Despite good vaccination coverage, Europe has once again become the epicenter of the Covid pandemic.
More than half of new infections are registered there.
Although the number of hospitalizations and deaths is much lower than in previous waves, some governments are preparing to reimpose restrictions.
In Austria.
The country announced on Friday that it was waiting for the green light from parliament on Sunday for the confinement of people not vaccinated or not cured of the coronavirus at the national level. "The objective is clear: we want to give the green light on Sunday to national containment for unvaccinated people," Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said at a press conference, without specifying the date of entry into force. of the measure. "We are a few days away from having to establish this confinement", he had already announced Thursday in the columns of 7sur7. “Two-thirds of people should not suffer because others hesitate,” he added, explaining that such a decision was “probably inevitable”.
In Norway.
The government, which had lifted all its restrictions at the end of September, gave the green light on Friday so that municipalities can use the health pass and that a 3rd dose be offered to all adults.
Unvaccinated health workers will have to be tested twice a week and wear a mask.
As for the recommendation to stay at home in case of symptoms, it has been reinstated.
“The government wants to introduce new national measures to contain contagions.
However, we are not talking about containments or measures as strict as we have seen previously during the pandemic ”, underlined during a press conference the new Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
In the Nederlands.
A partial reconfinement is less and less hypothetical: the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the Minister of Health will give a press conference this Friday evening to announce the measures which will apply for three weeks. Despite the risk of further protests, bars and restaurants are expected to close at 7 p.m., along with all non-essential stores. Public protests would be suppressed and football matches would have to be played behind closed doors, including the World Cup qualifying match between the Netherlands and Norway next week. Schools should however remain open. The head of government will also specify whether, at the end of these three weeks,it restricts access to restaurants and places of leisure to people vaccinated or recovered from the Covid.
In the meantime, the official arrival of Sinterklaas - Dutch Father Christmas - scheduled for Saturday in Utrecht, has already been canceled due to the increase in contamination.
In Germany.
The country on Thursday recorded a record number of new infections with 50,196 additional cases in 24 hours, and had to resume transferring patients from the most affected areas to hospitals that can accommodate them. The three parties (the SPD, environmentalists and liberals) working to form a government coalition had already tabled a bill to take over from the anti-Covid measures which will expire at the end of the month, they could be obliged to build it up until next March. Some cities are said to have canceled Christmas markets again. In Berlin, from Monday, the unvaccinated will no longer be able to access the interior rooms of restaurants, bars, sports halls and hairdressing salons. This type of device called "2G", for "geimpft" (vaccinated) or "genesen" (cured),has already entered into force this week in Saxony.
In Latvia.
One of the least vaccinated countries in the EU entered a state of health emergency on November 3, for three months.
Since this date, the mask is compulsory in all buildings open to the public, and any employee of the public domain has until Monday to be vaccinated.
Unvaccinated people are only allowed to shop for food and essentials in designated stores.
Non-essential businesses are not open on weekends.
In the Czech Republic.
The government is meeting this Friday to decide on new measures.