event that the two programs constitute a major step towards fulfilling the long-term ambition of social reformer Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.

Mr. Modi said, ”It is our privilege that today’s program has been organized at the BR Ambedkar center. He believed that urban development was pivotal to equality”. Mr. Modi’s government is aiming to make the urban areas garbage-free. According to him, this is a second phase, they are also aiming for sewage and safety management, making cities water-secure and ensuring that the dirty drains do not merge into the rivers.

100% coverage of sewage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities providing around 2.64 crore sewer or septage connections, will benefit more than 10.5 crore people in urban areas.

On Friday, Australian Prime Minister Mr. Scott Morrison issued a statement regarding fully vaccinated Australians who can enter and leave the country freely from November. According to him, some states will have their own timetable.

He further added, “In line with the national plan, our government is balancing the need to minimize the risk that the spread of COVID-19 present, with the need to live with the virus”. Australia’s international borders were closed in March 2020 by the government in response to the pandemic. It allowed entry exclusively to its citizens and permanent residents. This was also restricted to those who were required to undergo a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine at their own expense.

The announcement came amid the surge in cases where 2,059 new COVID-19 cases were recorded on Friday, mostly centered around its two largest cities Sydney and Melbourne. Nearly 1,700 cases are recorded on an average in a day despite COVID-19 hotspots being under a protracted lockdown. Australian virus-free regions are not entirely on board with the federal government’s plan to loosen restrictions, so they’re defying it.

After 80% of the population is fully vaccinated, the Morrison government plans to abandon its “zero Covid” approach and embrace a “living with the virus” approach.

Taiwan aims to make it easier for people to stay in the country fleeing from Hong Kong. Those fleeing the Asian financial hub are being supported by the international community.

According to the draft amendments, People from Hong Kong and Macau, who are studying and working in Taiwan have been allowed by the officials to extend their residence permits for up to one year while job seeking.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of the Interior said that the new rules will make it easier for students to gain permanent residency after completing advanced degrees in Taiwan. The rules will be implemented and come into effect from early next year. Taiwan alongside the UK has become a favored destination for Hong Kong residents seeking a new beginning.

Nearly 10,800 people from Hong Kong relocated to Taiwan last year and approximately 6,150 received residency in the democratically-ruled island from January to August this year.

A national security law was imposed last June, on Hong Kong by Beijing that prohibits subversion, terrorism, secession, and “collusion” with foreign forces. According to China, the law was necessary to re-establish stability after the mass protest in 2019. The foreign governments claim the legislation has been used to punish democracy activists and undermine freedoms Beijing promised to maintain after it gained independence from Britain in 1997.

On Monday (Sept 27), Singapore and the United States renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Third Country Training Programme (TCTP), including a new focus on climate change and environmental sustainability in the partnership. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Singapore’s minister for foreign affairs Vivian Balakrishnan signed a memorandum of understanding in Washington.

During his brief remarks at the ceremony, Mr. Blinken expressed his satisfaction with both the meeting’s content and its outcome. At the State Department, the ceremony took place in a pastel-colored room with chandeliers. He added, the meeting discussed “all aspects of our bilateral relationship, following on Vice-President Harris’s visit to Singapore, as well as work in the region both directly and through ASEAN”.

A number of other important initiatives were mentioned by Mr. Blinken, particularly their work to build supply chain resilience. To make the chain more potentially corporate when it comes to space, the vital work that they are doing is to bring COVID-19 to an end and address the challenges posed by climate change.

According to Mr. Blinken, it really affirmed the strong partnership between the two nations and they shared commitment to peace, to prosperity, to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission that will provide digital health ID to people that will have their health records. The announcement regarding the mission came from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2020.

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is in its trial phase in six union territories of the country. Its celebration coincides with the third anniversary of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Ayushnan Bharat Digital’s goals are based on the JAM trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhar, and Mobile (JDAM) and government initiatives.

This newly launched mission will create a seamless online platform that will have the provision of a broad range of data, information, and infrastructure services. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the mission will have duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems and will ensure the security, confidentiality, and privacy of health-related personal information.

The Prime Minister also added that it will enable the access and exchange of longitudinal health records of citizens with their consent. The citizens of the country will be just a click away from accessing the health care facilities.