Lessons must be learned as COVID-19 rages in Europe again

In its most alarming statement in months, the World Health Organization last week warned that Europe was once again “at the epicenter” of the COVID-19 pandemic and that it was the only region in the world where the number of cases was still rising.

This warning came as the continent reported an increase in numbers of new daily cases for a fifth consecutive week. The situation was so serious, according to the global health body, that there could be another 500,000 deaths across Europe by February 2022.

The WHO said the causes of this fourth wave of infections were twofold: The relatively low takeup of vaccines in many of the afflicted countries and the rather early and abrupt easing of restrictions seen in the summer.

Most of Europe is reeling under the fresh outbreak, which could get worse as a cold and humid winter approaches, offering unwelcome reminders of the winter of 2020, when tens of thousands of fresh cases emerged daily in nations across Europe, leading to many fatalities.

The countries hit hard in the current wave are clearly those that either relaxed restrictions too early or did not pursue vaccinations with the same degree of seriousness as the nations of southwestern Europe, notably Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.

In France, the uptake was low until July, when President Emmanuel Macron imposed the “pass sanitaire” for almost all outings and made it mandatory for health workers to be vaccinated, with a number of large employers following suit. Similar moves were made almost simultaneously in Italy, Spain and Portugal and, barely four months later, such action seems to have paid off. The headache of getting tested for COVID-19 every three days for those who are unvaccinated pushed most people in these nations to get inoculated. The difference was visible within weeks, as the previously lackadaisical attitude toward the vaccine changed dramatically.

Moreover, even as these nations rapidly increased their vaccination rates, they also retained strict curbs on movement, using vaccine certificates to efficiently and effectively prevent the unvaccinated from moving about unchecked.

Unfortunately, many other European countries have not been able to do either. Not only did countries like Germany fail to address vaccine hesitancy through awareness programs or negative incentives like a health pass, but they also eased most restrictions on movement and gatherings, thus creating a fertile ground for the return of COVID-19.

The results are now visible for all to see. On April 17, France registered 45,636 new infections, while Germany was way behind on 20,693 cases. By Nov. 7, Germany had seen its cases flare up to 26,357, while France was way below at 7,285 fresh cases. Germany’s daily infections have now raced to more than 35,000 — the highest since the pandemic reached the country in late 2019 — indicating the severity of the problem. In other countries with low vaccination rates, such as Russia, new daily infections have also reached record highs.

The sharp divergence in cases and deaths being seen between countries within Europe is even more surprising considering that the EU had pre-ordered more than 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the biggest order by any country or bloc of countries. Though there were initially major problems with vaccine delivery, which continued until the spring, the supplies have since become available and there are enough jabs for each country.

Thus, the EU had in its possession many more jabs than even large countries like China or India. There are roughly five doses for each adult in the EU, but governments have failed to administer them. Similarly, Russia, which has produced its own Sputnik vaccine and exported it to numerous countries, has failed to vaccinate enough of its own people.

As the pandemic has been fading in many regions, it is important that governments and people around the world look at the mess that Europe finds itself in and quickly learn the lessons of the countries that failed to administer vaccines quickly enough.

The European crisis also raises another vital issue for the world to consider. This is the cornering of vaccines by the developed world, including the EU and the US, even as most developing nations, especially in Africa, Asia and the small island states in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, are struggling to get enough doses to protect their populations, who are not as vaccine hesitant as many Westerners.

This puts a big question mark over whether rich countries were right to procure for themselves extremely large quantities of precious vaccines — more than double what they would ever need — at the expense of the rest of the world.

Whether for COVID-19 or any other future medical crisis, should some countries with money and power be allowed to corner a significant amount of medicine, effectively depriving the rest of the world of crucial, lifesaving drugs, especially when the countries that have cornered the doses struggle to use them for their own populations? This is one of the issues the WHO would do well to deliberate on now, as COVID-19 seemingly recedes and before another health crisis envelops the world.

• Ranvir S. Nayar is managing editor of Media India Group.