Reassuring about metapneumovirus and the outbreak of cases in China, after concern that the hospitalization in the ICU of a 71-year-old man in Thessaloniki, the associate professor of Hygiene and Epidemiology at the University of Athens, Gkikas Magiorkinis, explaining that “we have had cases of this virus for many years. We have known about it since 2001 and it may have been circulating since 1950.”

As he told SKAI, “We may have all been sick since we were 5. What we are being told is that this is a virus that has been circulating among us for 10 years. We all have antibodies against this virus. That doesn’t mean it’s not important as the immunocompromised are at risk, as they are against most respiratory viruses.”

Explaining the differences with the coronavirus pandemic, Mayorkinis said that “coronavirus was announced within 10 days of January 2020 for which we had no antibodies and for which China had already started a lockdown. It has nothing to do with what we experienced 5 years ago with what is being reported right now.”

Regarding the symptoms of metapneumovirus, he said “It overlaps with the symptoms of influenza, all respiratory viruses have the same expression. Metapneumovirus is the second cause of hospitalization in children and in the over 65s it is a major reason to go into the ICU, it is no different than what we have been experiencing for many years. The flu is much more severe.”

In closing on this issue, Gkikas Mayorkinis was adamant that “we don’t have any concern at the moment” while explaining that “we don’t have a cure or a vaccine and that’s because it hasn’t been considered important to have an umbrella of protection in the world.”