"Beware of COVID"/ Experts raise the alarm and warn citizens: We must remain vigilant, the worst is not over

It has been three years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 an international health emergency.

Since then, the virus has claimed about 7 million human lives, 2 million of which in Europe alone. But experts say the figure is underestimated.

Compared to 2020, one factor above all has had a massive impact on the situation, the introduction of the anti-COVID vaccine plan, produced in record time.

Public health experts, such as Professor Jeffrey Lazarus, say that multiple sub-variants of Omicron have currently affected several thousand citizens in Europe and continue to claim lives.

And besides this, in the ranks of the scientific community there is another major concern; millions of Europeans have had, or still have, the long-term version of COVID.

"We do not know exactly how many are infected and this is one of the most urgent issues for European public health authorities; to monitor the long-term COVID situation, as it is very serious", declares Professor Lazarus.

Moreover, he adds, it is not yet clear whether additional vaccines should be recommended to combat the long-term version of the disease.

"People must remain vigilant as we are still in a pandemic state and governments must fight against reluctance to give vaccines," continues the expert.

Greece, Germany and Spain were the last European countries to make masks mandatory in some areas, but this measure will soon be lifted.