How is the medical community of the Vitebsk region strengthening cooperation between Belarus and Russia?
Not so long ago, mask mandates and social distancing were practically the only ways to prevent SARS-CoV-2, until the Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" became available, which was made possible precisely through the partnership of the two countries. This marked the beginning of specific immunoprophylaxis – the most effective way to combat the infection.
The first vaccinations in the Vitebsk region began in the second half of January. Vaccination is gradually gaining momentum, covering new categories of the population from risk groups in all territories, with additional vaccination points being deployed in the regional center and in the regions.
As reported by Vladimir Sinkevich, the chief state sanitary doctor of the region, the region will receive about 9 thousand more doses of the "Sputnik V" vaccine next week. This batch will be intended for the vaccination of employees of healthcare, education, and social institutions with round-the-clock stay for children and adults who have not yet been vaccinated, as well as people over 61 years old suffering from a number of chronic diseases and thus at risk of severe coronavirus infection. Mass immunization of the population is planned for April, which will use the Russian "Sputnik V", but already produced with the involvement of Belarusian enterprises' capacities.
Considering the consequences that the new virus can provoke, much depends on competent and timely recovery therapy after the transferred infection. And here, Vitebsk scientists have already shared their experience with their Russian colleagues.
In particular, employees of the Department of Medical Rehabilitation and Physical Education with the course of professional development and retraining of the Vitebsk State Medical University have developed and implemented video classes on breathing exercises and other aspects of medical and social rehabilitation for patients of different age groups who have undergone "covid" pneumonia and are undergoing outpatient and home treatment.
These remote consultations help residents not only of our region but also of the Russian cities of Kirov and Belgorod to recover. Cooperation in this area continues, expanding its geography. Thus, Kemerovo recently joined the project. In general, the encounter with the unknown virus has further united the scientific medical community of Belarus and Russia. For example, representatives of VGMU actively participated in various online conferences and webinars on monitoring the incidence of socially significant diseases, including COVID-19, and exchanged experiences and opinions with Russian colleagues on organizational approaches and clinical decisions in the fight against the new coronavirus infection, etc.
Moreover, employees of the branch of the Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation of the FPC and PK developed a respiratory-saturational index to determine the degree of respiratory failure, which can be applied to "COVID" patients. The scientists intend to obtain a patent of the Russian Federation for their development, and a positive preliminary examination decision has already been made. The method of express diagnosis of respiratory failure was presented by the Belarusians at the Forum of Anesthesiologists and Resuscitators of Russia "Global Challenges in Critical Care Medicine".