Substantial increase in referrals for COVID test
DOCTORS ROLLING OUT FLU VACCINE TO VULNERABLE ADULTS NOW, CHILDREN LATER
A CORK GP has spoken to The Corkman about the challenges he and his medical colleagues in the county are facing as the numbers of COVID cases continue to increase at a time when there’s growing concern over the advent of a winter flu outbreak.
Glanmire based Dr. Diarmuid Quinlan has confirmed that local GPs in Cork have noticed what he termed ‘a very substantial increase in number of people meeting the criteria for Covid testing’.
“I‘m a GP working in Glanmire. Throughout the pandemic general practice has played a vital role, working hard to do the right thing, often under very difficult circumstances,” he said.
Dr. Quinlan was speaking as numbers in Cork began to increase sharply in step with national figures.
Thirty six cases were reported in the county on Sunday and another 34 on Tuesday. Altogether there were 168 cases in Cork during September as of Tuesday of this week.
Dr. Quinlan welcomed the Government’s new guidelines regardin behaviour to limit the spread of the illness. He said they were needed to advise people and to minimise the adverse effect of the pandemic.
“GPs are supporting patients suffering from the consequences of Covid-19, including psychological consequences,” he said.
“General practice has been central to triage, referral and assessment of people requiring Covid-19 testing.
“The GPs of Cork have recently noticed a very substantial increase in number of people meeting the criteria for Covid testing.”
Dr. Quinlan said GPs were continuing to assess sick people in the HSE Covid hub, to support their colleagues working in hospital emergency departments.
“GPs continue to manage sick patients in the ‘Out-of-Hours’ (OOH) service, seven days a week.
“Reports from Southdoc show consultation rates in OOH well in excess of seasonal averages, due to the pandemic.
“GPs must continually balance the needs of patients with the safety of administrative and clinical staff throughout this pandemic.
“GPs and the practice admin teams will inevitably become unwell during the months ahead. This will place additional pressures upon our health service.
“We are immensely grateful to our patients for their continued understanding of the huge pressures facing our health service in the months ahead.”