“We believe that the Omicron mutation, based on what we have seen in South Africa, will be short-lived. The most likely scenario says that we will see the de-escalation within January. The second scenario, which has a lower probability, is de-escalation by the end of February. “Based on the above, I believe it will decline soon.” This assessment was made, speaking on the radio station of APE-MPE “Agency 104.9 FM” by the assistant professor of the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Medical School of EKPA and member of the Committee of Experts, Gikas Majorkinis.
He noted that the increased cases recorded during the holidays “are problematic, because they can lead many people to outpatient clinics” and added: “We are monitoring the phenomenon and if we see that the pressure on the health system is increasing we will see what extra will be needed to do”.
Mr. Majorkinis advised those who have intense social activity to avoid for the next two or three weeks the contacts with people belonging to vulnerable groups and the elderly, while if it is necessary to meet them, to take a self-test earlier and wear masks. . “For those who have been vaccinated, the risk is lower. “What we are interested in is not to create pressure from the age of 60 onwards, but also from those who have not been vaccinated”, he stated characteristically.
Regarding the discussion that has started regarding the opening or not of schools on January 10, he replied that “so far we do not see that there will be much benefit from schools, whether they open this week or next. The interruption of schools causes huge stress to the whole society and we have to weigh it all. “There is no scenario that says what is the benefit of going to the opening a week later and we should see it in relation to other countries.”
Mr. Majorkinis added that “the closure of schools as a measure has always been to protect older people from possible dispersal. Omicron is a highly contagious variant and in theory, whenever schools open, transmission will occur. There is no protocol that can interrupt it. “
Regarding the possibility of a new, fourth dose of vaccine, he said that the issue of the vaccine in vulnerable groups “is something we are looking at dynamically. It is not ruled out that additional doses may be needed depending on the dynamics of the pandemic. “The discussion about the fourth dose is currently taking place for immunosuppressed and particularly vulnerable groups.”
Finally, on how things can go in 2022 regarding the evolution of the pandemic, Mr. Majorkinis stated with confidence that “we will have a better Easter and summer. I can not rule out the possibility of a variant that will be more contagious, more pathogenic, such as Delta. However, I think that this possibility is extremely small. We have a year ahead of us to capitalize on what we have gained and the oral medicines that will soon be available are coming to us. “It’s another step towards ending the pandemic.”
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