COVID-19 is not only hurting its own victims but also patients without the virus. I believe we’ll see a trend of unrelated deaths increase because treatment may now be unavailable to those who wish to seek it and those who do may be fearful of hospitals right now. An article by CNN states that many health care workers have canceled elective procedures and appointments and closed non-emergency doctors offices. The idea was good in theory, to keep all non essential people away from the virus to reduce exposure and infection; but now people are not receiving the care they need. Many hospitals are not at capacity and have open beds due to the decrease in their usual patients. Some surgeries may be elective now, but if patients are forced to wait they can turn into emergencies.
Patients with cancer and diseases that require long-term care are some example of unrelated COVID-19 cases that are being neglected. Many need to receive treatments in hospitals to keep their symptoms at bay or fight the disease. For example, if a patient was advised to get potentially cancerous tissue removed they are now unable to, as its classified as elective, even though waiting for treatment could lead to the development of cancer. There is also now a gap in care where we’re missing preventative screenings. Women may choose not to get mammograms to check for breast cancer, risking missing an early diagnosis if they do have it.
An article by the New York Times discuses how health care professionals are worried about where all the heart attack and stroke patients have gone, because they’re not in the hospitals. According to hospitals in the US and around the world it appears that many of the emergencies have disappeared. But I don’t believe this can actually be the case. I believe many are choosing to suffer at home instead of receiving care immediately because of fear of the coronavirus in hospitals. It is often with heart attack patients that care in later stages is less likely to be life saving. Which is extremely sad in the wake of COVID-19. So my message to y’all at home is to go to the hospital if you need it and if it is available to you! Primary care is necessary, that’s why we do it regularly and are healthier as a population because of it. Stay safe and healthy y’all.
microBIOLOGY 