Surge in COVID-19 cases in January could be disastrous for health sector

Dec 29, 2020 News

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– Emergency Medicine Specialist warns

Kaieteur News – The Christmas season is often described as a time of merriment during which persons opt to unburden themselves of the challenges of the months gone by and instead relish carefree engagements.
But this Christmas season, as far as possible, it will be wise to not let your guard down, well at least not entirely, when it comes to COVID-19. This is the warning coming from Emergency Medicine Specialist, Dr. Zulfikar Bux, who is hoping that persons will continue to take precautionary measures even as diligent efforts are being made by the health sector to help keep the COVID-19 numbers at a minimum.
This, however, cannot be a reality, Dr. Bux noted, if many persons are refusing to adhere to simple safety measures. In fact some have even breathed a sigh of relief with the arrival of a vaccine on the horizon.

“As the developed world begins vaccination against the COVID-19 infection, many are beginning to celebrate and relax thinking that the end to the pandemic is near. This is far from reality as the pandemic will not end until there is about 70 to 80 percent vaccination worldwide. In Guyana, we have relaxed too much, especially in the month of December, where crowds are gathering to celebrate for the holidays. It worries me when I see this as I am on the frontlines and my experience there scares me as we approach the month of January,” Dr. Bux wrote in a recent column in this newspaper.
Reflecting on what happens in January from a medical practitioner’s standpoint, Dr. Bux revealed that during this month, “we tend to see a rise in numbers and severity of sick patients presenting for care. We are normally pushed to the brink with the amount of sick persons that we have to attend to after the holidays. The lavish eating and drinking that comes with the holidays, exacerbates underlying medical conditions and lead to many medical emergencies.”
To compound this, he said, there are many hospitalized patients from alcohol related illnesses and injuries that spill over into January and occupy bed spaces. Some persons with chronic diseases, he added, may either neglect their condition or their relatives neglect them during the holidays. The consequent, Dr. Bux explained, is that they eventually present in larger numbers in January from complications that arise with neglecting their health.
“As a result of these factors and others, hospitals are stretched to the limit whenever the month of January comes around,” said a concerned Dr. Bux.
Turning his attention to “massive gatherings” that have already been held for this month, Dr. Bux reminded that it has been ascertained that the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, thrives in gatherings and “if we are not careful, there is bound to be a surge in COVID-19 cases after the holidays.”
“Whether it may be from shopping, gift sharing, end of year luncheons or the end of year parties, many are taking the chance to have a ‘release’ as the year comes to an end,” said Dr. Bux as he worried that “a surge in cases will collide with all the other cases of sick patients that usually present for care in January.”
Already there have occasions when the public health sector, which has been dealing with the brunt of COVID-19 cases, has been overwhelmed with patients. Considering whether the health sector could cope with a further onslaught of cases,” Dr. Bux confessed, “I wish I knew this answer so that I would not have to worry about what will happen in January. The combination of a surge in sick patients with a surge in COVID-19 cases in January can only be disastrous for the health system.”
Expounding, he noted that if the system is overwhelmed, then patients will not receive optimal care as they will not be able to access usual medical services in an efficient and effective manner.
This is in light of the fact, he explained, that the number of health workers and the available space to take care of patients is finite and will not be sufficient if there is a surge in both COVID-19 and non COVID-19 cases in January. “My biggest fear is the scenario where care cannot be provided to patients because we ran out of space or there aren’t enough health workers. This is happening in the first world currently and we are not immune to this possibility. Can you imagine having COVID-19 and you cannot breathe and not being able to access oxygen because all the available oxygen ports are being used by other patients? This is the stark reality of the effects of the pandemic in some countries,” Dr. Bux underscored.
Moreover, the Emergency Medicine Specialist added, “What we do and how we behave in the next couple of weeks will determine if we break our health system in January 2021. We are in the middle of a pandemic and we cannot expect to be normal and celebrate the holidays like we usually do in other years.”
His advice is to “avoid gatherings, defer luncheons, shop online or do your shopping in spaces that are not crowded. If you are in a surrounding where you cannot be six feet apart from others, leave.”
According to Dr. Bux too, it is advisable that persons adapt a “no gathering” or “responsible celebration” attitude for the holidays and encourage others to do the same. “If we are successful at this, then January 2021 will be easier for us all and the sick will be able to access the care that they desperately need,” Dr. Bux assured.

 

 

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