https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The international health emergency due to Covid-19 has been over for months. However, with cases soaring again in Germany, and new virus variants emerging, health experts are recommending some people get a booster jab. https://www.thelocal.com/20230918/explained-who-should-get-a-covid-jab-this-autumn-in-germany Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:42:53 +0200 explained-who-should-get-a-covid-jab-this-autumn-in-germany Katalin Karikó of Hungary and Drew Weissman of the United States won the Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday for work on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology that paved the way for Covid-19 vaccines. https://www.thelocal.com/20231002/rna-discovery-behind-covid-vaccines-wins-nobel-prize Mon, 02 Oct 2023 14:18:12 +0200 rna-discovery-behind-covid-vaccines-wins-nobel-prize Denmark’s infectious disease control agency State Serum Institute (SSI) says it is keeping tabs on BA.2.86, a new subvariant of the Covid-19 variant Omicron, which has been detected in several countries including Denmark. https://www.thelocal.com/20230818/three-cases-of-new-covid-variant-detected-in-denmark Fri, 18 Aug 2023 17:36:04 +0200 three-cases-of-new-covid-variant-detected-in-denmark The World Health Organization's European office warned on Tuesday the risk of Covid-19 has not gone away, saying it was still responsible for nearly 1,000 deaths a week in the region. And the real figure may be much higher. https://www.thelocal.com/20230627/covid-19-still-causing-1000-deaths-a-week-in-europe-who-warns Tue, 27 Jun 2023 15:27:54 +0200 covid-19-still-causing-1000-deaths-a-week-in-europe-who-warns The mandatory EU-wide mask requirement for air travel is set to be dropped from Monday, May 16th, but airlines may still require passengers to wear masks on some or all flights https://www.thelocal.com/20220511/face-mask-rule-on-flights-in-europe-set-to-be-eased Wed, 11 May 2022 18:17:55 +0200 face-mask-rule-on-flights-in-europe-set-to-be-eased This is the first Christmas since Brexit officially came into force. While Switzerland is not in the EU, it does make a difference to travellers heading to or from the UK. Here's what you need to know about the new rules and what you can - and cannot - pack. https://www.thelocal.com/20211119/travel-between-switzerland-and-the-uk-what-am-i-allowed-in-my-suitcase Fri, 19 Nov 2021 14:45:00 +0100 travel-between-switzerland-and-the-uk-what-am-i-allowed-in-my-suitcase With the worsening Covid-19 situation across Europe and the spread of the new Omicron variant, the UK has announced yet more new testing rules for arrivals. Here's what you need to know about the new requirement for pre-departure tests. https://www.thelocal.com/20211128/what-travellers-from-europe-need-to-know-about-new-covid-entry-rules-in-uk Sun, 28 Nov 2021 13:24:36 +0100 what-travellers-from-europe-need-to-know-about-new-covid-entry-rules-in-uk Infection rates in several smaller, German-speaking cantons are five times higher than those in Ticino. Why? https://www.thelocal.com/20211202/revealed-why-covid-rates-in-some-swiss-cantons-are-five-times-higher Thu, 02 Dec 2021 11:44:07 +0100 revealed-why-covid-rates-in-some-swiss-cantons-are-five-times-higher The new Covid variant, dubbed Omicron and originally detected in South Africa, poses a "high to very high" risk to Europe, the EU health agency warned on Friday. https://www.thelocal.com/20211127/omicron-variant-poses-high-to-very-high-risk-to-europe-eu-health-agency Sat, 27 Nov 2021 08:08:17 +0100 omicron-variant-poses-high-to-very-high-risk-to-europe-eu-health-agency Germany’s new government thwarted a plan by outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel to put in place a two-week Austria-style national lockdown, German tabloid Bild reported on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.com/20211124/germanys-new-coalition-government-thwarted-merkel-plan-for-two-week-lockdown Wed, 24 Nov 2021 18:45:42 +0100 germanys-new-coalition-government-thwarted-merkel-plan-for-two-week-lockdown The EU health agency on Wednesday appealed to member states to "urgently" introduce measures to counter surging Covid-19 cases, a day after the WHO Europe warned that 700,000 more may die on the continent this winter. https://www.thelocal.com/20211123/europe-urged-to-adopt-vaccine-plus-plan-with-700000-more-covid-deaths-likely Tue, 23 Nov 2021 19:14:44 +0100 europe-urged-to-adopt-vaccine-plus-plan-with-700000-more-covid-deaths-likely With Austria and some German states imposing restrictions to fight surging infections, will the resurgence of the virus impact holiday travel to and from Switzerland? https://www.thelocal.com/20211122/will-travel-to-and-from-switzerland-be-possible-this-christmas Mon, 22 Nov 2021 16:08:36 +0100 will-travel-to-and-from-switzerland-be-possible-this-christmas From nationwide lockdowns to barring the unvaccinated from bars and restaurants and increased travel restrictions, countries around Europe are choosing different strategies to fight a new wave of Covid. https://www.thelocal.com/20211120/lockdowns-or-vaccine-passes-how-europe-is-tackling-the-new-wave-of-covid-in-different-ways Sat, 20 Nov 2021 11:14:15 +0100 lockdowns-or-vaccine-passes-how-europe-is-tackling-the-new-wave-of-covid-in-different-ways Like many other sectors of the nation’s economy, Switzerland’s sex industry is also doing its part in promoting people to get the jab. https://www.thelocal.com/20211115/how-swiss-brothels-are-encouraging-vaccinations Mon, 15 Nov 2021 15:31:13 +0100 how-swiss-brothels-are-encouraging-vaccinations Several European countries are reimposing restrictions in a bid to dampen down a worrying rise in Covid-19 cases. Governments are also taking more measures to encourage more people to get vaccinated against the virus. https://www.thelocal.com/20211113/countries-across-europe-impose-new-curbs-to-slow-new-covid-19-wave Sat, 13 Nov 2021 12:30:29 +0100 countries-across-europe-impose-new-curbs-to-slow-new-covid-19-wave Christmas markets across Austria are set to go ahead this year, although exactly how things will look has been a bit up in the air. Here’s what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.com/20211026/covid-19-how-will-austrias-christmas-markets-look-this-year Tue, 26 Oct 2021 19:02:42 +0200 covid-19-how-will-austrias-christmas-markets-look-this-year The rising number of cases of Covid-19 in Europe is of "grave concern" and the region could see another half a million deaths by early next year, the World Health Organization warned on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.com/20211104/europe-could-see-500000-more-covid-deaths-by-early-2022-who-warns Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:51:42 +0100 europe-could-see-500000-more-covid-deaths-by-early-2022-who-warns A plan to lift most restrictions on travel in and out of Denmark will begin to take effect later this week, including the end of the foreign ministry’s traffic light guideline system for travel abroad. https://www.thelocal.com/20211013/denmark-to-end-covid-19-colour-system-in-normalisation-of-entry-rules Wed, 13 Oct 2021 15:11:17 +0200 denmark-to-end-covid-19-colour-system-in-normalisation-of-entry-rules People who can show a UK-issued proof of Covid-19 vaccination are able to enter Sweden for the first time in months, after the government announced changes to its entry ban. https://www.thelocal.com/20211007/travel-to-sweden-vaccinated-travellers-from-uk-exempted-from-covid-entry-ban Thu, 07 Oct 2021 18:41:25 +0200 travel-to-sweden-vaccinated-travellers-from-uk-exempted-from-covid-entry-ban UPDATED: Sweden lifted nearly all of its pandemic restrictions on September 29th, including both laws and recommendations. Here's a rundown of what the changes mean for you. https://www.thelocal.com/20210908/key-points-how-swedens-covid-19-restrictions-will-change-at-the-end-of-the-month Wed, 08 Sep 2021 11:41:26 +0200 key-points-how-swedens-covid-19-restrictions-will-change-at-the-end-of-the-month