"Strong action" is "urgent" in the face of the rapid progression of the Omicron variant because "vaccination alone will not be enough", warned the European agency responsible for epidemics on Wednesday.

“In the current situation, vaccination alone will not allow us to prevent the impact of the Omicron variant, because there is no time to fill the still existing vaccination gaps,” said the director of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Andrea Ammon, in a video address.

The European Union health agency has also raised its assessment of the risks of the new variant to public health by a notch, to "very high", recommending a series of measures including a return to telework and increased caution. during end-of-year celebrations and trips.

According to her, it is "very likely" that the new variant will cause hospitalizations and deaths in addition to those already predicted by previous forecasts centered on the hitherto dominant Delta variant.

testing remains "an important tool" even when people are vaccinated

To keep the burden on the health system "manageable", the ECDC once again called for a "rapid reintroduction and strengthening" of so-called "non-pharmaceutical" measures against Covid-19, a term covering restrictions in general . "There is an urgent need for strong action to be put in place to reduce transmission, ease the heavy burden on health systems and protect the most vulnerable in the coming months," adds the agency, which covers the 27 countries of the EU, Norway and Iceland.

For the ECDC, using masks, teleworking, avoiding overcrowding in places and public transport, staying at home when you are sick, ventilating and maintaining a high level of hygiene "remain a priority".

For probable or confirmed cases of Omicron, tracing should also be a priority, and testing remains "an important tool" even when people are vaccinated, as does the isolation of positive Covid-19 cases.

Health

Coronavirus: Fifth or sixth… Does it still make sense to speak of an epidemic wave?

Health

Coronavirus: "Omicron could be the dominant variant in Europe in mid-January", according to Ursula von der Leyen

  • Omicron variant

  • Video

  • Anti-covid vaccine

  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus

  • Health

  • 0 comment

  • 0 share

    • Share on Messenger

    • Share on Facebook

    • Share on twitter

    • Share on Flipboard

    • Share on Pinterest

    • Share on Linkedin

    • Send by Mail

  • To safeguard

  • A fault ?

  • To print