Cedeño: Possibility of quarantine extension is very low, but it is not ruled out
Dr. Israel Cedeño, director of the Metropolitan Health Region, indicated this Monday that although it is true, the restriction measures in the provinces of Panama and Panama West have been established until January 14, the probability that they will be maintained after of that date is unlikely, although it is not ruled out.
'Minister Sucre has been very clear and the evidence says so, we are going to take all the measures and establish and execute all the necessary strategies to control the virus, however we are very conscious of maintaining the balance of the economic system and the health system. Public health The probabilities that we will continue after the 14th are very low, because we cannot say they are zero, but it is most likely that after the 14th we will return to the new normal, but it all depends on the population continuing to work with us , with the State, with the Government to be able to maintain this new normality,' Cedeño said.
On the other hand, he indicated that the rebound in COVID-19 cases registered in recent weeks is related to many factors, among which he mentioned the D614G mutation detected by the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, which is highly contagious.
'It has many edges, not only relaxation, because one thing is to make the rules more flexible, which is what we do and another thing is to relax, which is what unfortunately a small part of the population has done, there is also the fact and it is already confirmed that we have the circulation of the mutant strain D614G reported by the Gorgas, which has been increasing its presence so to speak, a week ago was more or less 50% of the cases and already the Gorgas reported this weekend that 7 out of 10 that they are isolating are from this mutant strain that is much more contagious, so all this is what has been added and has produced this rebound in cases,' explained Cedeño.
Faced with this mutation, the specialist reiterates that the biosecurity measures that citizens must comply with remain the same: physical distancing, use of masks, frequent hand washing or use of alcoholic gel.
'If we use the masks as we should, if we practice distancing, if we use frequent hand washing, regardless of the contagiousness or the potency of a virus, so to speak, of getting infected, if we follow the recommendations we will still be able to control the virus… the prevention measure is exactly the same, nothing changes', he stressed.
On the other hand, he indicated that the rebound in COVID-19 cases registered in recent weeks is related to many factors, among which he mentioned the D614G mutation detected by the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, which is highly contagious.
'It has many edges, not only relaxation, because one thing is to make the rules more flexible, which is what we do and another thing is to relax, which is what unfortunately a small part of the population has done, there is also the fact and it is already confirmed that we have the circulation of the mutant strain D614G reported by the Gorgas, which has been increasing its presence so to speak, a week ago was more or less 50% of the cases and already the Gorgas reported this weekend that 7 out of 10 that they are isolating are from this mutant strain that is much more contagious, so all this is what has been added and has produced this rebound in cases,' explained Cedeño.
Faced with this mutation, the specialist reiterates that the biosecurity measures that citizens must comply with remain the same: physical distancing, use of masks, frequent hand washing or use of alcoholic gel.
'If we use the masks as we should, if we practice distancing, if we use frequent hand washing, regardless of the contagiousness or the potency of a virus, so to speak, of getting infected, if we follow the recommendations we will still be able to control the virus… the prevention measure is exactly the same, nothing changes', he stressed.