FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Medical Staff Association, Fort St John Hospital and Hudsons Hope Medical Centre Doctors have shared the following letter encouraging everyone to start social distancing to help protect the most vulnerable in our community as well as our health care system.
Below is a copy of the letter.
To our patients,
We are taking this unusual step to write to you personally regarding the COVID-19 virus. You will have heard the directive from our Provincial Health Officer, Dr Bonnie Henry, to self-isolate and practice social distancing.
The time to act is now. Our province is in a state of emergency. What we do today will impact the health of British Columbians in the weeks to come.
Stay home unless absolutely necessary. No dinner parties. No shopping. No sports, not even outside. Instead, have coffee with a friend online.
Keep six feet or two metres away from everyone at all times. That’s about the width of a car or two lengths of two arms stretched out. Call your loved ones and tell them to do the same. Wash your hands, wash down common surfaces. Do not touch your faces without washing your hands afterwards.
Remind young people in your life that they can get sick from this virus. More importantly, they can be carriers and cause a lot of harm to parents, grandparents, and other loved ones.
We can do this, but we can’t wait one more hour or one more day. Let’s save lives, together.
Our clinics will be transitioning to virtual platforms for all patient visits where it is clinically safe unless they are emergency visits. Telephone consultations for those of you without computer access are also available.
Please contact your health care provider by telephone before going to the offices if you have symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, tiredness, cough or runny nose. Please do not go to ER with those symptoms unless it is an emergency, without first calling the NH COVID-19 Online clinic 1-844-645-7811. Inform 911 if you have those symptoms if you call them for an emergency
Please protect the health care workers who will be looking after you and your loved ones and the other very vulnerable people already in the hospital.
Thank you for everything you are all doing to protect the vulnerable in our community, by self-isolating and practicing social distancing.
Our very best wishes
Dr Carolyn Jones
Dr Kevin Page
Dr Jamie Wilkie
Dr Lukas Brand
Dr Carly Loomes
Dr Terry Hopkins
Dr Nasi Saukila
Dr Onome Daikparomre
Dr Paul Mackey
Dr David Courtney
Dr Danette Dawkin
Dr Natasha Desjardins
Dr Ghanwa Al-Saigh
Dr Derek Rolla
Dr Martin Nobar
Dr Mark Thomson
Dr Teng
Dr Fola Olajide
Dr Abbi Olajide
Dr John Breen
Dr William Watt
Dr Bayo Oyedeji
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