Doctor of medicine Artur Nahorecki headed the internal medicine department at the Bolesławiec hospital before the epidemic. For the first time, he will appear publicly in our publication as the acting director for medical affairs at the county hospital in Bolesławiec.
During the interview, we encourage you to ask questions; we will try to answer the most important ones. The interview concerns how to wear masks, their effectiveness, and the problems that wearing them causes for people unaccustomed to them. We will also ask about forecasts related to the epidemic and tests carried out at the hospital in Bolesławiec.
Doctor Artur Nahorecki:
There is sometimes hostility toward doctors and nurses because of where they work. I have not experienced such a situation. I understand these people; they are driven by fear of the virus. We are aware of the risks. A doctor who knows they are infected will not go to public places to infect others.
The epidemic developed quite quickly. Measures were taken to prevent its spread. Our hospital is one of the designated single-profile hospitals in Poland. We are expanding our bed capacity and want to have more isolation rooms to prevent the transmission of infections.
A laboratory will be crucial for our hospital. Access to rapid diagnostics is extremely important. We admit not only infected patients, but also those suspected of infection. There are many suspected cases. The molecular laboratory in Bolesławiec will probably begin operating next week.
We would like to sincerely thank everyone for the help arriving from all directions. The costs of running an infectious-disease hospital are very high. We use several hundred sets of personal protective equipment every day.
Masks protect us from inhaling secretions containing the virus. They also protect the surrounding people from infection originating on our side. Coronavirus is not always symptomatic. By wearing masks, we prevent the virus from spreading. A mask must be airtight and fit the face well. It must cover the mouth and nose.
A mask is a psychological barrier against touching the nose or mouth with one’s hand. Sometimes such contact is unconscious. Typical surgical masks are disposable and should be thrown away after use. Fabric masks can be washed and disinfected.
Information about the pandemic should be obtained from reliable sources, such as the Ministry of Health or the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate.
I hope the pandemic ends quickly. I do not know the exact date. We are not seeing as rapid an increase in infections as in the West. It is easier for us to treat and diagnose this number of patients. We are probably approaching the peak of infections, which is expected at the turn of April and May. After that, the winding down of the epidemic will probably take another several months. Everything depends on us: how well we endure this, and how well we follow the recommendations and restrictions.