The WHO's Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat explains Covid-19 has brought a "dual pandemic". Many mental problems are akin to "post-traumatic stress disorder," and yet to surface.

MEPs have slammed the European Commission for sidelining the European Parliament in the new Health Emergency preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), giving MEPs a role of mere observers. Its budget will be €6bn over the next six years.

In September 2020, the EU Commission's top vaccine negotiator made a pledge - doses would cost between €5 and €15, Sandra Gallina assured MEPs. Little did she know that her fixed cap would crumble under pressure from jabmakers.

In order to download the green Covid pass, Italy's online national health system requires users to key in their national health card code. As such, migrants might be vaccinated, but they are unable to prove it.

Administrative barriers in at least 10 European countries are blocking access to Covid-19 vaccines for nearly four million undocumented migrants. Countries including Germany, Spain, Norway and Bulgaria require some form of ID, health card or a residency permit.

The European Medicines Agency said that there is no urgent need to administer booster shots to the general population, pointing out that the priority now should be to vaccinate the one-third of Europeans who are not fully vaccinated.

Romanian authorities are hoping meal vouchers worth 100 RON (€20) and the opportunity to enter a lottery with cash prizes for those vaccinated against Covid-19 will convince more people to get the jab

The reports showed that 22 percent of respondents say they still feel free in their everyday life now - compared to 64 percent who say they felt free two years ago, before the pandemic hit.

Around 70 percent of adults in the EU are now fully-vaccinated against Covid. But some member states - like Bulgaria and Romania - are falling behind, for a mix of reasons.

The World Health Organisation and Unicef have called on European countries to keep schools open despite the pandemic, by making teachers a target for vaccination programmes and implementing new anti-infection measures.

The EU has started paying Italy billions in pandemic aid. It is Europe's biggest beneficiary and could see a major GDP bump, but only if the money is well spent.

Counterfeiters face prison sentences of up to five years and fines of up to €150,000. Those who use fake health passes could spend three years behind bars.

While Covid-19 vaccines are readily and freely available in Romania, some refuse the jabs and pay for fake vaccination certificates instead in order to get the EU Digital Covid Certificate.

Big data and evidence-based decision-making provide immense opportunities to improve health and well-being and prepare for the next crisis, if this force is applied for the good.