Europe is struggling to contain the third wave of the epidemic.

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The coronavirus is still spreading in the United States, infection levels remain high, and new variants jeopardize the progress made so far. “When you see a plateau at as high as 60,000 cases a day, it’s a very vulnerable time to have a flare up, to come back up. That’s exactly what happened in Europe,” Fauci said. to CNN yesterday.

Europe is struggling to contain the third wave of the outbreak, which appears to have been caused by the new, more infectious and deadly variant of the virus first identified in the UK. At the same time, the continent has lagged behind the UK and US in terms of vaccination rates.

The worsening situation left some European governments with no choice but to tighten the restrictions again. Half of Italy’s 20 regions, including the cities of Rome, Milan and Venice, entered a new lockdown today, with people now banned from leaving their homes except for work or health reasons.

In Germany, officials warned yesterday that there is a “very high” risk of a further rise in infections. In France, hospitalizations are on the rise again, with Paris starting to evacuate around 100 Covid-19 patients from the region over the weekend.

The Czech Republic has been on strict closure for two weeks now, with many of its hospitals overwhelmed by the number of cases caused by the new variant.

Fauci warned that the variants that currently threaten Europe are present in the United States. He said there are ways to prevent the country from ending up in a similar place in a few weeks.

“The best way to avoid any threat from variants is to do two things. Get as many people vaccinated as possible and continue with public health measures until we get this broad protection from society,” a- he declared.

YOU ASKED. WE HAVE ANSWER.

Q: Can I kiss my vaccinated grandmother?

A: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released new Covid-19 guidelines for nursing homes last week. Vaccinated or not, nursing home residents are still a fragile patient population, so it is important to fight infections. This means that CMS still wants people to wear a properly fitted face mask, wash their hands, and try to stay physically distant. Outdoor tours are always the safest, especially for unvaccinated people.

But the new CMS guidelines offer many other new freedoms. Don’t visitors need a negative? Covid-19 test result, nor proof of vaccination. However, the guidelines strongly encourage everyone to get the vaccine.

“There is no substitute for physical contact, like the warm embrace between a resident and their loved one. Therefore, if the resident is fully vaccinated, they may choose to have close contact (including contact) with their visitor while wearing a well. fitted face mask, ”CMS says on its website.

Visits should be restricted if the county’s positivity rate for Covid-19 is greater than 10% and less than 70% of the facility’s residents are fully vaccinated.

Send your questions here. Are you a health worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you are facing: +1 347-322-0415.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TODAY

More European countries stop vaccinations against AstraZeneca

Ireland and the Netherlands became the latest countries to temporarily suspend use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine yesterday following a report from Norway of patients developing blood clots after inoculation.

At least six European countries have temporarily stopped use of the vaccine, while seven others have suspended vaccination for certain groups or with certain batches of the vaccine. The European Medicines Agency said there was “no indication that the vaccination caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects with this vaccine.” The agency said “the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh its risks” and that the vaccine can continue to be administered while the investigation of cases of thromboembolic events is ongoing.

Oxford vaccine trial chief investigator Andrew Pollard told the BBC this morning that there was “very rich and reassuring evidence that there is no increase in the phenomenon blood clot here in the UK, where most doses [of the AstraZenecavaccine] in Europe have been donated so far. ”

Coughing patients poses a serious risk to medical personnel

Since the start of the pandemic, the most terrifying task in healthcare has been seen as inserting a breathing tube into the trachea of ​​a critically ill Covid patient. But a new wave of research now shows that a basic cough produces about 20 times more particles than an intubation.

New studies show that patients with Covid-19 simply by speaking or breathing, even in a well-ventilated room, could make workers sick – even if workers wear CDC-approved surgical masks.

Studies suggest the highest overall risk of infection was among frontline workers – many of whom were workers of color – who spent the most time with patients earlier in their illness and in poor protective clothing. , not those who worked the ICU Covid.

The defining photos of the pandemic – and the stories behind them

As the pandemic enters a second year, we look back at some of the most memorable photos taken around the world. In these images we see heartache, pain and despair. But we also see love, sacrifice and resilience. See the full gallery here.
Olivia Grant kisses her grandmother Mary Grace Sileo through a plastic rag in Wantagh, New York.

ON OUR RADAR

  • Covid-19 vaccines have the potential to end the worst pandemic in a century – and generate hundreds of billions of dollars in sales for the pharmaceutical companies that make them.
  • London police have come under fire for their brutality after officers interrupted a vigil for a murdered woman, citing violations of Covid-19 restrictions on protests.
  • Childhood vaccinations are seeing “substantial” and “historic” drops amid the pandemic, the CDC director said, urging parents to make sure their children are up to date on their vaccines.
  • Those who received their Covid-19 vaccine at Berkshire Community College in Pittsville, Massachusetts on Saturday were greeted by famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
  • Facebook is rolling out a handful of new tools on its platforms to help people get vaccinated against Covid-19.
  • Officials at Duke University have issued a stay-in-place order for all undergraduates as it attempts to tackle a rapidly escalating epidemic.
  • The Tanzanian prime minister dispelled rumors about the health of President John Magufuli after days of big speculation he had Covid-19.
  • A Stanford scientist’s quest to cure his son could help unravel the mystery of long-haul Covid-19.

BEST TIPS

Covid-19 has spawned another global health crisis that some have dubbed ‘coronasomnia’ – an inability to fall asleep or get good quality sleep during the pandemic.

Unfortunately, experts say, people may turn to activities during the pandemic that seem to help, but in fact hinder, their ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Find out how to avoid these pitfalls here.

TODAY’S PODCAST

“We’re not going to open the doors until we honestly think we’re ready. And that’s what happened: we thought we were ready and we opened the doors.” – Lisa Herring, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr Sanjay Gupta talks to Lisa Herring about how she reopened schools and balanced safety precautions with the educational needs of students. Listen now.

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