it practicing a “warrior break”?!

At a time when the statistics of the spread of the Corona virus in the world announced - until yesterday - about 237,117,598 infected, and a number of deaths amounted to 4,841,333, and a number of people recovered reached 214,274,685 healthy ones, in which the lion’s share was ranked by (America, India, Brazil, Britain, Russia, Turkey, France and Iran), except The spread of the mutated virus is still a source of local, regional and global concern for all mankind.

Since the spread of the virus in the countries of the world, most countries have monitored the new strains that resulted from the mutation of the original virus, which caused the rapid spread of infections, significantly, which prompted us to ask the question: Have the mutations of the Corona virus stopped, especially after the intensification of vaccination and immunization campaigns in all countries? the scientist? Or is he practicing with humans the policy of "warrior rest", after which he rises vigorously to continue his activity and attacks again?

Al-Madina presented its question to a number of local and international health experts and specialists. Their answers were as follows:

Al-Mandhari: The changes are major challenges to the health system

First, the Regional Director of the World Health Organization in the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Ahmed Salem Al-Mandhari, says that the emerging corona virus has recorded many mutations that posed many challenges in the health system because it was characterized by different characteristics, the most important of which is the speed of spread, and many mutations have been monitored from the SARS Cove-2 virus that causes it. For Covid-19 disease, the problem of some mutations remains that they increase the ability of the virus to spread more quickly, and may sometimes lead to the invalidation of the ability to confront the virus, whether from various control measures or even vaccines.

Al-Mandhari stressed that there are no shortcuts to eliminating the virus, and the chain of transmission of the Corona virus can only be broken when all available measures are applied simultaneously, in conjunction with the rapid and effective expansion of vaccination coverage, and at the same time we apply all health measures And other preventive social, including maintaining physical distance, washing hands, avoiding crowded and closed places, and wearing masks.

Al-Mandhari praised the great and appreciated efforts made by Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the Corona pandemic to confront the spread of infection, noting that the measures taken were characterized by speed, comprehensiveness, adoption of the scientific method, the involvement of different sectors and keenness to educate the community, while providing the necessary capabilities and capabilities and high-level equipment.

Khoja: Precautionary measures are the most important preventive plans

In the same context, the Secretary General of the Federation of Arab Hospitals, Professor and Consultant of Public Health and Family and Community Medicine, Professor Tawfiq Ahmed Khoja says:

Viruses in general have the property of genetic mutation over time, and this is what gives them the property of rapid spread, so precautionary measures and health requirements are considered the most important preventive plans in the event of epidemics spreading, and this is what countries did at the beginning of the discovery of the Corona virus until it is besieged and surrounded, but what happened in many Some countries said that members of their societies tolerated preventive measures, which gave the virus loopholes through which it penetrated, and thus the circle of the virus expanded more.

And he indicated that many viruses have been confronted with vaccinations because they give strong protection to the body, and thank God that several global vaccines have been reached to confront the fierce Corona virus.

Khoja stressed the need to continue wearing a mask, physical distancing, and sterilizing hands, even with vaccinations, as the matter now calls for the need to close all defects through which the virus can continue its disturbing activity.

Al-Khouli: All viruses change over time

Consultant epidemiologist at the World Health Organization in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr. Amjad El-Khouly says:

The new mutations of the Corona virus increase its spread and not its seriousness or the clinical or clinical picture of symptoms, as despite the production of a number of vaccines, the Corona virus continues to spread significantly, and all of this calls for adherence to precautionary measures.

He pointed out that all viruses change over time, and this includes the (Covid 19) pandemic. Until now, hundreds of different types of this virus have been recognized around the world, and this is being closely followed. Most of the changes in this virus were only Little or no effect on transmission or severity of disease.

At the conclusion of his statement, Dr. Al-Khouli advised the need to continue to apply precautionary measures to prevent the detection of more infections, especially the infection of groups most vulnerable to complications, such as the elderly and those with chronic diseases, and to apply infection control standards in the workplace.

The lower rate of transmission of the mutant reduces the spread of the virus

Academic and infection control consultant, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Rahman Halawani, says: Corona virus mutations have not stopped and will not stop, because mutation is one of the characteristics of viruses and the production of new strains as a result of the large number of transmission from one person to another, but when the rate of transmission decreases, the ability of the virus to spread, and therefore mutation And the formation of more virulent strains and survival of almost the basic characteristic.

He continued: Because of the increase in the proportion of vaccinated with two doses at present and the continuation of following the precautionary requirements of physical distancing, wearing masks, washing and disinfecting hands, the ability of the virus to cause mutations has become very limited, and this is clear compared to countries that did not follow the requirements correctly and their citizens did not adhere to vaccination from the beginning, as in the Kingdom and to God Praises.

At the conclusion of his speech, Dr. Halawani advises community members who have not been vaccinated quickly to complete the remaining dose and those who need to take a third dose to do so. I also remind everyone of the need to wear a muzzle in closed and crowded places and disinfect hands frequently until the cases stop completely.