Belarus

Coronavirus: Politicians who've tested positive Alexander Lukashenko Belarus's embattled President Lukashenko told military officials on July 28 that he had survived an "asymptomatic" COVID-19 infection "on his feet," days before his contentious re-election. The claim met skepticism given its timing. He initially dismissed fears about the pandemic as a "psychosis" and went as far as suggesting cures such as drinking vodka, taking saunas and playing ice hockey. … [Read more...] about Coronavirus digest: Berlin hospital halts admissions over COVID variant

August 17: U.N.C. Chapel Hill goes online one week after reopening University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of the largest U.S. college campuses to reopen for in-person classes, was forced to close again when 177 students tested positive for COVID-19 just a week after classes began on Aug. 10. The 30,000 student campus will now be fully online. Colleges and their students have been struggling to figure out how to have a proper education during a pandemic. While some colleges, such as the University of California college system have switched to online learning for the entire year, other universities have decided to re-open with enforced mask mandates. U.N.C. closing, however, has shown the struggles parents, students, and teachers face as schools and universities struggle to hold classes while keeping their students and faculty safe. … [Read more...] about From Wuhan to the White House: A Timeline of COVID-19’s Spread