Vaccination

COVID-19 vaccination continues to provide important protection against symptomatic infection.

During the 2024–2025 respiratory virus season in Europe, vaccines were around 66% effective overall at preventing medically attended symptomatic COVID-19 (Laniece Delaunay et al., Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2025).

Protection was highest shortly after vaccination (around 73%) and declined over time (to around 54%), with similar effectiveness observed among older adults, who remain at higher risk of severe outcomes (Laniece Delaunay et al., Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2025).

European monitoring shows that annual COVID-19 vaccination restores protection against hospitalisation and death, but that protection declines over time since the last vaccination, particularly among older adults. This highlights the importance of regular vaccination strategies to maintain protection in higher-risk groups (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Interim Analysis 2024).

These findings confirm that vaccination plays an ongoing role in reducing disease burden and pressure on healthcare systems, even as population immunity evolves.

The use of different variant targets within the same season risks confusing healthcare professionals and the public, particularly when differences are subtle and not linked to clear outcome benefits (Sharff et al., Vaccine 2025).

This matters in a context of very low routine COVID-19 vaccine uptake, especially among those most at risk. During the 2024–2025 season, only around 7–9% of adults aged ≥60 years received an annual COVID-19 vaccine in Europe (ECDC 2025).

Clear, consistent vaccination strategies that emphasise protection against severe disease and long-term consequences, rather than technical differences between variants, are likely to be critical for maintaining confidence and improving coverage in the post-pandemic phase.