Europe has entered a new wave of coronavirus. This was stated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Probably, for Russian tourists, this news does not bode well, except for new bans.
According to the WHO and ECDC, the number of infections on the continent has started to rise again with the onset of colder months. “Although we are not where we were a year ago, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet. Unfortunately, we see that the rates in Europe are rising again, which indicates the beginning of a new wave of infections. With the arrival of autumn and winter, a resurgence of influenza can also be expected,” WHO European Director Hans Kluge and ECDC Director Andrea Ammon said in a joint statement.
Potential co-circulation of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza would put vulnerable populations at increased risk of severe illness and place a burden on health systems. To prevent this from happening, WHO and ECDC have recommended that all countries use effective tools against both viruses and urge that people at risk be prioritized.
Data provided by the WHO showed that millions of people across Europe have not yet been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease and that the number of infections increased by 8% compared to the previous week. In this regard, European countries are again distributing vaccination programs. For example, earlier this month it became known that tourist France had already entered the eighth wave of COVID-19.
European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides earlier in July urged all member states to start preparing for a new wave of coronavirus, which, according to WHO and ECDC, has already begun. Then Kyriakides urged EU countries to pay attention to the increase in cases of infection and take measures to avoid further burdening society and the economy. In addition, she urged everyone to apply for vaccinations. So far, the situation with coronavirus continues to remain stable in all EU countries and the introduction of bans for tourists is postponed.