The number of cases of Covid-19 increased alarmingly in the first week of September, which means that this week could be more, since school started and the children entered the community.
The number of cases of Covid-19 increased alarmingly in the first week of September. Freepik photo
“The Covid-19 report published for the first week of September (1-7 September) comes with an unpleasant surprise: the resumption of the accelerated growth that seemed to have softened last week.
The growth was 30%, compared to the previous week when it was only 3.4%. Even though, in absolute values, the increase of last week is below half of the maximum acceleration of over 80% from mid -August, I expected that the onset of plateau registered at the end of August will be maintained in September, as was the profile of the wave of 2024 (with the attached chart) ””said the epidemiologist Octavian Jurma.
According to the specialist, an additional factor of concern is that the 5,133 new cases were registered last week (a new peak of this covid-19 wave) despite a dramatic decrease of almost 40% of the number of tests, which has increased the positive rate to over 30%.
There are more cases than at the top of 2024
“This means that 1 in 3 tests performed (predominantly in hospitals) has been positive and that the magnitude of the epidemic wave is much undervalued.
If we had done the same number of tests as in the previous week, last week would surely exceed the tip of the summer wave of 2024 ”, he added, emphasizing that this wave of Covid-19 is not a local and not even regional, “It is a global one and has the profile of a pandemic wave rather than the epidemic, a relatively moderate warning that the pandema has not yet passed and there are periods when we have to take additional safety measures ”.
It remains to be seen whether the cocktail of variants dominated by XFG “Stratus” (rembminuming variant now in Europe) and NB.1.8.1 “Nimbus” (descendant from a recombinant pirola) is able to produce in Romania the increased growth that is reported in many countries in the West and not only, or the number of cases will decrease this week.
The difference from the rest of the countries facing this new wave of Covid-19 is that Romania has decided to force the population to pass through the epidemic waves without vaccine protection.
“Even the most fierce antivacinists recognize the right of vulnerable persons to protect themselves according to their constitutional right to health, which is violated without hesitation in Romania due to political considerations that are not even current. In the absence of any prevention measures or at least official announcements from the state institutions about the epidemic danger, people depend for information only on people like me, who have extremely low credibility and zero authority and easily fall victim to negationist propaganda ”said Jurma.
11 deaths last week
Fortunately, says the epidemiologist, the number of deaths continues to remain low, although last week there were 11 new deaths, almost as long as August, when 11 deaths were reported.
“I will repeat how many times I have the opportunity that, at this time of the Covid-19 pandemic, the biggest risk of infection is not death (even if it remains much higher than in the case of the flu), but Long Covid, or the chronic form of Covid-19. As a parent, I am much more worried that, after repeated infections, my children have to suffer more or a minor risk for children and young people), all the more so as the Romanian state refuses to protect them by vaccinating with the latest updated versions of the anti-Covid vaccine, which is already approved for more than a year in the European Union (from which we claim to be part), explains the specialist.
The specialist’s recommendations:
– For adults, I recommend wearing mask in hospitals. It is an elementary measure of respect for patients and doctors at the top of an epidemic wave.
– for children: “The best thing that would do in schools: air filtration systems. With relatively small investments could have secured classes from all over the country. Non-pharmaceutical methods that are effective, which prevent the air circulation of the virus. If the air is filtered before entering the class, no mask is needed. Airy of classes, instead of air conditioning ”, he says.
It states that the air conditioning can promote the spread of the virus when there is no adequate ventilation, and the air filters and natural ventilation are simple but very effective solutions, to prevent the transmission of SARS-COV-2 between students and teachers.
In addition, these methods allow to maintain a comfortable learning environment, without the mandatory mask need, which can reduce the resistance of children to prevention rules and maintain the normal school atmosphere.
“However, the epidemic wave will go through classes quickly, 1-2 weeks, and if you have a vulnerable child or want to keep it from the disease, you can discuss with your doctor the opportunity to keep it at home in the first week, maybe the second. Teachers can more frequent Fresh air is beneficial and for the brain and improves intellectual attention and performance (valid at all ages)”, Said the epidemiologist.
