KUNA : EU proposes actions to prepare for next phase of COVID-19 pandemic – Health – 27/04/2022 – Kuwait News Agency

KUNA : EU proposes actions to prepare for next phase of COVID-19 pandemic – Health – 27/04/2022 – Kuwait News Agency

BRUSSELS, April 27 (KUNA) -- The European Commission Wednesday proposed a set of actions to manage the current phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for the next one. The now dominant Omicron variant is less severe than previous variants. However, infections are still in the millions worldwide. Many people are in lockdowns in some parts of the world, it said in a press release. Many are still suffering or dying from COVID-19. Waning immunity against infection, and possible winter seasonality also increase the risk that new variants of SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes COVID-19 - will emerge and spread, it warned. In particular, the Commission called on EU Member States to step up vaccination and boosting, support the development of the next generation of vaccines and therapeutics; Intensify collaboration against mis- and disinformation on COVID-19 vaccines; continue to deploy global solidarity and improve global governance, apply EU coordinated rules to ensure free and safe travel, both within the EU and with international partners. Presenting the proposals at a press conference in Brussels today, EU Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, said "infection numbers are still high in the EU, but the pressure on the healthcare sector has been reduced