The president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association is concerned people will put off their problems because they don’t want to bother doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Charlene Fitzgerald said that could lead to bigger problems down the road, if doctors become flooded with complex problems once isolation measures are lifted.

“What we’re concerned about is that people are staying home and possibly not taking care of their usual chronic illnesses, not talking about the mental illnesses that were plaguing them before and possibly more now acutely,” she said. “So our message is that we are still able to care for you and we would like you to please not let things fester.”

Some doctors are still taking patients in person on a case-by-case basis, while many are dealing with patients through virtual means. That could include video consultations, or speaking over the phone.