Dear Signature Patient,
Surfaces:
There has been a lot of confusing information in the media recently about the transmissibility of coronavirus via surfaces. COVID-19 predominantly spreads from person to person via respiratory droplets. Surface transmission MAY occur but this is not likely to cause a large number of cases. Surface contact is best addressed with frequent hand hygiene.
Is it safe to…?
As we progress through various phases of lifting the shelter in place orders, the number of COVID-19 cases & hospitalizations is gradually increasing locally. On June 4th, North Carolina was the state with the fastest spread of COVID-19 in the US, so taking precautions is more important than ever.
Keeping in mind that your risk of infection is driven by type of exposure and time of exposure, here is a link to an article from NPR which addresses some specific scenarios:
In broad strokes:
Outside is better than inside
Smaller groups are better than larger ones
Activities that involve normal conversation are better than yelling and singing
Short duration (minutes) is better than longer duration (hours)
Masking is better than not masking
Maintain social distancing
Wash your hands frequently
Treatment:
Clinical trials are in progress. Several medications have shown promise in treating COVID-19, but as of now, no medications have been proven to reduce mortality from coronavirus infections.
Vaccine:
Several companies are feverishly working to develop and test vaccines to prevent COVID-19 infections. It is likely to be several months at the earliest before a vaccine is available in our area.
As always, the team at Signature is here to answer any questions that you have regarding the coronavirus pandemic.
Sincerely,
The Signature Healthcare Team