Coronavirus

Many of you have heard about a new virus named COVID-19 which started in Wuhan, China. This is a respiratory virus that has spread widely in countries such as South Korea, Italy, Iran, Japan and Hong Kong. Recent cases have been confirmed in the United States. As such we wanted to provide some information on how to protect yourself and others in the community, symptoms of the disease and what to expect if you come in for an office visit.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include but are not limited to fever, cough, shortness of breath, nausea and diarrhea. You may also experience chills, body aches, sore throat, headache and runny nose. These symptoms can show up anywhere from two to fourteen days following exposure and can range in severity from very mild (like a mild cold) to severe (like a bad flu). A minority of cases require hospital care. If you have infection symptoms and have traveled to any country in Asia or Europe or have been exposed to another person who has been diagnosed with COVID, please contact us here at the office. In addition to contacting Marble Valley Healthworks you should contact the Vermont Department of Health by dialing 2-1-1.

We are enacting the following policies during the COVID-19 outbreak to provide you the best possible care while maintaining a safe environment for our clients and staff.

Please note:

• People with mild to moderate infection are best treated at home with rest, fluids and over the counter cold medicines.  You are recommended to stay at home to avoid infecting others.
• We are strongly discouraging walk-in visits by anyone for any reason – even for paperwork or quick questions. The less traffic through the office, the safer we’ll all be. Call us rather than drop by.
• Please do not come to the office if you have symptoms of respiratory infection or have been exposed to COVID-19 unless we have directed you to do so.
• If you come into the office with any respiratory symptom our team will ask:
• That if you have a cell phone, call the office when you arrive in the parking lot and wait until a staff member calls back or comes out to escort you to an exam room.
• That you don a face mask before or immediately upon entering the clinic. This protects our staff, your provider and other visitors.

There are things you can do to help minimize your risk:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover you mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. When possible cough and sneeze into a tissue and then immediately dispose of the tissue
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces i.e. doorknobs, countertops etc.

For additional information you can visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.healthvermont.gov/response/infectious-disease/2019-novel-coronavirus

Please contact the VT Department of health if you have further questions or concerns: (802) 863-7240