Covid rates are surging across Europe, with infections sweeping in from the east where vaccination rates are low. Case numbers are rocketing in central and eastern Europe, as well as in Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. Angela Merkel described Germany’s situation as “dramatic”, but its infection rate is lower than Britain’s which remains 30% higher than the average for the EU27. A small matter which Boris Johnson has skipped over.
The Netherlands has imposed a partial lockdown. The ECDC puts the new wave down to the more transmissible delta variant, middling vaccination rates and a relaxation of social distancing measures. It is thought only countries with vaccination rates of over 80 per cent – such as Spain, Portugal and Malta – will escape pressures over winter. Low vaccination rates tend to correspond to higher rates of Covid-related deaths. The UK is 68%, Germany 67%, France 69%, Netherlands 73%, Slovakia 43%.
The EU chart does look rattled from mid December through till early February with the tr Saturn square tr Uranus hitting on the Taurus Moon and Uranus; with the Solar Arc Mars also opposing the Uranus now and shaking up its Fixed planets so it is on tenterhooks.
The Austria, 12 November 1918 4pm chart, if accurate, has a 4th house Neptune also catching the tr Saturn opposition till mid December which will accompany domestic uncertainty and unrest. The Austria North Node in Sagittarius with the Solar Arc Saturn close by will catch this December’s Solar Eclipse for a crisis at a crossroads with a few hard lessons and sharp reality checks.
The UK also has its 8th house Mars in Taurus being upended by tr Saturn square late this December across the New Year and tr Uranus conjunct through February. That may not all be Covid but it will be a bumpy ride one way or another.
The European Central Bank, 1 January 1999, is also ploughing through heavy seas, perhaps for a variety of reasons with this December/January 2022 being especially fraught; and financial disappointments and a discouraging slog throughout 2022.
Hi ( as a former public health specialist) this is one of the few pathogens defined as a ‘case’ by WHO simply by a positive test. This is unusual in infectious disease epidemiology as a ‘case’ profile of symptoms and associated disease (eg Ebola) is the norm (apart from MERS oddly enough, and SARS has disappeared in a ‘revamped’ WHO website at a time when it would be useful to compare ). Eg 1:10 U.K. adults carry a meningitis causing bacteria at the back of their throats, higher still in nursery and school children at 1:4. Or many of us would swab positive for MRSA which does us no harm (unless severely immuno-compromised ). Yet no issue as most people are not unwell . So CVD “case numbers” exclusively using a PCR test are in reality meaningless. CVD has in healthy people an approx 99.2% recovery rate , so a much better outcome than many infections. WHO has unusually been altering classifications and historic guidance throughout this period. Another issue is the “statistics “ which are difficult to compare, being collected globally. Most odd times from a clinical perspective.
Very interesting Susan, your explanation clarifies a lot. Thank you. Makes me start to wonder if conspiracy theorists don’t actually have a point. That Covid statistics are being (mis)used to control populations (here in the EU, in any event).
Well, they’ve been right so far in many things…
so…
I am a bit sceptical about whether vaccination rates can be translated directly into infection rates as it is clear that vaccinated people are both capable of catching and passing on the cornavirus. I am only really familiar with the figures for the U.K. but vaccination rates vary quite a bit from area to area with some having quite high take up while in some places it is much lower. These variations in vaccination rates don’t seem to correlate into differences in infection rates which seem to have gone up and down even in places where most adults and eligible teenagers have been vaccinated. Hospitalisation and death rates compared to vaccination rates are probably a better measure of the pandemics ongoing impact.
Hi Jackie, you probably do not get in touch with statistics. I , for example, live in Vienna, Austria; my family of 4 does PCR tests 3 to 4 times a week. Please have a look at Worldometer, Europe and you will understand more about the dynamic of this pandemic. The Eu is not cleverer than the UK. Incoherence is everywhere.
Austria wants to make vaccines mandatory – or else fines or prison.
“The Austria, 12 November 1918 4pm chart, if accurate, has a 4th house Neptune also catching the tr Saturn opposition till mid December which will accompany domestic uncertainty and unrest. The Austria North Node in Sagittarius with the Solar Arc Saturn close by will catch this December’s Solar Eclipse for a crisis at a crossroads with a few hard lessons and sharp reality checks.”
Interesting to see How will it actually play out.
Not true Jackie. Tests are government funded here too. And anyone with suspected symptoms is required to get themselves tested before the doctor will see them. One of the reasons for the surge here is that the delta variant is far more infectious than other variants. A lot of schoolchildren have become infected, who mostly recover without medical intervention, but if they bring the virus home to unvaccinated or fragile family members this can have serious consequences. An acquaintance who works in the local hospital mentioned that 4 out of 5 Covid patients in the hospital were unvaccinated and the 5th vaccinated but with other complicating or underlying health issues.
It’s a matter of solidarity and whether people are willing to give up a small amount of personal freedom in exchange for the safety of all.
We are seeing the fruits of decades of ‘individualism’ (every man for himself) at work here. By extension, polarisation and conspiracy theories are just the outward expression of that thinking. It’s going to take some time to turn that around and get people to start thinking about what’s best for the good of all (Pluto in Aquarius?). I am curious to see how it will all play out over the coming years.
Oh well, Jackie. So let’s not test then? Let’s just let ‘er rip lest high infection rates make us look bad next to the EU? Really? Or maybe I have misunderstood your comments.
Ignorance isn’t bliss, actually. There are still more deaths than necessary, due to a variety of factors. Even if we all were to close our eyes and refuse to count the deaths, they are still there, caused by infection.
I assumed Jackie’s was a tounge in cheek comment. I heard that in some countries only the essential/service workers get tested regularly, whilr the other vaccinated stay at home if they have minor symptoms and don’t bother with testing.
1 reason the EU are less infected than UK is because of our maniacal tax funded free test system . They are cleverer and wiser in the EU in this respect as far less people have been tested
Thank you very much, Marjorie!