Last summer, the virologists from the northern hemisphere lived the southern slopes. Australia and Argentina went through their winter averaging “wave” of early flu. This respiratory infection had its peak in June in these countries, but now it was before May, according to data provided on Monday by the Director of the Chuac shelter, Alejandro Ávila. And that trend too it is now observed in Galicia, as in the rest of Spain. “There’s a early increase in cases with hospitalizations already in the 36th week of the year when they first came after ”, Ávila advanced. To counter this confluence of flu and COVID, the health area of A Coruña and Cee drive your Influenza emergency plan and the Respiratory infections. So far, it has already reached the influenza vaccination of nearly 66% of over-60s: highest percentage of Galician health areas for that age.
The data provided are as follows: that flu vaccination is 65.65% with more than 115,000 vaccinated among the over 60s. The COVID vaccine has achieved more than this season 140,000 elderly people in the health area. In this sense, the assistance director Pedro Marcos Rodríguez underlines that “we are happy”.
As of this Monday, the campaign for cohabitants of people at risk yes for the rest of the population. in the rest of sanitary areas, the vaccination rate against influenza is as follows: Ourense 64.68%, Ferrol 62.85%, Santiago 62.77%, Lugo 59.69%, Pontevedra 59.51% and Vigo 52.59% (Galician average of 61.46 %).
Areas such as Emergencies, Preventive Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Pneumology or Microbiology work in Emergency plan A Coruña serving “a time of year when the Respiratory infections and to which must be added the COVID, which is there all year round”, points out the director of Chuac. Also, Louis Green remember that “all this must be combined with our care business”. The goal of the plan is to “avoid the more serious consequences due to infection or outbreaks occur, prevent peak demand in the different aidsprovide better patient care and improve drainage in emergency departments.”
While the COVID stabilizes, the flu has an earlier peak in Galicia. The hospitalized for flu or COVID in the health area yesterday at noon there were 65 (none in intensive care), but the average reached 75 days earlier Dr. Ávila recognizes that “our area receives a greater impact than the rest of Galicia”. In anticipation of the significant increase in demand in the various health facilities in the area, the Emergency plan.
They indicate from Chuac that “one of the main problems we face is the Quick expansion (of the respiratory infections and flu), hence the need to remember and insist on additional measures and hand hygiene between professionals and carers”.
Influenza is classified as a viral illness, mild in most cases, which can cause symptoms such as fever of 38 degrees or more in the early stages, general malaise, sore throat, cough, headache, generalized muscle aches, nasal congestion, vomiting and diarrhea Contagion occurs through droplets of saliva and nasal secretions when speaking, coughing or sneezing … or by touching objects contaminated by the virus.
New this year
As a novelty compared to last year, the Chuac highlights the incorporation of a specific plan in the pediatric fieldthe optimization of diagnostic tests and their times, the promotion of the U-MAX program (a tool that allows the relatives of the patient who enters the Emergency Department to have information on their whereabouts, as well as other data) and the adaptation of the Emergency Department circuits to the outbreaks.
Other innovations are priority of complementary tests before patients are discharged (radiological, Sintrom…) so that they can leave the hospital as soon as possible, and the creation of alternative circuits to hospitalization by sending them to specific visits (Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Pulmonary or Digestive Medicineor).
In his opinion sanitary area of A Coruña and Ceethe Plan will serve “as a guide for action for contingencies that may occur as a result of the flu, COVID waves Respiratory infections”. It can be updated or reviewed according to clinical and epidemiological criteria and includes prevention measures (vaccination, information), treatment (primary care, emergency room, hospitalization) and management (drainage in the emergency room, space optimization and surgical planning).
