Pregliasco: contagions in sight, attention to kindergartens and elementary schools
Vespignani: within two weeks English variant present in one out of two cases
Cts: strengthen measures to limit the spread of Covid variants.
Stop ski lifts, Governors wrath
Covid: in Italy the English variant in almost 20% of cases
Covid, in Campania one out of four cases has an English variant
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February 16, 2021From the English to the Brazilian one, the new variants "which present different mutations in the spike protein, should not in theory cause problems in antigen tests, as they detect the N protein". However, "it should be kept in mind that mutations are also emerging for protein N which must be carefully monitored to evaluate the possible influence on antigenic tests that use it as a target". This is explained by a new circular from the Ministry of Health on rapid antigen tests in light of the circulation of the new variants of the virus.
Yesterday, the director of the ECDC (the EU Agency for Disease Prevention and Control) Andrea Ammon in a note accompanying the latest risk assessment on Covid-19 in Europe raised a new alarm: "From our latest assessment the epidemiological situation remained very worrying ".
"Unless non-pharmaceutical measures" such as distancing, teleworking where possible, travel restrictions, face masks and hand hygiene "are continued or even strengthened, a significant increase in Covid-related cases and deaths should be expected in the coming months. -19 ", he added.
Today, Massimo Galli, infectious disease specialist of the Sacco of Milan, is launching a new alarm on the situation of the hospital wards: "I find my department invaded by new variants, it concerns all of Italy and makes us easily predict that we will soon have more serious problems : this is the reality. Faced with this, even those who say to you 'attention we must close more' may run the risk of exaggerating in making this statement. But the risk of exaggerating is lower than the probability of being right for the umpteenth time ".
“We didn't invent the variants ourselves. There are and are more contagious. They are more likely to spread in unsafe situations. This is very unfortunate, but it is a fact. It's not like we can sit down and have a union or political negotiation with the virus. The virus follows its own rules and methods of spread. Therefore, it is useless to tell us all the things that we continue to hear about the speech of the disaster that this virus is causing and therefore we must necessarily reopen. We all agree that we would like to reopen everything that can be opened ", concluded.
Maurizio VIecca, chiefs of the same hospital, also confirmed the situation:" We are filling up again after a quiet period, we had to restore the Covid beds that we had started using it for patients with different pathologies. The problem is not so much the variants but the contagion has increased, as was very predictable, due to the reopening of schools, the consequent new crowding of public transport and restaurants taken by storm for lunch. At this point we might as well open them for dinner as well, so that customers 'dilute' without concentrating only at certain times. Just as it makes no sense, for example, for pastry shops to close at 6pm instead of 7.30pm, as if something changed in that hour and a half ”.
Iss: without adequate measures "relevant" variants impact
"In the Italian context, in which vaccination of the most fragile categories of the population is proceeding rapidly but has not yet reached sufficient coverage, the spread of variants with greater transmissibility can have a significant impact if not adequate mitigation measures are adopted ". This is what the Higher Institute of Health underlines in the prevalence study of the VOC variant 202012/01 (United Kingdom) in Italy relating to the survey carried out last February 4-5.
Considering the circulation in the different areas of the country "it is recommended to intervene in order to contain and slow down the spread of the VOC 202012/0 variant, strengthening / raising the measures throughout the country and modulating them further where circulation is highest, inhibiting in every case further releases of the current measures in place ". This is what the Higher Institute of Health affirms in the prevalence study of the VOC variant 202012/01 (United Kingdom) in Italy, relating to the survey carried out last February 4-5.
Sileri: lockdown would be an excessive measure
"In recent days we have witnessed the spread of some variants of the virus in various areas: this explains the decision to take a step back on the announced reopenings. But it would be very important to be able to communicate these decisions with a greater margin of On the other hand, since the beginning of the pandemic there is a communication problem that involves all those who relate to the population. Experts must also collaborate through the statements made to the media ". Pierpaolo Sileri, former Deputy Minister of Health, wrote this on Facebook this morning to Rainews 24. "In my opinion - he adds -, a generalized lockdown would now be an excessive measure. Localized closures are needed where there is an anomalous virus trend, continuing to use the 21 parameters, in a stop-and-go logic. Once healthcare personnel, the elderly and the frail have been protected with the vaccine, it will be necessary to proceed with gradual reopening ".