Coronavirus – “Explosion” of 40,000 cases in just six days

Greece is again in the “storm” of the coronavirus, with the rapid increase of cases, marking one negative record after another, signalling an alarm to both the scientific and the government of Greece.

The scenarios for the evolution of the pandemic in the coming weeks are nightmarish, and may culminate in the Christmas holidays. Scientists predict cases will reach 10,000 a day, intubated cases will reach 800, and deaths will exceed 120 a day.

“After November 20, the situation may become uncontrollable,” said the director of the ICU at Papanikolaou Hospital, Nikos Kapravelos. He noted that “this wave is the most destructive, since the stem is superconducting”.

Particularly ominous are the forecasts of experts on the course of the pandemic. The change of weather, the speed of the spread of the Delta strain but also the low vaccination coverage in northern Greece, have already multiplied cases and the pressure that the health system is under is great.

Infectious disease specialists warn that if the pandemic is not stopped, mainly through vaccination, then we will see the cases multiply, which will result in the intensive care units being filled to the brim and dozens of people losing their lives.

“In the second half of November, the new wave of the pandemic will peak”, underlined professor of Environmental Engineering of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Demosthenes Sarigiannis.

Almost 40,000 cases in six days

The evidence is revealing of how the pandemic has spread. On November 1, we had 5,449 new cases. The next day we reached 6,700 while on the 3rd of the month we had 6,150 cases. On the 4th of the month we reached 6,808 cases, while the next day there was a new negative record with 6,909 cases. On Saturday, 6,393 were recorded. The numbers are staggering: 38,409 cases in just six days.

There are 459 of our fellow human beings in intensive care units across the country, while since the beginning of the month and in just six days, 293 people have lost their lives.

Up to 10,000 cases per day and a possible new lockdown

The above data have provoked intense discussion about the possibility of imposing a new lockdown, a possibility which the government categorically denies.

For his part, however, Alkiviadis Vatopoulos, a professor of Microbiology at the Department of Public Health Policy at the University of West Attica and a member of the Committee of Experts of the Ministry of Health, said “never say never” regarding the possibility of a new lockdown, causing intense concern.

As he said in an interview with state news agency, there are views in the scientific community, but also within the committee, that the new measures in force from today should be stricter, especially in terms of reducing congestion. Something that, as he says, experts will see along the way.

“Every possibility is open. “Because of the great uncertainty that exists and the unpredictability that the epidemic is moving, we are obliged to follow coping strategies with a horizon of two to three weeks,” he said.

Outrageous images from Ermou on Friday night

For his part, the professor of Pulmonology at the University of Crete, Nikos Tzanakis, predicted that in the next period 8,000-9,000 cases will be recorded.

However, he added that the current wave, although it seems heavy, in terms of mortality is reduced by about 50% compared to the previous one, due to vaccination. “Even the few vaccinated who will enter the ICU survive and return normally, while the unvaccinated play with their lives,” he said characteristically.

“Soon we will have to choose whether to treat a patient with coronavirus or stroke”

The statements of the Deputy Minister of Health, Mina Gaga, are also frightening. The Deputy Minister of Health said that “it is clear that we are not done with the pandemic. We all know friends and acquaintances who are sick. We have more cases than ever. Today we all know the ways of personal protection, the most basic of which is vaccination and we must follow them. Those that want to bypass the measures, can. If they want, 20-30 friends gather in one house, without any measure being observed. The issue is for everyone to observe the measures of personal protection “.

Regarding the measures in effect as of today, Ms. Gaga noted that “some say the new measures are strict and others call for stricter measures” and that what is needed is being implemented where necessary.

Vaccination is the biggest weapon

Given the above data, all scientists agree that vaccination is the only way to avoid Greece… a “Bergamo” of the fourth wave.

Speaking to MEGA’s main news bulletin, Theodoros Vasilakopoulos, professor of Pulmonology and Intensive Care, noted that everyone should be disciplined.

“How things go until the holidays depends on how we behave. The vaccination rate must be increased, the repeat dose must be given as soon as possible. ”

Regarding the third dose of the vaccine, the professor stressed that “there should be no restriction of 6 months”, especially for more vulnerable adults, such as the elderly and people with chronic diseases.

“There is no side effect to taking the third dose faster,” he said.

Nikos Tzanakis focuses on the need to speed up the vaccination. He estimated that in this way the daily cases will be reduced by 1,000-2,000.

He added that this wave that started on July 1 and lasts until today, ie 128 days, the average daily deaths is 26 and the total number of deaths is 3,362.

“The difference is in the effect of the vaccine. “We escaped 3,000 deaths between the two waves,” he said.

He added that if 85% -90% of the population had been vaccinated, the daily deaths would have been less than 10, maybe even zero on some days, as is the case in Portugal.

“It is clear that what needs to be done is to understand what is preventing different people from being vaccinated, which is not always the same thing, and to respond to the problem of each social group, in its own language. Another official announcement of the side effects of the vaccine would be very useful, in order to stop the misinformation that is being spread mainly on social media. And also in my opinion pan-army is required. Door to door. To mobilize politicians, trade unionists, associations. To have a very big mobilization of the State. It is not enough for the doctors to come out and say what we say, nor for the party leaders to come out and say what they say,” explained Alkiviadis Vatopoulos.

“We need a less technical and paternalistic approach to the issue and more to enter the way of thinking of those who do not want to be vaccinated. To understand what their problem is. “And without changing the way they look at their lives, try to persuade them to get vaccinated.”

The pandemic “reaps” the young and the unvaccinated

In any case, what must be understood is that a special feature of this new wave is that young people up to 39 years of age are losing their lives. Typical are the examples of two young people who died after contracting the deadly virus.

She had taken the first dose. But before he could develop immunity, he became ill with coronavirus. The unfortunate 27-year-old was admitted to the Hippocratic Hospital of Thessaloniki 10 days ago. Last Wednesday, her health deteriorated and she was intubated. However, she did not make it. She died on Friday night.

Many young and unvaccinated people are being targeted by this fourth wave of the pandemic.