The President of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, has said that the Valencian Community is “ready” to face this second wave because it has reserves of health products that will last for five months, capacity to reach 19,000 hospital beds for patients, 1,200 in ICU and critical care and “more personell than ever”.
At a press conference in which he reported on the new restrictions, Puig pointed out that the evolution of the pandemic has led to a “serious” situation and that it is growing “exponentially” both in Europe and in Spain and especially in the Valencian Community.
However, he stressed: “we have sufficient supplies and facilities that we continue to replenish and more people than ever to attend the pandemic.”
The President explained that the health warehouses have sanitary protection material for the next four or five months and also a framework purchase agreement has been signed with suppliers to guarantee supply for the next two years.
He confirmed that all departments have beds both on the wards and in the ICU and there are also contingency plans in case more resources are needed. The health service can reach 19,000 beds for acute patients and 1,200 for critical care. He also said that the staff has been bolstered with 10,000 contracts for health professionals and there are 2,137 trackers, 300 from the UME.
Although the hospital pressure has increased and “continues to be of great concern”, he has said that the situation “is nowhere near to saturation”.
Puig highlighted that the Community has had one of the “lowest” records since the beginning of the pandemic and is the fourth community with a lower cumulative incidence, with 25% fewer hospitalisations and half the mortality than the average across Spain.
However, at the beginning of this winter the situation has become “difficult and serious” and it is necessary to “reverse this worrying trend, so a” strong, thought out and immediate response must be introduced as the situation deteriorates. ”
He stressed that decision made by the Generalitat have always been “guided by continuous evaluation and rigorous analysis” without applying “impulsive or excessive” measures, but “without ceasing to do what was necessary, whether or not it was popular”.
FIELD HOSPITALS
The Minister for Health, Ana Barceló pointed out that the Generalitat still has private health beds that it can call on, and if it becomes necessary, field hospitals will be used “when the system gets to the stage where it is finding it impossible to accommodate incoming patients in regular hospitals”.
She guaranteed that the differences with the private hospital contractors due to the price “have not affected the care functions” that have been given to them “or the use that will be given to them should they be required in the coming months.”
