Experts ask Europe to achieve 75% vaccination in risk groups against COVID-19

The COVID Transition Initiative (CTI), created and funded by Novavax and composed of experts, calls on national governments and European Union authorities to take all necessary measures to support optimal vaccination coverage, ultimately aiming to achieve a target of 75% vaccine acceptance among at-risk groups, as has been established for influenza vaccination.

They therefore ask national organisations to issue clear recommendations or guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible before the campaigns begin. “Regular COVID-19 vaccination campaigns should be carried out based on specially designed strategies aimed at at-risk groupsincluding older adults, nursing home residents, people with underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems, caregivers, healthcare workers and pregnant women,” they said.

They are also asking regulators to work with vaccine suppliers to ensure availability of all products vaccination programmes just in time for the campaigns to begin in September.

This initiative aims to make multiple COVID-19 vaccine technologies available across Europe. important” enable innovation and avoid over-reliance on a single COVID-19 vaccine, which can ensure that individuals and health care workers have vaccine options that best suit their needs and preferences.

Following the European Medicines Agency’s recommendations to update vaccines to the JN.1 family strain, timely review applications for JN.1 vaccine candidates so that all available vaccine technologies are approved and available by September, in time for the seasonal campaign against Covid-19.

Covid-19 cases on the rise in Europe

There has been a noticeable change in recent weeks increase in cases COVID-19 in Europe and the UK: The average positive test rate for SARS-CoV-2 in EU sentinel primary care systems has increased to 11 percent, according to the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC).

The positive result of joint tests reached 29%, which is mainly due to three countries which reported sample positivity rates of over 20%.

These data show that there is currently a wave of COVID that is being detected at the regional level with an increase in cases as well as hospitalizations. For example, from July 4 to 10 in ItalyThe number of new positive cases has increased by 42%, according to the Italian Health Ministry.

IN FranceThe Public Health Agency recorded an increase in all indicators of epidemic monitoring in June. Indicators remained stable in July, but with a slight increase in hospitalizations.