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A resurgence of the coronavirus that is overwhelming hospitals and filling intensive care units across Europe is due to a hasty return to normal during the summer and a lack of implementation of control measures while infections were low, warned major EU figures.
At a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, prominent 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 the virus were 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. “
Death toll in Europe
The warning comes amid a dramatic rise in infections, with 1.1 million new cases registered in Europe last week alone. An average of 1,000 Europeans died from the virus every day last week, representing an increase of a third compared to the previous week.
The European Commission has called on governments to share data on how many intensive care beds they have vacated, so that patients can be moved across borders outside of countries where space has been exhausted.
“The situation is very serious and runs the risk of getting worse if we do not take more urgent and drastic measures,” warned Dr. Piot. “The numbers are really staggering.”
Dr von der Leyen, who oversaw an effort to restart Europe’s summer travel and tourism season during the summer to help the struggling sector, acknowledged that the resurgence showed countries had reopened too quickly.
“Obviously, the exit strategies were partly too fast and the measures were relaxed too early,” he said. Furthermore, countries had not done enough to implement control measures such as proper testing and tracing while infections were at a lower level.
“I think in the summer we probably should have done more. You prepare the roof when the sun shines, ”Dr. Piot said.
Economy
The virologist cited research showing that places hardest hit by the virus also suffered the worst economic damage, while countries that controlled the spread saw the least economic impact.
“This is not about public health versus economics,” Dr. Piot said. “We really need to fix the health problem to make sure the economy can restart.”
The EU has sponsored the development of multiple vaccines and, in the “best case” scenario, could begin distributing doses in April if the trials are successful, according to Dr. von der Leyen.
But he cautioned that early versions of the vaccines often did not provide full immunity, but protection of 70 percent or less. Immunity can also wear off over time. “One year, five years, for life? We don’t know, ”Dr. Piot said.
“The vaccine is not a miraculous event that changes everything from one day to the next,” warned Dr. von der Leyen. “This Christmas will be a different Christmas.”
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