A WHO Europe study issued as a preprint in January 2024 reveals the life-saving extent of COVID-19 vaccines in the region. The paper states that, by March 2023, 54 countries, areas, and territories (CAT) reported over 2.2 million COVID-19 deaths to the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The researchers estimate the number of lives that were “directly saved” by adult vaccinations in the region, between December 2020 and March 2023.
The study
The paper was intended to further previous work by “estimating the number of lives saved by COVID-19 vaccination in adults” aged 25 and over in the European Region. Using weekly COVID-19 mortality and COVID-19 vaccine uptake data from 34 CAT as well as vaccine effectiveness data from literature, the researchers were able to calculate the percentage reduction in number of expected and reported deaths.
“We found that over nearly 2 ½ years of the pandemic, COVID-19 vaccination programmes across 34 CAT of the WHO European Region reduced COVID-19 mortality by an estimated 57%, saving approximately 1.4 million lives.”
In the 34 CAT, the number of lives saved varied from 450 to 396,532. These findings are consistent with other study findings and highlight that “even during the Omicron period”, COVID-19 vaccines still “dramatically reduced mortality”. Indeed, “most lives were saved (67%) during the Omicron period”.
The greatest effect of the vaccine was observed in adults aged 60 or over, with 96% of all COVID-19 deaths averted by vaccine in the reporting countries occurring in this age group. The analysis indicates that older age-group booster doses “played an important role” in saving lives. The report also shows that for people aged 25-49, a second dose provided a “48% reduction in mortality”, despite the meagre 5% uptake of second and third boosters.
The countries that implemented “early” vaccination programmes covering “large parts of the population”, like Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Israel, Malta, the Netherlands, and the UK, saw the “greatest benefit”.
Irrefutable evidence
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, is glad that the study “documents the result of countries implementing” the advice on COVID-19 vaccines.
“The evidence is irrefutable.”
Dr Kluge highlighted that there are “more than 1.4 million people” in the region, most of whom are elderly, who are now “enjoying life with their loved ones because they took the vital decision to be vaccinated against COVID-19″.
“This is the power of vaccines.”
COVID-19 hasn’t gone away
The WHO Europe statement emphasises that, as “winter intensifies in the northern hemisphere”, COVID-19 cases are “once again on the rise” in parallel with other respiratory illnesses. Dr Kluge was clear that, although “much of society has acquired some level of immunity”, the risk is still there.
“COVID-19 hasn’t gone away. We have merely learned to live with it.”
He suggests that “most of us” can assess our own risk level, encouraging people who “get sick with signs of COVID-19 or flu” to “stay at home and away from others”.
This report clearly presents the significance of COVID-19 vaccines in the region, but how will it be received, and what can we do to turn it into action? For more on lessons from COVID-19 and preparing for future respiratory threats, do join us at the Congress in April. If you are unable to make it, why not subscribe here?
