Europe has reached a “truce” with the coronavirus thanks to growing immunity from vaccinations and the less sickening omikron variant of the virus.
Hans Kluge, Europe director of the World Health Organization (WHO), has said so. If this situation continues, the end of the pandemic could be in sight with potentially a “prolonged period of calm”, he said.
Kluge previously said that the omikron variant has brought the pandemic into a new phase and could end the wave of disease in Europe. “The region is likely moving towards some sort of pandemic endgame,” he said on Sunday. First, however, vaccination campaigns must continue, and new variants must be closely monitored.
Kluge expects that with spring approaching, the virus will make fewer victims. He expects a rebound when the weather gets colder, but not as a pandemic. He referred to the relatively mild nature of the omikron variant, which means that the disease has less serious consequences.
But he does have one caveat. This virus has surprised us more than once, so we have to be very careful, said the WHO director.