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Cc:
RYAN John-F (SANTE);
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Subject:
Report from the webinar on protecting vulnerable populations
from COVID-19 of 10 December
Report from a Webinar on "Protecting vulnerable populations from COVID-19" on 10
December 2020
Speakers: John F. Ryan (chair), Commissioner Stella Kyriakides,
(ECDC),
(MSF),
, (UNICEF),
(Red Cross Europe),
(Stemm
vun der Strooss).
Participants: approximately 100 persons among which representatives from OECD, Maastricht
University, EuroHealthNet, Lux Innovation, Asti, Gobierno Canarias, Salzbourg Government,
CPME, WHO, Regione Veneto, Sciensano, Medecins du monde, EURORDIS and the Nobody Left
Outside (NLO) Initiative and colleagues from other Commission services (e.g. ECHO)
Commissioner Kyriakides emphasised social impacts of COVID-19, exposing the most
vulnerable. She thanked all those working in the clinical, NGO and civil society sectors,
supporting vulnerable people during the crisis. She gave an overview of ongoing activities and
initiatives of the COM surrounding COVID-19 and acknowledged that the COM has been called
upon to act on more specific measures for vulnerable groups.
out of scope
out of scope
MSF
informed of challenges faced by their sector, particularly operating with
logistic and export restrictions. MSF acknowledged receipt of funding from COM. Initial
challenges in IT included medical teams gaining entry into the country. MSF produced two
reports on long-term care facilities, identifying structural lack of resources, health security and
protection. Pillars of support include preparedness & contingency plans (e.g.; pre-established
purchase channels for PPE), regulatory frameworks to protect elder people, psychosocial
support and collecting, systemizing and publishing data. Specifically for migrants and refugees,
MSF has continuously advocated against allegedly discriminatory / disproportionate mass
quarantine in Greece, the absolute lack of health response and the forced closure of the MSF
COVID clinic, and in the central Mediterranean area the closure of ports for NGOs vessels as
well as the off-shore quarantine of migrants. Migrants and refugees must be included in
national and global response plans to COVID-19 and social recovery plans. There is also a need
to improve inclusion and collaboration with NGOs and other social networks.
Chair underlined that as part of the ‘European Health Union’, audits of national preparedness
have been proposed and participants were encouraged to liaise with their contacts in the EP
and nationally to support this proposal.
out of scope
out of scope
out of scope
Chair closed the meeting, proposing a continued dialogue between the COM and civil society
actors, focusing on vulnerable groups during the course of the current pandemic. This should
involve international organisations with the aim to identify existing gaps and how these could
be addressed over the next months. Infection control interventions, specific to vulnerable
people need to be strengthened and maintained, and vulnerable groups remain a challenge for
upcoming vaccination programmes. Conclusions of the proposed dialogue could be discussed
with Member states authorities via the HSC or other fora.
A flash report will be posted on the Health Policy Platform.
END.
[prepared by