Between the coronavirus epidemic and the activity linked to the massive arrival of tourists on the north coast of Ille-et-Vilaine, the doctors of SOS Médecins have their work cut out for them in July. While the workforce is sufficient to carry out the necessary visits and consultations, the vice-president of SOS Médecins in Saint-Malo Benoît Gombert notes a sharp increase in activity: “Since the beginning of July and the arrival of summer visitors, the activity has doubled in visits and consultations. Our numbers really stick with the height of summer, around August 15th.“
In total, SOS Médecins carried out 540 consultations and visits last week. The Covid-19 only partially explains the increase in activity: “The activity around the Covid is mixed. At SOS Médecins we don’t really have any positive cases, but we are called upon to investigate cases, which is quite normal. For any declared symptom, we have to see people. And then we have all the sores of summer activity: heatstroke, the suture to be done, the fall in the rocks …“
So far, no positive case has been directly treated by a member of SOS Médecins in Saint-Malo. But Dr Gombert remains vigilant: “With deconfinement, other viruses that may resemble circulate again. It is up to us to welcome the patients, to take stock of the medical situation and not to hesitate to prescribe an RT-PCR test.”
To allow the multiplication of tests, the Biorance laboratory has expanded its capacities, and the times for being screened are currently between 24 and 48 hours according to Benoît Gombert.
–
