Out of cars, onto the cycle paths: Aligning Granada's traffic infrastructure with the European Green Deal

If greenhouse gas emissions are not sharply reduced, air pollution, extreme weather events, and desertification in southern Spain will occur, along with many deaths, and collapses of the health system and the country’s main economic sectors, agriculture, and tourism. The European Union adopted a strategy in 2019 with a series of environmental policy initiatives to protect the population from climate change hazards as ‘the Green Deal’.This strategy provides funding opportunities for Granada, one of Spain's most polluted and climate change-vulnerable cities, to reduce its high emissions of harmful greenhouse gases from transport.A spacious, well-connected, and safe cycling infrastructure is needed. New on-road cycle lanes and cycle paths with planted barriers to the car lane should be constructed. An e-bike sharing system can also enable people with special needs to cycle in the hilly city and drive tourism. Extensive participation opportunities and assessments of disparate impacts on access and health outcomes of different population groups need to be used to ensure that existing inequalities are not exacerbated

Effectiveness of TBE vaccination in southern Germany and Latvia

Funding Information: This study was sponsored by Pfizer Inc. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The AuthorsBackground: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a vaccine-preventable disease which may cause long-term sequelae and even death. The data on the long-term effectiveness of TBE vaccines are limited. Additionally, the vaccination schedule is complex which in part contributes towards sub-optimal uptake in TBE-endemic areas. The current ecological study measures vaccine effectiveness (VE) in two European countries. Methods: TBE VE was measured from 2007 to 2018 in Latvia and Southern German states by age group, vaccination history, and schedule compliance. TBE cases and vaccination history were obtained from the public health agencies for Latvia and the southern German federal states of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. Cases were “within schedule” if a TBE infection was diagnosed within the time interval preceding the next scheduled dose and “outside schedule” if the diagnosis occurred after the next scheduled dose. Vaccine uptake was estimated via representative nationwide surveys. Results: VE after 2, 3, and ≥4 doses was high in both countries at 97.2%, 95.0%, and 95.4% for southern Germany, and 98.1%, 99.4%, and 98.8% for Latvia while within- schedule, and only showed marginal differences outside schedule at 90.6%, 89.9%, and 95.6% for southern Germany, and 97.4%, 98.4%, and 99.0% for Latvia regardless of age groups. Conclusions: In both countries, VE after two and three primary doses within-schedule was very high in all age groups. Once receiving booster doses, high VE continued to be observed even in persons with extended intervals since the last dose received, suggesting that longer and more flexible booster intervals may be considered for sustainable long-term protection.publishersversionPeer reviewe