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Another Covid-19 outbreak could be caused by Delta or a different variant

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Another Covid-19 outbreak could be caused by Delta or a different variant

According to a modelling study conducted in Israel, the Omicron subvariants may burn out in the coming months, and another outbreak of Delta or a different coronavirus strain could occur this summer.

The discovery, which was published in the journal Science of The Total Environment last week, suggests that while Delta wiped out the variants that came before it, Omicron hasn’t wiped out the deadly variant that could resurface.

Researchers from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) developed sensitive arrays that can distinguish variants from each other in wastewater, providing clues as to where the coronavirus is active even as PCR and rapid testing of people decline.

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They observed a “disturbing interaction” between the Omicron and Delta variants in sewage in Beer-Sheva, Israel, from December 2021 to January 2022.

The researchers also created a model that predicts Omicron will burn out while Delta will simply bide its time.

“Of course, there are many factors at play, but our model suggests there could be another Delta or coronavirus variant outbreak this summer,” said BGU Professor Ariel Kushmaro in a statement.

Until now, according to the researchers, whenever a new dominant variant appeared, it quickly overtook its predecessor after a brief period of parallel evolution.

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In contrast to the expected dynamics, in which the Delta variant decreases as the Omicron variant increases, the results of wastewater detection revealed a cryptic Delta circulation even with higher levels of Omicron, they said.

“According to the developed model, Omicron levels are expected to decrease until they are eliminated, while the Delta variant will maintain its cryptic circulation,” the study’s authors wrote.

“If this occurs, the cryptic circulation mentioned above may result in the reemergence of a Delta morbidity wave or the possible generation of a new threatening variant,” they added.

According to the researchers, including BGU’s Karin Yaniv, Omicron is rapidly spreading around the world, with high rates of morbidity.

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The dynamics of the Omicron variant have shown different characteristics than the Delta variant, which was previously thought to be the main variant of concern in most countries, they said.

The use of wastewater-based epidemiology is recommended as a convenient and cost-effective method, according to the researchers.

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Laid stars Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet reveal the worst gifts their romantic partners gave them | Exclusive

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Laid stars Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet reveal the worst gifts their romantic partners gave them | Exclusive

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Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet talk about their new series Laid, and some of the horrors of dating as millennials.
Imagine a scenario where anyone and everyone you have ever been intimate with begins to die one by one. Is it a curse? If yes, then who is cursed? These are questions that Stephanie Hsu‘s Ruby battles with in the new zany comedy, Laid. Ahead of the show’s release, Stephanie and co-star Zosia Mamet spoke exclusively with HT about their roles, the show’s unique premise, and the horrors of dating as millennials. (Also read: Dune: Prophecy star Emily Watson on working with Tabu: ‘She is a true treasure’)

Stephanie Hsu on her character’s flawed morality

Laid, created by Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna, is the story of Ruby (Stephanie Hsu), who discovers that all her sexual partners are dying one by one, and she must warn them. Helping her in this unique quest is her best friend AJ (Zosia). The fun thing about Laid is that the protagonists are not the usual likeable characters. “She is totally an anti-hero of our story. I really love that,” says Stephanie, referring to Ruby’s moral greyness. “I am not a perfect person and I love playing flawed characters. But it was difficult. The creators told me that she is a total narcissist. But narcissists don’t think they are one, so I had to figure out a way to love her. For me, playing Ruby was about getting into her psychology and finding the innocent part of her – which is that she just wants love,” the actor adds.

While sitcoms usually add the best friend as the voice of reason trope, Laid diverges from that, with AJ even zanier and more morally ambiguous than Ruby. Talking about playing such a colourful character, Zosia Mamet says, “When you play not-so-likable or zany characters, people don’t believe they are that way. I don’t think AJ wakes up every morning and thinks, ‘I am absolutely crazy’. It’s about trusting the writing and finding an organic way into these characters to make them seem grounded, real, and relatable.”

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Stephanie, Zosia reveal the worst gifts they received from partners

In Laid, Ruby gives the gift of death to the men she is with, even if that is inadvertent. Ask the women about the worst ‘gift’ a partner has ever given them, and the discussions veer into the unusual horrors of modern-day dating. “I got a vintage wooden duck decoy from someone. It was broken, and I thought, ‘What does this say about our relationship?’. They didn’t know me well enough to know if I’d want this but also that they gave me something old and ailing,” Zosia says with a laugh.

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