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Literature, movies, and series about the imagined apocalypse and the post-apocalypse to keep our minds off this one.

LONDON, United Kingdom — A new pre-print study released online recently has provided strong evidence to support the “natural spillover” hypothesis on COVID-19, with results that are hard to reconcile with the “lab leak” hypothesis.

OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT

The University of the Philippines (UP) Pandemic Response Team on Tuesday, Aug. 31, said that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country might reach three to four million by the end of the year.

The new coronavirus variant, C.1.2, could be more infectious and reduce vaccine protection, an expert said on Monday, Aug. 30.

In a bid to ease the debilitating blow of the pandemic and facilitate strong economic recovery, Asia Pacific leaders have pledged to accelerate equitable access to coronavirus vaccines, promote free and fair trade, and work towards the resumption of cross-border travel.

The country can only win the war against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) if more people get vaccinated against the illness, according to an adviser of President Duterte.

The government has given the green light to the conduct of the “Bike for Peace and Justice” this weekend subject to certain conditions.

The government has allowed two major sports tournaments in the country but subject to strict health regulations against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The government has purchased 89 million doses of coronavirus vaccines amounting around $1 billion so far amid efforts to step up the inoculation of Filipinos against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The Beta variant is the most “common” variant among the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positive samples that were subjected to genome sequencing, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

Getting Filipinos vaccinated against the coronavirus disease will be one of the priorities of President Duterte in the final year of his six-year term.

K-pop girl group Lovelyz’s member Seo Ji Soo has tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), resulting in the cancellation of activities of other members.

The country has a reached a “major milestone” in the fight against the pandemic with the start of the mass vaccination, particularly the essential workers in the public and private sectors, President Duterte declared Monday.

’TOL VIEWS

An oral drug that can suppress the coronavirus transmission will be available in the market within four to five months in the United States.

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is 97 percent effective against the India strain of the coronavirus.

The government is urging more people to get vaccinated as soon as possible in a bid to outrun the worrisome emergence of new coronavirus variants.