To all of our wonderful patients,
Out of an abundance of caution, we are rescheduling elective patients for the next two weeks. The virus identified as Covid-19 is spreading rapidly in our community and although most people experience only mild symptoms such as cough, runny nose, and fever, in some the disease progresses to a life threatening pneumonia. In an effort to protect those people and to allow our medical system to have the resources necessary to treat them by reducing the numbers of cases, we must all do our part by personally distancing. Thank you for your participation in these measures.
Below are our recommendations:
- Keep space between you and others. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is recommending 6 feet. This obviously means no shaking hands, kissing, hugging, etc. We also recommend no elbow bumps, foot bumps, fist bumps, etc.
- Wash your hands frequently with liquid soap and water.
- Clean surfaces you touch frequently with disinfectant. Doorknobs, light switches, cell phones, computer keyboards, etc.
- Avoid large gatherings and spaces where people might congregate. Airplanes, trains, buses, movie theaters, etc.
- Do not hoard essentials like hand sanitizer. We are safer if everyone has access. And hoarding toilet paper is just silly. We will not run out!
- If you are ill, call your doctor for advice. Do not go to the emergency room or urgent care unannounced. Waits will be long, and you could expose others or be exposed yourself if you are not infected. If your symptoms are mild, stay home and treat yourself as you would with any common cold and flu remedies. If you have a high fever (greater than 101), call your doctor for advice. If you are having shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, call ahead to your doctor or to the nearest emergency room and tell them your symptoms. You will be advised what to do next.
Hopefully soon more widespread testing will begin, and asymptomatic carriers will be able to protect others by not spreading infection.
For more information and to keep updated, visit the CDC website: (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html)
If you have questions or concerns, please call and we will address them.
Until then, hunker down, work from home if you can, or read a good book and we will get through this!
