Rising COVID Cases in Argentina: Urgent Need for Booster Doses as Omicron Variant Spreads

Since the second half of July, Covid cases have increased in Argentina. There was an average of 1,695 cases and 9 deaths per week (Getty Images)

The coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19 is still circulating in all regions of the world. It continues to evolve and give rise to new subvariants that have the capacity to affect more people. Although a public health emergency of global importance has no longer been declared, the virus continues to be a threat to people’s lives, especially for those over 50 years of age, pregnant people, and those with previous pathologies.

In Argentina, the coronavirus recently produced a new outbreak of COVID cases starting in the second half of July, according to the latest bulletin from the National Ministry of Health.

Taking into account the risk involved in the circulation of the virus in the community, the public body came out to warn that there are 10,467,954 people over 50 years of age who should have received a booster dose in the last 6 months, but have not yet received it. they have applied it.

“The coronavirus has not been eradicated yet and continues to evolve. In Argentina we have observed an increase in cases recently and it has to do with the virus changing and subvariants of Ómicron appearing. Hospitalization and the number of deaths also increased. We all have to contribute to slowing down circulation and keeping booster doses up to date, which is safe and effective,” Dr. Jorge Geffner, senior researcher at Conicet and the University of Buenos Aires, told Infobae.

It was revealed that there are 10,467,954 people over 50 years of age who should have received a booster dose in the last 6 months in Argentina. However, they have not yet gone to receive it (Getty)

“There is a tendency to think that today there is less risk of suffering from severe COVID. However, if cases had decreased before, it was because many people had been vaccinated. So now, since many people have not applied the reinforcements, the conditions have been met for cases to increase again,” he noted. “It is very important that each person respects the recommendations of the Ministry of Health regarding boosters,” she added.

In the country during 2023, 393 people have died from COVID according to the latest bulletin from the Ministry of Health of the Nation (EFE).

According to the national Health portfolio, from January to the first half of September, a total of 86,617 cases and 393 deaths from COVID have been reported throughout this year. But over the months, the case curve varied.

There were three moments: in January and February, “cases presented a downward trend” after a peak that occurred in the last two weeks of December 2022. The average number of cases was 6,700 per week and the number of deaths was 27. On the other hand, From March to the first half of July, COVID dropped even more. An average of 636 cases and 4 deaths were reported per week.

But since the second half of July everything changed: “There is an increasing trend in the number of cases with an average of 1,695 cases and 9 deaths,” said the epidemiology specialists of the Ministry of Health.

The subvariants of Ómicron that are circulating in Argentina are very transmissible. This favors more infections and cases have increased, in a population that does not have up-to-date reinforcements (Getty)

One of the reasons why diagnosed cases of COVID increased is the introduction of sublineages of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus that are more transmissible. One of them is EG.5, which is popularly known as Eris. It was detected in Argentina last July.

This sublineage, as reported by the World Health Organization, had been notified last February. In August it was classified as a “variant of interest” and has already been detected in 71 countries.

“We have found EG.5 by sequencing samples from COVID patients in July. It is not the only sublineage that circulates in Argentina. All sublineages today – as well as XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.5 which are variants of concern according to the WHO – are very transmissible. Added to this is that people spend more time in closed places due to the cold of winter and that very few have received the booster doses that corresponded to 2023,” Dr. Mariana Viegas, coordinator of the Country Project – which is dedicated to genomic surveillance with support from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Argentina – and the Ricardo Gutiérrez Children’s Hospital.

People over 50 years of age should receive a booster dose if 6 months have passed since the last dose given, regardless of the number of boosters previously received (EFE/Enrique García)

It is important that all people from 6 months of age have the primary two-dose schedule, and at least one booster applied in the last 6 months, according to the National Ministry of Health. They must continue with the periodicity according to specific recommendations.

People at high risk of severe disease, such as those over 50 years of age or older, immunocompromised people, and pregnant or pregnant people, should receive a booster dose if 6 months have passed since the last dose given, regardless of the amount of reinforcements previously received.

Meanwhile, people under 50 years of age with comorbidities (chronic diseases and obesity) and people with a higher risk of exposure (health personnel) and strategic function are included in the medium risk group of experiencing serious illness or death from the coronavirus. . The recommendation for this group is that if they have already received a booster in the last 6 months, they remember the importance of receiving an annual booster.

Finally, people considered at low risk of complications, that is, those under 50 years of age without comorbidities, it is recommended that the booster vaccination against COVID-19 be annual.

COVID vaccines are available in hospitals or health centers in the 24 jurisdictions of Argentina / EFE / Juan Ignacio Roncoroni / Archive

In the 24 jurisdictions of Argentina, they vaccinate against COVID in hospitals or public health centers. Each location has specific times and days to provide immunization.

In the case of the City of Buenos Aires, the application is carried out in the different general acute hospitals and at the vaccination post of the Islamic Center, Avenida Intendente Bullrich 55. In order to receive the vaccine it will be necessary to have an appointment that is obtained here through the website of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires.

“Today, the number of vaccines that are applied daily in Argentina is worrying. Because by not having booster doses, people are exposed to a greater risk of having a serious infection, especially older people, the immunocompromised and pregnant. They need shielding from serious infection,” said Dr. Geffner.

Nowadays, many patients experience a lot of congestion, sneezing, and usually a mild sore throat.

In the UK, the Zoe COVID Symptom Study collected data on self-reported symptoms via smartphone apps. Their findings suggest that sore throat became more common after the Omicron variant became dominant in late 2021.

People with COVID symptoms who are in prioritized groups have access to free testing in public hospitals (Getty Images)

If symptoms appear, the people who can access testing in public hospitals in Argentina are those considered in prioritized groups: people over 50 years of age, pregnant people, people with comorbidities, such as diabetes, grade 2-3 obesity, cardiovascular disease. , chronic kidney disease, chronic respiratory disease, and chronic liver disease.

Also within the prioritized groups are people living with HIV, people with intellectual disabilities, carriers of oncological or oncohematological diseases, pre- or post-transplant patients, carriers of autoimmune diseases or undergoing immunosuppressive-immunomodulatory or biological treatment, people with tuberculosis. .

If a person identifies that they have symptoms compatible with COVID but is not within the groups authorized to be tested, what they have to do is stay at home, without contact with other people until they no longer notice symptoms.

2023-09-28 18:18:12
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