Prognosis
Western Europe’s Vaccine Records Raise Hopes Worst Is Over
- Germany and Italy report all-time highs in daily inoculations
- EU vaccine supplies are due to quadruple in the second quarter
People wait at a Covid-19 vaccination center in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, in France.
Photographer: Raphael Lafargue/AFP/Getty Images
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Western Europe is heading toward a critical phase in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic as accelerating vaccination rates open up the prospect of easing lockdowns and reviving economies.
Germany and Italy administered a record number of Covid-19 shots this week, and France is betting that faster immunizations will lead to a gradual return to normal life. Across the European Union, there’s growing optimism that the worst is over, even as authorities continue to fight a third wave.