Coming from the Experts13 May 2021 11:28
Prof Black said: “We are a long way off normal. We must learn to co-exist with this virus and understand that even when we’re vaccinated, we can still have a level of transmission.”
Crucial testing
“Testing is absolutely crucial,” she continued. “We will never see a world where we have less testing. Testing enables us to see where we are in a pandemic. We need more testing – cleverer ways of testing – cheaper tests, that can be delivered closer to people and are easier to administer. We must continue to screen for the virus, be able to detect new variants, and test for antibodies to determine vaccine efficacy. Unless we act as a global community, we’re not going to get out of this.”
Dr Feigl-Ding, speaking from the US, said: “We’re on fast-shifting sands, in terms of the pandemic. Where we saw cases dropping, we’re seeing them increasing again – even in places that have been heavily vaccinated. We’re in turbulent times.”
Rising variants
Dr Feigl-Ding said the US was at a plateau, where the majority of adults willing to be vaccinated had received their inoculations, but the pace of vaccination was slowing, as “we’re running out of willing people”. There had been some unusual surges, he said, as variants took hold – particularly P1, which was responsible for 50% of all cases in Washington state.
Prof Kraenkel, speaking from Brazil, said the P1 variant there was also causing alarm, and was believed to be twice as transmissible as the original virus. It was also infecting young people in their 20s and 30s.
“We don’t yet know whether it causes more severe disease, but if it’s more transmissible, it will generate a burden for hospitals and public health, which will increase mortality.”
In South Africa, Prof Welte said “We are seeing amazing numbers of people getting infected with a new variant that emerged here in October/November, so it must be more transmissible. This is an extraordinarily transmissible virus.
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