The European continent has become the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is testing the health systems and economies of EU member states, European solidarity and the functioning of the Schengen Area. It forces citizens to adopt new ways of living and working.
Coronavirus
Europe put to the test by the pandemic
WHO warns of obesity ‘epidemic’ in Europe
The WHO has said that "epidemic" rates of those overweight and obese are linked to over 1.2 million deaths annually across Europe, calling for swift policy changes to reverse the dangerous trend
‘Perfect storm’: Europe Covid rise due to fewer curbs, subvariant
Covid-19 is again surging in Western Europe due to a "perfect storm" of governments lifting restrictions, waning immunity and the more contagious BA.2 Omicron subvariant, experts say
Over six million people have died from Covid
Over six million people have died worldwide from Covid-19 since the pandemic began, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP.
Get vaccinated, or get punished? How jab mandates divide
Do vaccine mandates work? Austria is set to become the first country in Europe to impose Covid-19 vaccination and others could follow as nations scramble to inoculate their populations against coronavirus
Tension in Spain over use of EU recovery funds
The Spanish government is increasingly under fire over its use of the EU's massive economic recovery funds, with critics blasting the distribution of aid as too slow and arbitrary
Spain leads calls for Covid-19 to be treated like flu
Spain is leading calls for governments to start tackling Covid-19 like any other endemic respiratory virus such as seasonal flu, despite WHO opposition and warnings that the approach is premature