Scientists from the Faculty of Science admit that Portugal may enter the fifth wave of COVID-19, and advocate strengthening the vaccine in age groups where the number of new cases has increased, even if they have a low risk of serious illness.
In an article from Monday, Manuel Carmo Gomes and Carlos Antunes of the University of Lisbon’s Faculty of Science defend this against the coronavirus. do not interfere with the normalization of Portuguese life, service high protection of the population through revaccination in age groups where the number of new cases has increased, even if their risk of serious illness is lower.
“It is necessary to provide maintaining a high degree of immunological protection Portuguese population. If necessary, introduction vaccine boosters in specific groupsthey have the highest risk of contracting and transmitting the virus, not just those most at risk of serious illness, ”they write.
More infections between the ages of 18 and 25
Experts note that in recent weeks, the ages at which the risk of infection is increased are among the age categories. 18 and 25 years old, followed by children under 10 years old and from young people between the ages of 25 and 40.
These ages, emphasize increased socialization after October 1when the country entered the third phase of deconfinement associated with reaching 85% vaccine coverage ”.
Remember this, occasionally outbreaks occurred in nursing homes., “Leads to high morbidity in people over 70 years of age,” but, they insist, “globally, non-elderly people are responsible for more cases.”
However, they emphasize: “the oldest remain the most susceptible to serious illness.justifying hospitalization and ultimately death. “
As an example, they point out that during October “youover 70 years old accounted for about 70% of hospitalized in the ward covid-19 and about 91% of deaths, but only 15% of infections occurred. “
Stop the spread of covid-19
They claim that only a combination high vaccination coverage how maintenance of non-drug activitiesespecially the use of masks and ventilation in enclosed spaces can significantly slow down the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
“Failure to comply with at least one of these requirements is a likely explanation for the resurgence of the infection that we are currently seeing in Europe, even in countries where 60% to 75% of the population is vaccinated, as is the case in the United Kingdom. , Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece and Ireland, ”they write.
In an article published on the website of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Nova, Manuel Carmo Gomes (epidemiologist) and Carlos Antunes (mathematician) say that It is “quite predictable” that this fall and winter, Portugal will continue “with a daily incidence of several hundred cases and a small number of deaths.”
“In fact, the latest data from early November suggests a noticeable resurgence of infection, and we are likely to see the beginning of a fifth wave,” they add.
Infections and deaths are on the rise worldwide
A Austria announces strengthening of patrols controlling access to cafes, restaurants and hotelsafter Vienna introduced a vaccination certificate to try to stem the rise of COVID-19 infections, while in the United States, the opening to non-essential travel has led to a sharp increase in the number of flights to the country.
For the first time in 20 months, thousands of passengers will be able to land on USA, from any country for a visit deemed immaterial. V borders reopen to foreign travelersbut with a full covid-19 vaccination schedule and a negative test done 72 hours before departure.
The lifting of restrictions on air and land borders occurs when 70% of the adult population is fully vaccinated and has already started administering booster doses for over 65 years, even though the Biden administration is grappling with legal issues related to the intention to make immunization mandatory in companies with more than 100 employees.
On RussiaThe Moscow metro, which is returning from forced holidays imposed by the Kremlin to contain a dizzying rise in infections and deaths, reflects the reluctance of some to recognize the severity of this fourth wave of COVID-19. you can see yourself overcrowded cars and unmasked usersin a country where the vaccination rate is less than 35 percent.
On Germany, in which less than 70% of the population received two doses, the incidence rate accumulated over the past seven days reached, this Monday, a new high since the start of the pandemic: more than 201 infections per 100,000 inhabitants.
On Austria, with a vaccination rate of less than 65%, the incidence of infections is t.three times more than in neighboring Germany: 635 new cases in 7 days per 100,000 inhabitants. Vienna Government announced reinforcement of police patrols, with over 800 agents to introduce new rules that prevent those who are not fully vaccinated for visiting restaurants, hotels, hairdressing salons and large public events.
Putin has repeatedly consulted with Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu about the invasion, Europa Press told Ukraine’s chief intelligence director Vadim Skibitsky.
According to Skibitsky, it was the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), which is responsible for counterintelligence and espionage work, that put pressure on Gerasimov and other military agencies to agree to launch an offensive. .
However, according to the Ukrainian intelligence services, the FSB considered that by the end of February sufficient preparations had already been made to guarantee the success of the Russian Armed Forces in a lightning invasion.
However, according to Kyiv, the Russian General Staff provided the Russian troops with supplies and ammunition for only three days, hoping that the offensive would be swift and immediately successful.
The head of Ukrainian intelligence also emphasized the cooperation of local residents, who always provided the Ukrainian authorities with up-to-date information about the Russian army, such as the number of soldiers or the exact location of troops.
The military offensive launched on February 24 by Russia in Ukraine caused at least 6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 7.8 million refugees to European countries, which is why the UN classifies this migration crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945). gg.). ).
At the moment, 17.7 million Ukrainians are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 9.3 million are in need of food aid and housing.
The UN has presented as confirmed 6,755 civilian deaths and 10,607 wounded since the beginning of the war, stressing that these figures are much lower than the real ones.
A Stockholm court on Monday sentenced a former Swedish intelligence officer to life in prison for spying for Russia, and his brother to at least 12 years in prison. In what is considered one of the most serious cases in Swedish counterintelligence history, much of the trial took place behind closed doors in the name of national security.
According to the prosecution, it was Russian military intelligence, the GRU, who took advantage of the information provided by the two brothers between 2011 and their arrest at the end of 2021.
Peyman Kia, 42, has held many senior positions in the Swedish security apparatus, including the army and his country’s intelligence services (Säpo). His younger brother, Payam, 35, is accused of “participating in the planning” of the plot and of “managing contacts with Russia and the GRU, including passing on information and receiving financial rewards.”
Both men deny the charges, and their lawyers have demanded an acquittal on charges of “aggravated espionage,” according to the Swedish news agency TT.
The trial coincides with another case of alleged Russian espionage, with the arrest of the Russian-born couple in late November in a suburb of Stockholm by a police team arriving at dawn in a Blackhawk helicopter.
Research website Bellingcat identified them as Sergei Skvortsov and Elena Kulkova. The couple allegedly acted as sleeper agents for Moscow, having moved to Sweden in the late 1990s.
According to Swedish press reports, the couple ran companies specializing in the import and export of electronic components and industrial technology.
The man was again detained at the end of November for “illegal intelligence activities.” His partner, suspected of being an accomplice, has been released but remains under investigation.
According to Swedish authorities, the arrests are not related to the trial of the Kia brothers.
“They can strengthen their positions. We understand that this can happen. At the same time, we do not rule out that they will announce a general mobilization,” Danilov said in an interview with the Ukrainska Pravda online publication.
Danilov believed that this mobilization would also be convened “to exterminate as many as possible” of Russian citizens, so that “they would no longer have any problems on their territory.”
In this sense, Danilov also reminded that Russia has not given up on securing control over Kyiv or the idea of the complete “destruction” of Ukraine. “We have to be ready for anything,” he said.
“I want everyone to understand that [os russos] they have not given up on the idea of destroying our nation. If they don’t have Kyiv in their hands, they won’t have anything in their hands, we must understand this,” continued Danilov, who also did not rule out that a new Russian offensive would come from “Belarus and other territories.” .
As such, Danilov praised the decision of many of its residents who chose to stay in the Ukrainian capital when the war broke out in order to defend the city.
“They expected that there would be panic, that people would run, that there would be nothing to protect Kyiv,” he added, referring to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The military offensive launched on February 24 by Russia in Ukraine caused at least 6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 7.8 million refugees to European countries, which is why the UN classifies this migration crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945). gg.). ).
At the moment, 17.7 million Ukrainians are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 9.3 million are in need of food aid and housing.
The Russian invasion, justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security, was condemned by the international community at large, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing political and economic sanctions on Russia.
The UN has presented as confirmed 6,755 civilian deaths and 10,607 wounded since the beginning of the war, stressing that these figures are much lower than the real ones.
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