Europe could soon enter a "long period of calm" that is considered a "ceasefire" in the pandemic thanks to the less severe Omicron variant, high levels of immunity and the arrival of warmer spring weather, the World Health Organization has said. (WHO).
In this optimistic forecast, Hans Kluge, WHO Director for Europe, said the region was in a position of "high protection" that could "bring us lasting peace", even if a new, more stronger than Omicron.
Kluge said the 53-nation region recorded 12 million new cases of coronavirus last week, the highest weekly pandemic total. However, hospitalizations did not increase at the same rate and the number of intensive care patients did not increase significantly.
Kluge said vaccine immunity and lower severity of Omicron will enable governments to take control of the situation. The optimistic forecast comes days after he said it was "plausible" that the region was "moving towards the end of the pandemic".
However Kluge stressed that vaccination campaigns should continue, including boosting doses, and protect those most at risk.
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