thoughts and recommendations on the coronavirus pandemic
Telemedicine
First of all, understand that I am still here for your medical needs. Even though there is a stay-at-home order in place, and I would encourage you to follow these orders, there may be some medical problems that occur during this time. Sometimes people may forget that all of the previous illnesses and medical problems persist in these times. Examples would be high cholesterol, diabetes, heart attacks, cancer, strokes, and you get my point. We are still maintaining our office hours. We are taking all of the necessary steps in our office to avoid spread of any contagious illness, including the coronavirus. We are keeping people in their cars and not congregating in our waiting room until the doctor is ready to see them. So we are able to see people in our office still. Our preference, however, is to keep people at home if at all possible. Telemedicine allows us to accomplish this. Most of telemedicine can be accomplished by a simple phone call and a conversation. Sometimes we can add video conferencing such as FaceTime or Zoom as well if needed. Thankfully, the government has recognized the importance of keeping people at home and has allowed doctors to participate in these telemedicine visits instead of requiring an in-person visit if it is deemed to be safe.
Testing
Regarding the coronavirus or Covid-19 test… Believe me, I am as excited as you are to have access to testing! At this point in time, testing supplies are extremely limited and the only people who are able to get testing completed are patients who require hospital admission. Over the phone, I am happy to assess your risk factors, exposures and symptoms and make a reasonable assessment as to whether or not you could have this virus. We could then discuss recommendations going forward for you. As soon as I have access to testing, you will be the first to know. Using telemedicine, we have been treating many illnesses over the phone now which used to require an office visit.
Masks
The governor has suggested that it is a good idea for us to wear masks while we are out in public. Examples would be the disposable surgical masks and cotton masks that can be made at home. I would ask that you do not try to obtain the N95 masks and save those for medical professionals who are being exposed to high amounts of the virus. If you have any N95 masks, I would consider donating them to a medical professional or first responder. I understand that it can feel a little bit embarrassing and strange to wear a mask when you are out at the grocery store or at Costco. It really hasn't been part of our culture until now. I don't think at this point in time anyone is going to judge you! If you take this simple step and wear a mask when you are out and exposed to more than a few people, you will be a good example for others. Wearing this mask prevents you from spreading the virus unknowingly to others. We are finding that there are plenty of people who don't have any symptoms and yet carry the virus. Keep in mind this mask will not entirely prevent you from catching the virus so keep the six foot recommended distance from others while you are out.
Staying at home
With the exception of my time seeing patients in the office, I am following the stay-at-home orders. With everything we have sacrificed and with what has happened to our economy, it would be a shame to see people not taking this rule seriously. Stay positive! Use this time to connect with family and play games. I have had fun learning to play Euchre with my wife and two teenaged kids. We also found a television series from about 15 years ago, Lost, and we are absorbed in that. We have been able to accomplish so many projects such as cleaning out closets and cleaning and sealing the patio. We are putting our empty schedule to good use! And most importantly, exercise. Take advantage of this time to either improve your physical condition or start an exercise program, if you haven't done so already. There are plenty of online exercise classes available. Getting outside can be fun as long as you distance yourself from others. Put exercise into your calendar every day now that the days are fairly wide open.
If you have symptoms
Again, I am happy to talk with you in a telemedicine encounter if you have any symptoms or discomfort which cause you worry. Please don't leave your home and go into an urgent care or emergency department for mild to moderate symptoms. Please call our office first and we will come up with a plan for your best care. Obviously, if your symptoms are what you would call "severe" and you are in significant chest pain or shortness of breath, that is the time to go directly to the emergency department or even call 911 for help.
Give us a call if you have any questions or need to schedule an in-person or telemedicine appointment. We can be reached at (847) 382-6579.