A year on from the Covid-19 outbreak and the virus has killed almost 1.5 million while infecting more than 65m.
What began as an unexplained pneumonia in patients at hospitals in Wuhan, China, has spread since across the globe, wrecking havoc on economies and devastating industries.
Much is yet unknown about this novel coronavirus but with, scientists around the world working to understand its affects, here are five things we know for sure about Covid-19:
1. Vaccines can prevent people from becoming ill with Covid-19
In just a year, vaccines in clinical trials, shown to be as much as 95 per cent effective at preventing people from falling ill with Covid-19, have been designed, developed, tested and approved.
It represents an impressive scientific achievement given the process typically takes more than a decade and in some cases is ultimately unsuccessful.
Efforts to develop vaccines against some viruses, such as HIV, have failed despite multiple trials. Indeed, when the coronavirus emerged there was no guarantee that vaccine development would yield results.
The speed is thanks to billions of dollars of government funding and because, where possible, the various stages of vaccine development have been run simultaneously instead of sequentially.
What is less clear yet is whether the vaccines being rolled out will stop people spreading the coronavirus as well as preventing them falling ill.
2. Transmission can be airborne
Early on in the pandemic, it was unclear whether airborne transmission of the new coronavirus was possible and greater emphasis was put on the risks from infected surfaces.
It has emerged, however, that virus-containing particles suspended in the air are likely to be a route for transmission.
The journal The Lancet, for example, has said that reports of individuals being infected by people they were not in close contact show airborne transmission can happen.
The risk of airborne transmission means that indoor spaces should be well ventilated to reduce the concentration of virus-containing particles.
Other research published in The Lancet indicates the risk from contaminated surfaces is modest because researchers have struggled to cultivate the virus from objects.
It said surfaces are “unlikely to be a major route of transmission” even though the virus can in some circumstances persist for days outside the body.
3. People not showing symptoms can still spread the coronavirus
About one in five people who contract Covid-19 do not show any symptoms and, while the journal Nature says that any one such individual "will transmit the virus to significantly fewer people than someone with symptoms", they can still pass it on.
One review, reported in Nature, found that asymptomatic individuals were 42 per cent less likely to pass on the virus than people with symptoms. Results vary between studies and one paper suggested a much lower likelihood of transmission in the case of asymptomatic infections.
Other people not showing ill-effects may be in the pre-symptomatic phase before symptoms develop.
Taken together, asymptomatic people and individuals who are pre-symptomatic could account for around half of new coronavirus cases, according to one study.
Some research indicates that people with more severe symptoms produce greater levels antibodies against the virus and their immune response may be longer lasting, potentially offering stronger protection against reinfection.
4. Some infected people are much more likely than others to spread the disease
People infected with Covid-19 vary dramatically in how infectious they are, with some individuals much more likely pass the pathogen on.
Branded superspreaders, they make up between about 10 to 20 per cent of those infected, according to reports, but could be responsible for as many as four in five new cases.
Factors such as breathing more quickly or talking loudly are thought to make a person more likely to spread the virus.
However, even when talking in a similar fashion, individuals vary widely in how many potentially virus-containing particles they emit.
Research done prior to the pandemic has said that some people are “super emitters” of respiratory droplets, perhaps because of the consistency of fluids in the respiratory system.
When these are thicker or more viscous, a person is more likely to emit tiny particles called aerosols, which can linger in the air for long periods.
5. Wearing a face mask reduces transmission
The effectiveness of face masks has been much discussed, but there are multiple pieces of evidence that they can reduce transmission.
They are thought to be particularly effective when people are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic and so may be unaware they are infected. Multi-layered masks without valves are recommended.
Studies in Canada, Germany and the US, for example, have reported significant reductions in infection rates after people were told to wear masks.
Other observational studies in environments ranging from warships to hair salons, aircraft and households have also found reductions in risk of up to 70 percent associated with wearing masks.
The US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) has said mask use offers benefits both to the mask wearer (by filtering out fine particles containing the virus that a person may inhale) and to others (by reducing the number of virus-containing particles an individual releases).
Studies also indicate that even if infection happens, masks may reduce the severity of illness because the wearer has been exposed to fewer virus particles.
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
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57%20Seconds
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Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The%20specs
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
