The CSIC warns: "There is much left for collective immunity" - The Province

The virologist and immunologist at the Severo Ochoa Center for Molecular Biology (CSIC-UAM), Margarita del Val, He has warned that in Spain there is still "a lot" left to achieve collective immunity against the virus, which, and until there is no vaccine, is the key to avoiding uncontrolled infections.

And it is that, according to the preliminary data of the first wave of the seroprevalence study, only five percent of the population has passed the Covid-19, the disease that causes the new coronavirus. "We have a long way to go until we reach the collective immunity, which for this virus is estimated to be when 60-70 percent of the population has passed the infection. The collective immunity is the one that would prevent uncontrolled contagion if we do not have vaccines before," has said.

This pandemic caused by coronavirus infection is altering life expectancy and, as has been argued, is bringing "a lot of uncertainties"Since "many" expected to be certain that the sacrifice that has been made in the last two months was nearing its end.

In fact, it has pointed out that the seroprevalence study It has also shown that there have been about 10 times more people infected than those counted., a third of which have not even had symptoms.

The situation is "more unstable"

At the same time, he continues, the first results of the work have suggested that the number of people who can act as active transmitters of the infection right now is "uncertain", but "rather higher" than was supposed.

For this reason, the immunologist has highlighted the importance of being "especially aware" that it is necessary to act with caution, becausee situation is "more unstable" than two months ago. In addition, he recalled that the coronavirus is "more or less seven times more serious than seasonal flu.

That said, Del Val has warned that positive in the antibody test does not indicate that you are not contagious, reason why he has insisted on the importance of "nobody" exposing others to contagion, because each one can contribute, "without knowing it", to amplify a new wave.

"In summary, we are almost as vulnerable as we were two months ago to a second wave of the pandemic. The differences of up to 10 times between provinces remind us that the most fragile are those that have suffered the least in these two months. They are the ones that have already started the first steps of the de-escalated, in which they must be especially cautious, "he added.

Finally, the CSIC expert has ensured that with the "good sense of all" the new wave of coronavirus incidence will be made "bearable" or delayed "as long as possible". "This wild virus will stay with us, and it will take months, if not years, to tame it," he said.