Updated July 11, 2020
Please remember during this crazy time that the overwhelming majority who contract COVID-19 will fully recover.
My heart is full of all the warm wishes and community support I have received. Thank you all!
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/
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
We are now in the phase of the epidemic where the curve has flattened and the number of those hospitalized has been decreasing. Given COVID is surging in other parts of our country, it is likely our numbers will start to go up as well. Our social distancing, infection control measures, and our ability to identify early cases and isolate these cases have helped. 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 may come from contact with those who are asymptomatic.
FACE COVERING RECOMMENDATION AND PREVENTION
Because asymptomatic carriers can be contagious to others, the CDC recommends face coverings in public settings to reduce the risk for transmission. For more info, see: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html. I encourage everyone to purchase cloth masks which have become more widely available, 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
We successfully launched our telehealth visits with a near 100% success rate. It does require you have a Patient Portal account and that you download the Healow app to your SMART PHONE. Please call our office to help you with this. **Computer to computer connections have not been successful. 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.
THERE IS NO INDICATION FOR TESTING ANYONE (EXCEPT HIGH RISK OR HEALTHCARE WORKERS) AT THIS TIME WHO HAS NO SYMPTOMS SUGGESTIVE OF COVID-19 EVEN WITH A KNOWN EXPOSURE. 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. Using this donated plasma in severely ill COVID patients is one of the most promising treatments available. 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. Our office, like most medical offices, has been extremely impacted by COVID-19 and we have had to reduce staff to ensure our survival through this pandemic. Our goal is to remain open to provide you with a variety of basic medical services. We will be overwhelmed as well since chronic medical conditions still require ongoing medical care.
**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 for business and will update this message with any changes.
