The world witnessed the decline of the Covid-19 pandemic almost in all parts of it last week, and in return for this good news looms two threats: the first is related to the recovery of Corona, and the second is another epidemic threatening the Balkan region, at a time when the German Minister of Health warned of the high Corona injuries in the summer as a result of the ability of the “Delta” mutant. (Delta) and "Omicron" large on infection.
This mysterious threat has been haunting Covid patients for a long time
We start with those recovering from Corona, as doctors are concerned about possible complications that may affect some people in terms of cardiovascular health months after they contracted Covid, although it is too early to confirm the existence of a causal relationship in this context, according to a report by the French Press Agency.
A few days ago, the French Academy of Medicine, which is authorized to announce the scientific opinions on which the medical body in France, confirmed that "clinical monitoring of the heart and blood vessels is necessary for all people infected with Covid-19, even if the infection is mild."
The Academy indicated that there are "dangerous links" between Covid and cardiovascular diseases, based on several recent studies.
It was previously known that patients with cardiovascular disease face a higher risk of contracting severe forms of COVID-19.
This is especially due to the fact that the SARS-Cov-2 virus clings to a “receptor” called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 or “ACE2” (ACE2), which is found specifically in blood vessel cells.
And the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 plays a pivotal role in the body’s response to the Corona virus, as the virus uses it as a gateway for the cell, attaches itself to it and then enters the cell, where it multiplies.
Long-term effects of Covid on the heart and blood vessels
But what about the effects on people's cardiovascular health in general?
And if it is proven, can it occur after a long period of infection?
Questions that increase the uncertainty associated with what is known as long-term Covid, which is a group of permanent symptoms, which are poorly understood and identified.
The Academy noted that "(enduring) cardiovascular health consequences have so far been reported only in patients admitted to hospital, in a small series and with a short follow-up period."
But a large study conducted in the United States and published by the journal "Nature" last month changed the equation, according to the academy, which said that its results "predict a significant increase in cardiovascular diseases worldwide", after the Covid pandemic.
This study was conducted on more than 150,000 US military veterans who all contracted Covid, and it measures the frequency of cardiovascular disorders in the year after injury, and compares it with groups of veterans who did not have infection.
COVID-19 increases the risk of heart attack or stroke
The results of the study indicated that "after 30 days of infection, individuals infected with Covid-19 are more likely to develop cardiovascular disorders", including cases of infarction, inflammation of the heart or strokes.
The study indicates that this risk “is present even in individuals who have not been hospitalized” due to Covid, although the degree of this risk is much lower in these patients.
Many researchers praised this research, especially since it was conducted on a very large number of patients for a long time.
However, experts are more skeptical about the validity of the findings.
British statistician James Doidge told AFP that it was "extremely difficult to draw important conclusions" from this study, citing the presence of a lot of methodological biases in the research.
One obvious point of bias, Doidge says, is that American veterans, despite their large number, are a very homogeneous group because it is made up largely of older men.
Therefore they are not necessarily representative, even if the study authors sought to correct for these statistical biases.
This correction remains insufficient for Doidge, who points to another problem: the study does not clearly distinguish the extent to which disturbances occur long after injury.
Is Corona similar to the flu?
There is a difference in the outcome if the patient is exposed to cardiovascular disorders after a short period of infection with Covid, not exceeding a month and a half, or after about a year.
According to James Doidge, the study does not allow a sufficient distinction between "long-term complications from those associated with the acute phase of the disease".
However, this work "is worth noting just because it exists", French cardiologist Florian Zuris told AFP.
Zuris also noted many flaws in the study, but he considers that they make it possible to support the hypotheses that many cardiologists consider possible regarding the "SARS Cove 2" virus, which - like other viruses - can cause permanent inflammation.
However, "we've known for a long time that inflammation is a cardiovascular risk factor," according to Zuris. "In fact, we're recording exactly the same thing with influenza."
It is noteworthy that in the twenties of the last century, cardiovascular diseases recorded a significant increase in the wake of the Spanish flu pandemic.
Is there a feature that makes the Corona virus more dangerous in this regard?
Existing studies do not make it possible to say this, and Florian Zuris doubts there is a "significant difference" with influenza.
But the question does not necessarily change much in terms of public health.
From the moment this danger appeared, the cardiologist considers it dangerous in any case to allow the Corona virus to spread freely, given its strong ability to spread.
Measles threatens Balkan countries, and the reason is misinformation
We move to the Balkans, where the French Press Agency reviewed the story of "Vanya", a resident of Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, who, after vaccinating her firstborn child against measles, refused to vaccinate her youngest son to protect him from the same disease, affected by a torrent of opinions and information published by anti-vaccination bodies through a group electronic.
"I don't trust the vaccination system. We lack information and education," said Fania, 44, who prefers not to reveal her fame, adding, "I feel the weight of the responsibility on my shoulders, and the decision was not simple and easy."
Many parents make the same choice in the small Balkan country.
Montenegro has the lowest rate of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination in the world.
The World Health Organization indicates that only 23.8% of children received the first dose in 2020.
Experts fear an imminent outbreak of measles in Montenegro and its neighboring Balkan countries, where the rate of vaccination in two doses is declining due to the spread of misinformation, especially in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Measles is a fatal disease
"The risk of an outbreak of measles is great," Dragan Jankovic, in charge of immunization programs at the World Health Organization, told AFP, adding that "the transmission of the virus is only a matter of time (...). Once it is transmitted to a vulnerable group, the epidemic will spread."
In neighboring North Macedonia, 63% of children received a dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, while in Serbia the proportion was 78%.
Specialists in the field point out that to prevent the spread of measles, at least 95% of the population must be vaccinated with all doses of the vaccine against the highly contagious disease, which can be fatal.
Distrust of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has been growing for two decades due to a 1998 pseudo-study that suggested a link between the vaccine and autism.
And the United Nations doubled its warnings, explaining that conditions are ideal for the spread of preventable diseases, at a time when the pandemic has made it difficult to obtain routine vaccinations.
Measles killed more than 207 people in the world in 2019, and this number did not limit the drop in the vaccination rate in many places.
The misinformation spread on social media since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic
The World Health Organization indicates that the rate of vaccination with the first dose decreased from 86% to 84% in the world between 2019 and 2020, while the proportion of fully vaccinated, that is, with two doses during the same time period, reached 70%.
The lack of confidence in the authorities in the Balkan countries is one of the factors in the expansion of the wave of anti-vaccination, in addition to the lax application of laws, and a stream of misinformation spread through social media since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Doctors in Montenegro called on the government to deal more seriously with matters, considering that the simple fines imposed on parents who refuse to vaccinate their children did not contribute to changing the situation.
"The measles, mumps and rubella vaccination is not a requirement for children to attend schools and nurseries," said Milena Popovic Samardzic, an epidemiologist at the Montenegrin Institute of Public Health.
A conspiracy theory accuses the authorities of wanting to inject children with autism-causing substances
A survey conducted by Ipsos in 2021 showed that about a third of Montenegrin people supported a conspiracy theory accusing the authorities of wanting to inject children with autistic substances.
The poll also showed that more than half of the population is convinced that the "global elites" created the Corona virus to reduce the population of the Earth.
In Serbia, the vaccination is mandatory for students, but experts accuse the authorities of turning a blind eye to violators, and of acting only in cases of an outbreak of the virus.
Doctors' warnings are not heeded
In an interview with Agence France-Presse, the President of the Pediatricians Association in Serbia, Yorgos Konstantinidis, believes that "the state must abide by its laws," pointing out that "there is no commitment by any party, neither parents nor those who register their children in nurseries by resorting to mediation."
The last epidemic that spread in Serbia dates back to 2017, when 3800 injuries and 12 deaths, including two children, were recorded.
Prosecutors have started the trial of 43 anti-vaccination activists accused of "spreading panic", but none have been convicted, according to Vladimir Simerman, a doctor from Belgrade who filed one of the cases.
With the possibility of a new outbreak of the virus looming, doctors feel that their warnings are not being heeded.
"We lack collective responsibility. I'm tired of everything," says Yorgos Konstantinidis. "The basic human values have disappeared from both our society and the whole world."
The German Minister of Health warns of an increase in Corona injuries in the summer
We move to Germany, where Health Minister Karl Lauterbach warned of an increase in the number of infections with the Corona virus in the summer, considering it necessary to maintain protection measures after March 20.
"We have to expect a summer wave," the minister said in statements to the newspapers of the German "Funke" media group published yesterday, Saturday, explaining that the delta and omicron mutant are so contagious that even in good weather the number of infections can increase through increased mixing and a decline in vaccination protection, if it is no longer There are no restrictions to prevent the pandemic, stressing the need to adapt the infection protection law to meet these expected developments.
Lauterbach explained that states should have the possibility to act early, such as imposing the wearing of masks or placing restrictions on social mixing.
"It should be possible to set maximum limits for private gatherings and public events, in addition to the rules of entry for restaurants... It should also continue to be possible to impose testing rules in public places and companies," the minister said, stressing that all these tools should be used only when they are really necessary.
As of March 20, most of the anti-Coronavirus regulations will not be applied in Germany.
The nationwide legal basis for such measures will expire on the 19th of the same month, but the so-called basic protection measures, such as the obligation to wear masks in closed places, will remain in effect.
More Corona measures were eased on Friday, especially in restaurants, hotels and clubs.