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In recent days, the strategy of the Swedish Public Health Agency has been criticized, which consists mainly of vaccinating people in special homes for the elderly or those who have home care and people who come into close contact with them.
Neither intensive care, infection clinics nor emergency rooms belong to phase 1, but they must wait until phase 2 or 3.
Strategy annoys employees in intensive care at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, says Kai Knudsen, who works there as chief physician.
– There are many of us who are quite frustrated and irritated by not prioritizing that health personnel receive vaccines in the first round. We have made great efforts for a long time and we feel we cannot do more, he says.
Kai Knudsen believes that staff cannot know in advance which patients are infected when seeking care. For example, a stroke patient may later prove that they carry the virus.
– We are constantly at risk of becoming infected, including from colleagues and through social infections. We could avoid that through vaccination.
Sahlgrenska University Hospital he fears that the spread of the infection, and thus the number of hospitalized, will increase in relation to the Christmas and New Year weekend.
Kai Knudsen claims that many colleagues have already been ill with COVID-19 and that as the situation is now, they cannot afford to allow more people to become infected. Therefore, those who are most at risk of becoming infected and infecting others should be vaccinated quickly, especially those who work in intensive care, infection clinics and emergency rooms, not only in Sahlgrenska but throughout the country.
The most important thing is intensive care, he believes.
– We cannot allow the intensive care unit to collapse. It is a socially critical function.
Kai Knudsen notes that you have a different priority in other countries.
In Denmark, “front-line” personnel in hospitals, such as nurses and doctors in infection rooms, are among the first in line, says Danmarks Radio.
In Norway, the National Institute of Public Health has decided that care staff with close contact with patients in critical positions should receive vaccinations while living in nursing homes, reports NRK.
State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell at the Swedish Public Health Agency believes that Swedish healthcare is built on a clear platform, which means that people in greatest need should receive care first. Currently, the authority has no plans to change strategy, although Tegnell says he is open to a discussion.
– You must also remember that if you give priority to someone, you give priority to someone else. The amount of vaccine was determined, Anders Tegnell told DN on Thursday.
Kai Knudsen can understand that from an ethical and moral point of view they have chosen to prioritize the oldest, but at the same time they believe that they must have a social perspective.
– Should the Swedish Public Health Agency take responsibility for ensuring that intensive care works if we continue to be exposed to infections and lose staff?
Read more:
Tegnell does not want to change vaccine strategy, despite health criticism
Sahlgrenska wants to vaccinate health personnel immediately
