No one likes to be reminded of bad times. Therefore, it is entirely understandable that those of us who lived through the bleak years of the Covid-19 pandemic would be reluctant to go back to a regime of social distancing, PCR tests, mask wearing and near-constant hand washing.
As unwanted as some of these small preventive steps are, however, now may the time to consider incorporating some of them back into our daily lives. The World Health Organisation has reported a 52 per cent increase in new Covid cases over the past four weeks, with more than 850,000 new infections recorded. This is largely down to the spread of a new Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus variant called JN.1, which accounts for 44.1 per cent of Covid cases globally.
Classified as a “variant of interest” by the WHO, JN.1 has been detected in China, India and the US, among other countries. Although alarm should be avoided, some of the information available on this variant is concerning, with the WHO this week describing the “high transmissibility of JN.1 in humans”. Its spread is also taking place during winter in the northern hemisphere, which is a time of increased respiratory illness generally. If we factor in the high amount of seasonal travel – domestic and international – for the Christmas and New Year festive season, then complacency should be avoided.
That said, it is important to keep things in perspective. Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia in the UK, suggested to The National this week that there is no current evidence that JN.1 causes more severe sickness than other variants, adding that a Covid infection this year “is much less likely” to cause an illness severe enough to cause a person to have to go to hospital, compared to the same time last year.
But for those who think they can shrug off a mild Covid infection, there are many people who cannot: the elderly, the unvaccinated or those who have other health problems. For these people, a Covid infection can result in a much more serious situation. That is why it is good to see some governments act on vaccination and booster shots: Bahrain, for example, has become one of the first countries to offer the latest Pfizer XBB 1.5 booster as a defence against new variants.
Covid is now an endemic disease and a reality of life for many of us. There is no such thing as a truly “post-Covid” world. The virus will continue to spawn mutations and although governments can always do more to tackle the disease – improved messaging about booster shots and other preventive measures would be a start – it is down to us to exercise individual responsibility to curb Covid’s spread. That means wearing a mask where appropriate, getting a PCR test if one feels unwell and isolating if the result comes back positive.
Much has been achieved in taming a disease that spread fear and panic when it first rampaged through the population. The good news is that through scientific advances and international co-operation, Covid has been largely reduced to the level of just another respiratory sickness. That said, now is not the time to squander the progress that has been made by being blasé about carrying a virus that is as adaptable as we are.
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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