As soon as he appeared on our Zoom screen, the new Chief Scientist of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Polish immunologist and viral infections expert Dr. Piotr Kramarz, greeted us from his office in Stockholm with a warm and fluent Greek “Kalispera.”
When we congratulated him on his new role—he assumed office last June—he responded with an equally fluent “Efharisto.” It turns out that Greece is no stranger to him. His work has taken him to the country many times, and he has several Greek colleagues within the ECDC. In fact, in just a few months, he’ll be heading to Thessaloniki to participate in a major European conference on clinical immunology.
But Dr. Kramarz barely has time to catch his breath. The challenges he faces daily in his mission to safeguard Europe’s health are relentless.
The Ever-Present Viral Threat
“The challenges are ongoing,” he tells us. “Right now, we are in the middle of flu season, but it’s not just influenza that’s circulating at high levels. Other respiratory viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are also peaking this winter, along with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. While SARS-CoV-2 is not as dominant this season, it is still adding pressure to already strained healthcare systems in several EU countries.”
And then, there are the “silent threats” that never disappear—like antimicrobial resistance, which claims 100 lives across the EU every single day. “It’s as if a plane crashes every day,” Dr. Kramarz emphasizes.
A recent on-site ECDC visit to Greek hospitals in April 2024 painted a grim picture of bacterial resistance. The findings revealed alarmingly high levels of antibiotic-resistant infections, with superbugs like Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida auris spreading uncontrollably among hospitalized patients.
A Crisis of Trust
But an even greater concern, he warns, is the declining trust in science, leading to plummeting vaccination rates across Europe. “We’re seeing a worrying drop in vaccination coverage, partly due to public distrust in science,” he says.
Dr. Kramarz says the plummeting vaccination rates across Europe are the result of a growing lack of trust in science
According to ECDC data from the 2023–2024 flu season, less than 50% of elderly individuals—who are most vulnerable to complications—received a flu shot across the EU. Even more concerning, only 22% of healthcare workers—who are on the frontlines—were vaccinated. And when it comes to COVID-19, just 14% of Europeans over 60 received a booster shot last winter.
So, have we learned anything from the pandemic, or is our collective memory dangerously short?
“We need to understand the root causes of this behavior,” Dr. Kramarz says. “We’ve urged member states to investigate why vaccination rates are low and to conduct targeted public awareness campaigns using insights from social sciences.”
To tackle misinformation, the ECDC has launched “The Lighthouse,” a coalition of sociologists across Europe who share best practices in promoting vaccine awareness. “For example, in Ireland, young life sciences students became ‘vaccine ambassadors,’ using the most effective channels to engage and educate their peers,” he explains.
Preparing for the Next Pandemic
Such initiatives are critical because COVID-19 was not the first pandemic—and it certainly won’t be the last. So, what’s next? Who are the prime suspects for the next global outbreak?
“Avian flu appears to have pandemic potential,” Dr. Kramarz says. “Recently, the ECDC, in collaboration with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), published a report showing that the avian flu virus is just a few mutations away from becoming easily transmissible between humans. However, it hasn’t reached that stage yet—it remains predominantly a bird virus.”
For now, there have been no recorded cases of avian flu in Europe, but the situation is being closely monitored. “We have advised EU member states to ramp up epidemiological surveillance. Hospitals, for instance, should be on the lookout for potential central nervous system symptoms linked to avian flu infections. At the same time, we are continuously analyzing the virus’s genetic profile for any concerning mutations.”
Coronaviruses are also high on the watchlist. “We must remain vigilant about coronaviruses that exist in wild animals, particularly in the jungles of Southeast Asia. If given the opportunity, these viruses can jump species and adapt to new hosts,” he warns.
A Shifting Global Health Landscape
The ever-changing viral landscape is like quicksand—you never know when or how it might pull you under. And now, with the U.S. withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO), global epidemiological cooperation could be facing a crisis. Could this political shift weaken the world’s pandemic response?
“We are closely monitoring political developments in the U.S., and while their decisions may affect international collaboration, there are still reasons for cautious optimism,” Dr. Kramarz says. “Senior officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have assured us that the communication freeze is only temporary. Additionally, data on avian flu, for example, is still being published on the CDC’s website, allowing us to access it.”
Nevertheless, he stresses, international cooperation is more critical than ever. “That’s why we maintain strong ties with global partners, including Canada’s CDC and China’s CDC, to exchange vital epidemiological data.”
Cleaning and disinfection on the seafront promenade of Thessaloniki, Greece by municipality cleaning workers on November 12, 2020.
Europe’s Pandemic Strike Force
One of the biggest lessons learned from COVID-19, according to Dr. Kramarz, is the importance of early detection. “We need to identify potentially dangerous pathogens as quickly as possible so we can build defenses against them.”
To that end, ECDC specialists now conduct on-site visits to EU countries every three years to assess their pandemic preparedness. “We started these visits last year and will continue this year. Greece is on our list, but we haven’t visited yet.”
The ECDC has also established reference laboratories across the EU, offering all member states access to cutting-edge diagnostics for emerging viruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Furthermore, the organization is launching a rapid-response EU Health Task Force (EUHTF)—a team of elite experts who can be deployed at a moment’s notice to assist any country facing an outbreak with pandemic potential. “The Task Force is still in its pilot phase, but Greek scientists are already among its members.”
As the world faces an uncertain future, one thing is clear: vigilance, preparation, and scientific collaboration will be the keys to staying ahead of the next global health crisis. And Dr. Kramarz is at the forefront, ensuring Europe is ready for whatever comes next.