EMA and its partners in the European medicines regulatory network are closely monitoring the potential impact of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on pharmaceutical supply chains into the European Union (EU). No reports of current shortages or supply disruptions of medicines marketed in the EU due to this outbreak have been received at this point. As […]
Revise Parliament’s calendar as a precautionary health-related measure
In a shortened plenary session due to coronavirus concerns, MEPs discussed the EU’s response to the outbreak, tensions at the Greek-Turkish border and the EU long-term budget and decided that all activities scheduled for the week starting on 16 March will be postponed or cancelled. The week starting with 23 March stays unchanged. This week political […]
COVID-19: IFRC, UNICEF and WHO issue guidance to protect children and support safe school operations
The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) today issued new guidance to help protect children and schools from transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The guidance provides critical considerations and practical checklists to keep schools safe. It also advises national and local authorities on how to adapt and […]
Coronavirus: MEPs call for solidarity among EU member states
Parliament discussed the COVID-19 outbreak with the Commission and the Croatian presidency on Tuesday, underlining the need to slow down the spread across Europe. Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said COVID-19 was a public health emergency that is changing by the hour. Member states must focus on containing the virus […]
The NHS Inter-Territorial Council agrees on specific measures for areas with significant community transmission of coronavirus
The Inter-Territorial Council of the National Health System, of which the Ministry of Health and the Autonomous Regions are members, has agreed on a package of measures for areas that are in a significant community transmission stage. At the moment only the Community of Madrid, the city of Vitoria and the town of Labastida are […]
COVID-19: Commission steps up research funding and selects 17 projects in vaccine development, treatment and diagnostics
Following the publication of a €10 million call in January, the Commission has secured an additional €37.5 million for urgently needed research on COVID-19 vaccine development, treatment and diagnostics. This action is part of the coordinated EU response to the public health threat of COVID-19. With the additional amount from the Horizon 2020 programme, the Commission is scaling up […]
EU Civil Protection Mechanism must be sufficiently funded to save lives
The Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee called for sufficient means to match the needs of the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism programme post-2020. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM) has supported member states to save lives in the midst of earthquakes, hurricanes and floods, fighting forest fires and evacuating EU nationals in crisis – […]
NOW: Press conference about Coronavirus
LIVE Recently, the COVID-19 virus has been detected in 78 countries and has come to be considered at “very high risk” according to the WHO. After these new updates regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its rapid spread, Public Health broadcasts a live press conference in which Fernando Simon offers some statements regarding the virus and […]
COVID-19: UN releases US$15 million to help vulnerable countries to combat coronavirus
The head of the UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs, Mark Lowcock, has released US$15 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help fund global efforts to contain the virus responsible for COVID-19. The announcement came as the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the global risk of a coronavirus outbreak to “very high”, its […]