Progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains “fragile” and international travel should be avoided, the World Health Organisation's Europe director has warned, but stressed that authorised vaccines do work against variants of concern, according to an AFP report.

“Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel,” Hans Kluge said, adding that “pockets of increasing transmission” on the continent could quickly spread.

“All Covid-19 virus variants that have emerged so far do respond to the available, approved vaccines,” Kluge said, adding that all Covid-19 variants can be controlled with the same public health and social measures used until now.