Papaevangelou in SKAI: We expect an increase in cases in children – More departments will be closed

The assessment that there will be an increase in coronavirus cases in children this week was expressed by the professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and member of the Committee of Experts, Vana Papaevangelou, speaking in the main news bulletin of SKAI and Nikos Stravelakis. . In fact, he said that due to the contagion and the spread of the Omicron mutation, many school departments are expected to close in the next two weeks.

“This week we expect an increase in cases in children, most of whom were left without a test in the previous two weeks. “However, it was something we had seen in September and we should not be worried,” he said.

Asked if there is a risk of opening the schools, she pointed out that it is safer to open them, as students will come with frequent tests and mobility will be limited. “We closed the schools in 2020 and the Spring of 2021 when we wanted to reduce the mobility of parents and the dispersion in the community. Now we all have cases in our wider family environment so it will not be helpful to keep the children at home. The dispersion will continue anyway, while contrary to the weapon the testing inside the school and the gathering of the society with the open schools, will be for the benefit of the dispersion in the community “, pointed out Mrs. Papaevangelou.

As the Omicron mutation explained, it is mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic in everyone and not only in children and therefore self-tests are a weapon to diagnose asymptomatic children early. He noted that since last week, the new cases have moved from the age of 18-34 to the older ones, which is somewhat worrying. “Of course we have very high rates of vaccination coverage, so we believe that adults will pass Omicron very gently,” he stressed.

Regarding the 50% + 1 protocol in schools, the teacher said that it was something that was discussed in September in the Commission, but the scientists did not want to set a limit, but focused on extensive testing for early diagnosis and isolation. “We are not interested in 50% + 1. With such a large dispersion in the community, it will not surprise me if I see at least the next two weeks that we have an increased number of classes that are closed. “We are waiting to see it,” he stressed.

Answering the question whether the Omicron mutation marks the end of the pandemic, Ms. Papaevangelou stated that it would be wrong to give such a message. “As long as the percentage of unvaccinated people in the world and in developing countries remains high, there is a fear that a new mutation will appear, which will change the data again. “Virologists have taught us that each subsequent variant will have a milder disease and greater contagion, but we have learned not to predict much with the pandemic.”

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