COVID-19 AND SCHOOLS
With the 2020-2021 school year underway, EAMC has a couple of key reminders for parents.
1.Know the symptoms of COVID-19 and don’t send your student(s) to school if they have any of these symptoms: cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, fever or chills, muscle or body aches, vomiting or diarrhea, and new loss of taste or smell. (See COVID-19 symptoms chart.)
2.Be extra cautious about exposing vulnerable people to your student(s). Limiting this exposure between students and grandparents, and other vulnerable people, will significantly reduce serious cases and decrease the number of hospitalizations. This is important to both the hospital and the community so we can limit the impact COVID-19 has on our loved ones.
AUBURN CHAMBER’S TUESDAY TALK FEATURES EAMC COVID-19 DISCUSSION
Thanks to the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, local businesses had an opportunity yesterday to hear directly from EAMC officials regarding COVID-19. The event, titled “Tuesday Talk,” featured EAMC President / CEO Laura Grill, Ricardo Maldonado, M.D. (infectious diseases specialist) and Brooke Bailey (Infection Prevention director). The entire 45-minute presentation can be heard here on the Auburn Chamber’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK4uVh83p5c. Grill provided an EAMC overview of COVID-19, beginning at the 2:40 mark. Dr. Maldonado discusses the EAMC COVID-19 timeline, the 3 phases of COVID-19, and the treatment options, including hydroxychloroquine and plasma, beginning at the 5:20 mark. Bailey wraps it up starting at the 23:47 mark by discussing infection prevention training of EAMC staff, transmission probabilities, and, of course, masks.
MASKING NEEDED OUTSIDE, AT TIMES
The message of masking when indoors is now accepted by most people, but simply being outside does not mean that masks are not needed. It’s okay to be outside without a mask to exercise, play a sport that doesn’t require close contact (tennis, golf, etc.), or work in the yard. However, masks are definitely recommended if you are outside with people from another household and six feet of distance cannot be maintained (cooking out, visiting on porch, working together on a project, waiting at a bus stop, etc.). It’s times like these that you may be talking louder and be more likely to emit respiratory droplets. Remember, you are wearing a mask to protect others and they are wearing one to protect you.