Landspítali has been moved to emergency level for the first time in the history of its response plan, the hospital has announced on its website. Landspítali’s current emergency response plan came into force in 2006. This is due to a widespread cluster infection at Landakot: about 50 patients and 30 staff were diagnosed.
There are three emergency response levels: uncertainty, crisis and emergency.
“The emergency level is the highest level of preparedness at Landspítali and means that everything is set up, both inside and outside the hospital, to meet a major challenge in the operation. It is important as ever before that staff continue to carry out strict disease control, inside and outside Landspítali,” the announcement reads. “It is important that employees do not come to work with any symptoms that could indicate infection and report them immediately so that appropriate measures can be taken.”
According to Vísir, epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason has reiterated the importance of not going to work if you are experiencing symptoms as this is how many group infections are started. It is believed that the infection at Landakot was probably transmitted there by employees.
“Because the third wave had been going down, it surprised us that this has happened now,” Páll Matthíasson, director of Landspítali, told reporters. “But we always expect the worst and hope for the best.”
Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.
You can also check out our shop, loaded with books, apparel and other cool merch, that you can buy and have delivered right to your door.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
