BC opens three post-COVID-19 recovery clinics in the Lower Mainland

A number of post-COVID-19 recovery clinics have opened up across the Lower Mainland.

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) made the announcement on Friday, saying that the three facilities will be located at St. Paul’s Hospital (SPH), Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), and Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre in Surrey.

Patients will be connected with specialists, health professionals, and subspecialists through on-site and telephone appointments. The clinics will allow specialists to understand some of the long-term effects of COVID-19.

“We know some people who recover from COVID-19 experience long-term health effects,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a statement.

“Through the dedication of a large team of experts and health leaders across the province, we are working to ensure that specialized care is available to British Columbians, when they need it.”

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PHSA says that the clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital has already seen over 160 post-COVID-19 patients.

Additionally, a study involving VGH, SPH, and the University of British Columbia showed that more than half of participants had abnormal breathing tests more than three months after they started feeling sick with COVID-19. After further study using CT scans, it was also found that one-in-five participants had lung scarring, which causes permanent damage and compromised lung function.

“As we move through the COVID-19 pandemic, we are learning that the long-term effects of COVID-19 impact people in many different ways,” said Fraser Health President and CEO Dr. Victoria Lee. “For this reason, it is crucial that we work together to ensure our patients get the care they need to recover from this virus.”