In Rotterdam, there were injuries at a rally against stricter corona rules after gunshots by the police. “There have been injuries in connection with the shots fired,” said the police. How many people were injured was initially not known. Previously, it was said that officials had fired several warning shots. A water cannon is in use. The protest of hundreds of people resulted in arson, fireworks and objects pelted at police officers and firefighters. A large contingent tries to restore order. The riot police are also used. Initially, there was no mention of injuries.
As the broadcaster NOS reported, at least one police car was set on fire and others were damaged. Objects were thrown at firefighters and police officers. Pictures showed fires on the sidewalk, chairs were thrown and dumpsters pushed onto the street. A patrol car was ablaze. The train traffic to and from Rotterdam has been suspended until further notice due to the riots, said the Dutch Railways. There are no replacement buses.
The rally, which several organizations had called, was directed against plans by the government to introduce a 2-G rule in view of the worsening corona situation. Access to events, cafés and restaurants was then only given to those who had been vaccinated and those who had recovered. After a curfew was imposed in the Netherlands in January, there had already been serious riots in several cities with millions in damages. (19.11.2021)
Austria goes into lockdown and plans to have vaccinations
Austria will go into lockdown for everyone from Monday. This was announced by Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg at a press conference after consultations with the federal states. The all-day exit restrictions are initially to apply for ten days, but can, if necessary, be extended once for a further ten days until December 12th at the latest. After that, the 2-G rule should apply again.
In the coming week, the gastronomy, the cultural and event industry as well as the trade – apart from shops for daily needs – will be closed. The schools and kindergartens should remain open for absolutely necessary care purposes. There are exceptions to the exit restrictions, for example for shopping, for work or for mental and physical recreation in the open air.
The lockdown is a difficult step. “That hurts a lot,” said the Chancellor. Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein said of the recent Corona policy: “Unfortunately, we as the federal government have also fallen short of our claims in some areas. I would like to apologize for that.” The new measures were not a popular decision, but a necessary one. “A lockdown is always an imposition.” The virus won’t go away, said Schallenberg. “We don’t want a fifth wave, we don’t want a sixth and seventh wave.” The virus will not go away, it will stay.
A lockdown for unvaccinated people has been in effect in Austria since Monday. This should continue to apply even after the general lockdown – initially for an indefinite period of time. Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg did not give a deadline for lifting the exit restrictions for this group on Friday evening. “We have no end date,” said Schallenberg on the ORF news program “ZiB2” when asked about it. It must now finally be possible to drive the vaccination quota up so far that the pandemic will be contained and a lockdown will no longer be necessary in the future, said the head of government.
Austria also wants to introduce a general compulsory vaccination. Despite months of persuasion, “it was not possible to convince enough people to get vaccinated,” said Schallenberg. Without naming them, Schallenberg severely criticized the right wing FPÖ, which is influential in Austria. Their vaccination criticism is “actually an attack on our health system”.
For a long time there was political consensus that one did not want vaccination, said Schallenberg. But you have to look reality in the eye and have therefore decided to initiate a nationwide compulsory vaccination, which will apply from February 1st. Austria is the first country in the European Union to introduce compulsory vaccination. It will be worked out in the coming weeks. Health Minister Mückstein did not say for whom exactly the vaccination should apply, for example from what age. (11/19/2021)
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Study: Corona pandemic probably originated in the animal market
Two years after the outbreak of the corona pandemic, a renowned evolutionary biologist provides further evidence for the Huanan animal market in the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan as the likely place of origin of the virus. In one in the specialist journal Science Michael Worobey summarizes key events that took place in Wuhan in December 2019 and January 2020. He drew a timeline of the first known cases, which he compiled from newspaper reports and accessible hospital data, among other things.
The fact that most of the early symptomatic cases could be linked to the Huanan animal market is a “strong indication” that the pandemic originated in the market, concluded the Canadian scientist from the Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona.
So far, no clear evidence has been produced, as there are no samples from animals that were sold on the market at the time of the outbreak. Finally, the Huanan market was quickly closed and disinfected. However, this does not mean that the mystery surrounding the outbreak can never be solved, the researcher said.
Conclusive evidence could be obtained by analyzing spatial patterns from early cases in Wuhan and additional genetic data from additional samples from patients at the time. “The prevention of future pandemics depends on this effort,” said Worobey.
The virus first appeared in Wuhan at the end of 2019. However, a team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) was only allowed to travel to China more than twelve months later and had returned without clear results. The team then announced that it was not entirely clear whether the market was the actual starting point for the pandemic.
China does not want to allow a further investigation on site. Among other things, the US government accuses China of withholding information from the experts. Beijing accuses the US and other countries of misusing the pandemic and the search for the source of political attacks. (11/19/2021)
Italy debates lockdown for unvaccinated people and border controls
In view of rising corona numbers, stricter rules for unvaccinated people and controls at the borders with neighboring countries are being discussed in Italy. Regional politicians in particular are calling for restrictions on anti-vaccination opponents from the government in Rome so that there are no major lockdowns in the upcoming winter. “90 percent of Italians must not be held in check by 10 percent who do not understand the importance of vaccination and want to dictate its rules to the majority,” wrote Giovanni Toti (Forza Italia), President of the Liguria Region, on Twitter.
Toti called for a meeting of the regions with Prime Minister Mario Draghi to discuss further measures before the fourth wave of the pandemic hits the country like other states. In Italy, a color system decides which Covid restrictions apply – currently all regions are white on the lowest level. However, the seven-day incidences are increasing.
According to a report by the Ansa news agency, politicians from the co-ruling Social Democrats demanded tightening controls at the borders of badly affected countries such as Austria. Entrants to Italy, including tourists, must be tested negative, vaccinated against corona or have recovered. (18.12.2021)
How well is Germany protected? (SZ Plus)