[ad_1]
“The availability of vaccines is very important, but no less important is the vaccination process and the communication campaign to invite people and convince them that they need to be vaccinated. The second part of the goal is essential at this time.
We have another month to implement this challenge, to break the rhythm of vaccination, but additional measures are required, ”S. Krėpšta said at a press conference on Monday.
According to him, the availability of vaccination sites should be improved. Hopes are pinned on mobile vaccination teams.
Will the quarantine end?
Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys does not believe that the cases of the Delta variety identified in Lithuania could change the plans for ending the quarantine. According to the minister, June may be the last month of quarantine, only the state of emergency would remain.
“At the moment, it seems that we are handling the situation with the means that we have,” said A. Dulkys.
“Until now, we still believe that June could be the last month of quarantine. Only an extreme situation would come later,” he added.
Pandemic Lessons
According to Mindaugas Stankūnas, a professor at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Lithuania had to learn from the pandemic how important leadership, open communication, evidence-based solutions and preparedness of the health sector for crisis are. .
In addition, specialists noted that the possible threat of infectious diseases in Lithuania had been forgotten. As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic struck unexpectedly. “It seems to me that we have underestimated infectious diseases. They were not seen as a real threat that could lead to a pandemic of this magnitude. This led us to accept the threat under such conditions.
We had an outdated infrastructure both technically and morally. We have lost our skills on how to behave during pandemics, ”said Kęstutis Stašaitis, Director of Medicine and Nursing of the Kaunas Clinics, at the health forum held in the Presidency on Monday.
What kind of leadership is needed?
The professor noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened the public’s understanding that Lithuania is part of the global world. However, the ample opportunities to travel and study also present certain risks. The epidemic has shown that problems are common.
These are also our problems, which the coronavirus experience has shown can be very painful. Therefore, the fight against COVID-19 will not be finally won in Lithuania until it is controlled in other countries of the world as well, ”said M. Stankūnas.
He said the coronavirus pandemic highlighted the importance of leadership. The scientific literature discusses exactly what kind of leadership is needed. It is questionable whether charismatic leadership would be the best.
“On the contrary, a charismatic leader can persuade you to make decisions that will not always be the best ones. It is emphasized that the most important thing in the fight against a pandemic is rapid response, good coordination, evidence-based solutions and communication of these solutions, in a spirit of cooperation, ”said the professor.
According to him, the best decisions are made based on the experience of scientists, professionals and members of society.
Mr. Stankūnas noted that in the face of the COVID-19 crisis, there was no clear and widely supported leader, as in New Zealand.
“This deficiency has been compensated by several episodes of leadership, which have allowed us to see the potential of our country,” said the professor.
Accusations don’t work
The subject of communication is also very important. According to M. Stankūnas, open communication with the public should be based on short and clear messages, which would be transmitted first by scientists and health professionals, but not by politicians.
“It is also important to highlight good examples of behavior, not bad, when communicating with the public,” suggested the professor, adding that last fall the Council of Health Experts issued communication recommendations that remain relevant today.
Paulius Skruibis, associate professor at the Vilnius University Institute of Psychology, emphasized that the tone of public information should not be objectionable. Although they are justified, reproach only irritates society, causes an effect of rejection and mistrust.
“When a person starts to blame, they just get angry. The tone of the information should not be too reprehensible, but a patient and detailed presentation of the information, said P. Skruibis.
The importance of advertising
M. Stankūnas emphasized that scientific facts and experience must take priority in decision-making in the management of a pandemic. Many countries that have successfully battled COVID-19 have established temporary expert advisory committees.
The Lithuanian president established a similar council in October last year.
According to the professor, this brought more publicity to the handling of the pandemic.
“All the material that was shown to the president was soon made public, and at press conferences after the meetings, experts and advisers discussed the material and the decisions made,” recalled M. Stankūnas.
He said the pandemic also showed the importance of data. Thanks to them, it was possible to predict the course of the pandemic in a short-term perspective quite accurately.
