A nurse prepares the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Sarcelles, near Paris, on January 10, 2021.
ALAIN JOCARD | AFP | Getty Images
LONDON – As coronavirus vaccines continue to be launched in the world’s major economies, attention is again turning to blocking strategies in an attempt to eliminate any new cases of the virus.
Some experts called for a “zero-Covid” strategy, advocating very strict blockades, social restrictions and travel bans in an attempt to eradicate all cases of the virus before the reopening of public and business life again.
Countries like New Zealand and Australia opted for this approach, closing their countries at the beginning of the pandemic to prevent new cases. Citing its success in containing the pandemic, some experts in Ireland also advocate a “zero-Covid” approach, although there is disagreement over whether such a policy would work there, given Northern Ireland’s open border with the rest of the UK
On Thursday, World Health Organization experts said it was too early, and complicated in practice, for Europe to consider a “zero-Covid” approach.
“Elimination is something that we want, in principle, for any disease, for any pathogen, and it can be a very powerful work incentive. But if we’re on stage now – setting goals for a ‘Covid zero’ strategy – it’s still a different ball game, “said Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, at a news conference On thursday.
“What we need to do first of all is to see how people’s behavior, how they adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions, add to the moment of political decisions with the implementation of vaccination and how it will control the pandemic. “
Zero Covid’s strategies were based on banning entry travel, but some countries were easier to restrict or “isolate from international travel” than others, Kluge said. Many countries in Europe have banned all travel except essentials during the blockade. Forced hotel quarantines for UK travelers are now in the cards, although critics say the move is too little, too late.
A silver lining for the blockages is being provided by the launch of vaccination and, along with restrictions on public life, a decline in new cases and hospitalizations is slowly being seen.
Kluge said that the European region, which for WHO is made up of 53 countries, has seen a decrease in new cases in the last four weeks and in deaths in the last fortnight. Still, more than 1 million cases were reported every week in the European region, Kluge said, and the spread of new variants remains a major concern.
Vaccine manufacturers are already working on second-generation vaccines to target variants of the virus. Concern and care about mutations are driving governments to be alert when it comes to lifting the blockades.
On the one hand, Germany extended its blockade in early March in a context of concern over the spread of a variant discovered for the first time in the United Kingdom. With this variant now reported in more than 80 countries, according to WHO, a leading British scientist said it was underway “to sweep the world, in all likelihood.”
The lifting of the blocks “must be done gradually and safely,” said Kluge, adding that “the biggest mistake is to let your guard down (too early)”.
Dr. Catherine Smallwood, a senior emergency officer on the WHO team in Europe, said the virus would take advantage of easing restrictions very early.
“This virus will take advantage of any chance we give to spread quickly and will spread much more quickly than we think. … Each time we lift a restriction, each time we open a part of our society, it will shift the balance in favor of the virus . “
She warned that transmission rates remain high and that reducing them would support vaccination programs.