In this interview with SBCC’s Dr Jenny Tang, she spoke about the clinic’s decision to introduce teleconsultation services amid the Covid-19 outbreak to cater to the different needs of the clinic’s patients.
Dr Tang shared that the teleconsultation services are especially suitable for children with mild illnesses such as mild cough, headache or diarrhoea, or chronic diseases with stable conditions. For new patients, she highlighted that for a teleconsultations to be effective, the child should at least be five years old so that he/she can describe and explain his symptoms to the doctor on the line. Teleconsultations are not suitable for patients experiencing high fever over several days or have difficulty breathing. In these instances, parents should bring their children to the clinic immediately for medical assistance.
Dr Jenny also shared that since the circuit breaker measures were announced, roughly 30 per cent of parents have postponed vaccinations for their children, citing reasons of danger or fear of being exposed. In spite of this, Dr Jenny Tang reassured parents that hospitals are safe and highlighted that vaccinations should still be carried on time according to the schedule to avoid contracting diseases such as chicken pox, whooping cough, meningitis and pneumonia. She stated that if a child misses his/her vaccination and contracts the disease, it would likely affect him/her for life.
