Tag Archives: covid-19

5 Tips to Stay Safe as Quarantine Ends

By: Victor M. Plavner, M.D.

With Maryland taking steps to reopen, you may be tempted to think the Covid-19 crisis is over. Not true ─ the coronavirus is still out there, with new cases being reported every day. To avoid a second wave of infections, you need to take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. Here are five tips for how to re-enter public life safely.

  1. Remember the basics

We all learned safe habits during the quarantine. You should keep doing them when in public:

  • Wear a mask
  • Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer
  • Avoid touching your face
  • Practice social distancing: 6 feet apart
  • Disinfect surfaces and equipment
  • Limit contact with people who are at higher risk, such as the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. Remember, if you are infected, you can spread the virus before you show any symptoms.
  1. Avoid confined spaces

Try to stay out of places where air can be trapped or is unfiltered, such as elevators, break rooms and small shops. When possible, take advantage of any outdoor or open-air areas where people can meet while maintaining a healthy distance.

  1. Have a coming-home routine

Create a daily routine for arriving home to prevent bringing infectious germs into your home. Depending on your level of risk, this may include:

  • Using hand sanitizer before entering your house
  • Cleaning personal items with disinfectant before going in, such as keys, mobile phones, and things in your pockets
  • Taking a shower
  • Washing your work clothes
  1. Stay alert at gatherings

As we return to gathering socially, we should maintain a certain level of caution. This includes distancing or limiting interaction with people who don’t have the same level of concern about the virus. We have no way of knowing where someone has been, or their level of exposure to possible infection, so our best protection is to avoid getting close to people in restaurants, churches, stores, bars and other public places.

  1. Take care at work

If you work near others or have to attend meetings, try to keep some space between you and other people and wear a facemask. Try to keep surfaces in work and meeting areas sanitized.

The same applies to having lunch with a group of work friends. The wise thing is to skip this custom for a while. Eat lunch alone or carve out some personal space.

See this Wall Street Journal article for more tips to stay safe while you’re out and about.

Victor Plavner, M.D.Dr. Plavner is a Maryland Primary Care Physicians, LLC partner, is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, and practices at the MPCP Arnold office . He earned his medical degree at the University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; and at George Washington University Medical Center.

How MPCP is Keeping You Safe During Office Visits

At the peak of the coronavirus lockdown, MPCP was seeing close to 80% of patients by telemedicine. Now, as we have transitioned back to regular office visits, we are taking every precaution to make sure you stay healthy and safe during appointments. Here are some of the things we’re doing to protect patients while continuing to meet all of your primary care needs.

Phone evaluation: Safety starts before your visit. All patients calling for appointments are asked screening questions for Covid-19. Those who have symptoms are given telemedicine visits with providers to see if testing is needed.

Check-in:  We make check-in safer by requiring all staff and patients to wear masks. After you check in, if it’s not yet time for your appointment, you may be asked to wait in your car to avoid possible exposure in the waiting room. We then call you in for your appointment.

Outdoor appointments for patients with symptoms: Patients are screened over the phone for respiratory/Covid-19 symptoms. At our Arnold office, for example, those with symptoms are scheduled for outdoor appointments at special, covered stations set up in the practice parking lot, with providers and staff wearing full PPE. If patients are suspected to have Covid-19, they are tested at the outdoor station and don’t enter the building.

Arrival screening: Patients arriving at our offices are checked for Covid-19 symptoms. At our Pasadena office, for example, patients enter through one set of doors where they are asked screening health questions and have their temperature taken. They are taken directly into exam rooms that are sanitized between each patient. They exit through separate doors.

Ongoing cleaning: For your safety, all of our offices’ waiting rooms are regularly sanitized, and exam rooms are disinfected between each patient.

Central Laboratory testing: Testing supplies are limited, so only patients meeting CDC guidelines for coronavirus infection are eligible for Covid-19 testing. For patients who are eligible to be tested and do not want to, or are unable to, be tested at their MPCP office, the test — a nasal swab – can be done in the parking lot of our Central Laboratory at our Arundel Mills office. However, all MPCP patients can get antibody testing, which requires a blood draw and shows whether you had a Covid-19 infection in the past. In both cases, results are available the next business day.

Our staff is working hard to make sure you receive the medical care you and your family need in a clean and safe environment. You can schedule an appointment at any of our offices knowing that you will receive quality care in the safest way possible. Please call your MPCP office seen if you have questions.

 

Helping Your Kids Deal with COVID-19 Anxiety

By: Jamie Harms, M.D.

Everyone is talking about the coronavirus, and you can be sure that little ears are listening.  This can be a scary time for children. They may hear about COVID-19 deaths and worry what will happen if they or you get the disease.

Children and teens are influenced by what they see in their parents. If they see you dealing with the coronavirus calmly and confidently, they will feel more secure. Here’s how to help your children deal with COVID-19 anxiety.

Symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety is often expressed in your child’s behavior. Watch for these common symptoms of anxiety and stress:

  • Returning to behaviors they have outgrown, such as thumb-sucking, throwing tantrums, engaging in baby-talk, or bedwetting
  • New or recurring fears
  • Inability to relax or calm down
  • Excessive crying or irritation in younger children
  • Irritability and “acting out” behaviors in teens
  • Stomachaches, upset stomachs, or a loss of appetite
  • Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or having frequent nightmares
  • Difficulty with attention and concentration
  • Unexplained headaches or body pain
  • Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs in teens

Ways to support your child

  • Talk with your child or teen about the COVID-19 outbreak. Answer their questions in a way that your child or teen can understand.
  • Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Tell them not everyone gets COVID-19 and discuss things your family is doing to stay safe, such as handwashing, cleaning and social distancing. See tips for fighting COVID-19 below.
  • Let them know it’s ok if they feel upset. Tell them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you.
  • Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. A steady stream of COVID-19 news can raise your child’s anxiety level. Also, some information on social media is sensational or outright false and may frighten children.
  • Try to keep up with regular routines to help your kids feel more “normal.” With schools closed, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities.
  • Be a role model. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members.

Show them how to fight COVID-19

Children will feel better if they know there are things they can do to stay well and help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Help them practice these recommendations from the CDC:

  • Cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow, then throw the tissue into the trash.
  • Wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing, going to the bathroom, and before eating or preparing food. See this CDC video.
  • If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Keep their hands out of their mouth, nose and eyes. This will help keep germs out of their body.
  • Practice social distancing: When in public, keep at least six feet away from other people.
  • Stay away from people who are coughing or sneezing or sick.

 Feeling stressed yourself?

 With all disruptions coming from the outbreak, it’s no wonder if you’re feeling more anxious. You can help your children by trying to be calmer. Listen to these simple mindfulness/relaxation exercises to relax and destress.

 To learn more, see this CDC information on COVID-19, or contact your MPCP physician.