COVID-19 INFORMATION AND POLICY UPDATE

  3.16.2020

  As a health-care provider, it is important to keep our office open and our services available to you. We will still be seeing patients and we have initiated protocols to ensure that all surfaces are disinfected. Right now, there are no vaccines or other anti-viral medications that are known to be effective against COVID-19, thus only supportive care is available. At this point, your best defense is your own health, and this is where the supportive care we offer can be helpful and may often be critical. A list of supportive care supplements and actions you can take will follow below.

STOP and THINK BEFORE COMING IN TO SEE US

We also need your help to make sure we can continue to be here to serve your supportive health care needs. To that end, we ask anyone wanting to come to our office to stay home if they’re not feeling well and/or have had any contact with any ill/sick people. There are a lot of respiratory viruses out there, and just because you have symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have COVID-19, and these include the flu, rhinoviruses and other corona viruses. However, you should be aware what the symptoms of COVID-19 are and if these appear, you need to contact your primary care physician or nearest Emergency Department:

·       Any sign of respiratory illness, any trouble breathing

·       Coughing (usually dry or non-productive)

·       Sneezing

·       Fever (usually greater than 100.4 F but can be less)

·       Shortness of breath

WHY the QUARANTINE?

The U.S. health care system is not adequately prepared to handle an additional stressor to public health. In a recent  interview , infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Osterholm describes the health care system as “stretched thinner now than ever” with no “excess capacity,” especially given concerns with current levels of public health funding. The current government strategy is as follows: Essentially, the rationale is that effective quarantine can reduce the rate of disease spread even if the total number of cases over time remains the same, which would help prevent the health care system from being overloaded.

Just like you, we have families we care about and want to keep safe. When something like the coronavirus hits the news, it can make us worry about everyday decisions. One of the most important things we can do is continue with our normal lives, doing the things we enjoy and need to stay healthy, while taking reasonable precautions. Living our lives keeps us healthy and happy and teaches our kids good behaviors. Here are some tips to help you and your family feel safe and ready to face the world.

In General

Wash, wash, wash your hands . Did you know soap and water are more effective than hand sanitizer (and apparently easier to find right now)? To really get rid of any germs, wash for at least 20 seconds – which just happens to be how long it takes to hum Row-Row-Row Your Boat three times.

Be sneeze- and cough-courteous . Coughing or sneezing into the inner crook of your arm catches the droplets that would otherwise end up in the air or on the surfaces around you. The COVID-19 virus is transmitted through droplets, not through breathing, so this is important.

Save the mask for Halloween . The benefit of a mask is that it controls the outbound expression of germs when someone coughs or sneezes. If you’re healthy, a mask won’t be very effective in preventing the spread of germs. If you’re sick and need to be out in the world, a mask can help protect those around you from the germs you send out when you cough or sneeze.

Don’t touch your face ! The easiest way to get sick (with any kind of virus) is to introduce germs from your hands to mucus membranes – like your eyes, nose and mouth.

Netflix and chill . If you’re not feeling well (whether it’s coronavirus or an old-school cold) please stay home, cuddle with your dog and catch up on your favorite show.

Out in the World

Wipe it out . Many of us do this anyway, but grab one of those wet wipes at the grocery store entrance to clean the cart (buggy for you southerners) handle.

Declutter!  A clean desk or counter makes it easier to run a cleaning cloth across.

Personal space.  Keep at least 6 feet between you and someone who is sneezing or coughing.

Sharing = caring? Not right now!  We’re usually all about sharing, but for now the kindest thing you can do is avoid sharing food, drinks, even lotion or sanitizers – and the germs that ride with them.

Breathe in, breathe out.  Ventilation is a good thing. Weather and location permitting, crack a window.

Taking Care of Yourself

Be on your best behavior.  Keep yourself in good shape by getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, drinking lots of water and eating nutritious foods. A stressed body is a weak body, so manage your stress through exercise, meditation or conversation with a trusted friend. Caring for yourself is the best thing you can do for your overall health.

For additional trusted resources about the coronavirus, we recommend these websites. We will monitor and update the list as the situation evolves.

SELF-CARE SUPPORTIVE STRATEGIES (for the next several months only)

Vitamin C 500 mg. three times a day

Vitamin D: 4000 i.u. per day for adult sized individuals/2000 iu for adolescents/ 1000 iu per day toddlers.

NAC: 600 mg. three times a day

Oil of Oregano: one capsule three times a day, or liquid oil of oregano 5 drops per day, with food.

Selenium: 200 mcg. per day (mcg is micrograms)

Zinc: 30 to 50 mg. per day (zinc lozenges may work better..Cold Eeze is one brand)

Immunopad: 1 capsule 3 x per day. (contains Andrographis and other herbs for immune support)

Reishi mushrooms: 1 capsule three times a day

Quercitin: 250 mg. at 4 per day

Other helpful hints:

1) NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.

2) Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.: lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.

3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.

4) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.

5) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have no other choice. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!

Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average – everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon.

If you are seeing Dr. Smith only for nutritional needs,  then you can certainly schedule a phone consultation/appointment at 804-897-9194.

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