Pune: Covid-19 Omicron variant concern keeps people away from OPDs

PUNE: The fear of Omicron has caused a drop in OPD footfall in Pune hospitals, with some patients also rescheduling their planned surgeries.
Dr Sanjay Patil, chairman of the Hospital Board of India, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Pune, told TOI, “Patients are postponing their treatment, with OPD footfalls reducing, following the emergence of Omicron. One of my patients had taken a cataract surgery appointment on December 15, but now wants the surgery to be done on Friday.”
He said people should not fear Omicron, and instead take due precautions, such as adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour.“Patients are also delaying routine visits to doctors for various ailments like diabetes and hypertension after reports of the new variant,” he said.
Dr Sanjay Lalwani, medical director of the Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical Hospital and Research Centre, said, “Planned surgeries have been getting postponed, while we are also seeing a dip in operative surgeries as people are in a wait-and-watch mode following the emergence of Omicron. Though emergency surgeries are going on as usual, there has been a 30-40% drop in planned surgeries at the hospital. However, we feel that the fear should settle down in a month’s time once more information is out on the new variant’s transmissibility and virulence.”
Dr Madhav Chavan, managing director - Phoenix Hospital, told TOI, “Paediatric OPD footfalls have reduced by 25-30% as parents have been avoiding getting out with children for fear of contracting the new variant.”
General practitioner Dr Santosh Gosavi said, “There is almost 60% drop in footfalls, the new variant being one of the causes. Those with issues such as allergic rhinitis and sinus are also delaying visits to doctors as they fear that they would be asked to do an RT-PCR test.”
Dr Arati Shahade, consultant physician and diabetologist said while Omicron could be one of the reasons for reduced footfalls at OPDs. “December being a healthy season usually sees a dip in viral infections, which could also be a factor,” she said.
Doctors themselves have started taking precautions after reports of Omicron, paediatrician Dr Dilip M Sarda told TOI. “We have been asking patients and their parents about their travel history when they visit the clinic and also insisting them to wear double masks during their interaction with us,” he said.