Page 30 - 2022 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
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2 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
symptoms of Covid. But it was far too early to the new restrictions should give federal health
assume that the variant would not cause severe agencies and their global counterparts more
illness, too. Many of the early infections in South time to learn about the variant, including the
Africa were spotted among younger people more severity of the disease it causes. The World Health
likely to experience mild illness. The picture may Organization quickly convened a group of advisers
change as the virus spreads through the larger and designated the B.1.1.529 strain a "variant
population. At the moment, the variant had been of concern” giving it the Greek name Omicron.
spotted in at least a dozen countries, including WHO also called on countries to enhance their
Britain and the Netherlands. Many others are surveillance and sequencing efforts to better
closely monitoring cases. Omicron has dozens of understand coronavirus variants. Vaccine makers
new mutations, including many that may enable were fast to identify the variant as a concern.
the virus to be more contagious and to sidestep Moderna said the Omicron variant represents
immune defenses. But Dr. Angelique Coetzee, a 'significant potential risk' to its COVID-19
who chairs the South African Medical Association, vaccine. "The recently described Omicron variant
noted that the nation’s hospitals were not overrun includes mutations seen in the Delta variant
by patients infected with the new variant, and that that are believed to increase transmissibility and
most were not fully immunized. Moreover, most mutations seen in the Beta and Delta variants
patients she had seen did not lose their sense of that are believed to promote immune escape. The
taste and smell, and had only a slight cough, but combination of mutations represents a significant
that may not be as reassuring as it sounds. Most potential risk to accelerate the waning of natural
of South Africa’s cases were initially found in the and vaccine-induced immunity," Moderna said.
Gauteng province, mostly among younger people Omicron was also quick to make an economic hit.
at universities and higher education institutions. The new Covid variant sent oil plummeting 13%
In addition, cases overall had also been rising as investors feared new government restrictions
only in November. There was even barely enough and slower economic growth. It was the worst
time for infections to have had time to progress day for oil since April 27, 2020, when Covid was
to severe disease and hospitalization. Scientists spreading rapidly in the United States. Omicron is
had not yet analyzed infections in fully immunized another example of how COVID-19 is here to stay.
people, but they are already seeing some cases of And as the world learns more about the Omicron
reinfection that suggest the variant can overcome variant, current guidance on mitigation measures
natural immunity (Mandavilli). -- such as wearing masks -- could change. Even as
the pandemic nears its end and the coronavirus
Nevertheless, the emergence of the newly becomes endemic, it’s still likely that new variants
identified Omicron coronavirus variant felt like a will continue to emerge. New variants are going
pandemic gut check. Scientists have long known to continually be generated by this virus, most
that the world would see emerging coronavirus of which will be inconsequential. It will remain
variants. Viruses mutate constantly. But when an important task, however, to characterize and
South Africa's health minister announced track new variants to determine their significance.
the discovery of the B.1.1.529 variant, which COVID-19 vaccine makers have said that they are
appeared to be spreading rapidly in parts of the prepared to update their coronavirus shots to
country, it was the strongest reminder yet that target newly emerging variants (Howard).
the pandemic is not over. In the hours following
that announcement, several nations -- including The Omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa
the United States and the United Kingdom -- raised fears about the global trajectory of the
banned travel from South Africa and surrounding pandemic in November 2021. Countries including
African countries. The new travel restrictions Tunisia, Israel, and Kuwait announced new
announced by President Joe Biden bought the US measures for arrivals from abroad to prevent the
federal government more time to investigate the spread of the new variant of COVID-19 Omicron.
new Omicron variant, but not much. Inside the Israel issued a ban on its citizens traveling to
government, it is seen as inevitable that the new 50 African countries. Kuwait suspended direct
variant will appear in the US at some point, but commercial flights with South Africa, Namibia,
30
symptoms of Covid. But it was far too early to the new restrictions should give federal health
assume that the variant would not cause severe agencies and their global counterparts more
illness, too. Many of the early infections in South time to learn about the variant, including the
Africa were spotted among younger people more severity of the disease it causes. The World Health
likely to experience mild illness. The picture may Organization quickly convened a group of advisers
change as the virus spreads through the larger and designated the B.1.1.529 strain a "variant
population. At the moment, the variant had been of concern” giving it the Greek name Omicron.
spotted in at least a dozen countries, including WHO also called on countries to enhance their
Britain and the Netherlands. Many others are surveillance and sequencing efforts to better
closely monitoring cases. Omicron has dozens of understand coronavirus variants. Vaccine makers
new mutations, including many that may enable were fast to identify the variant as a concern.
the virus to be more contagious and to sidestep Moderna said the Omicron variant represents
immune defenses. But Dr. Angelique Coetzee, a 'significant potential risk' to its COVID-19
who chairs the South African Medical Association, vaccine. "The recently described Omicron variant
noted that the nation’s hospitals were not overrun includes mutations seen in the Delta variant
by patients infected with the new variant, and that that are believed to increase transmissibility and
most were not fully immunized. Moreover, most mutations seen in the Beta and Delta variants
patients she had seen did not lose their sense of that are believed to promote immune escape. The
taste and smell, and had only a slight cough, but combination of mutations represents a significant
that may not be as reassuring as it sounds. Most potential risk to accelerate the waning of natural
of South Africa’s cases were initially found in the and vaccine-induced immunity," Moderna said.
Gauteng province, mostly among younger people Omicron was also quick to make an economic hit.
at universities and higher education institutions. The new Covid variant sent oil plummeting 13%
In addition, cases overall had also been rising as investors feared new government restrictions
only in November. There was even barely enough and slower economic growth. It was the worst
time for infections to have had time to progress day for oil since April 27, 2020, when Covid was
to severe disease and hospitalization. Scientists spreading rapidly in the United States. Omicron is
had not yet analyzed infections in fully immunized another example of how COVID-19 is here to stay.
people, but they are already seeing some cases of And as the world learns more about the Omicron
reinfection that suggest the variant can overcome variant, current guidance on mitigation measures
natural immunity (Mandavilli). -- such as wearing masks -- could change. Even as
the pandemic nears its end and the coronavirus
Nevertheless, the emergence of the newly becomes endemic, it’s still likely that new variants
identified Omicron coronavirus variant felt like a will continue to emerge. New variants are going
pandemic gut check. Scientists have long known to continually be generated by this virus, most
that the world would see emerging coronavirus of which will be inconsequential. It will remain
variants. Viruses mutate constantly. But when an important task, however, to characterize and
South Africa's health minister announced track new variants to determine their significance.
the discovery of the B.1.1.529 variant, which COVID-19 vaccine makers have said that they are
appeared to be spreading rapidly in parts of the prepared to update their coronavirus shots to
country, it was the strongest reminder yet that target newly emerging variants (Howard).
the pandemic is not over. In the hours following
that announcement, several nations -- including The Omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa
the United States and the United Kingdom -- raised fears about the global trajectory of the
banned travel from South Africa and surrounding pandemic in November 2021. Countries including
African countries. The new travel restrictions Tunisia, Israel, and Kuwait announced new
announced by President Joe Biden bought the US measures for arrivals from abroad to prevent the
federal government more time to investigate the spread of the new variant of COVID-19 Omicron.
new Omicron variant, but not much. Inside the Israel issued a ban on its citizens traveling to
government, it is seen as inevitable that the new 50 African countries. Kuwait suspended direct
variant will appear in the US at some point, but commercial flights with South Africa, Namibia,
30
