Hospital ER on green alert for holiday rush

WHILE MOST workers prepare to relax over Christmas, Doctors and nurses in the emergency room  of Panama’sSanto Tomas teaching hospital  are on standby  for the holiday season rush.

A “ Green alert” started at  12:01 on Wednesday December 23 and will continue until  Sunday January 3 strengthening resources  for the anticipated increase  of people  injured in accidents, burns and by  firearms.

Nitzia Ballesteros, coordinator of the Emergency Room, said that there will will be eight to ten doctors and six nurses on each shift  to provide immediate care to patients.