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The beginning of March marks 2 years since the COVID-19 pandemic forced many of the C&EN staff in Washington, DC, to leave our offices and start working remotely. And just as we prepared to begin year three, the city announced that it is lifting its mask and vaccine mandates in response to the declining number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
As of March 1, people will no longer have to show proof of vaccination when they enter indoor DC venues such as restaurants or gyms. Masks will only be required in schools and on public transport.
US states are reacting to falling COVID-19-related numbers in similar fashion. And the same is happening across the pond.
For example, the British prime minister has announced an end to all COVID-19 restrictions, including the self-isolation mandate for people who test positive. As of Feb. 24, the guidance will be that those with COVID-19 should stay home for 5 days. The legal requirement had been that people testing positive had to isolate for up to 10 days—less if they received a negative lateral flow test result on days five and six. Masks are also no longer mandated—London public transport, for instance, is lifting rules for compulsory face coverings—but simply recommended in certain settings.
In Germany, most rules will be removed March 20, though a decision is yet to be made regarding whether mask wearing will be obligatory. Interestingly, in a recent poll, 52% of respondents said they intend to keep masking, with 79% indicating that they would continue wearing masks on public transport and 76% continuing to wear them in shops.
Italy has announced that it will end its state of emergency March 31. Poland will lift most of its restrictions starting March 1, although it will retain mandates concerning isolation and face coverings indoors.
By contrast, the situation is dire in other parts of the world, including the western Pacific region, where new cases are up 29%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In the last week, Hong Kong posted record numbers of cases and hospitalizations. The local government has invoked emergency powers to call for medical staff from China—who are not currently allowed to work in the region without successfully completing local exams—to help with the soaring number of cases caused by the Omicron variant.
South Korea has also seen a marked increase in COVID-19 infections in recent weeks, exceeding previously recorded numbers. The country had managed to weather the pandemic fairly well and had some of the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates in the world. Omicron seems to have temporarily destabilized South Korea’s three-pronged strategy—test, trace, and contain—but it is only a matter of time before new cases peak and the spike is blunted.
Despite the pockets of rising numbers, new cases and deaths are decreasing globally. The WHO reported that in the week of Feb. 14–20, cases fell 21% and deaths fell 8% from the previous week.
These positive data, combined with the easing of restrictions in different parts of the world, represent the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel that we have all longed for. Like children on a road trip, we keep asking, “Are we there yet?” and the answer is “No, not yet.” We are still in the tunnel, but the end is now in sight.
Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS.
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