Updated November 7, 2020
Thank you all for all your warm wishes! This pandemic has taken a toll on my practice and my staff.
Our office will be closed to in person visits until Monday, November 16th due to COVID concerns. The epidemic has entered a dangerous phase and cases are growing exponentially. Remember mask-wearing protects others from you but not you from others. Homemade or cloth masks may offer you little protection with high concentrations of the virus in the air. Being inside in confined areas with others who are positive is a high-risk activity.
For a list of local testing facilities (public and private) go to:
https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/testing-sites
https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/community-based-testing-sites/index.html
See our **COVID Testing page on this website or call us for a Telehealth visit if you need our assistance with testing options or need a doctor's order. You will need a Telehealth evaluation before any order is given by Dr. Kamholz to ensure testing is appropriate.
My favorite reputable sources for updated national and local COVID information:
Center for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
National Public Radio: https://www.npr.org/
John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/
Illinois Dept of Public Health: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus/
STATUS
Social distancing, infection control measures, and our ability to identify early cases and isolate these cases are keys to limiting spread. All of these have become a challenge this fall so cases are spreading like wildfire. Now is not the time to let our guard down. People are the most contagious in the first week of their illness when they may not realize they are ill. About 15% of cases or more may come from contact with those who are asymptomatic. The vast majority of cases come from superspreader events and close contacts.
FACE COVERING RECOMMENDATION AND PREVENTION
For more information on face coverings, see: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html. I encourage everyone to have plenty of triple-layer cloth masks, wash or change daily if you are going out, keep separate from the rest of your house, and of course wash your hands if you ever touch your face mask.
***I cannot stress the importance of healthy habits to give our bodies the best chance to survive and recover from a COVID infection. This means STOP SMOKING, LIMIT or AVOID ALCOHOL, and EAT HEALTHY FOODS including lots of fruits and vegetables.
TELEHEALTH
I have 2 options for televisit during the pandemic: Through a web-based teleconferencing software called DOXY.ME and through teh Healow app. See my page on Televisits on this website for more information and make sure your phone has the proper settings to make a successful visit.
Getting timely testing is a challenge right now. If you have a close contact, self-quarantine is recommended and guidelines for this are found on the CDC.gov website. Please call us for further guidance if you have been exposed.
IF YOU ARE ILL
Our advice is that if you are ill with fever (temp over 100.4), cough, and/or shortness of breath (any of these symptoms), you should be medically evaluated. Please contact us for advice to help direct you -- whether it is Immediate care, Emergency Room, or Telehealth.
TREATMENT
For mild symptoms of runny nose, sore throat, minimal to mild cough, no fever or shortness of breath, self-quarantine and monitoring is appropriate. I am available via Telehealth to talk you through that. Assume you have COVID and act accordingly to protect others. If your symptoms progress to fever, chest pain, worsening cough or shortness of breath at rest, an in-person medical evaluation is indicated.
RECOVERED FROM COVID-19 and WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? The American Red Cross is partnering with hospital systems to collect the plasma from those who have recovered from COVID-19. If you are interested, see the below site for more information: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/plasma-donations-from-recovered-covid-19-patients.html
Advocate Health Systems is partnering with Versiti for its plasma donations. See link: https://www.versiti.org/home/convalescent-plasma-donations.
CHANGE IN OFFICE SERVICES
Please know patients who have medical emergencies, scheduled appointments and televisits have our top priority. Because so many people had to cancel their appointments in the spring and reschedule, I don't have any routine physical appointments before the end of the year but may use a cancellation list with the uncertainty that COVID brings. Our office, like most medical offices, has been extremely impacted by COVID-19. Our goal is to remain open to provide you with a variety of basic medical services and be there for more urgent issues.
**Our ability to do routine prescription and test prior authorizations may be limited. If you have an urgent need, please make a Televisit so we can review the clinical information and urgency. Alternatively, you may contact your insurance company or pharmacy benefit plan. They say they are trying to eliminate administrative burdens that create barriers to maintaining good health during this time.
Please use our Patient Portal for non-urgent messages.
Thank you for understanding! We are currently open and will update this message with any changes.
