Sharing experience from Chinese General Practitioners to International colleagues on how to tackle COVID-19

Abstract

China was the first country where the novel coronavirus appeared. General Practitioners (GPs) in China are at the forefront of tackling the spread of the virus. While the health sector in China has been under scrutiny globally, many articles have been disseminated within the country about the response. GPs in China are keen to share their experiences with GP colleagues, as other countries go through similar experiences. The hope is that by sharing our experiences, our international colleagues can benefit from what worked well and what went less well.

Coronavirus started spreading from Wuhan in Hubei Province in late 2019. As in many parts of China, Wuhan is a hospital-oriented health service, as the family medicine system is not yet fully implemented. The surge of patients to hospitals quickly overwhelmed the health system in Wuhan and surrounding towns and cities, as patients sought testing and treatment, and in the process helped to spread the virus more quickly. The experience has put the spotlight on the ineffectiveness of hospitals as the first port of call for this and other types of virus.