Everything you need to know to survive omicron Christmas

What is the real risk to the health system? Are antigen tests useful? What strategy is a priority to follow right now? These are some of the keys that will mark these parties

Last summer two explosive cocktails came together: the most social interaction because of Saint John and the delta variant. That brought with it the fifth wave of coronavirus and the doctors went so far as to affirm that, if they did not confine the population, it was because it was summer.

This Christmas is not much more promising. The Constitution Bridge mixed with omicron, even more contagious variant than delta. Spain is already living in its sixth pandemic wave. And if society is not now confined it is because almost 90% of Spaniards have the vaccine: This barrier has prevented, for now, the collapse of the health system. But the days and weeks to come will be difficult. Even more: decisive.

What is the risk to the health system?

Catalonia has a cumulative incidence in the last 14 days of 845.17 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. And an incidence in the last seven days of 525.97 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. That places Catalonia in a very high risk, according to the ‘covid traffic light’ of the Ministry of Health. Although the omicron variant, According to the first studies, it is less severe than delta, its transmission capacity is much higher. And, if infections increase exponentially, income and mortality will also grow.

At the moment the Catalan ucis are in the occupancy levels as of December 2020, but with a difference: last year there were hardly any other diseases (No other respiratory viruses circulated, for example, and there were no accidents because mobility was restricted). I mean, a year ago there was a whole Empty space’ within hospitals that could be targeted for coronavirus. This not. The centers are attending all the normal activity that was done before the pandemic and, in addition, to patients with covid-19.

What is a priority right now?

Doctors insist that, in addition to maintaining the individual prevention measures (mask, hand hygiene, ventilation and social distance), we must advance in the third doses. This week Catalonia opened the appointment for booster doses to those over 50, who must make an appointment on the web vacunacovid.catsalut.gencat.cat. In addition, the Ministry of Health has also opened the booster doses for all people vaccinated with AstraZeneca, regardless of their age, as this vaccine is the least effective against the omicron variant.

However, with the third dose the antibodies rise to 70%. According to him Computational Biology and Complex Systems Group (Biocomsc) from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), the effects of the third doses and the entry of omicron according to age groups are already beginning to be strongly noticed. Thus, for example, based on data from the Agència de Qualitat i Avaluació Sanitàries de Catalunya (Aquas), the incidence of covid-19 is right now three times lower among 80-year-olds than young adults.

Effects of third dose and entry are beginning to be felt strongly # Òmicron in profile of incidence ages. Key data @AQuAScat with weekly incidence #covid19. Currently 3 times fewer cases between people +80 years than young adults 1 / pic.twitter.com/QRTfrZuKy7

— BIOCOM-UPC (@BIOCOMSC1) December 22, 2021

Can I travel to another autonomous community this Christmas?

Yes. Catalonia presented new restrictions on Monday that in no case do they imply the perimeter closure of the community. In addition, other autonomies have not been closed either, so it is possible to travel. Of course, depending on which community the person travels to, they should review what the current restrictions are. In Catalonia, for example, from tonight there will be a curfew from 1 to 6 in the morning, the closure of nightlife, a Capacity limited to 50% inside the bars and 70% in culture and gyms. In addition, Catalonia has also limited 10 the number of people in the meetings both indoors and outdoors.

What is the usefulness of an antigen?

An antigen test is used to detect at a certain moment if a person has high viral load. “If it is positive, it must be confirmed with a PCR in the hospital. If you test negative, it means that, at that moment, you do not have a high viral load”, points out the vice president of the Col.legi de Farmacèutics de Barcelona, Núria Bosch, who insists that antigens are “a more tool in prevention “, along with distance, hygiene and a mask. Bosch notes that antigens are effective if they are used “periodically”, for example, two or three times a week for a season.

The Head of the Microbiology Service of the Hospital Clínic, Jordi Vila, points out that antigens have up to a 30% false negatives, a “considerable” figure. The result is reliable, yes, when it tests positive. “You have to get antigens, yes, but following the other measures. You don’t have to trust the negative result, because it can be a false negative,” he says.

What will Catalonia do to strengthen the health system?

Not much because there are no doctors, since many have decided to go to other countries and other autonomous communities where working conditions are better. However, the Ministry of Health has announced this week that, to reinforce the system in the face of this sixth wave, it will hire students of the degrees of Nursing and Medicine of the last two years of training.

The contract, according to Salut, must expressly foresee that the functions that they will carry out will be of health care, as support and under the supervision of a health professional, that is, in the same circumstances that they carry out. clinical practices.

If I am vaccinated and I am in close contact with a positive, do I have to isolate myself?

Despite what was initially said, Catalonia announced yesterday will follow the recommendation of the Ministry of Health and will not require quarantines to vaccinated people who are contact with a positive case. The Ministry of Health issued a statement in which it reported the change of protocol with the aim of “Avoid further confusion among citizens and health professionals.”

However, doctors such as the president of Col.legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona (Comb), Jaume Padrós, They have criticized this decision. Padrós has asked health workers on Twitter to disobey and advise those vaccinated to be in close contact that they do keep quarantine.