Claudia López stressed that if a new peak in infections arrives, the restrictions will be for the unvaccinated

This Wednesday, August 4, Bogotá Health Secretariat confirmed the circulation of the Delta variant in the nation’s capital, which was identified in four patients after genomic surveillance by the University of Los Andes and district authorities.

“Four of the approximately 300 samples that we collected and performed genomic sequencing were positive for the Delta variant.“, said Health Secretary Alejandro Gómez.

After confirming that this contagious variant was already circulating in the city, the mayor Claudia lopez revealed the actions the administration can take if a fourth peak in infections occurs.

In a conversation with Blu Radio, the president assured that biosecurity and self-care measures on the part of the citizens of Bogota will be vital to deal with a further increase in infections.

“We’re not like a year ago when infected and uninfected, we had to stay home. Now it turns out that around half of Bogotá’s population has already been vaccinated, but many of those who could and should be vaccinated didn’t because they didn’t want to. “López pointed out.

And he added that the restriction measures implemented will mainly affect those who have not been vaccinated. “We will increase the educational campaign, increase the vaccination and we are waiting for the regulation of the national government, but these measures would apply to those who do not want to be vaccinated ”.

The president insisted on the need to set up a covid passport, so that vaccinated people can have greater mobility than the rest of the citizens.

“It no longer makes sense for us to restrict people that if you take care of yourself and get vaccinated, the restrictions will be for those who don’t “, specified in the station.

So far, the Delta variant is not predominant in the city, nor in the countryside, that is, it does not generate most infections, but the health secretary predicts that it likely will become so, as has happened in the United States and other countries.

“The best we can do as a city is to continue the vaccination process. Have full doses for people over 50 years old, all, those we miss. Other age groups are open as well, but let me insist that vaccination schedules be completed for people 50 and over ″, said the official.

In addition to complying with vaccination, other biosecurity measures should be maintained to prevent contagion of any variant of covid-19, such as hand washing, constant use of masks, social distancing, and avoidance of spaces with more people.

So far, scientific information confirms that the Delta variant is more contagious, but there is no evidence that it can increase mortality. In addition, all vaccines available to date are effective against this covid-19 line, the health authorities therefore invite you to speed up compliance with vaccination, in order to avoid new infections.

The spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus has caused the herd immunity threshold to far exceed 80% and potentially approach 90%, according to a briefing from Infectious Disease Society of America held Tuesday in the United States.

This represents a “much higher” bar than previous estimates of the 60% to 70%, because Delta is twice as transmissible, He said Richard Franco, assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “It is becoming more and more clear that this is a very dangerous virus, much more dangerous than the original“said Franco.

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