WHO criticizes Europe for ‘unacceptably slow’ rollout of Covid-19 vaccines

RT.com, 1 April, 2021 - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has labeled Europe’s rollout of Covid-19 vaccines as “unacceptably slow,” warning delays are “prolonging the pandemic” and described a surge in new infections in the region as “worrying.”  

The WHO statement from its top leadership in Europe on Thursday came after most countries reported increased coronavirus cases and deaths over the past seven days. Last week, Europe recorded 1.6 million new Covid-19 infections and close to 24,000 deaths. It is the world’s second-worst affected region with nearly 1 million deaths and 45 million infections since the pandemic began.  

“Vaccines present our best way out of this pandemic,” said Hans Kruge, WHO’s director for Europe. “However, the rollout of these vaccines is unacceptably slow.”Dr. Dorit Nitzan, the WHO’s regional emergency director, said that only five weeks ago, the weekly number of new cases in Europe had dipped to under 1 million, adding that Easter gatherings risked 
more spread.