WHO Official: Europe must act now or risk tougher COVID measures later
July 19, 2022, 2:39 pm

WHO Official: Europe must act now or risk tougher COVID measures later

Moderna Covid-19 vaccine/Pixabay

A senior World Health Organization official said on Tuesday (July 19), European nations must accelerate vaccine uptake and bring back mask wearing to tackle a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by an Omicron offshoot and avoid stricter measures later in the year.

In an interview with Reuters, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge urged countries to take action now to avoid overwhelming health systems in the autumn and winter as the Omicron subvariant, BA.5, continues to spread rapidly, the US news reported, citing Reuters.

Kluge said in an accompanying statement that close to three million new COVID-19 cases were reported in Europe last week, which accounted for nearly half of all new cases globally. Hospitalisation rates have doubled over the same period, and close to 3,000 people die of the disease every week.

"There is a rise in cases ... amidst a society which is functioning almost as before," he said, stressing the need for "pandemic stabilisers" such as a second booster dose ahead of the expected variant-specific vaccines in the autumn, as well as the promotion of mask wearing and better ventilation.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Thursday 17-03-2022 that cases of Omicron BA2, a COVID-19 subvariant, are rising across the European Union (File photo: Pixabay)

These stabilisers must be implemented to avoid much stricter measures, he said, adding: "I don't think society is ready for ordered lockdowns."

When the pandemic began in 2020, governments boosted spending to help cushion the impact of lockdowns on their economies and struggling health systems but piled up large debts and are reluctant to repeat those policies.

Over 6 million child COVID-19 cases reported in USA in 2022

"People sometimes ask, is the virus back?," said Kluge. "It has never gone away. It's still there. It's spreading. It is mutating. And unfortunately, it's still taking a lot of lives."

Kluge said that after two and a half years of the pandemic and related lockdowns and disruptions, countries are now also having to deal with surging inflation and increased food insecurity caused partly by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but governments still need to invest further in healthcare.

He added: "And if governments won't do it, well, then society will not be better prepared for the future.”

Source: usnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”