COVID: Europe could be heading for 'a long period pandemic tranquillity'

Europe is now entering a "plausible endgame" to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

WHO Europe director Dr Hans Kluge told a press briefing on Thursday that the number of coronavirus deaths across the continent is starting to plateau.

Dr Kluge said this could be due to the lower severity of the Omicron variant, as well as warmer weather making it harder for the virus to spread.

"I wish to reiterate the firm call I made last week which is indeed referring to a plausible endgame for the pandemic – not to say that it is now all over – but to highlight that in the European Region, there is a singular opportunity to take control of the transmission," he said.

"This context – that we have not experienced so far in this pandemic – leaves us with the possibility for a long period of tranquillity and a much higher level of population defence against any re-surge in transmission, even with a more virulent variant."

But WHO has urged countries to continue vaccinating citizens against the virus.

Scientists have repeatedly warned that unless the majority of the world’s population is vaccinated, the coronavirus will keep spreading means and may mutate into deadlier and more contagious forms.

Some countries, like Spain, are considering whether COVID-19 is now an endemic problem and be handled more like seasonal flu.

Others -- such as the Czech Republic and Italy -- are planning to ease some restrictions in the coming weeks.

On Tuesday, the director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that it was too early for countries to declare victory over COVID-19.

"More transmission means more deaths," Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference.

"We are concerned that a narrative has taken hold