Orthez: the hospital’s Covid vaccination center opens Tuesday, January 19

The ramp-up of the Covid vaccination center at Orthez hospital continues, in accordance with government instructions. After starting the serum inoculation campaign at the beginning of January with residents of nursing homes under its jurisdiction and at-risk medical staff, the establishment will indeed expand as of Tuesday, January 19 the care to people aged over 75 years. But also to people with comorbidities that make them vulnerable to attacks from the virus.

Center next to reception

“These are all the people who are on the list that was set out by the Prime Minister: people with long-term illness, cancer, chronic kidney disease, trisomy 21 and a certain number of rare diseases ”, recalls the deputy director of the hospital, Candice Berland. Before showing up for the injection, however, this public must first contact their attending physician in order to obtain a medical certificate. “It is not us who will choose who is eligible,” said the executive. For those over 75 without any particular comorbidity, the pre-vaccination visit can, on the other hand, be carried out directly at the vaccination center set up in premises located at the entrance to the hospital. Namely the three rooms previously assigned to the care access center and then during the first confinement to the advanced medical station.

“During opening hours, there will always be a doctor, a nurse and a nursing assistant. When the patient arrives, the caregiver will take care of checking the identity papers, the Vitale card, the supporting documents… Then, the doctor can make the pre-vaccination visit for those who have not yet done it. Finally, vaccination will come, with 15 minutes of monitoring, ”explains the deputy director.

Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

To keep the center running, hospital staff will be able to count on the support of liberal professionals. “They got closer to us and we to them! The idea was to share the shifts, because it is difficult to free a doctor, a nurse and an internal nurse in a few days. Volunteer liberals will therefore also come so that the vaccination center is always open from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 12 noon and from 2 to 5 pm ”, specifies Candice Berland. Note that these schedules could be extended in the long term, depending on the next decisions of the health authorities.

By appointment only

To make an appointment, several possibilities are provided. On the Internet, it is therefore possible to book your coverage now via the national platform santé.fr and the Doctolib platform dedicated to the orthézien device. But also to come forward by phone to the secretariat of the center, reachable at 06 34 25 54 47 from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:30 pm to 5 pm. A line different from the standard of the hospital, therefore, in order to avoid congestion. “The switchboard will not take reservations,” insists the executive. Whatever the means chosen, the dates promise to be disputed the first days. “We know that there is a great expectation in terms of vaccination. We already had a lot of calls on Friday, after the announcements. “