Europe is struggling to contain the third wave of the epidemic.

by

The coronavirus continues to spread across the US, infection levels remain high and new variants jeopardize the progress made so far. “When you see a plateau at a level of 60,000 cases a day, that’s a very vulnerable time to get a wave, to go back up. That’s exactly what happened in Europe,” Fauci told CNN yesterday. .

Europe is struggling to contain the third wave of the epidemic, which appears to have been caused by the new, more contagious and deadlier variant of the virus first identified in the UK. At the same time, the continent is lagging behind the UK and US in terms of vaccination coverage.

The deteriorating situation leaves some European governments with no choice but to tighten restrictions again. Half of Italy’s 20 regions, including the cities of Rome, Milan and Venice, have been closed again today, with people now not allowed to leave their homes, except for work or health reasons.

In Germany, officials warned yesterday that there is a “very high” risk of a further increase in infections. In France, hospital admissions are on the rise again, with Paris starting to evacuate about 100 Covid-19 patients from the region over the weekend.

The Czech Republic has been in strict lockdown for two weeks now, with many of its hospitals overwhelmed by the number of cases caused by the new variant.

Fauci has warned that the variants that currently threaten Europe also exist in the US. He said there are ways to keep the country from ending up in a similar place in a few weeks.

“The best way we can avoid any threat from variants is to do two things. Get as many people as possible vaccinated as soon as possible and continue with public health measures until we get this broad umbrella of protection over society”, he said. .

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWER.

Question: Can I hug my vaccinated grandmother?

A: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released new Covid-19 guidelines for nursing homes last week. Vaccinated or not, nursing home residents are still a vulnerable patient population, so infection control is important. That means that CMS still wants people to wear a well-fitting face mask, wash their hands and try to keep a physical distance. Outdoor visits are still the safest, especially for unvaccinated people.

But the new CMS guidelines offer many other new freedoms. Visitors don’t need a negative? Covid-19 test result, nor do they need to show proof of vaccination. However, the guidelines strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated.

“There is no substitute for physical contact, such as the warm embrace between a resident and their loved one. Therefore, if the resident is fully vaccinated, they can choose to have close contact (including touch) with their visitor while wearing a good one. appropriate face mask, ”CMS says on its website.

Visits should be limited if the Covid-19 County positivity rate is more than 10% and if less than 70% of the residents in the facility are fully vaccinated.

Send your questions hereAre you a health professional fighting Covid-19? Send us a message on WhatsApp about the challenges you are facing: + 1347-322-0415.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TODAY

More European countries are stopping vaccinations with AstraZeneca

Ireland and the Netherlands became the last countries to temporarily discontinue use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine yesterday, following a report from Norway on patients developing blood clots after vaccination.

At least six European countries have temporarily discontinued the use of the injection, while seven others have discontinued vaccination for certain groups or with certain batches of the vaccine. The European Medicines Agency said there was “no evidence that vaccination caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects of this vaccine.” The agency said that “the benefits of the vaccine outweigh its risks” and that the vaccine can be administered while investigations into cases of thromboembolic events are ongoing.

The lead investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, Andrew Pollard, told the BBC this morning that there was’ very rich, reassuring evidence that there is no increase in a blood clot phenomenon here in the UK, where most doses are [of the AstraZenecavaccine] in Europe. ”

Patients’ coughs pose a serious risk to healthcare professionals

Since the start of the pandemic, the most terrifying task in healthcare has been thought to be the insertion of a breathing tube into the trachea of ​​a critically ill Covid patient. But a new wave of research now shows that a base shell produces about 20 times more particles than intubation.

New studies show that patients with Covid-19 who just talk or breathe, even in a well-ventilated room, can make workers sick – even if the workers are wearing CDC-approved surgical masks.

The studies suggest that the highest overall risk of infection occurred in the front-line workers – many of them color workers – who spent most of the time with patients before their disease and in substandard protective clothing, not those who had the Covid ICU.

The defining photos of the pandemic – and the stories behind it

As the pandemic stretches into a second year, we look back at some of the most memorable photos taken around the world. In these images we see sadness, pain and despair. But we also see love, sacrifice and resilience. View the full gallery here.
Olivia Grant hugs her grandmother Mary Grace Sileo through a plastic cloth in Wantagh, New York.

ON OUR RADAR

  • Covid-19 vaccines have the potential to end the worst pandemic in a century – and bring in hundreds of billions of dollars in sales for the pharmaceutical companies that make them.
  • London police have been criticized for being harsh after agents broke a vigil for a murdered woman citing violations of Covid-19 restrictions on protests.
  • Child vaccinations are seeing “substantial” and “historic” declines during the pandemic, the CDC director said, urging parents to make sure their children are aware of their vaccines.
  • Those who received their Covid-19 vaccine at Berkshire Community College in Pittsville, Massachusetts, were serenaded by famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Saturday.
  • Facebook is rolling out a handful of new tools on its platforms to help people get vaccinated against Covid-19.
  • Duke University officials ordered all undergraduate students to stay in place as it seeks to combat a rapidly escalating epidemic.
  • Tanzania’s Prime Minister has dispelled rumors about President John Magufuli’s health after days of widespread speculation that he was sick with Covid-19.
  • A Stanford scientist’s quest to cure his son could help unravel the mystery of Covid-19 long-haul vehicles.

BEST ADVICE

Covid-19 has triggered a new global health crisis that some have called “coronasomnia” – an inability to fall asleep or get good quality sleep during the pandemic.

Unfortunately, experts say that during the pandemic, people can engage in activities that seem to help but actually hinder their ability to fall and stay asleep. Learn how to avoid these pitfalls.

TODAY’S PODCAST

“We’re not going to open doors until we really believe we’re ready. And that’s what happened: we thought we were ready, and we opened the doors.” – Lisa Herring, Atlanta Superintendent of Public Schools

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, talks to Lisa Herring about how she has reopened schools and weighed security measures against students’ educational needs. Listen now

Source