Xinhua News Agency, Brussels, March 16. Summary: Experts on the rebound of the epidemic in many European countries are cautious about liberalizing prevention and control
Xinhua News Agency reporter
The Netherlands, France, Germany and other countries recently announced the further liberalization of new crown epidemic prevention measures. Previously, due to factors such as the gradual relaxation of restrictive measures, the epidemic data in some European countries rebounded to varying degrees. Experts in some countries are cautious about further loosening epidemic prevention measures.
Epidemic data rebounds
Since Belgium lifted its prevention and control measures on March 4, the epidemic has rebounded slightly. According to data released by the Belgian National Institute of Public Health on the 15th, from March 5 to 11, the country had an average of 7,936 new confirmed cases per day, an increase of 31% from the previous week, and a 7% increase in hospitalized cases.
Since Austria fully liberalized epidemic prevention measures in early March, the number of new crown infections has increased rapidly, and the number of new confirmed cases in a single day has repeatedly hit new highs. From March 9 to 11, Austria reported nearly 50,000 new confirmed cases in a single day for three consecutive days.
After several weeks of easing of the new crown epidemic in Italy, various data showed a worsening trend. According to the latest data released by the Italian health department, in the past week, the basic infection number (R0), which reflects the spread of the virus, rose to 0.83 from 0.75 in the previous week.
The Irish government no longer makes it mandatory for people to wear masks since February 28. In the past two weeks, the number of confirmed cases and hospitalizations of the new crown in the country has risen sharply. According to data released by the Irish Ministry of Health on the 15th, there were 6,284 new confirmed cases and 1,047 hospitalized cases in the country that day, an increase of about 176% and 72% respectively compared with two weeks ago.
According to data released by the Netherlands National Institute of Public Health and the Environment on the 15th, in the week ended on the 15th, there were 429,252 new confirmed cases in the country, a decrease of 2% from the previous week; however, the number of newly admitted cases increased by 14% from the previous week. Severe cases increased by 6%. Among them, the number of confirmed cases among people over 70 years old doubled from the previous week.
Epidemic prevention measures relaxed
Dutch Health Minister Ernst Kippels announced on the 15th that the epidemic prevention measures will be further liberalized from the 23rd, including: canceling the requirement to wear masks on public transport and entering the airport, only masks are recommended; Recommendations for work; negative nucleic acid test results are no longer required to enter places with more than 500 people.
France has suspended the “vaccine pass” from the 14th, but the measure is still applicable in places such as medical care and nursing homes; except for public transportation, it is no longer mandatory for people to wear masks indoors.
The German government has passed a draft law a few days ago, stipulating that most new crown epidemic prevention measures will be lifted from the 20th: people are only required to wear masks in hospitals, nursing institutions and when taking public transport, and primary and secondary schools and nursing homes are regularly tested for the new crown virus.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Greece has further eased entry restrictions since the 15th, abolishing the requirement that incoming passengers must fill out a passenger locator form. The British government announced that from 4:00 a.m. on the 18th, all entry restrictions will be lifted, and passengers will no longer participate in new crown testing or fill in passenger positioning forms.
Experts are cautious
Arnaud Fontane, an epidemiologist at the Pasteur Institute in France and a member of the new crown epidemic scientific committee, said on the 14th that the current climatic conditions are still conducive to the spread of the virus, and it is best to continue to wear masks for people at high risk of new crown infection. Edouard Obadiah, head of the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Essonne, Ile-de-France, said recently that it is too early to no longer enforce the wearing of masks, which may cause the epidemic to rebound. Wearing masks in crowded places and closed public places is still very important. important.
Eva Rochalainen, deputy chief physician of the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District in Finland, said on the 14th that it is not yet time to take off masks, and she hopes that the recommendation to wear masks will continue until the end of April.
Romanian Health Minister Rafira said on the 15th that from a medical point of view, thousands of new confirmed cases every day indicate that there is community transmission, and the public should maintain a cautious and responsible attitude to avoid a surge in hospitalized patients.
Experts in the Netherlands warned that it is not yet certain whether the peak has been reached. If the epidemic prevention measures are further relaxed, it is expected that the number of hospital admissions will increase further, which will put greater pressure on the medical system in the next few weeks. (Note-taking writer: Lin Hao; participating reporters: Yu Shuaishuai, Zhang Yirong, Liu Xinyu, Chen Chen, Pan Geping, Wang Xiangjiang, Zhangqi, Guo Shuang, Lin Huifen, Li Xuejun, Zhou Xiaotian, Xu Qian)