After a summer that seemed a little too good to be true during a pandemic, Europe is forced to adapt to a bleak reality with the increase of coronavirus cases across the continent. Within the past week, there have been several hotspots that have popped up in Europe, particularly hitting areas like Spain, France and Montenegro. Europe as a whole experienced its largest single-day increase in cases since the start of the pandemic on Sep. 21, with about 71,000 positive tests. The CDC is rapidly working to make new guidelines to limit the spread once again, just as they did in March. The question is, how fast will they get it under control?
This second wave, coming sooner than predicted, first appeared in Spain at the end of August. Spain and Italy were two of the hardest-hit European countries during the first wave, but as Spain experienced a fast reopening, there were doubts about how long the decline would last. The exact cause of the second wave is unknown. Blame has been placed on the quick return to nightlife or large social gatherings, but it will take more time to know for sure. Former director-general of public health in Spain Ildefonso Hernández-Aguado stated, “We have this cultural factor related to our rich social life.” He says people in Spain like to get close, but unfortunately, that is not always possible in the current times.
European countries are already fearing another recession due to the second wave as businesses are being forced to close their doors once again. The economy in the eurozone was expecting a rebound after dropping 11.8 percent in the second quarter, but now that does not seem so promising. The eurozone’s purchasing manager’s index stood at 50.1, only 0.1 expansion. The United Kingdom is being warned of similar results as pubs and restaurants were ordered to close early on Tuesday, Sep. 22.
Dr. María del Mar Vázquez, medical director of a hospital in Malaga, Spain, does not seem as concerned as she was the first time around. “We have experience now. We have a much bigger stock of equipment, we have protocols in place, we are more prepared,” she told the New York Times. CNN, however, predicts that despite hospitals being better prepared with mask protocols and supplies, there will still be a huge death toll. A senior researcher at the University of Southampton believes flu season will play a part in the result of this second wave. The flu will create an additional strain on hospitals, which may result in overwhelmed ICUs, similar to the first wave.
The good news is, this second wave is likely to come and go without another full lockdown of Europe. The World Health Organization stated in a press conference that we know how to handle the virus through social distancing and masks, so a quarantine won’t be necessary. “We are learning how to apply smart, time-limited and risk-based measures, capable of reducing both the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on the wider society and economy,” Dr. Hans Kluge said. Dr. Kluge also stated that Europe must employ the correct public health measures to effectively contain the virus.
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