For less than a week the last barriers in Italy have fallen. Masks are no longer brought into Italy, excluding public transport, trains and health facilities. The easing of precautions was expected and announced, but the arrival of the new Omicron 5 variant makes it even more dangerous.
“Omicron 5 raises and will raise the cases, we will continue to have serious ones, albeit in a proportional way”, said the virologist Fabrizio Pregliasco who recalls: “having had Covid and having done it three doses” is not enough to avoid being infected. Also because most Italians have been taking the third dose for too long. We are not out of the pandemic. The peak of the new wave is expected by the end of July.
Italians do not protect themselves from this wave as they did from the previous ones: they are in fact using fewer masks and sanitizers. The sales figures reported by the Sole24ore and analyzed by IQVIA Pharma Academy. From 13 to 19 June, the sale of masks fell by 11.2% compared to the previous week and by 60% compared to the same week in 2021. They were sold for 1.1 million euros. 96 thousand euros were spent on sanitizers: -2.8% compared to the previous week and -52.3% compared to the same week a year ago.
On the other hand, the number of tampons made at home rises, which risk distorting the data on infections. According to experts, the numbers of the daily bulletins are not representative of the real state of the infections. In fact, the home tampon is not always declared and more and more are made. From 13 to 19 June, 4.5 million euros were spent on swabs and tests. The increase compared to the previous week is 17.5%. Expert estimates say that there are at least as many cases as officially declared: the 30,526 cases on Sunday 19 June should be doubled.
The request is that of greater regulation of do-it-yourself tests, with the obligation to report because a false data also makes the management of hospitals more difficult in the event of the arrival of serious cases. It goes beyond the professor Andrea Cristanti interviewed by Corriere della Sera: «They should be abolished, their sale prohibited. They do not meet any prevention criteria and only do damage. They are causing a very serious distortion of the real situation, because many asymptomatic positives do not report such and they continue their lives, bypassing the surveillance system and delaying treatment. They only come out if they start to feel bad, weighing down the assistance network. If taken immediately, the therapeutic approach is less complex ».
Omicron, in its new variants, Ba.4, Ba.5 and Ba.2.12.1, tends to be regarded as an influence. Not so for the experts. “Let’s say that Omicron 5 is four times stronger»Fabrizio Pregliasco always explains. The invitation is to use masks more often than Italians are doing and always in times of crowding. Most doctors are also opposed to the hypothesis of eliminating the obligation of home isolation for positives.
– Omicron 5 variant, the basic precautions not to get infected in the summer
– Masks, what changes from June 15th
Source: Vanity Fair
