Virus Briefing: Living with ‘Zero Covid’ in China

And did you keep a journal during the pandemic?

View in browser|nytimes.com October 3, 2022 Here's your update on the coronavirus pandemic and other virus news. By Jonathan Wolfe Your Covid diaries Early on in the pandemic, many of us sensed that we were living through a rare moment in history. To help collect our thoughts and document our stories, some of us turned to journaling. These Covid diaries may have lasted only a few weeks, while others are still being written. Either way, we'd love to read some of your entries. We're asking readers to look back through their Covid journals for the moments and thoughts that came to define life during the pandemic. Perhaps it's an entry from when you first went into lockdown, or when you came out of it for the first time. Maybe it's your reflections on your first brush with the disease or a disagreement with family over vaccines. Or it could just be your thoughts on what it was like living through a pandemic. You can share your writing here. We may use your entry in an upcoming newsletter. Now on to the news … TOP NEWS Thomas Peter/Reuters china dispatch In China, Living Not 'With Covid,' but With 'Zero Covid' The country's strict coronavirus restrictions dictate the patterns of daily life, like waiting in line for frequent Covid tests and stocking up on extra groceries in case of lockdown. By Vivian Wang Badru Katumba/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Uganda Races to Contain a Deadly Ebola Outbreak The outbreak was caused by the Sudan strain of the virus, which has no approved vaccine or drug treatment. Scientists are now rushing to begin clinical trials in the coming weeks. By Abdi Latif Dahir Victor J. Blue for The New York Times Why Polio, Once Eliminated, Is Testing N.Y. Health Officials Health officials are facing a number of obstacles to containing polio as it continues to circulate in New York State and threatens to become endemic. By Sharon Otterman Jim Wilson/The New York Times Once Known for Vaccine Skeptics, Marin Now Tells Them 'You're Not Welcome' The wealthy California county just north of San Francisco has one of the nation's highest Covid-19 vaccination rates after years of being known for parents who opposed shots for childhood diseases. By Soumya Karlamangla Timothy Mulcare for The New York Times Spending on Children Surged During the Pandemic. It Didn't Last. As programs expire, such federal spending is returning to prior levels: $1 for every $6 spent on older adults. By Claire Cain Miller Paige Vickers What to Do if You're Experiencing Hair Loss After Covid Increased shedding after illness is not unusual. The good news is that it's most likely temporary. By Knvul Sheikh Natalie Keyssar for The New York Times The Great Guinea Pig Giveaway Has Begun From geckos to chinchillas, small pets were a pandemic balm. Now shelters across the country say they are being surrendered. By Sarah Maslin Nir Chang W. Lee/The New York Times Nonfiction Scientists Knew More About Covid-19 Than We Think. And They Still Do. In "Breathless," David Quammen explores the predictable lead-up to the global Covid pandemic, and the frantic, belated attempts to stop it. By Michael Sims What else we're following Coronavirus A new study found that thousands of Americans with cancer died from Covid complications, HealthDay reports. New variants and low booster uptake could drive a Covid surge this fall and winter, Nature reports. CNN reviewed what researchers have learned about Covid-induced loss of smell and taste. The Guardian looked at how the pandemic changed the lives of young people. Polio As polio spreads, some New York lawmakers are rethinking religious vaccine exemptions, Politico reports. Monkeypox The C.D.C. said monkeypox is unlikely to be eradicated in the U.S. in the near future and could spread at low levels indefinitely, CNBC reports. The U.K. is getting its outbreak under control, the BBC reports. Other viruses Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder warn that the simian hemorrhagic fever virus, which resembles Ebola, could spill over into humans. Hospitals and doctor's offices are full of sick children, suggesting that the winter viruses have arrived early this year, The Boston Globe reports. A viral disease has killed nearly 100,000 cattle in India, The Associated Press reports. Email your thoughts to virusbriefing@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward you the briefing? Sign up here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Virus Briefing from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018