The WHO Regional Office for Europe’s Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE) recently met virtually to issue recommendations on which groups should be prioritized to receive COVID-19 vaccines when limited supplies become available.
Select categories of health workers, older adults and residents of long-term care facilities should be prioritized for access to COVID-19 vaccines in the context of limited supply, the group concluded.
With supply expected to be very limited in the initial stage of delivery, all countries must decide who should be vaccinated first to maximize the impact of limited doses in reducing the burden of disease in each country context. ETAGE met to provide countries in the WHO European Region with detailed guidance for making this important decision.
Based on the current understanding of the epidemiology of COVID-19 in the WHO European Region and the findings from modelling studies, ETAGE concurred with the recommendations laid out in the global WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) Roadmap for prioritizing uses of COVID-19 vaccines. The group also provided more detailed guidance on how to adapt the global recommendations to countries in the WHO European Region.
ETAGE also stressed the important role of independent national immunization technical advisory groups (NITAGs), which will use the global and regional guidance to make specific recommendations for their own countries to facilitate national planning and preparedness for the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination.
All recommendations are also subject to review and revision as additional information and evidence on virus transmission, disease epidemiology and vaccine characteristics and supply become available.
WHO thanks all donors and partners who have contributed to fund the Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to combat COVID-19. A special appreciation goes to Member States and other contributors who provided flexible funds, making it possible for WHO to deliver a coherent, strategic and broad response.
Go to the WHO/Europe website to learn more about the guidelines for delivering COVID-19 vaccines to priority groups