One after another, European countries are taking new measures against the coronavirus. “I am ready to consider compulsory vaccination,” the prime minister said for the first time. Belgium, Alexander De Cro, in an interview given to the Flemish newspaper “De Zondag”.
As the year draws to a close and 2021 is still marked by a pandemic, the Belgian Prime Minister has announced that “the Omicron mutation will not be the last wave” and “we must learn to live with the virus”. To do this, the Belgian Prime Minister outlines various avenues: extra beds in the intensive care unit or even … compulsory vaccination – an issue that De Croe did not support in recent months. On several occasions he had said that he did not want vaccination to be mandatory, saying that he believed more in persuasion than in enforcement. However, in his interview with “De Zondag” he specifically states: “The goal is clear: everyone must be vaccinated. “If the path of compulsory vaccination can help, I am ready to think about it”, while reminding that a debate will be needed in the Parliament.
For Alexander de Cro, however, other measures must be taken into account in the long run. “Our hospitals need to be in a better position to deal with the peak of cases,” he said, noting that 2,000 intensive care beds may not be enough. Secondly, he emphasized the need for greater efforts to ensure continued prevention;
Greece: The pandemic committee is meeting today
In our country, in the context of the continuous epidemiological surveillance and evaluation of the data, under the shadow of the predominance of the Omicron variant and with the agony of a new significant worsening of the pandemic, the committee of experts of the ministry meets today.
It will examine the epidemiological data, evaluate the measures taken to reduce the spread of the virus and further propose if it deems it necessary.
France: The government is currently considering additional measures
THE French Government will decide today to take new restrictive measures to deal with Covid-19, at a time when the Omicron variant is launching the number of cases.
President Emanuel Macron will attend a teleconference conference at the health council in the afternoon at 4 pm local time, one hour before the cabinet meeting to approve the draft law establishing the vaccination certificate, which will install the health certificate. .
On Saturday, for the first time since the start of the epidemic, the limit of 100,000 daily cases was exceeded.
The number of cases dropped to 27,697 yesterday, Sunday, due to the fact that a large number of pharmacies and diagnostic centers are closed on Christmas day.
One of the controversial proposals is the postponement of the return to school, which is scheduled for January 3. Some members of the opposition, including Le Republicains presidential candidate Valerie Pekres, have called for the schools to be postponed. Some health care workers want the same thing, given the proximity to New Year celebrations.
THE traffic ban on 31 December is one of the proposals under consideration, although many scientists believe that such a partial and short-lived measure, just for one night, will not work.
THE Outdoor mask use is likely to be enhanced in gatherings of more than 10 people, such as flea markets or cultural events.
But, above all, the government is investing in vaccination and the conversion of sanitation into a vaccination pass “for access to leisure activities, restaurants, cafes and bars, organized business events or long-distance transport”, mainly by rail, according to with the plan under discussion.
The latter measure was originally scheduled to take effect at the end of January, but the government is seeking to speed up its implementation by 15 January.
Israel: The country is testing the fourth dose of vaccine against Covid-19 while waiting for the ‘green light’ from the Ministry of Health for its administration
An Israeli hospital today administered fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccine to a group of people, while the country is considering adopting the measure for vulnerable groups in an effort to stem the rise in infections due to the Omicron variant.
A study by the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan outside Tel Aviv will “target the vaccine’s antibody effectiveness and safety in assessing whether a fourth vaccine is generally needed,” a spokesman said. The 150 participants are members of the medical staff.
A team of health ministry experts last week recommended that Israel become the first country to offer a fourth dose of the vaccine to people over the age of 60, people with weakened immune systems and health care workers.
The Israeli government welcomed the proposal. However, the fourth tranche must have the final approval of the director general of the ministry, Nahman As, a doctor, whose decision, according to officials, will be taken without the intervention of the government.
Given concerns about the lack of test data, As may change the criteria for those who can take the dose, raising the age limit to 70 and excluding health professionals, according to Israeli media.
63% of the 9.4 million Israelis have received the first two doses of the vaccine, according to ministry figures. About 45% have also received a third – or boost – dose. Approximately 2,000 confirmed or suspected Omicron cases have been reported.
Israel was the country that first released the first vaccines a year ago, and was one of the first to notice that immunity was declining over time.
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