On 29 September 2023, the WHO Regional Office for Europe launches the campaign “Keeping safe from COVID-19, influenza, and RSV this autumn and winter. Protecting lives. Strengthening health systems”.
The campaign aims to highlight that:
- it’s vital for vulnerable populations to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination and also to get an influenza vaccine this autumn/winter; and
- it’s important that everyone takes individual measures to reduce the risk of infection from respiratory viruses.
The campaign is also seeking to share best practices from successful health protection campaigns, including vaccination, and other initiatives in response to infections from respiratory viruses.
WHO Europe’s call to vulnerable populations and the general public
Older people, people with underlying health conditions and pregnant women are at higher risk of developing severe disease due to COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory diseases, and can greatly benefit from getting vaccinated. Frontline health workers are at higher risk of getting infected with COVID-19 and influenza due to the nature of their work, and should be among the first to get vaccinated.
WHO Europe also recommends that children aged under 5 years get vaccinated against influenza as they are at higher risk of severe influenza or complications.
Whether it’s COVID-19 or influenza, vaccines save lives. They remain the best way to fight these diseases, by preventing serious illness or death.
Apart from vaccination, there are other things we can all do to normalize protection from and reduce transmission of respiratory viruses. It is important for every individual to measure their risk at every step and to sustain measures when and where they matter most, as part of their daily routine.
These measures include:
- staying home if unwell;
- cleaning hands regularly;
- covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or bent elbow, and cleaning hands after;
- bringing as much fresh air into the home as possible (when inside, open windows or doors whenever possible); and
- wearing a mask in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.
WHO Europe’s call to countries
- Continue to engage with vulnerable populations to encourage the uptake of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as well as to carry out protective measures and to dispel false information.
- Maintain COVID-19 prevention and response infrastructure, and continue to carry out virus tracking, testing, reporting and integrated surveillance.
- Consider administering influenza vaccine along with COVID-19 vaccine, whenever feasible.
Background
COVID-19 remains a threat, and new variants keep emerging. Across the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region, COVID-19 continues to cause infections, hospitalizations and deaths.
It’s likely that COVID-19, influenza, and RSV will circulate at the same time again, this autumn and winter. This is of concern as when this happens the risk to vulnerable populations increases, and health services may come under pressure.
What’s more, the recent uptake of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and of influenza vaccine among vulnerable populations varies considerably across the Region, and is still worryingly low in many countries.