Does pandemic lockdowns affect the burn patient's admission?

2020 has started with Covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, govermental stringent precautions and lockdown measures have applied in Turkey. Although there was no limition for health care, people hesitate to go hospitals with the fear of Coronovirus transmission and all addmisions to hospitals decreased.

Data of all patients admitted to our burn outpatient clinic during the pandemic period between March16, 2020 and June 1, 2020 compered with the same period in 2019. Demographic information and burn-specific variables of each patient were analysed.

Thirty nine patient admited to our clinic at covid period and 130 patient at 2019. There was a 70% reduction of admissions. In this stduy during pandemic period patients delayed days for admission, number of dressing change and total healing times were significantly longer, higher and longer (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). The number of surgery-required patients, hospitalization rates and the number of grafting were significantly high at the pandemic time (p=0.003, p=0.007 and p=0.036, respectively). Burn wound infection at admission has also found more frequent at covid-period (p<0.001).

Covid-19 pandemic made people hesitate to go to hospital even for emergencies. Unfortunately this fear caused unexpected consequences. Patients have developed complications due to delayed addmisions to specified medical centers for specific health problems. As a result, patients requiring special treatment, should be encouraged to immediatly seek professional medical advice especially for reel emergencies even during pandemic.