No PCR needed after a positive rapid test. “Because at the moment there are too many cases and a lot of trouble, it is better with the rapid test to stay at home,” said Deputy Health Minister Mina Gaga, while briefing on the course of the pandemic.
“Only those who are not vaccinated for the first time and wish to issue a certificate of illness need to confirm the positive rapid with PCR, which makes no sense to people who are fully vaccinated,” added the professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and a member of the committee. Experts Vana Papaevangelou.
He even explained that although the sensitivity of antigen tests is lower than that of PCR, most studies have shown that patients who have a false negative antigen test, ie rapid but positive PCR, are people with a low viral load. and therefore low transmissibility. “With the large dispersion we have today it is essential to be careful and stay home as long as we have any clinical symptom of the common cold.”
Outbreak – 53,000 sick
The “micron” attack is very intense and the latest cases measured by genetic testing are over 60% “omicron”, so it is something that is transmitted very quickly and it is important to try to stop it, said Ms. Gaga. The way to do it, he added, is to wear masks, and for holidays to avoid contact if we have any symptoms, to do a test.
He advised special care so that we do not carry the virus in our homes. “Let us not be afraid, let us not panic, but let us be careful,” he stressed
Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and member of the Committee of Experts Vana Papaevangelou spoke about the explosion of new cases due to the “omicron” variant. The rolling average of the last 7 days has jumped close to 9,000 new cases, while more than 53,000 are currently ill.
“We have never seen such a sharp increase in cases,” he said. The new cases mainly concern young people aged 18-34, with the result that the median age of young cases is reduced to 29 years. There is an increase in positivity to 2.7%.
The data for “omicron”
The data from the laboratories confirm the prevalence of “omicron”, while at the same time there is a very significant increase in the viral load in urban wastewater, said Mrs. Papaevangelou. A significant increase in the epidemiological burden is recorded in most regional units, and mainly in Athens and Thessaloniki.
As the professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases said, today we have more data with the “omicron” variant. It differs significantly from previous executives. It is a virus with extremely high transmissibility that spreads much more easily and that is the reason for using a high protection mask or double mask
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