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Study raises concerns sick British Columbians aren’t calling 911 out of COVID-19 fears

Doctors are worried about people putting off treatment, now that a new study suggests British Columbians are avoiding calling 9-1-1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo credit: Global News)
Doctors are worried about people putting off treatment, now that a new study suggests British Columbians are avoiding calling 9-1-1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo credit: Global News)

A new study is raising concerns that British Columbians with serious illnesses could be avoiding hospital treatment because they’re worried about COVID-19.

The research from two doctors based out of Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital recently published in The Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine looked at the first three months of B.C.’s COVID-19 pandemic.

They found a 15-per cent overall decline in 911 calls, and a nine-per cent drop in calls related to critical illness.

Click here for the full story on Global News.