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Today a working meeting will take place at the headquarters of the 6th Health District, on the operational management of the COVID-19 epidemic in Acaya and Etoloakarnania (photo: INTIME NEWS).
The number of daily cases is constantly increasing, each time exceeding 400, focusing on Attica, but also with the spread throughout almost the entire territory are the characteristics of the coronavirus pandemic in our country, which has been evolving during the last ten days. Yesterday 407 cases of the new virus were announced in the country, of which 56 are related to known outbreaks and 25 were detected after controls at the country’s gateways. Four additional patient deaths were recorded (424 deaths in total due to COVID-19 in Greece), while 88 patients were admitted to the ICU by intubation. Almost half of the cases were detected in Attica (194), while the epidemic is advancing in Ioannina (26 cases yesterday), Acaya (11) and Kozani (29). It is observed that yesterday cases were detected in 36 regional units of the country, a very high number reminiscent of August, but when the population was highly mobile due to holidays. Civil Protection announced an increase in measures and the mandatory use of a mask indoors and outdoors for the regional units of Ioannina and Kozani.
At the same time, the number of healthcare professionals – doctors, nurses, and other staff – testing positive for the coronavirus is increasing. According to the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Employees, from the beginning of August to the present, 300 health workers (800 since the start of the pandemic) have been infected with the coronavirus, while yesterday was the number of doctors and nurses who were on sick leave due to COVID-19. at 130. As POEDIN President Michalis Giannakos stated, “The spread of the virus in Ioannina and Western Greece is great, something that can be seen in sick healthcare professionals.” In particular, according to him, yesterday 23 health workers from hospitals and health structures in Ioannina, Agrinio and Achaia were ill. It is worth noting that EKAB President Nikos Papaefstathiou and EKAB Athens Director of Medical Services Dimitris Pyrros today visit the Extraordinary Branches of EKAB Patras and Agrinio, as well as the Health units of these two cities. At the same time, they will have a working meeting at the headquarters of the VI Health District, for the operational management of the COVID-19 epidemic in Acaya and Etoloakarnania.
The pillars of prevention
The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) yesterday issued revised guidelines on the measures to be taken in health structures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, recalling studies that show that front-line health personnel are has tripled up to four times the risk of contracting the coronavirus compared to people in the community. It affirms that the pillars of prevention, respect for distances, hand hygiene and the correct use of protection measures remain. Among the measures mentioned is that the administration of the Health Units must ensure adequate means of protection and the availability of laboratory tests for staff and patients. Front-line medical personnel should always wear a medical mask, and the use of gloves and an apron is required when there is a risk of exposure to bodily fluids and should be changed after contact with each patient. In urgent cases, the use of a mask is required by visitors, patients, while distances must be respected.
According to the ECDC, doctors and nurses with symptoms should be quarantined. If they test positive for the coronavirus, they continue the quarantine for 14 days or for ten days if the new test is negative). A 14-day quarantine is also recommended for asymptomatic patients with a positive coronavirus test.
