Page 6. The Pandemic - Year Two

Page 35. The 21st Century

Page 6. The Pandemic - Year Two - 2021

Year Two of the Pandemic

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Receives Pfizer booster

Mid-day, 6 January 2021

Experienced fewer side effects with booster.

AOC, 2 February 2021:

'After the first dose I felt totally fine, then the next day I was laid OUT and my arm was a little sore. I was super tired and just slept a lot (it was a Saturday so I could sleep in). By the 3rd day I felt fine.

'After the second dose I felt arm soreness right away.

4,207 Deaths in One Day

Highest on Record

Refusing vaccination

Vaccine not trusted

Many medical professionals in the U. S. are refusing vaccinations offered by Pfizer and Moderna.

They are unsure of the efficiency of the vaccine and concerned about possible side effects.

They prefer to wait for more information about the various vaccines.

Booster shot missing

Vaccine producer finked

People expressed concern about not receiving the second shot - the booster - as promised from Pfizer.

Pfizer preferred to use the limited vaccine available to give the first vaccination - the primary - to more people rather than give the boosters.

Pfizer told people who were expecting the booster to wait.

Pfizer claimed the delay in administering the booster should not matter.

According to the U. S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) the primary vaccination ensures only 50% protection against the virus. The booster vaccination is required for fuller protection (95% or more).

According to some sources, a vaccine does not work - it is not effective - until the booster is received. The vaccine is only 4% effective with only the primary shot.

In early February 2021, medical experts stressed that the primary vaccination did not offer sufficient protection.

The booster was required, on time, as specified. If delayed, the booster should be received as soon as possible - the sooner the better.

The vaccine may be effective for one year only.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip receive vaccine

Primary vaccination administered by the Royal Household Doctor

Pope Francis to have COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week

Pope Francis receives primary vaccination

Vatican City

13 January 2021

Pfizer vaccine

The Pope is 84 years old.

Pope Francis & His Predecessor Benedict Get A 1st Shot Of COVID Vaccine

Pope Francis' predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict, on the right in the above photo, age 93, also received the primary vaccination.

Vatican City relies on the Pfizer vaccine.

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The U. K. closes all routes in and out

From 18 Jan. - 15 Feb (or later)

Arrivals must show a recent negative test and/or go into quarantine

Rules do not apply to haulers; air, rail and ship crews

Here’s the latest on COVID-19 vaccines

Published by National Geographic

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

29 January 2021 -

All flights to Mexico and the Caribbean are suspended from 31 January to 30 April.

All travellers departing from Canada by air must provide a negative test before boarding.

All travellers arriving in Canada by land or by air must present a negative test taken within three days before arrival and self-isolate for 14-days upon arrival.

All arrivals by air must self-quarantine in a hotel at their own expense.

Third Wave peaks in January 2021

Reported daily Covid-19 cases worldwide from Jan. 2020 to Feb. 2021 (Worldometer)

CASES

Reports of daily new cases of Covid-19 infections peaked on 7 January 2021.

By 5 February 2021, the level of daily new cases had dropped to the same level as 25/26/27 October 2020 - slightly more than three months earlier.

DEATHS

Daily new deaths peaked on 27 January 2021 and by 4 February had dropped to the same level as the end of December 2020.

Since early December 2020, 'millions of doses' of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered. (Breakdown into primes and boosters not available.)

However, according to medical professionals, the vaccinations did not cause or contributed to the sharp and steady decline in cases and deaths from January to March.

Variants of the virus are proving to be resistant to the vaccine.

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Carneval 2021

Rio de Janeiro

Postponed, then cancelled

- The biggest annual event in Latin America, Carnival (Carneval), celebrated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in February, was not celebrated in 2021.

Due to Covid-19, the event was postponed and then cancelled.

Kalpa Baruah (kalpabaruah) – Profile | Pinterest

Brazil, State of Rio de Janeiro, City of Rio de Janeiro, Samba Dancer in the Carnival Parade at The Sambadrome Marques de Sapuca Stock Photo - Alamy The Brazilian Samba Dancer – 5 Reasons Why They're So Famous | aboutbrazils Pin on Brazilian Samba Dancers

In late September 2020, the city of Rio de Janeiro suspended the 2021 Carnival.

In mid-November 2020, Brazil announced that Carnival in Rio would be celebrated from 8 to 11 July 2021.

This was the first time since 1912 that Carnival has been postponed.

But on 21 January 2021, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro announced that the event was CANCELLED.

The Rio Sambadrome is now a vaccination centre.

With Carnival scrapped, Rio's Sambadrome hosts vaccinations - ABC News

Rio feeling 'saudades' for COVID-canceled carnival | Inquirer News

Brazil is planning for Carneval in February 2022.

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Australian Open

First Grand Slam of the Year

Melbourne

8 - 21 February 2021

UK variant of Covid-19 found in Victoria.

No fans allowed.

Empty seats.

Image result for kangaroos play tennis - sketch

Image result for australian open, melbourne, 2021 - arena empty

The stadium is almost empty on opening day.

The winner, Naomi Osaka of Japan

By the end of the tournament the crowds had returned.

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Chinese New Year

ox (&#3629;&#3629;&#3588;&#3595;&#3660;) &#3649;&#3611;&#3621;&#3623;&#3656;&#3634; &#3623;&#3633;&#3623;&#3605;&#3633;&#3623;&#3612;&#3641;&#3657; &#3604;&#3641;&#3588;&#3623;&#3634;&#3617;&#3627;&#3617;&#3634;&#3618;&#3648;&#3614;&#3636;&#3656;&#3617;&#3648;&#3605;&#3636;&#3617; - ENGDICT.COM | Color-Coded Alphabet

The Year of the Ox

12 February 2021

7 to 16-day festival from 11 to 17 or 26 February

Image result for celebrating chinese new year at home

Locked down in the Vatican by Covid-19

Pope Francis makes his first trip abroad in 15 months.

Pope Francis, fully vaccinated, boards the plane in Rome for Iraq on 5 March 2021.

Pope Francis in Erbil on Sunday, 7 March.

The Pope would like to visit Lebanon next.

For more about the papal visit to Iraq, see page 7.

Dalai Lama vaccinated

Prime by Oxford-AstraZeneca

The Dalai Lama, the 85-year-old spiritual leader of Tibet, received the first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in the town of Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh in northern India on Saturday, 6 March.

The Dalai Lama advised: 'Take this injection. This is very helpful, very good.'

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Imran Khan vaccinated

Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, age 68, receives the primary shot of Sinopharm vaccine from China against coronavirus in Islamabad on 18 March 2021.

The Federal Health Ministry explained that anti-bodies develop two to three weeks after the second dose (booster).

Two days later, on 20 March, the PM and the First Lady tested positive for Covid-19.

The couple went into self-isolation.

The PM reported 'mild symptoms'.

The premier had to miss the annual Republic Day military parade, held on 25 March this year. The day is a holiday.

On 30 March, a close associate announced that the PM had made a full recovery and was returning to work.

The day before, on 29 March, the president of Pakistan tested positive for the virus.

Pakistan reported 14,215 deaths by Covid-19 as of 28 March 2021, ranked # 29 in worldwide ratings, behind the Netherlands (# 28 with 16,450 deaths) and ahead of Iraq (# 30 with 14,177 deaths).

Pakistan was ranked 5th in Asia, behind Turkey (# 4 with 30,923 deaths) and ahead of Iraq (# 6).

The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, age 56, received the primary vaccination of AstraZeneca at Saint Thomas Hospital in London on 19 March 2021.

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II visits the Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede in Surrey for the Centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 31 March 2021.

The visit was the queen's first official engagement in five months.

The queen recently received the booster of coronavirus vaccine.

The queen did not wear a mask.

The Queen opened the memorial in October 1953, the year of her coronation.

The walls are lined with panels with the names of RAAF pilots and crews.

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In the U. S. and Canada, the regular six-month 162-game Major League Baseball season began on 1 April in 2021, as scheduled.

Due to the isolation and quarantine regulations in Canada for arriving travellers, the only Canadian team, the Toronto Blue-Jays, cannot cross the border back and forth and must play all of their home games on the U. S. side of Niagara Falls - till June in Florida and from 1 June in Buffalo.

Casey at the Bat

by Ernest Lawrence Thayer (1863-1940), 1888

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:

The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,

And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,

A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest

Clung to the hope which springs eternal in the human breast;

They thought, "If only Casey could but get a whack at that—

We'd put up even money now, with Casey at the bat."

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,

And the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake;

So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,

For there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,

And Blake, the much despisèd, tore the cover off the ball;

And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,

There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;

It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;

It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,

For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;

There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile lit Casey's face.

And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,

No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;

Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt;

Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,

Defiance flashed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,

And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped—

"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one!" the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,

Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore;

"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;

And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;

He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;

He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew;

But Casey still ignored it and the umpire said, "Strike two!"

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered "Fraud!"

But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.

They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,

And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate,

He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate;

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,

But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.

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Celebrating Easter in the United States

Easter Sunday

4 April 2021

The Real Burial And Resurrection Of Jesus -

Pope Francis celebrates Easter Sunday Mass

Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican

Message and 'Urbi et Orbi' Blessing

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The annual Boston Marathon pushed back six months

The 2021 Boston Marathon was rescheduled from 19 April to 11 October.

The new date was announced by the Boston Athletic Association on 26 January 2021.

Covid-19 upset the schedule in 2020

But 2021 ran as before

Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky

Medina Spirit wins the race.

As always, the annual race was held on the first Saturday of May.

Due to the pandemic, attendance was deliberately kept to a reduced level.

Preakness Stakes

A fortnight later, the Preakness Stakes is held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

Rombauer wins the race.

Three weeks later . . .

Belmont Park, Elmont, New York

5 June 2021

Essential Quality wins 2021 Belmont Stakes

Essential Quality wins 2021 Belmont Stakes – Au Bpositive

Essential Quality wins the Belmont Stakes

Let's get Vaccinated!

Prince Harry, Joe Biden, Jennifer Lopez - and many more celebrities . . .

'I t ' s o v e r ! ! !'

In Europe and North America the end is in sight.

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J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. Reopens across the U. S.

The Queen Opens Parliament

Official State Opening

Queen Elizabeth in the House of Lords set out the government's plans for the year ahead.

Beside the Queen are Prince Charles, the new Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales; and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

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Miss Mexico crowned Miss Universe

Andrea Meza of Chihuahua, Mexico

Miss Universe 2020 / 2021

69th Miss Universe Pageant

Hollywood, Florida

Originally scheduled for Puerto Rico in July 2020

Postponed ten months

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Which vaccine is the best?

When to get the Booster

There is no doubt!

The world overwhelmingly prefers Pfizer BioNTech !!

Ask - and that is certainly the answer.

In the Philippines, for instance, large numbers go to the vaccination centres. They all line up for Pfizer instead of the other vaccines.

It's Pfizer versus Brand X.

- In early December 2020, the Pfizer BioNTech booster was to be administered 21 days after the prime shot.

The prime itself did not provide protection. It prepared the body for the booster.

Protection began a fortnight after the booster.

The two shots are essential.

- In late May 2021, Pfizer BioNTech researchers claimed the booster could be administered 8 to 12 months after the prime.

But this claim appears to have been based on a shortage of the vaccine.

Indeed, Pfizer BioNTech warned that nothing is certain. Sufficient medical data is lacking. The vaccines have been offered to the greater public only since December 2020. More should be known by early 2022.

There is concern about heart problems with the Pfizer vaccine.

- A third shot may be required later.

Pfizer is working on a third shot, which would be a booster taken once a year to prevent contracting other (or new) strains of the virus.

'Variants of Concern'

Named Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta by World Health Organisaton (WHO), 31 May 2021

The letters of the Greek alphabet

Existing vaccines are less effective against these four variants than the original strain of the virus.

Alpha (WHO name)

B.1.1.7 (Scientific name)

U. K. (first detected)

The 'UK variant' or 'Kent variant' (B.1.1.7) is in Britain and at least 50 other countries.

Detected in December 2020 from a sample taken in Kent in September 2020.

This variant is twice as contagious as the original strain of the virus in Wuhan in December 2019.

This is the most dominant variant in the U. S. and Thailand.

B.1.351 (scientific)

South Africa (first detected)

The 'South Africa variant' (B.1.351) is in at least 20 other countries, including UK.

First detected in Cape Province of South Africa in October 2020.

The 'Brazil variant' (P.1) has spread to at least 54 countries by June 2021.

First detected in Japan in January 2021 in travellers from Manaus on the Amazon in Brazil.

Perhaps twice as transmissible as the Wuhan strain.

The 'Delta Variant' or 'Indian Variant' (B.1.617.2) was first detected in India in October 2020.

This is the most contagious variant. It is 'highly transmissible'.

This variant is two to three times more contagious than the original Wuhan virus.

It is 60% more virulent than the Alpha Variant.

This variant has spread to 80 countries by June 2021.

The variant spread through Vietnam in May and June 2021.

There have been at least 14,000 cases in the UK to date.

By late June 2021, almost all new infections in the U. K. were caused by the Delta Variant.

60% of cases in Indonesia in June were caused by the Delta variant.

68 to 70% of cases reported in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 25 May to 7 June were caused by the Delta variant.

60% of cases in Kabul, Afghanistan in June caused by the Delta variant.

The Delta Variant will soon be the dominant strain in the U. K. and eventually the USA. 26% of cases reported in Bangkok, Thailand in last week of June were caused by the Delta variant.

The European Union (EU) expects 90% of all Covid-19 infections to be caused by the Delta variant by the end of August 2021.

The variant mutates as it spreads.

The Pfizer and Oxford AZ vaccines are effective against the Delta Variant.

A Variant-of-Concern

Delta mutants AY.1 and AY.2

In late June 2021, Indians discovered a variant of the Delta Variant.

Not more transmissible than the Delta Variant.

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The virus spreads through South and Southeast Asia

Maps of South Asia and Southeast Asia

Cremation in New Delhi, India

Despite an outbreak of Covid-19 at Everest base camp in Nepal, climbers continued to summit.

A Nepalese Sherpa summits Mount Everest on 7 May 2021 a 25th time - a record total.

Temple cremation grounds in Kathmandu, Nepal (left); K. P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal, appeals to Britain for anti-Covid-19 vaccine, 4 May 2021 (right).

Queen Elizabeth reviews Nepalese Gurkhas in England.

U. S. to donate vaccine to Nepal.

India donates vaccine to Nepal.

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Vietnam

Covid-19 spikes in April

Delta variant detected

Vietnam postpones 31st Southeast Asia (SEA) Games

Scheduled for 21 November - 2 December 2021

Suggested new date: 31 July 2022

The Coronavirus spiked sky-high in April 2021.

The total death count jumped from 98 on 16 April to 1,744 on 23 June 2021.

As of 12 August 2021, Thailand has reported 6,942 deaths by Covid-19 (ranked 58th worldwide).

As of 18 August 2021, 8,285 deaths (ranked 54th worldwide).

About 90% of the Covid-19 cases in Thailand have been caused by the Alpha variant.

The Beta variant also has been found in Thailand.

The Delta variant could become the dominant strain in Thailand.

Vaccination in Thailand

Officially, the population of Thailand is 65.18 million.

From 28 February to 13 June 2021, 1.52 million (2.33 %) received both the primary and the booster vaccinations and 4.14 million (6.35 %) received the primary shot.

As of 11 August 2021, 4.57 million people (6.6 %) in Thailand received the primary and the booster.

Thus far, Thailand has relied entirely on the AstraZeneca vaccine, most of which is locally produced.

The vaccine is effective for eight months - perhaps longer, one year or more.

Everyone must be vaccinated all over again later this year or next, depending on the date of the booster.

At this rate, life will not be normal again before 2023.

1.5 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, worth $30 million, donated by the US, arrived on July 29.

20 million more doses of Pfizer, which the Thais are paying for, should arrive after October 2021.

The U. K. is donating 400,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in August.

On 10 August 2021, the Thai government announced a record total of deaths by Covid-19 over the previous 24 hours: 235.

On 18 August 2021, the Thai government announced a new record total of deaths over the previous 24 hours: 312.

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Coronavirus: Malaysia extends movement curbs by two weeks to May 12, SE Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Malaysian PM orders full nationwide lockdown for a fortnight as reported infections and deaths soar

28 May 2021

Extended for a fortnight, then extended indefinitely

Malaysia warns against complacency as new virus cases rebound Malaysia reports record coronavirus cases and deaths | Reuters

Testing for fever and Covid-19 in Malaysia

As of 27 June 2021, 6.4% of Malaysians have been fully vaccinated.

With Prince Charles and Princess Camilla, and

Prince William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Group of Seven (G7) Summit

A three-day meeting of seven wealthy nations is held in Cornwall as Covid-19 flares anew throughout the British Isles.

Hosted by the British Prime Miniister, Boris Johnson

President Joe Biden, USA

Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany

President Emmanuel Macron, France

PM Justin Trudeau, Canada

PM Yoshihide Suga, Japan


				Page 35. The 21st Century Page 6. The Pandemic - Year Two - 2021



	The 21st Century \| Page 2. 1999 - 2004 \| Page 3. 2004 - 2019 \| Page 4. The Pandemic - Year One - 2020 \| Page 5. 2020 - 2021 \| Page 6. The Pandemic - Year Two - 2021 \| Page 7. The Pandemic - 'Facts and Figures' \| Page 8. 2021 - 2023 \| Page 9. Burma 2021 - 2024 \| Page 10. Pandemic - Year 3 - 2022, Year 4 - 2023, Year 5 - 2024 \| Page 11. Ukraine 2022 - 2024 \| Page 12. The Near East 2023 - 2024 \| Page 13. 2024