Special corona strategy saves lives

Faroese and Danish health authorities usually work closely together, but this does not apply to how they are approaching the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Danish strategy has focused on trying to build up a so-called herd immunity, which is what can happen when a high percentage a community becomes immune through vaccination and/or prior COVID-19 exposure, thus reducing the likelihood of infection.

The Faroese strategy has instead placed a strong focus on suppression, with world record high test numbers relative to the population as a means of suppressing the virus entirely by trying to catch cases early and trace all contacts.

 >> SEE ALSO Lockdown gradually lifted

“If we can keep this virus away from our islands, we avoid overburdening the healthcare system, which could cause fatalities,” says chief medical officer Lars Fodgaard Møller.

He does, however, acknowledge that the Faroese strategy leads to no herd immunity.

Long-term strategy

“But this appears to be a good way to prevent serious cases and deaths, and this strategy works on long-term basis, buying us time while we wait for a vaccine or effective treatment.”

As of yesterday, 433 Danes were receiving COVID-19 treatment in hospital, of which 120 were in intensive care and 100 received respirator treatment and 237 corona-related deaths had been registered.

In the Faroes, no-one is receiving COVID-19 treatment in hospital and no-one has died.

Translated by prosa.fo