WHO urges all vulnerable populations to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Respiratory season: WHO offers five precautions Health
COVID-19, which until recently caused an unprecedented global crisis, has now entered our daily lives, along with influenza and other respiratory viruses. Therefore, measures aimed at protecting ourselves and others must also become part of our daily lives.
“No one knows better than you”
The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) launched a campaign on Wednesday under the slogan “No one knows your risks better than you do.” WHO experts are asking people, especially vulnerable groups, to assess their risks and take simple steps to protect themselves from respiratory viruses.
The campaign primarily involves action at the individual level, but it also emphasizes that health authorities play an important role in protecting the population, including by providing timely information and advice on how to protect health.
Europe and Central Asia
WHO Europe Director Dr Hans Kluge said today that 53 countries in Europe and central Asia still see up to 72,000 deaths a year from seasonal influenza, accounting for about 20 percent of the global burden. “The vast majority of these deaths are preventable,” he said, adding that the most vulnerable “must be protected” with a vaccine proven to prevent the disease and severe outcomes.
In the 28 days to 22 September, health authorities in the WHO European Region reported just over 278,000 cases of COVID-19 and 748 deaths, from Cyprus to Moldova and Ireland to Russia. These figures are higher than in any other WHO region and are likely to be underestimates and underrepresentative, the WHO said.
COVID-19 has killed more than seven million people since the outbreak began in late 2019, according to available data, with the majority of deaths reported in the United States (1.2 million), Brazil (702,000), India (534,000) and Russia (403,000).
Advice on COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory viruses
With the onset of the autumn/winter season in Europe and Central Asia, the circulation of respiratory viruses has intensified, and now is the most important time to know the risks you are exposed to and to take steps to protect yourself and vulnerable people around you.
Influenza and COVID-19 pose a threat to everyone, but for some people, such as older people, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems and chronic diseases, they can be very severe. If you belong to one of these risk groups, it is important to take care of your protection.
WHO offers five measures to help you do this. First, it is recommended to get vaccinated; second, stay home if you feel unwell; third, wear a mask in crowded places; fourth, keep your hands clean; and fifthly, ventilate the premises.
If you have never had COVID-19, have not been vaccinated, and especially if you are in a risk group, it is important that you get vaccinated. WHO/Europe strongly recommends that you get vaccinated as soon as you are offered the opportunity. Wearing a mask in crowded places is also still recommended, especially if you are at higher risk of severe illness if you have COVID-19, and to protect others.
WHO/Europe campaign: concept
WHO/Europe is launching its new campaign at a critical moment as COVID-19 moves from an acute health emergency to an ongoing threat. The campaign reflects lessons learned by society and focuses on preventing all respiratory diseases; it is intended to make protection from them a normal part of people’s daily lives.
We encourage people to assess the risks they face and understand their ability to make informed choices in the interests of themselves and others
“This year we are running a campaign under the slogan “No one knows the risks you face better than you do.” “We encourage people to assess their risk factors and understand their ability to make informed choices for themselves and others,” says Christiana Salvi, Regional Adviser, Risk Communication, Engagement and Infodemic Response, WHO/Europe.
By calling on people to “LikeOnlyYouCan”, the campaign encourages proactive health measures and promotes solidarity and responsibility for a common cause.
The campaign involves disseminating messages and reminders to specific vulnerable subgroups of the risks they face and how to protect themselves, while the hashtag “LikeOnlyYouCan” highlights both people’s responsibility for the decisions they make and their ability to make them independently.
Within the framework of shared responsibility, government bodies have a key role to play. They must ensure that people are able to make informed decisions about how to protect their health and the health of the most vulnerable members of society.