Study | COVID-19 patients stay in the hospital longer

Ariane Lacorsier
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Henry Ovalet-Vagina
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In the paper “Comparison in hospital for first wave COVID-19 due to influenza in previous seasons”, we found that patients with COVID-19 lasted an average of 17.2 days compared to 6.4 days for hospitalized influenza patients.

In patients 80 years of age and older with COVID-19, the average hospital stay is 22 days. Patients of this age with influenza only stay there for 9-10 days.

Microbiologist-infectious disease specialist at the Jewish General Hospital.^r Carl Weiss explained that patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 had “long-term respiratory problems due to inflammation caused by the virus.” “Their oxygen is needed for a long time. We can not excrete them quickly,” said D.^r Weiss.

However, since the first wave, the treatments have improved. “The length of stay of patients is now shorter, but it is longer than that of patients with influenza. […] We can’t leave them quickly, ”he said.

Prolonged hospitalization of patients with COVID-19 can have serious consequences for the health system. The d^r Although only 25 new hospitals are added every day, the first cases are still there after 12 days, which quickly blocks hospitals. “There are also a small number of hospital patients and a large number. This is a concern right now,” he said.

The “most likely” virus

Across Quebec and Montreal, in particular, hospital growth is contributing to the vulnerability to the health network, reminding experts in the field. “The pressure on hospitals is real. Many companies are currently reorganizing themselves to control the influx of patients in the coming weeks,” the doctor explained.^r Quoc Nguyen, a geriatrician at the Center Hospitalier de l University de Montreal (CHUM).

Therefore, a question arises: Were measures taken to curb the growth of hospitals more powerful and expeditious? “It’s hard to say,” Nguyen said. If we want to avoid load shedding, we have to be more serious, but I do not know if we as a society can accept it. ”

Professor Mary-Pascal Pomie, an expert at the Institute of Health Services at the University of Montreal (ESPUM)’s School of Public Health, said Quebec may have other solutions. “We have not opened up the possibility of creating hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 to protect our care environment. There, our system will be directly affected, unless there is a parallel solution,” she observed, adding that she understood that “human resource issues” could slow down the intentions of the authorities.

“The fact is, since September, we have never been able to reduce the curve, among other things, because there is still a problem with access to tests. The deadlines are too long, so we do not have a risk of infection quickly,” M adds.^{To me} Pomi.

Enough control?

For public health expert Roxanne Borges da Silva, the increase in hospitalization is a cause for concern, especially due to the lack of bite control measures announced by Quebec on Tuesday. “The closures don’t even include the manufacturing sector, but the 31% penetration in the workplace comes from there,” she denies.

Om^{To me} Da Silva also opined that these actions could be thought of differently. “When we learned that high school was already largely online, we wondered what effect the school closures would have. We should now be closing down unnecessary businesses and seeing a large number of these cases hospitalized,” she concluded.

In CHSLDs, hospitals require patients not to be transferred. “It worries us because we want our patients to have access to care. On the moral side, it comes down to me,” D said.^Back Sophie Zhang, Deputy Head of Accommodation at CIUSSS du Center-Sud-de-El-de-Montreal.

“You can feel the pressure from all sides,” M adds^{To me} Zhang, who is “not sure” at this point, said “more detention equals fewer cases.” “For our part, we are preparing for a post-holiday disaster, an overflow situation. We can no longer say that things will get better,” she concluded.