LyrArc Article Gist
The importance of opening doors, windows, to let in fresh air is emphasized as a coronavirus protection effort. This is particularly important in reopening schools and colleges.

LyrArc Article Gist
Sir Anthony Hopkins talks about his new movie "The Father" about a man descending into dementia and his daughter who struggles with his disoriented behavior. Hopkins says the role has helped him become aware of human fragility and frailty. He says he realizes that we are all fragile, all broken in some way. He first watched his grandmother descend into dementia when he was 15. He remembers his father, a baker,  declining too, and he says in the end we are all alone. 

At this time of covid he talks about people in lockdowns and how many turn to increased use of alcohol. His own experience was to seek help in giving up alcohol in 1975 when he found himself in an Arizona hotel room not knowing where he was, and since then forty five years have passed without it. 

He finds contentment these days and is serene about the future. Some of this he gets out of believing in his own insignificance is this vast world.

LyrArc Article Gist
England's batsman Alastair Cook talks about the pitch in the Third Test at Ahmedabad. He says he would have had considerable difficulty facing the spin bowlers on that pitch in Ahmedabad. With a spinner in his groove, and men all around the bat, Cook says its hard to even get off the mark, with the noise from the stadium and constant scrutiny of the batsman's technique.

LyrArc Article Gist
Take a nice break at any time of the day or at night with this wonderful view of the autumn leaves and tents at 2100 metres in the northern Alps of Japan, in Nagano Prefecture. It will do you a world of good during the long days of fatigue in the pandemic. Among campers are coworkers, and a man who wanted to sleep in a tent with his small daugher age 5. For each day, during 72 hours in the northern Alps of Japan, NHK Television online spent time with campers with their little lights for the colored tents under amazing starry skies. The spirit of the little girl age 5 cannot fail to make us fell young and spirited again. The autumn leaves and sky give a sense of life outdoors reviving spirits at this time of being stuck indoors for long periods during the coronavirus.

LyrArc Article Gist
The 65,000 tonne vessel aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth joins the British fleet at Portsmouth. Queen Elizabeth says at the opening ceremony- "she will in the years and decades ahead represent the country's resolve on the global stage."  The Queen has a special connection with the Royal Navy- "As the daughter, wife, and mother of naval officers I recognize the unique demands our nation asks of you. I will always value my special link with HMS Queen Elizabeth, her ship's company, and her families."

The ship is part of a carrier group that includes US Marine aircraft that is headed for the Indian Ocean and Japan for joint exercizes.

LyrArc Article Gist
England are bowled out in the first innings for 112 on the first day of the third Test match with India in Ahmedabad. India are 99 for 3 wickets at the end of the day. Indian spin bowlers Axar Patel with 6 wickets for 38 runs and Ravichandran Ashwin with 3 wickets for 26 runs made it difficult for the English batsmen.

LyrArc Article Gist
Moderna has made the initial batches of doses of the vaccine for the variant of coronavirus including South African variant, and shipped these to the National Institutes of Health in the US. If the test results are positive the vaccine for variant could be given authorization by the third quarter of 2021. It is becoming crucial to stay ahead of variants developing from the coronavirus and pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, J&J, Astra Zeneca are working on the technology to tackle this.

LyrArc Article Gist
The Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine gets approval in the U.S. It is 85% effective in preventing severe illness, and 66% effective overall against moderate cases.

LyrArc Article Gist
In January 2020 employees met at a local Maryland bar to find out how they might salvage their careers in a 33 year old company that had failed to develop an approved vaccine, says this story in WSJ. Only months later following the coronavirus pandemic everything changed as in a miracle for Novavax. The company had to sell manufacturing assets at one point, and had enough cash for another 6 months just months before. By Feb. 2021 shares which had dropped to $4 were up to $229 and valuation which had declined to $127 million went up to 15 billion. Coronavirus has turned things upside down where newcomers are using previously unproven technologies and making them work in this pandemic. The persistence, perseverance and confidence of Novavax even in the most difficult situations shows how the right attitude can lead to remarkable results. Novavax vaccine can be kept in refrigerators for 3 months, and do not require very low freezing temperatures like Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. This is considered a potent weapon in the fight against coronavirus. Novavax says it can produce a couple of billion doses over the next 12 months beginning in April. Novavax has released data showing its vaccine is effective for protection against coronavirus. Results of late stage US trials are expected in March. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Postponing hearing loss tests can lead to cognitive decline and reduce the enjoyment of activities essential for good health, say experts. About 14.1 million or one in 6 people will have some degree of hearing loss in the UK by 2030. Hearing tests is an habit one needs to take up especially after reaching 50 years of age.