China News Service, October 17 According to a report by Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao on the 17th, at present, more and more countries and regions around the world are relaxing or have cancelled the new crown epidemic prevention restrictions.
However, experts from the World Health Organization believe that although the global fight against the pandemic has been halfway through, the way forward is still unknown and we need to be cautious.
Data map: The Broadway stage in New York, USA is re-lit.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Liao Pan
U.S. allows vaccinated persons to enter Canada and Mexico
Italian bars and other industries restart
According to reports, the United States will begin in November to allow people who have been vaccinated with the new crown vaccine to enter the United States through water and land ports from Canada and Mexico.
Before the holiday season, non-essential travel such as visiting relatives and friends will also resume.
According to the report, the standard for traveling to the United States is to vaccinate 6 kinds of vaccines listed by WHO as emergency use.
In order to open up borders and economic and social activities, US President Biden announced a series of new steps to fight the epidemic in September, including requiring enterprises with more than 100 people to implement mandatory vaccination or weekly testing systems, and requiring all medical institutions that provide medical insurance services. Employees are forced to vaccinate, and air passengers who refuse to wear masks have been punished twice.
Like the United States, Italy is also implementing a policy of compulsory vaccination, and the country is also the first country in the European Union to take this initiative.
In view of the improvement of the epidemic situation, Italian bars and nightclubs have reopened on October 11, local time. This is the first time since Italy announced its first lockdown in the spring of 2020.
According to the report, this marks the latest step in Italy's leisure activities to return to normal.
In addition, the Italian government also requires the public sector to resume corporate offices from mid-October.
On October 11, local time, Australia's largest city, Sydney, was lifted. Restaurants and bars resumed dine-in operations. Public facilities such as shopping malls, gyms, and swimming pools were also reopened to fully vaccinated people.
Prior to this, in order to prevent and control the epidemic, Sydney was blocked for about 4 months.
Asia-Pacific countries gradually unblocked
New Zealand abandons the zero-clearing policy
On the 11th local time, Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, Australia, ended a 106-day blockade. Local people who have completed the vaccination have been allowed to enter cafes, gyms and restaurants. Cinemas and museums have also reopened.
At present, New Zealand has abandoned the policy of clearing cases.
However, in order to prevent the increase in cases, the lockdown measures in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, will be extended for another week.
In addition, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines have gradually opened up to international tourists who have completed vaccinations, and Malaysia is also discussing allowing overseas tourists to visit.
In this regard, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group economist Chen Kriste pointed out, “This is a delicate balance between life and livelihood.” She pointed out that although Singapore’s vaccination rate is at a world-leading level, it is also facing a peak of infections. In other regions, the risk of reopening is higher.
Huang Jingting, an economist at OCBC Bank, also pointed out that the economic costs of successive rounds of blockades and the increasing fatigue of the people have overwhelmed Southeast Asian countries, but he also said, “Reopen borders and restore trade and tourism between Asian countries. Communication is still a dream."
On October 4, local time, a student in Bangkok, Thailand was vaccinated against the new crown at a local vaccination site.
Photo by Linda issued by China News Agency
Oral treatment drugs will help fight the epidemic
Will the new coronavirus mutate?
According to reports, some virologists believe that the delta variant is the peak of the development of the new crown epidemic and is likely to be the last variant to be raging.
Yevgeny Kunin, a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States and a foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, explained at a forum that it is difficult for the virus to break through the formed immune defense when the population is vaccinated.
However, Indian virologist Ian Lipkin warned that there are still multiple variants circulating.
He pointed out: “There are already unnamed variants circulating. Are they more powerful? We don’t know.”
In addition, the research and development of new crown therapeutic drugs is also making progress.
British pharmacist AstraZeneca announced on October 11 that the mixed antibody drug developed by the company has achieved the main goal in the final (phase three) clinical trials, with both preventive and therapeutic effects.
The US pharmacist Merck also announced on October 11 that it has applied for an emergency use authorization for the drug "monabiravir" for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, and is expected to become the first oral therapeutic drug.
Since this drug can be taken at home, if it can be authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use, it may help change the clinical management of new coronary pneumonia.
With the two-pronged approach of vaccines and drugs, the chief scientist of the World Health Organization Sumia Swaminatan said that about 60% of the road to the fight against the new crown has been reached.
But she also said, "It is also possible that we will have to climb another unexpected mountain."
Swaminathan emphasized that the vaccination rate in some parts of the world is as high as 70% to 80%, while in some parts of Africa, only "less than 4% of the population" has been vaccinated.
She said: "The more we tolerate this situation, the greater the possibility of new variants."
The report pointed out that although it is still too early to judge the exact direction of the "race" between humans and the new crown, global health expert Jonathan Quick believes that people's future "to a large extent depends on human behavior, not viruses. The deeds".