November 6, 2021 - ''We are not far from a situation when we will have to choose who will take a respirator'', warns pulmonologist Saša Srića, as he announces that many Croatian hospitals have already reached 90% percent of their capacity as the number of positive cases continues to grow.
Minister of Health Vili Beroš stated on Saturday that there are more than seven thousand newly infected with coronavirus in Croatia today, we are at the peak of the fourth wave, and that we do not know what awaits us.
Record numbers worried many, and pulmonologist Saša Srića, who was a guest on the show New Day on the H1 television station, also spoke on the subject, reports Net.hr.
A potentially catastrophic scenario
"It is a worrying situation that at the moment can, given the trends, represent a potentially catastrophic scenario. The measures that have been adopted are overdue. These measures that come into force, which from today, and again from 14 November, is a big step back. A lot of time will pass, I think it could have been faster.
I think that the measures are not adequate and should be extended to other sectors. The virus does not know the difference whether it is in schools, cafes, restaurants, shopping malls. The measures should have been much stricter", expressed Srića, and continued:
"Constant balancing and the system 'we will not resent anyone, let's be good to everyone' has cost us such situations, such epidemiological pictures. And what we need to fear the most, the overload of the health care system, is already present".
Pulmonologist Saša Srića (Photo: Robert Anic/PIXSELL)
"When we talk about the younger population, compared to previous waves, there is now a much larger number of the younger population. The delta strain attacks the younger population more for one reason: it is poorly vaccinated. The theory 'it won't hurt me, we are young and healthy' is an escape from the truth, an escape from reality, he emphasized and continued:
Fear for the health system
Young people like to get together, that’s logical, but we need to be aware of the current situation. The younger population who end up with a more severe clinical picture are, as a rule, almost all unvaccinated", said Srića, adding that so far we have not had a death of a person under the age of 50 who was vaccinated and in full health.
"We are already in over 90 percent of capacity in many Croatian hospitals, and only now are we taking care of those from two weeks ago when we had two thousand infected. What will be in the next two to three weeks?
I am afraid that with such a trend, the health care system, despite the fact that we hear some optimistic assessments from the Headquarters, will hardly survive. Even estimating the collapse of the health care system and Croatian hospitals in two to three weeks is not something that is unrealistic'', said Srića.
"I don't think the numbers will fall for a while. The winter is still going on and will last. I don't think we're at the peak yet, and that's especially worrying. What worries me the most is when the situation starts to collapse. We are wondering how many places we still have, not to mention the situation we will have in ten days. That is why I say that the measures are too weak", said Srića and answered the question: what if there is no place in Croatian hospitals, are there any protocols?
"We haven't worked out the protocols, I think we need them. We should first of all try to find enough capacity. The capacities of the beds and respirators are, I am convinced, not completely spent, I think there will be too few people. Many people are already exhausted, tired, the possibility of error is present.
And you want to get into a situation where you choose to take a respirator, you don't… We must not get into a situation like that, and I am afraid that we are not far from there", pointed out Srića.
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