COVID INFORMATION

The most important thing you can do to keep yourself and others safe is to GET VACCINATED and GET YOUR BOOSTER.

Wearing a MASK does indeed protect others from you if you have Covid. Many people with Covid have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, so wearing your mask around others is important. It also protects you to an extent, but at least be considerate of others when you make your decision about wearing a mask.

If you have recently been DIAGNOSED with Covid-19, there is usually no reason to see your medical provider. At present, there are no specific therapies recommended for most patients with Covid-19.

However, if you have one of the following HIGH-RISK conditions, we do wish to see you:

1. If you are immunocompromised by things such as chemotherapy or medications, you are at higher risk for severe symptoms. If you are being treated for rheumatoid arthritis or cancer, you may be immunocompromised. If you take prednisone, you may be immunocompromised.
2. If you are older than 75 and have NOT completed a full vaccination series, including a booster, you are high-risk.
3. If you are older than 65 and have NOT completed a full vaccination series, AND have chronic medical conditions including diabetes, heart failure, obesity, kidney or liver disease, you are high-risk.

If you are concerned that you may be at high risk of developing severe Covid, we would also like to see you.

If you do not have these problems but have symptoms such as severe shortness of breath, severe cough, high fevers, or if you feel you are very sick, you need to be seen today. We will try to work you in if at all possible, but if we cannot do so, then going to urgent care or emergency room is recommended.

If you need to be seen, we can do tele-visit or telephone visits for many patients. If you have severe symptoms, you will need to be seen in person.

If you do not have any of these concerning issues, you can probably best manage your Covid-19 by staying at home. You should continue your regularly prescribed medications. Drink plenty of fluids. You may take over-the-counter ibuprofen, acetaminophen (Tylenol), cough medications, antihistamines, and decongestants as needed for symptom control.

There are many medications that have been tried unsuccessfully to treat Covid-19, and we suggest you do NOT take these. These include chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), azithromycin, colchicine, Ivermectin, and fluvoxamine. None of these have been shown to help patients with Covid-19 and can possibly be harmful.

QUARANTINE Recommendations:

1. If you have a positive test and are symptomatic, please quarantine for five days. If you are improving and have no fever on Day 5, you may stop quarantine on Day 6. Wear a mask and be careful around others until at least Day 10.
2. If you are exposed to Covid—which means you have been within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes—what you do depends on your vaccination status. If you are fully vaccinated, including a booster, you do not need to either test or quarantine. Wear a mask and use care for at least ten days.
3. If you are exposed to Covid and have NOT been fully vaccinated- including a booster shot- you need to quarantine and get a Covid test on Day 5. If the test is negative, you may stop quarantine. Wear a mask and use care until at least Day 10.

The CDC has a good website on Covid, which we recommend exploring. You may also call your provider at Highlands Family Medicine.