«We are expanding the use of the Green pass. But citizens need more clarity “- time.news

by time news
of Francesca Basso

The EU Commissioner for Health: the dominant Delta variant at the end of August, running with vaccinations. The Commission has also included vaccines for pediatric use in the contracts

“Clear messages, clear information based on science”. For the EU Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides this is the way to defeat those who are still skeptical of vaccines and to make the EU Covid certificate work (in Italy known as the green pass, the first name then changed by the Commission), even at this time when the Delta variant it is spreading rapidly. In the past few weeks Kyriakides has been to Bucharest, Sofia, Athens and Madrid for support vaccination campaigns.

The infections started to grow again. Is the EU in danger of a fourth wave?
“We have had three months in which the number of Covid cases has decreased and now we see that it is growing again. One of the reasons is the rapid spread of the Delta variant: the latest data released on Monday by the ECDC (the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, ed) show that over 40% of cases identified in the EU are due to the Delta variant and the forecast is that by the end of August it will be the dominant variant. We are in a very fragile and serious situation, which is why I appealed to all Member States to increase vaccinations, because it is the best way to combat this variant ».

France has imposed the mandatory EU Covid pass to access restaurants, trains, flights and other activities. A discussion is underway in Italy. Is this the right solution?
“Each country has a different epidemiological situation. The Covid certificate is an important European tool that ensures citizens can safely resume free movement in the EU. If a Member State decides to use the Covid certificate in a different way at national level, it can do so, but the key thing is that it is not discriminatory. The situation changes very quickly and there can be no rules coming from Brussels because each country has different characteristics. There are adverse reactions not only in France or Italy but also in other Member States. We must not forget that the population is exhausted by this pandemic and uncertainty. We need predictability and coordination ».

There is a lot of confusion about the Covid pass. The perception of citizens is that it is not as useful as hoped.
«The EU Covid certificate is a very important common tool. It allows citizens who have been fully vaccinated or with a test or recovered in the last six to move around the EU: this is a clear message. Then countries can decide at national level to have other instruments or passes. However, I have always said that the best thing is to use the EU Covid certificate as widely as possible, but clear information is needed on the restrictions imposed by the Member States. Citizens must know in a predictable way what they can do with the Covid pass “.

The EU has overtaken the US in administering the first dose. But still many people don’t want to get vaccinated. What should the Member States do?
“In some EU countries we see that a glass ceiling has been reached: those who wanted to be vaccinated have been vaccinated, now we need to find a way to break this ceiling. In the last three weeks, I have visited several EU countries to understand how to support them. The biggest problem is misinformation, it must be fought at every level. Awareness needs to be raised and we need to push facts and science to convince people that getting vaccinated is the best protection. The vaccination rate varies from country to country and within a state: vaccination campaigns must take these differences into account and be based on science. So we will be credible ».

Schools reopen in September. Do teenagers need to be vaccinated?
‘In most Member States, this is being discussed. The pandemic also affects people’s mental health and the impact changes with age. We want to protect the most vulnerable, the elderly and children, but we must also ensure that children go to school as safely as possible. Ema has also approved Pfizer for children and is considering a similar decision for Moderna. Some countries have incorporated adolescent vaccination into their national strategy. The decision is not political. We must follow the science and ultimately let the parents decide how to proceed. Sometimes it is teenagers who argue with their parents and ask to be vaccinated after the year they have passed. They have their own opinion. The Commission has also included vaccines for pediatric use in upcoming contracts. We must be ready ».

Many Member States are reintroducing containment measures. Was everything reopened too quickly?
“There are no easy solutions with this pandemic. We must be guided by science, reopen gradually and cautiously and we must continue to respect public health measures until the number of vaccinated increases ».

July 20, 2021 (change July 20, 2021 | 23:09)

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