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Vaccine hesitancy is taking its toll in eastern Europe

Even like Omicron . Case Missile in Western European countries including England and Denmark, in the center of the continent and to the east, the Delta wave is still causing serious damage. In the statistics of daily deaths per capita with Covid, countries that were formerly part of the communist bloc currently dominating Top 20 positions, with Hungary at the top. In absolute numbers, Poland – on Wednesday reported 669 deaths from Covid, the highest daily total since April – third behind the US and Russia. With the unvaccinated people accounting for most of the deaths in Poland, a common problem is lower vaccination rates compared to countries further west – making the region even more vulnerable. more vulnerable to the new variant.

There are caveats here. There may be fewer Covid deaths in central and eastern European countries than in some developing countries. Many countries in the region have aging populations, but have escaped with fewer deaths than in previous waves. And the spread of Omicron can quickly begin to rearrange the mortality tables.

However, vaccination rates are significantly different from region to region. They only include 22 percent of the population with two doses in Bosnia and Herzegovina (November data) and 26.7% in Bulgaria to almost 65% in Lithuania and Latvia. But all are well below the EU average of 68.2%.

Many countries have underfunded health systems and poorer infrastructure than countries further west. But unlike in lower-income countries elsewhere, the problem is less supply than consumption. The collapse of socialist systems left deep distrust of government and a lack of respect for rules and authorities – creating fertile ground for vaccine skepticism. Germany is a microcosm, with full vaccination rates in formerly socialist eastern states such as Saxony (59.1%) much lower than in western states such as Bremen (81.5 per cent). %).

Governments are often reluctant to take drastic steps to combat vaccine hesitancy or strong anti-vaccination lobbies, seemingly fearing protests. They have also been reluctant to compensate for their low catch with limitations like the Covid pass. The growing death toll and the dwindling hospital beds are starting to force a rethink. On Wednesday, Poland closed nightclubs except for some New Year’s parties and cut the limit for unvaccinated people in restaurants, hotels and theaters to 30% of capacity, despite although the impact may be limited.

In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has relied almost exclusively on vaccinations to fight the pandemic since a vaccine became available, buying vaccines from Russia and China earlier this year to front the EU-wide efforts. – although the effectiveness, especially of the Chinese vaccine, remains questionable. . However, vaccination remains low and Hungary is struggling to have over 6.2 million fully immunized people out of its 9.8 million population. Although face masks are mandatory in closed public places, Orban is fighting tougher restrictions with elections coming up next April.

However, concerns about a possible backlash make CEE countries particularly opposed to carrying out forced attacks. Austria is doing the same and Germany can follow. But the EU is Report is in preparation awareness campaigns to tackle the vaccination gap, with this week’s summit highlighting the priority of fighting misinformation. Meanwhile, France and Italy have shown how strict Covid passes can spur those who wave their hands to get stabbed.

Austria has proven in recent weeks that a strict embargo is still possible quick reverse Delta’s case and death rates are high. If more European vaccine laggards are to avoid similar new shutdowns, they may have no choice but to adopt a combination of vaccine education and engagement. certainly convincing.

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