Dr. Sekler on new Covid wave: Infected teens who see pharmacists instead of doctors also a problem

Photo: Sreeenshot Youtube/RTS

"I am not surprised by the increase in the number of infected people, although we have, perhaps a little faster than expected exceeded 1,000 new daily coronavirus cases," says Dr. Milanko Sekler, an immunologist and microbiologist from the Veterinary Specialist Institute in Kraljevo.

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He said that the fact that young people and middle-aged men are in hospitals is especially worrying.

"Younger people are getting hospitalized, mostly middle-aged men - from 35 to 40 years old. We also have teenagers with fever who are not going to see the doctor, but turn to pharmacists looking for medication to lower their temperature, and they don't even think about the fact that they may be sick with Covid, and they're wasting their time. That is why I urege them to see the doctor," Sekler made his appeal.

He stated that he is not surprised by the increase in the number of infected people, but by the fact that we crossed 1,000 new cases per day a little faster than expected, RTS reports.

Speaking about the Delta strain, he said that according to latest scientific studies, people get more easily infected with it.

"People infected with Delta secrete far more viruses and a smaller amount of virus is needed for others to become infected," explained Sekler.

Photo: Tanjug/AP

He stressed that vaccination is the only weapon against Covid 19 and that there is no other solution.

"What I'm sure of is that the only way to mitigate the consequences of Covid and not to overwhelm our health system with a huge number of newly infected people is immunization. There is no other solution," stressed Dr. Sekler.

He added that a campaign is needed to revive vaccination as well as to provide incentives for vaccinated people.

"In my opinion, the only real solution is to revive the vaccination campaign - introduce some measures where there will be some kind of incentive for those who have been vaccinated, who have had Covid 19 or who have been tested to safely participate in normal life in every sense of the word," he says .

He assessed that with the end of the vacation season and the return of children to school, there will be a much higher likelihood of the infection speading, that is, an increased number of new cases.

Asked what kind of fall awaits us and what the school year will look like, he said that this is a "million dollar" question. Experts must recommend to citizens which third dose of the vaccine to receive. Speaking of the third dose, she stated that jhe is absolutely in favor of it.

"That third dose was announced a few weeks ago and I am absolutely for it and I said that it is needed in people whose immune system is somewhat weaker and who did not react strongly enough and did not create enough protection. That third dose is needed to restart that immunity. And those recommendations made by the Crisis HQ are quite logical and in the professional domain. What still needs to be discussed and why there will certainly be many questions from people to whom it is recommended to receive the third dose, and also those who want to receive it just because six months have passed since they got vaccinated, is which third dose of the vaccine to receive - which type of vaccine, the same or different, which different one," said Sekler.

He added that for that reason, television shows should be organized where immunologists would answer citizens' questions.

"I think it is time for the professional bodies that deal with vaccination and the organization of it, together with TV outlets, to organize shows where excellent immunologists, I mean university professors above all, will be guests and provide answers to people's misgivings," said Sekler.

(Telegraf.rs)