Rafael Bengoa, Public Health professional: “The variety of infections as a result of celebration of the Chinese New Year goes to be brutal”


The Chinese New Year will happen from subsequent January 22. Bengoa has requested a “stricter” management of vacationers from China The Public Health professional has advisable the administration of the fourth dose of the vaccine

The Public Health professional Rafael Bengoa has referred to as for a “stricter” management of vacationers from China in view of the forecast of a “brutal” variety of infections as a result of celebration of the Chinese New Year, which takes place from the subsequent 22 of this month of January and by which hundreds of thousands of journeys are deliberate.

However, he has despatched a message of reassurance by assuring that they’re “omicron sublinages”, that are “very infectious, however simply as not extreme as in our context”.

Bengoa has additionally advisable the administration of a fourth dose of the vaccine to individuals over 50 years of age and the upkeep of the masks in closed locations, equivalent to public transport, for not less than three or 4 months.

In statements to Europa Press, the additionally former Basque Health Minister has criticized that the Asian large, “after a thousand days of confinement”, has determined to “launch” the zero covid coverage “with out having ready the exit”, in distinction to different international locations like New Zealand or Australia that, earlier than “breaking the dam” of the zero covid coverage, what they did was “vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate, and likewise make sure that they’ve the infrastructure of the well being system prepared in case a really robust wave got here nice”.

“Omicron Sublinages”

However, he believes that, for now, “we’ve got to remain calm”, as a result of what is occurring in China, though the variety of individuals being contaminated is multiplying by 1000’s, they’re solely “omicron sublinings”, that are ” very infectious, however simply as not extreme as in our context”.

In his opinion, in the remainder of the Earth “we are going to change into very weak if one other variant seems, and that variant, which has not but appeared and is feasible to seem, as a result of there are actually 1000’s of individuals getting contaminated.” “If this new variant seems, then we will probably be extra weak, and due to this fact we’ve got to arrange ourselves for that eventuality,” he warned.

What issues now, he continued, is that the Chinese authorities, which “has been controlling the individuals relatively than controlling an an infection”, places “the batteries” to cease this “sort of chaos that has been created by political choices “.

Chinese New Year

Asked in regards to the Chinese New Year, which begins on January 22, with hundreds of thousands of journeys and the forecast of a substantial enhance in infections, Rafael Bengoa has been in favor of tightening controls on passengers returning to Europe.

Faced with the suggestions of the European Union, “with many financial pursuits concerned with China”, the professional has harassed that, “by way of Public Health”, what’s now acceptable is to be “a bit extra strict and inform the individuals: ‘for the second, for 2 or three months do not go to China’, and the Chinese who include fairly strict border management, as some international locations are already doing”.

In his opinion, these controls would undergo a “unfavorable covid take a look at” when leaving China, along with a management of the wastewater on the aircraft itself, “as a result of it might occur that somebody is unfavorable when getting on the aircraft and being constructive throughout the flight. In addition, when touchdown, a extra exhaustive management also needs to be carried out within the occasion that that individual checks constructive.

self confinement

“There, what’s handy is to advocate that individual to ‘self-confine’ for 5 days, one thing that has not been accomplished, however I feel that this will probably be one thing that will probably be accomplished little by little, as a result of the variety of people who find themselves changing into contaminated , and that they will get contaminated by the Chinese New Year goes to be so brutal that it will be essential to be stricter in relation to the individuals from China who come right here,” he harassed.

He has additionally needed to downplay what is occurring within the United States by stating that it isn’t a mutation of the virus however relatively “a sublineage, which they’ve referred to as Kranken to scare a bit extra, giving it a monster character”, however that, He has highlighted, “it isn’t, as a result of it is vitally infectious, however it isn’t extra extreme than what we’ve got both.”

Now, he has needed to make it clear, what he has to do is “relatively” assist China with medicines, vaccines, materials and never be in a state of affairs of “blame” as a result of he has accomplished issues flawed.

Fourth dose and masks

Rafael Bengoa has advisable the administration of the fourth dose of the vaccine, as a result of three or 4 months after the administration of the third dose, most individuals, particularly these over 50 years of age, have steadily decreased their immunity. .

“Every time you get vaccinated, you are resetting your immune system to wake it up once more. You’re educating it, and each time you handle to do this you are defending your self once more, and why not shield your self with one thing that is working so spectacularly properly for you? This third winter that we nonetheless have the covid with us? I feel that subsequent yr will probably be attainable to see, relying on how endemic and seasonal the covid is, when it’s essential to get vaccinated. Perhaps solely every year, “he added.

Finally, he has been in favor of constructing masks obligatory in crowded and closed locations. According to him, Spain has accomplished “many issues properly, however not in reinforcing air flow in buildings, workplaces or colleges.”

“There has not been an financial impulse as is critical. That is the impulse that should be accomplished any further, as a result of there will probably be extra viruses and extra pandemics sooner or later, and due to this fact what we’ve got to do now could be put together the air flow of all our properties, workplaces and colleges to make sure that the subsequent virus, which might be additionally from aerosols, doesn’t impression us as a lot,” he specified.

For this cause, he has identified that so long as we don’t “have” these air flow programs, it’s handy to put on a masks “for one more three months” on planes or public transport, as a result of additionally “it has been confirmed that it’s saving many lives.”