Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology and Director of the Vaccine Institute Prof. According to the information conveyed by Serhat Ünal; The increases in the number of cases both in other countries where Omicron is seen and in our country are reflected in hospitalizations at a similar rate. Ünal says that it is currently not possible to say that the pandemic is getting worse or will end with the mutation of the virus, but if we prevent the transmission of the virus despite its proliferation, we can prevent the pandemic.
DOES NOT PREVENT CONTAMINATION
Stating that the delta variant, which has a higher transmission rate, came out of India because there is no vaccine and the transmission is high, Serhat Ünal also underlines that herd immunity means that the virus infects everyone and thus disappears on its own.
Noting that the current vaccines still do not completely prevent contamination, Serhat Ünal said; “Immunity is not eternal in those who have had the disease; Thus, social immunity seems almost impossible. For example, Denmark is a country with good controls. On September 11 of 2021, it significantly reduced the deaths and the number of cases with 71% vaccination rate and precautions, then removed the controls. As soon as the rules were relaxed, the number of cases increased again. As a result, the continuity of vaccination and preventive measures remain valid as indispensable rules for the management and end of the pandemic.
COVID VACCINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROTECTION METHOD
Stating that the presence of the vaccine is the most effective and safest way to protect against infectious diseases, and that there is no specific drug with proven effectiveness for the treatment of the disease, Serhat Ünal made the following reminders about the rules to be followed;
“Hand hygiene and contact with individuals at risk of infection should avoid contamination of the mouth, nose and eye mucosa. With the onset of the epidemic in Turkey, 14 rules were determined for the society. As in the whole world, measures to increase social distance in our country are applied as the most effective method in the response to the epidemic. Many variants and mutations are expected to be seen in the COVID-19 outbreak. Different mutations and variants do not change the measures that can be taken against the epidemic”.