jnj-rsv-respiratory-virus (foto QCostarica)

There is the possibility that the school year will not resume next week as the country’s national Children’s Hospital (Hospital Nacional de Niños) continues saturated with cases of respiratory infections.

The medical center blames partly the elimination of sanitary measures against Covid-19, such as mandatory hand washing, social distancing, and the use of masks in all public areas.

By curbing health guidelines abruptly, Costa Ricans were exposed overnight to a large number of viral agents that usually begin their circulation in the rainy season, acknowledged Carlos Jiménez, deputy director of the Children’s Hospital.

“The abrupt suspension of protection measures caused children and adults, in general, to be suddenly exposed to a large number of viral agents that partly explain the current phenomenon (…) Our bodies were not exposed for a long time thanks to the use of the mask and other measures against viruses, we are therefore more vulnerable. I think that the use of masks should be resumed in closed and public spaces, including schools, because otherwise, we will continue with this problem because the viruses are there,” Jiménez told La Republica.

The doctor also recommended hand washing and social distancing, to prevent new infections and, of course, to get fully vaccinated.

According to data from the medical center, the number of children hospitalized, as of Wednesday, for severe acute respiratory infections is 105, of which 20 children are in critical care beds.

Since the beginning of the respiratory peak, ten children have died from severe acute respiratory infections.

QCosta Rica