Topline
Paris and parts of northern France are set to enter a month-long lockdown Friday in a bid to regain control over the worsening Covid-19 pandemic—much of Europe is facing a resurgent wave of the virus as new variants push cases up, while a number of EU nations are rolling out the AstraZeneca vaccine once again as sluggish vaccination drives struggle to gain momentum.
Europe is struggling with a third coronavirus wave
Key Facts
A number of EU countries are facing a third wave of Covid-19 driven by the infectious U.K. variant—which now dominates in France, Germany and Italy—and a floundering vaccination program hampered by persistent supply chain issues and fears the AstraZeneca shot causes dangerous blood clots.
The World Health Organization has expressed particular concern about the Balkans, Baltics and Central European states where hospitalizations and deaths from Covid-19 number among the highest in the world.
In addition to France, Italy and Poland are both set to enter into new lockdowns to contain the spread and Germany’s situation is dire enough that politicians and experts are warning that existing measures may have to remain in place for longer.
France's Prime Minister Jean Castex, along with U.K. PM Boris Johnson, will receive their AstraZeneca shots in a bid to boost public confidence, after the European Medicines Agency concluded the shot was "safe and effective" and not linked to an overall risk of blood clots.
Though most countries, including Germany, France, Italy and Spain are restarting use of the AstraZeneca shot, Sweden, Norway and Denmark say they are reviewing the EMA’s decision before making a final call.
Key Facts:
French Prime Minister Castex said the new lockdown, which will affect some 21 million people in France’s 16 hardest-hit districts, is needed to contain a “third wave” of infections driven by the contagious U.K. variant. The new restrictions are a change of course by President Emmanuel Macron, who hoped to steer France out of the pandemic without another lockdown.
Big Number
75%. That’s the percentage of cases the U.K. variant now accounts for in France, Castex said.
Tangent
Europe’s vaccine drive faced further setbacks this week as more than a dozen countries banned the AstraZeneca Covid-19 shot over fears it caused blood clots. The bans, precautionary measures taken by individual member states against the advice of international regulators, have been slammed by experts, who are concerned the snap decisions have eroded already fragile confidence in vaccines at a time they are needed most.
Further Reading
EU Agency OKs AstraZeneca Vaccine Ruling Out Broad Link To Blood Clotting (Forbes)
Paris goes into lockdown as COVID-19 variant rampages (Reuters)
European countries at the start of a third wave of Covid, experts warn (Guardian)
