Sekler: We crossed two thirds of the way, Omicron is a good introduction into pandemic's end

Photo: Twitter/@KosnicaStefan, Youtube/Beogradska Hronika Jutarnji Program

We can't say that coronavirus is done for, but that we have crossed at least two thirds of the way, we certainly have, virologist Milanko Sekler told RTS.

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He stressed that Omicron is a good announcement and an introduction into the end of the pandemic, but that with vaccination we must "help the enemy withdraw with dignity."

The fourth dose, he says, should not be considered - except for those with impaired immune status, such as cancer patients and the elderly.

Milanko Sekler also told RTS that the pandemic is going in the right direction, although it cannot yet be said that the coronavirus is done for.

"But that we have crossed at least two thirds of the way, and we are on the right path," said Sekler.

He noted that Omicron is a good announcement and an introduction into the end of the pandemic, but that there should be no relaxation in the further implementation of vaccination.

"For now, it's going in the right direction, but we must also help our enemy to withdraw with dignity, to switch to human coronaviruses, to cause fewer and fewer problems, that if he mutates, it mutates in that direction... And that would be fabulous. And in order to achieve that, we have to understand, even though I am boring myself saying it - vaccination is the only way out," Sekler stressed.

He added that in countries with a high percentage of vaccinated people, mortality and hospitalization are so low that it cannot be compared to the previous wave.

"Seven times fewer people have died in this wave of Omicron than in the previous, Delta," says Sekler.

He noted that even in South Africa, where Omicron first appeared, no special measures were taken with the appearance of this strain.

"Considering the kind of varieties we've been through, if, so to speak, any of the variants deserves to continue normal life, it is certainly Omicron," said Sekler.

Speaking about sub-strains of Omicron, the virologist noted that there are three and that one is dominant, but that it does not matter which one will infect somebody because those subtypes do not differ significantly from each other and the vaccine protects the same way from each.

"Now, in a couple of countries, there has been a jump in the number of cases of variant number two, especially in Denmark, and then Norway, Great Britain, Sweden, a total of 40 countries in the world. It's interesting that the first case of this variant was registered in the Philippines, but that variety is not there today and is rarely recorded," said Sekler.

He stressed that those who have not yet been vaccinated should aks around and see for themselves that the vaccinated have a far milder clinical picture than the unvaccinated.

"A good part of the unvaccinated also go through it easier, but it can still happen that they end up in the hospital," added Sekler.

Fourth dose shouldn't be considered, let children go to their collectives

Asked about the fourth dose of the vaccine, the virologist said that it should not be considered.

"I'm not expecting the fourth dose, possibly only for those who have impaired immune status, for oncology patients, for very old people... We cannot and should not think about the fourth dose, in my opinion, with these three doses and this spread of Omicorn. I don't think we should think in that direction, and it's unlikely that will happen," Sekler stressed.

He also said that children should go to collectives, although in this period the biggest spikes in numbers always happen after the start of the second semester.

"It's true that it was very inconvenient to make a decision about the start of school, but I hope they took into account the share of the child population in the number of new cases since the New Year so far. I guess that share is large, and as far as I have followed data, that's over a third of the total cases," Sekler said, adding that a large proportion of children were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, although there are always cases that deviate from the average.

He said that now is the season of respiratory diseases, and that, in addition to coronaviruses, other viruses and bacterial diseases are also a threat.

"Because most of the time is spent inside. It's cold outside, the cold leads to a drop in immunity and viral infections find it easier to enter the body," explains Sekler.

According to him, there is more infection in collectives because a large number of children spend time in a smaller closed space, where they are in direct contact.

"Hardly any of us work with 30 colleagues in an office, if there are more people, it's mostly in factory plants. Children are ideal carriers, because one child infects others in a few days - but we can't avoid that," said the virologist.

(Telegraf.rs)