Europe calls for a covid-19 booster vaccine for all adults, with priority over 40

“Countries should consider a booster dose for all adults over 18 years of age, with priority for people over 40,” warned the European Centers for Disease Prevention and Control in a statement (ECDC) In the same vein, the President of the European Commission pronounced: Ursula von der Leyen.

Less than 70% of the general population of the European Union has received the full guideline

The recommendations come at a time when countries such as Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary are recording their peak daily coronavirus infections.

New @ECDC_EU the risk assessment is clear: we must intensify vaccination to control the pandemic.
We want to convince people to get vaccinated.”
Boosters should be available for adults, with priority for people over 40 and vulnerable people.
And let’s keep our distance and masks!
– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 24, 2021

As reported by EFE, the European entity, based in Stockholm, highlighted that at this time less than 70% of the general population of the EU received the full guideline, which leaves “a lot of room” for the virus to spread.

The agency indicates that the rapid implementation of vaccination campaigns “prevented deaths” and “reduced hospitalizations”, but even so there are still population groups in which protection is “less than desired”.

Avoid hospitalizations and deaths in winter

Facing the winter, the organization warned that there will be a greater number of hospitalizations of unvaccinated people, especially Groups of riskTherefore, the current vaccination rate “will be insufficient” to avoid overloading health systems.

“Europe must close the immunity gaps of the adult population and ensure effective and equitable coverage in all countries and regions,” requested the ECDC, adding that the vaccination of the most vulnerable it must remain “the priority” of health authorities.

Regarding the boosting of the dose, which is given six months after the second puncture, the entity explained that its objective is to “improve protection” and thus “reduce transmission among the population and prevent additional hospitalizations and deaths”.

The European body emphasizes that it is also important to maintain or reintroduce non-pharmacological measures, such as the use of a mask and safety distances.

“Motivating people to comply with these measures is even more important now that we are entering winter and the festive season, when more people travel and gather indoors”, explained the organization.