The Hague, Nov. 12 (BNA): Almost two years after the global health crisis that killed more than 5 million people, infections are back in parts of Western Europe, a region with relatively high vaccination rates and good healthcare systems. Where closing procedures are largely a thing of the past.
The World Health Organization said deaths from the Corona virus rose by 10% in Europe in the past week, and an agency official announced last week that the continent had “returned to the epicenter of the epidemic.”
Much of that is due to outbreaks in Russia and Eastern Europe – where vaccination rates tend to be low – but countries in the West such as Germany and Britain have some of the highest numbers of new cases in the world.
While all countries in Western Europe have vaccination rates of over 60% – and some like Portugal and Spain are much higher – that still leaves a significant portion of their population unprotected.
The large number of unvaccinated people combined with widespread resumption of social contact after lockdown and a slight decrease in immunity for people who got their vaccines months ago, says Dr Bharat Pankhania, Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Exeter School of Medicine and Health. Accelerate the rate of infection.
Thanks in large part to vaccination, hospitals in Western Europe are not under the same strain as they were earlier in the pandemic, but many are still struggling to deal with rising numbers of COVID patients while also trying to clear a backlog of checks and surgeries with overburdened or sick staff. .
Even the countries with the region’s most severe outbreaks have recorded far fewer deaths per person over the past four weeks than the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The question now is whether countries can moderate this latest rally without resorting to the strict lockdowns that have devastated economies, crippled education and weighed heavily on mental health. Probably say experts – but authorities cannot avoid all restrictions and must increase vaccination rates.
“I think the era of confining people to their homes is over because we now have the tools to control COVID – tests, vaccines, treatments,” said Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh. “So I hope that people will do the things that they have to do, like wear a mask.”
Many European countries are now using COVID cards – proof of complete vaccination, recovery from the virus or a negative test result – to get into places like bars and restaurants. Pankhania warned that permits can give a false sense of security because fully vaccinated people can become infected – even though their chances of dying or becoming seriously ill are dramatically lower.
Austria is experiencing one of the most serious outbreaks of the disease in Western Europe, along with Germany, which has reported a string of record infections in recent days.
University Hospital Dusseldorf said earlier this week that its intensive care unit is full, although many facilities are struggling with a shortage of staff more than bed space.
Drosten said Germany should increase its vaccination rate by 67% — and fast. But officials have been reluctant to ask for vaccine mandates and want to avoid any blanket shutdown.
Health Minister Jens Spahn indicated that Germany could improve its often lax enforcement of COVID pass requirements.
The Netherlands is in a similar predicament: The country announced its highest daily tally of new cases since the pandemic began on Thursday, hospitals are warning the situation could get worse, but officials are reluctant to take very drastic measures.
Amid these concerns, organizers in Utrecht said they could not, in good conscience, bring tens of thousands of people together to welcome Santa at the children’s beloved annual Sinterklaas party.
In the UK, which lifted remaining restrictions in July and has seen significant spikes and falls in cases since then, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is insisting the country can “live with the virus”. He says the government will only reimpose restrictions if health services come under “unsustainable” pressure.
Spain, once one of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, may provide an example of how risk is managed.
It has vaccinated 80% of its population, and while face masks are no longer mandatory outdoors, many people still wear them. While infections have risen slightly recently, Rafael Bengua, a leading public health expert in Spain, said that due to the high rate of vaccination, “the virus will not be able to control us again.”
Several countries hope that pushing hard on vaccinations will get them there. Germany plans to reopen vaccination centers across the country to speed up vaccination injections. France is also pinning its hopes on the boosters while urging the naysayers to get the first shots. Italy is also expanding its support program as numbers rise.
Pankania says there is no single measure that can control the epidemic. “To really control it, it has to be multi-layered … avoid crowding, avoid poorly ventilated places, vaccinate, wear your mask,” he said.
insult