– Namely that it is to a large extent different infections that unfortunately send a lot of Danes in contact with the health service in one way or another, she says to Ritzau.
The pediatric wards in particular are feeling the pressure, says Klaus Birkelund Johansen, chairman of the paediatricians in the Danish Pediatric Society.
This is especially due to the extraordinary number of children hospitalized with RS virus. An infection that causes colds in adults, but which can cause severe inflammation of the airways in young children.
In the last three weeks, we have had as many children hospitalized with RS virus as we usually have for an entire season, says Klaus Birkelund Johansen.
The explanation for the many sick children so early in the fall is probably less immunity on top of the coronary occlusion. Many worked at home and avoided large gatherings, and thus were not infected with, for example, colds.
– Usually, children are born with immunity because their mothers have had colds during pregnancy. It did not happen to the same extent during the corona. That is why we now have children admitted who are as young as a week old, says Klaus Birkelund Johansen.
The pressure is so fierce that planned surgeries of children are canceled.
– It can be surgical operations, for example of a foot or a crooked back. At the same time, we must postpone planned treatments.
Regional President Stephanie Lose acknowledges that it may be necessary to cancel planned operations. Not just in the pediatric wards.
– All in all, I must say that although not all departments are equally pressured, and we make an effort to help each other across, the health service is looking into a difficult time, she says.
She points out that she and the Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke (S) will, among other things, discuss the possibility of getting extra money for professional groups that contribute by, for example, coming in on a Saturday or an evening to help.
– Conversely, we are very aware that the desire to work extra on top of the corona and nurse strike in many places is limited, says Stephanie Lose.
According to the chairman of the pediatricians, the nurses are already running fast because it is difficult to recruit and retain nurses.
– Right now we are asking them to take even more shifts, also in the evenings and on weekends, and that is a big burden for them.
– They have been running on the reserve tank for a long time, and it is about to be empty, says Klaus Birkelund Johansen.
Already at the beginning of September, Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke (S) warned of a “storm” of patients that could hit the Danish hospitals in the autumn and winter months.
At the time, his assessment was that the healthcare system was robust enough to withstand, but at the same time he acknowledged that the hospitals and their staff already have a busy everyday life.