From the Editors: Making PCR tests mandatory for all staff in education sector a pragmatic move

MAKING PCR TESTS MANDATORY FOR ALL STAFF IN EDUCATION SECTOR A PRAGMATIC MOVE: The decision by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to make it mandatory for all staff members in the education sector in Dubai to undergo a PCR test for COVID-19 every seven days is an extremely pragmatic step. This applies to all those employees at Dubai schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutes in the emirate who are eligible for taking a vaccine against COVID-19, but have chosen not to inoculate themselves. While at first glance this new rule may appear to be a bit inconvenient to follow, in reality, this is one of the best practices that need to be adopted in the larger interest of the student community as well as all teaching and non-teaching staff. If physical, in-classroom learning has to be resumed on a more sustainable basis, then inoculating all staff members at educational institutions can serve as a major confidence-building measure for all stakeholders in the education sector. [COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

STUDY SHOWS VACCINE CAN BREAK COVID-19 INFECTION CHAIN: A study in the UK has found that COVID-19 infections dropped sharply in March, possibly due to the rollout of vaccinations. This is good news and shows that the chain of infection can indeed be broken by inoculating a large number of people. It gives hope to a weary world trying to curb the rising number of coronavirus infections, which seem to have made a resurgence in many parts of the globe. It will take some time to inoculate 70 per cent of the world’s population, the number prescribed by WHO to break the chain of infection. Till then, we need to maintain safety protocols and not let our guard down. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

MBAPPE MASTERCLASS FOR PSG AGAINST BAYERN: Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe confirmed his status as the best young striker in football with a clinical double in a 3-2 win over defending champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League. The 22-year-old World Cup-winning Frenchman was at his cool best to beat Manuel Neuer twice in the German side’s goal and he said he felt no pressure after handing Bayern their first Champions League defeat in more than two years. “I love to play against the best player in the world and Manuel Neuer is one of the best keepers in the history of the game,” Mbappe said. “I don’t have any pressure.” [COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor]

REALITY BITES: Khloe Kardashian has taken to social media to call out her haters and body shamers, while also addressing the accidental release of her image in swimwear. The picture showed a natural, unedited side of the reality TV star. While she has every right to be upset about people seeing a photo she didn’t want released, it has shed light on the complexities of social media and how users present themselves on it. The image might seem normal to outsiders but for those whose life needs to be shown in a polished and controlled way, an unedited image can be disastrous. Everyone should question what is posted on social media and avoid comparing ourselves to the things we see. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor – Features]