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How is the situation in Austrian hospitals? Corona’s rising numbers lead to higher occupancy, this week looks like it’s getting serious.
The massive increase in the number of corona has already had a major impact on the capacities of Upper Austria hospitals. The interventions that can be planned are postponed, reported “Hoy”. Similar considerations also exist in other federal states such as Salzburg, Tyrol and Styria.
Operations that are not essential for life will be postponed
As Vienna Health Councilor Peter Hacker explained in the morning newspaper “Ö1”, Vienna will also have to postpone unnecessary operations. “It was always clear that other disease treatments would have to be reduced in this health crisis. Of course, this does not affect vital treatments like oncology, but interventions that can be postponed will have to be postponed so that we have room for Covid patients.” Hacker said. So if you need a new knee or a new hip, you have to wait.
The growing number of corona leads to higher occupancy in hospitals in all federal states. “What the policy transmits does not correspond to reality. Certainly there are not 10,000 free beds”, stresses the specialist in Salzburg Richard Greil. “For example, we have to keep cancer therapy, dialysis and stroke care, so there is only one part left.”
“The dentist cannot treat pneumonia”
The problem is not only the space, but also the staff. “We don’t have enough internists and a dentist can’t treat pneumonia,” Greil said.
According to Peter Hacker, critical capacity utilization in hospitals is reached when “we cannot activate any additional capacity.” That depends on what happens in the next few weeks. There are currently 80 people in Vienna in intensive care units due to Corona.
