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Qatar & COVID-19, Part 12: Officials Reinstate Restrictions as the Variant Viruses Increase Infection & Hospitalization Rates

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  Requests for Mindful Behavior  Gave Way to Imposed Restrictions My teaching schedule has made it more difficult to provide daily updates on the Qatar numbers. Accordingly,  I am providing the numbers for the first day of the month, the last day of the month, and then on each Thursday of the month. This comparison provides context and shows the dramatic rise in infections in the new year, apparently attributable to the arrival in Qatar of the variants of the virus, including the UK and South African variants.  These weekly numbers will suggest trends in infections, hospitalizations, and deaths.  Other entries will capture announcements and other developments in Qatar and around the world as countries scramble to get vaccines into the arms of citizens and residents. My social media feed shows the ongoing tension between the people asking for patience and resolve and those people showing economic, psychological, and emotional distress at the prospect of even greater restrictions that Qa

Qatar & COVID-19: Part 11, February 2021 Return to Restrictions in Light of a Doubling of Infections

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Predictable Responses to "Pandemic Fatigue"  and a More Contagious Variant of the Virus  Just when I was lacking motivation to maintain my daily account of the pandemic, a task I began in March 2020, increasing infections in Qatar has me wanting to track the daily information.  I actually found that my lack of attention to daily information made it more difficult to understand the unfolding nature of the pandemic.  So I'm back to work.  I also want to report that I have gotten two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.  I am so very grateful to Qatar for making the vaccine available to higher-risk residents.  After the first dose, I had a sore arm at the injection site, a slight headache, and fatigue after the first dose.  I felt fine the next day.  After the second dose, I expected a stronger response given my developing antibodies.  But, instead, I only experienced a sore arm.  It may have helped that I tool an afternoon nap.  So, based on my experience, I strongly recommend the