STICKING TOGETHER
After more than a year in a state of emergency: How has the work of the health department changed? What insights have been gained - and what have been the challenges? Head of Department Dr Klaus Göbels talks about this in an interview.
Dr Klaus Göbels, Head of the Düsseldorf Health Department
It has been over a year since the virus first took hold of us. How are you and your team doing today?
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, many staff members from different departments have been working continuously to contain the transmission of the virus – it's like an exhausting marathon run. I have the greatest admiration for their stamina and tireless efforts – despite this situation, which is both professionally and personally very stressful. The entire city administration is working closely together to continue to constantly adapt and optimise the processes.
To what extent are there or have there been capacity bottlenecks in the hospitals in recent months?
At the moment (beginning of June 2021), patients with coronavirus infections are being treated in all of Düsseldorf hospitals. This concerns both the normal and the intensive care units. The capacities of ventilation beds are being adjusted in close consultation with the hospitals. Even with increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients in the intensive care units, there have not yet been any capacity bottlenecks in Düsseldorf, but the elective programme (i.e. the deliberate selection of medical treatment, editor's note) has been drastically reduced. The situation has to be observed and reassessed from week to week. A very important component in this context is the vaccination strategy. As many people as possible should be vaccinated as quickly as possible so that they are protected against severe courses of the disease.
How do you perceive the citizens of Düsseldorf? And how do you and your team deal with it?
The pandemic, which has lasted for more than a year, also has an impact on mental health. Fears, worries, isolation and uncertainty are very stressful in the long run. Services such as the social psychiatric service are therefore becoming increasingly important. I can also fully understand that the people of Düsseldorf are longing for normality after more than a year of the coronavirus pandemic and the associated restrictions. Despite the current easing of restrictions, we continue to expressly appeal to the population to adhere to the protective measures, especially the rules of conduct and hygiene. This is because the current decline in numbers depends primarily on the behaviour and compliance of the entire society with protective measures. Along with the vaccination strategy, they are a very important building block in the fight against the pandemic. I thank all citizens who consistently adhere to the protective measures and thus actively contribute to the fight against the coronavirus.
What has happened in the area of digitalisation in recent months? Which solutions are you now using to reduce the number of infections? Which ones are you still working on?
The entire process of contact tracing – from the receipt of the laboratory report to the investigation and the issuing of the order – is carried out directly and completely digitally by the reporting software SurvNet. This is a product of the Robert Koch Institute that has been in use at most health offices for several years and with which infection chains can be traced and interrupted at an early stage.
In addition, the ‘Corona-Warn App’ has been further developed and can now significantly improve and relieve the burden of contact tracing with new, helpful functions. Because with the help of this app – in contrast to other providers – distances can actually be measured, so that a clear statement can be made about the proximity and duration of the contact. People can use the app to log in at events, but the app also works in parks, on public transport and in private homes, for example. This makes it easier to track when people were in a place at the same time and provides more accurate data for contact tracing and breaking infection chains.
What about the higher-level control of processes in the current situation? What lessons and conclusions do you draw from the last months?
The epidemiological situation continues to pose major challenges to people worldwide – especially as the pandemic develops dynamically. Adjustments always have to be made depending on the situation. Against this background, it became clear how important good and close cooperation as well as quick action are, especially during a crisis. To ensure this, the crisis team meets regularly in Düsseldorf. There, the most important information on the current situation is compiled and the further course of action is strategically controlled. Contact tracing has proven to be an effective tool in the fight against the coronavirus. With its help, chains of infection can be interrupted at an early stage. In addition, we hope that thanks to the coronavirus vaccination we can move closer to normality as soon as a large number of people have been vaccinated.
What role do you attribute to Düsseldorf's economy in coping with the Corona crisis?
The economy was hit particularly hard during the COVID-19 crisis. It is all the more admirable that many people developed and realised creative ideas precisely out of this emergency situation. This is how new, helpful applications are created, such as the ‘Corona-Warn App’ or the Luca app. In addition, many people – also as volunteers – are committed to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and are thus making a very important contribution.
What do you wish from the political side so that you can continue to do your job well?
It is impressive how quickly and flexibly help came from the other offices right at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. This last year – especially in view of the crisis – has once again highlighted the cohesion in the city administration. The good, inter-agency cooperation and regular exchange among each other should also be maintained in the future. Now it is time to critically evaluate the experiences of the last year and to assess what went well in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and what can be optimised. •
HEALTH DEPARTMENT DUSSELDORF
Head of department: Dr. Klaus Göbels
20 employees
5 departments:
Administration, interdisciplinary health promotion
Health protection with focus on health supervision
Prevention and health promotion
Medical services with a focus on providing expert opinions
Social psychiatry
A wide range of tasks, for example
Vaccination counselling for international travel
Preparation of expert reports and counselling for various target groups
Tasks in the field of infection control
Social psychiatric service
Child and youth medical service and social paediatrics
Words: Dr. Elena Winter