THE CANADIAN PRESS / Jacques Boissinot
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QUEBEC – Veterinarians will be called in for reinforcement in the next few weeks at the height of the current health crisis, in the event of a shortage of respiratory therapists.
If the number of patients needing an artificial respirator explodes in the short term, and there is a shortage of respiratory therapists, the help of veterinarians could become beneficial to install the precious equipment intended to save the lives of patients. COVID-19 can no longer breathe on their own.
Prime Minister François Legault confirmed that this scenario was envisaged on Monday during his daily press conference on the state of Quebec’s fight against COVID-19, a virus that aggressively attacks the respiratory tract.
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“We don’t rule that out,” he admitted, saying he wanted to prepare for “the worst” scenarios.
“A veterinarian cannot treat a patient, but he can operate a respirator,” he said, to justify this avenue at first glance unusual.
After the announced shortages of medical equipment (N95 masks, procedural masks, gloves, gowns), possibly of drugs, and those of hospital staff (retired nurses and doctors called back to work), here is the respiratory therapists could miss the ‘call them too.
To avoid such a situation, the Professional Order of Respiratory Therapists of Quebec launched a message in March to invite respiratory therapists under the age of 70 and who have left the profession for less than five years to return to practice.
However, it is believed to have enough respirators in reserve, even “to cover the scenario that would be the most pessimistic,” assured the Prime Minister, who will make public Tuesday the projections of experts on the spread of the virus, in terms of number of cases and deaths to be expected. We should also have a better idea of when we will reach the top of the propagation curve, expected in a few weeks.
“Jojo Savard”
In this regard, the national director of public health, Horacio Arruda, expressed huge reservations on Monday regarding the forthcoming publication of these estimates, their value being doubtful.
“Nobody likes to present scenarios,” he said from a scientific point of view.
At this point, he says, projecting the number of future cases beyond the April 30 horizon is like relying on astrology.
“No one wants to play Jojo Savard,” he said, referring to the astrologer who had a TV show several years ago.
Experts around him have multiplied the warnings, he said, throwing at him: “Don’t say anything, Horacio, they’ll cut your head off if you never have the right number!”
When the famous peak is reached, announcing the start of a slowdown in spread, the Prime Minister will consider expanding the list of businesses on the essential services list, which may therefore start to operate again.
“Could we add small businesses where we could keep the distance of two meters? I’m not ruling that out, ”said Legault, who wants to do it very gradually.
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This very gradual return to normal life in Quebec will take place under “different” conditions, added Mr. Arruda.
For example, the “social distancing” instruction is here to stay, as is the presence of Plexiglas to protect cashiers in shops.
But you might as well start to get used to the idea: we will never “find normality as before,” warns Dr Arruda.
On the other hand, there is no question of imposing on pregnant women to give birth alone, without their spouse, said the Prime Minister.
However, he refrained from criticizing the contrary directive in effect at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, a way of denouncing by women about to go there to give birth.
It is currently the only hospital in Quebec to impose this restriction, justified by the high number of COVID-19 cases seen at the facility.
As of Monday noon, Quebec had 636 new cases of infection for a total of 8,580 confirmed cases, while 533 people were hospitalized. To date, there have been 121 deaths.
SEE ALSO: COVID-19: The Public Health Agency recommends wearing non-medical masks
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