The coronavirus (COVID-19) has been on the front page of the news over the past few weeks. While this is a potentially dangerous virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the risk in the United States is still considered low. The symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, typical of other flu symptoms. Those at greatest risk are individuals that have traveled in China over the past 14 days.
You can help reduce your chance of contracting the virus and any other flu virus by following these simple steps:
If you have traveled to China recently, do not go to urgent care or your primary care doctor if experiencing flu symptoms. Report directly to the Emergency Room at your nearest hospital as they are equipped to handle the protocols associated with COVID-19.
As of February 17, the CDC has reported 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States and no confirmed cases in the state of New York. There are 60 cases pending results. If you are experiencing flu symptoms but have not traveled to China or been in contact with someone that traveled in China over the past 14 days, you may use urgent care or your primary care doctor for treatment of the flu.
At Emergency One, we have seen a near record number of patients with the flu. We provide a mask to all patients entering the facility with flu symptoms and our staff is educated on the best practices of protecting themselves and your family from passing the flu from one to the other. We are vigilant in wiping common surfaces with cleaning solutions that prevent the spread of the flu. With a few basic precautions, you can safely navigate the rest of this flu season.
