Sanidade recommends wearing masks at its centers and will postpone operations

Sanidade recommends wearing masks at its centers and will postpone operations due to peak flu seasonVictor Echaf

The flu is raging this Christmas, putting pressure on hospitals. The Ministry of Health has decided to take measures to deal with the peak of infections that will occur between this week and next week.This is what he recommended Universal use of masks in all health centers Part of the Galician public network and will implement contingency plans in its health sector, including adding beds, increasing staff and postponing non-urgent surgeries, tests or consultations.

“If there is such a need, Scheduled activities for non-priority patients The Director-General of Health Assistance, Jorge Aboal, attended the meeting this Friday, accompanied by the Minister of Health, Julio García Comesaña, and the Director-General of the Public Sector, “It was postponed to a later date, thereby allocating these resources to other areas,” he said. Health Department Carmen Durán and Emergency Department of the Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital in Vigo Director Maite Maza.

Sergas opens 15 more beds in Meixoeiro due to respiratory disease

Emergency rooms in Galician health centers and hospitals are overflowing with COVID-19 infections, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and especially influenza infections. Average in December 2,700 services per day In the Sergas emergency service, this number increased by 8% compared to last year’s figures (when the average was 2,500).

There are currently 653 people hospitalized with influenza, including 27 people in intensive care. A further 160 people are hospitalized with coronavirus (seven in intensive care), and 162 children are hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (six in intensive care).

Influenza A is making a strong comeback, surpassing the COVID-19 pandemic and putting pressure on health centers and hospitals

Kosanha stressed the importance of vaccination. In fact, according to the MP, a “very significant proportion” of patients admitted to Vigo’s intensive care units have not been vaccinated. Therefore, Sanidade has extended the influenza and coronavirus vaccination drive until February 12.

As far as RSV is concerned, the vaccination campaign among children has achieved good results, as the number of daily emergencies due to the virus last year averaged 900, compared with 729 currently, i.e. 20% reduction.

Meanwhile, the flu is nearing its peak, with 34% of tests coming back positive. “According to our forecast models, from this week to next week, we will reach the peak and the maximum numbers of this wave will be maintained for the next two to three weeks,” the director of public health explained.

As Carmen Durán explains, when it comes to COVID-19, there is a “small rebound” happening, but the impact figures are still far from those of the flu.

If you have symptoms due to COVID-19 and flu resurgence, health department recommends wearing a mask and teleworking

In view of this situation, the Minister of Health Denies emergency room ‘meltdown’. In any case, the government has decided to take measures to deal with the increase in infections in the coming days.

Therefore, starting this Saturday at 3:00 pm, the use of masks will be recommended (although not mandatory) in all centers in the Sergas network – excluding pharmacies. So far, this advice has been limited to emergency service areas and units with immunosuppressed people.

temporary plan

The General Director of Health Assistance also explained that emergency plans have been activated in all health regions except Lugo. This means they have strengthened their human and material resources to cope with the increased health pressures caused by influenza and COVID-19 infections.

Measures taken include Hire more doctors, pediatricians, caregivers and assistants, as well as providing 80 beds in the Galician hospital. Specifically, 25 beds are available at the Avente y Lago Hospital in A Coruña, 9 beds at the Montecelo Hospital in Pontevedra, 15 beds at the Meixoeiro Hospital and the Arquitecto Marcide Hospital in Ferrol. With 12 beds, the Complexo Hospitalario in Ourense offers 20 beds.

Sanidade, no matter what, rIt is recommended not to visit the health center if you have mild respiratory symptomsAs Dr. Maite Maza clarifies, he recalls that, especially in younger patients without lesions, “the treatment is essentially symptomatic, and the patient himself can receive it at home, avoiding waiting in the emergency room or being exposed to respiratory viruses. ”

Christmas meal

For Christmas dinners, Comesagna recommended that if anyone has “the slightest suspicion that they might have the flu,” they attend these family gatherings wearing a mask, practicing hand hygiene and distancing, or, in the last case, ” Tell them not to do it”. Come. ”

In light of the pressures on emergency services, the BNG asked the health minister to provide an explanation at a meeting of permanent representatives. BNG national spokesperson Ana Pontón criticized: “It is not worth asking patients to stay at home.”

Komesana said he would be willing to attend if the People’s Party-majority permanent delegation decided to attend, denying there was a “collapse” as the party had denounced it. “The use of the word has something to do with campaigning,” he said.

Xunta President Alfonso Rueda, for his part, assured that “there is no doubt that all seriously ill patients arriving at the emergency room will be treated”, although “then, within the spectrum of severity, there may be different types of patients “. wait. ” he added.