The Ministry of Health is introducing triage and rapid tests in primary schools in the face of the “problem of an epidemic of influenza and other viruses.”

“We want to be prepared to deal with the problem of influenza epidemics and seasonal respiratory diseases, which always occur in autumn and winter,” emphasized this Wednesday the Minister of Health and Social Policy, Maria Martin, during the presentation of the Emergency Action Plan. against influenza and acute respiratory infections (ARI), a protocol that provides at the first level of medical care, primary health care, the implementation of a nurse consultation figure for triage, as it exists in the emergency service; Conducting rapid tests for covid, influenza and other viruses; and the introduction of schemes to avoid the coexistence of patients suspected of infection and healthy ones.

In an appearance in which he was accompanied by Seris manager Luis Angel Gonzalez; and Director General of Public Health, Consumption and Care, Eva Martínez Ochoa, head of the health department, recalled that “shared responsibility is key” and called for prevention and protection to care for the most vulnerable populations. In this sense, he called for the vaccination of target groups and the use of protective measures and recommendations, among which he mentioned hand washing, ventilation of enclosed spaces and the use of a mask in case of symptoms.

Weekly observation and fronts

In the interest of this shared responsibility and in favor of the rational use of resources, Maria Martin recalled the possibility of making appointments through the RiojaSalud application, both in medicine and in nursing, in which, if early appointments are not offered, it gives the opportunity to fill out a form, thanks to which “within 24-48 hours a medical professional will offer us the necessary consultation or, if necessary, make an appointment.”

The contingency plan prioritizes the non-medical level, namely public health, responsible for continuously monitoring the development of acute respiratory infections through various epidemiological indicators such as incidence, transmission over time, positive outcomes. . and, based on this, . a way to inform the population and the ability to mobilize resources at various levels of medical care, primary and hospital care.

In this sense, the head of the Rioja Health Service, Luis Ángel González, stressed the importance of optimizing resources and that “we use, above all, the resources of primary health care to protect the hospital from emergencies, to focus attention on the most serious cases.” Thus, he explained that primary health care will give priority to identifying the most vulnerable populations (communities and chronic patients in their homes, especially in rural areas where coverage is difficult). In health centers and continuing care settings, unscheduled needs and patient emergencies will be managed through a new nurse consultation that will use a triage model similar to the emergency services model that was once assessed through various protocols and rapid diagnosis. test, the patient will be referred to the most appropriate resource: family doctor, consultation with appropriate medical personnel, emergency department…

To avoid transmission of infection and depending on epidemiological indicators, the head clarified that specialists in administrative districts will recommend that incoming patients wear masks to minimize droplet transmission of the disease, speeding up the provision of care to patients with suspected influenza. “In this area, the priority is to identify cases early to educate them about the benefits of implementing home isolation measures and minimizing the contagiousness of the virus,” he said, citing the introduction of “center-based schemes where possible, as well as avoiding crowds” as another innovation in waiting rooms and separate patients with suspected infection from healthy patients.

Low incidence at the moment

Regarding the hospital environment, Luis Angel González explained that the Emergency Plan against Influenza and Acute Respiratory Infections, launched on October 1, is organized in several stages and envisages “the gradual deployment of new resources in response to the varying influenza activity and the overload that this represents for hospital care. Thus, it has been proposed that based on various care indicators – patients treated in the emergency department, number of admissions, bed occupancy… – actions such as increasing the number of patients treated in the home hospitalization (HAD) service are inferred. . , maximizing the number of beds in pre- and short-stay units, duplicating wards, prioritizing non-admission surgical activity or optimizing discharge, among others. Calling for mass vaccination and addressing a special message to health and social care workers, the Seris manager clarified that the emergency plan, which is currently in the minimum phase, zero, includes three other levels: 1, 2 and 3, with with appropriate measures and an increase in human and health resources “so as not to reach level 4, which is also planned.”

Finally, the Director General of Public Health prepared a current epidemiological x-ray in which she emphasized that “the incidence is not high at the moment.” Thus, it is clarified that in the 41st week, last week, the incidence of ARI (acute respiratory infections) was 660 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and for influenza – only 6.64 cases per 100,000 people. “At the moment the incidence is not increasing, but we will see how it develops,” said Eva Martinez Ochoa, who called for vaccinations “to achieve the very high coverage that we usually have in La Rioja, which is not easy to achieve. but we hope to replicate that in this campaign. In this sense, he emphasized that “it enjoys good recognition, 7,000 doses have already been administered, which is more than at this point last year.”

The health campaign began on October 1 with vaccination against influenza and Covid of people placed in special institutions, and at the end of this week – children under the age of 3 and 4 years, first and second year students with the introduction of intranasal flu vaccine. vaccines in their schools. From the 7th it was open to over 85s, the general public aged 6 to 59 months and health and social care professionals. Finally, since last Monday, October 14, it has been extended in medical centers and clinics to the remaining target groups – over 60 years old, people over 12 years old with pathologies, pregnant women; cohabitants of vulnerable groups and essential public service personnel. In parallel, immunization of children against RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), which causes bronchiolitis, is being developed.

Those wishing to be vaccinated can make an appointment at the appropriate health center or office or by calling Salud Responde: 941 29 83 33.