At first, the corona situation seemed relaxed. That was once! In many countries, the number of new infections and deaths is rising again. A return to normal is therefore out of the question in many places. On the contrary: several countries are now tightening the rules. Even up to lockdown.
Latvia
Due to rapidly increasing numbers, the government is planning a new lockdown from October 21 to November 15. All shops and service providers – with the exception of shops for daily needs – are to close, and school operations are largely to be converted to distance learning. Also, people should only be allowed to leave their apartment between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. with a valid reason.
In Latvia, the corona situation has worsened despite new restrictions. The reason: a low vaccination rate. Just under half of the 1.9 million inhabitants are fully vaccinated.
Russia
In Moscow, the switch to home office is to be made again from next week, and all people in the public service should have to vaccinate. From October 30th to November 7th, workers across Russia are expected to stay at home, but continue to receive their wages. Something like this already existed at the beginning of the pandemic.
In the largest country on earth, which has several vaccines of its own, the vaccination skepticism remains high. According to the latest figures, just under a third of the 146 million Russians are fully vaccinated. So far, around 230,000 people have died of Corona.
The Kremlin had recently emphasized several times that the decision on stricter corona rules rests with the individual regions. A nationwide lockdown, for example, is not planned.
Great Britain
Representatives of the British health service have called for countermeasures to be introduced immediately after a sharp rise in the corona numbers. “The government should not only announce that we are going to plan B, but it should be Plan B Plus,” said Matthew Taylor (60), head of the National Health Service Confederation.
Plan B, presented by the government a few weeks ago, provides for the reintroduction of the mask requirement indoors and the advice to work from home. In addition, vaccination certificates could be introduced at larger events. Britain celebrated Freedom Day on July 19, the day all measures were lifted.
Germany
Our neighbors are also struggling with rising corona numbers. The seven-day incidence increased to 80.4 on Wednesday, from 75.1 the previous day. It rises for the seventh day in a row. The health authorities reported 17,015 new infections within one day.
Health Minister Jens Spahn (41) has nevertheless proposed that the nationwide emergency measures should expire on November 25th. Several experts criticized on Wednesday that this announcement could be misinterpreted.
Indecisive unvaccinated people could be encouraged to forego the spades after all, since the danger is supposedly over. “This is a signal that can be misunderstood by the population as Freedom Day through the back door,” said Uwe Janssens (61), former president of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine.
New Zealand
The Corona model country New Zealand reported 94 new infections on Tuesday – more than ever since the beginning of the pandemic. The previous record was 89 in April 2020. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (41) urged people to get vaccinated and, if possible, to stay at home in order to save the lives of others. By Tuesday, about 67 percent of the adult population was fully vaccinated.
New Zealand had long pursued a so-called zero covid strategy. In the end, however, Ardern had to admit that with the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, this can hardly be achieved.
Austria
Within a week, the number of new cases rose from 2,614 to 3,727. On Wednesday the government announced that from
November 1st at workplaces where contacts can take place,
3G proof must be provided.
That could be the reasons
There are several explanations for the increasing number of cases:
Too fast loosening of the measures
Appearance of new variants, as now in Great Britain with the Delta sub-variant AY.4.2.
Lots of unvaccinated people
Vaccine breakthroughs in vaccinated people
Vaccination breakthroughs describe a symptomatic Covid disease in vaccinated people. In particular, high-risk patients who received their second vaccination more than six months ago are at greater risk of having one. Because the protection of the vaccination decreases faster in those whose immune system is already weakened due to their age or previous illnesses.
Experts warn that it is all the more important for risk groups to be vaccinated against corona a third time. The so-called booster dose increases the immunity of those affected and can help prevent serious and fatal courses with a high degree of probability. A new study from Israel suggests that this third vaccination also makes sense for younger people.