Concerns at the Department of Health for the mean daily deaths associated with COVID-19

Despite a decrease in the number of hospitalizations for COVID-19, as well as patients in intensive units or connected to ventilators for complications related to this disease, authorities are concerned about the number of related deaths this year reported. .

This was reported this morning at a press conference by Dr. Lorenzo González Feliciano, Secretary of the Health Department, who emphasized that the number of fatalities from complications related to this virus averaged 10 per day in November and December.

“That number worries Puerto Rico,” said the official, who expected that at this pace 2020 will end with more than 1,500 deaths.

According to health records, 1,408 deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in Puerto Rico to date. Likewise, 66,583 cases have already been confirmed.

Meanwhile, 537 hospitalizations for the virus were reported today, with 87 patients connected to respirators and 86 confined to intensive wards. González Feliciano warned that this reflects a decline as there was a spike in hospital admissions in November (657) and more than 100 virus patients connected to ventilator, as well as intensive wards.

“We have more availability of medical (hospital) resources,” the official said.

For her part, Dr. Iris Cardona, Undersecretary of Health, said that 96% of the 30,225 vaccines against COVID-19 received from the Pfizer company last week had been administered. These, he said, were distributed among 117 health facilities, including 64 hospitals. Meanwhile, 47,500 doses were received this week from the Moderna company, although 20,000 of them could not be used because the additional material needed to administer them had not arrived, which reportedly arrived today.

As explained by the official, the National Guard currently has 20,000 doses available to health professionals who do not work in hospitals and their staff.

Regarding the stages of vaccination, he said 1-A still only includes health workers and hospital workers, as well as those who work in other medical facilities. Residents and employees of long-term care homes are also included. Health workers, he said, will be vaccinated for a period of four to six weeks, while simultaneously vaccinating workers and long-term care residents.

Phase 1-B, he said, will begin when it ends, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for this vaccination.

“They are recommendations (from the CDC) and we are more or less adopting them,” said Cardona.

According to the health plan, it will be in Phase 1-B when people 65 or older who do not live in congregational environments are vaccinated, as well as a range of front-line workers. The 1-C, meanwhile, is intended for people with chronic illnesses aged 16 and over, people in prison, people with disabilities, people in shelters, spiritual aid personnel, college students, staff working in restaurants, and employees of other essential services .

Stage 2 is for people 16 years of age and older, without chronic illness. By that date, the vaccine is expected to be available at multiple vaccination centers, Cardona reported. According to González Feliciano, vaccines against COVID-19 are expected to be available in February from about five companies with emergency use clearance from the federal government.

A CDC panel of experts on Sunday made recommendations to add to Phase 1-A people as young as 65 who live in converging places, as well as 16 or older with chronic illnesses.

“The limiting factor is the distribution of the vaccine by the company that manufactures it,” said Cardona.

Although he reiterated that they received information last week about an adjustment in the number of vaccines provided, with a lower number than expected, he noted that the vaccine is not ready yet.

“There will be vaccines for everyone”

To date, however, the vaccines expected from Pfizer this week have not been received. González Feliciano would receive 27,300 vaccines from Pfizer and 20,900 from Moderna this week. Cardona warned that some vaccines won’t be distributed until next Monday because of the Christmas holidays.

“This is going to take us a few months, but there will be vaccines for all Puerto Ricans,” Cardona repeated.

Regarding the side effects of the vaccine, the pediatric infectologist noted that eight people have been registered with minor effects, including fever, muscle pain, itching in the body, dizziness, nausea, numbness in an area of ​​the mouth, edema or swelling on one side of the face, rash and swelling of the lip.

Meanwhile, Dr. José Rodríguez Orengo, director of the Public Health Trust, notes that a prevalence study conducted in late November in various parts of the country found a 2.8% prevalence of COVID-19, while 55% said they were willing vaccinated and 27% said they were undecided.

Fabiola Cruz, who heads the municipal research and contact tracking system, noted that 1,800 doses of monoclonal treatment have already arrived in Puerto Rico that are available to people infected with the virus who have non-serious symptoms or hospitalization.. He indicated that doctors who are interested in more information and who want to ask for a patient should write to treatment.covidpr.info.

Meanwhile, Idania Rodríguez, who is in charge of preventing and controlling the virus in older adults, reported that there were 44 active outbreaks of COVID-19 in December, at a rate of 14 to 15 weekly outbreaks in long-term care centers. As of last Sunday, 140 deaths had meanwhile been reported among residents of these facilities, for which Rodríguez urged workers at these sites to fend for themselves to avoid contamination and exposure of the residents of these facilities.

On the other hand, it was reported that to date ten people could not take the plane because they were positive for the virus.

As for deaths from COVID-19, Wanda Llovet, of the Demographic Registry, reported that 59% occur in women, 88% in people 55 or older, and 88% in hospital workers.