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Prof. Radka Argirova
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However, it will not be as scary as the previous ones, reassured Prof. Radka Argirova
We are following very closely what is happening at the moment with two new versions of COVID. This was announced by Prof. Radka Argirova, virologist and advisor to the Prime Minister, to BNT.
In our country, the BA2 variant of the omicron still dominates, now we are observing BA4 and BA5, which were established in December in South Africa, she said. In January there were 1,500 cases with them, at the end of March there were already 5,000, now a wave is beginning to form.
Yesterday there was a report of an open person with these variants in Europe – in Ireland. We believe, calculating the frequency of distribution of the individual variants, that somewhere in early September there will be a wave of BA4 plus BA5. However, it will by no means be as high or as scary as the previous ones, the virologist explained.
More than 200 postcoid syndromes have been described so far, virtually any organ can be affected. World statistics show that between 10 and 12% of people who have had the infection face it. The big challenge to the health system will be the impact on practically all organs, warned Prof. Argirova
We are in the tail of the pandemic, a calm period is expected for now. but we do not stop at all the observation of the genetic development of the virus and its variants, summed up Prof. Argirova.
For people with particularly severe diseases – transplanted, severe forms of leukemia or with completely suppressed immunity, there is already a special new immunization – a drug that injects antibodies directly into the body. It is part of the approved new drugs against COVID and should arrive in Bulgaria in the summer. It is about 2,000 such patients in our country and for all of them the innovative drug, which is passive immunization, will be provided, she announced.
The monkeypox is transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact, commented Prof. Argiova. There is a vaccine ready, but universal immunization is not planned. Circular vaccination will be applied – the contact circle of the patient, but the most important thing is personal hygiene, she stressed. And in our country those born before 1990 have protection against the smallpox vaccine.
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