WHO: Vaccination to change course of history

"For 200 years now, vaccines have been protecting us from serious diseases. The same with the vaccine against coronavirus," head of WHO's European regional bureau Hans Kluge said at an online briefing on the situation with COVID-19 in the European region.

Report informs that, according to Kluge, 5.5% of residents of the European region have already had COVID-19, and over 7% have passed the complete stage of vaccination. Kluge added, however, that the threat remains.

"Vaccines save lives. They also change the course of the pandemic and help tackle it. Without epidemiological control, we won't be able to reveal new strains of coronavirus. If we want to overcome the diseases, we need to hold planned vaccinations. Vaccination will change the course of history," he said.

He also touched upon the issue of the Indian strain and spoke about the complex epidemiological situation in India, where new infections are hitting record highs every day. "It is essential to understand that the situation in India may happen in any country. When the scope of vaccination is low, it causes a 'storm' in any country. Solidarity is key in such a situation. Many countries, including in the EU, assist India through supplying drugs and other essential medications," Kluge said.