The director of the Pediatric Hospital ‘Avelino Castelán’ de Resistencia, Alicia Michelini, urged to complete vaccination schemes and maintain basic biosecurity measures in the face of the growth of infections and consultations for diseases caused by seasonal viruses, which generate tension in the health system. pediatric.
‘This year we exceeded the numbers that we attended before the pandemic, that is, in 2019 or early 2020,’ explained the specialist in radio statements to the Libertad station.
In this context, he added that in recent weeks between 400 and 450 patients per day have been treated in the hospital guard, when before the landing of Covid-19 in the province the daily average was 300. Logically, the restrictions on movement during 2020 and 2021 they had drastically lowered the figures.
INCREASING INQUIRIES
The consultations are constant and are becoming more frequent, but these viral processes have three or four days in which they generate fever or low-grade fever and should not cause alarm when they do not evolve into more important conditions.
The vast majority are colds, laryngitis, tonsillitis, otitis, bronchitis, bronchospasm and asthmatic flu; however, there is circulation of other viruses that cause more severe conditions that are plausible for control in the guard.
The care system of the Pediatric Hospital is organized in a ‘triage’ that determines colors according to the degree of importance of the picture with which the boys or girls arrive at the institution. “At certain times, there are some delays, but we ask parents for patience because we are in times of high demand,” Michelini said.
OCCUPANCY OF BEDS
Hospital records indicate that bed occupancy is practically complete, taking into account that the Pediatric Hospital is the high-complexity referral center that receives patients from the entire province of Chaco.
“This situation is not unusual for this time of year when we are always in a range of between 80 and 100% occupancy, but we are able to incorporate extra beds if necessary,” explained the director of the hospital. In that sense, she asserted that the situation “is compensated” and is not unusual as it is the coolest time of the year, where the guard is “normally” very busy.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Faced with viral symptoms that cause fever, doctors recommend having an antipyretic on hand, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, to help lower the temperature.
If the fever goes down and the boy or girl is in good spirits, it means that the evolution is favorable, but it is always advisable to consult with the family doctor to avoid going to the guard without an emergency that warrants it. ‘In the event that the fever does not go down with these basic measures -to which we can add baths with warm water-, and persistent vomiting or significant respiratory difficulties are added, yes, it is necessary to attend the consultation in the guard,’ he explained. Pediatric Director. Michelini indicated that it is important to maintain the security measures that were implemented to avoid contagion of Covid-19.
The elementary ones are ventilation of closed environments, hand hygiene, surface cleaning, sneezing or coughing in the elbow crease and the use of chinstraps in closed environments, basically from the age of six. “A peak of cases is expected when winter begins, so these measures must not be forgotten, as well as the importance of completing the vaccination schedules,” he said.