The second case of the variant was confirmed in Guayaquil, which would have occurred at a social event. The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) traces the origin.
The confirmation of the second case from omicron of the coronavirus in Ecuador makes doctors presume that this variant, much more contagiousIt would already be circulating in the country, although for the Government there is no community contagion but for a small group.
Given this, in addition the experts pose measures to be taken into account by the authorities.
The first case It was confirmed last Tuesday. It’s about a man, by profession an engineer who returned to Quito from a trip made to south africa. The second, a 48 year old woman, that it was not infected abroad but in a social gathering, in Guayaquil.
Ecuador, the ninth country in America to identify the omicron variant in its territory
For David Larreátegui, physician, infectologist and university professor, It is very likely that the variant has been around for a few months, but the country does not do enough genotyping tests because there is no massive capacity to carry out these studies after PRC tests, but rather they are applied to cases. who have special symptoms or who have been in contact with travelers.
“Probably omicron is already a few weeks behind and is generating this increase of the number of contagions that we have now, which is reflected in the outpatient consultation, in the patients who are cared for on a day-to-day basis, ”he said.
Daniel Simancas, doctor epidemiologist, a professor at the UTE university, agrees with Larreátegui, in the sense that there is little capacity for tracking and massive genomic sequencing of the virus, so it is quite likely that there are other cases that have not been detected.
The second case This variant, the Ministry of Health reported, is not related to the first contagion detected in the capital of the Republic.
Is found in quarantine and the respective epidemiological fences have been applied. He is stable and his symptoms are mild. The epidemiological investigation has determined that he did not leave the country.
He had the complete schedule of vaccines against the coronavirus. She received a dose from Johnson & Johnson and two injections from AstraZeneca.
According Francisco Pérez, National Undersecretary of Health Surveillance of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), surveillance circles are being closed to determine where that case comes from.
Unfortunately, the official said, they haven’t had much collaboration of the people who attended that meeting and more information is gathered from where there may be “a primary case”.
With the confirmation of these cases, Larreátegui was asked if it would be an alternative advance the placement of the third dose six to three months and he answered that it may be, although this will depend on the availability of vaccines.
Simancas proposed to advance the age ranges and go to people who have not reached six months, but two months later of the second administration.
“At this time in the presence and with the scientific data reported so far we could say that two doses no longer constitute a complete schedule of vaccination, but the three doses ”, argued Simancas.
In Ecuador, the booster dose process began in last October with the health personnel, then with the elderly and those with immunosuppression, while for the general population it was advanced from January 2022 to December 2021, as long as they are six months after the second injection.
In accordance with Cristina Aldaz, institutional manager of the national vaccination plan, the vaccine is available for the entire population, including booster shots.
Aldaz indicated that an individual with omicron can transmit the virus to 16 people, so it is important to access the vaccine as there will be protection from serious illness.
Larreátegui considered that obligate to get vaccinated it’s complicated, that they should be encouraged to do so; whereas, for Simancas, one should go towards the card requirement immunization to enter some public places.
According to Simancas, since it is a virus that is transmitted through the air, it is necessary to intensify the controls of the use of a mask, ventilate closed spaces, demand in food and beverage establishments the use of measurer of CO2 on air quality. Larreátegui stated that the measures must be lower capacity in closed areas, use of mask, continue vaccinating.
Restrictive measures begin this Friday and for 18 days; in the hands of local governments the requirement of a vaccination certificate
Those restrictive measures such as reducing capacity, determined by the national Emergency Operations Committee (COE) that are in effect until Monday, January 3, 2022, generate criticism from some sectors such as food.
According Andres Aspiazu, member of the board of the Guayas Restaurant Association (Asorest), limit sales volumes in general in the best month of sales the hurts with the consequent restriction to employment.
For Aspiazu, very soon they should go from 75% to full capacity. “They give 100% capacity to the buses, don’t you think that buses are tighter than people can be in a restaurant? (…) when someone sits at a table, it is a family group or people who know each other and who normally know that everyone is in good health or vaccinated, ”said the business leader.
He is not in favor of asking for the vaccination certificate but, in his opinion, what the Government should do is a Bell in the media with a positive message on the need for citizens to be immunized. (I)
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