On the invitation of the Health Ministry of South Ossetia, a resuscitator from Germany Andreas Schiffman visited the Republic. He was in the "red zone", shared his experience with his South Ossetian colleagues, was talking to journalists. When can we expect the end of the coronavirus pandemic, myths about vaccination, is there a difference in the treatment of infection in Europe and South Ossetia, is the South Ossetian health system coping with the pandemic - the German specialist answered the questions of the IA "Res"
- The question that probably interests the whole world today is whether it is possible to defeat the coronavirus?
- I will ask a counter question - is it possible to defeat the flu?
- But the Spanish flu disappeared after two years, mowing much more people ...
- I agree, but you need to take into account that the campaign against the "Spanish flu" was much more ambitious, including the vaccination.
Vaccinated against the Spanish flu? In the midst of World War I, in a world where the health care system was still in its infancy?
- Yes, they were vaccinated not only against the “Spanish flu”, from all infections of that period, the “Spanish flu” was, rather, “the cherry on the cake”. They were vaccinated forcibly and there are medical documents from that period that confirm this fact. In Europe, I don't know how in Russia.
- That is, the “Spanish flu” did not disappear on its own, it was defeated with the help of vaccinations?
- With the help of a whole range of measures, including vaccination.
- Returning to the question, that is, is the coronavirus with humanity forever, like the flu?
- For a long time, I would say so. On average, a pandemic lasts five years, so it cannot be unequivocally asserted that the "Spanish flu" disappeared in two years, "won in two years" - it is loudly said, there is no any information - how long did the prolongation last, what were the mutations when the last patient was ill with the Spanish flu?
- The end of covid history is not visible, more and more new strains appear. The question is often asked - is it worth getting vaccinated and does the vaccine developed against the 2020 coronavirus work against new aggressive strains?
- It works. You need to understand - what is a "strain"? Strains are not new, significantly different from the previous ones. "Strain" is translated from German as "trunk", that is, the trunk and branches from it.
- Do mutations happen spontaneously?
- Yes, both viruses and bacteria mutate. All coronaviruses have one trunk and branches from it, so I gave the analogy with a tree. When vaccinated, antibodies are formed against the "spike protein" - a piece of the virus. And they work against new strains. Right now, in the United States, a new aggressive strain is killing a huge number of unvaccinated people. The virus mutates naturally. Viruses lived long before the appearance of mankind, if there were drugs against viruses, there would be no HIV infection and everyone would be cured of herpes. Viruses can be lived and must be fought against
You've compared it to the flu, but the flu treatment is a well-oiled mechanism ...
- Yes, we have been treating the flu for many years, although it also mutates. The flu vaccine is given every year, and every year a new strain appears, in the vaccines - part of the virus from last year and it works against new strains.
- Are there anti-vaccinators in Europe?
- Yes, and there are many of them, including among my friends. There are a lot of myths - "about Gates, who decided to exterminate humanity", other tales. I often say in such cases: God forbid you to be in intensive care, on ventilator - this is the last thing that you will see in life and you will not be able to tell anything.
- Arguments of anti-vaccinators: the vaccine destroys natural immunity ...
- The vaccine cannot destroy natural immunity; it is born with a person and works throughout life. Epidemics were conquered only with vaccinations.
“But there is a risk for people with chronic diseases when vaccinated.
- Naturally, and each case is "inflated". Do you know the statistics - how many people die in the dentist's chair? And I have a lot of information, they give an injection, anaphylactic edema happens to a person and he dies, but such deaths are not counted. And no one is standing with posters at the dentist's office: "Do not give injections, remove teeth and nerves without anesthesia." Or, as we shall say, if a poster was stretched out in front of a car service: "Do not change tires for winter ones, the risk of an accident on summer tires in winter is the same as on winter ones." The disease recedes only with collective immunity.
- How is it in San Marino, where the disease was stopped with one hundred percent vaccination? Apparently, there were no anti-vaccinators there?
- Yes, there were, even came to the borders of this state from all over Europe, came there from many countries to get vaccinated with Sputnik. They stood with posters: "You will die on Saturday, in a year, in two."
- Is there any working on drugs specifically against the coronavirus?
- Yes, such work is underway, in Europe, in the third phase, tests on drugs in tablet form and nasal sprays, but testing has not yet been completed.
- That is, the treatment of coronavirus is still carried out according to the "trial and error" method?
- By the hit-and-miss method, let's call it so. At the very beginning of the pandemic, in 2020, I talked with colleagues from Germany, the USA - they used any drugs - antimalarial, they used everything. Anything that helps. Then it turned out that some do not work, some worsen the course of the disease. So, with antibiotics, which were prescribed immediately, meanwhile, if a bacterial infection did not join, then for a virus an antibiotic is "like a dead poultice" ...
- Then there were hormonal drugs?
- They work well if they are correctly prescribed already at the initial stage in tablet form, like anticoagulants, also in tablets, but not as it happened when they bought clexane in pharmacies, which is dangerous to use on its own. Now we more or less understand what we are dealing with, how to act. It is necessary to follow the protocol that is being updated. Something new appears.
- Are the protocols for the treatment of coronavirus in Europe somewhat different from the Russian protocols, according to which they are also treated in South Ossetia?
- No, there is no fundamental difference. You have also added an antiviral drug that we do not use. The protocols are being developed by the World Health Organization, so they are similar all over the world. But an individual approach to each patient is required, which depends on the doctor.
- The information support of the pandemic in the world. Don't you think that it was initially of an overwhelmingly panicky character? Or do doctors once again approve such a form of submission of information about a pandemic?
- I agree that the nature of the informational support was unambiguously aggravating, as a doctor I can say that this is bad, panic suppresses the immune system. The information came from politicians, specialists, virologists, doctors, and its initial nature is clear. You've got a gun to your chest; a gun-it is a pandemic. Nowhere to go, you need to do something. For any action, they will be accused - both of hard lockdowns and weak measures. The German health minister was threatened with reprisals for imposing restrictions along with the chancellor. There was confusion. There was panic all over the world. Nobody knew how to act and respect to those people who did something. After a fight, they don't wave their fists, probably something could have been done differently. Take it easy now. Forms for submitting information have also been adopted. For example, we refused to publish the total number of infected people, because the numbers of people who are mildly tolerated, do not get to hospitals and who are asymptomatic do not give anything, but they can sow panic. But in Europe today there is tough discipline - if there is a mask regime, then everyone observes it.
- So do the masks protect or not?
-Protect if worn by everyone and if changed frequently. There are other security measures as well. Doctors in our clinics take coronavirus tests every three days - whether they are vaccinated or not.
- Has the health care system started working in Germany? That is, at first, it was paralyzed all over the world, it was impossible to treat oncology, cardiovascular, and other chronic diseases. Which claimed no less lives than the covid itself.
- Currently it is working. In the beginning, yes - the system was paralyzed.
- You have been to the "red zone" of South Ossetia. In your opinion, are South Ossetian doctors coping with the epidemic?
- What I have seen evokes deep respect. The health care system does its best with the least opportunity. There are devices, drugs, there is not enough specialists. We talked with the Minister of Health about the development of a program to attract specialists, first of all, our own. Career guidance needs to be carried out at school - to explain that medicine is not money, it is life-saving. I think that those who have a sense of their own dignity and pride for the people will return.
Your doctors are coping, but there is still a lack of discipline to keep themselves safe in the red zone. In the opinion of the German physician, there are violations. As in the behavior of patients, their relatives, who bring the sick products that are contraindicated for them.
I want to wish everyone common sense. Turn on your brains and ask yourself - what am I personally doing to change the epidemiological situation. The rest depends on luck! Good luck to you!
