According to WHO and ECDC , the number of cases on the continent began to rise again. This is due to the fact that the colder months have come. Health officials once again insist on the need to protect the health of citizens using all available tools, including vaccination.
“Although we are no longer where we were a year ago, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is still not over. Unfortunately, we see that the rates in Europe are growing again, and this indicates the beginning of a new wave of infections. With the advent of autumn and winter, we can also expect the resumption of the spread of influenza, », — WHO European Director Hans Kluge and ECDC Director Andrea Ammon said in a joint statement.
WHO and ECDC explained that co-circulation of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza would put vulnerable people at increased risk of severe illness and place a burden on health systems .
To prevent this from happening, WHO and ECDC recommend that all countries use effective tools against both viruses and urge that priority attention be given to vulnerable groups of people.
Data provided by the WHO shows that millions of people across Europe have still not been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease, and that the number of infections has increased by eight percent compared to the previous week.
In this regard, European countries it is strongly recommended to reach unvaccinated people and make sure they get their vaccine doses while giving booster doses according to national guidelines.
“It is important that the following priority groups are vaccinated against both influenza and COVID -19: healthcare workers, people over 60, pregnant women, and people with underlying diseases and conditions, — WHO and ECDC emphasize.
While the situation with coronavirus continues to remain stable in all EU countries, earlier this month it was reported that France had entered the eighth wave of COVID-19. The Strategic Council for Vaccination of France states that all indicators of the eighth wave are on the rise.