“There are no zero cases in May”

Posted on: 04/17/2020 1:20 PM

“Let’s see that there is a downward trend in the number of cases if presented by symptom onset date, but the virus is not disappearing. We often talk about new infections, but they are actually old notifications. Now it is important to consider the date of the onset of symptoms, “Giovanni Rezza, director of infectious diseases at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), said at the ISS press conference on the emergence of the coronavirus.

“We will not reach zero cases in May, the virus will probably continue to circulate, albeit at low intensity. We have not reached a real peak, there is not a mass of population that has been sufficiently infected, Rezza specified, We only reduced contagions with the ‘block’But the population is still very susceptible and what happened two months ago could happen again if we are not careful. “

“HOSPITAL FIREPLACES AND IN RSA” – Rezza explained that “what we do not know well refers to the latest infections, those that occurred after the blockade, where they occurred, why and in what way.” In this sense, the cases among “health workers tell us a lot, because it means that there have been hospital outbreaks, outbreaks at the level of Rsa (nursing homes, ed) and Ra (nursing homes, ed)”.

“The RSA – highlighted the expert – they are indicators of the epidemic, but also of amplifiers. In the sense that when we see an outbreak in an RSA, it means that somehow the virus is circulating in that area and has entered into that structure. “Residential structures” are indicators of viral circulation, “he said. Rezza added. , noting that “in the last period, many ‘red areas’ have arisen around outbreaks arising in RSA.”

In addition to those born in nursing homes, “probably most of the other infections that occurred after closure were intrafamilial infections. There are Germans who do excellent follow-up of contacts and have a lot of information, in addition to providing excellent hospital care and having many places in intensive care, and who have indicated how the majority of infections occur within families and health facilities, for therefore, by close contact “.” On this there is a need for more information, he specified, and I believe that the follow-up project of contacts that the president presented the other day in the Scientific Technical Committee will also try to recover this gap. “

PHASE 2 AND RED ZONES – “Now we are still in phase 1, no doubt”, but in the future “phase 2 we will have to maintain social distancing measures“which are” strict and rigorous “. Not only that:” When we reach a time when the virus circulates less quickly, it will be extremely important to strengthen control of the territory over everything “and the definition of the so-called ‘red areas’ will be timely, according to the scenario described by Rezza.

In phase 2 it will be crucial “rapid outbreak identification – The expert explained – It means rapid identification of cases, diagnosis, isolation, location of contacts and their isolation, and containment actions. “And even if” it may seem like a paradox “, he observed,” if there is viral circulation “” it is reduced, the more red areas are needed “which, unsurprisingly, are more frequent in less affected areas.” In fact, it is “in those areas” that “it is essential to immediately implement a containment action to reduce virus circulation in contiguous areas.” So”the one with the red areas – The infectious disease specialist reiterated – will again be an important measure at a time when there will no longer be a total blockade of the country. “

“I am a fan of red areas, and it seems to me that until now, starting with Vo ‘, they have always worked,” Rezza said, stressing that “at the base are measures of isolation and social distancing,” imposed on well-identified locations. , “for a certain period of time”. There have been several red areas, also in the south center, “often by regional initiative”, and after a certain period they have reopened because “the outbreak has been controlled.”