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

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

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The coronavirus is still spreading across the United States, infection levels remain high and new variants are jeopardizing the progress made so far. “When you see a level as high as 60,000 cases a day, it is a very vulnerable time to have an increase, to rise again. This is 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 infectious and deadly variant of the virus, first identified in the UK. At the same time, the continent has lagged behind the United Kingdom and the United States in vaccination rates.

The worsening situation has left some European governments with no choice but to tighten restrictions once again. Half of Italy’s 20 regions, including the cities of Rome, Milan and Venice, have undergone a new blockade today, with people now banned from leaving their homes, except for work or health reasons.

In Germany, authorities warned yesterday that there is a “very high” risk of a further increase in infections. In France, hospitalizations are increasing again, with Paris beginning to evacuate around 100 Covid-19 patients from the region over the weekend.

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

Fauci warned that the variants that threaten Europe at the moment are present in the United States. He said there are ways to prevent the country from finding itself in a similar place within a few weeks.

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

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWER.

Q: Can I hug my vaccinated grandmother?

ONE: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launched new Covid-19 guidelines for nursing homes last week. Vaccinated or not, nursing home residents are still a fragile patient population, so infection control is important. This means that CMS still wants people to wear a tight-fitting face mask, wash their hands and try to keep themselves physically apart. Visits outdoors are even safer, especially for those who are not vaccinated.

But the new CMS guidelines offer many other new freedoms. Don’t visitors need a negative? Result of the Covid-19 test, they do not even need to present proof of vaccination. The guidelines strongly encourage everyone to be vaccinated.

“There is no substitute for physical contact, like the warm hug between a resident and his loved one. Therefore, if the resident is fully vaccinated, he can choose to have close contact (including touch) with his visitor while using a health bag. face mask, “says the CMS on its website.

Visits should be restricted if the Covid-19 County positivity rate is greater than 10% and if less than 70% of the facility’s residents are fully vaccinated.

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WHAT’S IMPORTANT TODAY

More European countries suspend AstraZeneca vaccinations

Ireland and the Netherlands became the last countries to temporarily suspend the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine yesterday, following a report from Norway of patients who developed blood clots after inoculation.

At least six European countries have temporarily suspended the use of the vaccine, while another seven have suspended vaccination for certain groups or with certain batches of the vaccine. The European Medicines Agency said there was “no indication that vaccination caused these diseases, which are not listed as side effects with this vaccine.” The agency said that “the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh its risks” and that the vaccine can continue to be administered as long as the investigation of cases of thromboembolic events is ongoing.

The lead investigator for the Oxford vaccine trial, Andrew Pollard, told the BBC this morning that there was “very rich and reassuring evidence that there is no increase in the blood clot phenomenon here in the UK, where most doses [of the AstraZenecavaccine] in Europe have been given so far. ”

Patients’ cough poses a serious risk to medical workers

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the most frightening task in the health field is believed to be the insertion of a breathing tube into the trachea of ​​a patient in critical Covid’s condition. But a new wave of research now shows that a basic cough produces about 20 times more particles than intubation.

New studies show that patients with Covid-19 simply talking or breathing, even in a well-ventilated room, can make workers sick – even if workers are wearing CDC-approved surgical masks.

Studies suggest that the greatest overall risk of infection was among frontline workers – many of them black workers – who spent most of their time with patients at the onset of their illness and with inferior protective equipment, not those who work. Covid’s ICU.

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

As the pandemic continues for the 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. See 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 hundreds of billions of dollars in sales to the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture them.
  • London police were criticized for being harsh after police stopped a vigil for a murdered woman, alleging violations of Covid-19’s restrictions on protests.
  • Childhood vaccinations are seeing “substantial” and “historic” declines in the midst of the pandemic, said the director of the CDC, asking parents to ensure that their children are up to date with vaccines.
  • Those who received the Covid-19 vaccine at Berkshire Community College in Pittsville, Massachusetts on Saturday, were touched by the famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
  • Facebook is launching a handful of new tools on its platforms to help people get vaccinated against Covid-19.
  • Duke University officials issued a stay order for all undergraduate students, while trying to fight a rapidly escalating epidemic.
  • Prime Minister of Tanzania dispelled rumors about President John Magufuli’s health after days of widespread speculation that he was ill with Covid-19.
  • The search for a Stanford scientist to cure his son may help to unravel the mystery of Covid-19’s long-haulers.

TIPS

Covid-19 spawned another global health crisis that some have dubbed “coronasomnia” – an inability to fall asleep or have good quality sleep during the pandemic.

Unfortunately, experts say, people can resort to pandemic activities that seem to help, but actually impair their ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Find out how to avoid these pitfalls here.

TODAY’S PODCAST

“We are not going to open doors until we honestly believe that we are ready. And that is what happened: we believe that we were ready and we opened the doors.” – Lisa Herring, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools

CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, talks to Lisa Herring about how she is reopening schools and balancing safety precautions with students’ educational needs. Listen now.

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