COVID19: GPs enter the frontline in health emergency

Under new guidelines issued Thursday, Cypriots must contact their GP first, and not the ambulance service, in reporting possible symptoms of coronavirus to the alleviate strain on hospitals, health authorities said.

The Ministry of Health, the Health Insurance Organisation and the Cyprus Medical Association issued a joint announcement calling on citizens to adhere to new regulations when it comes to seeking medical assistance in case they may be infected with COVID-19.

According to the announcement:

1. Patients presenting serious symptoms related to Coronavirus should contact their General Practitioner by telephone who will then advise them on the next steps.

If necessary, the GP will contact the Epidemiological Monitoring Unit of the Ministry of Health to jointly decide on the course of action for each case, and then inform the beneficiary accordingly.

2. If a citizen is found positive to COVID-19 and needs to self-isolate at home, they will be monitored by telephone by their GP who will be providing them with instructions. Therefore, these citizens should follow the instructions of their GP.
3. Given the urgent nature of the situation, citizens are expected to cooperate to the maximum and help health professionals.

For this to happen, citizens are called to contact their Personal Doctors or Specialist Doctors by telephone for non-Coronavirus-related incidents.

Only in the case of emergencies will patients be seen by doctors in person.

4. In case a GP is unable to provide services to their patients, they are required to designate a temporary replacement.

If a person cannot reach their GP, they must let the HIO know by sending an email to [email protected] to resolve the issue without delay.

The announcement stresses the importance of all Cypriots to strictly adhere to the above regulations, “as the success of managing the Coronavirus emergency depends on EVERYONE”.