# Exclusive-EU to move away from emergency phase of COVID pandemic – document Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-04-26 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: EU Shifts to Targeted Testing in New Post-Emergency Phase of Meta Description: The European Commission moves towards a more sustainable approach for managing the pandemic, focusing on targeted testing and surveillance of COVID-19 cases URL: https://financedigest.com/exclusive-eu-to-move-away-from-emergency-phase-of-covid-pandemic-documenthtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-04-26t164409z1lynxnpei3p0sjrtroptp4healthcare-coronavirus-europe-medics-1736815819844-compressed.jpg) By Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission is set to say the EU has entered a new post-emergency phase of the pandemic in which testing should be targeted and monitoring of COVID-19 cases should be similar to sample-based flu surveillance, according to a draft document seen by Reuters. The shift comes amid a gradual drop of cases and a fall in the number of deaths linked to COVID-19, thanks to the spread of the less virulent Omicron variant and the immunisation of over 70% of the EU population, with half of the population having received also a booster shot. This [Communication puts forward an approach for the management of the pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/four-bad-communication-habits-that-you-might-have-slipped-into-during-the-pandemic.html "Four bad communication habits that you might have slipped into during the pandemic") in the coming months, moving from emergency to a more sustainable mode,” the EU draft document says. The Commission had no comment. The World Health Organization (WHO) is in charge of declaring a [pandemic and the end](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-house-prices-end-2022-on-a-weaker-note-after-pandemic-boom.html "UK house prices end 2022 on a weaker note after pandemic boom") of it, a move that has vast legal implications for a large variety of sectors, including insurers and vaccine makers. The U.N. agency has said the pandemic is not over. The EU’s document is non-binding and comes with clear warnings that “COVID-19 is here to stay”, likely with the emergence of new variants, and therefore “vigilance and preparedness remain essential.” The draft document, prepared by Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and set to be adopted on Wednesday, [warns that new surges](https://www.financedigest.com/chinese-fret-over-elderly-as-who-warns-of-holiday-covid-surge.html "Chinese fret over elderly as WHO warns of holiday COVID surge") are possible and recommends EU governments keep up their guard and be ready to return to emergency measures if needed. However, it also acknowledges that a new phase has started and that a new approach is [needed to monitor the pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/re-mortgaging-your-home-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic-what-you-need-to-know.html "Re-Mortgaging Your Home In The Middle Of A Pandemic: What You Need To Know"). That means that mass testing, whereby [people with symptoms and their contacts must](https://www.financedigest.com/life-post-brexit-people-must-take-precedent.html "Life post Brexit – people must take precedent") undergo a test, has been already dropped in some EU states, in stark contrast with policies currently applied in China where large cities are subjected to lockdowns and regular mass testing after the detection of few cases. SURVEILLANCE The Commission recognizes this shift, noting that less [testing could make it harder to interpret epidemiological data](https://www.financedigest.com/interoperability-of-data-to-accelerate-the-ventilator-test-systems-market.html "Interoperability of data to accelerate the Ventilator Test Systems Market"). That is in line with warnings from the WHO head General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who on Tuesday urged countries to maintain surveillance of coronavirus infections, [saying the world was “blind” to how the virus was spreading because of falling](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-house-prices-stabilise-after-four-month-fall-halifax-says.html "UK house prices stabilise after four-month fall, Halifax says") rates of testing. . To address this situation, Brussels encourages the introduction of more sophisticated ways of detecting outbreaks. Targeted diagnostic testing should be put in place,” the draft document says, noting that new testing strategies should be [designed to ensure they keep providing useful indications on epidemiological trends](https://www.financedigest.com/mastering-the-2016-company-logo-design-trend.html "Mastering The 2016 Company Logo Design Trend"). For this purpose, priority groups for testing should be identified, including those close to outbreaks, people at risk of developing severe COVID-19 and [medical staff](https://www.financedigest.com/the-icu-is-full-medical-staff-on-frontline-of-chinas-covid-fight-say-hospitals-are-overwhelmed.html "‘The ICU is full’: medical staff on frontline of China’s COVID fight say hospitals are ‘overwhelmed’") and others who are in regular contact with vulnerable populations. Surveillance of the virus should also be adapted, with an increased focus on genomic sequencing to spot possible new variants, and less [attention on mass reporting](https://www.financedigest.com/lumen-releases-report-from-pwc-on-the-roi-of-attention-technology.html "Lumen Releases Report from PwC on the ROI of Attention Technology") of cases. The objective of surveillance should no longer be based on the identification and reporting of all cases, but rather on obtaining reliable estimates of the intensity of community transmission, of the [impact of severe disease and on vaccine effectiveness,” the document says](https://www.financedigest.com/stanchart-ceo-says-at1-bond-wipeout-has-profound-impact.html "StanChart CEO says AT1 bond wipeout has profound impact"). It suggests establishing a surveillance system similar to that used to monitor seasonal flu, in which a limited number of selected healthcare providers collect and [share relevant data](https://www.financedigest.com/who-urges-china-to-share-specific-data-regularly-on-covid-situation.html "WHO urges China to share specific data regularly on COVID situation"). Vaccines continue to remain essential in the fight against COVID-19, the document says, recommending states consider strategies to [boost vaccination among children aged five and over before the start of next school year](https://www.financedigest.com/crop-merchant-louis-dreyfus-gets-profit-boost-in-volatile-year.html "Crop merchant Louis Dreyfus gets profit boost in volatile year"). The Commission warns that immunisations are below 15% among children between 5 and 9, the youngest age group for which COVID-19 [vaccines have been authorised in Europe](https://www.financedigest.com/omicron-found-in-europe-11-days-ago-jolts-markets-on-vaccine-fears.html "Omicron, found in Europe 11 days ago, jolts markets on vaccine fears"). That compares to over 70% of teens aged 15 to 17, the document says. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio in Brussels @fraguarascio, additional reporting by Emma Farge in Geneva and Jennifer Rigby in London; Editing by William Maclean and Bernadette Baum) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---