1. Tom Hanks hosts SNL from his kitchen post-COVID recovery
After a month-long pause to the series, SNL resumed… and with a familiar face to host its first episode.
Tom Hanks and his wife Rita recently finished up quarantine in a hotel on the Gold Coast after testing positive with COVID-19.
But the diagnosis has not dampened Hanks’ mood or humour, as he cracked jokes about it through hosting the show.
Read more: SNL re-launches with all cast-members zooming in and Tom Hanks hosting
2. Vaccine that could have treated COVID-19 would be available now had funding continued
In 2010 an Australian research team was developing a vaccine that, with some adjusting, could have treated COVID-19.
But the US government agency responsible for funding it cut off support, right before human trials began.
The vaccine was originally meant to treat SARS, which to this day still does not have a vaccine and is a close cousin of COVID-19.
Read more: Scientists were “so close” to a coronavirus vaccine a decade ago before having funding cut
3. Don’t bother recording COVID cases, US tells employers
The top workplace safety agency in the US has told employers outside of the health sector they don’t have to record coronavirus cases amongst their staff.
Despite COVID-19 now being a recordable illness, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said employers would not have to figure out employees’ infections happening in the workplace unless it was obvious.
The move was made because of the notion employers “may have difficulty making determinations about whether workers who contracted COVID-19 did so due to exposures at work”, but was met with shock in the US.
4. Wet markets re-open in Wuhan despite calls to have them all banned
As the lockdown in Wuhan lifts, vendors have returned to wet markets to sell their fresh produce.
It comes as the US vocally calls for the closures of all wet markets – one of which is believed to be where COVID-19 began.
Wet markets don’t just include fresh fruit and vegetables, but fish sold in the open air, along with live animals.
While vendors have only started selling fruit and vegetables, few people are reportedly venturing into the wet markets because of the pervading stigma.
Read more: Wet markets, the places that started it all, re-open in Wuhan
5. Billionaires with private jet ignore travel rules
A group of some of the world’s wealthiest men were intercepted by authorities in their private jet as they tried flying to France despite the lockdown.
France has not allowed any travel since early last month, but this didn’t stop the seven men from trying their luck and flying anyway, with plans to take a private chopper to their luxury villa in Cannes once landing.
Read more: Billionaires and their escorts try enter France despite the total lockdown
