Omicron variant, Mantovani: “It teaches us that we must vaccinate everyone”

“The lesson from the Omicron variant is that we need to vaccinate against Covid-19, vaccinate children and vaccinate the world. As long as the virus circulates we will be in check.” Thus the immunologist Alberto Mantovani, scientific director of Humanitas, this morning on Rai Radio1 at ‘Sabato Anch’io’. For Mantovani, the closure on trips against the new variant “is a temporary measure that allows us to understand the situation. In the long run, it is not by closing ourselves that we will resolve the situation”. And international cooperation is essential. “The liberalization of patents is an issue on which there are different opinions. It is important at the moment to share the ability to produce. The European Union, also thanks to our prime minister, is starting to support the construction of plants in African countries”, he added. . Then, speaking of the little ones: “For the sake of children I think it is important to vaccinate them against Covid-19. It is true that the disease affects them more rarely but they get sick. The benefits outweigh the risks”. And he recalled that, in the fight against Covid, we are not at year zero. “First of all, we treat better, we have more weapons. Vaccines are our safety belt. I don’t think we can eliminate the virus but we will be able to live with it. The more the virus runs, the more it replicates, the more variants it generates. The variants were born in poor countries. Then we have to share the vaccines. We have to stop the virus, “he concluded.