This much is clear: Christmas and New Year’s festivities this year will be very different from what we are used to. But beyond the holidays, what is a sensible strategy for the coming months? This is a question that scientists in all of Europe and the world are contemplating about.
A letter published by The Lancet co-authored by a number of European scientists including an UM lecturer, Dr Sarah Cuschieri, from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, have gained more than 300 expert signatories from across Europe including from Malta. They called for European governments to work together in managing the pandemic and make a clear commitment to COVID-19 case number targets.
“With open borders across Europe, a single country alone cannot keep the number of COVID-19 cases low; thus, joint action and common goals among countries are essential. We therefore call for a strong, coordinated European response and clearly defined goals for the medium and long term.â€
To better manage the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientists are proposing a strategy with three core elements:
Achieve low case numbers - aiming for a target of no more than ten new COVID-19 cases per million people per day, with synchronisation across all European countries so that SARS-CoV-2 infections are not imported across borders. Keep case numbers low – with continued and improved mitigation measures (such as mask wearing, hygiene, moderate contact reduction, testing and contact tracing), a strategy for delivering at least 300 tests per million people per day, and rapid response to local outbreaks. - Develop a longer-term common vision – with context-sensitive regional and national action plans as well as European level goals, strategies for elimination, screening, vaccination, protection of those at high risk, and support for those most affected by the pandemic.
The authors conclude: “We urge governments throughout Europe to agree on clearly formulated common goals, to coordinate their efforts, to develop regionally adapted strategies to reach the goals, and thereby work resolutely towards low case numbers.â€
More information
Correspondence: ‘Calling for Pan-European commitment for rapid and sustained reduction in SARS-CoV-2 infections’ by V. Priesemann, M. Brinkmann, S. Ciesek, S. Cuschieri, T. Czypionka, S. Funk, G. Giordano, D. Gurdasani, C. Hanson, N. Hens, E. Iftekhar, M. Kelly-Irving, P. Klimek, M. Kretzschmar, A. Piechl, M. Perc, F. Sannino, E. Schernhammer, A. Schmidt, A. Staines and E. Szczurek. The Lancet. ; available .
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