A European roadmap out of the covid-19 pandemic

Coordination between countries is crucial Europe has been hit especially hard by the covid-19 pandemic, with Italy, Spain, and France occupying the top three positions in the global league table of deaths.1 All EU countries have imposed measures to contain the spread of the virus, although these vary considerably. Now, as some countries see death rates falling, they are looking at how to get back to something resembling normality, and the European Commission has published a roadmap to guide them.2 Reassuringly, the roadmap places epidemiology in the driving seat. The roadmap has three key elements. First, no country should consider lifting restrictions until it is certain that the disease is under control. This will pose a challenge for some, as it presupposes that national authorities have accurate and timely information on cases and deaths. As the United Kingdom’s experience shows, this can be difficult. The importance of this information cannot be overstated. Measures taken must be judged against their ability to keep the reproduction number, or R, below 1. In other words, each infected person should not infect more than one other. Second, countries should ensure that they have sufficient health …