The world began this year with an unprecedented challenge, facing a common enemy: COVID-19. Known as a Coronavirus disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which was detected in Wuhan City, China’s Hubei Province, in late 2019.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic on March 11, for having crossed continental borders. In Panama, the Health Ministry (MINSA) confirmed the first COVID-19 case on Monday, March 9.
Our special guest, Dr. Juan Miguel Pascale, director of the Gorgas Commemorative Institute for Health Studies (ICGES), directs the efforts that this entity can provide to MINSA, supporting decision-making based on scientific evidence in the face of this epidemiological crisis.
Winner of the R&D award “Excellence in Research”, at the XVII National Congress of Science and Technology in 2018, an outstanding professor and researcher in epidemiology for Tropical Medicine, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, among others, Dr. Pascale talks to The Visitor on the work that they have been developing at the Gorgas Institute, to understand the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its variants, how we should take care of ourselves and learn to coexist with the Coronavirus from now on.
How does Panama cooperate internationally through the Gorgas Commemorative Institute with the studies they carry out on COVID-19?
“Through different projects and activities. For example, with the Imperial College of London and Oxford University, we are working on seroprevalence studies and infection modeling in Panama. With PAHO and other countries, we are collaborating on clinical studies to test the efficacy of different drugs and hyper-immune plasma in the treatment of patients with COVID-19. At the genomic level, we are assisting several countries in Central America in the complete sequencing of viral genomes to understand their variability and migration. With laboratory companies we are evaluating the efficiency of the different diagnostic kits existing in the national and international market. Also with foreign companies and universities we are testing – in vitro – the response of medications that could be effective in treating SARS-CoV-2 ”.
What is the importance of the studies that are being carried out on the sequencing of more than forty SARS-CoV 2 genomes in Panama?
“Currently, we have over 100 complete genomes sequenced and we continue to do so. The idea is to use genomics as an epidemiology tool (molecular epidemiology) for the determination of transmission clusters and their spread in the country. In addition, the filodynamic analysis gives us an idea of when a specific cluster originated and its origin. Finally, genomic analysis helps us determine the presence of mutations that could be associated with specific areas, less diagnostic capacity, and possibly their transition to a more or less severe variant”.
How is the Gorgas Panama Commemorative Institute projected internationally for its scientific contributions regarding this pandemic?
“The ability to have the virus isolated and a Level 3 Biosafety laboratory allows work with highly infectious and lethal organisms to assess immune responses, test drugs, generate recombinant proteins, or develop monoclonal antibodies against the virus. The experience of Panamanian researchers in multiple vaccine studies makes us candidates to be one of the places where efficacy and safety studies of probable future vaccines can be carried out. Finally, our many years of experience in virology allows us to serve as a reference and training center for other countries in this area”.
Why does Panama have the number of positive COVID-19 cases and how is it related to the number of tests carried out in the country?
“Because we do a lot of testing, we actively look for positive cases in the community, and also because we’ve had multiple introductions of the virus, from at least eight different locations. Four from the United States, three from Europe and one from China. This enormous confluence of infected people is associated with our geographical position since we are, an international hub for the Americas ”.
What projections do you have on the COVID-19 course? Will there be mutations of the virus by region, climate, race, or age?
“I don’t think that the climate, race or age has anything to do with the appearance of mutations. We are sure to see specific mutations associated with regions and countries that will give each variant of SARS-CoV-2 a distinctive characteristic, with different and differentiated lineages appearing. ”
How can we coexist with this virus as soon as the quarantine is gradually lifted?
“Eventually, we will become immune to SARS-CoV-2, with or without a vaccine. Humanity has survived the worst pandemics, from the bubonic plague to the Spanish Influenza. The good thing about each of these crises is that we renew society. We give a temporary shake to our priorities, to our superfluous way of living, it changes our way of seeing the future and shows us that we are fragile and deadly. And finally, it brings out the best and the worst of what we are, or perhaps, what we really are”.
When can we do national and international tourism and what measures should we take to become a COVID FREE destination?
“I don’t have a magic ball to predict the future, but surely before the end of the year. To become a COVID-19 FREE country, it is necessary to demonstrate that there is no community transmission. In addition, we must implement strict controls to prevent the reintroduction of the virus from countries that have not been able to control it. In other words, having a population with a high level of immunity and with low transmissibility and blocking the importation of foreign cases ”.
