Margarita del Val’s warning: this advance can improve the situation of the pandemic in spring

Although he has sometimes been described as one of the least optimistic voices regarding the coronavirus pandemic due to his more prudent messages, the truth is that Margarita del Val’s opinion remains one of the most authoritative in all of Spain. And, with infections and hospital occupation falling after the sixth wave and the presence of the omicron variant, the immunologist at the CSIC (Higher Center for Scientific Research) has warned of good news for the coming months.

The expert offered a conference on vaccines organized by the City Council of Granada in which she highlighted the importance of a breakthrough that will take place at the latest in spring, the entry on the scene of a new vaccine against the coronavirus, the so-called Nuvaxovid produced by the American pharmaceutical company Novavax and approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) at the end of 2021.

Del Val explained that the difference between this vaccine and others is that it is not based on genetic material and that it is only based on protein S, which the virus uses to enter our body by infecting cells and, therefore, it also generates the immune response of our body. It is a similar operation to that of many other vaccines that are applied traditionally, which the immunologist highlights to think that skeptical people with this treatment may agree to be vaccinated with them.

“I encourage people who had misgivings about previous vaccineswhich were very new (…) let them know that this is a very classic vaccine, of which we have many in the vaccination schedule children and adults”, affirmed the CSIC expert.

However, we have to wait a few weeks for us to feel the effect of these vaccines, since they are currently being produced and will arrive in our country at the end of winter or just at the beginning of spring. Spain has bought 2.2 million vials, although they will arrive later than the first forecasts that quoted it in November last year said.

Del Val’s forecast for the coming months

Del Val’s forecast for the coming months is conditioned by the appearance of variables that may arise unexpectedly, as happened with the omicron variant. For this reason, the virologist has opted for mass vaccination throughout the world to guarantee that immunization that reduces the risk of new variants.

However, Margarita del Val has made it clear that, at the gates of the arrival of good weather in spring and summer (when it is easier to respect security measures due to the greater presence of citizens in open spaces outdoors), we can wait for a better situation, but always wishing that different variants do not appear that complicate the situation.

Del Val’s summary, with this, is as follows: “If new variants do not arise, it is predictable that we will have a good season and when the cold returns, the most vulnerable will be infected”. By then, and if vaccination continues to advance, it would advance in such a way that covid-19 would gradually become a regular presence in our lives but eliminating lethality that has put the entire planet on edge for almost two years now.