American epidemiologist warning: 'Hurricane Covid' is coming, we will see something we have never seen

Epidemiologist Michael Osterholm warned of the possible spread of new, more contagious Covid-19 variants, saying they could produce an increase in cases in the United States to levels "we have not yet seen in this country." writes Rolling Stone.

Dr. Osterholm, who is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and a member of President Biden's transition team advising on the coronavirus, said he expects to see cases of the new Covid-19.

As a result, he said the U.S. may need to execute a major change to its vaccine strategy, focusing on administering the first dose of the vaccine to as many people as possible rather than trying to take people doses their second.

"We still want to take two doses in all, but I think now, before this increase, we need to take as many single doses in as many people over 65 as we can, to reduce serious illness and deaths will occur in the coming weeks, "Osterholm said.

Osterholm predicted that B117, the most contagious strain of the virus that is including England and found in the pockets of the United States, will become the dominant strain of the virus in the country. "If we see it happen, which my 45 years in the trenches tell us we will do, we will see something we have not yet seen in this country," he said. "That hurricane is coming. We need to understand that because of this growth, we need to call it an audience. "

The epidemiologist said if we see an increase in the new variant this spring, it will be worse than the previous waves. "We saw our healthcare system literally on the brink of not being able to provide care," Osterholm said. "Imagine if we had what happened in England, twice as many cases. That's what we need to prepare for now. "

However, there is good news with the strain from England. So far vaccines appear to be relatively effective in combating B117. "Fortunately, he [type B117] has not shown his ability to avoid vaccine protection," he said. "But his ability to cause far more infections and far more serious illness is there."

Variantet e tjera, të tilla si ato që janë parë në Afrikën e Jugut dhe Brazil, tha Osterholm, paraqesin shqetësime të tjera të mundshme sepse ato "në fakt, mund të çojnë në evazion të mbrojtjes imune ose nga sëmundja natyrore ose nga vaksina []." Por, theksoi Osterholm, në provën e vaksinës Johnson & Johnson në Afrikën e Jugut, "Askush që kishte infeksion variant që u vaksinua nuk vdiq. Pra, në të vërtetë mund të zbutë sëmundjen e rëndë dhe jo vetëm ta parandalojë plotësisht ".

Osterholm theksoi se ai e di që shumë po ndiejnë lodhje pandemike si dhe tendosje ekonomike, gjë që ka çuar disa shtete të heqin kufizimet në aktivitete si ngrënia në ambiente të mbyllura. Por me llojet e reja të virusit, Osterholm beson se ato hapje së shpejti do të përmbysen. "Aq shpejt sa po hapim restorante, ka të ngjarë t'i mbyllim ato në një periudhë të afërt," tha ai.

How, then, can you protect yourself? Osterholm recommended that you focus on the simple things you can do, such as wearing a fitting mask and wearing it properly. "One thing that is really, to me, very important is that we see up to 25% of people wearing [their mask] under their nose," he said. "You know, this is like fixing three of the five doors on your submarine ... We need to get people to start using these properly. It would help a lot there."