Marion Gauthier, with Europe 1 and AFP 6:30 am, September 23, 2021
Due to absenteeism linked to suspensions for lack of vaccination, hospitals in the Mulhouse region were forced to trigger the White Plan on Tuesday.
"The situation was already complicated the day before yesterday, it will be even more so tomorrow", decrypts Marc Noizet, head of the Samu Bas-Rhin service.
The Mulhouse and South-Alsace Region Hospital Group (GHRMSA) announced on Tuesday the triggering of the White Plan, a device that allows the deprogramming of non-urgent operations and call back staff, in the event of an exceptional influx of patients.
Already adopted in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, in August, it is used during a pandemic like that of Covid-19 or after attacks.
In the Haut-Rhin, it is now in place because of… the lack of caregivers.
Nearly 170 suspensions
While the health crisis continues, nearly 170 unvaccinated employees have been suspended in the group, which includes ten establishments, out of nearly 6,000 employees.
"The territory is in a situation of crisis, very clearly", assures Europe 1 Marc Noizet, head of service of Samu 68-Urgences Mulhouse.
In total, 41 patients with Covid-19 remain hospitalized in GHRMSA establishments, including 15 in intensive care.
>> Find all the newspapers of the editorial staff of Europe 1 in replay and podcast here
"Last week, we were arrested by the clinic of the diaconate which is the private group in Mulhouse", says the person in charge.
"Faced with the acceleration of absenteeism, they were forced to close their emergency department until September 28, with a natural postponement of activity to emergency rooms because people cannot find normal treatment. . "
"We have to face it"
Likewise, "the public hospital is in a complicated situation", continues Marc Noizet. "For example, out of 76 nurses, I have 17 nurses who are now on sick leave. Add to that the health professionals who did not want to be vaccinated… So there were some suspensions in our hospital." In this context, if "the situation was already complicated the day before yesterday, it will be even more so tomorrow", anticipates Marc Noizet. "But we have to face it. We can't help it."
Haut-Rhin is the only department in the Grand Est where the incidence rate reaches 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to data from the Regional Health Agency.
This rate even rises to 143.1 for the agglomeration community of Mulhouse.
In addition, in this department, however hard hit by the first wave of Covid-19 in March 2020, only 66% of the population is fully vaccinated, figures much lower than in neighboring departments.