Despite Covid surge, Europe eases rules for key services

European governments are relaxing

Covid

rules to keep hospitals, schools and emergency services going as the much more contagious but less lethal Omicron variant changes their approach to the pandemic. Even though a rapid surge in infections has yet to peak in Europe,

Spain

PM

Pedro Sanchez

said the time was right to start evaluating the disease’s evolution “with different parameters”. The mass return of children to school after the Christmas holidays is evidence that few wish to see a return to the days of online-only learning.

In

Uganda

, students returned to institutions shut nearly two years ago. The lockout helped to control the pandemic — with only 3,300 deaths recorded —but the government estimates about a third of pupils will never return. “We faced temptations,” said 16-year-old

Rachael Nalwanga

, happily returning to classes while many of her former schoolmates worked in new jobs or cared for new babies. “It has not been easy”.

Governments in Europe imposed severe lockdowns in the first phases of the pandemic, but now want to avoid that, knowing that Omicron is putting far fewer people in hospital and that most are vaccinated. They are also suffering immediate staff shortages in essential services as Omicron drives a steep surge in positive tests.

Britain began using military personnel to support healthcare and alerted its biggest private health company that it might be required to deliver treatments including cancer surgery should matters worsen. Spain was bringing back retired medics. Since before Christmas, Spain has let staff return to work without taking a test. The health ministry has also set a viral load threshold below which an infected person who takes a PCR test can be considered non-infectious, and so fit to work. In Italy, the challenge of nearly 13,000 health workers being absent with positive Covid tests was compounded by suspensions for non-vaccination. The Czech Republic followed suit on Monday, saying critical staff including teachers, and doctors could keep working even after testing positive.

As schools resumed in Spain,

Portugal

, the

Netherlands

, Italy and parts of Germany, youngsters faced an array of measures from masks to parents not being allowed past the gates and the prospect of a return to home learning if the number of cases exceeded certain limits. “I think this (pandemic) will always be part of our lives so it’s important for them to socialise,” said a mother dropping off her 11-year-old in Lisbon.

There were political frictions too. In France,

Stephane Claireaux

, a member of the ruling party, said he had been pelted with seaweed and dirt by protesters against health pass.

Meanwhile, Chile has started administrating fourth dose to those above 55 years.