EU health watchdog urges Europe to prepare for new Covid-19 wave
21 Sep 2022 09:40am
Head of Health Threats and Vaccines Strategy of the EMA Marco Cavaleri - AFP Photo
"Data have showed that over the last weeks there has been a decrease in the overall number of cases and deaths caused by Covid-19 in Europe," Head of Health Threats and Vaccines Strategy of the EMA Marco Cavaleri told a press conference.
"However, as autumn approaches, we need to prepare for a new wave of infections," he said.
Xinhua quoted Cavaleri as saying that the same scenario occurred over the past two years with a new wave coming up in autumn and that this trend was likely to return this year.
Cavaleri also emphasised the importance of looking out for new variants of the coronavirus.
"The Omicron BA.5 variant is still the dominant variant circulating in Europe," Cavaleri said.
"We still have to be alert on other variants. For instance, the BA.4.6 is quickly spreading in the United States and has already been detected in Europe.
"Also, the BA.2.75 variant is of concern," he said.
EMA Chief Medical Officer Steffen Thirstrup added, "What is clear to me and what should be very clear from Dr Cavaleri's presentation is that we in Europe still consider the pandemic as ongoing,"
The EMA's human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended the authorisation of adapted vaccines targetting the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 in addition to the original strain of Covid-19. - Bernama
