Thanks to the current level of vaccination and the lower severity of Omicron, Europe is seeing a respite comparable to a "ceasefire" that could lead to the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European arm of the World Health Organization estimated today.
"The pandemic is not over but we are in the unique situation to be able to take control and we must not miss this opportunity," Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director, said in an online press conference.
Continuing the use of transport, he added: "This period of increased protection should be seen as a ceasefire that could bring us a lasting peace." It is a combination of the protection provided by vaccines, the end of winter and the less dangerous Omicron variant.
This state of truce cannot last, however, unless vaccination campaigns and surveillance for new variants continue, the official said, as many European countries are relaxing considerably the restrictions they had imposed because of the pandemic.
As for the new variants "that will inevitably emerge," "it is possible to respond" without reusing "the kind of inconvenient measures we have needed before," Kluge said.
In the WHO Europe Region, which has 53 countries, some of which are in central Asia, infections rose sharply when the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus began to dominate, but the health situation is judged to be less worrying.
Nearly 12 million new cases were recorded last week, according to WHO regional figures, the highest number since the pandemic began two years ago.
The WHO regional department for Europe today urged health authorities to focus efforts on protecting the most vulnerable populations.
Source: Cyprus Times
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