Is the end of the pandemic approaching? Irish scientist reveals to Infobae what to expect in the coming months

Irish investigator Luke O’Neill he is an eminence in the field of immunology. At 56, and with several books published, teaches at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin, and its main object of study is innate immunity and inflammation. Speaker at various TEDx conferences, in 2016 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, an honorary title that highlights scientists at the London Royal Society for the Advancement of Natural Science, and shares a weekly science slot with journalist and broadcaster Pat Kenny on Irish Radio Newstalk.

A few days ago, a video broadcast by the station went viral. There, the specialist commented that humanity is taking the first interim measures towards ending the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the retraction in the rate of infections and deaths in recent weeks. According to his forecasts, the next nine months will be decisive.

From the Irish capital, O’Neill spoke exclusively with Infobae. “We are not yet near the end of the pandemic, but we’ve definitely turned a corner and we can see a way out“He shared, confident in the” remarkable effectiveness “, such were his words, which show the developed vaccines.

Knowing how long it takes to return to pre-pandemic life is a question that reveals more than one. “Things will come back slowly, but it will be a few months before we can see each other again in large crowds. or see many international trips, ”he says.

On this last point, the scientist, elected member of the Royal Irish Academy (MRIA) in 2004 and of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) in 2005, predicts that massive international tourism could return very slowly. “Perhaps initially among ‘green’ countries, nations with similar immunization levels and case rates“, considers.

In the viralized video, O’Neill urged developed countries that have excess vaccine doses per capita to donate these inoculants to the rest of the countries to speed up their vaccination campaigns and achieve herd immunity as soon as possible. In this regard, he stressed that Canada, for example, has nine vaccines per person; The United States, with seven; United Kingdom, six; and the European Union, five.

“If we do not provide vaccines to developing countries, the risk of reoccurrence of infections is there. This could lead to more blockages, especially if there are variants that bypass vaccines or lead to re-infection.O’Neill added.

Another basic problem when planning the next few months, the scientist says, is take care of your diet and have a balanced diet, key to strengthening the immune system.

“People over 50 should take a vitamin D supplement and make sure they have normal iron levels. But overall, a healthy and balanced diet, good sleep, exercise and limiting stress will really help your immune system to do its job, protecting him from infections or allowing the vaccine he is taking to work very well, ”he declared in dialogue with this medium.

After almost a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus pandemic, which has already killed more than 2.4 million and surpassed 111 million infections, according to the latest data available from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, it is possible to inquire about what lessons has this global health emergency left behind. “Being prepared for the next pandemic, as happened with countries that went through SARS and were able to count on testing and follow-up as soon as possible; the use of chin straps will also be essential, ”he said.

O’Neill was educated at Trinity College Dublin, where he obtained a BSc in Natural Sciences (Biochemistry) in 1985. He completed his postgraduate studies at the University of London, where he obtained a PhD in pharmacology in 1988. After his doctorate, was a postdoctoral researcher at the Strangeways Research Laboratory in Cambridge, funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).

In 2018, he published Humanology: A Scientist’s Guide to our Amazing Existence with Gill editors. In 2019, he published a children’s science book, The Great Irish Science Book with Gill. Throughout 2020, he wrote extensively for the Irish Sunday Independent newspaper on the COVID-19 pandemic.

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