COVID-19 Care & Info
March 5th the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced in Alberta. As per March 25th there are 419 confirmed cases (of which 61 in the last 24 hours) and 2 people died due to this disease in our province. So far >21000 people died worldwide. COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease. The majority of the people might only get mild symptoms, but 15-20% will need hospitalization, 5% will need ventilation and ICU care, mortality rate is around 2%. One of the biggest risks of COVID-19 is overwhelming the healthcare system, where the availability of services doesn’t meet the demand.
How does it spread?
It is transmitted via larger droplets, from a sneeze or cough. Asymptomatic people can carry the virus and pass it on to others. It can also be transmitted by touching contaminated objects or surfaces and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. After disinfecting the virus is inactivated within 1 minute.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms can range from very mild to severe: cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, fever and shortness of breath. The average time between exposure and developing symptoms is 5 days, but could be up to 14 days.
What to do when you develop symptoms?
- STAY HOME and self-isolate for 10 days, or until symptoms resolve, whichever takes longer
- Take the COVID-19 self-assessment test to be found on Alberta.ca/COVID
- Call Health Link 811 (if directed by the self-assessment test)
- Do not go to an ER or clinic
- Call 911 if you need immediate medical attention and inform them you may have COVID-19
What can you do to prevent spreading the virus?
- Cover your cough and sneeze in elbow (youtube: The Safe Sneeze by Mythbusters)
- Wash your hands frequently (20 sec scrubbing, with soap)
- Don’t touch your face (we do it about 20-30 times per hour!)
- Self isolate if you’re sick or travelled in the last 14 days
- Practice physical distancing: keep 2 metres between you and others
- Avoid non-essential travel
Nobody can predict how this pandemic is going to develop. We will have to deal with it for months to come. Effects of physical distancing or other interventions will only be visible a few weeks after implementation. Guidelines are updated on a daily basis. Lots of information about the current situation, recommendations and available resources can be found on alberta.ca/COVID19
This is an extremely stressful time for all of us. This pandemic will have huge effects for many months to come. It is extremely important to support each other. Physical distancing does not mean social distancing. Reach out to others, especially our more vulnerable elder population. Even though you might not be able to visit, there are many other ways to create a smile on somebody else’s face. Be kind to each other, we all have our struggles. If you need mental support you can phone the Cochrane Addiction and Mental Health clinic at 403.851.6100 or our clinic. For financial support you can find resources on Alberta.ca/COVID.
If you need medical care: YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL YOUR DOCTOR. We are there for you. There is lots of evidence a good medical home provides the best quality of care and saves a lot of resources further down the path in healthcare. We will do whatever it takes to provide continuity of care to our patients and keep you out of the urgent care or hospital. Some issues can be dealt with by phone. As much as possible we will try to avoid you having to come to the clinic. If we do have to see you in the clinic we follow preventive measures as recommended by Alberta Health Services. The risk of contracting the virus in your family doctor’s office is less than in most other healthcare facilities.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions. You can reach us at 403.949.2457. Together we can overcome this pandemic!
Stay safe, stay healthy, be kind,
Dr. Annalies Noordman
Care in the Creek Medical Centre
