Photo: ODD ANDERSEN / AFP / Getty Images
For: EFE
Thursday, October 3
Vaccination and precaution at Christmas time: the WHO's call to prevent covid-19
The regional director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Europe, Hans Henri P. Kluge , asked Europeans on Thursday to maintain precautionary measures against the coronavirus in the Christmas holidays and urged vaccination.
The WHO recalls in a statement that this Christmas Europe will face two highly transmissible variants (the majority delta and the emerging omicron) , with the potential to further increase the pressure on “our already overburdened” health systems.
WHO REQUESTS NOT TO LOWER THE GUARD BEFORE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS TO EUROPEANS
The @opsoms regional director for Europe, Hans Henri P. Kluge, asked this Thursday to Europeans, not to lower their guard against #COVID 19 at Christmas parties. pic.twitter.com/j4uxiBaxu8
— El Dato Noticias Morelos (@eldatomx) December 16, 2021
Kluge acknowledges the concern of Europeans, since Europe was “the epicenter of the pandemic even before the omicron emergency ”, but he insists that this year does not have to be a repetition of the past, when many decided to cancel the holidays and many families did not were able to meet.
WHO urges Europeans to use all the tools at their disposal to maintain precaution on these dates, especially the vaccine .
“Get vaccinated as soon as possible with full dose” , Kluge insists. “Vaccines are still the best way to prevent serious disease and death, even with the arrival of the variant omicron ” .
In addition, also encourages a booster dose to those who are entitled to it in their countries.
The WHO director in Europe recommends reducing social gatherings to small groups and, if possible, do an antigen test or a PCR beforehand to make sure you are not infected.
WHO advises also take other precautions, even if the complete vaccination schedule has been received, such as avoid crowded places, use a mask, maintain physical distance
of at least one meter, ventilate closed spaces and wash hands with freq uence.
The health authority insists on the importance of resorting to reliable sources that provide advice based on evidence and scientific consensus for information on the progress of the pandemic. “We have come a long way since last year,” said Kluge. “We know what works. We know how to keep ourselves and those around us safe. The omicron emergency does not change that ”.
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