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“For several weeks now, the number of patients with COVID-19 has been growing slowly. Today, two-thirds of the COVID-19 beds in the Santara clinics are occupied,” said Professor Feliksas Jankevičius, Director General of the Clinics of Santara, on the Lietuvos Rytas television show, Nauja Diena.
According to him, the exponential growth of patients is threatening and likely to mean that the number of patients will be significantly higher in mid-September. “We run the risk of facing a situation similar to what we had last fall,” warned the professor.
It is true that he also mentioned a comforting fact. The number of critically ill patients treated in the intensive care unit is not that high. However, F. Jankevičius did not rule out the possibility that this situation could worsen at any time.
The professor stressed that vaccination and the use of personal protective equipment are the best protection against the COVID-19 disease. He recalled that 95 percent. The Santara clinic staff are vaccinated, working in the hope that the treatment center will meet preparedness for the escalating pandemic.
“We can hope that the doctors do not get sick and do not leave the front ranks of the fight,” expected F. Jankevičius.
He also encouraged the population to get vaccinated, because 100 percent. all patients who come to COVID-19 at the Santara clinics have not been vaccinated. “I don’t know how meaningful it is to say what the benefits of vaccines are,” added the professor.
Will it be possible to take care of other diseases?
F. Jankevičius admitted that the increasing number of patients with COVID-19 creates the danger that the fight against the pandemic “consumes” some of the care needed for the treatment of other diseases.
“You have to understand that the number of specialists is limited, and in cases where the pandemic reaches its peak, most of them launch into the fight against the coronavirus and then there are not enough hands to help other patients,” he explained. the head of the Santara clinics. .
He added that to avoid such problems, the treatment facility is preparing in advance for the worst-case scenario. For this, there is a plan to optimize the transfer of doctors from different fields to COVID-19 to minimize the work of other departments.
“The lessons we learned last year will certainly apply if the epidemiological situation worsens. There are some maneuvers we are prepared to do to limit the number of hands, enough people, and limit services to other patients. However, that risk persists, “said F. Jankevičius.
Already vaccinated with the third dose of the vaccine
As recently as last week, immunosuppressed individuals in immunosuppressed individuals at Santara clinics began receiving the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
“A Santara Clinics study identified patients who have a very weak immune response to vaccination. His antibody titer decreased very rapidly. These are patients with blood diseases, blood cancers, people after organ transplants receiving suppression of the immune system. These patients had to be vaccinated with a third dose to protect them from the coronavirus ”, explained F. Jankevičius.
According to him, no special reactions were observed to the third dose of the vaccine. Some patients experienced chills, but the professor emphasized that only normal short-term reactions to the immune response occurred.
F. Jankevičius emphasized that without vaccination of these people, a coronavirus outbreak among non-immune patients would have been threatened. According to him, the patients understood the danger that COVID-19 posed for their lives, so they all agreed to be vaccinated with a third dose of the vaccine.
“The coronavirus infection could have fatal consequences for these people. With this explained, the entire contingent of these patients readily and quickly agreed to receive the third dose of vaccination. It is done,” said the director of the Santara clinics.
Mandatory vaccination for doctors
Mandatory medical vaccination has already been debated in the public sphere. F. Jankevičius said he supported that idea, because a high level of immunization could help protect against future virus outbreaks.
“This (compulsory vaccination – aut. Note) should probably be done between doctors. Because the condition of patients also depends on their situation. I agree and would suggest following the example of other countries, announcing compulsory medical vaccination,” said the professor. .
He added that in cases where a doctor’s medical condition does not allow him to be vaccinated, exceptions should apply.
He said the study looked at changes in medical antibody titers after vaccines. It has been observed that for some it decreases more rapidly than for others. Doctors with an antibody titer low F. Jankevičius would suggest getting vaccinated with the third dose of the vaccine.
