European Countries Consider Living with COVID-19
2022-01-23
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1Some European countries are making new policies to deal with COVID-19 as a usual, infectious disease, similar to the flu, and not as a public health crisis.
2At the beginning of the pandemic, Spain, for example, ordered people to stay at home for more than three months.
3People including children were not permitted to go outside, even for exercise.
4The economy sharply slowed.
5Officials said the measures prevented a collapse of the health care system.
6But last year, Spain's Supreme Court ruled that the draconian measures were not constitutional.
7Now, Spain is planning to employ a different policy.
8The country has one of Europe's highest vaccination rates, but also is suffering economic weakness.
9The government is planning to deal with the next increase in infections not as an emergency but as a normal infectious disease.
10Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wants the European Union to consider similar changes.
11The goal is to move away from using crisis measures and toward treating the new coronavirus in the way that many countries deal with the flu and measles.
12Other European countries including Britain and Portugal are planning similar action.
13In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Parliament Wednesday that the infectious Omicron version of the new coronavirus "has peaked nationally."
14Johnson said beginning on January 27, many COVID-19 measures would end.
15These include required vaccination proof to attend public events.
16The country will also end its requirement that face coverings, or masks, be worn in public.
17As of Thursday, British secondary schools no longer require mask use.
18"We will trust the judgement of the British people and no longer criminalize anyone who chooses not to wear one," Johnson said.
19Last month, British officials renewed strong restrictive measures to slow the spread of the Omicron version of the virus.
20Johnson noted that more than 90 percent of those over the age of 60 in Britain have had a third additional, or booster, vaccination against the virus.
21Portugal has one of the world's highest vaccination rates.
22On New Year's Day, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said the country had "moved into the endemic phase" of the pandemic.
23Endemic means a disease will continue to exist in some areas for years to come.
24The president was speaking about easing crisis-level restrictions.
25The number of Omicron infections has again gone up.
26But the number of people admitted to the hospital and deaths among vaccinated people in Europe are much lower than at earlier times in the pandemic.
27In some places, the idea of returning to normal life can conflict with efforts to get more people vaccinated.
28In Germany, for example, 73 percent of people have been fully vaccinated.
29Health Ministry spokesman Andreas Deffner said Monday that, "We still have too many unvaccinated people," especially noting older citizens.
30Over 80 percent of Spain's population has received two vaccination shots.
31Health officials are placing their attention on booster shots for adults.
32Dr. Salvador Trenche is head of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine.
33It has called on policies that treat the virus as endemic.
34He said widespread vaccination and infection mean efforts can be placed on prevention, testing and watching moderate- to high-risk groups.
35COVID-19 "must be treated like the rest of illnesses," he told the Associated Press.
36The plan has been called the "flu-ization" of COVID-19 by the Spanish media.
37For now, some observers say the discussion about how to deal with endemic COVID-19 is limited to rich countries.
38They have used vaccines and public health systems to deal with the severest effects of the pandemic.
39And it is unclear how the endemic-linked policies will coexist with the so-called "zero-COVID" policies in several Asian nations, including China.
40China has put in place very strong measures to protect the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics from the virus that was first identified in Wuhan.
41A special area has been set up in the city for thousands of international visitors.
42Neither the visitors nor the competitors will be permitted to leave the area until they go home.
43I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
1Some European countries are making new policies to deal with COVID-19 as a usual, infectious disease, similar to the flu, and not as a public health crisis. 2At the beginning of the pandemic, Spain, for example, ordered people to stay at home for more than three months. People including children were not permitted to go outside, even for exercise. The economy sharply slowed. 3Officials said the measures prevented a collapse of the health care system. But last year, Spain's Supreme Court ruled that the draconian measures were not constitutional. 4Now, Spain is planning to employ a different policy. The country has one of Europe's highest vaccination rates, but also is suffering economic weakness. The government is planning to deal with the next increase in infections not as an emergency but as a normal infectious disease. 5Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wants the European Union to consider similar changes. 6The goal is to move away from using crisis measures and toward treating the new coronavirus in the way that many countries deal with the flu and measles. 7Other European countries including Britain and Portugal are planning similar action. 8Britain lifts measures 9In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Parliament Wednesday that the infectious Omicron version of the new coronavirus "has peaked nationally." 10Johnson said beginning on January 27, many COVID-19 measures would end. These include required vaccination proof to attend public events. The country will also end its requirement that face coverings, or masks, be worn in public. As of Thursday, British secondary schools no longer require mask use. 11"We will trust the judgement of the British people and no longer criminalize anyone who chooses not to wear one," Johnson said. 12Last month, British officials renewed strong restrictive measures to slow the spread of the Omicron version of the virus. 13Johnson noted that more than 90 percent of those over the age of 60 in Britain have had a third additional, or booster, vaccination against the virus. 14COVID-19 as 'endemic' 15Portugal has one of the world's highest vaccination rates. On New Year's Day, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said the country had "moved into the endemic phase" of the pandemic. Endemic means a disease will continue to exist in some areas for years to come. The president was speaking about easing crisis-level restrictions. 16The number of Omicron infections has again gone up. But the number of people admitted to the hospital and deaths among vaccinated people in Europe are much lower than at earlier times in the pandemic. 17In some places, the idea of returning to normal life can conflict with efforts to get more people vaccinated. In Germany, for example, 73 percent of people have been fully vaccinated. Health Ministry spokesman Andreas Deffner said Monday that, "We still have too many unvaccinated people," especially noting older citizens. 18Over 80 percent of Spain's population has received two vaccination shots. Health officials are placing their attention on booster shots for adults. 19Dr. Salvador Trenche is head of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine. It has called on policies that treat the virus as endemic. He said widespread vaccination and infection mean efforts can be placed on prevention, testing and watching moderate- to high-risk groups. COVID-19 "must be treated like the rest of illnesses," he told the Associated Press. 20The plan has been called the "flu-ization" of COVID-19 by the Spanish media. 21For now, some observers say the discussion about how to deal with endemic COVID-19 is limited to rich countries. They have used vaccines and public health systems to deal with the severest effects of the pandemic. And it is unclear how the endemic-linked policies will coexist with the so-called "zero-COVID" policies in several Asian nations, including China. 22China has put in place very strong measures to protect the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics from the virus that was first identified in Wuhan. 23A special area has been set up in the city for thousands of international visitors. Neither the visitors nor the competitors will be permitted to leave the area until they go home. 24I'm Mario Ritter, Jr. 25Aritz Parra reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional AP stories. ____________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27draconian -adj. very severe or cruel 28expire -v. to end : to no longer be valid after a period of time 29peak -v. to reach the highest level or point 30approach -n. a way of dealing with something; a way of doing or thinking about something 31illness -n. sickness; disease 32We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.