WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge warned that the Covid-19 pandemic would not end until at least 70% of people were vaccinated, and criticized the distribution of vaccines in the region as "too slow".

"Do not think that the Covid-19 pandemic is over," Kluge said in an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), adding that vaccination rates should be increased. "The pandemic will end once we have achieved 70% minimum coverage in vaccination," he said.

In the 53 countries and territories that make up the WHO European region - including some regions in Central Asia - 26% of the population has received the first dose of a Covid vaccine.

In the European Union, 36.6% of the population has received at least one dose and 16.9% have been fully vaccinated, according to an AFP count.

Kluge said one of his main concerns was to increase the transmission of new variants.

"We know for example that B.1617 (Indian variant) is more transmissible than B.117 (British variant), which was already more transmissible than the previous type."

He also underlined that speed is "essential" during the pandemic.

"Our best friend is speed, time is working against us and the development of vaccination is still very slow. It is not acceptable for some countries to start vaccinating the youngest, healthiest part of the population, while others in the region Our coverage still does not cover all health care workers and the most vulnerable people. ”