The progress of the pandemic: all updates in real time
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Palù (Aifa): “Curva cala but it is too early to say if other reminders are needed”
“It is too early to say whether Covid-19 is nearing its end. While the epidemic curve is regressing in over 20 countries around the world, we still see rapid growth in cases in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. The planet is much more densely populated than the last century and there are areas populated by communities that are still susceptible to the virus because they have not been vaccinated or immunized following natural infection “. So to Corriere della Sera Giorgio Palù, president of the board of Aifa (Italian Medicines Agency) and virologist of the technical-scientific committee, who on the possibility of the virus to reorganize, specifies that “Omicron has the highest number of mutations found so far in SARS -CoV-2. It has become more transmissible, better equipped to evade the antibody response triggered by vaccine and natural infection, and able to resist the therapeutic efficacy of most monoclonal antibodies. However, the variant has also acquired new mutations that would make it unable to cause severe pneumonia. But it cannot be labeled as a common cold, especially in frail and unvaccinated subjects “.
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Protest truckers in Canada, in Ottawa was an emergency
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson proclaimed a state of emergency after the city center was paralyzed for days by truckers’ protest against restrictions introduced to contain the spread of Covid-19 infections. Watson thus seeks the help of the central government and other jurisdictions. The state of emergency also allows alternative ways to purchase basic necessities and useful products for those who work on the front line. Thousands of protesters took to the streets again in Ottawa over the weekend, joining a hundred who had remained since last weekend.
Ottawa residents are furious at the incessant honking of horns and traffic disruptions, while police have called it a “siege” they failed to handle. The “convoy of freedom trucks,” as protesters called it, attracted the support of many Republicans in the United States, including former President Donald Trump, who called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a “madman of extreme left “that has” destroyed Canada with insane anti Covid mandates “.
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Australia reopens borders on February 21 to those with a second dose of vaccine
On February 21, Australia will reopen its borders to all those who have a visa, but especially to those who have received at least two doses of the vaccine. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “it has been nearly two years since we decided to close the borders of Australia. The national government has decided today that Australia will reopen its borders to all visa holders on February 21 this year. ” Morrison recalled that ” we have progressively opened our borders since November last year. Those programs have been very successful. ” But there is “ a condition ”, which is to have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine. ” This is the rule. Everyone is required to respect it. And it’s very important that people understand this requirement if they want to come to Australia, ” he added.