Staying in isolation centers is a risky decision that involves more than courage: an immense commitment and love for what is done. And you, reader, will agree that the current death figures left by the Covid-19 come to intimidate anyone. But there they are, on the front line, to save lives.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- They are men and women like many others, fathers and mothers of families who also fear; but they do not hesitate when taking the step forward, moved by the humanistic principle that made them choose their profession. Luckily, our reality to date is far from that of other nations and here the vast majority, despite the concerns, trusts in a Health System supported by anonymous human beings who today wear white and green robes.
There is Antonio Julián Menéndez de la Fuente, a specialist in Comprehensive General Medicine, who has not seen his girls for more than 10 days; the youngest is only three months old. From his responsibility as the director of the Los Caciques isolation center, he ensures that "everyone is well there, looking out for the well-being of the people of Las Tunas.”
Yoiler Ruiz, a graduate in Nursing, confirmed it: “I am not going to deny that I feel fear because it is a pandemic that attacks the world, but it is our duty to try to stop it. We have cared for patients in the best possible way and so far they maintain a favorable status."
Behind the perimeter fence, 14 professionals from the sector (specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Laboratory technicians, graduates in Nursing) go head-on, challenging the greatest dangers. And although to date only one patient with a positive diagnosis for Covid-19 was among them, the risk is latent.
"Today we have 34 admitted patients with a favorable evolution and some of them are completely asymptomatic, but remain under surveillance, as they had contact with one of the 40 positive cases that the country has at the moment and will be here under surveillance for 14 days,” Menéndez says.
A high percentage of patients go through the disease without showing symptoms, as was the case of the resident in the municipality of Jesús Menéndez, who maintained contact with a 70-year-old Italian, reported as a critic. "This patient passed through here for four days until confirmation and subsequent transfer to Holguín."
The doctor reports that samples of nasopharyngeal exudates from hospitalized patients are taken between the third and seventh days of appearance of symptoms. "The test will not be performed on all patients, only those who show signs; the rest remain under surveillance and after the indicated period a clinically and epidemiological discharge can be assessed."
“To date, 48 people have returned to their homes, asymptomatic, with follow-up by the basic health team, at home for 14 days.
“We have an information system; when the patient arrives at the center, a telephone number is requested and daily, starting at 2:00 in the afternoon, the health status of the admitted patient is informed to the family.
According to the specialist, the new coronavirus that keeps the world awake today has two clinical ways of presenting itself: one, like a common cold; and the other, with a severe acute response, which generally tends to suffer from older adults with chronic diseases: diabetes, high blood pressure, bronchial asthma, heart disease ...
PREVENTION, THE WORD OF ORDER
From early on, those responsible for the campaign disinfect the area because there, certainly, it is necessary to take extreme precautions. No less important is the work of the service personnel, who have also shown solidarity and willingness.
“Here the measures are established through a flowchart and the protection of doctors is constantly demanded. Cars are fumigated at the entrance and exit of the center to avoid possible spread.
“After-hours personnel, after 24 hours in Los Caciques, move to an area where the conditions for disinfecting them are created. Once at home, they must maintain preventive measures, which are also known for the population, such as maintaining the distance between people and frequent hand washing.”
The laboratory technician Rosalía Lera reports that they protect themselves a lot and from the very arrival there are people in charge of providing them with clothing before enter to the laboratory. “Once we take the sample, it is kept in an environment until it is transferred by a microbiologist to the Provincial Hygiene Center. There the packing is done and it is sent to Santiago de Cuba.”
And she adds: "After completing the exams, we discard the wardrobe and put on a new one. The patients are treated in the best possible way so that they do not feel rejected.”
Any precaution is little if it is to preserve life. It is also the message of those who remain isolated there with suspicion of the disease. “I want people to take care, protect themselves and use the masks; only leave the house what is necessary; avoid queuing," insisted a 24-year-old patient.
Health personnel who work tirelessly to guarantee the well-being of all deserve infinite gratitude. And the best way to correspond to such heroics is to comply with the guidelines; only then will it be worth so much effort.
