By Dave Branco

Letter to the community

A Prince George doctor pleads with residents to continue to follow COVID-19 measures

Apr 6, 2020 | 4:39 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Dr. Jessica Zimbler of Prince George is pleading with residents to continue to follow COVID-19 safety measures.

In a letter to the entire community, the doctor states we have a chance to prevent this disease from spreading rampantly and keeping our community safe. That’s only if we all buy-in.

Dr. Jessica Zimbler has written a letter to the community of Prince George asking everyone to stay the course with controlling the spread of COVID-19, noting Prince George is not out of the woods.

Dr. Zimbler adds that this is not the time to get complacent because a rapid spread of the virus could overwhelm our local medical system.

Dr. Zimbler does recognize that there are many residents who are complying with the safety measures but says we still need to be constantly reminded to ensure we stay in line.

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LETTER :

April 5 2020

Dear Prince George Citizens,

I am writing to you with great concern about what is happening in our community today.

Over the last three weeks, we have been given lots of information, often changing daily, about staying at home and staying safe in preparation for the coronavirus. Many of you have heard this information. Small businesses are closed or doing curbside delivery. The library, pool, and other sports centers have closed. Schools and daycares have closed down.

You may not be aware of the dramatic changes happening to your local health care resources over the past few weeks. Your doctors have established new procedures for video and phone care, to continue to care for you while keeping you safe at home. The hospital has developed new policy and procedures to best care for our citizens while keeping our front line healthcare workers as safe as possible.

We know the coronavirus is in BC and there are cases in Northern Health. People are very sick with this virus. In our province. Not just in New York and other major cities. Some are so sick they are in the hospital. Most are at home isolated. But there are lots that are out there walking around. And the scary thing is many don’t know they have it. It is the person next to you at the supermarket or in line at the post office. They don’t know they have it and neither do you. But when they cough they send droplets with the COVID virus scattered in the air and that is how you get sick, and your family gets sick.

The message to stay at home is real. The message to limit going to the store to once a week is real. The messages to have one person do the shopping, not to loiter or browse at the store or chat with other people, but to go in and come out is real. The message to wash your hands or sanitize between each store and when you come home is real.

As physicians, we recognize the impact these guidelines have on your life. We know that this is a big ask from everyone and appreciate your efforts in social distancing.

We have a chance to help prevent this disease from spreading rampant throughout our community. We have a chance to keep our hospitals from being overwhelmed, our staff overworked. We have a chance to keep our community safe – but that only works if we all buy-in.

Please.

As physical and social distancing continues, I worry it may become easy to waver in our commitment. It may seem like too many limitations and people may be tempted to loosen their restrictions. I am seeing examples of this every day. Parking lots are full. Stores are full of people walking in groups and browsing. It is more important now than ever, that we stay focused and stay committed to these guidelines.

Stay home. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your face. Stay at least 2 meters away from others when outside of your home. Do not gather – meeting at someone’s house for dinner is not okay. Sleepovers are not okay. Visiting friends or family is not okay right now. If you have symptoms of a cold, cough or sore throat, that could be the start of the coronavirus. Even if you haven’t been in contact with anyone you know has the virus, if you develop new cold symptoms you MUST stay home and isolate – which means not leaving your house, not going to the store or to pick up supplies.

As a mother, a partner of a frontline health care worker and a local family physician, I implore you to take these recommendations seriously.

We are all in this together. Let us all do our part to keep our community safe.

With hope,

Dr. Jessica Zimbler, MD CCFP

If you think you may have symptoms of the coronavirus use https://bc.thrive.health/covid19 to determine if you need further assessment.

To talk to a nurse, doctor, or nurse practitioner, call Northern Health’s 24/7 Online Clinic and Information Line at 1-844-645-7811. All Northern BC residents can call this line for information, health advice, or virtual screenings and assessments (Available 24 hrs and 7 days a week).