«People who have not been vaccinated go to the ward. Some people refused to be vaccinated. There are people whose children have persuaded them not to get vaccinated. These are outrageous situations. If these people die, the children should have remorse for the rest of their lives »- said prof. Robert Flisiak. The president of the Polish Society of Epidemiologists and Doctors of Infectious Diseases commented on the concerns about vaccines and said what he is most afraid of in the current epidemic situation.
- Prof. Flisiak admits that the effects of vaccinations in the elderly are visible. However, those who have not been vaccinated go to the ward. Some of the children were persuaded to make this decision: it is a scandalous situation
- For the COVID-19 AstraZeneka vaccine, the risk of complications is 1 in 100. In the opinion of the expert, it is necessary to focus on educating doctors and sensitizing patients to symptoms that may suggest thromboembolic changes.
- In the professor’s opinion, countries where the number of infections is low can afford to suspend vaccination. In Poland, however, the number of infections and deaths is still high, and the benefits of vaccination significantly outweigh the risks
- Robert Flisiak is concerned about the next autumn wave of coronavirus. All because of the diminishing possibilities of accepting restrictions
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Martyna Chmielewska / Medexpress: The coronavirus epidemic still takes a deadly toll. Over 138 million infections have been reported worldwide. In Poland, more than 2,6 million people are infected, more than 60 have died. We know that more and more patients go to infectious diseases hospitals. Are there more elderly or young people in the ward where you work?
Robert Flisiak, president of the Polish Society of Epidemiologists and Doctors of Infectious Diseases: The average age of hospitalized people is decreasing. Fewer and fewer elderly people require hospitalization. Severe coronavirus infection is rarely seen in young people. It is most common in elderly patients.
Are the vaccination effects already visible?
The effects of vaccinations in the elderly are already visible. People who have not been vaccinated go to the ward. Some did not want to be vaccinated. There are people whose children have persuaded them not to get vaccinated. These are outrageous situations. If these people die, the children should have severe remorse for the rest of their lives.
In mid-March, many countries around the world decided to temporarily suspend the Astra Zeneca vaccination following the deaths of people who had previously received the vaccine. Vaccinated people have had side effects of unusual blood clots with low platelet counts… So should there be a list of certain groups of patients who should not be vaccinated with Astra Zeneca?
More than 30 cases of side effects have been reported after vaccination with Astra Zeneca. With a population of one million vaccinated, this is a negligible number. If we look at the package insert of any drug, the listed risk of fatal complications, reaching one in 100, one in 1000. These drugs are taken by patients. Nobody pays attention to it. For the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine, the risk of complications is 1 in 100. and mainly affects women under 60 years of age. The focus should be on educating doctors and sensitizing patients to side effects that may indicate an unfavorable course of thromboembolism. Early actions can prevent deep complications and life-threatening conditions.
- The six most common symptoms of thrombosis [EXPLAIN]
Countries such as Israel and Great Britain, where the number of infections is negligible, can afford to suspend vaccination. In our country, the number of infections and deaths is still high, so the benefits significantly outweigh the risks. Therefore, vaccinate as many people as possible as soon as possible. However, the final decision will depend on the opinion of the European Medicines Agency, which has far more access to information on side effects than any of us.
Do people who get vaccinated go to the infectious diseases ward?
There are such situations. In most cases, these are people who have recently had the first dose of the vaccine and have not yet developed vaccine immunity. There are also older people who become infected long time after being vaccinated. However, for these people, the course of the disease is usually mild. So far, we have not died after two doses of the vaccine and the time needed to build up immunity.
Are most patients winning the fight against the coronavirus?
Of course – the vast majority of infected people win the fight against coronavirus. A high percentage of deaths occurs in intensive care units, where patients are connected to a ventilator.
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In what condition do patients leave the hospital? Do they require care or are they independent?
It all depends on age and comorbidities. Most people, even the elderly, are able to function as before. However, in older people, any disease has a negative effect on overall health. There are patients who require rehabilitation. Unfortunately, we do not have a sufficient number of facilities that would deal with the respiratory rehabilitation of people after suffering from coronavirus infection.
How are patients coping in the fight against the coronavirus? What do they miss the most? What do they complain about the most?
Some patients experience symptoms of depression while fighting the coronavirus. They lose faith that they will recover. They experience situations in which a patient in the next bed dies due to the coronavirus. It affects their psyche very badly.
Do often patients who leave the hospital return to hospital in a week or two because of other health complications?
Such situations should not happen. We should discharge patients home when they are healthy. However, we can never rule out late complications, especially in the face of pressure to release beds for new patients. It happens that the condition of the patient we planned to discharge worsens. This fits somewhat in the picture of the pathogenesis of the disease, which is multi-phase. It is important to catch this moment of health breakdown, because it allows you to take appropriate action. Applying the right treatment can then save your life.
What are your greatest concerns regarding the pandemic. What are you most afraid of?
I am afraid that in May and June, when the numbers of infected people begin to decline, people will stop complying with the applicable restrictions and will not be vaccinated. I am concerned about the next autumn wave of coronavirus. It may not be so high, but the possibilities of accepting restrictions are diminishing and the efficiency of the health care system devastated by the pandemic, for decades underfunded, will unfortunately not be better.
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