Surge in Covid-19 outbreak expected to peak by end of January, Magiorkinis tells ANA-MPA

The peak of the coronavirus and Covid-19 outbreak that began in mid-November is expected to arrive by the end of January, but it will not put significant pressure on the national health system, assistant professor of epidemiology at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Gikas Magiorkinis, told Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) on Saturday.

He also pointed out that vaccination with the new enhanced vaccine has been underestimated, and that this is reflected in the increase in Covid hospitalizations. According to EODY’s epidemiological report for December 18-24, 1,496 Covid-19 patients are hospitalized in regular beds. The number of admissions showed a 37% increase over the average weekly number of admissions in the previous 4 weeks, and was higher than the number of admissions in the corresponding week of 2022. Intubations showed a slight decrease while deaths reached 62.

Magiorkinis underlined the observance of protective measures such as the use of face masks by vulnerable groups. The recommendation to use a mask “is not horizontal and does not apply to the general population”, he pointed out, but concerns high-risk groups of people with underlying health issues.

The most recent coronavirus mutation (JN.1 sub-variant of BA.2.86.12) which has been recognized by the WHO as a sub-variant of epidemiological interest due to its high transmissibility, plays a role in the increase of cases in Greece, where 102 cases have so far been detected, noted the medical expert. Increased social interactions due to the Christmas holidays and the non-observance of personal protection measures contributed to the broad spread of the virus in the community, Magiorkinis pointed out.

He also stressed what he called the worrying fact that fewer than 200,000 people in Greece so far have been vaccinated with the available updated coronavirus vaccine.

Wearing face masks and washing one’s hands thoroughly are the two common measures of protection, he noted, while staying indoors for five days is the preferred solution for anyone developing symptoms, added the medical expert.