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I gave an interview to a Hungarian online journal, where we talked about how the transparency of the weekly @ICNARC data helped us to shape our response to #COVID19 (and how different it is to home where all of this data is “top secret”) https://www.valaszonline.hu/2020/12/11/koronavirus-leiner-tamas-szakmany-tamas-interju/
This prompted me to look at yesterday’s report and beyond the demographics, mortality etc which is much better explained by @ActuaryByDay in their weekly thread I looked at the questions I have been asked about “busyness” flu and other respiratory problems.
This helpful graph illustrates that compared to the last 4 years average, the UK ICUs were similarly full, despite the logistical challenges we face due to staff sickness and infection control measures.
“Normal” critical care patients accounted for the vast majority of work in, with the exception of March/April. Even as the 2nd wave came, we have more other critically ill to look after than #COVID19 victims. Elective activity was back to winter levels (which is admittedly low).
The social distancing has helped enormously to reduce normal respiratory illness transmission: pneumonia and flu admissions don’t seem to have their usual November uptick.
I hope that by being sensible, not mixing with loads of people we can keep the #COVID19 community spread at bay and by late spring we will have some larger scale vaccination on the way. Until then we are very likely to continue to see increasing numbers on the ICUs.
As our human resource is finite, it will continue to mean hard choices between elective admissions and emergency cases. I just hope we can continue to offer the same high standard of care to everyone who needs it. #StaySafeStayHealthy
