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Public health news from around the WHO European Region.
COVID19: Latest updates
13 January 2022
A new series of WHO/Europe video explainers addresses why it is important to get vaccinated against COVID19 and why it still matters to follow personal protective measures even after getting vaccinated.
In this episode, WHO/Europe's Dr Catherine Smallwood answers the questions:
- What is the COVID-19 situation in the WHO European Region?
- Do we know when the pandemic might end?
- How can we protect ourselves, our family and our community over the winter season?
In this episode, WHO/Europe's Dr Catherine Smallwood answers the questions:
- What do know about the Omicron variant?
- How severe is the Omicron variant?
- What is our immunity against it?
- Are COVID-19 vaccines effective?
- How can we protect ourselves from the Omicron variant?
Country impact
When disaster strikes or an outbreak flares, WHO-certified Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) stand ready to deliver rapid health care where most needed, in the shortest time possible. To strengthen national emergency preparedness, a national Emergency Medical Team will be created in Armenia following consensus at a high-level stakeholders meeting that was co-chaired by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Emergency Situations on 18 November 2021.
WHO/Europe and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies have launched a new series of reports that provide key information and data on health systems in non-European Union (EU) countries of the WHO European Region.
The Insights will support these countries with the latest information on progress and challenges in their national health systems, while building a baseline so they can track the progress of their health systems over time. Crucially, the reports will also allow countries to see their health systems in a wider comparative context and learn from each other.
The Insights follow a common template that provides analysis and detailed guidance on financing and resourcing health systems, key health challenges, health workforce availability and training, and a spotlight on the impact of COVID-19 on national health services.
Updates from the following countries are available here:
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine.
Regional Director's corner
We have entered 2022 with the countries of Europe and central Asia still under intense pressure from COVID-19.
Today, the Omicron variant represents a new west to east tidal wave sweeping across the Region, on top of the Delta surge that all countries were managing until late 2021. How each country now responds must be informed by its epidemiological situation, available resources, vaccination uptake status and socioeconomic context.
The Region saw over 7 million newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the first week of 2022, more than doubling over a 2-week period.
Around the world
"While Omicron does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorized as ‘mild’. Just like previous COVID-19 variants; Omicron is hospitalizing people and it is killing people." says WHO Director-General Dr Tedros.
The Independent Allocation of Vaccines Group (IAVG) has issued a set of recommendations to make the allocation of COVID-19 vaccines more equitable and more effective.
The group was established a year ago, to validate and assess vaccine allocations recommended by WHO’s and Gavi’s Joint Allocation Taskforce (JAT) of COVAX. Since then, much has changed. COVAX was envisioned to be the world’s primary distributor of COVID-19 vaccines, with IAVG serving as an independent referee for needs-based allocations. But rich nations largely sidestepped COVAX, hoarding doses for their own populations and cutting deals directly with low- and middle-income countries. This has made subsequent allocation decisions even more challenging.
In focus
Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 (11 January 2022)
Weekly operational update on COVID-19 (11 January 2022)
Joint ECDC-WHO Regional Office for Europe Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Bulletin
Guidance documents
Interim Statement on COVID-19 vaccines in the context of the circulation of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant from the WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC)
Enhancing Readiness for Omicron (B.1.1.529): Technical Brief and Priority Actions for Member States (Update: 7 January 2022)
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