infections and deaths from covid-19 would rise in January due to holidays

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection made a call to citizens and health authorities for a possible increase in new cases and deaths due to covid-19 for the month of January 2021 due to the relaxation of the population with health measures . On December 29 alone, the Ministry of Health reported 11,015 new cases of coronavirus and 246 deaths.

This behavior has led to a clear increase in cases and deaths in various parts of the country, as well as in the occupation of Intensive Care Units in cities such as Cali, Cúcuta, Medellín, Ibagué, among others.

“The relaxation of personal protection measures, the increase in crowds and the celebration of certain events such as the day of the candles, Christmas and soon the new year, will be increasing the number of contacts that occur without protection,” warned the director of Epidemiology and Demography, Julián Alfredo Fernández Niño.

It may interest you: study on Ivermectin in Cali did not leave encouraging results

Therefore, the Ministry of Health indicated that together with the Ministry of Interior, it has arranged selective measures for those municipalities with the highest growth. “However, this will not be enough to stop the increase in cases and deaths in these regions, which will be observed during the month of January and which can become serious if we do not take further measures,” warned the director.

“In other parts of the country, smaller growth is observed, but that
they can accelerate, ”said Fernández, adding that much of this is explained by the low perception of risk and the relaxation of the measures that paradoxically has decreased in a month where more transmission has grown than in previous months.

With these warnings, a great impact is expected in January 2021, which is aggravated by the shortage of some intensive care drugs, which is currently a global problem despite Colombia’s efforts to guarantee supply; as well as the increase in violent events such as road accidents, fights and fights that are traditionally associated with the consumption of liquor in these festivals.

Also read: Covid-19 patients would be evacuated to other departments due to ICU occupation in the Valley

“The crowds in a scene of festivities in which people lowered the perception of risk, together with the historical increase in car accidents at the end and beginning of the year, plus the stress on the health system that is occurring in some regions with low UCI availability generates a very worrying scenario for the country, ”said the official.

recommendations

Given the panorama described, from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection the invitation is for citizens to avoid meetings with people who are not cohabitants of the home, not to visit older adults or sick people as much as possible, to wear masks permanently, especially in closed spaces, guarantee the ventilation of houses and minimize participation in non-essential meetings.

“These end of the year festivities are going to add a burden to the health system, it is important that we consider alternative celebrations using virtual technologies. Even though we are facing a critical scenario, we can still change this story or reduce the impact, ”Fernández said, adding that the behaviors we adopt can save lives.