Although COVID-19 no longer causing the widespread disruption seen during the global health emergency, the virus continues to hospitalize and kill people across Europe and neighboring regions.
Studies carried out by the WHO The European Regional Office confirms that people who receive timely booster doses are much less likely to develop severe illness, require intensive care or die.
THE results are based on data from the European network EuroSAVE (European Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Vaccine Effectiveness), which monitors respiratory infections in hospitals in parts of Europe, the Balkans, the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
Important results
“Studies highlight that while COVID-19 does not cause the widespread illness we have seen during the pandemic, it has nonetheless caused considerable numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. » said Mark Katz, medical epidemiologist at the WHO regional office.
Between May 2023 and April 2024, nearly 4,000 patients were hospitalized for acute respiratory infections in the countries covered by the network.
Nearly 10 percent of these cases were caused by COVID-19, although the pandemic was declared over. Among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, only 3% had received a dose of vaccine in the previous 12 months.
The consequences have often been serious: 13 percent of COVID-19 patients required admission to intensive care units and 11 percent died.
Comparative research also showed that patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were more likely than those with the flu to need oxygen, intensive care or succumb to the illness.
Vaccines provide strong protection
On the other hand, vaccination offers strong protection.
A EuroSAVE study found that an up-to-date COVID-19 vaccine received within the last six months was 72% effective at preventing hospitalization and 67% effective at preventing the most serious outcomes, including intensive care admission and death.
A separate multi-country analysis found that vaccines reduced COVID-related hospitalizations by about 60 percent.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
