New African mutation Omicron, which is more infectious than the currently dominant Delta mutation, could lead to the need for tougher security measures, says the chief physician of the intensive care unit of the Papanikolaou hospital.
Speaking to SKAI reporters, Nikos Karavelos proposed tightening security measures to stop the pandemic and called for stricter measures such as school closures, widespread mask use and isolation for the unvaccinated.
Earlier, speaking at the Open, Professor Tomaidis stressed that the peak of the daily number of deaths and fatalities is expected from December 5 to 25, that is, during the festive period of Christmas.
Karavelos: “Everyday life of war”
Describing the situation in the hospitals in Thessaloniki, Dr. Karavelos speaks of the “everyday war” when there are too many hospitalized and intubated outside the intensive care unit.
“Every day in the hospitals of Thessaloniki is the everyday life of the war. We lost control of the situation again. All hospitals are currently trying to treat patients outside the intensive care unit. Gennimatas Hospital has provided additional ICU beds so that we can admit patients outside the ICU to protect their lives. The doctors were called from the private sector and we were strengthened and that was what helped us. Everyday life, but everyday life in war, in which there is too much death, ”he characteristically states.
Dr. Karavelos added that the state lost the bet, describing the measures that were taken as “indecisive” and emphasizing that urgent action is needed to save Christmas. “Thessaloniki demands immediate action. The strategy chosen includes measures against the outbreak of the pandemic, such as closing schools for 10 days, stadiums without spectators, masks everywhere, isolation for the unvaccinated everywhere. the state was preparing hearses. “Immediate action must be taken and all political leaders must fulfill their responsibilities.”
Regarding the new mutation, Omicron, he points out that this is the result of the criminal negligence of rich countries towards the poor, who left them without vaccines, and points out that in Africa the vaccination rate is 6%.
“The most appropriate strategy is universal and compulsory vaccination. When Israel announced the need for a third dose in July, they had 8,000 cases per day. They applied the third dose, and now the number of cases has dropped to 400 per day. We were late with the third dose. We made another mistake. We deified the vaccinated. Grafted 20% on single beds. And vaccinated people get infected. The third dose had to be speeded up. “In my hospital, out of 70 hospitalized, 25 were fully vaccinated,” he concludes.
Tsanakis: Death toll to hit 20,000 by Christmas
Nikos Tsanakis, professor of pulmonology at the University of Crete, made a gloomy forecast for the death toll, stressing that the death toll could reach or even exceed 20,000 by Christmas:
“Over the next two weeks, maybe three, I think we will continue to work with so many dead. I hope that we will see no more than 100 victims per day. On average, about 75-80, which means that by Christmas we will reach, and maybe even exceed 20,000 deaths. “
He added that the lower the vaccination coverage, especially among citizens over 60, the higher the incidence. He also presented regional data, noting that in Central Macedonia, with a 66% vaccination rate among people over 60, 1,800 deaths per million inhabitants were recorded on 20 November, compared with 600 in Crete. Athens also has few deaths due to high vaccination coverage among older people.
Regarding the new mutation Omicron, the pulmonology professor emphasized that this event should concern health experts and organizations, calling the panic that has arisen in the ordinary world, in the markets and in the economies of countries unjustified:
“We do not yet know what he is hiding, but it must be about the health authorities and governments, which must take action, especially at airports, to check everyone who enters from these countries so that this mutation is really special. We do not know if it is more pathogenic or more deadly, or if it is covered by vaccines. It might not be, it might be softer. People have to deal with Delta, which is now prevalent in Greece. ”
Pagoni: the virus infects everyone
Speaking on the same channel, EINAP President Matina Pagoni speaks more softly, noting that people are tired of these measures and the only way to move forward is only vaccinations. At the same time, she advocated the need for the unvaccinated to present the results of rapid tests to enter supermarkets, so that they know that they do not have an asymptomatic disease, and they will not pass it on to other visitors. As the President of EINAP emphasized, the virus affects not only the elderly.
Vasilakopoulos on the Omicron mutation: this does not mean that our vaccines will be useless
“Omicron has a lot more changes than other viruses. But this does not mean that he will win. Before we panic, let’s wait and see how he behaves, ”Pulmonology professor Theodoros Vasilakopoulos told Open. “This does not mean that our vaccines will be useless. Until we update the vaccines, after about 3 months, the only defense is to have antibodies, that is, get vaccinated. That way he will have less chance, “he added. Regarding the prohibitions, the professor commented:” The virus has already changed. Some countries hide that they have cases of mutation. “
Thomaidis: the third dose is required
The professor called the introduction of the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine urgent. “Currently, we may have a lot of casualties because the medical staff is tired,” said Mr Tomaidis. Sewerage in Attica has been showing consistently high numbers over the past 4 weeks. Of course, the climax is not building up. “But so far there are no signs of decline,” he said. He also said he was worried about “overcrowding in intensive care units and rising deaths”:
“Unfortunately, we will reach 95-100 deaths. From 5 to 25 December we will see a peak in mortality and overcrowding in intensive care units. “
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