[ad_1]
The confirmed presence in Portugal of the new strain of SARS-Cov-2, although more contagious, should not imply new measures and restrictions, defended, this Sunday, a researcher from the National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA).
Most of the cases that we are identifying now are December cases. “said the coordinator of the study on genetic diversity of the new coronavirus in Portugal, João Paulo Gomes.
The new variant, known as the UK strain, “is already in Portugal”, but since when is not known.
We don’t know how long ago, because most of the cases that we are identifying now are December cases. But, about six weeks ago, in collaboration with the Gulbenkian Ciência Institute, we did a kind of screening and we did not find a single sample ”, explained the researcher, admitting, however, that it is possible that there are already transmission chains associated with this new variant.
As advanced today by the Doutor Ricardo Jorge National Institute of Health, 16 cases of the new variant were identified in mainland Portugal of coronavirus recently detected in the United Kingdom.
These cases are added to another 18 in Madeira, according to information advanced on December 28 by the president of the Regional Government, Miguel Albuquerque.
The new, more contagious variant was identified in the scope of the update of the “Study of the genetic diversity of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (covid-19) in Portugal”, developed and coordinated by the Ricardo Jorge Institute, in collaboration with the Gulbenkian Institute of Science.
First we wanted to know if we were detecting it [a nova estirpe] and now we realize that we are not only in the passenger arrival area at Lisbon airport but also in products that come from other laboratories and via ARS [Autoridade Regional de Saúde] suspects for having travel history “explained the researcher.
However, the projection made in mid-November, “With great geographical representation”, Shows that “The circulation started recently in Portugal”, guaranteed.
The fact that it is more contagious does not lead João Paulo Gomes to defend more restrictions or containment measures.
I think there is no need to take more steps. Above all, it is necessary to comply with existing measures “, he defended, referring to “This variant cannot overcome the barriers of the mask more easily than other variants”.
Therefore, he considered, “If people maintain social distance and follow the rules, wearing a mask when in the presence of other people, they are relatively protected”.
The problem, the researcher emphasized, is that “When we are not protected – for example in a restaurant or when we are with the family at home or when we are with some friends and we lower the bar a little”.
At that time, this variant will surely have a greater transmission capacity “, he warned.
The possibility that the number of infections will grow a lot in the near future is real, admitted João Paulo Gomes, warning, however, that several situations are happening at the same time.
We will definitely find many more cases in the coming weeks. Especially since passengers who arrive at the airport with negative tests does not mean that they are negative. It is enough that they have contracted the infection a day or two before. After two or three days they start with symptoms or they have already happened to someone and there is nothing to do about it ”.He explained.
Furthermore, Portugal is also experiencing a period of some ‘deflation’, on the occasion of New Year’s Christmas, “And that is also implying an increase in the number of cases”The INSA researcher recalled.
So he defended “We have no evidence that the presence of the variant is increasing the number of cases”.
To learn more about “the weight of this variant of the virus in the national scenario,” the Ricardo Jorge Institute and the Gulbenkian Institute of Sciences will do, in the coming weeks and months, “Periodic screens based on this sequencing of the virus genome with a high geographical representation”, explained João Paulo Gomes.
The researcher is also not concerned about the possible influence of the new strain on the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign that is beginning.
I think that the vaccine is certainly not in danger with the appearance of this or other variants. THE The immune response created by a vaccine is very complex and very comprehensive. It involves the generation of antibodies against many sites of this virus, not only one or the other where this mutation can appear, but also another type of immune response that has nothing to do with antibodies ”., I observe.
Although the appearance of a new strain is “Always a cause for concern”, vaccines “They have been extremely well developed and will not be endangered by the type of variants that have appeared.”, he concluded.
The covid-19 pandemic caused at least 1,835,824 deaths as a result of more than 84.5 million cases of infection worldwide, according to a report by the French agency AFP.
Portugal represents at least 7,118 deaths associated with covid-19 in 427,254 confirmed cases, according to the latest bulletin from the Directorate General of Health (DGS).
