WHO: “If 95% of people wore a mask, closed closures would not be necessary.”

“The mask is not a panacea and must be combined with other measures. However, if the use of the masks reaches 95%, the closures would not be necessary. If, on the contrary, the use of these protections is equal to or less than 60%, it is difficult to avoid closures ”. This was stated by Hans Kluge, regional director of the World Health Organization for Europe, during a meeting in which he updated the situation of Covid-19 in the Old Continent.

“Europe is once again one of the epicenters of the pandemic, along with the United States. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it will be a difficult six months, ”Kluge added. Kluge reiterated how closed closures should be viewed as “the last resort. We recognize that hundreds of millions of people are in some type of “lockdown”, we have learned that there are significant collateral damages associated with it, including mental health problems, alcoholism and substance abuse.

But, added the director of WHO Europe, “we have all too often seen the negative impact of a ‘too quick relaxation’ of closures following the understandable will of policy makers to free the public from periods of rigor. The closures must be eliminated safely and gradually, Kluge stressed, warning that the decrease in registered cases “is good news and is a testament to the commitment of people to do what must be done to stop the infection, but ultimately On the other hand, mortality has increased by 18% and we must protect the vulnerable. Therefore, it is necessary to calibrate the message. Europe is capable of turning the corner, but the virus takes advantage of doubts, late decisions of governments We know that the vaccine will arrive too late for this winter. So we have to be very vigilant because right now the health systems are overwhelmed.

It should not be forgotten, Kluge concludes, that in the European region “more than 15.7 million cases of Covid-19 have already been registered and almost 355,000 deaths have been reported, with more than 4 million more cases in November alone. Europe represents 28% of world cases and 26% of deaths, together ”. In the area “more than 80% of the countries report a high incidence at 14 days (greater than 100 per 100,000 inhabitants) and almost a third report very high incidence rates at 14 days that exceed 700 per 100,000 inhabitants”. “Whenever we choose to follow the rules, stop misinformation and face rejection – says the director of WHO Europe – we help prevent loss of life due to Covid-19. On average, 4,500 people fall victim to the virus every day. It should and can be avoided ”.