The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) and the World Health Organization’s European office (WHO Europe) published on Monday 18 July public health considerations to prepare for the autumn and winter months amidst a rise in Covid-19 cases in Europe. So far, this upsurge concerns 23 of the 27 countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area.
In a first document, the two organisations call on states to complete campaigns for primary immunisation and the administration of a first booster dose to the general population, as well as an additional booster dose to people under 60 years of age and frail individuals, with existing vaccines.
Vaccines adapted to the Omicron variant could be licenced by the end of the last quarter of 2022 and could influence future vaccine strategies.
ECDC and WHO Europe recommend clear, evidence-based communication to reduce vaccine hesitancy.
The document is in line with the considerations expressed by Andrea Amon, Director of the ECDC, at her hearing in the European Parliament on 13 July (see EUROPE12992/15), and with the recent recommendations of the ECDC and the European Medicines Authority on the administration of a second vaccine booster dose (see EUROPE 12990/17).
The second technical publication from ECDC and WHO Europe provides operational recommendations for integrated surveillance of influenza, Covid-19 and possible other respiratory diseases in Europe. The document proposes criteria and recommendations for tracing and surveillance as well as for data transmission and case reporting.
Link to public health considerations: https://aeur.eu/f/2of
Link to the technical report: https://aeur.eu/f/2oh (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)