Between disappointment and hope
Published in Berria on October 13, 2020
The increase in the number of positives, not only in Spain, but also in France and Germany, has led to hardening measures to prevent the transmission of the virus. However, it is about to see if it will be enough to stop the plague, not only because the measures themselves may not be effective enough, but because to some extent the desire to comply is weakening.
In fact, the European director of the World Health Organization, warned last week that many Europeans are tired and desperate of the situation. He said that studies in different places have shown that more than 60% suffer from emotional fatigue or apathy due to covid-19. Therefore, he asked governments to investigate the psychological situation of the population and to offer them possibilities of social relationship.
At the same time, it has recommended the authorities that in their strategies to fight the plague, in addition to the perspective of public health and medicine, they take into account the knowledge of other areas such as philosophy, history, social sciences and even theology. He said that more acceptable measures could be designed taking into account scientific, social and political needs, and for this purpose citizen participation was considered essential.
Meanwhile, many have the hope vaccinated. At the moment there are 11 in the third phase, of which 5 are already being given to specific groups of population. However, some scientists have expressed concern in the journal Nature. According to him, three are the main concerns: the safety of vaccines and the transparency of clinical sessions; the intervention of politicians; and the effectiveness of vaccines.
The magazine recalled the problem of the vaccines that are being developed jointly between AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford: two volunteers had serious side effects during a period of interruption of the clinical sessions and then continued with their investigations. According to the company, the health problems of the volunteers were not a consequence of the vaccine, but according to the scientists who appear in the magazine, the explanations they have given are not enough.
Scientists are also very concerned about the behavior of politicians and Trump in particular. The summaries he has created to accelerate the investigation of vaccines and accept certain treatments have led to a wrong place: confidence in the vaccine has decreased considerably among the population and treatments have not been effective.
Finally, a 50% efficacy is considered acceptable in vaccine research. However, its goal is to achieve an efficiency of 60%. But even reaching the goal, it is not enough to achieve group immunity, so the possible vaccine should have an efficiency of 80% and include all those who can receive.
However, without reaching it, a vaccine would be of great help to control the plague and facilitate life. For the moment, and until the authorities design no other kind of strategies, more effort will have to be made than until now to comply with the measures. For example, it is more difficult to do some things outside than in summer. Therefore, it should not be forgotten that the risk of transmission of the virus outdoors is much lower than in the interior. We know how to maintain the balance between disappointment and hope.
Zu idazle
Zientzia aldizkaria
