{"id":807136,"date":"2020-05-05T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=382742"},"modified":"2020-05-05T18:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-06T00:00:00","slug":"doctors-see-dramatic-drop-in-er-visits-amid-coronavirus-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/doctors-see-dramatic-drop-in-er-visits-amid-coronavirus-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctors see dramatic drop in ER visits amid coronavirus pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr. Wyatt Hall works inside the emergency room at St. Anthony Summit Medical Center in Frisco on Tuesday, May 5. There has been a nationwide decline in emergency room visits due to the coronavirus pandemic, with patients fearing the possibility of contracting the virus while seeking care.<\/strong>
Jason Connolly \/ jconnolly@summitdaily.com<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

FRISCO \u2014 You are more likely to contract COVID-19 at a grocery store than at the emergency room, said Dr. Mark Doucette, emergency department medical director at St. Anthony Summit Medical Center.<\/p>\n

Across the country, hospitals have been reporting low numbers of emergency room visits because of anxiety patients have about contracting the virus.<\/p>\n

Summit County isn\u2019t any different. The hospital\u2019s emergency department has seen a dramatic drop in visits since the first confirmed case of the virus March 5<\/a>. Doucette said visits dropped 50% to 60% once ski areas closed<\/a>. The hospital is still experiencing a 20% to 30% drop from typical May and April numbers. Specifically, Doucette said hospitals across the country have seen a drop in visits related to heart attacks and stroke.<\/p>\n

Doucette said the department has received calls from people who are worried about contracting the virus by coming to the emergency room.<\/p>\n

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