The spread of new variants of the coronavirus, including the highly contagious Delta, which continues to grow, poses risks to the world economy, the G20 warned on Saturday.
The threat of a slowdown in the recovery is all the greater as the level of vaccination is low in many countries, insisted the G20 finance ministers meeting in Venice.
Restrictions in Spain
The European Union was reassuring in this regard. “This weekend, we delivered enough vaccine to member states to fully immunize at least 70% of the adult population this month. By tomorrow, some 500 million doses will have been distributed in all regions of Europe ”, welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “The Covid-19 is not yet defeated. But we are ready to continue providing vaccines – also against new variants, ”she added, with the responsibility for administering them falling to the governments of the 27 EU member states, some of which are moving faster than others. others in the matter.
Because the global economic recovery “remains exposed” not only in particular to “the spread of new variants” but also to “different rates of vaccination” on the planet, the G20 warned in its final statement on Saturday. “The only thing that could threaten a solid and rapid rebound in the economy is the variant and a new wave of the pandemic,” insisted French Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire. Faced with the “exponential” increase in Covid-19 cases recorded for several days, mainly among young people, Catalonia has also decided to reimpose restrictions. Nightclubs and other nightlife venues will need to keep their doors closed and you will need to test negative or be vaccinated to participate in outdoor events with more than 500 people in this region of Spain.
The threat of the Delta variant
The Netherlands also plunged back into restrictions on Saturday morning after a seven-fold increase in daily contamination in one week (7,000 additional cases on Friday). Prime Minister Mark Rutte notably ordered the closure of nightclubs. At the time when Catalans and Dutch must leave the dance floors for an indefinite period, the French found the joys of nightclub parties on Friday for the first time since March 2020, not without some boondoggles. The need to present a health pass has sometimes blocked revelers in front of the door. Either because they did not have one, or because security guards refused screenshots of negative tests, for fear of falsification.
At the Mistral, a historic Aix-en-Provence (south-east) box, entry – by reservation – was fluid, everyone having had their pass. “We find the taste of life,” said Lucie, a client. “We’re fine. The girls are beautiful, we dance, we are free, finally free, ”exclaimed Gérard. It remains to be seen whether this reopening will withstand the assaults of the Delta variant, on the way to being the majority in France – President Emmanuel Macron is due to make a speech Monday evening on the health situation – like almost everywhere else in the world. This variant, which initially appeared in India, is the most contagious listed since the start of the pandemic. It is causing epidemic outbreaks in Asia and Africa and is pushing up the number of new cases in Europe and the United States.
Strict measures in Seoul
Russia on Saturday announced a new record of daily deaths (752) from the coronavirus, the fifth since the beginning of the month. This country also lists 25,082 new contaminations. South Korea, long held up as a model for managing the pandemic, has reported 1,378 additional cases, a record for the third day in a row, and its capital Seoul is about to see the most draconian measures imposed on it. ‘she has known since this health crisis broke out. Argentina, for its part, extended the restrictions in force until August 6. While from Wednesday, Malta will close its borders to unvaccinated travelers. “We will be the first country in Europe to take this measure,” noted its Minister of Health.
This disease has killed at least 4,013,756 people since it was detected at the end of December 2019, according to an assessment established by AFP from official sources on Friday. The United States remains the most damaged country, 606,806 people having perished there for a total of 33,812,977 recorded cases. In this context, the prospect of a gathering of 65,000 football fans in Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday evening for the Euro-2020 final between England and Italy gave rise to serious concerns. And even more the festivities of the “third half”, outside the stands, in a country where almost all restrictions have been lifted but that the Delta variant does not spare, with nearly 30,000 new cases per day in United Kingdom over the past week.