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It has been a while since I wrote anything under the "news" section of the website. I appreciate that several of you come here, hoping to get wisdom, or intellectual stimulation, or both! Here are some tidbits, thoughts and links:
1) IBD
One of my grateful patients recently suggested that I should advertise here, some of the important information that is available to you on the Canadian Crohn's and colitis website. She is right - they are doing a great job with information on the website and regular webinars – start here:
https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/About-Crohn-s-Colitis/COVID-19-and-IBD
2) The World
On a more general basis, it is disappointing to read frequently of false information, conspiracy theories, and "fake news", especially concerning Covid-19, from issues about where it came from, different responses in different countries, possible treatments, and endless controversy about who knows what, which experts are potentially right, which data to believe, and how to interpret things like "flattening of the curve", death rates, herd immunity, and concepts like R0.
I believe that Dr. Theresa Tam is doing a good job, and in general Public Health Canada, and the Ontario Public Health experts, are doing a good job at interpreting, and reacting to a very fluid situation.
I have found that several websites have been extremely useful in terms of reviewing “hot” information, and these would be my top 4, where I go to absorb solid science, logical reasoning, and what is really true:
1)science based medicine.org - https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/no-covid-19-is-not-just-a-bad-flu/4
2)neurologica - https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/psychological-pitfalls-and-covid-19/
4) https://centerforinquiry.org/coronavirus/
For a useful and uptodate chart for statistics, https://www.realclearpolitics.com/coronavirus/, (unfortunately from a US political site), and then the original pandemic map :
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html – lots of good info here from Johns Hopkins, but the map is slower to load now, does not do Canadian provinces in detail, and almost the entire US has turned red!
3) Barrie/RVH
Locally, we continue to offer “virtual care” which is almost entirely by telephone, (video links do not seem necessary), and the virtual care might become part of the future “status quo”, but will depend on whether the government continues to fund this component of medical care.
Thanks for your gratitude, kindness, prayers, and concerns. Be sure that we are taking all the appropriate precautions, when we are in the hospital, and RVH is being aggressive and appropriate with rules, guidelines, and PPE (personal protective equipment).
The biggest challenge for us (in gastroenterology) will be the “catching up” with all the cancellations of endoscopy, within the bigger picture of cancellations of “elective surgery”. Of course the word “elective” is misleading, and only means “able to be scheduled in advance”, and under no circumstance means optional, or able to be canceled indefinitely.
Stay well and continue to follow guidelines concerning physical distancing and handwashing.
Remember that we are going to work, for you, so we would be grateful if you would stay at home, for us.