---
Title: Covid 4 pressing alarms
Date: 29/03/2021
Category: Global News
Tags: covid
URL: https://marxismo.school/communia/en/covid-4-pressing-alarms
---


## Mortality caused by Covid is rising disproportionately compared to incidence

This is something we have been [seeing and continue to observe in **Brazil**](https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/equilibrioesaude/2021/03/brasil-tem-novo-recorde-e-registra-3600-mortes-por-covid-em-24-horas.shtml). And the data are starting to reflect a similar situation in the rest of the world wherever vaccination is still not massive. In **Spain**, on Tuesday the government reported **201 deaths** from Covid during the previous 24 hours, an extremely high number for the reported cumulative incidence. On Wednesday it was **320**. On Thursday **356**. And yesterday, Friday, a whopping **590 deaths**.

## Most likely because the new dominant variant causes a more serious disease and higher mortality

The [first published studies on the British Covid variant](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03426-1), now the dominant one throughout Europe, conclude by stating:

> A **61% (42-82%) higher risk of death** associated with B.1.1.7. Our analysis suggests that B.1.1.7 is not only more transmissible than pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 variants, but may also cause more severe disease.
> 
> [Increased mortality in community-tested cases of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03426-1). Davis et alter, Nature.

## Contagions are concentrated in the working age group and the opening of schools and educational institutions accounts for 26% of infections

![Covid USA: Contagions are concentrated in the working age group and the opening of schools and educational institutions accounts for 26% of infections](https://marxismo.school/communia/en/assets/Screenshot_2021-03-27-Science-Journals-%E2%80%94-AAAS-eabe8372-full_-pdf.png)

This week, the first analysis of data on how pandemic infections occur in the US was published in [_Science_](https://marxismo.school/communia/es/assets/eabe8372.full_.pdf). Scientists concluded with two wake-up calls: **keeping schools open caused 26% of infections** and the 20-49 age group, the bulk of the **working-age population, contributes disproportionately to infections**.

## European vaccination targets do not seem sensible even if vaccination rates were to be drastically increased

- ![](https://marxismo.school/communia/en/assets/Screenshot_2021-03-27-Will-Spain-be-able-to-vaccinate-70-of-the-adult-population-by-the-end-of-summer-.png)
    
- ![](https://marxismo.school/communia/en/assets/Screenshot_2021-03-27-Will-Spain-be-able-to-vaccinate-70-of-the-adult-population-by-the-end-of-summer-1.png)
    

Although at this week's European summit [Von der Leyen insisted that _Europe is on track_ to get 70% of the population vaccinated by summer](https://euobserver.com/coronavirus/151367), the data do not bear out her claim. As published by [the newspaper El País](https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-03-02/will-spain-be-able-to-vaccinate-70-of-the-adult-population-by-the-end-of-summer.html), **only 20% of the population would be vaccinated by the end of September** at the current rate (graph on the left). If the rate were to be drastically increased, by the end of September the **maximum that could be reached would be 58%**.