The question is no longer whether there will be a third wave, but when it will take place
, warns the severe mine, Laurent Pidhorz, the doctor vice-president of the Medical Commission of establishment (CME) of the hospital of Le Mans.
The tone is just as serious in the director of the hospital center, Olivier Bossard, who fears to witness the appearance of a third wave of the coronavirus epidemic for eight days
. After a settling phase of the pandemic for almost three weeks
.
22 beds occupied out of 23 available
The figures announced speak for themselves. The average number of Covid patients in intensive care in Le Mans has been 51% since the beginning of December. This is already significant compared to the whole of the Pays de la Loire region, which is running at only 30%
, worries the director.
We currently have 16 people with Covid hospitalized. On December 14, there were ten, he continues. We were on Tuesday morning (December 22) at 22 intensive care beds out of 23 available.
Faced with this new burst of activity, the hospital center has planned to transfer patients to the University Hospital of Angers or Nantes, much less saturated, if new patients presented with symptoms of severe form.
The other option is to make new beds available. We’re thinking about it: going up to 25 beds, indicates Olivier Bossard. But this still means postponing surgeries, which is not without its problems.
Threat to the Christmas holidays for nursing staff
For now, the director says: Christmas leave for nursing staff is maintained. We just made a weekly adjustment by limiting to 4 days of vacation instead of 5. But unfortunately, if the situation continues to worsen, we will have no choice.
The twelve clusters affecting as many hospital units further reduce management’s room for maneuver.
We want to avoid this at all costs because our teams are really tired and need a rest
, worries Doctor François Goupil, president of the CME of the Manceau hospital. We strongly fear an immediate effect after Christmas. Maybe next week.
All the more concerned as the start of the year is always a period of overactivity for hospitals since people traditionally postpone their interventions after the holidays.
More than ever, hospital officials are therefore appealing to the population for responsibility and caution. People’s weariness cannot be an excuse to slack off, insists the director Olivier Bossard. Everyone is fed up with this virus. But at the end of the day, it falls on the caregivers and people die.
+ To read also:
Covid-19. Sarthe: no vaccinations before January 15
Covid-19. Sarthe: 16 additional deaths, hospitalizations down
Covid-19. Sarthe: a strong contamination due to the proximity of the Paris region?
Covid-19. Tests in pharmacies or in laboratories, ephemeral sites… where to get tested in Sarthe?
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