Health passports, vaccine recalls and massive tests: the strategies of China, France and the United States to stop the Delta variant

Coronavirus is making a comeback around the world due to the spread of Delta variant, while vaccination rates stagnate in many countries. While Argentina has recorded 90 positive cases and is developing palliative strategies to delay community circulation, there are other countries that have been facing this variant for several weeks.

The nations that lifted the restrictions had to back down. Even Wuhan, the Chinese city where the pandemic first appeared in December 2019, is facing a new epidemic that authorities have decided on test its 11 million inhabitants.

The Delta variant, first detected in India in October 2020, is characterized by much more contagious than the original and is fast becoming the dominant in the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported yesterday that the Delta variant or B.1.617.2 has already been detected in at least 132 countries and it is considered one of the four most disturbing mutations, along with Alpha which hails from the UK, Beta (South Africa) and Gamma (Brazil).

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China confines again after a year

It had been more than a year since COVID-19 disappeared from the streets of Wuhan when three cases of the Delta variant were confirmed on Monday. The news alerted the Chinese government that it believed the worst of the pandemic was over.

The epidemic, which has affected dozens of cities in at least 14 provinces, is believed to have originated among Nanjing Airport Employees . The Xi Jinping government’s response was as forceful as the first time: they confined entire cities, they cut the train lines and make million trials to fight the biggest coronavirus outbreak in months.

Authorities have admitted that among those infected there are many of those who had been vaccinated, which generates fears about the effectiveness of Chinese vaccines, the only ones available from the Asian giant.

Australia, with strong mobility restrictions due to the Delta variant

In Australia, millions of people are also restricted in their movements and Monday the troops took to the streets of the largest city in the country, Sydney, entering her sixth week of a long lockdown until the end of the month.

City officials are fighting to stop the spread of the delta variant, with more than 3,600 cases recorded since mid-June, and are trying to get residents to respect the lockdown.

With around the 15% of 25 million Australians fully vaccinated, the authorities continue to rely on containment measures to curb the virus.

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Explosion of infections in the United States and rebound in vaccination

The virus is spreading even in places where vaccination programs have been successful, such as in the United States, where there is a new wave that triggered hospitalizations at levels not seen since last year.

The country reached the president’s target on Monday, a month late Joe biden to manage at least one dose to 70% of adults. The campaign that had taken off at full speed got bogged down when it ran into million anti-vaccines and young skeptics in the conservative southern and midwestern states.

“These cases are concentrated in communities with the lowest vaccination rates,” Jeff Zients, White House pandemic coordinator, told reporters. “One in three cases nationwide has been recorded in Florida and Texas last week, ”he added.

The delay has skyrocketed the average daily number of cases to over 70,000. However, states in the United States that have been lagging behind in vaccination rates are catching up, according to the latest data. For example, during the last two weeks of July, the administration of vaccines increased by 100% in Missouri, where infections had increased by 560% in one month, according to ABC News.

On Sunday, the White House announced that 8,000,000 doses had been administered in one day, which means a 24% increase in two weeks. In an attempt to boost vaccinations, Joe Biden’s government announced a few days ago that federal employees will need to be vaccinated or undergo weekly tests, among other measures. In addition, states, cities and businesses offer Financial incentives get vaccinated, like Georgia, which will offer a $ 1,000 bonus to school employees who are fully vaccinated.

Chinstrap in San Francisco and health pass in New York

In addition, more states and cities have been reestablished chinstrap compulsory for vaccinated and unvaccinated in closed public spaces, such as San Francisco. The governor of North Carolina has ordered all state employees to wear face masks indoors if they are not fully immunized. The state of Minnesota has also said masks should be worn in closed spaces at its universities.

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Meanwhile, the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, has announced that it will require proof of covid-19 vaccination for anyone wishing to eat inside a restaurant, enter a concert hall or gym, among others.

“If you are vaccinated (…) you have the key, you can open the door. But if he is not vaccinated, unfortunately he will not be able to participate in many things, ”said De Blasio. The health pass, called “The Key to New York” (“Key to New York”), will be released on August 16, followed by a one-month transition period. “It is time for people to see vaccination as something literally necessary for a full and healthy life,” said the mayor.

The mayor of Denver, the largest city in the state of Colorado, announced yesterday that vaccinations will be mandatory for police, firefighters and some government officials, as well as teachers and workers in nursing homes, hospitals and prisons.

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Health passport in France

De Blasio thus followed the path taken by the government of Emmanuel Macron in France to increase the number of people vaccinated. The president last week ordered that the health passport, which serves as proof of full vaccination or negative covid-19 test, be mandatory for French people who wish to enter sites such as restaurants, cinemas or clubs. The measure was then extended to long distance transport, like trains or planes.

The measure triggered a rebound in the vaccination campaign and in about two weeks four million people have been vaccinated, so nearly 60% of the population is now partially or fully immune, Macron tweeted. The move generated massive protests, with 160,000 people in the streets, whom Macron called “selfish” and “irresponsible”.

Booster dose in Israel, Germany and Uruguay

Faced with the delta variant, other countries are starting to study the possibility of applying booster injections.

Israel has already started applying a third dose of Pfizer vaccine to over 60s amid a worrisome epidemic. On Monday, there were 3,818 new infections, almost double the number of a week ago, in the country considered a model for the effectiveness of its vaccination campaign.

Israel lifted numerous restrictions on public gatherings in June, but cases have increased and face masks are once again mandatory in closed public spaces. In addition, the government of Naftali Bennett tightened restrictions for those returning from abroad and banned travel to countries considered to be at maximum risk, including Spain, Argentina, Mexico or Brazil.

55% of the nine million inhabitants have the complete vaccination schedule, but about a million refuse injections.

Germany said on Monday he would start offering third doses to the elderly and at-risk groups as well as those who did not receive the injection with messenger RNA technology from September 1. The decision was prompted by concerns about “a reduced or rapidly declining immune response” in some people, such as the immunocompromised or the elderly.

Healthcare professionals who care for these groups will also be advised to receive this additional injection. “The boosters will be done with one of the two messenger RNA vaccines (Pfizer or Modern) ”, Informed the ministry, according to which this decision is“ in the interest of preventive health care ”.

The reminder will be given “generally at least six months later from the first full vaccination.

The same decision had been taken by Uruguay for those who have received the Chinese Coronavac vaccine. Sweden it also plans to offer a booster dose of the vaccine to “a large part of the population” in 2022although it could start with vulnerable populations later this year.

“Our assessment is that the virus cannot be eradicated and that, therefore, vaccination efforts must be long-term and focus on reducing serious disease and mortality, ”said the Swedish chief epidemiologist. Anders Tegnell.