CEO of Pirogov Emergency Hospital: We Are Working at Our Limits Now, More Stringent Measures Are Imminent

“Our hospital is now working at its limits and the authorities need to think about more stringent measures to prevent hospitals from being overburdened. Perhaps we should already take care of younger children. Unfortunately, maybe even the kindergartens should be closed temporarily. The number of newly infected small patients continues to swell" CEO of Pirogov emergency hospital  Prof. Asen Baltov told the BNR. The hospital is full almost to capacity, he added.

There are 11 children with coronavirus infection in Pirogov, Baltov reported. Children are in good condition, treated with intravenously placed antibiotics. Today, at a meeting with the Health Minister, the Director of Pirogov will propose to set up another 20 beds for small patients, the so-called emergency pediatric cases, as well as an additional 10 intensive care beds due to the shortage of this type of beds throughout Sofia. "About 10% of the total number of hospitalized are intended for intensive care ward," Baltov explained during the Before All talk show.

Currently, 400 beds are allocated in Pirogov for severe and medium-severe cases of Covid-19 and 48 for resuscitation activities.

Prof. Baltov believes that for at least two weeks the restaurants and pubs should stop working again because "no matter how much they say it doesn't matter, everything matters."

"Proceeding with the planned hospitalizations exactly in the next two weeks is hardly the most important thing now. It is more important to pass the peak so that we can then work normally", commented Asen Baltov on the objections and criticisms of the Bulgarian Hospital Association against the suspension of planned activities in medical institutions.

According to the mathematical model, the peak is expected in two to three weeks and how smooth or steep the morbidity curve will be depends on us, Prof. Baltov stressed.

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines continue to be placed on the roll – first, second and third phases of the vaccination program. There are still many people who are listed for vaccination in these three phases, Prof. Baltov said. There are still more medical professionals willing to be vaccinated, for Pirogov they are 180.

According to Baltov, skepticism among teachers about vaccines has long been overcome and "the trend shows there is over 50% of teachers willing to get vaccinated."

AstraZeneca's problematic batch was administered at Pirogov at the end of February and there is no information about problems and complaints outside of normal local reactions in the first 24 hours. "I think the doubts and concerns will be quickly removed," assen Baltov said.

"The South African version of the coronavirus is highly likely to reach Bulgaria. We have to be very prepared and to quarantine everyone who comes from this continent. As is British for Europe, so is the South African for Africa – it has literally "settled in", this strain is already to blame for over 95% of cases," added Prof. Baltov.

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