On March 16, Dr. Vaggelis Sakkas and his small team of IVF specialists made the decision to temporarily close their practice, the Gyn Care IVF center at REA Maternity Hospital in central Athens, citing coronavirus fears. “Unfortunately, we have stopped everything,” explained Sakkas in a phone interview. “The IVF unit, given that it’s not an emergency service—it’s not a matter of life and death—can wait.” But for how long, nobody yet knows.
Around the world, medical teams and professionals are pivoting to the essential care of treating Covid-19 patients. In some places, physicians who have recently retired are being called back to work to tend to patients in overflowing hospital wards. Medical students are being encouraged to graduate early to start treating Covid-19 patients. And non-essential procedures and therapies are being placed on hold while hospitals and medical centers allocate as many resources as possible to getting a hold on the outbreaks.
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