As the number of people infected with the new coronavirus is on the rise, a clinic in Kita Ward, Tokyo, is seeing a sharp increase in inquiries from patients who want to see a fever outpatient clinic. There is an urgent need to further raise awareness and prepare a place for fever patients," he said, raising a sense of crisis.
At the Ito Oji Kamiya Internal Medicine and Surgery Clinic in Kita Ward, Tokyo, we provide vaccines for the new coronavirus and influenza, and provide fever outpatient services for patients.
In the second half of last month, the number of calls from people wishing to see a doctor was about 10 per day on weekdays and about 20 on Saturdays and Sundays. It means that the rate is about 6%.
At the clinic, the director is almost alone, and it is said that the maximum number of fever patients that can be examined in a day is about 10. It means that people with a high risk of severe illness, such as pregnant women and pregnant women, are being examined as much as possible even if they exceed the medical hours and reservation limits.
Hiromichi Ito, director of the hospital, said, ``If we don't drastically increase the number of patients who have fevers to see the peak of the infection, it's clear that there will be cases of sudden deterioration without being able to see a doctor, so we need to think about countermeasures.'' I'm looking for a sense of crisis.
On the other hand, compared to the 7th wave, more people are using test kits to test themselves, which has led to a reduction in the burden of fever outpatients. This is the key to preventing the collapse of medical care.It is important to disseminate information such as correct usage and how to obtain test kits, such as testing at a later time after symptoms appear." .
Precautions if self-test is positive
With the simplification of the grasp of the total number of infected people in September, people who are not subject to detailed reporting and who have no symptoms or who have mild symptoms will be tested by themselves, and if they are positive, the local government's "Health It is a system that allows you to register at the follow-up center and start treatment without visiting a medical institution.
Those who are eligible for registration are those under the age of 65, those with a low risk of becoming seriously ill, and those who are not pregnant. We are asking you to use the government-approved "general test kit" that can be used.
By registering, if desired, it is possible to receive support such as accommodation and food delivery depending on the local government, and the health follow-up center accepts consultations on health conditions, and symptoms worsen during treatment at home. If you do, we will connect you to a medical institution.
In the case of Tokyo, in addition to Tokyo residents, people staying in Tokyo on business or travel can also use the metropolitan positive person registration center. You can apply online by taking a picture of yourself, and a doctor will diagnose you as positive based on the registered information.
Health Follow-up Centers are set up under different names in each prefecture, and contact information is listed on the website of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.