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Towards the Endemic and a New Balance

The passing of the delta variant rampage raises hopes of an accelerated 'truce' with the corona virus. Although there are still concerns about the emergence of a new variant, the current delta variant can be considered the peak of the viciousness of Covid-19. By consistently preventing and treating this disease, as well as continuing to develop herd immunity, it is hoped that the direction from the pandemic to endemic will be clearer. The deadly dance of the delta variant has receded. Although the community activity restrictions (PPKM) continue to be extended, the number of areas with significant level of danger is decreasing. However, epidemiologists warn that, even though the situation is improving and mass vaccinations continue to be carried out, we should not be careless and excessively euphoric.

Blocking the Third Wave

This is the most recent variant to emerge from the series of coronavirus mutations that are aggressively destroying Europe today. The microscopic coronavirus is continuing to turn the world upside down. At the beginning of World War II, Germany surprisingly launched a blitzkrieg, or lightning attack, in 1939 and succeeded in crushing Europe, and then crossed into Africa in 1941. Because of his success in claiming power all the way to Africa, Erwin Rommel, the general of the 7th Panzer division, was nicknamed the “Wolf of the Desert”. Eighty years later in November 2021, it was the “African troops” that launched a blitzkrieg against Germany. The difference is, these troops are invisible armed forces formed of the Covid-19 virus from the Omicron "division". This is the most recent variant to emerge from the series of coronavirus mutations that are aggressively destroying Europe today.

Restoring the Earth’s Health, Post-Pandemic

The global pain we are suffering as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic should be a loud and clear warning, so that we put the brakes on greed and accelerate sharing in resource use. Indications that the Covid-19 pandemic is becoming an endemic are increasingly apparent. The second wave has faded, the number of new daily cases is below 1,000 and the death toll is below 50. This is far below the peak of the pandemic three months ago, when we saw 56,000 new cases and 2,000 deaths per day. Vaccination has also proven to reduce fatalities. The rate of new cases and deaths after vaccination was much lower compared to before the rollout. The situation is also improving in most other countries, although not yet fully under control. And more thankfully, there hasn\'t been a new variant as dangerous as the Delta variant. The pandemic has shattered the life order of the whole world. Economies plummeted, thousands of companies went bankrupt, unemployment swelled, poor and stressed people were everywhere and many development agendas were abandoned. Schools and colleges were forced to close for more than a year. Many got headaches from attending daily online meetings, from lectures, various seminars and discussions, and to meetings, as well as from tahlilan (prayer for the dead) to takziah (paying last respect for the dead).

Tips for writing popular scientific articles from experts

UNAIR NEWS – One of the keys to the successful publication of popular scientific articles is that they are understandable for the general public. However, in practice, writers sometimes still find it difficult to assemble words that the wider community can accept. In this regard, Universitas Airlangga held a training on how to write popular scientific articles on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. Being held virtually, the event presented Markus Sumartomdjon, a journalist of Kontan newspaper. In his presentation, he explained tips for writing popular scientific articles or opinions that could attract the attention of the mass media. Markus explained that an interesting article has an argumentative nature and expresses an opinion or criticism. “An interesting article is to give views, opinions, responses, or criticisms of a real social condition,” he said.

Setting Pandemic Road Map Priorities

Cowd-based economic priority should be avoided as it has the risk of worsening the pandemic — unless we are increasingly insensitive to the COVID-19 incidence and the mortality rate still showing high figures. Controlling the wild COVID-19 pandemic is admittedly not as easy as claimed — the coronavirus is even controlling us. Our entire society, nation and state inevitably have to be further restricted. Households and state budgets also have to be drained in order to survive the invasion of SARS-CoV-2. The aggression of the fiercest Delta variant continues to spread doom. For over a month, since 11 July 2021 the daily death toll has exceeded a 1,000 people a day. Also for a month, our mortality rate has become a world record. Even though — on this year’s 76th National Independence anniversary — new daily case increases declined to 20,741, the death tally remained high, reaching 1,180.