Omicron variant, Sileri: “Towards new restrictions with the EU”

With the discovery of the Omicron variant of the covid, new restrictions and containment strategies are moving towards European level. Undersecretary for Health, Pierpaolo Sileri, says this in an interview with the press after the first case of a new variant in Italy on a man returning from Africa. “We will evaluate in the next 24-48 hours a containment strategy at European level. As long as the presence of the Omicron was confined to those African regions, the right choice was to block flights from those countries. Now we need community decisions for new restrictions. “. Sileri clarifies that “the obligation of a double swab at entry and quarantine could be reintroduced, but only for those coming from countries where outbreaks are recorded, not individual cases. We also need to understand another thing: we know that the Omicron it is recognized by molecular swabs, but we are not yet sure that antigenic agents have the same efficacy. If so, that would be a problem. ” “The key – he adds – will be to understand how much vaccines protect, but it was naive to think that this variant could not arrive in Italy. It was only a matter of time”. According to the undersecretary, Omicron “could be a variant that infects more, but that does not evade vaccines. In this case, it would only lead to the need to have more vaccinated. If it eludes them, it will be a serious problem. We will also have to review the therapies. with monoclonal antibodies “. When will we know if it is dangerous? “Within a week. Now we only know that in South Africa there has been a 356% increase in cases in a week. If there are also vaccinated patients among their patients, we will have an indirect indication of the lesser or no effect of these. vaccines. In case, we will have to wait 3 months to reschedule the vaccines, but it is likely that there is some degree of protection “. “The important thing now is not to step back. However, if the Omicron does not evade vaccines, that path – he explains – will continue as planned, only more vaccinated people will be needed”, reiterating that “the third dose must be made. The most serious mistake it would be to wait for the hypothetical vaccines for the Micron, because the variant now circulating here is the Delta plus. Without the third dose, in full fourth wave, we would risk being overwhelmed by the Delta, even before the Omicron “.