Restrictions coming back in Europe

Your title is misleading, panic inducing for some unless they take the time to read the article. CNN’s title tells us that it’s only the unvaccinated in Austria.

CNN adds to your exaggeration, choosing the word « climbing » for a 1% increase. Increasing would have sufficed.

Very misleading headline. This will have virtually zero effect on tourists.

It basically says the unvaccinated in Austria will be sent into lockdown.

I took my lead from their lede, which says lockdown. I agree it's not quite that serious, but FWIW.

The playing down up thread is not what I saw tonight on the BBC Evening News.

We were told,and shown, that Austria's rate is nearly vertical and that restrictions were coming in, by region.

We were also told that from tonight a partial lockdown is in place in the Netherlands, with bars and restaurants shutting at 8:30 CET tonight, about 25 minutes ago, with a lockdown on unvaccinated.

I just checked a website (Brown School of Public Health) that tracks COVID-19 world wide. Indeed, Austria's rate is going straight up and is at the highest level since this pandemic started. To me, for my personal safety and I do have 3 shots, I would not go there at this time.

The article mentions additional restrictions (announced or projected) in Bavaria and Norway in addition to Austria.

Today's, new Dutch restrictions here: https://dutchreview.com/news/press-conference-rutte-12-nov/
Not too popular - greeted by this: https://regio15.nl/nieuws/corona/33847/derde-lawaaidemonstratie-op-de-turfmarkt/. This all happened about 300 meters from our apartment - a noisy evening in Den Haag.

Germany is moving toward a 2G policy in many places, that is: open only to the vaccinated or recovered. It's not an official or general policy yet, but I think we are going there.

Fine with me, as long as they don't slacken social distancing rules or wearing masks. I enjoy wearing that mask just as little as everyone else, but we are not in a situation right now where we can afford to get rid of that.

Don't just rely on the posted article. Take a look at Reuters, the Guardian, BBC, etc. They are all reporting on warnings about an uptick of covid in Europe.

There are increases in places same as the US. Our rural counties are horrible due to the unvaxxed. Cities not so bad as vaxx rates hit 80%. One needs to consider exactly where in Europe one plans to go down to the city or town and assess the situation.

Yup, its happening. Hungary now requires face masks on public transportation. If you dont have one on you, you can purchase them at any pharmacy for about 70ft each.

Ah yes in Norway, it says, they will require testing of unvaccinated people who 1) live with a Covid-positive person or 2) are healthcare workers. Such wild measures !

In Manchester, face masks are required on public transport. Practically no one wears one.

In stations, hotels, stores etc...they're "recommended" but not required.

I wear mine.

they have to use "recommended" because of government action

I live in London and despite the requirements for face masks on TfL, hardly anyone wears one. Even in stores, some but not most or all staff are wearing masks and social distancing seems to have gone out the window. Despite BoJo's push towards getting back to the office, I'm considered vulnerable and have agreed with my manager to continue WFH until the cases average about 10,000. There are simply a lot of people who just will go to work with it, especially in certain industries, as they need the money. Not everyone tests regularly though my local council has been handing lateral flow tests out, which I graciously take. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I do realize that this pandemic is not over and vaccinations are not the only solution.

Having a history degree, I know this pandemic will pass but we are living in a society where disinformation is being credited as reliable. Individual freedom is prioritized above consideration of others.

I get why Austria, Latvia, and the Netherlands are implementing restrictions but shaming the unvaccinated isn't the answer. But nor is letting the vaccinated party like it's 1999.

Yes, I leave Tuesday for a couple weeks in Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, all this is making for interesting planning, but not discouraging me from going. My focus will be narrow, mainly beer, it will of course mean masks, showing my CDC card, testing frequently in some cases. If museums and large venues close, no big thing, bars and restaurants closing early are a bummer, but I am not a late night carouser, and likely will be heading back to the hotel by 21:00. As long as I can still at the minimum purchase beer from a shop, and get take out food, I can make a trip of it. The wife and others have questioned my still going, but in perspective, the rates they are talking about in each of those countries are still less than half the "reduced" rate in the US...so I am actually going to an area with a lower rate, and much stricter mitigation efforts than the "Wild West" of the US where "no masks, no vaccines, no problem" mitigation effort is in place.

To facilitate this, we have reverted to the minimal planning mode, we have an itinerary, but only booked the first four nights, and will plan as we go, making changes as needed if things continue to go down. As long as I can travel to my departure city, I can manage.

These trends are making it difficult to commit to 2022 travel. It is possible that the step rise in cases will be followed soon by a steep decline. In the longer term, COVID may evolve into an endemic virus that hits harder in the cooler weather. A year from now the situation may be more clear. Committing to 2022 travel would be easier if we could be sure that the current surge in Europe will be the last one.

It's not all doom and gloom everywhere in Europe, on the Iberian peninsula the experts in both Spain and Portugal (both miles ahead on vaccinations compared to the rest of Europe) are quite optimistic, no sign of new restrictions on the horizon for us just yet. As of now, in Spain our cases have only moderately risen, more of a gentle swell than a full on wave like previous times, fingers crossed it stays that way.

One can read more here, English version of the article from one of our national newspapers in Spain: "Experts optimistic Spain will avoid sixth coronavirus wave despite surge in cases across Europe" (https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-11-12/experts-optimistic-spain-will-avoid-sixth-coronavirus-wave-despite-surge-in-cases-across-europe.html)

Despite the success of Spain’s Covid-19 vaccination drive – 88.9% of the over-12 population is fully vaccinated, according to the Health Ministry – there are growing concerns about the delicate situation in many other European countries. Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, which have lower vaccination rates than Spain, on Thursday reported the highest daily number of coronavirus cases seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Fatalities for Covid-19 are also rising in these countries. The question many are asking now is if Spain is on the brink of a sixth wave.

“These percentage points of difference could be one of the determining reasons that explain what is happening,” says Cisneros. “We know that group immunity is inversely proportional to a virus’s capacity to spread and for some time, we have known that the 70% we initially set [for group immunity] was not enough and that we had to reach or exceed 80%. These points of difference are surely what is slowing down the circulation of the virus in Spain.”

Yup, Austria is bad right now. Really bad.

That said, I got my hair cut today, went shoe shopping with my kids, grocery shopped, took public transportation and plan to go to a cafe and Christmas market tomorrow. I’m fully vaxxed and boostered and I test regularly (free PCR gargle tests here).

Vienna is crowded with tourists.

France is close to Spain in vaxxed: 87.3 of those over 12. Cases are rising, up and down with 11,000 one day but 5,000 another. The only changes are that school children have to remask now, and people over 65 must get the 3rd shot 6 months and 5 weeks after the 2nd shot or the Pass Sanitaire will become invalid. This requirement will certainly trickle down to younger people later. That magic number may be in the high 80s.