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How did private healthcare providers respond to the epidemic? Our hybrid conference reveals:
The number of coronavirus infections in Hungary has risen sharply since the end of August, and it is no wonder that the epidemic has a significant impact on the lives of companies. Dr. András Spányik, a Doktor24 Medical Director of the Health Center According to him, it would still be difficult to draw conclusions about how the pandemic has shaped the HR culture of companies, since we are not far from the crisis, as the expert says, we are in the middle.
At the occupational health service provider, however, they have seen an increase in the role of healthcare in companies since March, recognizing that if employees leave work due to illness, it is also a significant attrition for the company.
“What has been common for a long time in Western Europe is that very serious physical and mental examinations are present in the life of companies, this is now more pronounced in our country. This is mostly in the form of workplace exams, but they ask for advice and help with prevention. how to organize work rationally to preserve the health of workers, what protective equipment should be purchased and how to rationally select workers.
Continuous and irrational evaluation does not necessarily serve the interests of employers, it can easily be a waste of money
Said the specialist.
A developed protocol is needed
The specialist does not necessarily recommend screening employees at specific intervals, as only the degree of spread of the coronavirus within the organization will be informed to management at that time. This is not enough for safe work.
Dr. András Spányik emphasizes the need for a protocol. For example, if one of the workers is classified as infected with coronavirus at the time of symptoms, or if one of the workers is classified as infected with coronavirus, group tests and positive workers and contacts are highlighted, this can help to prevent the infection from spreading in the workplace. The expert highlighted when symptoms appear and the day before, the risk of infection increasesTherefore, it is important to spread the use of the mask as widely as possible, because it has been shown to have a very significant risk-reducing effect if you use all the masks present indoors.
It seems that the epidemic has really broken out in Hungary. Unfortunately, we are at the forefront of Europe in terms of the number of daily illnesses. It should not be misleading that the disease is spreading mainly in the younger age group, because older patients will also appear over time, as this trend can be observed in other countries. You need to be prepared for this
– he said, adding that under the current procedure, the new duration of epidemiological surveillance for contacts is 10 days and cannot be replaced by two negative PCR tests. At the same time, companies can choose to be more stringent than the procedure and make the return to the office subject to a negative PCR test.
Mass detection is the solution, but which test is reliable?
Since the arrival of the COVID-19 virus, the testing market has constantly expanded and evolved, said Dr. András Spányik, currently none of them give 100 percent reliable results, but of all, perhaps the PCR test is the most trustworthy. At the same time, sampling requires special sampling tools and experience, i
a properly trained and experienced person is required to perform this and improper sampling can result in a false negative result.
It can also lead to a false result if someone does not follow the instructions and eat, drink, smoke, chew, or brush their teeth before taking the test.
As for serological blood tests, he said, these are not yet standardized, it is not possible to judge how reliable the result is. In addition, there is the so-called window period, when the virus can already be detected by a PCR test, but serological tests still do not confirm it, because the body does not yet produce antibodies.
None of the serologic tests alone is adequate to demonstrate an acute infection.
Added. He has high hopes for an antibody test from a saliva sample, and the Department of Oral Biology at Semmelweis University is currently working on it in collaboration with several university clinics.
Dr. András Spányik pointed out that collecting and analyzing a saliva sample would be much simpler and faster than a PCR test, which would require neither contact nor professional staff, so it may be much more optimal to perform extensive screening tests quickly, However, while it appears on the market, it takes time.
The HIV virus can now be detected with 99.9 percent confidence with rapid tests, this is the time to come and it will greatly improve the diagnostic processes.
Commented. He also mentioned that based on his own experience, Doktor24 sees that the epidemic has broken out: they are constantly subjected to a significant amount of testing, in the words of one specialist, it is far beyond capacity. He also said that the new procedure of the National Center for Public Health, according to which a GP can classify a person infected with coronavirus without symptoms from a PCR test, that is, cough, fever or shortness of breath, or lack of taste or discomfort, it is for the moment. it did not result in companies stopping testing immediately.
Occupational health screenings have broken out
After outpatient care, screening tests, and occupational health screenings were also suspended in the spring after the outbreak, these have now accumulated significantly.
Our company serves 150-200 thousand people in occupational health, most of the companies were waiting for them during the summer holidays, and now they have requested massively in the fall. The number of examinations increased so much that we had to establish additional doctors
– said Dr. András Spányi, adding this year the demand for crisis interventions by companies also increased in autumn. A two-step crisis management process has also been developed, taking into account the need to ensure complete anonymity. As a first step, there is a monthly flat fee Crisis Line service, and as a second step, they also offer an online psychological consultation for employees.
The specialist said that many people are concerned about their livelihood if they will keep their job, a home office is very stressful for many, for example, and there are many who are anxious about a possible illness. These issues may not be adequately addressed by company management or HR, and there is a marked increase in employee stress in a precarious situation. They can be of great help from an experienced professional with whom they can discuss issues carefully.
The publication of this article was supported by Doktor24.
Cover image: Getty Images
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