WHO expresses hope for 'lasting peace' with coronavirus in Europe

European countries have the opportunity to bring the spread of the CORONAVIRUS under control, said Hans Kluge, World HEALTH Organization (WHO) Regional DIRECTOR for Europe.

According to Kluge, this is achieved through the convergence of three elements: high vaccination rates, "a favorable seasonal pause as we emerge from winter," and the less dangerous nature of the Omicron strain.

With this, Kluge believes, there will be a “long period of calm” in the region, and people will be better protected from new outbreaks of covid-19 even if a more dangerous strain appears. "This period of heightened protection should be seen as a 'ceasefire' that can bring us a lasting peace," said the head of the WHO European office.

Kluge pointed out that this can be achieved by observing a number of conditions: to continue vaccination and revaccination; focus on protecting the most vulnerable segments of the population; strengthen epidemiological surveillance to identify new variants of SARS-CoV-2.