The last few days have been the most dangerous for our country since the start of the pandemic. In fact, January 14 was historic because for the first time, 44,000 new cases were exceeded in one day. Although those who have suffered the most from this situation are health professionals because a massive contagion of doctors has already been reported. All this has had a strong impact within health centers.
The main responsible for this situation is the Omicron Variation. Both in Mexico and in other nations it has already become dominant. Although its mortality rate is not as high as the Delta, it is much more transmissible. It has even been mentioned that it can be as contagious as measles.
Public health suffers a massive contagion of doctors
For his part, the general director of the Institute of Security and Social Services of State Workers (Issste), Pedro Zenteno Santaella, instructed all areas of the organization to redouble efforts in dealing with the pandemic, with the aim of improving the service. to the right holders.
Derived from the increase in infections by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, some first-level medical units have been saturated by patients seeking to obtain medical leaves and/or disabilities. Such is the case of the “Ermita” Family Medicine Clinic, where there was an increase of more than 100 percent in the request for consultations due to COVID-19.
It should be noted that this saturation is due to the fact that a large part of the medical team has been infected, and the increase in the demand for services due to respiratory diseases.
Unlike in the past, an exponential increase in patients requiring hospitalization has not been reported now. But what has been observed is a worrying increase in infections and mild symptoms. In the end, it is feared that the health system will be overwhelmed because there are not enough tests available for all those interested.
Efforts to care for all patients
The general director instructed the Health Regulatory Directorate (DNS) to reinforce the respiratory triage areas. In addition to ensuring the distribution of sufficient checkbooks for medical and/or disability leave formats, as well as tests and antigens for the detection of COVID-19 at the Institute.
In this regard, the DNS reported that both the National Distribution Center (Cenadi) and the Issste medical units have a sufficient supply of these supplies and will be applied in accordance with the sectoral guidelines for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The DNS reported that in November 2021, 5,192 respiratory triage visits were registered and in December 14,880. Of the latter, 12,975 belong to Mexico City and 1,905 to the State of Mexico. This means a difference of nine thousand 680 attentions, which represents more than 150 percent increase.
Taking into account that this variant is very contagious, but not lethal, the Issste registers overdemand in consultation areas of its first level medical unitsnot in hospitals. Reason why it has enough spaces for those who require hospital care for COVID-19.
The general director of the Issste called on the right to take extreme sanitary measures for respiratory diseases, for COVID-19 and influenza. It is recommended, if there has been contact with a person positive for COVID-19, to remain vigilant for the alarm signs, mainly oxygen saturation levels (SpO2) in the blood less than 90 points and fever. In case of presenting symptoms of COVID-19, the person must be isolated for at least seven days and be aware of the evolution of the disease to request medical attention if necessary.
Pedro Zenteno announced that, in order to speed up care for beneficiaries at this stage of the pandemic, the Health Regulations Directorate and the Information Technology Subdirectorate are working in a coordinated manner on two projects that will make it possible to break the chains of contagion and reduce the agglomeration of patients in medical units, which will be launched next week and the Institute will inform in a timely manner of its application and progress.
The first project is the AsIsssteCOVID Call Center (Telephone Attention Center) line, which will provide care to beneficiaries with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 to provide appointment service in clinics and telephone contact center, specifically for respiratory problems.
The second, Trámite Digital Dispensa COVID-19, which will issue a work permit to be absent to the entitlement infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, automatically for seven days as established by the Standardized Guideline for epidemiological and laboratory surveillance of viral respiratory disease, issued by the Ministry of Health and available at this link.