David Uip claims new coronavirus strains ‘totally predictable’

For an infectious disease specialist, the main questions to answer at the moment about Ômicron are whether it is more contagious, if it causes more symptoms and deaths, as well as whether it is sensitive to the vaccines available in Brazil.

Content of ALOISIO MAURICIO / FOTOArena / ESTADOInfection scientist and coordinator of the Corona Virus Emergency Center in São Paulo, David Yoeb

With confirmation of the first two cases of micron variable Give COVID-19 in a Sao Paulo, This topic has been highlighted in the Brazilian press since last Tuesday, 30. In a live interview with Journal da Manha on Wednesday, December 1, infectious disease specialist and coordinator of the Corona Virus Emergency Center in São Paulo, David Yoube, commented on the main points that science must answer about the new breed and said that other variants are to be expected. Uip explained that viruses undergo mutations naturally, and that the difference lies in the process of developing the scientific ability to carry out genetic sequencing and knowing how to fight against strains of the new coronavirus or other viruses. “Since the world is the world, the virus is mutating. Just look at influenza viruses, that’s what has always happened. What has changed is that we have more efficiency in genetic sequencing. Second, it has greatly improved our level of information. Today, the new data They arrive immediately. Viruses are constantly changing. So, yes, we will have new strains of coronavirus. I totally expected the genomic modifications,” he said.

We need three answers: first, if this strain is more contagious; second, whether it causes further illness and death; And third, whether it would be sensitive to the vaccines that are available here in Brazil. We have four vaccines with different application platforms. I am keen to say anything about these strains and even a little optimism that perhaps Brazil will do well,” the infectious disease specialist commented. He also argued that the country had suffered more from the gamma variant and that fighting it was mainly due to vaccination. “There is no doubt that the factor that makes The difference in the history of epidemics is vaccination or not. Last year 2020, we did not vaccinate. So, there is definitely a change because of the program that is very well done in vaccinating as many Brazilians as possible,” he said.

Although there are no scientific records on the matter, David Yoeb said he noted that the fact that Brazil uses several different vaccines and hybridizes them in a booster dose may be a factor that puts the country in an advantageous position, and avoids new waves of vaccines. The Covid-19 epidemic is happening in Europe. “What I’m going to say is something entirely related to surveillance. I don’t have the scientific degree to testify to it, but that’s an impression I’m imagining during this pandemic. Maybe, in Brazil, using different platforms, four vaccines, often between the first or second dose and the booster dose, we also have different vaccines, We may have a different response than Europe. Will Latin American countries have a better response due to the use of different platforms? I find this situation interesting and perhaps explain why we don’t have Latin America, mainly Brazil, for example, from the Delta strain. We were expecting A disaster and it didn’t happen.’Delta Dynasty didn’t do anything with Brazil,’ Uip said.