The new coronavir pandemic has highlighted serious shortcomings in European healthcare systems, according to a report released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Thursday 19 November.
Staff shortages have proved to be a much more serious problem than hospital beds, the report concludes, stating that temporary hospitals could be set up sooner than new staff could be trained.
The report also states that governments need to find better strategies to ease restrictions in order to avoid full quarantine regimes.
It is particularly important to increase testing and tracing of infection chains, the report emphasizes.
“Most countries (..) had problems expanding testing, which limited the effectiveness of testing and contact tracking. This did not give them much opportunity to control the spread of the virus during the first wave, making it necessary to impose stricter restrictions, “the report said.
Prohibitions on big events, work from home and wearing face masks proved successful, the report concluded.
The OECD also noted that the pandemic hit the elderly, the poor, ethnic minorities and people living in poor areas particularly hard, due in part to limited access to health care.
The organization stressed that this situation highlights the need to focus on social factors that affect human health.
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