COVID-19: Another 700k people expected to die this winter, WHO suggests

With COVID-19 cases exploding all throughout the European continent, the WHO fears 700,000 more people could die by the end of the winter.

Over two million deaths

Currently, there are have been 1.5 million fatalities due to the virus, but this number could grow exponentially as the super contagious respiratory disease ravages countries all over Europe. In places like Romania, which has one of the continent's lowest vaccine rates, bodies have been piling up in hospital wards.

This has left many other countries in the continent to take drastic measures to prevent the worst from happening. Austria, for one, has reverted back to a total lockdown to prevent cases from rising even more. Since, Greece, Germany and the Netherlands have also imposed more severe safety measures to halt the spread of the virus. Dr. Hans Henri Kluge, regional director for Europe at WHO, urged people to take precaution to avoid having to lose lives needlessly and lose sight of the freedom we've only just regained:

All of us have the opportunity and responsibility to help avert unnecessary tragedy and loss of life, and limit further disruption to society and businesses over this winter season. As we approach the end of 2021, let’s do everything we can by getting vaccinated and taking personal protective measures, to avoid the last resort of lockdowns and school closures.

Getting jabbed is the only solution

Early data shows that the number one reason leading to an upsurge of COVID cases is directly linked to a lack of protection from the virus. For this reason, those who have yet to have received a full vaccination and those who are in need of a booster shot should not hesitate to do so, says Dr. Kluge. He also added:

We know through bitter experience that these have extensive economic consequences and a pervasive negative impact on mental health, facilitate interpersonal violence and are detrimental to children’s well-being and learning.