After the decrease in cases of contagion by COVID-19 in the middle of this year and with the arrival of vaccines, countries began to reject some restrictions imposed in 2020 in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Some governments allowed to leave the use of masks in open places, the public returned to the stadiums and nightclubs.
However, after the rapid advance of the new omicron variant on all continents, and the warning of the WHO, these measures are becoming ineffective after territories around the world re-implement the restrictions that people thought were forgotten
The end of the year parties are almost over, but omicron, delta and the other variants of the coronavirus will continue in 2022.
China returned to confinement
On Friday, December 17, the Chinese authorities imposed a lockdown in Xi’an, a city of 13 million inhabitants, as a result of a rise in cases of COVID-19 more than a month after Olympic Games winter scene of Beijing.
The inhabitants of Xi’an must “remain in their homes except for imperative reasons,” the authorities said in a statement in which they specified that only one person per household is allowed to go out to do the shopping “every two days.”
More than 85% of flights to and from the city’s main airport were suspended, flight controller VariFlight said. Within the city the maximum capacity of buses and trains was reduced and schools were closed.
Holland begins lockdown a week before Christmas
With empty streets and closed shops, the Netherlands began a new confinement on Sunday, December 19, to try to reduce the spread of the omicron variant of the COVID-19, a week before the Christmas holidays.
The first Minister, Mark Rutte it had announced the day before that all non-essential shops, restaurants, bars, cinemas, museums and theaters should close until January 14. The schools, on the other hand, will be able to reopen on January 9.
At the same time, the number of guests that citizens can receive in their homes is reduced to two, except at Christmas and the day before and after December 25, and in the period of New Year, in which there will be four.
Thailand reinstated quarantine for travelers
Thailand reinstated a mandatory quarantine for all travelers on Tuesday, December 21, due to the risk of spreading the variant omicronThe government announced, putting a brake on the reopening of tourism, a vital sector for the Southeast Asian country.
From that date, vaccinated travelers must spend 10 days in quarantine in a hotel or take advantage of the special mechanism in Phuket (south), which allows them to move freely on that island for seven days before being able to travel to the rest of the country.
After 18 months closed, Thailand reopened its borders at the beginning of November to vaccinated tourists from more than 60 countries under the presentation of a simple negative PCR test.
Spain imposes the mask outdoors again
Six months after having taken it off, the Spaniards returned from Thursday 23 to wear a mask abroad to contain the advance of the COVID-19, which reached a record of almost 50,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, the government announced on Wednesday.
Spain, one of the world leaders in vaccination, registered on Tuesday a national record of 49,823 new cases of covid-19 in 24 hours and the omicron variant, more contagious, already represents almost half of the new cases, according to the ministry of Health.
“The mandatory use of masks outdoors is established”, underlined a government statement.
“The mask has proven in recent months to be an effective tool in prevention”, said the president of the government, Pedro Sánchez.
Catalonia returned to curfew
Catalonia will begin the night of last Thursday to apply the curfew in much of its territory, after receiving a judicial green light, while Spain recovers the mandatory nature of the outdoor mask due to the escalation of infections of COVID-19.
The Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia announced that it supported “the COVID-19 protection measures requested” by the regional government, which also include the closure of nightclubs and the limitation of private meetings to a maximum of ten people.
The capacity of the restaurants will be reduced to 50% and that of the cultural and sports venues to 70%.
The restrictions, which due to affecting fundamental freedoms required judicial authorization, will come into effect from Thursday night, the eve of Christmas Eve, and will have an initial duration of fifteen days in this tourist region.
This measure comes after the central government adopted a decree to reinstate the obligation to wear a mask outdoors throughout the country.
Italy makes outdoor mask mandatory
The Italian government decided last Thursday to make the use of surgical masks mandatory abroad, announced the head of Health, Roberto Speranza, after the council of ministers, although it did not give a date of entry into force.
The country is going through “a not easy phase” in the face of the increase in cases due to the omicron variant of the coronavirus, Speranza acknowledged.
On the other hand, the government decided to reduce as of February 1 the duration of the health passport, from nine to six months, and to reduce the period to be able to receive the booster dose, from five to four months from now.
Ecuador implemented the vaccine as mandatory
Ecuador began this Friday to implement vaccination anticovid Compulsory from the age of five, with limited attendance at immunization centers, AFP reporters found.
During this Christmas holiday in Ecuador, the first day of the mandatory immunization against the coronavirus, the influx of public to the vaccinated in Quito, a city of 2.7 million inhabitants where there is 90% coverage of anticovid vaccines.
“As citizens (we must) be aware and come personally to get vaccinated without being forced,” said teacher Francisco Toro, 42, who went to a public health center in the center of the capital.
Peru extends state of emergency
The Peruvian government extended this Wednesday until January 31 the state of emergency in force for 21 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, which allows it to restrict some citizen rights.
“We have decided to extend the state of national emergency for 31 days starting on Saturday, January 1,” Health Minister Hernando Cevallos said at a press conference after a council of ministers in the government palace.
During the national emergency, the exercise of constitutional rights relating to personal liberty and security, the inviolability of the home, and the freedom of assembly and movement in the territory is restricted.
With information from AFP
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
.
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
