Due to the large crowds, dense crowd and long queues at the climate summit in Glasgow, a Scottish health expert worries about a possible risk of infection for the participants with the corona virus. “This is really worrying, I watch all of this very anxiously because I know how fragile the situation is,” says researcher Devi Sridhar from the University of Edinburgh in a BBC interview.
At the UN World Climate Conference with more than 28,000 delegates, observers and journalists, there were very long queues at the entrance in the past few days. The participants were partly led in a zigzag course to the security gates. At times it took over an hour to get to the conference center, participants report.
“Worst Timing Ever”
A negative corona rapid test must be presented daily at the entrance to the center. The host also recommends a full vaccination. In the interview, however, health expert Sridhar speaks of the “worst timing ever” for such a meeting in a pandemic. However, it also recognizes the urgency in view of the impending climate catastrophe.
The Scottish Health Minister Humza Yousaf also admits that the conference poses a Covid 19 risk. There is a risk that the virus could spread to the local population from the delegates. There are already the first signs that the numbers could rise again. The seven-day incidence of new infections in Great Britain is 416 (as of October 28), in Scotland with 329, slightly below the average.
Meanwhile, Russia rejects US President Joe Biden’s criticism of the absence of President Vladimir Putin at the world climate summit. Due to the corona pandemic, Putin refrained from traveling himself and only sent a video message to the summit. Biden described the absence of the heads of state from Russia and China as a mistake. (SDA / noo)