EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COULD SEE 500K COVID DEATHS BY FEBRUARY 1

Fri 05 November 2021:

The World Health Organization (WHOEuropean )’s regional director indicated during a news conference that Europe and Central Asia are once again at the “epicentre” of the COVID-19 epidemic, with 500,000 more deaths possible before February 1.

“We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of COVID-19, to preventing them from happening in the first place,” Dr. Hans Kluge said.

The 55 percent spike in new COVID-19 cases in the region during the last four weeks, according to Dr. Hans Kluge, is attributable to low vaccination rates and a lack of preventive measures.

The rising number of cases, particularly in Eastern Europe, has sparked debate about whether or not to reintroduce curbs before the Christmas holiday season, as well as how to urge more people to be vaccinated.

According to him, Europe and Central Asia accounted for 59% of global cases and 48% of recorded deaths.

The winter season, with people gathering in small spaces, as well as low mask use and the Delta variant, have all contributed to the increase.

“Transmission is high in many countries across the European region… not just in one country,” said Dr Catherine Smallwood, from the WHO’s emergencies team.

“Of course, Europe as a continent is highly interconnected, more so maybe than other regions, and this may also be a factor in the way that the pandemic evolves.”

According to WHO experts, there was also a “huge variation in uptake” of the COVID-19 vaccines across the region.

In the region, around one billion vaccine doses have been administered, but only about 47% of the population has been fully immunized.

While eight nations in the region have vaccinated 70% of their populations, the rate remains below 10%, according to Kluge, who stressed the need of preventive measures such as mask use across Europe.

Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, reported 33,949 new infections, the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic last year. Cases in Russia and Ukraine are soaring.

Austria’s daily new coronavirus infections surged towards a record set a year ago, making a lockdown for the unvaccinated ever more likely.

Dr. Hans Kluge claims that if 95 percent of people in Europe and Central Asia wore masks, they may save up to 188,000 lives out of the half-million that could be lost by February 2022.

Kluge also supported the COVID-19 pass, claiming that it was a “tool towards individual liberty” rather than a restriction on freedom.

(with agencies)

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