When you get sick, your automatic, knee-jerk reaction might be to go to the clinic. After all, that might be what you’ve been doing all your life. Your parents took you there when you were a child whenever you had an ear infection or a problem with your skin.
But thanks to the pandemic and medical malpractice, more and more people are wondering whether it’s safe to go to the clinic anymore. Since the onset of the pandemic fewer and fewer people are showing up at A&E with injuries – something that has medical staff worried. Although, at the same time, maybe people have realised that many of the things they were turning up at A&E for weren’t actually emergencies at all and perhaps a pharmacist could help or a regular doctor’s appointment!
But, with regards to going to your doctor’s clinic or the A&E, what are the actual risks here? And can you consider going to the doctor’s office dangerous?
If you are worried then here are some tips for peace of mind.
Use telemedicine when you can
In many cases, you don’t actually have to go for a physical appointment with a doctor. You can receive advice and a diagnosis via a video link online. This way, you can minimise the risk of getting an infection (not just COVID) and get your medicines delivered in the post, directly to your door.
Telemedicine is also cheaper than going to the regular office if you pay for healthcare and to see a GP. That’s because the appointments are usually shorter and you don’t have to take the car. You just get the advice you need and that’s it.
Talk about your concerns
If you have a chronic condition, you may worry about having to return frequently to the clinic for repeated check-ups and prescriptions. In this case, it’s a good idea to ask the medical practitioner if they can provide check-ups remotely. You can also investigate some of the measures the practice is implementing to keep people safe. Currently, infection control in the dental industry is a top priority. Clinics want to get patients back into the dentist’s chair and undergoing procedures again.
Wash your hands
As you leave the clinic, be sure to wash your hands. Most medical establishments now have facilities you can use besides the door. A couple of squirts of an alcohol-based sanitiser should do the trick. Simply carry around a travel sized hand sanitizer in your pocket or handbag and then you’ll always be able to disinfect your hands on entering and leaving a medical clinic – you can even apply it whilst in there if it gives you peace of mind!
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Ask if you can put off cosmetic interventions
While medical procedures can’t wait, you might want to ask yourself whether you can afford to put off cosmetic interventions. For instance, if you’re planning a mummy makeover, could surgery wait until the summer when the risk of infection is lower? In all likelihood, it probably can and if you are concerned about catching COVID then there’s no point in causing yourself unnecessary anxiety. But, if you’re not that worried, feel safe and take plenty of safety precautions then these places are being cleaned more thoroughly than ever, so they should be perfectly safe!
Final thoughts
Ultimately, whether you feel safe or not in the current situation is down to your personal circumstances and experiences. All medical clinics will have thorough cleaning practices and procedures when seeing patients to ensure they are as safe as possible. If you are still concerned then make use of online doctors and leave all non-urgent or cosmetic appointments until you feel safe again.
