While Europe has recorded nearly 12 million contaminations and 22,597 deaths over the past seven days, Germany and France are still seeking to impose measures against Covid-19 on the unvaccinated. At the Elysée, a new health defense council will be held on Wednesday. Relaxation of restrictions are expected for holders of the vaccine pass. Germany, which has failed to vaccinate more than 80% of its population, is considering making vaccination compulsory.
- Health advice expected on Wednesday
A new health defense council is to be held on Wednesday at the Elysée. According to France news, the government intends in particular to reassess the protocol put in place at school since the start of the school year in January. There could be a question of lifting the wearing of the mandatory mask outdoors for all students and staff.
Two dates are envisaged to ease the measures to control the pandemic: from February 21 on return from the first holiday zone or March 7 at the end of all school holidays.
The timetable for the general easing of measures is also on the agenda.
- Germany misses vaccine target
The German government intended to vaccinate 80% of the population against the coronavirus before the end of January. On Monday, 75.8% of Germans had received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to Reuters. The country ranks behind its neighbors such as Italy, France or Spain, according to data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
To achieve this vaccination objective, MEPs have been debating the idea of making vaccination compulsory for several days in Parliament.
- 621 dead in Russia in 24 hours
Russia has recorded 621 Covid-19-related deaths in the past 24 hours, according to Reuters. A record. On Saturday, the country exceeded the symbolic bar of 100,000 daily Covid-19 infections for the first time. The two figures illustrate the strength of the contagiousness of the Omicron variant.
Russia is the most bereaved country in Europe by the coronavirus. If the authorities have recorded 330,111 deaths from Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, the Rosstat statistical agency, which has a broader definition, has counted more than 660,000, almost double the official toll.
- In China, new cases on the sidelines of the Olympics
China has detected 37 cases of Covid-19 among staff responsible for organizing the Winter Olympics which begin Friday in Beijing. This is three new cases since Sunday.
Of the total number of infections, eight athletes or officials tested positive, according to Reuters. Twenty-eight were among the new arrivals at the airport, with the other nine already in the “closed-loop” bubble that separates event staff from the public. Some 60,000 people make up this health bubble.
Tony Estanguet, boss of the 2024 Olympics, will not go to Beijing. He tested positive for Covid-19.
The rest of the country saw 58 new cases of Covid-19 declared on Sunday, against 81 the day before, the national health authority announced on Monday.
- In Canada, anti-vax protests continue…
On Sunday, for the second day in a row, protesters opposed to compulsory vaccination blocked the capital, Ottawa. The movement was initiated by truckers opposing the compulsory vaccination imposed to cross the border with the United States.
Demonstration of truck drivers against sanitary measures in Ottawa (Canada), January 29, 2022
afp.com/Lars Hagberg
At the same time, truckers sympathetic to the “Freedom Convoy” blocked a highway in Western Canada.
The conflict could last according to the Canadian police.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family were escorted to an undisclosed location on Saturday, according to Canadian media.
- …and inspire those in Australia
A large anti-vax protest took place outside Canberra’s Houses of Parliament on Monday. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the doors of the building demanding that the deputies present themselves to the crowd. The Federal Parliament was not in session this week.
The rally is inspired by the “Freedom Convoy” movement in Canada. He is backed by Congressman George Christensen and Senator Gerard Rennick, both antivax.
Over 98.6% of Canberra’s population over the age of 12 have received at least two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
- Bali reopens its borders
The Indonesian island will again welcome travelers from all countries on Friday. Until then, it only offered its hospitality to nationals of certain countries such as those coming from China, New Zealand or Japan.
Before the outbreak of Covid-19, 6.2 million foreign visitors visited Bali in 2019. Tourism accounts for 54% of its GDP.
- More than 5.66 million dead
The pandemic has officially killed more than 5.66 million people worldwide since the end of December 2019, out of more than 373 million confirmed contaminations, according to a report established by AFP on Monday at 11 a.m.
The United States is the country with the most deaths (884,260), ahead of Brazil (626,854) and India (495,050).
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than that officially established.