Not back to normal

I noticed on Insiders yesterday that the journos who had been to Rome and Glasgow with the PM thought that life was looking pretty normal over there (Rome was "pumping" I think Phil Coorey said), and that Australia needed to get used to thinking we have to do the same.

Yet later in the day, I was reading about the surge in COVID cases in Germany, France, and Ireland (all  with high vaccination rates), and in a lot of the Eastern European countries (which have low vaccination rates, and seem particularly prone to believing Right wing culture warring on the matter.)

The WHO is worried, and I would guess that what happens with hospitalisation and death rates in the region in the next few months ought to deliver some more important lessons on the value of vaccination.

But it probably won't be simple.  This weird pandemic will likely show some countries or regions with patterns that are hard to understand.   

Update:  As for Italy itself, I just noticed from Nov 6:

Italy has recorded 6,764 COVID cases in the past 24 hours.

Health authorities have confirmed the deaths of 51 people.

Italy’s COVID-related death toll has passed 132,000 – making it the second-highest toll in Europe after the UK.

 Update 2:   look at the waves of infection in the Netherlands:

 

And the government has introduced more restrictions due to the current outbreak, leading to this:

Thousands of people paraded through the centre of The Hague on Sunday afternoon to protest at the coronavirus measures currently in place in the Netherlands. New rules, including the return of face masks in shops and wider use of the coronavirus pass system, came into effect on Saturday. Their number included a number of supporters of extreme-right group Voorpost, identified by their use of the the Prinsen flag – an orange, white and blue version of the Dutch flag used by the Dutch Nazi party during World War II. Police estimated the crowd to be at 20,000 to 25,000, website Nu.nl reported. Read more at DutchNews.nl:

 Another news article contains this explanation (my bold!) about the new face mask rules:

Face masks Masks will once again be compulsory in all public buildings where coronavirus passes are not required. This includes: Supermarkets and shops Libraries Government buildings and council offices Airports and railway stations Colleges and universities when moving between locations People in contact professions, such as hairdressers, will again have to wear masks, but not sex workers. Those who do not wear a mask can be fined €95. Masks remain compulsory in taxis and on public transport.