The timing of the pandemic and the advance of the Ômicron variant of the coronavirus do not allow us to say that the near future will be “calm”, as this strain cannot be underestimated, according to what the epidemiologist and former coordinator of the National Immunization Program (PNI) said. ) Carla Domingues in an interview with CNN this Tuesday (11).
“We cannot trivialize this variant thinking that the situation is under control. We need to maintain all measures such as the use of a mask, hand hygiene and the use of gel alcohol”, he added.
Domingues explained that any prediction of the future could be wrong. Both because it is necessary to understand the impact of Ômicron in the coming weeks and because we do not have current consolidated data from Brazil on the pandemic – according to the epidemiologist, the hacker attack causes us to have dispersed information from the states.
The former coordinator stressed the importance of vaccination, as it is the main protection against the new variant, and said that the moment requires that restriction measures be rethought and stricter. If in the next two weeks there is an increase in the transmission rate of the virus, we should adopt more restrictions.
“In every agglomeration we talk about high transmission. This is not the time for concerts with 30,000 people and crowded football stadiums, because in all these environments we will have a condition of high spread of the disease. I think Carnival should be canceled in all places, including the samba school parade”, he added.
Thus, according to the epidemiologist, in addition to immunization, it is necessary to be close only to fully vaccinated people and to use protections such as masks. The most recommended would be the N95, or PFF2, but if it is not possible to buy it, another solution is to use a surgical mask together with a cloth one.
vaccination of children
Finally, Carla Domingues said that the immunization of children is essential, as it will be protecting each one who takes the vaccine individually, but also their families, a collective protection. Thus, they will be able to socialize again and have a safe return to school.
The epidemiologist criticized the move by the Ministry of Health to open up to parents the decision to immunize their children or not. As he explained, it is necessary to vaccinate all children and that if the immunizer is in the PNI it is safe and important.
Watch the full interview in the video above.
Reference: CNN Brasil
