Europe thought it was done with Covid-19. But the virus isn’t done with Europe – CNN

The country's daily case rate -- about 55,000 a day -- is still less than a third of what it was during the Omicron peak, but cases are rising as fast as they were falling just two weeks earlier, when self-isolation rules for infected people ended in the UK.

The situation has caught the eye of American public health experts, who worry that Europe's rise in infections may be a preview of what's to come in the US. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN that his British counterparts have pegged the rise in cases to a combination of three factors: The more transmissible BA.2 variant; the opening of society and people mingling more indoors without masks; and waning immunity from vaccination or prior infection.

"Without a doubt, opening up society and having people mingle indoors is clearly something that is a contributor, as well as overall waning immunity, which means we've really got to stay heads-up and keep our eye on the pattern here," Fauci said. "So that's the reason why we're watching this very carefully."

In the UK, 86% of eligible people are fully vaccinated, and 67% are boosted, compared with 69% of those eligible vaccinated and 50% boosted in the US. "What we see happening in the UK is going to be perhaps a better story than what we should be expecting here," Althoff said.

Even though the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did away with masking recommendations for most parts of the country two weeks ago, it is vital to stay vigilant. "We have to stay diligent in terms of monitoring of it and testing and be prepared to possibly reverse a lot of the relaxing of these restrictions," said Deborah Fuller, a microbiologist at the University of Washington.

"We can't let our guard down, because the message that people get when they say 'we're lifting restrictions' is the pandemic is over. And it's not."

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.

Q: What factors should people consider if they need to return to work in person?

"People should consider three factors. What are your medical circumstances and that of others in your household? What's the level of Covid-19 in your community? And finally what safety precautions are already being taken in your place of work?" Wen added. "Some offices require proof of vaccination, require regular testing, distancing, and ventilation. And remember that masks are always available, even if they are not required," she said.

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As daily cases rise in Europe, a senior Biden administration official warned that Congress' failure to pass a supplemental Covid-19 funding bill could leave the US unprepared for another potential surge. "Our scientific and medical experts have been clear that in the next couple of months, we could see Covid cases increase here in the US just as we're seeing cases rising abroad right now," the senior official said, adding, "We are less well prepared without additional funding than we would be otherwise."

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Europe thought it was done with Covid-19. But the virus isn't done with Europe - CNN