Instadoc: Hamilton Health Science’s top doc uses social media to educate on COVID-19

Dr. Khalid Azzam doesn't consider himself the social media type.

His personal Instagram was mostly dormant for a number of years and in the decade he's had a Twitter account, he's racked up less than a thousand tweets.

But come the global pandemic, Hamilton Health Sciences' physician-in-chief has started using his social media for more than just family photos and retweeting hospital announcements.

Under the Instagram handle Instaphysician, Azzam has started making videos that debunk COVID-19 myths, explain mRNA vaccines and capture what his work looks like day to day as a staff member on the COVID unit.

Speaking to The Spectator, Azzam said the idea for the account was born out of questions his own daughters would ask him, as well as their discussions about ridiculous" things they read about the virus.

Azzam was able to answer his daughters' questions and have discussions with them at home. But they were left with one last mystery: what familiar face could answer their friends' questions?

The answer was simple - their dad.

So, one night we started working on it, they changed the Instagram account, they made it Instaphysician ... and then we started recording," he said.

Each video is around 30 seconds in length, and Azzam and his daughters try to pack as much concise" information into each video as possible - with each inspired by a question fielded from friends and family.

He's covered the effectiveness of masks and why your nose must be covered when wearing one. He's also talked about self-isolation when you get a positive test result and transmission of the virus.

Azzam also documented his journey of getting the vaccine while busting" myths.

We did it mostly to deal with the hesitancy around vaccines," he said. The only way we can overcome the pandemic is by vaccinating the population ... so, I made a couple of videos about how the vaccine works, how it's innovative and what is the evidence (behind it)."

Now, Azzam is turning his attention to the seriousness of the situation in Hamilton's hospitals - something he's witnessed firsthand.

He's lost patients, while others continue to deteriorate. Families have been left in mourning and nearly all their beds are full. The hospitals are dealing with a consistent increase in COVID admissions and they haven't seen the numbers going down - instead, they're the highest" they've ever been, said Azzam.

As of Tuesday, there were 98 COVID patients at Hamilton Health Sciences and another 15 at St. Joseph's Hospital.

It's unbelievable that people still deny the presence of COVID when we're dealing with this on an everyday basis at the hospital," he said. You do hear that families are sometimes still in denial that COVID has caused a significant illness and, at times, death."

Azzam said, through his videos, he hopes to help educate people and change their behaviours."

He encourages his viewers to continue following public health advice: stay home if you can, keep washing your hands and wear a mask.

Azzam also posts videos of himself practising physical distancing but still getting outside safely for self-care.

But most of all, Azzam is hoping to ease the worries around vaccines and encourage his followers to roll up their sleeves when it becomes available to them.

Hopefully, whoever follows me will go and get vaccinated so we can get over this tiring pandemic that we're in," he said.

Fallon Hewitt is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: fhewitt@thespec.com