Dr. Sandy Buchman, president of the Canadian Medical Association, says the convergence of seasonal infections with a potential second wave of the novel coronavirus could have implications for the medical system.
This will be a major challenge that family physicians will have to unravel
, predicts the Toronto family doctor.
Are we going to be able to manage and get the kind of support that is needed?
Confusion between diseases
Dr Buchman says there are important similarities between the symptoms of COVID-19 and those of a cold or flu, including cough, congestion and body aches.
This overlap in symptoms can make it difficult for doctors to distinguish sniffles from COVID-19, he said, and the only way to know for sure is to test massively.
Dr. Sandy Buchman, President of the Canadian Medical Association
Photo: Canadian Medical Association
—
But he fears testing centers will be overloaded this winter with a likely increase in false alarms and COVID-19 cases.
We have a large capacity [de tests] that we have developed, but we really need to strengthen it
, he says.
Right now we’re in a pretty good position, but that can change in an instant.
Primary care physicians will need the support of public health authorities to guide patients on how to proceed if they have symptoms of COVID-19, he said.
For example, as school resumes this fall, he wonders if classes should be suspended while a coughing student awaits his results for the novel coronavirus.
The federal government in support of hospital capacities
Canada’s chief public health officer Theresa Tam said last week that authorities are stepping up their testing and tracing capacities as cold and flu season approaches.
The federal agency is helping hospitals prepare for an influx of patients with the flu and other respiratory illnesses, which could put pressure on emergency rooms, acute care units and bed availability.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
Photo: The Canadian Press / Adrian Wyld
—
Flu prevention, she said, is key to avoiding this burden on medical resources, and many provinces are pushing people to get vaccinated.
Is the flu shot more popular this year?
A recent study from the University of British Columbia suggests that the pandemic may motivate more parents to get their children vaccinated against the seasonal flu.
The survey of 3,000 families in Canada, the United States, Japan, Israel, Spain and Switzerland indicates that 54% of parents planned to have their children vaccinated, 16 percentage points higher than the last year.
The vaccine would be the right choice to prevent influenza.
Photo: Radio-Canada / JEAN-FRANÇOIS POUDRIER
—
Dr James Dickinson, professor of family medicine and community health sciences at the University of Calgary, says there is reason to believe pandemic-induced precautions could help contain the spread of seasonal infections .
He said the southern hemisphere had a less active cold and flu season this winter in part thanks to hygiene habits taken during the health crisis such as washing hands, wearing masks and to apply physical distancing.
It is difficult to predict whether these changes in behavior will have a comparable effect in Canada, as many public places are reopening.
Schools, real petri dishes
Schools in particular are petri dishes
[ces boîtes utilisées en microbiologie pour la mise en culture de bactéries] for the circulation of influenza and other viruses, argues James Dickinson.
Given this uncertainty, it’s all the more important for Canadians to get their flu shot while working to flatten the COVID-19 curve, according to the researcher.
Let’s avoid having two curves. Let’s at least keep the flu under control
he said
–
