World Coronavirus Dispatch: Blow after blow to South Africa's virus fight

Leaving middle seat vacant can reduce virus risk on flights: Study

An empty middle seat in flights can reduce exposure to airborne coronavirus by anything between 25-57 per cent, reseachers have found. The study is based on simulations trying to find out how virus-laden aerosols travel inside the airplane. However, the study may have overestimated the benefits of empty middle seats because it did not take into account mask-wearing by passengers. Although scientists have documented several cases of coronavirus transmission on planes, airplane cabins are generally low-risk environments because they tend to have excellent air ventilation and filtration. Still, concern has swirled around the risk of airplane travel since the pandemic began. Planes are confined environments, and full flights make social distancing impossible. Some airlines began keeping middle seats vacant as a precaution. Read here

Let's look at the global statistics

Global infections: 138,278,420

Global deaths: 2,973,058

Nations with most cases: US (31,421,361), India (14,074,564), Brazil (13,673,507), France (5,210,772), Russia (4,613,646).

South Africa's pandemic response has multiple setbacks

South Africa is struggling to put together a concerted effort to the coronavirus pandemic, since it began last year. Just when everyone thought the cases were on the decline, a more infectious variant came out of nowhere, driving a devastating and more deadly second wave. South Africa had bet on AstraZeneca vaccine to inoculate its population, but the jab proved ineffective against the variant found the country. Now the alternative — Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine, the only one now in use in South Africa — has run into trouble as well, over concerns of rare blood clots that emerged in a handful of people in the United States who had received the shot. It is unclear whether the vaccine is responsible. Read here

High prices and strict rules deflate Palau-Taiwan travel bubble

A bubble between Taiwan-Palau, that was touted as the rare hope for international travel amid a scary pandemic and restrictions, has deflated after just a couple of weeks, with Taiwanese bookings falling to single figures. Travel agents, consumers and health authorities have blamed the high cost of the tours and the Taiwanese government’s strict rules for returning travellers. To go on the Palau holiday from Taiwan, tourists must make several health declarations, pay for Covid tests, and not have left Taiwan in the last six months. Read here

Denmark to drop AstraZeneca jab from Covid programme

Denmark will no longer offer the AstraZeneca vaccine as part of its immunisation programme, becoming the first country to drop the vaccine over suspected rare but serious side-effects. The move comes in spite of strong recommendations from the World Health Organization and European medicines watchdog to continue using the inoculation, as the benefits far outweigh any potential risk. Experts say clotting risks remained extremely low and that vaccine is highly effective in providing protection against Covid-19. There are concerns that reports of rare side-effects could deter people from getting their shots. Read here