What does the president of the public hospital say? 570 patients are treated, 11 patients are intubated.
Hospital workers are calling for urgent measures to protect hospitalized patients from COVID-19, warning that nosocomial spread of the coronavirus is already costing lives.
As they complain, more and more COVID patients are coming to hospitals and many are being hospitalized. With the relaxation of measures, however, the risk of spreading the coronavirus in hospital emergency rooms or wards increases significantly.
As Michalis Giannakos, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Workers (POEDIN), said, the number of patients arriving at the emergency rooms of on-call hospitals is increasing day by day because primary care cannot be provided.
«Fortunately, the vast majority of patients who seek emergency care return home with treatment. Many of these can be served in primary care or private practice. In vain. There is no primary and many tell us that they have gone to private doctors and refused to see them for antiviral treatment. They are sent to hospitals by phone. This is how everyone rushes to the emergency room“he emphasizes.
At the same time, they are consistently high hospitalization of patients with covid. There are as many of them 570 nationwide – the ones a week ago. However, since the symptoms are mild in most patients, discharge is given in a short time. Thus, new patients are constantly admitted, but they are equal to those who return home. Thus, despite the increase in imports, the total number remains stable.
Of the hospitalized patients, 11 are intubated in intensive care units, Mr. Giannakos said.
Mitigation measures
However, the big problem is the spread of the coronavirus in the hospital due to the easing of emergency measures. Mr. Giannakos emphasizes that critically ill patients who are hospitalized for other reasons and who are immunosuppressed are at risk if they contract COVID-19.
«We are sounding the alarm. Take precautions in hospitals to prevent outbreaks. Increasing death toll mainly due to this reason“, confirms the president of POEDIN.
It also advises those who have people belonging to vulnerable groups in their homes to wear masks to protect them.