COVID-19
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COVID-19 updates
6 April 2022
ECDC / EMA
COVID-19: Joint statement from ECDC and EMA on the administration of a fourth dose of mRNA vaccines
EMA’s COVID-19 task force (ETF) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have reviewed currently available studies and epidemiological data to provide a common position for EU/EEA countries on the current need and potential benefit of a fourth dose (second booster dose) of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
18 March 2022
Displaced people from Ukraine hosted in reception centres should be offered free access to SARS-CoV-2 testing and vaccination for COVID-19. Additionally, protective measures are recommended by ECDC in the report Guidance for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in temporary reception centres in the context of the displacement of people from Ukraine, published on 18 March.
17 March 2022
This study aims to describe migrants’ hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccination during the early phase of the vaccination campaign.
European Commission
Coronavirus response: monitoring of wastewater contributes to tracking coronavirus and variants across all EU countries
15 March
European Journal of Public Health
Depressive symptoms in higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of containment measures
This paper examined the cross-national variation in students’ depressive symptoms and whether this can be related to the various protective measures implemented in response to the initial stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.
10 March 2022
This paper aims to estimate excess mortality from the COVID-19 pandemic in 191 countries and territories, and 252 subnational units for selected countries, from Jan 1, 2020, to Dec 31, 2021.
2 March 2022
EuroHealthNet co-authors four COVID-19 vignettes for the COVID-19 Health Systems Response Monitor
EuroHealthNet has worked with the European Observatory for Health Systems and Policies to produce four vignettes to be published in the COVID-19 Health Systems Response Monitor (HSRM). This is a tool developed by the European Observatory for Health Systems and Policies to monitor, collect and organise information on different countries’ health systems’ response to the COVID-19 crisis.
25 February 2022
PHIRI project
Rapid Exchange Forum (REF)
PHIRI, the Population Health Information Research Infrastructure, organizes every two weeks a Rapid Exchange Forum (REF) on COVID-19 activities. In this one hour meeting, the participants belonging to European public health institutes, ministry of health or research and universities answer and discuss the experiences in their own countries on specific questions related to COVID-19 measures submitted until 24 hours prior the start of the meeting.
This allows a rapid exchange of information across countries to compare e.g. vaccination priorities, tests usage, mortality indicators and measures adopted for the containment of the pandemic and learn from other countries’ experiences.
On 28 February, the questions will be the following:
- Was the 'state-of-emergency' activated in your country when the pandemic hit, or other emergency legislation set in place in order to set up a COVID-19 monitoring and surveillance system, including regulations for data access and linkage of data sources? Did your constitution already include such mechanisms before COVID-19?
- In terms of future preparedness strategies, as this state of emergency or emergency decrees are temporary, what will happen to your COVID-19 monitoring mechanism on the long run? Has a long-term strategy been developed to ensure the continuity of surveillance of COVID-19 and research?
You can access the minutes of those meetings and have a look at the above-mentioned questions on PHIRI's website.
22 February 2022
International Journal of Health Planning and Management
Health system resilience and health workforce capacities: Comparing health system responses during the COVID-19 pandemic in six European countries
The aim of this paper is to analyse the adaptive, absorptive and transformative capacities of the health workforce during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe (January-May/June 2020), and to assess how health systems prerequisites influence these capacities.
9 February 2022
Wemos
Review of initiatives for access to Covid-19 innovations
Wemos, website that provides an up-to-date overview of international initiatives by public institutions to enhance access to medical products against Covid-19, such as vaccines, medicines and diagnostics. It presents their characteristics and reviews their potential to contribute to an equitable and effective response to the current and future pandemics, as well as the support they need to become successful. Among the assessed initiatives are COVAX, the TRIPS Waiver and the South African mRNA hub.
25 January 2022
The BMJ Global Health
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on movement behaviours of children and adolescents: a systematic review
This systematic review examines examine the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on children and adolescents’ movement behaviours. It concludes that they were detrimental to children and adolescents’ movement behaviours, with stricter lockdowns tending to have a bigger impact.
24 January 2022
WHO
732 days of COVID-19 in the WHO European Region – in 15 figures
21 January 2022
WHO
Two years of COVID-19: What it takes to run an emergency response across 53 countries
As the world enters the third year of the COVID-19 response, the Incident Management Support Team (IMST) continues its work, while at the same time collaborating with countries in planning for the post-pandemic period of “building back better” for more inclusive and resilient health systems.
19 January 2022
European Journal of Public Health - SUPPLEMENT
Guest editors: Dineke Zeegers Paget, Iveta Nagyova, Peter Allebeck
- COVID-19: What have we learned? What are the public health challenges?
- Research into policy: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic
- Reducing the impact of the coronavirus on disadvantaged migrants and ethnic minorities
- Health workforce protection and preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a tool for the rapid assessment of EU health systems
- Early warning indicators of COVID-19 burden for a prosilient European pandemic response
- Taking care of the ordinary in extraordinary times—delayed routine care means more morbidity and pre-mature mortality
- The COVID-19 disaster and mental health—assessing, responding and recovering
- Environment—lockdown, air pollution and related diseases: could we learn something and make it last?
- Precarious employment and health in the context of COVID-19: a rapid scoping umbrella review
- Ethical implications of COVID-19: vulnerabilities in a global perspective
- The accountability of the private sector towards citizens in times of crisis: vaccines, medicines and equipment
European Journal of Public Health - SUPPLEMENT videos
In order to make those articles accessible to most, we have asked the authors of the articles to present the background and main findings of their articles in 2 minutes subtitled videos. Access them below!
- COVID-19: What have we learned? What are the public health challenges?
- Research into policy: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic
- Reducing the impact of the coronavirus on disadvantaged migrants and ethnic minorities
- Health workforce protection and preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a tool for the rapid assessment of EU health systems
- Early warning indicators of COVID-19 burden for a prosilient European pandemic response
- Taking care of the ordinary in extraordinary times—delayed routine care means more morbidity and pre-mature mortality
- The COVID-19 disaster and mental health—assessing, responding and recovering
- Environment—lockdown, air pollution and related diseases: could we learn something and make it last?
- Precarious employment and health in the context of COVID-19: a rapid scoping umbrella review
- Ethical implications of COVID-19: vulnerabilities in a global perspective
- The accountability of the private sector towards citizens in times of crisis: vaccines, medicines and equipment
WHO
The Omicron variant: sorting fact from myth
Through monitoring the media, social media and common search engine search terms, and working with fact checkers, the WHO/Europe is able to address some of the myths surrounding Omicron, and to give more explanation about the actual facts.
14 January 2022
7 January 2022
Considering the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of concern, ECDC is proposing options regarding quarantine and isolation, and recommendations that can be adapted and implemented by EU/EEA Member States when resources are limited and when there is high pressure on healthcare systems and other functions in society (e.g. staff shortage and reduced resources). Due to limited scientific evidence on the epidemiological characteristics of Omicron, the proposed options are not evidence based and may imply an additional risk for transmission.
The BMJ
Covid-19: Fourth vaccine doses—who needs them and why?
3 January 2022
ECDC
COVID-19 situation update for the EU/EEA, as of 3 January 2022
The BMJ
Covid-19: An urgent call for global “vaccines-plus” action
"A vaccines-plus approach should be adopted globally. This strategy will slow the emergence of new variants and ensure they exist in a low transmission background where they can be controlled by effective public health measures, while allowing everyone (including those clinically vulnerable) to go about their lives more freely."
20 December 2021
ECDC
Methods for the detection and characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 variants - first update
This technical report provides guidance to laboratories, microbiology experts and relevant stakeholders in making decisions on establishing or scaling up capability and capacity to detect and identify circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. It will also facilitate decision-making on the appropriate technologies to use and for which objective.
The Lancet
Diagnostics for COVID-19: moving from pandemic response to control
In this paper, authors discuss how the role of diagnostics in both clinical medicine and control of the pandemic has evolved over time with increased knowledge about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its mode of transmission, and the understanding that it is destined to become endemic.
13 December 2021
The Lancet Public Health
The effect of mandatory COVID-19 certificates on vaccine uptake: synthetic-control modelling of six countries
This article concludes that mandatory COVID-19 certification could increase vaccine uptake, but interpretation and transferability of findings need to be considered in the context of pre-existing levels of vaccine uptake and hesitancy, eligibility changes, and the pandemic trajectory.
7 December 2021
EMA
EMA and ECDC recommendations on heterologous vaccination courses against COVID-19
3 December 2021
Read the latest update on Omicron from ECDC.
1 December 2021
European Commission
Communication: Addressing together current and new COVID-19 challenges
Communication of the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Adressing together current and new COVID-19 challenges.
26 November 2021
European Commission
EU replaces COVID-19 vaccines export authorisation mechanism with new monitoring tool
The EU will not extend the COVID-19 vaccines export transparency and authorisation mechanism, which expires on 31 December 2021. This means that, as of 1 January 2022, vaccine producers will no longer have to request an authorisation for the export of vaccines outside the EU.
25 November 2021
European Commission
COVID-19 Travel and health measures in the EU
Factsheet
24 November 2021
"The current epidemiological situation is to a large part driven by the high transmissibility of the Delta variant that counteracts the reduction in transmission achieved by the current vaccination rollout in the EU/EEA."
ECDC statement: Risk of very high COVID-19 burden unless public health measures are applied urgently
"We have safe and effective vaccines available and until a larger part of the eligible population is immunised, non-pharmaceutical interventions must continue to remain part of our daily routine." says Andrea Ammon, ECDC Director.
11 November 2021
BMJ
[VIDEO] Covid unknowns: Population and herd immunity
EMA
COVID-19: EMA recommends authorisation of two monoclonal antibody medicines
EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended authorising Ronapreve (casirivimab/imdevimab) and Regkirona (regdanvimab) for COVID-19.
ECDC
Overview of the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment plans in the EU/EEA
This report provides an updated overview of the progress of national COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment in European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries, including updates on:
- overall vaccine uptake and uptake by target group;
- vaccination strategies and policies;
- challenges and good practice with the rollout, including vaccine acceptance and uptake.
10 November 2021
ECDC
New update of the ECDC COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
On 10 November 2021 ECDC released an updated version of its COVID- 19 Vaccine Tracker with additional information, new indicators, and improved features for visualisation.
9 November 2021
ECDC
[VIDEO] Five C's to boost COVID-19 vaccination
Confidence - Constraints - Complacency - Calculation - Collective responsibility.
These "five C's" have a major influence on one's decision on vaccination. How can we raise the COVID-19 vaccine uptake and acceptance?
John Kinsman, ECDC's expert on Social an Behaviour change, explains.
OECD
The health impact of COVID-19
Find out more about the health impact of COVID-19 in the Health at a Glance 2021 report from the OECD.
3 November 2021
WHO
WHO issues emergency use listing for eighth COVID-19 vaccine
On November 3rd, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an emergency use listing (EUL) for COVAXIN® (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2.
26 October 2021
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has published the first update of the technical report Options for the use of rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) for COVID-19 in the EU/EEA, originally released in November 2020.
In conclusion, ECDC considers that appropriately validated RADTs, which are part of the HSC list, could be used to certify that a person has recovered from a past COVID-19 infection. However, self-test RADTs should not be used for issuing a formal certificate as proper sampling is crucial for diagnosis, and if testing is not performed correctly, a reliable test cannot be assured.
22 October 2021
European Commission
European Health Union: Commission establishes portfolio of 10 most promising treatments for COVID-19
Delivering on a key action from the EU Strategy on COVID-19 Therapeutics, the Commissionhas established a portfolio of 10 potential COVID-19 therapeutics. The list established is based on independent scientific advice, and focuses on COVID-19 treatment candidates that are likely to be authorised and therefore available on the European market soon.
21 October 2021
'COVID-19 vaccines have been developed to save lives, not to eliminate the virus and halt its transmission. Yet, the more people who get vaccinated the easier it is to bring transmission under control. Reaching 70% coverage everywhere is still our goal if we wish to stabilize the crisis.'
18 October 2021
This publication offers practical guidance to EU/EEA countries, encouraging them to transition from emergency surveillance for COVID-19 to more sustainable, objective-driven, surveillance systems.
15 October 2021
ECDC
Facilitating COVID-19 vaccination acceptance and uptake in the EU/EEA
This technical report presents considerations for European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries when diagnosing barriers to acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination, and designing and implementing interventions to increase uptake.
8 October 2021
ECDC
ECDC builds study infrastructure to monitor COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness
ECDC is creating new infrastructure to allow for regular monitoring and analysis of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) over time, using a multi-country approach, through the implementation of studies in different settings. One of these settings is hospitals, where the primary aim is to assess vaccine effectiveness against severe disease.
EJPH
SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks on Danish mink farms and mitigating public health interventions
SARS-CoV-2 infections among farmed mink in Denmark significantly link to local human infection trends. Strict animal and human disease surveillance in regions with mink farming should be pursued internationally to mitigate future epidemic developments.
7 October 2021
The Lancet Regional Health Europe
Multi-country collaboration in responding to global infectious disease threats: lessons for Europe from the COVID-19 pandemic
In this Health Policy article, authors examine the case for multilateral collaboration on threats from infectious disease. While recognising that there are many perspectives we could adopt, including those from the international relations literature, they begin with the economic case for collaboration, looking at two types of goods with substantial inter-country effects: shared knowledge and population immunity.
Euractiv / Reuteurs
New EU travel map to be based on vaccination rates
The ECDC is proposing a revision of COVID-19 rules which could ease travel for vaccinated people and drop a colour-coded system that limits trips to and from areas with high levels of infections.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Job loss and lower healthcare utilisation due to COVID-19 among older adults across 27 European countries
The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and predictors of COVID-19-related unemployment and healthcare utilisation in a sample of older adults across 27 European countries. In conclusion, job loss and lower healthcare utilisation for non-COVID-19-related reasons were common among older adults and were associated with several sociodemographic characteristics. Job loss appeared to disproportionally affect already economically vulnerable individuals, raising concerns about the exacerbation of social inequalities.
5 October 2021
The BMJ Opinion
Unpacking vaccine “hesitancy:” the spectrum of vaccine acceptance
'Not everyone who is not ready to have a vaccine is an “anti-vaxxer” and only by acknowledging this, working with diverse communities and understanding the range of people’s concerns are we likely to win them over to the side of public health interventions.'
30 September 2021
The risk assessed in this update is as follows: based on current levels of vaccination coverage and the dominance of the Delta variant in the EU/EEA, what risk does SARS-CoV-2 pose to the general population and the vulnerable population in the coming months?
27 September 2021
The BMJ Global Health
Characterising long COVID: a living systematic review
This study aims to regularly synthesise evidence on long COVID characteristics, to help inform clinical management, rehabilitation strategies and interventional studies to improve long-term outcomes.
23 September 2021
ECDC
Overview of the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment plans in the EU/EEA
This report provides an updated overview of the progress of national COVID-19 vaccination strategies in EU/EEA countries, including updates on: vaccine uptake overall and by target group; current vaccination phases and priority groups, as well as any adjustments made to priority groups during the rollout; vaccination strategies and policies in place; and the use of vaccination certificates and challenges countries face with the rollout and good practices to mitigate these challenges.
The BMJ
Covid-19 vaccination: evidence of waning immunity is overstated
In conclusion, the risks of remaining unvaccinated are clear and far outweigh the unknown benefits of re-vaccinating the general population. Rapid scale-up of vaccination coverage globally remains the most urgent public health priority.
15 September 2021
Nature
The fight to manufacture COVID vaccines in lower-income countries
Drug companies and wealthy countries are facing increased pressure to partner with firms in the global south but are reluctant to relinquish control.
11 September 2021
European Journal of Public Health
Social distancing measures: barriers to their implementation and how they can be overcome – a systematic review
This review identifies the need for good communication as well as the need for authorities to provide comprehensive support as two key opportunities to increase acceptability and adherence.
3 September 2021
ECDC has awarded more than 77 M€ to 24 EU/EEA countries to strengthen whole genome sequencing and RT-PCR infrastructures within the countries’ national public health programmes.
2 September 2021
European Journal of Public Health
COVID-19 vaccines a global public good? Moving past the rhetoric and making work of sharing intellectual property rights, know-how and technology
'In spite of the fact that vaccines were soon crowned ‘global public goods’, little came of it in reality, and low-income countries are dependent on inadequate donation-based systems. Key in changing the tide is to ensure better global access, for which more vaccines must become available. To this end, Intellectual property (IP) rights, know-how and technology must be shared to maximize vaccine production.'
1 September 2021
ECDC
Interim public health considerations for the provision of additional COVID-19 vaccine doses
This document aims to provide the target audience with interim public health considerations for the provision of additional COVID-19 vaccine doses.
31 August 2021
European Commission
Coronavirus: 70% of the EU adult population fully vaccinated
On August 31st, the EU has reached a crucial milestone with 70% of the adult population now fully vaccinated. In total, over 256 million adults in the EU have now received a full vaccine course. Seven weeks ago already, the Commission's delivery target was met, ahead of time: to provide Member States, by the end of July, with enough vaccine doses to fully vaccinate 70% of the adult EU population.
24 August 2021
Nature
Monitoring non-pharmaceutical public health interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic
Measuring and monitoring non-pharmaceutical interventions is important yet challenging due to the need to clearly define and encode non-pharmaceutical interventions, to collect geographically and socially representative data, and to accurately document the timing at which interventions are initiated and changed. These challenges highlight the importance of integrating and triangulating across multiple databases and the need to expand and fund the mandate for public health organizations to track interventions systematically.
17 August 2021
Nature
The WHO is right to call a temporary halt to COVID vaccine boosters
'If vaccines were not scarce, boosters would be less controversial. But to focus on boosters when more than half the world lacks vaccine doses is short-sighted and will only keep the pandemic burning longer. For wealthy countries, this strategy means they will be indefinitely chasing their tails in terms of new variants. And for the rest of the world, it means prolonging unnecessary suffering.'
12 August 2021
WHO
WHO Statement on advancing the next series of studies to find the origins of SARS-CoV-2
The International Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens, or SAGO, is a new advisory group for WHO, which will be responsible for advising WHO on the development of a global framework to systematically study the emergence of future emerging pathogens with pandemic potential. For SARS-CoV-2, it will support the rapid undertaking of recommended studies outlined in the March 2021 report.
10 August 2021
The Lancet Public Health
Effects of adjusting public health, travel, and social measures during the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination: a modelling study
In this paper, authors aimed to evaluate to what extent travel restrictions and other PHSMs can be relaxed without exacerbating the local and global spread of COVID-19.
9 August 2021
The BMJ
Covid-19: How effective are vaccines against the delta variant?
'While it’s sobering to see cases occurring in fully vaccinated people, their protection is holding up well, as judged by numbers of hospital admissions and fatalities relative to what might have been. As Iwasaki puts it: the message should still be to get vaccinated as soon as possible.'
The Lancet
Towards a European strategy to address the COVID-19 pandemic
'The pandemic is yet to be overcome, but an end is conceivable. Restrictions can be lifted when high vaccination coverage is reached, and if vaccines remain highly effective against VOCs. However, until then, the goal should be to minimise economic and societal costs for Europe and for the world. Maintaining and communicating a clear strategy is key, and pan-European coordination and common goals across countries are more important than ever.'
The Lancet Digital Health
Predicted COVID-19 positive cases, hospitalisations, and deaths associated with the Delta variant of concern, June–July, 2021
Building on methods previously described in the context of the first and second waves in largely unvaccinated individuals, authors developed a prediction model that estimates the likelihood of hospitalisation and deaths of people currently positive, and people predicted to be positive, with COVID-19 over a 4-week time horizon.
4 August 2021
ECDC
ECDC and EMA update on COVID-19
This update stresses that full vaccination is key to protecting against serious COVID-19, including disease caused by the Delta variant.
Reuters
WHO calls for halting COVID-19 vaccine boosters in favor of unvaccinated
The World Health Organization is calling for a halt on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September, its head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday, as the gap between vaccinations in wealthy and poor countries widens.
27 July 2021
Science Daily
How relaxing COVID-19 restrictions could pave the way for vaccine resistance
This article describes how we are in an 'arms race' with the virus and how rising cases could provide opportunities for it to evolve into even more transmissible variants.
26 July 2021
The BMJ
Long covid—mechanisms, risk factors, and management
This review summarizes studies of the long term effects of covid-19 in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients and describes the persistent symptoms they endure. Risk factors for acute covid-19 and long covid and possible therapeutic options are also discussed.
23 July 2021
Dr Kluge has a clear message for those countries in the Europe region easing public health and social measures. “WHO recommends that countries increase access to free of charge testing, expand sequencing, incentivize quarantine for contacts and isolation for confirmed cases, strengthen contact tracing to break chains of transmission and ensure those most at risk among our populations are vaccinated.”
22 July 2021
This document provides a review of evidence on three topics of interest (effectiveness of partial vaccination, immunogenicity and effectiveness of vaccination for previously infected individuals and safety and immunogenicity of heterologous schedules) to inform ongoing decision-making in relation to national vaccination policies and strategies in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries.
European Commission
Coronavirus: Commission steps up research funding with €120 million for 11 new projects to tackle the virus and its variants
The Commission has short-listed 11 new projects worth €120 million from Horizon Europe, the biggest European research and innovation programme (2021-2027), for supporting and enabling urgent research into the coronavirus and its variants. The 11 short-listed projects involve 312 research teams from 40 countries, including 38 participants from 23 countries outside of the EU.
Read more about the projects here.
16 July 2021
There has been a 64.3% increase of weekly COVID-19 cases compared to last week, according to ECDC’s epidemic intelligence and TESSy data reported by EU and EEA countries, as of 15 July 2021.
EUPHA
COVID-19 Response and Preparedness Seminar Series Webinar 1: TRIPS - recording available
The European Public Health Association (EUPHA) in collaboration with the French Public Health Association (Société Française de Santé Publique) (SFSP), and with the support of the EUPHA Health technology assessment section (EUPHA-HTA), are organising a series of events to raise awareness and to share the knowledge of experts on key aspects regarding: COVID-19 Preparedness and Response.
The first webinar of this series took place on July 6. The speakers presented and discussed the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (#TRIPS) Agreement, the relevance of a temporary waiver and of voluntary licensing, as well as knowledge transfer and vaccine distribution mechanisms. This first seminar also focused on the role of the European Union and of its Member States regarding these issues.
14 July 2021
EMA
EMA and ECDC update on COVID-19
10 July 2021
European Commission
Statement by President von der Leyen on the EU reaching the milestone of vaccine deliveries to vaccinate 70% of EU adults
8 July 2021
ECDC
COVID-19 in children and the role of school settings in transmission - second update
The aim of this document is to provide an update on the knowledge surrounding the role of children in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the role of schools in the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing in particular on the experience in EU/EEA countries since the beginning of the pandemic. This document also addresses transmission to and from staff in school settings, school-related mitigation measures including risk communication, testing, contact tracing, and the effectiveness and impacts of school closures.
1 July 2021
European Commission
EU Digital COVID Certificate enters into application in the EU
As of July 1st, the EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation enters into application. This means that EU citizens and residents will now be able to have their Digital COVID Certificates issued and verified across the EU. 21 Member States as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein had already started to issue certificates ahead of today's deadline, and five EU countries are starting today.
EUPHA, EUPHA-HTA, French Piblic Health Association
COVID-19 Response and Preparedness Seminar Series: TRIPS Waiver, Knowledge Transfer and Vaccine Distribution - 6 July
The European Public Health Association (EUPHA) in collaboration with the French Public Health Association (Société Française de Santé Publique) (SFSP), and with the support of EUPHA’s Health Technology Assessment Section (EUPHA-HTA), are organising a series of events to raise awareness and to share the knowledge of experts on key aspects regarding:
COVID-19 Preparedness and Response.
We are delighted to announce the first webinar of this series will take place on:
July 6, at 3:30 – 5 pm CEST (Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam) / 9:30 – 11 am EDT (New York)
Register now: https://bit.ly/3wYgUTP
23 June 2021
ECDC
Threat Assessment Brief: Implications for the EU/EEA on the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of concern
The aim of this threat assessment brief is to assess potential public health implications of the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of concern (VOC) for the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA).
17 June 2021
Resolve to Save Lives, Surgo Ventures
Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake - A Four-Step Framework to Promote Access, Acceptance and Equity
This guide provides a framework for identifying and mapping the most useful data sources onto learnings from community engagement to continuously build context-specific interventions and evaluate your success.
14 June 2021
ECDC
Overview of the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment plans in the EU/EEA
This report provides an updated overview of the progress of national COVID-19 vaccination strategies in EU/EEA countries, including updates on: vaccine uptake overall and by target group; current vaccination phases and priority groups, as well as any adjustments made to priority groups during the rollout; vaccination strategies and policies in place; and the use of vaccination certificates and challenges countries face with the rollout and good practices to mitigate these challenges.
European Commission
EU clears way for the EU Digital COVID Certificate
Today, the Presidents of the three EU institutions, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission attended the official signing ceremony for the Regulation on the EU Digital COVID Certificate, marking the end of the legislative process.
10 June 2021
European Parliament
Parliament calls for COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver
To accelerate global vaccine rollout, MEPs demand the temporary lifting of intellectual property rights protection for COVID-19 vaccines.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases
Should we vaccinate children against SARS-CoV-2?
"There might be a case for vaccinating children in the not-too-distant future. However, whether at present the children of high-income countries should be prioritised for vaccination over vulnerable adults in LMICs is a matter for serious ethical and practical debate."
9 June 2021
European Parliament
Parliament gives its final green light to the EU Digital COVID Certificate
MEPs completed today the legislative work on the EU digital COVID Certificate package to facilitate travel within the EU and contribute to the economic recovery. What you need to know:
- The certificate will be issued free of charge by national authorities and be available in either digital or paper format containing a QR code.
- The document will certify that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has a recent negative test result or has recovered from the infection. In practice, these will be three distinct certificates.
- A common EU framework will make certificates interoperable and verifiable across the European Union, as well as prevent fraud and forgery.
- The system will apply from 1 July 2021 and be in place for 12 months. The certificate will not be a precondition for free movement and will not be considered a travel document.
8 June 2021
WHO
Virtual press briefing on COVID-19: situation in the WHO European Region
When: Thursday 10 June 2021, 11:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST)
WHO/Europe will hold its regular virtual press briefing with Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, and technical experts. The briefing will present a situation update on COVID-19 in the WHO European Region and answer media questions.
The virtual press briefing will be broadcast live on WHO/Europe’s Facebook account and on its Twitter profile
4 June 2021
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