Its high transmissibility implies new sanitary collapses. To say that with this variant the end of the pandemic will come is irresponsible.
You may have read that with the omicron variant there is a ‘hope’ that the pandemic will end. Perhaps you know more than one who maintains that “it is better to get sick at once” because this variant is “like the flu”.
The truth is that having minimized the impact of (for now) the latest variant of covid has once again complicated health systems.
Public health experts give their opinion on the myths surrounding this variant, the contradictions in government speeches and the irresponsibility of foreseeing the end of the pandemic that humanity has been living with since March 2020.
It does not mean the end of the coronavirus
The doctor-researcher, Esteban Ortiz, indicated that the omicron variant will not help us control the pandemic, as is believed. “This variant is one more of the 1,700 genomic sequences different and one of the 10 variants of interest or concern, vaccination, the previous infections and other mitigation measures (use of a mask, hand washing and social distancing) and contingency will do so, “he said.
Even Daniel López Acuña, former director of health action in crisis situations of the World Health Organization (WHO), pointed out, during an interview in the Chilean media, that “We cannot trivialize the seriousness of the omicron variant in the world”.
‘It’s better to get sick at once’
The Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, has indicated that if bien ómicron is the predominant variant in Ecuador (80% of positives have it) specified that it is not the only mutation of the coronavirus in the country. “Delta is the one that creates the most complications,” reiterated the Minister.
André Medina, an intensivist doctor, says that there is a misrepresentation regarding the omicron. “This variant came when a large percentage of the world had accessed the vaccination, that is why people have presented mild symptoms. And yes, it has been shown that it allows a more bearable recovery, but it does not mean that it cannot be fatal.
Previous illnesses complicate the pictures
Doctors point out that in people with preexisting diseases, there’s a high risk of hospitalization or need for oxygen when contracting the virus, regardless of the variant. In addition, older adults are also vulnerable. “For any disease, if you are older, it will be much worse for you,” adds the doctor.
Medina points out that there are patients who come to undergo diagnostic tests who say that “it is better that it gives us (covid) at once.” However, no organism receives a virus in the same way and although the disease may seem mild, there are sequelae. There are young patients (20 to 49 years) with background, for example, overweight or what have been smokers they do get complicated.”
Vaccination is essential
Ortiz points out that the only way to reduce hospitalizations is by getting vaccinated, since immunized people have 20 times less risk of dying by covid, than the unvaccinated.
This goes hand in hand with what was expressed by the Ministry of Health, which indicated that, this 2022, 70% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated people or with incomplete schemes.
For doctors, the fact that there is a resurgence – regardless of how deadly the disease is – will always limit the health system. “Currently, external consultations and other pathologies are closed, to meet the great demand of people who have covid or respiratory symptoms,” adds Medina. (AVV)
State contradictions in the face of the pandemic
On January 18, 2022, the San Benildo de la Salle Educational Unit, from Guayaquil, was closed by the Directorate of Justice and Surveillance of the Municipality, for housing 12 students in face-to-face classes.
And it is that the cantonal COE of this city ordered that students return to virtuality for 30 days, from January 17, 2022, as a contingency measure to the increase in COVID-19 infections.
The decision has been debated, even more so when the Ecuadorian soccer final between Emelec and Independiente del Valle was played in the same city in December 2021 and the lack of respect for biosafety was evident.
Although the national COE said that it would analyze if there were incivilities in the party, it is known that there were no sanctions.
The president of the National COE, Juan Zapata, spoke on La Red radio and said that they had all the reports of what happened at the Capwell, “but what was the point of sanctioning the stadium if the championship was over?”
Zapata added that they cannot pay just for sinners and that there are teams that did comply with what was requested, so when the LigaPro goes to the COE to request authorization to start the tournament, it will be analyzed stadium by stadium and it will be well evaluated who has complied and who does not.
Added to this is the lack of a statement on the Ecuador vs. Brazil match, where 19,000 people already have a ticket.
‘It’s like the flu’ vs ‘there are no face-to-face classes’
The president, Guilleermo Lasso, mentioned that ómicron generates symptoms similar to a strong flu and attributed to this that the country’s health system has not yet collapsed in this new wave of infections. “Ómicron is not deadly and does not saturate hospital beds in Ecuador”, assured.
Health specialist and epidemiologist Angélica Gómez Ayora considers that the statements promote a false sense of security.
However, while the President says that the health situation is under control, The return to face-to-face classes has been postponed again.
This despite the fact that in the more than 11 thousand educational establishments that since June 7 are in classes there have been no outbreaks.
Los no vacunados tienen 20 veces menos probabilidad de mortalidad al contraer covid, que un no vacunado.
