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A cross-sectional study in the population of Belgrade showed that only 23 percent of citizens are ready to receive the vaccine and up to 45 percent have yet to make up their minds. That is why it is necessary to launch a campaign for Covid 19 vaccination, he says in an interview for “Blic” prof. Tatjana Pekmezović, director of the Institute of Epidemiology.
In addition to campaign planning, Dr. Pekmezović points out that there is also an urgent need to plan and prepare for the distribution and administration of coronavirus vaccines.
You recently worked with colleagues on a study on directions for an adequate health sector response to the challenges of the Covid 19 epidemic. What was the subject of the study and what are the conclusions?
– The study was created in cooperation with the Serbian American Chamber of Commerce with the Institute of Economics and the Institute of Epidemiology at the Belgrade Medical School. The study was conducted during the epidemic, from August to the end of October 2020, and covers three key areas: epidemiological analysis and policies applied to combat the Covid 19 epidemic, analysis of the availability of basic health services during the pandemic, and analysis of assumptions for adequate immunization.
The main conclusions in the epidemiological part are that it is necessary to provide additional testing capacities and strengthen the epidemiological surveillance system. A cross-sectional study in the population of Belgrade showed that only 23 percent of citizens are ready to receive the vaccine and up to 45 percent have yet to make up their minds. For this reason, it is necessary to launch a social marketing campaign for Covid 19 vaccination. In addition, there is an urgent need to plan and prepare for the distribution and administration of Covid 19 vaccines.
What is the impact of the pandemic on patients without kovid?
– Thank you for this question, which is not such a common topic, especially on the days when a large number of patients and deaths from Covid 19 diseases are registered. In the first half of 2020, all the services of the health centers provided one-fifth fewer services compared to the same period last year, and in adult health care services the volume of services delivered decreased by 26.8 percent. In the first half of 2020, the volume of services provided in inpatient health care institutions decreased by 39 percent, compared to the 2016-2019 average. years. In the long term, reducing the volume of healthcare will have negative consequences for the health of the population.
How to improve the availability of health services for non-kovid patients?
– Three basic principles are recommended to increase the availability of services in the next period. The first is to adjust the way health institutions operate to ensure minimal risk to patients and medical staff, then increase cooperation through public-private partnerships that would increase the availability of basic health services, from the cooperation related to tests we urgently need to other services. are deficient during a pandemic. And finally, a more meaningful use of digital technology and telemedicine. The key benefits of telemedicine at the time of a pandemic are: reducing potential exposure to infections and healthcare workers and patients and ensuring the continuity of preventive, chronic and routine medical care.
In the study, he also investigated what awaits us in the next period.
– In the current study, we analyze the choice of methodological approach for response planning and the key directions for managing the epidemic in the next period. They go in the direction of increasing testing capacity, strengthening epidemiological surveillance and strengthening the capacity of the health system, with the objective of reducing the scope of the disease to a number that allows its proper functioning. Planning, decision-making on the implementation of measures, and monitoring of their implementation implies the commitment of all sectors to the coordination of central institutions.
We have a large number of newly infected people on a daily basis, should we have started with more restrictive measures earlier?
– The decision-making process on the application of non-pharmacological preventive measures must be based on epidemiological data and evaluations, on the one hand, and on the monitoring of their effects on the population, on the other. Therefore, a certain set of preventive measures can at one time keep the epidemic under control, but at another time it is necessary to strengthen the measures to avoid the exponential growth of patients. When the measures are implemented sufficiently, there will not be a big growth spurt. In addition, when the beginning of the growth of the number of new infected people in a population is determined, regardless of the measures already in place, it means that they no longer work and that they must be reinforced or the strategy changed. What is a key recommendation is that preventive measures be adopted based on objective epidemiological indicators and criteria.
With the advent of the vaccine, will life finally return to normal?
– The whole world hopes so. Immunization is an achievement of civilization and a measure that has saved lives and alleviated disability for centuries. But until the vaccines against Covid 19 arrive, we must be consistent in the implementation of the recommended general preventive measures. Pandemic fatigue must not be allowed to overwhelm us.
Herd immunity
Why don’t we yet know how long the immunity acquired after the coronavirus has lasted?
– That question is very difficult to answer. Intensive research is underway around the world, and what is certain for now is that immunity after Covid 19 disease is not only based on the specific antibodies produced, but also includes the immune response of T cells. Regarding its duration, the results of the studies are very inconsistent. Therefore, it is important to know that the notion of herd immunity is not equivalent to a set of individuals in a population who have specific antibodies against the SARS-Cov-2 virus.
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