Commissioner Kyriakides, we are experiencing the second wave of Coronavirus. What are the advice of the European Commission to face this difficult moment?
In recent weeks we have seen a rapid increase in cases of contagion, in a large number of member states, and also an increase in the age of the infected, more than 60 years, at hospitalizations. This creates a lot of concern for us. We ask countries to implement the measures we shared in the recommendations of last July: more pads and contact tracing to contain infections. We ask citizens to continue to follow social distancing and hygiene rules.
In many countries there is the risk of a return to strict lockdowns. But is there an alternative way to reduce infections?
We want avoid rigid lockdowns. This pandemic has impacted everyone’s lives from a social, work, family, and economic point of view. To avoid a new general lockdown, it is important that tests, contact-tracing but also non-pharmaceutical interventions are encouraged: social distance, masks, hand hygiene. This is the only way to contain the virus and prevent a general lockdown that society and our economies cannot afford.
When will the Coronavirus vaccine be available?
We are all waiting for this moment. As the European Commission we are committed non-stop to guarantee a reliable vaccine in short. We have a shared strategy and Italy is a crucial player. To have a safe and effective vaccine, I don’t like giving a specific date, which is not there, but to be cautiously safe I would say early 2021. However, having the vaccine will not solve the crisis in the short term. We must continue with containment measures, states will have to continue with testing and tracking until we have covered a significant portion of the population. The message must be clear: there is no magic bullet that makes the coronavirus disappear, even if we find the vaccine. We will have to continue with the measures to get over where we are.
Are there already reliable cures for Covid-19?
We are working together with Ema (European Medicines Agency). We supported the Remdemsvir. We must not stop because I can understand how difficult it is for the citizens. But I want to reassure you on two aspects. The commission is doing everything to support member states and we are not stopping looking for an effective vaccine that does not pose a health risk. This is our priority and if there is a message that I want to send to citizens it is: also when there is a vaccine we will approve it when it is really safe.
Do you have a message for doctors and nurses who work in hospitals?
Our appreciation and thanks go to them. They have been on the front line for all the past few months. At such a difficult time they are putting their lives at risk for us again. I know the physical and mental stress they are experiencing and the pressure they are under. We applaud them just as we did at eight every night at the start of the pandemic, we must applaud them every day in our thoughts. And we thank them for the continuous work they do to ensure our health. But to help them we must follow the measures. Thus, we guarantee the safety of ourselves, others and protect the doctors and nurses who are facing this battle.
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