Copenhagen, 30 September, LETA – DPA. With progress in vaccinating the population against Covid-19 remaining modest in several European Union (EU) member states, the number of Covid-19 cases is likely to increase this fall, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Of the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, only 61.1% have been fully vaccinated, the ECDC said on Thursday.
Those EU countries with vaccination rates at or below the EU average that plan to ease the covid-crisis crisis are likely to see an increase in Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths by the end of November, the agency said.
“The combination of large vaccination coverage and effective contact reduction is projected to be critical to reducing the risk of a high Covid-19 burden on healthcare systems in the fall,” said Andrea Ammone, ECDC Director.
States should strive to increase vaccination coverage in all appropriate age groups to prevent the spread of the most contagious delta virus later in the year, she added.
Restrictions may be needed until the end of November, ECDC said, noting that more than 75% of the population in Malta, Portugal and Iceland have been fully vaccinated.
In its latest pandemic risk assessment, ECDC highlighted the dangers posed by the spread of the delta type. More than 99% of new infections are with this type of virus.
ECDC also predicts that the proportion of infections among children will increase in the coming months.
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