The coronavirus pandemic is not over and Member States must maintain a high level of vigilance and preparedness for new cases and variants, the European Commission warned on Wednesday, proposing new actions to manage the current phase of the pandemic, but also to prepare for the next .
“New variations can appear and spread quickly”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “We are entering a new phase of the pandemic as we move from emergency operation to a more sustainable management of COVID-19. However, we must remain vigilant. Infection rates are still high in the EU and many people are still dying from COVID-19 worldwide. In addition, new variants can appear and spread quickly. But we know the way forward. “We need to further accelerate vaccination and booster doses, as well as targeted tests – and we need to continue to coordinate our responses closely in the EU.”
The Vice President of the Committee for the Promotion of the European Lifestyle, Margaritis Schoinas, underlined that “the COVID-19 pandemic is not over and the virus is here to stay. As health improves, we need to prepare for different scenarios and do so in a coordinated way. The new variations are not a question of whether they will exist but when. Improvisation and fragmentation are not an option. “Vigilance and readiness remain as necessary as ever and we must continue our work without stopping.”
The Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakidou, stressed that “vaccination, a strong coordinated EU approach and natural immunity provide a welcome window of opportunity to move from an emergency to a more sustainable management of COVID-19. Infection rates are still high in the EU, but the pressure on healthcare has eased and our societies and economies have reopened. Our citizens can finally enjoy this period with far fewer restrictions in daily life, after two and a half difficult years. But it is crucial that Member States maintain a high level of vigilance and preparedness for new cases and variants – the pandemic is not over. We need to do more, to be vaccinated worldwide, now that there is a supply of vaccines it is no longer a challenge. “How COVID-19 will continue to affect our lives in the coming years depends to a large extent on the decisions we make today, in the EU and worldwide.”
New actions to manage the current phase of the pandemic
In this context, the Commission proposes new actions to manage the current phase of the pandemic, but also to prepare for the next one.
In the new phase of the pandemic, and to move from the state of emergency to a more sustainable way, coordination will, once again, be necessary. The Commission therefore calls on the Member States to take steps before the autumn to ensure vigilance and continuous coordination of health preparedness and response.
Staying awake during the transition from the acute phase of COVID-19
The current lower levels of infection from COVID-19 offer Member States the opportunity to step up their surveillance, healthcare systems and overall pandemic preparedness.
In particular, the Commission calls on the Member States to:
• Intensification of vaccination and booster doses, taking into account the simultaneous release of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza.
• Establish integrated surveillance systems that no longer rely on identifying and reporting all COVID-19 cases, but on obtaining reliable and representative estimates.
• Continuation of targeted tests and sequencing of sufficient samples to accurately assess variant circulation and detect new variants.
• Invest in health care system recovery and assess the broader impact of the pandemic on health, including mental health and delays in treatment and care.
• Continue to coordinate rules to ensure free and safe travel, both within the EU and with international partners.
• Support the development of the next generation of vaccines and treatments.
Intensify the fight against misinformation and misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
Accelerating health digitization and the global dimension of COVID-19 control
At the same time, the Commission is announcing actions to ensure resilient supply chains throughout the pandemic, both for medical countermeasures and for critical products in all industrial ecosystems.
It is also currently launching the process of capturing product capacity within the EU FAB in three batches for mRNA vaccines, proteins and vectors. This will help maintain the new production capacity for use in future health emergencies. The invitation to tender is open to vaccine producers with installations in the EU / EEA, who can submit their application by 3 June 2022.
Based on these short-term actions, there are also measures to be taken in the medium and long term, such as further strengthening pandemic preparedness and coordination coordination between Member States, as well as globally. Such measures also include the implementation of the European Health Union proposals, addressing the wider impact of the pandemic on health, including “long-term COVID” and the burden on mental health, but also accelerating digitization in health.
Record
While fluctuating cases are occurring across Europe, increases do not lead to serious illness or death as often as before, thanks to extensive vaccination. The now dominant Omicron variant is less severe than the previous variants. However, the infections are still in the millions worldwide. Many people around the world are in lockdown. Many are still suffering or dying from COVID-19. Decreased immunity to infection and possible winter seasonality also increase the risk of developing and spreading new variants of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19.
As Member States implement new approaches to managing the ongoing pandemic, fragmented preparedness and response strategies risk undermining the benefits of coordinating health safety measures at EU level.
The Commission is therefore proposing an approach to managing this new phase of the pandemic, based on successful EU-level coordination on health preparedness and response.
The EU FAB initiative was announced in February 2021 to set up facilities ready for vaccine production and to ensure that current EU and EEA production capacity for mRNA, protein and viral vector vaccine types is maintained for future public health emergencies. .
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