“An Italian colleague told me: ‘It’s hell’
On February 28, 2020, the first Covid patient was admitted to the CHUV. The head of the Infectious Diseases Service remembers.
–Professor Thierry Calandra, infectious disease specialist at CHUV.
Eric Déroze SAM CHUV
Exactly two years ago, the CHUV took charge of its first confirmed case of Covid-19. A non-severe patient, admitted as a preventive measure. Professor Thierry Calandra, head of the Infectious Diseases Department, recounts this period of uncertainty.
“There were very difficult times; tough decisions to make.”
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At the time, did you measure the magnitude of what was going to happen?
You didn’t need to be a great diviner to tell yourself that it was going to be very complicated. It was enough to see what was happening in China and Italy. I remember calling an Italian colleague who told me: “These are just a few cases.” A few weeks later, his speech changed completely: “Thierry, it’s hell!” That was a major warning sign for me. We were concerned to know how high the wave would be and if our accommodation capacity was going to be sufficient. The aspect that was perhaps the most anxiety-provoking was planning the next move, knowing how far we should go in opening new structures (note: to cope with the influx of patients).
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