WHO Reports Over 1.4 Million Lives Saved by COVID-19 Vaccines in Europe

In a recent study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), it was revealed that COVID-19 vaccines have saved more than 1.4 million lives in Europe since their introduction.

The study, which took into account the spread of the virus and healthcare system capacity, evaluated the benefit-risk balance of each vaccine in different populations.

The findings show that the benefits of all authorized COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the risks when used as described in the product information.

Researchers have estimated that the first year of COVID-19 vaccination more than halved the number of deaths due to COVID-19 across the world, avoiding between 14 and 20 million deaths.

In May 2022, WHO estimated there were nearly 15 million excess deaths linked to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 alone.

Vaccination campaigns based on the spread of the virus and healthcare system capacity have played a crucial role in this success.

While there may continue to be differences between how different EU countries use the COVID-19 vaccines at their disposal, the study provides a scientific basis for national vaccination campaigns.

The first booster saved the most lives, accounting for almost two-thirds (64%) of lives saved.

Overall, across all age groups and countries, vaccines are estimated to have saved the largest number of lives during the Omicron wave, with at least 568,064 deaths prevented.

This represents over half (57%) of the lives saved.

The WHO study highlights the significant impact of COVID-19 vaccines in saving lives and emphasizes the importance of continued vaccination efforts to protect vulnerable populations and save even more lives in the future.