At present, about 30 patients with infectious covid-19 are isolated at the infection clinic, and 9 patients in intensive care at Sahlgrenska Hospital in Gothenburg.
At the same time last year, 180 patients were cared for in inpatient care, of which just over 30 were in intensive care.
- The situation is strained, but manageable.
On the whole, we had a calmer Christmas weekend than feared, says Tobias Carlson, doctor and coordinator for the pandemic group at Sahlgrenska.
Despite the fact that there are significantly fewer covid patients than last year, the staff still notice an increased load as the search pressure for other diseases has returned to normal.
- During the first waves, we saw a sharp reduction in the search pressure for emergency care.
Now you apply as you normally do, then covid comes on top of that, says Tobias Carlson.
At the same time, sick leave among staff is high, which means a strained staffing situation.
- Some staff are in quarantine.
It gives a stone on the burden, says Tobias Carlson.
Stockholm
At Södersjukhuset in Stockholm, an increase in influenza cases has been noticed, in combination with a steady increase in covid patients.
Here, almost half of all places on iva are occupied by patients with covid-19.
In order to cope with the load, care places for covid and influenza patients are gradually being changed.
- All care that can wait must wait, says Annie Kierkegaard, chief physician at Södersjukhuset.
According to Kierkegaard, Sös has enough muscle to cope with an increased load.
The big cloud of concern for the coming weeks is infection among the healthcare staff.
- That is perhaps what worries me the most, says Annie Kierkegaard.
"Last Christmas was much worse"
Skåne University Hospital, Sus, is also affected by sick leave among healthcare staff.
But the situation is under control, and there are care places for all patients, says Sven Karlsson who is the chief physician.
So far, the flu has not put any major strain on the hospital.
On the other hand, the number of covid patients has increased recently, but not more than expected based on the infection situation in society as a whole.
- Last Christmas, the covid situation was significantly worse.
In terms of number, inpatients are 22 percent compared with a year ago.
But then the number of patients with other ailments was significantly less, says Sven Karlsson.
On Monday, 86 people are cared for with covid-19 at Sus.
This corresponds to 10 percent of the total number of patients in inpatient care.
Last year, inpatient covid patients accounted for about 30 percent of the total number.