My email to the DHS this morning:"My thoughts on developing strategies in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is *********.
As we witness the exponential growth of this highly contagious virus, fast becoming a global pandemic, and reading many expert's prediction that containment efforts are fast becoming useless as more countries are becoming affected, I'm acutely aware of the need to have some pandemic strategies as our own winter approaches.
In the case of a pandemic, I understand that certain mitigation strategies are planned, and may be enacted. These include: telling people to stay home, cancelling public events, closing schools, quarantining sections of the community, establishing special hospital isolation wards and clinics.
Medical services will be in great demand, but the paradox is that it's also a great risk to get medical service in such times, especially for patients with chronic medical conditions, with whom the mortality is much higher upon contracting COVID-19.
Seeing it from the viewpoint of a patient, if I was to get sick I would much rather not have to go to a clinic, or worse still, a hospital. Pretty high risk I think.
To meet the demand for medical services, I think GPs and emergency specialists should be funded to perform telehealth consultations. Telehealth would be much safer than face to face consult, for the patient, for the doctor, and for the wider community, especially if a global pandemic ensues.
Thank you for your consideration.
********"
