COVID Update, March 18, 2020
Below is the update I shared with my own patients today. I hope the message is clear.
We now have local transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community (Mansfield, South Arlington). The death of an Arlington man from this disease was reported last night, and he had no recent travel or high-risk exposure. Other cases of local transmission are being reported daily, and there are many cases that have simply not been diagnosed.
Travel to a high-risk area is no longer a necessary risk factor. *We are living in a high-risk area.*
Please heed the warnings about preventing the spread of this disease, and STAY HOME.
• If you are over 60, and/or have chronic health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, lung disease, or immunocompromised:
STAY HOME. All the way home. Have someone pick up groceries, food, medication, etc, but do not expose yourself to the outside world unless absolutely necessary.
• If you are fairly healthy and are feeling great:
STAY HOME as much as possible. Make necessary trips to the store or pharmacy, pick up food curbside, but try to limit exposure. Reschedule all non-essential appointments or meetings, work from home, if possible, and even limit hanging out with neighbors and friends.
• If you have a medical need, that doesn’t involve COVID symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, fever):
STAY HOME and call or message the office. We can handle almost all of your medical needs virtually, and reduce your risk, and mine. We are still working, and available for you.
• If you have mild-to-moderate COVID symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, fever):
STAY HOME and contact the office. You will be screened and we will help determine the next best step for you. Isolate yourself from your family members, and do not go out into the community. Monitor for fever, stay hydrated and treat the symptoms with OTC meds as needed. There are simply not enough tests available at this time to test everyone with possible symptoms. Hopefully, that will be resolved soon. So, if you have symptoms, assume you have COVID.
• If you have severe COVID symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, fever)
CALL THE ER to arrange evaluation and possible testing, or CALL 911, but notify them of symptoms so that they can be prepared. Isolate from others in your own home.
This is not meant to scare you, but rather to inform you, and to stress my belief, as a local physician, that this is a significant health threat for our community.
If you have not considered this to be a real threat before, or if it seems like the major cases are far away, *this is real and it is here.* Take it seriously and STAY HOME.