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We are facing a tough winter from a medical perspective—the first winter of the coronavirus pandemic in Romania, as well as the season for viral infections and flu, with our country having experienced two consecutive winters of flu epidemics.

Vaccination against the flu, as well as finding a balance and a way to do things “in what I call normality in pandemic conditions,” could be solutions, says Adrian Marinescu, a doctor who has been on the COVID front line for over six months, during the HotNews LIVE interviews.

Dr. Adrian Marinescu | Photo: Hotnews

“The moment when things will calm down is far away.”

“We are in the midst of a pandemic, and the moment when things will calm down is still far off. Unfortunately, September is not as calm as we would have liked. With schools reopening, we had hoped for a more balanced situation and a reduction in virus transmission within the population,” says Dr. Adrian Marinescu.

“Unfortunately, we are starting from a reality: the fact that we have, not only in Romania but all over the world, a rather difficult situation that has continued regardless of whether it was the warm season or not, which is more than unusual, as all specialists say. It is clear that the evolution of the virus is more than unpredictable,” he adds.

Regarding the reopening of schools on September 14, after a 6-month break caused by the pandemic, Adrian Marinescu emphasizes two aspects:

1. “We must start from the reality— we are facing a long period, at least 6 months, if not more, of difficulty. If schools were not to reopen, it would be a prolonged period, not just one or two months.”

2. “We should all start from the idea that children need to be in a safe environment. This is not just the doctor’s perspective; it’s also the parent’s. My 11-year-old son will start school on September 14th, here in Bucharest. It is clear that, first and foremost, I want things to be safe.”

A harsh winter and a more than unpredictable virus

The first thing Adrian Marinescu learned in the more than 6 months he has been on the COVID front line is that “it is a more than unpredictable virus: there were logical things that everyone supported and which did not fit.”

What is clear, says the doctor, is that “we will have a cold season that will bring flu and viral infections, and this means we will face a diagnostic challenge because we won’t always know whether we have the flu, a viral infection, or COVID-19.”

“Additionally, there will unfortunately be severe cases, meaning that some individuals may have both the flu and COVID-19 simultaneously, which could lead to complications,” warns Adrian Marinescu.

Nevertheless, Dr. Adrian Marinescu urges a constructive mindset: “I believe that, while we should certainly consider a pessimistic scenario, we should focus on constructive thinking. We do have experience, which is a significant advantage; we’ve had months to learn how to prepare for the next challenge. This means sticking to the same measures we’ve learned so far, staying vigilant as flu vaccination approaches, and ensuring we all get vaccinated to avoid that pessimistic scenario.”

“That pessimistic scenario can be softened by the measures we can start taking now to prepare for a challenging winter from a medical standpoint,” advises Adrian Marinescu.

“Anyway, I would put it this way: no matter how challenging the pandemic is, it happened before in 1918 and eventually the world moved on. I believe we need to find a balance so that things can continue, both economically and in terms of safety and education for children. Ultimately, we cannot accept the idea that for 2 or 3 years children would have to give up their education due to the pandemic.”

The conclusion of Dr. Adrian Marinescu is: “I believe we need to find a middle ground, to do things safely but in what I call ‘normalcy under pandemic conditions.’ It’s different from the normalcy we used to know, but we can clearly accomplish what needs to be done. That is what I think should be the immediate takeaway.”

Heading Photo Source: Isaac Quesada | Unsplash

Article Source: https://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-sanatate-24267084-medic-din-prima-linie-covid-urmeaza-iarna-grea-din-punct-vedere-medical-cred-trebuie-facem-lucrurile-ceea-numesc-normalitate-conditii-pandemie.htm