M. Gaga: Our country received 5,700 Merck pills

Our country has received 5,700 treatments of molnupiravir for covid-19 and after the approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which is expected within the next month, another 25,000 treatments will be received, the Deputy Minister of Health told APE-MPE. Mina Gaga.

The treatment has already been licensed for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In our country, until the European approval process is completed, the treatment can be granted with the written consent of the patients.

Ms Gaga explains that “at this stage of the pandemic, the Omicron mutation is predominant, which – according to international scientific data – is not sensitive to treatment with monoclonal antibodies, which were administered to patients infected with the Delta mutation, with positive “Internationally, then, the scientific community is turning to oral therapies.”

The method of administration of the new treatment

The platform on which doctors will raise the requests for approval for the new treatment with antiviral pills, was activated yesterday and as Ms. Gaga explains, molnupiravir can be administered to patients with Covid-19 who have specific high-risk factors for severe disease.

According to the data so far, the treatment will be administered for 5 days and should start within the first 5 days from the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of the disease (with a positive antigen or molecular test).

The treatment will be approved by a procedure similar to that for monoclonal antibodies.

One can not predict whether Omicron will be the last variant

The Deputy Minister of Health also stressed to APE-MPE that all scientific views converge on the fact that Covid-19 will develop into an endemic viral disease, but one still can not predict whether Omicron will be the last variant of this virus. “Around the world, the spread of Omicron in the community is great and we see an outbreak of cases in most parts of the world. “Our mask is right, we should pay attention to our contacts and of course we should all use our main weapon against the virus, the vaccine”.

The request for the services of private doctors in Attica will also include the specialty of Pediatrics

The Omicron variant increases hospitalizations and the Ministry of Health unfolds its plan to strengthen the NSS.

“The pressure on the NSS is great and prolonged, with its people experiencing intense fatigue after two years of such intensive work. That is why we support them in every way, strengthening the forces of the system. In the last few days, additional interventions and The cooperation with the private sector was extended, while a new order of services of private doctors in the specialties of Pulmonology, Pathology, Anesthesiology and General Medicine was extended to the Regions of Thrace, Western, Central and Eastern Macedonia. “hospitals in the basin to determine the additional needs of doctors and if necessary the request will be extended to Attica. In this case, the specialty of Pediatrics will probably be included, in order to cover the needs of the vaccination centers”.

The result of many factors is high mortality

Asked about the death toll, Gaga said: “High mortality due to Covid-19 can be the result of many factors: Greece is one of the countries in Europe that has a large percentage of an aging population. This means many people with In addition, we have noticed that even today, despite repeated warnings and constant updates from specialists, many patients arrive very late to the hospital, which makes the condition more difficult to reverse. their.

A long stay in the Intensive Care Unit – as a result of the above – can also worsen the prognosis of patients, in combination with possible infections by resistant germs. In Greece, the resistance rates of germs are high, due to the excessive use of antibiotics “.

If the symptoms persist after the 5th day the quarantine continues

The Deputy Minister of Health finally explains to APE-MPE and the reasoning of the decision of quarantine for 5 days, clarifying that if the symptoms persist after the 5th day, obviously the quarantine will continue.

“Scientists have studied all the latest epidemiological data and taken into account the relevant international guidelines. If someone has no symptoms after 5 days of isolation, he can return to his activities, always wearing a mask of high protection. Scientists have repeatedly explained that without masked symptoms are extremely low to zero chance of transmitting the virus.

“If there are severe symptoms or a fever that persists after the 5th day, obviously the patient should continue the quarantine, to protect himself first.”

Source: AMPE