'Very serious situation' unfolding in Europe, WHO warns, as cases rise dramatically

[Buckeye_Democrat]

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/09/17/coronavirus-latest-europe-jittery-as-cases-rise-and-lockdowns-return.html

KEY POINTS
* There are growing concerns in Europe at what is being seen as an alarming rise in coronavirus cases.
* The number of new daily infections has reached record highs in some countries.
* Targeted lockdowns and restrictions are returning across the continent.


... 'The pandemic is not over'

The increases in the number of reported infections has, in part, been attributed to more sophisticated and active testing regimes in Europe, but the ECDC said Wednesday that "although increased testing contributes to better awareness of all ongoing transmission, it is not the only reason for the increase of Covid-19 cases." It linked the rise to the relaxation of physical distancing and other preventive measures.

"As schools reopen and more indoor activities are held, the increase of cases comes as a reminder that the pandemic is not over," the ECDC warned, as it reminded the public to continue basic measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including hand washing, face masks and self-isolation when feeling ill.

There are concerns that healthcare systems could be overwhelmed as winter nears and the ECDC noted that, as flu season approaches, the preparedness of healthcare systems across Europe is "vital."

"This includes essential services, primary care facilities and hospitals ensuring appropriate surge capacity plans in case of a high demand for the care of patients with respiratory distress," it said.

[Lucinda]

1. ...

[Alacritous Crier]

2. The second wave is starting and it's going to be catastrophically deadly.

[Raster]

3. The WORLDWIDE second wave has the capacity to make the first wave...

... look like an Easter picnic.

[Alacritous Crier]

19. Yep!

[iluvtennis]

4. My daughter who is in Italy for last 2 years for school confirms this. It's the relaxation of

masks and social distancing that is driving it. She and her boyfriend get chided for wearing their masks - but they are both strong willed and do so anyway.

In the province where she lives, the local soccer team got approved to go to the "big leagues" with Serie A and literally thousands filled the streets shoulder to shoulder and maskless to celebrate. Now there is spike in new cases in her area

[Buckeye_Democrat]

7. Ugh, that's troubling!

I guess people all over the world can get exhausted about mask-wearing after awhile.

[bucolic_frolic]

17. Yup. Mask fatigue. It'll never happen to me. What's to be will be.

Granted, though, it is hard to maintain vigilance over a long period of time.

My local Walmart has removed directional aisle floor stickers. But I don't think I saw once person without a mask today, and only 2 temporary nose breathers.

[RhodeIslandOne]

16. Awful

I assumed Europe, and especially Italy would show some simple common sense and respect.

[Jarqui]

5. They seem to overlook that nothing has changed medically

It is a very infectious airborne virus
There is no vaccine

Abstaining from some activities and wearing masks, etc reigned in the spread.

But back to school, back to work, cooler weather sending folks indoors, without a vaccine, we're in the same place we were last winter.

Until there is a vaccine or effective medical prevention/treatment, we're going to have this kind of a problem.

[Pluvious]

13. Herd mentality possess about half the IQ of the average individual n/t

[mjvpi]

15. Exactly. COVID-19 believes in science even if some humans don't.

[Warpy]

6. Shit. I was so afraid this was going to happen

that we'd get through the summer thinking that if we ween't stupid, we might be able to beat this thing.

Nope, it gets cold, we go indoors, and that will spread the bug faster.

Dumdum isn't going to help with his damned pep rallies.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. I sometimes think that the long term up side to this

might be an actual reduction in the world population.

[RainCaster]

9. Seeing the remasking & distancing elsewhere makes it easier

For Joe to do this when he gets in to office.

[Lonestarblue]

10. EU countries relaxed travel restrictions between most countries, so travelers are spreading.

I seem to remember one country forcing travelers from the UK to leave because they had the virus. When people stop wearing masks and travel from one country to the next, they’re just continuing the pandemic. Why is this so hard to understand?

[llashram]

11. well, WHO warned.

a lot haven't listened for varied reasons. If it's leaders we know their priorities and as in the case of America, we know what his priority is, he and his family loot as much treasure FROM the American people as they can while they can. The populace is damned. Collateral damage.

[RobinA]

12. Wait, I Thought Europe

was all that as far as COVID control was concerned and the US was a third world nation!!!

[jayfish]

14. Wait,...

you sound like a Winger.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. "It linked the rise to the relaxation of physical distancing and other preventive measures"

Meaning you can't "test yourself out of a pandemic". All testing does is confirm whether the test-takers have it or not and how many were found to be infected on a given day (where the aggregate can be tracked and plotted over time). Testing is not a vaccine.

This whole notion of the "Well America is tired of this and wants to get back to normal so to hell with it" mentality is seriously fucked up. When people use the term "new normal", it's not just a "slogan" or a "meme".

As an analogy - I know many of us grew up with parents/grandparents (and some were even children) who lived through WW2. The "new normal" at that time meant rationing of certain foods and other products (and ration coupons), blackout shades, and air raid siren drills. The next generation who lived through the cold war had "detention drills" and "duck and cover" (along with the same old blackout shades in the classrooms and in many cases, air raid drills).

Were Americans "tired of it"? Of course. But the bitching and whining and moaning was not like what is going on now during what is basically an active "war" right here on American soil with a damn killer virus. And if doesn't kill you, it has the potential to do some serious damage to your body over time that they are only now discovering, attempting to qualify and quantify, and track (with only a relatively "short" period of record to monitor the long-term effects from an infection and supposed "recovery" ). The media might cover people actively reporting some of the more serious "side effects" but the vast majority who have contracted it might actually be experiencing a lesser, but still impactful aftermath of this novel coronavirus (one common symptom being varying degrees of fatigue).

Even after 9/11 - we are today living with a "new normal". I can't just walk into an airport to go to a random waiting area next to a gate to sit and watch planes land and takeoff nor go into a federal building - where both locations require going through magnetometers and presenting some kind of ID.