(THE HAGUE, Netherlands) – This year Santa will not receive a traditional welcome in the Dutch city of Utrecht. The head of the Carnival ceremony in Cologne, Germany, had to bow in defeat after testing positive for COVID-19. And Austria is considering imposing an embargo on unvaccinated people.
Nearly two years after a global health crisis that has killed more than 5 million people, infections are once again sweeping parts of Western Europe, a region with relatively high vaccination rates and care systems. health care is good, but containment measures are largely a thing of the past.
The World Health Organization said coronavirus deaths rose 10 percent in Europe over the past week, and an agency official announced last week that the continent was “returning to the epicenter of the pandemic.” “. Much of that was fueled by spiraling outbreaks in Russia and Eastern Europe – where vaccination rates tend to be low – but countries in the West like Germany and Britain have recorded some cases. new highest in the world.
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While the countries of Western Europe all have vaccination rates above 60% – and some countries like Portugal and Spain much higher – that still leaves a significant portion of their population unprotected. guard.
Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer at Exeter College of Medicine and Health, says that the large numbers of unvaccinated people are associated with widespread social restart following the cessation of trade and A slight decrease in immunity in people vaccinated a few months ago increases the rate of infection.
Thanks in large part to vaccinations, hospitals in Western Europe are not under the same pressure as they were before the pandemic, but many are still struggling to handle the growing number of COVID patients while also trying to deal with the crisis. Resolve backlogs of tests and surgeries with exhausted or ailing staff. Even the countries experiencing the most severe outbreaks in the region have recorded far fewer deaths per person in the past four weeks than the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
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The question now is whether countries can stem this latest rally without resorting to the stringent shutdown measures that have ravaged economies, disrupted education and weighed on health. mental health or not. Experts say it is possible – but authorities cannot avoid all restrictions and must increase vaccination rates.
Devi Sridhar, chair of the division of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, said: “I think the era of locking people in their homes is over because we now have the tools to control COVID – tests, vaccines and therapies”. “So I hope people will do the things they’re supposed to do, like wear masks.”
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Many European countries now use COVID cards – proof of full vaccinations, recovery from illness or negative test results – to enter places like bars and restaurants. Pankhania warns that passing can provide a false sense of security because fully vaccinated people can still become infected – although their chances of dying or developing serious illness are significantly lower.
But the restrictions don’t go any further these days, although the Dutch government is said to be considering a limited two-week lockdown and German lawmakers are weighing legislation that would pave the way for new measures. . Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said this week that a shutdown of the unvaccinated was “probably inevitable”, but he did not want to impose the measure on those who had been vaccinated.
Austria is seeing one of the most severe outbreaks in Western Europe, along with Germany, which has reported a string of record-high infections in recent days.
“We are really having an emergency right now,” said Christian Drosten, head of virology at Charite Hospital in Berlin.
Earlier this week, the university hospital Duesseldorf said its ICU was full, although many facilities are struggling with staff shortages rather than bed space.
Drosten said Germany must increase vaccination rates by another 67% – and quickly. But officials have balked at ordering vaccine missions and want to avoid any shutdowns.
Health Minister Jens Spahn pointed out that Germany can improve enforcement of requirements through COVID which is often very lax.
“If my vaccination certificates were checked more often in a day in Rome than sometimes in four weeks in Germany, then I think more could be done,” Spahn said recently.
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The Netherlands is in a similar situation: The country posted the highest number of new daily cases since the pandemic began on Thursday, hospitals are warning the situation could get worse , but officials do not want to restrain too strongly. Amid these concerns, organizers in Utrecht say it is not in good conscience to bring tens of thousands of people together to greet Santa at the annual Sinterklaas party loved by children.
In contrast, cities in Germany held outdoor Carnival celebrations this week – but Cologne’s party head, Carnival Prince Sven I., canceled public appearances after testing positive. .
In the UK, which lifted remaining restrictions in July and has seen a spike and drop in cases since, Prime Minister Boris Johnson insists the country can “living with the virus”. The government will only introduce restrictions if the health service is under “unsustainable” pressure, he said.
Spain, once one of the hardest hit countries in Europe, offers perhaps an example of how risk can be managed.
It has vaccinated 80% of the population, and although it is no longer mandatory to wear masks outdoors, many people still wear them. While infections have increased slightly recently, Rafael Bengoa, one of Spain’s leading public health experts, said that with high vaccination rates, “the virus will not be able to dominate us once. again”.
Some countries are hoping that a further push towards vaccination will help them get there. Germany plans to reopen vaccination centers across the country to speed up booster shots. France is also pinning its hopes on a boost while urging the sides to hold out for the first blows. Italy is also expanding its boost program as the numbers climb higher.
Pankhania says that there is no single measure that can control the pandemic.
“To really control it, it has to be layered…avoid crowds, avoid poorly ventilated places, get vaccinated, wear your mask,” he said.
Associated Press reporters across Europe contributed.
