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New lockdowns due to coronavirus in Europe can also be avoided by wearing masks. This was stated by Hans Kluge, Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, Reuters reports.
"I continue to insist that lockdowns are an extreme measure. Wearing masks is not a panacea in any way, this measure should be implemented in combination with others. However, if masks are used by 95% of people, there will be no need for lockdowns," said Kluge. Lockdowns, he said, should be removed gradually, as 'too fast' removal can have negative consequences. Primary schools should not be closed, as children and young people do not stimulate the spread of COVID-19, said the WHO representative.
Some European health systems, where more than 29,000 people have died of coronavirus in the last week alone, are overloaded, said Kluge. "Europe, together with the USA, is again at the epicentre of the pandemic. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it will take six difficult months," he said. Kluge stressed that vaccines will not be a solution, as their supply will be limited, especially at the beginning.
Over the past week, European countries reported more than 1.84 million new coronavirus cases: a 46 percent increase from the global total over this period, according to a WHO survey. Different forms of lockdowns have already been introduced, for example, in Germany, France, Austria and Greece.
source: reuters.com
"I continue to insist that lockdowns are an extreme measure. Wearing masks is not a panacea in any way, this measure should be implemented in combination with others. However, if masks are used by 95% of people, there will be no need for lockdowns," said Kluge. Lockdowns, he said, should be removed gradually, as 'too fast' removal can have negative consequences. Primary schools should not be closed, as children and young people do not stimulate the spread of COVID-19, said the WHO representative.
Some European health systems, where more than 29,000 people have died of coronavirus in the last week alone, are overloaded, said Kluge. "Europe, together with the USA, is again at the epicentre of the pandemic. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it will take six difficult months," he said. Kluge stressed that vaccines will not be a solution, as their supply will be limited, especially at the beginning.
Over the past week, European countries reported more than 1.84 million new coronavirus cases: a 46 percent increase from the global total over this period, according to a WHO survey. Different forms of lockdowns have already been introduced, for example, in Germany, France, Austria and Greece.
source: reuters.com
