In most cases, the disease is mild, and the coronavirus rises in August
Garifalia Poulakou, professor of the EKPA of the 3rd University Pathology Clinic of the “I Sotiria” hospital and the scientific responsible pathologist-infectologist for Post Covid, the spread of Covid in our country, new variants, vaccines, as well as the Long Covid Clinic.
Although the long-lasting covid has significantly reduced its serious symptoms, the disease is still present, and therefore the scientific community is looking for a cure, with messages from research promising, he says in an interview with FM Agency.
“By identifying specific clusters of symptoms (ss phenotypes), we have identified the mechanisms that cause them, and in this way clinical trials with investigational drugs have been designed. That is, there are clusters of symptoms that are expressed in each patient. One common cluster is neurocognitive symptoms (called fog) with gastrointestinal from the intestinal tract. These seem to have a mechanism for communicating with the central nervous system. Other symptoms include fatigue and cardiac consequences, such as tachycardia.
At her clinic, research is “running,” as Ms. Poulakou says, that addresses another cluster of respiratory-related symptoms (cough, fatigue during exercise, and findings on chest CT scans). These patients are “put” on a drug that doctors use and approve for acute covid infection. According to the expert, it will take at least one semester for the researchers to preview the results. “However, because of the way the clinical trial was designed and based on the specific indications, we believe we will have a therapeutic effect.” This is an international multicenter study carried out under the umbrella of the Sepsis Research Institute of Greece, and several university and non-hospital clinics from Greece, as well as centers abroad, are participating.
Long-term covid is decreasing and so are its severe symptoms
In another part of her interview, Ms. Poulakou says that the number of people who come to our clinics with long-term covid-19 has decreased, but they have not dropped to zero: “Surprisingly, a small percentage of our elderly patients who have had covid for a long time are even suffering from early variants of the corona virus, in fact in some, symptoms were re-triggered by other variants after subsequent illness. We certainly don’t see as many people with prolonged covid symptoms after Omicron comes out as we did in the early stages. However, the symptoms we see in patients who come in now are fatigue, myalgia and inability to concentrate. The number of people complaining of respiratory symptoms with cough and chest pain has decreased significantly.
With the same intensity and next month
As for the “present” potential of the corona virus again, the professor notes that there has been an increase in the number of infections in the community in the last 20 days, because almost every household has at least one Covid patient.
“We still don’t know if this is the peak or not. My feeling is that about the same intensity will continue next month. Fortunately, in most cases the disease is mild. In our hospital, admissions have increased. The covid beds that have been reduced to a minimum in recent months (there were only two clinics for covid beds) are now almost full and apparently not enough. So gradually all clinics are starting to treat covid cases in some of their wards to meet the growing demand. There are also serious cases in the hospital and, of course, there are some intubations with placement in the intensive care unit.”
High transmission is associated with a history of previous infections and hybrid immunity
As for the symptoms of FLiRT strains that are currently circulating, the manager of the Sotiria post-covid clinic emphasizes that they are not a serious disease, the symptoms are the usual ones (sore throat, congestion, a little fever). and passes easily. “However, there is a minority of people (mostly vulnerable and more likely to have cardiovascular disease) who present with severe disease and who we see in the early stages of the pandemic, with multiple infiltrates and pneumonia in need. for oxygen. Fortunately, for most people, this need doesn’t last more than a few days. Of course, now we have better medical weapons.”
Asked whether transmission of the current strains is significantly increased as described, Ms. Poulakou says: “These strains have a little more transmission. However, we see families, (no measures are taken during the incubation stage) and not the whole family, but one or two get sick. Therefore, intrafamilial transmission is not 100% valid.” Something to do with the history of previous diseases and hybrid immunity, as the professor explained. That is, how many vaccinations each person received and how much was the last vaccination.”
The current vaccine includes new variants
And the question that reasonably arises is whether the disease is similar or different from the previous one each time. Either heavier or lighter.
“There are no rules. That is, someone who got seriously ill last time does not mean that he will get seriously ill the next time. As a rule, when you have a recent covid, if the next illness is approaching in time, it is milder, because we have a degree of antibody that provides a small protection that weakens within six months. With Omicron, the latest variants that have prevailed in the last two years are milder, and we don’t expect to see serious disease when we are otherwise healthy.”
Are you really worried about the “bad” strain resurfacing? Or have vaccines prevented this risk, the eminent infectious disease specialist asks later.
“I think this fear is diminishing. It would be surprising if a strain as bad as the original came out. And of course, vaccination covers the available options. Thus, there seems to be satisfactory protection according to the recommendations in vulnerable groups that are still vaccinated.”
However, there is also scientific evidence that the current vaccine does not cover current strains, and in fact some doctors are recommending that people be vaccinated with updated vaccines in the fall rather than now. “I don’t know how different the updated vaccine will be from the previous one,” comments Ms. Poulakou, adding, “The WHO has stated that the current vaccines are very widely covered. So, people who belong to vulnerable groups and have neglected their vaccinations are on vacation, traveling together, etc. considering that it takes 15-20 days to inoculate the vaccine, it is better to vaccinate now. antibodies to