“With the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the circulation and health impact of other respiratory pathogens, it is difficult to predict how the new winter period will develop. In light of this, we cannot afford to become complacent. We need to step up vaccination programs and preparedness measures across the region. The need to protect the health of our populations, especially the most vulnerable, is stronger than ever.”
01 DIC –
We publish below the joint statement released today by EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides, WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Henri P. Kluge and the Director of the European Center for Prevention and Control of diseases, Andrew Ammon.
“The 2022-2023 influenza season outbreak started early in the European region with a worrying increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases, while COVID-19 is still a threat.
The region is currently experiencing an increasing circulation of influenza and RSV. Together with COVID-19, these viruses are expected to severely impact our health services and population this winter. This highlights how important it is for vulnerable groups to get vaccinated against flu and COVID-19, as well as to protect themselves and others from infection.
We are already seeing influenza viruses (A and B) circulating in different parts of the region. While circulating in all age groups and especially school-age children, influenza A viruses usually cause serious illness especially for older people and those with chronic conditions.
An increasing number of people are being admitted to hospitals due to the flu, with hospital admissions increasing since October. Our populations aged 55 and older account for nearly half of reported influenza hospital admissions.
In 23 countries reporting severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) data, hospitalized patients were primarily diagnosed with type B virus (85%), with children four years of age and younger being the most affected.
RSV has also been on the rise since October, with about 20 countries and areas experiencing heightened RSV activity.
Rates of COVID-19 cases, hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and death rates are currently low compared to the past 12 months, but this could change as new variants emerge and the disease continues to strain healthcare resources.
With the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the circulation and health impact of other respiratory pathogens, it is difficult to predict how the new winter period will develop.
In light of this, we cannot afford to become complacent. We need to step up vaccination programs and preparedness measures across the region. The need to protect the health of our populations, especially the most vulnerable, is greater than ever.
We continue to encourage the most vulnerable – the elderly, pregnant women, people with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, and healthcare workers – to get vaccinated against seasonal flu and COVID-19.
We can never say it enough: vaccination saves lives. It reduces the chances of getting infected and reduces the risk of serious illnesses from COVID-19 and seasonal flu.
Personal protective measures also help us keep all respiratory viruses at bay – seasonal flu, COVID-19 and RSV. We continue to urge everyone to protect themselves by taking simple but effective measures: from washing your hands regularly, wearing well-fitting masks, particularly in crowded, closed environments with inadequate ventilation, to staying away from others when you are ill with a respiratory virus.
It is also important for countries to monitor not only SARS-CoV-2 but also how the influenza and RSV viruses spread and affect people and healthcare systems. Reporting these findings to WHO/Europe and ECDC will help to better understand the impact of various widely circulating respiratory viruses and further strengthen our prevention and control measures.
We also recommend that clinicians consider early antiviral treatments and prophylaxis for influenza, RSV and COVID-19, according to national guidelines, for those at risk of serious illness, to prevent serious outcomes and reduce the burden on health systems.
Only by being prepared, staying alert and continuing to do what we know works will we be able to overcome this winter’s challenge.”
01 December 2022
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