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We asked dr. Michał Sutkowski, spokesman of the College of Family Physicians in Poland and a family doctor, about the most bothering issues for Poles. See what tips she has for all of us for the time ahead.
Usually when we feel bad - we have a low-grade fever or even a fever, cough, runny nose, headache - we go to the pharmacy and buy "something for a cold" or go to the doctor . And what now - in the period of the coronavirus threat - should a patient who experiences similar ailments do? How should he react properly?
Dr. Michał Sutkowski:Our knowledge about our he alth, observing the body and its reactions are more important than usual. More important in the context of both our individual and public he alth.
Therefore, if we have recently been abroad (especially in regions where there have been cases of coronavirus infection) or we know or suspect that we have had contact with a person staying abroad, or we have had some contact with an already infected person and at the same time we have such symptoms , such as: bone and joint pain, shortness of breath, cough, fever 38-39 degrees C, thenWE DO NOT LEAVE HOME, ONLY CALL . We can call the free NFZ helpline (800 190 590) or call your he alth clinic or your family doctor.
In each of these places we will be instructed what to do next. We do the same when we have not been abroad, we have not had contact with an infected person, and we feel typical infectious ailments.
This move - we don't leave, we just call and ask for information on what to do next - is very important. It is very important to follow the instructions afterwards. If the he althcare professional decides that we need to be hospitalized, they will send a specialist medical transport for us to take us to the hospital. If it issues a decision on home quarantine, we must strictly follow its rules. And if she decides that we have a cold disease and asks us to stay at home, we must also comply with that order.
What should a doctor do when a patient with COVID-19 symptoms appears in his office? Are there any procedures to follow?
M.S.:Yes, there is such a procedure developed byThe College of Family Physicians in Poland in consultation with other medical societies. Let me remind you that the so-called patient zero, i.e. the first case of coronavirus infection, it was the situation when the patient appeared at the GP. The procedure specifies, inter alia, behavior of the staff of the medical facility, criteria for dealing with the patient depending on the type of symptoms present, rules for disinfecting the facility, rules for transporting the patient to the hospital, etc.
Detailed guidelines of the College of Family Physicians in Poland for family doctors can be found here>>>
When the coronavirus is already in Poland, does it make sense to ask patients if they have recently returned from Italy or China? Because they might have come into contact with an infected person by accident, for example in a shopping mall. M.S.:When we talk, it's Thursday, March 12 at At 9:30 am, we have 44 cases of coronavirus infection in Poland, but they all come from contact abroad. We do not have the so-called population diseases. The question is therefore justified, and we should behave responsibly to maintain this state as long as possible. Is the patient able to call a primary care physician and actually get a tele-advice or an e-prescription? We heard that getting there is a miracle. M.S.:It depends on the work organization of a given institution. We know that clinics set up additional telephone lines or assign additional staff to serve patients. Remember, however, that patients usually call the clinic in the morning: 8: 00-9: 00, solet's try to call a little later . I have good experiences with the operation of the clinic and the telephone system. Yesterday [ed .: March 11, 2020] I spent the whole day seeing patients in my clinic and there were only those who really had to come. The truth is, patients sometimes behave badly, overreactively, inadequately, and downright stupidly. And the time ahead is a great test of our responsible behavior.Remember that quarantine time is not a fun time, but simply a time to reduce our daily activities. Planned visits to specialist doctors, incl. cardiologists, oncologists who are very difficult to get to - is it better to give them up during the quarantine period, postpone them? M.S.:There is not one good answer to this question. It depends on the individual he alth condition of the patient. In my opinionif this is the first visit, you shouldn't give up on it, if the next one is . But clinics withspecialist doctors are also obliged to manage the movement of patients in the clinic, even if they keep an eye on the appointments, so that there is not too much concentration of patients in one place. For which groups of chronically ill patients is the coronavirus particularly dangerous? M.S .: Coronavirus should not be underestimated by anyoneregardless of age, but it poses a particular threat to people: In general: all people with chronic diseases, especially those listed above, should take care of themselves. Coronavirus is said to be saving children. Are they all? What about children with cancer, asthma or diabetes? M.S.:Children with these conditions are at risk. As for children who are not chronically ill, they do get infected rarely, and if they do, they get mild or asymptomatic. This is a phenomenon that we find no answer to in virology. The experience of the influenza epidemic shows that it poses a serious threat to children up to the age of 5. And in the case of the coronavirus, not anymore, and we don't know why. Masks: should everyone wear them? If so, what are they? M.S.: Using surgical masks makes sense when we are coughing ourselves and want to protect other people from viruses, or when we are with someone who is coughing(e.g. when caring for the sick at home) or many people coughing and we want to protect ourselves. Wearing the mask on the street, in the so-called occasional contact with other people is not needed. Remember, however, that the best protection against viruses is masks with a HEPA filter and protective suits - equipment used by epidemiological and sanitary services. I would also like to sensitize my patients that the sales offers are multiplyinganti-dust, construction masks , which are advertised by dishonest sellers and manufacturers as "anti-virus", but they are absolutely not, and they reach some monstrously high prices -let's not fall for it . And one more thing - if we already wear a mask, let's do it properly. I've seen such absurd situations beforewhen someone wore a mask on glasses (so it stuck out from the face), and … smoked a cigarette. Smoking papers and wearing a mask are completely arguing. Is hand disinfection necessary (in the face of missing disinfectants)? Is it enough to wash them well? M.S.:First, let's explain two concepts. Disinfection concerns the surface of inanimate matter, i.e. objects. The smaller ones can be disinfected with soapy water or moist disposable wipes. Larger surfaces: furniture, floors - for this we use ordinary agents that we use every day. However, in the case of the skin of the hands or the whole body, we are talking about antiseptics.Normal soap is enough for the proper antiseptic treatment of the skin of the hands, provided that we wash our hands properly, i.e. at least 30 seconds , thoroughly cleaning the gaps between the fingers, thumbs, fingertips, and wrists. It is also important to rinse your hands thoroughly with a stream of warm water after washing. I would also like to especially sensitize you not totouch your eyes, mouth and nose with your dirty hands . Because that's where the open mucosa is located. Viruses penetrate the open mucosa more often than the skin of the hands. It is the main field of virus penetration. Therefore, if we wash our face, it is only with clean hands. So: first we wash our hands and then our face. We can use antibacterial gels, but skillfully . Those with a high alcohol content (over 60%) can macerate the skin and then viruses can penetrate it faster. And two more remarks. First: people often think that if they stay at home longer, such as now, during quarantine, they don't have to wash their whole body anymore. Absolutely not true!We should take care of the daily hygiene of the whole body . Second note: alcohol-based perfumes - spots on the skin that are sprayed with such perfumes are less likely to harbor the coronavirus. Home antibacterial preparations - are they effective? M.S.:Tebased on diluted alcohol or vinegar(equally effective) - by all means. In completely exceptional cases, when we do not have soap or antibacterial preparation, we can usea little washing up liquid or washing powderto wash our hands. This is not recommended, but can be used in really extreme situations. Will the coming of summer stop the coronavirus? Opinions differ - some believe that April and May will be the most infected. M.S.:We cannot answer this question 100%.We suspect that the increased temperature will be a factor that will reduce the number of cases of coronavirus infection. We are inclined to this opinion due to the fact that then the immunity of our organisms will naturally increase, but also due to the behavior of the virus. We cannot rely on the research, but we suspect that it will be so, but only around June. Dr. Michał Sutkowskiis the president of the Warsaw Family Physicians, the Press Spokesman of the College of Family Physicians in Poland and the Vice-Dean of the Medical Faculty for the Development of the Lazarski University in Warsaw. Together Against Coronavirus
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