Covid-19 cases in the UK remain far higher than in the rest of Europe, the latest figures show. Only a handful of European countries, such as Romania and Serbia, are currently reporting higher Covid case rates than the UK, with states such as France and Germany reporting significantly lower figures.
As of 8 October, Covid case rates in the UK stood at over 500 daily cases per million people while those in Spain, German and France remained below 100.
There are various explanations as to why the UK appears to be the Covid hotspot of Europe. Though Britain’s vaccination roll-out was one of the fastest in the world, most major Western European countries have since administered more vaccines per 100 people. The New Statesman’s international vaccine tracker provides more detailed information.
Germany, France and Spain are also currently imposing stricter Covid-19 regulations – according to the latest figures from the Covid stringency index, the UK has the most liberal approach of these four countries.
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International travel restrictions have been eased in the UK, while fully vaccinated people are no longer required to self-isolate if they come into contact with someone that has contracted the virus.
Although the UK’s death rate is falling (and currently stands at around 100 deaths a day), the persistently high number of cases is seen by some as cause for concern ahead of the winter months.
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