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• Using Face Masks in the Community: First Update; Effectiveness in Reducing Transmission of COVID-19

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  From the Document: "This document provides an update to and replaces the ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] opinion on the suitability of using face masks in the community [hyperlink] published on 9 April 2020. The aim was to review whether the scientific evidential basis has changed since April 2020. This document therefore builds on the evidence available in the literature and presents the main findings and recommendations for public health measures. The use of face masks by healthcare workers for the prevention of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] is out of the scope of this document and is covered in the latest update to the technical report 'Infection prevention and control and preparedness for COVID-19 in healthcare settings' [hyperlink], published on 9 February 2021."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  Baka, Agoritsa; de Carvalho Gomes, Helena; Cenciarelli, Orlando . . .

  2021-02-15
• ECDC Technical Guidance: Using Face Masks in the Community: First Update, Supplementary Material

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  This supplementary material accompanies the 2021 technical report 'Using Face Masks in the Community: First Update; Effectiveness in Reducing Transmission of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]' by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, located in the HSDL library here [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=850744]. Contents include tables, figures, review methods and results, quality and risk of bias assessment, and data extraction and analysis.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021?
• Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 7, 14-20 February 2021

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  This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of February 14-20, 2021. It details the number of multi-country cases of diseases such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], influenza, and ebola, and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries of each.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02
• SARS-CoV-2 - Increased Circulation of Variants of Concern and Vaccine Rollout in the EU/EEA, 14th Update

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  From the Summary: "Several EU/EEA [European Economic Area] countries have observed a decline in the overall incidence of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] in recent weeks, most probably due to the impact of tightened non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). Nonetheless, the epidemiological situation is still of serious concern across the EU/EEA, with the majority of countries still experiencing high or increasing notification rates in older age groups and/or high death rates. Although vaccine rollout has started in all EU/EEA countries, targeting priority groups based on their risk of developing severe disease (the elderly and residents in long-term care facilities) as well as healthcare and other front-line workers, it is still too early to detect an impact on COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] mortality or hospitalisations. Several EU/EEA countries have observed a decline in the overall incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in recent weeks, most probably due to the impact of tightened non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). Nonetheless, the epidemiological situation is still of serious concern across the EU/EEA, with the majority of countries still experiencing high or increasing notification rates in older age groups and/or high death rates. Although vaccine rollout has started in all EU/EEA countries, targeting priority groups based on their risk of developing severe disease (the elderly and residents in long-term care facilities) as well as healthcare and other front-line workers, it is still too early to detect an impact on COVID-19 mortality or hospitalisations. While most countries are currently seeing a decline in overall infections as a response to NPIs, the introduction and increased spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants first identified in the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351) and Brazil (P.1) has raised concerns. As suggested by recent anti-lockdown protests and civil disturbances in some European cities, pandemic fatigue could adversely affect the continued acceptance of and compliance with NPIs by the population."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02-15
• Outbreak of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Increased Transmission Globally - Fifth Update

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  From the Summary: "On 31 December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown aetiology was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. On 9 January 2020, China CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] reported a novel coronavirus as the causative agent of this outbreak, which is phylogenetically in the SARS-CoV [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] clade. The disease associated to it is now referred to as novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). [...] The risk associated with COVID-19 infection for people in the EU/EEA [European Economic Area] and UK is currently considered to be moderate to high, based on the probability of transmission and the impact of the disease. Based on the observed epidemiologic characteristics, everyone in the population is assumed to be susceptible, although there may be risk factors increasing susceptibility. The virus spreads rapidly, and can have an enormous public health impact with substantial fatal outcomes in high-risk groups and economic and societal disruption."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-03-02
• Rapid Risk Assessment: Risk Related to the Spread of New SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in the EU/EEA - First Update

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  From the Summary: "Viruses constantly change through mutation and variations in the SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] virus, due to evolution and adaptation processes, have been observed worldwide. While most emerging mutations will not have a significant impact on the spread of the virus, some mutations or combinations of mutations may provide the virus with a selective advantage, such as increased transmissibility or the ability to evade the host immune response. In this update we report new information on the spread of three virus variants (VOC [variant of concern] 202012/01, 501Y.V2 and variant P.1). These variants are considered to be of concern because of mutations which have led to increased transmissibility and deteriorating epidemiological situations in the areas where they have recently become established. Based on the new information, the risk associated with the introduction and community spread of variants of concern has been increased to 'high/very high' and the options for response have been adjusted to the current situation."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-01-21
• Risk Related to Spread of New SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in the EU/EEA

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  From the Summary: "The United Kingdom (UK) has faced a rapid increase in COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] case rates in the South-East, the East and the London area, which is associated with the emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] variant, VOC [variant of concern] 202012/01. As of 26 December 2020, more than 3,000 cases of this new variant, confirmed by genome sequencing, have been reported from the UK. An increasing proportion of cases in the South East, the East and the London area are due to this variant, but cases have also been identified in other parts of the UK. Although it was first reported in early December, the initial cases were retrospectively identified as having emerged in late September. Preliminary analyses indicate that the new variant has increased transmissibility compared to previously circulating variants, but no increase in infection severity has so far been identified. Since 26 December, a few VOC 202012/01 cases have also been reported in other EU/EEA [European Economic Area] countries (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden) and globally (Australia, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, India, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, South Korea, Switzerland, Singapore)."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-12-29
• Outbreak of Acute Respiratory Syndrome Associated with a Novel Coronavirus, Wuhan, China; First Update

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  From the Event Background: "On 31 December 2019, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in Wuhan City, Hubei province, China reported a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases of unknown aetiology, including seven severe cases, with a common reported link to Wuhan's Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market (a wholesale fish and live animal market selling different animal species). The cases presented with clinical features common to several infectious respiratory diseases such as fever, dyspnoea, and bilateral lung infiltrates on chest radiographs. Authorities placed all cases under isolation, initiated contact tracing activities and applied hygiene and environmental sanitation activities at the market, which was closed to the public on 1 January 2020. At that time, Chinese authorities reported no significant human-to-human transmission and no cases among healthcare workers. On 9 January 2020, China CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] reported that a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) had been detected as the causative agent for 15 of the 59 pneumonia cases. On 10 January 2020, the first novel coronavirus genome sequence was made publicly available. The sequence was deposited in the GenBank database (accession number MN908947) and was uploaded to the Global Initiative on Sharing all Influenza Data (GISAID). Preliminary analysis showed that the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) clusters with the SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome] -related CoV [coronavirus] clade and differs from the core genome of known bat CoVs."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-01-22
• Cluster of Pneumonia Cases Caused by a Novel Coronavirus, Wuhan, China

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  From the Summary: "As of 17 January 2020, a total of 44 laboratory-confirmed cases infected with 2019-nCoV [2019 novel coronavirus] have been reported, 41 from Wuhan, China and three travel-associated to Thailand (2) and Japan (1). The onset of symptoms ranged from 8 December 2019 to 5 January 2020 and included fever, coughing, and dyspnoea. Chest radiology showed the typical features of a viral pneumonia with diffuse bilateral infiltrates. The majority of cases were males aged 40-69 years. Seven cases developed a severe disease and two with chronic and severe underlying conditions died. Most cases are epidemiologically linked to the specific food market in Wuhan, which was cleaned and closed to the public on 1 January 2020. Some cases reported having visited a different food market while others did not report any link to such environments but had been in contact with people showing respiratory symptoms. So far, none of the reported cases had a disease onset more than 14 days after the closure of the implicated market. Among the cases reported, two small family clusters were identified. In one cluster, all three members of the family had attended the specific Wuhan market before disease onset. In the other cluster, one member was the spouse of a salesman in the market. She developed symptoms after the husband and did not report having visited the market environment before onset of symptoms. There have been no cases reported in healthcare workers, and so there is no evidence of nosocomial transmission so far."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-01-17
• Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 51, 13-19 December 2020

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  This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of December 13-19, 2020. It details the number of multi-country cases of diseases such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], influenza, and dengue, and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries of each.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-12
• Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 2, 10-16 January 2021

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  This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of January 10-16, 2021. It details the number of multi-country cases of diseases such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], influenza, and measles, and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries of each.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-01
• Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 52, 20-26 December 2020

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  This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of December 20-26, 2020. It details the number of multi-country cases of diseases such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and influenza, and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries of each.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-12
• Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 1, 3-9 January 2021

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  This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of January 3-9, 2021. It details the number of multi-country cases of diseases such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], influenza, and yellow fever, and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries of each.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-01
• Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 53, 27 December 2020 -2 January 2021

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  This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of December 27, 2020 - January 2, 2021. It details the number of multi-country cases of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-01
• Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 9, 28 February-6 March 2021

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  This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of February 28-March 6, 2021. It details the number of multi-country cases of diseases such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], influenza, and ebola, and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries of each.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-03
• Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 49, 29 November-5 December 2020

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  This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of November 29-December 5, 2020. It details the number of multi-country cases of diseases such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], influenza, and poliomyelitis, and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries of each.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-12
• Overview of the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies and Vaccine Deployment Plans in the EU/EEA

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  From the Key Findings: "On 19 January 2021 the European Commission set out actions to step up the response against the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and accelerate the rollout of vaccination campaigns across the EU, with the aim to vaccinate a minimum of 70% of the adult population by the summer of 2021. This report provides an updated overview of national COVID-19 vaccination rollout across the EU/EEA [European Economic Area], including new insights into some of the critical aspects and challenges Member States are experiencing with the implementation of national deployment plans in the EU/EEA."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02-01
• Behavioural Insights Research to Support the Response to COVID-19: A Survey of Implementation in the EU/EEA

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  From the Scope: "This Technical Report presents evidence about the current status of Behavioural Insights (BI) research being conducted in the ten EU/EEA [European Economic Area] Member States that responded to an ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] survey, within the context of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. The focus is on identifying experiences, challenges, and key lessons learned in translating the findings from BI research into effective strategies for pandemic response, and for optimising risk communication activities. The work has been undertaken in the context of concern about sub-optimal compliance in some Member States to the non-pharmaceutical measures that are in place to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2], and also with regards to the need to support the implementation of national COVID-19 vaccination programmes."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02-17
• Stress Test on Logistical Aspects of COVID-19 Vaccination Deployment Plans: Final Report

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  From the Summary: "ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control], together with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, organised a stress test of the logistical aspects of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccination deployment plans. Twelve EU/EEA [European Economic Area] Member States participated in this stress test, a focused simulation exercise conducted in two rounds, one in mid-December 2020 and the second in early January 2021. Member States were asked to describe the deployment plans in place for delivering a vaccine with strict cold chain requirements to their target priority groups. All participating Member States were able to describe the process, albeit in varying levels of detail, reflecting that they were at different points in their planning. Most described bespoke cross-government governance arrangements where a task force had been convened to oversee the deployment. Electronic systems for logistics management and vaccination registries were described, some newly developed and others that had been used in previous vaccination programmes. Plans were also in place, or in development, to promote the vaccination campaign including using and monitoring social media to support the roll-out."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02-03
• ECDC Rapid Assessment of Laboratory Practices and Needs Related to COVID-19

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  From the Background and Methods: "ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] has mapped current laboratory practices and needs of Member States in terms of diagnostic testing and laboratory shortages across the EU/EEA [European Economic Area] and the UK. This is the fourth such survey since the beginning of the pandemic in December 2019. A concise questionnaire was sent out on 25 November 2020 to 29 Member States and the UK using the EU Survey Tool. [...] [The recipients] were asked to answer the questions where appropriate and estimate numbers for the whole of their country. We have summarised the answers in this report. The assessment of the sequencing capacity in Member States was not part of the current laboratory capacity survey. It is, however, being investigated in the most recent survey on 'Detection and characterisation capability and capacity for SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] variants', of which the report is expected to be published in February 2021."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-01-18
• Strategic and Performance Analysis of ECDC Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

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  From the Introduction: "This report summarises the findings of a strategic and performance analysis of ECDC's [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] response to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] between August and October 2020. The context and subject of this analysis is ECDC's performance during the COVID-19 outbreak. Hence, the scope of the analysis, and this report, is largely limited to events that took place in the period from the first known cases of COVID-19 in China until the time of this strategic analysis. The analysis focuses on ECDC's activities, organisation and processes that were in place during this period. As a result of this, the analysis and the resulting conclusions and recommendations pertain primarily to ECDC's operations in times of crisis."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-11
• European Surveillance of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities in the EU/EEA: Aggregate Data Reporting

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  From the Document: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] outbreaks in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), which are a relatively closed and high-occupancy setting, can have devastating effects given the increased vulnerability and other underlying health problems of residents, resulting in a high likelihood of unfavourable outcomes to infection. [...] In August, October and November 2020, ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] hosted webinars for EU/EEA [European Economic Area] countries in which OCPs [Operational Contact Points] and/or National Focal Points for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) presented aspects of their surveillance of COVID-19 in LTCFs, for group discussion. ECDC also reviewed the published national reports that contained surveillance data on COVID-19 in LTCFs. On 16 November 2020, ECDC sent the draft protocol to the CCBs [Coordinating Competent Bodies] in EU/EEA countries, for national review and comments by 13 January 2021. A technical webinar was organised by ECDC on 20 January 2021 with the objective to finalise the protocol. On 29 January 2021, the metadata set was implemented in TESSy [The European Surveillance System], enabling EU/EEA countries to upload historical and prospective national aggregate data on COVID-19 in LTCFs."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02
• Detection and Characterisation Capability and Capacity for SARS-CoV-2 Variants Within the EU/EEA

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  From the Key Messages: "[1] In most Member States, the sequencing capacity for identification of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] variants is below the recommendation set by the European Commission to sequence 5-10% of SARS-CoV-2 positive specimens. [2] Although the majority of the EU/EEA [European Economic Area] countries are actively investigating the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, three countries are not doing so. [3] Many countries are increasing or planning to increase their sequencing capacity but have indicated the need for support from ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control]. [4] Specific needs include support with sequencing capacities and protocols and with bioinformatics in particular. [5] For many countries, the turn-around time for PCR [polymerase chain reaction] pre-screening results shared with public health authorities is longer than 48 hours."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02-16
• Integrated COVID-19 Response in the Vaccination Era

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  From the Scope and Objective: "The purpose of this document is to provide an initial illustration of how the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] response could unfold in the vaccination era, given the emergence and replacement of the predominant strain with a novel, more transmissible variant."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02-01
• COVID-19 in Children and the Role of School Settings in Transmission - First Update

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  From the Scope: "The aim of this document is to provide an update on the knowledge surrounding the role of children in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] and the role of schools in the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, based on the experience in the EU from August-December, 2020. This document also addresses transmission to and from staff in school settings, school-related mitigation measures including risk communication, testing, contact tracing and the efficacy of partial and full school closures. This document draws upon and updates evidence presented in the previous report from ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] on this topic, which was published on August 6, 2020. This report does not consider educational settings related to young adults or adults, such as universities or vocational schools or any school with overnight stays, such as boarding schools. This report does not consider the epidemiology of COVID-19 in relation to new variants of SARS-CoV-2, for which robust evidence on the potential impact in school settings is not yet available, such as one recently observed in the United Kingdom."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-12-23
• Infection Prevention and Control and Preparedness for COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings: Sixth Update - 9 February 2021

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  From the Scope: "This document aims to provide guidance to healthcare facilities and healthcare providers in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK) on preparedness and infection prevention and control (IPC) measures for the management of possible and confirmed cases of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in healthcare settings, including long-term care facilities (LTCFs). In addition, this document addresses the management of clinical diagnostic specimens at laboratories in the EU/EEA. This is the sixth update of the ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] guidance on 'Infection prevention and control and preparedness for COVID-19 in healthcare settings', and replaces the document dated 6 October 2020."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-02-09
• Rapid Risk Assessment: Outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): Increased Transmission Beyond China - Fourth Update

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  From the Summary: "On 31 December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown aetiology was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. On 9 January 2020, China CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] reported a novel coronavirus as the causative agent of this outbreak, which is phylogenetically in the SARS-CoV [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] clade. The novel coronavirus has thus been named 'severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2' (SARS-CoV-2), while coronavirus disease associated with it is now referred to as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. [...] According to available evidence, the transmissibility of this virus is assessed as sufficient for sustained community transmission. Further cases and deaths in China are expected in the coming days and weeks. Further cases or clusters are also expected from other countries that are already reporting increasing numbers of cases, including community transmission. Therefore, health authorities in the EU/EEA [European Economic Area] and the UK should remain vigilant and strengthen their capacity to respond to possible importation of cases from China or, potentially, other areas with presumed ongoing community transmission; increase their capacity for surveillance and review their pandemic preparedness plans."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-02-14
• Communicable Disease Threats Report, Week 6, 7-13 February 2021

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  The Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) is a weekly bulletin that provides updates on threats monitored by European Union and European Economic Area (ECDC). The Week 6 report covering February 7-13, 2021 assesses current threats and non-threats and provides an epidemiological overview of each in individualized reports. Threats covered in this issue include COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), Influenza, Ebola, and Measles.

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021
• Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2: First Update

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  From the Introduction: "In January 2020, a previously unknown coronavirus strain was identified as the cause of a respiratory infection and death in humans. The first viral genome was sequenced using high throughput sequencing (HTS) from a sample collected in Wuhan, China. This virus, belonging to the viral species Severe acute respiratory syndrome- related coronavirus, has been subsequently named SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] and the associated disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Sequencing of (partial) genes and whole genomes (WGS) has been proven as a powerful method to investigate viral pathogen genomes, understand outbreak transmission dynamics and spill-over events and screen for mutations that potentially have an impact on transmissibility, pathogenicity, and/or countermeasures (e.g. diagnostics, antiviral drugs and vaccines). The results are key to informing outbreak control decisions in public health."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2021-01-18
• Risk of COVID-19 Transmission Related to the End-Of-Year Festive Season

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  From the Summary: "After a scale-up of non-pharmaceutical interventions implemented by several Member Sates starting from the end of October, a recent overall decreasing trend in the 14-day COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] notification rate and in the weekly test positivity proportion for the EU/EEA [European Economic Area] and the UK has been observed. However, SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] transmission in the EU/EEA and the UK remains high compared with the low levels observed over the summer. The end-of-year festive season is traditionally associated with activities such as social gatherings, shopping and travelling, which would pose significant additional risks for intensified transmission of SARS-CoV-2. An aggravating factor is that there are reports of what has been described as 'pandemic fatigue', with some people becoming de-motivated to follow recommended protective measures, especially during this period. [...] Based on the current epidemiological situation in most EU Member States, any adaptation of measures should be undertaken in a targeted, proportionate and coordinated manner, according to the prevailing epidemiology and population vulnerability at the level at which the measures are applied. These measures should be communicated clearly in order to mitigate the risk of increased transmission during the end-of-year season, while also taking into account the social, personal and economic impact for the population."

  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

  2020-12-04