While Hesse state, where Gross-Gerau is located, remains relatively untouched with just a few dozen cases, staff at the hospital decided to be proactive and "get creative", said Raab. The hospital's next plan is to get an online "tele-doc" system up and running this week, she added. The cyber-consultation will allow patients to talk to doctors without leaving their homes, expected to come in handy if more people have to self-isolate. Since the coronavirus has coincided with a seasonal flu outbreak, the hospital is also creating an outdoor waiting area, to avoid those with flu symptoms sharing a waiting room with others. Patients will wait in their car in the car park where an employee will hand out "pizza pagers", like those used in restaurants, that vibrate when it's their turn to be seen, said Raab. "We want to show people that we are taking their concerns seriously," she said.
AFP