The challenge of turning the page of the pandemic: Is Peru ready to declare the endemic phase of COVID-19?

In recent weeks several European countries began to lift some restrictions implemented for the prevention of COVID-19. Although Denmark has the infection rate tallest in the worldwas the first European country in lifting restrictions against COVID-19, saying the infection is no longer of critical social concern.

For its part, Sweden, Germany, Franceand Netherlands They announced that. At United Kingdom, from February 10it is no longer necessary to present the so-called ‘COVID-19 passes′ to enter dance halls or restaurants, and the mandatory vaccination mandate for health workers will be rescinded.

On United StatesSome states like New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Oregon are already lifting some of the restrictions. But the surprise came from California, which last week announced his plan to get out of the pandemic,

“The challenge is to turn the page in an intelligent and planned way, taking into account the lessons learned.”

The California Plan

Based on seven pillars guided by accurate epidemiological data, the California state government released a detailed plan to get out of the pandemic, which – taking into account obvious differences – could be adapted to Peru or any other country.

Under the fundamental premise of an active epidemiological surveillance program in precise geographical areas, in which the number of cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths are monitored, the pillars of the plan are:

watch the sewers

The fundamental pillar of the plan is the genomic surveillance of the sewage water of a city, looking for the presence of the new coronavirus, intervention that is already done in Peru by the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation. Several studies have shown that the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage water precedes the appearance of an outbreak in the community by several days. , sequence the virus found and find out if there is a new variant present.

If a new variant is found, it can be determined if it responds to existing therapies, if it can be diagnosed by available tests, and if it is able to escape antibodies from previous infection or vaccines.

Simultaneously, giving time to deploy the additional medical personnel needed to care for a greater number of cases and strengthen hospital capacity.

The alert would call for mass vaccination of the affected population and call on community organizations to develop messages that ensure the public is well informed, in a culturally appropriate way, using community messengers, transparently disclosing available data to secure your support for the plan.

“It is essential to understand that SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that will not disappear and that COVID-19 will be just another disease.”

endemic

Being already in the second month of the pandemic caused by the omicron variants and their sister BA.2 –characterized by an explosive increase in the number of cases, and a relatively modest proportional increase in the number of hospitalizations and deaths–, the challenge of governments is

For this, it is necessary and fundamental to understand that SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that will not disappear and that the COVID-19 It will be one more of the viral diseases that will affect human beings forever, and there is no precise indicator that, in a magical way – like someone who activates the light switch – allows us to say that the pandemic is over.

The challenge is, then,

In this sense, it is essential that the Minsa authorities soon reveal the plans they have to get out of this pandemicclear and precise plans that allow society to open up and promote economic recovery.

but an active and vigilant State must be prepared to promptly and efficiently face whatever may come, always with plans based on science.

The balance of interventions in the pandemic has been devastating, with Peru having, for various reasons that must be taken into account in the exit plan for the pandemic, the highest mortality rate in the world.

. That will allow us to prepare ourselves to live with such a changeable and treacherous virus.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER