Europe entering Covid pandemic ‘ceasefire’, says WHO
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The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Europe director says the continent could soon enter a “long period of tranquillity” in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Hans Kluge cited high vaccination rates, the end of winter and the less severe nature of the Omicron variant.
Speaking to reporters, he said: “This period of higher protection should be seen as a ‘ceasefire’ that could bring us enduring peace.”
It comes as a number of European nations end Covid-19 restrictions.
Dr Kluge from the WHO on Thursday urged European nations to continue with their vaccination campaigns and surveillance of strains, despite his talk of a “ceasefire”.
But he said he was confident the continent would be in a “better position… even with a more virulent variant” than Omicron.
“I believe that it is possible to respond to new variants that will inevitably emerge without re-installing the kind of disruptive measures we needed before,” Dr Kluge added.
He noted that some 12 million new virus cases were detected across Europe last week – the highest recorded – but said officials have not seen a significant spike in those needing critical hospital care.
Dr Kluge urged individual responsibility, further protection of at-risk groups and what he described as a “drastic and uncompromising increase in vaccine sharing across borders” to help protection worldwide.
Photo – An art mural depicting a medical worker smiling and giving a thumbs up painted by Italian artist Lapo Fatai, as a tribute to medical personnel who are fighting against the spread of Covid19, next to the San Luca Auxological Hospital in Milan, Italy. EPA-EFE/MATTEO BAZZI
