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The Community of Madrid is going to reserve around 1,000 beds in intensive care units (ICUs) to attend to those infected by the most serious coronavirus, 164 according to the latest balance. The decision is made in anticipation of a "high rebound" in cases expected to occur in the coming days.

To deal with this circumstance, public and private hospitals in the region will now work together under "one command." "It is vital to deal with this situation in a global and coordinated manner," the Minister of Health, Enrique Ruiz Escudero, argued this Thursday about this "pioneering collaboration plan" at the first press conference called by the regional government, to which Journalists recommended not to attend unless it was strictly necessary for coverage, follow it via streaming and send questions via WhatsApp.

In addition to expanding to more centers, work has begun on the reconversion of beds in post-anesthetic recovery units and in resuscitation rooms in ICU beds. To this end, 230 respirators and 219 monitors have already been purchased.

Among the new measures that will be launched will also be the creation of "medicalized hotels" , an "intermediate stay" resource for patients for whom it is not recommended to quarantine at home but their clinical situation is not so serious as to need an income. This "new concept" will consist of enabling spaces such as pavilions, which will allow "unloading the healthcare activity to hospitals so that they can focus on the most serious cases and other pathologies."

In addition, the Community of Madrid will stop testing the Covid-19 for those affected with mild symptoms of fever and cough, which represent 60% of the total. In these circumstances -that Health dissociates itself from an economic issue or a lack of resources- they will be instructed to remain isolated in their homes with assistance from the Primary Care service "by phone or in person depending on the patient's clinical situation".

"SOS" due to lack of material

Ruiz Escudero has also launched an "SOS" for the central government to supply with "agility and maximum immediacy" the protection material that doctors and nurses need to carry out their work in the face of this "health emergency situation". "Professionals need to protect from infection and be the first to be protected," warned the Madrid counselor, who pointed out the option of "own manufacture" of masks in the face of the possibility of a "shortage".

To the numerous preventive measures adopted for a week to try to stop the expansion of the coronavirus in Madrid, such as the closure of all educational centers for at least 15 days, this Thursday has been added the official request for playgrounds and terraces suppress their activity . In an interview on Telecinco, the regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, also said that "the clubs have to close" to avoid crowds.

1,388 infected

These new recommendations come after the evolution of Covid-19 in the region has left 364 more infected within 24 hours , among others the Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, and the Vice President of Congress, Ana Pastor. According to the latest balance, the number of people affected in Madrid amounts to 1,388, half of those in all of Spain.

The Minister of Health has indicated that the effects of the measures to try to contain the exponential evolution of the number of infected, necessary so that "the number of confirmed cases was not difficult to assume", will take eight days to be perceived . The Community of Madrid has launched a campaign through Twitter recommending that the population stay home.

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  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19
  • Isabel Díaz Ayuso

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