Europe is locking down again—but its strategy is unclear

COVID-19 infections in Europe are rapidly mounting; the continent has surpassed the United States in cases per capita and last week accounted for half of the more than 3 million cases reported to the World Health Organization. Many European countries have resorted to new lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread and preventing the health care system from buckling. But the continent lacks a clear strategy for what comes next. Short of a vaccine, countries may face an exhausting series of lockdowns—a sawtooth pattern that could wreck the economy. Some say it should instead aim to eliminate the virus, as some Asian and Pacific countries have done, which might be better for the economy in the long run.