EU Staffs Off‑hand 60–80% of Europeans Have Caught Covid: Now, Let’s Get Kids Vaccinated & Stockpile Antivirals
In a very breezy press‑briefing, the European Commission confirmed that roughly two‑thirds of the EU’s population have already had Covid‑19. 60–80%? Yes, that’s the range they’re calling for. The idea? The pandemic has calmed enough that we can stop the daily click‑er for “total cases” and get back to life. But still, the little virus is likely to keep mutating, so the Commission urges the EU states to keep their vaccine guns ready and to think about the next generation of drugs.
What the Numbers Really Mean
- Officially reported cases cover ~30% of the population, but when you add in the “invisible” cases that never hit the lab, you could be looking at ~350 million infections—that’s around 77% of the EU.
- Recently there’s been a dip in both infections and deaths: COVID‑19 is turning into the kind of everyday “cold” where your paper trail isn’t needed.
Kids to the Rescue: Time to Open the Vaccine Gates
While it may feel like a normal school year is back, the Commission is nudging governments to push hard for children’s vaccinations before the new term starts. The kick‑off is especially important because:
- Only less than 15% of 5–9 year‑olds have been shot—this is the youngest group that can legally receive a jab in Europe.
- By contrast, over 70% of teens between 15 and 17 are already vaccinated.
That gap is a red flag. Getting kids vaccinated is the quickest, safest way to regain community protection.
Antivirals: The New “Silly‑Until‐It Works” Weapon
The Commission said it’s looking to back the development of new antivirals—the kind of pills that don’t need a fridge, are cheap to produce, and can be given on the fly at a doctor’s office or even a school health event.
- So far Pfizer’s and Merck’s antiviral tablets have cleared the EU safety hurdle, but uptake has been uneven.
- Leaky reasons: high price, slow prescribing procedures, and the fact that the pandemic’s pace has slowed.
- Now the Commission wants to put the wheels in motion for fresh, next‑generation meds that can kill the virus quickly.
Going Forward: Pandemic‑Ready — or “Emergency‑Shift” -Ready
With a lower-case of infection but a looming “shake‑shake” of new variants, EU leaders must stay alert. The big message: “If a surge hits, we’re back in emergency mode in days.” They want a well‑planned vaccination push and OOTB antivirals so that when the next wave hits, it’s not a scramble.
In Short
Someone should probably remind us that the commission told the EU governments that almost half the continent’s residents have been infected; some are predicted to be as high as 77% when unknown cases are added. This culminates in a pragmatic push for kids’ jabs and a larger focus on antivirals, because the best possible future scenario is “no more daily case reporting, ready to approve kids’ shots, and the ability to hand out antiviral tablets when the next spike rolls in.”
