Corona passes, new closures and riots are becoming the new norm in Europe.
Riots Rotterdam Friday night. Demonstrations against corona measures are Europe’s new norms. Photo: AP / NTB view more
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Manager: This is an editorial from Dagbladet, and expresses the newspaper’s views. Dagbladet’s political editor is responsible for the editorial.
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Corona riots where the center of Rotterdam is destroyed. 35,000 people demonstrating against corona closure in Vienna. It is becoming the new norm in Europe. The tone is set for another winter that will be marked by the virus. In a virus-weary population, Europe is once again the center of the plague.
The plague is ravaging because far too few have been vaccinated in many countries. In addition, the effect of the vaccine disappears a little faster than initially thought. The good news is that both are possible to do something about. Firstly by vaccinating the still unvaccinated, and secondly by vaccinating everyone with a 3rd dose.
The bad news is that surprisingly many refuse to listen to reason.
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Austria closes down on Monday. The unvaccinated can in principle only go to the pharmacy, grocery store, or vaccination station. And by February, vaccination will be mandatory, the government says. If you break the rule, you will receive a fine of 5,000 kroner. With only 65 percent of the population vaccinated, the health service is on its knees. Still, parts of the population are protesting. The right-wing populist Freedom Party, with a support of around 20 percent, has made vaccine opposition its flagship issue. The leader of this far-right party, Herbert Kickl, calls the government’s measures “corona apartheid”.
All over Europe – as in the United States – the corona is politicized. The far right is leading the vaccine opposition, and 65 percent of Germany’s more than three million unvaccinated say some of them are not considering taking the vaccine at all. In Germany, as in most of Europe, corona passes are now used to enter restaurants, bars, concert halls, etc. In the state of Saxony, where the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany has a strong position, only 57.5 percent of the population vaccinated. This has led the reputable magazine Der Spiegel to write the following, with a clear sting to the far right: “An association of idiots has made sure that Germany is hit very hard by a fourth wave.”
In Norway, we can curb language use a bit compared to Der Spiegels, because a larger part of the population is vaccinated. But with a society that it is hopefully still possible to keep open, there is reason to once again remind the following: Unless the doctor gives the individual medical reasons not to take the vaccine, the rule that either so takes the vaccine, or you risk becoming seriously ill from the virus. The choice is each one. But the consequences of not taking the plunge are serious both for the individual and for all of us.
