Surge in COVID-19 cases in January could be disastrous for health sector
The Christmas season is often described as a time of merriment during which persons opt to unburden themselves of the challenges of the months gone by and instead relish carefree engagements.
But this Christmas season, as far as possible, it will be wise to not let your guard down, well at least not entirely, when it comes to COVID-19. This is the warning coming from Emergency Medicine Specialist, Dr. Zulfikar Bux, who is hoping that persons will continue to take precautionary measures even as diligent efforts are being made by the health sector to help keep the COVID-19 numbers at a minimum.
This, however, cannot be a reality, Dr. Bux noted, if many persons are refusing to adhere to simple safety measures. In fact some have even breathed a sigh of relief with the arrival of a vaccine on the horizon. “As the developed world begins vaccination against the COVID-19 infection, many are beginning to celebrate and relax thinking that the end to the pandemic is near. This is far from reality as the pandemic will not end until there is about 70 to 80 percent vaccination worldwide. In Guyana, we have relaxed too much, especially in the month of December, where crowds are gathering to celebrate for the holidays. It worries me when I see this as I am on the frontlines and my experience there scares me as we approach the month of January,” Dr. Bux wrote in a recent column in this newspaper.
Reflecting on what happens in January from a medical practitioner’s standpoint, Dr. Bux revealed that during this month, “we tend to see a rise in numbers and severity of sick patients presenting for care. We are normally pushed to the brink with the amount of sick persons that we have to attend to after the holidays. The lavish eating and drinking that comes with the holidays, exacerbates underlying medical conditions and lead to many medical emergencies.” To compound this, he said, there are many hospitalized patients from alcohol related illnesses and injuries that spill over into January and occupy bed spaces. Some persons with chronic diseases, he added, may either neglect their condition or their relatives neglect them during the holidays. The consequent, Dr. Bux explained, is that they eventually present in larger numbers in January from complications that arise with neglecting their health.
(Kaieteur News)