“Covid, talk about the English variant. No one has shown it to be more lethal. At best, it can be more contagious.”

Alessandro chiodera

of Giovanni De Franceschi

“I have the impression that there is a lot of talk about the ‘English variant’ of Sars-Cov2.” These are the words of Alessandro chiodera, for about twenty years Director of the Macerata Infectious Diseases Operational Unit. Just yesterday the news was known that this variant of Covid has also been isolated in our region. A family of Anconetano was infected, but it seems that they have not had contact with the United Kingdom or with people who had been there. In our province, for now, it would not have arrived yet. “I am not aware of any patient in the Macerata area with an English variant “, specifies the primary to Cronache Maceratesi. In the general aspect of this Covid strain, which has meanwhile meant that all incoming flights from the UK were blocked with obvious repercussions on many Italian citizens (read the article), Chiodera tends not to cause scaremongering. “No one has shown it to be more lethal, only that it is more contagious – Specifies the director of Infectious Diseases – The receptors of this variant of the virus seem to have a greater sensitivity towards the receptors of cells, which means that perhaps less virus is needed to enter the respiratory system. That said, the famous Spike protein has not been significantly modified. In short, a new virus has not been born, among other things this variant has been isolated for some time, as well as many others ”.. Even on the efficacy of the Pzifer / Biontech vaccine, which has just received the green light from the EMA (the European Medicines Agency) for mass administration, there does not seem to be any particular problem. “It seems that Pzifer herself has stated that she has already tested it effectively in this variant,” adds Chiodera. Speaking of vaccinations, Sunday will begin with European V-Day. The first will be health workers in the Marche region, according to the regional health councilor Filippo Saltamartini. 200 doses are ready. “I will get vaccinated as soon as they tell me – Chiodera specifies – given the discomfort it could cause, low-grade fever and discomfort for a day, it would not be convenient for us to vaccinate all together in the room ». But are we organization-wide ready for this vaccination campaign? “I don’t know – admits the director of Infectious Diseases – it makes me laugh a little that they want to hire 3,000 doctors throughout Italy when they haven’t found them so far.” However, he has no doubts about the importance of people’s participation: “I only say one thing – Chiodera concludes – if we succeed it will be with the vaccine ».

English variant of Covid in Ancona: an infected family