Making a statement about the increase in the number of cases, Scientific Committee Member and İzmir Katip Çelebi University (İKÇÜ) Faculty of Medicine Department of Infectious Diseases Lecturer Prof. Dr. Şener said, “If this climb is due to ‘Omicron’, those who have not believed in the epidemic until now will feel the real epidemic. The increase in the outpatient group will continue. Applications to family health centers will increase throughout İzmir.
The group of patients that need to be followed by the filtering teams will increase significantly. It is not possible to give an upper limit on how much the increase will be in the countries where the ‘Omicron’ variant is introduced,” he said.
“OMICRON WILL LAST SHORT”
Stating that the previous variants also rose primarily in crowded cities, Prof. Dr. Şener said, “My guess is that it will be the same thing. The ‘Omicron’ variant does not travel in a wide and long time period in the region it enters like ‘Delta-Delta Plus’. The number of cases continued. This period was a period of 6-8 weeks in other variants. It will take an estimated shorter period in ‘Omicron’. The most important thing we need to pay attention to during this period is to catch early signs and get tested as soon as possible. What will break the chain of infection It is the early detection of cases,” he said.
“EXPECTED INCREASE”
Stating that the number of cases may have increased in provinces with high traffic to Istanbul, Şener said, “In the data announced by our Minister of Health, they said that the majority of the cases originated in Istanbul. There is a serious increase in provinces such as Çanakkale, Kırklareli, Kocaeli and İzmir. This increase was already an expected increase. “The ‘Omicron’ variant and all other variants caused a very serious increase in the number of cases in all the countries they entered. Figures close to 200 thousand were announced in the UK. It is certain that the number of cases will increase in Turkey,” he said.
Stating that the serious part of the current cases is not ‘Omicron’, Prof. Dr. Şener said, “‘Delta-Delta Plus’ is more common at the moment. It is very important to use N-95 in elevators and public transport in closed areas. Normal masks can be used in other areas. The distance should be kept as much as possible. These precautions should be followed as much as possible. It is necessary to underline again. It is time for our citizens to have their third dose. Sleeping cells produce antibodies again and these antibodies are effective against ‘Omicron’,” he said.