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The fifth wave of the coronavirus has already become a fact in Poland. Infections are growing throughout the country, the largest number – in terms of the number of inhabitants – is in Małopolska. – The increase in infections is worrying. It is almost catastrophic, and this will be followed by an increase in bed occupancy in hospitals and ICUs – says Dr. Lidia Stopyra, head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Paediatrics at the Specialist Hospital of Stefan Żeromski in Krakow.
- As shown by the data of the Ministry of Health, the province Małopolskie is in the first place when it comes to the number of new infections from the last week in terms of the number of inhabitants
- When the children returned to school after a three-week break, it was quiet for a few days, but this is the period of the disease brooding that after a week the number of infections increased – says Dr. Lidia Stopyra, head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Paediatrics at the Krakow hospital
- In her opinion, the holidays did not have to cause an increase in infections, but all mass events contributed to them, including New Year’s Eve in Zakopane, as well as home New Year’s Eve, among friends
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Adrian Dąbek, Medonet: Małopolska, and especially Kraków, has recently had the highest percentage of infected per population. How does it look from your perspective?
Dr Lidia Stopyra: For several days, we have been in the top three in terms of the number of COVID-19 infections in the voivodeship. However, in fact, per 100 thousand. residents, we occupy even higher places. The fact that most infections are found in Krakow is not entirely true. In Krakow, the most people are tested and we have the most infections detected. Moreover, Małopolska is an interesting voivodeship, because we have places where the level of vaccination is high, such as Kraków, and places where this level of vaccination is low, we know very well which communes are meant.
In my opinion, the testing issue is problematic. We rely on official data, i.e. information about those patients who performed the tests, which were then entered into the database. And most of the patients I deal with do commercial tests and often keep the knowledge of the result to themselves. It is also often the case that whole families get sick and one person is tested. So we have more of these infections.
When it comes to the occupancy of beds, we are the largest branch in Małopolska and we have had increased traffic since the weekend. When the children returned to school after a three-week break, it was quiet for a few days, but this is the brooding period of the disease that, after a week, the number of infections increased, which was what we expected in total.
The increase in infections is worrying. It is downright catastrophic, followed by an increase in bed occupancy in hospitals and ICUs. The waiting time for the funeral in Krakow is extending – as far as I know, it is currently two weeks.
- The fifth wave attacked. Which provinces have the most infections?
Further part below the video.
What could be the reason for the increase in infections in the region? One of the reasons may be the New Year’s Eve party in Zakopane?
May be. But I would like to point out that everyone was afraid of Christmas in the context of subsequent infections. However, the holidays are such a time when we meet within the families with whom we have, one way or another, frequent contact. No masks, because we don’t wear them at home when we see our loved ones. Generally, most of the people were seeing their immediate family during the holidays, so these contacts were no different than in recent months.
Then contacts started that we do not have on a daily basis, that is all events, including New Year’s Eve in Zakopane, but also home New Year’s Eve, among friends. At these meetings, most often we are without masks, and then we see an increase in infections.
Another wave of COVID-19. More and more children in hospitals
What is the structure of infections now? Do children predominate among hospitalized people?
Certainly, young patients prevail. Children constitute an increasing percentage of the population, because this is the wave of the unvaccinated. Vaccinated people are often positive and have mild symptoms, but they are not ICU patients. A very small percentage of vaccinated people require hospitalization.
You can see it in other countries as well. Where there is a large percentage of vaccinated people, especially those over 50, and a very large number of tests performed, there are many infections but a very small percentage of deaths. It’s the opposite of ours, but that’s what a pandemic should look like. We have a vaccine that will prevent hospitalization and death, but it does not adequately protect you from infection.
- Niedzielski: we predict 60 infections a day
You mentioned other countries. Very disturbing signals come, for example, from the United States, where the youngest children account for a huge percentage of hospitalizations. Is it waiting for us too?
This is a harbinger of what will happen with us. Already in the fourth wave, we had more children in hospitals, because the older groups were vaccinated better than the children. The mileage was more serious with the Delta variant. Now, Omicron talks about being more infectious, but not more virulent, but in children it can look really bad. We have to prepare for this.
Winter holidays have started in Małopolska. This is not conducive to limiting virus transmission. What can you do?
What we can do is vaccinate all children over 5 years of age. However, when it comes to younger children, we cannot protect them, so their family members should get vaccinated. We have such a pandemic that only vaccination can save us from a large number of deaths.
And specialists, doctors, practitioners, people dealing directly with patients are constantly calling for it, but at the executive level, there are no clear actions aimed at greater pressure on vaccination or enforcement of covid passports.
We know what to do to contain a pandemic, even when we do not have fully effective tools. We still don’t have a good cure for the coronavirus. As we have in the case of, for example, tonsillitis. Then we are given an antibiotic and we are not afraid for our lives. We don’t have such a drug with COVID-19. We have different medications that we use at different stages, but we don’t have one that can guarantee that the patient will survive for sure.
We have a vaccine, which is also not perfect, it does not protect against infection. But it means that even if we get infected, we will avoid a severe course. This is enough to contain the pandemic. People will get infected, the first time or the second time, but they will pass the disease gently, and with each infection with a new variant, they will acquire immunity. But the immunity acquired after vaccination means that we don’t risk our lives.
Therefore, we should get vaccinated. And even as vaccinated people, we should wear masks, there should be a regime, there should be covid passports to limit the transmission of the virus.
- Nine symptoms of Omikron in vaccinated people. What can happen to you?
Have you ever dealt with a doctor who you were sure was infected with Omicron?
I certainly did. We accept a dozen or so children a day, and at the moment we already have between ten and twenty percent of Omikron cases in Poland, so I certainly had children with Omikron. However, I have not received such information yet, as research and sequencing take some time.
In any case, I did not notice a clear change in symptoms to be able to recognize this new variant based on these symptoms. We need to deal with a larger group of children in order to form an opinion. The symptoms observed fall within the known symptom range, nothing unusual occurs.
Do you want to test your COVID-19 immunity after vaccination? Have you been infected and want to check your antibody levels? See the COVID-19 immunity test package, which you will perform at Diagnostics network points.
Also read:
- “Coagulation cascade”. A neurologist explains why people with COVID-19 often have strokes and strokes
- 20 symptoms of Omicron. These are the most common
- “All those who want to live should get vaccinated.” Is it enough to protect yourself from the Omicron?
- How to wear masks in winter? The rule is more important than ever. Experts observe
- The Omicron Wave is approaching. 10 things that can stop her
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