Panama and the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic. Omicron and beyond

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COVID-19: Panama  exceeds 4,000 new cases for second day running

21,466 tests were applied.

Posted 07/01/2022

Panama registered 4,623 new cases of covid-19 in the last 24 hours and 4 new deaths for a cumulative total of 7,449 deaths and a fatality of 1.5%.To date, 512,402 confirmed accumulated cases have been reported. On Thursday 21,466 tests were applied for positivity of 21.5%. Active cases increase to 26,157. There are 220 hospitalized in the ward and 32 in ICU.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/covid-19-panama-exceeds-4000-new-cases-for-second-day-running

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Panama sets new record of covid-19 infections

Posted 07/01/2022

Panama’s Health Ministry reported 5,043 new cases of covid-19. In the last 24 hours, four deaths were reported for a cumulative of 7,453 deaths and a fatality of 1.5%.  517,445 accumulated cases are reported.

In the last hours, 24,475 tests were applied for positivity of 21%.

Active cases total 30,285 There are 321 hospitalized 281 in wards and 36 in ICU.

The Ministry of Health reminds the population NOT TO LOWER THE GUARD and to continue applying biosecurity measures, such as the use of a mask, alcohol gel, facial screen in public passenger transport, hand washing, physical distancing, and use of alcohol.

In case of symptoms related to the virus, the person should immediately seek medical attention and undergo a Covid-19 test.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/panama-sets-new-record-of-covid-19-infections

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The mandatory vaccination debate

Posted 08/01/2022

Once again, the public debate begins on the mandatory nature of vaccination against Covid-19, in this case, as an imposition on state servants. The arguments against the mandatory nature of vaccines are based on the mention of the right to bodily integrity and protection against invasive procedures in the human body, without the authorization of the patient writes  Rodrigo Noriega  in La Prensa

This discussion is not new, nor is it typical of Panama. In Western democratic societies and in human rights legal systems, it has been well defined that vaccination is compulsory and that the imposition of it does not violate any human right.

The legal basis
In the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama, the obligation of the State to guarantee the right to health of all Panamanians is established. Article 110 verbatim says, "in matters of health, the State is primarily responsible for the development of the following activities, integrating the functions of prevention, cure and rehabilitation," and in paragraph 4 of this article the following tasks of the State are established: "Combat communicable diseases through environmental sanitation, developing the availability of drinking water and adopting immunization, prophylaxis and treatment measures, provided collectively or individually, to the entire population." The notion of "the entire population" would base the right to demand them and the duty to fulfill them.

On the other hand, Law 48 of December 5, 2007, specifically regulates this matter and says in its article 1 the following: “Vaccination against immunopreventable diseases is established as a health measure of special attention. This vaccination process will be mandatory throughout the national territory ”. In addition, the second paragraph of article 8 of this law states: “People who exercise parental authority, guardianship or guardianship of children and people with disabilities have the obligation to comply with the instructions of the Ministry of Health in everything related to their immunization ”.

Later, Law 48 specifically imposes the following: "Residents in the national territory, without distinction of religion or race, have the obligation to keep their vaccination status updated, to keep their vaccination card and to present it when required" . This legal norm is reiterative and insists on the mandatory nature of vaccination, assigning, in article 14 of the same, the power to order mandatory vaccination, to the holder of the health portfolio, as follows: Minister of Health so that, when he considers that the health of the population is at risk, he may order the extraordinary immunization actions that are necessary, which will be mandatory for all residents of the Republic ”.

The international perspective
In February 2021, the Vatican State was the first government that established the mandatory vaccination of all employees of that State, under penalty of dismissal.

On April 8, 2021, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that mandatory vaccination and the ability of European states to enforce it does not violate human rights.

For its part, with regard to Latin America and the Caribbean, the Protocol of San Salvador to the American Convention on Human Rights, ratified by Panama through Law 21 of 1992, establishes in its article 10, numeral 2, that: "In order to make the right to health effects, the States parties undertake to recognize health as a public good and particularly to adopt the following measures to guarantee this right." The same article, in its literal C, specifies the following: "total immunization against the main infectious diseases ..." This article is binding on Panama and what it means is that the Panamanian State is obliged to vaccinate its entire population. This mandate then requires the mandatory vaccination.

Public servants
Public servants are obliged to comply with all constitutional, legal, judicial, and administrative mandates emanating from the competent authority. Because the essence of his condition as a public servant implies compliance with the country's regulations in favor of citizens and in defense of the State, his complete vaccination is required as a protection measure for the citizens who receive his services, as well as of the public servants themselves who can be infected with Covid-19, as has already happened in numerous public offices.

Let us understand the particular situation of public servants. Just as they are not allowed to perform their work naked, under the consumption of alcoholic or narcotic beverages. What is the reason for this? The integrity of the public service.

There are special conditions in which the public service is provided, such as schedules, identification cards, uniforms and even usual security measures (firefighters, Sinaproc and captains of the Panama Canal Authority). Of course, there is also the ban on smoking in public offices, which is clearly a limitation of a right for health reasons.

The decision of the Laurentino Cortizo government to demand the vaccination of all public servants or weekly swabs is just an intermediate step for the current government to demand what should have been an obligation from the first moment that vaccination was available: the public servants should have been the first.

There is a very generalized, intentional confusion between “compulsory” and violent action by the State.

Nobody is proposing that the Crowd Control Unit of the National Police visit house to house and grab each citizen by the arms so that a nurse injects the vaccine and repeats that action four weeks later, and then three months later, for the reinforcement.

In the case of public servants, the State does not have to tie up anyone to roll up their shirt sleeves and forcibly vaccinate them. What you can do is simply exercise your authority against a public servant who breaks the law and apply the appropriate sanction, be it suspension from office or dismissal.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/the-mandatory-vaccination-debate

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The impact of Covid-19 surge will be felt in two weeks

Posted 08/01/2022

The impact of the biggest increase in Covíd-19 cases since  January 2021will be will be reflected within two weeks according to Eduardo Ortega Barría advisor to the Panama Covid-19 Vaccine Research Consortium.

 He told La Prensa that there is usually a delay in reality and the incidence of hospitalization is expected in 15 days.

On Friday The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported 5,043 new infections raising the number of active cases   past 30,000  a number not seen since the beginning of 2021 when the second wave of the pandemic occurred.

The last time more than 5,000 cases were registered in one day was on January 19, 2021. And more than 30,000 active cases were reported on February 6 of that year.

The latest reports reveal that the Omicron variant is gaining ground by being more contagious.

“Ómicron is the dominant variant in Panama; it has displaced the Delta as has happened throughout the world; maybe 100% today! ", wrote Ortega Barría on his Twitter account.

He highlighted that there are currently 18 times more cases compared to December 20, 2021, when the first contagion with Ómicron was confirmed. On December 20, 2021.

According to the figures, so far, hospitalizations do not show a significant increase.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/the-impact-of-covid-19-surge-will-be-felt-in-two-weeks

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Parents   form lines  in response to pediatric vaccination

Posted 08/01/2022

Parents by the hundred lined up with their children on Friday, January 7 at 28 locations in Panama on the first day of vaccinating the child population between 5 and 11 years of age.

It is a group of the population that, since the beginning of the pandemic, had a lower risk of becoming ill and dying from Covid-19 than other age groups. However, for scientists such as Javier Nieto, former director of the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, it lowers the incidence of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in children, and reduces the severity of the infection, particularly in the context of severe pneumonia and the development of multisystemic inflammatory syndrome due to Covid-19 (which affects children between 5 and 13 years old).

The vaccination started at the Pediatric Specialties Hospital of the Social Security Fund (CSS), the Children's Hospital and at Omar Park, where the doses began to be applied to children with chronic diseases and disabilities.

The first child to be vaccinated was 8-year-old Jassier Clark, who received the first dose at the Pediatric Specialties Hospital, and at the same time, Angélica De León (10 years old) was inoculated at the Children's Hospital.

During the day, the Deputy Minister of Health, Ivette Berrío, announced that on Sunday, January 9, the next batch of 60,000  pediatric doses will arrive in the country.

There are 28 points throughout the country where the vaccination process takes place, which will be resumed on Tuesday, January 11, because Monday 10 is a mandatory day of rest to commemorate the events of January 9, 1964.

Health authorities also project that between the first and second week of January they will inoculate a total of 25,400 doses to this part of the pediatric population. In total, 522,198 people are between 5 and 11 years old, which represents 12% of the total population of the country.

Continuing program
Vaccination at the Children's Hospital will take place on January 11, 12, 13 and 14, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The vaccination area will be located on the fourth floor of Annex 1 building ( emergency building).

Parents or caregivers must bring their child's vaccination card and a document, such as a birth certificate or identity card.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/parents-form-lines-in-response-to-pediatric-vaccination

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Conflicting views on 2022 Carnivals

Culecos on the Cinta Costera in the capital city.

Posted 09/01/2022

Dr. Paulino Vigil wrote in La Prensa on Wednesday, January  5 that there are no scientific or epidemiological arguments that lead to banning carnivals assured that, according to his epidemiological analysis, that the carnivals of 2022 at the end of February and the beginning of March and will coincide with a period of fewer cases, where he considers that outdoor activities such as culecos can be carried out with a mask.u

For Dr. Xavier Sáez Llorens it is better to wait a bit to make a reasonable decision since he considers that epidemiological scenarios are dynamic and changing.

"At the Mesa de Periodistas I said that, in principle, I agreed with Dr. Paulino Vigil's writing, but that it was better to wait to pass the huge wave of omicron cases in January and assess the clinical-epidemiological scenario in February, before making a reasonable decision, ”explained Sáez Llorens, as he said so that his position on carnivals 2022 is clear and there is no comprehensive reading deficit or misrepresentation

The epidemiologist, who has always been in favor of the vaccine to get out of the pandemic, assured that education and economic reactivation were higher priority issues like the celebration of carnivals.

For the clinical researcher, the numbers of omicron infections will be enormous this January and we could soon reach between 5 and 10 thousand cases a day. "When people understand that the common good is more important than individual caprice, we will have a better human species” said  Sáez Llorens on his Twitter account.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/conflicting-views-on-2022-carnivals

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21 passengers detected with covid-19 at Tocumen

Posted 10/01/2022

The Ministry of Health (Minsa)  reported on January 9 that  21 passengers who arrived at Tocumen International Airport in the preceding 24 hours had tested positive for covid-19 raising the total detected since the terminal resumed its activities in October 2020to 2,829.

The protocol established by the Panamanian health authorities was applied to these passengers.

The same day 4 ,066 new infections of Covid-19 were registered throughout the country.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/21-passengers-detected-with-covid-19-at-tocumen

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Long lines for 127,000 anti- covid tests in 7 days

Posted 11/01/2022

Long lines for covid-19 swab tests continued from early morning throughout the weekend as concerns grow  about the new  omicron variant leading  to the fact that in the first epidemiological week of 2022 (January 2 to 8) they carried  127, 888 tests.

Data, from the epidemiology reports of the Ministry of Health (Minsa),  reveal that during the first week of January 24,441 cases were confirmed, 19.11% positivity.

Given the high demand for tests, the Ministry assures that they have enough to supply it and that the Medical Services Provision Directorate is preparing a new acquisition: approximately 300,000 n tests by immunofluorescence and 100,000 antigen tests by immunochromatography.

The epidemiology reports of the Ministry show that there were four days in which more than 20,000 tests were carried out. Only on January 8, 23,789 were made,  with 20.2% positivity.

The Ministry confirmed that the swab centers and health regions of the country have sufficient diagnostic tests to meet the current demand of people.

Currently, Minsa has 40 swabbing centers in the country, and it is expected to open about 14 more in the next few days.

The pediatrician, infectologist and clinical researcher Xavier Sáez-Llorens specified that with the Omicron variant the person can experience symptoms earlier —2-4 days after infection—, so it is better to perform the test on day 3-4 and repeat it in case of strong suspicion (intimate contact with a case of Covid-19 or presence of suggestive symptoms).

Sáez-Llorens stated that the country is going to have great transmissibility because the virus replicates in the upper airways such as the nose, pharynx and trachea.

Given this scenario, he recommended avoiding mass activities (fairs, sporting and musical events).

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/long-lines-for-127000-anti-covid-tests-in-7-days

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Covid tests reveal one in four positive

Posted 12/01/2022

A total of eight deaths and 4,105 new covid-19 infections in the previous 24 hours were reported by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, January 11.

Two deaths of previous dates were reported, raising to 7,479 deaths in the pandemic so far, in the country.

Active cases amount to 34,013. There are 339 hospitalized in the ward and 40 in the ICU.

In the last hours, 16,502 tests were applied for positivity of 25%.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/covid-tests-reveal-one-in-four-positive

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7 Covid-19 deaths and record  new infections

Posted 12/01/2022

A total of seven deaths and  a record 6,513 new covid-19 infections in the previous 24 hours were confirmed on Wednesday, January 12 by the Epidemiology Department of the Ministry of Health.

Active cases total 38,932. There are 408 hospitalized in the ward and 46 in ICU.

From March 9, 2020 to date, 7,486 have died. The lethality of the virus remains at 1.4%.

In the  24 hours leading up to the announcement 23,611 tests were applied for positivity of 27.6%.

In the world, there are 314,363,635 confirmed accumulated cases of Covid-19 and 5,523,724 deaths for a fatality of 2%.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/7-covid-19-deaths-and-record-new-infections

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Covid-19: Definition of close contact under review

Dozens of people line up for swabs at the Heraclio Barletta Policenter.

Posted 12/01/2022

Health Minister Luis Francisco Sucre announced Wednesday that the definition of when a person is in direct or close contact with a person detected positive for Covid-19 is being reviewed again.

“As a country, in the situation, we are in,  we considered lowering the isolation period from 14 days to 10 days and we have lowered the quarantine period from 14 days to five or six days, provided that a test is carried out and came back negative, "he explained.

The minister said that in the latter case the person must immediately return to work.

These types of questions were asked on Tuesday when Sucre met with delegates from the Chamber of Commerce, the National Council of Private Enterprise, and other ministers, to analyze the impact of the fourth wave of Covid-19 in the country.

At the meeting, Sucre was asked if the days of isolation and quarantine could be lowered to seven. The minister indicated that based on the discussion with scientists, epidemiology teams, and public health "at this time the best thing for the country is to stay for 10 days and five days."

He added that this may change over time, however, it will remain that way today.

The decision to reduce the isolation and quarantine time was announced by the Health authorities on December 28, eight days after the first case the Omicron variant was reported to the country.

Sucre described as positive the meeting held with the businessmen and various ministers of State. He said that he was consulted about the possibility of applying drastic measures in the face of the increase in cases of Covid-19, a possibility that "for now" was rejected.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/covid-19-definition-of-close-contact-under-review

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Fourth covid wave should stop return to classes - ex-minister

Miguel Ángel Cañizales,

Posted 13/01/2022

The fourth wave of Covid-19 should not stop the start of classes, in Panama as it has in several Latin American countries says former Minister of Education Miguel Ángel Cañizales,

He adds that in Chile, Cuba and Argentina they are at the forefront in this matter, where children are being successfully vaccinated.

"We in Panama cannot continue to harm the future of the nation that are our students," he stressed. It recognizes that there is fear and uncertainty, but it is necessary to give peace and tranquility to educators and the population with the coordination that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education are having.

According to the former minister, Panama is a world leader in vaccination issues, which will help the education process to take place next March.

He argues that it is time for the whole of society to come together and allow students to return to class.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/fourth-covid-wave-should-stop-return-to-classes-ex-minister

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At least nine children hospitalized with covid-19

Posted 13/01/2022

So far this year, at least nine children have been hospitalized and 90 cases of Covid-19 have been diagnosed, according to Paul Gallardo, director of the Hospital del Nino (Children's Hospital).

He added that throughout the entire pandemic, 1,076 children have been hospitalized.

On Thursday, January 13, the vaccination day for children between 5 and 11 years of age without pathology began in circuits 8-7 and 8-8 in the capital.

Dr. Gallardo urged that children be vaccinated to reduce transmission, which is what is complicating the situation.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/at-least-nine-children-hospitalized-with-covid-19

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COVID-19: Children’s Hospital could be out of beds by month-end

Posted 14/01/2022

Between 2020 and 2021, the Children's Hospital treated 438 children infected with covid-19, of this group 15% required pediatric intensive care, while unfortunately, 12 died from the disease.

So far in 2022, 101 children have been treated, 10% have been diagnosed and hospitalized says the director of the Children's Hospital, Paul Gallardo, highlighting that if these numbers are maintained and at the end of the month there are 200 diagnosed and 12% are hospitalized, this would exceed the number of beds assigned to treat the disease.

He highlighted the importance of vaccinating children, not only to protect them but because they are vehicles of the virus and to create a safety margin when returning to school in person.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/covid-19-childrens-hospital-could-be-out-of-beds-by-month-end

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23 swab centers activated as Metropolitan covid cases balloon

Posted 14/01/2022

The Metropolitan Health Region has already exceeded 9,000 active cases of Covid-19, with a significant increase in three days warns the director of the region Israel Cedeño.

Cedeño explained that the metropolitan area -the most populous in the country- is the one with the most active infections at the national level with 9,044, until  Thursday’s report.

He specified that on Monday the number of people with the virus was 7,700 and that three days later it rose to 9,044, which reflects a significant increase of more than a thousand cases.

“They are letting their guard down. It is the only explanation why we have so many cases because many are vaccinated,” said Cedeño.

Cedeño announced that the strategy of mobile swab stations, which was reactivated three weeks ago, will continue to support the fixed coronavirus sampling points of Megamall, Rod Carew Stadium, and Emilio Royo Stadium and also, in this way decongest the high demand in health centers.

On Friday, for the second consecutive day, the temporary stand located in the parking lots of the Explora Science and Art Center in Condado del Rey was enabled.

Temporary swab posts will be mobilized in the 23 districts of the region and they will be several times in the sectors where more cases are occurring.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/23-swab-centers-activated-as-metropolitan-covid-cases-balloon

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92% of covid hospitalized patients with incomplete vaccinations

Posted 14/01/2022

Some 92% of hospitalized patients with Covid-19 between UCRE and ICU do not have the complete vaccination cycle said  The National Director of Health Services of the Social Security Fund (CSS), Gustavo Santamaría on Friday, January 14.

Santamaría said that until noon on Thursday, 259 people admitted with the disease were registered in the entity's medical units nationwide.

Of that number, 203 are in the ward, 43 in the Special Respiratory Care Unit  (UCRE), and 23 in Intensive Care (ICU).

“We have between 92% and 93% of the patients, of those who are in intensive care and special respiratory care, who do not have a complete vaccination schedule. They are unvaccinated stayed with one or two doses," said Santamaría.

He added that they also have a low percentage of patients who, having the complete immunization schedule, require hospital services because they have chronic diseases.

“In the case of the City of Health [Covid Hospital], which is our thermometer, we have seen that there is an increase between 15 and 20 patients per day. That is a lot for what we were driving,” Santamaría explained.

At the Covid Hospital, until the last report, 49 patients were counted in the ward, 21 in the UCRE, and 11 in the ICU.

Panama is in the midst of the fourth wave of the new coronavirus and according to the Pan American Health Organization in recent weeks, there has been a sharp increase in cases.

In addition to continuing to comply with biosafety measures, the Health authorities reiterate their call to the population to vaccinate to reduce the possibility of suffering from the disease in a serious way and deaths.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/92-of-covid-hospitalized-patients-with-incomplete-vaccinations

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COVID-19: 18,604 new infections, 14 deaths in 48 hours

Posted 15/01/2022

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported  on Friday January  14, that there were 18,604 new infections and 14 deaths from Covid-19 in the previous 48 hours.

Due to a technological problem with the platform of the Department of Epidemiology on Thursday, the entity was unable to release the numbers of cases in the country

Given this, the number of new infections on Friday was 9,530 and Thursday 9,074; Thursday and Friday there were 7 deaths, each day, bringing the total deaths, since March 20202, when the virus arrived in Panama, 7,500.

On Friday, 28,562 tests were applied for positivity of 33.4% and on Thursday 27,659 tests were carried out, with positivity of 33.0%.

 Hospitalized patients total 546, (477 are in the ward and 69 in the intensive care unit.

Cabinet Meeting
President Cortizo , during a visit to Chiriquí on Friday, said that on Monday, January 17, an extraordinary cabinet will be held to approve the purchase of additional swab tests and urged the population not to lower their guard against the increase of Covid-19 infections.

He said that the increase in the positivity, has resulted in a greater demand for testing. In less than a month the positivity rates have increased by almost 20%. “On December 25, 2021, positivity was at 6.7% and two days ago it was 27%,” he specified.

The president also urged the population to get the third anticovid dose (booster) because “the Omicron variant is extremely fast, extremely fast.”

Cortizo recalled that 90% of those who died from Covid-19 in the last year did not have the complete vaccination schedule

Vaccination
The report of the Expanded Program on Immunization, on Friday, indicates that to date 6,663,649 doses of anticovid vaccines have been applied. Of that total, 3,150,511 have been placed in the first dose; 2,834,900 second dose; 669,199 booster doses and 12,694 pediatric doses.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/covid-19-18604-new-infections-14-deaths-in-48-hours

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Unvaccinated  at risk as at covid-19 cases pass 55,000

More swab centers are being activated.

Posted 15/01/2022

The increase in new Covid-19 infections is notably being registered in the province of Panama, with more than 200 daily infections reported in two townships in the past three days.

According to the data provided by the Ministry of Health (Minsa), the sectors of the metropolitan area of San Francisco and Juan Díaz added at least 240 cases daily between Wednesday and Friday.

San Francisco in three days  listed 935 cases and Juan Diaz 850.

In addition, in the last two days, five districts were reported that exceeded the figure of 200 new infections. Among them Betania, Tocumen, Rufina Alfaro and Don Bosco.

According to the latest epidemiological report from the Minsa, the country exceeds 55,000active cases.

The Panamanian epidemiologist, Xavier Sáez Llorens, reported that based on international scenarios with the Omicron variant, the maximum number of diagnosed infections should be reached in one or two weeks so that later there will be a decrease in cases.

"Unfortunately, serious cases will occur primarily in people who are not vaccinated or who do not have a complete schedule, especially in groups at higher risk due to age and/or comorbidity," he wrote on his Twitter account.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/unvaccinated-at-risk-as-at-covid-19-cases-pass-55000

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Business Chamber calls for review of covid isolation times

Lining up for swab tests.

 Posted 16/01/2022

As   Covid-19  cases continue to rise Panama’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture Cciap), is pressing the authorities to continue the "timely review" of isolation time for those infected and quarantined for their direct contacts.

According to the union, the guidelines proposed by the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) should be adopted. "This is important so that Panama can face the new wave of infections, without impacting, again, the functioning of the daily activities of society," said the Chamber on Sunday, January 16.

In addition to these measures, the organization added, it is "convenient to implement" effective and convenient actions in covid-positive patients. “Both nationals and foreigners must have the right to choose their place of isolation, so that they can be guaranteed fair and dignified treatment to avoid saturating hospital hotels”.

"In this new phase of the pandemic, the number of cases is greater, but the preparation to attend to them is better," added the union.

Defining “close contact”
The Ministry of Health recently issued a resolution which defines the terms of close community contact (family, work, and social), and health environment.

“Close community contact (family, work and social) is defined as contact (close, direct physical or in a closed space), with a confirmed Covid-19 patient, within 2 meters for a period of 15 minutes or more, without a mask or with improper use of it ”, highlights the ministry.

It explained that the 5-day quarantine is for people who were defined as close contact with the positive. It ends with a negative test result on the fifth day.

Isolation with a positive result is 10 days, counted from the first day that symptoms or a positive test appear. "The first day is understood to be the full day after the symptoms appear (in symptomatic patients) and the collection of the sample of the screening test that was positive (in asymptomatic patients)," the ministry said.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/business-chamber-calls-for-review-of-covid-isolation-times

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New record of covid-19 infections with high economic impact

Posted 16/01/2022

 Panama set a new record for covid-19 infections during the epidemiological week Jan.9 -15 with 45,329 cases. The nearest thing it got before was between January 3 and 9, 2021, during the second wave, when there were 25,008 and between January 2 and 8, 2022, when 24,441 were counted.

The epidemiologist Arturo Rebollón and the former director of the Gorgas Commemorative Institute for Health Studies, Javier Nieto, agree that there is no need to fear, since it was the expected scenario.  

Rebollón even projects that up to 30,000 cases per day could be reached at the peak of this fourth wave. The epidemiologist says  that the country is in the midst of an "acceleration of cases without the collapse of the health system, but with a high socioeconomic impact."

Hospitalizations
At the moment, deaths and hospitalizations, although they are growing, do not do so in the same proportion as cases. Until January 14, 2022, there were 546 hospitalized, while for the same date last year there were 2,677, both in the ward and in intensive care units. And there  were 629 deaths.

On Monday, it will hold an extraordinary Cabinet Council, only to analyze the Covid-19 issue. One of the main concerns is the number of the infected population, despite the fact that the occupation of beds in hospitals is around 50%.

President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo, explained that, in less than a month, the positivity rates have increased

by almost 20%. “On December 25, 2021, positivity was at 6.7% and by January 12 it was 27%,”.

The president also urged the population to get the third booster shot.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/new-record-of-covid-19-infections-with-high-economic-impact

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85.8% of covid-19 deaths with incomplete vaccination

Posted 17/01/202

During the last week, 85.8% of Covid-19 deaths registered in the country were people who did not have a complete vaccination schedule, says Lourdes Moreno head of the Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health (Minsa).

Moreno said that the other 14.2%, despite having some dose of the biological against the new coronavirus, suffered from chronic diseases in an advanced or uncontrolled state.

“That is why it is important that people who know they have a chronic disease not only get vaccinated but also effectively control their diseases,” said Moreno.

Moreno explained that for the last week of December the average number of hospitalized patients was 168 people, of whom 85% were not vaccinated.

While in the first week of January a total of 234 hospitalizations were registered, of which 86% were people who were not immunized and "for the past week a total of 418 were reported, of which 83% did not have their doses.

The official explained that the vast majority of those who have not been immunized have various chronic diseases and added that the Omicron variant should not be thought of as just a cold.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/858-of-covid-19-deaths-with-incomplete-vaccination

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11,519 covid-19 infections, 17deaths

Posted 19/01/2022

A total of 17 deaths and 11,519 newly infected by COVID-19,  in Panama in the preceding 24 hours  were confirmed by the Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, January

With the updated figures, the active cases in the country are already around 62,918 , of

which 62,311 are in home isolation , and 503 in  hospital hotels .

Another 607 are hospitalized , of those 552 are in the ward and 55 in the ICU .

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/11519-covid-19-infections-17deaths

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Covid -19 puts Panama on US “no go” list

Posted 19/01/2022

The United States Department of State has once again included Panama on the list of countries to which it recommends that US citizens not travel due to cases of Covid-19 but this time with a codicil: “Your risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA-approved dose.”

The US government statement specified that the warning is given after a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that have issued a level 4 travel health advisory for Panama due to the increase in cases of the new coronavirus in the country.

The warning was issued on Tuesday and reaches 22 nations, four of them from Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Panama.

In September 2021, the State Department had lowered the warning level for US citizens to travel to Panama in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, after keeping it at level 4 in September.

Level 4 indicates that travel is not recommended due to the high incidence of coronavirus.

Likewise, a warning is made for reasons of insecurity in specific areas such as the Mosquito Gulf and in some parts of Darien.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/covid-19-puts-panama-on-us-no-go-list-1

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Covid-19 active cases swell to near 70,000

29.685 tests were applied with 36.3% positivity.

Posted 20/01/2022

A total of eight deaths and 10,763 new covid -19 infections in the preceding 24 hours were confirmed in Panama, by the Department of Epidemiology

of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) on Wednesday.

Active cases total 69,369, of which 68,706 are in home isolation and 663 are hospitalized.

Those in isolation are divided into 68,183 at home and 523 in hotels.

From March 9, 2020, to date, 602,606 infected by the pandemic have accumulated in the country, and 7,554 have died.

In the last hours, 29,685 tests were applied for positivity of 36.3%. The lethality of the virus in the country is at 1.3%.

In the world there are 335,797,865 confirmed accumulated cases of Covid-19.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/covid-19-active-cases-swell-to-near-70000

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Studies show  booster shot increases protection against Omicron

Posted 21/01/2022

During the  last week two studies have been published showing that the third shot against Covid-19 offers protection  against the Omicron variant reinforcing the Panama decision to name only those  with a booster shot “fully vaccinated”

The first was on January 18 in the scientific journal Science, through which researchers from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer/BioNTech tested pseudoviruses -a version of the virus- from Wuhan (original), Beta, Delta, or Omicron, with sera of 51 participants who received two or three doses of the vaccine.

The pseudoviruses mimic the behavior of Omicron, which has 34 mutations in its spike protein, a novelty the researchers say is not found in the original strain of the virus first detected in Wuhan.

The data showed that with just two doses, the sera had reduced neutralizing antibodies against Omicron by more than 22-fold when compared to Wuhan pseudovirus.

One month after the third dose of the vaccine, Omicron's neutralizing antibodies increased by more than 23-fold compared to the two doses, reaching similar numbers to Wuhan's neutralizing antibodies after the second dose.

The data suggests that "a third dose increases antibody-based immunity against Omicron, in line with previous observations that a third vaccination amplifies humoral immune responses against the variants," the authors say.

The second study was published on January 19 in the journal The Lancet, which reiterates that a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine raises the levels of antibodies that neutralize the Omicron variant, according to laboratory results from the Francis Institute Crick and the UCLH Biomedical Research Center of the US National Institute for Health Research.

Both investigations go in the same direction as a study recently published by a team of scientists from the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital (United States) in the journal Cell, which indicates that traditional dosing regimens of Covid-19 vaccines do not produce antibodies capable of recognizing and neutralizing the Omicron variant.

The approaches of the scientific studies coincide with what has already been pointed out by the vaccine advisor of the Ministry of Health (Minsa), Eduardo Ortega Barría, and the clinical researcher Xavier Saéz-Llorens.

In Panama,  the booster dose began to be applied from the age of 16, three months after the application of the second dose in December.

Ortega Barría explained that the two-dose vaccination with the Pfizer/BioNTech pharmaceutical doublet formula offers 33% protection against Omicron infection, but 70% against hospitalization.

Sáez Llorens explained that the vaccination of people with previous Covid-19 and the booster dose has been shown to increase the number of protective antibodies.

The scientific community of several countries, including Panama, suggested advancing the application of the booster from three months after the second dose, particularly for people at higher risk to reduce the spread of Omicron.

In Panama, Minsa decided to recognize the three doses of the vaccine against Covid-19 as a complete vaccination scheme.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/studies-show-booster-shot-increases-protection-against-omicron