Pulmonologist Dr. Cerkl on Covid-19: “My appeal to all: Blibend dahoam” – Vorarlberg –

“The mood is tense, very tense,” says pulmonologist Dr. Peter Cerkl about the situation in the Vorarlberg hospitals. “We are all very exhausted. We are working very motivated but hard on this great challenge that these Covid patients offer us,” complains the head of the pulmonology department at LKH Hohenems in conversation with VOL.AT. In addition to this tension in the squad, he has been worried since March. On the one hand, intensive care beds, which are increasingly scarce, and the triage “bugbear” that worries everyone. On the other hand, there is also concern about what will happen to non-Covid patients: “How things will continue with standard care is a big challenge.”

There are 38 systematized beds in his department. “They are usually full of non-Covid patients during the winter,” says Cerkl. “At the moment I still have eleven beds, it seems that I will have to spend the winter with them.” Everyone else is busy with Covid patients. “Our intensive care unit is filled with eight beds, including these two emergency beds,” explains the doctor. “It’s exhausting, especially since we know the next few days will be even more challenging.” As for the effects of the disease, it is now known that there are fewer long-term consequences than previously feared. Fortunately, most of the lungs would have completely regressed, they would have made a full recovery in terms of respiratory function. “But it must be said that it is a long road, it takes many months for the lungs to recover.”

With regard to the messages of Chancellor Kurz, Cerkl has an appeal to the population. “The first thing is to travel only when there is a vaccine. Unfortunately, we screw it up,” he says. “The second thing was to stay home, not meet anyone. And I think that’s the most important message.” You have to consider family members and acquaintances as covid-positive and behave around them in such a way that you can really keep the numbers low. “Unfortunately, the so-called common sense and personal responsibility did not work,” said the pulmonologist. Therefore, he appeals to instinct: “When it thunders and thunders over our houses, nobody comes out and says ‘Yes, winning the lottery is probably more common than being struck by lightning,'” he says. “So my appeal to everyone would be: Blibond at home.”

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