The emergency department at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital (CHU) is unusually busy these days. As soon as a child has a fever or has any other symptom of COVID-19, they are turned away from walk-in clinics.
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Small viruses are making a comeback with deconfinement. Children have bronchiolitis and colds, and medical clinics refuse to walk-in those with fever. The families therefore go to the CHU Sainte-Justine.
There are currently about 300 children per day, whereas normally there are about 180 in June. Parents in the waiting room wait around 16 hours.
Two mothers were met by TVA Nouvelles; one who suspects an ear infection in her little one and the other whose child has asthma.
One of them turned to the emergency room after her appointment was postponed because her child had symptoms similar to the coronavirus. She then called Info-Santé, who recommended that she go to the emergency room.
Same story with the other mother I met. “Normally, I would have gone to a clinic, but today I have no choice, I have to have access to a doctor,” she says.
The Federation of General Practitioners is calling for the COVID-19 protocol to be relaxed, which prohibits them from welcoming patients with mild symptoms of the virus. This request comes in the midst of the unusual overflow of the CHU Sainte-Justine emergency.
Due to the COVID-19 protocol implemented by Quebec, all people with fever, who have a cough or sore throat, are always referred to a warm area.
According to Dr Antonio D’Angelo, pediatrician-emergency doctor at CHU Sainte-Justine, this protocol must be canceled, which is no longer adequate. “Doctors should return face-to-face to see their patients, the pandemic has been here for more than a year and a half,” he said. “We know how to prepare, we are all vaccinated, we are protected and we have effective protection methods. People should go back to their patients first, and leave the emergency room for the sickest patients. Emergency room needs to be de-cluttered for the safety of sick patients. ”
He points out that no patient has COVID-19 in his facility. Most of them suffer from anxiety, eating disorders, or small viruses like the flu or bronchiolitis.
Dr D’Angelo advocates face-to-face return to work for physicians who still practice telemedicine. The Federation of general practitioners agrees and ensures that telemedicine is less and less applied.
The admission criteria were established this winter when the epidemiological situation was more serious.
“We need to make more flexible, doctors are asking for it in the field,” said vice-president and family doctor Sylvain Dion. Only patients with a fever should be treated with caution, he said, but treating small runny noses and sore throats that are akin to seasonal allergies shouldn’t be a problem.
At the office of the Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, we are told that an instruction will be sent over the next few days to doctors to remind the importance of face-to-face practice.
“We are aiming for a return to normal in September. The pandemic is not over, but we must adapt to the gradual resumption of operations. Deputy Minister Dr. Lucie Opatrny will also send an instruction to all establishments to remind the importance of face-to-face consultations for the first line. We must continue to respond to patients affected by the disease, in addition to the usual patients we treat, ”writes Marjaurie Côté-Boileau, press secretary to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
-With information from Véronique Dubé
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