COVID-19 vaccines prevented nearly 1.4 million deaths in Europe, says WHO
A new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that COVID-19 vaccines prevented nearly 1.4 million deaths in the European region.
The study, published in the journal The Lancet, found that vaccines were most effective in preventing deaths among people over the age of 60.
The study analysed data from 34 countries in the European region between December 2020 and March 2023. It found that vaccines reduced the number of COVID-19 deaths by 57% in the region.
"This study provides further evidence of the life-saving benefits of COVID-19 vaccines," said Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. "Vaccines have been essential in helping to protect people from the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic."
The study found that vaccines were particularly effective in preventing deaths from the Omicron variant, which was the dominant strain of COVID-19 in Europe from December 2021 to April 2023. In Israel, which has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, vaccines were found to reduce the risk of death from Omicron by 75%.
The study also found that countries that implemented early vaccination programs that covered a large share of the population had the greatest benefits in terms of the number of lives saved. Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Malta, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom were among the countries with the highest vaccination rates and the most lives saved.
The study's findings underscore the importance of vaccination in protecting people from the serious consequences of COVID-19. Dr. Kluge urged all countries in the European region to continue to vaccinate and boost their populations.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
