A nurse in a Covid unit in Timone -

Daniel Cole / AP / SIPA

  • AP-HM caregivers are preparing for an increase in Covid-19 cases.

  • The concern of a saturation point while the British variant is present in Marseille.

At the Public Assistance of Hospitals of Marseille (AP-HM), some have their eyes riveted across the Channel and cold sweats on their foreheads.

"There is the anxiety of the British variant, which can lead to a brutal saturation of services, as in March".

Not the alarmist type since he has been on the front line, Lionel Velly, an anesthesiologist in intensive care in a Covid unit in Timone, does not hide his fears, while a cluster linked to the British variant was discovered last weekend in the second largest city in France.

“If in three or four weeks, the variant develops here, we know that, even if it is not a priori more dangerous, it will lead to more contamination, which means more patients to take care of.

In three weeks, England has gone from an incidence rate of 250 per 100,000, or roughly the incidence rate of Bouches-du-Rhône which is 211, to 1,000… ”

"Hoping that we are less struck than the English"

"I am much more worried about the situation to come than the current situation," says Audrey Jolibois, FO general secretary at the AP-HM.

We keep our fingers crossed, hoping that we are less affected than the English.

But we are lucid.

We had a period around the summer when we had the impression of taking a breath.

In September, it started again.

There, we imagined that it would go down again and that there is a particular risk on this English variant.

The English were hit hard and we are very worried about our ability to continue to run this marathon.

"

It must be said that, at the present time, patients with coronavirus are still and still being cared for at the AP-HM.

According to a latest statistical report communicated by Marseille hospitals, 120 people affected by Covid-19 were at the AP-HM, including 89 in hospital and in the emergency room.

"The major problem is that we do not start from zero," says Dominique Rossi, president of the medical commission of the AP-HM.

In July, at the end of the first wave, we had two patients in intensive care.

Today, we still have a very large backlog with, since December 24, between 30 and 35 patients in intensive care.

The Covid background noise is still very high, and on a high peak.

"

Exhausted staff

“We are facing an admission increase of 1.5%,” notes Lionel Velly.

We expected it.

We had expected, after the holidays, a gradual increase in load.

The infected people are mainly residents in EHPAD and young people between 20 and 30 years old.

The virus is circulating as in mid-August.

Added to this is also the flow of usual patients, which is particularly high.

“Generally, the end of the year is a period of high activity, with for example more hemorrhagic strokes,” recalls Lionel Velly.

“We will face it,” says Dominique Rossi.

My concern is not the material or the skills.

We usually.

The real question is on our staff, who are not fully recovered and who have to take the brunt.

"" The staff are physically tired, abounds Audrey Jolibois.

Morale is not in good shape either.

The third wave risks overwhelming the somewhat frustrated troops.

Everyone is wondering, "How long is this going to last?"

"

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  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus

  • epidemic

  • Marseilles

  • English

  • Hospital