A bad winter threatens with an unprecedented emergency in the clinics.
The intensive care units could soon be even fuller with Covid-19 patients than in previous waves.
To prevent the worst, there is now a clear announcement.
Stuttgart - The state of Baden-Württemberg is taking action in view of the dramatic corona situation to increase the number of intensive care beds for Covid 19 patients in the short term.
The government instructed clinics on Thursday to keep at least 40 percent of their places in intensive care units free for Covid-19 cases.
"The situation in the intensive care units of the Baden-Württemberg hospitals continues to worsen at a rapid pace," says the decision, which is available to the German Press Agency in Stuttgart.
More than 1000 intensive care beds could soon be needed
According to forecasts by the Ulm and Freiburg University Clinics, between 750 and over 1000 intensive care beds across the country could be needed for Covid 19 cases by next Thursday.
There are currently 439 such cases.
The state government believes that the load limit has already been exceeded at 390 intensive care beds and has therefore called the alert, which primarily provides restrictions for unvaccinated people.
Clinics want to cover the costs
Despite repeated appeals, some hospitals have so far not complied with the state's request to reserve 40 percent of the intensive care places for Covid 19 patients - also for economic reasons, it said.
That is why there must now be instructions.
The Ministry of Health has not yet been able to say how many additional places will be gained through this measure.
The instruction is accompanied by a promise that the costs will be reimbursed.
The state is assuming costs of 20 to 30 million euros per week, but is relying on a takeover by the federal government.
On Thursday the federal and state governments decided that Berlin would cover the costs of a “supply surcharge to avoid economic disadvantages for hospitals”.
Nevertheless, the state government has earmarked 180 million euros as possible compensation for this year and another 120 million euros for the next year.
Postpone other operations if in doubt
The government is calling on the clinics to postpone other operations in case of doubt.
They would have to be able to "reduce predictable admissions and operations if necessary at any time" so that sufficient capacities are available for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in intensive care units at short notice.
"For this purpose, recordings that can be planned, insofar as medically justifiable and necessary, are postponed and suspended indefinitely," says the general decree.
Problem: There is a lack of intensive staff
According to the hospital society in the country, a high was reached last winter with 642 Covid patients in the intensive care units in the country.
But the state government does not want to let it come back to that.
Another reason is that there is a shortage of staff after a year and a half of the pandemic.
The government's letter states that many employees are no longer able to cope with this enormous burden.
“This leads to nurses reducing their hours, being transferred to other wards or giving notice.” To counteract this, there should be another bonus.
The federal and state governments agreed on this on Thursday.
An increasing number of auxiliary workers, medical students and retired doctors are also to be recruited in order to provide relief.
Kretschmann fears appropriate treatment
After the switching conference of the heads of government, Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) was convinced that the “emergency” in the clinics can be averted with joint effort and discipline.
But: "In just a few weeks our intensive care units will be hopelessly overloaded if it continues like this." He was very worried "that we will soon no longer be able to guarantee adequate treatment for all sick people".
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The increasing corona numbers bring the clinics in need.
The intensive care units are busy in many places.
If necessary, patients must be taken to other federal states.
Clinics prepare patient transfers
The fourth wave: intensive care beds threaten to become scarce
The number of infections is increasing strongly.
But not only that: the hospitals are also sounding the alarm.
The solution would be significantly more vaccinations.
But that's where things get stuck at the moment.
What to do?
The fourth wave: intensive care beds threaten to become scarce
More than 1000 new corona cases within one day
In Brandenburg, more and more people are infected with the corona virus.
The seven-day incidence increased significantly from 159.2 the previous day to 179.6 on Friday.
A week ago, the number of new infections per 100,000 population within seven days was 110.6.
The Elbe-Elster district reported a new high - there were 476.8 infections per 100.
More than 1000 new corona cases within one day
In 10 of the 44 urban and rural districts, there is currently a maximum of one free intensive care bed.
In 7 other districts, all beds are even occupied.
He warned of a situation like that in Austria.
There, the Salzburg State Clinics announced that a triage team would be put together, which would then decide who would get the necessary treatment and who would not.
"We must avoid such a situation with all our might," appealed the Green politician.
Relocated to other federal states?
Difficult.
The country has little hope that patients could be relocated to other federal states in an emergency.
Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony or Bremen could be considered, but their capacities are generally very limited.
In Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, the situation is as tense as in Baden-Württemberg.
dpa
