5 Mar 2020

If you have Covid-19 symptoms, call doctor, don't visit

From Checkpoint, 6:10 pm on 5 March 2020

Could this be the return of doctors' house calls and carpark visits in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak?

A primary health organisation is warning people with symptoms that could be conronavirus not to wander unannounced into medical clinics as they could be putting other patients at risk.

ProCare contracts the services of the Westgate medical centre where a woman - later confirmed to have coronavirus - walked into urgent care without letting doctor's know she was coming, despite signs saying people recently returned from overseas with symptoms should not enter.

The doctor who swabbed her is now also in isolation.

ProCare's Clinical Director Dr Allan Moffitt told Lisa Owen if you are displaying symptoms of concern, do not just show up.

"It is still possible that people walk into a clinic without seeing the sign. In that case actually people aren't greatly at risk because the virus – you need close contact over about 15 minutes to be at risk. Obviously different if they're coughing actively in front of people," he said.

"That's why we like them to phone first so we can arrange for a mask to be fitted."

Dr Moffitt said he is surprised and disappointed a medical centre staff member spoke to media.

"They should raise it with management of the clinic, but I can understand all healthcare workers being concerned, because of course this does put healthcare workers in the front line at risk.

"But providing you follow Ministry guidelines and wear appropriate protection, it's quite safe to see patients and treat them."

"The experts are saying there's no risk of contact with somebody who has had exposure to the virus actually spreading the virus.

"The peak time for this virus to spread is really when symptoms appear, then for the next five to six days.

"We're being careful with 14 days, but the peak time is really from when symptoms appear. Prior to that, we don't think there's a high risk people will get infected."

The doctor at the medical centre who saw the North Shore woman with Covid-19 has been put in isolation.

"There's a risk that doctor may actually be infected, but there's no risk of that doctor transferring that infection to anybody else. That's why we put them in isolation so that we know, in case he becomes symptomatic."