WHO/EuropeVarmennettu tili

Today, every single country in our Region is facing a real threat of #COVID19 resurgence or already fighting it @hans_kluge

The current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European Region, is of grave concern. #COVID19 cases are once again approaching record levels – with the more transmissible Delta variant continuing to dominate transmission across Europe and central Asia @hans_kluge

Last week with nearly 1.8 million new cases and 24,000 new deaths reported, Europe and central Asia saw a 6% increase & 12% increase respectively, as compared to the previous week. Over the past 4 weeks Europe has seen a greater than 55% increase in new #COVID19 cases @hans_kluge

Last week the European Region accounted for 59% of all cases globally & 48% of reported deaths. Cumulatively there are now more reported cases, 78 million, in the European Region than in South-East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Western Pacific & Africa combined @hans_kluge

We are, once again, at the epicenter @hans_kluge

We see increasing trends across all age groups of most concern is the rapid increase in the older population groups (since week 38), this is translating into more people with severe disease and dying. Currently 75% of fatal cases are in persons aged 65 years and above @hans_kluge

Hospitalization admission rates due to #COVID19 more than doubled in one week, based on WHO/Europe’s latest data @hans_kluge

According to one reliable projection, if we stay on this trajectory, we could see another half a million #COVID19 deaths in the Region by the first of February next year...

... and 43 countries in our Region will face high to extreme stress on hospital beds at some point through the same period @hans_kluge

So why has this Region been experiencing soaring cases for four consecutive weeks? There are two reasons: insufficient vaccination coverage and the relaxation of public health and social measures @hans_kluge

Vaccines continue to save thousands upon thousands of lives. Despite near record COVID-19 cases, new deaths are at approximately half the peak levels @hans_kluge

This reflects the life-saving effects of vaccines and the herculean task of health authorities, health workforce and communities to develop, administer and accept vaccines. One billion doses have now been administered in the Region @hans_kluge

Countries of the European Region are however at various stages of vaccination roll-out. On average, only 47% of people in the European Region have completed a full vaccination series. While 8 countries have now exceeded 70% coverage, in two the rate remains below 10% @hans_kluge

Where vaccine uptake is low, in many countries in the Baltics, Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans, hospital admission rates are high @hans_kluge

This variation in vaccination coverage reflects several issues around immunization service delivery as well as a lack of trust and/or complacency by some population groups. It's imperative that authorities invest all efforts to accelerate the pace of vaccination roll-out

We need to make sure countries in our Region with low vaccine coverage among priority groups increase their coverage @hans_kluge

Authorities are encouraged to offer an additional dose to moderately and severely immunocompromised people 1-3 months after they complete the primary vaccination series and to consider offering an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccines to all people over the age of 60 @hans_kluge

In addition, I urge countries to continue showing global solidarity through sharing of doses. Hospitalization rates in countries with low vaccine uptake are markedly higher and rising more quickly than in those with higher uptake @hans_kluge

Most people hospitalized and dying from COVID-19 today, are not fully vaccinated. The vaccines are indeed doing what they were intended to do - preventing severe illness and death @hans_kluge

Relaxing of public health and social measures Vaccines are our most powerful asset if used alongside other tools @hans_kluge

Reliable projections show: if we achieved 95% universal mask use – we could save 188,000 lives of the half a million lives we may lose before February 2022 @hans_kluge

Testing, contact tracing, the ventilation in indoor spaces, and physical distancing, remain part of our arsenal of defenses next to the rapid, fair and generalized uptake of vaccines by everyone eligible @hans_kluge

These are tried and tested measures that enable lives to continue, while controlling the virus and avoiding widespread, damaging lockdowns. We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of #COVID19, to preventing them from happening in the first place @hans_kluge

In the situation the European Region finds itself today, I am encouraged to see, over the past two weeks, 23 countries responsibly strengthen social measures, but I am concerned that 7 have eased-up @hans_kluge

Measures should be commensurate with the local epidemiology but with a widespread resurgence of #COVID19 I ask EVERY health authority to carefully re-consider easing or lifting of measures at this moment @hans_kluge

Preventive measures, when applied correctly and consistently - allow us to go on with our lives, not the opposite. Preventive measures do not deprive people of their freedom, they ensure it @hans_kluge

In other words, the best way to avoid lockdowns – an absolute last resort – is to apply such measures and keep #COVID19 transmission low @hans_kluge

As we enter the flu season, we face the prospect of both influenza and #COVID19 circulating. The same preventive measures work against both viruses, and we have effective and safe vaccines for both @hans_kluge

We are at another critical point of pandemic resurgence. Europe is back at the epicenter of the pandemic – where we were 1 year ago. The difference today is that we know more & we can do more, we have more tools & means to mitigate & reduce the damage to our communities & society

The current situation and alarming short-term projections should trigger us to act. Ultimately, we are only getting out of this pandemic if politicians, scientists and the public work together @hans_kluge