COVID-19: Commission Proposes That EU Member States Start Preparing for Autumn and Winter
According to the Commission, the main aim of these actions is to increase vaccine uptakes and to ensure that all EU citizens are well protected, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
“Member States should continue coordination of preparedness efforts across the EU, ahead of the next wave and further rollout of vaccination programmes. Taking action now will limit the pressure on healthcare systems, disruptions of the economies and challenges for the society,” Vice-President for Promoting European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said.
The Commission encourages all Member States to improve the vaccine uptake of the primary vaccination course and booster dose among eligible individuals.
In addition, it encourages the Member States to prioritise the administration of an additional booster dose for specific groups, notable for those aged 60 years and over, as well as other eligible people of any age at risk of severe disease.
Moreover, it has been suggested that EU Member States combine COVID-19 and influenza vaccination campaigns and ensure clear communication to citizens regarding the benefits of vaccination.
Following the Commission’s proposal, the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, recommended that everyone acts together in a sustained and coordinated manner.
“It is crucial that all Member States have robust vaccination strategies in place to prepare for the autumn and winter, including for the rollout of the newly authorised adapted booster vaccines. The vaccination gaps must be closed as a matter of top priority,” the statement of Kyriakides reads.
Additionally, Kyriakides pointed out that it is also essential that resilient surveillance systems are set up to monitor the development of COVID-19 and emphasised that the Member States need to be ready to face another challenging season.
The Commission noted that apart from the above-mentioned, several other measures – such as developing national vaccination strategies clarifying which vaccines should be administered to which population groups and ensuring sufficient capacity to administer the vaccines as soon as new ones are delivered – must also be taken.
Member States of the EU are also encouraged to continue their efforts in facilitating free movement in the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic, both for people and goods. In the context of travel from non-EU countries, the Commission plans to propose a revision of the relevant Council Recommendation.
