By now we've all seen pictures of packed emergency rooms due to the global pandemic, but local doctors say they've actually seen an alarming drop in hospital visits as of late.
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"ER's as a whole in the Central Valley are experiencing a decline in the volume of patients with non-COVID related emergency care needs," said Dr. Manav Sidhu at UCSF Fresno.
Dr. Sidhu wants patients not to be afraid to seek medical attention for a serious issue amid the outbreak. The concern is that people with emergency room-type health complaints are staying at home or delaying care for fear of getting COVID-19.
Experts say failure to act quickly could put some at higher risk than even the coronavirus.
"If we look at an appendicitis, for instance, the appendix could rupture, leading to a severe infection. Now had you presented earlier, it would be easier to take out that appendix with a smaller incision, but now it's going to be a large incision, and you're probably going to be on antibiotics for an extended period of time."
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Experts say California's early shelter-in-place order bought time for hospitals to prepare for the potential influx of COVID-19 patients while still being able to treat non-COVID-19 patients.
"If you're presenting with symptoms that we are suspecting COVID in, then there's a different place you would go. Different areas of the ER you would go as well that are separate from people that have non-COVID related complaints," Dr. Sidhu said.
If you do experience a serious health issue, doctors say not to hesitate and seek medical attention right away. That decision could save your life.