Virologist Pedro Simas believes that covid-19 currently has “no risk in Portugal” and doubts the effectiveness of containment measures

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After Christmas, this Tuesday, Portugal reached a new record of coverage-19 cases, with 17,172 new infections. However, and unlike what happened a year ago, there were only 19 deaths and 22 hospitalized patients. For Pedro Simas, there is no doubt: “This is the end of the pandemic and it will happen all over the world”.

“During these two years, what has happened is that people in certain countries have not been vaccinated, but nature has not stopped. The virus continues and therefore it will stop everything at the same time ”, refers.

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The virologist, interviewed on CNN Portugal’s Novo Dia program, points out that “at this moment the risk is nil in Portugal”, saying that the country “is in the best possible situation” (taking into account the rate of vaccinated at around 90%) and that one must “let the virus spread”.

Covid-19 close to becoming endemic

Yes, he believes that the emergence of the Omicron variant (less virulent and more transmissible) shows that SARS-CoV-2 is following an evolution similar to other coronaviruses and that it will eventually become endemic.

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“This is the unequivocal entry into endemicity. It only enters into a true endemic when most people in a country have already had infections and the virus had circulated eliminated. This is normal”, he points out.

The specialist recalls that “after three weeks, it is confirmed that [a Ómicron] it is less virulent and more contagious. “Semas believes the new variant” will conquer the entire world and make Delta disappear.”

In his opinion, “for a country like Portugal this is excellent news”, bearing in mind that this strain “is very efficient in transmitting itself and will give people a very good immunity”, especially against the previous variants, which had a more severe symptomatology.

Are restrictive measures necessary and beneficial?

In Pedro Simas’s opinion, the answer is no, because he understands that Portugal changed from “queues of people in emergencies”, verified last year, to “queues of people in emergencies to undergo tests and go to hospitals because they are afraid due to this exaggerated focus on infections”.

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The virologist classifies the restrictions currently in place as “extremely painful”. Sim reiterates that the measures “are not effective in preventing the spread of the virus” and that this spread would be “beneficial” in cases like Portugal, as it confers “a much more complete natural immunity” than that resulting from vaccines.

“At this point, it makes sense to assume the role of world leadership that Portugal has with 90% vaccination. Take that position and set an example to the world that we may mistrust. This test run is not good, there is a lot of alarmism. (…) There is practically no risk in Portugal”, alert.

Pedro Simas says that entering next year “on the right foot” would be to recognize that “the measures being adopted in Portugal are very exaggerated”.

Isolation period and use of masks

On Monday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended reducing the isolation period for those who test positive for covid-19 from 10 to five days. Pedro Simas goes further and argues that a period of isolation should be eliminated.

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“It’s not reducing, it’s eliminating. Portugal cannot start the year with closed schools. There is no scientific or public health reason for having closed schools. These viruses will spread like the others ”, theorizes.

As for the use of a mask, the specialist believes that it should be maintained during the months of January and February. However, he warns that prolonging a recommendation to use respiratory protection for too long could become a “public health terms” problem.