Dr. José Joaquín Puello, neurosurgeon and director of the Luis Eduardo Aybar City Hospital, called for calm following recent reports of many Covid-19 cases. In the past two weeks, there has been an uptick in infections, reaching 633 active cases, Diario Libre reports.
“People should be calm,” Dr. Puello stated. “The circulating strain is quite mild.”
Dr. Puello emphasized that compared to the peak of the pandemic when the city hospital was overwhelmed with infected patients, there are currently no hospitalizations due to Covid-19.
Dr. Puello explains that the extended rainy season and climate change exacerbate respiratory viruses, included Covid-19.
He explains that the natural behavior of viruses is to infect and mutate, but once the human immune system learns to defend itself, especially with the vaccine, it fights back, making the disease milder. This is what has happened with Covid-19.
As with other viruses, Covid is here to stay, he said.
The specialist said that the most common symptoms of the current Covid variant are “sore throat, hoarseness, and maybe a little fever.”
He warned though that Autumn is the time when the seasonal influenza virus is at its peak.
“Like it or not, we are all exposed. What’s the good news? The influenza vaccine does help,” he added.
He recommended that doctors and nurses get vaccinated against influenza “because really, if we don’t, there will be a tremendous absenteeism in hospitals.”
He said that this vaccine provides up to 50% protection. “In medicine, 50 is better than zero.”
Dr. Puello urged that the elderly get the influenza vaccine. He is a defender of the positive impact the vaccinations available for persons of all ages in the Dominican Republic has had on the spread of the viruses in the country. Virus vaccines are free at government vaccination posts.
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Diario Libre
27 June 2024