Infections among doctors and nurses have been growing since mid-July, the first category together with the over 80s to have been vaccinated. But these are not serious cases. And there are no deaths. A sign that the immune level, although declining, continues to offer a good level of protection from the effects of Covid. The data is reported by the National Federation of Orders of Nursing Professions (Fnopi), which explains how “the infections among health workers have gradually declined in the months starting from the vax day of 27 December 2020, when on a monthly basis they were registered among the 16 thousand and 19 thousand cases, up to the lowest figure of only 265 health workers infected in a month (as of July 15) “. Since then, however, there has been an increasing trend.
Contagions on the rise
The figure reported as of August 30 speaks of 1,896 cases of Covid recorded in the last thirty days among health professionals. Of these, about 82-84% are nurses who since the beginning of the pandemic have been infected in about 115 thousand. The positive thing, however, is that these are not serious cases and there are no deaths. Thanks to the fact that 95% of health workers are vaccinated (98.1% with at least one dose). “On the front of hospitalizations and deaths – explains Nicola Draoli, member of the central committee of Fnopi – the data are not comparable to those of last year. The increase in infections is compatible with the circulation of the more contagious delta variant. But almost all of the infected operators are asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic ».
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Third dose option
The government’s decision to extend the duration of the green pass from 9 to 12 months implies a postponement of the decision on the third dose. Third dose at which nurses look favorably. Especially since they were among the first to immunize themselves. “The problem is not so much or only the protection of nurses – continues Draoli – as that of the elderly and frail with whom nurses are continuously and prolonged in contact”. It is true that those who are vaccinated infect and are infected less than those who are not, but there is a risk.
Sanitary in the priority category
After all, rumors are multiplying that push for the inclusion of health workers in the category of those who will receive the third dose as a priority. These include the immunologist Sergio Abrignani, member of the CTS (“Healthcare professionals should be the first together with the frail and patients with immune system deficiency or in chemotherapy”) and the virologist Roberto Burioni (“In my opinion, a call for health professionals would be very appropriate to protect patients and avoid medical quarantines”).