With the latest SARS-CoV-2 variant Pirola, cases in Europe are the highest they've ever been.
If you've paused the habit of using FFP2 masks in public, at-home tests, or other preventative measures - now would be an excellent time to pick it back up.
We know that the virus is airborne. We know that well-fitting masks prevent transmission. That at-home tests are good at detecting infection. And the horrifying consequences of repeat infection. Please keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
Here are the various National COVID dashboards I got these screenshots from. I added the dashboards for some more countries as well in case you're interested.
And if you know of any other dashboards which I didn't mention, I'd love to know!
Austria: https://abwassermonitoring.at/dashboard/
Germany: https://corona-pandemieradar.de/de/abwasser
Netherlands: https://coronadashboard.rijksoverheid.nl/landelijk/rioolwater
Switzerland: https://sensors-eawag.ch/sars/geneve.html
United States: https://biobot.io/data/
For a coherent overview of the current state of the COVID pandemic, I can recommend "Let Them Eat Plague" - https://clarion.unity-struggle-unity.org/let-them-eat-plague
This was written nearly one year ago, and among other things it accurately predicted the current wave. As one would expect from anyone following the science.
Even if you've recently been infected, re-infection may occur within weeks. COVID is especially dangerous because it affects the immune system too. Please take extra care during this current wave.
For an estimate of severity: during the 2021-2022 wave around 1 in 12 people in Denmark were infectious at any given moment. An estimated 70% of the population was infected with the Omicron variant over the span of three months.
We're currently in a comparable situation, with the line continuing to go up pretty fast. It's likely cases are comparable in other countries too.
If there ever was a time to be cautious, now would be it. Take care now, and let this wave pass. Nobody wants to be sick.
yosh