Omicron and masks, Roberta Villa: ‘Keep on wearing them indoors’

Some statements made by Dr. Matteo Bassettidirector of the Infectious Disease Clinic at the San Martino Polyclinic in Genoa, raised the alarm that wearing a mask is not enough to defend against Omicron, especially BA.2.

In a tweet published in recent days, he wrote: “Omicron cannot be curbed. Too contagious to stop various commitments. For some, it seems that the only defense against Covid is to use a mask indoors. Does the minister know that we are reaching 200,000 infections daily even with the necessity of Wearing a mask?

Thus, a discussion has been launched about the protection that masks can provide us, also bearing in mind that in the coming weeks the gradual easing of anti-Covid restrictions will continue. After the end of the state of emergency, which ended on March 31, last April 1, the commitment to the outdoor green corridor for restaurants and bars, as well as the “enhanced” local public transport, has ceased, while it is from May 1. The mandatory green lane for restaurants, bars, indoor concerts, cinemas, theaters and sporting events will expire. Moreover, Ffp2 masks should not be used outdoors either in concerts or in stadiums.

Then, this roadmap foresees, effective June 1, the end of the obligation to wear Ffp2 masks indoors for local public transportation, cable cars, gyms, and other indoor sports, and for planes, trains, and ships. Indoor discos will be able to operate at 100% capacity, while respecting safety protocols. Finally, on June 15, the vaccination expiration date was set for workers over 50 years old.

To understand whether it is better to continue to wear a mask, pergamonose He asked the journalist and promoter of science for his opinion Roberta VillaGraduated in Medicine and Surgery. “Omicron is much more contagious than the previous variants, so you have to be more careful to avoid infection. The available information and the studies that have been done so far have shown that the BA.2 variant is highly contagious. It spreads very quickly and to protect yourself you have to make more efforts. Regarding the use of the mask , there are different positions on the part of governments and within the scientific world: some experts believe it is necessary while others doubt the degree of protection it can provide us.There are no studies claiming that wearing them is not beneficial, just as we do not have strong evidence that it contributes decisively. In reducing infection. At this point, it is necessary to move from public health measures aimed at stopping the spread of the virus and thus counteracting the trend of the epidemic on a general scale to individual protection options. I think maintaining the use of mask in enclosed spaces is a good way to allow us to continue to be present in a way Fairly quiet for all the activities that take place indoors like school or cinema.The condition of restaurants is certainly paradoxical, being left without a mask to eat and then put back on when you go to the cash desk, but the Duff is to get as much coverage as possible.”

Finally, Roberta Villa concluded: “There are no 100% preventive methods: possible protections have been added to minimize risks. I recommend continuing to keep the mask indoors, also in light of what has happened in other countries: in many countries that have been Where restrictions are fully lifted, as in the UK, there has been a history of infections.Given that the mask hardly limits our freedom, it actually allows us to move into more frequent contexts with greater protection where we might not go to avoid the risk of infection, I think Acceptable measure. This indicator would be valid at least until we can rely on vaccines that, in addition to protecting us from the possibility of getting seriously ill, prevent transmission of the virus, also because the more it spreads, the more new variants may emerge.”