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<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19, the White House said.</li><li>Biden was set to speak at the UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-virtual-roll-vote-explainer-democratic-nomination-drop-out-election-2024-7">President Joe Biden</a> tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to the White House."Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement provided to Business Insider. "The White House will provide regular updates on the President's status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation."The White House also provided a note from Biden's doctor that said the president tested after having a runny nose, cough, and general malaise. The note said Biden was experiencing mild symptoms and that his respiratory rate, temperature, and blood oxygen levels were normal. It also said he had received a first dose of Paxlovid.Biden, 81, has been in Nevada since Monday night and was set to speak at a conference for UnidosUS in Las Vegas on Wednesday.Janet Murguía, CEO of UnidosUS, told conference attendees that Biden tested positive for COVID-19 after the president was an hour and a half late to his planned speaking event, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/17/politics/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-19/index.html">CNN</a>."I was just on the phone with President Biden. And he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon. The president has been at many events, as we all know, and he just tested positive for COVID," Murguía said at the conference.Biden departed Nevada, a key battleground state for the election in November, on Air Force One on Wednesday, telling reporters at the scene, "I feel good," according to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-las-vegas-ff29bb071f18b993d20dedccbe2c8fbf">Associated Press</a>.

Biden tests positive for COVID-19

A recent study suggests that lingering <keyword id="23667455" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SARS-CoV-2-proteins" source="keywords">SARS-CoV-2 proteins</keyword> in the blood of <keyword id="20537242" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="long-COVID" source="keywords">long COVID</keyword> sufferers could be a key factor in their ongoing symptoms. This discovery offers new insights into the complex nature of long COVID and potentially points towards new treatment strategies. Researchers at Harvard-affiliated <keyword id="23667458" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Brigham-and-Womens-Hospital" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Brigham and Women’s Hospital" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Brigham and Women’s Hospital">Brigham and Women’s Hospital</keyword> analysed blood samples from 706 individuals who had previously tested positive for COVID-19. They found that those experiencing a wide range of long COVID symptoms were twice as likely to have traces of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in their blood compared to those without symptoms. The study, published in the journal <keyword id="23667460" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clinical-microbiology" source="keywords">Clinical Microbiology</keyword> and Infection, focused on individuals with long COVID symptoms affecting three major body systems: cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, and neurologic. A staggering 43% of these patients tested positive for viral proteins within 1 to 14 months of their initial COVID infection. These findings suggest that a persistent viral infection may be contributing to long COVID symptoms in some patients. If this is the case, <keyword id="23667457" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="antiviral-treatments" source="keywords">antiviral treatments</keyword> could potentially alleviate their suffering. The study’s lead author, Zoe Swank, emphasised the importance of identifying patients who may benefit from such interventions. However, the researchers also noted that persistent viral proteins were not detected in all long COVID patients. This suggests that other factors, such as <keyword id="21736950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="immune-system-dysfunction" source="keywords">immune system dysfunction</keyword>, may also play a role in the development of long COVID symptoms. To better understand the mechanisms underlying long COVID, researchers are conducting further studies to analyse blood samples and symptom data from larger groups of patients. These efforts aim to identify specific factors that may predispose individuals to persistent viral infections and long COVID symptoms. The discovery of a potential <keyword id="23667459" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="viral-reservoir" source="keywords">viral reservoir</keyword> in long COVID patients offers hope for the development of targeted treatments. By addressing the underlying cause of symptoms, antiviral medications could provide relief for many individuals suffering from this debilitating condition. As research continues, a clearer picture of long COVID and its potential treatments is emerging, offering hope for a future where this persistent illness can be effectively managed. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="105896840" title="Covid virus can persist in lungs for up to two years: Study" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

SARS-CoV-2 proteins have been found hiding in blood of long COVID patients. Can this explain the persistent infection?

A recent <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnrasl/article/535/1/L18/7760380">study</a> has revealed an unexpected consequence of the global lockdowns imposed in 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19: a measurable cooling of the <keyword id="19899207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moon" source="keywords">Moon</keyword>'s surface. Indian researchers from the <keyword id="20178202" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Physical-Research-Laboratory" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Physical Research Laboratory" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Physical Research Laboratory">Physical Research Laboratory</keyword> (PRL) analysed night-time temperatures at six different locations on the Moon's near side between 2017 and 2023. Using data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, they discovered a consistent temperature drop of 8-10 Kelvin during the strictest lockdown period of April-May 2020 compared to previous years. For instance, the coldest temperature was recorded in 2020, with a value of 96.2 K at one location. In contrast, post-lockdown years like 2021 and 2022 saw a gradual warming trend as human activity resumed. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111772552" title="Newly discovered Moon caves could shelter astronauts as they set up lunar bases!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The researchers posit that this unusual cooling can be attributed to a reduction in Earth's outgoing radiation during the lockdowns. As human activity slowed down, <keyword id="20107362" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="greenhouse-gas-emissions" source="keywords">greenhouse gas emissions</keyword> and aerosols decreased significantly. This meant less heat was trapped and re-emitted by Earth's atmosphere, resulting in a measurable decrease in the radiation reaching the Moon. Further, the Moon's surface acts as an amplifier of Earth's radiation signature. And this unique global event provided a rare opportunity to observe how changes in human activity on Earth can affect our nearest celestial neighbour. While the study presents a compelling correlation, the authors acknowledge that more data is needed to definitively establish the link between Earth's radiation changes and <keyword id="23366659" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="lunar-surface-temperatures" source="keywords">lunar surface temperatures</keyword>. They suggest that future Moon-based observatories could play a crucial role in studying Earth's climate and environmental shifts. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112222991" title="Scientists want to send our endangered species to the Moon to “save” them" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>This unexpected finding highlights the interconnectedness of our solar system and the far-reaching impacts of human activities on our planet. As we continue to grapple with the challenges of <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">climate change</keyword>, understanding these subtle interactions between Earth and the Moon can provide valuable insights into our planet's complex systems. (With inputs from TOI)

The Covid lockdowns did WHAT to the Moon?!

After years of intensified focus on <keyword id="19897423" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="keywords">COVID-19</keyword>, <keyword id="19992404" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tuberculosis" source="keywords">tuberculosis</keyword> (TB) has once again emerged as the leading <keyword id="20564668" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="infectious-disease" source="keywords">infectious disease</keyword> killer worldwide. This resurgence is a sobering reminder that despite our pandemic response, TB has continued to claim lives, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where resources are often stretched thin. According to the latest <keyword id="19896311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Health Organization" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="World Health Organization">World Health Organization</keyword> (<keyword id="19895006" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="WHO" source="keywords">WHO</keyword>) report, approximately 8.2 million people were diagnosed with TB in 2023, marking the highest number of cases recorded since global monitoring began in 1995. <h2><keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> and Indonesia</h2>The recent spike in TB cases is largely driven by increases in two countries — India and Indonesia. Together, they accounted for 45% of the global rebound in TB diagnoses between 2021 and 2023, underscoring their critical role in the worldwide fight against TB. Three other countries, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Pakistan, also made significant contributions, collectively accounting for another 32% of the increase. This means that more than three-quarters of the global resurgence in TB can be traced to these five countries alone. One key reason for these increases is the “backlog” effect created by COVID-19 disruptions. During the pandemic, healthcare systems in many countries, including India and Indonesia, had to shift focus to COVID-19, which delayed TB diagnosis and treatment. In 2023, as these countries ramped up recovery efforts, many previously undetected TB cases surfaced, creating an apparent spike in reported numbers. This trend highlights the importance of sustainable healthcare infrastructure capable of handling simultaneous health crises. <h2>Gaps in TB case detection</h2>Despite the daunting increase in TB cases, some countries have made notable progress in <keyword id="23741990" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="treatment-coverage" source="keywords">treatment coverage</keyword>. Among the 30 high-burden TB countries, those with the highest levels of treatment coverage in 2023 included Brazil, India, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia, with coverage rates surpassing 80%. India’s <keyword id="21052657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-tuberculosis-elimination-program" source="keywords">National Tuberculosis Elimination Program</keyword> (NTEP) has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in this, aiming to eradicate TB by 2025 — five years ahead of the global target. By focusing on expanded testing, improved diagnostic tools, and more accessible treatment options, India has achieved high treatment coverage levels despite the challenges. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114732986" title="Air Quality Alert: Nearly 30% of asthma cases tied to fine particulate matter exposure from bad air" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>However, a significant treatment gap remains. The difference between estimated TB incidence and actual diagnoses still affects millions, especially in countries with large populations like India, Indonesia, Pakistan, China, and Myanmar. These five nations together account for about 50% of the global gap in reported TB cases, with India alone responsible for 16% of the discrepancy. <h2>India’s unique position in the global TB fight</h2>As the nation with the largest share of global TB cases, India has a unique and critical responsibility in addressing the disease. The high TB burden in India is tied to several factors, including undernutrition, poverty, and limited access to healthcare in rural areas. Moreover, with 26% of all TB cases globally, India’s battle against TB will significantly impact the global fight. The government’s financial support for TB-affected households also aims to reduce the economic burden of treatment. However, challenges remain, especially with <keyword id="22004277" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="multidrug-resistant-TB" source="keywords">multidrug-resistant TB</keyword> (MDR/RR-TB). While treatment success rates for MDR/RR-TB have reached 68%, diagnosing and treating all drug-resistant cases is an ongoing challenge. In 2023, India’s coverage of preventive treatment for TB among people living with HIV and close contacts of TB patients also saw improvements, but underfunding continues to limit the full scope of TB elimination efforts. <h2>Global funding gaps</h2>Global funding shortages for <keyword id="21039793" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TB-prevention" source="keywords">TB prevention</keyword> and treatment are a significant hindrance to progress. Only $5.7 billion of the targeted $22 billion in funding was met in 2023, and for LMICs — where nearly all of the TB burden lies — the available funding falls well short of their needs. The United States remains the largest bilateral donor, and contributions from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria are crucial. However, these funds are not enough to meet essential TB service requirements, leaving healthcare systems under-resourced. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114646545" title="Doctors struggle to treat long Covid patients in India; researchers point to inadequate studies" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Even in 2022, only one-fifth of the $5 billion target for research funding was achieved, as per the report. This underfunding hampers the development of improved diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines, which are crucial to TB prevention and treatment. Moreover, many of the drivers of TB are related to social factors, such as undernutrition, smoking, alcohol use, and diabetes, making it imperative to address these root causes. For instance, almost half of the TB-affected households globally face what the WHO calls "catastrophic costs" in seeking treatment. This burden is particularly severe in India, where low-income families often forgo treatment due to financial constraints. As WHO’s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus puts it, "The fact that TB still kills and sickens so many people is an outrage, when we have the tools to prevent it, detect it, and treat it.” The WHO’s Global tuberculosis report 2024 can be accessed <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/tb-reports/global-tuberculosis-report-2024">here</a>.

Tuberculosis dethrones COVID-19 as world’s top infectious killer again; Half of all new cases from India, Indonesia

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The S&amp;P 500 is fresh off its worst weekly decline since March 2023.</li><li>But Deutsche Bank is offering four reasons to stay positive even as recession fears flare.</li></ul>It's an uncomfortable time for equity investors, with the S&amp;P 500 fresh off its biggest weekly decline in 18 months.Although the Federal Reserve is on the brink of long-awaited rate cuts, concerns have crept into the market that the economy is at risk of a sudden unpreventable softening. Deutsche Bank cites those fears as having fueled last week's equity-market jitters.The firm also notes that downturns have historically offered little warning, even when conditions seem fine, and says August's disappointing jobs data provided little security.With that all established, the firm says there are still five reasons for investors to feel optimistic about the economy and road ahead.<ol><li>Job growth remains stable</li></ol>Declining labor data has fractured faith in a soft landing, with Wall Street concerned that a jobs-led slowdown signals a broader downturn ahead.But the perceived decline in job growth isn't as noticeable as some might lead on, Deutsche said.Although payrolls data between April 2023 and March 2024 was lowered 818,000 last month, this downside revision is much more benign when spread out, Deutsche noted:"We'll have to see the full monthly breakdown of that, but it actually means the apparent decline in job growth is less severe once that is accounted for. So the path of payrolls is somewhat flatter than it appears," analysts wrote.The bank said that if these revisions were spread evenly throughout the year, three-month average nonfarm payrolls would remain virtually flat since November 2023.<ol start="2"><li>The stock market's decline has been narrow</li></ol>The market's opening performance last week may have spooked investors, but the plunge was not shared equally among sectors, Deutsche noted.Although the S&amp;P is down 4.25% since August's close, the popular Magnificent 7 stocks suffered a broader a 5.58% drop. This cohort comprises large-cap names that have soared when risk-on sentiment was stronger.But with interest rate cuts ahead and recession fears in the air, investors are more likely to reposition.In this context, Deutsche cited that Bloomberg's 60:40 bond portfolio fell less than 2%, having reached an all-time high on Friday. This could indicate a rebound in fixed-income, as investors gear up for looser borrowing costs.<ol start="3"><li>Rate cuts are on the horizon</li></ol>All of Wall Street appears to be bracing for the Federal Reserve to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html?redirect=/trading/interest-rates/countdown-to-fomc.html">lower rates</a> at its policy meeting next week. The impact of this is already being felt, Deutsche said."The US 10yr Treasury yield closed at 3.71% on Friday, the lowest since June 2023. And the effects of lower yields are already filtering through into the real economy," analysts wrote. "For instance, data from the Mortgage Bankers Association shows that a 30yr mortgage rate is currently at 6.43%, the lowest since April 2023."Of course, rate cuts could be perceived as a sign that the Fed is racing to stop a recession, but Deutsche sees no sign of this among other central banksGlobally, most have delivered a limited 25-basis move, an unlikely move if there was widespread economic alarm.<ol start="4"><li>Recession indicators: Not what they were</li></ol>Deutsche also pointed out that several indicators have been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/recession-indicators-perfect-track-records-sahm-yield-curve-conference-board-2024-9#the-sahm-rule-3">flashing warnings of an impending recession</a>, though a cooldown is yet to show. This has stirred debate among analysts for months now, with a number questioning whether these guaged are trustworthy in the current cycle."There's been a lot of debate as to why this might be, and whether the post- Covid economy is behaving differently somehow. For example, perhaps consumers were cushioned by the pool of excess savings built up in the pandemic," Deutsche said. "But whatever the reason, this shift in how the economy has behaved relative to prior cycles is making it more difficult to rely on these leading indicators."Examples include the Sahm Rule, which signals a recession when the three-month moving average in the unemployment rate climbs 0.5% from a 12-month low. Although this recently happened, the model's own <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/claudia-sahm-rule-profile-recession-indicator-unemployment-rate-interest-rates-2024-8">founder dismissed it as a false positive</a>.

4 positives to focus on as recession fears grip the market, Deutsche Bank says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Companies are cutting <keyword id="21771459" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="middle-management" source="keywords">middle management</keyword> roles, and millennials are likely to be most affected.</li><li>Work culture has changed, and some companies see middle managers as obsolete.</li></ul>Companies are increasingly ditching middle <keyword id="21263594" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="management-positions" source="keywords">management positions</keyword>, and it could be millennials who find their jobs are most at risk. The great "<keyword id="21771460" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="unbossing" source="keywords">unbossing</keyword>" has been brought on by several factors, including cost-cutting, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-might-kill-middle-management-2023-11">Gen Z's distaste for management</a>, remote working, and increased pressure on performance. The repercussions are that future generations entering the workforce may receive less mentorship while being put under more stress from above. But it's not just <keyword id="998753" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="junior-employees" source="Orion">junior employees</keyword> that could be worse off. Lara Milward, a neuro-leadership coach with expertise in how <keyword id="20346862" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="workplace-culture" source="keywords">workplace culture</keyword> is changing, told Business Insider it's the 30-somethings who are buying houses, starting to have children, and juggling "<keyword id="21219154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="career-progression" source="keywords">career progression</keyword> and family life" that may find their jobs are suddenly axed. "It could well be that that's the generation that takes this hit," she said. <h2>Millennial middle managers are at risk</h2>Joe Galvin, the chief research officer of the executive coaching organization Vistage, told BI the unbossing trend has come about due to the normalization of working from home, advances in tech and AI, and generational shifts. "In the analog era, going back to, let's say, the eighties, you had to communicate manually to be able to align your workforce," he said. "Today, technology has made that all possible. And the behavior change that we saw during the pandemic was an accelerant to that." In 2021, Steven Baert, then the chief people and organization officer of Novartis, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349589/unbossing-leaders-novartis.aspx">told Gallup</a> that traditional leadership was "becoming redundant." He said the company's goal was to have a workforce that's motivated and encouraged to be effective rather than told what to do. It's now rare to see the traditional version of a boss who walks around an office and checks in on what all their employees are doing. "That boss's job has changed tremendously," Galvin said. "How you manage relationships in a more digital environment is much more difficult." While Galvin said the intent of reducing middle management is to streamline communication between employees and senior executives, the impact could be unfairly balanced. Middle management positions <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/middle-managers-layoffs-2023-meta-tech-companies-jobs-employment-2024-3">accounted for almost a third of layoffs</a> in 2023, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-03-15/bloomberg-evening-briefing-middle-managers-are-getting-fired-more-often">an analysis for Bloomberg</a> — an increase from 20% in 2018. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.livedatatechnologies.com/layoffs-by-job-level">Analysis from Live Data Technologies</a> also found that manager-level or higher roles made up almost 50% of all layoffs in 2023, a jump of 57.6% compared to five years ago. As a result, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/middle-managers-feeling-squeeze-amid-cost-and-job-cuts-glassdoor-2024-3">confidence levels of mid-managers have dropped</a> significantly, according to research from Glassdoor. It just so happens that a lot of middle managers are millennials. Aged between 28 and 43, millennials are often in their first management positions or on their way to climbing to more senior roles. They were also hit the hardest during <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-won-great-resignation-now-losing-the-big-firing-2022-9">the Great Firing of 2022</a>, making up 94% of laid-off workers. "Since millennials make up a large portion of middle management, they, along with some Gen X, are most likely to be affected by this trend," Chris Lovell, a careers expert at SoFi Technologies and the founder of Careers by Chris, told BI. "These are also the generations that were most likely taught to follow a traditional career path: go to school, earn a degree, and climb the corporate ladder." <h2><keyword id="19901232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-life-balance" source="keywords">Work-life balance</keyword> has changed</h2>Ironically, millennials are "less interested in corporate bureaucracies or hierarchies," Lovell said, which could be part of why middle management roles are being cut. Data suggests that both millennials and Gen Zers are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-millennials-and-gen-z-dont-want-to-be-managers-2023-11">turning away from management positions</a>, with a lack of trust in senior leadership, a perceived limited financial reward, and a greater focus on a work-life balance and time off. Many current <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/middle-management-having-worst-year-ever-rto-layoffs-burnout-2023-9">middle managers are also burned out</a> with their teams being downsized, and an increased workload. Gen Zers could also be shifting the culture of the workforce, putting more emphasis on their boundaries, their mental health, and wanting more autonomy. "I think this collides with economies and the way that the world is going, that companies are cutting costs," Milward said. "If we're thinking about a world of diversity, inclusivity, and including new generations, they are trying to move towards a more flat structure and less of the old-school parent-child sort of relationship." However, Joel Wolfe, the founder and president of the customer service agency HiredSupport, told BI he believes this attitude from younger generations may be backfiring. There is pressure on managers to constantly do better than they did the previous quarter, but millennials aren't necessarily performing at that high level. <keyword id="21771458" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="millennial-managers" source="keywords">Millennial managers</keyword>, in Wolfe's opinion, can be "difficult to work with." "They have fixed schedules and aren't flexible, which is something difficult to adapt to, especially when you are working with different timezones," he said. Millennials and Gen Zers are increasingly opting out of working overtime and going above and beyond for promotions, instead favoring more time off and leaving work at the door when they go home. Wolfe said this may make them seem inflexible and thus vulnerable when layoffs happen. "I prefer employees working when they have some tasks to do," he said. "I don't want them to sit in front of the screen and wait for the clock to strike 5 p.m." <h2>The impact on Zoomers</h2>Shoshanna Davis, the founder of Fairy Job Mother and a consultant who helps young people with their careers, told BI she's not convinced unbossing is a direct response to how younger generations perceive the world of work. But it is likely to disproportionately affect Gen Zers in their first or second jobs. "They are new to the world of work, and they do really need managers to help them find the ropes," Davis said. "Ultimately, eliminating this kind of middle management position means less guidance, less coaching, and less mentoring, which I feel like is still desperately needed in a post-COVID world." Zoomers are already unenthused by management. They are the generation that coined the term "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lazy-girl-job-trend-tiktok-explained-defending-low-stress-work-2023-7">lazy-girl jobs</a>" and strongly believe in the benefits of "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-quiet-quitting-work-ethic-millennials-money-struggles-2023-10">quiet quitting</a>." Will fewer management positions be replaced by higher salaries? Will career progression stagnate for Gen Z, if they have no millennial managers to look up to? What does this mean for the generations after them? Davis isn't sure. "If it's just truly a way to cut costs, and there's going to be no replacements, then what incentive is there for people to perform at work?" Davis said. "I don't really see how that's going to pan out." Correction: May 22, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated Steven Baert's current employment and position. He currently works at GE Vernova, not Novartis. His position at Novartis in 2021 was chief people and organization officer, not CEO.

Companies are 'unbossing' the workplace, and millennial managers are getting axed

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Brian Chesky, a former hockey player and industrial design student, is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/brian-chesky/?sh=67d0629444d3">now worth $7.9 billion</a>.</li><li>Chesky started Airbnb after renting out his apartment to conference-goers who couldn't find a hotel.</li></ul>Brian Chesky has helped Airbnb bounce back from many obstacles — and built his Silicon Valley legacy along the way.The now-43-year-old CEO majored in industrial design at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design and also dabbled in hockey and bodybuilding in his 20s.After graduation, an idea he hatched with his San Francisco roommate Joe Gebbia blossomed into tech unicorn Airbnb, which has positioned Chesky as one of Silicon Valley's key players.As of August 2024, Airbnb is worth nearly $73 billion. It had its first profitable year in 2022, and has become synonymous with short-term rentals across the US.Still, the company's stock fell a record 14% in the second quarter of 2024, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/airbnb-stock-price-consumer-demand-slowing-inflation-travel-pandemic-spending-2024-8">Airbnb noted in its earnings call</a> that travelers aren't booking as many stays.Chesky owns an estimated 11% of the short-term rental giant. His current net worth is $7.9 billion, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/brian-chesky/?sh=67d0629444d3">Forbes</a>, which also ranked him as one of the most eligible billionaires in the world alongside Kim Kardashian and Elon Musk.Here's how Brian Chesky, an upstate New York native, became one of the richest young tech founders in America.<h2 id="d229cff2-2c44-4ed3-928c-6af27d384255">Before running Airbnb, Chesky attended art school</h2>Chesky grew up in Niskayuna, New York, north of Albany. He was into hockey, and he also liked to draw and design new versions of Nike sneakers, which turned into an interest in art.Chesky's high school yearbook quote was, "I'm sure I'll amount to nothing." He thought it was funny — his dad didn't.In 1999, Chesky attended Rhode Island School of Design, where he served as captain of the hockey team and studied industrial design.At RISD, Chesky met Joe Gebbia, with whom he would eventually cofound Airbnb. Right before graduation, Gebbia reportedly pulled Chesky aside and said, "Before you get on the plane, there's something I need to tell you. We're going to start a company one day, and they're going to write a book about it," Fortune <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://fortune.com/longform/brian-chesky-airbnb/">reported</a>.<h2 id="abd9e7b9-adfe-4a41-abd9-bce2ff8658fb">It all started as a quick way to make cash</h2>He eventually moved to San Francisco and in with Gebbia, but the two unemployed grads soon ran out of cash.Then, when a design conference came to town in October 2007 and caused all the hotels to sell out, Gebbia pitched Chesky the idea of renting out their space to those who couldn't find a place to stay — a "designer's bed and breakfast."The roommates ended up housing three people that weekend, offering up air mattresses and floor space, as well as Pop-Tarts for breakfast.A few months later, Gebbia and Chesky were joined by their engineer friend, Nathan Blecharczyk. Together, the three guys started what was then called <a target="_blank" href="http://Airbedandbreakfast.com">Airbedandbreakfast.com</a> in August 2008. Chesky "gravitated naturally to the role of leader," Fortune wrote in 2015.<h2 id="730ed8fb-268e-48f2-8b59-8183521d5ee6">Things took off for Airbnb in the 2010s</h2>Since then, Airbnb has not only shortened its name but has listings in more than 220 countries worldwide. The company has served an estimated 1.5 billion guests since its 2008 launch.In 2015, Chesky was named as one of the most influential people alive in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://time.com/collection/2015-time-100/">Time 100</a>. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jony-ive-airbnb-brian-chesky-time-100-list-2015-4">Apple's former design chief, Jony Ive,</a> wrote at the time that Chesky's "audacity is fabulous."Chesky is not married, though he was previously in a relationship with artist Elissa Patel. He has two golden retrievers named Sophie and Sandy.<h2 id="38a076e1-a0d8-421f-9da4-2059bc3e11b6">The pandemic caused ups and downs for the company</h2>Fast forward to February 2020, when cancellations began rolling in due to a mysterious virus. Chesky and his team were three weeks away from filing for Airbnb's IPO.The early days of the pandemic seemed grim. Airbnb's revenue plummeted 80% due to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-ipo-goldman-sachs-pandemic-2022-7">COVID-related travel restrictions</a>. The company burned through its cash reserves and opted to raise $2 billion in debt and equity financing to stay afloat. Its valuation, previously $31 billion, slipped to $18 billion.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-boss-laid-off-staff-pandemic-asked-ceos-hire-thousands-2023-10">Airbnb laid off 1,900 employees</a>, about 25% of its full-time staff. Employees said they felt betrayed, but Chesky was also praised for his handling of the situation. Workers were given generous severance packages, and Chesky offered to help find them jobs elsewhere.He reflected on the firings during an appearance on <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia6Di_ytiSE">The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett</a> in 2023."This is how I want to be remembered. I only remember that when I'm in peril, we're in our darkest hour, I'm not just worrying about how we will survive, I'm trying to call CEOs of other companies to see if they can hire our people," Chesky said.But then travelers burned out from lockdown turned to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-rentals-jump-127-percent-april-may-domestic-travel-surge-2020-5">Airbnb over traditional hotels</a>. Bookings bounced back by as much as 127% between April 2020 and May 2020.<h2 id="06fce8ec-091e-4bbf-a018-d35129707d79">Airbnb goes public</h2>Airbnb went public on December 10, 2020, under the Nasdaq ticker symbol ABNB. Barron's called it a "blockbuster" IPO. On its first day of trading, the company was valued at $86 billion, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-ipo-valuation-tops-three-hotel-chains-combined-opening-day-2020-12">more than hotel rivals Marriott, Hilton, and Intercontinental combined</a>.Between 2020 and 2022, when interest rates were relatively low, many people bought homes to use as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-first-homes-are-ones-they-rent-out-on-airbnb-2022-4">investment properties</a>, planning to rent them out on Airbnb and other short-term-rental sites to help cover their mortgages or simply make extra money.Demand for travel and experiences surged— so much so that Airbnb recorded its first profitable year in 2022, with a $1.9 billion profit. (It lost $352 million in 2021.)<h2 id="08c2048b-dd4b-4ead-ac82-e1a390b2d4e2">Chesky gives back often</h2>Chesky and Airbnb's two other cofounders publicly signed the Giving Pledge in 2016, a philanthropic initiative started by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/billionaires-join-the-bill-gates-and-warren-buffet-giving-pledge-to-give-away-their-wealth-2016-6">Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates</a>. By doing so, they promise to donate more than half of their wealth within their lifetimes.In 2022, Chesky personally donated $100 million to the Voyagers Scholarship run by former <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.obama.org/press-releases/the-obamas-and-brian-chesky-announce-the-inaugural-cohort-of-voyager-scholarship-recipients/">President and First Lady Obama</a>, which awards $50,000 in tuition for college juniors pursuing public service. Airbnb provides housing to recipients for summer internships and post-grad travel.When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Chesky announced the company would work to house 100,000 refugees with free two-week stays.In November 2022, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-home-listing-free-aircover-guest-verification-2022-11">Chesky listed a guest room </a>in his home on Airbnb, featuring a queen-sized bed and a piece of Airbnb history: the novelty cereal boxes that Chesky sold in 2008 to fund the early days of the company. Chesky told outlets he would make cookies and go to the gym with guests.<h2 id="f8474071-426e-4de9-baaf-881789cfc349">Short-term rental crackdowns and layoffs plagued Airbnb after its profitable year</h2>Countless other real-estate firms conducted mass layoffs due to the cooling housing market. In March 2023, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-tech-layoffs-25-companies-that-have-laid-people-off-2022-7">Airbnb cut 30% of its recruiting staff</a>, representing 0.4% of its total headcount of 6,800.In August — amid protests from locals — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/barcelona-airbnb-ban-florence-amsterdam-lisbon-are-regulations-working-2024-8">Barcelona</a> said it would push to fully ban and eliminate all of its registered short-term rental listings by 2028. Elsewhere, cities like New York, Tokyo, and Vancouver now require hosts to live in the units they're renting out.During its Q2 earnings call, Airbnb told investors that its marketing costs would grow faster than revenue in Q3."Kicking up marketing spend at a moment when demand is softening tends to be the ultimate backbreaker for an internet stock in our experience," analysts from RBC wrote in a note.This story was originally published in 2016. It was last updated in September 2024.

The rise of Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, who overcame the COVID-19 travel slump and is now leading the company through rental crackdowns

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The general public's attitude toward COVID is more relaxed than ever, even amid a summer surge.</li><li>Doctors say relaxed COVID precautions are to be expected and are not necessarily a bad thing.</li></ul>Gone are the days of scrubbing surfaces, sudden <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-shut-down-school-two-days-after-classes-started-2022-1">school closures</a>, and social distancing.Where a positive COVID-19 test once wrought panicked <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-mistakes-us-focus-on-contact-tracing-not-sequencing-2021-3">contract tracing </a>and guaranteed two weeks of isolation, these days, a diagnosis sparks relatively little worry for most people.Even amid a summer spike in cases — everyone from President <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-tests-positive-for-covid-19-2024-7#:~:text=President%20Joe%20Biden%20tested%20positive,Press%20Secretary%20Karine%20Jean%2DPierre.">Joe Biden</a> to the 2024 Summer Olympians seems to be battling the virus — the general public's attitude toward the pandemic that upended our lives more than four years ago is more relaxed than ever.The federal public health emergency for COVID expired in May 2023, officially <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-covid-19-global-health-emergency-is-over-who-says-2023-5">ending the crisis</a>, at least in name, more than three years after it was first declared. Since then, thanks to high infection and immunization rates, the country has continued climbing toward the herd immunity doctors so desperately sought in the early days of the pandemic, four medical professionals told Business Insider."The risk perception and anxiety around acute COVID infection has definitely lessened," said Dr. Anita Chopra, an internist at the University of Washington medical system. "People are interacting and mingling more like in pre-pandemic times."Healthcare professionals told BI that the public's more relaxed attitude toward COVID is ultimately a good thing. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/life-returning-to-normal-labor-market-vaccines-pandemic-2021-11">A return to normality</a> was the goal, after all.But COVID is still very present and very much a potential threat, especially for the immunocompromised and those unlucky enough to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-official-individuals-coronavirus-infection-unlucky-long-covid-2022-6">develop long COVID symptoms</a> — up to 10% of patients, according to some doctor estimates. Meanwhile, relaxed masking and declining vaccination rates, while to be expected at this point, could be linked to the rising case numbers doctors are seeing in clinics around the country, medical professionals told BI."We need to acknowledge that we're in a very different place now than we were at the height of the pandemic," said Dr. Eric Chow, chief of communicable disease epidemiology and immunizations at Public Health Seattle and King County. "But so long as COVID-19 continues to circulate, there are health implications to getting infected."<h2 id="8540c815-ae27-4465-8106-21a572b3f035">Evolving behaviors and beliefs</h2>Many of the early-day pandemic precautions have all but disappeared in 2024. Chief among them, according to doctors, are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mask-mandates-lifted-states-reasonable-experts-2022-2">masking</a>, isolations, and vaccinations.Soon after the pandemic emerged, medical professionals emphasized masking as a key way to slow the spread of the virus.The face coverings quickly became a contentious cultural topic and among the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-decision-to-oppose-masks-bizarre-self-sabotaging-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-6">most politicized aspects</a> of COVID. But these days, even many who once championed masks have ditched the deterrent entirely. An August 2023 Yahoo News/YouGov <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/only-12-percent-of-americans-wear-mask-in-public-194019882.html">poll</a> of 1,665 US adults found that 12% of respondents said they were masking — down from 60% in January 2022. And doctors told BI that they've seen a steady decrease in masking since then."I think the public has appropriately adjusted their attitudes to what they hear in the news and what they see around them," said Dr. Edward Jones-Lopez, infectious disease specialist with Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California.More worrying to medical professionals is the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-vaccine-us-vaccination-sites-joe-biden-2021-4">decline in vaccinations.</a>While early immunization rates helped bolster immunity, vaccination uptake has been on the decline in recent years, and fewer and fewer people are keeping up to date with their booster shots, a preventive step the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#:~:text=Everyone%20aged%205%20years%20and,of%20updated%20COVID%2D19%20vaccine.">CDC recommends</a> in its COVID guidelines.Most medical professionals also recommend a yearly COVID-19 vaccine. There's a new shot coming out in September. But Chow, who previously worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the height of the pandemic, said most people aren't aware of the recommended vaccine schedule — a challenge that is indicative of a larger problem doctors are trying to navigate in this new COVID age."People are much more fatigued by COVID messaging," he said. "We're trying to right-size the appropriate message to make sure people continue to acknowledge the health impacts of COVID."<h2 id="3c719499-920d-46e7-b315-35ec4a1cdc50">The long COVID scare</h2>Relaxed attitudes are not necessarily a bad thing, according to doctors."I think it's to be expected as we learn more about the virus over these four years and as we've developed these other COVID countermeasures to address infection," said Dr. Jessica Bender, a primary care doctor at Harbor View Medical in Seattle and the co-director at the university's long COVID clinic.On the one hand, people are generally not getting as sick as they once did when ill with COVID, medical professionals told BI. On the other hand, this summer seems to have brought yet another COVID surge with a spike in cases.People don't typically equate respiratory illnesses with the warmer months, but an increase in summer socializing combined with the general decrease in preventive measures is likely fueling the uptick, Bender said.For an unlucky subset of patients, a COVID diagnosis — even in this new relaxed era — could mean <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-covid-survivor-its-wrecked-my-life-2022-1">long-term challenges.</a>Doctors define long COVID as any infection related to the virus that is present for at least three months, said Chopra, who treats patients at the UW long COVID clinic. The often <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/healthcare-workers-nurses-long-covid-impact-careers-labor-shortage-2022-5">debilitating</a> condition is indiscriminate in who it affects. Up to 10% of all people who get COVID are susceptible, according to Chopra, and patients of all ages, genders, races, and vaccination statuses can present with long COVID.<div type="image" title="A young girl gets a COVID vaccine" height="2661" width="4000" msid="112065018" hostid="261" sizebytes="341938"></div>Even as the country relaxes its COVID response, doctors said they are still seeing many new patients presenting with long COVID each day. The condition has at least <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/common-long-covid-symptoms-hair-loss-vertigo-low-libido-2022-7">200 known signs and symptoms</a> that range from shortness of breath to chronic fatigue and brain fog.Doctors told BI they'd treated several patients who have been forced to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-covid-symptoms-disability-insurance-unemployment-quit-job-2022-11">stop working</a> or rendered unable to participate in any physical activity because of a long COVID diagnosis. A 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9721155/">study</a> published in the National Library of Medicine explored a possible link between long COVID and the risk of suicide because of the condition's tendency to inflict depression, anxiety, posttraumatic symptoms, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and cognitive deficits.Medical professionals are doing their best to understand long COVID, but admit that there's still much to learn. According to the CDC, about 17 million people <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/long-covid.htm">reported</a> having long-term COVID-19 in March 2024.For these people, the pandemic is still very real."When I treat people with long COVID, they are always masked," Chopra said.<h2 id="c71342ed-0973-4d09-978b-dae3bd11fc3e">The future of COVID</h2>As doctors look to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/red-cross-says-world-is-dangerously-unprepared-for-next-pandemic-2023-1">future</a> of COVID, little is for sure."We always say the one thing that is predictable about COVID is its unpredictability," Chow said.But medical professionals told BI they are optimistic that even as the virus continues to evolve, the next few years will continue to look like the past year, with small seasonal surges and hopefully less intense illness.While lax attitudes may be a welcome sign of a cautious new normal, doctors said it's important to remember the lessons we've collectively learned from COVID. The precautions that proved useful against the virus protect people from other illnesses, too.Just because the world has adapted to COVID-19, medical professionals say, doesn't mean we should drop the hygiene, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-circulation-coronavirus-how-to-judge-ventilation-systems-2020-8">ventilation</a>, and masking lessons learned along the way."We've learned so much about how we can protect ourselves," Chow said. "It's hard to see people leave some of those precautions behind."Doctors recommend people gauge their individual risk, as well as the risk of those close to them when considering which precautions to take in this new COVID age. Most medical professionals still recommend masking, testing, and visiting a doctor after testing positive."We're aiming to get to a state where COVID is not a threat to our healthcare system," Bender said. "And not a threat to our lives and livelihoods.

Most people don't really care about COVID anymore. That's good — and bad. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Moderna lowered its annual sales forecast as sales of its COVID-19 vaccine dropped by 37%.</li><li>The company's vaccine sales struggled especially in Europe, where Pfizer has a deal until 2026.</li></ul>People are getting fewer COVID-19 shots, and it's hitting former vaccine heavyweight Moderna, new earnings show.The company's second quarter revenue dropped to $241 million, compared to $344 million a year ago, as sales of its COVID-19 vaccine dropped 37% year-over-year.The company's executives told investors that this drop reflects a more seasonal COVID-19 vaccine market, where people will likely get the vaccine during the fall and winter. It also acknowledged that it's been all but shut out of the European vaccine market.Moderna also lowered its sales forecast for the year to between $3 billion and $3.5 billion, down from its previous forecast of around $4 billion.Its stock tumbled as much as 21% on Thursday.The sales slump also indicates tougher competition in Europe, where Moderna's vaccine sales saw especially drastic losses after Pfizer renegotiated a contract with the bloc that ends in 2026."Given where we are in the season combined with where we are in the budget season for many countries and their existing supplies," there's a "very low probability" of high sales in Europe this year," CEO Stephane Bancel told analysts on the earnings call.Moderna executives also pointed to more competition in respiratory vaccines in the US, though said that its seeing positive results from recent trials of its new RSV vaccine mRESVIA and dual Covid-19 and flu vaccine.Competitor Pfizer also saw a decline in Covid-19 shots last quarter, but managed to surpass analyst expectations and raise its full-year outlook with broad cost cuts and sales of its non-Covid products.

Moderna stock tumbles 21% as earnings show people aren't getting as many COVID shots

New Delhi [India] March 30 (ANI): A total of 3016 new <keyword id="8869954" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-cases" source="Orion">Covid cases</keyword> were recorded in the last 24 hours across the country with a daily positive rate of 2.73 per cent, a government release said on Thursday, adding that 15,784 doses of COVID vaccines were administered during the same period. According to the release, 1,10,522 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of tests conducted so far to 92.14 crores. It stated further that a total of 1,396 recoveries were made from the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 4,41,68,321. It stated that 220.65 cr total vaccine doses (95.20 cr Second Dose and 22.86 cr Precaution Dose) have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive. Further, India's active caseload currently stands at 13,509 with a rate of 0.03 per cent per day and with a recovery rate currently standing at 98.78 per cent. It stated that the weekly positivity rate stands at 1.71 per cent. Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj called an emergency meeting on Thursday afternoon after 300 fresh Covid-19 cases were recorded in the Capital on Wednesday. "Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj will hold a meeting with the officers and specialist doctors associated with the health department this afternoon," officials said. The Special Secretary, Health Department, Director of General Health Services, Nodal Officer for Oxygen and Testing and Medical Directors of several hospitals including Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) will be present in the meeting. The country recorded new 2151 Covid cases between Tuesday and Wednesday with a daily positive rate of 1.51 per cent, an official statement said on Wednesday, adding that 11,336 doses of vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, Delhi recorded 300 fresh Covid-19 cases and two deaths on Wednesday, marking a sharp uptick in infections over the last 24 hours. According to a bulletin issued by the Delhi Health department on Wednesday, the capital registered two deaths from Covid over the last 24 hours. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued revised guidelines for Covid-19 in the wake of the surge of cases in the past week across the country. "Antibiotics should not be used unless there is clinical suspicion of bacterial infection. The possibility of coinfection of COVID-19 with other endemic infections must be considered. Systemic corticosteroids are not indicated in mild disease," revised guidelines said. As per the revised Covid-19 guidelines, maintain "Physical distancing, indoor mask use, hand hygiene, Symptomatic management (hydration, antipyretics, antitussive) Monitor temperature and oxygen saturation (by applying a SpO probe to fingers) Stay in contact with the treating physician. "Seek immediate medical attention if difficulty breathing, High-grade fever/ severe cough, particularly if lasting for more than 5 days. A low threshold is to be kept for those with any of the high-risk features," guidelines discussed and prepared in January said. Additionally, in moderate or severe diseases at high risk of progression, the guidelines recommend, "Consider Remdesivir for up to 5 days (200 mg IV on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV OD for the next 4 days)". SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/moto-g13-vs-realme-c55-mobile-phones-comparison-of-price-specification-and-features/slidelist/99106985.cms">Moto G13 vs Realme C55 – price, specs, and features compared</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/here-are-the-jobs-chatgpt-says-ai-can-take-from-humans/slidelist/99087522.cms">We asked ChatGPT about jobs that AI can take over from humans – This was its answer</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/zomato-gold-swiggy-dineout-competitor-eazydiner-raises-40-crore/articleshow/99091065.cms">EazyDiner raises ₹40 crore from DMI Alternative Investment Fund</a>

India reports 3,016 new Covid-19 cases, daily positive rate at 2.7%

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Forget friendship bracelets — some Swifties are calling Covid-19 their new concert souvenirs.</li><li>Some fans who got COVID-10 after attending her Eras Tour are calling it a "gift" from "Mother."</li></ul>It's been years since the pandemic times of COVID-19 lockdowns and the era of mandated masking. But while the virus is still circulating, some Swifties have become wildly optimistic about what it means to catch an infection at one of their idol's concerts. So much so that some Swifties on social media are playfully dubbing the COVID-19 infection they think they got from her concerts a "souvenir" and a "gift" from "Mother."A post on X from a Spanish Taylor Swift fan account asked followers: "Did you go to <a target="_blank" class="css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-poiln3 r-1loqt21" href="https://x.com/hashtag/MadridTStheErasTour?src=hashtag_click">#MadridTStheErasTour</a> and take COVID, a virus, or a cold with you as a souvenir? I open a survey."Of the nearly 10,800 votes, 35% voted yes. People in the poll's comments section described their symptoms and showed their positive COVID-19 tests — but also raved about how they thought it was worth it. The poll has been viewed nearly 144,000 times at press time.One X user <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RaquellvsRhett/status/1797947023641247766">commented</a>: "Going to Taylor's concert has meant losing my voice, losing my mental health and, well, my health in general, I'm more dead than alive (but I would go to the concert a thousand more times)."Earlier in February, an Australian concertgoer posted a TikTok of herself dressed up in her concert outfit and glam makeup. The video then cut straight to her holding up a positive COVID-19 test kit in bed. She captioned the post: "The Eras Tour souvenir no ones talking about. if youre heading to the sydney shows this weekend, wash your hands regularly!"However, other X users have voiced their disbelief at Swifties calling the virus a souvenir.One X user <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/pot8um/status/1799513266265166174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1799513266265166174%7Ctwgr%5E823e04af52763fad2f3a84db8d34b05f9516778a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmuse.insider.com%2Fstory%2F666a622b074e87bb00f6cf0e">wrote:</a> "Taylor Swift's concert attendees are calling their Covid infections 'souvenirs' and 'gifts' from 'Mother,' and I'm supposed to NOT wanna launch myself into the sun???"Concerts have gained notoriety as COVID-19 superspreader events. In 2021, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsweek.com/over-2200-people-catch-covid-after-spain-music-festivals-catalonia-1616207">over 2,200 people caught the virus</a> after going to music festivals in northeast Spain.And while the virus is treated more like the common flu now, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/august-flu-vs-covid-infection-rate-2023-8">COVID-19 is still circulating</a> — and people are getting infected across the US.Virus-spreading or not, Swift's Eras Tour has been widely successful, propelling the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tortured-poets-department-taylor-swift-new-album-earnings-eras-tour-2024-4">singer-songwriter to billionaire status</a>. Swift is now in the UK for her next leg of the tour. Swift's representative didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The COVID-19 infection you caught at a Taylor Swift concert is not a gift from 'Mother'

Kolkata, Outlook for bank <keyword id="6354680" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit" source="Orion">credit</keyword> offtake remains positive in 2024 while deposit growth is expected to improve, according to the latest research report of <keyword id="19974164" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="careedge-ratings" source="keywords">CareEdge Ratings</keyword>. The report said that credit offtake continued to grow, increasing 20.3 per cent year-on-year to reach Rs 159.7 lakh crore for the fortnight ending January 12, 2024. The rise was due to the impact of the merger of <keyword id="19896378" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hdfc" source="keywords">HDFC</keyword> with <keyword id="19895995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hdfc-bank" source="keywords">HDFC Bank</keyword> along with growth in personal loans. If the impact of the merger is excluded, credit grew at a lower rate of 16.1 per cent year-on-year for the fortnight compared to last year's growth of 16.5 per cent, the report said. Deposits also grew 13.1 per cent year-on-year the fortnight (including the merged impact). The report said that deposit growth is expected to improve in 2024. The outlook for credit offtake continues to remain positive in 2024 supported by factors like economic expansion and continued push for retail credit supported by increasing digitalisation, according to the report. Unsecured personal loans and <keyword id="19938496" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nbfc" source="keywords">NBFC</keyword> advances might witness a certain level of cooling off, the report said, adding that currently, capital levels are quite comfortable for banks and NBFCs. Higher interest rates, inflation and global uncertainties regarding geo-political issues are other key factors which could weigh on credit growth, the report said. The credit-deposit (CD) ratio has been generally hovering below 80 per cent since September 2023, the report said. The CD ratio saw an uptick of 44 basis points and stood at 79.9 per cent in the fortnight ending January 12, 2024, reaching a three-year high. Deposits have seen relatively steady performance since the COVID times, the report said. However, in recent years, credit growth has been significantly outperforming deposit growth, it said.

Outlook for bank credit offtake remains positive in 2024: CareEdge Ratings

Not allowing yourself to be peer-pressured into downloading those tiresome dating apps may be the first best precaution you can take to protect your heart. Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 may well be the second, it turns out. A new international study examining the effects of vaccines on millions of patients in the UK, Spain and Estonia found that being vaccinated may be the trick to a healthier heart. In the first month after infection, the researchers found that the risk of <keyword id="25186" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blood-clotting" source="Orion">blood clotting</keyword> plummeted by a whopping 78% in the limbic veins and 47% in the arteries of the vaccinated individuals. Avoiding these complications helped more than halve the <keyword id="32031" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart-failure" source="Orion">heart failure</keyword> risk among vaxxers compared to the non-vaccinated. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What does blood clotting have to do with COVID?" comment="subhead" text="What does blood clotting have to do with COVID?">What does blood clotting have to do with COVID?</cmsannotation> Unfortunately, just having blood inside your body isn’t enough to help you survive; the stuff needs to constantly move and slosh through your blood vessels, transporting and depositing oxygen and other nutrients around like silt on a river edge. However, certain conditions — such as diabetes and obesity — can cause some of your blood to abnormally coagulate, forming giant blockages that prevent your veins and arteries from moving blood around efficiently. This places an extra burden on your heart, which can lead it to fail. Research has shown that COVID-19 infections have the capability to cause unusual blood clots in multiple parts of the body, including the lungs and the legs. This can lead to organ failures, <keyword id="6357661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart-attack" source="Orion">heart attack</keyword> and <keyword id="25191" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stroke" source="Orion">stroke</keyword>. Fortunately, simply taking a wee bit of time off to get yourself jabbed by the <keyword id="24209" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine" source="Orion">vaccine</keyword> helps tremendously, it turns out. It wasn’t just heart failure and stroke; being vaccinated also reduced the risk of developing other heart-related diseases. This included scary conditions such as heart attacks and ventricular arrhythmia (an abnormal heartbeat), although this shield only persisted for the first 30 days after the infection. Despite not being at peak efficacy, the vaccine’s protection was potent enough to slash risk of heart failure by nearly 50% for up to a year after vaccination, the study found. This showed that even as the protective halo of the vaccine waned over time, it still continued to pack a punch. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Will this squash the vaccine side-effect debate?" comment="subhead" text="Will this squash the vaccine side-effect debate?">Will this squash the vaccine side-effect debate?</cmsannotation> There has been a second-wave of reluctance to take the COVID-19 vaccine, majorly due to concerns of long-term complications that can arise from them. The important thing to note is that while the vaccine can lead to heart issues in some people, it only takes place in extremely rare circumstances. Conversely, one study even showed that vaccination reduced the risk of long-COVID by a massive 67%. The researchers thus hope that these positive heart-related findings will help clear any vaccination hesitations among sceptics. However, more studies need to be conducted to conclusively understand the protection offered by booster doses in different populations. "Our findings probably reflect the fact that the vaccines are effective in reducing infection, and minimise the risk of severe COVID-19," explains study author Núria Mercadé-Besora. "These results could encourage COVID-19 vaccination among hesitant people who are worried about the potential risk of vaccine side effects." The findings of this study have been published in Heart and can be accessed <a href="https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2024/01/24/heartjnl-2023-323483" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.

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