[ad_1]
How can life change as the fourth coronavirus wave approaches, when could it arrive, what does the rapidly spreading delta strain mean, and if local quarantine is threatened, will Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda be the cities where they will start first, a conversation? with Professor of Infectious Diseases Saulius Čaplinskas and Mindaugas Sinkevičius, President of the Association of Municipalities of Lithuania.
Forecast: By the end of August, Delta will account for 90 percent. cases
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a joint statement on July 14, listing the key elements of managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
After sharing this message on the social network, Mindaugas Stankūnas, LSMU professor and member of the Council of Independent Experts, highlighted the most important points:
1. Vaccination is one of the best means of protection against COVID-19.
2. The EMA and ECDC encourage citizens of the European Union to get vaccinated according to the full vaccination plan (the required number of vaccine doses).
3. ECDC expects the Delta variety to account for 90% by the end of August. of all SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in the EU.
4. The Delta variety is 40 to 60 percent. more contagious than the Alpha strain and may have a higher risk of hospitalization.
5. Available primary evidence suggests that two doses of Comirnaty, Spikevax, or Vaxzevria are required to obtain the necessary protection against the Delta strain.
6. The Parties may adopt their own local strategies for the intervals between the first and second doses of vaccines, taking into account the epidemiological situation, the prevailing strains of the virus and future scientific evidence on the efficacy of the vaccines.
7. For the time being, the EMA and ECDC refrain from making clear recommendations to mix different vaccines for the first and second doses. However, data from Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom show that such a mixture of vaccines gives a good immune response and does not have safety concerns.
8. It cannot yet be confirmed that a third dose of the vaccine (booster) is needed. Scientific data is awaited to understand how long the protective effects of vaccines last.
9. Other measures, such as the use of masks and social distancing, should continue at a level sufficient to contain the spread of the Delta variant until a sufficient proportion of the population has been vaccinated to prevent an increase in cases and a possible increase . in hospitalizations and deaths.
10. The EMA and ECDC reiterate the need to vaccinate as many people as possible against COVID-19.
[ad_2]
