Ongoing Covid-19 outbreaks at hospitals have revealed a need to change the long-held practice of visiting family and friends in hospital, with hospitals urged to introduce preventive measures and impose restrictions on visits.

Viet Nam’s second outbreak of Covid-19, in central Da Nang city, was found to have originated in three of its hospitals. Figures show that as many as 11,000 people visited Da Nang General Hospital during the time in question.

Around 40,000 people visited Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi during March, when it experienced an outbreak.

Hospital K’s extension unit in Tan Trieu, Hanoi, has 10,000 people walk through its doors every day.

Since early August, both outpatients and inpatients can only be accompanied by one person, which has received a positive response and support from patients.

As well as temperature checks and health declarations at the front gate, each hospital department must check temperatures once again and screen anyone considered a risk.

This policy has also been adopted at other hospitals. But some people still break the rules, even taking fever-reducing medication so they can pass a temperature check or making untruthful health declarations.

Hospital visits can result in a high risk of cross-infection, making hospitals a likely centre of an outbreak. Visiting practices need to be re-considered, for the well-being of both patients and visitors.

Source: VNA