TMPSOK COVID-19 RESPONSE

TMPS Friends & Associates,

We have all been trying to absorb a deluge of information and instructions on COVID-19. In addition to my usual news sources, I get email blasts from Maine Medical Center, Mercy Hospital, the CDC, medical science publications, and my practice leadership. In this article, I have attempted to distill this data into a practical guide for best practices. I will be publishing a blog in the next few days and will update it as important information becomes available.

Transmission

  • Droplet: Droplets are transmitted through the air when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. Droplets do not travel more than 6 ft and do not linger in the air for hours.
  • Contact: Self inoculation of mouth, nose, or eyes after touching a contaminated surface

Clinical Features

Incubation period: 14 days following exposure with most symptoms arising 4-5 days after exposure.

Spectrum of Severity:

  • Mild (No or Mild Pneumonia). Not requiring hospitalization-81%
  • Severe: Respiratory failure requiring oxygen and hospitalization-14%
  • Critical: respiratory failure requiring ventilator, shock, multiorgan failure-5%

Symptoms: The best data to date comes from a study from Wuhan, China conducted early in Feb. Results are likely skewed by a CV19 population with more severe illness as milder cases were not being recognized or tested. As more data comes out regarding symptoms in mild cases, the frequency of symptoms are likely to change:

  • Fever-99%
  • Fatigue 70%
  • Dry cough 59%
  • Body aches 35%
  • Shortness of breath-31%
  • Rhinorrhea (runny nose) was only present in 4

Protect yourself, your loved ones, and the community.

Wash your hands for 15 seconds with antimicrobial soap. The HBD song is about 15s.

Hand Sanitizer:  No longer widely available. Hand sanitizer (or as EJ calls it, sanitizer) is very effective at killing CV19. Should contain 60% alcohol. Apply liberally and allow to air dry.

  • Put sanitizer in your car and in your pocket. You need it most when you are out and about
  • How to make your own if needed: https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-make-hand-sanitizer/
  • Respiratory hygiene: Cough into elbow
  • Public spaces:  How to not get infected when out in public spaces (reverse the following if you are left hand dominant).
  • Your left hand is for interfacing with potentially contaminated surfaces.  This is your left hand’s chance to finally do something really important.
  • You are much more likely to accidentally touch your face, rub your eyes with your dominant hand
  • If I used a credit card (which I keep in my right pocket), I wipe it down as well.
  • Keep your feet at least 3 feet from others (6 ft is better)
  • Clean groceries and other items with sanitizing towel
  • Do not shake hands.  Don’t bump elbows (we are supposed to be coughing into our elbows)