Due to high vaccination rates, the milder Omicron strain, and the end of winter, Europe might soon experience a “long period of peace” two years after the Covid-19 outbreak, the WHO said Thursday.
Hans Kluge, WHO Europe’s director, described the pause as “a truce that has the potential to offer us lasting peace.”
“This context leaves us with the possibility for a long period of tranquility,” he told reporters Thursday.
He added that widespread vaccine and infection immunity, together with the change of season, puts Europe in a better position to ward off any rebound in transmission. Kluge added, “even with a more virulent version” than Omicron.
“It is possible to respond to new variants that will inevitably emerge — without re-installing the kind of disruptive measures we needed before”, Kluge said.
He added that this was “not to imply that (the epidemic) is now gone,” but that “there is a unique opportunity to take control of the transmission.”
He emphasized, however, that the hopeful scenario could only be realized if countries sustained their vaccination campaigns and increased surveillance to discover new strains.
He also asked health officials to safeguard vulnerable groups and promote personal responsibility, such as social isolation and mask use.
