In 97% of cases, Covid-19 patients who have not been vaccinated end up in hospitals, TV3 News reports to the Centers for Disease Control (SPKC) and the country’s largest hospitals. At the same time, looking at the rapid spread of the contagious delta type and the slow vaccination, doctors are worried that the curve of infection will rise sharply in the coming weeks.
The majority of Covid-19 patients – 31 – are currently being treated at Riga East Clinical University Hospital. They are both young and old. Almost all of these patients have not been vaccinated against Covid-19.
Rare, but there have been cases of people being hospitalized who have been infected without completing a vaccination course. Namely, the patient is infected shortly after the first dose or has already been vaccinated during the incubation period of the disease. Until now, there has been only one patient in Latvia’s largest hospital who, having been fully vaccinated, became infected with Covid-19.
“There has been one patient in our hospital who has received both doses of the vaccine, but it must be said that he was hospitalized for other reasons and had pre-hospitalization symptoms of Covid-19 but in a mild form, which is also the goal of vaccinating. No vaccine protects 100%, but the vaccine protects us from severe forms of the disease, ”explains Monta Madelāne, Head of the Department of Dangerous Infections at Riga East Clinical University Hospital (RAKUS).
At the same time, both doctors emphasize that although the morbidity rates and the number of hospitalized people are currently low, Covid-19 has not disappeared anywhere. Looking at the experience of other countries, we must also take into account that the low coverage of vaccination will result in a rapid increase in the prevalence of highly contagious delta infection very soon.
The Center for Disease Prevention and Control also says that 97% of cases go to hospitals for unvaccinated patients, who also have a very severe disease.
“Patients who need a higher level of care go to inpatient care – these cases are more severe. In any case, those who have not yet been vaccinated or who have not yet started the vaccination process should think about this moment; Vaccination must be chosen, because we also see in the indicators of other countries, where the vaccination percentage is higher, and we see – these morbidity rates are rising, but the mortality curve is not with such a growing trend, ”explains Ilze Arāja, Head of the Communication Department of SPKC.
In Latvia, as well as in our neighboring Lithuania, Estonia and elsewhere in Europe, there is an increase in the prevalence of Covid-19. 80% of newly detected cases are of the highly contagious delta type, and almost 30% of cases are imported from abroad.
Experts encourage people to assess whether it is necessary to go on minor trips, and recommend to assess the situation at the desired destination. At the moment, it is recommended not to travel to Cyprus, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, but also Greece, Belgium, France and other high-risk countries.-
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