Infectologist Professor Indra Zeltiņa: the Coming Winter Will be Very Difficult

‘The coming winter will be difficult due to the spread of COVID-19,’ says Indra Zeltiņa, Associate Professor and infectologist at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU). In her opinion, the spread of COVID-19 in Latvia is currently rather low.

Latvia is to a certain extent a success story, though the situation is dual. Latvia could come through the summer successfully, however, problems will arise again in the autumn and especially in the winter, as the outbreak will coincide with a seasonal flu virus. The upcoming winter will be very difficult.

Assoc. Prof. Indra Zeltiņa, RSU Department of Infectology

Assessing the restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Assoc. Prof. Zeltiņa stresses that they have been evaluated by a team lead by the Ministry of Health. To her mind, it is essential to compare the situation in Latvia to that of other countries. It is clear that the academic year will not resume this year, however, according to Assoc. Prof. Zeltiņa, it is difficult to predict what decisions the government will take after 12 May, which is the current end date of the state of emergency.

She stresses that outpatient medical services are gradually resuming in Latvia, as other chronic illnesses have not disappeared.

Assoc. Prof. Zeltiņa reveals that her workplace – the Clinic of Gastroenterology, Heapatology and Nutrition at Riga East Clinical University Hospital – continues to provide treatment to patients with chronic diseases, including issuing prescriptions for reimbursable medicines and providing consultations remotely.
It is currently difficult to predict whether the restrictions imposed during the state of emergency might lead to an increase in the number of neglected diseases. According to Assoc. Prof. Zeltiņa that would be speculation, as such data has not yet been summarised and the period of restrictions has not lasted long enough to draw definitive conclusions.

‘GPs have contributed to this situation,’ said the doctor explaining that, where possible GPs have resolved patients' problems even though they might have been referred to other specialists or hospitalised.

Source: LETA