At least five EU/EEA countries have detected the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 variant sub-lineage BQ.1 during week 40, 2022. ECDC modelling forecasts predict that BQ1 and its sub-lineage BQ1.1 will become the dominant SARS-CoV2 strains in EU/EEA by mid-November to the beginning of December 2022. This will likely contribute to an increase in the number […]
Efficient tracing of Omicron with new PCR test
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has developed a new detection method specific for the Omicron variant. The method has been successfully validated in silico, based on bioinformatics. The JRC now invites control laboratories worldwide to validate it in vivo on clinical samples. Following the recent emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern, Omicron, […]
The European Commission considers making COVID-19 vaccine compulsory
The Commission is today putting forward a common and coordinated EU approach to address effectively the challenges from the resurgence of COVID-19 in many Member States this autumn. There are rapidly rising case numbers and a renewed pressure on hospitals, which calls for urgent and determined action. The new potential threat from the Omicron variant […]