The 10 most frequently asked questions about ÓMICRON

As we know, in the crown of the virus there are pinchithos or spices (in scientific language "Protein Spike"). They are a kind of keys that serve to open th

The 10 most frequently asked questions about ÓMICRON

As we know, in the crown of the virus there are pinchithos or spices (in scientific language "Protein Spike"). They are a kind of keys that serve to open the door of human cells. Once they have opened the door, the virus sneaks and infects them.

We also know that mutan viruses when they are left loose and that it enters within normal. The bad news is that this virus has nothing less than 32 mutations in the key that opens the door of human cells. Specifically 10 on the site just with which "hook" in the lock. And this has generated two more fat inconveniences: the first, that the virus has become more contagious and, the second, which manages to escape the vaccines.

The mutations allow the virus key to enter as a glove in the lock of our cells. If the virus enters easier in human cells, it becomes more contagious. Think that when we make a new key at the hardware store it costs more to open the door, but, with the use, the key is refining. And the same has happened with the virus: over time it is tuba. In addition, there is a very interesting fact of a preliminary study that points to, compared to other variants, omicron is multiplied 70 times faster in human bronchi. But this is not uncommon! They are the uses and customs of the viruses. Its objective is to get more to become endogenous pathogens, that is, stay with us forever.

Vaccines against the coronavirus were designed taking the key, the spike protein, the original variant of the virus. Vaccines are not designed to recognize the 32 mutations present in this new variant. Fortunately (and that's why we continue here) Vaccines recognize some common structures of the key, but others ... they escape. Therefore, even if we are vaccinated, we can continue to contagate. For that reason and because these vaccines, and this was said from the beginning, protect against the severe forms of the infection, but not in front of the contagion.

You can get involved ... but the normal thing is that you do not end up in the hospital and do not die. It is important that we always finish the phrase because the movie changes a lot. The Coronavirus is a respiratory virus that, as we know, accesses our body through mucous membranes. In mucous membranes it can only be neutralized by specific antibodies. The vaccines we have right now (and that, I insist, are saving our lives) are administered intramuscularly and this is not usually encouraged from generating antibodies in the mucous membrais. Therefore, even if we are vaccinated, we can contagate: the virus remains capable of multiplying happily in our mucous membranes and jumping on the next victim, although in us does not miss a mark.

The good news is that when passing infection naturally is not only generated defenses to recognize the famous key, as with vaccines, but also to recognize other parts of the virus because it is contacted with the entire virus. Eye! Those more complete defenses are generated in the image and similarity of the virus that causes the infection at that time. That is, omicron mutations can escape antibodies of vaccines, but also those generated by your own infection. But do not get apocalyptic! The good, great news, is that the vaccine does reduce, and much, the severity of the symptoms. If it were not like that, with the record of contagions we are living, we would have an authentic escape. And yet mortality has not been triggered.

We do not have all the answers about this. It is something that is being studied. It seems that omicron infection in the lung is significantly lower than with the wuhan's autochthon. And this may explain that the disease is less severe. We have all read this week the news of a preliminary study in which it is aimed at the fact that people who have contracted COVID-19 in the last three months in South Africa have had 80% less likelihood of being hospitalized if they have become infected with The omicron variant that has been infected with the delta. However, the same study points out that when an infected person with omicron is hospitalized, the risk of serious illness has not been different from other variants. It would be good news, but, I insist, the study is preliminary and it is necessary to analyze if there are factors (such as the highest current immunization) that may have affected the result.

This is a trap question. If the virus continues to be transmitted massively there could be many deaths by the volume of people affected. To understand it better, imagine a virus that kills thirty percent of the infected, (which is a lot), and infects a thousand people: 300 people will die. Now imagine a virus that only kills 1% of infected, but is capable of infecting 100,000 people: although it is less mortal, being more contagious, more than in the previous case.

Yes. More than by using the outdoor mask, without any doubt. There is life beyond the ICU and the saturation of primary care will also have fatal consequences. We have the DECOVID-19 pandemic, but traffic accidents continue to occur, there are different types of cancer that need treatment, cardiovascular diseases and many other circumstances in which hospital assistance is crucial. By solidarity, we must try not to get infected. And, therefore, reinforcing the basis of the health system is something that should be a priority right now ... because this goes for long.

It is true that the levels of antibodies, the "police" of the immune system, tend to decay over time. However, we also have cellular immunity, the "Civil Guard", which stays longer. No healthy person with his two doses should worry thinking that he goes "naked by the world" without protection. The third dose has first inoculated people at risk and then the older people in which their immune system also ages and responds worse to the vaccine. It is as if they were vaccinated, but they made them less effect, so for them it was a priority to vaccinate that third dose.

Although there are studies that aim that only with the cellular response, with the civil guard, it could be controlled infection, there are also studies that suggest that a dose of souvenir reduces the severe VOCID-19 in any age range and significantly increases the Neutralizing activity in front of omicron. Is it a priority to put it on? What would most have right now, with which he is falling, is that those who do not even have a single dose are vaccinated. What I would also have more sense right now is that vaccines will be sent to countries without resources. All this, together with a global strategy that reinforced the health system, would make more sense to stop the pandemic than the fact that a healthy person of 30-40 years start a third dose. However, considering that it is not in our Hand to get world justice and that the epidemiological moment we cross is really terrible, if you can get that reinforcement to be more protected, they can be vacunated.

Date Of Update: 06 January 2022, 05:30