Continuing to protect Europe against COVID-19: outcomes from the CTI’s roundtable

The CTI has published the full report from its closed-door roundtable in Brussels on 31 March 2026 — four priorities to strengthen Europe’s approach to endemic COVID-19.

Uptake of just 8–9% in recommended groups represents a profound failure, underutilising a cheap and effective tool.Prof. Leif Erik Sander · CTI Co-Chair

The COVID Transition Initiative has published the full report from its closed-door roundtable held in Brussels on 31 March 2026. The discussion brought together experts from academia, public health, clinical practice and patient organisations to identify the key steps needed to strengthen Europe’s approach to endemic COVID-19. The roundtable set out four priorities:

1. Establish robust European surveillance and burden-of-disease data

Develop integrated datasets on COVID-19 burden — including long-term consequences (long COVID, secondary cardiovascular and neurological outcomes), vaccine effectiveness and the behavioural drivers of vaccine decisions. This evidence base is critical to anchor public messaging, support targeted policy, and answer key questions — including why people who accept influenza vaccination decline COVID-19 vaccines.

2. Integrate COVID-19 into routine influenza vaccination programmes

Co-administration with influenza is the single strongest practical lever for maximising uptake. It requires integrated communications, support for healthcare professionals to encourage co-administration, and aligned timelines — making COVID-19 vaccination as familiar, accessible and routine as influenza vaccination.

3. Equip healthcare professionals with targeted communication tools and training

Recommendations from clinicians and nurses remain one of the strongest predictors of vaccination. Evidence-based communication resources, training and decision-support tools are needed to help professionals address hesitancy with confidence — particularly around mRNA platforms and pandemic fatigue.

4. Align strain-selection timelines with the influenza model

Moving COVID-19 strain-selection decisions to February — in line with influenza — would give all vaccine platforms equal time to produce for autumn/winter campaigns. This is essential to ensure timely availability across all technologies, including protein-based platforms currently disadvantaged by compressed timelines, and to broaden genuine choice for patients and clinicians.

The CTI will continue to develop evidence-based, policy-relevant recommendations across its three workstreams — Awareness, Adoption and Adaptability — and to engage national governments, EU institutions and key stakeholders in translating these insights into action.