The world is enduring the restrictions, but the number of infections is increasing. WHO warns of a return of the pandemic

Europe has been relieved from the coronavirus pandemic, more and more countries are enduring restrictions, even giving up wearing masks. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization is not optimistic. Fresh infections are increasing in large parts of the continent. A recurrence of the pandemic may also threaten the United States.

1. More and more countries in Europe are enduring restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the increase in the number of infections in recent weeks
2. According to WHO, the sub-variant BA.2 of the Omikron version is responsible for the increase in infections, which spreads faster and more easily than previous variants of the virus
3. Experts warn a new wave of infections could reach the United States, where vaccination rates are much slower than in European countries
4. More important information can be found on the TvoiLokony home page

The Omikron sub-variant BA.2 is mostly responsible for the most recent infections. — informs the Financial Times. Less than two months after the announcement of a “long period of peace” for Europe, WHO head of Europe, Hans Kluge, warns that much of the continent is “in the grip” of COVID-19 again, especially after lifting restrictions too quickly and extensively.

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1. WHO: restrictions in European countries were lifted too quickly

Sub-variant BA.2 responsible for the increase in infections

A highly infectious version of the Omikron coronavirus, known as BA.2, is spreading. According to Hans Kluge, the strain took hold when people stopped wearing masks and started socializing more often, resulting in an increase in infections in at least 18 European countries. Experts predict North America will be hit by a similar resurgence in the pandemic within weeks. However, there may be more hospitalizations than there are in Europe, due to the slow progress of immunization among older US residents.

Scientists estimate that this Omikron’s sub-variant is about 30 percent. more infectious than the original version, but UK Health Safety Agency analysis shows that BA.2 cases mostly do not require hospitalization. The reduction in hospitalizations and deaths is also due in part to the high levels of immunity in Western Europe from vaccination and previous infections.

Lifting restrictions too quickly?

As of March 28, Poland is lifting most restrictions, including compulsory indoor mask wear and quarantine. The Italian government plans to end the state of emergency later this month, more than two years after it was introduced — even though the number of infections has almost doubled since the beginning of March.

Earlier this week, Germany lifted most of its nationwide restrictions, including travel and job requirements, despite facing a record high number of infections. Scotland has also reduced self-isolation and testing requirements, despite the large number of COVID-19 patients requiring inpatient treatment.

Only Austria decided to reintroduce security measures in response to the BA.2 wave, once again requiring the use of high-quality masks in public spaces.

«There is a feeling that we have already gone through the worst» — said Hajo Zeeb, professor of epidemiology at the University of Bremen. He added that Germany faces a “greater threat” from BA.2 than its neighbors because of lower vaccination rates among older, vulnerable groups. Despite the fact that the German parliament lifted most of the restrictions, many German Länder delayed lifting restrictions, such as the compulsory wearing of indoor masks, until early April.

1. This is not the end of the pandemic in Germany. They were supposed to lift all restrictions but changed their minds

Today Europe, tomorrow the USA

Despite the widespread lifting of restrictions in the US, there is growing concern among health experts about the rapid spread of the BA.2 sub-option. Especially as vaccination rates are lagging behind many European countries there.

According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a third of Americans still haven’t received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and only 29 percent. of the population have received a booster dose to date. Even so, Anthony Fauci, Joe Biden’s chief medical advisor, said he did not expect the “increase” in cases caused by BA.2 would require the reinstatement of severe social distancing restrictions.

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