The coronavirus is on the rise again in 18 European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany, Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for the continent, told reporters on Tuesday.
He partly blamed a sudden change in policy in those countries, saying they had lifted the measures “relentlessly from too much to too little”.
Many European countries again imposed severe restrictions on social gatherings after the emergence of the Omicron variant last year, only to scale back drastically in early 2022 when data showed the strand was less restrictive than previous iterations.
Now the BA.2 subvariant is fueling another round of infections on the continent, while Kluge said he remains “optimistic, but vigilant” about the state of the pandemic in his area.
His message also serves as a warning to the rest of the world. The BA.2 subvariant has halted the decline in infections in the United States and will become the dominant source of Covid-19 cases there.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now estimate that 35% of new coronavirus cases are due to this subvariant. At the same time, restrictions are being lifted and no US state has anymore mask mandates (although face coverings are still required in some institutions).
“Most people shouldn’t worry,” added DailyExpertNews Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
“It is likely that the US will see an increase in Covid-19 cases in the coming weeks as this is the pattern we have seen before,” Wen said.
“Our government officials need to prepare for what could come and increase the availability of tests and treatments, and continue to urge people to get vaccines and boosters. But I don’t think this is something the general public is too concerned about. should make. this time.”
YOU EARLY. WE ANSWER.
Q: Do I need an annual Covid-19 vaccine?
Public health experts disagree on what the future holds for Covid-19 vaccines – but some say it looks increasingly likely that these injections may be needed on an annual basis, similar to how flu shots are recommended each fall.
“I expect this will be needed periodically to keep it under control,” says Dr. Archana Chatterjee, Dean of Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University.
The US Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet on April 6 to discuss the need for Covid-19 vaccine booster doses in the future, including how often they may be needed — if at all.
READ OF THE WEEK
Living with Covid means a life in lockdown for England’s most vulnerable
Deepti Gurdasani has been debunking Covid-19 myths and misinformation on TV and online for the past two years. Her work as a clinical epidemiologist puts her in a good position to talk about the coronavirus. But she also has a deep personal understanding of the dangers of the pandemic.
Gurdasani is one of 3.7 million people in England living with underlying illnesses or pre-existing chronic health conditions. They were told by authorities to ‘screen off’ their homes and minimize all face-to-face contact exactly two years ago on March 23, 2020, when the UK was first shut down at the start of the pandemic.
China’s zero-covid policy is showing signs of tension. But throwing it away now can be a disaster
Authorities have spent two years focusing on keeping Covid-19 out of China’s borders and preventing its spread. But as its defenses face the highly transmissible BA.2 subvariant for the first time, questions are being raised about the sustainability of ‘zero Covid’ as experts say the country remains unprepared for the ‘living with the virus’ alternative . †
China is fighting this Covid-19 outbreak with low vaccination coverage among the elderly, ailing health systems and a large percentage of the general population not exposed to the virus.
‘This is just the beginning’: Covid-19 research opens doors to insight into other diseases and conditions
“This is just the beginning,” says Dr. Judith James, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation vice president of clinical affairs. “We won’t see these dividends in their full glory for years to come.”
Building on the success of mRNA vaccines for Covid, scientists hope to create mRNA-based vaccines against a host of pathogens, including influenza, Zika, rabies, HIV, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which kills three million children under the age of 5 each year. years in hospital. worldwide.
TOP TIP
Do you have a sore throat, runny nose and muscle aches? It could be a cold, seasonal allergies — or Covid-19.
Covid-19 cases continue to spread as the US enters the time of year when allergies are on the rise. It is important to know if you are feeling unwell due to seasonal sniffing or the coronavirus.
Both Covid and the flu often cause symptoms such as fever, fatigue, body aches, sore throat, shortness of breath, and vomiting or diarrhea.
Covid infection can be recognized by the headache and dry cough that often accompany it. The loss of taste and smell, the biggest warning sign of Covid infection, is still a possible symptom.