The Health Minister defended today that the targets on group immunity to Covid-19 must be “revised and updated” in light of the dynamics of transmission of the infection and the emergence of new variants such as Delta.
The most recent situation report on the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal, released by the INSA, reveals that the Delta variant, initially associated with India, had “a galloping rise” in relative frequency nationally, but its distribution “is still very heterogeneous between regions”.
Questioned on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of the New Wing of the Hospital de Santa Maria Radiotherapy Service, in Lisbon”, the minister said that the Delta variant inspires “a lot of caution and care” and is “a cause for concern.
“Portugal (…) unfortunately has had an early entry of this variant and, therefore, we are now with our daily numbers showing what is an increase in the number of new cases, with around 1.300 per day in the last seven days”, stated.
In addition, the transmissibility index (Rt), “although it is slightly giving way” in the country is still “very high”, above 1 for more than 30 days, which, according to the minister, leaves the country in a situation of “ especially fragile” and in need of “everyone's behavior”.
For Marta Temido, vaccination can help to contain cases and infection in the most vulnerable people, but she warned that "more cases" will lead to "the same percentage fraction" of this greater number of cases needing hospitalization and eventually intensive care and have “a fatal outcome”.
Concerning the possible revision of the percentage of vaccinated people to achieve group immunity, which is estimated at 70% of the population in Portugal, he stated that “the information on when group immunity will be achieved must be reviewed and updated in light of what it is. the very dynamics of infection transmission and the emergence of new variants”.
“Right now, what is known is that the Delta variant “is more aggressive” when there is only one dose of vaccine administered. We also know that it is not enough to have the administration of two doses of vaccine, it is necessary that there is a period of time that passes over the second administration”, he explained.
He also stressed that vaccination confers a probability of "greater protection", but that "it is not by itself" a guarantee that people cannot be infected, and therefore all protective behaviors by the population must be maintained, which should enable that it will have to do so for “an even longer period”.
Asked about the possibility of the Covid-19 vaccine being integrated into the national vaccination program, the minister said that Portugal, like the other countries of the European Union, agreed on the need to carry out a joint purchase of vaccines for 2022 and 2023, of about 900 million doses, which leads to an estimate that more revaccinations are necessary.
“It is admitted that people who have a weaker immunity, the elderly, may need a repeat vaccine more than others, but, once again, let us not forget that we are talking about a new virus, of a new disease, a new vaccine and that the answers we long for need time to be formulated by science”, he declared.
Regarding the criticisms by mayors of people who miss the vaccination schedule and whether this behavior can compromise the population's immunity, Marta Temido acknowledged that this is a situation of concern.
“Of course [the shortages] worry us, because a vaccination opportunity should never be wasted either with the Covid-19 vaccine or in relation to any other vaccine”, he stressed.
Comments