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Countries in Europe have applied restrictive measures as a surge in Covid-19 cases triggered a widespread disruption across the continent, amid warnings that inaction could lead to “millions” of deaths.
Germany, where cases have reached 15,000 a day, closed bars and restaurants for a month, while, with more than 3,000 in intensive care, French President Emmanuel Macron instituted a second national lockdown for at least all of November.
“The virus is circulating in France at a speed that even the most pessimists had not anticipated,” Macron said in a televised address. France has registered 254,000 new cases of Covid-19 in the week before this Monday.
In the Netherlands, a “partial lockdown” lasted until December when cases increased to more than 10,000 a day.
At a joint press conference with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, renowned virologist and Covid-19 adviser Peter Piot warned that millions of people would die if the virus was allowed to roam freely in society.
“We need to act fast, we shouldn’t waste our time and we certainly shouldn’t wait until people start dying in large numbers because that happens about three to four weeks after there is an increase in infections, and that is as safe as night follows day, ”Dr. Piot told reporters.
If allowed to spread freely, “the death toll will be huge,” Dr. Piot said. Millions of people will die. And I think in the 21st century, I don’t think that’s something that we can accept ethically. “
Ms Von der Leyen acknowledged that “obviously, the exit strategies were partly too fast and the measures were relaxed too early.”
PPE supplies
In Ireland, a document posted on the Health Service Executive (HSE) website warned that it was awaiting a “crucial” sanction from the Department of Health to resume “large-scale” purchases of personal protective equipment (PPE) .
The document, a comprehensive status report on Ireland’s response to the Covid crisis, said that the supply of PPE “remains stable” with “relatively secure supply lines.”
However, he said that “the sanction of the Department of Health is expected to resume the supply / purchase activities on a large scale.
This is critical to ensure continuous availability of PPE stocks to meet current needs and have the necessary reserve stocks by the end of 2020, ”the document reads.
The document shows that based on forecast levels and expected supply, stocks of some PPE may be reduced to a multi-day supply by the end of November.
However, this was based on “worst case” rather than actual demand, which would likely be lower, the HSE said, with no shortage anticipated.
A spokeswoman said the commitment to the department was part of its governance arrangements and that the sanction of the purchases was carried out “iteratively.”
“We work very closely with our colleagues in [the Department of Health] to finalize the rest of our inventory needs for 2020. “
The Health Department said it was working with the HSE to finalize orders for the remainder of 2020, and that € 650 million for PPE purchases were approved in the budget.
“The department remains satisfied that the PPE requirements are adequately resourced in 2020 and in the future by 2021.” The document was removed from the HSE website on Wednesday afternoon.
The Health Department confirmed another 675 cases of the virus in Ireland, as the numbers diagnosed continued to trend downward. Another six deaths were reported, bringing the total to 1,896 in the Republic and 59,434 cases.
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