Europe is once again at the center of the Covid-19 pandemic amid a “false sense of security” offered by vaccines, the director general of the World Health Organization, Tantros, Antanom Gebregesus, said today.
WHO officials have warned that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus will continue to spread as societies return to pre-pandemic mobility and contacts before the Christmas holiday season.
Last week, more than 60% of all Covid-19 cases and deaths worldwide were recorded in Europe, the Center said in a press conference.
“In many countries and communities, we are concerned about the false sense of security, that vaccines have ended the pandemic and that people who have been vaccinated do not need to take any further precautions,” he added.
Vaccination, mask use and social distancing are the keys to stopping the spread, according to WHO officials.
“We are lagging behind pre-epidemic levels of social interaction (in Europe)… even in the midst of a very strong increase in cases” and while in some countries health systems are under strong pressure, said WHO Emergency Management Director Mike Ryan. “And the reality is that the virus will continue to spread intensively in this environment,” he added.
Epidemiologist Maria van Kerkov noted that it is important to take measures during the holiday season, emphasizing: “Social measures do not mean locked down.”
WHO chief scientist Sumia Swaminathan, when asked about the European Union’s new recommendations on booster doses for people over the age of 40, said that vaccination of all adults and the most vulnerable groups should remain a priority. “Focus on the unvaccinated and high-risk groups,” he urged.
.
