From the Editors: Schooling is non-negotiable, pandemic or no pandemic

SAFE SCHOOLS: The increase in student enrolment in Dubai schools by 2.6 per cent over the last three months demonstrates the resilience of the education sector amid COVID-19. Some ground realities do not change, no matter what the odds are. Schooling is non-negotiable, pandemic or no pandemic. It is to the credit of the authorities that they have ensured it is as safe as it can possibly be. Surprise school checks have pointed to a 93 per cent compliance of COVID-19 protocols since May 2020. This is very reassuring, not just for new admissions, but also existing students and staff. [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

ANOTHER VACCINE ON THE WAY: According to a new analysis by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose COVID-19 vaccine has the ability to protect against severe disease and there are no serious safety concerns with it either. This is of course a promising sign, however, the data is still quite limited and therefore we shouldn’t get too excited just yet. It isn’t as effective as the vaccine made by Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna but the fact only one dose is needed and that it can be stored in refrigerators are major plus points. Indeed, its logistical benefits could counteract its slight drop in efficacy. The FDA's panel of independent experts are set to meet tomorrow to decide whether or not to approve it. If they do, it would be yet another vaccine to help rid the world of this dreaded virus and allow life to return to normal. It really is a case of ‘the more the merrier’. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

GOLF WITHOUT TIGER WOODS? THE NEXT BIG QUESTION: The million-dollar question is now dawning on the sports lovers of the world, and golf afficionados in particular, as former world No.1 Tiger Woods is on his way to recovery after an emergency surgery in a Los Angeles hospital after the car crash on Tuesday. Credited with one of sport’s great comebacks when he returned from back surgery to win a fifth Masters in 2019, ending an 11-year majors drought, Woods will have to be even more resilient this if he is to overcome the damage sustained in the accident. It will be a long, hard road but he could still return to return to competitive golf within a year, top orthopedic surgeons said on Wednesday. [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

NO NEW MATERIAL? The iconic comedy series ‘Frasier’, which ran from 1993 to 2004, is returning to screens with actor Kelsey Grammar reprising his role as the titular psychiatrist. The show has many fans and was admittedly a great piece of work. However, do we really need another reboot? A number of old shows are returning in updated forms, but there are so many original ideas that deserve to get funded and make it to the big and small screen. We’re going to reach reboot fatigue at some point, as people yearn for fresh and unique stories. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor]