Time.news – “In Denmark we have achieved very high vaccination coverage with over 80% fully vaccinated and over 60% having received the third dose. In particular, we have vaccinated most of our vulnerable population. This offers the country protection. very high against the serious Covid-19 disease and against excess mortality “. Thus the head of the Danish Institute of Health (Statens Serum Institut) Henrik Ullum, explains in an interview with the Time.news the reasons that led the Copenhagen government to revoke, from 1 February, all the restrictions imposed to stem the pandemic ( including mask and green pass).
“We have witnessed a marked decrease in the percentage of positive patients requiring treatment for Covid pneumonia. Furthermore, despite an extremely high number of cases, we have observed a marked decrease in Covid patients in intensive care units “, continues the virologist.” When we look at the deaths, we now see that the excess overall mortality with which we entered in 2022 has disappeared, “Ullum points out.
“All these factors, in particular the high immunity of the population and the relatively milder infections caused by Omicron, allow Denmark to remove the restrictions without overloading our health system”, highlights the head of the Copenhagen Institute, however, specifying that ” there are still several recommendations in place to limit transmission, especially to the most vulnerable parts of the population “.
Contagions in decline
“We now see a complex pattern with declining infection numbers in some of the areas and groups that have had the highest number of infections so far. This is especially true among young people in the urban area of Copenhagen. However, we do not see such a decline in more rural areas and older age groups that have so far suffered fewer infections, “explains the Danish ISS number one.” We interpret this as a result of hybrid immunity combining immunity from vaccination and infections that are higher in some parts of society, “he explains.” Overall, we expect this immunity to grow and cause a more marked drop in the number of cases this winter, “he adds.
“We know that Sars-Cov-2 will continue to circulate among us and that new variants will evolve. Therefore, it is also important for us in Denmark to maintain our ability to diagnose and monitor the epidemic. And we have an extensive PCR testing system that allows us to test more than 3% of the population every day “, the chief virologist makes clear.” We also have extensive wastewater monitoring and high-performance sequencing. capacity. This infrastructure keeps us prepared for new variations and new waves. In particular, we have learned that Covid-19 has a high seasonality and the Danish company will be prepared for a new wave also next autumn and winter “, he adds.
Each country has its own measures
For Ullum, however, the Danish model of managing the Covid pandemic (which this week led to the removal of all restrictions) is not immediately applicable to Italy as well. “It is important for each country to find solutions tailored to local factors. This includes in particular the level of immunity and the capacity and access to the health system,” he explains. “We also depend on a high level of social responsibility to protect the vulnerable part of the population. In Denmark, we are fortunate to have a high level of immunity, a robust health system and a population with high social responsibility. This has enabled us to do so. to make our decision, but each country must evaluate which strategy is right for itself “.
The virus will be seasonal
“The pandemic will probably not end, but it will transform”, assures Ullum. Sars-Cov-2 will continue to circulate with probable peaks in autumn and winter. However, our immunity will make us much more resistant to harmful effects both as individuals and as a society although new problematic variants cannot be excluded “.
According to the virologist, “we may need to vaccinate part of the population again and perhaps even repeatedly. However, the extreme situation in which we as a society had to choose between very serious health consequences and extreme measures to prevent it is likely to disappear, “concludes Ullum.