Threatened by the Third Wave of Covid-19, France and Poland Back Lockdown Page all

PARIS, KOMPAS.com – France and Poland resumed partial lockdowns, after both faced a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections in recent weeks.

About 21 million people in 16 regions of France, including the capital Paris, have been affected as the country fears a third wave.

In Poland, shops, hotels, cultural and sports facilities are closed across the country for three weeks.

The country recorded the highest new daily case of Covid-19 since November.

Covid-19 cases are also increasing exponentially in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel warned of the possibility the country now needs to apply an “emergency brake” and reimpose lockdown measures.

Vaccine rollout across the European Union has been hindered by delays in delivery as well as suspension of use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in some countries.

They are still concerned about the possible side effects of the British-made vaccine.

Also read: The Impact of Covid-19 Makes Europe Like a Communist Country with Hundreds of Homeless

Situation in France and Poland

In France, partial lockdowns take effect from midnight on Friday (19/3/2021).

Trains from Paris to several states that enforce lockdown stopped operating, such as Brittany and Lyon. It was reported that travel tickets were fully booked several hours before the regulations were enforced.

BBC reported that traffic jams were reported on several roads leaving the capital.

The new restrictions are not as strict as the previous ones. People are still allowed to exercise outdoors.

Non-essential businesses are closed, but schools remain open. Hairdressers who follow “certain sanitation protocols” are also still allowed to operate.

France has reported more than 4.2 million infections since the start of the outbreak. Nearly 92,000 deaths related to Covid-19 have occurred, according to data compiled by America’s Johns Hopkins University.

In Poland, a three-week lockdown began on Saturday (20/3/2021).

Polish health officials previously warned national restrictions were needed because of the British variant of Covid-19 that is rampant in the country.

This variant now accounts for more than 60 percent of infections.

Poland has more than two million confirmed infections, and nearly 49,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins.

On Friday (19/3/2021) German authorities said they were classifying neighboring Poland as a high risk.

This means that starting Sunday, anyone crossing the border from Poland will have to test negative for the coronavirus.

Also read: A number of countries in Europe are using the AstraZeneca virus vaccine again

AstraZeneca vaccine development

There is assurance from European drug regulators that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective. But some countries are still reluctant to continue their campaign with the vaccine.

Finnish health authorities have announced a halt to the use of the vaccine, which will last at least a week.

The move, following two reports of blood clots in patients who have received the injection in the country. This is called being done as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, Sweden, Denmark and Norway said on Friday (19/3/2021) that they need more time to decide whether to continue AstraZeneca’s inoculation or not.

Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands are among the countries that have restarted their AstraZeneca vaccination campaigns.

Health authorities in France have recommended that the vaccine is only given to people 55 years of age and over.

Also read: Polemic of Sputnik V Vaccine, Manufacturers Suing European Union for This Case

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is reviewing the injection. after 13 European countries suspended vaccine use. They are worried about the case of blood clots.

However, it was found that the vaccine was “unrelated” to a higher risk of clotting.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to continue using the AstraZeneca vaccine.

On Friday (19/3/2021), experts at the WHO said the vaccine has “tremendous potential to prevent infection and reduce deaths worldwide”.

“The available data do not show an overall improvement in clotting conditions such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism following the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine,” said the WHO Global Advisory Committee for Vaccine Safety in a statement.

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