Covid variants and surveillance network, to explain the mission of the Italian anti-epidemic network (Ria), whose official departure was announced yesterday, is Anna Teresa Palamara, head of the Infectious Diseases Department of the Higher Institute of Health, in a ‘interview with’ Corriere della Sera ‘. “We have worked intensely to develop with the Ministry of Health and the commissioner structure coordinated by General Figliuolo a garrison to combat the pandemic that wants to become permanent to avert the next emergencies – says Palamara – The microbiology laboratories present in our territory are involved. It is a network that will allow everyone to work together and ensure balanced surveillance action in all Regions. The main objective is to identify variants early and to sequence 5% of positive samples in periods of high circulation of the virus and 20% of the % in those with low circulation “. Test bench: the Delta variant, which is giving Britain to do. “At the moment the Indian variant, classified as Delta, does not represent a particular danger for Italy – explains Palamara – as long as we continue with the activities of tracing cases and isolating contacts”. The launched platform includes the Consortium’s initial sequencing project, announced in January. After the South African, English, Brazilian and Indian variant, the possible arrival of other variants “we must expect it – says the expert – The Sars-CoV-2 changes continuously. For the virus it is normal behavior. With a monitoring network we will be able to distinguish the dangerous variants and quickly implement countermeasures in order to limit the outbreaks “. “It is not certain that the mutated strains will be less sensitive to the vaccine or that they will result in a more severe disease,” adds Palamara. The Delta variant, at the moment, is present in Italy with a number of cases “limited and limited to outbreaks which fortunately are all linked to asymptomatic positives. This bodes well. Currently the predominant variant is the alpha, English, identified in the ‘80% of cases. The Delta is below 1%, “he recalls. Even this last variant “shows a mutation in the Spike gene, the protein that the virus uses to bind to human cells. It is more contagious but not more aggressive in terms of severity of the disease. The 4 variants that have emerged so far have shown the same characteristics. Viruses usually evolve to adapt to the host, man. Their goal is to survive without harming him. But our immune system does not stand by, it adapts to the new virus, the antibodies are updated to fight it “, he points out. In any case, “never underestimate this virus – he warns – The vaccine, however, is a reliable protection: two doses give important protection, even if you get infected you avoid severe disease. This does not mean feeling authorized to let your guard down. open can make sense in a phase of low epidemic circulation, in closed places, however, let’s protect ourselves “.