AI advances could tackle future disease outbreaks, says international study. The COVID-19 crisis may already be a few years behind us. But questions inevitably arise if we’re adequately prepared for a future pandemic. AI is radically changing the way we live and work. It’s also poised to change research in infectious diseases. Can AI also […]
Avian influenza? EU agencies investigate possible mutations
Avian influenza viruses pose an increasing threat, with the potential to adapt to humans and trigger future pandemics. Employing a One Health approach, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have issued scientific advice that assesses avian influenza virus mutations and the potential of these viruses […]
Horizon Europe: Adaptive platform trials for pandemic preparedness
Expected Outcome This topic aims at supporting activities that are enabling or contributing to one or several expected impacts of destination 3 “Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden”. To that end, proposals under this topic should aim for delivering results that are directed, tailored towards and contributing to all of the following expected outcomes: A […]
Statement by President von der Leyen following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic
Welcoming the WHO’s announcement that COVID-19 no longer constitutes a global health emergency, President Ursula von der Leyen made the following statement: “Finally, after more than 3 years, COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency. This is good news. This pandemic has had a heavy toll on people, our society and our economy. But we have […]
Mental health didn’t get worse during the pandemic, says large-scale study
During the COVID-19 pandemic, academia and media outlets reported that our mental health had declined. But could this be misleading? A major study on COVID-19 mental health has some surprising findings. Led by Canada’s McGill University, research published in the journal ‘BMJ’ shows that the global pandemic had limited impact on mental health. The power […]
Commission highlights a slow decline in road traffic fatalities since the pandemic
The Commission has published preliminary data on the number of road deaths in 2022. Some 20,600 people died in road accidents last year, increasing by 3% from 2021 due to the lowest traffic levels since the pandemic. However, this is 2 000 fewer fatalities (-10%) than in 2019, the year before the pandemic. The EU […]
Facilitating travel during the pandemic: the EU Digital COVID certificate worked
The EU Digital COVID Certificate helped to coordinate travel restrictions between EU countries and was effective in facilitating travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of other EU tools, however, was modest, a report published by the European Court of Auditors concludes. The European Commission moved fast to propose suitable technological solutions, the auditors found. […]
EU ports still recovering from pandemic disruptions
Following a significant 45% fall in the number of passengers embarking and disembarking in EU ports in 2020 (compared with 2019), 2021 was more positive, with data showing a partial recovery. Compared with 2020, the number of passengers increased by 16%, reaching 267.9 million passengers from 230 million in 2020. This is still considerably below the levels […]
Has the pandemic changed your personality?
COVID-19 might have altered several personality traits, says new study. The long grind of social isolation impacted all of us in different ways. But just how much of our personality was altered? A study published in the journal ‘PLOS ONE’ suggests the global pandemic triggered personality changes. “The pandemic was an unprecedented opportunity to see […]