We know the health effects of COVID-19, but what about the trickle down effect for those who are free of the virus?
A new poll from Angus Reid finds almost two-in-five say the pandemic has gotten in the way of their medical appointments, treatments and procedures. Of those, 76 percent say it's had an adverse impact on their health.
But we are learning the effect can be even more dire. What if your life depends on a treatment you have to get in hospital?
Dr. Jeffrey Zaltzman is a kidney specialist at St. Micheal's Hospital. He told the Jerry Agar show that patients on dialysis have had no choice but to go in, often three times a week, for their treatment.
And COVID-19 seems to hit this group especially hard.
He says 22 percent of dialysis patients in Ontario who've contract COVID-19 have died.
Dr. Zaltzman says there is a real potential for outbreaks in dialysis units. "You can imagine the issues: People coming on wheelchairs, people coming from long-term facilities."
He says outbreaks have happened, including at St. Michael's. "We had to do a lot of things to really try and get this under wraps because it can spread quickly."