WHO/Europe is launching the campaign “Keeping COVID-19 and influenza at bay this autumn/winter. Prepare, prevent, protect” to raise awareness about the pressing need for vulnerable populations to protect themselves from serious illness or death by getting vaccinated against both influenza and COVID-19.
The campaign calls on countries in the WHO European Region to relaunch mitigation efforts and be ready to respond to an increased burden on their health-care systems amid concerns over an autumn and winter surge of COVID-19 and influenza. As part of this, it urges countries to administer an influenza vaccine along with a COVID-19 vaccine whenever feasible.
Whether against influenza or COVID-19, vaccines save lives, and they remain the best way to fight these diseases. Taking other personal protective measures, such as cleaning hands regularly or staying away from other people when unwell, is also important and a key message of the campaign.
The campaign is in line with WHO/Europe’s strategy for COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses for autumn/winter 2022–2023, which provides strategic guidance to Member States in their decision-making to calibrate interventions in preparation for the colder seasons.