Europe has become the epicenter of the pandemic, leading some governments to consider re-imposing unpopular lockdowns in the run-up to Christmas and sparking debate over whether vaccines alone are sufficient to control the Covid-19.
Europe represents more than half of the infections seven-day average globally and about half of the latest deaths, according to a Reuters tally. These are the highest levels since April last year, when the virus swept through Italy for the first time.
Governments and businesses are concerned that the pandemic prolonged derail a fragile economic recovery. Countries like Netherlands, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic are taking or planning measures to slow progress.
The Dutch Acting Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, announced a three-week partial lockdown from Saturday, the first in Western Europe since the summer.
“The virus it is everywhere and must be fought everywhere, “Rutte said in a speech Friday night.
New concerns about what the British Prime Minister Boris johnson described Friday as “storm clouds” over Europe come at a time when successful advocacy campaigns vaccination they have stalled ahead of the boreal winter months and flu season.
About 65% of the population of the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, has received two doses, according to data from the EUBut the pace has slowed in recent months.
Acceptance in southern countries of Europe is close to 80%, but doubts have hampered deployment in Europe central and eastern and Russia, which has led to outbreaks that could collapse medical care.
Germany, France and Netherlands They are also seeing an increase in infections, demonstrating the challenge even for governments with high acceptance rates, while dashing hopes that vaccines will mean a return to near normality.
Without a doubt, hospitalizations and deaths are much lower than a year ago and the large variations by country in the use of vaccines and boosters, as well as social distancing measures, make it difficult to draw conclusions for the entire region.
“Don’t take your eyes off the ball”
However, virologists and public health experts told Reuters that the culprit was likely a combination of low vaccination in some parts, declining immunity among early inoculates and mask complacency and distancing as governments relaxed restrictions during the boreal summer.
“If there’s one thing to learn from this, it’s not to take your eyes off the ball,” said Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick School of Medicine in the UK.
The latest report from the World Health Organization for the week through November 7 showed that Europe, including Russia, was the only region that registered an increase in cases, 7%, while other areas reported decreases or stable trends.
Similarly, it reported a 10% increase in deaths, while other regions reported decreases.
The bleak outlook is sending chills to businesses and governments, fearful that a protracted pandemic will derail a fragile economic recovery, especially now that transatlantic flights have resumed and borders have begun to reopen.
On Germany, some cities were reported to cancel Christmas markets again, while Netherlands it could close theaters and cinemas, suspend major events and advance the closure of cafes and restaurants.
Most of the countries of the EU They are applying additional vaccines to the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, but expanding them to a larger part of the population and adolescents should be a priority to avoid steps such as lockdown, the scientists said.
“The real urgency is to expand the pool of vaccinated people as much as possible,” said Carlo Federico Perno, head of microbiology and immunology diagnostics at the Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome.
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