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Do not fill this in! === 2021 === {{Hatnote|Timelines of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 by month: [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2021|January]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2021|February]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021|March]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2021|April]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2021|May]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2021|June]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2021|July]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2021|August]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2021|September]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in October 2021|October]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2021|November]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2021|December]]}} On 2 January, the [[SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant|Alpha]] variant, first discovered in the UK, had been identified in 33 countries.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web || vauthors = Hauck G |title=More contagious COVID-19 strain identified in 3 states and 33 countries: What to know |date= 15 January 2021 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/01/02/new-covid-strain-b-117-explained/4112125001/ |website=USA Today |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref> On 6 January, the [[Lineage P.1|Gamma variant]] was first identified in Japanese travellers returning from Brazil.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web || title=Genomic characterisation of an emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineage in Manaus: preliminary findings |url=https://virological.org/t/genomic-characterisation-of-an-emergent-sars-cov-2-lineage-in-manaus-preliminary-findings/586 |website=Virological |access-date=6 May 2021 |date=12 January 2021}}</ref> On 29 January, it was reported that the Novavax vaccine was 49 percent effective against the [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta]] variant in a clinical trial in South Africa.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Nedelman M |title=South Carolina detects first US cases of coronavirus strain first seen in South Africa |date=28 January 2021 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/health/south-carolina-variant-south-africa/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Johnson CY |title=Novavax vaccine protects against coronavirus in variant hot spots but proved less effective against strain in South Africa |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/01/28/covid-vaccine-variant-south-africa/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref> The [[CoronaVac vaccine]] was reported to be 50.4 percent effective in a Brazil clinical trial.<ref>{{#invoke:cite journal ||title=COVID variants test immunity, NIH chief and China's mixed vaccine data |journal=Nature |page=497 |doi=10.1038/d41586-021-00186-w |date=27 January 2021|volume=589 |issue=7843 |bibcode=2021Natur.589..497. |doi-access=free }}</ref> [[File:Covid-19 SP - Santo Andre's hospital at peak of pandemic.jpg|thumb|A temporary hospital for COVID-19 patients in Brazil in March 2021]] On 12 March, several countries stopped using the [[Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine]]- due to blood clotting problems, specifically [[cerebral venous sinus thrombosis]] (CVST).<ref>{{#invoke:cite web || title=AstraZeneca defends COVID vaccine as handful of nations pause use over fear of blood clots |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/astrazeneca-defends-covid-vaccine-as-handful-of-nations-pause-use-over-fear-of-blood-clots/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> On 20 March, the WHO and European Medicines Agency found no link to [[thrombosis]], leading several countries to resume administering the vaccine.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||date=20 March 2021|title=WHO renews backing for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 jab as European countries resume vaccinations|work=[[SBS News]]|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/who-renews-backing-for-astrazeneca-s-covid-19-jab-as-european-countries-resume-vaccinations|access-date=21 March 2021}}</ref> In March WHO reported that an animal host was the most likely origin, without ruling out other possibilities.<ref name="who-origins-20210330">{{#invoke:cite web||date=30 March 2021|title=WHO-convened global study of origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part|url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-convened-global-study-of-origins-of-sars-cov-2-china-part|access-date=31 March 2021|publisher=World Health Organization}}</ref><ref name="Maxmen2021whoReport" /> The [[SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant|Delta variant]] was first identified in India. In mid-April, the variant was first detected in the UK and two months later it had become a full-fledged third wave in the country, forcing the government to delay reopening that was originally scheduled for June.<ref>{{#invoke:cite journal || vauthors = Callaway E | title = Delta coronavirus variant: scientists brace for impact | journal = Nature | volume = 595 | issue = 7865 | pages = 17–18 | date = July 2021 | pmid = 34158664 | doi = 10.1038/d41586-021-01696-3 | bibcode = 2021Natur.595...17C | s2cid = 235609029 }}</ref> On 10 November, Germany advised against the [[Moderna COVID-19 vaccine|Moderna vaccine]] for people under 30, due to a possible association with [[myocarditis]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||title=Germany Advises Against Moderna Covid Vaccine For People Under 30|url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/germany-advises-against-moderna-covid-vaccine-for-people-under-30-2605574|access-date=23 December 2021|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> On 24 November, the [[SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant|Omicron variant]] was detected in South Africa; a few days later the World Health Organization declared it a VoC (variant of concern).<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||last1=Fink |first1=Jenni |title=Omicron variant that may resist vaccines found in all U.S. states |url=https://www.newsweek.com/omicron-variant-that-may-resist-vaccines-found-all-us-states-1656826 |website=Newsweek |access-date=25 December 2021 |date=22 December 2021}}</ref> The new variant is more infectious than the Delta variant.<ref>{{#invoke:cite journal || vauthors = Karim SS, Karim QA | title = Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant: a new chapter in the COVID-19 pandemic | journal = Lancet | volume = 398 | issue = 10317 | pages = 2126–2128 | date = December 2021 | pmid = 34871545 | pmc = 8640673 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02758-6 }}</ref> {{clear}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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