Well-known infectologist Ugam Dumpis has both good and bad news about the coming autumn and winter. On the good side, the victory march for the Covid-19 virus should end this winter. The bad thing is that by gathering as freely as it is now, we will give the virus a chance to make an overly glorious last big invasion. “I am an optimist that this winter should end in such a big format. But I am a pessimist that we will still be able to cause ourselves trouble at the last minute, ”says Dumpis, laughing.
Our conversation is online. That is his choice. When I manage to make a premature judgment that this is due to precautionary reasons, considering that the Covid-19 delta type is starting to spring up in Latvia as well, Dumpis overturns it – that’s not why we don’t meet. The reason is much more practical – I would not be allowed in the hospital, but it would be too cold to speak on the bench.
Rebellion is a popular source in the media on topics related to pandemic containment, because it is responsive, ready to patiently explain what has been said many times over and over again, and speaks direct language about unpleasant things. This, however, made the infectologist reluctantly a public face, although he had nothing to do with most of them and he himself was not enthusiastic about many. We also touch on this topic in our conversation, but most of it can be combined under the question – how do we live next?
What would you say to those people who will see that we have interviewed you and immediately think, “Aha, we will be scared again”?
I wasn’t scared anymore. I more or less say what I mean. What to scare there?
I recently heard a public statement that, as it used to be, it will no longer be the case, namely that the virus has created a new reality in which we will continue to live. Do you agree with that?
No, I think this will turn into a common disease if we get vaccinated or get sick. If we look at Denmark, at the Netherlands, then it is not that people have a different life now. They more or less return to where they were. Because I’m an optimist in the long run. But that may lead to some conclusions.
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