Minister of Health: The pressure on the Health System will intensify but there will be no lockdown

The pressure on the Health System will intensify, which means that the structures will necessarily serve fewer non-Covid and more Covid cases, noted the Minister of Health Thanos Plevris, in the context of the Thessaloniki Summit 2021. Mr. Plevris, stressed that doctors are moving between different RHAs. to fill the gaps, typically stating that today doctors were called from Athens to operate some Units in a hospital in Thessaloniki.

However, he stated that the private doctors did not respond satisfactorily and that for this reason he passed an amendment with motives and added that if there is no satisfactory response again, a mandatory requirement will be made to fill the gaps. However, he noted that there is cooperation with private clinics that have beds and that discussions were held with medical associations in order to have a response from private doctors and to avoid the demand. Mr. Plevris did not rule out the possibility of limiting the surgeries in case the pressure continues.

Answering questions on all matters, Mr. Plevris stressed that efforts are being made to support the Health System, which, however, as he said, has specific potential. He pointed out that the vaccine is the main defense that prevents serious disease. At the same time, he stated that the psychological limit no longer has to do with the high number of cases, but with the hospitalizations and added that before the vaccination 20-25% of the cases were taken to the hospital while at the moment this percentage is only 5 %.

He added that 87-90% of ICU patients are unvaccinated and that if these people had been vaccinated they would not have died. He added that the vaccinated patients are mainly those who were vaccinated more than six months ago and pointed out the need for a boosting dose of the vaccine. However, he noted that at the moment there is no question of a mandatory third installment, that in order for this to happen there must be a joint EU decision and that non-mandatory does not mean that the third tranche is not important.

Noting that today in a single hospital in Thessaloniki four unvaccinated pregnant women are treated with Covid, one of which is intubated, he stressed that the doctors to whom the pregnant women are addressed should follow the scientific instructions to recommend vaccination.

Mr. Plevris stressed that there is no question of lockdown and that there is no way the social and economic life will be limited, firstly because 73% of adults have been vaccinated and are not at risk of serious disease and secondly because in recent days more than 20,000 citizens are vaccinated daily with the first dose. The philosophy of the measures, if they need to be taken, will be the same as the philosophy of the measures that have been announced and the restrictions will apply to those who have not been vaccinated, said the Minister of Health. At the same time, he stressed that the controls will be intensified in closed entertainment places (restaurants, bars, etc.) where the over-transmission is favored and that the state will take more urgent measures.

Regarding the issue of citizens coming to church without a rapid test, he said that there are other countries that have a green pass and have excluded places of worship, where employees take a rapid test, wear a mask and observe the measures. He added that the opposition is using this issue for internal consumption rather than for dealing effectively with the pandemic.

Finally, he mentioned that in the midst of a pandemic, a bill is being promoted with two main sections, concerning the restructuring of EOPYY and the clawback, which is expected to be voted within the year.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ