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Many countries have found infected cases to adjust epidemic prevention measures.
Mutated virus makes Europe’s fight against the epidemic even more difficult (Global Hotspot)
Yang Ning Suo Shi Xin
Since the discovery of different variants of the new coronavirus in the UK and South Africa in December 2020, cases of mutant virus infections have been found in many countries and regions.
As the new mutated corona virus spreads around the world, many countries around the world have had a “flat” New Year’s holiday. According to CNN reports, in Australia, the New Year’s Eve fireworks show lights up the sky over the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge as in previous years, but the performance time has been shorter than in previous years and the crowds they are prohibited from meeting in the port.
Various escalations of national defense
Today, although economic recovery is a major problem facing the world, with the widespread spread of new mutant viruses, countries must adjust their policies and strengthen epidemic prevention measures.
Yan Jin, executive director of the Center for European Studies at Renmin University in China, said in an interview with this newspaper that “the spread of the mutant virus coincides with Christmas, which is quite detrimental to the prevention and control of the epidemic, and it can accelerate the spread of the virus.
According to an article published in the journal Science on December 20, 2020, the mutant virus has a stronger transmission capacity, approximately 70% higher than the original strain, and more than 60% of the new recent cases of infection of the crown in London are for the mutant virus. In order to slow the spread of the epidemic, the British government has raised the level of prevention and control of the new corona epidemic in many regions to the highest level 4.
On December 31, 2020 local time in Switzerland, the World Health Organization officially notified that the new corona virus has four variants since its appearance, and emphasized that although preliminary evaluations show that the new mutant corona virus found in the United Kingdom and South Africa will not increase the severity of the disease, it will cause. With a higher incidence, countries still need to adopt stricter prevention and control measures.
According to foreign media reports, due to concerns about the spread of the new mutated corona virus, more than 50 countries and regions around the world have implemented measures to prohibit trafficking and personnel exchanges in the UK.
Yan Jin noted: “The British and European governments have adopted stricter prevention and control measures. Most business activities have stopped, people are prohibited from meeting and are not allowed to leave unless necessary. All of Europe is there. once again close to a complete shutdown, and this time the community is isolated. Tighter than the second quarter of 2020. “
After the UK announced the discovery of the mutant strain, many EU countries urgently restricted the entry of British travelers. France once closed the Anglo-French submarine tunnel for 48 hours. After the two countries reached an agreement, British truckers and some passengers were able to enter France after December 23, 2020. According to CNN, although Germany has included the United Kingdom in the list of allowed trips, due to the spread mutant virus in the UK, entry restrictions will be imposed until at least 6 January 2021.
East Asian countries with better anti-epidemic effects have also implemented stricter entry policies after detecting cases of mutated viruses. After Japan and South Korea discovered cases of the new mutated corona virus, Japan will suspend the entry of foreigners until the end of January 2021. South Korea has announced that it will suspend flights with the United Kingdom and will strengthen the tests of arriving British to South Korea.
Increase in recovery variables
On the last day of 2020, the UK became the first country to approve the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, and vaccination of the vaccine will be launched on January 4, 2021. Prior to this, the European Union also approved the use of vaccines Pfizer and officially launched the vaccination.
The British “Financial Times” poll of economists shows that as European countries have successively entered the vaccination path, most economists believe that by the second half of 2021, large-scale vaccination and 750 billion euros of EU recovery funds The momentum from China will trigger a strong economic rebound.
It can be said that the spread of the mutated virus comes at a time when Europe is welcoming the New Year with hope and the epidemic is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Many European countries have adopted stricter lockdown measures, faced more travel restrictions and increased pressure for economic recovery.
Yan Jin said in an interview with this newspaper: “Europe originally expected that the epidemic situation would improve in the first quarter of 2021 and the economic situation would gradually improve, but the economic recovery schedule should be postponed.”
In July 2020, after difficult and lengthy negotiations at the EU summit, a 750 billion euro “recovery fund” aid agreement was reached. On December 10, 2020, the leaders of the 27 EU countries held a summit in Brussels to reach an agreement on the implementation of the previously formulated recovery package.
Yan Jin believes: “On the one hand, the EU is sending a positive signal to member states and the world to revive the economy. On the other hand, it also demonstrates the determination of the EU to promote the unity of European countries to combat the epidemic, seize European economic sovereignty and promote European integration. “
According to public information from Eurostat of December 17, 2020, the EU economy has recovered sharply in the third quarter of 2020, with monthly growth of 12.1%, but has not yet reached the pre-epidemic level . Due to the recurrence of the second world epidemic, the economic growth forecast for the fourth quarter of 2020 is not optimistic.
Wang Shuo, deputy director of the Institute of European Studies at China Institute of Modern International Relations, believes that: “If the EU economy will bottom out in 2021, there are still many uncertainties. Factors such as possible negative impacts in the future in Europe and the actual distribution of recovery funds will bring many challenges to European countries. “
Britain and Europe must file disputes
On January 2, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that 2021 will be an excellent year for the UK. However, the spread of the new mutant corona virus and geopolitical gameplay overlapped the unpredictable pressure on the UK and even Europe as a whole.
In recent years, problems such as the widening gap between rich and poor, the shrinking middle class and the growing poor population have not only placed a heavy burden on European governments, but have also led to an increase in the populism and a rise in anti-globalization voices. Wang Shuo noted: “Once the virus mutates and causes the epidemic to continue to spread, it will intensify protectionist sentiment and increase social division in Europe.”
In the last minute of 2020, the UK and the EU reached a “Brexit” trade deal, but reaching a deal does not mean the end of the game between the two sides. Formally exiting the European Union means that the UK will become a “third country” for non-essential travel in the European Union as of January 1, 2021, and will face travel bans from most EU countries. the European Union. The British government has also warned its citizens that entering EU countries in 2021 may face new conditions.
Some analysts pointed out that although the agreement reached on this occasion has basically solved the problem of the flow of goods between the two places, there are still many factors of uncertainty in the flow of personnel and financial services. As a temporary arrangement, the fundamental issues and contradictions between Britain and Europe have yet to be resolved.
On the other hand, the marathon negotiation of the rescue agreement for the “Recovery Fund” also revealed the fragility within the EU and the imbalance of economic development. Wang Shuo noted that “whether Europe can maintain unity and solve the problems of creation and distribution of integrated dividends will determine the real effect of the recovery fund.”
After the “breakup”, Britain and Europe are actively looking for new development partners and opportunities. The UK is in the process of signing trade deals with many countries, and the EU and China will complete the China-EU investment deal negotiations by the end of 2020 as planned.
Although Britain and Europe are separate, their interests are intertwined and it is unrealistic to sit idly by when faced with the epidemic.
Wang Shuo believes that “the UK and the European Union should shed the Brexit antagonism as soon as possible, come together to fight the epidemic and maintain a smooth transition in economic, trade, personnel and other relationships, to avoid causing problems already affected by Brexit. The two sides hit and the world economy added more variables. “
