Heartcry From Vitsebsk: They Test For Coronavirus Only If You Developed Pneumonia

Belarus urgently needs strict quarantine.

Anastasia Damiyanava, a resident of Tallinn, who has stayed in Vitsebsk for a long time with her school friend, told the ‘Basta!’ Telegram channel about the situation in the Belarusian regional center:

- I would like to write about how we are having fun sitting in self-isolation, and putting out one hundred and fifty ideas about how interesting it is for children and adults to live. Indeed, I’m now staying in Belarus in Vitsebsk with my cool friend Katsia, and now we live in a company of three adults and six children, all of whom don’t go to school and kindergarten in principle. And yes, you don’t have to get bored, it’s true.

But I'm not talking about that. We are ill. I have had fever, shortness of breath, cough and a general state of weakness for almost a week, and in our house 8 out of 9 people cough with varying degrees of intensity, so there is no doubt that this is some kind of very contagious thing. It is impossible to find out whether it is the coronavirus or not, since tests can be obtained only in case of severe pneumonia. It seemed to me that I was very ill with this shortness of breath, and I went in search of medical help, and it turned out that they could put me in a dermatovenerologic dispensary (such a small dilapidated building in the outskirts of the Gagarin Street). It is true that now all hospitals in Vitsebsk are reprofiled “for pneumonia”. Well, what do I mean by “reprofiled”? ... Just the doctors were sent there, without protective gear, and with minimal protective equipment. Of course, there are no separate boxes, no respiratory units, no oxygen, no resuscitation. Patients are given home-made gauze masks, and there is clearly no question of changing them every two hours, this is simply impossible. In general, I wrote a refusal, and I want to tell everyone that the situation has definitely come when no one should take extra measures just in case, you need to go to the hospital only under the threat of direct death, otherwise the risks of staying in these conditions are absolutely not justified.

Doctors themselves are in serious condition. Nobody cares about them, doesn’t take any tests from them, only if they insist on their own, as “there was a dead-sure contact”. But they bitterly note that pneumonia is not a symptom of the coronavirus, but its consequence, and sometimes the virus is no longer in the body by the time the test is done, although the whole picture is obvious to the doctor. And you also saw, probably, a new decree, according to which a positive result on coronavirus will not free them from the obligation to continue working. They are scared, they do not want to go home, and are trying to rent a house so as not to infect their loved ones, someone is sleeping in a car - this is all the real life of the most important people in our city.

If you still doubt and do not believe the “rumors”, then I want to say very loudly - no, do not hesitate, believe that hospitals really have trouble, and they will not be able to help everyone. Stay alert, take care of yourself and your family.

I am fortunate to be a part of Estonia now, and there they talk to people about everything as simply, honestly and without clericalism as possible. It was already more than two weeks ago that they introduced the strictest quarantine, not only that schools and shopping centers were closed, but even children’s and dog’s playgrounds were wrapped with tape.

And even this doesn’t help now, people continue to get sick and infect each other, there aren’t enough staff and all the rest, despite the fact that all possible preventive measures were taken. What can I say, when there were no measures ...

We have been in Vitsebsk for quite some time, and have been sitting in self-isolation for more than a month now. Well, it seemed to me. We avoided public transport, shops and pharmacies, were not in any lines and groups. We treated hands and things with an antiseptic constantly, washed outer clothing after going to a public place. But this did not save us either. Somehow we caught it, did not close something, did not wash properly. So yes, there’s only one option: we stay at home. No “Well, I’ll take a quick run, I’ll wrap myself in a scarf” - no, right now this is honestly a matter of life and death, this is not an exaggeration. In a few months, this will surely be all solvable, but right now - urgently, urgently impose quarantine, the strictest one!

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