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    Omicron is not a cold

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    'Ómicron no es un catarro

    The suspicions that the increase in the incidence rate of COVID-19 in Ciego de Ávila was motivated by the progress of omicron have already been dispelled. Not only because of the two cases verified by sequencing, but also because of the statements of the IPK experts: preliminary results place it as the variant that already prevails in Cuba.

    Only in this way, it would be understood that, after an improvement in the health situation and daily progress in vaccination, the wave of infections returns to multiply the positive cases for SARS-CoV-2. For our province, it is very evident. From 21 infections reported on December 30, we went to 39 on January 6 and, from then until the end of January 12, the figure doubled from one day to the next.

    With the 205 autochthonous cases reported on Thursday, the week accumulates more than 500 and the latest reports have not yet been computed. A total of this magnitude had not been experienced here since the end of September, when delta still had us on the ropes. The difference, apart from the new designed protocols, is that lethality has remained stable. Fortunately, since December 31, no Ciego de Ávila citizen has died from COVID-19.

    However, let us not lower our guard: omicron is not a cold. The World Health Organization itself has called not to underestimate the dangers of the variant, especially since before SARS-CoV-2 seasonal flu and influenza caused up to 650,000 deaths worldwide. For Cuba, influenza and pneumonia are among the five leading causes of mortality.

    The complexity of this moment, , in addition to the very high contagiousness of omicron, is the circulation of other viruses (influenza, rhinovirus), which produce similar respiratory symptoms, Dr. José Luis López, deputy director of Epidemiology at the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology, warned. This circumstance could reduce the perception of danger because we think it is a cold.

    In this sense, the updated protocols continue to insist that COVID-19 is ruled out first and then other measures are taken. The specialist also drew attention to the timeliness of the diagnosis. "In the timely arrival to the health system would be the key to transit the new wave without too many shocks," he said.

    Today all the municipalities of Ciego de Ávila report cases and in the week the positive confirmed contacts have predominated, a fact that reaffirms the high contagiousness and the imperative of adhering to the containment measures: facemask (double if possible), social distance and avoid closed spaces.

    At a recent meeting of the Temporary Group of the Government, Doctor of Sciences Raúl Guinovart Díaz, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computing of the University of Havana, explained that, globally, the models show a rapid growth in the number of confirmed ones, with high peaks, which could strain the health system, but also an abrupt decline in mid-March.

    It is still early to know if the forecast will be fulfilled. Against the odds, as we have already said, we only have one formula: responsibility.