The DRH Physician COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force met on the afternoon of Friday, March 13, 2020, to discuss the continued preparation and monitoring for COVID-19 in our communities. While there is a lot of information being presented in the media, the DRH Physician COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force would like to add some clarity to all the noise.
There are two main issues with the spread of this virus that are real and unique to other viruses and bugs that we see annually. (1) This version of the virus is unique, spreading very quickly around the world and has the potential to stick around for a while, which leads us to (2) the length of time patients are sick with this virus creates barriers and strain on the healthcare system as a whole. As an example, the average person admitted to the hospital stays for 3-5 days. COVID-19 patients are staying in the hospital for up to 21 days or more. So the longer a COVID-19 patient stays in the hospital, the fewer number of available rooms we have for the next patient. And every patient admitted makes it harder and harder to manage the equipment, supplies, and medical professionals needed to care for everyone. This process is not unique to DRH and is happening across many of the countries, states, and cities that have already been hit hard with the virus.
Again, this is a very real virus, and everyone in your medical community is working hard to plan for taking care of everyone but we need some help with a few simple things. This is where you come in to help stop the spread!
We need everyone’s help in protecting many of our friends, neighbors, and families that are at HIGH RISK for acquiring the virus. These people are our grandparents, older neighbors, friends, and family that already struggle with heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease. We all know someone that falls into at least one of these categories. We need your help protecting them!
So what can you do to help? Simple things.
1. Avoid close contact with other people that are sick AND if you are sick...STAY HOME!
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
3. If soap is not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Soap is BEST!
4. Because droplets spread COVID-19, please wash your hands immediately after touching ANY public surfaces like shopping carts, business counters, doors, pens to pay a check, gas pumps, ATM’s, etc. Or, better yet, avoid as many public surfaces as possible.
5. Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, and chin.
6. Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces at home like tables, door handles, and light switches
7. Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated buildings or rooms.
8. Avoid all non-essential travel.
9. Finally, at night, everyone should wash your hands, then your face with soap and water concentrating on the areas around your nostrils, at the edges of your nostrils, around the base of your nose, and the top of your lips. Doing so helps eliminate anything that might be trapped there from your daily life.
Nine easy things we can all do to come together as a community and help each other stay safe and well.
However, we cannot protect everyone from getting the virus. If you do get sick and think you have been exposed, please call your physician and discuss your symptoms before just going to the clinic.
If you are urgently sick (extreme shortness of breath, pain or pressure in your chest that won’t go away, bluish lips or face, etc.) go to an emergency room immediately.
For other questions or information, please call the Oklahoma State Department of Health Coronavirus Hotline at 877.215.8336 or visit cornovirus.health.ok.gov for the most up to date information.
DRH Physician COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force Members:
Nathan Elfrink, M.D., Radiology; Michael Hemphill, M.D., Pulmonology & Critical Care; F. James McGouran, M.D., Family Medicine; James Peterson, D.O., Emergency Medicine; William Stewart, M.D., Family Medicine; Krystal Vonfeldt, D.O., Family Medicine