Delta variant, what are the risks?

Covid in Italy, the variants are now scary. While the curve of infections and deaths continues to drop in our country, yesterday 881 new cases with 17 deaths, the Ministry of Health has given the green light to a new investigation on the diffusion of the variants. Here is the expert opinion on the risks of the Delta variant and vaccination coverage. Sileri “The situation does not scare me” says Undersecretary of Health Pier Paolo Sileri in an interview with Libero about the Delta variant. “The British have done an exceptional job administering the first dose quickly and this has allowed to block drastically contagion when their variant was taking over. Now they have to speed up the administration of boosters. As for heterologous vaccination, it has been approved and is also carried out in other countries. It seems to give more coverage ”. According to Sileri, it is possible that in the event of a third dose starting from autumn the vaccines will have to be updated, “but it cannot be ruled out that one vaccine will prove more effective than the others and that the booster will only be done with that. I think the pharmaceutical companies are already working on a vaccine capable of covering all the variants “.ForniSi declares, however,” very worried about the Indian variant “in an interview with ‘Corriere della Sera’ the immunologist Guido Forni dell’Accademia The Delta variant, identified for the first time in India, “is trying to control it – he explains – Whoever is vaccinated with two doses is rather protected”, however “I am worried about those 2.8 million over 60 who still they didn’t immunize at all. If the Delta spreads, the number of deaths could be high “, warns the expert.” We are in suspense “, because” if it takes off, the cases will rise – he warns – unless we are all vaccinated “. But will the risk of this and other mutations be extinguished, sooner or later? “No – replies the immunologist – if the distribution of vaccines in the world has not been uniform. It is necessary to provide all countries through international organizations, not only for a humanitarian issue, but also because it is essential to block the virus everywhere and prevent it from changing. “Is mixed vaccination safe?” I am a basic immunologist – he replies. Lincei expert – When in the laboratory it was observed that a vaccine did not respond well, they tried to alternate it with a different compound and then the immune system was activated. The word heterologous perhaps frightens, one thinks of something foreign, while it indicates a well-known and consolidated practice. The immune system needs to be trained. Let’s compare it to an athlete who prepares more effectively if he alternates 2 weeks of pilates with 2 weeks of weight lifting “. And if it is true that” the studies that “vaccine mix” show validity are based on a few numbers – admits Forni – many however, works are on the way and will confirm this evidence. I understand the fear of epidemiologists, but I think as an immunologist and I am not afraid “. Delta variant in ItalyThe circulation of the Delta variant of Covid in Italy is increasing. This is what emerges from the independent monitoring of the Gimbe Foundation for the week 9-15 June 2021. According to the latest variant prevalence survey published by the Higher Institute of Health on May 18 – the report reads – the Delta variant (about 60% more contagious than the English variant) is 1% with regional differences and a range that goes from 0 to 3.4%: in particular, the greatest diffusion is recorded in Lazio (3.4%), Sardinia (2.9%) and Lombardy (2.5%). monitoring – in the last week the Delta variant was isolated in two outbreaks in Milan and Brindisi, a sign of its greater diffusion on the national territory which is also detected by the international Gisaid database: compared to sequencing on samples collected from 19 May to 16 June , out of 881 sequences deposited 57 (6.5%) correspond to the Delta variant.