COVID-19 SARS2 UPDATE

We at DeKalb Surgical Associates are committed to keeping you informed of important updates that could affect your health and well being. Everyone has something to say about COVID19, and everyone wants to be up to date. It’s probably best to consolidate our sources rather than exponentially increase, so I would urge everyone to utilize the CDC (https://lnkd.in/ekABBpD) and state public health websites (GA- https://lnkd.in/e6g4X7A).

Also, remember that if you get some “cold” symptoms, you probably just have a cold. Here is a comparison of the symptoms of various respiratory illnesses:

common symptoms with COVID19, are fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath, usually beginning about 3-5 days after exposure. With flu, fever and dry cough are also common, but associated with sore throat, fatigue and aches and pains. With allergies, it’s usually a runny nose and sneezing. A common cold usually has a sore throat, runny nose and sneezing.

If you DO have symptoms worrisome for COVID-19 SARS2, you should self-quarantine for 2 weeks from the onset of your symptoms. You should be in contact with your doctor’s office.  You should NOT go to the emergency room unless you are have difficulty breathing, or if you have symptoms you feel may be life threatening.  MOST patients who contract the virus will feel like they had the flu, and get over it. Only a minority will need hospital care, and only about 5% will be critically ill.  Older people are at higher risk for contracting the virus or becoming critically, ill, but still, even elderly patients are more likely to survive than not.

Testing will likely be available at driveby centers in the ATL area soon, so stay posted. There will be criteria to meet for testing; it would not make sense for everybody to be tested.

Keep checking for updates here.  We will be addressing frequently asked questions from out patients in the days ahead.