> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.europeans.today/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # COVID barely gets a mention these days – Here’s why that’s a dangerous situation - URL: https://www.europeans.today/2024/01/16/covid-barely-gets-a-mention-these-days-heres-why-thats-a-dangerous-situation/ - Published: 2024-01-16T01:35:00.000Z - Updated: 2024-01-17T01:57:01.000Z - Description: COVID remains a significant global health threat, causing 10,000 deaths in 50 countries and a 42% increase in hospitalisations in December 2023. Complacency poses risks. - Author: Simon Nicholas Williams - Tags: COVID-19, Analysis, COVID Complacency, COVID-19 Infections, COVID-19 & Mitigations, COVID-19 & Ventilation, Face Masks, Health, Public Health ### COVID remains a significant global health threat, causing 10,000 deaths in 50 countries and a 42% increase in hospitalisations in December 2023\. Complacency poses risks. T he [United States](https://fortune.com/well/2024/01/05/us-reachest-second-highest-covid-peak-pirola-jn1-omicron-pi-rho/?ref=europeans.today) experienced its second-largest COVID wave of the pandemic in January 2024\. For the year to December 2023, in England, COVID rates [peaked](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/winter-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-study-estimates-of-epidemiological-characteristics-england-and-scotland-2023-to-2024/winter-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-study-estimates-of-epidemiological-characteristics-11-january-2024?ref=europeans.today) at around [**one in 24** people](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/winter-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-study-estimates-of-epidemiological-characteristics-england-and-scotland-2023-to-2024/winter-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-study-estimates-of-epidemiological-characteristics-21-december-2023?ref=europeans.today). During the same month, [Singapore](https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-witnesses-record-surge-in-number-of-covid-19-cases-mask-mandate-returns-671031?ref=europeans.today) also experienced record COVID cases and a spike in hospitalisations. COVID, then, is still a major public health problem, accounting for **10,000** deaths in 50 countries and a **42%** increase in hospitalisations [during December 2023 alone](https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1745092955558354961?s=20&ref=europeans.today). COVID may not be a global health emergency at the moment, but it is still killing and harming far too many people worldwide. Yet, judging by the lack of media coverage and social media attention, at least compared to earlier in the pandemic, you might be forgiven for thinking that COVID is no longer a big deal. But acting as though COVID doesn’t exist or isn’t a problem is a dangerous situation. [COVID complacency](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2823%2901012-7/fulltext?ref=europeans.today) by governments, the media and the public [is a threat](https://inews.co.uk/news/science/covid-19-scientists-complacency-who-pandemic-over-2321071?ref=europeans.today) to the overall health of the population, to health services and particularly to those [most vulnerable](https://www.who.int/news/item/28-03-2023-sage-updates-covid-19-vaccination-guidance?ref=europeans.today), including older adults and those with pre-existing health conditions. Contrary to the popular misbelief, COVID is not getting milder. We have [known this for a while](https://theconversation.com/six-common-covid-myths-busted-by-a-virologist-and-a-public-health-expert-188396?ref=europeans.today), but [new research](https://fortune.com/well/2024/01/08/covid-omicron-variants-pirola-ba286-jn1-more-severe-disease-lung-gi-tract-symptoms/?ref=europeans.today) is starting to suggest that Omicron variants might be evolving into more severe forms. Another common misapprehension is that once we have had COVID, which most of us have by now, our immune system is all the better for it. While infection does lead the body to produce antibodies, getting our antibodies from vaccines and boosters is a safer option, particularly in light of [growing evidence](https://time.com/6553340/covid-19-reinfection-risk/?ref=europeans.today) that repeat COVID infections increase the risk of [long COVID symptoms, hospitalisation and death](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36357676/?ref=europeans.today). Also, high COVID rates add pressure to already strained health systems. COVID, along with flu and other respiratory viruses are playing their part in the healthcare crisis being experienced in the [UK](https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/383/bmj.p2962.full.pdf?ref=europeans.today) and a number of [EU countries](https://www.ft.com/content/449c4748-ef63-4f0a-b26e-4e528889fac4?ref=europeans.today), for example – and long COVID is responsible for [substantial financial burden](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12875-023-02196-1?ref=europeans.today) on health services. It’s perhaps understandable why many people are less interested in COVID these days. It’s been a long four years. In my [research](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0258781&ref=europeans.today) with colleagues on public attitudes to COVID, we found as early as winter 2020 that people were getting fatigued by COVID news and information. But raising awareness of the ongoing risks posed by COVID remains as important as ever. [CREDIT: UNSPLASH/GABRIELLA CLARE MARINO —](https://unsplash.com/@gabiontheroad?ref=europeans.today) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/40/1540bec0-7154-4feb-b8e1-97f579155b08/content/images/2024/01/www-1025-1.jpg) ###### — Acting as though COVID doesn’t exist or isn’t a problem is a dangerous situation. ### **How to fight COVID complacency** First, we need to ensure vaccine uptake is as high as possible. In [the UK](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6596accec23a10000d8d0b7e/Weekly-flu-and-COVID-19-surveillance-report-week-1.pdf?ref=europeans.today), like many countries, booster uptake amongst those eligible this year has been significantly lower compared to last year, and fewer population groups have been offered the vaccine. In future campaigns, boosters should be offered [more broadly](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/08/uk-mps-press-for-wider-covid-vaccine-access-amid-concern-over-new-variant?ref=europeans.today). But broadening vaccine access is only one part of the puzzle - for example, in the US, where new boosters are available to everyone, [only **two-in-ten**](https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data-research/dashboard/vaccination-trends-adults.html?ref=europeans.today) have taken the offer up, including only **four-in-ten** of those aged over 65. One of the [most common reasons](https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-12-20/why-arent-americans-getting-the-new-covid-19-vaccine?ref=europeans.today) for not getting boosted is the misconception that once a person has been infected there is no point in getting vaccinated. Vaccine campaigns should be accompanied by proactive, visible and clear public health messaging to inform the public that boosters can still [help to reduce the risk](https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-statement-on-the-antigen-composition-of-covid-19-vaccines?ref=europeans.today) of illness, hospitalisation, and defend against newer COVID variants such as [JN.1](https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p2975?ref=europeans.today), which was named by the [World Health Organization](https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/18122023%5Fjn.1%5Fire%5Fclean.pdf?sfvrsn=6103754a%5F3&ref=europeans.today) (WHO) on December 19 2023 as a “variant of interest” and may be more infectious than other variants. Second, we can still make use of protections that work. For example, fundamental investment in better ventilation is much needed. Cleaner air is essential for public health and will have benefits that [extend beyond COVID](https://theconversation.com/an-investment-in-clean-indoor-air-would-do-more-than-help-us-fight-covid-it-would-help-us-concentrate-with-lasting-benefits-176547?ref=europeans.today). [Good ventilation](https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/ventilation-and-coronavirus-covid-19?ref=europeans.today#:%7E:text=Ensuring%20proper%20ventilation%20with%20outside,air%20and%20land%20on%20surfaces.) can not only [reduce the spread of COVID](https://royalsociety.org/-/media/policy/projects/impact-non-pharmaceutical-interventions-on-covid-19-transmission/the-royal-society-covid-19-examining-the-effectiveness-of-non-pharmaceutical-interventions-report.pdf?ref=europeans.today) and other respiratory viruses, but can generally help reduce indoor air pollution, and can even improve things such as [school attendance](https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/general/attendance-focus-shows-why-good-ventilation-schools-still-matters?ref=europeans.today) and [concentration](https://theconversation.com/an-investment-in-clean-indoor-air-would-do-more-than-help-us-fight-covid-it-would-help-us-concentrate-with-lasting-benefits-176547?ref=europeans.today) in the classroom. [Spain](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/09/spain-facemasks-mandatory-hospitals-flu-covid-cases-surge?ref=europeans.today), for example, has just reintroduced face mask rules in hospitals and other healthcare settings. [Existing evidence](https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/impact-non-pharmaceutical-interventions-on-covid-19-transmission/?ref=europeans.today) suggests that masks do work to help reduce the transmission of COVID. Masks have been controversial, but can be thought of [like umbrellas](https://theconversation.com/living-with-covid-how-treating-masks-like-umbrellas-could-help-us-weather-future-pandemic-threats-187377?ref=europeans.today) – we can use them as, when and where needed. Other countries would also do well to follow WHO advice and reintroduce face mask regulation in medical settings to reduce hospital-acquired infections, protect vulnerable patients and reduce sickness and absenteeism among healthcare workers. We can still live with COVID and at the same time respect, and try to reduce, the harm it can cause. ![PMP Magazine](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/40/1540bec0-7154-4feb-b8e1-97f579155b08/content/images/2021/09/end-flat-1.png "PMP Magazine") ### --- ### **Sources:** ##### ▪ **Text:** This piece was originally published in [The Conversation](https://theconversation.com/covid-barely-gets-a-mention-these-days-heres-why-thats-a-dangerous-situation-220867?ref=europeans.today) and re-published in PMP Magazine on 16 January 2024\. | The author writes in a personal capacity. ##### ▪ **Cover:** Dreamstime/[Iandewarphotography](https://www.dreamstime.com/iandewarphotography%5Finfo?ref=europeans.today). --- ![The Conversation](https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220867/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic)