We cannot say loudly enough that the health, well-being and safety of all our citizens should be our highest priority and this sometimes requires difficult decisions. Given the developments of COVID-19, it is with deep regret we announce that EUREGHA will take precautionary measures against this outbreak. EUREGHA, in consultation with AQuAS, has therefore decided to postpone the General Assembly and Study Visit scheduled for 26 and 27 March in Barcelona, Spain.
The health and safety of our members, participants, and all those involved, must be our main concern. Following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), we wish to avoid any risk.
Likewise, EUREGHA calls on the EU Member States to act rapidly and follow the advice given by the WHO to contain the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible. By putting in place effective strategies, we can protect the most vulnerable groups of our society and support the overall healthcare systems of countries. This pandemic underlines the necessity for an empowered and collaborative approach, actively enforced by all European Member States.
It is of utmost importance to work together and make Europe a healthier and safer place for all. We furthermore like to take this opportunity to stress to all individuals to flatten the curve of the pandemic, whether we belong to the risk group or not. By working from home and cancel events we convey the message of solidarity to the vulnerable groups in our proximity and show unity towards countries that were already hit by the enormous consequences of COVID-19.
We are convinced that the health sector and its cooperation will change completely after this. It is clearer than ever that high standards and targets within the European Union cooperation are necessary, and topics such as prevention, preparedness, resilience and cross-border healthcare are essential for the future of our health systems.
The EUREGHA Secretariat will work from home for the next few weeks but we remain at your disposal for any questions or requests you might have. Also, we hope you take the same responsibility to #FlattenTheCurve and respect the concept of social distancing.
