In British Columbia, Canada, an outbreak of the P.1 Brazilian COVID-19 variant is currently causing panic in the community with close to 300 cases being registered in late March. Perhaps the most alarming thing about this news is how far Brazil is from Canada and considering strict guidelines on international travel, this variant of concern (VOC) is proving to be one of the more contagious strains today.
A few weeks before she was set to celebrate her birthday, French nun Lucile Randon (or Sister Andre to those closest to her), tested positive for COVID-19. Though she did not feel any major symptoms, she placed herself in quarantine inside her Toulon home for fear that she might pass on the virus to other residents.
As early as July last year, Americans have already accepted how face masks will remain commonplace into the future. One McKinsey survey reported that 88% of Americans believed that COVID-19’s infection rate will reduce in nine months. Evidently, the opposing 12% proved to be more correct with the U.S. reaching its record-high of 402,270 new cases on December 20 last year and coming to a total of 30.2 million infected individuals to date.