Europe’s lessons learned in COVID-19 contact tracing
 

As we conclude the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic response, WHO/Europe has been collecting and sharing best practices in contact tracing from countries of the WHO European Region. It aims to document a variety of approaches based on several factors, including capacity, methodology, tools, community engagement and culture.

Contact tracing has never been conducted at such a scale as during the COVID-19 pandemic. Experience and evidence show that when systematically applied, contact tracing can help to break chains of transmission of infection and be a tool for keeping societies open.

Last week, with winter fast approaching, more than half of the WHO European Region’s 53 countries reported a marked increase in COVID-19 infection rates across all age groups. While new cases increased by 18% in the Region, WHO’s 5 other regions reported a decline.

If and when restrictions are imposed to decrease or control transmission, schools should be the last places to shut their doors and the first to reopen with appropriate infection prevention measures. In short: interrupting children’s education should be a last resort.

“Last year’s widespread school closures, disrupting the education of millions of children and adolescents, did more harm than good, especially to children’s mental and social well-being. We can’t repeat the same mistakes,” says Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

Update on COVID-19: Europe and central Asia again at the epicentre of the pandemic
 

Today, every single country in Europe and central Asia is facing a real threat of COVID-19 resurgence, or already fighting it. The current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the WHO European Region is of grave concern. COVID-19 cases are once again approaching record levels, with the more transmissible Delta variant continuing to dominate transmission across Europe and central Asia.

Last week, with nearly 1.8 million new cases and 24 000 new deaths reported, Europe and central Asia saw a 6% increase and 12% increase, respectively, compared to the previous week. Over the past 4 weeks, Europe has seen a greater than 55% increase in new COVID-19 cases.

The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator has launched its strategic plan and budget for the next 12 months, outlining the urgent actions and funding needed to address deep inequities in the COVID-19 response, save millions of lives and end the acute phase of the pandemic.

Inequitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines is prolonging the pandemic everywhere and risking the emergence of new, more dangerous variants that could evade current tools to fight the disease. So far, only 0.4% of tests and 0.5% of vaccines administered worldwide have been used in low-income countries, despite these countries comprising 9% of the global population.

Open letter to G20 Heads of State and Government:

We are writing to you on behalf of the millions around the world struggling to survive the COVID-19 pandemic far from home. Some have been forced to flee wars, conflict, persecution and human rights violations. Others are on the move to escape socioeconomic hardship or the consequences of climate change.

As strangers far from home, many are at risk of exclusion or neglect. Owing to their living situation, many face barriers accessing vaccinations, testing, treatment, care, and even reliable information.

International organizations, vaccine manufacturers take stock of COVID-19 vaccine roll out, share views for 2022
 

The heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organization and World Trade Organization held on 9 November the 2^nd High-Level Consultations with the CEOs of leading COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing companies. At the meeting, all participants agreed on the urgency of delivering more vaccine doses to low-income countries, where less than 2.5% of the population has been fully vaccinated.

The objective of the meeting was to identify how to ensure more equitable distribution of vaccines and all those participating pledged to continue working together to gain greater clarity on donations, vaccine swaps and delivery schedules so that distribution of the life-saving vaccines can be more effectively targeted towards those countries most in need.

WHO, faith partners and national governments –supporting national responses to COVID-19
 

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of partnerships in responding to health emergencies. The WHO Information Network for Epidemics (EPI-WIN) team is spotlighting partnerships between WHO, faith partners and national governments in the global conference Strengthening National Responses to Health Emergencies co-hosted with Religions for Peace.

The conference looks at the diverse contributions of faith partners in the COVID-19 response including providing spiritual care, working with national governments and WHO to support national responses, and their instrumental work advocating for vaccine equity, access and uptake.

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