Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1226904
6 Doctors train for the worst "It's become very real," said one doc- tor from Mater Dei Hospital who asked to remain anonymous. "It's rather over- whelming hearing only a few weeks ago it was in China and suddenly we hear it's in Italy. The main issue is that it's the calm before the storm we are very aware that there are going to be very long days ahead. We don't even know how long it is going to last. "Do we even know how to deal with this? Do we have the know-how? Sud- denly other specialties are being recruit- ed to help with COVID cases. Can you imagine an orthopedic surgeon dusting off his books to study and help with res- piratory cases? "Do we also have the resources to pro- tect ourselves and treat the patients? PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) will run out eventually." The hospital is gearing up for a massive influx of patients: "The staff canteen will be closed and converted into a ward or store. The library is full of beds. Lecture rooms are full of beds. In the corridors, all the doors are open so people don't touch them. We've heard the number of ventilators we have ready to go and the technology for monitoring patients out- side ITU. These make us feel a lot bet- ter," she said, describing the preparations at Mater Dei Hospital as "a massive over- haul, with no expense spared". The hospital is running three batches of tests per day, while other countries can only muster one. "I feel that we are preparing a lot. Ultimately we are in for a rough time – this is an uncomfortable calm before the storm hits." Meanwhile other non-COVID cases continue. "We are rationalising essential tests and are lining up patients we can't ignore, looking up ways to communicate with patients at home. We've become in- ventive," said the doctor. "What is also very real is the fear for yourself and your family. Most people have resorted to not meeting with family, but what if you live with your parents? I have one young colleague who took the step of renting a place out for herself to avoid infecting her parents." Healthcare workers who have children are also facing problems. Doctors have 24-hour shifts and it gets complicated with childcare, espe- cially if they are afraid to send their children to hospital's in-house childcare. Doctors and medical staff are under- going extensive training in not getting infected. Donning doffing, wiping all surfaces, communications. Individual de- partments are conducting constant drills for various scenarios. One constant worry is the fear that the doctors are going to infect their patients. "Is it infective before symptoms show? We don't know enough about this virus." A system is now in place whereby if a doctor is treating a COVID positive patient, they are not allowed to treat non-infected patients. There are a lot of behind-the-scenes preparations being done. Doctors in pri- vate practice are being enlisted to help hospital doctors should an outbreak oc- cur. "We are amassing an army," jokes the doctor. "When things get too heavy we try to take care of each other. There's a lot of solidarity but it's a great upheaval. It's go- ing to affect us mentally, but ultimately this is what we're here for. "It's amazing how people have come together and thought about these things. We are in it for the long haul and we are all in it together. We're very, very well prepared I think." Supermarkets make safety arrangements With the exception of doctors, nobody is facing more danger than supermarket employees because of the sheer number of people who they come into contact with on a daily basis. One supermarket manager spoken to said his supermarket's entire modus op- erandi has had to change due to the virus. "We have had to focus our efforts on setting up preventative and precau- tionary measures such as the set-up of Perspex screens on all cash desks and counters, setting up zones that cannot be crossed to go in line with the one-me- CORONAVIRUS CRISIS 'There is nothing easy about this' maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 MARCH 2020 KURT SANSONE PEOPLE have failed to turn up for surgical appointments at Mater Dei hospital, in fear of the coronavirus. But authori- ties insist this behaviour could increase medical risks. A similar phenomenon was observed last week, with fewer people turning up at the Acci- dent and Emergency Depart- men, prompting the authori- ties to insist that people should attend hospital if they need to. Mater Dei Hospital CEO Ce- lia Falzon said there have been individuals who cancelled sur- gical appointments or failed to turn up despite recommenda- tions by doctors for these to go ahead. The hospital has been post- poning surgical interventions, depending on the medical ur- gency of each case, to free up resources, space and person- nel. "Unless an appointment has been postponed by the hospi- tal, the person should still un- dergo the surgical intervention because this means it is need- ed… we are taking all the nec- essary precautions to protect patients and staff and nobody People cancel hospital surgery amid coronavirus fears, risk their health Mater Dei Hospital chief says patients who stay away from hospital despite needing its services risk health complications "Unless an appointment has been postponed by the hospital... the surgical intervention is still needed..."