Europe’s Covid Protocols

Omicron variant is leading to record numbers in Europe, but not every country is locking down.

• European countries are witnessing a surge in Covid19 cases due to the spread of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus.
• But the regulations are varying from country to country, especially considering it’s the middle of the holiday season which involves people travelling to meet family.
• While the UK has seen daily Covid case counts cross 100,000, its Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that there would be no curbs on people till the New Year.
• According to UK authorities, the reason being that the health system isn’t collapsing as majority of the cases are mild and not requiring ICU admission.
• The Netherlands was the first country to announce lockdowns in Europe which will continue till 13 January. If the situation improves these restrictions may change said its PM.
• Spain is one of the top European countries when it comes to vaccinated populations. But the rising cases over the last couple of weeks have show how Spain has lost on that advantage.
• With no restrictions or lockdowns in Spain, apart from mask mandates and rush to get everyone a booster shot, the case count is on a rising curve.
• France has announced strict measures as it’s seeing case numbers. Unvaccinated people will be facing a lot of issues going forward as the country wants to nudge everyone to get a shot.
• In this reading, we familiarise ourselves with the various restrictions that have been introduced in European countries as Omicron has poured water over holiday plans for many.