Due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the beds are becoming tight, so Miyagi Prefecture and others are requesting the facilities to deal with the infection first, instead of transporting them to the hospital even if the elderly who enter the nursing care facility are infected. I found out.
Miyagi Prefecture, Sendai City, and the Prefectural Medical Association announced on April 7 that there will be approximately 1,600 nursing care facilities in the "Sendai Medical Area" of 14 municipalities around Sendai City until early May. Even if the elderly entering the hospital were infected with the new corona virus, they were not transported to the hospital, but first requested that the facility deal with it.
Until now, regardless of age, doctors took measures to be hospitalized when they judged that they were "moderate" or higher, but after the request, they are required to deal with "moderate" or higher in the facility. is.
In the "Sendai Medical Area", the number of hospitalized patients reached 158 on April 13, and the bed usage rate reached 70.5%, and as of 22nd, it continues to be tight at 58.2%.
After the request, clusters have been generated at a total of 6 facilities, and Miyagi Prefecture is taking measures such as dispatching disaster medical assistance teams = DMAT doctors and nurses to nursing care facilities.
Masayuki Akama, director of the new Corona General Coordination Office in Miyagi Prefecture, said, "At one point there was a concern about the collapse of medical care, and there was a request from medical personnel. Instead of leaving it to the facility, we formed a team with the government and Sendai City. I would like to continue taking measures such as dispatching to facilities. "
Elderly facility "Notice that you are prepared to have a hard time"
Regarding the request from Miyagi prefecture, Hideki Yamazaki, a doctor and representative of the medical welfare group "Kiyoyamakai", which operates multiple facilities for the elderly mainly in Sendai city, said, "It is hard for elderly people who need long-term care and us. It's a notice that I'm prepared for, but I also understand that medical care has become so tight that I have to issue it. "
Even at facilities operated by Representative Yamazaki, there have been multiple cases of infection of residents and staff.
We also dispatch support staff to other facilities for the elderly in the prefecture where the cluster occurred.
According to Mr. Yamazaki, the facility will separate the living space for infected people and other people, but there are limits to the countermeasures, and if the staff becomes close contacts, they will be forced to wait at home. It is said that there may be a labor shortage.
Yamazaki said, "Infected people need to be separated to another place, but there is a lack of such dedicated facilities. Now, we have no choice but to do what we can and work together with the elderly to overcome it." I'm talking to you.
"Sendai Medical Area" Bed usage rate changes around 60%
According to Miyagi Prefecture, in the "Sendai Medical Area", the usage rate of beds secured by hospitals has been around 60% since March, when the number of infected people increased rapidly.
"Sendai Medical Area" consists of 35 cities, towns and villages in Miyagi prefecture, including Sendai City and its surrounding areas, Shiogama City, Natori City, Tagajo City, Iwanuma City, Tomiya City, Watari Town, Yamamoto Town, Matsushima Town, Shichigahama Town, and Rifu Town. In 14 cities, towns and villages of Taiwa Town, Osato Town, and Ohira Village, more than 80% of the infected people announced so far are concentrated in the prefecture.
For this reason, the number of vacant beds at medical institutions in the "Sendai Medical Area" is decreasing, and the usage rate of the reserved beds reached 70.5% on April 13.
Even after that, it did not decrease significantly and remained at about 60%, reaching 58.2% as of the 22nd.
A figure of 50% or more corresponds to the most serious "stage 4" of the four stages indicated by the government subcommittee.
In addition, the usage rate of beds for critically ill people continued to be around 50%, and as of the 22nd, it was 54.8%.
Cluster at 6 facilities since request
Since April 7, when Miyagi Prefecture and others requested nursing care facilities in the municipalities of the "Sendai Medical Area," a group of infected people = clusters have occurred in six elderly facilities in the target area.
According to the prefecture and Sendai City, since April 7, there have been 3 clusters in Sendai City, 2 in Natori City, and 1 in Kashiro City, which have occurred in facilities for the elderly in the Sendai Medical Area.
The number of infected people by 22nd was
▽ 47 people at the facility in Sendai City confirmed on April 9
▽
15 people at the facility in Sendai City confirmed on April 10 ▽ confirmed on
April 11th. There are
about 100 people in total at 6 locations,
including 17 at the facilities in Tagajo City
.
Clusters at facilities for the elderly were also
seen
one after another in local governments other than the "Sendai Medical Area".
▽ 40 people
were infected
at the Misato-cho facility confirmed on 22nd.
Has been confirmed.
Masayuki Akama, director of the new Corona Coordination Office in Miyagi Prefecture, commented on the relationship between requests for nursing care facilities such as prefectures and clusters. I don't know, "he said.