BRUSSELS/GENEVA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Many European nations are "walking a tightrope" toward normal life by tentatively easing anti-virus restrictions, as the World Health Organization (WHO) is warning of a long-time existence of the novel coronavirus.
"We have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time," warned WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday.
VIRUS REMAINS "DANGEROUS"
This virus remains "extremely dangerous," and early evidence suggests that most of the world's population remains susceptible, warned the WHO chief.
"That means epidemics can easily re-ignite," he said during a virtual press conference from Geneva.
According to Tedros, one of the greatest dangers the world is now facing is complacency, since people in countries with stay-at-home orders are "understandably frustrated" with being confined to their homes for weeks.
Arguing that the world cannot and will not go back to the way things were, the WHO chief told reporters that there must be a "new normal" -- a world that is healthier, safer and better prepared.
EUROPE'S TIGHTROPE WALK
Many European countries had embarked on their cautious way back to this "new normal" before the WHO warnings on Wednesday.
In Germany, where COVID-19 cases totaled 145,694, all federal states have made mask-wearing in public obligatory.
The states' decisions came after Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a "gradual" and "cautious" exit strategy from COVID-19 measure.
However, the number of new infections rose slightly again on Wednesday towards the middle of the week, with 2,237 new COVID-19 cases reported in a day.
Germany's neighboring Belgium also observed a rebound, reporting 266 new deaths in a 24-hour period as of Wednesday.
Despite the uptick in new deaths on Wednesday, Steven Van Gucht, spokesman for the country's crisis center, claimed that "the peak of deaths is behind us."
Meanwhile, a group of 10 experts constituting the "Team Exit" called for a relaxing plan in three stages and with possible backtracking, according to a report of the experts quoted by Belgian newspaper Le Soir on Wednesday.
In France, Wednesday saw a single-day toll of 544, slightly higher than Tuesday's 531, but the number of patients who need intensive care fell for the 14th consecutive day, down by 215.
Director-General of Health Jerome Salomon warned that "the virus circulation remains at high level" despite the improvement.
Encouraging news also heard from Spain. Although the State of Alarm was extended for a third time until May 9 on Wednesday, the emergency morgue set up in the Palacio de Hielo ice rink in Madrid was closed after receiving 1,146 bodies.
The morgue was the first of three set up on March 24 to help cope with the high number of deaths in the Madrid region.
VACCINE DEVELOPMENTS
European countries may have to mind their steps in the process of restoration before the vaccine becomes available.
Lars Schaade, Vice President of Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI), said on Tuesday that without a vaccine there would be no return to normality soon.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock made a similar judgment on Tuesday, saying, "A vaccine is the best way to defeat the coronavirus."
Germany has approved the first clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI) announced on Wednesday.
German pharmaceutical company BioNTech has been authorized to test its BNT162 vaccine program on 200 healthy volunteers aged between 18 to 55 years, according to PEI.
But a quick result is still unlikely, as an observation period and further tests are necessary.
"Next year we can then look at the results and discuss whether the data allows for an application for approval," PEI President Klaus Cichutek told the German newspaper Bild on Wednesday, hinting the vaccine is not expected within the year.
Also on Wednesday, two Italian companies announced that potential COVID-19 vaccines being developed by two private research laboratories outside of Rome could enter into a testing phase as soon as in September. Enditem
