As of July 19, masks may be optional in England. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that most of the pandemic-related restrictions in England would be lifted as of July 19. The French Minister of Health predicts a fourth wave due to the “Indian variant”. The morgues in the Fiji Islands are overcrowded. The need for self-isolation has disrupted the Duchess of Cambridge’s work schedule. These and other news about the development of the COVID-19 situation worldwide are included in our report.
According to Johns Hopkins University, to date, 182.3 million people worldwide have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 3.9 million have died. To date, more than 3.2 billion COVID-19 shots have been administered worldwide; however, vaccination campaigns are progressing at different rates in different countries. Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States are considered the most successful. However, the U.S. continues to lead in terms of the number of people infected and the number of deaths – over 33.6 million and nearly 605 thousand, respectively.
On Monday, Johnson announced at a press conference that thanks to the successful vaccination program in England, most of the restrictions can be lifted on July 19. However, the final decision will be made on July 12 when the government receives the latest data on the spread of the coronavirus.
Queen Elizabeth II awarded the NHS the George Cross (the UK’s highest civilian award). At the same time, the Prime Minister predicted that the number of new infections could rise to 50,000 by the end of the month, so as unfortunate as it may be, we must prepare for new deaths. Johnson confirmed that restrictions on attending weddings and funerals will be lifted, there will no longer be a need to register with a mobile application at bars, pubs and restaurants, and relatives will be able to visit their loved ones in care homes without restriction. Local councils will also lose the right to impose their own restrictions. It is expected that masks will no longer be mandatory on transportation and other public spaces, but people will be encouraged to wear them in particularly crowded places as a precaution and out of respect for others. The Prime Minister has announced that the Government also intends to lift mandatory self-isolation for fully vaccinated people arriving in the UK from “yellow list” countries (including Russia). However, the Transport Secretary is expected to make an official announcement in the coming days. Johnson confirmed that the interval between the first and second shots for people under 40 will be reduced from 12 to 8 weeks. Meanwhile, 27334 new cases of coronavirus infection were confirmed in the UK on Monday, and 9 people died within 28 days of testing positive. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate, has canceled all planned events and gone into self-isolation after it was revealed she had recent contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus the day before. The palace says the Duchess is not experiencing any symptoms of the disease, but is complying with existing government measures despite being fully vaccinated.
On Monday, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) celebrates 73 years since its inception. To mark the occasion, Queen Elizabeth II has awarded the NHS the Order of St George (the UK’s highest civilian honour) for its dedicated service to the nation over the decades. Her Majesty paid particular tribute to the work and sacrifice of healthcare workers during the pandemic. The George Cross was established by King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II, during the years of World War II as an award for “acts of extreme heroism or courage in conditions of extreme danger”.
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There is growing evidence that teenagers can suffer serious consequences from the coronavirus – the so-called “long COVID”. It can cause skin irritation, pain in nerve endings, chest spasms, and extreme fatigue. Initially, these manifestations in young people were not associated with Covid-19 because, according to statistics, children and adolescents are rarely infected with the coronavirus and usually experience mild forms. However, in some countries, particularly the United Kingdom, specialized support services are being created to help teenagers cope with persistent symptoms. In the United Kingdom, 100 million pounds sterling have been allocated for the work of such services (including units for adults). Often the symptoms of “long covid” last for many months. 16-year-old Lilliana Jackson told the BBC that she used to lead an active lifestyle, playing sports, but for the past 10 months she has been suffering from the consequences of the infection she contracted last September. And there were moments when she thought she was going to die.
For almost a year, Liliana Jackson has been unable to cope with the effects of a coronavirus infection. On the eve of Christmas, she ended up in the hospital with seizures, pain all over her body, and a strange rash that covered most of her skin. Doctors urge young people who have recovered from illnesses not to ignore even the slightest deviations from normal health in the hope that their young bodies will handle it on their own. Doctors are convinced that such situations should be closely monitored by specialists.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the pandemic will no longer force the country’s economy to shut down, even to protect the unvaccinated.
The Greek economy is almost entirely dependent on tourism. During the past year and a half of the pandemic, the country has suffered enormous losses. Greece is one of the few European Union countries that has refused to comply with the restrictive measures recommended by the bloc’s authorities. In particular, on most islands, tourists from third countries are not required to undergo a 10-day quarantine.
French Health Minister Olivier Véran has urged the population to get vaccinated as soon as possible. According to his department, a fourth wave of the epidemic is expected in the country by the end of July due to the rapidly spreading Delta strain. France ranks first in Western Europe in the number of people infected (more than 5.8 million) and second in the number of deaths (111 thousand), after the United Kingdom.
Bulgarian authorities are ready to introduce a system of incentives to encourage people to get vaccinated, according to the country’s acting prime minister, Stefan Yanev. It is not yet clear what exactly he is referring to, but it is likely to be material incentives. In Russia, for example, the Moscow authorities held a lottery for cars among those who had been vaccinated.
The Fiji Islands – one of the few countries we’ve heard almost nothing about during the pandemic. However, the Minister of Health announced on Monday that the morgue at Fiji’s largest hospital is overflowing with the dead from Covid-19. On Monday, the country recorded a record number of cases.
Police in Fiji are arresting violators of the mask regime amid a rapidly deteriorating epidemiological situation. Indonesian authorities have called on oxygen producers to make the medical sector a priority during the pandemic. The day before, more than 60 people died in just one hospital in the country due to a severe shortage of Covid-19 oxygen. Indonesian authorities are convinced that most of these deaths could have been avoided if there had been sufficient stockpiles of essential supplies. A similar situation can be observed in many developing countries.