The Covid-19 pandemic is not only trending on every form of media and social media out there but is currently also a huge factor patients consider when it comes to their help-seeking behaviour for all other medical and surgical conditions.

Patients are reluctant to seek medical advice or help out of fear of contracting the Coronavirus while doing so. The result of this current behaviour is an increase in the severity of diseases patients present with when they eventually have no choice but to seek help. Most of these patients then need admission for higher levels of care which could probably have been prevented if the patient presented earlier or with initial onset of symptoms. This is what is referred to as the collateral damage of the Covid-19 pandemic - a pandemic in its own right. This holds true not only for infections of the respiratory system but also for any other complaint or injury that would normally require medical attention.

The request to the public at large is to seek help earlier or at least as it would have been sought was it not for the current pandemic.

Our hospital and Emergency Unit would like to assure our patients and community that every single precautionary measure is being taken to ensure the safety of our patients, their families and our healthcare teams.

Don’t wait. Act sooner. Let us all decrease the “collateral damage pandemic”. Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital Accident and Emergency Unit is here to assist you.