MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

WHO official anticipates third wave of Covid-19 in Europe, early 2021; “countries failed to prepare in summer”

“They missed building up the necessary infrastructure during the summer months, after they brought the first wave under the control,” Dr. Nabarro said

A World Health Organization (WHO) special Covid-19 envoy predicted a third wave of the pandemic in Europe in early 2021 if governments repeat what he said was a failure to do what was needed to prevent the second wave of infections.

“They missed building up the necessary infrastructure during the summer months, after they brought the first wave under the control,” the WHO's David Nabarro said in an interview.

“Now we have the second wave. If they don't build the necessary infrastructure, we'll have a third wave early next year,” said Professor Nabarro, a Briton who campaigned unsuccessfully to become the WHO director-general in 2017.

Europe briefly enjoyed sinking infection rates that are now surging again: Germany and France on Saturday saw cases rise by 33,000 combined, Switzerland and Austria have thousands of cases daily, while Turkey reported a record 5,532 new infections.

Prof Nabarro lauded the response of Asian countries like South Korea, where infections are now relatively low: “People are fully engaged, they take on behaviors that make it difficult for the virus. They keep their distance, wear masks, isolate when they're sick, wash hands and surfaces. They protect the most endangered groups.”

He also said Asia did not relax restrictions prematurely. “You must wait until case numbers are low and stay low,” he said. “Europe's reaction was incomplete.”