An AFP tally on Thursday showed more than 1.5 million people have died from Covid-19 in Europe. (File)
Paris:
Europe scrambled on Thursday to regain control over a resurgent coronavirus as governments called for the use of boosters for adults and shots for young children in a sign of growing concern. growing discontent over the pandemic that has killed 1.5 million people on the continent.
Berlin, Paris and Lisbon are among the capitals with tighter Covid restrictions and more extensive vaccination campaigns as cases rise and an invasive winter threatens to frustrate the fight against the virus. virus in the summer.
In the Czech Republic, President Milos Zeman returned to the hospital just hours after being released to name a new prime minister when he tested positive for Covid-19.
With governments struggling to deal with a more infectious Delta variant, the discovery of a new and troubling virus strain in South Africa is a stark reminder that the The battle against COVID-19 is far from won.
In response to the new variant, Britain on Thursday said it would ban travel from six South African countries: South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said scientists were “deeply concerned” about the new variant because it “may be more transmissible” than Delta and current vaccines are less effective against it.
In Germany, outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel called for stricter control measures. France has ramped up vaccinations, and the European Union’s pharmaceutical agency has given the green light to vaccines for 5-year-olds.
Even countries with relatively high vaccination rates are tightening Covid-19 measures that were only recently relaxed.
Ms. Merkel begged the new government to succeed her to take quick, decisive measures as the country reported a record 351 deaths from Covid in the past 24 hours, taking the official death toll. 100,000 people since the beginning of the pandemic.
Warning that “every day counts”, Ms. Merkel called on her successor government to “limit more exposure”.
Booster Bolster
Germany has had to appeal to hospitals elsewhere in the EU for help as some clinics face overcrowding.
Last week, the country began requiring citizens to prove they have been vaccinated, have recovered from Covid-19 or have recently tested negative before they can travel abroad. public transport or to the workplace.
Some of the hardest hit areas have canceled Christmas markets and banned the unvaccinated from bars, gyms and entertainment facilities.
Germany’s COVID-19 crisis is partly attributed to its relatively low vaccination rate, around 69%, compared to other Western European countries such as France, where it is 75% – despite new cases reaching seven-month high. on Wednesday.
An intensified German firing campaign was marred by supply and logistical problems.
In Paris, Health Minister Olivier Veran said all adults will be able to use Covid-19 booster shots starting this weekend.
From January 15, people over 18 will need to present proof of an additional dose of vaccine to maintain a valid Covid card, which is required to enter restaurants, bars, gyms and other facilities. other public places.
Adding to the pressure, the European Union Commission recommended that the bloc’s vaccination certificates expire more than nine months after the holder’s latest dose.
Elsewhere in Europe, the streets of the Slovakian capital Bratislava were deserted as a new partial Covid lockdown went into effect.
Even Portugal, which has a vaccination rate of 86%, said it would impose work-from-home in the New Year and close bars and discos.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said that Belgium, which introduced tougher restrictions just last week, had seen a much worse rise than expected.
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The Czech government earlier on Thursday issued a 30-day state of emergency, including closing Christmas markets as well as nightclubs.
Hospitals in the east of the country are reaching capacity and some have begun transferring patients across the country by helicopter and ambulance.
The spike in cases suggests that Europe has re-emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic, with the continent facing sluggish vaccine absorption in some countries, the Delta variant being highly contagious. , colder weather brings people indoors and eases restrictions.
An AFP tally showed on Thursday that more than 1.5 million people have died from Covid-19 in Europe.
Scientists in South Africa say the new variant they discovered has many mutations that are responsible for the spike in infections.
The number of daily infections in Africa’s worst-affected country has increased tenfold since the beginning of the month.
Back in Europe, the European Medicines Agency approved the Pfizer/BioNTech injector for children aged 5 to 11, clearing the way for vaccination in an age group where the virus is spreading rapidly and bringing the EU into line. with the United States, Israel and Canada.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
