The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends wearing masks during Christmas family reunions and end-of-year celebrations in Europe, she said on Wednesday, warning of a “high risk” of recovery of the epidemic in early 2021.
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Given the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, “there is a high risk of a new resurgence in the first weeks and months of 2021”, the European branch of the WHO said in a statement, where she advocates “wearing a mask and practicing social distancing” during the end of year celebrations.
“It may seem awkward to wear a mask and practice physical distancing in the presence of friends and family, but it goes a long way in ensuring that everyone stays safe and healthy,” the organization said.
Whenever possible, gatherings should take place outdoors. If they take place indoors, it is important to limit the number of guests and to ventilate well to limit the risks, she advises.
The WHO’s Europe zone, which includes 53 countries, including Russia, has recorded more than 22 million cases and nearly 500,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the organization’s surveillance table.
In the past seven days, nearly 1.7 million new cases have been recorded, as well as more than 34,500 deaths.
As the Christmas holidays approach, new sets of restrictions come into force on Wednesday in several European countries to curb a level of COVID-19 contamination deemed worrying, including the closure of non-essential businesses in Germany and of pubs and restaurants UK.
The international mission on the origin of the Covid will go to China in January
The international scientific team, set up by the World Health Organization (WHO) to find the origins of the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, will visit China in January, we learned on Wednesday. .
“I can confirm that this will take place in January,” WHO spokesperson Hedinn Halldorsson told AFP, confirming comments made by one of the experts in the press.