WHO: The first wave is far from over

The World Health Organization (WHO) looks with suspicion at the relaxation of corona policy in countries that seem to have gone through the worst. Europe, North America and Southeast Asia received a special warning Monday from Mike Ryan, emergency director. Don’t think it’s too easy to be there, he said at a news conference from Geneva.

What followed was a lesson on waves and peaks. “We should not assume the number of infections in the first wave [..] will only continue to decline, “said Ryan,” and that we will then have a few months to prepare for a second wave. There may be a second peak in this wave. ”

In recent days, there have been plenty of examples of people not wanting to keep the distance. Think of the full Dutch beaches on Ascension Day and in the United States last weekend. Or the eighteen Germans who became infected at a private party in a restaurant in the German state of Lower Saxony. While the restaurant owner maintains that all regulations have been followed, there have also been reports that visitors have shaken hands and kept an insufficient distance.

European governments are also becoming impatient and are rapidly taking decisions – either independently or bilaterally – to partially reopen their borders or to allow domestic movements again. For example, each country is looking for opportunities to save the tourism season and get other sectors going again. The result: a patchwork of relaxations.

Remove negative travel advice

According to the German news agency DPA, the German government wants to lift the negative travel advice for 31 European countries by 15 June, if the number of illnesses permits. These are the Member States of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The decision would be made on Wednesday. Southern European countries, where tourism often accounts for as much as 10 percent or more of gross domestic product, want to welcome foreigners again from June.

In Greece, which had a relatively minor virus outbreak due to early intervention, domestic tourism is already being practiced. The ferries to the islands were returned to service on Monday, with a limit on the number of passengers allowed. The government has cut the VAT on the tickets in half to encourage travel. In the restaurants, guests must keep their distance and the waiters wear face masks. Foreign travelers will be welcome again from 15 June.

Italy will be allowing foreigners back in from next Wednesday and will allow travel between regions from then on. The Spanish government decided on Monday to lift the mandatory two-week home quarantine for resident travelers from 1 July, which should make the country attractive to tourists again.

Slovak citizens will soon be allowed to travel to eight European countries for 48 hours without having to show a negative test or be quarantined. Montenegro, which has declared itself the first coronavirus-free country in Europe, will allow citizens from countries with fewer than 25 infections per 100,000 inhabitants from Monday (the Netherlands will not make it).

Safe countries

Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya on Tuesday called for a joint policy for Member States of the European Union (which Montenegro does not yet belong to). She advocated a common definition for safe countries, both to travel and to receive citizens. Apart from the clarity that this offers, it also ensures a level playing field for tourist destinations. It helps prevent countries in the race to attract tourists relax faster than it is wise.

The WHO continues to warn. During the Spanish Flu, in 1919, there was also a second peak, Mike Ryan said Monday. “We need to be aware that the virus can cause outbreaks at any time.” Therefore, countries must maintain adequate measures of social distance, control and testing.

He pointed out that the world is still in the middle of the first wave. “At this stage, the disease is still mostly spreading,” he said, referring to Latin America and South Asia. Brazil has the largest outbreak after the United States with 375,000 confirmed cases, in India the total is nearly 150,000.

There are also countries that are easing when the peak is yet to come. South Africa, which had a very strict lockdown, will give most sectors free rein from 1 June to limit further economic damage. But “the risk of a massive increase in the number of infections is greater than ever,” said President Ramaphosa.

“All countries must remain vigilant and ready to detect infections quickly, even if they have been successful in combating them,” WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove emphasized on Monday. “If given the chance, this virus will cause an outbreak.”

Denmark introduced a as far as known unique easing on Monday. Residents of the other Nordic countries and Germany are now allowed to join their loved one in Denmark. They do not have to show a test or in home quarantine, but only to declare by letter that the relationship is serious.