Continuing the discussion about the current phase of the pandemic, it is worth reflecting on the new behavior of Covid-19. It stopped causing an explosive number of cases, but new infections continue to occur.
Because it is a respiratory-transmitted disease, many scientists expect that Covid-19 will begin to adopt the pattern of diseases transmitted in colder times, when there are crowds and other conditions that favor the spread.
This means that special attention will be needed in late autumn, winter and early spring. Although Sars-CoV-2 has been circulating for a short time, the number of cases in Europe is showing signs that this is a likely pattern, with an increase in cases after the arrival of cold weather.
Another requirement will be the constant vigilance on the possible emergence of new variants that may cause problems. A new omicron variant, B.2.75, has been detected in some parts of the world and appears to dominate the transmission chain. Fortunately, there is no evidence of intense dissemination, as occurred with the gamma, responsible for the tragedy at the beginning of 2021 in Northern Brazil, or with the delta, in the course of 2021, or even the first ômicron variants, in the beginning. of 2022.
Should a new variant of concern emerge, it is impossible to predict its transmission capacity and its impact on mortality.
The scenario reflects different variables. Immunity induced by natural disease and vaccines tends to wane over time. A portion of the population is being replaced with the birth of children susceptible to infections by Sars-CoV-2, which can leverage chains of transmission.
It is possible to prepare. One of the recommended measures is the adoption of updated vaccines, which incorporate protection against new variants. This is the strategy adopted for years to prevent the flu, with vaccines updated annually, according to the influenza viruses identified in the previous season.
A first attempt for Covid-19 was the development of bivalent vaccines, recently approved for use in the US and some European countries. The new formulation incorporates a second component of the omicron variant, different from the original used until now. Reinforcement with this new vaccine has already been indicated in these countries.
It will not be feasible, however, to carry out studies similar to those carried out at the beginning of the pandemic. This is because the majority of the population is vaccinated and many have already had Covid-19, with a large reduction in the number of cases of the disease.
There remains the use of projections of how this vaccine induces a response against the new variants and the observation of the vaccinated. They are very safe vaccines, validating the attempts.
So far, the results show that those who received the bivalent vaccine developed good defense, with effective antibodies against the new variant that dominates the pandemic.
This could be the Covid-19 trial of the future: continuing surveillance for the circulation of new variants, identifying cases in people most vulnerable to receiving treatment, developing more potent and comprehensive vaccines, and updating vaccines according to virus variability.
It is worth mentioning, again, that the concerns about Sars-CoV-2 are not over. On the contrary, they require responsible reactions, based on the knowledge learned and built during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Only in this way is it possible to prepare for the next steps. After all, Sars-CoV-2 is here to stay.
I have over 3 years of experience working in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have been an author at News Bulletin 247 for the past 2 years. I mostly cover technology news and have a keen interest in keeping up with the latest trends in the industry. I am a highly motivated individual who is always looking to improve my skills and knowledge.
