Sign in preparation for the second wave of coronavirus: epidemiologists do not bear huge burdens

The meeting on the preparations for the second wave of COVID-19 was organized on Tuesday by the opposition faction of the Lithuanian Christian National-Democratic Union (TS-LKD).

After receiving a question about workloads, R. Lingienė stated that at NVSC they are huge, salaries are not high, some specialists leave work without maintaining tension.

More than 20 employees have left the office since mid-March. It is true that NVSC specialists are assisted by just under 200 volunteers.

“There is a lack of epidemiologists in Lithuania, that is a fact,” he emphasized.

R. Lingienė mentioned that not only epidemiologists are lacking, but also public health specialists.

“Our institution lacks reals, impossible to call, salaries are not competitive and this is a really big problem. Because in practice people from other fields are accepted, which is not the best solution either ”, he pointed out.

At the same time, R. Lingienė said that he believes that specialists manage their work well enough.

“But of course we have to prepare for the coming second wave and understand the people in order to sustain it. Because again, as you can see, there is a change and there is enough change of employees: they can no longer bear huge loads. This difficult situation does not end as quickly as we would like, so yes, we do have a problem with a shortage of professionals. But they started missing today and not yesterday. They have been missing for several years: a dozen epidemiologists are simply on the decline. People are not interested in finishing this specialty and going to work, ”stressed the director of the NVSC Vilnius branch.

But of course we must prepare for the second wave that is coming and understand the people in order to sustain it. Because again, as you can see, there is a change and there is enough change of employees – they can no longer bear huge loads.

The number of positions has been increased

A.Veryga emphasized that in an emergency, when an unforeseen situation occurs, not only specialists from NVSC are used, but also specialists from other institutions.

“There are orders for our subordinate institutions to delegate people who often have a public health education and can help there: and help find fireplaces or do some other work that is important to the NVSC,” the Minister of Health told the journalists at the Seimas.

He also mentioned that the number of positions at the NVSC had been increased, additional money had been allocated and new staff had been hired.

A.Veryga explained that in theory it could happen that we reach the level of coronavirus cases, when epidemiologists simply will not be able to find so many contacts, they will not be able to contact all of them.

“It just came to our notice then. But you will probably agree that we cannot prepare workers for such emergencies, because it would mean that they will be sitting down and having nothing to do when the COVID-19 epidemic is over. It is probably not a good either. option ”, emphasized the minister.

You will probably agree that we cannot prepare workers for such emergencies, because it would mean that they will be sitting and having nothing to do when the COVID-19 epidemic ends. That too probably wouldn’t be a good option.

When asked if at least during the coronavirus pandemic, there were no plans to increase the salaries of NVSC employees, Veryga said money was allocated to pay for overtime.

“Anyway, in the public sector, salaries are not the ones that seem to motivate people a lot. But again, what do I hear when we pay those salaries or bonuses? “The ministry paid off, the subordinate institutions paid off, the party during the plague” and the like. Is this what we want? Do we really want to motivate those people and do they realize that they are working hard, or do we immediately start saying and explaining that it is a party during the plague and people don’t seem to be rewarded for their work? “said the Minister of Health.

Began to register for research

Member of the Seimas Aistė Gedvilienė explained that people who have had direct contact with the sick, for example, driving a vehicle and sitting next to them, contacting and informing the NVSC, publicly complain that until they have no symptoms, not only do they not They receive instructions or isolation. , but they are not contacted for up to 8 days or not contacted due to the contacts they have.

According to the politician, people experiencing coronavirus symptoms are heard calling the hotline and have to wait 3-4 hours after calling.

A.Gedvilienė asked why such situations arise and residents complain that they do not receive qualified help.

“As for the allegations that I have heard, that should not be the case. You just have to look at each case. But I would very much like to reject the accusations about the organization of the investigation, because it is a completely different institution doing this, it is the Crown Hotline in 1808, which until now has nothing to do with our center. It would be wrong to tell me something about the organization of the investigation, ”commented the head of the NVSC Vilnius department.

R. Lingienė said that since Monday, NVSC epidemiologists, who work with exposed people, immediately register them for a coronavirus test.

“Until then, our specialists worked on a job, then people who had contact had to call 1808 and it was very annoying. Now we are registering it ourselves, “he said.

In response to statements due to the fact that epidemiologists have not been in contact with people for a long time, R. Lingienė explained that 80% of people were identified in time a week ago. exposed persons.

Vytautas Usonis, licensed doctor of medical sciences, professor at the Department of Pediatrics at Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, consultant to the Children’s Hospital Pediatric Center, emphasized that the public lacks information on who is in contact and when a person should get tested for COVID-19.

“Because it can be misleading if the study is done too early. There are deadlines for when the research should be done, what the research should be. Such a myth of these rapid tests floats here with us and sometimes the public does not imagine the tests that they would like to give to professionals ”, pointed out the professor.

Because taking an investigation prematurely can be misleading. There are deadlines for when the investigation should be done, what the investigation should be.

Lack of cooperation

When asked what principles are used to make decisions about, say, self-isolation, school work, how to decide on crisis management, if there is an algorithm when certain mechanisms are activated, R. Lingienė explained, on behalf of the implementing body .

Decisions are made by the Ministry of Health and the Government. However, epidemiologists also participate in the ministry every morning to discuss new cases of infections.

R. Lingienė assured that both epidemiologists and scientists also participate in the working groups formed by the Government.

According to the head of the Vilnius branch of the NVSC, the greatest spread of coronavirus is recorded in outbreaks, such as Raseiniai. The answer to it all depends on how the chimneys are managed.

Professor V. Usonis said there was a lack of cooperation between the individual chains. So sometimes very centralized decisions are made without properly establishing the content.

Commenting on the population survey, V. Usonis explained that too few people were surveyed to be able to talk about the population survey. The most important question, in his opinion, is what’s next, where are we going? At this point, he said, there is also a lack of dialogue.

Why differently from Sweden?

Seimas member Ingrida Šimonytė recalled that the NVSC announced that with the increasing number of people suffering from coronavirus, it would no longer publish detailed data on their routes.

R. Lingienė explained that the idea was that the detailed data of each case would no longer be published, because there are too many. However, the most important information about it is sure to be published.

Seimas member Kęstutis Masiulis noted that in Sweden, information about the coronavirus is provided by specialists, not politicians. In Lithuania everything is the other way around.

R. Lingienė explained that it provides statistical, epidemiological and other information relevant to society. According to the head of the Vilnius department of the NVSC, there are no obstacles to providing it.

V.Usonis noted that there is a great lack of an official analytical position. Although epidemiological information is provided, it is too specific for the public to understand.