In two months, over 50% of Europeans will be infected with the Omicron variant of Covid.
This was stated by the director of WHO Europe, Hans Kluge, in a briefing on the progress of the pandemic in the Old Continent.
"In some European countries the peak of the Omicron variant has already been reached but the situation within the continent is very varied so we must always remember to protect the most vulnerable", he pointed out.
"I am also deeply concerned that the variant is moving east and therefore we have yet to see its full impact in countries where vaccination levels are lower and where there is a risk of more serious disease in the unvaccinated," he said. underlined.
Despite this, he said, schools should only be closed as a last resort: "Keeping schools open has important benefits for the mental, social and educational well-being of children. Schools should be the last places to close and the first to reopen."
"Due to Omicron's increased transmissibility, it is essential in schools to ensure ventilation, hand hygiene and the use of proper masks," he added. The European office of the World Health Organization also recommends vaccinating "teachers and other school staff" as well as offering the vaccine "to vulnerable children and children who come into contact with vulnerable adults, in countries where it is available". At the same time, however, at least until the end of winter, Kluge asks governments to prepare distance learning plans that "complement face-to-face lessons". "The number of infected people will be so high in many countries that schools may not be able to stay open due to a lack of staff."
(Unioneonline / D)