The coronavirus pandemic spread from Asia to Europe before traveling further west. It’s too late to say if only we had been quick and tough about it like China was. European surges have proved to be forerunners of North American ones. So what lessons can we learn from the new COVID-19 surge in Europe, as new variants spread infections faster.
Europe’s Gloom as a Harsh Midwinter Bites Hard
The coronavirus seems to prefer cooler temperatures. Moreover, these drive people indoors into congested spaces. United Kingdom and United States are pushing vaccination hard, while the European roll out is slower. Meanwhile, more infectious COVID-19 variants are spreading faster than doctors may be able to cope.
Wall Street Journal described a ‘mood of gloom and frustration settling on the continent’ on March 12, 2021. It described European Union as caught between their promises of progress, and the hard place of epidemiological truth. By contrast, United States and United Kingdom both have rapidly falling infection rates, as their vaccinations stack up.
What Can We Learn From the Covid-19 Surge in Europe?
Vaccinations in United States and United Kingdom are focusing on elderly and vulnerable people, and the benefits are showing in the numbers. In fact, United States trends are better than Europe’s for the first time in many, many months. By contrast, there’s a risk of more infectious variants undoing what Europe has achieved, so far.
Wall Street Journal cites governments and public-health experts saying the way to manage the COVID-19 surge in Europe has clear signposts. Europe can defeat Covid-19’s latest rebound by accelerating vaccinations, while gradually reopening the economy for new business.
North America’s lesson to take home from this is we must corner the surge before it arrives with a similar strategy. But we must also add renewed efforts to slow the infection spread. It surely must be time to put personal opinions aside, and do what logic tells us is the smart thing.
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Preview Image: COVID-19 Surge in Europe
