Omicron triggers reinfections: 20,890 cases in the last 15 days

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus never ceases to amaze. Although it seems milder than the previous variants of the COVID-19, its transmissibility is much greater, which causes the Primary Care to be overwhelmed and many health professionals decide to hang their robe when they cannot perform their work as they would like.

In addition, many people are reinfecting themselves with this variant. Some people have passed the coronavirus up to two and three times or even four times. In two weeks there have been more cases of reinfection than during the entire pandemic, an analysis by the Carlos III Institute reveals this.

20,890 reinfections by COVID-19 in the last 15 days. This is even more worrying when we consider that from the beginning of the pandemic until 22 December 2021 there were 17,140.

We are facing an unprecedented hurricane of coronavirus reinfections. The good news? Scientists claim that they are usually mild cases and that they occur, especially among the unvaccinated population.

According to the latest report from the Ministry of Health, 90% of Spaniards have already received the complete vaccine against COVID-19. However, about three million people have yet to be immunized.

The Catalan government said a week ago that 2% of its positive since the beginning of the pandemic were reinfections, a percentage that with Omicron has increased by 5% among those over 50 and 8% among minors.

But why are people infected by second, third, or even fourth time? Because of the changes that this variant presents. Somehow Omicron escapes the antibodies of other variants and vaccines, which, although they do not prevent infection, do the severity of the disease.

Without vaccination, Omicron would likely be affecting those infected much more severely. The vaccines generate antibodies so that, in the face of possible subsequent contact, they serve as protection.

A number of countries, such as Israel, have approved the fourth dose of the vaccine for people with immunodeficiency disorders in order to protect their health.