The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) provided interim guidance on Wednesday 5 April to help national competent authorities develop effective vaccination campaigns against Covid-19 for the autumn and winter of 2023.
On the one hand, the Centre found that with each new wave of Covid-19, older people were more likely to be hospitalised.
On the other hand, the Centre points out that there is no clear indication of seasonality in SARS-CoV-2 activity. However, for the ECDC, the available data indicate that the impact of the virus is higher in autumn and winter, seasons that correspond to higher transmission rates of seasonal influenza.
ECDC’s mathematical model indicates that sustained vaccination campaigns in autumn 2023, targeting people aged 60 years and over, would be likely to prevent up to 32% of Covid-19-related hospitalisations in the European Union and the European Economic Area.
Furthermore, the ECDC indicates that, provided very high vaccination coverage is achieved, combining such a vaccination programme in autumn 2023 for people aged 60 and over with a vaccination campaign in spring 2023 for people aged 80 and over could prevent up to 44% of Covid-19-related hospitalisations.
The Centre suggests that the relevant national authorities develop communication campaigns targeted at high-priority groups, using reliable channels and messengers and providing clear information.
Link to ECDC guidance document: https://aeur.eu/f/67q (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)