Covid, “stop with double negative buffer for the end of contagion”

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Published on: 09/15/2020 11:18 AM

Stop in Italy to double negative buffer. Ask the Government, the Minister of Health, the technical-scientific committee for the coronavirus emergency and the institutions to abandon this criterion, according to which “in Italy a patient with Covid-19 is considered contagious as long as the swab gives a negative result twice, with often paradoxical consequences for the duration of the quarantine “- are the Scientists of the Transversal Pact for Science (Pts)The authors of the social page ‘Pills of optimism’ arrived a few weeks ago, who relaunched the appeal, on the day that the CTS evaluates the reduction of the quarantine of contacts to 10 days.

The World Health Organization “has long abandoned this criterion – they stress – on the basis of growing and consolidated scientific evidence: the period of contagion, which begins about 48 hours before the onset of symptoms, reaches its peak in the first days., then decrease rapidly and substantially within 10 days. Conversely, the positivity of the hyssop can remain that way for many weeks. Adoption, following almost all other countries, the WHO criteria would have significant and immediate benefits not only for the people involved, but also for public health “, say the PTS scientists. In fact, the fear of being isolated without a temporarily defined term constitutes a dangerous incentive for those who are ill to hide their symptoms, in addition to using the Tracking app ”.

The president of the Pts Guido Poli, representing the association, therefore signed an ad hoc letter addressed to the president of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Health, the coordinator of the technical-scientific committee, the president of the Senate of the Republic and to the president of the Chamber of Deputies to “replace the double negative buffer criterion.”

“We ask you – the letter says – to replace the double negative buffer criterion with the one indicated in the new WHO directives, reducing the period of illness due to Covid-19 to 10 days (plus 3 days without symptoms, if any) and abandonment of use of the control panel. We asked you for three reasons, each of which seemed sufficient to us to justify our request. The first reason, CTS experts write, concerns the lives of the people involved: isolation Forcing a patient who is in all likelihood no longer contagious has no meaningful utility, either to the patient or to the community. “

The second reason “has to do with the economy and the recovery of our country: our community needs the contribution of these people, now left for a long time in a state of unjustified immobility. The third reason refers to public health: fear to come”. Isolated without a temporarily defined term constitutes a dangerous disincentive for those who become ill to report their symptoms and use the Tracking App, which instead urgently needs many new members. “

“We conclude with an observation – continues the letter, posted on Facebook – In contrast to our request, it is often argued that the new WHO directives would be designed for countries with limited resources and, therefore, cannot guarantee a second mattress in all cases in which it is necessary, due to insufficient instruments and medical personnel. In our opinion, the objection described does not hold. “

“First, most European countries have long since adopted the new WHO guidelines. Second, the public health reasons stated above would justify taking even a very modest risk, if it were actually associated with new guidelines. Finally, there is a great demand from the Regions for more resources to increase the buffers: the choice we are asking them could offer them important help in this direction “, conclude the scientists of the Pact for Science.