Open AccessThe Role of Primary Care in a Pandemic: Reflections During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada
Author(s) -
Joanne Kearon,
Cathy Risdon
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of primary care and community health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.55
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 2150-1327
pISSN - 2150-1319
DOI - 10.1177/2150132720962871
Subject(s) - pandemic , medicine , primary care , covid-19 , influenza pandemic , scope (computer science) , surge capacity , public health , health care , family medicine , medical emergency , nursing , virology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , political science , outbreak , pathology , computer science , law , programming language
As COVID-19 cases began to rise in Ontario, Canada, in March 2020, increasing surge capacity in hospitals and intensive care units became a large focus of preparations. As part of these preparations, primary care physicians were ready to be redeployed to the hospitals. However, due to the effective implementation of community-wide public health measures, the hospital system was not overwhelmed. As Ontario prepares now for a potential second wave of COVID-19, primary care physicians have an opportunity to consider the full breadth and depth of scope for primary care during a pandemic. From planning to surveillance to vaccination, primary care physicians are positioned to play a unique and vital role in a pandemic. Nevertheless, there are specific barriers that will need to be overcome.