Covid shows no sign of abating, it runs faster and faster in Italy despite the heat. Record contagions are recorded by the Campania Region, where in the last week the cases have almost doubled (+ 81.8%), while Naples is in pole position with the highest incidence in Italy with 1,433 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants. To be responsible for this new wave is the sub-variant Omicron BA5, more contagious than its “sisters” due to two mutations that allow it to bind to human cells more effectively, and therefore with a never before seen ability to evade the immunity acquired with the vaccine or with a previous infection. But how long does immunity last after healing and what is the likelihood of reinfecting with Omicron? We collaborated with Alessandro Perrella, Director of the UOC Emerging Infectious and Highly Infectious Diseases of the Cotugno Hospital in Naples.
Dr. Perrella, Omicron 5 is now the prevailing variant. It is much more contagious than the previous ones, but apparently less aggressive than the Delta. What symptoms does it manifest itself with, and how dangerous can the infection be today?
“Omicron 5 has the characteristic of being more pervasive and diffusive than the others, an evolutionary advantage that gives the virus a greater chance of spreading. Clinically it is characterized in most cases by symptoms Flu-like syndrome with involvement of the upper airways, in some cases gastroenteritis symptoms. This symptomatology is of greater clinical relevance in subjects with comorbidities and therefore fragility “.
How likely is it to reinfect and after how long? Are there subjects more at risk of reinfection or factors that predispose to it more?
“Unfortunately, it is possible to reinfect from one variant to another in many cases with minor symptoms, but a lot depends on the immunogenetic patrimony of the individual. The fragility of an individual, due to age or comorbidity, confers the possibility of having more relevant symptoms “.
How long does immunity last after recovering from the disease?
“This is an interesting question. Theoretically it should last for years, but with the onset of so many variants it is as if we are in the presence of the same virus but mutated significantly enough to evade the previous antibody immune response and initiate a new one, as if it were a new infection “.
Why did the heat not slow down the infections this year?
“The heat has never stopped the infection. If you look at the data, you can see that even in the summers of 2020 and 2021 there were increases due to mobility “.
Do you think we should go back to wearing the mask indoors and outdoors?
“The mask is a fundamental safeguard when it is not able to guarantee the spacing”.
What autumn scenario awaits us?
“Difficult to say now, certainly the wave we are experiencing will stop, but there could be a recovery with greater summer mobility, with its possible repercussions on the weeks of late summer / early autumn. In general, however, it must be said that the severity of the clinical manifestations is very different and less critical than the scenarios of two years ago “.