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This is a friendly reminder to call your doctor, get seen and start treatment for whatever ailment, lump, bump, injury or illness you’re currently experiencing.
With COVID-19 dominating our news, social media, conversations and thoughts, it’s unsurprising that we might be thinking of little else. However, your health remains a top priority, regardless of your COVID status.
With so much attention on the pandemic, it’s understandable that you might have not noticed changes to your health, if you’re not experiencing a cough, shortness of breath or fever. Or, you may be anxious about visiting a doctor or hospital for fear of contracting the disease or taking up valuable resources.
My message to you is this; let your doctor be the one to judge your health situation. Almost all family practices are available for appointments in some form; whether that’s a telephone or in-person consultation. By sharing your concerns with your physician, they can decide what the best course of action is. It may well be that they advise you to sit tight, but they can at least offer guidance and support for at home measures.
However, your doctor may decide that a referral is necessary, or further tests or scans. In medicine, it is always better to catch things early, and referring you for tests or a second opinion can be vital in getting information about your condition while it’s still possible to provide effective treatment.
B.C.’s chief medical officer, Bonnie Henry, has urged citizens not to ignore urgent medical matters during this time. She also advised parents to continue with their children’s vaccination schedule, at a time where vaccinations have never been more important for safeguarding against infectious disease.
B.C. has actually seen a reduction in the number of visits to the ER since the pandemic has begun. On one hand, this is positive; perhaps people are only coming to the ER when they really need it, rather than using it as a walk-in clinic. However, there is a worrying alternative; that people are too scared to come in, and their health will bear the consequences of that.
So, please take this as a reminder to check in on your, and your family’s, health. Is there something that has been bothering you? Have you had all tests and scans that were booked in for you? When was the last time you saw your particular specialist? Is your child up to date with vaccinations?
For any further advice or support, please get in touch with your family medical practice by phone, as they are in the best position to help you. Stay safe and be well!
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
