Appointments for COVID-19 testing in the call center of the University of Guadalajara have decreased by half in the last two weeks, reports Jesús Carlos Mora, coordinator of the area. He details that at the end of January they answered, on average, 700 calls a day, but currently there are only 300.
José Parra Sandoval, in charge of the attention center of the Jalisco Ministry of Health, agrees that in the last two weeks the requests for tests have dropped. Most were to request information on vaccination and clarify doubts. "The greatest demand is for vaccines, in the different processes, both to make the appointment, cancel them or clarify doubts."
The rebound in COVID-19 infections caused by the emergence of the omicron variant is in its final stretch with a marked decrease in the circulation of the virus, explained epidemiologist Carlos Alonso Reynoso, who commented that if this trend continues in a couple of weeks one could speak of the end of the "fourth wave" at the national and state levels.
The specialist highlighted that among the factors that trigger the decrease in cases is that the virus has a smaller group of susceptible individuals, after the large number of people affected by the disease in the first weeks of the year and the immunity by vaccine or recent contagion that has another part of the population. He stressed that reinfections can occur within four to five weeks after the contagion is overcome.
The doctor of Public Health Sciences argued that, after the end of the current wave, preventive measures must be maintained and not relaxed, as a new contagion could occur.
“The measures should not change, we have already experienced it four times, with the previous waves, and each time an upturn ends, there are voices that cry out for the end of the pandemic; but the truth is that the pandemic does not end by decree, nor by the desire of the majority of the population. There is still a long way to go, but if this virus has shown us anything, it is its versatility and ability to adapt,” he said.
In the last two weeks, the incidence of cases fell 68.1 percent. The peak of infections was registered on February 3 with 5,908 infections, according to the daily report of Radar Jalisco; since that date, it has been in decline.
The trend is also registered in hospitalizations, since from 913 patients in public hospitals registered on February 4, they fell to 561. Hospital occupancy went from 58.6% to 36% of occupied COVID -19 beds.
At the first peak of infections in Jalisco, the maximum number of cases was recorded on January 22, 2021, when there were 2,148 infections in the daily report, in addition to 101 reported deaths and 1,799 people hospitalized for the virus.
The second peak was recorded on August 6, 2021, at its peak there were 1,888 cases, 52 deaths, and 1,700 hospitalized patients.
