As explained to iefimerida.gr Michalis Giannakos, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Workers, this winter is much more difficult than last year's, as hospitals are operating with at least 10.This year the hospitals have at least 10,000 fewer employees.
As for the health workers who are sick, Mr Giannakos says that "at the moment there are more than 2,000 colleagues who are positive for the virus and every day there are more and more."
As for the health workers who are sick, Mr Giannakos says that "there are more than 2,000 colleagues who are positive for the virus and every day there are more. Of these, 1,000 to 1,200 are from the medical staff."
At the same time, according to the president of PDEDIN, "there are about 6,500 to 7,000 employees who have not been vaccinated. We estimate that a percentage of them will gradually return, either due to illness or due to vaccination. But because the sick certificate went to 3 months, out of 6, they may come back."
The third "thorn" for the country's public hospitals is retirements. "We have had 2,000 retirements from the NHS without anyone being replaced. So we have, roughly, 7,000 workers on suspension, 2,000 in quarantine and 2,000 retirements. Adding into the equation some who have returned, then we see that we are 10,000 down compared to last winter," Yiannakos said.
Red alert at "Laiko", "Gennimatas", "Agios Savvas", "Elena Venizelos"
The developments have set off an alarm among hospital administrations and employees, who are being inundated daily by new cases of coronavirus.
"The virus has also hit our hospital, at all levels. The phenomenon is alarming. We have cases of re-infection in medical, nursing and administrative staff within 8 months, fortunately with mild symptoms," he tells iefimerida.gr, Tasos Antonopoulos, president of the employees of the People's Hospital.
[/P]"The cases have decimated us, because we are talking about a hospital with 1,000 staff. If you factor in the suspensions, combined with the infections, the problem is a big one, which is now within the gates," he adds.
According to the president of PODEN, Michael Giannakos, the positivity rate in hospitals is rising at an alarming rate.
"Everyone talks about "Evangelism" with 92 cases, which is indeed a big number, but there are more difficult cases. See for example "Elena Venizelos". On 3/1 it had 37 positive workers, i.e. 4.2% of the total", he notes.
"The problem is also very big at Agios Savas, where it had 30 positive workers, i.e. 2.7%. Here we are talking about an oncology hospital and workers who will return after 5 days without screening. Isn't there a risk of dispersal among oncology patients? Of course there is," Mr Giannakos stresses.
At the same time, at "Gennimatas", according to the data of January 3, 79 employees (3.6% of the total) are positive for coronavirus. "Of these 79, 28 are doctors and 31 nurses. That is, the vast majority are combat staff," says Michael Giannakos.
It is worth noting that 15 employees are also positive at the Penteli Children's Hospital, i.e. 3.1% of the total.
"To reintroduce screening with rapid tests"
"In the hospitals of the 1st YPE, which concerns Attica except Piraeus and West Attica, we have 512 employees who are sick. Including the primary units, the number rises to 643. That's why the 2,000 we say are in quarantine may be few," he adds.
According to the president of PDEDIN, preventive screening should be reinstated, a tactic that was observed in hospitals before vaccinations began.
"The reason is that under the current regime, colleagues return to hospitals only five days later, even if they are positive."
"The reason is that under the current regime, colleagues return to hospitals only five days later, even if they are positive. We know that those who are vaccinated get mildly ill, but they also transmit to some extent. Therefore, there is a risk that they will transmit to sick people with serious diseases," Mr Giannakos concludes.
Source: iefimerida.gr
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