Omicron Strains Drive New Covid Wave in Europe as Measures Fall Away

BRUSSELS—A Covid-19 an infection wave pushed by two hyper-infectious Omicron subvariants is shifting quickly throughout Europe, resulting in an uptick in circumstances and hospitalizations in international locations which have dropped the vast majority of preventive measures in opposition to the virus forward of the summer time months.

European governments have discarded many Covid-19 mitigation strategies like masks mandates, mass testing and so-called Covid passports as their focus shifts to financial restoration and the war in Ukraine. A current survey by McKinsey reveals that fewer than 12% of the general public in Germany, France, the U.Okay., Italy and Spain depend the pandemic as a main concern.