The Odesa region is at the forefront of the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic city infectious hospital. ElitExpert spoke with the chief physician of the medical institution, Svetlana Lavryukova, who recently entered the rating of the 100 most influential people of the Odessa region. The doctor records a decrease in the number of new cases, but warns that it is too early to relax...
— The number of sick and fatal cases is decreasing across the country. Another wave of Covid-19 is also in Odessa is on the decline. What is the current situation with hospital occupancy compared to the autumn peak?
- Now, as in all hospitals of the city and region, the number of patients has decreased - fortunately. But at the same time, the number of seriously ill patients is still high. The fact is that a significant number of patients who are initially admitted to the hospital are already in a very serious condition and need oxygen support. Among them are patients with chronic pathologies and not only: this is the main malignancy of this strain. A very sudden onset and very quickly developing symptoms of a serious clinic. But speaking as a whole, the number of patients has significantly decreased.
If earlier at the peak we received 20-35 patients per day, now, for example, on Tuesdays, after the weekend - 15-20 patients. On average, 15 patients a day are admitted. On this Monday, 8 patients were admitted per day. Let's see what happens next.
— What is the occupancy rate of the infectious disease hospital now?
— Today, there are 228 patients in the hospital. The vast majority of these patients are in serious condition and require intensive care.
— In recent months, problems with oxygen have been observed in Odessa. Is the infectious disease hospital sufficiently supplied with oxygen?
— We have 4 large cryocylinders. And during the last two weeks, we installed two oxygen stations. This greatly facilitated our work. Our oxygen consumption has decreased and the pressure does not decrease when we refuel it: the oxygen station compensates for this. That is, we have become more relaxed about oxygen consumption. In principle, the last two weeks we have a fairly stable situation.
— How much has the oxygen consumption in the hospital decreased?
— Earlier, at the peak of the wave, we used 5-6 tons per day. Now, on average, 3-4 tons are consumed. In the last few days, the amount of oxygen used per day has decreased by one and a half times. This happened due to the installed oxygen station.
— Earlier you stated about the shortage of medical personnel, especially anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists. This problem has existed for a long time in almost every medical institution that treats Covid-patients. Has this problem gone? with a decrease in the number of patients?
- Fortunately, we have enough personnel. All these years and a half, we have been working almost as a team. Units leave.
Of course, there is always a need for anesthesiologists, but so far we are coping. We currently have 19 employees involved in the fight against COVID-600. Last year, we introduced additional positions in order to increase the number of staff. From 530-540, they increased it to six hundred, because if there are 30 seriously ill patients in the department, it is very difficult for three nurses to cope. It is also difficult for paramedics, because every patient requires attention.
— The next strain, Omicron, is already rapidly spreading around the world. What are your predictions regarding this strain, which is even more dangerous than "Delta"?
- You see, we have already encountered the Indian strain and Delta, which was completely different from the British strain and from the original one. I think it will be difficult for us. So far, we cannot say anything concrete, because there is no experience, but judging by what scientists write, it is more virulent. This means that you should expect a very fast spread. For example, in this autumn outbreak, the number of "family centers" increased several times. If earlier last year someone in the family was sick, and the rest did not get sick, then this time if one family member got sick, then the virus cannot escape the other.
And in the case of Omicron, I think that, unfortunately, we will have a hard time.
