Radio România Internațional

Tag: outpatient

  • Outpatient centres for respiratory infections

    Outpatient centres for respiratory infections

     

    Romania has declared a state of epidemiological alert due to the large number of respiratory infections. In recent weeks, cases of flu, viral infections and pneumonia have multiplied and exceed the average number reported in previous seasons. Hospitals have introduced restrictions on visitors, and healthcare authorities urge people to observe hygiene rules, avoid crowded places and keep people with flu symptoms away from the community. The health ministry says daily observational triage should be organised in schools, and children with symptoms should be sent back home.

     

    The health minister Alexandru Rafila explained that the flu has seasonal evolution in the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively. “Of course it is a greater effort, there are longer waiting times, but this happens absolutely everywhere, we cannot help but face problems in Romania as well. We are doing everything in our power and in the hands of local public healthcare authorities to be able to manage this situation in a favourable way,” Alexandru Rafila said.

     

    As the number of cases is growing from one week to the next, and hospital emergency rooms are overcrowded, more than 300 outpatient centres for flu and respiratory infection cases have been opened throughout the country. The health ministry has made public a list of the units available for Romanians with such problems.

     

    The measure is designed to reduce the pressure on hospital emergency rooms, after the number of virus cases doubled last week alone. More precisely, over 170,000 cases of respiratory infections were reported last week, and 15 people died from the flu, bringing the total number of casualties since the beginning of the season to 35.

     

    The health minister Alexandru Rafila says that every year during the flu season the situation is complicated both for adults and children, but this is the largest number of cases reported in recent years. He also added that patients with symptoms should first of all contact their family physicians, and that they should only go to the permanent centres or the outpatient units if their health worsens or worrying symptoms appear. Mr. Rafila said he was not in favour of closing schools, but emphasised that kids with respiratory infections should be kept at home. In his opinion, he added, the best solution is to keep teaching activities running. (AMP)

  • 7.5 million Romanians, fully vaccinated

    7.5 million Romanians, fully vaccinated

    Since the start of
    the vaccine roll-out on December 27, last year, nearly 7.8 million people have received
    one of the 4 anti-Covid vaccines-Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and
    Johnson&Johnson, and 7.5 million of them are now fully vaccinated.


    The number of COVID
    19 cases is on the decrease, but authorities are once again calling for
    vaccination and compliance with protection measures, while the introduction of the
    compulsory COVID certificate before New Year’s is rather unlikely.


    The head of the
    Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, said that mobile vaccination
    centres will be organised in rural areas in the forthcoming period. He also
    added that the vaccine is the ‘best solution’ to prevent severe forms of the
    disease.


    Romanian hospitals
    are seeing the lowest number of COVID-19 patients since the start of the 4th
    wave, with around 900 patients in intensive care.


    The health minister
    Alexandru Rafila has recently talked with representatives of family
    physician associations. According to
    him, one of the main emergencies at the moment is developing the testing
    capacity in family physician practices, as well as improving the assessment and
    treatment of milder forms of the disease. Funds will be earmarked to this end,
    so that patients need not incur additional costs. For confirmed coronavirus
    cases, family physicians will be able to prescribe anti-viral medication:


    Alexandru Rafila: The refund
    package for testing covers the testing as such and the protection materials for
    healthcare personnel. Apart from that, for confirmed cases the option of a
    minimal funding package will be available, allowing for investigations and the
    prescription of outpatient anti-viral treatment, which obviously will be protective
    for patients and healthcare STAFF, so as to make sure that anti-viral treatment
    is only given after prior assessment of the patients.


    At EU
    level, Brussels is considering the introduction of compulsory COVID-19
    vaccination requirements, as the new variant, Omicron, keeps spreading. Austria has
    announced vaccination will be mandatory as of February 1, and it is the first
    country in Western Europe and one of the few in the world to take this step. Germany
    is also considering making vaccination mandatory, with Parliament to make a
    decision in this respect by year end. In turn, Greece announced this measure will
    be introduced for citizens over 60 years of age, and similar ideas are taken
    into account in other EU member states as well. (tr. A.M. Popescu)