Journal de médecine générale

Implementation of Emergency GP Management of Patients during the Complete Lockdown Consequent to the COVID-19 Omicron Outbreak in Shanghai

Abstract

Zhongqing Xu, Hong Lu, Jun Zhou, Xianzhen Feng, Brett D. Hambly, Jingchun Fan and Shisan Bao

It was implemented the most restrictive lockdowns ever since 1 April 2022 to control the omicron outbreak, seriously impacting the patients visit their GPs. We aim to present interim data on how the GP clinical management approach has been adapted during the first two weeks of this critical complete lockdown. The GP Department, Tongren Hospital, covering a population of ~700,000 in the Changning District, Shanghai, has been the only place able to provide consultations and prescribe medicines from the Tongren Pharmacy to these chronic illness patients via a limited number of volunteers exempt from lockdown. Consultations/interactions were increased by >4-fold since the beginning of the complete lockdown. In the event any emergency, the hotlines can be called for transporting to ER, but only to designated COVID-19 hospitals. We have managed our regular patients in a very satisfactory way under current severe lockdown circumstances. Our interim data may offer some useful information for GPs to handle similar situations in future as the pandemic continues to evolve.