The world is gradually moving to the stage of “living with the coronavirus”, while some European countries have begun to phase out precautionary measuresProtests in some countries to press for the cancellation of covid-19 measures.
The state of New York will remove from Thursday the mandatory wearing of a gag in enclosed spaces, especially in shops, restaurants and businesses, Democratic governor Kathy Hochul said, at a time when the number of covid-19 infections in the United States is falling significantly.
Hochul confirmed to the Press that the mandatory wearing of the gag, which expires on Thursday, under New York state law, will remain in effect in schools until March, but will return to municipalities, including the municipality of New York City, and to shops, the issue of imposing on their employees and customers.
After the state and city of New York in 2020 was the epicenter of the epidemic with the city alone recording at least 38 thousand deaths in two years, Hochul praised Health Indicators “falling”.
The Democratic governor said: “it’s a wonderful sight…”We are not done yet, but the trend is very good and this is what makes us think from now on regarding a new phase of the pandemic,”he said.
New York is following the example of other Democratic-ruled states that have already announced similar measures since Monday, such as California, New Jersey and Connecticut.
The gag is a very strong political indicator in the United States, where much of the right and the Republican Party view mandatory face covering as a violation of individual freedoms.
The daily toll of infections in the United States is declining significantly with a daily average of only 250 thousand infections in the past seven days, according to health authorities. This number is significantly lower than the 800 thousand infections per day recorded in mid-January.
The United States on the Fourth of February exceeded the threshold of 900 thousand deaths by covid within two years, according to “Johns Hopkins University”. The death toll in the country had exceeded 800 thousand cases in mid-December.
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Sweden is shaking up the epidemic
Meanwhile, Sweden lifted almost all of the few remaining restrictions to combat the covid-19 pandemic on Wednesday and halted most testing for coronavirus infections, despite continued pressure on health care systems and pleas from some scientists to be more patient in the fight once morest the disease.
World Health Organization urges rich countries to fund Control Program
The World Health Organization (who) on Wednesday urged rich countries to contribute a fair share of the necessary amounts to its plan to eliminate covid-19 by paying عاجل 16 billion urgently.
The WHO said half a million covid-19 deaths have been recorded since the discovery of the mutant Omicron of the coronavirus, describing the toll as “more than tragic”.
France and Britain
Meanwhile, a French government spokesman said on Wednesday that France considered there were “reasons to hope” that the vaccination certificate would be terminated “in late March – early April” due to the improved health situation.
“The number of people in hospitals remains high, higher than the record we saw in the spring of 2020, but in our forecasts,” he said…”There are reasons to hope that in this time frame the situation will have improved enough to be able to lift these latest measures,”he said.
British prime minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday he hoped to end the mandatory isolation of people who tested positive for the coronavirus by the end of February, following England had already lifted most restrictions imposed to curb covid-19.
The Conservative leader told MPs during the weekly Government Accountability session that he would return to Parliament on February 21, following the parliamentary recess, “to present his plan for coping with covid-19”.
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New Zealand Canada
Police in New Zealand on Thursday arrested more than 50 people and began Hundreds of protesters arrested in front of Parliament Three days ago, in protest once morest mandatory covid-19 vaccination and tightened coronavirus restrictions.
Several thousand protesters blocked streets near Parliament in the capital Wellington this week with trucks, cars and motorcycles.
Concerns regarding the economic impact of the truck driver protests in Canada have mounted, which did not weaken as they reached their thirteenth day on Wednesday despite the start of the announcement of an easing of health restrictions in parts of the country.
In addition to the streets of the federal capital Ottawa that have been paralyzed by anti-health protests since the end of January, truck drivers and their supporters want to hit the economy by crippling some key trade routes. The closure of the main “Ambassador” Bridge on the U.S. border since Monday has added to tensions.
The impasse seemed all-encompassing on Wednesday morning, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sticking to his previous rhetoric, telling the press: “I understand how tired and frustrated people are… But by following science, through vaccination, we will overcome the crisis”.
South Korea Hong Kong
South Korea said on Wednesday it would abandon its “tracking, screening, and treatment” health policy as the rising number of Omicron infections threatens to flood the country’s health system, with more than a million cases recorded over the weekend.
A new package of measures will come into effect gradually from this month, and the new measures will focus on those most at risk, health officials said.
Hong Kong residents on Wednesday rushed to buy supplies, the day following the announcement of harsh measures once morest the rise in the number of covid-19 cases.
Gatherings of more than two people were banned for the first time and two families were banned from meeting in the same house. It also ordered the closure of places of worship and hairdressing salons.
More than 5.7 million deaths worldwide
The covid-19 pandemic has officially claimed more than 5,761,646 lives worldwide since the end of December 2019.
The United States is the country with the highest number of deaths (909,020), followed by Brazil (633,810), India (505,279) and Russia (337,390).
According to WHO estimates, the total number of deaths may be two to three times higher, taking into account the excess number of deaths directly and indirectly caused by covid-19.
