Shafaq News / Former International Committee Red Cross (ICRC) expert Falah al-Saadi warned today, Wednesday, that the continuation of the partial restrictions will kill Iraqis, and called on the government to impose a comprehensive restriction to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Al-Saadi said in a statement to the Russian RT website, "Partial ban is, in fact, the herd immunity method; which means that during a pandemic, life goes naturally. The majority of the society will contract the virus. Consequently, their immune systems recognize the virus and produces antibodies against it".

He added that, "the immune system as a result of Covid-19 infection continues to produce antibody uncontrollably, even after terminating the infection. It is possible that the virus causes the immunity system to malfunction...as it generates uncontrollably and continuously auto-immune antibodies. These auto-immune bodies, as soon as it ends its battle with the virus, it attacks the lungs and kill the patient and this is what is scientifically called (fatal immune storm)".

Al-Saadi indicated that, "the evidence for this is that most of the fatalities are among are youth or athletic patients with good immunity. Therefore, immunosuppressive drugs have recently been approved to treat critical conditions cases of Covid-19".

The expert recommended the need to cancel the partial ban and impose a comprehensive ban with firm and strict measures by the state. The ban must be for a period of at least 21 days. The state must provide food baskets for this period, especially for the vulnerable groups. Moreover, ambulances must be deployed in popular residential neighborhoods with a security detachment to prevent any gathering. All ban exceptions must be cancelled and only granted for medical and major services personnel.

The Supreme Committee for Health and National Safety in Iraq decided not to impose a comprehensive curfew in the coming days, noting that partial curfews are scheduled from 7:00 pm until 6:00 am.

On Tuesday, the Iraqi Ministry of Health announced that 104 fatalities, 1958 new cases of Covid-19 had been registered in the last 24 hours.