Sweden, Denmark and Norway lift covid-19 restrictions, WHO warns that it is too early
There is no doubt that humans have had enough of the corona virus and its attendant restrictions.
But is it time to get rid of these measures? Some nations believe that.
Is this a step towards getting societies back to normal or a dangerous step in the wrong direction?
Sweden, Denmark and Norway lift the restrictions
It all started with Denmark lifting all restrictions on 1 February. Norway followed by lifting many of its covid-19 measures on the same date, while Sweden lifted the majority of its remaining restrictions on 9 February.
The Swedish government also aims to reclassify the coronavirus into a disease that “is not a danger to society or a threat to public health” from 1 April. However, not everyone agrees with these new decisions.
A warning from the WHO
On the same date that Denmark and Norway announced their decision to abolish covid-19 measures, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), told a news conference that most regions of the world were experiencing a “very worrying increase in deaths” due to the introduction of the omicron variant.
“More transmission means more deaths,” he explained. “We do not demand that any country return to a so-called lockdown. But we urge all countries to protect their people by using all the tools in the toolbox – not just vaccines.”
“It is too early for any country to either capitulate or declare victory,” warned Tedros.
The warning seems to fall on deaf ears as The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson revealed this week that the rules for self-isolation for people who test positive for the virus will expire at the end of this month.
Although it is good for economies and societies that conditions in nations return to normal, one must wonder about the dangers of ignoring the advice of experts in the field. If the leading health organization in the world says that it is too early to abolish restrictions, it is very likely so.
Lifting restrictions now can make people happy for a while, but if the spread of the virus worsens, it will be a painful price to pay for a little comfort. Should these European nations reconsider their current decisions?