Community staff strive to help homebound COVID-19 patients

Community workers and doctors stand ready to help asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 patients who are isolated at their homes.

Wang Yanyan, director of a neighborhood committee in Beijing's Dongcheng district, said on Thursday at a news conference that residents who are battling the virus in their homes can turn to community workers for help, and they will send them guidelines on drug use, treatment and recovery.

The workers can also help residents order daily necessities and drugs online or via phone, and they will do their best to assist in cases of emergency, she said.

Zhu Lan, a community doctor in Shanghai's Xuhui district, said community hospitals have set up 24-hour hotlines and work shifts to respond to residents' needs, and they have shared the contacts of family doctors with members of vulnerable groups.

The hospitals have determined the vaccination status of senior residents age 65 and above and their underlying conditions, she said. They have also set up records to keep track of local pregnant women, newborn babies and patients undergoing chemotherapy and dialysis.

Community doctors have been offering psychological consultation to people who are anxious, and for patients have long fever, difficulty breathing or worsening underlying conditions, they help arrange for them to receive treatment at larger hospitals, she added.