The front page hosted Dr. Leontios Kostrikis. Dr. Kostrikis spoke about the latest developments on the front of the pandemic as well as about the vaccines, the course of which, daily, records rapid developments.
Commenting on the image of the pandemic in the country, he said that although it has stabilized in recent weeks, it is in high numbers. He explained that the results we see are the result of the measures imposed by a curfew at night but also by the use of a mask. We have to wait another week to see the results of the last decree. However, what has been achieved is stabilization, but we want to see cases of 30 to 40 per day, he said.
Regarding rapid tests, Dr. Kostrikis said that we should not confuse these (antigen) tests with antibody tests. Antigens detect virus proteins, that is, the construction of the virus. Antigenic tests detect protein but we can not multiply protein with them, as we do with PCR (molecular).
Dr. Kostrikis also referred to the "massification" of the use of these tests. "These tests must be used in large numbers, such as 50 or 100 thousand. This is very important to me. I understand that what the Republic has introduced is done in the same way as PCR (that is, a swab in the nose and mouth). "There is a procedure here that I need to know, that is, if the patient who is found to be positive for the antigen should do the molecular procedure with the same procedure," he said.
He then referred to the proposal of Dr. Pano for universal tests.
"The proposal of George Panos is excellent, it was made in Slovakia with great success. The difference explained by Dr. Panos was that mass tests could be done at home by anyone. "The process he had in mind was to do thousands of tests to identify the most positive and isolate them."
I am also concerned about this local lockdown, said Dr. Kostrikis. He stressed, however, that we must be careful not to become the phenomenon of cruise ships in Limassol. "They are enclosed and if there is no isolation and unnecessary gatherings of people, then in an enclosed space where it has a high prevalence, there will probably not be a decrease in load but an increase. I hope that this measure will work, even with difficulty."
Developments with vaccines
He described the news of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines as exceptional. "When I was thinking about possible results of clinical trials, at best I was not thinking more than 85% - 90%. "The two vaccines have almost the same philosophy," he said initially.
He noted that the above vaccines are of the latest generation. They use RNA, genetic material. What the body makes just before it makes proteins, he said. "This RNA (messenger) is used by the cell to make the protein but it is cheap, it is destroyed very quickly. So it is very safe. "Once it is injected into the body and makes the virus protein, it is destroyed." The vaccines of the above companies protect 95% and 94.5%. "But RNA is very sensitive and needs very low storage temperatures below 80 degrees, that is, it needs a lot of specialization.
But the whole game that will be played: The Moderna vaccine has found a way that has not yet been scientifically formulated, to be stored in a normal refrigerator, at 4 degrees. This is an exceptional advantage because it can be distributed in many countries ", pointed out Dr. Kostrikis. He concluded that for all three vaccines, the above companies, namely Astrazeneca, a pre-purchase agreement was reached by the EU. So the EU will theoretically be able to buy the best vaccine for European countries, he said.
Source: Sigmalive