Almost one in three of those who suffered a stroke during the pandemic delayed seeking medical attention due to COVID-19 fears. The Stroke Association highlight this due to World Stroke Day (today, 29 October).
The Stroke Association also highlight that the number of stroke admissions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland between 23 March and 30 June was 19,106, a drop of 13.4% when compared with the same time the previous year. Furthermore, stroke deaths in care homes were 39% higher than the five-year average in England and Wales. From mid-March until May stroke deaths in private homes more than doubled.
The Stoke Association raise alarm that such behavior will continue into the second wave, and have asked the UK government to commit to investing in Act FAST public health messaging.
Act FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) has proved to be one of the most successful public health campaigns in the UK, motivating people to call for emergency help at the symptoms of a stroke.
David Hargroves, consultant troke hysician, William Harvey Hospital, UK, commented, “I would like to reassure people that our specialist stroke units are equipped and ready to treat stroke patients.”
