Oluwatosin Idowu
Acknowledging the progress the world has made in battling the pandemic, however marginal it has been, Covid-19 is still very much present and many countries are battling with a new rise in positive cases of the virus. This is largely due to the emergence of the Delta variant that originated in India. Countries are starting to go back to placing tough restrictions at the same time that other countries are thinking of reopening their economies. When there was a gradual rise in the number of positive Covid-19 cases in countries like Australia and China, their governments toughened up their efforts to limit transmission. France also tried doing the same but the decision has been met with several rallies of tens of thousands of people against their President’s methods.
As it stands, the Delta variant has spread around over 130 countries and occupied regions, and this pandemic since it began, has claimed the lives of over four million people, four million people lost to several families.
The delta variant outbreak in China has reached fourteen provinces and it hadn’t spread that much in many previous months. They were able to tackle the original outbreak in 2019 in Wuhan, but the quick spread of this delta variant is threatening their capability to do so this time.
The country is frantic in response. They have placed more than a million people on lockdown and they have begun testing people in large numbers at several locations. The WHO has warned that the virus is evolving and it is better to take the necessary actions now to stop it before it gets worse.
Australia also got to action and they did so even sooner than most would have. Just after six new cases were detected there was a quick lockdown imposed in the country. Australia has only vaccinated fourteen percent of its inhabitants and the deputy prime minister of Queensland, Steven Miles, says it’s best to act quickly because that’s the only way to “beat the delta strain,” “to be fast and strong.” The Australian government placed millions of its citizens on a three-day rigid lockdown as a response to the new cases.
The Delta variant is changing the narrative of the battle against the pandemic. Some cases are coming up where fully vaccinated people are still able to have what has been termed as breakthrough infections with the delta variant. The unwanted but necessary lockdowns take a real toll on the economy of the country and on the people, many of whom are tired of the on and off restrictions. Countries like France have seen weeks-long protests of over two hundred thousand people against the mandatory vaccination, and restrictions otherwise.
The French people are exhausted after a long period of curfews and lockdowns and are heavily resisting the health passes that have been made mandatory for everyone in the country to have before they are allowed access to restaurants, shops, and other venues. The passes prove that you’ve had a recent negative test or you’ve been vaccinated.
