Here at LPIM we are closely monitoring the updates on CoVid-19. At this point, our recommendations for families in our care include:
• Don’t panic. While this is a serious illness, your chances of getting it and having a serious illness are still small. The most important concern at this point is to try to prevent it’s spread.
• Follow the guidelines for handwashing – this is your best prevention tool! As the outbreak continues, we strongly recommend you avoid large gatherings.
• At this point, there is no reason to avoid activities like going to the grocery store or the park, but make sure you clean your hands.
• CoVid is spread through close contact with an actively sick person. There may be some risk of spread through casual contact.
• Children seem to be at low risk for contacting the disease. When they do, it appears to be a very mild infection.
• Adults over 60 and those with underlying health conditions are most at risk. We recommend that the most at risk individuals avoid traveling and avoid contact with sick people.
• Masks are for actively sick people to wear, not for healthy people.
Recommendations from the CDC that we are applying in our practice include:
• We are trying to limit visits to our office for people who have a fever and cough. Mild or moderate infections should be managed at home. If someone has signs of respiratory distress and needs to be seen, we ask them to let us know on their way to the clinic so that we follow infection precautions.
• We do not do testing for CoVid-19 in our office. Testing is currently limited to people who:
o Are actively sick (fever and cough), and
o Have had contact with someone who tested positive for CoVid-19 or who is currently waiting for the results of a test, or
o Is being admitted to a hospital
• This is subject to change as the virus spreads. Local hospitals are switching to only testing those they are admitting to the hospital and we suspect other hospitals will follow this tactic very quickly.
• If you think you may need testing because you meet the above listed criteria, there are a limited number of places to get the testing, and you will need to contact us for a provider order for testing. Do not go to the health department or emergency room for testing without calling first.
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Colorado Dept of Public Health https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/2019-novel-coronavirus
Children’s Hospital COVID-19 Parent Hotline 720-777-2221 and webpage https://childrenscolorado.org/covid19