CORONAVIRUS
This is Dr. Richter and this page is to inform you of the current health care crisis evolving in our country. It is known that COVID-19 (the disease caused by the currently circulating SARS-CoV-2) is twice as contagious as influenza and 5 -10 times more deadly. The most at-risk patients are over 60 years old, anyone with chronic disease such as diabetes and congestive heart failure and anyone with pulmonary disease, (COPD, Emphysema, asthma, smokers). The number of people infected doubles every 6 days. It is contagious even if you do not feel ill and healthy people can spread the virus. The reason Europe is having so many deaths is that when so many people get sick at once the health care system is overwhelmed and can not take care of everyone at once. There are not enough tests in this country to test everyone (this would be the ideal way to slow the spread). The number of infected individuals is thought to be very underestimated based of studies using statistical models. The underestimation may be as high as 10 times more cases than reported. This means that EVERYONE is potentially infected.
Therefore:
· Everyone that can should avoid work, public transportation and gatherings.
· Everyone over the age of 65 should stay home and avoid all non-essential outings.
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If you have fever or a cough please call us. We are are seeing sick patients by televisit.
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· Our answering machine has an emergency number on it, please call that number and I will get back to you.
· The best way to contact me is through the patient portal. The link to the portal is on the home page of this website. You can retrieve your username and password at anytime if they are forgotten.
· If you have fever, dry cough AND shortness of breath ( you feel winded, not just shortness of breath when coughing), you should go to an emergency room as soon as possible. It is recommended to call ahead and let them know you are coming.
If you have elderly or special needs neighbors or friends, please call them to see if they need anything to be brought from the outside ( food, meds, etc).
Of note, there is a concern about NSAIDs which may worsen the course of COVID-19. Some of these drugs are: Ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Naproxsyn, Mobic, Relafen, Anaprox, Celebrex, Diclofenac, Feldene, meloxicam, Nabumetone, Piroxicam, Relafen. This information is new and evolving. For now it is probably safer to take acetominophen ( Tylenol). Please call the office if you have any questions.
Please read this article in the Washington Post if you would like to understand how the virus spreads, it has beautiful clear animation:
Please see the following websites for updated information form the CDC, NYS-DOH and the NYC-DOH:
SELF-ISOLATION AT HOME As a routine matter, but especially during the current pandemic, persons who are not hospitalized but who have possible or confirmed COVID-19 should isolate themselves in a private residence until 7 days following onset of illness and 72 hours after being consistently afebrile without use of Tylenol and with resolving respiratory symptoms. Caregivers should consult a healthcare provider for children with fever and sore throat to determine if testing is indicated for other illnesses such as strep throat. Persons staying at home because of confirmed or presumed COVID-19 infection should not attend work or school and should avoid public settings and other situations that may permit close contact with others. This guidance applies to any person, regardless of whether they have received a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, including healthcare workers.
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SELF-MONITORING We are entering a phase of the pandemic where social distancing may have the greatest impact on minimizing transmission. All New Yorkers are asked to practice social distancing, meaning that they should stay at home to the extent possible and only leave home for essential tasks. All New Yorkers should consider themselves as possibly exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and must therefore self-monitor for COVID-19 like illness – especially those who have had close contact with a person with possible or confirmed COVID-19 and those who are healthcare workers. Close contact includes those persons who reside or provide care in the same household of the ill person or are an intimate partner of the ill person. Close contacts should monitor their health at all times but should be particularly vigilant for 14 days starting from the last time there was close contact with the person while they were ill. Persons in whom COVID-19 like illness develops should isolate themselves at home and adhere to guidance on self-isolation at home for persons with confirmed or possible COVID-19 (see above). Such ill persons should only seek healthcare if they have severe or worsening illness. As a reminder, patients with mild illness do not need COVID-19 testing, unless it may change management.