What started in Wuhan as a local disease has now spread to every nook and cranny of the world. The microscopic villain, novel coronavirus, has upended our lives. The rampant spread of the deadly disease claimed numerous lives and forced government to take drastic measures in order to curb the spread. The government shut down schools, colleges, big corporations and even healthcare centres for the safety of people.
Due to the restrictions imposed earlier, people are still avoiding visiting clinics or consulting doctors at clinics or hospitals and relying more on video consultation than in-person care. However, in the process, many people are skipping regular checkups, which can be detrimental to health, especially for those suffering from chronic conditions.
In such cases, it is vital to visit hospital and healthcare centres to avoid complications. However, the pandemic is far from over, which is why it is necessary to take precautions. The SARS Cov-2 infection is still on the high, especially in India, where we are not well equipped to handle the inflow of COVID-19 patients. According to a study published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, doctors and patients should take precautions instead of delaying in-person appointment.
Make an appointment
Make sure you haave an appointment prior to visiting the clinic to manage social distancing. The clinics and healthcare centres should not encourage walk-in appointments. Also, the clinic staff should ensure preliminary screening and provide relevant information while making the appointment.
Maintain physical distance
The clinic staff and patients should maintain a distance of at least 6 feet and avoid physical contact at all costs. To limit contact, healthcare professionals must collect as much information as they can on the phone. Patients should be asked not to overcrowd the clinic by visiting earlier than their scheduled appointment. The staff should frequently sanitize waiting rooms to alleviate the chances of contracting the disease.
Sanitize properly
A healthcare centre must have the equipment to sanitize and disinfect patients as soon as they enter the clinic. Hand sanitizers must be made available in different parts of the clinic. Overcrowding should be discouraged at all costs to avoid the contraction of the disease. Also, patients should always keep one sanitizer with them to stay safe and away from all kinds of infections.
Precautions for lab tests
The clinic staff should ask patients who need to get COVID-19 screening done to avoid contact with patients visiting for other health problems. The labs should ask patients to make appointments before visiting the clinic, especially if they are coming for a blood, urine or any other lab tests. There should be staggered timings and separate equipment for all patients. Also, all safety protocols should be followed by lab professionals while collecting samples.
Maintaining social distance and taking precautions at times like these is important. Teleconsultation and video consultation are great ways to consult a doctor without increasing the risk of contraction. However, connect with your doctor immediately in case of an emergency. Do not wait for the symptoms to get worse. Just keep in mind the precautions mentioned above while you visit your doctor.
