End of pandemic out of reach thanks to Delta variant: Merkel

Brussels (dpa), 25 June, 2021-Despite progress in many Western countries’ vaccination campaigns and falling infection rates, it is too soon for the European Union to drop its guard against the spread of the coronavirus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday.

“In light of the Delta variant, we unfortunately cannot say that we are headed towards to end of the pandemic,” Merkel told journalists following an EU summit in Brussels.

Even countries with more advanced inoculation rates than the EU’s, like Israel and Britain, were seeing a spike in infections, she noted.

“That’s why I can only appeal for caution,” Merkel said, calling on citizens to keep up relatively small gestures like wearing masks indoors and taking regular tests.

It was not a question of whether the Delta variant would spread throughout the bloc, she said, “it is only a question of how quickly 
it spreads.”

It was therefore crucial for citizens to get a second shot of vaccine when appropriate, she said, since that ensured good protection against the new, more contagious variant.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke in similar terms. “We are worried about the Delta variant.”

“We need to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate. That’s the best strategy we have against these variants,” the EU executive chief said in a separate press conference.