The Covid-19 vaccines have saved over a million lives in Europe, with many deaths prevented during the Omicron wave. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the vaccines developed during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic have saved numerous lives. A report by the organization estimates that since the end of 2020, over a million people in Europe and the former Soviet Union have survived Covid-19 thanks to the vaccines. This figure is based on an analysis of death rates and administered vaccine doses in 26 countries. However, the effectiveness of the vaccines varied depending on the prevailing coronavirus variant and corresponding pandemic waves.
The WHO report states that since the start of the pandemic about three years ago, over two million people in the WHO-Region Europe have died from Covid-19. The report did not take into account the indirect effects of vaccinations. The vaccines were particularly effective in saving the lives of seniors, with 96% of those whose lives were saved being over 60 years old. During the Omicron wave, numerous deaths were prevented, with approximately 570,000 lives saved through vaccinations. Richard Pebody, head of the WHO’s Europe division, urged unvaccinated individuals to get vaccinated, stating that “our research shows how many lives have been saved by Covid-19 vaccines throughout Europe during the pandemic.”
The WHO-Region Europe includes 53 countries, including the member states of the European Union and the European Economic Area, as well as Russia and several countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia. The report emphasizes the importance of vaccinations in preventing Covid-19 deaths and highlights the need for continued efforts to increase vaccination rates. The findings of the report provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines and their role in saving lives during the pandemic.
