From virus to vaccine
Romania is faced with a large number of respiratory virus infections
Ştefan Stoica, 27.12.2022, 14:00
The new coronavirus seems to have significantly reduced its virulence resources, at least in Romania. A report published, on Monday, by the Ministry of Health, indicates a very slight increase in the number of cases during the past week, compared to the previous interval. About 3,400 people were diagnosed in seven days, of which almost 950 were patients who had been infected before. Minister Alexandru Rafila said on public television that he no longer expected a new wave of coronavirus infections, that would lead to a large number of serious cases in Romania.
The cold season remains complicated, however, because a large number of respiratory virus infections, around 100,000, especially among children, has been registered There are vaccines for two of the viruses, influenza and SARS-CoV-2, and specialists recommend immunization in this way, especially for people in vulnerable categories. The large number of people with respiratory symptoms, but also of children arriving at medical offices with fever and respiratory problems, urged the Minister of Health to remind parents that they have at their disposal the list of pediatric assessment centers where they can go with their children in case of respiratory infections, thus avoiding overcrowding in emergency rooms and hospitals.
Alexandru Rafila: The respiratory syncytial virus (a common virus of the respiratory tract that causes mild symptoms similar to the common cold.) which is the cause of an epidemic at the moment in Romania and other countries in Europe, as well as in the United States, affects children, and causes a viral disease that can cause certain complications, usually bronchiolitis. Children with mild or moderate forms do not need to go to the hospital. It’s better to avoid staying for hours, for example, in emergency reception units, which are overcrowded, and this should be taken into account. We also developed a best practices guide on how a parent should make an informed decision regarding their own child, if they have a respiratory virus.
On the other hand, the authorities in Bucharest do not exclude the option of calling on doctors from outside the European Union to cover the shortage of personnel in the health-care system. Minister Rafila has stated that Romania will organize a high-level regional meeting, next year, in March, which will focus precisely on the problems related to human resources in health. Representatives of the 53 member states of the WHO European region and of the European Commission bill be participating. The goal, Alexandru Rafila said, is to find legal solutions for doctors recruited from outside the EU, given that the recognition of professional qualifications in the EU countries is very strictly regulated. (MI)
