Netherlands going into lockdown; restrictions tighten across Europe to curb Omicron

The Imperial College study was a modeling exercise with lots of uncertainty. Real-world data re: Omicron and severity so far looks promising, though we'll know much more in two weeks from now.

As for Japan, we will certainly get an Omicron wave here too early next year. It just spreads too easily, masked or not. Booster shots 7 months after the second shot is pretty late if you look at the waning efficacy after 4~5 months. Still, 2 shots should provide sufficient protection to avoid hospitalization for the vast majority, hopefully.

This does not support your incorrect assertion that covid hospitalizations are dropping.

I vehemently disagree with you, especially when the stats are showing something different, the infections are up and that is true, but the hospitalization rates are going down and that’s a good thing if that’s what you want, is it not? So as we go forward with this, it seems that we’re winning the war against this virus and we don’t need to scramble and run back to any of these lockdowns, if you disagree, then that is your opinion and you’re entitled to it

Low numbers of viral infections aka SARWSCoV-2 in Japan are wedded to civic responsibility. Wearing masks and following other established protocols. Inoculation with the vaccine.

As for countries who lack the vaccine and healthcare infrastructure - the pretense such countries are experiencing lower levels of infections belies reality.

Cited above, regarding the UK: the rate of infection is impacting business as workers fall ill and are unable to work their jobs.

As for a 'conspiracy' asserting that world leaders are using SARSCoV-2 to effect control of their citizens - there is absolutely no factual evidence - let alone does 'control' require the purposeful spreading of disease. There are more subtle and sublime forms - which apparently work on those who laud a rather reactionary, emotive and plain dumb non-understanding of a viral pandemic.

Hundreds of people blocked traffic as they marched with signs bearing slogans such as “Vaccine passports kill our freedoms” and “Don’t comply.” Other signs had the faces of Johnson or Health Secretary Sajid Javid and read, “Give them the boot.”

Idiots like these are contributing to the spread, their right to ‘freedom’ goes against our right to stay alive!

Not a surprise that the Netherlands is declaring a lockdown, the idiots were out in force a few weeks ago protesting for their right to remain idiots!!!

Hervé L'Eisa

Ludicrous. Why not just cancel 2022?

Lockdown lunacy.

Sure, but just because you don't want something to be true, doesn't stop it from being true.

Like Morgan Freeman's character in "Shawshank Redemption" said,

"Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'. "

Just don't get too busy livin' that you end up prematurely dyin'.

Ludicrous. Why not just cancel 2022?

Lockdown lunacy.

Like Morgan Freeman's character in "Shawshank Redemption" said,

"Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'. "

The majority of the world seem to prefer the measures to dying or spending more time in hospital and also seeing their friends and family members suffer.

Absurd! Then you can make that same statement about the leaders relishing in trying to control the lives of its citizens.

The anti-vaxx, pandemic deniers and others trying to do more harm to their community

The leaders have don’t more harm and destroyed more lives with their draconian measures overall to the point if they start down this path again, it’s going to permanently harm society in its worst way.

do not seem to care one anything about overwhelming healthcare facilities and inconveniencing others. To them 'freedom' seems to mean the ability to do whatever they want without having to consider anyone else.

No, you can have both.

zichiToday  11:59 am JST

The common cold does not put people in bed for a week or hospitalisations.

It can turn into pneumonia. And aggravate severely other respiratory conditions. And result in deaths.

This is common knowledge, especially in Europe.

RegBilk

In France, the government announced that it will start giving the vaccine to children in the 5 to 11 age group beginning Wednesday.

Is the vaccine effective or not for children? Why now?

Yes. But extra testing was required to ensure that it is safe for children.

Peter Neil

There is no evidence that omicron is any worse than the common cold. Sniffles, scratchy throat and sneezing for a day or two. Half of common colds are corona viruses. It’s an upper respiratory infection.

No. Actually, latest studies suggest that Omicron is as bad as Delta.

 these stifling draconian measures,

The majority of the world seem to prefer the measures to dying or spending more time in hospital and also seeing their friends and family members suffer. The anti-vaxx, pandemic deniers and others trying to do more harm to their community do not seem to care one anything about overwhelming healthcare facilities and inconveniencing others. To them 'freedom' seems to mean the ability to do whatever they want without having to consider anyone else.

There is no evidence that omicron is any worse than the common cold. Sniffles, scratchy throat and sneezing for a day or two. Half of common colds are corona viruses. It’s an upper respiratory infection.

Total death toll so far is one.

bass4funkToday  09:22 am JST

Great news and the Dutch have access to this and again, they know what's up and yes, that cannot be disputed and they are crying foul and it will only get worse, they're not dumb.

Absolutely.

In France, the government announced that it will start giving the vaccine to children in the 5 to 11 age group beginning Wednesday.

Is the vaccine effective or not for children? Why now?

What does CNN have to say about this? Chris---oh wait, he's gone.

@Monty. Agree with all your points. And by the way Monty and I am not the same person - just to preempt any assumption that might arise here.

*By the end of November, 13 million Floridians were fully vaccinated, representing 62% of the population. *

Still, the rest are un-vaccinated and the numbers are trending down and the best thing what o love about DeSantis is, he’s dropping the mask mandate.

Of them, 20% also had received a booster shot. Helps prevent the spread of covid.

Uh-huh…lol

what a crock ( to use your own word)

Not to the growing crowds of people all over resenting draconian rules.

control over the masses

what a crock ( to use your own word)

Most governments in the world are doing their best to save people's lives.

The herd immunity seems to be doing that.

They don't have some secret nefarious agenda.

Well, you can believe that a lot of people don't a lot.

And what do these governments get in return?

Control, power, kickbacks, etc.

Whining and resistance from conspiracy theorists who have a beef against "liberals", or from people who are simply too selfish to contribute to ending the crisis. Me first!

No, not at all, but the fact is that most people globally have done their best to comply and get the shot, they all endured the lockdowns and all that comes with these stifling draconian measures, and then it seems like freedom was on the horizon, at the same time, the control over the masses has been completely diminished and that doesn't sit well with a lot of people and I think a lot of Europeans are seeing that and realizing that. Power and control is everything.

And if it's mandated by government many of the pandemic deniers and anti-vaxxers will threaten armed rebellion (many already hold arsenals rivaling some nations's militaries) to hasten their desire to see democracy finished and have their state's version replaced by an authoritarian regime led by a male who perhaps inherited great wealth or maybe was a spy who learned ruthless ways to manipulate systems) and who agrees with them that freedom means the right to do whatever an individual wants whenever they want regardless of the consequences to other individuals or the society they do not want to be part of.

I don't know what all that meant, but anyway, the main thing is, all over Europe people are becoming more hostile to these draconian measures and as long as the government of these countries refuses to listen or debate the science and data concerning this variant is less lethal and the that it is overreaching its authority on all civil liberties bad things will eventually happen and to what that will look like is anyone's guess.

I think the government are the ones that need to check their civic responsibilities and look at the science.

What science are governments not looking at?

Most governments in the world are doing their best to save people's lives. They don't have some secret nefarious agenda. And what do these governments get in return? Whining and resistance from conspiracy theorists who have a beef against "liberals", or from people who are simply too selfish to contribute to ending the crisis. Me first!

A lot of people don’t wear masks or exercise restraint unless it’s mandated by the government.

And if it's mandated by government many of the pandemic deniers and anti-vaxxers will threaten armed rebellion (many already hold arsenals rivaling some nations's militaries) to hasten their desire to see democracy finished and have their state's version replaced by an authoritarian regime led by a male who perhaps inherited great wealth or maybe was a spy who learned ruthless ways to manipulate systems) and who agrees with them that freedom means the right to do whatever an individual wants whenever they want regardless of the consequences to other individuals or the society they do not want to be part of.

This is not going to end well.

I agree. Thanks to people not having the common courtesy to wear a mask in public or get vaccinated, the pandemic will continue to hang around and damage the world economy, more people will die, and the virus will have more time to mutate.

Residents only will be permitted two visitors except for Christmas and New Year's, when four will be allowed, according to Rutte.

Americans would never comply with something that rigorous.

Someone, please give me a good explanation, based on facts!

In my opinion..

Mask wearing is No1.

No.2, Well Behaviour and following the basic rules to prevent the spread by the japanese people.

No.3. Borders are still closed...or better say, strict entry rules.

I think you don't want to hear that, but in my opinion, these are the key points.

Vaccine rates? I don't think that vaccine plays a big reason here because many of these european countries have a similiar vaccine rate like Japan. And some countries start already with boosters.

But at the end of the day, whatever it is here in Japan, it seems to work and we all should be happy to be here, because the risk to get infected is much lower than in other countries.

The problem in the Netherlands is similar to what’s happening in other Western countries. A lot of people don’t wear masks or exercise restraint unless it’s mandated by the government.

Hate the repeat lockdowns? Use some common sense and show a bit of civic responsibility.

That is the definition of stupid: trying the same thing over and over and hoping for a different result.

errr, the reason they continue with lockdowns is because they hope for the same result, not a different one. Thinking otherwise, yes, that is stupid.

miss_oikawa

If you're genuine, when do you envisage the end to this to be, and at what stage do you think it is no longer worthwhile locking down instead of risking venturing outside and literally having a life?

You have to face facts.

The numbers of infections are the highest they have ever been in many countries in Europe.

If you have had Covid or have had two shots, you still risk catching it, although you should fare better because of the immunity.

Only people with a booster shot have lower risk of catching it.

It is way more infectious than Delta.

It makes you just as sick as Delta.

So all that said governments strategy needs to be: lockdown, get boosters out and then review.

So many essential workers in London are off sick that there is a serious risk basic services are in danger of being stopped. Over a third of them are off work this week. This week more than a third of London’s fire engines were unused due to a lack of firefighters to staff them.

Those anti-vaccine/anti mask twits rampaging through central London today fail to comprehend that they and others like them will be responsible for the inevitable lockdown.

The only hope is to lockdown and everybody get a booster shot.

Are you a troll or genuine? If you're genuine, when do you envisage the end to this to be, and at what stage do you think it is no longer worthwhile locking down instead of risking venturing outside and literally having a life? How many years are you willing to lose so that you might have X amount of years of living left?

Most of Europe need to start locking down. It's the only way to stop hospitals from being overwhelmed. And for those who think that Omicron is less severe than Delta, bad news: a new study by the Imperial College of London says it is as severe as Delta. And more bad news is it spreads more than 5 times faster.

The only hope is to lockdown and everybody get a booster shot.

Back to initial lockdown like in 2020

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2020/10/21/which-european-countries-have-opened-their-borders-ahead-of-the-summer-holiday-season