Opinion – Atila Iamarino: The omicron variant is just an obstacle in this race

The world is concerned about the omicron variant, which was first detected on the African continent, a historically neglected region that suffers from a severe lack of health infrastructure, lack of Covid testing and vaccines. The same region that has seen the beta variant emerge.

Here in Brazil, the situation is better. We continue to have a low occupancy of ICU beds in large cities, which are now close to the entire vaccinated adult population. While in the interior of the historically neglected Northern region, which suffers from a serious lack of health infrastructure, lack of tests and vaccines against Covid, cases among the unvaccinated are increasing. In the interior of Amazonas, which has already seen the emergence of the gamma or P.1 variant, most municipalities have not yet vaccinated half of the population. Roraima barely exceeded 30% of the immunized population. And where a variant circles, alpha, beta, gamma, delta, omicron, or any other Greek letter that the evolution of the virus generates also circulates.

It is tempting to follow the fear of the countries of the Northern Hemisphere and worry about the variant that occupies the news. Even more when this is mixed with other fears (and prejudices) that lead many to close the borders to African countries, trying to protect themselves from a virus that has been detected in many more European countries – where it must already be circulating inside the noses of many. The Europeans themselves are already up to their necks with the delta variant infecting mostly unvaccinated, to the point that some countries have closed again and Austria had to make vaccination mandatory. A measure that was already expected by those who read this column.

With or without omicron, while we do not have the majority of Brazilians vaccinated, which includes children from 5 to 11 years old, the coronavirus can and will circulate. The path any variant trails is the same: vulnerable unprotected. A variant that escapes more immunity has access to more vulnerable, such as cured or vaccinated who are already producing fewer antibodies. But if they’re wearing proper masks, there’s no coronavirus that gets through. And if they take their vaccine doses, preferably the booster dose too, that’s even better.

In early 2020, there was still some doubt about the effectiveness of protective measures such as masks, which now prove to be the most protective measure. But something was already very clear and continues to reassert itself: with the new coronavirus established in the population, we will continue to fight it for years. Since then, science has surprised us with the agile development of vaccines. And evolution surprised us with the virus’s ability to increase its transmission, generating variant after variant. And the fight continues. That’s why preparation is so important. Because it will continue to be necessary.

Some times will be better, like in recent months in Brazil. Others will be worse, as in recent months in Europe. But we will certainly continue to face waves of the coronavirus against which we will need all the weapons. Mainly vaccines and masks, if we don’t want to pay with the lockdown, like the Germans. Therefore, we need to guarantee the infrastructure to vaccinate all Brazilians. In big cities or in the interior of Amapá. With the first and second doses today. With the booster dose in six months. And with new booster doses or new vaccines depending on what the virus is up to. The pandemic is a long race with many obstacles that we do not yet foresee. We cannot be late with those who are already known.