Coronavirus practical issues
I thought it might be nice to have a thread to talk about practical concerns. I'll start :). What should a solo traveler do, if they are camped somewhere they don't know anybody, and get seriously ...
Forum Discussion
From an email my primary care doc sent out to all patients today:
Starting today Monday March 9th, there will be increased access to testing for COVID-19 in (our state) as private labs are offering testing for the hospitals. What this means is that more people will be tested and as a result, we are predicting a definite increase in the number of confirmed cases in (our state). As of right now, there are xxx confirmed cases in (our state). It is very likely there are many more undiagnosed cases. Clinics will not be receiving the lab testing option until later in the month.
...Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms. If you are feeling sick with mild symptoms and do not need to seek medical care, stay home while you recover. Call me to discuss a plan for your symptoms. You need to be fever-free for at least 72 hours and symptom-free for 24 hours before you can go back to work or school.
Testing for COVID-19 right now is reserved for only those patients with cough, fever and breathing symptoms who also have known exposure. There are not enough test kits in the U.S. available to be able to test everyone with cold/flu symptoms.
Do not come into the clinic unannounced if you have fever and cough. If you are sick and need to seek care, please contact me before coming in so arrangements can be made to prevent exposing others. If you are short of breath without any prior history of lung disease, I may have you go to the ER for more immediate attention. I have many high risk patients and need to keep the clinic virus-free for ongoing operation.
