Newsletter - January 2021

1. Editorial
2. EUPHA update
3. European Public Health Week
4. European Public Health Conference
5. EUPHA members update
6. European Journal of Public Health
7. Call for proposals, job opportunities
8. Interesting news
9. Upcoming courses and conferences
10. Interesting publications
11. European Commission news
12. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control news
13. WHO news

1. Editorial

Welcome to this January edition of our newsletter, where you can find updates on EUPHA, our members, latest research as well as on WHO Europe, the European Commission and ECDC. 

We are pleased to announce the 3rd edition of our European Public Health Week and hope that many of you are planning to actively participate in this week (17-21 May). 

The European Public Health Conference 2021 has decided to be a virtual only event, as we are not sure whether travel will be widely possible this year. The abstract submission for this event is open as of Monday 1 February and we hope many of you will submit their work and research. 

Wishing you pleasant reading, 

Iveta Nagyova, EUPHA president, and Dineke Zeegers Paget, EUPHA executive director

2. EUPHA update

Marija Jevtic named European Climate Pact Ambassador

Marija Jevtic has been selected to be a European Climate Pact Ambassador as EUPHA-ENV section president. She advocates that 'the Global Paris Climate Agreement, SDGs and the EU Green Deal should be guiding principles and policy pathways for all the experts, and society at large.'
An excellent step to strengthen the ties between environment and health on the European stage.

https://europa.eu/climate-pact/ambassado...

World Congress on Public Health 2020: striving for solidarity in health

The WFPHA’s Walter Ricciardi, and EUPHA’s President Iveta Nagyova and Executive Director Dineke Zeegers Paget discuss the major achievements of the recent virtual World Congress on Public Health 2020.

Webinar on 'Legal Epidemiology and the Path to Better Health Law and Policy'

On 21 January, the UK Faculty of Public Health and the EUPHA Public Health and Law and EUPHA Ethics in Public Health Sections hosted another rich and successful session of the international webinar series on Public Health Ethics, Law and Human Rights for the Future of Humanity (#PHethicsseries).
You can watch the webinar recording here.
Speakers: Scott Burris (Temple University), Kelli Komro (Emory University), Benjamin van Rooij (University of Amsterdam), Matthew Kavanagh (O’Neill Institute, Georgetown University), Shelley Hearne (Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Advocacy) and Matthew Penn (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
For questions and updates, please contact Dr Farhang Tahzib at UKpublichealth.ethics@gmail.com

3. European Public Health Week

Third edition happens on 17-21 May 2021!

The aim of #EUPHW is to raise awareness about important public health themes and connect professionals contributing to public health across Europe. Each of the first two editions
registered more than 140 events in at least 30 countries.
This year’s themes:

• Monday 17 May: Communicating science and health
• Tuesday 18 May: New challenges in mental health
• Wednesday 19 May: Your local community
• Thursday 20 May: All for one health
• Friday 21 May: Leaving no one behind

Get involved: Any individual or institution is welcome to be an Event Host, Disseminator or Participant. An event submission form will be available soon at eupha.org/EUPHW
Questions/Sign up for updates: Contact Débora Miranda at euphacommunications@eupha.org.

The European Public Health Week is an initiative by the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) supported by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Co-funded under an operating grant from the European Union’s Health Programme.

4. European Public Health Conference

14TH EUROPEAN PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE, 10 - 12 NOVEMBER 2021

PUBLIC HEALTH FUTURES IN A CHANGING WORLD

EPH Conference 2021 goes virtual
In light of the current pandemic and the uncertain future, we have after careful consideration decided to organise the EPH Conference 2021 as a virtual event. By going for a virtual event, we hope to provide clarity to our participants at an early stage. It will allow everyone to first focus on the new normal in their respective countries before traveling throughout Europe again. We were looking forward to welcoming everyone in Dublin, Ireland, but we are excited to organise an innovative and engaging virtual conference that will be rewarding for both presenters and attendees.

Theme and programme
The theme of the virtual EPH Conference 2021 is ‘Public health futures in a changing world’. Public health has changed a lot in the last thirty years. Whole subdisciplines, for example health informatics, and public health genomics, have grown up in that time. Has the core practice of public health changed? Does it need to? If so, we need to identify futures for our discipline. We need to articulate more forcibly who we are, why we are, and why we are relevant?
Subthemes of the conference include:

•   Public health practice, training and workforces for the future
•   Digital health – person centred?
•   Climate change and public health – a dual role
•   Learning from the pandemic, and getting ready for the next one
•   Public health, social health, going back to go forwards.

The conference will be organised from Wednesday 10 until Friday 12 November. The programme will be much similar to previous EPH Conferences with plenary sessions, workshops, oral and poster presentations and Join the Networks. Most sessions will be live with interaction and moderation. All parallel sessions are 60-minutes. More information about the programme is available on our website shortly.

Abstract submission opens 1 February
Abstract submission for the virtual 14th EPH Conference 2021 is open from 1 February 2021 until 1 May 2021. Abstracts are invited for workshops, oral presentations, pitch presentations and E-posters. All sessions will be 60 minutes. Do not miss the opportunity to be recognised for your hard work. More information will be announced on our website.

Abstract mentoring programme
EPH Conference offers an Abstract Mentoring Programme providing an opportunity for young and/or less experienced abstract submitters to receive feedback from experienced reviewers. The programme opens 1 February 2021 and is targeted at researchers who have limited access to colleagues to ask for guidance and comments on their proposed abstracts. More information will be announced on our website.

Registration
Registration for the virtual 14th EPH Conference opens 1 April 2021. Registration fees will be announced on our website.

5. EUPHA members update

2021 Congress of the French Society of Public Health

The French Society of Public Health will be organising its Congress, standing at the crossroads of research, intervention and public decision in October 2021. The central theme, 'Act in controversial and uncertain times: what can public health learn?', will explore, among other things, how the necessity to act fast meets the longer temporality to produce scientific knowledge.
Register
Submit an abstract
More about the themes

6. European Journal of Public Health

Advance articles - January 2021

Learning from past mistakes? The COVID-19 Vaccine and the Inverse Equity Hypothesis
Adam Todd, Clare Bambra

Disability pension among persons with chronic disease: Differential impact of a Danish policy reform
Jimmi Mathisen, Natasja Koitzsch Jensen, Jakob Bue Bjorner, Henrik Brønnum-Hansen, Ulla Christensen, Karsten Thielen, Anne Kristine Gadeberg, Ingelise Andersen

The association between migration and smoke-free families: how do migrants from different world regions compare?
Martin Mlinarić, Emma Kohler, Anton E Kunst, Vincent Lorant, Arja Rimpelä, Laura Hoffmann, Daniela Anastasi, Matthias Richter

Efforts needed for preventing breast and colorectal cancer through changes in dietary patterns
Patrick Mullie, Gilles Guillot, Cécile Pizot, Philippe Autier, Peter Boyle

The association between migration and smoke-free families: how do migrants from different world regions compare?
Martin Mlinarić, Emma Kohler, Anton E Kunst, Vincent Lorant, Arja Rimpelä, Laura Hoffmann, Daniela Anastasi, Matthias Richter

Efforts needed for preventing breast and colorectal cancer through changes in dietary patterns
Patrick Mullie, Gilles Guillot, Cécile Pizot, Philippe Autier, Peter Boyle

Strategy for finding occupational health survey participants at risk of long-term sickness absence
Corné A M Roelen, Marieke F A van Hoffen, Jos W R Twisk, Martijn W Heymans

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli diagnosed by Stx PCR: assessing the public health risk of non-O157 strains
K J Carroll, C Jenkins, L Harvey-Vince, K Mohan, S Balasegaram

Epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 cases in non-Italian nationals notified to the Italian surveillance system
Massimo Fabiani, Alberto Mateo-Urdiales, Xanthi Andrianou, Antonino Bella, Martina Del Manso, Stefania Bellino, Maria C Rota, Stefano Boros, Maria F Vescio, Fortunato P D'Ancona, Andrea Siddu, Ornella Punzo, Antonietta Filia, Silvio Brusaferro, Giovanni Rezza, Maria G Dente, Silvia Declich, Patrizio Pezzotti, Flavia Riccardo, the COVID-19 working group

Socioeconomic inequality in telephone triage on triage response, hospitalization and 30-day mortality
Hejdi Gamst-Jensen, Andrea Nedergaard Jensen, Erika Frischknecht Christensen, Freddy Lippert, Mikkel Brabrand, Ingrid Egerod, Lau C Thygesen, Janne S Tolstrup, Linda Huibers

Public support for European cooperation in the procurement, stockpiling and distribution of medicines
Roel Beetsma, Brian Burgoon, Francesco Nicoli, Anniek de Ruijter, Frank Vandenbroucke

Socioeconomic position and risk of unplanned hospitalization among nursing home residents: a nationwide cohort study
Katharina Allers, Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga, Stefan Fors, Lucas Morin

Dose-related and contextual aspects of suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy among persons living with HIV in Western Europe
Babatunde Akinwunmi, Daniel Buchenberger, Jenny Scherzer, Martina Bode, Paolo Rizzini, Fabio Vecchio, Laetitia Roustand, Gaelle Nachbaur, Laurent Finkielsztejn, Vasiliki Chounta, Nicolas Van de Velde

Association between health literacy and colorectal cancer screening behaviors in adults in Northwestern Turkey
Nuket Pancar, Yeliz Mercan

Exposure to multiple childhood social risk factors and adult body mass index trajectories from ages 20 to 64 years
Rishi Caleyachetty, Mai Stafford, Rachel Cooper, Emma L Anderson, Laura D Howe, Theodore D Cosco, Diana Kuh, Rebecca Hardy

Johan P. Mackenbach. A History of Population Health: Rise and Fall of Disease in Europe. Leiden – Boston: Brill-Rodopi, 2020. 430 pp. ISBN 978-90-04-42582-8
Diana M J Delnoij

Demographic and public health characteristics explain large part of variability in COVID-19 mortality across countries
Ondrej Hradsky, Arnost Komarek

Predicting difference in mean survival time from cause-specific hazard ratios for women diagnosed with breast cancer
Eeva-Liisa Røssell, Laura O Bornhøft, Mette Lise Lousdal, Henrik Støvring

Lifetime costs and lifetime net public expenditures of smoking
Susanne R Rasmussen, Jes Søgaard, Jakob Kjellberg

Health-related quality of life among rural adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study
Ning Kang, Xiaotian Liu, Wei Liao, Runqi Tu, Shengxiang Sang, Zhihan Zhai, Jian Hou, Chongjian Wang, Xiaoqiong Wang, Yuqian Li

Introduction of user fee for language interpretation: effects on use of interpreters in Danish health care
Camilla Michaëlis, Allan Krasnik, Marie Norredam

Immediate and long-term health impact of exposure to gas-mining induced earthquakes and related environmental stressors
Michel L A Dückers, Christos Baliatsas, Peter Spreeuwenberg, Robert A Verheij, Lennart Reifels, C Joris Yzermans

7. Call for proposals, job opportunities

Call for papers: Special section in the International Journal of Communication

The title of the call is "COVID-19, Digital Media, & Health," and it covers broad perspectives on digital media use and health in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Submissions can be sent until March 1, 2021. Given the relevance and timeliness of the topic, we will perform a "fast-track review process" to ensure timely publication and dissemination.

Call for manuscripts: Digitalization for precision healthcare

The goal of this special issue is to collect strategies, models and evidence concerning the use of data-driven approaches, digital tools and infrastructures which enable precision healthcare.
Examples of topics (include but are not limited to):

• Innovative digital tools and platforms to improve access to healthcare services, the prevention of chronic illnesses, the self-management of medical conditions, the patient’s education and engagement for health improvement
• Health systems’ governance models to improve healthcare delivery and preparedness of health systems
• Evaluation and impact assessment techniques of the digitalization for precision healthcare on patients, caregivers, providers and health systems

Read more

Address assistance, support and integration of third-country national victims of trafficking in human beings

TOPIC ID: AMIF-2020-AG-CALL-05
Deadline date:16 February 2021 17:00:00 Brussels time

Daniel Carasso Fellowship - PostDoctoral Aid

The Fundación Daniel y Nina Carasso is active in two focus areas: Sustainable Food, for universal access to healthy food that is safe for people and ecosystems; and Art & Citizenship, to develop critical thinking and reinforce social bonds. The Foundation supports projects in France and Spain by providing financial resources and by accompanying a broad diversity of people and projects.
The Daniel Carasso Fellowship targets excellent young postdoctoral researchers of any nationality and scientific discipline, who are contributing actively to the transition to the sustainability of food systems. The aid is endowed with 160 000 euros to cover the salary and research activities of the awardee in a Spanish university or research center for a two-year period. 
The deadline for submitting proposals is March 5, 2021. Candidates must be nominated by consolidated researchers (i.e., tenured professor, full professor, tenured scientist or equivalents) from Spanish universities or research centers (public or private non-profit), which could undertake to provide the necessary means to integrate the awardee into a research group.  
You can find further information about this initiative in the rules for the Call for Nominations (attached) and in the Calls section in the Foundation's website or here.

Fund for research on unintentional injuries, and urgent and emergency care, in low and middle income countries (LMICs)

The fourth call of the Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) programme will fund research on unintentional injuries, and urgent and emergency care, in low and middle income countries (LMICs).
Deadline date: Wednesday 10 February 2021, 13:00 UK time

Call for proposals Safer Road Users and Safer Vehicles - Round 18

Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety Road Safety Grants Programme
Deadline for submission: 10 February 2021, at 14:00 Central European Time (CET)

8. Interesting news

The Healthiest Goldfish: Why health, why here, and why now

Author: Sandro Galea
'Imagine you have a goldfish. You want it to live a long, healthy life. So, you feed it nutritious food. You buy it a tank with ample room for exercise. You put toys in the tank, so it has plenty of stimulation. When it is sick, you take it to the vet, who prescribes treatment. You think you have given your goldfish all it needs to live healthy. Then one day, you wake up and find your goldfish dead. Why did it die? You forgot to change its water.'

Shaping of post-COVID-19 EU: Only with organised civil society!

 'Christa Schweng, President, European Economic and Social Committee details the shaping of post-COVID-19 EU and argues that this is only possible with an organised civil society.'
Read other articles of the January 2021 edition of Open Access Government

Coordinating research on pandemic preparedness and rapid response

Dr Charu Kaushic, Chair of GloPID-R, and Dr Geneviève Boily-Larouche, CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity, provide a perspective on pandemic preparedness and response, including lessons learned for global coordination among research funders.

Protecting health workers: An urgent need for action

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to higher infection and death rates for health care workers compared to the general population. Sadly, this is not a new phenomenon. Health care worker infections threaten our ability to respond to disease outbreaks, and make all of us less safe.
The new report ‘Protecting our Front Line: How to Keep Health Care Workers Safe’ by Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies lays out recommendations for governments, health systems, and funders to address this problem. 

Let's talk e-cigarettes Podcast

A podcast by the University of Oxford
Since coming on the market over a decade ago, e-cigarettes have divided opinion. A team of Oxford researchers are searching for new e-cigarette studies every month. In this podcast, Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Dr Nicola Lindson discuss their Cochrane Review and emerging evidence.

The sobering truth: incentivizing alcohol death and disability - An NCD policy report

Vital Strategies | Policy report | 14 January 2021

The Sobering Truth: Incentivizing Alcohol Death and Disability, uncovers these “perverse incentives,” and also examines how the industry interferes in government policies that are aimed at reducing consumption of alcohol products. The report proposes key recommendations for countries to strengthen their health systems against the harmful use of alcohol.

Infographic - How mRNA vaccines protect you against COVID-19

Council of the European Union | Infrographic | January 2021
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infog...

A One Health approach to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic

HEAL | Briefing | 20th January 2021
'Many infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, SARS, Ebola, rabies, salmonella and West Nile virus are transmitted from wildlife to humans, and billions of people get sick and die from these viruses that are essentially environmental viruses. Protecting public health begins with the protection of environmental health and the adoption of a One Health approach.'

When the market becomes deadly - How pressures towards privatisation of health and long-term care put Europe on a poor footing for a pandemic

Corporate Europe Observatory | Report | 26 January 2021
'From hospitals to care homes, the evidence is mounting that outsourcing and private provision of healthcare has significantly degraded EU member states’ capacity to deal effectively with COVID-19. The EU must reject the private sector lobbyists now whispering in its ear, and reverse course on the kind of economic governance which has accelerated healthcare liberalisation, instead putting public provision at the centre of its strategy. If it doesn’t, more lives will be at stake.'

9. Upcoming courses and conferences

10. Interesting publications

When informal work and poor work conditions backfire and fuel the COVID-19 pandemic: why we should listen to the lessons from Latin America

Lotta G, Kuhlmann E.
Journal of Health Planning and Management, 2020 

Publication on SHELS Study of Infection

the last analysis from Phase 4 of the Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage Study (SHELS) has just been published as an Open Access paper in the Journal of Public Health. It examines rates of hospitalisations and deaths related to all infections and 15 different infection categories. It also looks at ethnic differences for serological diagnoses of HIV, HBV and HBC. The study demonstrates very varied, and sometimes enormous, ethnic differences, pointing to a complex mix of causative factors. Given the recent focus on ethnic differences in morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19, we think the publication of our paper is particularly timely.

Communicating effects of ambient air pollution

With an ever increasing number of publications on ambient air pollution and its effects on human health it has become difficult to distinguish between causal and accepted effects of air pollutants and suggested effects. The US EPA’s integrated science assessments analyze the level of evidence for health effects of the “criteria pollutants” including particulate matter (PM), oxides of nitrogen (e.g. NO2), ozone, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). The EPA assesses the relationship between pollutants and potential health effects using a five-point scale. The levels "causal" and "likely to be causal" are the two highest levels on this causality scale. The LUDOK-team at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute has translated the causal and likely to be causal relationships into an interactive figure and table, which shows the affected organs and lists the specific health effects. The aim is to better communicate the known short-term and long-term effects of ambient air pollution. 

Estimating the impact of achieving Turkey's non-communicable disease policy targets: A macro-simulation modelling study

The Lancet Regional Health Europe | Research Paper | 5 January 2021
'The Burden of non-communicable disease (NCDs) has continued to rise globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Turkey, NCDs account for 89% of all deaths, with nearly one in five deaths occurring before age 70. This study investigates the number of NCD deaths that could be prevented if Turkey met national and international targets for major modifiable NCD risk factors.'

An action plan for pan-European defence against new SARS-CoV-2 variants

The Lancet | Correspondance | 21 January 2021
'A clear plan for immediate pan-European action and rapid establishment of public health measures needs to be formulated since new variants with increased infectivity are likely to continue to arise. [...] The guiding principle is to reduce case numbers as quickly as possible as this has strong advantages for health, society and economy. The joint action of all European countries will make each national and local effort more effective and impactful and safeguard public health across Europe.^'

COVID-19--break the cycle of inequality

The Lancet Public Health | Editorial | 20 January 2021
'The pandemic provides harsh lessons about the societal vulnerabilities that arise from inequality. There is a clear need for financial recommitment to public health capacity, but also this should accompany a substantial commitment to tackling the social determinants of poor health and wellbeing.'

How a European health union can strengthen global health

The Lancet Regional Health Europe | Commentary | 25 January 2021
'The current proposal of the European Commission to create a European Health Union in response to the coronavirus outbreak has focused on outbreak preparedness and response, but a much more encompassing approach will be needed. This is difficult because the capacity for global health at EU level, both in the institutional make up and in its external action is still limited. As more far-reaching proposals are made for Member State cooperation and expansion of the EU’ s role internally, these proposals need to be matched by a strong and renewed EU agenda for global health.'

Covid 19: Hope is being eclipsed by deep frustration

The BMJ | 21 January 2021
'Where is the strategy for the coming months, once lockdown lifts? Where are the basic public health measures to help people who want to self-isolate but can’t afford to or who live in overcrowded accommodation? Why blame and shame when what is needed is practical support?
More palpable than hope is the deepening frustration at government inaction, missteps, and continuing incompetence.'

Undocumented migrants during the Covid-19 pandemic - socio-economic determinants - clinical features and pharmacological treatments

Does thinking make it so? Differential associations between adversity worries and experiences and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health | Original research | 22 January 2021
'There is evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic is having adverse effects on mental health. It is vital to understand what is causing this: worries over potential adversities due to the pandemic, or the toll of experiencing adverse events.'

Interventions to reduce the public health burden of gambling-related harms: a mapping review

The Lancet Public Health | Review | January 2021
'A public health approach suggests that there are opportunities to reduce gambling-related harms by intervening across the whole gambling pathway, from regulation of access to gambling to screening for individuals at risk and services for individuals with an identified gambling problem. The dearth of evidence for some interventions means that implementation must be accompanied by robust evaluation.'

Premature mortality due to air pollution in European cities: a health impact assessment

The Lancet Planetary Health | 19 January 2021
'We [the authors] aimed to estimate the proportion of annual preventable deaths due to air pollution in almost 1000 cities in Europe.
A considerable proportion of premature deaths in European cities could be avoided annually by lowering air pollution concentrations, particularly below WHO guidelines. The mortality burden varied considerably between European cities, indicating where policy actions are more urgently needed to reduce air pollution and achieve sustainable, liveable, and healthy communities. Current guidelines should be revised and air pollution concentrations should be reduced further to achieve greater protection of health in cities.'

Conference equity in global health: a systematic review of factors impacting LMIC representation at global health conferences

The BMJ Global Health | Original Research | 20 January 2021
‘Conference inequity’ is common in global health, with LMIC attendees under-represented at global health conferences. LMIC attendance is limited by systemic barriers including high travel costs, visa restrictions and lower acceptance rates for research presentations. This may be mitigated by relocating conferences to visa-friendly countries, providing travel scholarships and developing mentorship programmes to enable LMIC researchers to participate in global conferences.

The Legal Determinants of Health: How Can We Achieve Universal Health Coverage and What Does it Mean?

International Journal of Health Policy and Management | January 2021
'Law must assure all the conditions needed for good health and well-being, encompassing high-quality healthcare services, public health services, and the social determinants of health. Law, of course, is not the only tool to achieve global health with justice, but it is uniquely powerful.'

11. European Commission news

Air pollution and COVID-19

Study requested by the ENVI committee
This study is about the effects of air pollution on health, notably COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc in many areas of the world. The infection spreads through person-to-person contact. Transmission and prognosis, once infected, are potentially influenced by many factors, including air pollution. Studies have suggested that air pollution increases the incidence and the severity of the disease. However, the current data are too limited to be certain. Especially the quantitative contribution of air pollution to the disease is still very uncertain

Commission sets out key actions for a united front to beat COVID-19

Two days ahead of the meeting of European leaders on a coordinated response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Commission set out a number of actions needed to step up the fight against the pandemic. In a Communication adopted today, it calls on Member States to accelerate the roll-out of vaccination across the EU: by March 2021, at least 80% of people over the age of 80, and 80% of health and social care professionals in every Member State should be vaccinated. And by summer 2021, Member States should have vaccinated a minimum of 70% of the adult population.

Vaccine deliveries and the vaccine export transparency scheme

Press statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety on vaccine deliveries and on the vaccine export transparency scheme.

Commission launches debate on responding to the impact of an ageing population

The European Commission presented a green paper to launch a broad policy debate on the challenges and opportunities of Europe's ageing society. It sets out the impact of this pronounced demographic trend across our economy and society and invites the public to express their views on how to respond to this in a public consultation, which will run for 12 weeks.
Read the green paper

12. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control news

Eurosurveillance - Volume 26, Issue 1, 07 January 2021

Rapid communication
Minimal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from paediatric COVID-19 cases in primary schools, Norway, August to November 2020
Impact of mass testing during an epidemic rebound of SARS-CoV-2: a modelling study using the example of France
Early transmissibility assessment of the N501Y mutant strains of SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom, October to November 2020
Outbreaks
Control of a COVID-19 outbreak in a nursing home by general screening and cohort isolation in Germany, March to May 2020
Miscellaneous
Eurosurveillance reviewers in 2020
Job vacancies at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

Eurosurveillance - Volume 26, Issue 3, 21 January 2021

Rapid communication
Attitudes of healthcare workers towards COVID-19 vaccination: a survey in France and French-speaking parts of Belgium and Canada, 2020
Two-step strategy for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern 202012/01 and other variants with spike deletion H69–V70, France, August to December 2020
Perspective
The European tiered approach for virucidal efficacy testing – rationale for rapidly selecting disinfectants against emerging and re-emerging viral diseases
Addendum
Addendum for Euro Surveill. 2021;26(1)
Miscellaneous
Updated rapid risk assessment from ECDC on the risk related to the spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in the EU/EEA – first update

Eurosurveillance - Volume 26, Issue 2, 14 January 2021

Rapid communication
Real-time monitoring shows substantial excess all-cause mortality during second wave of COVID-19 in Europe, October to December 2020
Research
Negligible risk of zoonotic anisakid nematodes in farmed fish from European mariculture, 2016 to 2018
Improving tuberculosis surveillance by detecting international transmission using publicly available whole genome sequencing data

13. WHO news

Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021 - 2030

The United Nations has proclaimed 2021–2030 the Decade of Healthy Ageing, with WHO leading international action to improve the lives of older people, their families and communities.
The Decade brings together a variety of stakeholders galvanizing concerted action to:

• change how we think, feel and act towards age and ageing;
• develop communities in ways that foster the abilities of older people;
• deliver person-centred, integrated care and primary health services that are responsive to older people; and
• provide older people access to long-term care when they need it.

WHO/Europe's year in review 2020

An interactive timeline looking back to an unprecendent year in Europe.

Statement - COVID-19: a challenging start to 2021, new COVID-19 variants and promising vaccine progress

Watch the statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
'Be it vaccine allocation and prioritization, access to medical supplies and tests, or public health measures and policies to control the pandemic, we have a responsibility to base decisions on the core values that are at the heart of humanity: solidarity, equity and social justice. It is the only way out of these uncertain times, because no one is safe until everyone is safe.'

Uzbekistan is making healthy diets a cornerstone of national policy with the help of WHO

Uzbekistan is taking important steps towards the prevention of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) with technical guidance and support from WHO. Recently, the country adopted a series of important measures that can significantly improve food safety and the quality of nutrition, reducing many health risk factors for the population.

Universal health coverage high on the political agenda during the Regional Director's visit to Georg

During a country visit to Georgia on 18–23 December 2020, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, discussed priority areas for health with high-level representatives. The visit was also an opportunity to speak with health care workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This newsletter received co-funding under an operating grant from the European Union’s Health Programme (2014-2020). The content of this newsletter represents the views of the author(s) only and is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.

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