Release from Quarantine: Medical Anxiety: Younger and Younger Patients Needing Hospital Help

According to data from April 20, the occupation of places of hospitalization for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 in the Vilnius region reaches 85%, and resuscitation and intensive care, 90%.

It can also be related to quarantine releases

According to Aušra Bilotienė Motiejūnienė, Director of Management of the Santara Clinics of the Vilnius University Hospital, which organizes the COVID-19 processes in the Vilnius region, due to the non-decreasing number of critically ill patients, there is a greater need for resuscitation and care facilities intensive.

As of Monday, the Santara clinics are reorganizing their work, adjusting patient flows and creating 8 additional resuscitation sites, a total of 67 resuscitation sites and intensive care for patients with severe COVID-19.

“It just came to our attention then. Resuscitation beds and there is a risk that all resuscitation beds will be occupied in the near future. only in our Vilnius hospital, but also in the entire Vilnius region.

Now we have a 90% occupancy. resuscitation beds and there is a risk that all resuscitation beds will be occupied in the near future.

The change came on Monday and the flow of patients is likely also related to quarantined releases. Without a doubt, conscience is very important – what we can give up, let us give up where we cannot get involved – let’s not get involved, because we see that patients are younger at this time: from 41 to 60 years, we have more complicated. forms before getting vaccinated. I can also say that the average age of patients currently being treated in resuscitation is 52 years, ”said A. Bilotienė Motiejūnienė about very young patients.

According to A.Bilotienė Motiejūnienė, changes are inevitable not only in the Santara clinics, in the city of Vilnius, but also in the entire Vilnius region, which is preparing to receive more difficult patients. Especially looking forward to the weekend.

Vilnius City Clinical Hospital once again stopped providing other services, so the beds for COVID-19 patients, there is enough equipment to treat them, only the staff is missing.

According to A.Bilotienė Motiejūnienė, doctors from other personal health care institutions in the region are being tried.

The change came on Monday and the flow of patients is likely also related to quarantined releases.

Seimas member Paulius Saudargas, who previously volunteered in the COVID-19 wards of Vilnius hospitals, announces that shooters are welcome here again; called those who could contribute to respond.

“We are organizing another information meeting for those who want to join the aid in the R areas,” wrote the parliamentarian on Facebook.

It is important not to slow down the vaccination.

Head of the Kaunas Region Management Group for COVID-19 Disease doc. Dr. Vaidotas Gurskis also confirmed that the increase in the flow of incoming patients is also observed in the Kaunas region.

“The number of patients arriving per month who are hospitalized in active treatment beds increased 2.4 times, that is, from 12 to 29 patients per day. Bed occupancy is also increasing. As of April 19, there were 273 patients in active inpatient treatment beds (bed occupancy 84%, total number of beds currently allocated is 325). Of these, 83 percent. patients received oxygen therapy.

25 patients are treated in resuscitation beds (employment is 59%, of 42 beds). Of these latter patients, 68% received artificial lung ventilation. As employment increases, the number of beds will increase, “said V. Gurskis.

According to him, the most important thing right now is vaccination:

“The only factor that will stop the spread of the infection in the next month will be the number and percentage of people who receive the first dose of the vaccine. This week 94,080 doses of the vaccine have already been received, which is enough to maintain a high vaccination rate.

If we manage to vaccinate an average of 14-15 thousand. vaccine doses per day, after 4-5 weeks. we will have 40 percent. Lithuanian populations vaccinated, ie 50 percent. vaccinated adult populations. Vaccination of key risk groups will also be completed according to the priority list. By expanding preventive testing and meeting other mandatory safety requirements, we can expect that quarantine releases will not significantly increase the number of critically ill patients treated in hospitals. “

The only factor that will stop the infection from spreading in the next month will be the number and percentage of people receiving the first dose of the vaccine.

Without fear, but with caution

Vinsas Janušonis, chief physician at Klaipėda University Hospital (KUL), says that the doctors at this hospital are optimistic about the situation, without fear, but with caution.

“Although the lessons learned apply in the second year of working with COVID-19 patients, the coronavirus still has many unknowns that no one can predict. There is some concern about the appearance of coronavirus outbreaks, the appearance of unknown strains of COVID-19, and the appearance of coronavirus in vaccinated physicians in almost all regions. We are closely monitoring the situation. According to the established procedure in the hospital, the hospital employees are systematically and periodically examined preventively, ”says the boss. doctor.

According to V. Janušonis, the situation is relatively stable so far. A total of 45 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated for COPD, 7 of whom are in the intensive care unit.

“It is important to understand that the number of beds is not the most important indicator to assess the situation. There will be as many beds as we need, we have a reservation. In total, there are currently 140 beds for COVID-19 patients in the region, half of which are occupied. There are 36 resuscitation beds in the region, half of which are occupied ”, commented the manager.

Coronavirus outbreaks, unknown strains of COVID-19, and coronavirus cases in vaccinated physicians are concerning.

Head of the Republican Hospital of Klaipeda Dr. Darius Steponkus is also optimistic. According to him, after the liberation of the movement, there could have been increased morbidity for Klaipeda, but so far this has not happened.

This is due, according to the doctor, to the discipline of the people themselves, to a greater adherence to hygiene.

“I am a doctor myself, I see every healthy person as a patient who has not been fully studied, because you can expect some kind of threat all the time. The current situation in Klaipeda compared to Vilnius and Kaunas is there, the number of diseases there is very impressive and alarming. In our municipality and city, throughout the region, the incidence is not so high, but it already occurs in certain foci and in some treatment facilities, although doctors have developed immunity after vaccination or illness, and the incidence is really low.

This is optimistic, but the patients are not so sick and vaccinated as to watch calmly, D. Steponkus said. – The decision to release was inevitable, because these social problems have to end one day, and we will see immediately if that moment has been chosen. I am optimistic about the future. No matter how the number of diseases increases, vaccination is also carried out in spring, hot weather, so there are enough barriers for the spread of the virus, more presence in the open air ”.

Currently, the hospital does not have the large number of patients with coronavirus infection as it did in the fall and winter. According to D. Steponkus, there are currently around 20 patients, when five times more were treated during the peak at that time.

“Doctors could be happy, but anxiety about Vilnius and Kaunas has continued. Another trend is that younger patients who need hospital care must be transferred to resuscitation. A quarter of patients who need resuscitation care. The threat it has a small scope, but the existence of the threat is very problematic, “said the chief. doctor.

The Statistics Department announced on Tuesday that 1,138 new cases of COVID-19 had been identified in the country last day, resulting in the death of nine people from the infectious disease.