Given the rapid growth of the fourth peak of COVID-19, experts from the Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social call to continue to follow biosecurity and self-care measures, as well as to complete the vaccination and booster vaccination schedule.
It is important to note that cases of Omicron have grown rapidly in Santander to the point that on Sunday, January 23rd, it was the second department with the second-highest number of infections nationwide.
The case of UISALUD users is no exception, “in the last week we took 94 diagnostic tests, of which 57 were positive (60.6%). This is evidence of the imminent transmission capacity of the Omicron strain, which is already dominant in the national territory”, said Gonzalo Gómez Patiño, director of UISALUD.
He also expressed that “the use of face masks continues to demonstrate effectiveness in the prevention of COVID-19 and its new variant, so this non-pharmacological measure is vital in the current moment of the pandemic”, he added.
According to Julián Fernández, Director of Epidemiology and Demography of the Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, “the increase of this variant is not proportional to that observed before; Omicron has a 40-70% lower severity. If it had been with delta, this peak of deaths would be higher, that does not mean that unvaccinated or reinforced people cannot have serious consequences”.
Vaccines are effective!
“We are no longer at the beginning of the pandemic, two years have passed, and today we have important tools to counteract infections and severe cases. The main one, but not the only one, is vaccination and access to booster vaccines, this allows that although the contagion is high, the peak of severity is lower than that recorded with previous strains”, added Gómez Patiño.
Cohorte Esperanza, a study carried out by the Ministry, which collects the results of the effectiveness of the vaccines, showed that “unvaccinated people have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill and dying from COVID-19 compared to vaccinated people with a complete vaccination schedule. This situation applies to all age groups, with an average range of five times more likely”.
And as an additional measure of protection, the Ministry calls on the community in general, so that those people who have the complete scheme, but have not yet applied the booster, having passed the 4 months, approach the different vaccination points to receive the booster dose.
“The immune system has memory, that is why with the passage of time the effectiveness of vaccines decreases, so the vaccine booster rescues and recovers the state of protection,” said the director of UISALUD.
Which vaccine do I apply as a booster? #LuisSalud answers.
“Studies conducted at the international level by the World Health Organization (WHO) determine that the combination of platforms of the vaccines available in the country, stimulates the defense system on many other sides that were not being stimulated with previous vaccines. In other words, most people who have a heterologous booster have a better immune response and that memory can last longer”.
Many people ask which vaccine should I get for the booster, the answer is clear, the best vaccine will be the one available at the vaccination points.
UISALUD users! Please note that, to start, complete the scheme or apply the COVID-19 booster, you can call 318 6274166 and 318 3400292 or write to us at uisalud.mivacuna@uis.edu.co. See infographic, behavior of COVID-19 in UISALUD users.