Coronavirus
LEAKED: The EU’s new body to prevent the next pandemic
Leaked documents seen by EURACTIV reveal the structure of the European Commission's proposed new authority to prepare against future health crises by developing "medical countermeasures."
Some vaccine platforms can be easier adapted to new COVID-19 variants
For now, vaccines are capable of dealing with SARS-CoV-2 virus variants circulating in the world. But as new variants potentially emerge vaccines might need to be adapted to fight the new strains.
African Union slams vaccine manufacturers for restricting access
The African Union on Tuesday (14 September) accused manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines of denying African countries a fair chance to buy them, and urged manufacturing countries - in particular India - to lift export restrictions on vaccines and their components.
COVID pass could call last orders in bars for Brussels students
Belgian students are queuing up in droves to get vaccinated, ahead of plans by the Brussels regional government to make the health pass mandatory for accessing restaurants and bars in an effort to encourage young people to get their shots.
COVID highlights need for EU to regulate wildlife trafficking
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the need to regulate the trade in live wild animals, who could carry viruses. In Europe, the lack of regulation on this subject represents a major health risk.
Nerve disorder listed as ‘very rare’ side effect of AstraZeneca jab
The European Medicines Agency has listed the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause temporary paralysis, as a "very rare" side effect of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Chizhov: Russia is well-placed to play a constructive role in Afghanistan
In a wide-ranging interview, the Russian ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov discussed Afghanistan, the ‘Crimea Platform’, carbon border tax, COVID and vaccines, and the new political season.
EU takes Japan, Serbia and four other countries off COVID-safe travel list
European Union ambassadors on Wednesday (8 September) agreed to remove six countries, including Japan, from the bloc’s COVID safe travel list, meaning tourists entering could face restrictions, diplomats said. The move targeting non-essential travel from Japan, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia,...
The Brief — Close encounter with anti-vaxxers
This author of the Brief is back from the country with the lowest vaccination rate in the EU – Bulgaria – where only 15.5% of the adult population is fully vaccinated, while the EU average is 70%. The authorities in...
Spain aims to quickly fully vaccinate 90% of population
Spain’s socialist Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has set the new goal of having 90% of the population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, but has not set a deadline for when the target should be met. EURACTIV’s partner EFE has reported.
Commission insists EU COVID certificates ‘entirely secure’ after reports of French fakes
The EU COVID certificate is “entirely secure”, the European Commission has stressed after reports of false health passes in France being used to circumvent the country’s COVID measures.
No urgent need for vaccine boosters, says EU agency
Fully vaccinated people do not urgently need booster jabs against COVID-19, a key European agency said Wednesday (1 September), but an extra dose for people with depressed immune systems should be considered.
ECDC: Schools need to be prepared, not closed
As children across the European Union are going back to school, ECDC is encouraging countries to “appropriately” balance children's physical and mental health needs while ensuring COVID-19 prevention.
Richer countries winning Europe’s vaccine race
Europe may have fully vaccinated almost half of its population against Covid-19, but the richer countries are far outstripping the poorer ones. This disparity, often along West-East lines, has raised concerns from the European Commission and the World Health Organisation.
70% of adults in the EU fully vaccinated against COVID
More than 256 million adults in the EU are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as the rate among the adult population reached 70% on Tuesday (31 August), which the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called “a great achievement".
WHO sounds alarm over rising COVID deaths in Europe
The World Health Organisation warned Monday (30 August) that 236,000 more people could die from COVID in Europe by December, sounding the alarm over rising infections and stagnating vaccine rates across the continent. Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, North Macedonia and Bulgaria are among the countries with the highest mortality.
EU removes US, Western Balkan countries from COVID safe list for non-essential travel
The European Union on Monday (30 August) recommended that its member states reimpose travel restrictions on US tourists over rising covid infections in the country.
Japan detects no health risks in withdrawn Moderna vaccine doses from Spain
Japan has not registered for the moment any health problems in patients inoculated with the Moderna vaccine related to the contamination detected in a batch of doses from Spain, according to sources from the county’s health ministry quoted on Friday (27 August) by EURACTIV’s partner EFE.
Some might take more than a year to recover from COVID, study finds
One-half of COVID-19 patients discharged from a hospital in Wuhan, China, still experience at least one persistent symptom after 12 months, a study in the Lancet medical journal has shown. Its authors say that this needs to be considered when planning post-pandemic healthcare services.
Is it time for COVID-19 booster shot?
It has been around eight months since the first COVID vaccine was authorised in the European Union. As vaccination uptake among adults is nearing 70%, a new debate on whether a COVID-19 booster jab might be necessary is taking place across member states.
Facing backlash, EU says import of J&J vaccines from South Africa is temporary
The European Commission said it had reached a temporary agreement with South Africa to use a plant there to bottle Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines that are being imported into the EU, after criticism of the arrangement.
EU recognises Covid certificates from Turkey and Ukraine
The EU will recognise national Covid certificates from Turkey, Ukraine and North Macedonia from Friday, opening the way to easier travel for their residents, the European Commission said.
Spain court orders end to Barcelona virus curfew
A Spanish court on Thursday lifted a coronavirus curfew imposed on most of Catalonia, including the capital Barcelona, leaving it in place in just a fraction of the northeastern region.
EU agency examines Roche arthritis drug as possible COVID-19 treatment
Europe's drugs regulator said on Monday (16 August) that it was evaluating the use of Roche's arthritis drug, Actemra, in hospitalised adults with severe COVID-19, in its latest review of a potential coronavirus treatment.